More than 100 websites disguised as local news outlets in Europe, Asia and Latin America are pushing pro-China content in a widespread influence campaign linked to a Beijing public relations firm, digital watchdog Citizen Lab has found. Spread over websites in 30 countries, the propaganda material is interspersed with news aggregated from local news outlets and Chinese state media, according to a research report the Toronto-based group released on Wednesday. "While the campaign's websites enjoyed negligible exposure to date, there is a heightened risk of inadvertent amplification by the local media and target audiences, as a result of the quick multiplication of these websites and their adaptiveness to local languages and content," researcher Alberto Fittarelli said in the report. The sites' content sways between conspiracy theories, often about the United States or its allies – such as a piece blaming American scientists for "leaking" COVID-19 – to articles attacking Beijing's critics. It is rare for researchers to link such operations to specific entities. Citizen Lab said the campaign began in mid-2020 and traced the network to public relations firm Shenzhen Haimaiyunxiang Media Co., Ltd., also known as Haimai. The company did not respond to a Reuters request for comment and a phone number listed on an archived version of its website was not reachable. "As a principle, it is a typical bias and double standard to allege that the pro-China contents and reports are 'disinformation', and to call the anti-China ones 'true information,'” a spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington said in an emailed statement. Citizen Lab said one of the websites in the campaign was Roma Journal, which looks every bit like a local Italian news outlet: headlines discuss the Italian prime minister’s political prospects, a hot air balloon festival in a northern province and a book launch. But a "press releases" button at a corner of its homepage leads to a range of Chinese state media articles on topics such as China's contribution to the global economic recovery and its push towards technological innovation. Much of the content on the sites Citizen Lab found was sourced from a press releases service called Times Newswire, which analysts at cybersecurity firm Mandiant last year found to be at the centre of a separate Chinese influence operation that targeted U.S. audiences. While online influence campaigns are increasingly common as powerful people and governments around the world seek to manipulate public opinion, experts tracking such operations say China is one of the biggest sources of such drives alongside Russia and Iran.   Chinese influence operations have increased and expanded well beyond Asia, social media giant Meta said in a report in November, calling it "the most notable change in the threat landscape" since 2020. Citizen Lab dug deeper into the network it found after a series of such websites popped up in South Korea and Italy.   South Korea's National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) – part of the country's national intelligence agency – exposed 18 of the sites in a report in November, also linking the operation to Haimai. Roma Journal was not legally registered as a news outlet in Italy, the country's Il Foglio newspaper reported, opens new tab.   It was not unusual the campaign was found to be low-engagement, said Dakota Cary, a China-focused consultant at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne. "I think that's really important, because they still think that it's worthwhile to fund these campaigns," he said. "And so I think, if anything, we should expect to see this continue."   Source: Reuters

Actress Tanjin Tisha has been in the headlines due to her suicide attempt and conflict with journalists. However, the actress has denied the suicide.  She also apologized to the journalists for her rude behaviour. Tisha will be seen in a new drama soon. A drama based on the story of Close-Up Kache Ashar Golpo, 'Valobashi Tobuo'. The trailer of the play has already been released on internets. Besides, Tisha herself also shared the trailer of the play on her Facebook account. 

A passenger plane carrying 14 people crashed in Brazil's Amazon rainforest on Saturday, killing all on board, according to a local official. What do we know so far?  Amazonas Governor Wilson Lima said the plane had come down in Barcelos in the northern part of Brazil. "I deeply regret the death of the 12 passengers and two crew members who were victims of the plane crash in Barcelos on Saturday," Lima said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Local media reported that the small Embraer PT-SOG aircraft — a twin-engine turboprop — took off from Manaus, which is the biggest city in the Amazon. It was attempting to land in Barcelos during heavy rain when it crashed. According to reports those on board were Brazilian tourists on a fishing trip. Local television network Globo News broadcast visuals of the aircraft lying on a muddy road with the front part covered by foliage. Brazil's air force dispatched a team from Manaus to gather data and secure any evidence that could be used to investigate the circumstances of the crash.

Google said Canada's new Online News Act, aimed at bolstering the nation's struggling news sector, is "unworkable." Google has become the latest tech giant to restrict Canadian users from accessing local news content on its platforms over a new law that will require digital firms to compensate media outlets for content they share or otherwise repurpose. The Online News Act, passed last week, aims to bolster the struggling Canadian news sector, which has witnessed numerous publications shuttering over the past decade. Under the legislation, tech companies are required to establish equitable commercial agreements with Canadian news outlets for the news and information disseminated on their platforms or face binding arbitration. What did Google say? Google issued a statement expressing its view that the law is "unworkable" and stated that the government has not provided assurances that the "structural issues with the legislation" would be resolved during its implementation. In a blog post, Google added that the new law will make it more challenging for Canadians to find news online and for journalists to reach their audiences. However, individuals in Canada will still retain the ability to access news from Canadian websites by directly typing the respective web addresses into a browser or through dedicated applications. Google's decision to block Canadian news comes after unsuccessful discussions with the government aimed at reaching a resolution. Meta, another tech giant, also announced last week that it would block Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram. The two companies, which command a significant share of online advertising, have faced accusations of disrupting revenues of traditional news organizations while utilizing their content free of charge. "We have informed the government that we have made the difficult decision... to remove links to Canadian news from our Search, News, and Discover products and will no longer be able to operate Google News Showcase in Canada," Google stated. Millions for Canadian newspapers? Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, a former journalist, emphasized that the loss of revenues flowing out of Canadian newsrooms poses a problem not only for affected journalists but for the entire country. She highlighted the need for well-compensated journalists to maintain a strong culture, a healthy society, and robust politics. A parliamentary budget watchdog report from October 2022 estimated that the Online News Act would result in Canadian newspapers receiving approximately $249 million (€229 million) annually from digital platforms. Canada's legislation builds on Australia's New Media Bargaining Code, the world's first, which compelled Google and Meta to pay for news content on their platforms. 

Bayanno TV is a new private (proposed) HD satellite television of Bangladesh. This television has now gained huge popularity through digital media. Specially broadcast news, slides, short videos on  Bayanno TV are very popular among viewers. About One million viewers follow the media on its two official Facebook pages and YouTube . Bayanno TV Official Facebook Page – https://fb.com/BayannoTelevision Official News Page – https://fb.com/BayannoDigital Official YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@BayannoTelevision For online readers there is a separate news portal www.bayanno.com. National, international, sports, entertainment and other news are published in it. A group of fearless, efficient, energetic and hardworking workers are working here under the leadership of Syed Ashik Rahman, Chief Editor of the television. The news room, program department and broadcasting department are being equipped with the latest information technology. Channel Bayanno known as Bayanno TV was approved as a satellite television on October 1, 2013. It started broadcasting on digital media by unveiling the logo in February 2014 under the slogan ‘ Freedom from Language‘. Its owner is Bengal Group of Industries. It is a sister concern of RTV, the most popular satellite television in Bangladesh through digital media. Bayanno TV is currently broadcasting from Bengal Square Building, 437 Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka.  

Journalist organizations across Pakistan on Wednesday strongly condemned the arrest of ARY News head Ammad Yousaf and demanded his immediate release. The journalists’ bodies and press clubs termed the arrest of ARY News senior Vice President an act of victimization and said that journalists will call for a nationwide protest if Ammad Yousaf is not released immediately, ARY News reported. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in its statement said that the government should come to its senses. PFUJ leader, Lala Asad Pathan said, “The government’s action is very shameful. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should take immediate action into the matter.” PFUJ Dastoor Secretary General AH Khanzada said that if Ammad Yousaf is not released immediately, journalists will call for a nationwide protest. “Restrictions on freedom of expression will not be tolerated in any way, Lahore Press Club has also demanded the immediate release of the ARY News head,” said the Secretary of Karachi Press Club, Rizwan Bhatti. Yousuf’s arrest comes after the channel, which is the country’s biggest private broadcaster, was served a show cause notice by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday. Meanwhile, the founder and CEO of the network Salman Iqbal along with two other anchors have been booked for sedition. On the complaint of the Station House Officer (SHO), a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at Karachi’s Memon Goth police station. According to the channel, the FIR was registered just an hour before the arrest of ARY News head Ammad Yousaf. Anchorpersons, Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghuman have been booked under the ‘sedition’ charges. The FIR has been registered under sections 120, 124A, 131, and 153A in which sedition and charges of plotting alleged conspiracy have been included. A day after the transmission of Pakistani television station ARY News was taken off air by the country’s regulatory authorities, the outlet’s senior Vice President Ammad Yousaf was arrested from Karachi in the early hours of Wednesday, the channel said. ARY News said that its journalist was arrested by Karachi Police and a raiding team broke into his house from the main gate in the middle of the night. It has termed Yousaf’s arrest as retaliation by the government against the channel and noted that police officers in plain clothes forcibly entered the journalist’s house. Regulatory watchdog PEMRA has alleged that the channel was airing “false, hateful and seditious” content based on “absolute disinformation with a clear and present threat to national security by instigating rebellion within the armed forces”, Dawn reported. In its notice to the news outlet, the regulatory watchdog also termed the news anchor who delivered the news as “biased.” PEMRA has also directed the channel’s CEO to appear in person for a hearing today (August 10). The entire episode was perpetuated due to a news piece aired by the channel on how the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has reportedly activated its strategic media cell to malign Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and the country’s former prime minister Imran Khan. The PEMRA notice to ARY News alleged that PTI leader Shehbaz Gill had made “highly hateful and seditious” remarks tantamount to “incite armed forces towards revolt,” Dawn reported. Shortly after ARY News was taken off the air, PTI leader and close aide of Imran Khan, Shahbaz Gill was arrested in Islamabad on Tuesday. An Islamabad police spokesperson said that Gill has been taken into custody for inciting the public against the state institutions, Geo News reported. “After the ban on ARY yesterday, they’ve today arrested @SHABAZGIL. Pakistan is living under a fascist imported government, that doesn’t care about the human rights of the people of Pakistan. We strongly demand the immediate release of Dr Gill,” Imran Khan’s PTI tweeted yesterday. PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry said that Gill was picked up from Banigala Chowk by unidentified personnel in cars with missing number plates. Meanwhile, the former prime minister slammed the arrest, asking “can such shameful acts take place in any democracy?” “This is abduction, not an arrest. Can such shameful acts take place in any democracy? Political workers treated as enemies. And all to make us accept a foreign-backed government of crooks,” Imran Khan tweeted. After the arrest of Gill, the country’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the current government has not broken the law and that the arrest was legal. In another key development, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi said that he is sending Punjab Police for the protection of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s residence Banigala. Former interior minister of Pakistan and Awami Muslim League chief, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has warned the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government saying that if anyone tries to arrest Imran Khan that would trigger instability and bloody politics in the country. Source: ANI

News of general holiday run by different media outlets on COVID-19 is false and baseless, the health ministry sources said. According to a statement signed by Maidul Islam, public relation officer of the health ministry, a section of electronic media is broadcasting false and baseless news on general holiday from March 26 to April 4 quoting health secretary. The health ministry urged the media outlets to stop broadcasting and publishing the false news on general holiday, it added. Source: BSS AH

Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said the government has decided to start registering the online news portal from next week, adding steps would be taken against those which will not get registration. “The Home Ministry has scrutinized the documents of several hundred online news portals . . . The government will give registration to online news portals from next week after examining the related papers,” he told a press briefing at his Secretariat office in the capital on Monday. The minister said a total of 3,595 news portals have applied for the registration. “The all applications were sent to the home ministry for investigation. Later, we held a meeting with the home, telecom and ICT ministries and urged the home ministry for expediting investigation,” he added. Hasan said online media will be introduced through maintaining proper process in future. None can launch any online news portal without registration, he added. He also said discipline has been established in the electronic media sector following the government’s different steps. The government will take actions if there is any irregularity in the sector, he added. The minister said some television channels are airing foreign TV serials dubbed in Bangla which is not acceptable. “So, the ministry has issued an order for TV channels to take the government’s approval to broadcast the dubbed serials. Many TV channels have already taken approval to run those serials. A preview committee has been formed to oversee the matter,” he added. He said an additional secretary remained at the helm of the committee where eminent cultural personalities Mamunur Rashid and Begum Sara Zaker, director general or representative of Bangladesh Television, director general of National Institute of Mass Communication, representatives of Association of Television Channel Owners and Directors’ Guilt and Obhinay Shilpi Sangha are the members of the committee. Hasan said airing Bangladeshi advertisements in foreign channels has been stopped. “Besides, the cable operators are maintaining the serial of the Bangladeshi TV channels as per their on air date. After putting Bangladeshi channels, the cable operators are keeping the foreign channels on the list,” he added. “We have already taken initiatives for the betterment of mass media . . . these initiatives put media in order mostly,” he said. The minister went on saying that the government gave license to the mobile companies to run mobile network only. “But they are now creating video contents along with advertisements for the social media which is not acceptable. The government didn’t give any license to make video contents along with advertisement,” he said. “We have already sent a letter to the telecommunication ministry to stop this. We are determined to bringing discipline in this sector and legal actions will be taken in this regard,” he added. Replying to a question, Hasan said many newspapers, online news portals and television channels are showing video contents through their respective online media which is also not acceptable. “We are working to bring those media in order,” he added. Source: BSS AH

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said, surprising hot news is coming, let’s wait for a while. He said this to the newsmen while exchanging views with them at the secretariat on Wednesday. Obaidul Quader said, you will understand what type of news when we would inform. Our organizational tour has begun. District wise representative councils are being held from September 21. The council will be held preferentially where the district and upazila committees were expired before 2012. The others will be held later. Our target is to complete those within December 10. What type of hot news is coming- when asked to know the minister said, you will see that in time. There will be no surprise if it is told.... hot news is coming, let’s wait for a while. Replying to a question of newsmen he said, why you have not written against the extortionists, casino runners and touts? We have opened the door of courage. Now you should write. In response to a question of Khaleda Zia’s bail Obaidul Quader said, the person who said that Khaleda Zia might go abroad if granted bail, also told me the same. The BNP member also requested me to inform the matter to the Prime Minister. He also said, it is the jurisdiction of court to grant bail. How would we tell the court to grant bail because judiciary is independent. AH    

No advertisement of commercial sponsors cannot be circulated in different parts of headlines while telecasting news in country’s private television channels. The High Court has imposed the ban. The High Court bench comprising Justice Zubaer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Shashanka Shekhar Sarkar delivered the verdict after final hearing of a writ on Monday. The court has directed all the private television channels of the country to abide by the verdict after August 31 that means it will be effective from September 1. Barrister Masud Ahmed Sayeed represented the writ petitioner in the hearing while Deputy Attorney General Tapas Kumar Bishwas stood for the state. Lawyer Asadul Islam represented Channel 24. Barrister Masud Ahmed said, the court in its verdict said- from September 1 no news can be presented using title sponsor like commercial news named after certain bank or health news named after certain hospital. He said, a school teacher named M A Matin filed a writ petition with the High Court in 2011. The writ said that if advertisement is taken from concerned organization than neutrality of news against that organization turns questionable. But after death of the writ petitioner a businessman named Faruk Md. Hasib continued the writ activities. Later the High Court issued rule over the writ. On Monday after taking the final hearing over the rule the High Court delivered the verdict. AH