PHILIPPINES
Two Philippine senators have been identified as "co-perpetrators" in the so-called war on drugs launched by former President Rodrigo Duterte. Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go are among eight officials named in a document published Friday on the International Criminal Court's website. Prosecutors have indicted Duterte on three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders.
UNITED STATES – CHINA
The online debate over Eileen Gu, a freestyle skier, and Alysa Liu, a figure skater, is getting hotter. Both are competing in the Olympics, both are of Chinese descent, and both were born and raised in the United States. However, Gu has been competing for China since 2019, while Liu, whose father is an activist who fled the Tiananmen Square crackdown, competes for the United States. Online comments accusing both of being traitors to one country or the other are part of the broader competition between China and the United States.
SOUTH KOREA
YouTube's Silver Play Button, an award given by the platform to creators with over 100,000 subscribers, has become a new benchmark in South Korean politics, where dozens of lawmakers prefer to address voters directly. As of earlier this month, 25 South Korean lawmakers had more than 100,000 subscribers to their channels. Of these, 19 belonged to liberal or left-leaning parties, and six were conservative. South Korean politicians' YouTube activity surged during the crisis sparked by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's bid to impose martial law in December 2024. The episode sparked a surge in viewership, particularly on the channels of progressive lawmakers.
PAKISTAN
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has lost 85 per cent vision in his right eye, according to his lawyer’s statement before the Supreme Court. Khan, 73, has been in prison since August 2023, serving a 14-year sentence for corruption, but he claims this is one of many cases based on charges trumped up by the military to keep him out of politics after his supporters organised widespread protests against the establishment. The former prime minister and cricket star underwent eye surgery recently, and the court ordered him to see his doctor again.
UNITED STATES – IRAN
The US military is preparing for the possibility of sustained operations against Iran, lasting weeks, if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two US officials told Reuters. Last week, US and Iranian diplomats met in Oman for talks over Iran’s nuclear programme. This comes in the wake of Trump's military buildup in the region, which has fuelled fears of further military action.
RUSSIA – CUBA
The Russian Embassy in Havana announced Russia’s plans to deliver oil to Cuba “as humanitarian aid”, given the severe shortage that followed the blockade of supplies from Venezuela, this despite tariffs imposed by Donald Trump on to the Cuban regime because of its support for countries hostile to the United States. The US has military and intelligence units on the island, while Russia operates a radio-electronics station.
GEORGIA
One of Georgia's leading opposition politicians, Nika Gvaramia, leader of the Coalition for Change alliance, has been released after eight months in prison. He was given a custodial sentence for failing to appear before the parliamentary commission investigating the "crimes of the past regime" of former President Mikhail Saakashvili. Gvaramia is one of Saakashvili's closest associates. Two other politicians, Nika Melia and Irakli Okruashvili, remain in prison.
