Category: Lifestyle

Business

Hyundai Cars Are Getting More Expensive in September — But the Bigger Question Is How Much You’ll Pay

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI — Hyundai cars are set to become more expensive in India once again, with Hyundai Motor India announcing a price increase of up to 1% across its vehicle portfolio from September 2026. The automaker said the exact increase will vary depending on the model and variant, meaning the maximum 1% increase will not necessarily apply uniformly across every Hyundai vehicle. The latest move comes as automakers continue to face pressure from higher input and commodity costs, as well as co

August 19, 2026

Business

Fishermen Become PDEA’s Eyes at Sea—But What They’re Finding in Quezon’s Waters Has Authorities Worried

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — Fishermen in Quezon are being encouraged to become the government’s frontline partners in detecting possible illegal drug activity at sea, as authorities warn that drug syndicates may be using coastal waters to move or recover narcotics. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) made the call during an Empathy Dialogue with Fisherfolk of Lucena City held on Aug. 11 at the Lucena Convention Center. PDEA Director General Isagani R. Nerez said fisherfolk need to understa

August 19, 2026

Business

It Has a Pool, Restaurant and Dementia Garden—Singapore’s New Senior Living Model Could Change How the Wealthy Grow Old

SINGAPORE — A swimming pool, karaoke lounge, mahjong room, restaurant and private apartments may sound more like the features of an upscale condominium than an eldercare facility. But that is exactly the model behind Perennial Living, Singapore’s first private assisted living development, which officially began operations on August 18, 2026, offering seniors a new option between living independently at home and moving into a traditional nursing home. Located at 28 Parry Avenue, the sprawling 1

August 19, 2026

Lifestyle

Japan Borrowed Cheaply for Decades—Now Bond Yields Are Near 3% and the Real Test Is Just Beginning

TOKYO — Japan’s government bond market is entering territory that would have seemed almost impossible just a few years ago. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond surged as high as 2.945% on August 18, its strongest level since September 1996 and just a fraction away from the closely watched 3% threshold. For a country that spent years operating under near-zero and even negative interest rates, the move represents a dramatic change in the financial landscape. But investor

August 19, 2026

Business

That Scar Cream May Not Be Doing What You Think—Doctors Reveal What Actually Works and When It’s Too Late to Wait

SINGAPORE — From silicone sheets and petroleum jelly to Vitamin E creams, retinoids, steroid injections and expensive laser procedures, consumers have no shortage of products promising to make scars less noticeable. But dermatologists say there is one uncomfortable reality behind the booming scar-treatment market: no treatment can simply make every scar disappear. What doctors can often do, however, is make scars flatter, smoother, less discoloured and considerably less conspicuous — particula

August 19, 2026

Business

Ferrari Removed the Engine From Its Most Radical Gamble—Then One Collector Paid a Record $40 Million

MONTEREY, California — Ferrari's controversial leap into the electric era has just produced an extraordinary result: US$40 million for a single car. A one-of-a-kind version of the Ferrari Luce, the Italian marque's first fully electric production vehicle, sold for US$40 million at a charity auction during Monterey Car Week, establishing a record for a new car sold at auction. The result is particularly striking because the Luce arrived amid debate over whether an electric, four-door Ferrari co

August 19, 2026

Business

Velaura AI Becomes a $1 Billion Unicorn as Investors Bet Big on the AI Power Problem

SANTA CLARA, California — The artificial-intelligence chip race may no longer be just about building faster processors. Increasingly, the battle is about something far more basic: how much electricity those chips consume. That shift has helped propel Velaura AI into unicorn territory. The Silicon Valley chip-design startup has raised $110 million in a Series A funding round, pushing its valuation above $1 billion as investors place a major bet on technology designed to slash the enormous power

August 18, 2026

Entertainment

Comcast Is Turning Millions of Wi-Fi Routers Into Motion Detectors—But the Bigger Xfinity Strategy Goes Far Beyond Home Security

PHILADELPHIA — Comcast is giving millions of Xfinity customers a new reason to look at their Wi-Fi router as more than just a gateway to the internet. The U.S. telecommunications giant is expanding its home-security strategy with Xfinity Shield, a new platform that combines cybersecurity protection, parental and family controls, and an unusual feature that can effectively turn compatible Wi-Fi equipment into a motion-detection system. The move could give Comcast a powerful new weapon in the in

August 18, 2026

Business

He Has Designed 200+ Hotels—But Bill Bensley’s Next Projects Could Be His Wildest Yet

From a 200-year-old sake brewery in Japan to a 99-room palace in India and his first-ever museum, legendary hotel designer Bill Bensley is doubling down on a philosophy that has made him one of Asia’s most distinctive creative forces: luxury should never be boring. In a hospitality industry increasingly filled with polished minimalism, neutral interiors and hotels seemingly designed to photograph the same way on social media, Bill Bensley has spent decades heading decisively in the opposite dir

August 18, 2026

Lifestyle

Pope Leo Makes Key Move in Western Visayas as Jaro Archbishop Takes Charge of Kabankalan

ILOILO CITY — A major leadership transition is underway in the Catholic Church in Western Visayas after Pope Leo XIV appointed Jaro Metropolitan Archbishop Midyphil Billones as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Kabankalan in Negros Occidental. Billones will temporarily oversee the Kabankalan diocese following the transfer of Bishop Louie Patalinghug Galbines to the Diocese of Bacolod, leaving Kabankalan awaiting the appointment and installation of a permanent bishop. The appointment wa

August 18, 2026