AI Governance in ASEAN: A new report says Southeast Asian governments, including the Philippines, are racing to regulate AI, but ASEAN’s AI governance and generative AI guidelines are still non-binding—so protections and accountability vary by country. Workforce Restructuring: British American Tobacco plans to cut about 20% of staff (5,500 jobs plus 3,500 roles shifted to third parties), impacting 9,000 employees as it uses AI to cut costs. Auto Job Cuts: Volkswagen is considering eliminating up to 100,000 jobs and closing four German plants amid weak demand and Chinese competition. Green Aviation Deal: KBR was selected to license PureSAF tech and provide FEED for a Singapore SAF plant targeting up to 100,000 tons per year. Payroll Community Building: ProHRPay Consulting launched a Middle East Payroll Association chapter across six regions to connect payroll professionals and boost compliance and best practices. Hiring & Mobility: India’s Supreme Court rules temporary employees may get pension without formal regularisation if eligible. Market Pulse: China and Hong Kong stocks rose, led by consumer and healthcare, as investors rotated away from some AI supply-chain names.