Category: Politics

Business

Trump’s 50% Canada Auto Tariff Could Hammer Toyota and Honda — But the Biggest Cost May Hit America Next

Toyota and Honda spent decades turning Canada into one of the most important links in their North American manufacturing networks. Now that strategy could become an expensive liability. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian-made cars, trucks and automotive products to 50% beginning January 1, 2027, potentially doubling the current 25% levy and putting two Japanese automotive giants squarely in the firing line. The target may officially be Canada. But Toyota a

August 31, 2026

Politics

US and Iran Trade Fire at the Strait of Hormuz Again — But Washington’s Next Weapon May Not Be a Missile

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN, Aug. 31, 2026 — The United States and Iran have exchanged fire around one of the world’s most important energy corridors, breaking weeks of relative military restraint and raising fresh fears that the six-month conflict could again spill into global oil markets. U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, August 30, in what was described as the first known American military attack on Iran since late July. Iran subsequently launched ballistic mis

August 31, 2026

Politics

Yen Falls Past ¥160 Again — But Bessent Says This Time Is Different. What Happens Next Could Decide Japan’s Next Move

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Japanese yen’s latest decline is not yet disorderly, even as the currency returns to a level closely watched for possible intervention and investors raise bets on another Bank of Japan interest-rate hike. The Japanese yen is once again testing policymakers’ tolerance after sliding beyond the psychologically important ¥160-per-dollar level, but Washington is not yet signaling that another emergency response is imminent. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scot

August 31, 2026

Politics

US Strikes Iranian Launchers Near Strait of Hormuz—Then Tehran Fires Back

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — U.S. forces struck two Iranian military launchers on Larak Island, a strategically located island near the Strait of Hormuz, in what officials described as the first known American military strikes against Iran since late July. The latest confrontation has raised fresh fears of a wider escalation in one of the world's most strategically important waterways, with Iran reportedly responding by launching missiles toward U.S. forces in Jordan. According to a U.S. official cited

August 31, 2026

Politics

Trump Wants the FCC to ‘Punish’ NBC’s Kristen Welker — But One Detail in His 99% Endorsement Claim Changes the Story

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has opened another front in his long-running battle with the American media, this time targeting NBC News journalist and “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker over just two words: “mixed results.” Trump said Sunday, August 30, that Welker would be reported to the Federal Communications Commission for possible “rebuke or punishment,” accusing the veteran journalist of deliberately misrepresenting his record of endorsing Republican candidates ahead of the N

August 31, 2026

Philippines

Marcos Tells Filipinos: Don’t Just Remember Our Heroes—Become the Citizens the Philippines Needs

MANILA, Philippines — On National Heroes’ Day, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on Filipinos to do more than remember the sacrifices of the country's heroes, urging them instead to embody their courage, serve others, and help build the nation future generations will inherit with pride. In his National Heroes’ Day message on Monday, August 31, 2026, Marcos said Filipinos have a continuing responsibility to carry forward the country that generations before them fought and sacrificed to build

August 31, 2026

Philippines

11 Suspected Illegal Ironwood Logs Found in Sibuyan—But Who Left Them Behind?

SAN FERNANDO, Romblon — Authorities have seized 11 pieces of suspected illegally cut timber worth an estimated P55,000 on Sibuyan Island, raising fresh concerns over the protection of one of the Philippines' most environmentally significant island ecosystems. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) launched a joint operation after receiving a report about round logs allegedly left near a roadside area. Coast Guard personnel from Cajidiocan

August 31, 2026

Politics

Thailand’s Senate Collusion Probe Reaches Critical Moment as Pressure Mounts on Election Commission

BANGKOK — Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) is facing intensifying political and public pressure as its long-running investigation into alleged collusion during the 2024 Senate election moves toward a potentially decisive stage. The case has become one of the most closely watched political investigations in Thailand, not only because of the number of people implicated in the inquiry, but because its eventual outcome could have far-reaching consequences for public confidence in the country’s e

August 30, 2026

Philippines

Metro Manila’s ₱85 Wage Hike Is Still Frozen—Now Labor Groups Are Telling Courts to End the Fight

MANILA, Philippines — Labor groups are stepping up pressure on the courts to clear the way for Metro Manila workers to receive their long-delayed wage increase, calling on the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) in Pasig and Navotas to dismiss petitions challenging the implementation of the ₱85 daily minimum wage hike. The appeal comes as the legal battle over NCR Wage Order No. 27 continues to leave millions of pesos in expected wage adjustments—and the workers counting on them—in limbo. Labor leade

August 30, 2026

Philippines

DPWH Chief Relieved After ‘Delayed’ Calamity Response — But What Finally Triggered Dizon’s Order?

MANILA, Philippines — As severe flooding again tested government response in parts of Metro Manila, the Department of Public Works and Highways has removed a key maintenance official in Las Piñas and Muntinlupa following what the agency described as repeated reports of poor performance and slow action during calamities. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon ordered Engr. Loreto C. Balena Jr., maintenance chief of the DPWH Las Piñas-Muntinlupa District Engineering Office (LMDEO), relieved of his du

August 30, 2026