Category: Politics

Philippines

TULFO WANTS GUN OWNERS HELD CRIMINALLY LIABLE: After Two School Shootings, Could Negligent Firearm Custodians Soon Face Jail?

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Erwin Tulfo is pushing for tougher accountability for firearm owners and legal custodians whose negligence allows children to gain access to guns, arguing that gun ownership must come with a clear legal responsibility to keep firearms out of unauthorized hands. Tulfo renewed the call after two recent school shootings in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City put renewed scrutiny on how minors were able to obtain firearms traced to adult family members. In a privilege speec

August 23, 2026

Politics

Taiwan Unveils Record $35 Billion Defense Budget—But the Bigger Message May Be for Beijing and Washington

Taiwan is preparing to make its biggest defense-spending push yet, with the government proposing a record NT$1.1225 trillion (about US$35.2 billion) defense budget for 2027—a move designed to strengthen the island's military capabilities while sending a clear signal to both Beijing and Washington. The proposed allocation represents about 3.01 percent of Taiwan's projected GDP and an increase of roughly 18 percent from the previous year's level. Taiwan's Cabinet approved the proposal on Thursday

August 23, 2026

Politics

Lai’s Powerful Warning From Kinmen: “Peace Doesn’t Fall From the Sky” — What’s Taiwan Preparing For?

TAIPEI/KINMEN — Standing on one of Taiwan's most sensitive frontline islands under heavy rain, President Lai Ching-te delivered a message that reached far beyond a memorial ceremony: peace, he said, cannot simply be wished into existence—it must be protected. Lai travelled to Kinmen on Sunday to mark the 68th anniversary of the August 23 Artillery Battle, also known internationally as the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, paying tribute to the servicemen who fought and died during the 1958 conflict

August 23, 2026

Politics

Taiwan Just Revealed What Its New Missile Can Do—But a Budget Fight Could Put the Entire T-Dome Shield at Risk

Taiwan has disclosed new technical details about its domestically developed Chiang Kung, or “Strong Bow,” missile, highlighting the system’s importance to the island’s planned multi-layered T-Dome air defense network—even as a political fight over defense funding threatens to delay the program. The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), Taiwan’s state-run defense research and development organization, released specifications for the interceptor on Saturday, putting a s

August 23, 2026

Politics

SOGO Corruption Case Takes a Stunning Turn: Four Acquitted, Two Face Long Prison Terms

TAIPEI — Taiwan’s long-running Pacific SOGO bribery scandal has taken another dramatic turn after the High Court overturned the convictions of four defendants while upholding lengthy prison sentences against two former lawmakers. The ruling, handed down on Aug. 21, cleared former New Power Party legislator Hsu Yung-ming, incumbent Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Chen Chao-ming, Hsu’s assistant Wu Shih-chang, and Chen’s office director Liang Wen-yi. At the same time, the court upheld

August 23, 2026

Politics

Taiwan’s Spy Probe Explodes: More Than 20 Under Investigation as Military Officers Face Chinese Recruitment Allegations

TAIPEI — Taiwan has expanded an investigation into a suspected Chinese espionage network following the conviction of two former military personnel accused of passing military secrets and attempting to recruit fellow service members, raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of Taiwan’s armed forces to covert intelligence operations. The investigation, centered in southern Taiwan, now involves more than 20 persons of interest, including several serving army captains, according to sources ci

August 23, 2026

Politics

China Wants to Host the World’s Biggest Climate Summit—But There’s a Catch

BEIJING/WASHINGTON — China is considering whether to bid to host the 2028 United Nations climate summit, known as COP33, a move that could significantly raise Beijing's profile in global climate diplomacy while also exposing the country's enormous greenhouse-gas footprint to intensified international scrutiny. Two people familiar with the matter told AFP that Chinese authorities are weighing a possible bid, but no final decision has been made and there is no confirmed timetable for a decision.

August 23, 2026

Politics

Trump’s 50% Tariffs Hit Canada — Carney Fires Back, But the Next Move Could Change North American Trade

The latest escalation in the U.S.-Canada trade dispute has pushed the two longtime economic partners into a deeper confrontation, after President Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods took effect on August 22. The new duties cover roughly US$20 billion worth of Canadian exports, equivalent to only about 5% of Canada’s annual exports to the United States, but the political and economic impact could be considerably larger because some of the affected products had previously bene

August 23, 2026

Politics

U.S. Navy Sends P-8A Through Taiwan Strait as Xi-Trump Summit Nears—Beijing Watches Closely

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Friday, prompting China to monitor the mission as Washington and Beijing prepare for a high-level meeting expected next month. The U.S. 7th Fleet said the transit demonstrated Washington's commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” framing the operation as an exercise of navigational rights under international law. China, meanwhile, tracked and monitored the aircraft throughout its

August 23, 2026

Philippines

Sara Duterte Impeachment Vote Faces Crucial Twist: Will 16 Votes Still Decide Her Fate?

MANILA, Philippines — A potentially decisive legal question is emerging in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial: How many votes will ultimately be required to convict her? Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, one of the House prosecutors, said Saturday that the determination belongs to the Senate sitting as an impeachment court—not to either the prosecution or the defense. Ridon’s statement comes as the Senate trial enters a critical stage and questions continue to surround the c

August 23, 2026