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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/ann/40019414

A parliamentary panel on Friday questioned social media giant Twitter on a range of issues including privacy of user data, possibility of breaches and allegations of irregularities levelled by a former employee named Zatko.

The tech company’s team of officials is believed to have told the Standing Committee for Information and Technology led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor that it follows strict data safety norms and that most of its employees do not have access to user data. There is some access to user data at the headquarters but purely for technical purposes, the company is learnt to have told the panel.

To questions about Zatko’s allegations that the Indian government had forced Twitter to appoint one of its agents in the company, the tech giant clarified that the Indian government had made no such demand.

Sources present in the committee told ANI that members wanted to find out from the Twitter team if there was any leakage of data. The Twitter team present is learnt to have told the members that there has been no data leak by the social media giant.

Members further asked the Twitter team if data of the users was available to anyone in particular or to some of them. The Twitter informed that no employee in India had access to user data. There is some access to data of the users in the headquarters and it is purely for technical purposes, company functionaries are learnt to have told the panel.

Members asked Twitter if they have any mechanism to control any breach of data to which Twitter representatives replied that there was “no” breach of data.

According to sources, questions were asked if there were instances where users had confidentially contacted Twitter’s Data Protection Officer. Panel members also sought details on how many employees were working for Twitter in India and how many were specifically in the IT section and in the security team for managing data?

To some of these the Twitter functionaries could not come up “satisfactory” replies, said the source quoted above. To some of the questions, Twitter will now reply in writing. After a discussion of over 50 minutes and “inability” to give concrete information, the panel has asked for the written replies to be sent to it within a week, said the source.

Officials from Twitter who were present before the committee included Shagufta Kamran, Twitter’s, Director, Public Policy & Government, along with other functionaries.

Members of the panel also asked pointed questions to the microblogging site about alleged data leakage by their platform. Members sought comments on the recent developments reported in the media about the revelations made by whistleblower Zatko.

During his time at the company, Zatko claimed he came across a number of vulnerabilities “waiting to be discovered”. According to media reports, he alleged that he discovered that half of the company’s 500,000 data center servers run on outdated software that does not support basic security features, such as encryption for stored data, or no longer received regular security updates from their vendors.

According to media reports, Zatko had also alleged that the Indian government “forced Twitter to hire one of its agents”. Sources say that in the reply Twitter said that they had also read the media reports but did not have any concrete details to share on it. They also said that the Government of India never approached them for appointing any agent on their rolls.

The (whose complaint?? or is it Zatko’s allegation) complaint alleges Twitter does not reliably delete users’ data — including direct messages — after they cancel their accounts, in some cases because the company has lost track of the information, and that it has misled regulators about whether it deletes the data as it is required to do.

After a discussion of over 50 minutes and a failure to give concrete information, the panel has asked for the written replies to be sent to it within a week’s time.

The meeting was held in the presence of chairman Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, CPIM MP John Brittas, BJP MP and former information and broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore among others.

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : August 27, 2022

By : The Statesman

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/ann/40019413

It has been 10 years since Rakuten Group Inc. made English its official internal language. While the company has expanded its business by hiring employees who are fluent in English and training its employees to become fluent, it still faces some challenges. This article will explore the meaning of Japanese companies using English as their official internal language.

Asense of unity

“I have a question about the project,” a Japanese employee said in English during a regular meeting of the company’s personnel information system department in early July. The meeting, at Rakuten’s headquarters in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, was attended by employees from five countries including the United States, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Rakuten uses English for all documents and all meetings including those attended only by Japanese employees. Employees use Japanese almost only for chatting. The company gradually started to use English internally in 2010 and completed the transition period to make English its official internal language in 2012.

There were many advantages. This initiative helped Rakuten hire not only Japanese people hoping to make use of their English skills but also talented foreigners. It became easier to communicate with overseas branch offices while a sense of unity was easily created among employees including foreigners.

Foreigners make up about 20% of the company’s total employees in Japan. A 36-year-old Italian who was hired in 2014 for her English language ability feels that employees with different cultures, experiences and ideas help increase the company’s problem-solving abilities.

Morning study, afternoon work

Things were not so easy at first.

There were not many Japanese employees fluent in English and some even left because their English skills did not improve. It wasn’t rare for employees to complain, “My hard work will not be rewarded unless I am fluent in English.”

Takashi Katsuragi, 50, deputy director of the media business department who promoted the internal use of English at that time, said, “The company started to offer full support to employees to learn English, which was a big turning point.” At first, the company appreciated employees’ voluntary efforts to learn English but later changed that stance and had them study English as part of their “assignments.”

The company prepared a large room where 400 employees could study at one time and had them concentrate on studying in the morning and working in the afternoon. Also, the company introduced to employees the study methods used by peers who had improved their TOEIC scores.

But there were some negative side effects. Shinji Kuroda, 45, Rakuten’s executive officer responsible for human resources, said with a wry smile, “Talented employees with excellent English skills are sometimes headhunted by other companies.” Some employees have changed jobs to work for U.S. information technology giants, major Japanese or international companies or startups.

Many Japanese people feel that they are bad at English. Rakuten believes that some people do not apply to the company due to the English ability requirement even though they have high skills. While employees of different nationalities can communicate in English, achieving deep understanding between them is sometimes more difficult than between Japanese employees. For that, the company has been implementing training lately to help employees understand diversity and different cultures as a phase following the use of English as an official internal language.

Competing with IT giants

Money Forward Inc., a financial IT company, will make English an official language for its engineering division by the end of 2024, with an aim to attract digitally skilled talent. The company started to hire foreign nationals several years ago. Takuya Nakade, director, executive officer and chief technology officer of the company, said, “Hiring top-class foreign IT engineers is more than 10 times easier than hiring their Japanese counterparts.”

However, to acquire skilled workers, the company must compete with IT giants such as Google, which often have a significant edge in terms of salaries. In addition to the internal use of English, the company needs to make its businesses attractive to skilled workers and create an employee-friendly working environment.

Other companies, such as Uniqlo clothing store operator Fast Retailing Co. and cosmetics maker Shiseido Co., are currently making English their official internal language. Sharp Corp. announced in June that it too had plans to do so.

Prof. Yoko Okabe of Kyoto Sangyo University said, “More than for manufacturers that can deliver value by making quality products such as automobiles, English is important for IT companies, trading companies and service sector companies to globalize themselves. Japanese companies should take a top-down approach and think about the economic value brought about by English.”

By Daisuke Ichikawa

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : August 27, 2022

By : The Japan News

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/ann/40019412

ISLAMABAD: Calling the incessant monsoon rains a “climate-inducted humanitarian crisis of epic proportions”, the Pakistan government on Thursday officially declared a ‘national emergency’ in light of the rain-induced floods which have so far killed 937 people, including 343 children, and left at least 30 million without shelter.

As per the latest data compiled by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Sindh reported the highest number of deaths as 306 people lost their lives due to floods and rain-related incidents from June 14 to date.

Balochistan reported 234 deaths whereas Khyber Pakh­tun­khwa and Punjab recorded 185 and 165 deaths, respectively. In Azad Jammu and Kash­mir, 37 people were killed while nine deaths were repor­ted in the Gilgit-Baltistan reg­ion during the current monsoon rains. In the same period Islamabad reported one death.

According to the NDMA, Pakistan received 166.8mm of rain in August, as opposed to the average of 48mm — an increase of 241 per cent. Sindh and Balochistan — the worst-hit regions — witnessed a 784pc and 496pc increase in the monsoon deluge, respectively, it added.

Consequently, the abnormal increase in rainfall generated flash floods across the country, particularly in the southern part of Pakistan, which rem­ains inundated at the moment with 23 districts of Sindh being declared “calamity-hit”.

Monstrous monsoon

Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said a “war room” has been established by the prime minister at NDMA, which would spearhead relief operations across the country. She admitted that the incessant “monstrous” rainfall had “made it hard to carry out relief operations, especially helicopter sorties”.

“Pakistan is going through its 8th cycle of monsoon; normally the country has only three to four cycles of [monsoon] rain,” the minister said during a press conference in Islamabad.

“Pakistan is under an unprecedented monsoon spell and data suggests the possibility of re-emergence of another cycle in September.”

Senator Rehman, who compared the current situation with the devastating 2010 floods earlier this week, said the current situation was worse than that. “The water is not only flowing from the north as in 2010, but it is equally or more devastating in its sweep and destructive power,” she added.

According to the senator, flash floods caused by heavy rains had swept away bridges and communication infrastructure in various areas of the country. “Almost 30 million people are without shelter, thousands of them displaced and have no food,” she told reporters.

Stressing the need for relief from international donors, the minister said that the need for shelter and relief was dire as per what the provinces had conveyed. “It is still an evolving situation and every day the needs assessments were changing as the rains did not stop and the water kept coming,” she said, adding that the number of homeless was growing.

Sindh has asked for one million tents and Balochistan has demanded 100,000 tents, she said, adding that all tent manufacturers had been mobilised and external donors were also approached for tents.

Initial needs assessment report

As per the government’s preliminary rapid needs assessment report, at least Rs72.36 billion is required to provide immediate relief to the flood-hit people. In terms of food and instant cash relief, the government requires Rs7.33 billion, for non-food items (NFIs) it needs Rs8.713bn, whereas Rs1.627bn are required for health-related expenses.

The government also requires Rs9.024bn to compensate the loss of cattle as a result of rain-induced floods while the machinery and related equipment required for the relief efforts would cost Rs4.646bn, as per the initial assessment. Meanwhile, in order to rebuild at least 82,000 houses damaged in the deluge would cost Rs41 billion i.e. Rs50,000 per house.

‘Appeal to Pakistanis’

Meanwhile, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb evoked the “national spirit” and urged the nation, including overseas Pakistan, to come forward and help their compatriots at this critical juncture.

“The entire nation, especially the overseas Pakistanis, should donate generously to help the flood victims as a huge amount of money would be required for their rehabilitation in the wake of large-scale disaster, she said in a statement.

Ms Aurangzeb added that the federal government, along with the provinces, was making tireless efforts and all the resources were being mobilised. The minister said that owing to heavy rains and severe flooding, there were difficulties in relief operations and that public contributions were needed to ramp up rescue efforts.

She added that the details and process for depositing donations in the Prime Minister Flood Relief Account 2022 had already been made public.

By Zaki Abbas

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : August 27, 2022

By : DAWN

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/ann/40019411

Regulators from China and the United States signed a cooperative supervision agreement on Friday, taking a substantial step toward resolving the auditing dispute surrounding US-listed Chinese companies, officials and experts said.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission, the Ministry of Finance and the US Public Company Accounting Oversight Board signed an audit oversight cooperation agreement on Friday and will advance relevant cooperation in the near future, the CSRC said in a statement.

The agreement establishes a cooperation framework in line with the authorities’ respective laws and regulatory mandates and sets out specific arrangements for conducting inspections and investigations by both sides over relevant audit firms within the jurisdiction of both sides, the statement said.

“The signing of the agreement is an important step forward by regulators in China and the US towards resolving the audit oversight issue that concerns mutual interests and lays the foundation for proactive, professional and pragmatic cooperation in the next stage,” the statement said.

According to the agreement, Chinese and US regulators will both assist with the inspections and investigations of relevant audit firms conducted by the other side, unnamed CSRC officials said in a separate statement.

Audit work papers that the US regulator needs access to will be obtained by and transferred through the Chinese side, providing a feasible path for protecting information security while strengthening audit supervision cooperation, the officials said.

The US stock market has responded positively. E-retailer Pinduoduo rose 7 percent in pre-market trading hours on Friday, while new energy vehicle maker Nio was up 4 percent and financial services provider Futu Holdings rose 6 percent.

Experts said that, by establishing a long-awaited comprehensive audit oversight solution acceptable to the two sides, the agreement marks a significant breakthrough in resolving the audit dispute regarding US-listed Chinese companies that has exposed many of them to delisting risks.

Peng Wensheng, chief economist at China International Capital Corp, said the agreement is not only good news for investors and public companies, but is also a win-win scenario for the two countries.

For US-listed Chinese companies, the agreement will reduce the possibility of forced delistings and help them to get more financing from the capital market, Peng said.

For other Chinese companies with the intention of listing overseas, the option of going public on US bourses is now more attractive, Peng said.

Nevertheless, officials and experts noted that the ultimate elimination of the delisting risks of US-listed Chinese companies still awaits the effective implementation of the agreement.

“If the upcoming cooperation concludes to the satisfaction of both sides’ regulatory mandates, it is hopeful that the audit oversight issue of the US-listed Chinese companies will be resolved and delisting can be avoided,” the CSRC officials said.

By ZHOU LANXU in Beijing and SHI JING in Shanghai

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily,  Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), the Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).

Published : August 27, 2022

By : China Daily

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/ann/40019402

The Malaysian government will take a stand on the use of cannabis for medical purposes before the end of the year, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

Khairy, who concluded a bilateral working visit to Bangkok on Thursday, said Thailand had shared a lot of views and experiences during his visit on the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes and its cultivation.

“I am confident that we will be able to study Thailand’s experience to adapt it to the Malaysian context later when we will decide whether or not to allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

“If approved, we will determine in what framework and how it will be used.

“I want to move fast… I am confident that we will be able to take a stand this year. The main decision of Yes or No will be made this year with the policy likely being implemented next year. That is my target,” he said.

Khairy’s visit was at the invitation of Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to explore the potential health benefits of cannabis. Thailand is the first Southeast Asian country to legalise the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.

During the visit, Khairy and the delegation also visited the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) where he was briefed on Thailand’s cannabis policy including practices, cultivation methods, research and the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.

He also held meetings with the main players of the cannabis industry in Thailand besides visiting Siam Cannabis Land in Pattaya where he was briefed and visited greenhouses and plantations of various types of cannabis.

Khairy explained that the use of cannabis for medical purposes was not new in Malaysia because, in 2014, Sativex containing cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was approved for use in Malaysia to treat muscle spasms.

However, the product was not well received in the local market, so it was deregistered.

“The existing laws and framework allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes,” he said.

Khairy added that the use of cannabis for medical purposes was becoming more widespread internationally including for palliative care, chronic pain management, insomnia and patients undergoing chemotherapy.

“Malaysia does not want to be left behind. So, we want to see and study the effectiveness and safety of using cannabis for medical purposes,” he said.

Khairy added that for a start, Malaysia only sees the use of cannabis products for medicinal purposes and not its cultivation.

“If there is a high demand to make it an industry, we will study in terms of [cannabis] cultivation. We will take one step at a time,” he said.

Last month, Khairy said a framework regarding the registration of certain CBD products would be announced.

Earlier on Thursday, Khairy visited Thailand’s first psychiatric hospital – Somdet Chaopraya Institute of Psychiatry – where he was briefed by the director-general of the Department of Mental Health Dr Amporn Benjaponpitak about mental health services in the country.

During the visit, he was shown various innovations that can help improve mental health.

Khairy also attended the 12th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) High-Level Meeting on Health and Economy themed “Open to Partnership. Connect with the World. Balance Health and the Economy”.

The Star

Asia News Network

Asia News Network: The Nation (Thailand), The Korea Herald, The Straits Times (Singapore), China Daily, The Jakarta Post, The Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), The Statesman (India), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News, Gogo Mongolia,  Dawn (Pakistan),  The Island (Sri Lanka), Kuensel (Bhutan), Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Daily Star (Bangladesh), Eleven Media (Myanmar), The Phnom Penh Post and Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), The Borneo Bulletin (Brunei), Vietnam News, and Vientiane Times (Laos).
 

Published : August 26, 2022

By : The Star