Category: Asia

Asia

Anwar Reopens Malaysia’s GST Debate — And What Comes Next Could Affect Millions

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 18, 2026 — Malaysia is once again weighing changes to its consumption-tax system, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim signaling that elements of the country’s former Goods and Services Tax (GST) could potentially form part of a new approach. But despite the renewed discussion, Malaysia has not announced a return of GST, and no new GST rate or implementation date has been set. Anwar, who is also finance minister, said Tuesday that the government is studying ways to create a tax

August 18, 2026

Asia

Park Eun-bin’s ‘Spooky In Love’ Takes Over Singapore—But Did You Spot These Iconic Locations?

SINGAPORE — Singapore has landed a starring role of its own in Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong’s hit supernatural romance “Spooky In Love,” with Episodes 9 and 10 transporting the drama’s central couple from Korea to some of the city-state’s most recognizable landmarks. The latest episodes follow hotel heiress and CEO Cheon Yeo-ri, played by Park Eun-bin, as she travels to Singapore for a business conference. Her love interest, attorney Ma Kang-wook, played by Yang Se-jong, follows her—turning wh

August 18, 2026

Asia

China Lets Couples Say “I Do” at a Bank as Officials Try to Reverse Marriage Slump

A bank branch in China has become an unlikely wedding venue as local authorities experiment with unconventional marriage-registration sites in a broader effort to encourage young people to tie the knot. In Tianjin’s Hexi District, a branch of the Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) on Sishui Road is now offering marriage-registration services on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, making it one of the country’s latest unusual locations for couples to obtain their marriage certificates. The site h

August 18, 2026

Asia

ALEX EALA FALLS IN CINCINNATI—BUT THE WAY SHE FOUGHT BACK MAY BE THE BIGGER STORY

CINCINNATI, USA — Alexandra Eala's latest giant-killing run has come to an end, but not before the Filipina tennis star once again showed why she has become one of the most dangerous young players on the WTA Tour. Eala fell to American ninth seed Amanda Anisimova, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, in the third round of the 2026 Cincinnati Open on Tuesday, August 18. The defeat ended Eala's bid to advance deeper into another WTA 1000 tournament and, more significantly, stopped her remarkable streak of five consec

August 18, 2026

Asia

Oriental Mindoro Reports No Fake Birth Certificates Involving Foreigners—But What Did the PSA Find Nationwide?

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Oriental Mindoro has reported that it has recorded no cases of fake birth certificates involving foreign nationals in the province, amid a nationwide government crackdown on irregular and allegedly fraudulent civil registration. The clarification comes as Philippine authorities continue investigating the use of questionable birth records by foreigners seeking to establish Filipino identities and obtain government-issu

August 18, 2026

Politics

China Lowers Flags for Zhu Rongji’s Funeral—But the Heavy Security Around Tiananmen Is Raising Questions

BEIJING — August 18, 2026 — China lowered its national flags at key government sites across the country on Tuesday as the nation held a formal day of mourning for former Premier Zhu Rongji, one of the most influential economic reformers of modern China. The Chinese flag was flown at half-mast at Tiananmen Square, the Great Hall of the People, Xinhua Gate and the Foreign Ministry, while similar measures were observed at government offices across China, in Hong Kong and Macau, and at Chinese dipl

August 18, 2026

Business

Singapore Halts Construction Waste Exports to Malaysia After Johor Dumping Probe — But Who Was Behind It?

JOHOR, Malaysia — A cross-border waste controversy between Singapore and Malaysia has escalated, with Singapore suspending construction and demolition waste exports to Malaysia after authorities in Johor investigated allegations that construction debris from Singapore was illegally dumped near villages in Pontian. The latest development came after Johor’s Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) identified nine Malaysia-registered companies allegedly linked to the moveme

August 18, 2026

Asia

OFW Remittances Hit 4-Year Growth Low—But June’s $3-Billion Surprise Hints at What Comes Next

MANILA, Philippines — Money sent home by overseas Filipinos continued to rise in June, but the pace of growth fell to its weakest level in more than four years, raising fresh concerns about the impact of global economic uncertainty, higher living costs and the continuing conflict in the Middle East. Cash remittances coursed through banks reached approximately $3.04 billion in June 2026, up 1.7% from the same month a year earlier, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The

August 18, 2026

Asia

EJ Obiena Clears 5.91m for 8th Gold of 2026 — But His Latest Victory Hints at Something Bigger

MIĘDZYZDROJE, POLAND — EJ Obiena is looking more and more like the elite pole vaulter Filipinos have come to know. The Filipino Olympic star continued his impressive resurgence on Monday, August 17, after clearing 5.91 meters to capture the men’s pole vault gold at the Golden Sand 2026 in Międzyzdroje, Poland. The victory marked Obiena’s eighth gold medal of the 2026 season and his third consecutive tournament victory. More importantly, his 5.91m clearance was his best performance in two years

August 18, 2026

Business

Singapore’s S$700 ‘Pocket Rooms’: How Tiny Can a Rental Get? — and Is It Legal?

As housing costs remain a concern, some renters are choosing to give up a significant amount of floor space in exchange for a lower monthly bill and a location closer to work, transport and amenities. The result is a niche but increasingly visible segment of Singapore’s rental market: ultra-small rooms sometimes marketed as “pocket rooms.” Some are former utility rooms, bomb shelters or spaces originally designed for domestic helpers. Others are simply extremely compact rooms inside private ap

August 18, 2026