Category: Asia

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

Philippines

12 Teachers Trapped as River Swells in Oriental Mindoro—Then Rescuers Rushed In

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — What could have become a dangerous disaster turned into a successful rescue after 12 teachers were stranded in a remote community in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, when the rapidly rising Bongabong River cut off their only access route. The teachers from Naswak Elementary School were stranded in Sitio Naswak, Barangay Lisap, on Thursday, August 20, after the river surged and caused a bamboo bridge serving as their main access to the area to collapse. With the riv

August 21, 2026

Politics

S$220,000 Bribe Allegation Rocks Singapore Town Councils — Then Investigators Uncovered Where the Money Went

A senior project manager employed by town council managing agent EM Services has been charged in Singapore over alleged corruption and money-laundering offences involving S$220,000 in bribes, in a case that has put the spotlight on the integrity of public-sector contract processes. Phua Gim Chuan, 63, appeared in court on Friday, Aug. 21, facing six charges over allegations that he accepted payments from three company directors between March 2020 and January 2023 to advance their companies’ int

August 21, 2026

Philippines

Zambales Declared Under State of Calamity as Floods Leave Thousands Affected—But the Damage Bill Is Even More Alarming

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales — Zambales has been placed under a province-wide state of calamity after days of intense southwest monsoon rains and the effects of recent tropical cyclones triggered widespread flooding, landslides, damaged infrastructure and agricultural losses across the province. The declaration was approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Friday, August 21, following the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC). The council cited the

August 21, 2026

Business

Sydney Airport’s Fourth Near-Miss in a Month: Two Qantas Jets Sent Toward the Same Point—What Went Wrong?

SYDNEY — Australia’s aviation safety watchdog has launched an investigation into another aircraft incident at Sydney Airport, marking the fourth safety-related near-miss under investigation at the nation’s busiest airport in less than a month. The latest incident involved two Qantas passenger aircraft that were directed toward the same taxiway intersection on Tuesday. A Qantas Airbus A321 preparing to depart and a Qantas Boeing 737 that had just arrived were both cleared to continue along taxiw

August 21, 2026