Afternoon Edition, September 26, 2026
Every Lexy News brief, written out. Three stories, three times a day.
Philippines
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has postponed the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, the country’s village and youth council polls, to 2028. Under the new law, incumbent local and youth council officials will stay in office for two more years instead of facing elections sooner. The law also sets their term at five years, replacing the current four-year term.
Kenya
Kenyan contractors are challenging alleged tax and customs concessions for Chinese-financed infrastructure projects, saying the breaks give foreign competitors a 25% to 35% cost advantage. The petitioners say foreign contractors can import machinery for major projects without paying duties borne by local businesses buying comparable equipment. The dispute concerns public procurement and competition in Kenya’s infrastructure sector and is separate from an earlier court ruling requiring disclosure of contracts for Kenya’s Chinese-backed railway. Kenya’s attorney-general opposes the petition, arguing it raises no constitutional question and belongs in a different court. The contractors’ challenge remains pending as a procurement and tax treatment dispute.
Sources Business Insider Kenyamoja
Laos
Lao content creator Khieo Lapchanh disappeared in Thailand on Sept. 15. Manushya Foundation, a Thai-based rights group, said the 26-year-old disappeared in Samut Sakhon province one day before he was scheduled to attend an asylum interview with UNHCR in Bangkok. Khieo had criticized the Lao government online in Facebook videos, and Manushya said he sought asylum after receiving threats over the videos he posted. The group said Khieo had entered Thailand in 2019 and had also been working at a restaurant there, linking the disappearance to concerns about transnational repression.
Sources RFA
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