Even as Seoul accused Pyongyang of undermining the process with provocative naval and land deployments, North and South Korea resumed top-level talks Sunday, August 23, on avoiding a threatened military clash. The discussions at the border truce village of Panmunjom resumed in the afternoon after a 10-hour negotiating session the night before. The second session looked set to be a similar marathon, as it pushed through midnight into the early hours of Monday morning, August 24. The gaps to be bridged are daunting, with both countries’ military forces on maximum alert and flexing their weaponry across a border that has already seen one exchange of artillery fire. While the North moves around subs and artillery units, South Korean and US fighter jets have been carrying out simulated bombing sorties not far from the border.

Read about the talks and the continuing tension between the two Koreas.

The media spotlight will be on the province of Cebu today, Monday, August 24, as not just one, but 3 top contenders for the presidency are expected visit the vote-rich island. Opposition standard-bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay, administration standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II, and neophyte senator Grace Poe, widely believed to be planning her own “independent” campaign, will all be in the province for separate engagements. Of the 3, only Poe has yet to declare her plans for 2016, but if public speeches and interviews with media are any hint, the newbie senator is sure to seek the country’s highest-elected post.

Read about the Cebu political sorties

Ilocos Norte has been put under the state of calamity due to Typhoon Ineng (international name Goni), the Provincial Government said in a statement on Saturday, August 22. With 75,348 individuals in 221 barangays reportedly affected by the typhoon and damages to agriculture and infrastructure in the province already at P457 million ($9.8 million) as of latest count, Ilocos Norte will be on red alert until Tuesday, August 25 according to Governor Maria Imelda “Imee” Marcos. On Sunday, August 23 the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Typhoon Ineng (Goni) left at least 14 dead, 11 injured, and 3 missing. A weakened Ineng headed toward Japan on Sunday, August 23.

Read about the impact of Typhoon Ineng on Ilocos Norte and the rest of the Philippines

Quoting Plato as saying “perception is reality,” Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista talked to Rappler about one of his top priorities: giving the Commission on Elections a new image. Immediately after taking his oath as the Philippines’ elections chief in May, Bautista had no time for warm-ups. He led the Comelec in dealing with an unprecedented crisis, prompted by a Supreme Court (SC) ruling that rendered 81,000 vote-counting machines useless. The Comelec resolved this crisis on August 13, as it decided to use the voting machines of controversial firm Smartmatic in the presidential elections in May 2016. Election watchdogs, continue to challenge this Comelec ruling. A relative outsider in the election law circuit, Bautista says, ‘I provide a fresh set of eyes. I provide new insights into an otherwise old process.’

Watch the interview and get to know the man who will lead the Comelec through the 2016 Presidential elections

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday, August 23, defended his immigration policies and unveiled a set of economic goodies for families ahead of general elections expected to be held in September. Stressing that there are no easy choices for the compact city-state when it comes to immigration, Lee said, “whichever option we choose, it will involve some pain.” The surge in the population of foreign workers and immigrants is one of the most sensitive issues in Singapore.  Middle-class Singaporeans have been complaining that the newcomers are competing with them for jobs and housing and are straining public services like mass transport. The government slowed the intake after the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) – which has been in power for more than 50 years – saw its share of the vote plunge to 60% in the 2011 general election.

Read about Lee’s statements concerning Singapore’s immigration policy 

There is no tax increase on balikbayan boxes – instead, the stricter compliance reminder on the said shipments is “necessary” to stop smugglers who continue to abuse the existing system, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Sunday, August 23. According to the BOC, existing rules on balikbayan boxes still apply. This includes, among others, spot checks and inspections mandated by law. The illegal activities of smugglers – including insertion of smuggled goods in consolidated shipments or through balikbayan boxes sent to fake consignees in the Philippines – continue to take its toll in the form of loss of revenue. But lack of necessary devices hinders the bureau to effectively inspect boxes to prevent smuggling, according to the Customs bureau.

Read about the stricter compliance reminder for balikbayan boxes  

Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima on Sunday, August 23, expressed concerns regarding states using the exchange rate to shore up weak growth. The statement comes amid the biggest depreciation of China’s currency, the yuan, in two decades, instituted by the Chinese government in an effort to boost the competitiveness of its exports. Such a strategy could have “unintended consequences,” according to Purisima. For one, he said in a statement released by the Department of Finance (DOF), “it may trigger competitive devaluations across the region as other currencies adopt similarly interventionist measures to reprice their currencies.” As currencies weaken, Purisima added, debt service requirements increase and imports become more expensive.

Read about Purisima’s statements concerning currency depreciation

Ariana Grande took to Twitter to thank her Filipino fans on Sunday, August 23, after the Manila stop in her “Honeymoon Tour.” From her tweets, it looks like Ariana had a great night in Manila. After the concert, she tweeted, “What a thrilling night!… Mahal kita (I love you).”

Read about Ariana’s concert in Manila

Watch Ariana sing Whitney Houston’s “I have Nothing”

Check out photos and videos from Ariana’s Manila concert on Twitter 

Britain’s foreign secretary reopened his country’s embassy in Tehran on Sunday, August 23, in a long-awaited step signalling better relations 4 years after a mob stormed the compound, forcing its closure. Philip Hammond’s trip comes 5 weeks after Britain and five other world powers struck a deal with Iran to end a 13-year dispute over the Islamic republic’s disputed nuclear program. Iran’s embassy in London will also reopen on Sunday. The two countries are expected to appoint ambassadors in the coming months. 

Read about the new British embassy in Tehran

Kinberly Novaes, a mixed martial arts (MMA) competitor from Brazil, fought–and won an MMA bout in May–then found out months later that she was 12 weeks pregnant at the time of her victory. The 27-year-old female fighter only discovered her pregnancy when she was unable to lose the requisite pounds to square off with American opponent Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, whom she was slated to face on Friday, August 21. Novaes took drastic measures to reach the allowable non-title strawweight limit of 116 pounds, but abdominal pains sent her to the hospital, where a doctor did a blood test which confirmed the shocking news that she had a child inside her. According to the attending physician, Novaes has been carrying the child for 25 weeks, prompting her to realize that she fought in May while 3 months pregnant. The child happens to be healthy and Novaes is on track to give birth in November.

Read about Novaes’ pregnancy