Philippines
The 7 Phone Settings Every Manila MRT Commuter Should Change Tonight — But Wait Until You See Number 5
Seven toggles a Manila MRT rider can change tonight so the phone lasts to Taft and a GCash OTP stays off the lock screen.
Author: WWC NEWSDESK
Business
Singapore’s New 200 Sq Ft Homes Are Coming to Geylang — But Wait Until You See the Monthly Rent
SINGAPORE — Three adjoining conservation shophouses along Geylang Road are set for a major transformation into compact, fully self-contained micro-residences, offering a new option for professionals seeking a home somewhere between a traditional rental and a serviced apartment. The project, called House 223, will convert properties at 223, 225 and 227 Geylang Road into 15 move-in-ready micro-residences, each measuring approximately 200 sq ft. Monthly rents are expected to range from $2,300 to $
Entertainment
PlayTime Bets Beyond Online Gaming With Sports, Creators and Media Tech — But Can Its New Businesses Overtake Gaming?
MANILA, Philippines — PlayTime is making one of its biggest moves yet beyond online gaming, expanding aggressively into esports, talent management, media technology and community programs as the company attempts to build a much broader entertainment business around its digital roots. What makes the strategy notable is not simply the number of new ventures being launched. PlayTime has already acknowledged that online gaming still generates the bulk of its revenue — but its leadership believes t
Politics
Thailand’s Senate Collusion Probe Reaches Critical Moment as Pressure Mounts on Election Commission
BANGKOK — Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) is facing intensifying political and public pressure as its long-running investigation into alleged collusion during the 2024 Senate election moves toward a potentially decisive stage. The case has become one of the most closely watched political investigations in Thailand, not only because of the number of people implicated in the inquiry, but because its eventual outcome could have far-reaching consequences for public confidence in the country’s e
Philippines
DA Creates Powerful New Rice Office as Imports Surge — But Can It Protect Farmers Before El Niño Hits?
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture has placed the government's major rice programs, monitoring systems and rice-development funds under a newly created office, a sweeping reorganization that comes as the Philippines faces a difficult balancing act: keeping rice supplies plentiful and prices manageable without allowing surging imports to crush local palay farmers. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. created the Interim Rice Industry Development Office, or Rice Office,
Philippines
El Niño Threat Grows: DA Orders Urgent Plan Overhaul as Food Prices Face New Risk
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered its agencies to revise and strengthen their El Niño response plans as the Philippines braces for a potentially worsening dry spell that could threaten crop production, food supplies and consumer prices. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government is drawing lessons from the powerful El Niño episode that ended in mid-2024, stressing that preparations must move beyond reacting to damage and focus on protec
Philippines
Metro Manila’s ₱85 Wage Hike Is Still Frozen—Now Labor Groups Are Telling Courts to End the Fight
MANILA, Philippines — Labor groups are stepping up pressure on the courts to clear the way for Metro Manila workers to receive their long-delayed wage increase, calling on the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) in Pasig and Navotas to dismiss petitions challenging the implementation of the ₱85 daily minimum wage hike. The appeal comes as the legal battle over NCR Wage Order No. 27 continues to leave millions of pesos in expected wage adjustments—and the workers counting on them—in limbo. Labor leade
Entertainment
Marc Márquez Sweeps Aragon—But the MotoGP Title Fight Has Suddenly Exploded
ARAGON, Spain — Marc Márquez delivered another statement performance at MotorLand Aragón on Sunday, winning the 2026 Aragon Grand Prix to complete a perfect weekend and slash Jorge Martín’s lead in the MotoGP world championship. The Ducati Lenovo rider overcame an early challenge from Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi before taking control of the race, securing his third consecutive Aragon Grand Prix victory and his eighth premier-class win at the Spanish circuit. KTM’s Pedro Acosta finished second af
Asia
Ferry Carrying Nearly 270 People Capsizes Off Cyprus—Rescuers Race Against Time for Those Still Missing
KYRENIA, Cyprus — A desperate search-and-rescue operation is underway off northern Cyprus after a passenger ferry carrying nearly 270 people capsized shortly after leaving port, killing at least seven people and triggering a massive emergency response in the Mediterranean. The ferry was travelling from Kyrenia (Girne) in northern Cyprus to Tasucu in Türkiye's Mersin province when it began taking on water and later overturned. Authorities and rescue crews rushed to the scene as passengers wearin
Asia
Cambodia Says Its Scam Compounds Are Gone — But the Criminal Networks May Have Simply Gone Underground
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia says it has effectively wiped out the sprawling online scam compounds that turned the country into one of Southeast Asia’s most notorious cyberfraud hubs. The numbers behind the crackdown are enormous. From July 2025 through August 20, 2026, Cambodian authorities investigated 793 suspected locations, carried out crackdowns at 624 sites and detained nearly 30,000 people from 39 nationalities, according to Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who heads the government’s