Category: Asia

Philippines

Ilocos Norte Is Spending ₱58.5 Million on Nearly 2,500 Young Scholars—But the Bigger Payoff Could Take Years to See

LAOAG CITY, Philippines — Ilocos Norte is making a multimillion-peso bet on its young people, putting ₱58.5 million behind scholarship programs benefiting nearly 2,500 young Ilocanos as the province attempts to build its next generation of doctors, lawyers, agricultural specialists, artists, athletes and community leaders. Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos highlighted the program during her recent State of the Province Address, describing education and youth development as part of a broader strat

August 23, 2026

Asia

Southern Taiwan Is Under Water — And Forecasters Warn the Worst May Not Be Over Yet

TAIPEI — Southern Taiwan is facing another punishing round of extreme weather after torrential rain inundated low-lying communities across Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung, turning roads into waterways and triggering traffic restrictions, flooding concerns and widespread emergency preparations. The severe rainfall, driven by a broad low-pressure belt and strong southwesterly winds, intensified over the weekend, with the Central Weather Administration (CWA) warning that abundant moisture could con

August 23, 2026

Politics

Taiwan Tracks 14 Chinese Ships — But the Bigger Question Is What Comes Next

TAIPEI — Taiwan has tracked 14 Chinese vessels around the island in the latest sign of Beijing's sustained military and maritime pressure, prompting Taiwanese forces to respond with aircraft, naval ships and coastal missile systems. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it detected seven Chinese naval vessels and seven official ships operating around Taiwan during the 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday. The latest activity comes amid a steady pattern of Chinese operations

August 23, 2026

Lifestyle

PH Social Media Ban for Kids Is Getting Closer — But the Rules Could Be Much Stricter Than Expected

MANILA, Philippines — A sweeping new push to restrict children's access to social media and online gaming is gaining momentum in Congress, with lawmakers considering a total ban for children aged 13 and below and tighter regulation for teenagers aged 14 to 17. The proposal comes amid renewed national concern over children's exposure to harmful online content following a deadly school shooting in Zamboanga City, where authorities said the student involved had livestreamed the attack. But despit

August 23, 2026

Philippines

From Forests to Mangroves, Ilocos Norte Is Building Nature’s Shield—Here’s What Happens When the Next Climate Shock Hits

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — Ilocos Norte is taking a different approach to climate resilience: instead of treating floods, droughts, erosion and coastal hazards as separate problems, the province is linking its forests, watersheds, rivers and coastal ecosystems into one interconnected defense system. The strategy is being incorporated into the province’s proposed Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) for 2027–2032, which aims to integrate climate adaptation and mitigation into development pla

August 23, 2026

Business

Hyundai Workers Just Staged Their First Full-Day Strike in 10 Years—But the Biggest Fight Isn’t Really About Their Pay

SEOUL — A long-running labor dispute at Hyundai Motor has escalated into the automaker’s first full-day union strike in a decade, shutting down major South Korean production lines and exposing a much bigger battle over wages, retirement, artificial intelligence and the future of factory jobs. Around 39,000 to 40,000 Hyundai Motor union members were expected to take part in the eight-hour walkout on Friday, August 21, after months of wage negotiations failed to produce an agreement. Production w

August 23, 2026

Philippines

Free Government Services Reach Piñan Residents—Here’s What Families Could Get From the Kuyog Ta! Caravan

PIÑAN, Zamboanga del Norte — Residents of Piñan no longer had to travel far to access a range of government services as the provincial government brought its Kuyog Ta! Medical and Serbisyo Caravan to Barangay Poblacion North. The initiative, conducted with the support of GC Services on Wheels, brought multiple government agencies together to provide free assistance covering healthcare, civil registration, identification, agriculture, veterinary services, social welfare and other community needs

August 23, 2026

Entertainment

Australia Crushed Bangladesh in Just Two Days—But Pat Cummins Was Most Excited About What Cameron Green Did With the Bat

MACKAY, Australia — Australia did not simply beat Bangladesh in the second Test in Mackay. They delivered the kind of ruthless response captain Pat Cummins had been demanding after one of the most embarrassing defeats in the country’s recent Test history. Just a week after Bangladesh stunned the world’s top-ranked Test side by nine wickets in Darwin, Australia hit back with an emphatic innings-and-51-run victory, wrapping up the match inside two days and rescuing a 1-1 series draw. But while M

August 23, 2026

Philippines

No Regular Classes at Ateneo de Zamboanga Through Aug. 28 — The Bigger Questions Are Just Beginning

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) has extended the suspension of regular academic classes following the fatal shooting at its Junior High School campus on August 18, as the university continues to support affected students and personnel while authorities investigate the tragedy. Under the latest academic arrangements announced by the university, regular classes for grade school and junior high school students will remain suspended from August 24 to 28, 2026. Hi

August 23, 2026

Politics

Lee Hsien Loong Is Heading to Central Asia—But What Singapore May Sign in Uzbekistan Could Be the Bigger Story

SINGAPORE — Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong is set to make his first official visit to Central Asia, travelling to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from Aug. 24 to 31 as Singapore looks to deepen economic and strategic ties with two of the region’s key economies. According to Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office, Lee will visit Kazakhstan from Aug. 24 to 27 before travelling to Uzbekistan from Aug. 27 to 31. The trip will take him to Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan, followed by Tashkent and Samarkand i

August 23, 2026