Viktor Yeimo Has a Relationship with Indonesian APB, Veronika Koman

JAYAPURA, LELEMUKU.COM - The Papua Regional Police General Criminal Directorate continues to conduct investigations on the spokesman for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Viktor Yeimo, for his involvement in many cases Papua.

One of the investigations focuses is Viktor Yeimo's involvement with an Indonesian all-points bulletin (APB) Veronika Koman. From the investigation results, the police found that Viktor Yeimo was the data supplier for Veronika Koman, who was in Australia.

"Meanwhile, the investigation is about it because all this time they are both reporting untrue things about Papua. The person concerned (Viktor Yeimo) took the data from the KNPB and then shared it with Veronika Koman in Australia. So he is like a data supplier for Veronika Koman," said Chief of Papua Regional Police, Police Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri in Jayapura City, Tuesday (11/5/2021) morning.

Apart from examining the relationship between Viktor Yeimo and Veronika Koman, investigators also examined the supply of funds for the KNPB.

"We will check the flow of funds for this organization (KNPB). Including their action at the Papua governor's office in 2019. We understand whom the funds flow from, "he explained.

Previously, KNPB spokesman Viktor Yeimo was named a suspect in the riot case in Jayapura City in 2019. In addition, he was also charged with several other cases such as ITE, propaganda and treason cases.(HumasPolri)

Thai Court Grants Bail to Pro-Democracy Activist on Hunger Strike, Including Parit Penguin Chiwarak

BANGKOK, LELEMUKU.COM - A Thai court on Tuesday freed on bail two Thai pro-democracy activists charged with royal defamation, including Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, who has been on a weeks-long hunger strike to protest being denied bail 10 times since his February arrest.

The court also released Chaiamorn “Ammy” Kaewwiboonpan, who was arrested in March for allegedly burning a portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn in front of a jail during an anti-government protest. A bail hearing for a third activist, Panupong “Mike” Jadnok, also charged with defaming the monarchy, was delayed as they were waiting for results of his COVID-19 test, authorities said.

“The court examined the evidence at the hearing for a temporary release of Parit and Chaiamorn and considered that the circumstances of the cases have changed. Therefore, the court granted a temporary release of Parit and Chaiamorn,” the Criminal Court in Bangkok said in a statement, without elaborating on how the situation had changed.

Parit had been sent to a hospital on April 30, where he was force fed through a tube, the corrections department had said. At that time, his weight had dropped from 107 kg (236 lbs.) to 94.5 kg (208 lbs.), Thawatchai Chaiyawat, deputy director-general of the Department of Corrections, had said in a Facebook post.

After they were released from jail around 9:30 p.m., Parit and Chaiamorn flashed three-finger salutes to supporters who had gathered outside the prison. Parit’s family took him to Vibhavadi Hospital for treatment.

The three-finger salutes, borrowed from The Hunger Games movies, is a symbol of protesters’ demands that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha step down, that the Constitution be amended and that the monarchy be reformed. Since pro-democracy protesters first gathered in mid-July 2020, rallies have been held in Bangkok and across the nation as thousands have called for the three reforms.

Parit and Chaiamorn did not speak to reporters after their release, but Parit’s sister addressed the media.

“I'm glad that we get to be together after all. I think that we will not stop fighting,” Ploywarin Chiwarak told reporters.

“We have to keep fighting until the day we get democracy.”

Meanwhile, the court said Panupong tested negative for COVID-19 on May 6, but he had been tested again and results were awaited.

Kritsadang Nutcharat, a lawyer from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), said the court allowed Parit to be released on 400,000 baht (U.S. $12,830) bail. Chaiamorn was allowed to be released on 250,000 baht ($8,000) bail. Neither the lawyer nor the court released details about who paid for their release.

Under bail terms, neither man can defame the monarchy or participate in protests. They also cannot leave the country and must wear electronic monitoring bracelets.

On April 30, Parit’s mother, Sureerat Chiwarak, shaved her head in front of the Criminal Court building in Bangkok after judges again turned down her request that Parit be released on bail on humanitarian grounds. Parit had been on hunger strike since March 15.

During that day’s hearing, TLHR attorneys said Sureerat offered to pay 200,000 baht ($6,400) for her son to be granted bail so he could get hospital treatment.

The court rejected that offer and sent Parit to Ramathibodi Hospital for treatment.

“My son is sacrificing what he loves and I am letting go of something that I love as well. I will start with shaving my hair,” Sureerat told reporters at the time.

“When the people see me walking around with a bald head, which may be ugly, please know that this injustice is happening in Thailand and it is even uglier than this.”

Parit, Panupong and five other pro-democracy activists, are accused of violating the strict royal defamation law during a two-day protest in September 2020.  Royal defamation, or Lese-Majeste, carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years per count.

At the time, protest leaders submitted a letter to the metropolitan police chief asking the king to accept political reform. They also placed a plaque in an area of Bangkok reserved for royal ceremonies.

March incident

Chaiamorn, a pop-star turned activist, was charged with Lese-Majeste, for an incident in late February, police and a lawyers’ group had said.

Local media showed Chaiamorn falling after climbing a scaffolding in front of Klong Prem Central Prison while holding a portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), as he called for the release of Parit and three other protest leaders.

“The arson of the king’s portrait was my work and I assume sole responsibility. It has nothing to do with any movements,” Chaiamorn said in an Instagram posting at the time.

Parit and Chaiamorn join other pro-democracy leaders to be released on bail in recent weeks.

Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, who also began a hunger strike late in March on Lese-Majeste charges stemming from the September protest, was released on bail on May 6.

Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa and Somyot Pruksakasemsuk were released on bail on April 23 after the court ruled there was no sufficient reason to deny their request. Like the others, Jatupat and Somyot were charged with violating Article 112 – Lese-Majeste – at the September rally.

As of March 3, as many as 382 activists had been charged with alleged offenses stemming from the pro-democracy protests, according to TLHR. In addition, at least 68 protesters had been charged with Lese-Majeste since Prayuth announced in November that authorities would begin enforcing that law for the first time in about two years. (Wilawan Watcharasakwet| BenarNews)

More Americans Willing to Get Vaccine, Now Open to Children

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - As more Americans are being vaccinated, more people say they are now willing to get the shots than in January.

However, questions about side effects and how the shots were tested still hold some people back. This presents a challenge for U.S. health officials who are ready to expand vaccination to children as young as 12 years old.

The AP-NORC survey, released Tuesday, found 1 in 5 American adults now say they probably or definitely will not get vaccinated. In January, when the shots were first given out, opinion researchers found about 1 in 3 said that they would not get vaccinated.

African Americans are becoming more open to the shots, with 26 percent now saying they definitely or probably will not get vaccinated compared with 41 percent in January.

That is similar to the 22 percent of Hispanic Americans. Among Asian Americans, just nine percent said they definitely or probably will not get the shots.


The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that more than 150 million people — about 58 percent of all adults — have received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Among those who remain unvaccinated, only 34 percent of people in the study say they definitely will not get the shot. About three-fourths of those who said they are unlikely to get vaccinated have little to no confidence that the vaccines were tested enough. Some 55 percent were very concerned about side effects.

The numbers, however, mean a large number of unvaccinated Americans could be persuaded to get the shots.

Kizzmekia Corbett is an immunologist with the National Institutes of Health. Corbett helped lead development of the Moderna shot. She spends hours giving answers to questions from Americans — especially African Americans like her. Her job is to fight against misinformation about the three vaccines approved for emergency use in the U.S.

She tells people the COVID-19 vaccines will not cause inability to bear children. Also, the speedy development of vaccines does not mean they are less safe, Corbett told the AP.

Corbett has attended gatherings held by colleges, African American religious leaders, doctors, and even basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to talk about the vaccine. She said the best way to overcome distrust is to explain the science in understandable terms for strangers just like she does for her family.

But “really, we should have started the conversations very early about what went into it,” she said. This way, the public would have understood that no steps were missed in vaccine development.

Last month, U.S. health officials temporarily paused the use of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. They wanted to find out how to deal with a very rare risk of blood system blockages, known as blood clots. Even after that pause, overall confidence in the vaccines has increased compared with a few months ago.

On Monday, U.S. health officials expanded the use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to children as young as 12.

Dr. Peter Marks is vaccine chief for the Food and Drug Administration. He said, “Having a vaccine authorized for a younger population is a critical step” in the effort against COVID-19.”

Approval for the shots comes before students return to school in autumn and to more normal activities. Shots could become available this week for the nation’s 12 to 15-year-olds.

Pfizer is not the only company seeking to lower the age limit for use of its vaccine. Moderna recently said early results from its study on 12 to 17-year-olds showed strong protection and no serious side effects. Another U.S. company, Novavax, has started studying its vaccine, which is in development, in the same age group.

Experts say children must get the shots if the country is to vaccinate the 70 to 85 percent of the population necessary to reach what is called herd immunity. That term describes a condition where enough people have become immune to an infectious disease that it is no longer a threat to people who are not immune to it. (Jonathan Evans| VOA)

Joe Biden Proposes Making Preschool Free for Children and Focus on Education

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - American President Joe Biden is making childcare and education a major concern of his administration.

In his first address to a joint session of Congress on April 29, Biden proposed a $1.8 trillion spending plan to expand government support for children, families and education. The plan, called American Families Plan, includes $200 billion for free pre-school for 3 and 4-year-olds.

The president said, “research shows when a young child goes to school — not daycare — they are far more likely to graduate from high school and go to college or something after high school.” He added, “no matter what background they come from, it puts them in the position to be able to compete all the way through 12 years.”

Preschool, also known as pre-kindergarten or pre-K, is a program to help children with the beginning steps of learning and socializing. Daycare centers focus more on caring for children than learning.

Rebecca Anguiano teaches preschool at an elementary school in Washington, D.C. The classes are bilingual. They are taught in both English and Spanish. She said students who attend two years of preschool have done better than those who have not.

Anguiano said, “If they miss those two years, it’s kind of catch-me-up for them. I definitely feel that starting early—especially at a bilingual school—is key for a lot of success.”

Effective preschool programs

The National Institute for Early Education Research says, at this time, only four American states and Washington, D.C., spend enough money to support preschool programs.

The nation’s capital spends the most money per preschool student. It also has the highest percentage of students in pre-K classes. Seventy-nine percent of 3 and 4-year-olds attend preschool in Washington, DC. And nationwide, just 20 percent attend.

Washington is one of the most expensive cities to raise a child. A 2018 study says childcare in the city can cost up to $2,000 per month for each child. In some places, parents choose to stay home with their children instead of having a job and paying for care.

In 2018, research from the Center for American Progress showed that about 10 percent more mothers entered the workforce after the city started its preschool program. Student test scores have also gone up since the change. That year, Washington schools were among the few across the nation to see an increase in math and reading scores.

Josh Axelrod has two children attending preschool in Washington, D.C. He said the program is a “huge benefit” to living in the city. “Our experience... has been great,” he added.

Washington’s preschool program is not without its problems, however. Many elementary schools in the city do not offer preschool and some programs are better than others. There is also a very high demand for some preschool spots, which means that some children will not be placed into their neighborhood school. Others are not placed at all.

Biden’s proposal

Biden’s proposal comes at a time when preschool attendance has fallen by 25 percent in the past year, largely due to the pandemic.

The administration says free preschool nationwide could save the average American family $13,000 and benefit 5 million children. And it proposes to pay for the plan by raising taxes on wealthy Americans.

Republican opponents to the idea say it costs too much and that families will be making childcare decisions based on what the government wants. For the plan to pass, the president will need Republican support in an evenly divided Senate.

Senator Josh Hawley is a Republican from the state of Missouri. He shared his opposition in an opinion piece on Fox Business.

“No familyshouldbeforcedintoa particularchildcare arrangementby the government. And no parent should be treated worse by the tax code for choosing todo the work of raising kids at home,” he wrote.

Anguiano, the Washington, D.C. preschool teacher, sees universal preschool as a way to improve education equity. Many families from poorer areas cannot pay for private preschool, she said, keeping children away from school and parents away from working.

“I think expanding this nationwide, you will most definitely see not just an educational benefit for kids, but an economic benefit for families,” Anguiano said. (Jill Robbins| VOA)

Zimbabwe Chief Accuses Grace Mugabe of Wrongfully Burying Former President, Wants Him Exhumed

HARARE, LELEMUKU.COM - Zimbabwean chief has summoned former First Lady, Grace Mugabe, to appear before a village court to face charges of inappropriately burying the country’s late former president, Robert Mugabe, at the family’s homestead.

Chief Zvimba wants Mrs. Mugabe to exhume her late husband’s body and rebury it at a gravesite where his mother, Bona, was laid to rest.

In a letter dated April 29, 2021, and signed by the traditional leader, Chief Zvimba ordered Mrs. Mugabe to attend the village court next week on Thursdayat Gonzo Guzha Hall in Murombedzi Growth Pointat 9:30am.

The letter reads in part, “You are facing charges of burying the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe at his homestead. This is unheard of in Chief Zvimba’s area. At the same, time you are accused of abandoning Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s property which is scattered nationwide.

“All properties of the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe are supposed to be kept at his homestead and handled in line with our traditions. I want you to rebury the late president in accordance with our traditions and in Zvimba at a place designated by the family and his late mother. These charges you are facing attract a fine of five cattle and a goat.”

Chief Zvimba further said Mrs. Mugabe is allowed to bring witnesses.

“We will proceed with the case and make an appropriate ruling if you don’t attend the village court without seeking permission.”

Mrs. Mugabe was asked to fix a date with appropriate authorities if she won’t attend the village court on next week.

The former first lady and his nephew, Leo Mugabe, were unreachable on their mobile phones. Leo Mugabe was quoted by an online publication recently as saying he was not aware of any moves by Chief Zvimba to summon him to the village court to face charges of breaking traditional rules and regulations of burying people in his area.

Mugabe, who was toppled in a defacto military coup in 2017, died of cancer in Singapore. The family is believed to have multiple farms, several companies, including a dairy farm.

According to independent economists, the Mugabe family has businesses worth more than US$10 million. (VOA)

Indonesian Military Says Missing Submarine Sank in Deep Water off Bali

DENPASAR, LELEMUKU.COM - Hopes for the survival of 53 sailors aboard a missing Indonesian Navy submarine dimmed Saturday when the military announced that the vessel sank and may have cracked and disintegrated in deep water off Bali as it went down.

Senior armed forces officials pointed to debris and objects from the submarine that were recovered in the ongoing search for the KRI Nanggala-402 as evidence of cracks that caused it to sink hundreds of meters below the surface of the Bali Sea.

The submersible boat lost radio contact after being cleared to dive during a torpedo training exercise early Wednesday morning.

“The search has shifted to the sub sunk phase, from the sub miss phase,” Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, the chief of the armed forces, told reporters in Bali, using a military term for a missing submarine.

The recovered items included a part used in the submarine’s torpedo system, a heat insulator and a bottle of lubricant for greasing the periscope, officials said as they displayed the recovered objects during a press conference at a military base on Bali. A Muslim prayer rug from the submarine was also recovered, they said.

“These objects would have never slipped out of the submarine unless there was pressure or cracks,” Hadi said.  

Navy Chief Adm. Yudo Margono indicated that the crew’s chances of survival were slim, but he and other military officials declined to say out right whether all the sailors on the submarine had perished, when reporters pressed them on this question.

“It did not explode, but there was a crack due to the depth of 700 meters [2,296 feet]. The pressure was so high that there could have been cracks in the submarine,” the Navy chief said.

Water might have flooded the submarine because of cracks but part of the submarine’s cabin could be compartmentalized to prevent more seawater from coming in provided that the hatches were closed, Yudo said.

“Seventy-two hours is the maximum limit in the event of an electrical blackout, but it can last up to five days if the electricity is on. But we suspect that there was a blackout,” he said, referring to the submarine’s oxygen supply, which had been expected to run out early Saturday.

“We have tried our best to find the KRI Nanggala, but this morning was the deadline for oxygen life support to run out. Oil spills and debris have become authentic evidence of Nanggala’s sinking,” Hadi said.

No bodies have been found so far, according to Yudo.

“We are still carrying out the search ... the depth of the sea we have detected is at 850 meters (2,790 feet), which is very tricky and presents many difficulties,” Reuters quoted the admiral as saying.

The announcement came as an Australian frigate, the HMAS Ballarat, and a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft arrived in Bali to join dozens of Indonesian vessels that have scoured the sea to locate the submarine during the past few days.

Singapore’s submarine-rescue ship, the MV Swift Rescue, was expected to arrive later on Saturday, the Navy said.

Malaysia and India are also sending ships to support the search effort.

The Indonesian military believes that the submarine sank to between 600 and 700 meters below the surface – far deeper than the German-made vessel was designed to dive.

Yudo said Singapore’s MV Swift Rescue ship and a similar vessel from Malaysia had remotely operated vehicles that could reach depths of 900 to 1000 meters.

The Ballarat is equipped with sonar technology that could detect underwater objects, he said.

“Together, all teams will work hard because the depth of the sea is 850 meters and it will be extremely hard to do lifting and evacuation work,” Yudo said.

The KRI Nanggala-402 was built by German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in 1977 and came into service in 1981, the Indonesian military said.

From 2009 to 2012, the submarine was retrofitted by South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, officials said.

Indonesia has five submarines, including the missing one.

Former Rear Adm. Soleman Ponto said the Nanggala might have broken up because the hull could no longer withstand the pressure.

“It is unlikely that they will survive,” he told BenarNews, referring to the crew.

“When pressure is high, the submarine will crumble like a squeezed tin – flattened.” (Tria Dianti | Benarnews)

ASEAN Leaders Meetin Jakarta, Call for Immediate Stop to Violence in Myanmar

JAKARTA, LELEMUKU.COM - Southeast Asian leaders called for an “immediate cessation” to killings in Myanmar and the opening of ASEAN-brokered talks between its military regime and parallel civilian government, as they and the Burmese junta chief met in Jakarta for an emergency summit Saturday on that country’s post-coup strife.

A statement from the chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the end of the one-day talks, which lasted about three hours, indicated ASEAN would appoint a special envoy to facilitate talks aimed at “a peaceful solution in the interests of the people.” It also said the regional bloc would provide humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

“We, as an ASEAN family, had a close discussion on the recent developments in Myanmar and expressed our deep concern on the situation in the country, including reports of fatalities and escalation of violence,” said the chairman’s statement issued by Brunei, the current holder of ASEAN’s annual rotating chair.

In the bloc’s pursuit “to strengthen our regional solidarity and resilience, we reiterated that the political stability in ASEAN Member States is essential to achieving a peaceful, stable and prosperous ASEAN Community,” the statement also said.

It went on to say that the member-states reaffirmed a collective commitment to the principles enshrined in the 54-year-old bloc’s charter, “including adherence to the rule of law, good governance, the principles of democracy and constitutional government, respect for fundamental freedoms, and the promotion and protection of human rights.”

The “Five-Point Consensus” on Myanmar called for the “immediate cessation of violence” with all parties exercising “utmost restraint”; a constructive dialogue among all parties; the mediation of such talks by a special envoy of the ASEAN chair, with assistance from the bloc’s secretary general; provisions of humanitarian assistance coordinated by ASEAN; and a visit to Myanmar by an ASEAN delegation, headed by the special envoy, to meet with all parties.

However, the five points did not include the release of political prisoners as the president of Indonesia – the largest country in ASEAN – and the prime minister of Malaysia had demanded in their speeches during Saturday’s summit.    

The statement, nonetheless, was the strongest collective one issued to date on the crisis in Myanmar, and a rare show of consensus that tested the 10-nation bloc’s founding principle of non-interference in members-states’ domestic affairs.

Although the statement said that the “ASEAN family” had “agreed” to the five points, it was not immediately known how Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the Burmese junta chief, whose forces have killed hundreds of civilian protesters since the Feb. 1 coup that overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government, responded.   

Min Aung Hlaing did not give a formal statement, according to Agence France-Presse.

The meeting, which was the first high-level in-person meeting among ASEAN leaders since the coronavirus pandemic broke out early last year, was closed to the press because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

"It's beyond our expectation," Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told reporters after the summit.

"We tried not to accuse his side too much because we don’t care who’s causing it," Reuters quoted Muhyiddin as saying. "We just stressed that the violence must stop. For him, it’s the other side that’s causing the problems. But he agreed that violence must stop."

Blunt words from Indonesia's leader

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was blunt in his remarks during the meeting, which he later conveyed during a post-summit news conference.

“The situation in Myanmar is something that is unacceptable and should not continue,” he told reporters.

“Violence must be stopped and democracy, stability and peace in Myanmar must be restored immediately.”

Jokowi said at the meeting, Indonesia demanded that Myanmar’s junta make three commitments: end its use of force, start an inclusive dialogue among parties by releasing political detainees at once and open access to humanitarian aid, under the coordination by ASEAN’s secretary general.

“Indonesia is committed to overseeing the continuation of this commitment so that the political crisis in Myanmar can be resolved immediately,” Jokowi said.

In his speech to the meeting, Prime Minister Muhyiddin echoed Jokowi’s remarks.

“Apart from immediately stopping the violence, my second point is to call for a meaningful, inclusive political dialogue which can only take place with the prompt and unconditional release of political detainees,” Muhyiddin said.

“This would be a good starting point and ease international pressure on Myanmar and ASEAN,” he said.

Muhyiddin said the ASEAN chair and secretary general must be given access into Myanmar to meet with all parties.

“This is much needed for ASEAN to provide an honest and unbiased observation. If ASEAN is allowed access, this can demonstrate to the world that it is on track in helping Myanmar restore normalcy in the country,” the Malaysian leader said.

The leaders of Indonesia and Malaysia had called for the emergency summit after the junta failed to heed demands to end the violence and release political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

Min Aung Hlaing arrived at Jakarta airport on a Myanmar Airways International flight in the early afternoon.

The general headed to the ASEAN Secretariat building, where the meeting was being held, after undergoing a COVID-19 test, the Indonesian president’s office said.

Apart from the junta chief, the other ASEAN states were represented in person by their top leaders, except for the Philippines, Thailand and Laos, who all sent their foreign ministers.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte cited their preoccupation with worsening COVID-19 outbreaks at home as their reason for skipping the meeting.

Also on Saturday in Jakarta, Christine Schraner Burgener, the United Nations special envoy on Myanmar met with Bui Thanh Son, the foreign minister of ASEAN member-state Vietnam, on the summit’s side lines, Vietnamese media reported. The U.N. envoy was going to the Indonesian capital to engage ASEAN leaders in discussions “focusing on a political solution” to the crisis in Myanmar, the world body had said earlier this week.  

Human rights groups, meanwhile, had criticized ASEAN for allowing the Burmese junta chief to represent Myanmar at the summit and exclude officials from the newly formed parallel National Unity Government (NUG) from attending it.

In a statement posted late Saturday on Facebook, the NUG said it welcomed “the encouraging news that ASEAN leaders have reached consensus that the military violence in Myanmar must stop and political prisoners be released.”

But it was not immediately clear whether the parallel civilian government was responding to the ASEAN chairman’s statement or to the speech by Jokowi.

“We appreciate the strong words from President Widodo of Indonesia calling for the release of our heroes,” Dr. Sasa, the union minister of international cooperation and spokesman for the NUG, said in the statement.

“We look forward to firm action by ASEAN to follow up its decisions and to restore democracy and freedom for our people and for the region.” (Ahmad Syamsudin/Ronna Nirmala | BenarNews)

A Singapore Skyline View for Migrant Workers

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - The Ferris wheel in Singapore was getting hit with raindrops.

But the migrant workers riding the Singapore Flyer did not seem to mind. They were trying to see the city skyline from above.

They were just a small number of at least 20,000 workers getting a free ride as a gift from members of the public and businesses.

The program ItsRainingRaincoats began a few years ago to help spread kindness to Singapore’s migrant workers. In January, it began calling for ride tickets to be donated to the workers.

Dipa Swaminathan is the group’s founder. She said a volunteer saw the rides as a meaningful way to use tourism money provided by the government.

Singapore citizens ages 18 and older have received about $74 each in tourism money. They must spend it on attractions, hotels and tours – all businesses that have lost money during the coronavirus pandemic.

Swaminathan’s group worked with the Ferris wheel operator and a booking website to get tickets for the foreign workers. A lot of people see that the workers have given so much to Singapore “and this is their chance to give back,” Swaminathan said.

“There’s a lot of joy in giving. I think that’s what causes the public…to support us” in these kinds of actions, she told The Associated Press.

The group will keep organizing rides as long as tickets come in.

A ticket, which includes entrance to an interactive space, costs about $26. There are currently enough tickets for 20,000 workers.

That is two percent of the 700,000 to 800,000 people who live in Singapore, Swaminathan estimates.

She said the “contained” nature of the Ferris wheel makes it a good fit.

Volunteers reminded the riders to keep their facial coverings on and keep a one-meter distance during a recent visit.

Ganesan Thivagar recently visited with a few other migrant workers.

They waited while rides were briefly stopped for bad weather. When it was time to go on, the 165-meter-high wheel did not offer such great views.

But that did not affect the 34-year-old. He was paying attention to the areas he could see. And he was struck by how much Singapore had changed since he arrived 14 years ago.

He quickly began taking pictures for his family, who live in India’s Tamil Nadu state.

“I am happy to enjoy the trip and enjoy together with my friends. Thanks to Singapore, (I get to) come here,” Thivagar said.

Workers like Thivagar have had a hard time. Their small living spaces had high coronavirus infection rates early during the pandemic.

Migrant workers have made up most of Singapore’s 60,000 reported cases. Last year, the high infection rates brought sudden attention to their situation – crowded living conditions, low wages and lack of healthcare.

Although the infection situation is under control, these workers have had more restrictions on movement than the general population. The rules are being eased by officials.

Natarajan Pandiarajan, who is 29, said the restrictions were “really difficult.” He was thankful for a break like his recent ride on the Ferris wheel. “Inside many feelings I also have. But this time now, coming on, happiness,” he said. (VOA)

Shortage of Computer Chips Hits Manufacturers, Electronics Products Affected

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - A computer chip shortage has left several manufacturing industries struggling. Makers of products such as video game consoles, smartphones and cars are among those affected.

Computer chips are small devices that contain electrical circuits and are used in computers and other electronics.

The shortage began in December 2021. At that time, many manufacturers misjudged demand for products like laptop computers and smartphones. Sales for these internet devices sharply increased during the coronavirus health crisis.

Whirlpool is an international company based in the United States. It is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of home products like ovens and refrigerators.

Whirlpool China chief Jason Ai said the company’s exports from China to Europe and the United States have decreased by as much as 25 percent in recent months.

Whirlpool cannot get enough microcontrollers: simple chips used in over half of its products. Ai said the company is struggling to meet the demand for appliances, while trying to fill “an explosion of export orders.”

“It’s a perfect storm,” he said.

Other manufacturers are also struggling because of the chip shortage. Hangzhou Robam Appliances Co. Ltd. is a Chinese home goods maker. It had to delay the release of a new stove part by four months because it could not get enough microcontrollers.

Dan Ye is the company's marketing director. He said many of its products are built for high technology homes, “so of course we need a lot of chips.”

With the shortage, companies are now having to compete to buy remaining chips to secure their own supplies.

Ye said that it is easier for the company to find chips in China than in other countries.

“Domestic chips can satisfy our needs completely,” he said.

To deal with the shortage of microprocessors and memory chips, Dreame Technology cut its budget and hired extra employees just to communicate with chip suppliers. The company makes vacuum cleaners.

Dreame has also been forced to test chips that could serve as alternatives to the ones it normally uses.

Marketing director Frank Wang, said Dreame also is investing in some computer chip suppliers.

“We’re working to have deeper control of our suppliers," he said.(VOA)

The American College Basketball Tournaments Lift Student Spirit

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - The American college basketball tournaments known as “March Madness” look a little different than they used to. There are very few fans watching the games in person. The players stay in safe areas called “bubbles” in the states of Texas and Indiana.

But at least the games are happening. Last year, the tournaments were just about to start when the United States closed all public events to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The college tournaments include over 60 teams made up of college students. There is a tournament for men and a tournament for women. In U.S. cities with large colleges and universities, people would go out to eat, drink and watch the games on television.

When the tournaments were canceled last year, students were also sent home. Some students have yet to return to campus. Others came back to a very different college life in autumn. They needed to stay apart from each other. They took classes by video call. They could not spend time with friends or eat in large dining rooms. Colleges, like the rest of the country, were trying to stop the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Group activities are a big part of the college experience. And students whose universities had good basketball teams in 2020 lost out on one of those experiences: cheering for their schoolmates in the tournaments.

Shane Hoffmann saw this at the University of Oregon. He is a sports writer for The Daily Emerald, the student newspaper. He said last year, the Oregon women’s basketball team might have won the tournament. Three Oregon players were among the first eight players chosen by the professional teams of the WNBA, including Sabrina Ionescu, the first pick. Hoffmann called it “a huge bummer” to see the college basketball tournaments canceled.

“It did seem very, very gloomy. I think people realized that was the last time they were able to see that phenomenal, phenomenal Oregon team, which is probably going to go down as one of the best ever.”

This spring, things are a little less gloomy for Max Witty, a student at Syracuse University in central New York. Witty said watching the games on television was a fun activity for students and others.

“It gives us a sense of maybe we are getting back to normal, maybe one day we can have that big game, maybe one day we’ll be able to sit and watch it with a huge crowd in The Dome, who knows?”

“The Dome” is the large building at Syracuse where 30,000 fans can watch the games and cheer for the team. Watching games there was one of the reasons Witty chose to go to Syracuse.

Syracuse recently lost to the University of Houston to end its season. But for a couple of weeks, Witty said being able to watch the games with a small group of friends was a “pick-me-up” after a difficult year.

Thomas Kollie is in his second year at the University of Alabama. The school, in the city of Tuscaloosa, is known for its winning football team and the 100,000 fans at the games. Kollie said he missed attending football games last year. With COVID-19 restrictions, very few were permitted at the games and he could not get in.

This year, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams were in the college tournaments before losing in late March. Life in Tuscaloosa has also been different compared to 2020. Streets in the city have been filled with fans watching games as the state removed gathering limits.

In his fraternity house, Kollie has been watching sports events with as many as 25 friends.

“Now, like, actually being able to gather and watch the basketball games without fear of how many rules we're breaking, that's really cool. Because you're not sitting in constant fear about the cops coming and kicking everyone out in the middle of a game, or something like that.”

Hoffmann went to Indianapolis, Indiana to write about the Oregon games. He said seeing the whole sports world shut down last year was “depressing.” But now, he is excited to see fans from all over the U.S. coming to see the games.

He said seeing families out in the city, wearing the colors of their favorite teams, made it seem like the U.S. is taking “a step in the right direction to … normalcy again.”

The final games of the college basketball tournaments are played on April 4 and 5. (VOA)

Zimbabwean Girl Uses Martial Arts to Warn Against Child Marriage

HARARE, LELEMUKU.COM - In Zimbabwe, some girls are forced to marry as young as the age of 10 because of poverty or for traditional or religious reasons.

One Zimbabwean teenager is using the sport of taekwondo to give girls from a poor community a fighting chance to have a better life.Natsiraishe Maritsa has been a fan of taekwondo since she was very young. Taekwondo is a Korean martial art.

Today, the 17-year-old holds taekwondo lessons outside her parents’ home in the poor settlement of Epworth. The area is about 15 kilometers south of the capital, Harare.

“Not many people do taekwondo here, so it’s fascinating for the girls, both married and single,” Maritsa said. “I use it to get their attention.” Children as young as four follow her instructions to stretch, kick, strike and punch. After class, the group talks about the risks of child marriage.

Newly married girls led one recent discussion. One by one, they describe extreme abuse they have experienced in their marriages. They describe being raped and being hungry.

“We are not ready for this thing called marriage. We are just too young for it,” Maritsa told The Associated Press. She described her small group as “a safe space” for the girls to share ideas.

“I use their voices, their challenges, to discourage those young girls not yet married to stay off early sexual activity and marriage,” Maritsa said.

Zimbabwe law says boys and girls cannot legally marry until they reach the age of 18. That law was passed in 2016. Child marriage, however, is widespread in the southern African nation.

For some poor families, the reason is an economic one. Marrying off a young daughter means fewer costs. The rights group Girls Not Bridessays the bride price paid by husbands of these girls is “used by families as a means of survival.”

An estimated 30 percent of girls in Zimbabwe are married before they reach 18,the United Nations Children’s Fund says.Rising poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic has increased pressures on families around the world to marry off their young daughters.

Maritsa’s group is called Vulnerable Underaged People’s Auditorium. She started the project in 2018 after seeing her friends leave school for marriage. She hopes to increase the confidence of both married and unmarried girls through the martial arts lessons and discussions.

She accepts 15 students in each lesson, she said. “The only support I get is from my parents.” After class, her parents usually provide fresh juice and sweets.

Zimbabwe recently announced a ban on public gatherings. The measure is meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The ban has forced Maritsa to suspend her lessons, but she hopes to restart as soon as the country’s lockdown is lifted.

Maritsa said, “From being hopeless, the young mothers feel empowered...being able to use their stories to dissuade other girls from falling into the same trap.” (VOA)

Cosmetic Surgeries Operations Rise in South Korea During Pandemic

SEOUL, LELEMUKU.COM - South Korean demand for cosmetic surgery operations sharply increased in 2020.

Last year, the industry in South Korea was worth about $10.7 billion dollars. That was an increase of around nine percent from 2019. South Koreans are expected to spend around $11.8 billion this year, says Gangnam Unni, the country’s largest online cosmetic surgery website.

Ryu Han-na is a 20-year-old university student. She got an operation on her nose in December.

Ryu took her classes online throughout 2020. She said the abilities to rest at home and to wear a face covering in public were important for her.

“I always wanted to get a nose job...I thought it would be the best to get it now before people start taking off masks when vaccines become available in 2021,” she said as she prepared for the operation, which cost around $4,000.

“There will be bruises and swelling from the surgery but since we’ll all be wearing masks I think that should help,” she added.

That thinking is leading to an increased demand for such operations in South Korea. Gangnam Unni data showed its users grew to about 2.6 million last year, an increase of 63 percent from a year earlier.

However, the pandemic made it nearly impossible to sell cosmetic services to foreign patients. As a result, the industry has tried to promote its services more to people in the country and nearby.

Promote means to make something more popular or well-known.

Cosmetic surgeons say patients are interested in operations on all parts of the face. Some want operations on parts of the face that are easily hidden under coverings, such as the nose and lips. But others want operations in places that face coverings do not hide.

Park Cheol-woo is a surgeon at WooAhIn Plastic Surgery Clinic. Park was responsible for Ryu’s operation.

“Both surgical and non-surgical inquiries about eyes, eyebrows, nose bridge and foreheads - the only visible parts - certainly increased,” Park said.

Surgeon Shin Sang-ho runs Krismas Plastic Surgery Clinic. Shin said many people have spent their emergency payment from the government at hospitals and surgical centers.

“I felt like it’s sort of a revenge spending. I’ve sensed that customers were expressing their pent-up emotions (from the coronavirus) by getting cosmetic procedures,” Shin said.

Pent-up emotions are feelings that have been held back or not expressed.

Government data shows that of about $13 billion in government payments, 10.6 percent was used in hospitals and drug stores. That was the third-largest area of spending behind supermarkets and restaurants. However, details of spending at hospitals were not provided.

A third wave of coronavirus remains a concern in South Korea as the country reports more daily cases. “We’ve seen growing numbers of cancellations...recently as people refrain more from going outside...” Park said. (VOA)

Japan Researchers Aims to Launch World’s First Wooden Satellite, LignoSat

TOKYO, LELEMUKU.COM - Japanese researchers say they are working to build the world’s first satellite made of wood.

The goal is to help fight the problem of space junk. Space junk includes things like dead satellites, lost pieces of equipment and small pieces of paint. Such objects can present threats to spacecraft and satellites operating in space.

The project is a joint effort involving the company Sumitomo Forestry and Japan’s Kyoto University. The development team recently announced plans for the satellite in a news release.

The researchers say the wooden satellite – which they call LignoSat – is one of several planned projects that seek to explore how wood might be used in space in the future.

The developers say wood offers several advantages over other materials commonly used to build satellites, such as aluminum and other metals.

For example, the researchers say wood does not block electromagnetic waves. For this reason, wooden structures could be used to house antenna equipment and other controlling devices, the team said in a statement.

Wooden structures would also be simpler to design and weigh less than current satellite equipment, the researchers added. Such satellites would be better for the environment because they would burn up when reentering Earth’s atmosphere. They would not release polluting particles into the air and oceans.

Space junk: a growing problem

The researchers say space junk is a growing problem. Thousands of non-operating satellites are currently orbiting the Earth, and the number of new satellites continues to grow. Last year, European and United Nations agencies announced they were developing a plan for worldwide action to deal with space junk. The agencies said waste orbiting the earth must be cleaned up to make room for new satellites.

One of the leaders of the project is Japanese astronaut Takao Doi, who is also a professor at Kyoto University. He told BBC News that the driving force behind the project is the need to limit pollutants released from satellites that remain in the upper atmosphere for many years.

"Eventually it will affect the environment of the Earth," Doi said. He added that after the first steps in the research process are completed, the team will begin “developing the engineering model of the satellite.” After that, a satellite flight model will be manufactured.

The first wooden satellite could be launched by 2023.

The researchers admit that the project presents some big technological problems. These include finding a wood material that can keep its shape in severe temperatures and survive intense sunlight over a long period of time.

The Japanese project involves researching different wood-based materials and protective coatings that can hold up in the extreme conditions of space. The team is studying the construction of wooden structures using cedar and birch wood.

The researchers also plan to study how other wood products would perform in space. They want to find out whether trees could help humans in extreme environments such as space stations.

The company backing the project, Sumitomo Forestry, has also developed buildings made mainly of wood. In 2018, the company announced its largest project, a 350-meter wooden skyscraper to be built in Tokyo. It says the goal is to complete the building by 2041. (VOA)

United States Sounds Warning as South Easy Asia Countries Choose Huawei for 5G

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM -  The United States is acknowledging that many countries are not heeding warnings about the possible security risks in allowing Chinese tech giant Huawei to build the next generation of high-speech wireless networks known as 5G.

The trend is particularly clear in Southeast Asia, where even U.S. allies are racing ahead to partner with Huawei and launch 5G networks in the coming years.

In February, Thailand launched a Huawei 5G test network in Chonburi. Thai authorities indicated that the affordability of Huawei's 5G services offset potential concerns over cybersecurity.

In the Philippines, its Globe Telecom is rolling out the nation's 5G network in partnership with Huawei.

In Malaysia, the country's leading communications and digital services company Maxis signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei to cooperate and accelerate 5G development.

This week, six former top U.S. military officials, including two who were commanders for the U.S. Pacific Command, issued a blunt warning of a future where a Chinese-developed 5G network could be widely adopted among American allies.

"There is reason for concern that in the future the U.S. will not be able to use networks that rely on Chinese technology for military operations in the territories of traditional U.S. allies or emerging partners in Europe, Asia and beyond," said the former military leaders in a statement.

"The immense bandwidth and access potential inherent in commercial 5G systems means effective military operations in the future could benefit from military data being pushed over these networks," they added.

And U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday warned some European countries could soon find themselves cut off from U.S. intelligence and other critical information if they continue to cultivate relationships with Chinese technology firms.

"We've done our risk analysis," Pompeo said, following a NATO ministerial meeting in Washington. "We have now shared that with our NATO partners, with countries all around the world. We've made clear that if the risk exceeds the threshold for the United States, we simply won't be able to share that information any longer."

For U.S. officials, the threat posed by a Chinese-built communication network could not be clearer.

"Huawei is not a state-owned enterprise. But Huawei is a Chinese company and what we do know is several things. One, broadly speaking, Chinese companies will respond to requests for demands from the Chinese government. Telecommunications is a vital part of national backbones. It has military security implications. It has financial and economic implications," said Dean Cheng, a senior research fellow of Washington-based Heritage Foundation.

​Cheap. Fast. Secure?

Huawei insists that it would not turn information over to Chinese authorities if they demanded it, but few outside analysts believe any Chinese company would stand up the country's authoritarian government. U.S. officials are even more direct.

"What we do is in our national interests, we see with companies like Huawei that are supported, if not directed, by central authorities in China. We see challenges and potential threats to the sanctity, the security of our systems in our networks, and the best we can do with our friends and partners and allies, is to share our information, share our experience," Patrick Murphy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told VOA at a recent seminar at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

That message clearly has had a mixed reception, especially after years when the United States' vast electronic eavesdropping capabilities have drawn criticism.

Richard Kramer, founder of Arete, a technology research firm based in London, said leaks from U.S. security agencies in recent years have revealed close cooperation between the federal government and U.S. telecoms and tech firms around intelligence gathering.

The U.S. position, he said, seems to be: "We don't want China to spy on us, but we want to be able to spy on them."

Will pressure backfire?

Even in countries where there are open political concerns over the growing power of Chinese influence, too much U.S. pressure could backfire, said Anthony Nelson, Director of the East Asia and Pacific practice at the Albright Stonebridge Group, a global business strategy firm.

"Southeast Asian countries that are looking to balance their military relationships with the U.S. and China are not motivated by Washington's security concerns, with the notable exception of Vietnam," Nelson said.

Vietnam has had tensions with China in recent years over disputed territory and trade issues. Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S., Ha Kim Ngoc, told VOA that all companies operating in the country need to respect Vietnam's sovereignty.

"We have one principle: They need to respect our sovereignty, national sovereignty," said the ambassador at the recent USIP event. (VOA)

Ugandan Forces Search for Abducted US Tourist and Driver

KAMPALA, LELEMUKU.COM - Ugandan security forces are searching for an American tourist, her driver and the four gunmen who abducted them inside a national park on Tuesday. The gunmen have demanded half a million dollars to release the captives.

Ugandan police say a group of three tourists and their Ugandan driver were out in Queen Elizabeth National Park at about 2:00 p.m. Tuesday when the unidentified men held them up at gunpoint.

They say the gunmen kidnapped an American, identified as 35-year-old Kimberly Sue Endecott, and the driver, Jean Paul. The other two tourists, an elderly couple, were freed and later informed park officials of the abduction.

The abduction happened in the Ishasha section of the park, which sits near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“The kidnappers, using the victim's phone, have demanded $500,000," Polly Namaye, the police deputy spokesperson told reporters. "We strongly believe that this ransom is the reason behind the kidnap."

Now, the phone is switched off, meaning authorities have to wait for kidnappers to get back in touch.

Security agencies including the president's Elite Special Forces, the tourism police and the regular police are searching the national park, an area that covers 2,000 square kilometers, in hopes of rescuing Endecott and Paul.

They are hoping the gunmen do not cross into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is just 18 kilometers from the kidnap scene and stretches into Congo.

In 1999, armed Hutu fighters from Congo entered Bwindi Park and killed eight tourists and four Ugandans.

Namaye says police suspect Endecott, Paul and the kidnappers are still somewhere in Queen Elizabeth Park.

“We strongly believe that the perpetrators and the victims could still be trapped within our search area and we are hopeful that our efforts will lead to their successful and safe recovery.” said Namaye.

Uganda earns about $1.3 billion per year from tourism.

Bashir Hangi, the spokesperson for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, acknowledged the kidnapping could hurt the tourism industry but said tourists need to be cautious when traveling in national parks.

“Maybe we need to appreciate the fact that these people did not have a ranger guide, the time they went for a game drive. And why do we have guns in the park? It’s to protect our visitors, not only against wildlife but also against such illegal armed entrants in the parks," said Hangi.

Meanwhile, in an advisory, the U.S. embassy in Kampala has asked Americans to exercise caution when traveling in Queen Elizabeth National Park due to ongoing security activity. (VOA)

Barack Obama Meets Angela Merkel at Chancellery in Berlin

BERLIN, LELEMUKU.COM - Chancellor Angela Merkel has received former U.S. President Barack Obama at her office in Berlin for a meeting characterized by German officials as a routine private encounter with a former international peer.

Obama could be seen waving as he left the chancellery alongside Merkel Friday. Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said she has met repeatedly with ex-heads of state and government "with whom she worked together closely and well for a time."

He said the meeting has no implications for current German-U.S. relations. Asked whether it was a signal to President Donald Trump, with whom Germany has a sometimes-complicated relationship, Seibert replied: "I would firmly reject that impression."

Merkel and Obama have already met in Berlin since the former president left office, participating in a discussion at a May 2017 conference. (VOA)

Mark Zuckerberg Confident of Stopping Interference in 2020 Campaign in Facebook

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM -Facebook Inc's Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is confident the world's biggest social network will do better in 2020 at stopping "bad actors" from manipulating the U.S. presidential election.

"We've learned a lot since 2016, where, obviously, we were behind where we needed to be on defenses for nation states trying to interfere," he said in a "Good Morning America" interview released on Thursday.

"These aren't things that you ever fully solve, right? They're ongoing arms races, where we need to make sure that our systems stay ahead of the sophisticated bad actors, who are just always going to try to game them.”

U.S. intelligence agencies say there was an extensive Russian cyber-influence operation during the 2016 campaign aimed at helping Donald Trump, a Republican, defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. Russia has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Zuckerberg said the social media giant had implemented a lot of different measures since 2016 to verify any advertiser who is running a political ad and create an archive so anyone could see what advertisers are running, who they are targeting and how much they are paying.

Advertising practices at Facebook, the world's largest social network with 2.7 billion users and $56 billion in annual revenue, have been in the spotlight for two years amid growing discontent over its approach to privacy and user data.

The company said in a congressional testimony last year that Russian agents created 129 events on the network during the 2016 U.S. election campaign, shedding more light on Russia's purported disinformation drive aimed at voters.

"At this point, (we) have probably some of the most-advanced systems of any company or government in the world for preventing the kind of tactics that Russia and now other countries, as well, have tried," Zuckerberg said.

Asked if he could guarantee that there would not be interference in the election, Zuckerberg said, "What I can guarantee is that they're definitely going to try.” (Reuters-VOA)

One Dead, Multiple People Wounded in Dutch Tram Shooting

AMSTERDAM, LELEMUKU.COM - Police in the Dutch city of Utrecht say there were One person is dead and multiple injuries in a shooting incident in a tram in residential neighborhood.

Police said that several trauma helicopters had been deployed to the scene to assist the wounded and appealed to the public to stay clear of the area to allow first responders to provide the necessary help.

“The surrounding area has been cordoned off and we are investigating the matter," Utrecht police said.

A police spokesman is quoted as saying that all possibilities are being considered, including a terrorist motive,  the shooter remains at large. They have advised schools in the area to keep their doors closed.

“At 10:45 a.m. local time, multiple shots fired inside a tram near 24 Oktoberplein in Utrecht,” police told Arab News, adding that “there were multiple shots causing multiple, heavy injuries.”

The head of the Dutch national counter-terrorism service, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg, said on Twitter that he was having “crisis consultations”, adding: “Terrorist motive not excluded. Information not yet full.

NCTV is monitoring the situation in #Utrecht. In close contact with local authorities. We cannot rule out terrorist motive. Crisis team is activated. Local media reports have said counter-terrorism police were seen at the scene.

“Shooting incident... Several injured people reported. Assistance started,” the Utrecht police Twitter account said. “It is a shooting incident in a tram. Several trauma helicopters have been deployed to provide help.”

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he was "deeply concerned" about the incident.

The 24 Oktoberplein is a busy Utrecht traffic junction, with a tram stop. Tram traffic was temporarily stopped due to the incident, but the trams are currently running again between Zuilenstein, Nieuwegein and IJsselstein.

Local media have reported that counter-terrorism police were at the scene and showed images of masked, armed police and emergency vehicles surrounding a tram that had stopped near a road bridge. (Albert Batlayeri/VOA)

Social Media Scramble to Remove New Zealand Suspect's Video

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - They built their services for sharing, allowing users to reach others around the world. Now they want people to hold back.

Facebook and other social media companies battled their own services on Friday as they tried to delete copies of a video apparently recorded by the gunman as he killed 49 people and wounded scores of others in the attack on two New Zealand mosques Friday.

The video was livestreamed on the suspect's Facebook account and later reposted on other services.

According to news reports, Facebook took down the livestream of the attack 20 minutes after it was posted and removed the suspect's accounts. But people were able to capture the video and repost it on other sites, including YouTube, Twitter and Reddit.

YouTube has tweeted that it is "working to remove any violent footage." A post from one user on Reddit asks others not to "post the videos. If you see the videos, bring it to themoderators' attention."

Criticism of pace

Despite the companies' quick actions, they still came under fire for not being fast enough. Critics said the platforms should have better systems in place to locate and remove content, instead of a system that helps others facilitate its spread once something is posted.

One critic, Tom Watson, a member of the British Parliament and deputy leader of the Labor Party, called for YouTube to stop all new videos from being posted on the site if it could not stop the spread of the New Zealand video.

Resistance to censorship

The companies' race to stamp out the New Zealand video highlighted the dilemma that social media companies have faced, particularly as they have allowed livestreaming.

Built on users' content, Facebook, YouTube and others have long resisted the arduous task of censoring objectionable content.

At hearings in Washington or in media interviews, executives of these firms have said that untrue information isin itself notagainst their terms of service.

Instead of removing information deemed fake or objectionable, social media companies have tried to frame the information with fact checking or have demoted the information on their sites, making it harder for people to find.

That is what Facebook appears to be doing with the anti-vaccination content on its site. Earlier this month, Facebook said it would curtail anti-vaccination information on its platforms, including blocking advertising that contains false information about vaccines. It did not say it would remove users expressing anti-vaccination content.

But sometimes the firms do remove accounts. Last year, Facebook, Twitter and others removed from their platforms Alex Jones, an American commentator, used for spreading conspiracy theories and stirring hatred.

More monitors

In the past year, some social media companies have hired more people to monitor content so that issues are flagged faster, rather than having to wait for other users or the firm's algorithms to flag objectionable content.

With the New Zealand shooting video, Facebook and other firms appeared to be in lockstep, saying they would remove the content as quickly as they found it.

But there have been more calls for human and technical solutions that can quickly stop the spread of content across the internet.(VOA)

49 People Were Killed in Christchurch Mosques Attack

At least 49 people were killed during Friday prayers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Young children are among the 48 people wounded in the attack and are being treated for gunshot wounds. Forty-one people were killed at one mosque, and seven people were killed at the second mosque.

The victims of Friday's shooting included immigrants from Pakistan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The suspects 

Three men and one woman are in custody. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said none of them were on security watch lists.

A 28-year old man has been charged with murder. The attacker has not been named, but Australia's prime minister said he was an Australian citizen and described him as an "extremist right-wing violent terrorist."

The gunman live-streamed the assault on Facebook from a head-mounted camera, and the footage showed how victims were killed inside one of the mosques. The shooter broadcast the live footage after publishing a manifesto in which he called immigrants "invaders."

Prime Minister Ardern called the shooting a "terrorist attack," and authorities advised all mosques in Christchurch to shut down until further notice.

World reaction 

U.S. President Donald Trump extended condolences on Twitter to New Zealanders and said, "The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do."

The attack has been condemned across the globe, with leaders from Pakistan, Turkey, Britain, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Japan and the European Union sending their condolences and offering support to New Zealand.

Violent crimes rare

Mass shootings, and violent crime in general, are rare in New Zealand, a country of nearly 5 million people. The country's worst mass shooting was in 1990 when a lone gunman killed 13 people in the small town of Aramoana. (VOA)