Featuring the bubble tea mask. It is definitely a mask that is functional in more than one way. All bubble tea stalls, get the hint! ;D

This Week's News Spotlight:

Thailand’s pro-democracy protest draws more than 10,000 | Face masks with opening for bubble tea straws debut in the Philippines | Zoom opens new data centre in Singapore | Climate change will affect Southeast Asia more than rest of the world | Eight Giant Ibis nests found in Cambodia

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Thailand’s pro-democracy protest draws more than 10,000 - CNA

The protests come in the wake of growing discontent, as Thailand tides through “one of its worst economic periods since 1997”.

A series of anti-government, pro-democracy protests have erupted in Thailand over the past month. One such protest drew crowds of more than 10,000 people on Sunday, which is the “largest political demonstration the kingdom has seen in years”.

These protests have largely been student-led and happen almost every day. The protestors are demanding major democratic reforms, including the denouncement of Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former army chief who led a 2014 coup, and his military-aligned administration.

Face masks with opening for bubble tea straws debut in the Philippines - Mothership

The masks are free with a minimum purchase of 1,000 pesos (USD 20).

Gallontea, a bubble tea store in the Philippines, introduced a range of face masks for those who dislike taking their masks off when drinking bubble tea. The mask is termed the “Sippy Face Mask”, and is equipped with a resealable opening at the front that’s a perfect fit for a bubble tea straw.

Zoom opens new data centre in Singapore - CNA

The firm has 18 data centers around the world.

Zoom is opening a new data center in Singapore, which will be its 18th globally, and plans to hire more Singapore employees. It will be the first time the video conferencing platform is entering Southeast Asia. 

Since January, there has been a 65-fold increase in users of its free services in Singapore, and paying customers tripled. 400 schools have also been using the platform for home-based learning. In April, Zoom was briefly suspended from use in Singapore’s schools after hackers hijacked a stream and showed obscene pictures to students.

Climate change will affect Southeast Asia more than rest of the world - CNBC

By 2050, between USD 2.8 trillion and USD 4.7 trillion of GDP in Asia will be at risk every year, due to losing outdoor working hours as a result of higher heat and humidity.

According to consulting firm McKinsey, Southeast Asia might face more severe consequences of climate change compared to other parts of the world. On the whole, Asia faces natural hazards such as flooding, drought, severe typhoons, and rising heat and humidity. 

Southeast Asia was referred to as “Emerging Asia” in the report, and did not include Singapore. The report notes that countries in the region will experience a rise in both heat and humidity, chances of extreme rainfall could increase by three or four times by 2050 in Indonesia, and infrastructure damage from flooding can cost up to USD 1 billion by 2050 in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.

Eight Giant Ibis nests found in Cambodia - Khmer Times

The Giant Ibis is on the brink of extinction.

In the middle of the testing season, eight Giant Ibis nests have been found in Cambodia’s wildlife sanctuaries. The Giant Ibis is Cambodia’s National Bird and is also a Critically Endangered species.

Since 2002, the Wildlife Conservation Society in Cambodia has been collaborating with the Ministry of Environment to run the Bird Nest Protection programme, which is a payment scheme that combats the threat of egg and chick collection. Locals living in the Northern Plains of Cambodia will be offered conditional payment if they locate, monitor, and protect nests until fledgling.