Category: Asia

Business

Women Drove 98% of America’s Job Growth in August — But the Number Hides a Surprising Catch

WASHINGTON — America’s surprisingly strong August jobs report came with an extraordinary statistic buried beneath the headline: women accounted for virtually all of the net jobs added to U.S. payrolls. Women’s nonfarm payroll employment jumped by 158,000 positions in August, representing roughly 98% of the economy’s total 162,000-job increase, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data analyzed by CNBC. Men, by comparison, accounted for a net gain of only about 4,000 jobs. The imbalance is s

September 5, 2026

Business

BOI, NDC Bring Investment Services to Marikina’s Startup Hub — But the Bigger Opportunity Could Come After the Kiosk Goes Live

MANILA, Philippines — Marikina’s push to become a bigger center for startups and investment is getting another boost, with the Board of Investments (BOI) and National Development Company (NDC) moving to bring government investment services directly inside the city’s Philippine Innovation Hub. Under a newly signed memorandum of understanding, the two agencies will establish a government One-Stop Shop through a self-service digital kiosk at the Philippine Innovation Hub–Marikina Enterprise Center

September 5, 2026

Philippines

CWC Pushes Tougher Online Rules for Children—Why Parents Alone May No Longer Be Enough

MANILA, Philippines — Protecting children in the digital age cannot rest on parents alone, according to the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), as calls grow for stronger government regulation and greater accountability from social media and gaming platforms. The issue has gained renewed urgency as Filipino lawmakers and government agencies debate how far the state should go in regulating children's access to social media and shielding minors from harmful online content. The CWC has bee

September 5, 2026

Philippines

DOJ Takes Anti-Bullying Campaign to Taguig School—But an Earlier Investigation Raised a Bigger Concern

TAGUIG CITY, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has brought its anti-bullying campaign directly to the classroom, leading a student awareness seminar at Bagong Tanyag Integrated School in Taguig City on Friday, September 4. DOJ Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato spoke to students during the seminar, which focused on preventing bullying and strengthening awareness of the consequences of harmful behavior among young people. ABS-CBN News reported the activity in a September 5 report. The a

September 5, 2026

Philippines

GUNS AT MILF ASSEMBLY? Ex-Commander Demands Comelec Clarification as BARMM Polls Near

COTABATO CITY, BARMM — A former official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF) armed wing is questioning why heavily armed members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) were seen at an MILF gathering in Camp Darapanan despite an election gun ban being enforced across the Bangsamoro region. Abunawas Maslamama, a former BIAF spokesperson who used the name Von Al Haq, criticized the reported display and carrying of firearms during the BIAF Grand Assembly held at the MILF headquarte

September 5, 2026

Philippines

50 Cops at QC Court as Sara Duterte Faces Arrest Warrant—But Police Reveal Why They Were Really There

MANILA, Philippines — The presence of dozens of police officers at the Quezon City Hall of Justice sparked speculation Friday after a court issued an arrest warrant against Vice President Sara Duterte—but the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said the deployment was primarily about court security, not a special operation to capture the vice president. Around 50 police officers were deployed to the Hall of Justice following a request from court authorities, QCPD Director PBGen. Christopher Olaz

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Who Is Judge Maria Angelica De Ramos? The Sorority Connection Behind Sara Duterte’s Explosive Court Case

MANILA, Philippines — As Vice President Sara Duterte faces an arrest warrant over three counts of grave threats, attention has shifted to the Quezon City judge who signed the order—and to a personal connection between the magistrate and the vice president that had already been disclosed in court. The judge is Maria Angelica P. De Ramos, the presiding judge of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98, the court handling Duterte’s criminal case. The Supreme Court’s official directory confirms

September 5, 2026

Philippines

Illegal Mining Caught in the Act in Misamis Oriental—Then Authorities Saw What Was Being Processed

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Authorities have intensified their crackdown on illegal mining in Misamis Oriental after a 29-year-old man was allegedly caught processing mineral ore without the required permits in Barangay Limonda, Opol town. The operation was carried out around 5:20 p.m. on September 2 in Zone 2 of the hinterland village, where joint police and military personnel reportedly found the suspect operating ball mill drums used in mineral processing. Police identified the suspect only as “G

September 5, 2026

Business

Singapore Tech Acquisitions Hit 11 as IPOs Disappear — But Billions Are Still Pouring Into Startups

SINGAPORE — September 4, 2026 — Singapore’s technology sector is showing two very different faces. On one side, acquisition activity accelerated, with 11 tech companies completing acquisitions during Tracxn’s Q3 2026 reporting window. On the other, the sector recorded no IPOs and no new unicorns during the period. The contrast is striking: investors are still committing billions of dollars to Singapore’s technology ecosystem, but startups appear to be finding exits and capital through private

September 4, 2026

Business

88% of Singapore B2B Marketers Say Growth Depends on Younger Buyers — But Trust Is Becoming the Real Currency

SINGAPORE — September 4, 2026 — Singapore's business-to-business marketing landscape is entering a generational turning point, with nearly nine in 10 B2B marketers saying their companies' future growth depends on winning over younger decision-makers. According to new research commissioned by LinkedIn, 88.2% of Singapore B2B marketers surveyed said future growth depends on influencing younger buyers, including Gen Z and Millennials. But the research points to an important shift: younger B2B buy

September 4, 2026