MANILA: President Rodrigo Duterte, a longtime foe of the Philippine news site co-founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, has ordered to shut it down, the firm announced on Wednesday (Jun 29). Duterte and the allegedly murderous drug campaign he unleashed in 2016 have drawn Ressa’s ire, and she and Rappler have been subjected to a slew of legal …

THAILAND: On Tuesday, Thailand‘s finance minister predicted that the country’s GDP will increase by around 3.5 percent this year, mostly due to a rise in tourism and exports. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, the minister of tourism, told reporters that the ministry now expects 9.5 million international visitors this year. According to the official, the government plans to take other steps to help …

VIETNAM: Officials in Vietnam have imposed a restriction on swimming and scuba diving at a famous tourist destination in an effort to save the country’s coral reefs (Jun 27). The country’s 3,200-kilometer coastline, which features beautiful waters, an abundance of marine life, and white sand beaches, is a major tourist attraction. Researchers have warned that the devastation of Southeast Asian …

PAKISTAN: Due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan, the country’s aviation regulator has mandated the use of masks for all domestic flights, according to a statement. After Karachi reported a COVID-19 positivity ratio of 21 per cent, compared to a national average of just 2.8 per cent, the federal government has issued an order for …

UAE: Middle Eastern countries have taken notice of the Biden administration’s commitment to focusing more on China than on the historically problematic region. When it comes to Iran’s regional ambitions, the Palestinian conflict, or other security threats, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are forging new alliances and hedging their bets because they are concerned that a Washington, …

MALAYSIA: Some Malaysian palm oil mills have temporarily halted production due to a drop in prices, according to a miller’s organization representative (Jun 27). Malaysian crude palm oil (CPO) prices tumbled by 22% on Monday, wiping out most of this year’s gains from a peak of 6,632 ringgit (US$1,506.25) per tonne. For the most part, Malaysian millers buy palm fruit …

MANILA: The disqualification and cancellation of Marcos’ certificate of candidacy (COC) cases were thrown down by the Supreme Court. Those two cases were combined into a single one by the court. According to the Public Information Office, the Court ruled 13-0 on Tuesday, June 28, to allow Marcos to proceed in the en banc session. In the end, just two …

US: After a shocking first-quarter decline, Netflix Inc. is turning to Asia in an attempt to both maintain growth in the one region where it is still adding customers and reproduce its success there in other parts of the world. Tony Zameczkowski, senior vice president of business development for Asia Pacific, stated in an interview that investment in Asia will …

TEXAS: Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has been named as one of the defendants in a civil lawsuit against the team. The Houston Texans and Deshaun Watson’s activities have prompted us to launch the first of several lawsuits against the team. To put it succinctly, the evidence accumulating showing the Houston Texans encouraged Watson’s actions is shockingly damning, according to …

PHILIPPINES: What does it look like when you try to homogenize several voices into a single and stereotypical narrative?  It is like walking into a room, only to face the caustic mass of people that already defined who you are from head to toe. No need for introductions or chirpy biddings because no matter what you do, you’ll always be …