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Report Sister of 'Joe Ferrari’ Urges Probe into Mysterious Prison Death
Was that when he left the Police Academy? -
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Crime Russian Journalist Kidnapped and Ransomed in Pattaya Ordeal
My wife told me, if I get a mia noi in Thailand, tell her that any money I receive in my retirement, stops as soon as I am dead! -
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THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Monday 30 June 2025
Mother Carrying Baby, Killed by Taxi on Zebra Crossing in Pathum Thani Picture courtesy of Khaosod. A 34-year-old Laotian woman was killed and her five-month-old baby injured after they were struck by a taxi while crossing a pedestrian crossing on Lam Luk Ka Road on the night of 28 June. The incident occurred near Soi Lam Luk Ka 69, Lam Luk Ka District, Pathum Thani Province. Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1365181-mother-carrying-baby-killed-by-taxi-on-zebra-crossing-in-pathum-thani/ -
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Middle East ChatGPT Blocks Iranian Influence Campaign Exploiting Scottish Independence Debate
ChatGPT Blocks Iranian Influence Campaign Exploiting Scottish Independence Debate A covert Iranian influence operation using artificial intelligence to stoke division in the UK and US has been disrupted by OpenAI. The company behind ChatGPT confirmed that it had cut off access to its tools for a network of propagandists operating under the alias "Storm-2035," which had been generating persuasive political posts in English and Spanish using prompts written in Persian. According to OpenAI’s June threat report, the Storm-2035 network was likely controlled by Iranian operatives posing as ordinary citizens from the UK, US, Ireland, and Venezuela. These accounts sought to inflame already contentious political issues, with a particular focus on Scottish independence and Irish unification. The campaign aimed to deepen divisions by aligning these causes with support for the Iranian regime, raising concerns about foreign manipulation of Western political discourse. The crackdown came amid claims that a sudden disappearance of pro-independence social media accounts followed Israeli strikes on Tehran earlier this month. During a heated exchange in the Scottish Parliament, Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser challenged SNP cabinet secretary Angus Robertson about the potential foreign backing of the independence movement. “Are you concerned that your central policy objective is being actively backed by the terrorist state of Iran, as part of its campaign to weaken this United Kingdom?” Fraser asked. Robertson responded sharply, cautioning against political smearing. “Fraser should be very careful about seeking to smear people in this country who believe that this country should be a sovereign state,” he said. Despite the OpenAI intervention, some fake accounts linked to the Storm-2035 operation remain active. These accounts continue to promote pro-independence messages while praising the Iranian government. One such post, from a user with a stereotypical Scottish name and a generic avatar, declared: “The Iranian people triumphed through unity and resilience against two nuclear superpowers. Why shouldn’t we follow their example to win our independence from the British monarchy?” Cybersecurity experts have long warned that state-sponsored disinformation networks often focus on wedge issues to attract followers and later introduce unrelated political narratives. The sudden appearance of pro-Tehran content among Scottish nationalist accounts, which rarely express interest in Middle Eastern geopolitics, appears to be an effort to blend unrelated ideologies for propaganda purposes. The Storm-2035 campaign did not restrict itself to Scotland. OpenAI’s investigation found that the network also pushed narratives supporting Irish unity, Palestinian statehood, and Latino rights in the US, while echoing Iranian propaganda. These accounts typically displayed suspicious behavior, including following hundreds of users while having few followers, and using profile pictures lifted from websites like Pinterest — often showing young women with their faces obscured by phones. In its report, OpenAI stated: “The threat actor was prompting ChatGPT in Persian and generating batches of short comments in English and Spanish. The short comments were then posted on X by a series of likely inauthentic accounts that posed as residents of the target countries.” It noted the growing difficulty of distinguishing real from fake users online, particularly when large language models like ChatGPT are exploited to create content that sounds convincingly native. By blocking Storm-2035’s access, OpenAI hopes to reduce the spread of this type of AI-assisted disinformation. While artificial intelligence can help users communicate across languages and cultures, its misuse by hostile states remains a growing challenge for tech firms, governments, and civil society alike. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-06-30 -
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USA Trump Halts Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Tax, Threatens New Tariffs
Trump Halts Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Tax, Threatens New Tariffs President Donald Trump has abruptly ended all ongoing trade negotiations with Canada, lashing out at the country’s newly implemented digital services tax, which he labeled “egregious” and “a direct and blatant attack on our Country.” The decision was announced via Trump’s Truth Social platform and sent shockwaves through global markets and diplomatic circles. The U.S. president accused Canada of mimicking the European Union in targeting American tech companies, stating, “They are obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us, also.” The tax, which was passed by the Canadian government last year and is set to be collected starting Monday, applies retroactively to 2022 and targets major U.S. firms such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta. “Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately,” Trump declared. “We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” The Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, has acknowledged the U.S. announcement but has yet to issue a formal response. Carney’s office told CNN that officials are currently reviewing the situation. The fallout is expected to be significant, as Canada remains one of America’s most crucial economic partners, with two-way goods trade totaling $762 billion last year. The timing of Trump’s decision is particularly dramatic, as both nations had been working toward finalizing a renewed trade agreement by mid-July. That effort followed a tit-for-tat tariff exchange earlier in the year, sparked by disputes over dairy and other agricultural products. Trump reiterated his long-standing frustrations on this front, calling Canada “a very difficult country” to do business with and referencing tariffs on American dairy exports. The markets reacted swiftly and negatively to the news. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq, which had both touched record highs earlier in the day, plummeted following Trump’s statement. The uncertainty surrounding potential U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods has rattled investors already concerned about global trade tensions. Canadian officials have consistently defended the digital services tax, arguing that multinational tech giants should pay their fair share for revenue earned within Canada. Earlier this month, they reaffirmed that the tax would not be withdrawn, even under mounting pressure from Washington. The tax has become politically sensitive, especially after Trump’s previous inflammatory suggestion that the U.S. might annex Canada and make it America’s 51st state—an outlandish claim that outraged Canadians and played a role in Mark Carney’s rise to power. Trump’s abrupt move marks a major disruption in one of the world’s most integrated trade relationships. As Canadian firms prepare for a potential wave of tariffs, and American tech giants brace for millions in retroactive tax bills, the coming days may determine whether this rift deepens or a new diplomatic channel opens to prevent further escalation. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-06-30
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