Thailand is set to open its first centre to combat fake news, a minister said on Tuesday, becoming the latest Asian country to push for greater cyber scrutiny in what activists fear is a smokescreen for targeting critics.The Anti-Fake News Centre will start work on Friday using artificial intelligence and trained human monitors to flag posts on everything from health care to government policies, digital economy and society minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta said.Explained: the rise of fake news…
Indonesia marks anniversary of deadly Lion Air crash with service for victims’ families
One year on from the Lion Air plane crash that killed 189 people, relatives and friends of victims held prayer vigils and cast flower petals into the Java Sea at the site where the Indonesian budget carrier’s Boeing 737 MAX jet disappeared beneath the waves.The almost new Boeing aircraft had been flying from Jakarta to the town of Pangkal Pinang, on the Bangka-Belitung islands off Sumatra, when it crashed, just minutes after take-off.Tuesday’s commemoration came days after Indonesian…
Third confirmed polio case reported in the Philippines
The Philippines on Monday reported the third confirmed case of polio in the country, more than a month after the re-emergence of the highly contagious disease.The patient is a 4-year-old girl from the town of Datu Piang in Maguindanao province, 925 kilometres south of Manila, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a statement.The girl was brought to hospital on September 26 after she suffered a sudden onset of paralysis.“On October 23, stool samples sent to the National Institute of…
Putin accepts Duterte invite, just before Manila-Beijing South China Sea oil talks. Coincidence?
The timing of Moscow’s announcement over the weekend that President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to visit Manila has raised eyebrows, as it comes on the eve of crucial bilateral talks between the Philippines and China on joint oil exploration in the South China Sea.In a statement immediately welcomed by the Philippine presidential palace, Igor Khovaev, Russia’s ambassador to the Philippines, on Saturday told reporters Putin had accepted Duterte’s invitation “with gratitude”.No date…
Girl, 12, rescued in Philippines after Sydney man arrested for child abuse
Police have rescued a 12-year-old girl whose abuse was allegedly live-streamed by a Sydney man on social media following a joint investigation between Australian and Philippine authorities.The girl was freed on Friday by Philippine National Police and Australian federal police (AFP) officers at a property in the city of Rizal, about a two-hour drive from Manila. Police also arrested a 39-year-old woman as part of the raid.The investigation into the Sydney man and possible Philippines-based…
Why a coconut boom is bad for Malaysia’s approved permit system
A licensing regime for Malaysia’s import and export firms governing everything from coconuts to cars is threatening to become an Achilles’ heel as the country looks to seal the deal on two regional trade pacts before the end of the year. Critics are taking aim at what they see as a lack of transparency and objectivity in the system and have described it as a gravy train for a select few businesses. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is awaiting…
Majority of Essex truck death victims likely from Vietnam, priest says
The majority of the 39 people found dead in the back of a truck near London were likely from Vietnam, a community leader from the rural, rice-growing community, where many of the victims are believed to have come from said on Saturday.The discovery of the bodies – 38 adults and one teenager – was made on Wednesday after emergency services were alerted to people in a truck container on an industrial site in Grays, Essex.Police have said they believe the dead were Chinese but Beijing said the…
Singapore travellers give Hong Kong a miss over Diwali long weekend
Hong Kong has typically been a top destination for a long weekend break for Singaporeans, but many are giving the city a miss this weekend as anti-government protests continue into their 21st week.Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights, falls on Sunday and Monday is a public holiday in Singapore.For the first time since opening some five decades ago, Singapore-based tour agency Nam Ho Travel does not have any tour bookings to Hong Kong for the long weekend. During previous long weekends, it…
South Korea’s Daum to close comments after K-pop star Sulli’s death
Major South Korean portal Daum will temporarily close its comments sections on entertainment news, operator Kakao Corp said on Friday, after the death of a K-pop star who had opposed cyber bullying.Sulli, a former member of top South Korean girl group f (x), who had spoken out against cyber bullying, was found dead on October 14 aged 25, with police saying she had been suffering from severe depression.Her apparent suicide prompted an outpouring of grief and calls to rein in the cyber bulling…
Chinese in Malaysia told not to protest amid ‘investment scam’ anger
The Chinese embassy in Malaysia has warned its citizens not to engage in street protests following reports that scores of its nationals had staged a demonstration outside the building claiming they had lost their life savings to a local investment company.“The embassy understands that there are many Chinese nationals who are still in Malaysia because of the case, and reminded [these people], who are on a tourist visa, not to demonstrate as it is illegal,” the embassy said in one of two…