Category: Asia

Philippines

Zubiri backs 7 global deals — but the Senate vote could change how Filipinos travel, study, do business and fight crime abroad

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Senate is moving to deepen the country’s international cooperation after Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri endorsed a package of seven international treaties and bilateral agreements covering aviation security, space activities, taxation, higher education and cross-border criminal justice. Zubiri, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, presided over the committee hearing on Thursday, August 20, where lawmakers reviewed the agreements a

August 21, 2026

Philippines

Marcos honors Ninoy Aquino 43 years after his death — then warns Filipinos about threats that could weaken democracy

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. marked the 43rd death anniversary of former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. on Friday, August 21, honoring the late opposition leader’s courage while urging Filipinos to protect democracy from threats that have evolved far beyond the political battles of the past. In a message commemorating Ninoy Aquino Day, Marcos described Aquino’s legacy as a reminder of the courage Filipinos have shown in standing by their convictions and defending pri

August 21, 2026

Asia

IMRAN KHAN RUSHED TO HOSPITAL—THEN SENT BACK TO PRISON HOURS LATER: WHAT HAPPENED?

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been taken back to prison after a brief overnight stay at a hospital, just days after the country’s Supreme Court ordered authorities to move him from jail for specialist medical evaluation. Khan, 73, was transferred from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad early Friday, August 21, following a Supreme Court directive issued earlier in the week. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party later confirmed that he had

August 21, 2026

Philippines

DOT Has a Bigger Vision for Aurora—And It Starts With Manuel Quezon’s Legacy

BALER, Aurora — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is calling on Aurora to turn its rich cultural identity and history into a stronger tourism asset, with the legacy of former President Manuel L. Quezon serving as an important inspiration. DOT Central Luzon Regional Director Richard Daenos made the appeal during the commemoration of Quezon’s 148th birth anniversary in Baler on August 19, held alongside the Akkaw Baler Coco-Sabutan Festival. Rather than treating Quezon’s legacy as something confin

August 21, 2026

Politics

UN’s Next Chief Is Taking Shape — But One Hidden Vote Could Change Everything

NEW YORK — The race to become the next United Nations secretary-general is entering a critical new stage as the UN Security Council prepares to hold its second informal straw poll on Friday, August 21, testing whether the early frontrunners can build enough support to survive the highly political selection process. Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan, the current head of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and a former vice president of Costa Rica, emerged as the early leader in the first Security Counc

August 21, 2026

Philippines

Bacolod Urban Poor Group Honors Ninoy Aquino—Then Delivers a Message That Still Hits Home Today

BACOLOD CITY — Decades after the assassination of former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., his legacy continues to resonate among marginalized communities in Negros Occidental, with an urban-poor organization in Bacolod repeatedly using Ninoy Aquino Day to call for courage, democracy and standing up against abuses of power. The Federation of Urban Poor (FedUp) in Negros Occidental marked Ninoy Aquino Day in 2022 by laying wreaths at the foot of Aquino’s statue along Araneta Avenue in Bacolod

August 21, 2026

Business

Singapore Can’t Stop Queuing For This Chinese-Muslim Beef Roti—But There’s One Detail Diners Should Know

A crispy Chinese-Muslim pastry that was once served at Ramadan bazaars has become one of Singapore’s latest food sensations, with customers reportedly willing to wait up to an hour for a taste. At the centre of the buzz is Ameen Roti, a Muslim-owned business founded by Harun Min, a 36-year-old former middle-school teacher from Linxia in China’s Gansu province. What began as an unexpected business venture has grown into two permanent Singapore outlets, one at Haji Lane and another at Century Squ

August 21, 2026

Philippines

Tulfo Wants Gun Owners’ Homes Checked Before LTOPF—Could This Become the New Firearm Rule?

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo is pushing for tougher firearm-ownership rules, including mandatory inspections of a gun owner’s storage facility before the Philippine National Police (PNP) issues a License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF). Tulfo made the proposal after the deadly Ateneo de Zamboanga University school shooting on August 18, in which two students died, including the alleged shooter. The incident has intensified scrutiny over how minors can gain access to firearms owned

August 21, 2026

Asia

Asian Markets Rally on U.S. Treasury Lifeline—But Wall Street Is Already Sending a Warning

Asian markets pushed higher on Friday as investors weighed a surprise move by the U.S. Treasury to increase purchases of longer-dated government bonds—a move that briefly eased fears surrounding a global bond-market selloff. But beneath the rally, investors remain cautious. The initial relief triggered by Washington's intervention is already showing signs of fading, with U.S. Treasury yields climbing again and concerns over inflation, government borrowing and the sustainability of America's fi

August 21, 2026

Philippines

Only 4 Philippine Dams Gain Water as Habagat Weakens—But a New Weather Threat Could Change Everything

MANILA, Philippines — The recent rains brought some relief to several major Philippine reservoirs, but the latest PAGASA monitoring shows that the upward trend is losing momentum as the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, weakens. Only four of the nine major dams monitored by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recorded increases in water levels over the past 24 hours as of 8 a.m. Friday, August 21. The reservoirs that gained water were Angat, S

August 21, 2026