Category: Asia

Philippines

Antique Barangays Are Getting ₱200,000 Each From Marcos’ BBM Program—But Half the Money Comes With One Major Condition

ANTIQUE, Philippines — Barangay officials in Antique are welcoming the Marcos administration’s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang (BBM) Program, a nationwide initiative that puts ₱200,000 directly within reach of every barangay—but the bigger test will be whether that relatively modest amount can produce visible and lasting improvements in communities that need help the most. Punong barangays and provincial officials interviewed by the Philippine Information Agency said the program could help villages

August 21, 2026

Business

China’s “Worst” Movie Became a Stock-Market Meme — Then Regulators Had to Step In

A bizarre Chinese animated film that was initially mocked as one of the country’s worst movies has transformed into an unlikely box-office sensation — and its title has even helped trigger a speculative frenzy in China’s stock market. The film, “Niu Lai” (牛来), roughly translates as “The Bull Comes” or “Here Comes the Bull.” That wording has taken on a second meaning in a country where “bull” is commonly associated with a rising stock market. Released on Aug. 5, 2026, the 86-minute animated fil

August 21, 2026

Philippines

DICT Has Built 1,444 Free Wi-Fi Sites Across Cordillera—But One Number Shows How Far the Region Still Has to Go

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The government’s push to connect one of the Philippines’ most difficult regions has reached a major milestone: the Department of Information and Communications Technology-Cordillera Administrative Region (DICT-CAR) says its Free Wi-Fi for All network has expanded to 1,444 internet protocol sites across all 75 municipalities and two cities in the Cordillera. But behind that headline number is a bigger challenge. Despite the growing number of public internet sites, onl

August 21, 2026

Asia

Trump Wants 1,000 Space Launches a Year by 2030 — But the Real Shock Is What Comes Next

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has launched an ambitious push to dramatically expand America’s commercial space industry, directing the U.S. government to build the infrastructure and regulatory framework needed to support more than 1,000 space launches and reentries annually by 2030. Trump signed the new National Security Presidential Memorandum on Space Transportation on August 20, replacing the previous national space transportation policy issued in 2013. The administration says the mov

August 21, 2026

Asia

India-China Tensions Are Rising Again Over Arunachal Pradesh — But This Time, the Battle Is on the Map

India and China are once again trading sharp words over Arunachal Pradesh — but this time, the frontline is not necessarily a mountain pass. It is the map. The latest dispute erupted after India formally identified 27 places and geographical features along or near Arunachal Pradesh's border with China on its official map on Aug. 7. Beijing quickly rejected the move, calling India's action “illegal, null and void.” New Delhi responded by reaffirming that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of

August 21, 2026

Business

A Tiny Pest Has Hit 7,021 Hectares of Iloilo Sugarcane—But the Bigger Threat May Not Be the Damaged Crops

ILOILO CITY — A tiny insect is creating a potentially massive problem for Iloilo’s sugar industry. The provincial government is intensifying efforts to contain the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) after the pest spread across roughly 7,021 hectares of sugarcane farms, equivalent to about one-third of Iloilo’s 20,749.88 hectares planted to the crop. The infestation has become serious enough for Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. to describe the province as moving into “disaster mode,” as a

August 21, 2026

Business

DTI Says 25 Bulacan Businesses Are Now ‘ASEAN-Ready’—But Getting Certified May Be the Easy Part

MALOLOS, Bulacan — The Department of Trade and Industry is pushing more Bulacan-based micro, small and medium enterprises into Southeast Asia’s wider market after identifying the province’s first 25 “ASEAN-ready” MSMEs — businesses that have moved beyond local selling and started meeting the regulatory, certification and digital requirements needed to compete outside the Philippines. But becoming “ASEAN-ready” may be only the beginning. According to DTI Bulacan Provincial Director Atty. Coco C

August 21, 2026

Singapore

Singapore’s AI Job Revolution Has Already Started — But It’s Not What Workers Think

SINGAPORE — The biggest threat artificial intelligence poses to Singapore’s workforce may not be mass layoffs — at least not yet. Instead, AI is beginning to change something more immediate: the jobs people already do. A new CNA commentary argues that Singapore’s AI transition cannot succeed simply by telling workers to learn new digital skills. Companies will also need to rethink job scopes, responsibilities, performance expectations and management practices as AI becomes embedded in everyday

August 21, 2026

Business

Disney Wanted to Stop the FCC Fast—Now a Judge Has Pushed the Showdown to October

WASHINGTON — Disney’s legal fight with the Federal Communications Commission has hit a new roadblock after a U.S. federal judge rejected the company’s request for an expedited hearing over the agency’s early review of licenses for eight ABC-owned television stations. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan declined Disney’s request for a hearing as early as Tuesday on its motion for a temporary restraining order. Instead, the court ordered the parties to complete legal filings by September 24, with a

August 21, 2026

Philippines

Perci Cendaña Threatens Legal Action Over Artwork Mocking His Disability — But the Law His Critics Could Face Changes the Story

MANILA, Philippines — Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival “Perci” Cendaña is drawing a line between political satire and discrimination, warning that people behind online materials allegedly mocking his medical condition could face legal action. The dispute, reported by The Manila Times on August 21, centers on artwork and online content that Cendaña says have gone beyond criticism of his politics and instead targeted the physical effects of a medical condition. Cendaña, who has publicly identifi

August 21, 2026