radiofree.asia

Category: the

  • Need a new outfit? Try the library.

    Illustration of clothing rack inside library bookshelf

    The spotlight

    At a library in Dover, New Hampshire, earlier this year, the shelves of books and CDs typically available for lending were accompanied by something else — racks of clothes. Every Sunday and Monday from December through mid-January, community members could visit a lecture hall in the Dover Public Library to participate in the pilot of a new type of lending project: a clothing library. Visitors could check out up to five garments for two weeks at a time. The collection focused on “occasion wear,” the types of things people might buy for the purpose of wearing once: a holiday party dress, a wedding outfit, a ski trip ensemble.

    But more than displacing those types of purchases, and the resulting waste, the real idea behind the project was to facilitate a shift in behavior, said Stella Martinez McShera, the clothing library’s creator. “How can we bridge the gap between people buying, whether that’s new or secondhand, to borrowing?”

    A woman sits at a table in a large meeting room, surrounded by racks of clothes on hangers

    McShera with the clothing library setup. Courtesy of Stella Martinez McShera

    I met McShera while reporting another newsletter story on the world’s first degrowth master’s program, run by a university in Barcelona. She’s a recent graduate of the online master’s, and the clothing library was her thesis project. In that story, we explored what happens when the philosophical ideas of a new economic system meet the realities of the one we have. McShera’s project is one example of what that looks like in practice.

    . . .

    McShera started her career in fashion. In 2000, she launched the first fashion incubator in the U.S. But as much as she loved the essence of fashion, she knew that the industry was guilty of horrifying human rights abuses, pollution, and waste. She had long been interested in circular fashion, but she came to feel that even a circular approach was not enough to get to the root of all the ills associated with fast fashion. When she discovered degrowth and the master’s program, it became a proving ground for her ideas about replacing fast fashion and extraction with borrowing and being resourceful with what already exists.

    McShera started building her clothing library pilot by collecting surplus garments from local thrift and vintage stores. It’s estimated that thrift stores sell only about 20 percent of the donated clothing they receive. Even vintage boutiques and curated consignment shops will end up getting rid of some garments they weren’t able to sell in a set time. “They have to cycle stuff in,” she said. “So even if it’s something really cute, maybe they overpriced it at the thrift store, or maybe it just didn’t sell in two weeks because it’s a sweater and it’s unseasonably warm.”

    Just from local secondhand shops, McShera quickly gathered over 5,000 garments — even more than she could take, she said. She donated her own surplus to a housing shelter, winnowing the library collection down to about 1,500 items.

    McShera kicked off the launch with a fashion show in the stacks. Professionally coiffed librarians modeled items from the collection for photographers and a crowd of over 160 attendees. “It was so much fun,” said Denise LaFrance, the Dover library’s director. The fashion show was the biggest indoor event at the library in her 25-year tenure. “I mean, seriously, people still are talking about it.”

    Two side-by-side photos show models walking down the aisle of a library dressed in fun outfits and each carrying a book

    Models walk the runway during the fashion show at the Dover Public Library. Jason Shamesman

    During the pilot, McShera also hosted an eco-fashion panel and three workshops on mending and styling, intended to help people think differently about their relationship to their wardrobes. “Because it’s free, people were more willing to experiment with their style,” McShera said. There was no guilt or shame associated with returning something, because returning was an understood part of the process.

    LaFrance borrowed, among other things, a pair of gray silk pants that she remembered loving, even though they weren’t the type of thing she would typically shop for. When she checked them out, they still had their original price tag attached. They retailed for about $400. “I would never buy $400 pants,” she said. “But they were fabulous.”

    Over just 12 days of being open, McShera said, the library saw over a hundred people come through, and 65 borrowed something. And of the more than 100 garments that were checked out during the library’s pilot, all of them came back clean and in good condition.

    “It’s the commoning of clothing,” McShera said. “It’s free access versus ownership.”

    . . .

    With the pilot concluded, and McShera’s thesis complete, she’s now looking toward the next steps of bringing clothing libraries to fruition in her community and beyond. She presented the concept at the 10th International Degrowth Conference last week in Spain, and plans to publish a manual that will empower community members all over the world to start their own projects, in partnership with their local libraries. Someday, she’d like to see a network of clothing libraries — sharing resources and knowledge, advocating for policy change, and possibly even swapping clothes to help keep their collections fresh.

    Although she feels there’s more testing to be done, a few more local libraries in her area have already expressed interest in hosting a pilot, she noted.

    “The most difficult thing about this was space and time,” said LaFrance. The library is in an old building, she said, “and we’re kind of bursting at the seams.” She suspects that most libraries would be similarly pressed to carve out space for a small shop’s worth of clothing racks. One thing she suggested to McShera was a setup more like a traveling bus.

    But McShera’s ultimate vision is to integrate clothing into the normal functioning of a library. “The reason I wanted the model to be in partnership with the public libraries is because the behavior’s normal. People already know, I go in and I borrow,” she said. She added that libraries tend to be centrally located in cities and neighborhoods, highly visible and easily reachable by foot or transit. And many libraries — including Dover’s — already branch out from books, lending things like tools, games, and music.

    “This just seems like a logical next step,” she said.

    Rather than a pop-up in an event room, she envisions a future where clothing racks could find a permanent home in the library. There could even be regular staff members with fashion expertise who could steward the collections. “Just like if someone needs help using the photocopier or help researching something, you ask the librarian for help,” McShera said. “So if you wanted some help styling, you could say, ‘Hey, is there a clothing librarian on shift today?’”

    — Claire Elise Thompson

    More exposure

    A parting shot

    It has become increasingly common for public libraries and other community-serving organizations to offer “libraries of things” — collections of functional stuff that people might want to borrow for a short time, like toys, gear, musical instruments, and more. Here’s a photo of one such offering in the corner of a library in Frankfurt, Germany.

    Mounted shelves on a wall display items like a picnic basket, several sports balls, and a juicer

    This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Need a new outfit? Try the library. on Jun 26, 2024.


    This content originally appeared on Grist and was authored by Claire Elise Thompson.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Need a new outfit? Try the library.

    Illustration of clothing rack inside library bookshelf

    The spotlight

    At a library in Dover, New Hampshire, earlier this year, the shelves of books and CDs typically available for lending were accompanied by something else — racks of clothes. Every Sunday and Monday from December through mid-January, community members could visit a lecture hall in the Dover Public Library to participate in the pilot of a new type of lending project: a clothing library. Visitors could check out up to five garments for two weeks at a time. The collection focused on “occasion wear,” the types of things people might buy for the purpose of wearing once: a holiday party dress, a wedding outfit, a ski trip ensemble.

    But more than displacing those types of purchases, and the resulting waste, the real idea behind the project was to facilitate a shift in behavior, said Stella Martinez McShera, the clothing library’s creator. “How can we bridge the gap between people buying, whether that’s new or secondhand, to borrowing?”

    A woman sits at a table in a large meeting room, surrounded by racks of clothes on hangers

    McShera with the clothing library setup. Courtesy of Stella Martinez McShera

    I met McShera while reporting another newsletter story on the world’s first degrowth master’s program, run by a university in Barcelona. She’s a recent graduate of the online master’s, and the clothing library was her thesis project. In that story, we explored what happens when the philosophical ideas of a new economic system meet the realities of the one we have. McShera’s project is one example of what that looks like in practice.

    . . .

    McShera started her career in fashion. In 2000, she launched the first fashion incubator in the U.S. But as much as she loved the essence of fashion, she knew that the industry was guilty of horrifying human rights abuses, pollution, and waste. She had long been interested in circular fashion, but she came to feel that even a circular approach was not enough to get to the root of all the ills associated with fast fashion. When she discovered degrowth and the master’s program, it became a proving ground for her ideas about replacing fast fashion and extraction with borrowing and being resourceful with what already exists.

    McShera started building her clothing library pilot by collecting surplus garments from local thrift and vintage stores. It’s estimated that thrift stores sell only about 20 percent of the donated clothing they receive. Even vintage boutiques and curated consignment shops will end up getting rid of some garments they weren’t able to sell in a set time. “They have to cycle stuff in,” she said. “So even if it’s something really cute, maybe they overpriced it at the thrift store, or maybe it just didn’t sell in two weeks because it’s a sweater and it’s unseasonably warm.”

    Just from local secondhand shops, McShera quickly gathered over 5,000 garments — even more than she could take, she said. She donated her own surplus to a housing shelter, winnowing the library collection down to about 1,500 items.

    McShera kicked off the launch with a fashion show in the stacks. Professionally coiffed librarians modeled items from the collection for photographers and a crowd of over 160 attendees. “It was so much fun,” said Denise LaFrance, the Dover library’s director. The fashion show was the biggest indoor event at the library in her 25-year tenure. “I mean, seriously, people still are talking about it.”

    Two side-by-side photos show models walking down the aisle of a library dressed in fun outfits and each carrying a book

    Models walk the runway during the fashion show at the Dover Public Library. Jason Shamesman

    During the pilot, McShera also hosted an eco-fashion panel and three workshops on mending and styling, intended to help people think differently about their relationship to their wardrobes. “Because it’s free, people were more willing to experiment with their style,” McShera said. There was no guilt or shame associated with returning something, because returning was an understood part of the process.

    LaFrance borrowed, among other things, a pair of gray silk pants that she remembered loving, even though they weren’t the type of thing she would typically shop for. When she checked them out, they still had their original price tag attached. They retailed for about $400. “I would never buy $400 pants,” she said. “But they were fabulous.”

    Over just 12 days of being open, McShera said, the library saw over a hundred people come through, and 65 borrowed something. And of the more than 100 garments that were checked out during the library’s pilot, all of them came back clean and in good condition.

    “It’s the commoning of clothing,” McShera said. “It’s free access versus ownership.”

    . . .

    With the pilot concluded, and McShera’s thesis complete, she’s now looking toward the next steps of bringing clothing libraries to fruition in her community and beyond. She presented the concept at the 10th International Degrowth Conference last week in Spain, and plans to publish a manual that will empower community members all over the world to start their own projects, in partnership with their local libraries. Someday, she’d like to see a network of clothing libraries — sharing resources and knowledge, advocating for policy change, and possibly even swapping clothes to help keep their collections fresh.

    Although she feels there’s more testing to be done, a few more local libraries in her area have already expressed interest in hosting a pilot, she noted.

    “The most difficult thing about this was space and time,” said LaFrance. The library is in an old building, she said, “and we’re kind of bursting at the seams.” She suspects that most libraries would be similarly pressed to carve out space for a small shop’s worth of clothing racks. One thing she suggested to McShera was a setup more like a traveling bus.

    But McShera’s ultimate vision is to integrate clothing into the normal functioning of a library. “The reason I wanted the model to be in partnership with the public libraries is because the behavior’s normal. People already know, I go in and I borrow,” she said. She added that libraries tend to be centrally located in cities and neighborhoods, highly visible and easily reachable by foot or transit. And many libraries — including Dover’s — already branch out from books, lending things like tools, games, and music.

    “This just seems like a logical next step,” she said.

    Rather than a pop-up in an event room, she envisions a future where clothing racks could find a permanent home in the library. There could even be regular staff members with fashion expertise who could steward the collections. “Just like if someone needs help using the photocopier or help researching something, you ask the librarian for help,” McShera said. “So if you wanted some help styling, you could say, ‘Hey, is there a clothing librarian on shift today?’”

    — Claire Elise Thompson

    More exposure

    A parting shot

    It has become increasingly common for public libraries and other community-serving organizations to offer “libraries of things” — collections of functional stuff that people might want to borrow for a short time, like toys, gear, musical instruments, and more. Here’s a photo of one such offering in the corner of a library in Frankfurt, Germany.

    Mounted shelves on a wall display items like a picnic basket, several sports balls, and a juicer

    This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Need a new outfit? Try the library. on Jun 26, 2024.


    This content originally appeared on Grist and was authored by Claire Elise Thompson.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • US journalist Evan Gershkovich faces 20-year sentence as trial begins in Russia

    New York, June 26, 2024—As the closed-door trial of U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich opened in a Russian court on Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists denounced it as a travesty of justice and renewed its call for the journalist’s immediate release.

    “U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich goes on trial today after nearly 15 months of unjust detention. Given the spurious and unsubstantiated charges brought against him, this trial is nothing more than a masquerade,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. “Russian authorities must put an end to this travesty of justice, release Gershkovich, drop all charges against him, and stop prosecuting members of the press for their work.”

    Gershkovich’s trial started Wednesday, June 26, in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, reports said. It is not known how long the trial will last.

    Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Gershkovich, a reporter with The Wall Street Journal, of collecting “secret information” for the CIA on a Russian tank factory in the Sverdlovsk region and arrested him on espionage charges on March 29, 2023.

    Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison and is the first American journalist to face such accusations by Russia since the end of the Cold War. The journalist, his outlet, and the U.S. government have all denied the espionage allegations.

    “No evidence has been unveiled. And we already know the conclusion: This bogus accusation of espionage will inevitably lead to a bogus conviction for an innocent man who would then face up to 20 years in prison for simply doing his job,” said Emma Tucker, editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal, in a Tuesday statement.

    On June 13, the Russian prosecutor general’s office announced that Gershkovich’s indictment had been finalized.

    “I think we were all hopeful that we were able to broker a deal with the Russians before this happened, but it doesn’t stop or slow us down,” Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs at the U.S. Department of State, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee the same day.

    On April 11, 2023, the U.S. State Department designated Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained,” unlocking a broad government effort to free him.

    Russia was the world’s fourth-worst jailer of journalists, with at least 22 behind bars, including Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, a U.S.-Russian journalist, when CPJ conducted its most recent prison census on December 1, 2023.


    This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by Arlene Getz/CPJ Editorial Director.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Did a US State Department official say Israel has the right to attack civilians?

    A claim emerged in social media posts that U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated at a June 6 press conference that Israel “has a right” to target civilians, citing a short clip as evidence. 

    But the claim is misleading. Miller did mention such words, but it was later corrected by the State Department. The full context of the response makes it clear that Miller was referring to Hamas fighters when he mentioned civilians. 

    The claim was shared on the Weibo account of the Russian state-owned video news agency Ruptly on June 7. 

    “#US State Department said Israel has a right to attack civilians#,” the claim reads in part. 

    The post was shared alongside a 21-second clip that shows what appears to be Miller at a press briefing. 

    In the video, Miller can be heard saying: “Israel has a right to try and target those civilians but they also have the obligation to minimize civilian harm and take every step possible to minimize civilian harm.” 

    1 (7).png
    Several Weibo accounts reposted claims that a State Department spokesperson said Israel had the right to target civilians. (Screenshot/Weibo)  

    But the claim is misleading. 

    A keyword search found a full transcript of Miller’s statement published on the website of the State Department on June 6. 

    “Israel has a right to try and target those civilians[1] but they also have the obligation to minimize civilian harm and take every step possible to minimize civilian harm,” the transcript reads in part. 

    Miller’s statement was made as part of a longer response to a question about a recent Israeli strike against a school purportedly housing Hamas fighters in Gaza that reportedly resulted in the deaths of 14 children. 

    A review of the full context of the response shows that Miller meant to refer to Hamas fighters when he said “target those civilians”.

    The State Department noted in an annotation, indicated by the number 1 in the quote above, that Miller’s phrase “target those civilians” was specifically referring to “Hamas fighters”. 

    2 (2).png
    The State Department annotated the transcript of its June 6 press conference to indicate that Miller was referring to Hamas militant fighters and not civilians. (Screenshot/U.S. Department State Department website) 

    A State Department spokesperson told AFCL: “Our State Department spokesperson clearly meant to say “Hamas”, and it was officially noted in the briefing transcript.” 

    Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke and Taejun Kang.

    Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) was established to counter disinformation in today’s complex media environment. We publish fact-checks, media-watches and in-depth reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers’ understanding of current affairs and public issues. If you like our content, you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Zhuang Jing for Asia Fact Check Lab.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • American Kompromat: The Craig Unger Interview

    Now that Jeffrey Epstein is dead (is he?) and Ghislaine Maxwell is in prison, who is serving their billionaire global market of pedophiles? Is Bill Barr, with his connections to traitor FBI agent and Russian spy Robert Hanssen, a Russian asset like Trump? Why isn’t the mainstream media sounding the alarm about the many Kremlin connections to Trump and his family, as well as Russia’s infiltration of the so-called “Deep State,” the FBI, and the CIA?

    In this special live taping of Gaslit Nation, celebrating George Orwell’s birthday, we break down all this and more with fearless investigative journalist Craig Unger. He is the author of several internationally bestselling books on the far-right’s war on democracy, including House of Trump, House of Putin; House of Bush, House of Saud; and American Kompromat: How the KGB Cultivated Donald Trump, and Related Tales of Sex, Greed, Power, and Treachery. Unger will return for another live taping in the fall to discuss his latest book, Den of Spies: Reagan, Carter, and the Secret History of the Treason That Stole the White House.

    This week’s bonus show, available to subscribers at the Truth-Teller level ($5/month) and higher, is a continuation of our discussion with Unger, featuring questions from our audience. Thank you to everyone who joined our live taping and asked fascinating questions in the chat! We look forward to seeing you at our next live taping on July 15th with cult expert Dr. Janja Lalich, who will help us make sense of the MAGA death cult rally known as the Republican National Convention! To get access to that and more, including bonus shows and all episodes ad free, subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit! 

     

    Cult Expert Dr. Janja Lalich Live-Taping – July 15 8pm ET

    • July 15th kicks off the Republican National Convention/Hitler rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To help us cope with the mainstream media, especially the New York Times, continuing to normalize Trump and his MAGA cult, we’re producing a live taping with cult expert Dr. Janja Lalich. Bring your questions about how to navitage this perilous time of rampant disinformation and manipulation, learn the signs of cult grooming, and how to help loved ones who have fallen victim. This will be Dr. Lalich’s second time on the show. You can listen to the interview with her from April 2022 here. 

     

    In the Shadow of Stalin Book Launch – September 4th at 7pm  

    • Gaslit Nation will host a live taping at a book launch in New York City for In the Shadow of Stalin, the graphic novel adaptation of Mr. Jones, at the Ukrainian Institute of America. It includes scenes that didn’t make it into the final cut of the film, or it would have been three hours long! The evening will include a special meet-up just for Patreon supporters. We look forward to sharing more details as we get closer. If you want a book event/live taping of Gaslit Nation in your town or city, let us know! 

     

    Indivisible x Gaslit Nation Phonebank Party! – July 18 at 8pm ET

    • Open to all, Gaslit Nation and Indivisible are kicking things off early this year, really early! When there’s such a thing as Project 2025, there’s no time to waste. Come join us for our first phone bank party of the season, as we make calls to our fellow citizens in Republican hostage states, to refuse to abandon those on the frontlines of American authoritarianism, and to plant seeds of change. We’re going in! 

    RSVP here to join us! https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/628701/

    Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you! 

     


    This content originally appeared on Gaslit Nation and was authored by Andrea Chalupa.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • 🌟 “Mr Bobby” Song Around The World premieres July 19th! 🎶✨ #music #manuchao #reggae #bobmarley


    This content originally appeared on Playing For Change and was authored by Playing For Change.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • How to stop the bloodshed in Gaza | Insider Briefing w/ former State Department Official Josh Paul


    This content originally appeared on Laura Flanders & Friends and was authored by Laura Flanders & Friends.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Support the music! Visit playingforchange.com/join


    This content originally appeared on Playing For Change and was authored by Playing For Change.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – June 25, 2024. Surgeon General lists gun violence as a public health emergency.

    Comprehensive coverage of the day’s news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice.

    • Surgeon General lists gun violence as a public health emergency.
    • New York judge modifies Trump’s hush money case gag order.
    • Bankruptcy judge orders liquidation of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ assets, to pay part of $1.5 billion judgement.
    • UNRWA chief says chaos, lawlessness in Gaza making aid delivery difficult.
    • Rideshare drivers demand end to automated deactivation from platforms.
    • Julian Assange pleads guilty in deal to avoid US jail time on espionage charges.
    • Israel will start drafting ultra orthodox men for military service.

    The post The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – June 25, 2024. Surgeon General lists gun violence as a public health emergency. appeared first on KPFA.


    This content originally appeared on KPFA – The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays and was authored by KPFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • U.S. State Department Pressed On Hind Rajab’s Killing For Four Months Straight


    This content originally appeared on The Intercept and was authored by The Intercept.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • U.S. Official Pressed On Investigation Of 6-Year-Old Hind Rajab’s Killing


    This content originally appeared on The Intercept and was authored by The Intercept.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Fire at Lao ministry building forces workers into the street

    A fire in the Lao Ministry of Technology and Communications’ building – in the same complex as the prime minister’s office – sent billows of black smoke into the sky on Monday and forced workers out into the street before it was brought under control.

    Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blaze but a ministry employee told Radio Free Asia it appeared to have been sparked by an air conditioner on the ministry’s second floor.

    “It’s a hot day in Vientiane,” the employee said on condition of anonymity. “The fire started at around 12:30 p.m. Then it spread to the carpet, ceiling and walls.”

    The air conditioner might have short-circuited, he said. The state power enterprise, Electricite du Laos, cut off power for much of the afternoon in many Vientiane neighborhoods.

    A video posted to Tholakhong, a Facebook page associated with the Lao government, showed black smoke coming from the building. 

    A woman can be heard in the background of the video complaining of the slow response from firefighters and describing her escape from the building. 

    “Look at the building, it’s burning,” she said. “I almost couldn’t make it. I was on the fourth floor. I yelled ‘fire, fire!’”

    After she said that the “fire truck is so slow,” a male voice responded that the “fire truck might be going to get water.”

    No casualties were reported.

    Translated by Max Avary. Edited by Matt Reed and Taejun Kang. 


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Lao.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • The legacy of the Korean War which began on June 25, 1950 | Radio Free Asia (RFA Korean)


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • China’s new guidelines include the death penalty for “die-hard” Taiwan separatists | Radio Free Asia


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • China’s new guidelines include the death penalty for “die-hard” Taiwan separatists | Radio Free Asia


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • 🌟 “Mr Bobby” Song Around The World premieres July 19th! 🎶✨ #manuchao #reggae #bobmarley


    This content originally appeared on Playing For Change and was authored by Playing For Change.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Activists accuse 2 Chinese companies of helping junta control the internet

    Two Chinese companies are helping Myanmar’s military junta to limit citizens’ access to the internet, a covert group of activists opposed to military rule said.

    Justice for Myanmar linked the two companies, Geedge Networks and the state-owned China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation, or CEIEC, to scientist Fang Binxing, who was instrumental in creating China’s “Great Firewall” that controls access to the internet.

    “Leaked plans show two products from the Chinese company Geedge Networks for the junta’s surveillance and censorship system,” Justice for Myanmar wrote in a Facebook post June 19.

    The group said CEIEC has been involved in “a proposed location tracking system for the junta controlled communications ministry.”

    ENG_BUR_VPN CHINA_06202024.2.jpg
    A man uses his mobile phone to check Facebook, March 16, 2021, in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. (Photo by AFP)

    Since the end of May, the junta has blocked Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, which mask the location of the devices people use to access the internet. This has coincided with a crackdown by police and soldiers on pedestrians to check their smartphones for VPN software.

    Myanmar is the second-worst among 70 countries included in the Freedom on the Net report released in October 2023 by the U.S.-based Freedom House group. China was in last place.

    Aiding crimes against humanity

    Justice for Myanmar also accused a Myanmar-based conglomerate, Mascots Group of Companies, of acting as an intermediary between the junta and the Chinese companies. The Mascots Group includes around 30 companies operating in Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand, Justice for Myanmar said.

    The activist group’s spokeswoman Yadana Maung said in a statement that providing surveillance and censorship technology to the junta will cost lives.

    “The junta is killing, torturing and arbitrarily detaining people across Myanmar and this new Chinese technology will further aid and abet the junta’s crimes against humanity as it seeks to track down those who oppose the military’s illegitimate coup attempt,” she said, while accusing the junta of being a terrorist organization.

    ENG_BUR_VPN CHINA_06202024.3.jpg
    A street vendor checks her mobile phone as she waits for customers,Nov.3, 2015, in Yangon, Myanmar. (Mark Baker/AP)

    RFA attempted to contact all three business entities, as well as the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar and the junta’s spokesperson, but received no response.

    Other activist organizations echoed Justice for Myanmar’s call for sanctions.

    “The VPNs are now closed, and the internet is shut down, websites are blocked. Internet usage is also limited,” said Thinzar Shun Lei Ye, campaign leader for the Acting Committee for Democracy Development. “ Many townships have no access to the internet.”

    She said that blocking off the internet in this manner is a violation of the public’s right to access information.

    “That’s why, at the same time as trying to take action against the military, these companies are helping to control the Internet,” she said. “We need to take action on the participation of companies and countries.”

    ENG_BUR_VPN CHINA_06202024.4.jpg
    A person uses a mobile phone to film members of the “Peacock Generation” activist troupe during a traditional “Thangyat” performance, April 15, 2022, in Kayin state, Myanmar. (AFP)

    A technology expert, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said the support of Chinese companies could lessen security of information of VPN users in Myanmar.

    “If the personal Information is not safe. People could be using free VPNs where their data may not be secure,” he said. “When we use free VPNs, if we can’t provide enough protection, our data can be accessed through (the junta’s) intercepted firewalls. Locations andIP addresses can be detected by detecting these.”

    He also said that information from accounts could be easily stolen when security is weak.

    ENG_BUR_VPN CHINA_06202024.5.jpg
    Ko Phyo, 24, a protester who lost one leg during an anti-coup protest, plays a video game with his mobile phone at his home on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, May 4, 2021. (Reuters)

    A former army officer, who did not want to be named for security reasons, said the government is trying to control the Internet to prevent leaks of military information.

    “Although our country is at war, our government is very generous with allowing the public to get internet access in the country where photos of military aircraft taking off are immediately uploaded online,” he said. “The junta did it to prevent information leaking.”

    He said that the actions by the junta to regulate internet use would likely not cause a nationwide outrage.

    Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Burmese.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – June 24, 2024. Harris marks second anniversary of Dobbs abortion decision at Maryland campaign event. 

    Comprehensive coverage of the day’s news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice.

    The post The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – June 24, 2024. Harris marks second anniversary of Dobbs abortion decision at Maryland campaign event.  appeared first on KPFA.


    This content originally appeared on KPFA – The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays and was authored by KPFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Rights & Wrongs: “The Sacrifice Zone” Audiogram


    This content originally appeared on Human Rights Watch and was authored by Human Rights Watch.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • The Black Panther imprisoned by Maryland for 54 years, Tahaka Gaither | Rattling the Bars


    This content originally appeared on The Real News Network and was authored by The Real News Network.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • AIPAC vs. Jamaal Bowman: Rep. Ayanna Pressley on Pro-Israel Lobby Challenge to “The Squad”


    This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Did Biden say US would help Ukraine fight to the last Ukrainian?

    A Chinese Major Xu Hui claimed in an interview on June 2 that U.S. President Joe Biden had said the U.S. “would help Ukraine fight to the last Ukrainian.” 

    But the claim is false. Keyword searches found no official or credible reports to back the claim.

    Xu’s statement was made on the third day of the latest Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore from  May 31 to June 2 and was later cited by Chinese media outlets such as Guancha, Sina Military as well as Taiwan’s United Daily News.

    “President Biden said something quite frightening. He said he would support Ukraine and fight until the last Ukrainian,” said Xu, as cited by Guacha. Xu did not give a source for the comment he attributed to Biiden.

    “If they fight until the last Ukrainian, what are the Ukrainian people fighting for? If there are no people left, what’s the point? He’s not talking about fighting until the last American while supporting Ukraine. He’s selling ammunition to Ukraine, supporting them in the war, and continuing to sell ammunition even if only the last Ukrainian is left.”

    1.jpg
    Screenshots from Guancha, Sina and United Daily News

    Several influential online users on X and Weibo later said that Xu “inaccurately translated” Biden’s statement, saying that Biden in fact said: “As long as there is a single Ukrainian fighting against Russian aggression, the United States will fully support it.”

    But both claims are false.

    3.jpg
    Several influencers claimed Xu’s statement was inaccurate while themselves providing an unsourced quote of Biden that later proved false. (Screenshot/Weibo)

    Keyword searches found no official or credible reports to show that Biden made such a remark. 

    A deputy spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told AFCL that Biden never made remarks claimed by either Xu or social media users.  

    AFCL found several pro-Beijing media outlets, including The Paper, China Daily, and Xinhua, had reported similar claims before Xu made his remarks.

    These outlets cited an opinion piece from the magazine American Conservative titled “Washington Will Fight Russia to the Last Ukrainian.”

    “The allies are prepared to back the Zelensky government as long as it fights Moscow to the last Ukrainian – which has always been the West’s approach to Kyiv,” the article reads in part. 

    While the wording in this opinion piece is similar to the statement Xu attributed to Biden, it does not mention Biden making such a remark. 

    Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke and Taejun Kang.

    Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) was established to counter disinformation in today’s complex media environment. We publish fact-checks, media-watches and in-depth reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers’ understanding of current affairs and public issues. If you like our content, you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Alan Lu for Asia Fact Check Lab.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – June 21, 2024 Supreme Court upholds law barring gun ownership for domestic violence abusers.

    Comprehensive coverage of the day’s news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice.

    The post The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – June 21, 2024 Supreme Court upholds law barring gun ownership for domestic violence abusers. appeared first on KPFA.


    This content originally appeared on KPFA – The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays and was authored by KPFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • 🎉 Celebrate #ManuChao’s birthday! 🌟 “Mr Bobby” Song Around The World premieres July 19th! 🎶✨


    This content originally appeared on Playing For Change and was authored by Playing For Change.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Al Jazeera Documentary “The Night Won’t End” Investigates Civilian Deaths in Gaza & U.S. Complicity


    This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • “The Night Won’t End”: New Film Investigates Civilian Killings in Gaza and U.S. Backing of Israeli Assault

    Seg1 filmtitleandsubjectman

    The Night Won’t End, a new documentary from Al Jazeera English, takes an in-depth look at attacks on civilians by the Israeli military in Gaza and the United States’ role in the war. The film follows three Palestinian families as they recount the horrific experiences they have endured under relentless Israeli assault, including the family of 6-year-old Hind Rajab, the young Palestinian girl who made headlines when it emerged in January that she had been trapped in a car with family members killed by Israeli ground troops, and the Salem family, who first lost dozens of family members in an Israeli airstrike and then additional family members who were executed by Israeli soldiers. We play clips from the documentary and speak to journalists Kavitha Chekuru and Sharif Abdel Kouddous, the director and correspondent on The Night Won’t End, respectively. We also discuss the plight of journalists in Gaza and U.S. complicity in Israel’s war. “There’s no question that U.S. weapons have killed civilians in Gaza,” says Kouddous. “This violates both international humanitarian law and domestic law.”


    This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Dark Money Uncovered

    Corporate news media too often miss the pervasive influence of unaccountable election spending.


    This content originally appeared on The Progressive — A voice for peace, social justice, and the common good and was authored by Steve Macek.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – June 20, 2024

    Comprehensive coverage of the day’s news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice.

    The post The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – June 20, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.


    This content originally appeared on KPFA – The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays and was authored by KPFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Life for Gaza’s children during Israel’s genocide


    This content originally appeared on The Real News Network and was authored by The Real News Network.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Peace, peace, when there is no peace – The Grayzone live


    This content originally appeared on The Grayzone and was authored by The Grayzone.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.