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Elon Musk forms X.AI artificial intelligence company

Elon Musk has formed X.AI, an AI corporation in Nevada, despite calling for a pause in AI development. Musk has merged Twitter with an X shell company, which is reported to be an AI project. X.AI’s founding date was several weeks before Musk signed an open letter calling for a hiatus in AI development. Critics called the letter a “hot mess” of “AI hype” that misrepresented an academic paper. Big tech companies such as Google, Meta, and Microsoft have been working on AI systems for years.

MPA says Singapore-flagged vessel boarded by pirates remains uncontactable

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) reported on Thursday that the Singapore-flagged vessel, Success 9, which was boarded by pirates on Monday around 570km off the Ivory Coast, has been uncontactable by its owner.

TikTok faces ban in Montana as US backlash continues

The US state of Montana is set to pass a proposal for a complete ban on TikTok. The law, which would take effect in 2024, would be unprecedented in the United States and test the legal waters for a national ban of the Chinese-owned app. Under the proposed law, Apple and Google would have to remove TikTok from their app stores and companies would face daily fines of $10,000 if found in violation. The move is part of a battle of wills between TikTok and the US government, with the White House having already issued an ultimatum that the app must split from its Chinese owners or stop operating in America. However, legal challenges are likely, with the proposed ban potentially going all the way to the Supreme Court in Washington.

ASEAN condemns Myanmar junta’s air strikes on civilians

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has strongly condemned the recent air strikes carried out by the Myanmar Armed Forces in Pa Zi Gyi Village, Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region of Myanmar, that claimed the lives of at least dozens of civilians.

Man arrested for burning ex-girlfriend alive on square in Peru

A man accused of burning his ex-girlfriend alive in Lima has been arrested in Colombia. Venezuelan Sergio Tarache Parra, 19, allegedly doused 18-year-old Katherine Gomez with gasoline and set her alight on a central square on 18March after she broke up with him. Gomez died six days later with burns to 60% of her body. Peruvian police offered a $12,500 reward for information leading to Tarache’s capture, and an Interpol red notice was issued. Peru registered 136 femicides in 2022, with similarly high numbers in previous years.

QuaDream’s spyware operated from several Countries, including Singapore, and used against minority politicians and journalists, reports show

Recent reports from Microsoft and Citizen Lab have revealed that QuaDream, an Israeli spyware company, operated its hacking tools from several countries, including Singapore, and used them against minority-party politicians and journalists. Citizen Lab’s report identified at least five civil society victims of QuaDream’s spyware and exploits, including journalists, political opposition figures, and an NGO worker. The report also highlighted a suspected iOS 14 zero-click exploit used to deploy QuaDream’s spyware, which appears to make use of invisible iCloud calendar invitations sent from the spyware’s operator to victims.

Macron praised in China for ‘brilliant’ Taiwan comments

French President Emmanuel Macron’s call for “strategic autonomy” in Taiwan is being praised in China as a “brilliant decision” that is “relatively objective, rational and in line with Europe’s own interests.” While some Chinese social media users laud Macron’s independence, others are skeptical about France’s willingness to side with China over the US.

South Korea opposition calls for probe into US spying

South Korea’s opposition has called for an investigation into alleged espionage by the US after leaked documents appeared to show Washington spying on its key Asian ally. The documents include sensitive US intelligence that showed the US spying on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s national security advisors as part of an effort to secure arms supplies for Ukraine. The revelations have sparked criticism in South Korea about the vulnerability of sensitive sites, including the presidential office. The Pentagon is working to determine if the documents are genuine.

Singapore-registered tanker boarded by ‘unidentified persons’ off Ivory Coast

A Singapore-registered oil tanker has been boarded by “unidentified persons” about 300 nautical miles (550 kilometres) off Africa’s Ivory Coast, officials say. Twenty crew members of various nationalities were on the Success 9 when it was boarded Monday in the Gulf of Guinea, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Hong Kong journalists find new homes overseas as media crackdown persists

A new survey by the Association of Overseas Hong Kong Media Professionals (AOHKMP) and supported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) found that hundreds of Hong Kong journalists have fled to countries such as Canada, Australia, and the United States following the crackdown on freedom of expression in the former British colony. The research also produced the first comprehensive picture of newly established overseas Hong Kong media platforms providing independent news and commentary. Chair of the AOHKMP, Joseph Ngan, said, “This survey paints a picture of an exiled media community facing multiple challenges combined with a motivation to maintain the tradition of a free Hong Kong media, albeit in exile.”