FirstUp: Marco Rubio in Malaysia, SC hearing on Bihar electoral rolls revision… Top news today

US Secretary of State Marco Rubi is in Malaysia today to hold talks with government leaders and attend meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition against the EC’s decision to carry out the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will jointly lead discussions with other European leaders on strengthening Ukraine’s defence.

A unique Le Birkin handbag is going up for sale in Paris today.

India and England will face each other in the third Test of the five-match series today.

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Let’s take a look at the events:

Marco Rubio in Malaysia

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Malaysia today, marking his first trip to Asia in his new role.

He will meet top Malaysian officials and take part in meetings in Kuala Lumpur with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

His visit comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has announced steep tariffs on Malaysia and several other regional partners and allies.

Just hours after the State Department described Rubio’s visit as a move to reinforce Washington’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific, Trump said that 25 per cent tariffs would be imposed on imports from Japan and South Korea starting August 1.

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Malaysia is among the countries facing a 25 per cent tariff, while Laos and Myanmar face 40 per cent, Cambodia and US ally Thailand 36 per cent, and Indonesia 32 per cent.

Rubio is expected to focus on rebuilding ties with countries unsettled by Trump’s aggressive tariff stance.

SC hearing on ECI’s revision of electoral roll in Bihar

The Supreme Court will hear a petition challenging the Election Commission of India’s decision to carry out a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, which is due to hold elections this year.

The petition asks the court to strike down the June 24 order, which requires a large number of voters in Bihar to provide documents proving citizenship to remain on the rolls.

Filed by social activists, the plea argues that the process unfairly targets the poor, migrant workers, women and marginalised communities, for whom voting is a key tool for political accountability.

On July 7, the court agreed to take up the case on July 10. Since then, several new petitions have been filed, including a joint plea by leaders from opposition parties such as the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), and Samajwadi Party.

RJD MP Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, and NCP-SP’s Supriya Sule have also jointly approached the court.

Macron, Starmer to hold talks on Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will lead discussions today with other European leaders on strengthening Ukraine’s defence.

The talks will take place at a military base in northwest London and continue efforts to build a European peacekeeping force, first launched in March under the name “coalition of the willing.”

King Charles III invited President Macron and his wife Brigitte for a three-day visit that began on Tuesday.

The July 10 meeting comes as efforts led by the US to broker peace in Ukraine have lost momentum, more than three years into the conflict.

Auction of first Hermes Birkin handbag

A rare Le Birkin handbag, specially made for British singer and actor Jane Birkin, is going up for auction in Paris today.

This prototype of the famous Hermes bag, which Birkin carried for nine years, is expected to sell for a six-figure sum.

She first auctioned the handbag in 1994 to support a French Aids charity. It was later sold again in 2000 to a collector of luxury items, who has not revealed how much she paid.

The original bag has been displayed at New York’s MoMa and London’s V&A Museum. The prototype differs in size from later versions.

Since its creation, the Birkin bag has gained iconic status and has been mentioned in numerous songs and pop culture references.

India vs England 3rd Test match

The third Test of the five-match series between India and England will take place today at Lord’s in London, as both sides aim to take the lead in the Anderson-Gavaskar Trophy.

India’s memorable win at Edgbaston levelled the series 1-1. It was their first win at that ground in 58 years.

Notably, India last played at Lord’s in 2021, when they beat England by 151 runs.

Star Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the second Test, is likely to return to the playing eleven.

With inputs from agencies