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Myanmar scam hub sweep triggers fraudster recruitment rush
Myanmar scam hub sweep triggers fraudster recruitment rush
by  AFP

Recent raids on one of Myanmar's most notorious internet scam hubs sparked a recruitment rush as fleeing workers scrambled to enlist at nearby fraud factories, experts and insiders told AFP. Online scam hubs have mushroomed across Southeast Asia, draining unsuspecting victims of billions of dollars annually in elaborate romance and crypto cons.

Asian markets swing as trades eye tech rally, US rate outlook
Asian markets swing as trades eye tech rally, US rate outlook
by  AFP

Asian markets fluctuated Tuesday as investors assessed the latest tech rally on Wall Street amid worries a bubble is forming in the sector, while mixed signals from Federal Reserve officials fed uncertainty over its next interest rate move. Wall Street ended on a mixed note, with the tech-rich Nasdaq rising along with the S&P 500 but the Dow in the red.

South Korea to triple AI spending, boost defence budget
South Korea to triple AI spending, boost defence budget
by  AFP

South Korea will triple spending on artificial intelligence and make its biggest defence budget increase in six years, President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday in his annual parliamentary budget speech. Lee noted on Tuesday that South Korea already spends "1.4 times North Korea's annual GDP" on defence alone and is "ranked fifth in global military strength".

Starbucks cedes China control to Boyu Capital
Starbucks cedes China control to Boyu Capital
by  AFP

Starbucks announced Monday it will sell a controlling stake in its Chinese retail operations to investment firm Boyu Capital in a deal valuing the business at around $4 billion.

Trial opens in 1st US civil case on 2019 Boeing MAX crash
Trial opens in 1st US civil case on 2019 Boeing MAX crash
by  AFP

Relatives of victims in the fatal crash of a Boeing 737 MAX plane operated by Ethiopian Airlines headed to court Monday for the first civil trial relating to the 2019 calamity. Boeing reiterated in a statement that it is "deeply sorry" for the Ethiopian Airlines crash and for a separate 2018 MAX crash on Lion Air that killed 189 people, noting its commitment to settling cases when possible.

US Fed's Cook warns inflation to stay 'elevated' next year
US Fed's Cook warns inflation to stay 'elevated' next year
by  AFP

A key US central bank official warned Monday that inflation would likely remain elevated in the coming year as tariffs bite, while vowing to fulfill her duties even as President Donald Trump seeks her removal. "As such, I expect inflation to remain elevated for the next year," Cook added.

Shein bans sex dolls after France outrage over 'childlike' ones
Shein bans sex dolls after France outrage over 'childlike' ones
by  AFP

Asian e-commerce giant Shein said Monday it was banning all sex dolls from sale on its sites after French authorities condemned it for featuring ones resembling children. It later announced in a statement it was imposing a "total ban on sex-doll-type products" and had deleted all listings and images linked to them.

Denmark inaugurates rare low-carbon hydrogen plant
Denmark inaugurates rare low-carbon hydrogen plant
by  AFP

Denmark inaugurated one of Europe's few low-carbon hydrogen plants on Monday, a sector touted as a key to cleaner energy but plagued with challenges. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), only four plants currently produce low-carbon hydrogen in Europe, none with a capacity greater than one megawatt.