Author: WWC NEWSDESK

Business

Samsung Surges to 33% of Global HBM Market, Cutting SK Hynix’s Lead as HBM4 Battle Heats Up

SEOUL — The global race to supply the memory chips powering artificial intelligence is suddenly looking far more competitive. Samsung Electronics captured 33% of global high-bandwidth memory revenue in the second quarter of 2026, surging from just 21% in the previous quarter and dramatically narrowing the lead of longtime HBM frontrunner SK hynix, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. SK hynix remained firmly in first place with 50% of global HBM revenue, but its share slipped from

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Pedestrian Dies After Being Hit by Pickup Truck on Bukidnon Highway—What Happened at 3 A.M.

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — A male pedestrian died after being struck by a pickup truck along the national highway in Valencia City early Saturday, September 5, in a crash that has again raised concerns over pedestrian and motorists’ safety along busy roads in Bukidnon. According to the initial investigation cited by the Valencia City police, the incident happened at around 3 a.m. in front of a private hospital along the national highway. Police said the victim was crossing the highway from the

September 5, 2026

Business

PLDT Is Chasing a Bigger Piece of the AI Boom—And Its Next Move Could Change Philippine Enterprise Tech

MANILA, Philippines — PLDT Inc. is positioning itself to capture a larger share of corporate technology spending as businesses accelerate investments in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. The telecommunications giant is moving beyond its traditional role as a connectivity provider, pursuing a broader “one enterprise” approach that brings together connectivity, cloud, managed IT, cybersecurity, data centers and other digital services under a more

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Oriental Mindoro Hospitals Were Packed Beyond Capacity—Then Officials Revealed What Comes Next

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — Public hospitals in Oriental Mindoro came under intense pressure as patient numbers climbed far beyond their authorized bed capacities, with some patients reportedly being accommodated in hallways amid a shortage of hospital space. The situation, reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, affected several government-run hospitals across the province, highlighting a long-standing challenge in providing adequate inpatient capacity for Oriental Mindoro and patients

September 5, 2026

Philippines

₱300K Ransom, Blindfolded Video, and a Terrifying Plea—Then Police Discovered Who Was Really Behind the ‘Kidnapping’

LIPA CITY, BATANGAS — What began as a terrifying kidnapping report ended with an unexpected arrest after a 19-year-old college student allegedly staged his own abduction and demanded ₱300,000 from his parents. The student’s family reportedly received messages and videos showing him blindfolded and appearing distressed, creating the impression that he had been abducted and was being held by kidnappers. According to reports, the alleged kidnappers gave the family only two hours to produce the ₱3

September 5, 2026

Entertainment

BLACKPINK’s Lisa Breaks Her Silence on Secret Relationships: “We Can’t Date”

MANILA, Philippines — BLACKPINK’s Lisa is giving fans a rare glimpse into the private sacrifices behind her rise to global superstardom, revealing that she once kept several relationships secret because she feared her dating life could hurt BLACKPINK’s popularity. The revelation comes from Lisa’s upcoming documentary “Always Lalisa,” which explores her journey from a teenage trainee in Thailand to one of K-pop’s biggest global stars. Lisa, whose full name is Lalisa Manobal, moved to South Kore

September 5, 2026

Business

Korean Investors Now Own 27% of a Major 3X U.S. Chip ETF — But Their Leveraged Bet Is Starting to Hit Trading Limits

South Korea's retail-investing army has become so deeply embedded in some of America's riskiest exchange-traded funds that Korean investors now own extraordinary portions of several U.S.-listed leveraged products. And the scale of that enthusiasm is beginning to collide with the infrastructure used to trade them. South Korean investors held about $5.24 billion of Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares, or SOXL, at the end of August, equivalent to roughly 27% of the fund's $19.3 billion ma

September 5, 2026

Business

LG Is Bringing Nvidia, Google, Amazon and Microsoft to Seoul — But EXAONE May Be the Real Story

South Korea's LG Group is turning its biggest annual technology gathering into something much more ambitious: a showcase of how artificial intelligence could reshape everything from household robots and factories to data centers, cars and corporate work. LG SPARK 2026, scheduled for Sept. 7 to Sept. 17 at LG Sciencepark in Magok, western Seoul, will bring together LG researchers and executives with developers and representatives from some of the world's largest technology companies, including N

September 5, 2026

Business

Kolmar Korea Takes K-Beauty Into Paris Fashion’s Inner Circle — And the Bigger Opportunity May Be Luxury Brand Deals

Kolmar Korea has made its debut at Première Vision Paris, one of the world’s most influential fashion sourcing events, becoming what the company describes as the first Korean cosmetics manufacturer invited to the show. The appearance matters for more than prestige. Première Vision is increasingly encouraging fashion companies to expand beyond clothes and accessories into beauty, fragrance, skincare and wellness — sectors that can turn a fashion label into a much broader lifestyle business. Kol

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Haze Is Blanketing Parts of the Philippines—But Is Your Face Mask Really Protecting You?

What looks like ordinary mist or smoke in the air could be carrying particles small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs—and health authorities are urging Filipinos to take the haze seriously. Parts of the Philippines have recently experienced transboundary haze linked to wildfires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, with prevailing winds carrying smoke and fine particles toward parts of Luzon and the Visayas. The haze has raised concerns over respiratory health, particularly as some areas have recor

September 5, 2026