POLITICS

A collection of 1180 posts

POLITICS

North Korea Warns of Response as US, South Korea and Japan Hold Joint Military Drills

SEOUL — North Korea has sharply condemned a new round of joint military exercises involving the United States, South Korea and Japan, warning that it will take unspecified measures in response to what Pyongyang describes as a growing military threat. North Korea’s newly appointed Defence Minister Kim Song-gi issued

ASIA

IBP Lawyers Reach 16,148 Filipino Detainees in Massive Jail Drive — But Legal Advice Is Only the First Step

MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of persons deprived of liberty across the Philippines have received legal assistance under a nationwide campaign led by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, as the country continues to confront severe overcrowding inside its detention facilities. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines reported that lawyers participating in

ASIA

Australian Funds Managing A$1.4 Trillion Are Eyeing the Philippines — But One Number Shows How Much Money Has Actually Arrived

MANILA, Philippines — Some of Australia’s biggest institutional investors are turning their attention to the Philippines, bringing representatives of firms that collectively manage nearly A$1.4 trillion in assets to Manila as they explore opportunities in energy, transportation, infrastructure and other strategic industries. But the headline number comes with

ASIA

Philippine Courts Are Short 463 Judges — But the Bigger Problem Is Why Some New Courts Still Can’t Open

MANILA, Philippines — Hundreds of judgeships across the Philippine judiciary remain vacant even as new courts are being created to bring justice closer to communities — exposing a staffing problem that lawmakers warn could keep cases trapped in already congested court dockets. Court Administrator Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta told the House

ASIA

NLEX San Simon Fully Reopens After Flood Crisis — But the Bigger Test Comes With the Next Habagat Surge

MANILA, Philippines — All three lanes in both directions of the North Luzon Expressway at the flood-hit Tulaoc and San Simon sections in Pampanga were reopened to all classes of vehicles Tuesday morning, September 8, marking a major turnaround after days of flooding, lane closures and punishing traffic jams along

ASIA

Zaldy Co Hunt Moves to France as Remulla Renews Interpol Bid — But One Crucial Approval Is Still Missing

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is escalating its international effort to bring former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co back to the country, with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla preparing to travel to Lyon, France, to personally follow up on Manila’s request for an Interpol Red Notice. The move

ASIA

ICC Prosecutors Want P-1100’s Testimony in Duterte’s Trial — What the Witness Allegedly Knows Goes to the Heart of the DDS Case

THE HAGUE/MANILA — International Criminal Court prosecutors are seeking to place previously recorded testimony from an unidentified witness into evidence in the upcoming trial of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, arguing that the account could help establish how an alleged policy of “neutralizing” suspected criminals operated and what Duterte allegedly

ASIA

Houthi Strikes Wound 73 and Halt Saudi Energy Operations — But the Bigger Shock Could Hit Global Oil Markets

DUBAI/Riyadh — September 8, 2026 — A new wave of Houthi attacks has struck southern Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 civilians and forcing operations to stop temporarily at some energy facilities, raising fresh concerns that the renewed Yemen conflict could spill deeper into one of the world's most important oil-

ASIA

Marco Rubio Heads to Three New U.S. Allies in Latin America — But His Trip May Be About Something Much Bigger Than Drugs

BARRANQUILLA, Colombia — September 8, 2026 — U.S. Secretary of State **Marco Rubio is beginning a three-country South American tour on Tuesday that looks, on paper, like a diplomatic swing through Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. But the timing — and the governments he is visiting — makes the trip far more consequential.

ASIA

Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Still Needs 16 Votes—But Four Missing Senator-Judges Have Forced a Constitutional Showdown

MANILA, Philippines — A constitutional question that could ultimately determine the fate of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial is heading for a major showdown on September 23, 2026, when prosecutors and defense lawyers argue over how many senator-judges are actually needed to convict her. The Senate, sitting

ASIA

Singapore MPs’ Allowance Jumps to S$18,500 a Month — But the Bigger Change Could Be What It’s No Longer Tied To

SINGAPORE — Members of Parliament in Singapore will see their monthly allowance rise sharply from S$13,750 to S$18,500 from October 15, 2026, as the government moves ahead with one of the most closely watched updates to political compensation in more than a decade. The S$4,750

ASIA

Philippines Farm Losses Hit ₱4.38 Billion After Habagat, 4 Cyclones — But the Biggest Threat May Not Be Over

MANILA, Philippines — The cost of weeks of punishing weather on Philippine farms is becoming clearer — and the damage is now well into the billions. Agricultural damage and production losses caused by the enhanced southwest monsoon, or Habagat, and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, Neneng and Pilandok have climbed to ₱4.38

POLITICS

Taiwan earmarks record NT$49.9 billion for local MRT construction — but funding fight heats up

TAIPEI — Taiwan is preparing to pour a record NT$49.9 billion (about US$1.58 billion) into local MRT construction next year, marking a dramatic increase in central-government support as cities push ahead with major urban rail projects. The proposed 2027 subsidy is roughly 5.5 times the

POLITICS

Solon thanks PBBM for proposed ₱1.17-B funding for LRT-1 Cavite Extension

MANILA, Philippines — Las Piñas Lone District Rep. Mark Anthony Santos has welcomed the Marcos administration's proposed ₱1.17-billion allocation for the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project, saying the additional funding could help push forward a railway project that has faced years of delays. The proposed allocation

POLITICS

Sara Duterte impeachment trial pauses for 2 days as 1,800 financial records undergo marking

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court has temporarily paused the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte for two days to give prosecutors and the defense time to organize and formally mark around 1,800 financial documents recently submitted in connection with the case. The short break is procedural rather than

POLITICS

Luistro: Filipinos have the right to hear Sara Duterte answer impeachment allegations

MANILA, Philippines — House lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro said Filipinos have the right to hear Vice President Sara Duterte personally answer the allegations being raised against her in the ongoing Senate impeachment trial. Luistro's remarks come as the prosecution continues presenting evidence against Duterte,

ASIA

Manny Pacquiao Takes Oath as Anti-Poverty Chief—Now Comes the Bigger Test

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator and boxing legend Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao has officially returned to government service, taking his oath as secretary and lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at Malacañang on Tuesday, September 8. The appointment puts Pacquiao back at the

POLITICS

NFA assures enough stocks to sustain P20 rice program amid continued demand

MANILA, Philippines — The National Food Authority (NFA) is assuring Filipinos that its rice stocks remain sufficient to sustain the government's P20-per-kilo rice program, even as demand for subsidized rice continues across the country. NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said Tuesday that the agency has about 2.2

ASIA

U.S.-IRAN TENSIONS ERUPT AGAIN: New Sanctions Tighten the Noose—Then Tehran Issues a Chilling Warning

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — The confrontation between the United States and Iran has entered a more dangerous phase, with Washington tightening economic pressure on Tehran while Iran continues warning that further attacks could trigger retaliation across the region. What began with increasingly hostile rhetoric ahead of a new round of U.S.

ASIA

Sara Duterte Asked to Confirm Bank Accounts—But What Happens If She Denies Them?

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte is being asked by prosecutors to confirm whether bank accounts submitted to the Senate impeachment court are actually hers, as the trial moves deeper into allegations of unexplained wealth and undeclared assets. The prosecution has filed a Request for Admission covering 104 items, asking

ASIA

Singapore’s Political Salaries Have Been Frozen for Years—Now PM Wong Is Set to Change the Numbers

Singapore’s long-running debate over political pay is entering a decisive phase, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing responding in Parliament to an independent review of salaries for political office holders and Members of Parliament. The issue has become particularly significant

POLITICS

Taiwan and Rhode Island Renew Education Pact, Put AI and Chip Talent in the Spotlight

TAIPEI/PROVIDENCE — Taiwan and the U.S. state of Rhode Island have renewed their cooperation on postsecondary education, opening the door to deeper exchanges in language education, talent development, artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related fields. The renewed memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on September 3, 2026, at the Rhode

ASIA

Thailand’s ฿3.78 Trillion Budget Faces a Showdown—Now the Opposition Wants to Know Where the Money Is Going

BANGKOK — Thailand’s opposition People’s Party is putting the government’s ฿3.78 trillion (about US$116 billion) fiscal 2027 budget under renewed scrutiny, warning that it will oppose the spending bill if the government refuses to remove allocations it considers duplicative, unnecessary or potentially vulnerable to irregularities. The

ASIA

Thailand Orders 3 Israeli Remains Moved From Cemetery — Then Officials Uncover a Much Bigger Problem

BANGKOK — Thailand has ordered the removal of three sets of Israeli remains from a Jewish cemetery in Chachoengsao after authorities determined that the burials apparently took place after the cemetery's operating licence had expired. Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said local authorities will issue a written order requiring

POLITICS

Taiwan Prepares China Travel Guide as Beijing Tightens Security Rules

TAIPEI — Taiwan is preparing new travel guidelines for citizens heading to mainland China as Taipei grows increasingly concerned that Beijing’s expanding national-security and entry-exit rules could expose travelers to greater legal and personal risks. The planned guidance comes as China moves to strengthen its control over cross-