Asia in 3 minutes: Elon Musk’s apology doesn’t go far enough; Japan’s obsession with otters goes too far
WhatsApp launches campaign in Pakistan to quell spread of fake news; Indonesians slaughter crocodiles in revenge killings and India orders investigation into orphanages run by Mother Teresa’s charity
Elon Musk ‘apologises’ for calling Thai cave rescuer a ‘pedo’ on Twitter
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk apologised to a Briton who helped rescue a group of boys and their soccer coach from a cave in Thailand, after calling him a “pedo” on Twitter. Vernon Unsworth had said he was considering legal action and was “astonished and very angry” about the slur. Musk deleted the offending tweet, which was made after Unsworth questioned the usefulness of a mini-submarine Musk offered to help the rescue, since it would not have been able to navigate the narrow cave network.
What next? Musk issued an apology of sorts to Unsworth after widespread outrage at his outburst and Tesla shares shed 3 per cent. “My words were spoken in anger after Mr Unsworth said several untruths & suggested I engage in a sexual act with the mini-sub, which had been built as an act of kindness & according to specifications from the dive team leader. Nonetheless, his actions against me do not justify my actions against him, and for that I apologise to Mr Unsworth and to the companies I represent as leader. The fault is mine and mine alone.” Asked whether he was still considering legal action against Musk, Unsworth told reporters: “Yes, it’s not finished.”
WhatsApp offers tips to Pakistanis on how to spot fake news before vote
WhatsApp messaging service began a week-long publicity campaign in Pakistan offering tips to spot fake news, days before the country’s general election. “Together we can fight false information,” said a full-page ad in Dawn newspaper, listing 10 tips on how to tell rumours from fact. “Many messages containing hoaxes or fake news have spelling mistakes. Look for these signs so you can check if the information is accurate,” it said. “If you read something that makes you angry or afraid, ask whether it was shared to make you feel that way. And if the answer is yes, think twice before sharing it again.”
What next? WhatsApp also announced a new feature for the country’s users to allow recipients to see whether a message is original or has been forwarded. The company had bought a full-page advert in India on July 10 after a wave of lynchings in the country were linked to viral “fake news” spread by WhatsApp which have caused the deaths of more than 20 people in the past two months.
Popular as pets, otters increasingly being smuggled into Japan
Japan was the top destination for otters recovered from smugglers in Southeast Asia between 2015 and 2017, with experts pointing to the species’ growing popularity as pets in the country, according to a recent survey by a wildlife monitoring group. Of 59 otters recovered during the three-year period, 32 found in Thailand were on their way to Japan, the international organisation Traffic said. Otters’ growing popularity as a pet in Japan could be one of the reasons behind the poaching and illegal trade of the animal, Traffic said.
