Category: Asia

Business

The Philippines Is Buying More Thai Rice—But the Real Reason Bangkok Is Chasing Manila’s Orders Goes Far Beyond Prices

MANILA/BANGKOK — The Philippines is becoming an increasingly important market for Thai rice as concerns over food security, El Niño and tightening regional supplies push Manila to keep its import channels open — even as Vietnam remains its dominant supplier. Thailand has been actively courting Philippine buyers in 2026 as Bangkok tries to revive rice exports after a difficult first half marked by intense price competition from India and other producers. Thai rice exports reached 3.28 million m

August 23, 2026

Business

Alibaba Makes a Massive AI Bet—But There’s a Catch Investors Can’t Ignore

HONG KONG — Alibaba is making an enormous bet on artificial intelligence, planning to raise HK$80 billion (about US$10.2 billion or S$13 billion) through a new share placement in Hong Kong as the Chinese technology giant accelerates spending on AI. The proposed fundraising, announced on Aug. 23, would be the largest-ever primary follow-on share offering by a company already listed in Hong Kong, according to Reuters. It would also rank as the world's third-largest primary follow-on offering so f

August 23, 2026

Philippines

Gatchalian Presses DepEd to Speed Up Hiring of Specialists for Inclusive Education

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to accelerate the hiring and deployment of specialists who will provide critical support to learners with disabilities, saying newly approved positions should be filled without unnecessary delays. The call comes after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved 133 new plantilla positions for DepEd to strengthen the implementation of the country’s inclusive education program. The

August 23, 2026

Business

You Can Buy a Thailand Condo for a Fraction of Singapore Prices — But One Detail Could Turn the Cheapest Deal Into the Biggest Headache

Thinking of buying property in Thailand? Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin offer very different prices, rental prospects and resale risks. Here’s what foreign buyers need to know in 2026. For Singaporeans looking at Thailand as a retirement base, second home or property investment, the first temptation may be to compare price tags. But in Thailand’s increasingly complicated property market, the cheapest condominium may not necessarily be the best deal — especially when resale demand, foreign own

August 23, 2026

Politics

Hope for a Gaza Ceasefire Was Rising — Then Deadly Strikes Changed Everything

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Hopes for progress toward a lasting Gaza ceasefire are facing another major setback after deadly Israeli strikes hit the Palestinian territory just days after U.S. envoy Jared Kushner concluded a high-stakes diplomatic push. The latest violence came as Washington attempted to revive a stalled U.S.-backed roadmap aimed at ending the conflict, adding fresh uncertainty to negotiations that had already been strained by major disagreements between Israel and Hamas. Kushn

August 23, 2026

Philippines

Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Could Run Until Midnight As Senate Eyes Schedule Shake-up

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is preparing for another major change in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with senator-judges considering longer afternoon-to-evening hearings after bad weather repeatedly disrupted proceedings and the approaching 2027 national budget season threatened to squeeze the chamber’s calendar even further. Senators are expected to discuss the revised timetable on Monday, August 24, according to Bombo Radyo, as the impeachment court looks for a way

August 23, 2026

Philippines

Ma-hook sa Sports, Huwag sa Social Media’: Bong Go’s Message to Filipino Youth Comes With a Bigger Warning

MANILA, Philippines — A call for Filipino youngsters to put down their phones and get moving is gaining attention after Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go urged the youth to spend less time on social media and gadgets and devote more time to sports and physical activities. Go, who chairs the Senate committees on Sports and Youth, made the appeal amid concerns over the growing influence of social media on young Filipinos and its potential impact on their behavior, personality and overall well-being. Hi

August 23, 2026

Politics

Taiwan’s Premier Refused to Sign a Child Savings Law—Now Opposition Lawmakers Are Escalating the Fight

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s political standoff between the government and the opposition-controlled legislature has entered another contentious phase after lawmakers fast-tracked a motion condemning Premier Cho Jung-tai over his unprecedented use of the premier’s countersignature power to stop legislation from taking effect. The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), backed by the larger opposition Kuomintang (KMT), pushed the condemnation proposal directly to a second reading on Friday, August 21, bypassi

August 23, 2026

Asia

She Was Already Sentenced to 8 Years Over Alleged CCP-Linked Operations—Now a Taiwan Court Has Added Another 18 Months for What Happened During the Election

The Ciaotou District Court on August 21 sentenced Zhou Manzhi to one year and six months in prison after finding her guilty of acting on instructions from what Taiwan’s Anti-Infiltration Act defines as an “infiltration source” to campaign for Labor Party legislative candidate Zhan Xiuying. The ruling is not yet final and can still be appealed. But the 18-month sentence is only the latest development in a much broader case surrounding Zhou. Court Says Zhou Helped Candidate While Following Ord

August 23, 2026

Philippines

Cardinal David Says 11 Million Filipinos Are Still Poor—But His Bigger Warning Is About Where Billions in ‘Ayuda’ Are Going

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has just recorded a major decline in official poverty numbers, but one of the country’s most prominent Catholic leaders says the numbers should not distract from a harder question: Why do millions of Filipino families remain trapped in poverty generation after generation? Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, bishop of Kalookan and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, has called for a fundamental rethink of how the country helps its po

August 23, 2026