#may thai latest viral video

[mykpopwire]

media release: Viu Scream Dates announces WATERBOMB first line-up in Singapore this August

Viu, PCCW's leading pan-regional OTT video streaming service, is thrilled to unveil the initial line-up of K-pop and K-hip-hop stars ready to make waves at WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024. The highly anticipated music-and water-themed festival is proudly organised by Viu Scream Dates, in conjunction with co-organiser Evergreen Group Holdings and presenting sponsor UOB. The event will make its highly anticipated debut in Singapore on 24 and 25 August 2024, at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.

In line with Viu Scream Dates’ promise of extending the Viu experience beyond the screens, WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024 promises an electrifying extravaganza of music and entertainment, featuring over 10 popular South Korean artistes as well as DJs and performers from Hong Kong and beyond. 

This year, the festival boasts an exciting line-up including singers BamBam, BIBI, KWON EUNBI, Sandara Park and VIVIZ, K-hip-hop rapper Kid Milli and viral South Korean dance crew TEAM BEBE, delivering non-stop spectacular performances for an expected crowd of more than 20,000 attendees. Adding to the vibrant mix is Thai singer SORN as well as local talent such as emerging pop-R&B sensation lullaboy, seasoned rapper ALYPH and singer-songwriter Haven. 

Renowned as one of South Korea's largest and most beloved music festivals, WATERBOMB brings together the best of K-pop, K-hip-hop and EDM with the thrill of water games. At this year’s festival in Singapore, attendees can also anticipate an experiential WATERBOMB beach village designed by official experience partner INVADE, which includes Insta-worthy photo opportunities, exhilarating summer party games and water-themed activities as well as attractive F&B offerings.

"Singapore has long awaited the arrival of WATERBOMB, and we're thrilled to bring this fresh and exciting experience to our shores. With an anticipated crowd of over 20,000 and featuring some of the biggest names in K-pop, K-hip-hop and EDM, WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024 marks a significant milestone in our Viu Scream Dates initiative and underscores our commitment to bringing the hottest and freshest stars closer to our Viu-ers beyond the screens.” - Anson Tan, Country Head of Viu Singapore

"Evergreen Group Holdings has always been one of the forerunners in bridging K-content between Korea and Southeast Asia. As the co-organiser for WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024, we are extremely proud to be bringing in the largest K-pop festivals to our shores. This promises to be just the beginning of a range of K-pop festivals and K-content activities that Evergreen will be spearheading in the near future." - David Yong, CEO, Evergreen Group Holdings

“WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024 represents UOB’s commitment to presenting a variety of popular acts in concert, festival and other formats to our customers in Singapore and ASEAN catering to their diverse preferences and passions, following the success of our concerts featuring renowned Western artistes earlier this year. As our inaugural K-pop offering, WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024 rides on the trending wave to present the hottest Korean artistes here in Singapore, with priority access only provided by UOB.” - Jacquelyn Tan, Head, Group Personal Financial Services, UOB

Standard tickets will go on sale for the public from May 10th, with tickets priced at $198 for a 1-day pass and $338 for a 2-day pass. As the presenting sponsor, UOB will be offering a pre-sale for standard tickets on May 9th, for local and regional debit and credit cardholders*. All tickets will be available through official ticketing partner, KKday. 

The initial artiste line-up for WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024 is just the beginning! Stay tuned for more exciting announcements to come. For the latest updates, follow WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024 on our website, Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.

*photo courtesy of WATERBOMB SINGAPORE 2024 and Viu

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[edmturnmeon]

The Ultimate Top Thai Songs 2023 Playlist

This playlist is your ultimate guide to the hottest and most popular tracks in Thailand right now. Dive into the ultimate Top Thai Songs 2023, in all-in-one Spotify playlist and let the enchanting rhythms transport you to the pulsating heart of Thai music. Discover your new favorite tracks and experience the magic of Thailand's music scene like never before! From the latest hits by Thailand's biggest artists to the most exciting new tracks from up-and-coming musicians, this playlist has it all. Whether you're looking for upbeat pop anthems, soulful ballads, Hip Hop or infectious T-pop tunes, you'll find them all here. In the list, you might find some of your favorite Thai singers including NuNew, Bilkin, Nont Tanont, Potato, KLEAR and just to name a few. This is one of the playlist that is best for listening when you're travelling to Thailand to hype up your the mood.  This infectious track Thatthong Sound by YOUNGOHM has taken the music scene by storm, combining catchy melodies, energetic Thai beats, rap and mesmerizing vocals. With its uplifting vibe and irresistible hooks, it has become an instant favorite among listeners. Thatthong Sound is one of the editor's pick in the top Thai songs 2023, undoubtedly one of the standout tracks that deserves a place in this playlist. Prepare to be enchanted by this soulful ballad that tugs at the heartstrings. The artist's emotive delivery, coupled with poignant lyrics, creates a moving and unforgettable musical experience. The song, performed by Palmy is one of the latest Thai dramas OST and the drama is currently available for streaming on YouTube. Cocktail's Thai group performed a fusion of traditional Asian music elements and Thai contemporary sounds. Its seamless blend of cultural influences and modern production will transport you to a whole new world of sonic delight. The music video was ranked in No.69 Global Top music video in May 2023.  This new single by KWANG ABnormal features a poignant and introspective song showcases the raw talent and lyrical depth. With its heartfelt storytelling and captivating melodies, it has struck a chord with audiences, earning a well-deserved spot on our playlist. Get ready to discover new favorites and sing along to your all-time favorites with this carefully curated selection of tracks. You'll find a mix of Thai-language and English-language songs, showcasing the diversity and richness of Thailand's music scene. If you haven't already, you must listen to the excellent Thai music released in 2023, as some of the songs have become viral and gained popularity. Rest assured, this playlist will offer a completely distinct listening experience when compared to the curated Thai songs of 2021.

Editor's Pick: 10 Top Thai Songs 2023 on Spotify Playlist

The selection of tracks in the top Thai songs 2023 is carefully curated based on their popularity, most-listened, number of plays, and my personal taste in music, and not follow other playlists that are found online. Below, you'll find a list of the top Thai songs of 2023, followed by other popular tracks from previous years. - YOUNGOHM - Thatthong Sound feat. SONOFO - INDIGO - เส้นบางๆ - COCKTAIL - ไม่เป็นรอง - PALMY - สนิทใจ - POP Pongkool feat. Da Endorphine - สลักจิต - CHRRISSA - เลือดกรุ๊ปบี - NuNew - รักแท้ (True Love) - sarah salola ft. Mean TaitosmitH - คืนให้ - Jeff Satur - Dum Dum - แค่มองตา - KWANG ABnormal

Favorite Thai Songs 2023

Here are some of the editor's handpicked favorite Thai songs that you might hear in TV shows, online Youtube shows, or while traveling in Thailand. This list will be updated from time to time, so stay tuned to this post to discover more songs. - Potato - เธอยัง... - Endorphine - น้ำเต็มแก้ว - THEMOONWILLALWAYSBEWITHME - ซูลูปาก้า ตาปาเฮ้ - Musketeers, Maiyarap - พิจารณา (Consider) - 4EVE - Life Boy - NONT TANONT - พิง - เพลงประกอบละคร กระเช้าสีดา - SHERRY - เธอไม่ได้สอนให้ฉันอยู่คนเดียว - Mirrr - เจ้าของ��ี - Three Man Down - เด็กเกินไป (Too Young) - YourMOOD - ลาก่อน I hope you enjoy this ultimate Top Thai Songs 2023 playlist. In a unique twist, I have added new music from various countries and included popular Thai songs from 2020 to 2022, providing a refreshing change to the playlist. The Thai music scene is bursting with talent, and the top songs of 2023 exemplify the country's rich musical heritage and contemporary creativity. Whether you're a fan of pop, ballads, or experimental sounds, this handpicked Spotify playlist offers a diverse range of tracks that will undoubtedly leave you captivated. So, fire up your Spotify and embark on a musical journey like no other as you delve into the top Thai songs of 2023. Don't forget to follow the playlist and share it with your friends so you can all stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest music from Thailand!

Enhance Your Listening Experience with Bluetooth Speakers

Are you looking to take your music listening experience to the next level? Look no further than connecting your Spotify directly to Bluetooth speakers. By seamlessly integrating these two technologies, you can unlock a world of immersive sound and elevate your favorite tunes like never before. Let's explore how this simple yet powerful connection can enhance your musical journey. One of the key benefits of connecting your Spotify to Bluetooth speakers is the ability to achieve deep bass. Bluetooth speakers, especially those designed for optimal audio performance, can deliver rich and powerful bass frequencies that add depth and impact to your music. Whether you're a fan of thumping beats or intricate basslines, these speakers can reproduce the low-end frequencies with exceptional clarity, making your listening experience more captivating and enjoyable. Whether you're at home, on the go, or exploring the great outdoors, Bluetooth speakers offer a seamless connection that allows you to immerse yourself in your favorite tunes like never before. Upgrade your audio setup today and embark on a musical journey that will leave you captivated and inspired. Read the full article

[thegossipsworld]

#MayThai #MayThaiLatestViralVideo #ViralVideo #Viral #ViralVideos #trendingnews #Trending #Newsnight #news #latestnews #viralnews #viralnow #TrendingTweet #maythaiviralvideo

[onestowatch]

88rising’s ‘Head In The Clouds II’ Is the Crew Album of the Decade

There is nothing else out there quite like 88rising. More than just a hybrid management, record label, video production, and marketing company, the collective of artists and creatives is nothing short of revolutionary. 88rising is catapulting Asian culture into new dimensions and mainstream culture, and their latest crew album is a brilliant showing of what they have to offer the world of music at large.

Head In The Clouds II follows 88rising’s debut crew album, Head In The Clouds, and in similar fashion, features both international stars and some of the collective’s biggest heavyweights. From Chinese superstar Jackson Wang to viral Thai artist Phum Viphurit, the list of featured artists reads like a who’s who in the world of Asian music, but Head in The Clouds II also finds unexcepted yet welcomed collaborators in the likes of Major Lazer and Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee.

Impressive tracklisting aside, the collaborative album itself is a sweeping range of sonics, moods, and themes that never suffers for a lack of outward cohesion. Rather, Head In The Clouds II plays out like an evolving picture of a carefree, idyllic summer night. Rich Brian and Chung Ha set the tone in the album’s opening track “These Nights,” a retro-tinted joyride whose combination of trap drums and ‘80s sounds gives the entire affair a sense of out-of-place timelessness. And while the sun begins to set in the somber “Strange Land,” which features NIKI, Phum Viphurit, and breathtaking production that could moonlight as a Jamie xx affair, the real change-up arrives in “Shouldn’t Couldn’t Wouldn’t.”

The NIKI and Rich Brian collaborative track signals a noted thematic shift in Head In The Clouds II, as NIKI takes her claim as 88rising’s queen to heart amongst a moment of stripped-back pop-meets-soul for the ages. More than anything, “Shouldn’t Couldn’t Wouldn’t” is the first apparent moment where the monumental range of the collective’s depth is fully on display–a notion Head In The Clouds II almost seems to revel in as it jumps straight into the house track “Just Used Music Again.”

The remainder of 88rising’s crew album plays out in similar unpredictable fashion, launching between larger-than-life melodic hip-hop, moments of outright acoustic intimacy, and everywhere in between. Yet, no matter what creative inclination or direction 88rising’s Head In The Clouds II may follow throughout its expansive 16-track run, it never feels like a misguided venture. The end result is a crew album that is as diverse as its collaborators.

Listen to Head In The Clouds II below:

For more on 88rising, revisit the time we headed to the collective’s annual music festival to ask festivalgoers 88 things they love about the revolutionary collective. 

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Polaris Prize-winning Toronto rapper Haviah Mighty shares her triumphant new single, ‘Tesla’. The track is taken from her highly anticipated forthcoming mixtape, Stock Exchange set for release on the November 12. On ‘Tesla’ Mighty utlises imaginative futuristic samples, warped synth melodies and a banging percussion line to sit beneath her autotuned chorus and hard hitting verses. [via Purple Sneakers]

Birmingham's Miss LaFamilia has teamed up with Jamaica's Popcaan for her latest cut ‘Monsta’. ‘Monsta’ is Miss LaFamilia's first new release since May's ‘Mob Life’, and sees the Birmingham rapper and singer link with Popcaan for the first time. She says of the new track, "The jumpy beat inspired me to write ‘Monsta ‘ alongside wanting to create a big energy record! Popcaan’s verse was the icing on the cake, his verse just complimented the song naturally and gave that big party energy." [via Line Of Best Fit]

North Texas-born rapper Tay Money has her official debut studio album coming later this year and she's letting all her fans know that she's confidently going to take over the game once it's out, understanding ‘The Assignment’ with her latest single release. After weeks of teasing the record on social media, the 28-year-old rising star has come through with ‘The Assignment.’ It was only a matter of time before somebody came and made a viral track out of this saying, and Tay Money managed to do it first... Duh! [via HNHH]

RAMENGVRL, one of South East Asia’s most dominant hip-hop figures, releases her audacious new single 'I’m Ugly'. In classic RAMENGVRL fashion, 'I’m Ugly' hears the acclaimed Indonesian rap star shut down criticisms on her appearance via self-assured proclamations of her greatness, to prove that nobody can bring her down: “Yes I be ugly and yes you be pretty / but I be evolving and you haters stuck.” Produced by eccentric Korean-based UK beatmaker ROMderful (TOBi, Duckwrth, Jean Deaux), 'I’m Ugly' fuses UK hip hop and grime-influenced rhythms with RAMENGVRL’s characteristic swagger and charisma. As with all of RAMENGVRL’s music, 'I’m Ugly' is further symbolized by an undeniably imaginative and quirky music video. With a signature plot twist at the end, the clip documents the lengthy and soul-destroying moments of the editing process of a beauty campaign, envisioning RAMENGVRL undergoing significant editing processes in an attempt to mould into the societal ‘standard’ of beauty.  With a star-studded cast of Asian celebrities making cameo appearances to bring RAMENGVRL’s vision to life (including hotshot Korean rapper Queen WA$ABII, rising Thai rapper Tsunari and enigmatic Singaporean electronic artist Jasmine Sokko), the music video’s message criticizes unhealthy global obsessions of achieving a universal standard of beauty, which can lead to a loss of one’s identity, as well as increasing pressures to achieve these looks by undergoing extreme surgeries. Speaking about 'I’m Ugly', RAMENGVRL shared: "This song is about shutting down people who like to bring us down by telling us we’re ugly or we’re not up to societies standards, but lemme tell you something: if you’re in your bag and you’re killing the game, then you ain’t ugly. IN FACT, I’d much rather be ugly with a Prada bag than be pretty with a lotta debt - perioooood! This song is for all the “ugly b*tches” out there, who might not fit society’s standards of “beauty”, but are super confident, securing the bag and basically killin’ it in their own way."

London's Kay Young has shared her new single 'I've Got You' in full. The multi-talented South London artist will release her new EP This Here Feels Good shortly, featuring material written and recorded over the pandemic. New single 'I've Got You' underlines Kay's potency, and it also illuminates the different facets running through her music. The beat moves from hip-hop to a faint trace of UKG, while the vocal moves from the soulful interpolation of JNR WILLIAMS through to Kay's rap inflections. A song shot through with conviction and inner belief, she says: “I wrote this song for a friend who was going through a rough time. I wanted her to know that her battle was my battle and that we would fight it together.” [via Clash]

Rising rapper SB has given us visuals for her tune, ‘Whole Package’. With drops such as ‘Clout’ and her ‘Flamerz Flow’ remix, SB has shown us why she’s one to watch in recent times and she reminds us once again on this new joint. Produced by T1 On The Beat and STYM, this drop from SB sees her get active on a head-bopping beat with to-the-point bars, in visuals which show moving like a boss. [via GRM Daily]

[covid19updater]

COVID19 Updates: 08/14/2020

France: NEW: French government declares Paris a "red" COVID zone, allowing local authorities to re-impose certain restrictions.  The French government has declared the city and the area around Marseille on the Mediterranean coast as "red" zones with a high coronavirus infection.  It comes as the latest data shows over the past week there has been a 66 percent increase in newly reported cases and a 52 percent rise in weekly incidence rate per 100,000 population, indicating a sharp rise in COVID-19. risk. LINK

US: CDC director warns America is in for the ‘worst fall…we’ve ever had’ LINK

Japan: Tokyo confirms 389 new cases of coronavirus LINK

World: Wrong person, place and time: viral load and contact network structure predict SARS-CoV-2 transmission and super-spreading events LINK

Hawaii: Hawaii sees 2 more deaths and a record 355 new coronavirus cases.  Officials counted 3,384 new test results in today’s tally, with the 355 positive results representing 10.5% of the total, the highest one-day rate so far for Hawaii. LINK

Texas: Covid19 patient gets married from hospital bed LINK

India: India Medical Association reports 196 doctors in India have been killed by Coronavirus

Tennessee: Schools can stay open until coronavirus positivity rate hits 25%, Shelby County health department says LINK

Canada: More than 500 people may have been exposed to COVID-19 at Toronto strip club LINK

US: Coronavirus updates: CDC forecast predicts death toll could reach 200,000 by Labor Day LINK

Canada: Canada-U.S. border closure extended again amid tension over restrictions LINK

Thailand: Coronavirus: Thai nursery pupils forced to play alone in individual screened-off areas LINK

Florida: Video shows Wendy’s manager coughing on customer’s food in Miramar LINK

World: Forced Isolation May Be the Only Way to Stop Resurgence of Virus LINK

Georgia: White House warns of ‘widespread and expanding’ COVID-19 spread in Georgia LINK

World:  Coronavirus Live Updates: C.D.C. Guidance Shows Three-Month Window of Safety After Recovery LINK (Yep...so they are starting to admit now that the antibodies don’t last...drip, drip, drip)

Spain: Spain bans smoking in public nationwide and closes restaurants and bars LINK

Hawaii: Officials 'looking at' delaying tourist return amid spike in COVID-19 cases LINK

US: CDC asks 4 states and a city to draft coronavirus vaccine distribution plans LINK (Don’t be an “early adopter” of a rushed “vaccine”)

New Zealand: Coronavirus: Government will send all confirmed Covid-19 community cases to quarantine facilities LINK

World: SARS-CoV-2 and the Role of Orofecal Transmission: Evidence Brief LINK

Illinois: Coronavirus outbreak in southeast Illinois linked to 'mini-prom' LINK

South Dakota: Health officials issue COVID-19 alerts across South Dakota. LINK

North Carolina: Mouse with COVID-19 bites researcher during clinical trial at UNC LINK

Wisconsin: Coronavirus: Officials monitoring Wisconsin, Minnesota COVID-19 outbreaks at Seneca Foods plants LINK

[yessadirichards]

Asia virus latest: Bangkok hospitals protect babies with face shields

SINGAPORE: Here are the latest developments in Asia related to the novel coronavirus pandemic:

- Bangkok hospitals protect babies with face shields -

Fast asleep, swaddled in a towel and snug in a pink beanie, a baby born during a pandemic in a Thai hospital needs one last item to ensure its health -- a face shield.

Bangkok hospitals are using them on newborns in their maternity wards to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

- Taiwan reports no new infections -

Taiwan reported no new infections, the first time the daily tally has been zero in 36 days.

The island was hit early by the coronavirus but managed to keep initial infections low and stop the disease spreading locally.

Taiwan also suffered a second wave of cases -- but the latest figures offer hope that authorities have managed to bring it under control.

- Bali surfers in hot water -

More than a dozen foreign surfers on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali were given warnings by authorities after breaking virus rules by hitting the waves on closed beaches.

Meanwhile, some other foreigners were pilloried online after photos of a group of them partying on the island went viral on social media.

- India nationwide lockdown extended -

India's nationwide lockdown, the biggest imposed in the world over the coronavirus pandemic, will be extended until at least May 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

The current three-week-old lockdown of the nation of 1.3 billion people had been scheduled to end at midnight Tuesday.

"From the economic angle, we have paid a big price," Modi said in a nationwide address. "But the lives of the people of India are far more valuable."

- Asean leaders meet online -

Vietnam and Thailand will urge Southeast Asian leaders to set up an emergency fund to tackle the coronavirus at a summit held online, as the pandemic ravages the region's tourism and export-reliant economies.

Hanoi is chairing an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) meeting on Covid-19, with the country touting its success so far in containing the virus with extensive quarantines and social distancing.

Singapore allows teachers to use Zoom again -

The city-state is allowing teachers to resume using Zoom, the video-conferencing platform said, following its suspension for online lessons last week after gatecrashers interrupted a class and made lewd comments.

Zoom -- which has exploded in popularity but faces growing security concerns -- said it had taken steps to address the education ministry's concerns, including giving officials control over teacher accounts.

Singapore meanwhile reported 386 new coronavirus cases, its biggest increase in a single day, as the city-state battles a growing second wave of infections.

- Australia, New Zealand flatten virus curve but keep lockdowns intact -

Australia and New Zealand brushed aside calls for an easing of tough restrictions on travel and public gatherings despite their success in curbing the spread of Covid-19.

The number of new coronavirus cases in the neighbouring nations has fallen dramatically in the last two weeks, raising hopes that difficult social distancing measures may be relaxed.

Tasmania, meanwhile, ordered an investigation into reports of an "illegal" dinner party attended by medical workers that caused an outbreak of COVID-19 and forced two hospitals in the Australian island state to close.- Markets rise on China trade data -

Asian markets posted gains as better than expected Chinese trade data suggested a rebound from the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.

- China reports more imported cases -

China reported 89 new coronavirus infections, 86 of which were imported from overseas.

The country where the virus emerged last year has largely brought its domestic outbreak under control, but faces a growing second wave of infections brought in from overseas by returning nationals.

- World's smallest woman in India stay-at-home virus appeal -

The world's shortest woman took to the streets in central India to call on people to stay at home, after police appealed for help enforcing a coronavirus lockdown.

Jyoti Amge, who is just 62.8 centimetres tall (just over two feet tall), encouraged people to wash their hands and wear a mask and gloves when they leave their homes as she made appearances across Nagpur city, in Maharashtra state.

[bigyack-com]

Etihad to Trial Technology Designed to Identify Passengers with Symptoms of Illness

Etihad Airways has partnered with Elenium Automation, an Australian company, to trial technology which allows self-service devices at airports to be used to help identify travellers with symptoms of illness. Etihad will be the first airline to trial the technology, which can monitor the temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate of any person using an airport touchpoint such as a check-in or information kiosk, a bag drop facility, a security point or immigration gate. The Elenium system will automatically suspend the self-service check-in or bag drop process if a passenger’s vital signs indicate potential symptoms of illness, such as a very high temperature. It will then divert to a teleconference or alert qualified staff on site, who can make further assessments.

Etihad will trial the monitoring technology at its hub airport in Abu Dhabi at the end of April and throughout May 2020, initially with a range of volunteers, and, as flights resume, outbound passengers. Jorg Oppermann, Vice President Hub and Midfield Operations, Etihad Airways, said, “This technology is not designed or intended to diagnose medical conditions. It is an early warning indicator which will help to identify people with general symptoms, so that they can be further assessed by medical experts, potentially preventing the spread of some conditions to others preparing to board flights to multiple destinations. It has long been the case that aircraft, with their highly sophisticated air-recycling systems and standards of hygiene are not the transmission vehicle for illnesses. We are testing this technology because we believe it will not only help in the current COVID19 outbreak, but also into the future, with assessing a passenger’s suitability to travel and thus minimising disruptions. At Etihad we see this is another step towards ensuring that future viral outbreaks do not have the same devastating effect on the global aviation industry as is currently the case.” See latest Travel News, Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Etihad, Abu Dhabi. Headlines: Changi Airport in Singapore to Suspend T2 Operations for 18 Months  Hong Kong Extends Ban on Non-Resident Arrivals and Transit Indefinitely  Etihad to Trial Technology That Identifies Passengers with Symptoms of Illness  Air Canada Extends Status of All Altitude FFP Members  Japan Coast Guard Orders Two More Airbus H225 Helicopters  Owner to Rebrand Four Seasons Hotel and Residence in Shanghai  Marlon Abeyakoon Appointed GM of New Resort in Maldives  Boeing to Suspend 787 Operations in South Carolina  ITE Hong Kong Postponed Until August 2020  IATA Postpones 76th AGM and World Air Transport Summit  InterContinental Bali Distributing 'Homemade' Face Masks  Etihad Encourages FFP Members to Donate Miles  Avani Seminyak Bali Appoints I Made Subrata as GM  Two Dassault Falcon Business Jets to Assist Operation Resilience in France  Delta Extends SkyMiles FFP Benefits and Status  Airbus Uses Test Aircraft to Fly 4 Million More Face Masks to Europe  Royal Netherlands Air Force Takes Delivery of First of 20 CH-47F Chinooks  IATA: This is Aviation's Darkest Hour  Accor to Close More Hotels; Cut Costs  Airlines in Asia Pacific Need Urgent Financial Support  Thai Airways Staff on Temporary Leave From 4 April - 31 May  American Airlines Makes Further Changes to Flight Schedule  Air Canada to Operate More Repatriation Flights  Boeing to Suspend Production in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania  Oakwood Opens Third Property in Jakarta, Indonesia  Increasing ORs Hint at Early Signs of Recovery for Hotels in China  Air Cargo Demand Slumps in February  Vietnam Airlines to Operate Just Three Return Flights Per Day  Qatar Airways Suspends JFK Flights; Madrid and Barcelona Next  Airbus Sites in Germany and Spain Producing 3D Printed Visor Frames  EU Waives Airport Slots Use Rule for Summer Season  CapitaLand Appoints Kevin Goh as CEO - Lodging  Relais & Châteaux Adds First Hotel in Bangkok to Collection  Airlines Could Burn Through US$61 Billion of Cash Reserves in Q2  Marriott Warns Millions of Guests About Security Breach  Airbnb to Support Hosts During COVID19 Crisis  Vietnam Airlines Launches Cargo-Only Flights  774-Room Grand Richmond Convention Hotel in Nonthaburi Closes for Two Months  Sindhorn Midtown Bangkok Opens Tower with 49 Serviced Residences  Air Canada to Layoff 16,500 Employees; Reduce Q2 Capacity by 85-90%  Qatar Airways Launches Belly-Hold Cargo Flights to Six Destinations in China  Vietnam Airlines Closes Airport Lounges  RevPAR of Hotels in USA Forecast to Drop 50.6% in 2020  Delta Retains Cargo Tender and Acceptance Capabilities at Tokyo-Narita  Airbus Pauses Majority of Production in Spain  Vietnam Airlines to Reduce Frequency of Domestic Flights  WHO Launches COVID19 WhatsApp Service in Arabic, French and Spanish  Qatar Airways' FFP Offers 12-Month Tier Extension  Etihad Cargo Using Boeing 787-10 Aircraft as Freighters  Air Canada Continues COVID19 Repatriation Flights  Airbus Flies Over 4 Million More Face Masks to Europe  American Airlines Reduces Capacity Further  Hilton to Take Over 1,080-Room Hotel on Orchard Road, Singapore  AirAsia Suspending Most Flights Across Network  Asia Pacific Airlines Carried 17 Million Passengers in February  SIA to Issue S$5.3b in New Equity and Raise Up To S$9.7b via MCB  Qatar Airways Expands Flights to Australia to Help Get People Home  Virgin Atlantic Operates First Ever Cargo-Only Charter  IATA Calls for Urgent Financial Relief from European Governments  Bombardier Suspends 'All Non-Essential Work' in Canada  ANA Partners Skyscanner; Achieves IATA NDC Level 3  COVID19: 75 Million Travel and Tourism Jobs at Immediate Risk  Air Cargo Supply Lines Must Remain Open  American to Operate Repatriation Flights from Honduras and Brazil  Air Canada Launches Cargo Flights to Europe  Air New Zealand Ramps Up Cargo Operations  AirAsia Updates Rebooking Policy  Embraer Helping to Combat COVID19 in Brazil  Thai Airways Cancels Flights to Australia, Europe and Regionally  Tokyo 2020 to Take Place in 2021  Air Canada Organises Two Extra Flights from Quito, Ecuador  Korean Air Execs Take Pay Cut; Airline to Use Passenger Planes for Cargo  Aviation: IATA Calls on Governments to Give More Support  American Airlines Closes Lounges, Changes In-Flight Service and Seating  France's Daily Hotel Occupancy Plummets to Just 3.3%  A400M Delivers Critically-Needed Mask Supplies to Spain  Air Canada to Operate Six Special Flights to Barcelona, Lima and Quito  Bangkok Airways to Close All Airport Lounges  UAE to Ban ALL Passenger Flights for Two Weeks  Etihad Airways Suspends Transit Travel Through Abu Dhabi  Hong Kong's Airport Authority Launches New HK$1 Billion Relief Package  Ryan Jette Joins Capella Singapore as Executive Chef  Austrian Airlines Extends Flight Suspension to 19 April  Singapore Airlines to Ground 138 of 147 Aircraft  COVID19: Sabre to Cut Costs by US$200 Million  HD Videos and Interviews  Podcasts from HD Video Interviews  Travel Trade Shows in 2019, 2020 and 2021  High-Res Picture Galleries  Travel News Asia - Latest Travel Industry News  Read the full article

[southeastasianists]

In the last days of 2016, a warning from the Thai government spread across Cambodia’s social media like a stain: canned food manufactured in Thailand had been contaminated with HIV. At the urging of some nameless supervisor, the story went, more than 200 HIV-positive workers had intentionally infected countless products with their blood. On Facebook, on Twitter, in mass texts, the message was clear: no Thai product was safe.

It wasn’t until the Thai embassy in Cambodia released a furious statement that rumour gave way to reality: nothing about the story was true. Although exposed as a lie, it had already gone viral.

As Cambodians increasingly turn to social media for their daily information fix, the fervour for ‘fake news’ – which has saturated Western media since it came to define the 2016 US presidential election – has taken hold of a nation where lies and libel have long been used as political weapons.

“[Many social media accounts] just spread rumours instead of posting about confirmed news, and they can also be biased,” said 24-year-old human resources worker Hak Sreypov, a view shared by many of the Phnom Penh residents Southeast Asia Globe spoke to. “So when I read those [sources], I lose confidence and trust in them. Also, sometimes they try to attack certain individuals with their posts. When I see that, I think the page can’t be trusted.”

Sreypov said Facebook remained her main source of news despite its unreliability.

And with some news sites getting plenty of clicks even with dubious content, they are not shying away from publishing material yet to be proven either true or false, choosing instead to regurgitate unsourced information that falls in line with their own political biases.

In early February, a Facebook account under the name ‘Seyha’ posted an unverified recording allegedly exposing then-opposition leader Sam Rainsy working his Parisian charm on an unknown woman. With it came a warning: “All the CNRP [Cambodia National Rescue Party] supporters, please listen: Sam Rainsy, our president, always seeks sexual intercourse with a masseuse and now even a waitress, known as Phal.”

As scoops go, they don’t come much better. Digital news site-cum-government mouthpiece Fresh News soon had the story. Poised above the pained smirk of Cambodia’s most famous opposition face, the black text almost seemed to burn a hole into the screen: “Sam Rainsy Allegedly Seduces a Waitress”.

Alongside the article – an admirable exercise in economy of language at just four paragraphs – was the recording itself: “Today is Thursday,” the man’s voice cooed. “Tomorrow is Friday, then Saturday. Saturday we’ll meet with each other.”

“2017 is the year that CNRP’s heads have faced many alleged mistresses,” Fresh News added helpfully.

Last month, several opposition lawmakers found themselves facing public humiliation after Fresh News faithfully reproduced a barrage of unsourced accusations from the same Facebook page suggesting they were caught up in illegal gambling, extramarital affairs and – most sordidly – public sex within the National Assembly. Never one to miss an opportunity, Prime Minister Hun Sen called for an internal investigation into the rumours and, should it be required, a Buddhist ceremony to thoroughly “cleanse” the building.  

Coming less than a week before Cambodia’s exiled opposition leader resigned from his post, in what he framed as an effort to save his party from dissolution at the hands of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), this latest round of rumour and raunch may have seemed the least of Rainsy’s worries. But as the international media works itself to fever pitch over the spectre of so-called ‘fake news’, the regime’s relentless attacks on the reputations of its enemies has taken on a grim new character.

Days after Rainsy’s resignation, a letter allegedly written by him was circulated on social media after appearing on Fresh News. In it, “Rainsy” pushed CNRP leaders to appoint his wife as the party’s new president ahead of his deputy Kem Sokha. Although Rainsy dismissed the document as fake, Hun Manith – head of military intelligence and one of the prime minister’s sons – held it up on social media as proof of infighting within the opposition.

For Cambodian Centre for Human Rights executive director Chak Sopheap, it is a pattern of deception that shows few signs of easing.

“The recent leaks targeting CNRP politicians may be conducted over a new medium, but the political game being played is a familiar one,” she said. “Then, as now, these personal matters are used as an attempted distraction from the severe human rights issues plaguing the country.”

Council of Ministers spokesperson Phay Siphan said the leaks were a matter for private individuals.

“We don’t have any law to regulate social media – we don’t have that,” he said. “But we are worrying, everyone in Cambodia, about fake news.”

On 1 March, Rainsy raised the stakes by distributing an extensive cache of alleged text messages involving senior CPP figures, members of Hun Sen’s family and prominent businesspeople. As Southeast Asia Globe went to print the content of the alleged logs had not been verified but appeared to highlight links between the ruling party and several high-profile business moguls.

Rainsy, who claimed he had not even read the files before forwarding them from an anonymous source to the media, appeared unaware of the hypocrisy of leaking unverified personal information while telling the Cambodia Daily: “I am not going to take part in one way or another in this despicable game with very cheap people.”

The opposition has not been entirely innocent of stretching the truth to further its own agenda either – though there’s no doubt that the consequences of their claims have been more severe in a country where defamation suits are frequently wielded as a blunt instrument by the ruling party. In November, opposition senator Hong Sok Hour was sentenced to seven years in prison on forgery-related charges for his involvement in a 2015 video posted online that presented a fake 1979 treaty between Vietnam and Cambodia to “dissolve” the border between the two nations. This accusation – echoing the long-held CNRP line that Hun Sen and his party are little more than Vietnamese stooges – continues to resonate among the CNRP and its supporters: in December, Rainsy and two of his assistants were sentenced in absentia to five years in prison for a Facebook post once again holding up the treaty as legitimate. Six months earlier, Rainsy was ordered to pay almost $40,000 after falsely claiming that the 1980s regime led by now-National Assembly president Heng Samrin had sentenced King Norodom Sihanouk to death. No such sentence was passed.

Long Sokunthyda, an 18-year-old majoring in global affairs at the American University of Phnom Penh, said she was sceptical of information spread across social media by politicians from all parties.

“They’re promoting themselves,” she said. “It’s all about the good deeds that they do, so we don’t really know whether it’s true or not because they’re just trying to self-promote.”

CNRP vice-president and rights activist Mu Sochua rejected the idea that the opposition manufactured information to match their own agenda.

“I don’t think we have used social media to spread false documents or news – it’s not part of our strategy,” she said. “We do not create false documents. If we have information, we will share it with the public, but we don’t produce fake documents.”

For 22-year-old salesperson Hun Chanpisey, though, not all consumers of online news are savvy enough to filter fact from fiction.

“Most of the time people don’t take the time to really think about the news – they just eat the information up, and even agree with the ideas that the news posted without trying to confirm it,” he said.

Noan Sereiboth, an active blogger and a core member of political discussion group Politikoffee, said anonymous and unsourced rumours targeting opposition politicians on social media were only becoming more frequent as commune elections scheduled for June draw closer.

“It is a big concern when [social media users] share [a story] without knowing if it is true or not or reading it in detail – because sometimes it is just propaganda,” he said. “Now some fake account users are trying to spread sexual and gambling rumours of opposition party members to defame and attack them… Whether it is true or not, it can destroy their reputation and dignity and… disturb their ability to campaign in the upcoming election.”

Sopheap said that while social media had freed many young Cambodians from a media landscape previously dominated by government-aligned networks, its lack of accountability made it a minefield of dangerous misinformation.

“The rise of social media can be seen as a double-edged sword,” she said. “For the first time, enriched information is accessible to a large section of the population, marking an improvement to the prior situation in which people mostly relied on pro-government news sources. However, as we have seen, this also leaves people very vulnerable to manipulation by fake news.”

It is a problem that will only continue to grow as Cambodia’s youth become more and more entrenched in social media. An Asia Foundation report into mobile use in Cambodia released last year revealed that Facebook had overtaken other media as the number one source for news among Cambodians, with 30% of respondents reporting that social media was their primary way of getting informed about news and current events. As with the rest of the world, it is a transition driven by rising access to technology: the survey found that almost half of Cambodians owned at least one smartphone – more than double the percentage reported three years ago.

Sereiboth suggested that a dearth of independent mainstream media was partly to blame for driving young Cambodians toward alternative news sources. “When media outlets affiliated with the ruling party provide biased news, the youth turns to social media to access news to see the real Cambodia rather than to believe what one side tells them,” he said.

The murky ownership of Cambodia’s Khmer-language news outlets has long been criticised by human rights groups, but the extent of Hun Sen’s domination of the Kingdom’s media was dragged into the spotlight once more with the publication of Global Witness’ Hostile Takeover report last year.

The report listed Hun Sen’s eldest daughter Hun Mana as one of two media moguls with extensive holdings across radio, television and the print media. The three television stations and one radio station broadcast by media company Bayon Media Hight System, of which Mana is both chairperson and majority shareholder, are notorious for their bias toward the ruling party. Popular Khmer language newspaper Kampuchea Thmey Daily, which frequently publishes pro-CPP articles, is similarly chaired and owned by Mana.  

Pa Nguon Teang, executive director of the Cambodian Centre for Independent Media, said the prime minister’s grip on Cambodia would not be possible without his family’s stranglehold on the nation’s news outlets. “Hun Sen has ruled this country by media, not by a system of authority,” he told Southeast Asia Globe after the report’s release.

For Vanaka Chhem-Kieth, a lecturer at Paññasastra University and co-founder of Politikoffee Media, the lack of trustworthy mainstream news sources in Cambodia made the potential pitfalls of social media even more concerning than in countries with reliable independent media. “Social media, Facebook and so on are a fact of life – it’s the tool of our generation,” he said. “And just like in any other country it’s a learning process, except that some of the potential drawbacks here and cons of social media are potentially a lot bigger than [in the West].”

In the lead-up to the June commune elections, he said, the risk of an increasingly polarised population would only be worsened by the unsourced information saturating social media.

“It could [affect the election] in terms of fake news being spread around, in terms of people reacting in very emotional ways to events or news that can more easily be blown out of proportion through that platform rather than through balanced and less-instant media,” he said. “So there’s definitely additional risks.”

The Kingdom remains rife with rumour, a situation that appears unlikely to change any time soon. And for Sokunthyda, the problem is reflective of a deep political divide within Cambodia’s public.

“It depends which side you’re on,” she said. “You see what you want to see and you trust what you want to trust.”

– Additional reporting by Hemmunind Hou

[savetopnow]

2018-04-03 06 TECH now

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[day0one]

Vietnam: How this country of 95 million kept its coronavirus death toll at zero

When the world looked to Asia for successful examples in handling the novel coronavirus outbreak, much attention and plaudits were paid to South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

But there's one overlooked success story -- Vietnam. The country of 97 million people has not reported a single coronavirus-related death and on Saturday had just 328 confirmed cases, despite its long border with China and the millions of Chinese visitors it receives each year.

This is all the more remarkable considering Vietnam is a low-middle income country with a much less-advanced healthcare system than others in the region. It only has 8 doctors for every 10,000 people, a third of the ratio in South Korea, according to the World Bank.

After a three-week nationwide lockdown, Vietnam lifted social distancing rules in late April. It hasn't reported any local infections for more than 40 days. Businesses and schools have reopened, and life is gradually returning to normal.

To skeptics, Vietnam's official numbers may seem too good to be true. But Guy Thwaites, an infectious disease doctor who works in one of the main hospitals designated by the Vietnamese government to treat Covid-19 patients, said the numbers matched the reality on the ground.

"I go to the wards every day, I know the cases, I know there has been no death," said Thwaites, who also heads the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City.

"If you had unreported or uncontrolled community transmission, then we'll be seeing cases in our hospital, people coming in with chest infections perhaps not diagnosed -- that has never happened," he said.

So how has Vietnam seemingly bucked the global trend and largely escaped the scourge of the coronavirus? The answer, according to public health experts, lies in a combination of factors, from the government's swift, early response to prevent its spread, to rigorous contact-tracing and quarantining and effective public communication.

Acting early Vietnam started preparing for a coronavirus outbreak weeks before its first case was detected.

At the time, the Chinese authorities and the World Health Organization had both maintained that there was no "clear evidence'' for human-to-human transmission. But Vietnam was not taking any chances.

"We were not only waiting for guidelines from WHO. We used the data we gathered from outside and inside (the country to) decide to take action early," said Pham Quang Thai, deputy head of the Infection Control Department at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi.

By early January, temperature screening was already in place for passengers arriving from Wuhan at Hanoi's international airport. Travelers found with a fever were isolated and closely monitored, the country's national broadcaster reported at the time.

By mid-January, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam was ordering government agencies to take "drastic measures" to prevent the disease from spreading into Vietnam, strengthening medical quarantine at border gates, airports and seaports.

On January 23, Vietnam confirmed its first two coronavirus cases -- a Chinese national living in Vietnam and his father, who had traveled from Wuhan to visit his son. The next day, Vietnam's aviation authorities canceled all flights to and from Wuhan.

As the country celebrated the Lunar New Year holiday, its Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc declared war on the coronavirus. "Fighting this epidemic is like fighting the enemy," he said at an urgent Communist Party meeting on January 27. Three days later, he set up a national steering committee on controlling the outbreak -- the same day the WHO declared the coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern.

On February 1, Vietnam declared a national epidemic -- with just six confirmed cases recorded across the country. All flights between Vietnam and China were halted, followed by the suspension of visas to Chinese citizens the next day.

Over the course of the month, the travel restrictions, arrival quarantines and visa suspensions expanded in scope as the coronavirus spread beyond China to countries like South Korea, Iran and Italy. Vietnam eventually suspended entry to all foreigners in late March.

Vietnam was also quick to take proactive lockdown measures. On February 12, it locked down an entire rural community of 10,000 people north of Hanoi for 20 days over seven coronavirus cases -- the first large-scale lockdown known outside China. Schools and universities, which had been scheduled to reopen in February after the Lunar New Year holiday, were ordered to remain closed, and only reopened in May.

Thwaites, the infectious disease expert in Ho Chi Minh City, said the speed of Vietnam's response was the main reason behind its success.

"Their actions in late January and early February were very much in advance of many other countries. And that was enormously helpful ... for them to be able to retain control," he said.

Meticulous contact-tracing The decisive early actions effectively curbed community transmission and kept Vietnam's confirmed cases at just 16 by February 13. For three weeks, there were no new infections -- until the second wave hit in March, brought by Vietnamese returning from abroad.

Authorities rigorously traced down the contacts of confirmed coronavirus patients and placed them in a mandatory two-week quarantine.

"We have a very strong system: 63 provincial CDCs (centers for disease control), more than 700 district-level CDCs, and more than 11,000 commune health centers. All of them attribute to contact tracing," said doctor Pham with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

A confirmed coronavirus patient has to give health authorities an exhaustive list of all the people he or she has met in the past 14 days. Announcements are placed in newspapers and aired on television to inform the public of where and when a coronavirus patient has been, calling on people to go to health authorities for testing if they have also been there at the same time, Pham said.

When the Bach Mai hospital in Hanoi, one of the biggest hospitals in Vietnam, became a coronavirus hotspot with dozens of cases in March, authorities imposed a lockdown on the facility and tracked down nearly 100,000 people related to the hospital, including medics, patients, visitors and their close contacts, according to Pham.

"Using contact-tracing, we located almost everyone, and asked them to stay home and self quarantine, (and that) if they have any symptoms, they can visit the health centers for free testing," he said.

Authorities also tested more than 15,000 people linked to the hospitals, including 1,000 health care workers.

Vietnam's contact-tracing effort was so meticulous that it goes after not only the direct contacts of an infected person, but also indirect contacts. "That's one of the unique parts of their response. I don't think any country has done quarantine to that level," Thwaites said.

All direct contacts were placed in government quarantine in health centers, hotels or military camps. Some indirect contacts were ordered to self isolate at home, according to a study of Vietnam's Covid-19 control measures by about 20 public health experts in the country.

As of May 1, about 70,000 people had been quarantined in Vietnam's government facilities, while about 140,000 had undergone isolation at home or in hotels, the study said.

The study also found that of the country's first 270 Covid-19 patients, 43 percent were asymptomatic cases -- which it said highlighted the value of strict contact-tracing and quarantine. If authorities had not proactively sought out people with infection risks, the virus could have quietly spread in communities days before being detected.

Public communication and propaganda From the start, the Vietnamese government has communicated clearly with the public about the outbreak.

Dedicated websites, telephone hotlines and phone apps were set up to update the public on the latest situations of the outbreak and medical advisories. The ministry of health also regularly sent out reminders to citizens via SMS messages.

Pham said on a busy day, the national hotlines alone could receive 20,000 calls, not to count the hundreds of provincial and district-level hotlines.

The country's massive propaganda apparatus was also mobilized, raising awareness of the outbreak through loudspeakers, street posters, the press and social media. In late February, the health ministry released a catchy music video based on a Vietnamese pop hit to teach people how to properly wash their hands and other hygiene measures during the outbreak. Known as the "hand-washing song," it immediately went viral, so far attracting more than 48 million views on Youtube.

Thwaites said Vietnam's rich experience in dealing with infectious disease outbreaks, such as the SARS epidemic from 2002 to 2003 and the following avian influenza, had helped the government and the public to better prepare for the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The population is much more respectful of infectious diseases than many perhaps more affluent countries or countries that don't see as much infectious disease -- Europe, the UK and the US for example," he said.

"The country understands that these things need to be taken seriously and complies with guidance from the government on how to prevent the infection from spreading."

[theinvinciblenoob]

Ziad Reslan Contributor

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Wael Abbas, a human rights activist focused on police brutality in Egypt has been under arrest since May on charges of spreading fake news and “misusing social media.” Andy Hall, a labor rights researcher, has been fighting charges under Thailand’s computer crime laws because of a report published online that identified abuses of migrant workers.

You wouldn’t normally mention Egypt and Thailand in the same breath. But both countries underwent military coups within the last five years, and even among the many oppressive regimes in the world, they are going to extra lengths today to prosecute free speech. 

Abbas and Hall are just two examples of hundreds of recent prosecutions. In 2017 alone, Egyptian security forces arrested at least 240 people based on online posts. Three years after the coup, Thai authorities had charged more than 105 people just for posting comments deemed offensive to the monarchy. 

To be clear, neither country has ever been a bastion of free speech. With one exception, Thailand has been ranked “not free” every year that political-rights nonprofit Freedom House has published its Freedom on the Net Report. Egypt’s score has steadily declined since the height of the Arab Spring, going from “partly free” to “not free” in the last three years.      

Sanja Kelly has been with Freedom House for 14 years and has headed its Internet Freedom division since 2010. She tells me that what’s especially alarming is the extent to which authorities in both Egypt and Thailand have gone to silence online dissent. Activists and dissidents may well anticipate persecution around the world, but today housewives, students and even tourists in Egypt and Thailand have become the target of prosecutions for as little as posting a video or responding to a private message on social media.

Over the last five years both Egypt and Thailand have experienced an unprecedented crackdown on internet freedom. “In 2015, the Egyptian government blocked only two websites. Today, they are blocking over 500,” Kelly explained. “The situation in Egypt and Thailand is now among the most repressive in the world.” 

Egypt

Since El-Sisi seized power in 2013 in a coup, the Egyptian government has taken drastic steps to clamp down online. In its latest move, the government passed a law in September that makes any social media user with more than 5,000 followers subject to regulation as a publisher. So now in Egypt, if you have more than 5,000 Twitter followers, for example, you’re subject to the same regulations that the New York Times has on what it publishes.

It wasn’t always like this. Back in 2011, Facebook and Twitter were hailed as drivers behind the Arab Spring. The protests that resulted led to the toppling of Hosni Mubarak who had ruled the country for nearly 30 years. At their height, many journalists even started calling the protests the “Twitter uprising” and the “Facebook revolution.”

Last year, we raised rainbow flags in Mashrou’ Leila concert & posted this picture on our Facebook page. Just saying ⁦#we_exist⁩ led to a massive crackdown on the ⁦#LGBT⁩ community in ⁦#Egypt⁩. ⁦#IDAHOT2018⁩ ⁦#together_we_rise⁩ ⁧#حق_طبيعي⁩ ⁧#الملايين_منا #كلنا_واحد pic.twitter.com/eLQicniBYL

— Rainbow Egypt (@rainbowegyptorg) May 17, 2018

Kelly tells me that freedom on the internet in Egypt has been getting progressively worse since Sisi seized power. Even under Mubarak, the authorities were not as concerned with policing speech on the internet. But that has completely changed since 2013.    

Kelly adds that the measures Egyptian authorities passed this year were intended to tighten their grip on social media and internet use even further. The result has been more and more Egyptians being arrested, with the authorities using a combination of laws to bring charges. 

Thailand

Thailand has long been known for its strict application of its lèse majesté laws under which any criticism of the Thai king or his family can lead to years in jail. But since the 2014 military coup, the enforcement of these laws has gone into overdrive. The ruling military junta in Thailand has also beefed up computer crimes and defamation laws to make it all but impossible to express dissent online.     

According to Human Rights Watch, since the coup in 2014, the junta has ramped up arrests under the 2007 Computer-Related Crime Act (CCA). Last year, the military amplified the 2007 law by providing grounds for the government to prosecute anything they designate as “false,” “partially false,” or “distorted” information, a determination that the government itself gets to make.

Even criticism of the changes to the law itself were outlawed, with the Thai Army Cyber Center warning that posting or sharing online commentary that criticizes the law could be considered false information and result in prosecution.

Kelly tells me that, while the CCA and lèse majesté laws have long been used to stifle online dissent, the amendments last year granted Thai authorities even broader powers. They closed down loopholes in earlier versions of the law, including allowing authorities to jail people for critical messages they receive on their phone even if they don’t share them. This means that if you get a Facebook message in Thailand today criticizing the royal family, then you are under an obligation to delete the message or face prosecution.

Andy Hall found himself in the middle of this progression towards heavier handed enforcement. A labor rights activist, Hall conducted research for a report for the group Finnwatch that found that the Natural Fruit Company, Thailand’s largest producer of pineapples, mistreated its workers. Hall then faced criminal prosecution under the CCA and cyber defamation laws for the report’s publication online and for an interview he later gave to Al-Jazeera about the report. 

Speaking to me from an undisclosed location, Hall tells me he has spent more than $100,000 defending the criminal charges against him — mainly fundraised from supporters — and the better part of the last five years dealing with the charges and his appeals. He admits things could have been much worse: “If I weren’t a British citizen and my case hadn’t gotten as much attention as it has, then I’m not sure I’d be around today to tell my story. Many Thai citizens have lost their lives doing similar work.”

Hall didn’t set out to be a freedom of speech crusader, he had dropped out of his PhD program in 2005 to move to Southeast Asia to become a labor rights investigator, only to find himself in the crosshairs of the country’s defamation laws in 2013. When he was first charged, the government asked him to make a public apology denouncing his research. When he refused, the prosecution continued with his passport being confiscated at one point to prevent him from leaving the country.

Now having taken refuge in a third country, Hall tells me that the actions of the government — especially its increased enforcement of cyber defamation laws over the last year — has bred fear among activists and has had a chilling effect on the work of human rights advocates in Thailand.  

It’s Not Just Activists

According to Kelly, one especially worrying trend about Thailand and Egypt’s increased prosecutions is that authorities have been increasingly willing to go after anyone they deem critical online, not just seasoned activists. Housewives, students and even tourists.

Just in September, a Lebanese tourist was arrested on her way out of Egypt for posting a ten-minute video on Facebook that had gone viral. In the video, she’d complained of sexual harassment she’d experienced while in the country. She was found guilty of deliberately spreading fake news and public indecency for just speaking out about what had been done to her. She now faces an eight year-sentence.

Over in Thailand, a housewife faced up to 15 years in prison for violating lèse-majesté laws because she had responded to a Facebook message critical of the government with one word, “ja” (roughly “yeah” in Thai). While a law student was sentenced to 2.5 years last year under the same laws for sharing a BBC article profiling the new Thai king.

Role of Facebook and Twitter

What role have social media platforms played in all of this? To their credit, companies like Facebook and Twitter have not been silent bystanders who’ve simply applied these draconian laws blindly. To begin with, they enforce global standards for what can and can’t be posted on their platforms, and they don’t modify these standards based on any one country’s repressive defamation laws.

Both Facebook and Twitter also publish periodic transparency reports that aggregate the number of requests they get from governments to take down posts or obtain information on users. This week, Twitter announced that it would let users know when a tweet has been deleted on the basis of a government request.    

A review of the transparency reports for each of Egypt and Thailand though shows that the number of requests are remarkably low given their respective populations and the wide use of Facebook in each of these countries. Facebook says that in 2017 it only received seven requests from Thai authorities and just one from the Egyptians. In response, Facebook provided 17% of data requested by Thais and did not provide any data to the Egyptian government (compared to 32,000 requests by the US government with an 85% production rate by Facebook over the same period).

So how can the number of prosecutions based on social media posts be reconciled with the low number of requests? Kelly tells me it’s likely because Thai and Egyptian authorities have found ways to circumvent platforms altogether knowing that their requests will not be complied with.

What Freedom House has documented instead is arms of the government dedicated to monitoring what’s posted on social media. In the case of Twitter, Thai and Egyptian governments filter for certain words and then use the publicly available tweets as a basis for prosecution. With private Facebook posts, governments go one step further. They create fake profiles with pictures of attractive men and women, send a friend request to their target and get access to a profile when their friend request is accepted. They then use whatever private posts they find to prosecute.   

In one case in Egypt, Kelly tells me the government scanned pictures on Facebook from a concert at which the rainbow flag was displayed. Egyptian authorities then went after the people it could identify from these pictures on the basis of violating morality laws. Using online platforms to entrap members of the LGBTQ community has become a favorite tool of repression by Egyptian authorities. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, at least 77 members of the LGBTQ community have been arrested since the coup for their online expression.

Are Egypt and Thailand the Worst Offenders?

Even though Egypt and Thailand have rung alarm bells this year with the sheer number of prosecutions of online speech, they are still not the worst offenders against speech online. Kelly names Saudi Arabia, China, the UAE, North Korea, and Iran as just some examples of worse offenders. The difference, Kelly explains, is that the regimes in those countries have become extremely adept at fighting online dissent.

The fact that there may have been more prosecutions in Egypt and Thailand this year doesn’t tell the whole story. People in the other countries that Kelly names have just given up on the ability to express dissent online. China’s clampdown doesn’t even need to get to the user level – instead they have companies like Baidu and WeChat control and filter messages at the provider level before they’re even published. Egypt and Thailand are operating at a lower level of sophistication and have a strong and active civil society – which means people there still see a bigger opening and haven’t become completely self-censoring.

The question then becomes, how long will it be before Thailand and Egypt turn into the next China or Saudi Arabia? Will dictatorships be converging in their practices to stifle online speech? Social media may have turned the world into a global village, but it seems that village is also enabling dictators on opposite ends of the globe to better learn from each other’s repressive measures.

via TechCrunch

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Egypt and Thailand: When the military turns against free speech

Ziad Reslan Contributor

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Wael Abbas, a human rights activist focused on police brutality in Egypt has been under arrest since May on charges of spreading fake news and “misusing social media.” Andy Hall, a labor rights researcher, has been fighting charges under Thailand’s computer crime laws because of a report published online that identified abuses of migrant workers.

You wouldn’t normally mention Egypt and Thailand in the same breath. But both countries underwent military coups within the last five years, and even among the many oppressive regimes in the world, they are going to extra lengths today to prosecute free speech. 

Abbas and Hall are just two examples of hundreds of recent prosecutions. In 2017 alone, Egyptian security forces arrested at least 240 people based on online posts. Three years after the coup, Thai authorities had charged more than 105 people just for posting comments deemed offensive to the monarchy. 

To be clear, neither country has ever been a bastion of free speech. With one exception, Thailand has been ranked “not free” every year that political-rights nonprofit Freedom House has published its Freedom on the Net Report. Egypt’s score has steadily declined since the height of the Arab Spring, going from “partly free” to “not free” in the last three years.      

Sanja Kelly has been with Freedom House for 14 years and has headed its Internet Freedom division since 2010. She tells me that what’s especially alarming is the extent to which authorities in both Egypt and Thailand have gone to silence online dissent. Activists and dissidents may well anticipate persecution around the world, but today housewives, students and even tourists in Egypt and Thailand have become the target of prosecutions for as little as posting a video or responding to a private message on social media.

Over the last five years both Egypt and Thailand have experienced an unprecedented crackdown on internet freedom. “In 2015, the Egyptian government blocked only two websites. Today, they are blocking over 500,” Kelly explained. “The situation in Egypt and Thailand is now among the most repressive in the world.” 

Egypt

Since El-Sisi seized power in 2013 in a coup, the Egyptian government has taken drastic steps to clamp down online. In its latest move, the government passed a law in September that makes any social media user with more than 5,000 followers subject to regulation as a publisher. So now in Egypt, if you have more than 5,000 Twitter followers, for example, you’re subject to the same regulations that the New York Times has on what it publishes.

It wasn’t always like this. Back in 2011, Facebook and Twitter were hailed as drivers behind the Arab Spring. The protests that resulted led to the toppling of Hosni Mubarak who had ruled the country for nearly 30 years. At their height, many journalists even started calling the protests the “Twitter uprising” and the “Facebook revolution.”

Last year, we raised rainbow flags in Mashrou’ Leila concert & posted this picture on our Facebook page. Just saying ⁦#we_exist⁩ led to a massive crackdown on the ⁦#LGBT⁩ community in ⁦#Egypt⁩. ⁦#IDAHOT2018⁩ ⁦#together_we_rise⁩ ⁧#حق_طبيعي⁩ ⁧#الملايين_منا #كلنا_واحد pic.twitter.com/eLQicniBYL

— Rainbow Egypt (@rainbowegyptorg) May 17, 2018

Kelly tells me that freedom on the internet in Egypt has been getting progressively worse since Sisi seized power. Even under Mubarak, the authorities were not as concerned with policing speech on the internet. But that has completely changed since 2013.    

Kelly adds that the measures Egyptian authorities passed this year were intended to tighten their grip on social media and internet use even further. The result has been more and more Egyptians being arrested, with the authorities using a combination of laws to bring charges. 

Thailand

Thailand has long been known for its strict application of its lèse majesté laws under which any criticism of the Thai king or his family can lead to years in jail. But since the 2014 military coup, the enforcement of these laws has gone into overdrive. The ruling military junta in Thailand has also beefed up computer crimes and defamation laws to make it all but impossible to express dissent online.     

According to Human Rights Watch, since the coup in 2014, the junta has ramped up arrests under the 2007 Computer-Related Crime Act (CCA). Last year, the military amplified the 2007 law by providing grounds for the government to prosecute anything they designate as “false,” “partially false,” or “distorted” information, a determination that the government itself gets to make.

Even criticism of the changes to the law itself were outlawed, with the Thai Army Cyber Center warning that posting or sharing online commentary that criticizes the law could be considered false information and result in prosecution.

Kelly tells me that, while the CCA and lèse majesté laws have long been used to stifle online dissent, the amendments last year granted Thai authorities even broader powers. They closed down loopholes in earlier versions of the law, including allowing authorities to jail people for critical messages they receive on their phone even if they don’t share them. This means that if you get a Facebook message in Thailand today criticizing the royal family, then you are under an obligation to delete the message or face prosecution.

Andy Hall found himself in the middle of this progression towards heavier handed enforcement. A labor rights activist, Hall conducted research for a report for the group Finnwatch that found that the Natural Fruit Company, Thailand’s largest producer of pineapples, mistreated its workers. Hall then faced criminal prosecution under the CCA and cyber defamation laws for the report’s publication online and for an interview he later gave to Al-Jazeera about the report. 

Speaking to me from an undisclosed location, Hall tells me he has spent more than $100,000 defending the criminal charges against him — mainly fundraised from supporters — and the better part of the last five years dealing with the charges and his appeals. He admits things could have been much worse: “If I weren’t a British citizen and my case hadn’t gotten as much attention as it has, then I’m not sure I’d be around today to tell my story. Many Thai citizens have lost their lives doing similar work.”

Hall didn’t set out to be a freedom of speech crusader, he had dropped out of his PhD program in 2005 to move to Southeast Asia to become a labor rights investigator, only to find himself in the crosshairs of the country’s defamation laws in 2013. When he was first charged, the government asked him to make a public apology denouncing his research. When he refused, the prosecution continued with his passport being confiscated at one point to prevent him from leaving the country.

Now having taken refuge in a third country, Hall tells me that the actions of the government — especially its increased enforcement of cyber defamation laws over the last year — has bred fear among activists and has had a chilling effect on the work of human rights advocates in Thailand.  

It’s Not Just Activists

According to Kelly, one especially worrying trend about Thailand and Egypt’s increased prosecutions is that authorities have been increasingly willing to go after anyone they deem critical online, not just seasoned activists. Housewives, students and even tourists.

Just in September, a Lebanese tourist was arrested on her way out of Egypt for posting a ten-minute video on Facebook that had gone viral. In the video, she’d complained of sexual harassment she’d experienced while in the country. She was found guilty of deliberately spreading fake news and public indecency for just speaking out about what had been done to her. She now faces an eight year-sentence.

Over in Thailand, a housewife faced up to 15 years in prison for violating lèse-majesté laws because she had responded to a Facebook message critical of the government with one word, “ja” (roughly “yeah” in Thai). While a law student was sentenced to 2.5 years last year under the same laws for sharing a BBC article profiling the new Thai king.

Role of Facebook and Twitter

What role have social media platforms played in all of this? To their credit, companies like Facebook and Twitter have not been silent bystanders who’ve simply applied these draconian laws blindly. To begin with, they enforce global standards for what can and can’t be posted on their platforms, and they don’t modify these standards based on any one country’s repressive defamation laws.

Both Facebook and Twitter also publish periodic transparency reports that aggregate the number of requests they get from governments to take down posts or obtain information on users. This week, Twitter announced that it would let users know when a tweet has been deleted on the basis of a government request.    

A review of the transparency reports for each of Egypt and Thailand though shows that the number of requests are remarkably low given their respective populations and the wide use of Facebook in each of these countries. Facebook says that in 2017 it only received seven requests from Thai authorities and just one from the Egyptians. In response, Facebook provided 17% of data requested by Thais and did not provide any data to the Egyptian government (compared to 32,000 requests by the US government with an 85% production rate by Facebook over the same period).

So how can the number of prosecutions based on social media posts be reconciled with the low number of requests? Kelly tells me it’s likely because Thai and Egyptian authorities have found ways to circumvent platforms altogether knowing that their requests will not be complied with.

What Freedom House has documented instead is arms of the government dedicated to monitoring what’s posted on social media. In the case of Twitter, Thai and Egyptian governments filter for certain words and then use the publicly available tweets as a basis for prosecution. With private Facebook posts, governments go one step further. They create fake profiles with pictures of attractive men and women, send a friend request to their target and get access to a profile when their friend request is accepted. They then use whatever private posts they find to prosecute.   

In one case in Egypt, Kelly tells me the government scanned pictures on Facebook from a concert at which the rainbow flag was displayed. Egyptian authorities then went after the people it could identify from these pictures on the basis of violating morality laws. Using online platforms to entrap members of the LGBTQ community has become a favorite tool of repression by Egyptian authorities. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, at least 77 members of the LGBTQ community have been arrested since the coup for their online expression.

Are Egypt and Thailand the Worst Offenders?

Even though Egypt and Thailand have rung alarm bells this year with the sheer number of prosecutions of online speech, they are still not the worst offenders against speech online. Kelly names Saudi Arabia, China, the UAE, North Korea, and Iran as just some examples of worse offenders. The difference, Kelly explains, is that the regimes in those countries have become extremely adept at fighting online dissent.

The fact that there may have been more prosecutions in Egypt and Thailand this year doesn’t tell the whole story. People in the other countries that Kelly names have just given up on the ability to express dissent online. China’s clampdown doesn’t even need to get to the user level – instead they have companies like Baidu and WeChat control and filter messages at the provider level before they’re even published. Egypt and Thailand are operating at a lower level of sophistication and have a strong and active civil society – which means people there still see a bigger opening and haven’t become completely self-censoring.

The question then becomes, how long will it be before Thailand and Egypt turn into the next China or Saudi Arabia? Will dictatorships be converging in their practices to stifle online speech? Social media may have turned the world into a global village, but it seems that village is also enabling dictators on opposite ends of the globe to better learn from each other’s repressive measures.

Via Ziad Reslan https://techcrunch.com

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The MMA Hour Live – May 22, 2017

Present day Rundown!

The MMA Hour is back again in your life. Down below is a rundown of Monday's display:

one p.m. ET -- Rory MacDonald will communicate about his thriving Bellator debut on Friday night time.

one:15 p.m. -- Michael Web page will discuss the incident with Paul Daley adhering to the Bellator 179 most important celebration and his current knee damage.

one:thirty p.m. -- Yair Rodriguez will seem back again on his decline to Frankie Edgar at UFC 211.

one:forty five p.m. -- Derrick Lewis will preview next month's most important celebration against Mark Hunt.

2:05 p.m. -- Jorge Masvidal will seem back again on his decline to Demian Maia at UFC 211.

2:25 p.m. -- Al Iaquinta will update us on the latest state of his career.

2:forty five p.m. -- UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic will communicate about last weekend's win above Junior dos Santos and what's next.

three:05 p.m. -- Design Mia Kang will halt by the studio to discuss her current Muay Thai combat and interest in MMA.

4:thirty p.m. -- Tony Ferguson will join us to update us on what's next for him.

4:50 p.m. -- Kajan Johnson will halt by to communicate about his incident with a Reebok rep at the UFC Athlete Retreat.

five:ten p.m. -- We are going to recap the 7 days that was in MMA and discuss other MMA information.

We are going to also response your #themmahour thoughts on anything at all and anything going on in the MMA environment. Strike us up on Twitter applying that hashtag or depart a query in the responses part below.

And you can give us a get in touch with on our hotline at one-844-8-MMA-Hour (one-844-866-2468). Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH

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The Artificial Intelligence Race Is On to Help Take Down Violent Videos

Companies from Singapore to Finland are racing to improve artificial intelligence so software can automatically spot and block videos of grisly murders and mayhem before they go viral on social media.

None, so far, claim to have cracked the problem completely.

A Thai man who broadcast himself killing his 11-month-old daughter in a live video on Facebook this week, was the latest in a string of violent crimes shown live on the social media company. The incidents have prompted questions about how Facebook's reporting system works and how violent content can be flagged faster.

A dozen or more companies are wrestling with the problem, those in the industry say. Google (GOOGL, +4.50%) - which faces similar problems with its YouTube service - and Facebook (FB, +1.53%) are working on their own solutions.

Most are focusing on deep learning: a type of artificial intelligence that makes use of computerized neural networks. It is an approach that David Lissmyr, founder of Paris-based image and video analysis company Sightengine, says goes back to efforts in the 1950s to mimic the way neurons work and interact in the brain.

Teaching computers to learn with deep layers of artificial neurons has really only taken off in the past few years, said Matt Zeiler, founder and CEO of New York-based Clarifai, another video analysis company.

It's only been relatively recently that there has been enough computing power and data available for teaching these systems, enabling "exponential leaps in the accuracy and efficacy of machine learning," Zeiler said.

The teaching system begins with images fed through the computer's neural layers, which then "learn" to identify a street sign, say, or a violent scene in a video.

Violent acts might include hacking actions, or blood, says Abhijit Shanbhag, CEO of Singapore-based Graymatics. If his engineers can't find a suitable scene, they film it themselves in the office.

Zeiler says Clarifai's algorithms can also recognize objects in a video that could be precursors to violence -- a knife or gun, for instance.

But there are limits.

One is the software is only as good as the examples it is trained on. When someone decides to hang a child from a building, it's not necessarily something the software has been programmed to watch for.

"As people get more innovative about such gruesome activity, the system needs to be trained on that," said Shanbhag, whose company filters video and image content on behalf of several social media clients in Asia and elsewhere.

Another limitation is that violence can be subjective. A fast-moving scene with lots of gore should be easy enough to spot, says Junle Wang, head of R&D at France-based PicPurify. But the company is still working on identifying violent scenes that don't involve blood or weapons. Psychological torture, too, is hard to spot, says his colleague, CEO Yann Mareschal.

And then there's content that could be deemed offensive without being intrinsically violent -- an ISIS flag, for example -- says Graymatics's Shanbhag. That could require the system to be tweaked depending on the client.

STILL NEED HUMANS

Yet another limitation is that while automation may help, humans must still be involved to verify the authenticity of content that has been flagged as offensive or dangerous, said Mika Rautiainen, founder and CEO of Valossa, a Finnish company which finds undesirable content for media, entertainment and advertising companies.

Indeed, likely solutions would involve looking beyond the images themselves to incorporate other cues. PicPurify's Wang says using algorithms to monitor the reaction of viewers -- a sharp increase in reposts of a video, for example -- might be an indicator.

Michael Pogrebnyak, CEO of Kuznech, said his Russian-U.S. company has added to its arsenal of pornographic image-spotting algorithms - which mostly focus on skin detection and camera motion -- to include others that detect the logos of studios and warning text screens.

Facebook says it is using similar techniques to spot nudity, violence, or other topics that don't comply with its policies. A spokesperson didn't respond to questions about whether the software was used in the Thai and other recent cases.

Some of the companies said industry adoption was slower than it could be, in part because of the added expense. That, they say, will change. Companies that manage user-generated content could increasingly come under regulatory pressure, says Valossa's Rautiainen.

"Even without tightening regulation, not being able to deliver proper curation will increasingly lead to negative effects in online brand identity," Rautiainen says.q