The Christmas spirit has come alive at the Valenzuela City People's Park, where colorful Christmas lights and festive decorations welcome visitors ahead of the holiday season.

The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade from a mere industrial hub into a global metropolis. It is no surprise that its mixology scene has blossomed with innovation during this period. In the Futian business district stands the towering Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen. Perched on the 79th floor, high above the city skyline and just below the helipad, is MO Bar, helmed by director of beverage Tiger Chang Ming-ru. Officially opened in early...

Carlos Yulo shared his thoughts on whether having sex before a competition affects an athlete's performance.

Ever since Chloe San Jose's relationship with Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo became public, she's been the subject of criticism on social media. But social media star said online bashing does not really affect her life.

Leaving fans disappointed enough that concert organisers feel compelled to apologise and offer refunds is not how any star musician would want their performance to be remembered. Yet that was the fallout from the second of Chinese-American pianist Yuja Wang’s Hong Kong concerts with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra – part of Premiere Performances’ 20th anniversary season – after Alexander Tsfasman’s Jazz Suite for Piano and Orchestra was dropped at the last minute for “artistic reasons”. It was an...

As the Philippines grapples with a growing plastic waste problem, disposable sanitary napkins raise questions about affordability, menstrual health, and sustainability.

t’s time to extend skin care routines to scalp care. The condition of the skin on the scalp plays an important role in hair health, as it is where hair roots are located. Like the skin on the face and the rest of the body, the scalp is exposed to various environmental factors. From sweating at the gym to enduring the daily commute, and from changing weather conditions to using different styling products, the scalp is no stranger to issues such as oil buildup, dryness, itchiness and sensitivity. Hair System by Watsons aims to address these concerns and help achieve shiny, bouncy and healthy-looking hair. This expertly formulated hair care range from Watsons, a trusted name in personal care, is powered by ScalpTECH™ technology to address different scalp concerns. Whether the scalp feels oily, weighed down by buildup, dry or easily irritated, Hair System by Watsons offers products designed to keep the scalp and hair healthy and cared for. Just like the skin, the scalp can have different needs depending on daily activities. It can become oily after a long commute or a meal at a favorite restaurant, feel dry after a summer getaway, or become irritated by heat, pollution and everyday exposure. For those dealing with excess oil, Hair System by Watsons Dermo Clarifying Shampoo helps remove excess sebum, keeping the scalp feeling fresh and clean. Those with dry and itchy scalps can turn to the Dermo Hydrating Shampoo, which helps moisturize the scalp, revive the hair and combat dandruff flakes. For those with sensitive scalps prone to irritation, redness and reactions to certain hair products, the Dermo Soothing Shampoo offers a gentler cleansing option. Scalp care does not have to mean adding a complicated routine to the day. It can be as simple as giving the scalp extra attention when needed. After days of styling, commuting or exposure to pollution, the Dermo Restoring Exfoliating Scrub can be used once or twice a week to help remove buildup and leave the scalp feeling clean and refreshed. When the scalp and hair need extra moisture, whether after traveling, spending time outdoors or simply getting through a busy week, the Dermo Intensive Treatment can provide additional nourishment to a regular hair care routine. For another easy self-care option, the Dermo Massage Tonic comes with a built-in silicone massager, turning scalp care into a quick, relaxing massage that can easily fit into a daily routine. Hair System by Watsons believes everyone deserves a premium scalp and hair care routine that is accessible in every sense of the word. The range addresses various scalp concerns at prices that are easy on the pocket. The Dermo shampoos are priced at P249 for 500 milliliters, while complementary products range from P169 to P399. With Hair System by Watsons, proper scalp care becomes more accessible, helping promote healthy, manageable hair from root to tip.

Microsoft Outlook remains unavailable the world over, and netizens are taking their frustration, discomfort, and well, relief on social media for all to see.

NEW YORK — Canned rejection emails. Job interviews conducted by AI chatbots. Hundreds of employment applications submitted with no response. Online applications have made it easier to apply for jobs, but they don't always make it easy to get noticed. With employers increasingly using automated screening tools to evaluate large numbers of applicants, having inside connections from professional networking can help job seekers stand out, employment experts say. “Networking is important whether you’re searching for a job or not,” said Catherine Fisher, vice president of communications and a career expert at LinkedIn, the professional networking platform. “It’s not just a nice-to-have. It does set you apart and give you an edge.” Yet not everyone knows how to make professional connections, even when they recognize the value of networking. While in-person events still are valuable, online communities, social media platforms and virtual meetings are where building professional relationships frequently takes place. From an initial approach to asking about job openings, here's what career experts, hiring managers and job seekers suggest for developing and maintaining meaningful professional relationships. Use online platforms to make new connections The shift to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic changed how many people interacted with colleagues. Although most employees returned to offices at least part of the time, remote work habits such as holding meetings over Zoom and communicating through Slack have endured. For some people who were in school or entering the workforce during the pandemic, opportunities to network in person were limited. Rekius McGee, 24, who hopes to land a full-time job in marketing or communications, said he thinks reduced interactions with classmates and instructors impacted his ability to form connections naturally. “We were kind of robbed of even just the basic get-to-know-me events,” he said. “I would definitely say I missed out on a lot.” McGee has attended virtual job fairs and reached out to college alumni and recruiters on LinkedIn and Handshake, a career platform geared toward college students and entry-level job candidates. After interviews that didn't lead to job offers, he stayed in touch with the interviewers to build his professional circle. “I try to monitor their career boards. If I see a position, I may ask them before I apply,” McGee said. “Or I apply and say, ‘I applied for this position. Could you review it and see if I’m a qualifiable candidate and also consider me for the position?’” Develop relationships before asking for help Networking is about relationship-building, and a mistake many people make is approaching it transactionally, according to Matt Berndt, the head career strategist at job-matching platform Indeed. In other words, they reach out only when they need something. Instead of asking about job leads straight off, approach potential or established contacts for specific career information or advice, Berndt said. He suggested as an example writing something like, “I’ve worked in product marketing in technology for a while, and I’m considering consumer goods. Can you tell me how product marketing is different or similar?” If you're thinking about relocating, you could ask about the job market and compensation where the contact works, he added. “If you’re asking them questions that allow them to draw upon their own knowledge and experience and give you meaningful content and responses, you’re getting a chance to get to know them, and you’re giving them a chance to get to know you,” Berndt said. Another option for initiating a conversation is to follow people on social media and comment on their posts. Keep messages short and direct When first writing to someone you hope will become a professional contact, be brief and get to the point, said Nisha Chittal, chief of staff at the news and opinion website Vox. She said she's received an onslaught of messages recently from people looking for work. “Tight and succinct, a brief intro and what you’re asking for, and then it’s really easy for the person on the receiving end to say, ‘Yes, I can make time for a call with this person or a coffee,’" Chittal said. If you're inquiring about job openings, don't ask about upcoming opportunities that would match your qualifications, which is too vague, she advised. Instead, ask whether the contact has or knows of any openings for a specific position, Chittal suggested. “If I get a 10-paragraph email that’s their entire background and life story, and it’s not clear to me what they’re asking for, it’s a little harder for me to parse that and figure out how I can help that person,” she said. Be specific when requesting someone's time One way to connect with someone working in your chosen field is to ask if they could spare 15 minutes to speak with you, which is easier to agree to than a longer time commitment, Fisher said. You can say, “I’m reaching out to you because I saw you (work in) this space,” Fisher explained, or “Here are the three questions I would love to be able to ask you.” She offered the following questions as suggestions: “When you're hiring, what are the skills you're always looking for?” “What is something unexpected about this role that people don't know about?” ”If you were starting out in this industry, what would you do differently?” If the person is open to a conversation, you can decide together if it will happen over the phone, on Zoom or in person. Keep going despite setbacks Olivia Mast, 25, estimates she applied for thousands of digital marketing jobs over two years. The rejections have been crushing, but her network-building led a few months ago to a short-term role at a nonprofit organization where an alumnus of her college worked, she said. Mast admired the organization and several years ago had sent the alumnus a message on LinkedIn that said, “Hey, we went to the same college. I would love to chat with you.” They chatted and stayed connected on the platform. After Mast posted that she was looking for work, the contact messaged her about a temporary job at the nonprofit. The message read, “If you want it, send me your resume and it will most likely be yours,” she recalled. Having connections hasn't always helped. She applied for a job at an advertising agency where a friend's partner offered to put in a good word for her. Before the contact had a chance to recommend her, Mast received a rejection notice that she thinks came from an automated screening system. “It’s not always as easy as just knowing a person,” Mast said. A rejection doesn't always close the door Even if you receive a quick rejection to an online application, that doesn't necessarily mean a professional contact can't help, Chittal said. A personal recommendation is worth a shot since many recruiters are bombarded with applications and appreciate hearing about promising candidates, she said. “Generally if you have that kind of referral, someone will give that application a serious look,” she said. “It is a tough environment to be job searching right now, and anything you can do to make a personal connection to stand out when there are many hundreds of applicants for a job helps.”

Three international brands land in the Philippines, and an Egyptian-inspired Scotch whisky makes its debut

Fashion and beauty gifts that make daily routines feel a little more special

EXO"s newest sub-unit EXO-KASE will be having a fan concert in Manila next year!

A realistic gift guide for the guys—aka what men want for Christmas, according to men

Whether you have a penchant for perfumes or are sensitive to scents, there’s something here for you

Crime may not pay, but it has historically dominated the Hong Kong box office. Local films exploring the treacherous underworld of triad gangs, criminals and police officers have captivated audiences since the 1970s, when foundational works such as Ng See-yuen’s Anti-Corruption (1975) and Leong Po-chih’s Jumping Ash (1976) ignited the genre. Many Hong Kong crime films have equivocated on moral issues, operating in a grey zone where police can be as bad as the criminals. That was never truer than...

During a Hong Kong workshop on the traditional Chinese diabolo, or Chinese yo-yo, a Korean father was reminded of the paengi, the string-whipped spinning top he played with as a child. An elderly woman even stood up from her wheelchair to try the diabolo herself. Such moments captured the spirit that the Chinese Culture Festival 2026 was created to inspire, according to Veron Lam, chief manager of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s Cultural Presentations Section. “What makes this...

The Miss Universe Organization has unveiled a new crown to mark the pageant's 75th anniversary.

5 Seconds of Summer gave Filipino fans a special treat in the form of a jeepney-themed meetup and a surprise appearance in Pasay City.

If your group chat has been filled with stories of glitches, exes appearing out of nowhere, budget panics, and pure chaos over the past few weeks, take a deep breath. The cosmic comedy of errors (and horrors) may finally be winding down, starting on the most feared date of all: Friday the 13th.

“Washington has the Smithsonian, London has the British Museum, but Parramatta has the Powerhouse.” So declared New South Wales Premier Chris Minns at the museum’s opening on November 7, in a comment crafted more for applause than proportion. Parramatta is the heart of Sydney’s fast-growing west, about 25km (15.5 miles) from the city centre, and until now has had no major state cultural institution. The A$915 million (US$626 million) Powerhouse Parramatta is the Australian state’s biggest...

This week's question is on pooping and stress.

Several tourists from Metro Manila have begun visiting Tagaytay City ahead of the long weekend, which coincides with the 2026 ASEAN Summit.

Lead cast: Joy, Kim Hyun-jin Joy (Once Upon a Small Town) of K-pop girl group Red Velvet and rising actor Kim Hyun-jin (Love Phobia) take the lead in One-of-a-Kind Romance. Based on the webcomic of the same name, this modest romantic comedy joins an unusually busy November K-drama calendar – but does it have what it takes to stand out? The story follows Gong Yoo-il (Joy), an ordinary jobseeker, who crosses paths with screen heartthrob Tak Mu-yi (Kim). While the show opens on an idyllic sunny...

The organiser of Yuja Wang’s Hong Kong concerts has apologised and offered full refunds after a last-minute programme change resulted in the pianist performing for just over half an hour at a concert, leaving audience members feeling short-changed and prompting complaints to the city’s consumer watchdog. Audience members were angered by the withdrawal of Alexander Tsfasman’s “Suite for Piano and Orchestra (Jazz Suite)” from Tuesday’s concert at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Concert Hall in...

Salamin ng Buhay will have the celebrated balladeer performing with the Rayan Cayabyab Singers on November 14 and the Ateneo Chamber Singers on November 21.

The cooler weather in Hong Kong this week has brought welcome relief from the sweltering heat and is a sign that we can start enjoying lower temperatures as autumn progresses. The coming days will be busy, with multiple festivals around the city and local organisations banding together to host community events. Here are five things to do this weekend. 1. Arts Fringe Lamma From November 12-22, Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island transforms into an open-air festival where cafes, restaurants and bars...

We have selected seven Lifestyle highlights from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. How Tony Leung Chiu-wai became Hong Kong’s most decorated movie star While Tony Leung Chiu-wai is arguably the most decorated actor in Hong Kong cinema history, he would be the last person to tell you so. 2. Why Filipino actress and model is embracing GLP-1s for more than weight loss When Isabelle Daza was pregnant...

Gear Acquisition Syndrome refers to the desire to purchase more and more equipment related to a specific field or hobby.

Designer Lulu Tan-Gan brings piña into everyday dressing with Tailored Traditions, her latest collection on view at her Rockwell pop-up.

“Status: Rejected” follows a senior citizen who dreams of reuniting with her son in the United States, which feels like an impossibility after her fourth US visa rejection.