More than 945 people fall prey to ‘fake friend’ scams since January, losing at least S.2 million

SINGAPORE: Police are warning of the re-emergence of “fake friend” scams, with at least 945 victims cheated of more than S$3.2 million since January. The cases typically involve scammers contacting victims through text messages or phone calls, pretending to be someone they know, and then asking for financial help. “In theseContinue Reading

Chinese industries to go digital or die

Companies in traditional sectors should take the initiative in the coming decade to go digital under Beijing’s newly announced “Digital China” plan or they will be eliminated, according to some academics. “Digitalization is now a global trend,” Zhang Jun, dean of economics at Fudan University, told guancha.cn in an interview. “Without it, China’s service and manufacturing sectors […]Continue Reading

Georgia’s anti-Russia protests a cry to the West

The Georgian government has been forced to withdraw its controversial “foreign agent” law after days of mass protests against what many saw as Russian-inspired legislation which would limit press freedom, making its chances of ever joining the European Union near impossible. Over two nights this week, thousands of protesters have packed the streets of Tbilisi […]Continue Reading

Radical monks grace murderous militias in Myanmar

Buddhist ultranationalist monks from the radical Ma Ba Tha group attend a meeting to celebrate their anniversary with a nationwide conference in Yangon, Myanmar May 27, 2017. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun - RTX37U0L

The political implications of ultra-nationalist Buddhist monks and ideologies in Myanmar received much attention in the years before the 2021 military takeover. As Myanmar has turned more violent since the coup, ultra-nationalist monks have been radicalized further. What role are these monks playing in the political landscape of Myanmar today? And what is their rationale […]Continue Reading