Category: Politics

Politics

Unification Church Leader Gets 2 Years Over Political Cash and Luxury Gifts — But the Court’s Bigger Finding Could Haunt the Church

SEOUL — One of the most powerful figures in the global Unification Church has been sentenced to prison in South Korea, delivering another major blow to a religious movement already facing extraordinary legal and political pressure across Asia. The Seoul Central District Court on Monday, August 31, sentenced 83-year-old Han Hak-ja, leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, widely known as the Unification Church, to a combined two years in prison over illegal political fund

August 31, 2026

Business

Oil Jumps Toward $90 After US-Iran Strikes Return — But the Biggest Threat Is What Happens Next in Hormuz

Oil prices surged toward the psychologically important $90-a-barrel level on Monday as renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran abruptly shattered a period of relative calm around the Strait of Hormuz. But for energy markets, the biggest question is no longer simply whether Washington and Tehran will exchange more strikes. It is whether the latest confrontation will once again choke one of the most important oil shipping routes on Earth. Brent crude futures climbed roughl

August 31, 2026

Philippines

QC Cracks Down on Construction Debris: Projects Could Face Penalties—And There’s More

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Construction projects that leave behind piles of debris, damaged roads, blocked drainage systems or other public hazards could face penalties and delays under a new Quezon City ordinance aimed at making contractors and project proponents accountable for restoring areas affected by their work. The Quezon City Construction Site Restoration and Cleanup Compliance Ordinance (SP-3519, S-2026) requires public and private infrastructure projects in the city to secure a Certi

August 31, 2026

Malaysia

Anwar Restores Malaysia’s Fuel Quotas and Unveils Billions in Relief — But the Biggest Cost-of-Living Test Is Still Ahead

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has unveiled a new package of measures aimed at easing cost-of-living pressure on households and giving smaller businesses more breathing room, including restoring higher subsidised fuel quotas, expanding microfinancing and reducing the number of companies required to adopt e-invoicing. The measures, announced during Anwar’s National Day address on August 30, are due to begin taking effect from September 1, as his government tries to transla

August 31, 2026

Philippines

Archival Admits Owning Monterrazas Property—But Says That’s Not Why He Won’t Halt the Project

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. has acknowledged owning property inside the controversial Monterrazas de Cebu development, adding a new layer of scrutiny to the long-running debate over whether the hillside project should be ordered to stop operations. But Archival has defended his position, maintaining that his refusal to issue a cease-and-desist order (CDO) is based on government findings, due process and the broader circumstances surrounding the project—not his p

August 31, 2026

Politics

Iran Says a Supertanker Hit Two Mines in the Strait of Hormuz — But the Biggest Mystery Is the Ship Itself

An unidentified supertanker caught fire and was brought to a halt in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly striking two naval mines, according to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — a dramatic new incident in the waterway at the centre of the escalating confrontation between Iran and the United States. Iranian state television reported on Monday, August 31, that the vessel was hit by two mines in the southern part of the strategic strait. The Revolutionary Guards said the tanker had been

August 31, 2026

Philippines

Are Filipinos Already Giving Up the West Philippine Sea? Tarriela Has a Powerful Message

MANILA, Philippines — As the nation commemorated National Heroes’ Day, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela delivered a message that goes beyond the country’s maritime dispute: Filipinos, he said, should not allow fear or pessimism to dictate how they defend their rights. Tarriela urged the public to reject what he described as a “defeatist mindset,” drawing inspiration from the country’s heroes who fought for freedom despite facing mor

August 31, 2026

Politics

Singapore’s LTA Gets New Chairman After a Decade — But Pang Kin Keong Is Taking Over Just as the Hardest Transport Tests Arrive

SINGAPORE — Singapore’s Land Transport Authority is getting its first new chairman in more than a decade, but the leadership transition comes at a particularly consequential moment for the country’s transport network. Former senior civil servant Pang Kin Keong will take over from Alan Chan Heng Loon as chairman of the LTA Board on September 1, 2026, the Ministry of Transport announced on August 31. Pang and 15 board members have been appointed for a three-year term running until August 31, 202

August 31, 2026

Politics

Putin and Xi Meet in Kyrgyzstan With Modi and Iran at the Table — But the SCO’s Biggest Problem Is Hiding Behind the Show of Unity

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Some of the world's most powerful non-Western leaders are gathering in Kyrgyzstan this week, turning the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit into something much larger than another regional diplomatic meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are among the leaders expected at the two-day gathering in Bishkek. Turkish

August 31, 2026

Philippines

De Lima Urges DENR to Stop Moving Mangroves—But What Happens to PH Coasts If They Don’t Survive?

MANILA, Philippines — Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to suspend the earth-balling and relocation of mangroves until a more comprehensive scientific study establishes whether the practice can reliably keep transplanted trees alive. The call comes as environmental groups and scientists intensify warnings over the possible ecological consequences of moving mature mangroves—natural coastal barriers that help prot

August 31, 2026