Author: WWC NEWSDESK

Business

SM Malls Hit Record ₱41.8B Revenue as Filipinos Keep Coming Back — But One Number Tells a Different Story

MANILA, Philippines — At a time when inflation, cautious household spending and economic uncertainty are forcing consumers to think twice before opening their wallets, SM Supermalls has delivered a striking counterpoint: Filipinos are still going to the mall — and businesses are still competing for space inside them. SM Supermalls generated a record ₱41.8 billion in mall revenue during the first half of 2026, an 8% increase from ₱38.6 billion a year earlier, according to figures reported by Ins

September 2, 2026

South Korea

HOW KOREA’S NATIONAL MUSEUM TURNED ANCIENT ARTIFACTS INTO A COSPLAY SENSATION

From Buddhist sculptures to Bronze Age bells, Koreans are stepping inside the museum’s most recognizable treasures—and the unusual idea is turning cultural heritage into a viral spectator event. For decades, museums have largely asked visitors to do one thing: look at the artifacts. South Korea's National Museum of Korea is asking visitors to do something very different: Become them. Its “Dress Like a Museum Exhibit” event has transformed cultural heritage into a participatory costume-play c

September 2, 2026

Uncategorized

Nepal Flood Death Toll Surpasses 1,000 as Rescue Teams Race Into Cut-Off Areas

KATHMANDU — Nepal is facing one of its most devastating natural disasters in years after a glacier collapse triggered catastrophic flash floods across the Himalayan region, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving thousands still missing. The disaster began on Aug. 26, when a massive collapse of ice, rock and debris in the Himalayas sent a powerful surge of water downstream through communities along the Nepal-China border. The resulting floods and landslides destroyed homes, roads, bridges an

September 2, 2026

Business

Razon Makes a Major Move at Prime Infra—Then Brings in a Former BP Chief

MANILA, Philippines — Billionaire Enrique Razon Jr. is strengthening the leadership of Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) with the appointment of former BP chief executive Tony Hayward to its board of directors—a move that signals the Philippine conglomerate’s increasingly global ambitions in the energy sector. Hayward joined the Prime Infra board effective August 10, 2026, while continuing to serve as executive chairman of SierraCol Energy, the Colombian oil and gas company acquir

September 2, 2026

Politics

Germany Blames Russia for Explosive Drone Plot at Leipzig Airport — And Berlin Is Now Striking Back

BERLIN — Germany has formally accused Russia of orchestrating an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month, escalating an already tense confrontation between Berlin and Moscow and raising fresh concerns about Russian hybrid operations across Europe. German authorities say an explosives-laden drone was discovered at the airport on Aug. 4, close to Ukrainian cargo aircraft. The device was safely defused, but investigators believe the incident was a deliberately planned attack rat

September 2, 2026

Uncategorized

THE TIBET–NEPAL FLOOD IS A HIMALAYAN CLIMATE SECURITY WARNING

A glacier-linked disaster on the Nepal–China border has exposed a much bigger problem: the Himalayas are becoming a high-risk zone where climate change, fragile infrastructure, water security and cross-border disaster response increasingly collide. On August 26, 2026, a catastrophic flash flood and debris flow struck communities along Nepal's Bhote Koshi River after a rapid slope failure involving glacier material in the Langtang area near the China border. According to the U.S. Geological Sur

September 2, 2026

Business

Singapore Bets S$112 Million on Smarter, Greener Buildings — And a Major Rule Change Is Coming

SINGAPORE — Singapore is putting another S$112 million behind the future of its built environment, with the government targeting smarter construction, greener buildings and technology-driven site supervision as the city-state prepares for increasingly complex urban projects. The five-year investment, announced by National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat at International Built Environment Week 2026 on Sept. 2, will support research, development and the commercialisation of technologies that c

September 2, 2026

Philippines

DHSUD Tightens Land-Use Rules for Waste-to-Energy Plants as Philippines Pushes New Waste Strategy

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is refining land-use standards for waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities as the Marcos administration accelerates efforts to turn the country’s mounting waste problem into a potential source of energy. But the government’s push for waste-to-energy will not mean a free pass for new facilities. DHSUD officials say local government units (LGUs) must carefully determine where WTE facilities can be located, how close

September 2, 2026

Politics

U.S. Aircraft Carrier Arrives in Thailand After Record-Setting Deployment — Why the Stop Matters

LAEM CHABANG, Thailand — The USS Abraham Lincoln has arrived in Thailand after an unusually long deployment, bringing roughly 5,000 U.S. sailors and Marines to the country's eastern seaboard for a rare period of rest and recovery. The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier entered Laem Chabang on Sept. 2, 2026, following an extended deployment that included operations in the Middle East. Thai officials said the port visit is intended for rest, recuperation and logistical support, rather

September 2, 2026

Politics

Apple Maps Renames Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ for U.S. Users — But Canada Isn’t the Only One Refusing to Follow Trump

Apple has officially joined Google in displaying “Lake America” instead of Lake Ontario to users in the United States, turning President Donald Trump’s controversial geographic-name change into a fresh political, technological and cross-border dispute. The change began appearing on Apple Maps after Trump signed an executive order on August 27 directing the U.S. federal government to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” Apple confirmed that users in the United States will see the new designat

September 2, 2026