Author: viking

Airline employees in Japan are experiencing a surge in abuse incidents from customers linked to delays or cancellations of flights or from being refused boarding due to late check-in, according to a survey.
Some 30 per cent of ground staff or cabin crew reported bearing the brunt of passengers’ anger over such matters in the past year, according to the survey by the Japan Federation of Aviation Industry Unions released last month, rising from 7 per cent in its previous survey in 2023.
In…

China and the Philippines recently traded accusations over the medical evacuation of a Philippine serviceman from a grounded naval vessel in the hotly disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident has sparked renewed worries about potential armed skirmishes in a global artery of trade.
But Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was also quick to emphasise the economic dimensions of a major conflict. After a decade of rapid economic growth, the Philippines is facing…

Germany’s Federal Labour Court (BAG) has clarified that employees are generally bound by a valid request for parental leave.

North Korea’s apparent use of different launch methods to fire two types of cruise missiles from a tactical nuclear-capable submarine could complicate regional defence, while raising fresh questions about the operational readiness of its growing undersea arsenal, observers have said.
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Thursday it had “test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles” off its eastern coast.
The tests “contributed to inspecting the…

Talk of global decoupling from China has persisted for years, as has speculation that emerging economies such as India and Vietnam could soon replace it as the “world’s factory”.
But for Indian hardware engineer Neeraj Arora, the growth of India’s electronics manufacturing industry has not eliminated the need to source components from China. Instead, it has changed the nature of those imports.
A decade ago, Arora imported finished phone chargers from the world’s second-largest economy. Today,…

Since AI use became widespread the number and complexity of claims against employers has soared. How should companies cope?

A stabbing rampage by a repeat violent offender wearing an electronic ankle monitor has raised questions about whether South Korea’s system can adequately supervise those deemed high-risk and prevent attacks before they happen.
The 59-year-old suspect told investigators he had become frustrated over what he perceived as mistreatment at a hospital, police said on Wednesday.
Three criminal profilers were helping investigators establish the motive for Tuesday’s attack at a shopping centre in…

Singapore will “keep its options open” on taking legal action against errant companies as air quality in the city state deteriorates to very unhealthy levels.
Singapore is collecting data on the haze as it weighs possible action under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, the Straits Times reported on Wednesday, citing Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.
The law, enacted in 2014, targets those responsible for causing or condoning fires if the resulting haze causes the…

A growing number of Japanese regard the United States as the greatest threat to world peace ahead of traditional rival China, according to a new survey.
The annual poll, released by the Japan Press Research Institute on Saturday, found 26.8 per cent of respondents named the US as the biggest threat to global peace. That was up 9.3 percentage points on last year and far above the 6.6 per cent recorded in 2024.
Russia came top of the list in 2025 but slipped to third place this year, with 18.3 per…

It is encouraging to see the English judiciary taking such a positive approach to the adoption of artificial intelligence following a recently published position statement, an expert has said.