Philippine president to meet Trump in Washington to discuss trade, security and defence
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
US regulator approves $10.7 billion Paramount-Skydance merger
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Approval came after the Trump administration extracted concessions on political coverage and diversity practices. LOS ANGELES – The US$8.4 billion (S$10.7 billion) merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media won approval from the US regulator on July 24, clearing the way for a sale that evolved into a clash over press freedom in the era of President Donald Trump. The deal will put well-known entertainment properties including the CBS broadcast television network, Paramount Pictures, and the Nickelodeon cable channel under the ownership of tech scion David Ellison, son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Paramount in July paid US$16 million in a controversial move to settle a lawsuit Mr Trump filed against the company and CBS News, sparking accusations it effectively had paid for approval of the merger. The Federal Communications Commission approved the deal in a partisan 2-1 vote that allows the transfer of CBS television stations. FCC chairman Brendan Carr, an appointee of Republican Trump, said the agency had received assurances from the incoming owners that they were committed to unbiased journalism. Democrat Anna Gomez, the FCC's sole dissenter, accused Paramount of 'cowardly capitulation' to the Trump administration. She also said the FCC was imposing 'never-before-seen controls over newsroom decisions.' CBS News was one of several news organisations Trump attacked for what he viewed as unfavourable coverage. Paramount paid Mr Trump to end a lawsuit he filed over CBS' editing of a '60 Minutes' interview with his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris. Mr Trump, who often accuses media outlets of liberal bias and 'fake news,' argued that the editing was designed to make Ms Harris look good. First Amendment lawyers said the suit was without merit. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Asia Cambodia and Thailand are willing to consider ceasefire: Malaysian PM Anwar Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Business MAS' measures spark cautious optimism for Singapore stock market revival: Analysts World Trump and Fed chief Powell bicker during tense central bank visit Life Hulk Hogan, who helped turn pro wrestling into a billion-dollar spectacle, dies at 71 Mr Carr has said the agency's review of the proposed merger was not connected to the lawsuit. Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico said the merger 'reeks of the worst form of corruption,' coming on the heels of Paramount's settlement. The commission received pledges from Skydance that it would appoint an ombudsman to evaluate complaints of editorial bias or other concerns about CBS. Skydance also told the FCC it would not establish any diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which Mr Trump believes are discriminatory. 'These commitments, if implemented, would enable CBS to operate in the public interest,' Mr Carr said, who also hailed 'another step forward in the FCC's efforts to eliminate invidious forms of DEI discrimination.' 'The Late Show' host Stephen Colbert had called Paramount's settlement 'a big fat bribe.' His show was cancelled days later in what Paramount called a financial decision unrelated to politics. It marks the end of an era for the family of the late Sumner Redstone, who transformed the family's chain of drive-in movie theatres into a media empire that once spanned broadcast and cable television, film, radio and publishing. His daughter Shari Redstone became chair of Paramount in 2019. At the time, she hoped to better position the company to compete with the world's entertainment giants. Paramount has since shed billions of dollars in market valuation as it struggled to navigate an entertainment business upended by the streaming video revolution. The FCC approved the transaction after a review of more than 250 days, longer than the commission's target of completing such reviews within 180 days. Skydance chief executive officer Mr Ellison is poised to become chair and chief executive of the new Paramount. Jeff Shell, former chief executive of Comcast's NBCUniversal, will be its new president. Chris McCarthy, one of Paramount's current trio of CEOs has decided to depart the company once the merger is completed, a source with knowledge of the matter said. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Trump says Australia has agreed to accept American beef
Meat from animals born, raised and slaughtered in the US has been allowed into Australia since 2019. WASHINGTON - Australia has agreed to open its market to American beef, US President Donald Trump said on July 24, after the US ally eased restrictions on imports that had angered the American leader. The Trump administration hailed the deal, announced by Australia earlier on July 24, as a win, even as analysts said the step was unlikely to significantly boost US shipments because beef prices are much lower in Australia. 'The other Countries that refuse our magnificent Beef are ON NOTICE,' Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social on July 24. Since returning to the White House in January, Mr Trump has attempted to renegotiate trade deals with multiple countries who he asserts have taken advantage of the United States over the years. Many economists have disputed Mr Trump's characterisation. Australia Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said earlier on July 24 that a 'rigorous science and risk-based assessment' had concluded that US measures to monitor and control the movement of cattle meant biosecurity risks that Australia was previously concerned about were being effectively managed. Meat from animals born, raised and slaughtered in the US has been allowed into Australia since 2019. But few suppliers were able to prove their animals had been only in the US, because cattle frequently moved between the US, Canada and Mexico without being adequately tracked. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement welcoming the move that Australia had imposed 'unjustified barriers' on US beef that were now being lifted. 'American farmers and ranchers produce the safest, healthiest beef in the world. It's absurd that non-scientific trade barriers prevented our beef from being sold to consumers in Australia for the last 20 years,' Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in the same statement. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Asia Cambodia and Thailand are willing to consider ceasefire: Malaysian PM Anwar Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Business MAS' measures spark cautious optimism for Singapore stock market revival: Analysts World Trump and Fed chief Powell bicker during tense central bank visit Life Hulk Hogan, who helped turn pro wrestling into a billion-dollar spectacle, dies at 71 The US has been improving its ability to monitor animals' movements to limit the spread of avian influenza and the New World screwworm, a parasite that eats cattle alive. Recognising those improvements, Australia will now also accept beef sourced from cattle born in Canada or Mexico and legally imported and slaughtered in the US, the Australian agriculture ministry said. Australian firms will be able to apply for import permits from July 28, it added. REUTERS
Asia News Network
an hour ago
- Asia News Network
Indonesia-US trade deal possible threat to data sovereignty
July 25, 2025 JAKARTA – Atrade agreement between Indonesia and the United States set to include provisions on personal data transfers has raised alarms about the potential undermining of Indonesia's data sovereignty. According to a joint statement on the framework for the prospective settlement published on the White House website on Tuesday, Jakarta agreed to provide certainty regarding personal data transfers from Indonesia to the US and eliminate tariffs on intangible products by recognizing the US as having 'adequate' data protection. Communication and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid wrote in a statement on Thursday that the negotiation was still ongoing, as previously conveyed by President Prabowo Subianto. She added that the agreement could serve as a legal basis for protecting the personal data of Indonesian citizens when using digital services provided by US-based companies, such as search engines, social media cloud services and e-commerce. 'The government will ensure that data transfer to the US will not be carried out carelessly. On the contrary, the whole process will be conducted within a secure and reliable data governance framework,' Meutya noted, adding that the transfer would be carried out under 'tight supervision of the Indonesian authorities, with high caution, based on the national law.' On the same day, Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto said at a press conference that Jakarta had agreed to establish a secure protocol for managing cross-border data flows with the US, without elaborating. 'Cross-border [services] are not limited to the US and include other countries,' he noted, adding that Indonesia had prepared a range of such protocols, including one implemented in the Nongsa Digital Park special economic zone (SEZ) in Batam, Riau Islands. Airlangga added that 12 US tech companies, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft and Google Cloud, have complied with national regulations by building data centers in Indonesia. Digital advocacy groups, however, have raised concerns over the agreement's potential threat to domestic data rights and privacy, as well as compromised control over the country's digital infrastructure. Hendra Suryakusuma, chairman of the Indonesian Data Center Providers Organization (IDPRO), warned that allowing personal data generated in Indonesia to be transferred and analyzed in the US could undermine Indonesia's digital sovereignty. 'We are at risk of losing our data control, whether it's strategic, personal or open data. This may also lead to the potential of increased digital dependency,' Hendra told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. He added that the local data centers could end up functioning only as 'edge computing' or 'hybrid cloud generators', roles in which they would no longer serve as the main site for data processing. This might cause prospective industry players to rethink their entry into Indonesia's market, hindering investment, he said, noting that global tech firms that had planned to invest billions of dollars in data centers in the country might divert their investment to the US. Domestic data center operators, internet service providers and state-owned power monopolist PLN could also miss out on significant revenue potential driven by demand for data storage and processing, which consumes large amounts of electricity. Hendra also pointed out that the agreement could obscure legal boundaries outlined in the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Law, which requires electronic system operators, particularly those in critical sectors like education, banking and health care, to implement strong, onshore data protection measures. 'The personal data of Indonesian citizens is a strategic [resource]. If we say that data is the new oil, then it must be generated and processed domestically to become our asset,' he said. Hendra urged the government to conduct a comprehensive assessment, preventing the cross-border data agreement from resulting in overdependence and diminished control, worsening already weak data security in the country, marked by breaches reported in the past few years. The Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy for Society (Elsam) has also voiced concern over potential drawbacks of the deal and serious threats to Indonesia's digital ecosystem. In a press release published on Wednesday, Elsam described the digital trade deal as 'unfair', arguing that the agreement favored interests of US-based data storage companies over the protection of personal data. It also highlighted the potential threat of mass surveillance of Indonesian citizens by US authorities, as well as risks from cross-border data flows, given that the Indonesian government has yet to establish a personal data protection body to oversee such practices. 'The absence of this institution, alongside fragmented cross-sectoral regulations, has led to weak oversight of the protection of personal data transferred overseas. This includes an increased risk of data leaks, misuse and violations of privacy rights,' reads the press release. Pratama Persadha, who chairs the cybersecurity watchdog Communication and Information System Security Research Center (CISSReC), said the agreement could help accelerate the establishment of an independent institution overseeing data protection. However, he added that Indonesia should not overlook the looming risks from the free flow of personal data. Controlled data management is directly linked to the added value of the digital economy, he explained, describing personal data and digital behavior as 'essential raw materials' for the development of artificial intelligence, algorithm-based services and technological innovation. 'If not managed property, our data will only serve as a commodity exploited by foreign entities to build products and services that are then sold back to the Indonesian market,' he wrote in a statement on Thursday. Indonesia should pursue a bilateral agreement to protect its digital rights, he suggested, adding that the country should also strengthen its digital infrastructure, research and the development of local digital talent to maintain technological independence.
