Category: Asia

Philippines

La Union Has Helped 11,250 Habagat-Hit Families—But a P180-Million Problem Is Emerging Beneath the Recovery

LA UNION, Philippines — More than 11,000 families in La Union have received government assistance after weeks of relentless rain linked to tropical cyclones and the enhanced southwest monsoon, or habagat, battered communities, triggered flooding and landslides, and left authorities confronting a growing infrastructure bill. According to an August 17, 6 p.m. situational report from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in the Ilocos Region, 11,250 families in La Un

August 19, 2026

Philippines

65 Iloilo City Barangays Went Underwater in Hours—But Engineers Say the Bigger Problem Is Beneath the Streets

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A night of extraordinary rainfall turned streets into waterways across Iloilo City, flooding at least 65 barangays, displacing thousands of residents and exposing what city engineers acknowledge is a serious weakness in the city's drainage infrastructure. The flooding followed intense rainfall on the night of Monday, August 17, with local authorities reporting that approximately 160 to 165 millimeters of rain fell within just six hours. PAGASA Iloilo station chief En

August 19, 2026

Asia

A Fatal BMW Crash Was Quiet for More Than a Year—Then Vietnam’s Gen Z Turned One Hanoi Tree Into a Symbol of Justice

HANOI, Vietnam — A fatal traffic crash that largely disappeared from Vietnam's public conversation for more than a year has erupted into a major online controversy, after social media users demanded answers over why former National Assembly deputy Nguyen Sy Cuong was not criminally prosecuted. The case involves the death of 18-year-old Do Ngoc Phuong Thuy, who was riding on a motorbike with her father when they were struck by a car driven by Cuong in Hanoi on May 30, 2025. More than a year lat

August 19, 2026

Singapore

Singapore Beat Thailand for the First Time in 14 Years—But Gavin Lee Says Something Bigger Happened After the Final Whistle

BANGKOK — Singapore’s ASEAN Championship campaign is over, but the Lions may have walked away from Bangkok with something potentially more valuable than a place in the final: belief. Singapore stunned regional powerhouse Thailand 2-1 at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium on Tuesday night, August 18, ending a painful 14-year wait for a victory over the War Elephants. Yet the result was not enough to complete a dramatic comeback. Thailand advanced to the ASEAN Championship final 4-3 on aggregate aft

August 19, 2026

Politics

Singapore and China Sign Nuclear Technology Pact as City-State Steps Up Energy Push

SINGAPORE — Singapore has taken another significant step in exploring nuclear energy, signing a landmark cooperation agreement with China that could help shape how the city-state evaluates one of the most consequential energy choices in its history. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) signed a memorandum of understanding on August 17 covering cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, as Singapore accelerates efforts to build the ex

August 18, 2026

Politics

Trump Posts Map Calling Strait of Hormuz ‘New US Territory’ as Showdown With Iran Deepens

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump has taken his extraordinary threat over the Strait of Hormuz one step further, posting a map that labels one of the world's most important shipping routes as “NEW US Territory” as the confrontation between Washington and Tehran enters an increasingly unpredictable phase. The US president shared the image on his Truth Social account on Tuesday, August 18, depicting the Strait of Hormuz as American territory. The post contained little explanation, but its message was un

August 18, 2026

Entertainment

Babar Azam Ruled Out of England Test—Now Pakistan Must Put Its Faith in a First-Time Test Captain

LEEDS, England — Pakistan’s Test campaign against England has suffered a major setback before the first ball has even been bowled. Captain and star batter Babar Azam has been ruled out of the opening Test at Headingley after injuring his right hand, forcing Pakistan to hand the leadership to Salman Ali Agha for one of the toughest assignments in international cricket. The first Test of the three-match series is scheduled to begin Wednesday, August 19, in Leeds, but Pakistan will enter the cont

August 18, 2026

Entertainment

Patrick Vieira Returns to His Birthplace to Coach Senegal—But His Biggest Test Is Still Ahead

DAKAR, Senegal — Patrick Vieira is going back to where his remarkable football story began — this time not as a player, but as the man tasked with leading one of Africa’s most formidable national teams. The Senegalese Football Federation has appointed the former Arsenal captain and France World Cup winner as the new head coach of Senegal’s senior men’s national team, opening a major new chapter for both Vieira and the Lions of Teranga. The appointment was confirmed on Tuesday, August 18, follo

August 18, 2026

Business

Velaura AI Becomes a $1 Billion Unicorn as Investors Bet Big on the AI Power Problem

SANTA CLARA, California — The artificial-intelligence chip race may no longer be just about building faster processors. Increasingly, the battle is about something far more basic: how much electricity those chips consume. That shift has helped propel Velaura AI into unicorn territory. The Silicon Valley chip-design startup has raised $110 million in a Series A funding round, pushing its valuation above $1 billion as investors place a major bet on technology designed to slash the enormous power

August 18, 2026

Entertainment

Jodi Sta. Maria Reunites With Her Mother After 27 Years—But One Secret Turns Their Family Reunion Upside Down

A family reunion. A dinner table. Decades of resentment waiting to erupt. Netflix’s Filipino family dramedy “Ganito, Ganyan, Ganoon” takes one of the most familiar situations in Filipino life—the complicated family gathering—and turns it into an emotionally charged confrontation about mothers, daughters, abandonment, forgiveness and the wounds people carry long after childhood. At the center of the story are Joanne “Jo,” played by Jodi Sta. Maria, and her estranged mother Paz, portrayed by Ago

August 18, 2026