Philippines

A Wet Wall Nearly Set an Olongapo Home on Fire—But the Real Danger Was Hidden Inside the Outlet

OLONGAPO CITY — A family narrowly avoided a potentially devastating house fire after an electrical outlet apparently exposed to rainwater suddenly burst into flames, filling part of their home with smoke and renewing warnings about electrical hazards during prolonged wet weather. The incident, reported by GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon on Thursday, August 20, happened inside a house in Olongapo City, where continuous rain reportedly caused moisture to seep into a wall containing an ele

Philippines

ORMOC JOB HUNT GETS A MAJOR BOOST: TESDA BRINGS EMPLOYERS AND SKILLED WORKERS UNDER ONE ROOF — WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

ORMOC CITY, LEYTE — The road from technical training to employment just became shorter for skilled workers in Ormoc as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) brought its World Café of Opportunities (WCO) 2026 to the city for the first time. Held on August 15 at Robinsons Ormoc, the initiative brought together technical-vocational education and training (TVET) graduates, jobseekers, employers, government agencies, training institutions and other stakeholders in a one-st

Sport

ZARCO’S SHOCK MOTOGP RETURN: Honda Star Targets Aragon After Serious Knee Injury — But One Final Test Could Stop Him

Johann Zarco could make a much earlier-than-expected return to MotoGP at the Aragon Grand Prix on August 28–30, with the LCR Honda rider now targeting a comeback just months after suffering a serious knee injury. But there is still one major hurdle: Zarco must first pass a medical assessment at MotorLand Aragón before he can race. LCR Honda confirmed Thursday that the Frenchman’s recovery has progressed well enough for the team to bring forward his return. From September comeback to possible

Sport

Raised S$54,000 for Her World Championships Dream — But the Bigger Battle Starts Before She Even Reaches the Water

SINGAPORE — Olympic rower Joan Poh is heading into one of the biggest races of her career with S$54,000 in backing — but the fundraising drive that helped get her there is also shining a spotlight on a much larger question facing Singapore sport: How much should national athletes have to fight for funding before they can fight for medals? Poh, 35, is preparing to compete at the 2026 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam from August 24 to 30, where she has set herself an ambitious goal: finish

Sport

VERSTAPPEN WAS READY TO WALK AWAY: Max Reveals He Was Closer to F1 Retirement Than Leaving Red Bull — Then Everything Changed

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Max Verstappen has revealed that leaving Formula 1 altogether was once a more realistic possibility than switching teams, ending months of speculation about whether the four-time world champion would abandon Red Bull. The dramatic admission came as Verstappen confirmed a new contract with Red Bull that will keep him with the team through the end of the 2030 Formula 1 season. The announcement effectively closes one of the biggest driver-market stories of 2026. For month

Asia

AI BOOM’S INFLATION TRAP? Productivity Could Rise — But Prices May Not Fall, IMF Economist Warns

LONDON — Artificial intelligence is widely expected to transform economies by making workers and businesses more productive. But a new analysis involving International Monetary Fund chief economist Silvana Tenreyro warns that higher productivity does not automatically mean lower inflation — particularly when businesses and households spend heavily on AI before its promised economic gains fully materialize. The research, co-authored by Tenreyro, Bank of England economist Jenny Chan and doctoral

Entertainment

Breaking Survived Raygun’s Olympic Moment—But What Happened After Paris May Be the Bigger Problem

Two years after one of the most viral—and divisive—moments of the Paris Olympics, breaking is trying to make sure one Australian performance does not define an entire global culture. Rachael Gunn, better known as Raygun, became an international phenomenon after representing Australia in women’s breaking at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She lost all three of her round-robin battles without scoring a point, while elements of her unconventional routine quickly became memes across social media. But ins

Uncategorized

MALAYSIA ORDERS KHazanah PROBE: Irregularities Found in Sovereign Wealth Fund Unit — But What Will Investigators Uncover?

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 20, 2026 — Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ordered a comprehensive forensic investigation into Xeraya Capital Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, after concerns emerged over governance and documentation linked to past transactions. Anwar, who also chairs Khazanah, said the decision followed a meeting of the Khazanah board on Thursday, where the fund’s directors discussed legacy matters involving Xera

Entertainment

FANS TURN ON INFANTINO: Global Supporters Demand FIFA President Quit as Pressure Builds Inside Football’s Power Structure — What Happens Next?

A growing global backlash against FIFA President Gianni Infantino has moved beyond football’s governing circles and into the stands, with major supporter organizations backing an online petition calling for his resignation and sweeping reforms to the way FIFA is run. The campaign, supported by Football Supporters Europe (FSE), Football Supporters Africa and the Independent Supporters Council in North America, argues that FIFA needs stronger transparency, accountability and checks on executive p

Business

Singapore Police Probe Radiant World as Iron Ore Trader Faces Mounting Global Scrutiny

Singapore police are looking into Radiant World, one of the world's largest iron ore traders, after receiving reports concerning the commodities company, adding a new layer of pressure to a business already facing scrutiny from banks, trading houses and regulators in several countries. The Singapore Police Force confirmed on Thursday, Aug. 20, that it had received reports involving Radiant World and was looking into the matter. Police did not disclose who filed the reports or the nature of the