Author: viking

A controversy over an alleged overpriced firearms deal has intensified in the Philippines, with insiders claiming that national police chief Nicolas Torre III was removed from his post for rejecting a proposed procurement of 80,000 assault rifles – a transaction some believe was padded by billions of pesos.
While officials framed Torre’s dismissal as an administrative matter, multiple sources told This Week in Asia he was sacked for rejecting the “overpriced” 8 billion Philippine peso (US$140…

Plans to remove protection for computer-generated designs from the UK statute book have been set out in the latest move by the government to respond to advances in AI technology.

Using AI tools to complete tasks and building a level of understanding of how AI works and the risks it can entail are now imperatives for in-house legal teams.

Indonesia’s former education minister and ex-Gojek CEO Nadiem Makarim has been detained as a suspect in a high-profile corruption probe linked to a procurement programme involving Google’s Chromebook laptops, with state losses estimated to be US$120 million.
Centred on the country’s digital education push from 2019 to 2022, the case took a dramatic turn on Thursday when Nadiem was taken into custody by the Attorney General’s Office after a third round of questioning.
He will be held for 20 days…

The UK’s gender pay gap reporting has helped improve transparency around workplace pay disparities, with many organisations demonstrating measurable progress in narrowing the gap – but the Employment Rights Bill will compel large employers to go further by publishing targeted gender pay gap action plans.

The anticipated absence of US President Donald Trump from this year’s Quad summit in India is likely to “highlight cracks” in American-led alliances and raise fresh concerns over Washington’s dependability, according to analysts.
While observers say the United States is unlikely to abandon the Quad altogether, they suggest its engagement may fall short of the intensity seen under the previous administration – at a time when regional anxieties over China’s assertiveness remain high.
Citing…

An Indonesian staff member of an Asean parliamentary body has been fired and named a criminal suspect after allegedly posting a video urging protesters to set fire to the national police headquarters in Jakarta, amid escalating unrest triggered by a fatal accident involving a police armoured vehicle.
Laras Faizati Khairunnisa, 26, was arrested on Monday and detained a day later following a police investigation into her social media post, which authorities said had incited demonstrators to burn…

A legal challenge against a framework that facilitates the flow of personal data from the EU to the US has failed, in a development a legal expert said businesses will welcome.

A Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel member who was reported missing since August 24 was found at a condominium on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. According to police, Muhammad Ammar Mohd Ariffin, 27, was discovered at his girlfriend’s residence.
“The airman, who had earlier been reported missing, was found together with his girlfriend at her unit,” Serdang police chief Muhamad Farid Ahmad said.
The discovery was made by an investigative team from the Serdang police headquarters….

The revival of techno-nationalism is reshaping strategies across continents. The European Union has embraced technological sovereignty with the EU Chips Act and investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology. Japan and South Korea are diversifying supply chains and boosting domestic capacity. India is positioning itself as an alternative hub through the Make in India and Digital India initiatives, aimed at reducing reliance on both China and the West.
Export controls,…