Marco Rubio to travel to Malaysia for first Asia trip
Rubio will travel to Kuala Lumpur in four days, during which time he'll participate in the ASEAN-United States Post-Ministerial Conference, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the State Department said in a press release.
He is also scheduled to touch base with senior Malaysian officials, according to a press release, in order to "highlight the strength" of the American commitment to "building on our comprehensive partnership with Malaysia."
Rubio was previously scheduled to travel to Japan and South Korea for his first Asia trip at the start of July, but instead hosted the foreign ministers of Japan, India and Australia in Washington last week for talks on the economy.
Rubio's visit also comes as President Donald Trump was set to send out letters on Monday to 12 unnamed countries with a "take it or leave it" offer on tariff negotiations.
Trump on Monday warned that countries that support BRICS nations would face an additional 10% tariff when the broad tariffs take effect on Aug. 1.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim posted to social media Sunday that he had just taken part in the first day of the BRICS Leaders' Summit, which he said focused "on strengthening multilateralism, reforming the global economic and financial system, and promoting ethical governance of artificial intelligence."
Malaysia in not a member nation of BRICS, an organization that does include Russia, China and Iran, but Ibrahim also said in his Sunday post that "Malaysia champions an agenda aligned with BRICS' aspirations," and that "Malaysia is ready to collaborate closely with BRICS and partner countries," among other comments.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
2 hours ago
- UPI
House committee votes to approve subpoenas on Epstein files
1 of 5 | Protesters hold photos of Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump outside a bail hearing at Manhattan Federal Court in July 2019 after Epstein's arrest on sex-trafficking charges in New York City. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo July 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. House Oversight Committee on Wednesday subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell as a subcommittee sought subpoenas for President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and the Justice Department. A House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee also approved subpoenas to obtain Department of Justice records related to the Epstein files and deposing former President Bill Clinton and other Democrats. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., introduced the motion to subpoena the DOJ's "full, complete [and] unredacted" Epstein files, which passed with an 8-2 vote. Republican Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Brian Jack of Georgia and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania joined Democrats in voting in favor of the subpoena motion. House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said he will sign the DOJ subpoena for the Epstein files, ABC News reported. The subcommittee also seeks former President Clinton's and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's depositions. Others targeted for subpoenas include James Comey, Eric Holder, Loretta Lynch, Robert Mueller, Alberto Gonzales and Jeff Sessions. House speaker questions Maxwell's credibility The Oversight Committee wants to depose Maxwell on Aug. 11 at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Fla. Maxwell, 63, was an associate of former financier and convicted sex offender Epstein, who killed himself while jailed in New York City and awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges that included minors in 2019. She also is the daughter of former British media mogul Robert Maxwell and is serving a 20-year prison sentence in Florida after a jury found her guilty of sex trafficking in 2021. "The facts and circumstances surrounding both your and Mr. Epstein's cases have received immense public interest and scrutiny," Comer said in the subpoena. Comer said the Justice Department also is undertaking "efforts to uncover and publicly disclose additional information related to your and Mr. Epstein's cases." "It is imperative that Congress conduct oversight of the federal government's enforcement of sex trafficking laws generally," he added, "and specifically its handling of the investigation and prosecution of you and Mr. Epstein." Comer submitted the subpoena a day after a House Oversight subcommittee approved a motion that directed him to seek Maxwell's testimony before the Oversight Committee. The Justice Department on Tuesday also announced it will interview Maxwell soon to provide greater transparency in the case against Epstein. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday questioned the credibility of Maxwell's testimony. "Could she be counted on to tell the truth?" Johnson asked reporters. "Is she a credible witness?" He called Maxwell "a person who's been sentenced to many, many years in prison for terrible, unspeakable conspiratorial acts and acts against innocent young people." Federal judge denies Epstein grand jury files access A federal judge on Wednesday denied one of three DOJ requests to release grand jury records from Epstein's case there. U.S. District of Southern Florida Judge Robin Rosenberg refused to unseal the grand jury testimony and records from cases against Epstein in 2005 and 2007. Rosenberg said the Justice Department did not sufficiently outline arguments to unseal the court records. She also denied a request to transfer the matter to the U.S. District Court for Southern New York. Two federal judges there similarly are considering DOJ motions to unseal grand jury files from the former Epstein cases. Bondi said Trump's name is in the files While those rulings are pending, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump his name appears in the Epstein files, The New York Times reported on Wednesday. Bondi did not state the context in which Trump is mentioned, and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Trump did not engage in any wrongdoing. Instead, Trump expelled Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club because the president thought Epstein was a "creep," Cheung added. Bondi earlier suggested she would release files related to the Epstein case, but recently said they don't contain anything noteworthy. Her announcement regarding the files triggered controversy, including among Republican congressional members. Johnson canceled Thursday's House session and said the chamber will recess until Sept. 2.
UPI
2 hours ago
- UPI
Kim Jong Un calls for 'actual war' training by combat units
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) oversaw a firing contest among artillery units of the Korean People's Army and said it resembled it "actual war," state-run media reported Thursday. Photo by KCNA/EPA SEOUL, July 24 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on the military to ramp up combat and artillery training to prepare for "coping with a war anytime and destroying the enemy in every battle without fail," state-run media reported Thursday. Kim made the remarks while overseeing an artillery firing contest among units of the Korean People's Army on Wednesday, the official Korean Central News Agency said. The contest called for artillery units to fire at offshore targets after simulating a night march and sudden combat deployment. Kim "expressed great satisfaction over the contest that was conducted like an actual war," KCNA said. The North Korean leader stressed the need to develop "artillery tactics and combat methods in an innovative way in keeping with the harsh and acute environment of the daily-changing modern battlefields." "The courage, abilities and self-confidence with which to actively cope with any war and crisis are cultivated in the furnace of the training revolution," Kim said, according to KCNA. "The surest war deterrent is the most thoroughgoing outlook on the arch enemy." He was joined at the contest by senior officials, including Defense Minister No Kwang Chol and Vice Chairman Pak Jong Chon of the ruling party's Central Military Commission. Kim oversaw a similar firing contest in May. The North's emphasis on real-world combat training comes as Pyongyang sends weapons and thousands of troops to Russia to aid Moscow in its war against Ukraine. North Korea has deployed some 14,000 troops to help recapture lost territory in Kursk Province from Ukrainian forces, according to a recent report by an 11-country sanctions monitoring team. Russian media reported last month that the North is sending an additional 6,000 military workers and combat engineers to help rebuild the Kursk region. Moscow and Pyongyang have grown closer since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The two signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in June of last year, which includes a defense clause that calls for mutual military assistance in the event either country is attacked. Kim reaffirmed North Korea's support for Moscow's war against Ukraine during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week. Kim told Lavrov that the North is "ready to unconditionally support and encourage all the measures taken by the Russian leadership as regards the tackling of the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis," KCNA reported.
Bloomberg
3 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Malaysia Seeks Less than 20% Tariff in Trade Talks With US
Malaysia is seeking to lower US tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump to less than 20% and is optimistic of reaching a deal ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Zafrul Aziz. Trump has threatened a 25% levy — separate from sectoral tariffs — unless the Southeast Asian nation reaches an agreement with his administration.
