Tokyo Metropolitan Government Published Guidelines related to Data Centers
Introduction In recent years, the rapid proliferation of generative AI and cloud services has led to a dramatic increase in demand for data processing. Data centers have increasingly taken on the role of critical infrastructure supporting socio-economic activities, with demand for their development particularly rising in urban areas. At the same time, from the perspective …
Continue reading “Tokyo Metropolitan Government Published Guidelines related to Data Centers”
IP High Court Clarifies Limits of “Motivation to Combine” in Patent Opposition Appeal
Introduction On January 15, 2026, the Intellectual Property High Court (the “IP High Court”) issued an important judgment in an appeal from a Japan Patent Office (the “JPO”) opposition decision concerning Japanese Patent No. 7,353,441. The patent relates to an active energy curable resin composition, a hard coat laminated film and a glass film for …
European floating offshore wind – moving up to large scale
Introduction The ongoing volatility in the Middle East, exacerbated by the 2026 blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, has transitioned renewable energy from a long-term target into an immediate national security issue. Floating offshore wind can provide the necessary scale in renewable energy by unlocking the power potential of deeper waters. While traditional fixed bottom …
Continue reading “European floating offshore wind – moving up to large scale”
Indigenous Biological Resources, cannabis and the conundrum of human introduction
Cannabis is once again in the news in South Africa, with the recent announcement by various government departments of a national cannabis master plan to establish a formal cannabis and hemp industry. At the same time, the government has a long-standing commitment to protecting its local biodiversity, which is embodied in the National Environmental Management: …
Continue reading “Indigenous Biological Resources, cannabis and the conundrum of human introduction”
AI in Africa: Regulations are catching up and the courts are already there
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in Africa. It is here, it is being used, and it is now reshaping regulatory agendas and courtroom practice across the continent.
Regulatory matters: policing the regulators: judicial oversight of disciplinary decisions
The judgment of the Free State Division of the High Court, delivered on 19 March 2026, serves as a compelling reminder that the decisions of professional regulatory bodies are not beyond scrutiny. The case concerned a Rule 53 review application brought by the applicant, a qualified accountant and Associate General Accountant member of the South …
INDIA’S ONLINE GAMING RESET: DECODING PROGA AND THE 2026 RULES
INTRODUCTION April 22, 2026 marks the day India’s online gaming sector stepped out of the grey zone and into a comprehensive, centralised regulatory framework. On this date, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (“MeitY”) issued a series of Gazette notifications[1] that together operationalise the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025[2] (“PROGA” or …
Continue reading “INDIA’S ONLINE GAMING RESET: DECODING PROGA AND THE 2026 RULES”
Hogan Lovells berät Wtech Fire Group Limited, zum Zeitpunkt des Vollzugs eine Portfoliogesellschaft des Private Equity Fonds WATERLAND, beim Erwerb der Feuerfuchs Brandschutz GmbH
29. April 2026 – Unter der Leitung von Dr. Jan Philipp Feigen und Dr. Daniel Mattig hat die globale Wirtschaftskanzlei Hogan Lovells den Anbieter von Brandschutzlösungen Wtech Fire Group Limited, zum Zeitpunkt des Closings eine Portfoliogesellschaft des Private Equity Fonds WATERLAND, beim Erwerb der Feuerfuchs Brandschutz GmbH beraten. Über den Kaufpreis wurde Stillschweigen vereinbart.
WTO Trade Remedies in Malaysia: Anti-Dumping, Subsidy, Countervailing and Safeguard Measures
Introduction The evolution of international trade and governance can be traced through the development of the former provisional agreement, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (“GATT”). It has then transformed into the current World Trade Organisation (“WTO”). Emerging from discussions at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, the idea of a global trade body had …
Synthetic Media and Deepfakes: Legal Responses to Identity, Dignity and Truth in the Age of AI
Introduction: When Seeing Is No Longer Believing Rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) technology have transformed how digital content is created and consumed. While AI has enabled innovation and efficiency, it has also introduced serious risks of exploitation, misappropriation, and deception. One of the most disruptive developments is synthetic media, which is a content generated …