Category: Asia

Philippines

PH Navy Intercepts Over P100 Million in Smuggled Cigarettes in Western Mindanao—Here’s Where the Contraband Was Headed

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Philippine Navy has intensified its campaign against maritime smuggling in Western Mindanao after separate sea operations led to the seizure of more than P100 million worth of undocumented cigarettes, according to reports from authorities and multiple news outlets. The operations targeted vessels moving through the waters around Sulu and the Zamboanga Peninsula, areas that authorities have repeatedly identified as vulnerable routes for the movement of illicit goods. Accord

September 6, 2026

Business

Will the Peso Really Hit ₱65? PCCI’s Bryan Ang Says Christmas Dollars Could Change Everything

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine peso may be under intense pressure, but the currency is unlikely to plunge all the way to ₱65 against the US dollar, according to Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) official Bryan Ang, who believes a seasonal surge in overseas Filipino remittances and steady dollar earnings from the country's business process outsourcing industry could provide crucial support. Ang, PCCI vice president for trade and industry, said the approaching Christmas sea

September 6, 2026

Asia

Cambodia Built Thousands of New Homes for Families Fleeing the Thai Border — But Most Still Want the Villages They Lost

BANTEAY MEANCHEY, Cambodia — Rows of newly built stilt houses now stretch across the countryside near Cambodia’s border with Thailand, giving thousands of families something they have lacked for months: a roof, running water, schools and a place to begin again. But for many residents, the settlement is not home. The Cambodian government has established six so-called “waiting villages” for families displaced by the violent border conflict with Thailand that erupted in July 2025 and flared again

September 6, 2026

Hong Kong

Joshua Wong Had Been Due to Leave Prison in 2027 — Then He Pleaded Guilty in a Second National Security Case

HONG KONG — For Joshua Wong, January 2027 had represented something increasingly rare after years behind bars: a possible release date. That prospect is now in serious doubt. The 29-year-old Hong Kong pro-democracy activist pleaded guilty on Sept. 2 to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security, opening the way for another prison sentence on top of the four years and eight months he is already serving in a separate national-security case. The new charge is among t

September 6, 2026

Philippines

Sara Duterte Says She Fears for Her Life—Now the PNP Is Stepping In

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is prepared to assess and verify Vice President Sara Duterte’s security concerns after she publicly expressed fear for her life and said she no longer trusted the police or the courts. PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said police units would continue monitoring the situation involving Duterte and her immediate family and would examine any documents, reports or statements she submits concerning alleged threats. The deve

September 6, 2026

China

Chinese Worker Found Alive in a Nepal Tunnel After 10 Days — But What He Told Rescuers Could Send Them Deeper Underground

Chinese Worker Found Alive in Nepal Tunnel 10 Days After Catastrophic Flood — But Hundreds May Still Be Trapped Underground Chinese national Lu Haitao was pulled alive Saturday from inside a 225-meter tunnel at the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa district, according to Nepal’s military and government authorities. The Japan Times, carrying the breaking report, described him as the third worker rescued alive from hydropower tunnels since the Aug. 26 catastrophe. Reuters reported th

September 6, 2026

China

50 Years After Mao Zedong’s Death, China’s Young Are Turning Back to Him — But What They’re Remembering May Be More Important Than Mao Himself

NANJIE, China — Half a century after Mao Zedong’s death, China has transformed almost beyond recognition. Skyscrapers have replaced communes, private enterprise drives much of the economy, and Chinese companies compete at the frontiers of electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. Yet Mao is far from disappearing. As China approaches the 50th anniversary of Mao’s death on September 9, 2026, the revolutionary leader’s image is again resonating with some young Chinese

September 6, 2026

Philippines

Omar Duterte Blasts Sara Arrest Warrant as ‘Political Harassment’—But What Happens Next Could Raise the Stakes

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City 2nd District Rep. Omar Duterte has condemned the arrest warrant issued against his aunt, Vice President Sara Duterte, calling it a “clear act of political harassment” as the Vice President’s legal and political battles continue to intensify. In a statement, Omar Duterte accused those in power of using government institutions to silence political opponents, saying he was deeply troubled by the developments surrounding the Vice President. His remarks came after a

September 6, 2026

Business

Japan Airlines Buys Into Korean Air’s Parent as Alliance Deepens — But the Timing Could Reshape a Brewing Hanjin KAL Power Contest

Japan Airlines Buys Into Korean Air’s Parent as Alliance Deepens — But the Timing Could Reshape a Brewing Hanjin KAL Power Contest SEO Meta Description: Japan Airlines has reportedly acquired an undisclosed stake in Korean Air parent Hanjin KAL while expanding its strategic alliance with Korean Air ahead of the December Asiana merger, raising questions about Hanjin Group’s shareholder balance. SEO Keywords: Japan Airlines Korean Air partnership, JAL Hanjin KAL stake, Korean Air Asiana merger,

September 6, 2026

Business

America’s Mighty USS Abraham Lincoln Finally Reached Port After 264 Days at Sea — But the Rust Is Hiding a Much Bigger Problem

LAEM CHABANG, Thailand — For decades, few objects have projected American military power as dramatically as a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. A nuclear-powered supercarrier arriving offshore — packed with combat aircraft, surrounded by escorts and carrying thousands of sailors — has traditionally sent an unmistakable geopolitical message. But when the USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Thailand this week after one of the most demanding deployments in recent U.S. naval history, a different image began

September 6, 2026