Author: Vidya Saras
By Katherine K. Chan, Reporter NET INFLOWS of foreign direct investments (FDIs) into the Philippines plummeted to $7.791 billion in 2025, its lowest level in five years, preliminary Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed. This was the lowest yearly FDI level since 2020 or when net inflows slumped to $6.822 billion. Excluding the pandemic period, this was the lowest since the $5.639-billion FDI net inflows in 2015. The end-2025 tally was also 17.1% lower than the $9.398 billion in 2024 but exceeded the BSPâs $7-billion estimate for the year. âFor the full year of 2025, equity capital placements were…
Dear Reader, As I write this letter to you it is January 19th, 2026. I have been in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for 31 days. One full month. I figure that is a milestone worthy of penning another letter to you. The time has simultaneously crawled at a snailâs pace and raced by quicker than I can understand. From day to day time moves unbearably slowly. The day crawls by, I feel as if I am walking through quicksand, every step an enormous effort. A minute feels like an hour, and hour feels like a day. But…
Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure The US Treasury told Congress this month that crypto mixers have legitimate uses â including protecting consumer privacy. Days later, federal prosecutors in Manhattan moved to put the man who built one of the most-used mixers back on trial. A Split Jury, A Second Chance Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton filed a letter Monday asking federal Judge Katherine Polk Failla to schedule a retrial for Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, on two counts where jurors deadlocked last year. Claytonâs office is pushing for trial dates between…
Cryptocurrency betting and casino platform Stake will feature prominently in the next two years of Formula 1 after securing naming rights to Sauberâs F1 car. The firm takes over from Alfa Romeo, which did not extend its sponsorship of Sauberâs C44 past 2023. The Sauber is set to be rebranded as Audiâs factory team in 2026 â leaving a two-year gap for other sponsors to step in on an interim basis. Related: How OKX convinced F1 star Daniel Ricciardo itâs safe to promote crypto Stake and its live-streaming platform Kick.com first featured on Sauberâs vehicle in 2023 through initial sponsorship deals. The team…
The leading online casino platforms in 2026 offer a thrilling mix of online casino games, from exciting online casino games slots to classic table options, live dealers, and innovative features. With the rise of mobile play, crypto integration, and user-focused designs, players seek platforms that deliver high-quality entertainment, secure transactions, generous bonuses, and reliable payouts.In 2026, the popular choices stand out for their game variety, mobile optimization, and overall experience. Whether youâre chasing big wins on leading online casino games 2026 or enjoying free online casino games to practice, these platforms cater to beginners and seasoned players alike. Many now…
At Anthropicâs first court hearing challenging sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, the AI tech startup asked the government to commit that it wouldnât levy additional penalties on the company. That didnât happen.âI am not prepared to offer any commitments on that issue,â James Harlow, a Justice Department attorney, told US district judge Rita Lin over videoconference on Tuesday.In fact, the government is gearing up to take another step designed to sideline the company from doing business with federal agencies. President Trump is currently finalizing an executive order that would formally ban usage of Anthropic tools across the government, according…
The second week of March is Civic Learning Week. It’s an annual observance marked by civics advocates with webinars, social media campaigns, and a big conference known as the National Forum, org
MIT researchers have developed a generative artificial intelligence-driven approach for planning long-term visual tasks, like robot navigation, that is about twice as effective as some existing techniques.Their method uses a specialized vision-language model to perceive the scenario in an image and simulate actions needed to reach a goal. Then a second model translates those simulations into a standard programming language for planning problems, and refines the solution.In the end, the system automatically generates a set of files that can be fed into classical planning software, which computes a plan to achieve the goal. This two-step system generated plans with an…
Microsoft Corp. today pushed security updates to fix at least 77 vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems and other software. There are no pressing âzero-dayâ flaws this month (compared to Februaryâs five zero-day treat), but as usual some patches may deserve more rapid attention from organizations using Windows. Here are a few highlights from this monthâs Patch Tuesday. Image: Shutterstock, @nwz. Two of the bugs Microsoft patched today were publicly disclosed previously. CVE-2026-21262 is a weakness that allows an attacker to elevate their privileges on SQL Server 2016 and later editions. âThis isnât just any elevation of privilege vulnerability, either;…
Apple TV Love. It is, as Jack Jones croons at the outset of every “The Love Boat” episode, exciting and new â and he should know! Jones was married six times throughout his 86 years on this planet! As for what is love, according to German pop artist Haddaway, the answer is “Baby, don’t hurt me … no more,” which I don’t find particularly helpful. Playing the role of rock-and-roll advice columnist who ruined Van Halen, Sammy Hagar once tackled the question, “How do I know when it’s love?” His…