Category: Asia

Entertainment

Australia Bans Fully AI-Generated Music From Official Charts After Viral Madonna Cover Sparks Debate

SYDNEY, Australia — Artificial intelligence may be transforming the music industry, but Australia is drawing a line on what it believes deserves a place on the country's official charts. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has announced that fully AI-generated music will no longer be eligible for Australia's official music charts, following controversy surrounding a viral AI-assisted cover of Madonna's iconic hit “Like a Prayer.” The new rules distinguish between music created

August 26, 2026

Philippines

Puerto Galera Councilor Barred From Privilege Speech Over Controversial P50 Environmental Fee

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — A growing dispute over Puerto Galera’s controversial Environmental User’s Fee (EUF) escalated this week after municipal councilor Aristeo “Aries” Atienza was prevented from delivering a privilege speech opposing the policy during a regular session of the Sangguniang Bayan. Atienza said he intended to use the privilege speech to voice opposition to the P50 EUF being imposed on residents of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro and to call for the restoration of the exe

August 26, 2026

Business

S$150,000 Casino Deposit Sparks Counterfeit Note Probe in Singapore—Police Find 121 Suspected Fake Bills

SINGAPORE — What began as an attempt to deposit S$150,000 into a casino account at Marina Bay Sands reportedly took a dramatic turn after a cashier spotted one suspicious detail on a single S$100 note. Singapore police said two Chinese nationals—a 33-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman—are set to be charged over their suspected involvement in a conspiracy to counterfeit Singapore currency notes. According to police, the case began at about 3.50am on August 24, when the man allegedly handed S$

August 26, 2026

Philippines

Impeachment Court Strikes ‘Scam,’ ‘Mastermind’ From Record in Sara Duterte Trial

MANILA, Philippines — A tense exchange during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Tuesday, August 25, drew attention after the Senate impeachment court ordered the words “scam,” “nagsisinungaling” (lying), and “mastermind” stricken from the record. The remarks were made by private prosecutor Atty. Mae Divinagracia while questioning Office of the Vice President (OVP) Assistant Secretary and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio about the handling of confidential funds. Senate i

August 26, 2026

Philippines

Babaeng Rider Patay Matapos Magulungan ng 10-Wheeler Truck sa Amlan, Negros Oriental

AMLAN, NEGROS ORIENTAL — Nauwi sa trahedya ang pagtatangkang mag-overtake ng isang 21-anyos na babaeng motorcycle rider matapos siyang magulungan ng isang 10-wheeler truck sa Amlan, Negros Oriental, nitong Martes, Agosto 25. Ayon sa imbestigasyon ng pulisya na iniulat ng GMA News, kapwa patungong northbound ang motorsiklo at truck nang tangkain umano ng rider na lampasan ang truck habang nasa tulay sa Barangay Bio-os. Batay naman sa ulat ng Digicast Negros, nang isagawa umano ng rider ang pag-

August 26, 2026

Philippines

Zero Balance Billing, No Co-Payment: What Filipino Patients Need to Know Before Checking Into a Hospital

For many Filipino families, one of the biggest fears that comes with hospitalization is not only the illness—but the hospital bill waiting at the end. That is why the government's Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) and No Co-Payment Policy are drawing renewed attention after PhilHealth and St. Luke's Medical Center–Global City signed an agreement to expand no-co-payment access to eligible patients in private hospitals. But there is an important distinction: “zero balance” does not mean every hospital

August 26, 2026

Entertainment

All Blacks Hit by Another Injury Blow as Anton Segner Is Ruled Out—Can New Zealand’s Depth Survive the Rest of the Tour?

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The All Blacks’ demanding tour of South Africa has claimed another casualty, with loose forward Anton Segner ruled out for the remainder of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour after undergoing surgery on his ankle. Segner, 25, had initially been expected to feature against the Springboks in the opening Test at Ellis Park but was withdrawn shortly before kickoff after suffering significant swelling in his ankle. The condition was initially assessed as acute inflammatory ar

August 26, 2026

Philippines

COA Eyes Tougher Rules for Confidential Funds as Billions Face Renewed Scrutiny

The Commission on Audit (COA) is moving to revisit the rules governing the use and auditing of confidential and intelligence funds, amid growing concerns over how billions of pesos in public money are being released, spent and accounted for. The issue dates back to August 2023, when then-COA Chairman Gamaliel Cordoba told lawmakers that the agency was open to updating the nearly decade-old Joint Circular No. 2015-01, which sets the rules for the entitlement, release, utilization, reporting and

August 26, 2026

Asia

Japan’s Inflation Pressure Is Spreading—And the Bank of Japan May Be Forced to Act Sooner Than Expected

TOKYO, Japan — Inflation is no longer just showing up on Japanese consumers’ shopping receipts. It is increasingly building inside the country’s corporate economy—and the latest figures suggest the pressure is spreading. Japan’s corporate services inflation accelerated to 3.6% in July from a year earlier, up from a revised 3.4% in June, according to Bank of Japan data. The Services Producer Price Index measures the prices companies charge other companies for services, making it an important sig

August 26, 2026

Business

Canada Hits Back With US$20 Billion in Tariffs—Is the US-Canada Trade War About to Get Worse?

OTTAWA — Canada is hitting back hard after trade talks with the United States collapsed, announcing retaliatory tariffs on roughly US$20 billion worth of American goods in a dramatic escalation of a trade dispute between two of the world's closest economic partners. The Canadian countermeasures, scheduled to take effect on September 8, will apply duties ranging from 15% to 50% on more than 700 U.S.-made products, according to reports by Channel News Asia, Reuters and other international news or

August 26, 2026