Author: WWC NEWSDESK

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Entertainment Mourns: Veteran Actor and Dance Pioneer Lau Siu Ming Dies at 94

The beloved “Ming Sir,” whose career stretched from pioneering Hong Kong dance to unforgettable film and television roles, has died after decades in the spotlight. Hong Kong’s entertainment and performing-arts community is mourning the death of veteran actor and dancer Lau Siu Ming, who passed away at the age of 94 on Sept. 2, 2026. Lau, affectionately known as “Ming Sir,” died at around 6 p.m., according to reports citing fellow actor and voice artist Ding Yue, who confirmed the news to Hong

September 3, 2026

Uncategorized

Uzbek Professor Detained in Kazakhstan Over Espionage Allegations as Academic Community Demands Answers

ASTANA, Kazakhstan — The detention of an Uzbek academic in Kazakhstan has triggered growing concern among scholars and colleagues, with questions mounting over the secrecy surrounding the case and what it could mean for academic freedom in Central Asia. Ikboljon Qoraboyev, a 46-year-old Uzbek citizen and international-relations scholar, was reportedly detained in Astana on July 3, 2026, on suspicion of espionage. His relatives told the BBC's Uzbek service that several men in civilian clothing c

September 3, 2026

Business

Robina Gokongwei-Pe Backed UP When Almost Nobody Believed—Then the Fighting Maroons Changed Everything

For years, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons were better known for heartbreaking losses than championship celebrations. But when business leader and UP alumna Robina Gokongwei-Pe first threw her support behind the men's basketball program in 2010, she saw something that went beyond the scoreboard. She saw potential. And she decided to stay—even when the wins were almost impossible to find. Gokongwei-Pe's story of standing behind the Fighting Maroons has resurfaced through In

September 3, 2026

Business

Singapore Is Adding a New Green Charge to Air Tickets in 2027 — But Cargo Gets a Major Reprieve

SINGAPORE — Air travellers departing Singapore are set to face a new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) levy from January 2027, while the government has given the air-cargo industry another year to prepare for its own charge. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced on Thursday, September 3, that the SAF levy on air cargo shipments will be deferred by one year following feedback from industry players. Under the revised timeline, the cargo levy will apply to services sold from Oc

September 3, 2026

Philippines

Siargao Turns Into a Giant Dining Room as Island Food Festival Showcases the Philippines’ Next Culinary Hotspot

From fresh seafood and local coffee to coconut-focused dinners and a beachside boodle fight, Ani Sang Siargao brought chefs, farmers, fishers and food lovers together across the island. SIARGAO, PHILIPPINES — Siargao may be internationally famous for its waves, but its food scene is increasingly becoming a destination in its own right. The 2026 Siargao Food & Wine Festival, also known as Ani Sang Siargao, transformed the island into an island-wide culinary playground from August 26 to 31, brin

September 3, 2026

China

US Military Presence in Australia Set to Grow as Washington and Canberra Take a Major Step Amid Rising China Tensions

US Military Presence in Australia Set to Expand as Washington and Canberra Accelerate Defence Cooperation SYDNEY/WASHINGTON — Australia and the United States are moving to deepen their military partnership, with the two allies agreeing to accelerate initiatives that could expand the American military presence across Australian bases amid growing strategic competition with China. The development followed a September 2 meeting in Washington between US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Australia

September 3, 2026

Uncategorized

Singapore’s New Green Flight Levy Is Coming in 2027 — Here’s What Travellers Will Pay

Singapore Green Jet Fuel Levy Starts in 2027: Travellers Face Up to S$41.60 on Flights Singapore is moving ahead with its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) levy for passengers from January 1, 2027, but air-cargo operators have been given an additional year before they face the charge. Under the latest plan announced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) on September 3, travellers buying tickets from October 1, 2026 for flights departing Singapore from January 1, 2027, will pay the

September 3, 2026

Uncategorized

Bangkok Data Centre Faces Legal Action After More Than 200,000 Litres of Diesel Found Without Licence

BANGKOK — A data centre on Bangkok’s Rama 9 Road is facing possible legal action after Thailand’s Department of Energy Business found more than 200,000 litres of diesel stored for emergency generators without the required licence, prompting authorities to order the fuel removed from the site. The case has triggered wider scrutiny of how data centres are approved and regulated in Bangkok, particularly when large backup-fuel supplies are located in densely populated urban areas. Officials are pr

September 3, 2026

Singapore

15,000 Singapore Taxpayers Hit by NSman Relief Error — Some May Have to Pay More, Others Could Get Money Back

SINGAPORE — About 15,000 taxpayers in Singapore have been affected by incorrect National Service (NS) tax relief amounts after a system error generated inaccurate NS activity records, according to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). The affected group includes NSmen, as well as eligible spouses and parents, with the incorrect relief amounts appearing in Years of Assessment (YA) 2025 and 2026. But the impact will not be the same for everyone. Of t

September 3, 2026

Entertainment

Gen Z Taoist Priest Debunks Hotel “Ghost Rule”: Knocking Before Entering Won’t Keep Spirits Away

A young Singaporean Taoist priest is challenging one of the internet’s latest hotel-room superstitions — and his advice is surprisingly simple: use logic. A hotel-room ritual that many travellers may have heard about is going viral in Singapore: knock on the door before entering a hotel room to alert any spirits inside that a guest is arriving. But according to Singaporean Taoist priest and content creator Lee Chee Tong, there is no need to treat the knock as a supernatural form of protection.

September 3, 2026