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Palace Defends Marcos’ Acting Secretaries, Says Appointments Are Within His Legal Powers

MANILA — Malacañang is defending President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s continued use of acting Cabinet secretaries, saying the appointments are legally permissible and within the President’s constitutional authority. The Palace’s position comes amid renewed scrutiny over the number of government departments being headed by officials serving in an acting capacity rather than as permanent, Commission on Appointments (CA)-confirmed secretaries. The issue has become increasingly contentious as Congress

September 3, 2026

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Thailand Tightens Crypto Transfer Rules: Private Wallets Face New Checks From 2027

Thailand is tightening its grip on the digital-asset industry with new rules requiring crypto businesses to collect and transmit information about people involved in digital-asset transfers, while transactions involving self-hosted wallets will face additional ownership or control checks. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued the new “Travel Rule for Digital Assets” on September 2, saying the framework is designed to strengthen anti-money-laundering controls and prevent digital-as

September 3, 2026

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China Withdraws From Gwangju Biennale Over ‘Taiwan Pavilion’ Name as Dispute Spills Into Regional Ties

GWANGJU, South Korea — A naming dispute over Taiwan has erupted into a major diplomatic and cultural controversy just two days before the opening of South Korea’s 16th Gwangju Biennale, after Chinese artists and curators announced their withdrawal from the exhibition. The Chinese exhibition team announced on September 3 that it had unanimously decided to pull out of the biennale, arguing that organizers' approval of the name “Taiwan Pavilion” allowed political issues to enter the arts. The dec

September 3, 2026

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Palace Promises Prudent Spending as Philippine Peso Hits Record Low Amid Middle East Crisis

The Philippine government is signaling a more cautious approach to public spending as the peso plunges to another historic low, with Malacañang saying government funds must be used more deliberately and directed toward priority programs as global instability pushes up energy costs and pressures the economy. The warning comes after the peso closed at ₱62.56 against the US dollar on September 2, its weakest level on record. The currency opened at ₱62.40 and traded as low as ₱62.69 during the sess

September 3, 2026

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Uzbek Professor Detained in Kazakhstan Over Espionage Allegations as Academic Community Demands Answers

ASTANA, Kazakhstan — The detention of an Uzbek academic in Kazakhstan has triggered growing concern among scholars and colleagues, with questions mounting over the secrecy surrounding the case and what it could mean for academic freedom in Central Asia. Ikboljon Qoraboyev, a 46-year-old Uzbek citizen and international-relations scholar, was reportedly detained in Astana on July 3, 2026, on suspicion of espionage. His relatives told the BBC's Uzbek service that several men in civilian clothing c

September 3, 2026

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Singapore’s New Green Flight Levy Is Coming in 2027 — Here’s What Travellers Will Pay

Singapore Green Jet Fuel Levy Starts in 2027: Travellers Face Up to S$41.60 on Flights Singapore is moving ahead with its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) levy for passengers from January 1, 2027, but air-cargo operators have been given an additional year before they face the charge. Under the latest plan announced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) on September 3, travellers buying tickets from October 1, 2026 for flights departing Singapore from January 1, 2027, will pay the

September 3, 2026

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Bangkok Data Centre Faces Legal Action After More Than 200,000 Litres of Diesel Found Without Licence

BANGKOK — A data centre on Bangkok’s Rama 9 Road is facing possible legal action after Thailand’s Department of Energy Business found more than 200,000 litres of diesel stored for emergency generators without the required licence, prompting authorities to order the fuel removed from the site. The case has triggered wider scrutiny of how data centres are approved and regulated in Bangkok, particularly when large backup-fuel supplies are located in densely populated urban areas. Officials are pr

September 3, 2026

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South Korea Set for Major Government Shake-Up as Justice, Gender Equality Ministries Head to Sejong in 2027

South Korea is preparing for one of its biggest government relocation drives in years, with the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family among the first major ministries expected to move from the Seoul metropolitan area to Sejong beginning in the first half of 2027. The plan, announced September 3 by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook and Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung, is part of a broader effort to reduce the country's heavy concentration of government functions, po

September 3, 2026

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Malaysia Fuel Prices Drop 5 Sen From Sept. 3 to 9 as Middle East Tensions Keep Oil Market on Edge

RON97, unsubsidised RON95 and diesel all become cheaper this week, but Malaysia warns fuel prices could remain volatile Malaysian motorists are getting a small break at the pumps this week. The prices of RON97 petrol, unsubsidised RON95 and unsubsidised diesel will each fall by 5 sen per litre from Sept. 3 to 9, 2026, according to Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance. The reduction comes after two consecutive weeks of increases, but the government is warning that the global fuel market remains vuln

September 3, 2026

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Taiwan Protests Chinese Military Patrols Near Disputed Minzhu Reef as South China Sea Tensions Rise

Taiwan has protested China’s latest military activity around Minzhu Reef in the South China Sea, accusing Chinese forces of conducting dangerous maneuvers that interfered with normal aircraft operations and warning against what Taipei described as increasingly assertive actions in disputed waters. The development, reported by Taiwan News on September 3, 2026, adds another layer to growing tensions surrounding the reef, which is known as Minzhu Reef in Taiwan, Huangyan Island in China and Bajo d

September 3, 2026