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Subscription video service Netflix is now the most popular US platform for watching entertainment on TV. According to a recent survey by Wall Street firm Cowen & Co, it has now overtaken traditional broadcast, cable television and other online streaming services like Youtube and Amazon.

With its own studio in Hollywood, Netflix is now one of the world's biggest film and TV producers. It boasts collaborations with some of television and cinema's most renowned names, such as a multi-year production deal with former US president and first lady, Barack and Michelle Obama.

But are Netflix and co steering audiences away from "traditional" broadcast viewing forever, or is this a long-stay fad, bound to disappear with the next carousel of trends? And does Netflix' reach extend beyond US consumer choices?

Daniel Ives, chief strategy officer and head of Technology Research at New York-based GBH Insights, discusses how companies such as Netflix, Apple, Amazon and Disney are spending big on content and talent to gain audience share in what some are calling "the post-TV era".

"The cord-cutting phenomenon is one that will continue to accelerate," says Ives. "It's really about content. Netflix spent $8bn [≈ net worth of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, 2011] on content this year; that's really created a content arms war and you've sort of seen this across the board with the consolidation across the sector between AT&T, Time Warner, Disney and Comcast ... it all speaks to "content is king" in this cord-cutting world."

Where Bollywood and other international cinema industries are concerned, Ives says Netflix is essentially unstoppable. With plans for expansion into 100 different markets - and a subscription forecast of 100 million in the next two years - the challenge now lies in creating content that will drive audiences to become loyal viewers.  

"Ultimately, the only way you drive international subscriber growth is international content," says Ives. "Whether its the Middle East, Africa or other parts of the world you're trying to penetrate ... it has created a new age for content and Netflix recognises that as they expand internationally, content is the key."

Syrian government forces are back in control of most of Deraa and the border with Jordan.
 
After more than seven years of war in Syria, rebel fighters have lost control of the southern province of Deraa, where the revolution began.

Some rebels will hand over their heavy weapons as part of a ceasefire deal with the government.

Others will be given safe passage to the opposition's last stronghold in the northern Idlib Province.

Jordan and Israel are cautiously watching the developments, as the Syrian army inches closer to their borders.

And of course, the government's victory also brings big changes for the 320,000 people who fled Deraa.

So, what will this mean for Syrians and others in the region?

''The time for change has come'' - that was the message from Malaysia's new leader Mahathir Mohamad after his stunning victory over the ruling coalition in May.

The 92-year-old veteran politician, who served as Malaysia's prime minister for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, returned to politics two years ago. He opposed the political force he was once a part of - the Barisan Nasional coalition, which had ruled Malaysia since its independence from Britain in 1957.

The law must take its course and if the attorney general finds sufficient evidence of acts that are criminal then the attorney general takes the decision. One of our (election) promises was that we would honour the separation of powers between the legislative, executive and judiciary, so I cannot interfere with what the attorney general wants to do.

Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia PM

Malaysia is a diverse nation with millions of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians living side by side.

But in recent years, many Malaysians have been frustrated with high-level government corruption and a rising cost of living.

Prime Minister Mahathir accused his predecessor Najib Razak of stealing millions of dollars, and this may have led to Najib's defeat at the polls.

Najib has denied corruption charges over the disappearance of millions of dollars from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state investment fund, as part of a graft probe while he was in office.

The new government led by Mahathir has reopened investigations that were stifled while Najib was in office, setting up a special task force to deal with the allegations.

So what are the implications of the 1MDB investigation? And what's next for Malaysian politics?

In an exclusive interview, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, talks to Al Jazeera about his fight against corruption and for more transparency in government.

Donald Trump's nuclear reaction is threatening to turn off the taps of the world's major oil supply.

The White House is threatening countries which import Iranian oil to stop shipments by November - or face U.S. sanctions.

If that happens - the Iranians are vowing to stop all oil exports from the Gulf, including from the number one supplier Saudi Arabia.

Foreign ministers from France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia are expected to meet Iranian diplomats on Friday.

In Vienna, they'll be discussing how to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal which Trump withdrew from two months ago.

Najib Razak was Malaysia's Prime Minister until two months ago.
Now he's a political outcast, trying to avoid being sent to prison for 20 years.

Najib's the first person to appear in court in connection with the 1-MDB scandal and the disappearance of four billion dollars of taxpayer's money.

He's pleading not guilty and accused the new government led by Mahathir Mohamed of seeking political vengeance. What are the implications of Najib's trial?

Social media is flooded with horrific images and videos of violence in Cameroon. Villages burning, beheadings, bodies mutilated piled up on the road. A conflict between the government and separatist rebels in the Anglophone region of the country is escalating, and neither side is showing signs of backing down. While the military calls the separatists ''terrorists'', the separatists have accused the military of genocide.

Violence first broke out in the northwest and southwest of Cameroon in October 2016. At that time, lawyers and teachers went on indefinite strike saying they were mistreated and marginalised socially, economically and politically by the government of the Francophone majority nation. Those protests led to calls for secession and reignited a separatist movement that was calling for the creation of the independent ''Republic of Ambazonia''. In November 2017, President Paul Biya declared war on the separatists.

In June, Amnesty International published a report in which it criticised both sides for using excessive force and said that civilians were being caught up in extreme violence. The United Nations estimates that more than 150,000 people have fled the northwest and southwest regions, often crossing into Nigeria.

Rights groups and other African nations are now calling for talks between the two sides but the separatists say they will not sit down until the self-declared president of the ''Republic of Ambazonia'' Ayuk Tabe - who was arrested in January - is released.

On this episode of The Stream, we'll examine the violence and the impact it's having, the effect of social media campaigns, and what it will take to bring a lasting peace to Cameroon.

Leaked letters are said to show the US President's increasing frustration with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Donald Trump accuses allies in the military alliance of failing to adequately pay for their protection.

The New York Times says Trump wrote to NATO members, including the leaders of Belgium, Canada and Germany.

In his letter to Chancellor Angela Merkel, he warned that what he called Germany's continued underspending on defence undermines the security of the alliance.

Will NATO members heed Trump's call?

And is the North Atlantic alliance still relevant?

Nipah virus infection (NiV) is a viral infection caused by the Nipah virus. Symptoms from infection vary from none to fever, cough, headache, shortness of breath, and confusion. This may worsen into a coma over a day or two. Complications can include inflammation of the brain and seizures following recovery.

The Nipah virus is a type of RNA virus in the genus Henipavirus. It can both spread between people and from other animals to people. Spread typically requires direct contact with an infected source. The virus normally circulates among specific types of fruit bats. Diagnosis is based on symptoms and confirmed by laboratory testing.

Management involves supportive care. As of 2018 there is no vaccine or specific treatment. Prevention is by avoiding exposure to bats and sick pigs and not drinking raw date palm sap. As of May 2018 about 700 human cases of Nipah virus are estimated to have occurred and 50 to 75 percent of those who were infected died. In May 2018, an outbreak of the disease resulted in at least 18 deaths in the Indian state of Kerala.

The disease was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak in Malaysia while the virus was isolated in 1999. It is named after a village in Malaysia, Sungai Nipah. Pigs may also be infected and millions were killed in 1999 to stop the spread of disease.

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms start to appear within 3-14 days after exposure. Initial symptoms are fever, headache, drowsiness followed by disorientation and mental confusion. These symptoms can progress into coma as fast as in 24-48 hours. Encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, is a potentially fatal complication of nipah virus infection. Respiratory illness can also be present during the early part of the illness. Nipah-case patients who had breathing difficulty are more likely than those without respiratory illness to transmit the virus. The disease is suspected in symptomatic individuals in the context of an epidemic outbreak.

Risks

The risk of exposure is high for hospital workers and caretakers of those infected with the virus. In Malaysia and Singapore, Nipah virus infection occurred in those with close contact to infected pigs. In Bangladesh and India, the disease has been linked to consumption of raw date palm sap (toddy) and contact with bats.

Diagnosis

Laboratory diagnosis of Nipah virus infection is made using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from throat swabs, cerebrospinal fluid, urine and blood analysis during acute and convalescent stages of the disease. IgG and IgM antibody detection can be done after recovery to confirm Nipah virus infection. Immunohistochemistry on tissues collected during autopsy also confirms the disease. Viral RNA can be isolated from the saliva of infected persons.

Prevention

Prevention of Nipah virus infection is important since there is no effective treatment for the disease. The infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to bats in endemic areas and sick pigs. Drinking of raw palm sap (palm toddy) contaminated by bat excrete, eating of fruits partially consumed by bats and using water from wells infested by bats should be avoided. Bats are known to drink toddy that is collected in open containers, and occasionally urinate in it, which makes it contaminated with the virus. Surveillance and awareness are important for preventing future outbreaks. The association of this disease within reproductive cycle of bats is not well studied. Standard infection control practices should be enforced to prevent nosocomial infections. A subunit vaccine using the Hendra G protein was found to produce cross-protective antibodies against henipavirus and nipavirus has been used in monkeys to protect against Hendra virus, although its potential for use in humans has not been studied.

Treatment

Currently there is no effective treatment for Nipah virus infection. The treatment is limited to supportive care. It is important to practice standard infection control practices and proper barrier nursing techniques to avoid the transmission of the infection from person to person. All suspected cases of Nipah virus infection should be isolated and given intensive supportive care. Ribavirin has been shown effective in in vitro tests, but has not yet been proven effective in humans. Passive immunization using a human monoclonal antibody that targets the Nipah G glycoprotein has been evaluated in the ferret model as post-exposure prophylaxis. The anti-malarial drug chloroquine was shown to block the critical functions needed for maturation of Nipah virus, although no clinical benefit has yet been observed. m102.4, a human monoclonal antibody, has been used in people on a compassionate use basis in Australia and is presently in pre-clinical development.

Outbreaks

Nipah virus outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh and India. The highest mortality due to Nipah virus infection has occurred in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the outbreaks are typically seen in winter season. Nipah virus first appeared in Malaysia in 1998 in peninsular Malaysia in pigs and pig farmers. By mid-1999, more than 265 human cases of encephalitis, including 105 deaths, had been reported in Malaysia, and 11 cases of either encephalitis or respiratory illness with one fatality were reported in Singapore. In 2001, Nipah virus was reported from Meherpur District, Bangladesh and Siliguri, India. The outbreak again appeared in 2003, 2004 and 2005 in Naogaon District, Manikganj District, Rajbari District, Faridpur District and Tangail District. In Bangladesh, there were also outbreaks in subsequent years.

In May 2018, an outbreak was reported in the Kozhikode district of Kerala, India. Eighteen deaths have been recorded, including one healthcare worker. Those who have died are mainly from the districts of Kozhikode and Malappuram, including a 31-year-old nurse, who was treating patients infected with the virus. As of 31 May 2018, about 16 people are being quarantined because they had contact with the sick. This incident has caused panic throughout the state. Blood samples have been sent for testing. India is seeking help from Australia by importing monoclonal antibodies to a Nipah virus antigen. However, the treatment is experimental and has not yet been tested on humans. India is also importing ribavirin tablets from Malaysia.

The southern Indian state of Kerala has been put on 'all-time alert' after at least 17 of the people infected with Nipah virus died in the past weeks.

Kerala's Health Minister KK Shailaja told on Monday that the state is on an 'all-time alert' to prevent the infectious disease - which causes acute respiratory problems or fatal brain swelling among humans - from spreading further.

"All efforts are being made by authorities to confirm that more lives are not lost due to Nipah," she said.

The viral outbreak has resulted in the quarantine of 2,379 people in their homes in the southern state, health and government officials have said.

More than 2,000 people are under medical observation in Kerala's Malabar region, uncertain whether they have been infected with the disease.

Individuals who had any contact with infected persons have been included in the list.

The state's director of health services, RL Saritha, said on Monday that there had been no new cases reported since June 1.

"The preventive measures have been implemented with greater efficiency. There is no need to panic," Saritha told.

The Nipah virus is believed to be transmitted from animals to humans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), fruit bats are the natural hosts of the disease.

India's National Centre for Disease Control and experts from the National Institute of Virology said they are also monitoring the situation.

Raised alarms

The outbreak of the disease and risk of its spread have raised alarms among the people in four most-affected districts of Malabar region of the state.

Dr Ajaz Ali, a surgeon at Koyilandy Taluk hospital in Kozhikode district, said that since the news of the disease broke out, many patients have refrained from coming to the hospital.

"There were more than 1,200 people coming here every day, and now it has reduced to below 200. All are afraid of crowds due to the Nipah risk.

Isolation wards for patients infected with Nipah have been set up at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

The disease has also forced state authorities to close schools and colleges and postpone exams in Malabar.

District authorities have also asked people to keep away from crowded areas as a precautionary measure. District courts in some areas have also temporarily suspended operations.

Businesses affected

The disease outbreak has affected the livelihood of people as businesses have shut down. Sales in restaurants and shops selling produce, meat and fish have fallen in the past few weeks.

"Bus stands are empty. People are avoiding travel. They are remaining at home and using protective masks while travelling," said Rajeev, a bus conductor from Kozhikode district.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have banned imports of fresh and frozen vegetables and fruits from Kerala. The ban will continue until the outbreak is controlled.

Bahrain and Qatar have also urged their nationals and residents to avoid travelling to Kerala until the epidemic is under control.

An estimated 1.6 million migrants from Kerala form the majority of the Indian community in the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.

Tracing the source

Health authorities in India said they have no evidence to suggest that the Nipah virus in Kerala was transmitted by fruit bats as suspected initially.

Samples collected from the droppings, serum and blood of bats tested negative for the Nipah virus, officials the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases said.

The last Nipah outbreaks - reported in 2001 and 2007 in India's West Bengal - claimed 70 lives. Nipah has killed more than 260 people in Bangladesh, Malaysia, and India and Singapore since 1998.

The deadly virus got its name from the Kampung Sungai Nipah village in Malaysia where it was first reported.

Despite the absence of a vaccine to prevent Nipah from spreading, an antiviral drug used against hepatitis C infection seems to contain shivering and vomiting in patients, the WHO said.

The two confirmed cases in Kerala, who have been under treatment now, have also been responding well to the anti-hepatitis drug, said the director of health services.

Meanwhile, India's national disease control agency said no similar cases of Nipah had been detected in other parts of the country.

Socotra is an island near Somalia's north eastern coast which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some locals see it as a power grab at the expense of their internationally recognised government led by President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The Hadi government says the UAE action is an act of hostility.

Formally, they are allies in the Saudi-led war against the Houthi rebels in the capital Sanaa. But the UAE has promoted separatists in the south and now calls the shots in large parts of that region and Socotra.  
And it's not just in southern Yemen, the Gulf country has been expanding its military influence across the Red Sea and Horn of Africa regions.

So, why is the United Arab Emirates deploying troops in Soctotra and elsewhere?