Is Japan’s Okinawa finally moving past anti-base politics?

South China Morning Post - Sep 17, 2026

Okinawa has handed a landslide victory to a conservative who accepts Tokyo’s plans for relocating a controversial US airbase – delivering a blow to 12 years of anti-base politics in Japan’s southernmost prefecture. Genta Koja’s victory on Sunday over two-term governor Denny Tamaki raised a question cutting to the heart of Okinawa’s post-war politics: is it finally starting to move on from the US military base issue? Koja, a 42-year-old conservative backed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae...

Read full article

More News

Kamao: The truth comes out | Ep. 83 Teaser

Sep 17, 2026

Kamao: The truth comes out | Ep. 83 Teaser

Airing on September 17, 2026

Unhealthy air quality recorded in 28 areas nationwide

Sep 17, 2026

Unhealthy air quality recorded in 28 areas nationwide

Perak seems to be the hardest-hit state today, with several areas recording in the 180 range.

Alas Pilipinas Women at the 2026 Asian Games: Lineup and Schedule

Sep 17, 2026

Alas Pilipinas Women at the 2026 Asian Games: Lineup and Schedule

The Alas Pilipinas Women are competing in the 2026 Asian Games and opened their campaign with a loss to China.

Part of donor's tax for Marcoleta's P75M campaign fund paid by his employee --witness

Sep 17, 2026

Part of donor's tax for Marcoleta's P75M campaign fund paid by his employee --witness

Part of the donor's tax for the P75 million worth of funds donated to Senator Rodante Marcoleta was paid by his employee, a witness told the Sandiganbayan on Thursday.

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Seizing the Luding Bridge

Sep 17, 2026

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Seizing the Luding Bridge

Held up on the banks of the Dadu River by a lack of ferries to carry its soldiers and equipment across, the Central Red Army was under imminent threat from a vast, rapidly-approaching enemy force. To open up an alternative route across the river, the Red Army's 4th Regiment was ordered to capture the Luding Bridge, 120 kilometers away.

The Long March History | Capturing Luding Bridge

Sep 17, 2026

The Long March History | Capturing Luding Bridge

In late May 1935, the Central Red Army reached the banks of the Dadu River in Sichuan Province. However, their attempts to cross were severely hampered by the limited number of boats available and the river's swift, turbulent current.

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Held Up at the Dadu River

Sep 17, 2026

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Held Up at the Dadu River

In late May 1935, the Central Red Army reached the banks of the Dadu River in Sichuan. However, the possibility of crossing it was complicated by a severe shortage of available ferries.

OpenAI’s rogue agents probed Hugging Face for weaknesses 2 months before major hack

Sep 17, 2026

OpenAI’s rogue agents probed Hugging Face for weaknesses 2 months before major hack

The newly uncovered malicious activity shows that the rogue agents' efforts to find a way into Hugging Face began earlier than was publicly known

Peninsula politicians should learn from Borneo, Anwar says as stony-faced Zahid looks on

Sep 17, 2026

Peninsula politicians should learn from Borneo, Anwar says as stony-faced Zahid looks on

Jabs in Malaysia Day address come amid tensions in Putrajaya.

AI transforming, not cutting PH outsourcing jobs–study

Sep 17, 2026

AI transforming, not cutting PH outsourcing jobs–study

The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has not yet caused a decline in the Philippines’ service-export revenues or employment, ING Bank N.V. said, arguing that AI is so far changing what gets outsourced rather than reducing demand for outsourced work. In a report, Deepali Bhargava, head of Asia-Pacific research at ING, said there was evidence that

Gov’t spending yet to pick up pace

Sep 17, 2026

Gov’t spending yet to pick up pace

MANILA, Philippines — Government budget releases remained slightly behind last year’s pace by end-August, putting greater pressure on agencies to accelerate spending in the remaining months of 2026. Latest data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed that allotment releases had reached 94.1 percent, or P6.391 trillion of the P6.793-trillion budget in the

DBS bets on strong PH growth rebound but flags energy risk

Sep 17, 2026

DBS bets on strong PH growth rebound but flags energy risk

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has the potential to grow by an average of 5.8 percent a year from 2026 through 2035, according to DBS Bank Ltd., though it warned that the country’s heavy reliance on imported energy could weigh on that expansion. In a report copublished with Bain & Company and Vriens & Partners,

Toyota protests exclusion of hybrid cars from TNVS slots

Sep 17, 2026

Toyota protests exclusion of hybrid cars from TNVS slots

MANILA, Philippines — Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., is questioning the exclusion of hybrid electric vehicles (EVs) from the 7,500 new ride-hailing slots in Metro Manila opened by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). Under Memorandum Circular No. 2026-084, which took effect on Aug. 27, the LTFRB allocated additional Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) slots

Lower rice, corn harvests expected in Q3

Sep 17, 2026

Lower rice, corn harvests expected in Q3

MANILA, Philippines — Production of palay (unmilled rice) and corn could post double-digit declines this third quarter, according to the latest estimates of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), with smaller harvest areas expected to gnaw on output. Based on standing crops as of Aug. 1, the PSA estimated palay production in the July-to-September period at 3.19

Excise tax hikes seen to push 2027 inflation to 4.5%

Sep 17, 2026

Excise tax hikes seen to push 2027 inflation to 4.5%

MANILA, Philippines — An increase in excise tax on sweetened beverages, alcohol and tobacco could push inflation to as high as 4.5 percent in 2027, adding to price pressures as the country continues to grapple with the oil shock fallout. This is according to Chinabank Research’s latest commentary, which said the tax increases proposed by the

BSP to tighten disciplinary actions vs erring banks, officials

Sep 17, 2026

BSP to tighten disciplinary actions vs erring banks, officials

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is proposing a more streamlined process for disciplining errant banks and their directors, officers and employees, with penalties ranging from reprimands and fines to suspension, removal from office and disqualification. The BSP is collecting comments from stakeholders on a draft circular that will spell out how the

‘Kiss’ for substandard steel bars 

Sep 17, 2026

‘Kiss’ for substandard steel bars 

The expression “Keep it simple, stupid (Kiss)” has been the advocacy of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) in addressing the dangerous problem of substandard products, especially steel bars. Given climate change, this has become urgent; though some at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) favor this, such as Assistant Secretary Regino Mallari, others

GCash IPO success goes beyond P10 price point, expert says

Sep 17, 2026

GCash IPO success goes beyond P10 price point, expert says

MANILA, Philippines — The success of GCash parent Mynt Inc.’s blockbuster initial public offering (IPO) should not be judged by whether it fetches the maximum P10-per-share price, as the quality of investors and demand after listing may prove more important. Capital market expert Jonathan Ravelas said the P10 maximum offer price in Mynt’s regulatory filing

Intl. media outlets highlight China's role in BRICS cooperation

Sep 17, 2026

Intl. media outlets highlight China's role in BRICS cooperation

Intl. media outlets highlight China's role in BRICS cooperation

Alternergy eyes P2B from maiden notes issuance

Sep 17, 2026

Alternergy eyes P2B from maiden notes issuance

MANILA, Philippines — Alternergy Holdings Corp., a listed renewable energy company, is making its debut in the debt market to raise P2 billion, as it rolls out more clean power facilities. The company on Wednesday said its board of directors had given the go-ahead to issue green fixed-rate notes worth P2 billion. READ: Alternergy inks

Standard Chartered sizes up Clark investment opportunities

Sep 17, 2026

Standard Chartered sizes up Clark investment opportunities

MANILA, Philippines — The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is bringing in one of Asia’s oldest banks to scout investment and financing opportunities across its Clark properties, which form part of the foreign-backed Luzon Economic Corridor. Under a memorandum of understanding, Standard Chartered Bank Philippines—the first foreign bank established in the country—will jointly study with

SM Prime, WWF enter 5th phase of conservation project

Sep 17, 2026

SM Prime, WWF enter 5th phase of conservation project

MANILA, Philippines — SM Prime Holdings Inc. has renewed its nearly two-decade partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-Philippines) to strengthen marine conservation efforts at Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas. SM Prime said on Wednesday that, through leisure resort residences developer Costa del Hamilo Inc. (CDHI), it entered the fifth phase of the Hamilo Coast

Meralco unit tapped for Filinvest’s EV needs

Sep 17, 2026

Meralco unit tapped for Filinvest’s EV needs

MANILA, Philippines — Filinvest Group has tapped the green mobility subsidiary of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to equip its properties with solutions supporting electric vehicles (EVs). In a statement on Wednesday, Movem Electric Inc. said the partnership would cover the deployment of EV requirements across Filinvest’s commercial, residential and office developments. READ: Toyota cautious but

Rochelle Pangilinan, kinlaro ang diumano'y isyu sa pagitan ng SexBomb Girls

Sep 17, 2026

Rochelle Pangilinan, kinlaro ang diumano'y isyu sa pagitan ng SexBomb Girls

Sinagot ni Rochelle Pangilinan kung bakit wala ang ilang miyembro ng SexBomb Girls sa music video ng "Mama Mama."

Grab takes the reins of fintech Atome Financial

Sep 17, 2026

Grab takes the reins of fintech Atome Financial

MANILA, Philippines — Grab is deepening its push into financial services with a $1.49-billion deal to acquire a controlling stake in Atome Financial, the Singapore-based buy now, pay later (BNPL) fintech that operates in the Philippines and four other Southeast Asian markets. On Tuesday, Grab said it would acquire a 60-percent equity interest in Atome Financial

Recommended