Albania has turned to AI bot Diella to tackle public procurement, aiming to rein in the Balkan country’s long-standing issues with corruption and organized crime. Albania’s government AI-powered virtual assistant, which helps citizens obtain everything from driver’s licenses to pension applications and court filings, has just become one of the world’s first AI politicians. “Diella is the first cabinet member who isn’t physically present, but is virtually created by AI,” and jas been tasked with keeping Albania “100% free of corruption,” Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama reportedly said in a National Assembly of the Socialist Party on Thursday. Its task will be to oversee all government procurement of goods and services from the private sector, which has led to a series of corruption scandals in Albania in recent decades. Read more
Thailand’s SEC probes a major mystery crypto hack hidden for years. Chinese property developer turns back to blockchain. Asia Express. Thailands Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it is reviewing reports circulating on social media that claim a major local cryptocurrency exchange was hacked. On Sunday, Thai social media channel The Big Secret posted an image of what it described as an internal document detailing a large-scale breach. The document, which has not been verified, had its date and related blockchain addresses redacted. Following the post, several exchanges issued statements assuring customers that their assets remain safe. The exchange allegedly involved has not been publicly identified. Read more
Thailand’s SEC probes a major mystery crypto hack hidden for years. Chinese property developer turns back to blockchain. Asia Express. Thailands Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it is reviewing reports circulating on social media that claim a major local cryptocurrency exchange was hacked. On Sunday, Thai social media channel The Big Secret posted an image of what it described as an internal document detailing a large-scale breach. The document, which has not been verified, had its date and related blockchain addresses redacted. Following the post, several exchanges issued statements assuring customers that their assets remain safe. The exchange allegedly involved has not been publicly identified. Read more
The crypto exchange capped proceeds at $425 million after reportedly halting new orders, with Nasdaq among its investors. Gemini’s upcoming initial public offering (IPO), expected Friday, has reportedly been oversubscribed more than 20 times, as crypto and blockchain companies continue to attract investor attention. According to Reuters on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter, Gemini and its bankers stopped accepting new orders for shares on Thursday, ahead of the crypto exchange’s debut. The move, called “unusual” in an IPO, reportedly capped proceeds at $425 million. Gemini had initially upped its raise to $433 million, with its prospective listing share price ranging between $24 and $26, from $17 to $19 floor price. Read more
Almost two years after Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the downfall of crypto exchange FTX, the former CEO's lawyers will return to court. Former FTX CEO Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried, serving a 25-year sentence after his conviction on seven felony counts, will take the next step in his appeals process with a hearing scheduled for November. According to a Wednesday notice in the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Bankman-Fried’s appeals case has been calendared for arguments on Nov. 4. The court proceeding will mark the first significant movement in the former CEO’s criminal case since his transfer from a New York City facility in March to one in California. The hearing in the Second Circuit had been expected since Bankman-Fried’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal in April 2024 over his 2023 conviction and 25-year sentence. Bankman-Fried’s legal team argued in his appeal filed in September 2024 that the former CEO was “never presumed innocent,” also claiming that prose...