Category: Business

Business

Google Just Locked In 396 MW of Geothermal Power — But the Bigger Deal Could Be Nearly 1 GW

Fervo Energy has secured a major new power deal with Google that could reshape the race for reliable, around-the-clock clean energy — and investors immediately took notice. Geothermal energy company Fervo Energy has signed a 396-megawatt power purchase agreement (PPA) with Google for electricity from its Cape Station enhanced geothermal systems project in Utah, sending Fervo shares soaring nearly 14% in premarket trading on Tuesday. The agreement marks a major expansion of the partnership betw

September 1, 2026

Business

Punggol East Container Park to Close Earlier Than Expected — More Than 50 Tenants Told to Leave by October

SINGAPORE — A familiar Punggol hangout is heading for an unexpected goodbye. More than 50 tenants at Punggol East Container Park are preparing to leave the site by the end of October, with the container park set to be handed back to the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) as the government reclaims the land. The development has left business owners, workers and regular customers disappointed, particularly because some tenants had expected to remain at the site until the end of their existing agreem

September 1, 2026

Business

Davao Sends 25 Tons of Durian to Metro Manila — But the Real Reason Behind the Kadiwa Caravan Is Bigger Than Cheap Fruit

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The unmistakable scent of Davao durian has reached Metro Manila as the Department of Agriculture’s Kadiwa on Wheels rolled into Quezon City on Tuesday, September 1, carrying tropical fruits directly from Mindanao farmers to consumers—and opening another outlet for growers facing the pressure of a heavy harvest season. The Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11) opened its fruit-selling activity at the DA Central Office in Quezon City, showcasing durian, mang

September 1, 2026

Business

₱16B for Farm-to-Market Roads vs. a 55,000-Km Need — But the Budget Gap Is Only Part of the Problem

MANILA, Philippines — The government is proposing ₱16 billion for farm-to-market roads in 2027, but the Department of Agriculture says the amount is nowhere near enough to close a road network gap that still stretches roughly 55,000 kilometers nationwide. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. raised the warning during the House Committee on Appropriations' deliberations on the DA's proposed 2027 budget on September 1. As of August 31, the agriculture chief said around 55,000 kilometer

September 1, 2026

Business

Lubang Races to Save Balsehan’s Fading History — But How Much of the Tradition Has Already Been Lost?

LUBANG, OCCIDENTAL MINDORO — A cultural tradition carried for generations through music, movement and memory is now the subject of an urgent documentation drive as the local government of Lubang moves to preserve the story of Balsehan ng Lubang before vital pieces of its history disappear with its oldest cultural bearers. The Lubang Municipal Tourism Office and the Municipal Tourism, Culture and the Arts Council have begun gathering photographs, recordings, costumes, musical instruments, docume

September 1, 2026

Business

Marina Square to Close in March 2027 — But Some Tenants Say They Found Out From Their Customers First

SINGAPORE — Marina Square, one of Singapore’s best-known downtown shopping destinations, will close on March 31, 2027 for a sweeping redevelopment that will add luxury homes, serviced apartments, offices, a new hotel and major public spaces to the Marina Bay precinct. But behind the ambitious transformation, some tenants say the announcement has left them scrambling for answers about leases, relocation costs and what happens next. Singapore Land Group (SingLand) confirmed on September 1 that Ma

September 1, 2026

Business

Yen Crashes Past ¥160 Again as Dollar Surges — Is Japan About to Strike Back?

TOKYO — The Japanese yen has weakened beyond the closely watched ¥160-per-US-dollar level again, putting Japan’s currency authorities back in the spotlight as investors weigh competing signals from the Bank of Japan and the US Federal Reserve. The yen traded around ¥159.99 per dollar on Tuesday after briefly breaking through ¥160 for the third consecutive session, according to Reuters reporting carried by Channel NewsAsia. The move comes despite growing expectations that the Bank of Japan could

September 1, 2026

Business

TAIWAN TO DEVELOP FISHING GROUND FORECATS

Taiwan turns to AI and satellites to predict where fish will gather A new four-year project will combine decades of fishing records, satellite imagery and ocean data to help Taiwanese fishing fleets spend less time searching for fish—and potentially transform how commercial fishing is done. TAIPEI — Taiwan is preparing to bring artificial intelligence, satellite observation and ocean science into one of its oldest industries, launching a new system designed to forecast where productive fishing

September 1, 2026

Business

EXPANSIONARY FISCAL PLAN PUSHES ANNUAL SPENDING PAST W1,000 tr BY 2030

Expansionary Fiscal Plan Pushes Annual Spending Past ₩1,000 Trillion by 2030 SEOUL — South Korea has unveiled its largest-ever annual government spending increase, proposing an 820.9 trillion won ($595–$598 billion) budget for 2027 as the country seeks to turn a semiconductor windfall into longer-term economic growth. The proposed budget would increase government spending by 12.8% from the 2026 main budget, a record pace that surpasses the 10.6% increase introduced during the aftermath of the

September 1, 2026

Business

PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM FACES UNITY CRISIS AS CHINA-U.S.A. RIVALRY DEEPENS AND LEADERS SKIP PALAU SUMMIT?

Pacific Islands Forum Faces Unity Crisis as China-U.S. Rivalry Deepens and Leaders Skip Palau Summit Several Pacific leaders are absent from the 2026 Pacific Islands Forum in Palau as China-Taiwan tensions and growing great-power competition test regional unity. Suggested slug: pacific-islands-forum-china-us-rivalry-leaders-absent-palau-2026 KOROR, Palau — The Pacific Islands Forum was supposed to project a message of regional unity this week. Instead, the gathering has been overshadowed by emp

September 1, 2026