US-bound shipments from South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan have risen dramatically in the lead-up to the US’ tariff deadline on 8 July, Bloomberg reports. The surge — which comes as US-based importers rush to lock in orders before the possible rates hike — has led to export figures similar to those around the US holiday season.

In numbers: The surge has widened the US’ trade deficit with the Asian economies, with imports from Taiwan in May skyrocketing 90% y-o-y and 35% for goods from Vietnam and Thailand.

REMEMBER- If no bilateral trade agreements get secured in time, Washington is set to impose imposed tariffs at varying intensity on Southeast Asian countries, with South Korea seeing a 25% tariff ; Taiwan to be hit with a 32% tariff ; a steep 46% levy will be imposed on Vietnam; and Thailand will face a 36% rate. These rates are currently on hold as part of a 90-day pause.

US backs African minerals railway: The US International Development Finance Corp is wrapping up approvals for upwards of USD 500 mn in funding for the Lobito Corridor rail project connecting Congo and landlocked Zambia to Angola’s coast, Bloomberg reports. The agency is currently in talks with stakeholders, including the Angolan government and Singapore’s Trafigura Group. US officials earlier estimated the project’s ticket to be in the territory of EUR 1 bn, Deutsche Welle reported last year.

The Zambian government is looking to start building the Lobito Corridor railway by 3Q 2026, Transport Minster Frank Tayali told Reuters earlier this week. The project — set to link the country’s copper belt to Angola’s Atlantic coast — will stretch over 530 km and is geared for exporting critical minerals and agricultural goods. The Africa Finance Corporation is developing the project, and several players, including the US and EU, have expressed interest, Tayali said.

Footing the bill: Angola has eliminated government funding as a possible source for backing the project, and is instead looking at the private sector, Angola's Economic Coordination Minister José Massano reportedly said. Discussions have largely focused on the assurances financiers seek within the concession contract.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has detected widespread, repeated safety shortcomings within the country’s airlines and airports — and a pattern of insufficient issue monitoring — in a recent probe launched after the Air India clash earlier this month, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing a DGCA statement. The probe covered flight operations, airworthiness, ramp safety, air traffic control, communication, navigation, surveillance systems, and pre-flight medical evaluations for local airlines in New Delhi and Mumbai airports.

What were the findings? The DGCA found issues including unusable ground-handling equipment — such as faulty baggage trolleys and tool controls — and non-compliance with work-order instructions, according to the news outlet. Aircraft maintenance engineers reportedly ignored safety precautions, failed to report problems requiring fixes, and neglected to log them into official logbooks. Additionally, obstruction-limitation data was three years overdue for an update, and no survey had been conducted ahead of construction near one of the airports.

REFRESHER- India's authorities launched a separate probe last week to investigate all possible causes of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash that happened moments after takeoff in Ahmedabad, claiming at least 270 lives. The jet’s black box is still under examination by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

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