Focus on the big picture

MACAU—Casino industry leaders met in the world's biggest gambling hub of Macau on Tuesday for the Global Gaming Expo Asia, a three-day fair of gambling innovations at the glitzy Venetian ...

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may push for Internet voting next time due to the low voter turnout in the overseas absentee voting (OAV) in the last elections. ...

MANILA, Philippines—Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and Saudi Arabian Labor Minister Adel Bin Mohammed Fakeih signed in Jeddah on Sunday an agreement on the recruitment of Filipino domes...

MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III used simple arithmetic to show that Sen. Franklin Drilon would be the Senate President in the coming 16th Congress. Lump together the nine...

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday vowed to prosecute persons found to have deliberately destroyed the compact flash (CF) cards of the precinct count opt...

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) clarified on Tuesday that the country does not have a deployment ban to Taiwan even amid reported incidents of overseas Filipino workers (OFW...

Bacolod City in Negros Occidental late Monday joined the ranks of Philippine cities considered as centers of excellence for information technology and business process outsourcing.

The Philippine government has protested latest Chinese incursions in areas within its exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea and asked Beijing to respect Manila’s sovere...

The benchmark PSEi closed higher Tuesday as selective buying in blue chips snapped a three-day decline while the market moved in range trading in the absence of fresh leads.

Limiting the access to short-term special deposit accounts (SDA) can save the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas up to P5 billion, and the market's knee-jerk reaction may temper the robust peso ...

The three-day 34th exploratory talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Malaysia ended without a closing program and a traditional joint communiqué, s...

The halt order issued against SM Baguio on its expansion plans along Governor Pack Road was lifted after a local court dismissed charges lodged by protesters against the mall giant.

Reps. Neri Colmenares and Teddy Casiño filed on Monday a bill seeking to help the blind and the elderly be less dependent when crossing the street.

OKLAHOMA CITY - A powerful tornado devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, killing 24 people, including nine children, according to the Oklahoma medical examiner's office.

DUBAI - Saudi Arabia executed five Yemenis on Tuesday for robbery and murder, then put their bodies on public display as a further punishment, state news agency SPA said.

PARIS - Tornados, among the most violent of atmospheric storms, rarely reach the size and brutality of the twister that swept through an Oklahoma City suburb on Monday, experts say.

WASHINGTON - A US appeals court ruled Tuesday that the federal government is not required to release photos that were taken of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden after he was killed by speci...

PARIS - Scientists said Tuesday they had managed to kill lab-grown tuberculosis (TB) bacteria with good old Vitamin C -- an "unexpected" discovery they hope will lead to better, cheaper d...

BACOLOD. Asphalt overlay project and road widening of Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Anthony T. Golez, Jr. is being undertaken by the DPWH from Sta. Fe Resort to Brgy.Granada proper. (C...

Advance Options Attach image: No “NOW that the election is over, it's time to move on. Let us forget politics. We should unite and cooperate for the good of the province," said reelecte...

Advance Options Attach image: No OUTGOING Bacolod City Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson expressed Monday his gratitude to Bacolodnons despite his painful defeat to mayor-elect Monico Pue...

Advance Options Attach image: No THE Bacolod City Water district (Baciwa) is looking to increase its water rates before the year ends, according to general manager lawyer Julie Ann Carb...

Malacanang on Tuesday has ordered the suspension of classes in all levels in the National Capital Region as heavy rains continue to pound the metro.

The number of blood donations contaminated by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) almost doubled this year, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Monday. This year, 32 bags of blood...

The wife of the Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines denied the claim by newspaper columnist Jarius Bondoc that she had maligned Jose Rizal on Twitter, insisting that she was being se...

By Media Solutions and VERA Files Legaspi City — Barely three months after activist Methodist pastor Isaias Sta. Rosa was abducted and gunned down in August 2006, supertyphoon "Reming" ba...

The Philippines plans to auction off areas of the South China Sea for oil exploration, despite worsening territorial disputes with China over the area, an official said Tuesday.

The Super Bowl 50, in 2016, will be in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the NFL championship will go to Houston the following year, the league announced Tuesday. Team owners voted for the ...

Ben Bernanke is expected to maintain his dovish tone when he speaks to Congress Wednesday, and he is likely to dispel any notion that the Fed is ready to cut back on its easing policy. Th...

Walt Disney 's most profitable unit, is cutting 300 to 400 jobs across the company and closing a small Denver office, a person with knowledge of the cuts said. The job cuts, comprisi...

The next-generation gaming console from the software giant is about much more than gaming. It should help Microsoft realize its vision of being at the center of consumer ...

They closed up 11.3 percent at $13.67 in regular trade, giving Saks a market value of more than $2 billion. Before the report, shares rose as high as $13.55, their highest level in five y...

By Mayen Jaymalin, The Philippine Star – Believe it or not, more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are coming back home to work here. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the govern...

By Lean Santos/rappler.com – If Filipinos want to save and become financially sustainable in the future, they should start changing their culture of spending beyond their means, wor...

By Rizal S. Obanil/mb.com.ph – Bella Flores, the iconic actress known for her villainess roles in movies and in television, died at 1:27 a.m., May 19. She was 84. Flores, whose real...

via GMA News – International observers of the May 13 polls have recommended the enactment of a law against political dynasties and more efforts in strengthening voter education, eve...

By Cheche V. Moral/Philippine Daily Inquirer – If fans were charmed by the fictional Carrie Bradshaw, the lead character in the drama series “Sex and the City,” the actress who port...

Benguet Provincial Police Office (PPO) Provincial Director Rodolfo Azurin admitted lapses in the investigations conducted in relation to the disappearance of activist James Moy Balao.

"Our evidence is strong. The suspects were positively identified, again and again, by our two main witnesses.” – Julian Oliva Jr., counsel of the families

As reports abound regarding the lack of transparency in the conduct of the 2013 elections which was marred by many breakdowns and shortcuts, national labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno called...

By Satur C. Ocampo At Ground Level | The Philippine Star Widespread vote-buying appears to have cast a dark cloud on the integrity of the May 13 midterm elections. This may be compou...

Another event that in this country comes almost as often as its fun-filled fiestas is over, and everyone’s happy — or at least appears to be, except those few, pesky critics of the ...

Visit www.newsbreak.ph (http://newsbreak.ph) for the latest updates and stories. Although this website, www.newsbreak.com.ph, is still active, we now...

They prefer less services than more taxes

MANILA, Philippines--Local business process outsourcing (BPO) firms sustained the high quality of their services this year, enabling them to continue...

DSWD’s capability needs to be improved if Aquino admin is pursuing Brazil's conditional cash transfer program, Bolsa Familia

These are excerpts from the author's privilege speech delivered on Sept. 21, 2010. She is a member of the House...

MANILA (AP) -- One of the Philippines' most active volcanoes rumbled to life Tuesday, spewing room-sized rocks toward nearly 30 surprised climbers, killing five and injuring others that ...

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- A Syrian rebel group detained four U.N. peacekeepers on patrol on the Golan Heights in a tense area that separates Syria and Israel, the U.N. said Tuesday. It was ...

Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring Nov. 24 to meet Brandon Rios in a welterweight bout in Macau, the eight-division world champion's promoter said Monday. Bob Arum told The Associate...

LOS ANGELES – Asian American groups have made it easier for voters to follow and learn about candidates in the upcoming May 21 election for the City of Los Angeles. The Asian Pacific Ame...

SALEM – As Congress debates the first national immigration overhaul in decades, a state-level push advancing rights for people in the US illegally has picked up momentum across the count...

TUPI, North Cotabato (PIA) – The Municipal Health Office here has received the “Garantisadong Pambata” Champs Award due to its efforts in delivering exemplary services ...

PAGADIAN CITY – Members of the athletic delegation from Zamboanga City have again proven their worth by becoming the over-all champions in this year’s Zamboanga Peninsula Reg...

Led by Olympian Jethro Dionisio, the Philippine Practical Shooting team won 30 gold medals in the recent 2013 Australasia Handgun Championship in Rotorua, New Zealand. Dionisio, a vetera...

COTABATO CITY – A brigade commander and several field leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and their families, alongside 2,000 residents of a predominantly Muslim vi...

MAMBAJAO, Camiguin (PIA) – Some 91 free patents were awarded to farmer beneficiaries here under the government’s “Handog Titulo Program” covering an area of 40.8 ...

Seven Muslims are jailed for their involvement in religious clashes in the Burmese town of Meiktila that left more than 40 people dead.

Pakistani politician Imran Khan walks a short distance in a brace, two weeks after damaging his spine in an election rally fall.

The number of women in Afghanistan jailed for "moral crimes" has risen by 50% in the past 18 months, says Human Rights Watch.

The US and Chinese presidents, Barack Obama and Xi Jinping, announce they will hold their first summit in California in June.

Singapore's DBS Group receives long-awaited regulatory approval to buy a 40% stake in Indonesia's Bank Danamon

CNN's Christiane Amanpour speaks with President Thein Sein of Myanmar in an exclusive interview.

Christiane Amanpour speaks with street artist "JR" about the democratic power of street art.

Women are less ready to compromise their ethics in pursuit of success at work, a recent study has suggested.

"The name's Bond, Commander Bond." Words uttered by the world's most famous secret agent who is adored by his country, feared by the bad guys and trained by Britain's Royal Navy.

The global talent war is heating up as baby boomers begin their mass exodus from the workforce. But a new report reveals employers are not prepared for the new generation of emotionally i...

A senior Japanese official says Tokyo will stick with its policy of making its own overtures to North Korea on what it believes are abductions of its citizens, dismissing U.S. and South K...

Swedish fast-fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz said that some of its clothing was produced in a Cambodia factory where 23 people were injured in an accident on its premises Monday.image

Japanese policy makers are prepared for a further weakening of the yen despite recent acknowledgment that the excessive strength has largely been corrected.image

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to authorize the Obama administration to provide arms to Syrian rebels, confirming a growing sentiment in Congress in favor of a shift in U.S....

SoftBank plans to raise $3.9 billion via a record bond issuance in June, as Sprint Nextel weighs the Japanese carrier's $20.1 billion offer against a rival $25.5 billion bid from Dish Net...

Sixteen men and boat seized two weeks ago by armed group released, easing tensions between the two traditional allies.

Thein Sein is first leader of his country to visit White House in nearly half a century.

Leaders of both countries will study ways to ease border tensions and boost bilateral trade after meeting in New Delhi.

Over 1.5 million people are effected as the rain continues to pour.

World Health Organisation says four more deaths confirmed from new strain of H7N9 virus brings toll to 36.

Tim Cook, Apple chief executive, defended the technology group’s tax practices and denied it was engaged in massive tax avoidance schemes

Investors targeted their disapproval at the bank’s independent directors in an unusually large vote against the re-election of Ellen Futter, David Cote and James Crown

Restrictions and a property tax announced by the central government in February have not been fully implemented in any city apart from Beijing

US stocks reach fresh record highs as investors await further clues on the outlook for monetary policy from the Federal Reserve chairman

Facebook fatigue manifesting as move by teenagers to set up extra accounts on rival sites to avoid parents’ scrutiny, according to Pew Research Centre

Seven years and six sell-downs after its initial investment in China’s biggest bank, Goldman puts an end to one of its most lucrative investments.

The money will be used partly to buy back some of its outstanding 2018 CBs through a tender that will take place during the next few weeks.

He will be succeeded by Donald Workman, who has been appointed executive chairman RBS Asia Pacific.

Advisory firm Blackpeak makes new hires in response to growing demand for corporate investigations and dispute resolutions.

The Macquarie-sponsored business trust prices at a 2014 yield of 8.5% and allocates the great majority of the deal to cornerstones, anchors and long-only accounts in anticipation of a sca...

Finance’s finest fighters are getting set to take their competitive battles to the ring at Hedge Fund Fight Nite.

Aberdeen’s Asia head of equity dealing notes the difficulty of managing numerous sales trading relationships in the region, and flags changes he’d like to see in other areas. ...

After launching a fixed income mutual fund in China, Taiwan's Yuanta will roll out a more unusual cross-border ETF, a big step forward for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The Securities and Futures Commission has banned Lam Ka Wo until May 2016 for "dishonest conduct".

China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange awarded $150 million in QFII quota in April, the lowest in almost two years. Analysts expect this trend to continue.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lois Lerner, the Internal Revenue Service official at the center of a scandal about the targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny, plans to assert her...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook made no apology on Tuesday for the iPad maker saving billions of dollars in U.S. taxes through Irish subsidiaries and told lawmak...

TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) - Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co's outspoken chairman and chief executive, won a vote of confidence on Tuesday as shareholders recommended that he keep his chai...

MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a subur...

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - A series of bomb and gun attacks across Iraq killed more than 40 people on Tuesday, a day after over 70 died in violence targeting majority Shi'ites that has sto...