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Cybersecurity

OpenAI invests in cybersecurity to combat AI-driven threats

OpenAI has made its first cybersecurity investment in Adaptive Security, a startup that uses AI to train employees to detect and prevent cyber threats.

Roblox introduces new parental controls to enhance child safety

Roblox introduces new parental controls, allowing parents to block games, restrict friends, and monitor their childโ€™s activity for better safety.

Exabeam introduces Nova, an agentic AI that boosts cybersecurity operations

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Tenable reveals privilege escalation flaw in Google Cloud Run

Tenable uncovers a privilege escalation flaw in Google Cloud Run, exposing risks linked to inherited permissions and service interdependencies.

ESET uncovers RansomHub links to rival gangs and highlights emerging EDR killer threats

ESET uncovers RansomHubโ€™s links to rival gangs and reveals its custom EDR killer, signalling new threats in the ransomware landscape.

Marketing

Spotify introduces AI-powered ads and programmatic ad buying

Spotify unveils AI-powered ads and the Spotify Ad Exchange, making it easier for advertisers to reach Gen Z listeners with real-time bidding.

Adobe: Redefining digital marketing in APAC through AI and privacy-first personalisation

Discover how Adobe helps APAC brands tackle data privacy, localise content, and embrace AI-driven marketing in a cookieless future.

Adobe introduces AI agents to Experience Cloud to improve customer experience delivery

Adobe unveils AI-powered features in Experience Cloud to help businesses deliver personalised customer journeys and better digital performance.

Adobe introduces new Firefly updates to streamline brand content production at scale

Adobe expands Firefly with video, 3D and GenStudio integration, helping brands scale on-brand content production with ease.

WeChat mini-game advertising sees 113% increase, creating new opportunities for developers

WeChat mini-game ads grew 113% in 2024, opening major growth chances for developers aiming to scale in Chinaโ€™s fast-moving mobile game market.

Southeast Asia

Synagie and HKT launch ShopHK to help Hong Kong brands expand into Southeast Asia

Synagie and HKT launch ShopHK, helping Hong Kong SMEs tap into Southeast Asia's booming US$600 billion e-commerce market.

MLBB and OPPO crown regional champions at APAC Smooth Legend Cup

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LinkedIn: How AI is reshaping hiring and workforce strategies in 2025

Discover how AI is transforming hiring and workforce strategies in 2025, from skills-based recruitment to internal mobility and continuous learning.

Kyberlife raises US$3 million to expand healthcare procurement in Southeast Asia

Singaporeโ€™s healthtech startup Kyberlife secures US$3 million to expand its digital procurement platform, streamlining healthcare supply chains in Southeast Asia.

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres gains NVIDIA AI certification to boost AI capabilities

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres has achieved certification under the NVIDIA DGX-Ready Data Center programme, boosting AI capabilities in Southeast Asia.

Geek

Lego and Pokรฉmon Company announce long-awaited collaboration

Lego has partnered with The Pokรฉmon Company, and official Pokรฉmon Lego sets will be available in stores in 2026.

Crunchyroll announces cinema release dates for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

Crunchyroll announces cinema release dates for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, starting 14 August 2025 in Singapore and Malaysia.

Aetherdrift brings high-speed action to Magic: The Gathering fans

MTG's Aetherdrift brings high-speed action, new mechanics, and exclusive collectibles in an epic multiverse race starting 7 February.

Crunchyroll and Sony partners unveil anime adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima: Legends

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Evangelion store marks two decades with new merchandise and an anniversary fair

Celebrate 20 years of EVANGELION with exclusive merchandise and special gifts at the anniversary fair, only at the EVANGELION STORE.

Hot topics

Going elsewhere?

26.1 C
Singapore
20.9 C
Malaysia
26.6 C
Thailand
27.6 C
Philippines
20.1 C
Indonesia
16 C
Vietnam
26.9 C
Cambodia
20.8 C
Myanmar

Cybersecurity

OpenAI invests in cybersecurity to combat AI-driven threats

OpenAI has made its first cybersecurity investment in Adaptive Security, a startup that uses AI to train employees to detect and prevent cyber threats.

Roblox introduces new parental controls to enhance child safety

Roblox introduces new parental controls, allowing parents to block games, restrict friends, and monitor their childโ€™s activity for better safety.

Exabeam introduces Nova, an agentic AI that boosts cybersecurity operations

Exabeam unveils Nova, a proactive AI agent that boosts security team productivity and reduces incident investigation time by over 50%.

Tenable reveals privilege escalation flaw in Google Cloud Run

Tenable uncovers a privilege escalation flaw in Google Cloud Run, exposing risks linked to inherited permissions and service interdependencies.

ESET uncovers RansomHub links to rival gangs and highlights emerging EDR killer threats

ESET uncovers RansomHubโ€™s links to rival gangs and reveals its custom EDR killer, signalling new threats in the ransomware landscape.

Marketing

Spotify introduces AI-powered ads and programmatic ad buying

Spotify unveils AI-powered ads and the Spotify Ad Exchange, making it easier for advertisers to reach Gen Z listeners with real-time bidding.

Adobe: Redefining digital marketing in APAC through AI and privacy-first personalisation

Discover how Adobe helps APAC brands tackle data privacy, localise content, and embrace AI-driven marketing in a cookieless future.

Adobe introduces AI agents to Experience Cloud to improve customer experience delivery

Adobe unveils AI-powered features in Experience Cloud to help businesses deliver personalised customer journeys and better digital performance.

Adobe introduces new Firefly updates to streamline brand content production at scale

Adobe expands Firefly with video, 3D and GenStudio integration, helping brands scale on-brand content production with ease.

WeChat mini-game advertising sees 113% increase, creating new opportunities for developers

WeChat mini-game ads grew 113% in 2024, opening major growth chances for developers aiming to scale in Chinaโ€™s fast-moving mobile game market.

Southeast Asia

Synagie and HKT launch ShopHK to help Hong Kong brands expand into Southeast Asia

Synagie and HKT launch ShopHK, helping Hong Kong SMEs tap into Southeast Asia's booming US$600 billion e-commerce market.

MLBB and OPPO crown regional champions at APAC Smooth Legend Cup

IDONOTSLEEP and Maru Gamerpact Esports take top honours at the MLBB x OPPO Smooth Legend Cup APAC Grand Finals.

LinkedIn: How AI is reshaping hiring and workforce strategies in 2025

Discover how AI is transforming hiring and workforce strategies in 2025, from skills-based recruitment to internal mobility and continuous learning.

Kyberlife raises US$3 million to expand healthcare procurement in Southeast Asia

Singaporeโ€™s healthtech startup Kyberlife secures US$3 million to expand its digital procurement platform, streamlining healthcare supply chains in Southeast Asia.

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres gains NVIDIA AI certification to boost AI capabilities

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres has achieved certification under the NVIDIA DGX-Ready Data Center programme, boosting AI capabilities in Southeast Asia.

Geek

Lego and Pokรฉmon Company announce long-awaited collaboration

Lego has partnered with The Pokรฉmon Company, and official Pokรฉmon Lego sets will be available in stores in 2026.

Crunchyroll announces cinema release dates for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

Crunchyroll announces cinema release dates for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, starting 14 August 2025 in Singapore and Malaysia.

Aetherdrift brings high-speed action to Magic: The Gathering fans

MTG's Aetherdrift brings high-speed action, new mechanics, and exclusive collectibles in an epic multiverse race starting 7 February.

Crunchyroll and Sony partners unveil anime adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima: Legends

Crunchyroll, Aniplex, and Sony partners reveal Ghost of Tsushima: Legends anime adaptation, set for a 2027 release exclusively on Crunchyroll.

Evangelion store marks two decades with new merchandise and an anniversary fair

Celebrate 20 years of EVANGELION with exclusive merchandise and special gifts at the anniversary fair, only at the EVANGELION STORE.
Monday, 7 April 2025
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Singapore
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Thailand
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Indonesia
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Philippines

X to cease operations in Brazil, but service to remain available

X shuts down business operations in Brazil after legal threats, but service remains live, highlighting tensions over censorship and democracy.

Youโ€™ve likely heard the news: X has announced that it is closing its business operations in Brazil with immediate effect. However, the companyโ€™s service will still be accessible to users nationwide. This decision follows a tense standoff between X and Alexandre de Moraes, the president of the Superior Electoral Court and a justice of the Supreme Federal Court in Brazil.

The tension between X and Brazilian authorities

The conflict began when de Moraes threatened to arrest one of Xโ€™s legal representatives if the company did not comply with his demands to remove specific content from the platform. According to X, de Moraes issued this threat through a โ€œsecret order,โ€ which the company has since made public.

Faced with either complying with what it deems to be unlawful censorship or protecting its employees, X opted to close its local operations. The company stated that this drastic measure was taken โ€œto protect the safety of our staff.โ€

Elon Musk, the owner of X, has been vocal about the situation, claiming that de Moraesโ€™ demands would have forced the company to โ€œbreak (in secret) Brazilian, Argentinian, American, and international law.โ€ Musk also expressed that the decision to shut down operations in Brazil was tough but necessary to maintain the companyโ€™s integrity. โ€œIf we had agreed to @alexandreโ€™s (illegal) secret censorship and private information handover demands, there was no way we could explain our actions without being ashamed,โ€ Musk said.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Due to demands by โ€œJusticeโ€ <a href="https://twitter.com/alexandre?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Alexandre</a> in Brazil that would require us to break (in secret) Brazilian, Argentinian, American and international law, ๐• has no choice but to close our local operations in Brazil.<br><br>He is an utter disgrace to justice. <a href="https://t.co/yAvX1TpuRp">https://t.co/yAvX1TpuRp</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1824839784852013125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A question of democracy

X has criticised de Moraes for his actions, accusing him of disregarding the principles of democratic governance. The company released a statement through its Global Government Affairs account, stating that de Moraesโ€™s actions are โ€œincompatible with democratic government.โ€ The statement further highlighted the situation as a choice for the Brazilian people: โ€œThe people of Brazil have a choice to makeโ€”democracy or Alexandre de Moraes.โ€

The tension between X and de Moraes has been building for some time. In April, Musk openly defied de Moraesโ€™ orders to block certain accounts in Brazil, arguing that such actions were unconstitutional. This defiance led de Moraes to initiate an obstruction of justice inquiry against Musk.

Later that same month, under pressure from Brazilโ€™s top courts, X announced that it would comply with all court orders, even as tensions continued to simmer.

Government pressure on social media platforms

This issue is part of a broader pattern of conflict between the Brazilian government and social media platforms. In April, the House Judiciary Committee in the United States released an interim report, accusing the Brazilian government of trying to force X and other platforms to censor over 300 accounts. These accounts reportedly included those of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, a federal senator, and a journalist.

Despite these challenges, X remains committed to keeping its platform open for users in Brazil, even as it withdraws its business operations from the country. The companyโ€™s decision reflects a growing concern over the balance between complying with local laws and maintaining global free speech and user safety standards.

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