Category: Asia

Asia

Nepal Flood Survivors Search With Bare Hands as Entire Villages Vanish in Himalayan Disaster

RASUWA, Nepal — With no shovel left and almost nothing remaining of his home, Dil Bahadur Shrestha has been searching through thick mud with his bare hands for the body of his wife. He already knows she is probably dead. But after 50 years together, he cannot bring himself to stop looking. His wife, Jamuna Shrestha, was last seen trying to save her chickens and goats as deadly floodwaters tore through their community in Betrawati, Nepal. Within minutes, their home and much of the town had bee

September 7, 2026

Taiwan

Taiwan’s Demographic Time Bomb Is No Longer a Future Threat

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's demographic crisis is no longer a distant warning about the future. It is already beginning to reshape the country's workforce, schools, economy and political priorities. New government projections show Taiwan is heading toward a future with dramatically fewer young people and a rapidly expanding elderly population — a combination that could leave businesses struggling to find workers while placing growing pressure on pensions, healthcare and public finances. The num

September 7, 2026

Asia

China Mudslide Death Toll Rises to Three as Nine Remain Missing After Typhoon Saudel

BEIJING — The death toll from a devastating mudslide in eastern China has risen to three, while nine people remain missing, after days of torrential rain triggered by Typhoon Saudel battered parts of the country. The mudslide struck a village in Suichuan County in Jiangxi Province early Saturday, damaging at least a dozen homes and forcing emergency crews to launch a large-scale search and rescue operation. Authorities moved residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations as fears grew that

September 7, 2026

Philippines

Missing Bukidnon Mother Found Dead in River—Police Reveal What May Have Happened

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — A search for a 49-year-old mother who disappeared from her home ended in tragedy after her body was found floating in the shallow waters of the Sawaga River in Barangay 9 on Monday morning, September 7. The woman, identified by authorities only as alias “Beng,” was a resident of Barangay Casisang. Police said residents alerted authorities after spotting a body among rocks in the river. Her husband and children later positively identified the remains, matching the de

September 7, 2026

Business

Inside Japan’s Century-Old Ice Craft That Has Become a Luxury Essential for Top Bars Worldwide

KANAZAWA, Japan — In the historic Japanese city of Kanazawa, blocks of crystal-clear ice are being carefully shaped, sliced and polished before beginning a journey to some of the world's most fashionable cocktail bars. For the craftsmen behind the process, ice is far more than frozen water. It is a luxury product. At Kuramoto Ice, a century-old company based in Ishikawa Prefecture on Japan's Sea of Japan coast, workers spend days producing exceptionally clear blocks designed to chill premium

September 7, 2026

Business

US Treasury to Auction Record US$100 Billion in Short-Term Bills as Cash Needs Surge

WASHINGTON — The US Treasury is set to auction a record US$100 billion in four-week Treasury bills, underscoring the government's growing need for short-term financing as Washington manages heavy cash requirements and prepares for another round of debt repayments. The auction is scheduled for Tuesday, with the bills set to mature on Oct. 6. The previous record for a four-week Treasury bill auction was US$95 billion, set in March, according to the Taipei Times report. Record Auction Highlight

September 7, 2026

Business

Taiwan Fuel Prices Remain Unchanged Despite Sharp Rise in Global Oil Prices

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese motorists will see no change in fuel prices this week despite a sharp surge in global crude oil prices, as CPC Corp, Taiwan and Formosa Petrochemical Corp announced they would keep domestic gasoline and diesel prices steady. The decision marks the sixth consecutive week that the two major fuel suppliers have maintained their domestic prices, even as renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran sent international crude oil prices sharply higher. Global Oil

September 7, 2026

Business

Taiwan’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Climb Above US$600 Billion After Two Months of Declines

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s foreign exchange reserves climbed back above the US$600 billion mark in August, ending two consecutive months of declines as investment gains, a weaker US dollar and central bank intervention boosted the country’s holdings. Taiwan’s foreign exchange reserves rose by US$7.633 billion from July to US$601.904 billion, marking the largest monthly increase in more than a year, the Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan) said. The rebound came after two months of fal

September 7, 2026

Philippines

DepEd Rushes Hiring of School Counselors as Bullying Cases Raise Alarm—Here’s What Happens Next

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is accelerating the hiring of school counselor associates as the government steps up efforts to address bullying, mental health concerns and growing safety challenges affecting students. Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the department has shortened the hiring process for School Counselor Associates (SCA) to about 36 days, a major reduction from the previous process that could take nearly four months. The move is intended to put mor

September 7, 2026

Philippines

Ombudsman Steps In Over Alleged Student Mobilization in Cebu—Now DepEd-7 Is Being Asked to Act

CEBU CITY — The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas is pressing the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) to take action on a fact-finding request involving the alleged mobilization of students to a Cebu City Council session—an issue that has raised questions about student protection, parental consent and the use of minors in a politically sensitive setting. The controversy stems from an April 14, 2026 incident at Cebu City Hall, when buses carrying senior high school students arrive

September 7, 2026