Category: Asia

Business

SoftBank Eyes Up to $20 Billion Bond Sale for OpenAI Financing as AI Spending Race Intensifies

TOKYO — SoftBank Group is reportedly considering a massive bond sale worth as much as $20 billion to help refinance borrowing tied to its investment in OpenAI, a move that could further raise the stakes in the global race to dominate artificial intelligence. According to a Bloomberg News report cited by Reuters and Channel News Asia, the Japanese technology investment giant is in discussions with investment banks about a potential $10 billion to $20 billion bond offering. However, the proposal

August 26, 2026

Philippines

Duterte Family Marks Grandma’s 100th Birthday in Rare Moment of Unity Amid a Turbulent Political Season

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Away from the noise of national politics, the Duterte family came together for a milestone that few families get to celebrate: the 100th birthday of their beloved matriarch, Purisima “Lola Puring” Abellana Zimmerman. Davao City First District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte and other members of the prominent political family joined the celebration for their grandmother, honoring a woman whose life spans a century of Philippine history. Reports

August 26, 2026

Philippines

P313K NAWALA SA PAARALAN: Isang Suspek Naaresto—Pero Sino ang Itinuturong Nagplano ng Nakawan?

QUEZON CITY — Umabot sa mahigit ₱313,000 ang halaga ng cash at mga kagamitan na iniulat na natangay matapos pasukin ng dalawang lalaki ang isang paaralan sa Barangay Sauyo, Quezon City. Isang 24-anyos na suspek ang naaresto, habang patuloy namang tinutugis ng pulisya ang kanyang umano’y kasabwat. Batay sa ulat ng GMA News, nakunan ng CCTV ang isang lalaki na umakyat sa railing sa loob ng school compound makalipas ang hatinggabi noong Sabado. Makikita rin siyang pumasok sa administrative office

August 26, 2026

Entertainment

Elvin Ng Travels to Indonesia to Surprise Former Helper After 12 Years — Her Reaction Left Everyone in Tears

Singaporean actor Elvin Ng and his mother, Linda Chew, travelled to Indonesia for an emotional reunion with Jumiyati, affectionately known as Jumi — the former domestic helper who had been part of their family for six years. The reunion, featured in CNA’s On The Red Dot: Finding, came 12 years after Jumi returned to Indonesia in 2014. Ng and his mother travelled to Depok City to surprise her at her home, turning what began as a long-awaited reunion into an emotional reflection on family, loss a

August 26, 2026

Philippines

CHED Approves 4 HEIs to Offer Doctor of Medicine Programs, Expanding Opportunities for Aspiring Filipino Doctors

MANILA, Philippines — Aspiring doctors in the Philippines have more options as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved four higher education institutions (HEIs) to offer Doctor of Medicine programs beginning Academic Year 2026–2027. The latest approvals cover Tarlac State University (TSU), North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU), Cavite State University (CvSU), and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (PLMun). According to CHED, TSU and NEMSU were granted Government Permits t

August 26, 2026

Entertainment

ALEX EALA, FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME BOW OUT EARLY AT US OPEN—BUT THE FILIPINA STAR’S BIGGER TEST IS STILL AHEAD

NEW YORK — Alex Eala’s first Grand Slam mixed-doubles campaign came to a quick end after the Filipina tennis star and Canadian partner Felix Auger-Aliassime were beaten by the husband-and-wife tandem of Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, 4-1, 4-1, in the opening round of the 2026 US Open mixed-doubles competition. The defeat came in just 39 minutes at Louis Armstrong Stadium, ending the highly anticipated Eala-Auger-Aliassime partnership before it could gain much momentum. The official US Open c

August 26, 2026

Philippines

Lachica Ready to Testify in Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial—But Prosecutors Say They May Not Need Him

MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel is not currently inclined to present former Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) chief Col. Raymund Dante Lachica as a witness in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, with private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan saying his testimony could be redundant. Kapunan made the statement on Wednesday, August 26, a day after Lachica said he was prepared to appear before the Senate impeachment court and testify if he were lawfully i

August 26, 2026

Philippines

BACK-TO-BACK KILLINGS IN NEGROS: Two Men Gunned Down Hours Apart—Are the Cases Connected?

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Two men were killed in separate shooting incidents in Negros Occidental on Sunday, August 23, with the attacks occurring just hours apart in the municipalities of Calatrava and Manapla, police said. The two killings remain under separate investigations, and authorities have yet to establish whether the incidents were connected. No suspects have been arrested, while police continue efforts to determine the identities of the gunmen and the motives behind the attacks.

August 26, 2026

Philippines

Romualdez’s Leyte District Emerges as Top DPWH Fund Recipient, Records Show

MANILA, Philippines — The 1st District of Leyte emerged as the country’s biggest recipient of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) funding during the first three years of the Marcos administration, receiving about ₱57 billion in infrastructure funds from 2023 to 2025, according to budget records obtained and analyzed by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). At the time, the district was represented by Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s co

August 26, 2026

Philippines

Proposed 5-Year Term for Barangay, SK Officials Gains House Backing—Here’s What Could Happen Next

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials could soon be looking at a longer term in office after the House Committee on Local Government approved in principle measures seeking to set their terms at five years instead of the current four. The House panel approved the proposals on August 25, 2026, and agreed to consolidate several bills into a substitute measure. The proposal would also set the next regular Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) for the se

August 26, 2026