Category: Asia

Asia

Hundreds Dead, Thousands Still Unaccounted For: The Himalayan Flood Disaster May Not Be Over Yet

KATHMANDU — What began as a catastrophic flash flood in the Himalayas has rapidly become one of the region’s deadliest disasters in recent years, with the death toll continuing to rise and more than 1,400 people still missing along the Nepal-Tibet border. Latest reports on Friday said at least 469 people have been confirmed dead, a dramatic increase from the earlier toll of more than 350 reported in the first days of the disaster. Rescue teams are still searching through mud, debris and devasta

August 28, 2026

Business

Ayala Is Building an AI Tax Assistant for the BIR — But It Won’t Be Making the Final Decisions

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue is bringing artificial intelligence deeper into Philippine tax administration, teaming up with Ayala Corporation to develop an AI-powered assistant designed to help revenue officers navigate the country's increasingly complex body of tax rules faster and more consistently. The system, called “Terry the Tax AI Assistant,” is being developed to help BIR personnel retrieve, cross-reference and analyze tax regulations, revenue rulings, issuances

August 28, 2026

Asia

Mette-Marit Is Now Norway’s Queen After King Harald’s Death — But Her Biggest Test Is Only Beginning

OSLO, Norway — The death of King Harald V has opened a new chapter for Norway’s monarchy — and thrust one of Europe’s most closely scrutinised royals into an even more prominent role. Harald died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital on Friday, Aug. 28, at the age of 89, according to Norway’s Royal Court. He had reigned since 1991 and was Europe’s oldest reigning monarch before his death. His son, 53-year-old Haakon, immediately succeeded him as Norway’s king, while Haakon’s wife Mette-Marit b

August 28, 2026

Asia

India and France Eye a Next-Gen Fighter Deal — But One Major Question Could Decide Everything

New Delhi and Paris are exploring deeper cooperation on future combat aircraft, potentially opening the door to one of the most ambitious defence partnerships in decades. But technology sharing, industrial control and India’s push for self-reliance could determine whether the opportunity becomes a historic deal—or another stalled fighter programme. India has begun exploring the possibility of joining a French-led effort to develop next-generation combat aircraft, a move that could reshape the f

August 28, 2026

Entertainment

Jing Tian Says She Won’t ‘Sell Love for Money’ After Justin Sun’s RMB30M Lawsuit — But the Biggest Allegation Isn’t Even in Court

Chinese actress Jing Tian has broken her silence after cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun filed a civil lawsuit involving more than 30 million yuan — roughly US$4.46 million — pulling one of China’s most talked-about celebrity controversies out of the rumour mill and into the legal system. But while sensational allegations involving their alleged relationship and surrogacy have dominated social media, one crucial distinction is emerging: the most explosive claims circulating online are not

August 28, 2026

Asia

Japan Is Racing to Build an Army of Drones—But One Major Problem Could Stop It

Japan is accelerating its push into military drones at unprecedented speed, but experts warn that factories, supply chains and outdated procurement systems could become the biggest threat to its ambitions. Japan's race to build a large-scale military drone capability is gathering pace as Tokyo adapts to a new reality: modern wars are increasingly shaped by cheap, rapidly produced and disposable unmanned aircraft. But while Japan has moved quickly to acquire new interceptor drones and develop a

August 28, 2026

Sport

Springboks Lose Handré Pollard Before All Blacks Rematch — But Cheslin Kolbe’s Late Return Could Change the Battle

CAPE TOWN — South Africa’s attempt to reset their series against New Zealand has been disrupted at the worst possible moment, with veteran fly-half Handré Pollard ruled out of Saturday’s second Test in Cape Town because of a calf strain. The injury forces Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu straight back into the Springboks’ starting No. 10 jersey, just days after coach Rassie Erasmus had initially moved him to the bench following South Africa’s 33-16 defeat to the All Blacks in Johannesburg. There is,

August 28, 2026

Politics

US Turns Up the Heat on Iran — But China May Be the Real Target in Washington’s Economic War

Washington’s escalating campaign to isolate Iran is putting China and other major trading partners on notice, raising the stakes in an economic confrontation that could reach far beyond Tehran. The United States is widening its economic pressure campaign against Iran — and China is increasingly finding itself in the crossfire. Washington this week launched what it calls Operation Economic Outcast, a broad effort aimed at cutting off the financial networks, trade routes and overseas partners th

August 28, 2026

Politics

Russia Is Still Fighting—But Putin May Be Running Out of Ways to Win in Ukraine

Four and a half years into the war, Russia remains dangerous and powerful. But behind the missiles, territorial gains and battlefield pressure, a more troubling question is emerging for the Kremlin: what is Moscow’s realistic path to victory? Russia is not collapsing, and anyone predicting an imminent military or economic breakdown would be getting ahead of the evidence. Moscow still controls large areas of Ukrainian territory, retains a much larger population and resource base than Ukraine, a

August 28, 2026

Asia

14 Newborns Died in an Islamabad Hospital Fire — But What Investigators Found About the Emergency Exits Raises Bigger Questions

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A devastating fire that swept through a newborn nursery at one of Pakistan’s largest government hospitals has killed 14 babies, leaving grieving families demanding answers as investigators examine not only what ignited the blaze, but whether critical safety failures made the disaster far worse. The fire broke out early on Wednesday, August 26, inside the third-floor nursery of the Mother and Child Hospital at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, widely known as PIMS

August 28, 2026