Category: Asia

Philippines

Floods, Garbage, Haze and Blackouts: Cebu City Faces a Growing List of Crises

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Recurring floods. Mounting garbage problems. Dangerous haze. Rotational power outages. For Cebu City residents, the past week has highlighted a troubling reality: several major problems are hitting the city at the same time, testing the ability of local authorities to respond while leaving communities frustrated over issues that many say have remained unresolved for years. In his weekly column, veteran Cebu journalist and lawyer Pachico A. Seares described the situatio

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Business

UN Backs Equal Earth Map in Historic Push to Replace Distorted Mercator World View

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed a major shift in how the world could be represented on maps, backing the Equal Earth projection in a move aimed at correcting the dramatic distortions created by the centuries-old Mercator map. The resolution, passed on Friday with 164 member states voting in favor, encourages governments and institutions around the world to adopt the Equal Earth projection, which more accurately represents the relative sizes of continents. Only

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Entertainment

Chinglish or Natural English? Five Common English Mistakes Chinese Speakers Should Avoid

Learning English is not only about memorizing vocabulary. Sometimes, the most difficult part is knowing which English word actually sounds natural in a particular situation. A word may look like the perfect translation from Chinese, but native English speakers might use a completely different verb or expression. Here are five common examples that show the difference between direct translation and natural English. 1. “Remind” Is Not the Same as “Recall” Chinese: 我忽然想起了一首以前聽過的歌。 ✓ Suddenly,

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Business

How Democracy Changed Taiwan’s Streets — and What Traffic Safety Reveals About Freedom

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's roads are often criticized for being dangerous, chaotic and unforgiving. For years, international media and frustrated residents have pointed to poor pedestrian protection, reckless driving and the country's high number of traffic accidents as evidence that Taiwan still has a long way to go. But according to a new feature by columnist Courtney Donovan Smith, Taiwan's changing traffic culture may also reveal something far bigger than road safety. It may show how profo

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Entertainment

Nadine Lustre and Apl.de.ap Just Dropped a Surprise Collab—But ‘Donuts’ Has More Than Just a Catchy Beat

MANILA, Philippines — Nadine Lustre is giving fans another reason to hit play. The actress-singer has teamed up with Filipino-American music star Apl.de.ap for her latest single, “Donuts,” an unexpected collaboration that combines Lustre's melodic style with the Black Eyed Peas member's rap-driven sound. Lustre announced the release on social media on September 5, describing the experience of working with Apl.de.ap as “a little surreal” and calling him a legend. The track is now available on m

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Philippines

34,000 New Classrooms Coming: Angara Reveals What Happens Next as Government Races to Fix School Shortage

MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of Filipino students could soon have more space to learn as the Department of Education (DepEd) pushes ahead with an ambitious classroom-building program aimed at easing the country’s long-standing shortage of school facilities. Education Secretary Sonny Angara has said that around 34,000 classrooms are targeted for construction in 2026, as the government accelerates infrastructure projects nationwide. The classroom drive comes as the Marcos administration puts

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Asia

Nepal Flood Survivors Search With Bare Hands as Entire Villages Vanish in Himalayan Disaster

RASUWA, Nepal — With no shovel left and almost nothing remaining of his home, Dil Bahadur Shrestha has been searching through thick mud with his bare hands for the body of his wife. He already knows she is probably dead. But after 50 years together, he cannot bring himself to stop looking. His wife, Jamuna Shrestha, was last seen trying to save her chickens and goats as deadly floodwaters tore through their community in Betrawati, Nepal. Within minutes, their home and much of the town had bee

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Taiwan

Taiwan’s Demographic Time Bomb Is No Longer a Future Threat

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's demographic crisis is no longer a distant warning about the future. It is already beginning to reshape the country's workforce, schools, economy and political priorities. New government projections show Taiwan is heading toward a future with dramatically fewer young people and a rapidly expanding elderly population — a combination that could leave businesses struggling to find workers while placing growing pressure on pensions, healthcare and public finances. The num

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Asia

China Mudslide Death Toll Rises to Three as Nine Remain Missing After Typhoon Saudel

BEIJING — The death toll from a devastating mudslide in eastern China has risen to three, while nine people remain missing, after days of torrential rain triggered by Typhoon Saudel battered parts of the country. The mudslide struck a village in Suichuan County in Jiangxi Province early Saturday, damaging at least a dozen homes and forcing emergency crews to launch a large-scale search and rescue operation. Authorities moved residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations as fears grew that

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Philippines

Missing Bukidnon Mother Found Dead in River—Police Reveal What May Have Happened

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — A search for a 49-year-old mother who disappeared from her home ended in tragedy after her body was found floating in the shallow waters of the Sawaga River in Barangay 9 on Monday morning, September 7. The woman, identified by authorities only as alias “Beng,” was a resident of Barangay Casisang. Police said residents alerted authorities after spotting a body among rocks in the river. Her husband and children later positively identified the remains, matching the de

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