More than 1,800 people have been arrested in a major anti-scam operation across seven Asian jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives, and Macao, authorities announced on Tuesday.
The coordinated crackdown, which ran through late May, targeted online shopping scams, phone fraud, fake job offers and investment schemes. Police froze nearly 33,000 bank accounts and intercepted $20 million in fraudulent funds, said Wong Chun-yue, chief superintendent of Hong Kong's Commercial Crime Bureau.
One of the more sophisticated cases involved a finance director in Singapore, who was tricked by deepfake videos posing as the CEO of a multinational company. The victim wired nearly $500,000 to Hong Kong in March. Thanks to cross-border cooperation, authorities were able to recover the funds, said Aileen Yap from Singapore’s anti-scam command.
Authorities noted that scam operations often exploit both victims and workers. Many recruits are lured under false pretenses, then forced to work under threat and poor conditions, according to a recent UN report.
The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime warned that transnational scam syndicates have been rapidly expanding across East and Southeast Asia, especially in remote or border areas of Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines. These syndicates frequently relocate to evade police, using fake romances, investment pitches, and gambling apps to target victims worldwide.
China approved 11.29 gigawatts (GW) of new coal-fired power capacity in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing the 10.34 GW approved in the entire first half of 2024, according to a new report released by Greenpeace on Thursday.
Chinese authorities have warned of increased flood risks across northern China during the summer months, predicting more frequent and intense storms between June and August.
China’s central bank has announced a new set of measures to strengthen financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), aiming to help them navigate external uncertainties and maintain stable operations, according to a senior official at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).
China’s services activity expanded at a modestly faster pace in May, driven by stronger domestic demand, though new export orders declined amid growing concerns over U.S. tariffs, according to a private sector survey released on Thursday.
Hopes for a lasting resolution to the US-China trade conflict are fading just weeks after a temporary truce was struck.
China approved 11.29 gigawatts (GW) of new coal-fired power capacity in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing the 10.34 GW approved in the entire first half of 2024, according to a new report released by Greenpeace on Thursday.
President Donald Trump announced a "very good" phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, centred on the recently finalised trade deal and rare earth product agreements. Both leaders expressed optimism, and high-level delegations are set to meet soon.
Chinese authorities have warned of increased flood risks across northern China during the summer months, predicting more frequent and intense storms between June and August.
China’s central bank has announced a new set of measures to strengthen financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), aiming to help them navigate external uncertainties and maintain stable operations, according to a senior official at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).
China’s services activity expanded at a modestly faster pace in May, driven by stronger domestic demand, though new export orders declined amid growing concerns over U.S. tariffs, according to a private sector survey released on Thursday.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least seven people and leaving 30 injured, according to emergency services.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
A strong 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture early Monday, causing no reported injuries or damage, and no tsunami warning was issued, officials confirmed.
Federal authorities have arrested 14 suspects in Los Angeles linked to an Armenian organized crime ring accused of stealing $30 million in COVID relief and Small Business loans intended to support American taxpayers.
President Donald Trump announced a "very good" phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, centred on the recently finalised trade deal and rare earth product agreements. Both leaders expressed optimism, and high-level delegations are set to meet soon.
Greece and Egypt have committed to preserving the historic and spiritual status of St Catherine’s Monastery after a court ruling raised concerns about its future use and surrounding land.
A Ryanair flight from Berlin to Milan made an emergency landing in Germany after turbulence injured nine passengers during a thunderstorm.
Bulgaria will adopt the euro on January 1, 2026, aiming for stronger economic growth and higher living standards, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced following the European Commission’s approval.
As NATO’s annual summit approaches later this month, allied defense chiefs are set to meet in Brussels Thursday for talks on key agenda items, with a proposed overhaul of defense spending targets in focus.
China approved 11.29 gigawatts (GW) of new coal-fired power capacity in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing the 10.34 GW approved in the entire first half of 2024, according to a new report released by Greenpeace on Thursday.
President Donald Trump announced a "very good" phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, centred on the recently finalised trade deal and rare earth product agreements. Both leaders expressed optimism, and high-level delegations are set to meet soon.
Chinese authorities have warned of increased flood risks across northern China during the summer months, predicting more frequent and intense storms between June and August.
China’s central bank has announced a new set of measures to strengthen financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), aiming to help them navigate external uncertainties and maintain stable operations, according to a senior official at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).
China’s services activity expanded at a modestly faster pace in May, driven by stronger domestic demand, though new export orders declined amid growing concerns over U.S. tariffs, according to a private sector survey released on Thursday.
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