Philippines Business News

PNB open to selling stake in PNB Holdings

MANILA, Philippines — Lucio Tan-led Philippine National Bank has expressed willingness to sell its stake in listed real estate holding company PNB Holdings Corp. “Yes, we’re open,” PNB president and CEO Edwin Bautista said when asked if the bank would consider reducing its stake in PNB Holdings. “So maybe get a strategic partner to, you know, get the whole shares, because at the end of the day we’re not really a real estate company. In fact, when we took it ou

Poll: September inflation likely rose to 6.7%

Inflation likely picked up in September as higher fuel and food prices, weather-related supply disruptions and the peso’s weakness reversed four straight months of easing, economists said. A poll of 13 economists conducted by The STAR yielded a median forecast of 6.7 percent for September inflation, higher than the 6.1-percent print in August.

UA&P: Ube sector must improve planting materials, productivity

The Philippines must improve the availability of planting materials and farm productivity to strengthen the local ube industry, according to the latest policy brief by the University of Asia and the Pacific-Center for Food and Agri Business.

What to expect this week from school protests rattling France's government

PARIS — After a weekend lull, high schoolers in France are expected back at the barricades this coming week in their protest movement that is rattling the government of President Emmanuel Macron. A key question is whether violence on the margins of the demonstrations will worsen, blurring the lines between protest and rioting, and whether Macron's government will ratchet up the already muscular response by police. According to the interior minister, officers made more than 5,000 arrests la

US Marine arrested for alleged murder of a woman on Okinawa, triggers outrage from Japan

TOKYO — Japanese police arrested a U.S. Marine in the alleged robbery and murder of a woman on Okinawa, officials said Sunday, the latest criminal case on the southern island where the heavy American troop presence has remained a sensitive issue. The Okinawa prefectural police said they arrested a 20-year-old Marine stationed at the Futenma Air Station on suspicion of killing a 39-year-old local woman at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa's capital city, and taking her wallet and backpack in the ear

"Future Resonance -- ShanghaiEye Night" Brings Shanghai to Washington, Fosters People-to-People Exchange Across the Pacific

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 3, 2026, local time, a Shanghai-themed cultural exchange event was held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., bringing a taste of Shanghai to the U.S. Titled "Future Resonance - ShanghaiEye Night," the event was also part of the "Shanghai Let's Meet" city promotion initiative and a broader series of China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges. Through a variety of cultural activities and interactions, the event built bridges between people across

Oil tankers attacked in Strait of Hormuz, says UK agency

TEHRAN — Two oil tankers have been struck by “unidentified projectiles” in the Strait of Hormuz region, a British maritime agency said Friday, in the latest threat to shipping in the waterway. The Hormuz passage, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and LNG passed before the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in late February and sparked the Middle East war, remains at the heart of the conflict. Tehran has been blocking the passage of commercial ships, firing

A replica Oval Office near the White House just got a new Trump makeover.

WASHINGTON — It’s glitzier. And there’s way more gold. The People’s House museum exhibit has overhauled its replica Oval Office for visitors to experience President Donald Trump's second-term design choices. Gleaming vases, golden-hued swirling onlays, two dozen portraits in heavy gilded frames and knickknacks crowding nearly every available surface: the same rococo flourishes that Trump has installed in the world’s most famous workspace have been recreated down to

Trump names national intelligence director Jay Clayton to lead a new federal AI task force

WASHINGTON, United States — President Donald Trump on Sunday tapped Jay Clayton, his director of national intelligence, to lead a new government task force on artificial intelligence. Trump is calling it the “Super Intelligence Force,” because he has tried to rebrand AI as “super intelligence.” The announcement comes after Trump hosted top executives of AI companies at the White House last week and said they had signed a voluntary accord that would effectively self-

SodaBoost Gummies Introduces Soda Boost Multi-Ingredient Dietary Supplement for Men’s Energy and Vitality

SodaBoost features a combination of botanical extracts and caffeine as part of a dietary supplement formulation designed for adult men seeking nutritional support for energy and vitality. Wilmington, DE, Oct. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SodaBoost has introduced a multi-ingredient dietary supplement formulated with a combination of botanical extracts and caffeine. The formulation includes Muira Puama Extract, Maca Extract, Catuaba Extract, Green Tea Extract, Caffeine, and Ashwagandha. Official W

Montville’s Troop 74 Rocketeers Selected for NASA Student Launch

Following national and international championships in 2025, the New Jersey team will take on a nine-month engineering challenge culminating in a high-power rocket launch in Alabama. Montville, NJ, Oct. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Troop 74 Rocketeers have been selected for NASA Student Launch for the 2026-2027 season. The student team from BSA Montville Troop 74 will design, build and test a reusable high-power rocket and payload, working through NASA engineering reviews ahead of a final lau

Hungary's dwindling paprika producers battle to save signature spice

KALOCSA, Hungary — Working from before dawn until midnight, farmers Nikoletta Pajsan Nagy and Laszlo Pajsan fought Europe's driest summer ever to save their red pepper harvest in Hungary. Unable to irrigate much of their two-and-a-half-hectare (six-acre) land because power lines run across it, they repeatedly loosened the soil around the plants, which are used to make the central European country's signature spice, paprika. "I was absolutely convinced that we'd have to take on part-time jo

PCSO Lotto Results | October 04, 2026

'Act before it's too late': Tokyo residents fight for more trees

TOKYO, Japan — One sweltering day in Tokyo, Kaoru Morimoto told friends she wasn't sure she could endure another summer in her neighborhood, where tree cover and the crucial shade it provides is dwindling. As Japan experiences ever more frequent extreme heat, tree cover that can help lower temperatures is shrinking rather than growing in Tokyo, bucking a trend among many major world capitals. Morimoto wants that to change. Last year she launched a campaign urging officials to set a canopy

iSpring Kicks Off Prime Big Deal Days Savings Early with Water Filtration Deals Starting October 1

Cumming, Georgia, United States, October 4, 2026 -- iSpring Water Systems has announced its participation in Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, taking place from October 1 through October 7, 2026. During the event, selected iSpring water filtration systems will be featured on Amazon, spanning under-sink reverse osmosis systems, countertop water dispensers, tankless RO systems, and whole-house filtration. As homeowners look for more flexible ways to improve water quality, filtration needs vary by househ

Sumatra rhino pregnancies nurse hope for endangered species' future

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Two critically endangered Sumatran rhinos have fallen pregnant at an Indonesian sanctuary, boosting hopes for the survival of one of the world's rarest and most threatened mammals, the government said on Sunday. Ratu, a female Sumatran rhino at the Way Kambas National Park on Sumatra island, has been pregnant with her fourth calf for 238 days -- nearly half the gestation period. Ratu means "queen" in Indonesian. Ratu's daughter, Delilah, is more than 250 days into a pr

SodaFit Drops Introduces Soda Fit Multi-Ingredient liquid Dietary Supplement for Metabolism and Digestive Support

Information about SodaFit, including its multi-ingredient formulation, metabolism and digestive wellness positioning, and responsible supplement use. Wilmington, DE, Oct. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SodaFit has announced the introduction of Soda Fit, a multi-ingredient dietary supplement positioned for adults interested in metabolism and digestive wellness as part of a broader approach to nutrition and everyday health. Official Website: https://soda-fit.store/ The product joins the dietary supp

GROWNSY Kicks Off Prime Big Deal Days With One Idea: ONE DAY EARLIER. ONE DAY EASIER.

NEW YORK, Oct. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GROWNSY, a baby care innovator trusted by more than 3 million households worldwide, today announced its Amazon Prime Big Deal Days lineup under the campaign theme "ONE DAY EARLIER. ONE DAY EASIER.” Amazon has confirmed the fall shopping event, often called October Prime Day, for October 6-7, 2026. THE IDEA: ONE DAY EARLIER. ONE DAY EASIER. Most shopping events invite parents to ask whether something is worth buying. GROWNSY’s campaign asks a simpler qu

ASUS Googlebook 14 Now Available for Purchase in the United States

Designed for Gemini Intelligence, the ASUS Googlebook 14 empowers users to work, create, and collaborate anywhere with an ultraportable design, personalized AI assistance, and access to desktop-class apps Fremont, CA, Oct. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ASUS Googlebook 14 KEY POINTS · Featherweight powerhouse: Weighing just 2.18lbs with a durable Nano Ceramic magnesium-aluminum chassis and Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 performance · Refined sensory experience: 14" 3K OLED touchscreen, six-speaker au

Philippine inflation likely hit 4-month high in September — poll

INFLATION may have accelerated to a four-month high in September amid fresh oil price surges, costlier food due to weather disruptions, and the peso depreciation, analysts said.

Space Foundation names retired Air Force space commander Kevin "Morty” Mortensen Chief Mission Officer and NASA veteran Meredith McKay to lead government relations

Kevin Mortensen Space Foundation, Executive Vice President and Chief Mission Officer Meredith McKay Space Foundation, Senior Vice President of International and Government Affairs COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Foundation today named Kevin "Morty” Mortensen, a retired Air Force space commander and BAE Systems leader, as executive vice president and chief mission officer, and Meredith McKay, a two-decade NASA veteran, as senior vice president of international and

ASUS Googlebook 14 Now Available for Purchase in Canada

Designed for Gemini Intelligence, ASUS Googlebook 14 empowers users to work, create, and collaborate anywhere with an ultraportable design, personalized AI assistance, and access to desktop-class apps KEY POINTS Featherweight powerhouse: Weighing just 0.99kg with a durable Nano Ceramic magnesium-aluminum chassis and Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 performanceRefined sensory experience: 14" 3K OLED touchscreen, six-speaker audio, and a six-sensor haptic touchpad deliver a premium experience for produ

Infrastructure spending drops 4% in July

INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING dropped by 4% in July as lower disbursements by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) offset higher spending on defense, agriculture and railway projects, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

Tesla. SpaceX. Starlink. James Altucher Says the Experts Called All Three Dead, and They're Doing It Again

A look at why this top tech expert believes today's skepticism is the most familiar signal in Musk's career. Baltimore, MD, Oct. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Every time Elon Musk has been most doubted, tech analyst James Altucher argues, he has been closest to a breakthrough. In a new presentation released through Altucher's Investment Network, Altucher walks through a long trail of confident predictions that Musk's biggest ventures were destined to fail, predictions that aged badly, and makes t