Category: Asia

Entertainment

Zoe Tay Had 8 Hours to Find Aileen Tan — Her Final Guess Took Them Back Nearly 40 Years

Singapore — What began as an eight-hour hunt across Singapore ended with an emotional reunion between two of the country’s most familiar television faces. Veteran actresses Zoe Tay and Aileen Tan, whose friendship dates back to the inaugural Star Search competition in 1988, recently revisited nearly four decades of shared memories — from their early television days to mahjong sessions, yoga and their latest drama collaboration. The reunion was featured in CNA Insider’s Meet Me There, where Tay

August 19, 2026

Business

SK hynix Drops a $28.6 Billion Bombshell — But the Bigger Move May Still Be Coming

SEOUL — South Korean memory-chip giant SK hynix is making one of its boldest moves yet to reward shareholders, approving plans to buy back and cancel approximately ₩40 trillion (US$28.6 billion) worth of its own shares. The decision, announced Wednesday, August 19, comes as SK hynix rides an unprecedented wave of demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in artificial-intelligence systems. The company said the move is aimed at enhancing shareholder value. It also raised the bar for its

August 19, 2026

Philippines

DOE Warns Visayas LGUs: Energy Efficiency Could Hold the Key as Power Supply Pressures Persist

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental — The Department of Energy (DOE) is stepping up its push for energy efficiency across local governments in the Visayas, urging LGUs to make smarter energy use a permanent part of public-sector operations as the region continues to face power-supply challenges. The DOE held its 3rd Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) Summit–Visayas Leg in Bacolod City, bringing together more than 100 energy-efficiency personnel and representatives from LGUs in Western, Cen

August 19, 2026

Singapore

Traffic Accident Leads Police to a Shocking Find: 94 Etomidate Vape Pods Seized From Rental Car

SINGAPORE — A traffic accident has led authorities to an alleged etomidate vape trafficking case, after police searching a rental car found 94 vaporiser pods and two vaporisers. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Wednesday (Aug 19) that 31-year-old Jovan Tan Jun Yuan has been charged with the alleged trafficking of etomidate vaporiser pods. Tan was charged in court on Aug 12 under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act 1993. His case was mentioned again on Aug 19 and has been adjourne

August 19, 2026

Entertainment

South Korean Footballers Are Breaking Their Silence on Extreme Heat — And 70 Players Reported Something Alarming

South Korean professional football is facing a growing player-safety crisis as extreme summer heat leaves hundreds of players reporting dizziness, dehydration and other heat-related symptoms — including temporary loss of consciousness. An emergency survey of 536 players from South Korea’s K League and WK League found that 86.2% said extreme heat placed a significant physical burden on them. Even more alarming, 64.7% reported dizziness, 56.6% reported severe dehydration and 13% — or 70 players —

August 19, 2026

Singapore

MM2 Asia Faces CPF Charges Over Unpaid Contributions — But Its Bigger Financial Problem Could Be Far More Serious

SINGAPORE — The financial troubles surrounding former Cathay Cineplexes operator mm2 Asia have taken another turn, with the company and its subsidiary mm2 Entertainment ordered to make partial payments towards more than S$260,000 in outstanding Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions owed to employees. At a court hearing on Wednesday (Aug 19), the two companies were granted a final adjournment to make the required partial payments, with the next hearing scheduled for Sept 16. The case invol

August 19, 2026

Entertainment

ZZ Top’s Heartbeat Is Gone: Frank Beard Dies at 77—But What Happens to the Band Now?

RICHMOND, Texas — Frank Beard, the longtime drummer whose unmistakable rhythm helped power ZZ Top for more than five decades, has died at the age of 77. Beard died on August 17, 2026, at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, while receiving hospice care, with his family by his side, according to the band and his publicist. His cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. His death marks the loss of one of the defining figures of Texas rock—and the end of an extraordinary 56-year run with ZZ Top.

August 19, 2026

Philippines

Central Visayas Just Broke Its Drug-Destruction Record—Here’s What Authorities Burned

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Nearly ₱677 million worth of seized dangerous drugs has been permanently taken out of circulation in Central Visayas, marking the region’s largest drug-destruction operation since 2017, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). PDEA Regional Office 7 destroyed confiscated drugs and related evidence valued at ₱676,659,213.84 during a disposal ceremony in Cebu City on July 28, 2026. The biggest figure was the 99.45 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochlo

August 19, 2026

Philippines

Rice Aid Reaches 22,583 in Kidapawan as 30 Barangays Get Relief—Here’s Who Could Be Next

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato — More than 22,000 residents in Kidapawan City have already received rice assistance under the national government’s Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program, with distribution continuing across the city’s barangays. As of August 17, 2026, a total of 22,583 beneficiaries had received 10 kilograms of rice each, according to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA). The assistance is funded through the national government’s Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), which has allocated ₱1

August 19, 2026

Singapore

Singapore’s Hokkien, Teochew and Baba Malay Are Fading — But Something Unexpected Is Bringing Them Back

SINGAPORE — Languages that once filled Singaporean homes, hawker centres and family gatherings are becoming increasingly difficult to hear among younger generations. Hokkien, Teochew, Baba Malay and other heritage languages are facing a steep decline as English becomes the dominant language spoken at home. Yet, in an unexpected twist, renewed interest among younger Singaporeans, community groups and even cinema audiences is giving some of these languages a new lease on life. The question now i

August 19, 2026