Single digits conference support

The arrest of Disha Ravi for allegedly editing a protest "toolkit" which was tweeted – and later deleted – by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has fuelled unrest in India. The toolkit was shared by Thunberg earlier this month amid the ongoing farmers' protests on the outskirts of Delhi – the document called for people to coordinate both online and offline to support the farmers through various means, including protesting outside embassies and the homes of prominent businessmen. The Delhi Police Cyber Cell is now investigating an "international conspiracy" to destabilise India. The toolkit has triggered a huge public debate on social media among activists about how to support protests. According to social media experts, toolkits or resource kits are often employed by political parties, advocacy groups, entertainment industries, and even international organisations including the United Nations to carry out social awareness campaigns and more. Talking to Sputnik, Nishant Kadian, … [Read more...] about Farmers’ Protests in India: Digital Toolkits Not a Crime, But a Way to Raise Awareness, Analysts Say

The hashtag #BlackOutTuesday became the top trending item on Twitter as hundreds of thousands of businesses and individuals, including TV channels and celebrities, posted black screenshots to signal support for racial justice as street protests over the police killing of George Floyd entered a second week. Many companies paused normal work and directed their efforts to support the work of Black Lives Matter and other social justice groups. Streaming service Spotify highlighted the music of black artists, Sirius XM Radio said it would silence its music channels for three minutes, and Apple Music DJ Zane Lowe tweeted that he wouldn't host his radio show but would be "listening, learning and looking for solutions to fight racial inequality." The death last week of Floyd, an unarmed black man, as a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed his knee into Floyd's neck, unleashed a wave of outrage in cities around the United States about the treatment of black Americans, further … [Read more...] about #BlackOutTuesday sweeps social media as US street protests escalate

Following a series of social media posts showcasing how he's now woke to injustices in society, Singapore’s biggest YouTuber is retiring one insensitive aspect of his videos: an exaggerated archetype of an ethnic minority. In the many skits that Tan Jianhao produced under his umbrella of YouTube channels, there has been a long-running character by the name of Peter Papadum, a caricatural depiction of an Indian uncle who is supposedly a retired Regimental Sergeant Major of the Singapore Armed Forces and a roti prata seller . Though the character is portrayed by fellow YouTuber Ridhwan Azman, Peter Papadum speaks in a thick Indian accent and has exaggerated body mannerisms. Background Indian music is used as a comedic effect when Peter Papadum appears. After gaining popularity (for some reason) among Tan’s fans, the character was even spun-off into Ridhwan’s own YouTube channel for even more stereotypical hijinks. On top of being a mainstay in skits, Peter Papadum has sung … [Read more...] about YouTubers Tan Jianhao and Ridhwan Azman retire ‘Peter Papadum’ character after realising insensitivity

A health worker (R) receives the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi on March 8, 2021, as Vietnam launched its first phase of vaccination to frontline personnel to battle the Covid-19 coronavirus. Photo by NHAC NGUYEN / AFP HANOI — Vietnam launched its COVID-19 vaccination program on Monday with healthcare workers first in the queue, even as the Southeast Asian country looked set to contain its fourth outbreak of the coronavirus since the pandemic began. Vietnam has been lauded globally for its record fighting the virus. Thanks to early border closures, targeted testing, and a strict, centralized quarantine program, Vietnam has suffered fewer disruptions to its economy than much of Asia. “When it’s your turn, go and get your shot against COVID-19 to protect yourself and your relatives for a healthy community, the health ministry said in a statement on its website. Vietnam has kept the total number of infections … [Read more...] about Vietnam begins COVID-19 vaccinations after successful virus containment

CHINA increased its 2021 defense budget by 6.8 percent to 1.35 trillion yuan ($209 billion) in a quicker pace than last year’s growth, which analysts believe is normal, steady and restrained as the country resiliently emerges from the wreckage of Covid-19 pandemic. The budget increase, released in a draft budget report issued at the opening of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s top legislature, on Friday, is slightly higher than the 6.6 percent hike in 2020 when the country and the rest of the world were still struggling to fight the unprecedent Covid-19 pandemic that upended the globe. China’s defense budget for 2020 was 1.27 trillion yuan ($179 billion), up 6.6 percent from 2019. China has maintained a single-digit growth in its annual defense budget since 2016. The increased defense budget growth rate in 2021 is normal, steady and restrained, considering China’s own rightful need to develop its national defense capacity, the recovering … [Read more...] about China increases defense budget in 2021 by 6.8%