POLITICS

A collection of 1187 posts

POLITICS

Chris Horton Launches Mandarin Edition of ‘Ghost Nation’ in Taiwan as Taiwan’s Global Identity Takes Center Stage

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Journalist and author Chris Horton has brought his acclaimed book Ghost Nation: The Story of Taiwan and Its Struggle for Survival to a new audience with the launch of its Mandarin-language edition, putting Taiwan’s complicated history, international isolation and uncertain future back under the spotlight. The

ASIA

Iran Warns US Energy Assets Across the Gulf Are Exposed — But the Real Pressure Point May Be the Strait of Hormuz

DUBAI — The confrontation between Washington and Tehran is again moving dangerously close to the infrastructure that keeps much of the global energy market running. Iran has warned that American-linked oil and gas interests across the Persian Gulf could become targets if the United States launches further attacks on Iranian

ASIA

Israel’s Strikes Kill 12 in Southern Lebanon Despite a Ceasefire — But the Bigger Battle Is Over One Strategic Ridge

KFAR RUMMAN, Lebanon — A fragile ceasefire meant to pull Israel and Hezbollah away from another full-scale confrontation is facing one of its most serious tests yet after Israeli airstrikes killed at least 12 people in southern Lebanon, including children and a paramedic, as fighting intensifies around a strategically important

ASIA

America’s $40 Trillion Debt Is Closing In on the AI Boom — And One Number Could Trigger the Reckoning

NEW YORK — Artificial intelligence has powered one of the biggest investment booms in modern markets, sending technology companies racing to build data centers, secure advanced chips and lock in enormous amounts of electricity. But a threat to that boom may be developing far away from Silicon Valley. It is coming

ASIA

US Says Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Are Moving Again — But the Hardest Question Could Still Kill the Deal

WASHINGTON/KYIV/MOSCOW — Washington is trying to breathe life back into stalled negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, with US special envoy Steve Witkoff saying weekend meetings in Moscow and Kyiv produced meaningful movement toward another round of three-way talks. But behind the renewed diplomatic optimism lies

ASIA

Japan’s Reserves Plunged Nearly $80 Billion After Record Yen Defense — But Tokyo Still Has Another Weapon

TOKYO — Japan’s battle to rescue the yen has come with an extraordinary price tag. Japan’s foreign reserves suffered their largest monthly decline on record in August 2026, falling by roughly $79.6 billion to $1.2075 trillion, as Tokyo carried out a massive currency-market intervention aimed at

ASIA

COMELEC Says BARMM Is Ready for Sept. 14 — But the Biggest Test Begins When 2.39 Million Voters Arrive

MANILA, Philippines — With less than a week before a landmark political exercise in Muslim Mindanao, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) says preparations are entering their final stage for the September 14, 2026 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao parliamentary elections, when nearly 2.4 million voters will choose the region’

ASIA

PNP Wants 2,000 More Cops in 2027 — But the ₱700-Million Hiring Plan Is Only Part of a Much Bigger Push

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police could add another 2,000 patrolmen and patrolwomen to its ranks in 2027 as the government moves to strengthen police visibility, emergency response and crime deterrence nationwide. Under the proposed 2027 national budget, ₱697.18 million has been earmarked for the hiring of 2,

ASIA

Philippine Debt Hits Record ₱19.39 Trillion as Marcos Pushes Tax Overhaul — But the Biggest Change May Not Be a Tax Hike

The Marcos administration is moving ahead with a broader package of tax reforms as the Philippines’ outstanding national government debt climbed to a record ₱19.39 trillion at the end of July 2026, putting renewed attention on how the government plans to raise revenue without further squeezing ordinary households. Bureau

ASIA

Ombudsman Is Heading to France for Zaldy Co — But a New ₱7.4-Billion Arrest Warrant Changes the Stakes

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government’s pursuit of former Ako Bicol party-list representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co is increasingly shifting from Manila’s courtrooms to the diplomatic corridors of Paris. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said he intends to travel to France in the coming days to speak with French authorities

POLITICS

Taipower’s Hsinta Power Plant Expansion Faces Fierce Opposition From Kaohsiung Residents

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — Taipower’s plan to expand and modernize the Hsinta Power Plant has run into a major roadblock as residents living near the facility demand that unresolved safety and property-damage issues be addressed before the next phase of construction moves forward. The confrontation intensified on September 7, 2026,

POLITICS

Taiwan to Open Global UAV Academy Offices in Taipei and Chiayi as Drone Diplomacy Takes Off

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan is turning its growing drone industry into a new tool of international diplomacy, with the country preparing to establish Global UAV Academy (GUAVA) offices in Taipei and Chiayi as part of a broader push to train foreign drone operators, develop standards and expand cooperation with international partners.

POLITICS

Defense Stipulates Nolasco ‘Received’ P112.5M DepEd Confidential Funds—What the Senate Trial Is Uncovering

MANILA, Philippines — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte took another turn Monday after her defense agreed to a stipulation that former Department of Education (DepEd) security officer Col. Dennis Nolasco received confidential funds released by the agency’s special disbursing officer, Edward Fajarda. The stipulation concerns P112.5

POLITICS

Supreme Court Eyes Major Reforms to Cut Court Delays, Expand Access to Justice

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court is pushing forward with a series of judicial reforms aimed at tackling one of the country's most persistent justice-system problems: delays in the resolution of cases and barriers that keep Filipinos from accessing the courts. The reform drive comes as the judiciary

POLITICS

PDIC to Auction 75 Properties Online in October—Bids Start at ₱164,000

MANILA, Philippines — Property buyers looking for residential and agricultural lots may have another opportunity this October as the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) prepares to put 75 properties in Luzon up for electronic public bidding. The auction is scheduled for October 14 to 15, 2026, with online bids accepted beginning

POLITICS

PSA Finds No Civil Registry Records for 1,685 Names in OVP and DepEd Payee Lists

MANILA — A Philippine Statistics Authority verification has placed 1,685 names from confidential-fund payee lists of the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education under intense scrutiny, after the agency found no matching birth, marriage or death records for those names in its Civil Registry System. The

POLITICS

DSWD Has More Than ₱1 Billion Left in Quick Response Fund as Philippines Braces for Future Calamities

MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) still has more than ₱1 billion in its Quick Response Fund (QRF) for future calamities, even after a series of major relief operations across the Philippines, a senior agency official said Monday. The latest figure comes as the country continues to

ENTERTAINMENT

Iran School Destroyed in War’s First Days Becomes Memorial for Children Killed in Strike

MINAB, IRAN — A school in southern Iran that was destroyed during the opening days of the war has become a somber memorial for the children who died there. The Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, in Iran’s Hormozgan province, once welcomed students through a bright blue entrance decorated with oversized

SINGAPORE

Singapore Is Reviewing Political Salaries Again — But What Could Change for the PM, Ministers and MPs?

Singapore is set to put one of its most closely watched and controversial issues back under the spotlight: how much the country pays its political leaders and parliamentarians. The salaries of Singapore's political office holders and Members of Parliament have remained unchanged since the current framework took effect

POLITICS

PH Races to Seal Tax Deals With Oman, Singapore Before 2026 Ends—Here’s What Could Change for Investors

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is moving to close two major tax treaty efforts with Oman and Singapore before the end of 2026, as the Marcos administration intensifies its push to make the country more attractive to foreign investors and strengthen its network of international tax agreements. Finance Assistant Secretary Euvimil

POLITICS

Iran’s New Gulf ‘Restricted Zone’ Could Change Everything — But What Happens to Ships That Enter?

DUBAI — Iran says it will announce a new restricted maritime zone in the Gulf in the coming days, raising fresh concerns over shipping and energy supplies around the Strait of Hormuz as tensions with the United States continue to escalate. Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the country's

POLITICS

China Doubts US “Hellscape” Strategy for Taiwan Strait—But Its Military Experts Are Watching Closely

TAIPEI, Taiwan — China may publicly dismiss the United States' proposed “Hellscape” strategy for a Taiwan Strait conflict, but behind that rhetoric, Chinese military analysts appear to be taking the concept far more seriously than Beijing's official messaging suggests. That is the central finding of a new analysis

POLITICS

DPP Accuses KMT of Dropping Sheltered Workshop Mooncake Orders as Taiwan Election Fight Intensifies

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A political fight over Taiwan's Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes has taken a new turn, with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) accusing the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) of failing to follow through on promised purchases from sheltered workshops serving people with disabilities. The controversy erupted after two

POLITICS

Lai Promises Taiwan Taxi Drivers More Opportunities as Government Eyes Bigger Role for Taxis

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has promised to create more business opportunities for taxi drivers by giving the industry a larger role in the country's transportation system—including a potential new function as a flexible complement to buses and other public transport. Speaking Sunday, Sept. 6,

BUSINESS

Liloan Mayor Explains New P12 Garbage Bag System After Residents Raise Concerns

LILOAN, Cebu, Philippines — Liloan Mayor Aljew Jordan Frasco has defended and clarified the municipality's proposed new garbage collection system after residents raised concerns over a plan requiring households to buy official trash bags costing P12 each. The new policy, called the “Pay As You Throw, Garbage Bag System,