After U.S. tariffs on “Liberation Day” in April 2025 rattled markets, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia negotiated reciprocal trade agreements with Washington to lower tariffs and restore access.
Hong Kong players are competing in a local FIP Bronze padel tournament this week to gain ranking points and press for Asian Games recognition after padel was awarded medal status for the September Games in Japan.
Tim Cook visited an Apple Store in Chengdu on March 18 amid Apple’s 50th anniversary events while the company’s COO met key suppliers, signaling continued reliance on China’s manufacturing ecosystem.
Saudi Arabia has opened a Red Sea ‘Plan B’ using Yanbu to route crude around the closed Strait of Hormuz, allowing some VLCCs to avoid the chokepoint amid ongoing regional conflict.
Athlete Hanna is seeking Central American and Caribbean (CAC) qualification at a senior regional meet in Panama City this weekend, aiming to build on a recent gold-medal finish and follow up with competition in Guatemala.
Chinese experts say recent US‑ and Israel‑led “decapitation” strikes in Iran and actions in Venezuela highlight the limits of leadership-targeted operations, arguing regime change often requires ground forces—a lesson Beijing is weighing for Taiwan.
FreshPlaza reports that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed some shipping traffic toward the Panama Canal, increasing transits and raising operational and economic considerations for the waterway and Panama.
At a Panama–Germany Economic Meeting, officials and business representatives highlighted investment and logistics cooperation, noting German business activity in advanced manufacturing and pharmaceuticals in Panama.
The second Wing Lei Bar & Friends brought top bartenders from six global cities to Wynn Palace in Macau on March 13–14, with guest shifts hosted by head bartender Mark Lloyd and a panel discussion on the event’s second day.
Five members of Iran’s women’s football team returned to Iran after withdrawing asylum claims filed in Australia; six players and one staffer had received humanitarian visas.
A Hong Kong campsite operator, Tang Lung-fai, 56, was found guilty of murdering his live-in girlfriend, Fok Sin-yee, and jailed for life after telling police he believed she was an ‘alien’.
Japan beat South Korea 4-1 in a Women’s Asian Cup semi in Sydney, with Ueki, Hamano, Kumagai and Chiba on the scoresheet. The win sets up a final against hosts Australia.
Hutchison has intensified criticism of Panama in a port terminal dispute, alleging unconstitutional actions, a “radical occupation,” and improper seizure of investor documents, raising concerns about foreign investment.
Fuel smuggling from Iran into Pakistan has declined after the recent Middle East fighting, squeezing smugglers with higher costs and thinner cross-border flows.
Hong Kong will pilot an internationally benchmarked version of its Diploma of Secondary Education exam to let foreign students apply to universities in Hong Kong and mainland China.
Port Technology reports a recent surge in inspections of Panama-flagged vessels at Chinese ports, a development with potential operational and reputational consequences for ship operators and Panama’s registry.
Cosco Shipping Ports posted modest 2025 gains — net profit up 1.1% to US$312.1m, revenue up 11% — and said it expects only a limited impact from the Iran conflict while eyeing expansion in emerging markets.
U.S. hawks warn that China’s scientific gains could threaten American dominance; others counter that global scientific progress can produce mutual benefits, including for Latin America.
A PLA delegation will visit Brussels next week for EU-China security consultations and separate NATO talks as the Iran war reshapes global security, officials said.
Hong Kong’s labour chief says Middle East tensions have made the city more attractive to international professionals, praising government recruitment efforts and disputing claims that most successful applicants are from mainland China.