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A man walks holding an umbrella on a trail along the Hongje Stream following torrential rain that hit the region in Seoul on July 17.

SEOUL - A man in his 50s was found dead on the morning of July 17 inside a submerged vehicle in Seosan, South Korea’s South Chungcheong Province, hours after he called his wife to tell her that the car is being swept away in record-breaking torrential rain.

The victim and his car were discovered by the rescue authorities of the city at around 6.15am (5.15am, Singapore time). He was moved to the nearby Seosan Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Demonstration of a smart toilet measuring the characteristics of a model stool.

TOKYO - Toilet maker Toto will begin selling on Aug 1 a toilet equipped with a sensor that measures the colour, hardness and amount of stool.

The suggested retail price, including tax, starts at 493,900 yen (S$4,280). The company aims to sell 7,300 units per year in the third year of the launch.

The Supreme Court’s verdict permanently removes a long-running legal distraction for Mr Lee as Samsung plays catch-up in a global race to develop cutting-edge AI chips.

SEOUL - South Korea’s top court upheld on July 17 a not-guilty verdict for Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong, backing two lower court rulings clearing him of accounting fraud and stock manipulation related to an US$8 billion (S$10.3 billion) merger in 2015.

The Supreme Court’s verdict permanently removes a long-running legal distraction for Mr Lee as Samsung plays catch-up in a global race to develop cutting-edge AI chips.

The previously unreported hacking campaigns were carried out by at least three distinct Chinese-linked groups primarily between March and June of 2025.

TAIPEI - Chinese-linked hackers are targeting the Taiwanese semiconductor industry and investment analysts as part of a string of cyber espionage campaigns, researchers said on July 16.

While hacking to steal data and information about the industry is not new, there is an increase in sustained hacking campaigns from several China-aligned hacking groups, researchers with cybersecurity firm Proofpoint said in a new analysis.

A Patriot air defence system, which can detect and destroy incoming missiles, being deployed at a park in Taipei as part of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang military exercises on July 15.

TAIPEI – Taipei’s normally busy streets will come to a brief standstill on July 17 when air raid sirens send thousands of people into underground shelters in a rehearsal for a Chinese attack.

The annual civilian drill is being held in cities across Taiwan this week, alongside military training, to prepare the self-governed island for a potential Chinese invasion.

PLA’s next-generation warship will boast fighter and drone strike power with an advanced electromagnetic catapult launch system

The flat-top vessel will serve as a fleet command centre that will enable drones, helicopters, fighters and landing craft to approach an adversary’s coast.

The Sichuan, which was first spotted on satellite images in 2023, was officially launched as the first Type 076 ship in December with the hull number 51.

Hongkongers want to ‘live independently and do what is important’ rather than simply live longer, a survey of 1,000 residents shows

Nearly 80 per cent of the respondents said they do not want to live longer with poor health and financial conditions, but want to “live independently and do what is important”, according to the study released on Thursday, which polled 1,000 Hongkongers in the first two months of this year.

“As Hong Kong embraces the silver economy, the findings from our latest Asia Care survey underscore a notable shift in Hongkongers’ mindset that people are not just living longer, but they are [also] making a priority of living better,” said Celia Ling Pui, chief marketing officer for Manulife Hong Kong and Macau. “This opens up golden opportunities for insurers to support ageing with purpose and independence.”

Observatory could raise warning to No 3 on Saturday or even higher on Sunday, with tropical cyclone set to enter within 800km of city

The forecaster said the tropical cyclone was currently located to the east of the Philippines and was expected to enter within 800km (497 miles) of Hong Kong from Friday night to early Saturday.

It was then expected to intensify and edge closer to the western coast of Guangdong province, the forecaster added.

A huge fire has engulfed the main stage of Belgium’s globally-renowned Tomorrowland electronic dance music festival, two days before the event was due to open to an expected audience of 100,000.

“Due to a serious incident and fire on the Tomorrowland Mainstage, our beloved Mainstage has been severely damaged,” festival organisers said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We can confirm that no one was injured during the incident,” it added.

Islamabad, Pakistan – More than 120 people have died in Pakistan due to climate-related incidents in the past three weeks, as the country braces for the onset of the monsoon season.

In its latest situation report, released on Wednesday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) revealed that a total of 124 people, including 63 children, have perished across the country since June 26.

The NDMA has found that about two-thirds of the deaths were caused by house collapses and flash floods, while drowning accounted for just more than one in 10 of the deaths.

Visitors can explore three exhibition levels at Galeria Sri Perdana, including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's former home office.

KUALA LUMPUR - History buffs and curious visitors alike now have a fresh reason to explore Federal Hill’s leafy slopes in Kuala Lumpur, after Galeria Sri Perdana, the former official residence of Malaysia’s fourth prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, reopened to the public on July 10 – fittingly, on his 100th birthday.

Under the stewardship of the National Archives of Malaysia since 2000, Galeria Sri Perdana is more than an architectural relic in Jalan Terengganu – it invites visitors to step into spaces where family life and official history unfolded, from dining areas to desks where key decisions were made.

US immigration officials may deport migrants to countries other than their home nations with as little as six hours’ notice.

WASHINGTON - The US Homeland Security Department said on July 15 that a deportation flight carrying immigrants from different countries had landed in Eswatini, in a move that follows the US Supreme Court lifting limits on deporting migrants to third countries.

In late June, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted in the closed-door trial in Bangkok.

Bangkok - Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is set to testify in court on July 16, seeking to defend himself against royal defamation charges in a watershed case for his faltering political dynasty.

Thaksin faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted in the closed-door trial in Bangkok, where he stands accused of breaching strict lese majeste laws shielding Thailand’s royal family from abuse and criticism.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the Great Wall of China on July 16, the fifth day of his China visit.

SYDNEY - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on July 16 his government's screening of foreign investment was not country-specific, after Chinese Premier Li Qiang raised "problems" faced by Chinese companies seeking access to Australia.

On the fifth day of a China visit where the Australian leader is balancing trade and security, Mr Albanese visited the Great Wall to draw a comparison with former prime minister Gough Whitlam who walked the wall in 1971, opening dialogue with communist China before Australia's ally the United States had done so.

BEIJING – A Chinese court sentenced a Japanese citizen to prison for espionage, Nippon TV reported, citing an unidentified Japanese government official, in a verdict that threatens to damage ties between Asia’s two largest economies.

The Nikkei newspaper said the jail term was 3½ years.

The convicted man, an executive of Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma, was detained in March 2023 and charged with espionage in October of that year.

Don’t despair if your exam results didn’t work out as you expected. Here’s some advice from teachers and a mental health expert

So what can students left disappointed by their results do? The Post has sought advice from teachers and a mental health expert.

DSE subjects are graded from level 1 to 5**, the highest mark. The grades translate to points – with 5** worth seven and 5* six – for the three core subjects of Chinese, English and maths and up to three electives. A fourth core subject, citizenship and social development, is assessed with a “pass” or “fail” grade.

Sales in China jumped 28 per cent, while Europe’s demand rose 23 per cent to 390,000 units last month, according to Rho Motion

A total of 1.8 million battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids were sold last month, the London-based firm said on Tuesday. Sales in China jumped 28 per cent to 1.11 million units, or 60 per cent of the worldwide total, while Europe’s demand rose 23 per cent to 390,000 units, according to the report.

The US, the world’s second-largest vehicle market after China, was the laggard, with sales in North America falling 9 per cent to just over 140,000 units, the data showed. Demand in the rest of the world surged 43 per cent to more than 140,000 vehicles, boosting the significance of the emerging markets of Southeast Asia and Central America, Rho Motion said.

The 15-year-old black panther’s portly appearance has made him an unexpected social media star at the National Zoo in Kuala Lumpur

This viral moment stood in stark contrast to earlier footage from 2023, which showed a leaner, more muscular Apoh prowling confidently around his enclosure.

“Yes, Apoh is looking a little chonky, but don’t worry!” the zoo reassured people in a TikTok post. “Our dedicated zookeepers and vets are keeping a close eye on him and making sure he gets the best care possible.”

‘We’ve got to be ready’: former Biden envoy offers rare praise for Trump’s tariff strategy towards China in speech at Aspen Security Forum

China GDP figures beat market forecasts despite looming US tariff risks

China GDP figures beat market forecasts despite looming US tariff risksBurns praised US negotiators on Tuesday, calling Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent “impressive” in his discussions with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng.

The new power passed amid border tensions with Thailand is really about consolidating control, critics say. But some in Cambodia defend it

Justice Minister Koeut Rith announced that the government would “urgently” draft the requisite legislation to enforce the measure against those convicted of treason or collaborating with foreign entities to the detriment of Cambodia and its people.

The legislative shift is being driven by both the ongoing border dispute with Thailand and a desire to fortify political control as regional geopolitics grow increasingly uncertain, according to analysts.