Tropical Storm Wipha makes landfall in Vietnam; heavy rains persist in Philippines
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Indonesia says 19% US tariff might kick in before August 1
Indonesia’s chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said a 19% tariff on Indonesian goods entering the United States could come into effect sooner than an August 1 deadline. The two countries reached a trade deal last week that led to a reduction in the threatened tariff rate to 19% from 32%.
JAKARTA, July 21 (Reuters) – Indonesia’s chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Monday that a 19% tariff on Indonesian goods entering the United States could come into effect sooner than an August 1 deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Airlangga said the timing of the tariff depended on a joint statement expected soon between the two countries, which reached a trade deal last week that led to a reduction in the threatened U.S. proposed tariff rate to 19% from 32%.
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The deal was one of only a handful reached so far by the Trump administration ahead of the August 1 negotiation deadline with numerous countries.
Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Louise Heavens
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Tropical Storm Wipha makes landfall in Vietnam; heavy rains persist in Philippines
Tropical storm Wipha weakened after making landfall in northern Vietnam on Tuesday. Authorities on alert due to heavy rains that could cause flooding and mudslides. Around 350,000 soldiers were put on standby in Vietnam. Schools closed, flight cancellations and the suspension of government work in the Philippines as WipHA hits. The Philippines has struggled with monsoon downpours that began last week and are expected to continue until Wednesday. The storm is the first major storm to hit the country this year and has intensified already torrential monsoon rains in the country. In Hong Kong, more than 110 mm of rain fell within three hours and maximum wind gusts exceeded 167 kph at some points, prompting authorities to issue their highest storm warning. In the Philippines, the storm has triggered knee- to waist-deep flooding across parts of the country and forced a second day of school closures, flight Cancellations.
Item 1 of 4 People lie on an elevated bed amid flooding caused by monsoon rains in Cainta, Rizal, Philippines, on July 22, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
Summary
Companies Vietnam braces for possible flooding, mudslides after Wipha landfall
Philippines faces intensified monsoon rains, widespread flooding
Vietnam and Philippines mobilise military for disaster response
HANOI/MANILA, July 22 (Reuters) – Tropical storm Wipha weakened after making landfall in northern Vietnam on Tuesday, with authorities on alert due to heavy rains that could cause flooding and mudslides, as the Philippines struggled with monsoon downpours that began last week.
Wipha hit the northern provinces of Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa early on Tuesday afternoon with wind speeds of up to 74 kph (46 mph), slowing from around 100 kph on its approach, the national weather forecasting agency said.
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With a long coastline facing the South China Sea, Vietnam is prone to typhoons that are often deadly and Wipha is the first major storm to hit this year.
Heavy rains of up to 50 cm (20 inches) were forecast to continue until Wednesday morning, and authorities warned people to watch out for landslides in mountainous areas and flooding in urban areas. Around 350,000 soldiers were put on standby.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had put coastal provinces on emergency footing as Wipha neared, with residents nervous after the devastation of Typhoon Yagi, which last year killed around 300 people and caused $3.3 billion of damage.
“I have learnt from last year’s mistakes, when we underestimated Yagi,” Ngo Van Thuong, a 40-year-old warehouse manager in Ha Long City, told Reuters as the storm neared.
“Doorways and roofs are places that need more attention, and, since yesterday, I have also put sandbags on top of the roof,” Thuong said.
A fishing boat in Quang Ninh province capsized early on Tuesday, but all nine of the fishermen on board were saved, the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reported.
Airlines cancelled and rescheduled dozens of flights, and some airport, port and train services were suspended, though state media reported that airports in Quang Ninh and Haiphong had resumed operations on Tuesday afternoon.
Photos on state media showed empty streets in the capital in Hanoi, where many workplaces were closed on Tuesday, including the U.S. embassy.
“We haven’t forgotten about Yagi, and have taken extra measures to cope with Wipha,” said a resident of Cat Ba Island in Haiphong.
FLOODING, CLOSURES IN PHILIPPINES
In the Philippines, Wipha has intensified already torrential monsoon rains, triggering knee- to waist-deep flooding across parts of the country and forcing a second day of school closures, flight cancellations and the suspension of government work.
Thousands of families remain in evacuation centres as relentless rains, which swept through the country’s north last week, continue to batter the country.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., currently on an official visit to the United States, said government agencies had been mobilised to provide assistance.
“Relief goods are ready and are being delivered to affected areas, along with medical teams,” Marcos said in a recorded message. “We’re ensuring transport, electricity, and water supplies are stable for those affected.”
On Sunday, Wipha, then at full typhoon strength, barrelled across Hong Kong and southern China. As the storm passed Hong Kong, more than 110 mm of rain fell within three hours and maximum wind gusts exceeded 167 kph at some points, prompting authorities to issue their highest storm warning.
Reporting by Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Thinh Nguyen in Ha Long, and Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores in Manila; Editing by John Mair and Sharon Singleton
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Alaska Airlines resumes operations after IT outage
U.S. carrier Alaska Airlines (ALK.N) resumed operations late on Sunday after briefly grounding all of its flights for about three hours due to an IT outage. The company requested a system-wide ground stop for Alaska and Horizon Air flights at around 8 p.m. Pacific on Sunday. In April 2024, Alaska grounded its entire fleet due to a issue with the system that calculates the weight and balance of its planes. In June, Alaska Air Group-owned Hawaiian Airlines said some of its IT systems were disrupted by a hack.
Summary
Companies Ground stop lifted at 11 p.m. Pacific on Sunday
Alaska expects residual impacts throughout the evening
Cause of IT outage remains unclear
July 20 (Reuters) – U.S. carrier Alaska Airlines (ALK.N) , opens new tab resumed operations late on Sunday after briefly grounding all of its flights for about three hours due to an IT outage, marking the second time it has halted its fleet in just over a year.
The company requested a system-wide ground stop for Alaska and Horizon Air flights at around 8 p.m. Pacific on Sunday (0300 GMT on Monday) after it said that an outage impacted its systems, and lifted the ground stop by 11 p.m. Pacific, the carrier said.
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“As we reposition our aircraft and crews, there will most likely be residual impacts to our flights. It will take some time to get our overall operations back to normal,” the Seattle-based company said.
Alaska did not immediately specify the nature of the IT outage.
In April 2024, Alaska grounded its entire fleet due to an issue with the system that calculates the weight and balance of its planes.
In June, Alaska Air Group-owned Hawaiian Airlines said some of its IT systems were disrupted by a hack . Alaska Air Group said it was still determining the financial impact of that event.
The news of Alaska’s IT issues comes at a time when tech companies Google and Palo Alto Networks have warned of the “Scattered Spider” hacking group’s interest in the aviation sector.
Separately, Microsoft said on Sunday that there were “active attacks” on its server software used by government agencies and businesses.
Alaska did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment on whether the outage was related to the Microsoft announcement.
Reporting by Gursimran Kaur and Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich, Jamie Freed and Kate Mayberry
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South African rand slightly weaker, local politics could provide support
The rand traded at 17.64 against the dollar on Tuesday, down 0.1% on Monday’s closing level. Morgan Stanley said it had turned more bullish on South African government debt in the wake of a minister’s removal. The dollar was up 0. 1% against a basket of global currencies. The budget has been held up by months of political wrangling, but Wednesday’s vote is the final hurdle for it to pass.
JOHANNESBURG, July 22 (Reuters) – The South African rand was slightly weaker on Tuesday, but analysts said local political developments could lend it support in the coming days.
At 0745 GMT, the rand traded at 17.64 against the dollar , down 0.1% on Monday’s closing level.
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The dollar was up 0.1% against a basket of global currencies.
On Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa removed a minister accused of misconduct by his party’s key coalition partner, which could defuse tensions between the two main governing parties before a budget vote on Wednesday.
The budget has been held up by months of political wrangling, but Wednesday’s vote on the Appropriation Bill is the final hurdle for it to pass.
Morgan Stanley said it had turned more bullish on South African government debt in the wake of the minister’s removal.
It said it now viewed South Africa’s spreads – the premium investors demand to buy South African bonds rather than benchmark debt like U.S. Treasuries – as attractive compared with countries with similar credit ratings.
South Africa’s benchmark 2035 government bond was stronger on Tuesday, as the yield fell 9 basis points to 9.895%.
Markets reacted little to a decline in a central bank business cycle indicator that gauges the economic outlook. The leading indicator (ZALEAD=ECI) , opens new tab fell 1.3% month-on-month in May, following a 0.6% decrease in April.
Reporting by Alexander Winning and Marc Jones; Editing by Sharon Singleton
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Vietnam hunts four missing after sudden thunderstorm capsized tourist boat
Government revises death toll down to 35 from an initial 38 on Saturday. Officials cut estimate of those aboard to 49 from 53, though officials fear the toll could still rise. All the tourists aboard were Vietnamese, including several children, official Vietnam News Agency said. Accident was one of the worst in recent years in the UNESCO-protected archipelago of thousands of limestone islands about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi. “Hopefully, the missing ones will be found soon,” said Do Van Hai, 42, a Halong resident. “It is the first time I have experienced an accident with so many casualties here,” said insurance agent Do Thi Thuy. “I was told life vests were available, but it was too sudden”
Four still missing after boating accident in Halong Bay
Storm caused damage in Hanoi, temporarily disrupted air travel
HALONG BAY/HANOI, Vietnam, July 20 (Reuters) – Dozens of rescuers were scrambling in Vietnam on Sunday to trace four missing people after retrieving the bodies of dozens killed when a thunderstorm capsized a boat in the top tourist destination of Halong Bay, authorities said.
Despite a calm sea, rescuers, from police and border guards to divers and navy personnel, were battling limited visibility hours before the expected landfall in northern Vietnam of Typhoon Wipha, which is now approaching Hong Kong
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The government said rescuers had managed to retrieve the sunken boat and revised down the death toll to 35 from an initial 38 on Saturday, while cutting an estimate of those aboard to 49 from 53, though officials fear the toll could still rise.
All the tourists aboard were Vietnamese, including several children, the official Vietnam News Agency said.
“My brother can swim, but I was told everything happened too fast,” Tran Trung Tu, 39, whose sibling was 32, told Reuters at a funeral parlour on Sunday.
Item 1 of 4 Nguyen Thi Lien, mother of Tran Trung Tuan, one of the victims of a tourist boat accident, which killed dozens and left several people still missing, reacts as hospital staff carry his body, at Bai Chay Hospital, in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam, July 20, 2025. REUTERS/Thinh Nguyen [1/4] Nguyen Thi Lien, mother of Tran Trung Tuan, one of the victims of a tourist boat accident, which killed dozens and left several people still missing, reacts as hospital staff carry his body, at Bai Chay Hospital, in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam, July 20, 2025. REUTERS/Thinh Nguyen Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
The accident was one of the worst in recent years in the UNESCO-protected archipelago of thousands of limestone islands about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi, which draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.
The sudden thunderstorm turned the sky dark in a matter of minutes, felling trees in the capital of Hanoi, where officials at the Noi Bai international airport said nine flights were diverted and three departures temporarily halted.
“It is the first time I have experienced an accident with so many casualties here,” said insurance agent Do Thi Thuy.
A tour boat sank in Halong Bay i n 2011 , killing 12, with some foreign tourists among them.
The government said the accident was caused by a “sudden” storm. Strong winds, heavy rain and lightning were reported around the time of the event, at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
“I was told life vests were available, but it was too sudden,” said Do Van Hai, 42, a Halong resident. “Hopefully, the missing ones will be found soon.”
Reporting by Thinh Nguyen in Halong and Phuong Nguyen in Hanoi; Writing by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Clarence Fernandez
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