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Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
After Trump Tariff Hit, Lesotho Turns to Asia and Other Markets
Lesotho is courting buyers in Asia and elsewhere for its textiles after producers were battered by the uncertainty surrounding US President Donald Trump's new tariff regime and has already secured new business from neighboring South Africa. 'We are pursuing alternative markets from all over,' Trade Minister Mokhethi Shelile said in an interview. 'That's in Southeast Asia, Asia, Africa and Europe.'
CBC
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Country singer Dallas Smith winks at Trump's annexation threats with 51-date tour
Country singer Dallas Smith isn't looking to stir the political pot, but he admits it's no coincidence that his upcoming Canadian concert tour is booked for 51 dates. In a wink to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of making Canada the 51st state, the British Columbia-born country singer and frontman of rock band Default says he's investing in his homeland with an acoustic tour that rolls through 51 communities starting this fall. "We were close to that number and then we said let's just make that happen," he said with a laugh in a recent interview. "It was important for me to come, especially at this time, [with] a lot of Canadian pride. I want to get out there, really go hard, and visit all these places that I haven't been and see the country." The Dallas Smith & His Band (Unplugged) tour will focus on places he's never toured before and is mostly booked in small theatre venues of several hundred to a thousand seats. He starts in Fort St. John, B.C. on Oct. 3 and continues to less-travelled communities such as Kitimat, B.C., Enoch, M.B. and Wingham, Ont. By the time it's over, Smith will have wound through nine of the 10 provinces — skipping Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories — reaching his final stop in Belleville, Ont., on Dec. 14. Tickets go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m. Sporting a red-brimmed maple leaf baseball cap emblazoned with "Canada," Smith explained the reasons behind making Canada his main focus for the rest of the year. "There is a lot going on in the U.S. that goes against my upbringing and what I think is right," he said in a video chat from Nashville, where he was meeting with his management. "So why not double down and spend the time in a place that I really want to enjoy and be around my people?" 'Nooks and crannies' of Canada Few Canadian musicians take on the challenge of playing so many small markets. Life on the road can be mighty expensive once accounting for all the people required to carry a tour. With his band Default, Smith is more familiar with big venues, music festivals and major events, such as the Calgary Stampede, where he's roared through hits like Wasting My Time and Deny. He intends to revisit some of those older songs on this tour with stripped-back versions, while sharing stories of his upbringing, music career and newer solo tracks, including How Do You Miss Me and Drop. The concept is inspired by the "MTV Unplugged" sessions of the 1990s made famous by Nirvana and Alice In Chains. Smith said he's been throwing around the idea of exploring the "nooks and crannies" of Canada since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the plan never took shape. More recently, alongside his management team, he mapped out a budget to make it happen, shedding the lavish perks and complex lighting rigs for something more modest — a single bus, trailer, full band and most of his regular crew. Together they'll work on a tight schedule that, at times, sees them booked for six consecutive nights in six different cities before they have a break. To make it happen, their stage setup will be minimal. "We're gonna dial back and allow the beauty of these venues to kind of lead the way and be the backdrop," he added. Smith's approach might seem counter to the music industry trend of making shows bigger and more social media friendly — think towering digital screens and gimmicky celebrity appearances. But he said he's often rejected those pressures, and with this tour, he focused on making tickets affordable, within the $60 to $100 range, without impacting the live performance. "I did not want to sacrifice how these songs would be played," Smith said. "I love the guys in my band; they're like brothers to me. Playing these songs together, and paying them a full wage where they feel valued ... and balancing that with ticket price, it's a little tricky, but we landed in a good spot where everybody feels really happy."
Arab News
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
3 killed in overnight Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia
Ukrainian drone attacks overnight into Saturday killed three people, Russian officials said Saturday. Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted or destroyed 112 drones across eight Russian regions and the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. A drone attack on the Rostov region, on the border with Ukraine, killed one person, acting governor Yuri Slyusar said. Further from the front line, a woman was killed and two other people wounded in a drone strike on business premises in the Penza region, according to regional governor Oleg Melnichenko. In the Samara region, falling drone debris sparked a fire that killed an elderly resident, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched 53 drones and decoys at Ukraine overnight into Saturday. It said that air defenses shot down or jammed 45 drones. Eleven people were wounded in an overnight drone strike on the Kharkiv region, Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said Saturday. The reciprocal drone strikes followed a day of mourning in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, after a Russian drone and missile attack killed 31 people, including five children, and wounded over 150. The continued attacks come after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a shorter deadline — Aug. 8 — for peace efforts to make progress. Trump said Thursday that special envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Russia to push Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine and has threatened new economic sanctions if progress is not made.
Malay Mail
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Thailand frees two Cambodian soldiers ahead of high-stakes border talks in Malaysia next week
BANGKOK, Aug 1 — Thailand's army sent home two Cambodian soldiers from a group of 20 on Friday, ahead of a key meeting in Malaysia next week where defence ministers and military commanders will hold talks aimed at maintaining a ceasefire along their disputed border. Long-simmering tensions on the Thai-Cambodian border exploded into clashes last week, including exchanges of artillery fire and jet fighter sorties, the worst fighting between the South-east Asian neighbours in over a decade. The clashes claimed at least 43 lives and left over 300,000 people displaced. A truce was achieved on Monday, following a push by Malaysia and phone calls from US President Trump who threatened to hold off tariff negotiations with both countries until fighting stopped. Thailand and Cambodia previously faced tariffs of 36 per cent for sending goods to the US, their largest export markets. Following further negotiations, they will now pay a 19 per cent tariff, the White House announced on Friday. In Bangkok, Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub told reporters on Friday that two Cambodian soldiers had been sent back, and the remaining 18 were being processed for violating immigration law. 'The Cambodian soldiers intruded on Thai territory and the army took them into custody, treating them based on humanitarian principles,' he said. In a statement, the Cambodian defence ministry asked Thailand to return all the detained soldiers. 'Cambodia is actively engaging in negotiations to secure their release, and reiterates its firm call for their immediate and unconditional release in accordance with the international humanitarian law,' a ministry spokesperson said. Defence ministers and military leaders from both sides, who were previously scheduled to meet in the Cambodian capital next week, will now hold talks in Malaysia, after Thailand sought a neutral venue for the meeting. The General Border Committee, which coordinates on border security, ceasefires, and troop deployments, will meet between August 4-7, Thai Acting Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit told reporters. 'Defence attachés from other Asean countries will be invited as well as the defence attachés from the US and China,' a Malaysian government spokesperson told reporters, referring to the South-east Asian regional bloc that the country currently chairs. Thailand and Cambodia have for decades claimed jurisdiction over undemarcated points along their 817-km land border, with ownership of several ancient temples at the centre of disputes. In May, a Cambodian soldier was killed in a skirmish, leading to a troop build-up and a diplomatic crisis, which eventually snowballed into five-days of intense fighting in late July. — Reuters
Malay Mail
24-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Malaysia in active talks with US, aims to secure tariff below 20pc, says Tengku Zafrul
PETALING JAYA, July 24 — Malaysia is actively engaging in discussions with the United States (US) over the impending 25 per cent tariffs set to take effect on Aug 1, aiming to secure a tariff rate below the 20 per cent level, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. He said an announcement is expected once the terms are finalised. 'Discussions are ongoing. In fact, negotiations are continuing this week, so we remain on track to meet the deadline. Once the terms are agreed upon, I believe an announcement will be made,' he told reporters at the Asean Semiconductor Summit (ASEMIS) 2025. On the possibility of a deadline extension, Tengku Zafrul said it would ultimately depend on the administration of US President Donald Trump, noting that no formal talks on an extension have been held so far. 'Every country faces different challenges when it comes to what we can offer. We cannot offer things we don't have or things that we feel may be detrimental to the Malaysian industry. These are factors we must carefully consider,' he said. Tengku Zafrul declined to disclose the concessions Malaysia is offering in its ongoing trade discussions with the US. Non-tariff barriers have been a central focus of the talks, with several key issues, such as halal certification and government procurement, closely tied to Malaysia's national interests. — Bernama
