Author: WWC NEWSDESK

Philippines

Two Young Siblings Die in Oriental Mindoro House Fire—What Rescuers Found Beside Them Broke Hearts

NAUJAN, Oriental Mindoro — A devastating house fire in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro claimed the lives of two young siblings and injured their grandmother late Thursday night, leaving a family and an entire community in mourning. The victims, aged 7 and 11, were killed after a fire engulfed their home in Barangay Barcenaga at around 10:30 p.m. on August 27, according to initial information from authorities. Their grandmother survived the blaze after jumping from a window to escape, while four of th

August 28, 2026

Politics

Iceland Votes on Reopening Its EU Door After Trump’s Greenland Threats — But the Real Battle Isn’t About Trump

REYKJAVÍK, Iceland — For decades, Iceland’s argument over joining the European Union has revolved around fish, money and sovereignty. Then Donald Trump put Greenland at the centre of an international confrontation — and repeatedly called it Iceland. Now one of Europe’s smallest nations is preparing for a referendum that could produce consequences far larger than its population of roughly 400,000 would suggest. On Saturday, August 29, Icelanders will answer a deceptively simple question: Shoul

August 28, 2026

Philippines

Transparent Bags in Schools? More Cebu Mayors Back the Move After Recent Campus Violence

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Transparent school bags could soon become a more common sight in Cebu classrooms as local leaders consider tougher security measures following recent incidents of violence involving students across the Philippines. Several Cebu local governments are now backing or studying the use of see-through bags to make school entry inspections easier, but officials are also stressing that transparent bags alone cannot solve the deeper problem of campus violence. In Cebu City, May

August 28, 2026

Singapore

Singapore Is Tightening Heat Rules for Outdoor Workers From Dec 1 — But the Most Important Change Isn’t the Water

SINGAPORE — For thousands of people who spend their working day under Singapore’s sun, access to cool water and heat-friendly clothing will soon become more than good workplace practice. From Dec 1, 2026, employers will face tougher mandatory requirements aimed at protecting outdoor workers from heat stress, as Singapore prepares for a future in which hotter conditions could increasingly become a workplace safety, productivity and economic problem. The Ministry of Manpower is making four measu

August 28, 2026

Sport

US Open Women’s Singles Wide Open: Can Anyone Stop Sabalenka’s Historic Three-Peat Bid?

NEW YORK — Aryna Sabalenka arrives at the 2026 US Open carrying more than the pressure of defending her title. The world No. 1 is chasing a place in history, fighting to protect her ranking and trying to rediscover her best form—all while a dangerous field of rivals waits in New York. The Belarusian star is seeking her third consecutive US Open women's singles title, a feat no woman has achieved since Serena Williams completed a three-peat from 2012 to 2014. But unlike her dominant runs in prev

August 28, 2026

Singapore

Singapore Sends Crisis Team to Nepal as Travellers Remain Missing — Then a Second Flood Threat Emerges

SINGAPORE — Singapore has sent a crisis response team to Nepal as families wait desperately for news of Singaporeans caught in one of the deadliest Himalayan disasters in years — but rescuers are now confronting a new danger that could make an already devastating situation even worse. Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi had deployed a Crisis Response Team to Nepal to provide consular assistance. Singapore's missions in New Delhi and Beijing ar

August 28, 2026

Asia

Jakarta Protest Disrupts Trains, Buses and Toll Roads After Night of Unrest — But the Anger Runs Much Deeper Than Traffic

JAKARTA — A major anti-corruption demonstration outside Indonesia’s parliament spilled into late-night unrest on Thursday, disrupting trains, buses and toll roads across parts of Jakarta the following morning — while exposing a deeper wave of public frustration confronting President Prabowo Subianto’s government. What began as demonstrations near the Senayan legislative complex on August 27 continued after the main organised rally had dispersed, with clashes, fires and road blockages reported a

August 28, 2026

Philippines

Moro Ako’s BARMM Election Bid Hits Another Wall—Comelec Stands Firm on Cancellation

MANILA, Philippines — The Moro Ako Party has suffered another setback ahead of the historic 2026 Bangsamoro parliamentary elections after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) denied its motion for reconsideration and upheld the cancellation of its registration and accreditation as a regional parliamentary political party. In its latest ruling, the Comelec en banc found no merit in Moro Ako's appeal, effectively affirming its earlier decision to cancel the party's accreditation for the Septembe

August 28, 2026

Entertainment

Gretchen Fullido Harassment Case Takes Stunning Turn—Court Acquits Former TV Executives

MANILA, Philippines — A long-running legal battle involving television anchor Gretchen Fullido and two former colleagues has reached a major turning point, with the accused television executives reportedly acquitted in the sexual harassment case stemming from allegations that first rocked the ABS-CBN newsroom years ago. The case traces its roots to 2017, when Fullido filed an internal complaint against former TV Patrol supervising producer Cheryl Favila and segment producer Maricar Asprec. The

August 28, 2026

Asia

SK Gas Paid a Record US$5.3 Million for One Panama Canal Slot — But the Reason Could Hit Global Shipping Even Harder

PANAMA CITY — A South Korean energy company has agreed to pay an extraordinary US$5.3 million for priority access through the Panama Canal, setting a new record as drought fears, tightening transit capacity and upheaval in Middle East energy routes collide at one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints. SK Gas secured the record-priced slot for the G. Spirit, a liquefied petroleum gas carrier scheduled to make a northbound Panama Canal transit on Sept. 1. Panama Canal Deputy Adminis

August 28, 2026