Category: Business

Business

Zim Cleanser Has Survived in Filipino Homes for Decades—But Syril Ko’s Biggest Business Lesson Isn’t About Cleaning Products

MANILA, Philippines — In a consumer market where products can disappear almost as quickly as they arrive, remaining visible on Philippine store shelves for decades is an achievement in itself. That is part of what makes the story behind Zim Cleanser and the family business associated with executive Syril Ko worth examining. The household-cleaning brand is part of the portfolio of the Cymar Group of Companies, a Filipino family-run consumer-goods organization whose roots stretch back more than

August 22, 2026

Business

Puerto Galera’s P50 Environmental Fee Faces Growing Backlash—But There’s More Behind the Controversy

PUERTO GALERA, Oriental Mindoro — A growing backlash is putting Puerto Galera’s revised environmental fee policy under scrutiny, with residents, tourism stakeholders and local figures questioning whether charging fellow Mindoro residents could hurt domestic tourism. The controversy centers on Municipal Ordinance No. 2025-030, or the Revised Puerto Galera Environmental User’s Fee (EUF) System Ordinance, which was approved on December 11, 2025. Under the revised system, a P50 environmental user’

August 22, 2026

Business

Pop Mart’s Labubu Empire Just Hit an Overseas Speed Bump—But What’s Replacing the Hype Could Decide Its Next Chapter

HONG KONG — Pop Mart turned Labubu from an eccentric, sharp-toothed character into one of the world’s most recognizable collectible toys. Now, the Chinese company behind the global phenomenon is confronting a much harder test: proving that the extraordinary growth surrounding Labubu can survive once the initial frenzy starts to normalize. Pop Mart shares came under pressure in Hong Kong after its first-half 2026 results revealed a striking split in its business. Overall revenue was still growi

August 22, 2026

Business

John Gokongwei Jr.’s Name Now Runs Through Bridgetowne—But What Robinsons Land Is Building Around It Could Be the Bigger Legacy

MANILA, Philippines — John Gokongwei Jr. did not live long enough to see Bridgetowne become the sprawling business, residential and lifestyle district Robinsons Land envisioned. But nearly seven years after his death, his name now runs through the heart of the estate—and the symbolism goes far beyond a new street sign. Robinsons Land Corp. has renamed the roughly one-kilometer main road cutting through Bridgetowne as John Gokongwei Jr. Boulevard, permanently linking the late industrialist with

August 22, 2026

Business

Singapore MRT Commuters Were Charged More Despite Tapping Before 7.45am — SimplyGo Reveals What Went Wrong

SINGAPORE — Thousands of Singapore commuters who expected cheaper MRT fares during the morning rush got an unwelcome surprise this week after a SimplyGo system issue prevented eligible pre-peak discounts from being applied. SimplyGo said the problem has now been resolved after affecting an average of 210,000 journeys a day on Aug. 20 and 21. The company attributed the disruption to a configuration error that affected both SimplyGo EZ-Link transactions and bank-card payments. Commuters notice

August 22, 2026

Business

She Started With a $700 Used Bass Guitar—Now This Singaporean’s Cat Designs Are Taking the Guitar World by Storm

SINGAPORE — What began as an attempt to make an old bass guitar look less ordinary has turned into an international business for Singaporean entrepreneur and product designer Julia Becker. Becker, 24, is the founder of ThreeStools, a Singapore-based business creating custom and 3D-printed guitar and bass pickguards featuring unconventional designs—including her now-famous cats. Her creations have attracted customers from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Japan, South Korea

August 22, 2026

Business

Australia Is Buying Back Guns After the Bondi Beach Attack—But Canberra’s Decision Could Trigger a Much Bigger National Shift

CANBERRA/SYDNEY — Australia’s sweeping response to the deadly Bondi Beach terror attack is expanding, with the Australian Capital Territory agreeing to join a national gun-buyback program as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pushes states and territories toward tougher and more consistent firearms laws. The ACT, which includes the national capital Canberra, has reached a funding agreement with the federal government to participate in the proposed buyback, adding momentum to reforms introduced aft

August 22, 2026

Business

Johor Bahru’s Roadside Cafes Are Packed Until 3AM—But the Real Reason People Keep Coming Back Isn’t Just the Coffee

JOHOR BAHRU — Forget marble countertops, designer interiors and reservations weeks in advance. One of Johor Bahru’s most distinctive cafe trends is being built beside highways, inside car parks and on patches of gravel — often with little more than a coffee machine, folding tables and rows of camping chairs. Across the Malaysian border city, a growing generation of late-night roadside cafes is turning once-overlooked spaces into social destinations, drawing young Malaysians, night-shift workers

August 22, 2026

Business

France Warns Over Nearly 300,000 Condoms—But the Most Alarming Discovery Was Found During Laboratory Tests

PARIS, France — French health and consumer-protection authorities have issued a major safety warning involving nearly 300,000 condoms after inspections uncovered products that could burst, contain perforations or fail to meet European safety requirements, raising concerns over unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. The warning, issued by France's consumer fraud authority DGCCRF and health authorities, covers two separate groups of products: roughly 260,000 condoms recalled

August 22, 2026

Business

Former Bank of America Banker Accused of Insider Trading After Friend Makes $18.5 Million — Then the SEC Revealed Where the Alleged Tip Happened

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has accused former Bank of America senior investment banker Jason Satsky of passing confidential information about a potential corporate acquisition to his longtime friend and former colleague, allegedly helping generate an $18.5 million trading profit. The SEC filed its civil enforcement case on August 21, 2026, against Satsky and Gavin Wolfe, alleging that the two men engaged in insider trading involving South Jersey Industries ahead of the company'

August 22, 2026