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SOCIAL

Rizwan Gondal, the head police officer in Rahim Yar Khan distric, says that his detectives have a dossier proving the "heinous criminal activities" of Pakistani gangster Shahid Lund Baloch, who broadcasts on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram defiant messages delivered gun-in-hand, romanticizing his rural lifestyle and cultivating a reputation as a champion of the people.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Nov 6, 2024
TikTok bandits terrorize and transfix Pakistan riverlands
In riverine terrain in central Punjab that has long offered them refuge, bandits use the internet to enthrall citizens even as they prey on them.
Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk speaks during a rally for Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 5.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 6, 2024
Elon Musk-led election falsehoods hang over vote as tally begins
Elon Musk has become Republican candidate Donald Trump’s most high-profile donor and supporter.
The topics nominated for this year’s buzzwords of the year ranged from new banknotes and Olympian quips to political scandals and rice shortages.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 5, 2024
From cat memes to Olympians with too much rizz, these are Japan's 2024 buzzword nominations
The buzzword of the year, along with the top 10 picks, will be decided from the 30 nominated terms on Dec. 2.
Meta has long faced criticism from researchers, watchdog groups and lawmakers for not fostering a healthy information ecosystem during elections across the globe.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 5, 2024
Meta struggles to curb hate speech before U.S. vote, researchers say
The findings come as Meta has long faced criticism from researchers, watchdog groups, and lawmakers for not fostering a healthy information ecosystem.
The IFC One Saigon building in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Nov. 30, 2023
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 4, 2024
U.S. tech firms issue warning over Vietnam's planned data law
The country is aiming to exponentially increase its data center industry with foreign investment in coming years.
Disinformation researchers analyzed over 300 groups on Facebook that masquerade as pro-Harris pages while misleading the Democratic contender's supporters with abusive, hateful posts or capitalize on her popularity to promote merchandise.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 1, 2024
Deceptive 'bait-and-switch' Facebook groups snare U.S. voters
The tactic seems to target actors across the political spectrum, including Trump, but researchers have noticed an "explosion" of groups focused on Harris.
A team of lawyers head to the Osaka District Court on Tuesday to file a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, on behalf of their clients, who are victims of investment scams linked to fake advertisements on the social media platforms.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 29, 2024
Meta faces Japan lawsuits over fake ads linked to investment fraud
Those affected claim that the owner of Facebook and Instagram neglected to remove the ads from its social media platforms, which led to them being scammed.
Violin, a day care center for the elderly, is housed in a building that used be an office of the Kudokai crime syndicate in the city of Kitakyushu. It retains the original look of the Kudokai facility, with its thick steel-plated front door, glittering chandelier and marble floor.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Oct 28, 2024
Former yakuza office repurposed to become elderly care facility
The building that houses Violin, a day care center for the elderly, was once one of the main facilities for the Kudokai syndicate.
According to Fujikyu Railway, a group of around 10 people, who appear to be foreign nationals, boarded a train at Fujikyu-Highland Station on Oct. 16 and filmed themselves dancing onboard before they got off at Otsuki Station.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 25, 2024
Fujikyu Railway weighs legal action over foreign tourist dance video
The video, made by a group that appears to be a New York-based dance troupe, features dancers sliding on the floor and asking for a hand from nearby passengers.
Along with official videos from parties and candidates, individually produced videos are on the rise on YouTube and other platforms.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 25, 2024
Short social media videos gain traction in Japan's election campaign
Both official campaign and user-generated videos are on the rise, with experts warning that the latter may present misleading or out-of-context information.
A false claim on social media about a restaurant chain being infested with slugs led to the store's closure. The man behind the claim was sentenced to prison on Thursday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 24, 2024
Man gets prison time for false restaurant slug infestation claims
Haruomi Enya, 25, was convicted of obstruction of business by deception. His false claims ultimately led to the establishment's closure.
“Vote harassment” continues to be a significant barrier to women’s participation in politics, with only two prefectures having passed local ordinances aiming to eliminate the problem.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 24, 2024
1 in 4 female candidates face sexual harassment during campaigns
Despite a record 314 women running in Sunday's Lower House election, harassment continues to be a barrier to women's participation in politics.
People wait in a line to vote during the Super Tuesday primary election in Edinburg, Texas, on March 5.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 24, 2024
Chinese operation targeting U.S. down-ballot races, Microsoft says
The lawmakers were targeted because they had historically denounced Chinese government policies.
A man who works for a restaurant consults a social welfare council official in Tokyo about COVID-19 relief loans in June 2020.
JAPAN
Oct 23, 2024
Welfare councils loaned ¥1.4 billion in COVID relief to ineligible borrowers
Individuals who were receiving welfare support were ineligible for the loans because they are already guaranteed a minimum standard of living.
The Chiba Prefectural Police headquarters in the city of Chiba. Police have arrested two men over a break-in at an 86-year-old woman's home in the city of Kamagaya at around 2:10 a.m. on Oct. 14.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 23, 2024
Suspect held over Chiba break-in received instructions via social media
The man said he received instructions through social media platform X as well as Signal, an encrypted messaging app.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters at the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 22, 2024
Ishiba vows steps against crime-linked social media posts
The Prime Minister said that the government will consider supporting patrol activities by volunteers under a supplementary budget.
Suspect Mazuki Takarada, 22, at the Aoba Police Station in Kanagawa Prefecture on Sunday. He was taken to prosecutors on the same day.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 21, 2024
Police arrest 22-year-old man over fatal Yokohama burglary
Mazuki Takarada, a self-declared sole proprietor from Chiba Prefecture, was arrested on Saturday over the death of a 75-year-old man in his Yokohama home last week.
Political parties are highlighting measures to reform the health care system for the elderly and the public pension system as the population ages.
JAPAN
Oct 17, 2024
Parties highlight measures for working generation
The country's health care and public pension systems are being discussed ahead of the upcoming general election.
Machida Zelvia players after their team was defeated by Kawasaki Frontale in Machida, western Tokyo, on Oct. 5
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 16, 2024
Soccer club Machida Zelvia files complaints over alleged defamation
The number of new comments believed to be defaming players and the team's manager sometimes tops 1,000 a day, a lawyer said.
Nearly two-thirds of parents of Australian teenagers reported concerns about their children's social media use, according to a 2024 survey by youth service ReachOut.
WORLD / Society
Oct 16, 2024
Australia's planned social media ban raises teen isolation fears
For teenagers from migrant, LGBTQIA+ and other minority backgrounds, an age block could cut off access to essential social support.

Longform

Eme-Ima Kitchen is one of over 10,000 kodomo shokudō in Japan. A term first used in 2012 to describe makeshift eateries offering free or cheap meals to disadvantaged kids, it now refers to a diverse range of individuals, groups and organizations working to provide not only food but a sense of belonging to both children and adults.
Japan’s ‘children’s cafeterias’ are booming — but is that a good thing?