Category: Asia

Asia

Nepal Flood Horror: Hundreds Feared Trapped Inside Hydropower Tunnels—Then Rescuers Heard Something From Below

KATHMANDU — A rescue operation deep beneath Nepal's flood-ravaged Himalayan valleys has delivered a rare breakthrough after two hydropower workers were pulled alive from a debris-filled tunnel, nine days after catastrophic flooding swept through the region. The rescue, confirmed on Friday, Sept. 4, has renewed hopes for hundreds of other workers who may still be trapped inside underground facilities after the Aug. 26 disaster. The two men — 30-year-old mechanical foreman Sanjay Shah and 45-yea

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Senators Want More Money for the Ombudsman—But the Bigger Fight May Be Over What Happens to the Flood Control Cases

MANILA, Philippines — Senators are moving to strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman’s 2027 budget, saying the country’s anti-graft watchdog needs greater resources as it handles a growing workload, including investigations into alleged irregularities in flood control projects. The Senate Committee on Finance approved at the committee level a ₱7.232-billion proposed budget for the Ombudsman for 2027, clearing the way for further deliberation in the Senate plenary. But the figure remains well be

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Consunjis Face a New Semirara Test: Will Decades of Experience Be Enough—Or Will the Government Demand More?

MANILA, Philippines — The Consunji family may have the strongest operational advantage in the battle for the Semirara coal contract—but experience alone may not be enough to secure the country’s biggest coal-producing area. The Marcos administration is weighing whether the government should demand a larger share of the financial benefits from the next contract covering the Semirara coal mine in Antique, potentially raising the stakes for longtime operator Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC).

September 5, 2026

Philippines

DPWH Rethinks Flood Control Strategy as Cebu and Other Cities Face a Bigger Question: Will the New Master Plans Finally Work?

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is moving toward a more integrated and science-driven approach to flood control, as the government reassesses how the country should manage increasingly severe flooding. Instead of treating flooding as a collection of isolated problems requiring individual drainage projects, flood-control planning is increasingly being framed around major river basins, interconnected waterways, upstream runoff and climate risks. The shift is particularly signi

September 5, 2026

Business

New Condo Owners May Get Their Keys Up to 2 Months Earlier as Singapore Introduces New Virtual Inspection System

SINGAPORE — September 5, 2026 — Buying a new condominium can involve years of waiting, but Singapore’s latest construction-tech initiative could shave up to two months off the final wait for some homeowners to move in. A new Whole-of-Government Virtual Inspection (WOG VI) process allows project teams to submit 360-degree virtual scans of construction sites for regulatory checks instead of relying solely on conventional physical inspections. According to Singapore’s Building and Construction Au

September 5, 2026

Business

Record 201 Million-Dollar HDB Flats Sold in August — What Changed After Singapore Removed the 15-Month Wait-Out Rule?

SINGAPORE — September 5, 2026 — Singapore’s million-dollar HDB resale market has crossed a psychological milestone. A record 201 Housing and Development Board flats changed hands for at least S$1 million in August, the first time the monthly tally has exceeded 200. The figure was up from 187 million-dollar transactions in July and surpassed the previous record of 188 set in June. Million-dollar flats accounted for about 8% of all HDB resale transactions in August. The surge comes just weeks a

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Duterte Camp Wants ICC to Put Digital Evidence Under the Microscope—What Happens to Thousands of Files Next?

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The defense team of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is asking the International Criminal Court (ICC) to tighten its rules for digital evidence, arguing that online materials should undergo additional expert verification before being relied upon in his upcoming crimes-against-humanity trial. In a filing dated Aug. 31, 2026, lead defense counsel Peter Haynes KC asked ICC Trial Chamber III to amend the court's E-Court Protocol by adding an “expert verification”

September 5, 2026

Asia

83-Year-Old Man With Suspected Dementia Goes Missing in Katong — Police and Family Appeal for Help

SINGAPORE — September 5, 2026 — The Singapore Police Force is appealing for information on the whereabouts of 83-year-old Seah Miang Hin, who has been reported missing after he was last seen in the Katong area on Friday, Sept. 4. Police said Seah was last seen near Block 14 Haig Road at about 11.50am on Sept. 4. The location is home to Haig Road Market and Food Centre. The appeal comes as his family grows increasingly concerned about his safety. Seah's daughter, Deborah, told AsiaOne that her

September 5, 2026

Business

BIR Loses ₱78.3M VAT Fight vs. Lamborghini-Bentley Dealer—But the Court’s Reasoning Goes Beyond the Tax Bill

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has lost its bid to collect ₱78.32 million in value-added tax (VAT) assessments from Euro Autocars Inc., the company doing business as Lamborghini Manila and Bentley Manila, after the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) ruled that the government’s collection period had already expired. The CTA Special First Division ruled that the BIR could no longer enforce the assessment covering Euro Autocars’ transactions from January to June 2014. The decision, promulgated on A

September 5, 2026

Business

‘I Neglected Him When He Was Young’: Eddie Teo Reveals the Family Sacrifice Behind a 56-Year Public Service Career

SINGAPORE — September 5, 2026 — Behind decades of confidential intelligence work and some of Singapore’s most senior public-service positions was a sacrifice that former Security and Intelligence Division (SID) director Eddie Teo says he still thinks about: time with his family. In an interview with the media on Aug. 13, Teo reflected candidly on the personal cost of a career that began in Singapore’s external intelligence service in 1970 and eventually took him to some of the country's highest

September 5, 2026