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Online scam movie ‘tarnishes’ Myanmar’s image
A Chinese blockbuster movie about trafficked online scammers has angered Myanmar’s junta for allegedly portraying the Southeast Asia country in bad light. “The storylines are related to Myanmar,” the junta’s consul-general in southwest China’s Nanning told government officials in Guangxi region, China earlier this week, according to state newspaper the Global New Light of Myanmar. The Chinese thriller “No More Bets” tells the story of a computer programmer who is trafficked to an unnamed Southeast Asian country and forced to work as an online scammer for a syndicate. The movie does not mention Myanmar by name but its setting resembles the country’s lawless northern reaches, where Beijing says its citizens are regularly lured or trafficked and forced to work scamming their compatriots online. Despite only being released in August, “No More Bets” has become the third-most-popular film in China this year, raking in 3.8 billion yuan ($521 million) and super-charging online discussion about the dangers of visiting Southeast Asia. The month before the film’s release, China told Myanmar’s junta to “root out” online scam centers in its lawless borderlands that target Chinese citizens. The film has not been shown in Myanmar cinemas. WITH AFP The post Online scam movie ‘tarnishes’ Myanmar’s image appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump
With a historic three-way summit with Japan and South Korea, President Joe Biden has further deepened the web of US partnerships in a determined signal to adversaries despite question marks on the political climate at home. Since Biden took office in 2021, NATO has expanded and mostly closed ranks over Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- and, in clear if unstated responses to an assertive China, the United States forged a new three-way defense pact with Australia and Britain and ramped up work through the four-way Quad involving Australia, India and Japan. The United States already has security alliances with Japan and South Korea, together the bases for some 84,500 troops, but will now also plan three-way, multi-year military exercises across all domains along with real-time information-sharing and a crisis hotline. Jon Alterman, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that alliances were "baked" into the mindset of Biden, who was a senator at the end of the Cold War. Partnerships can increase other countries' faith in the direction of the United States, Alterman added. "This administration believes deeply in the centrality -- not the importance, the centrality -- of partnerships," he said. "The challenge is, all of our partners remember the previous administration, they look at the polling numbers, and they have absolutely no confidence in where the US is going to be in two years' time, five years' time or 10 years' time," he said. Previous president Donald Trump loudly questioned the value of alliances, insisting that countries such as Germany and South Korea were not paying enough for the US troop presence and scoffing at NATO's commitments of mutual defense to all allies. Trump is again seeking the White House and recent opinion polls have also shown softening support for US military assistance to Ukraine, which has totaled $43 billion since Russia's attack. Asked about Trump at a news conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Camp David presidential retreat, Biden said that his predecessor's "America First policy, walking away from the rest of the world, has made us weaker, not stronger." "America is strong with our allies and our alliances, and that's why we will endure," Biden said. Tougher task in Asia Whereas in Europe the United States has led a common defense for decades under NATO, in Asia -- seen by Biden as the critical region -- Washington has navigated individual alliances with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and Thailand. One reason for the hodgepodge has been historical animosity between Japan and South Korea, with the Camp David summit until recently unthinkable. Yoon has turned the page by resolving a dispute over Japan's wartime forced labor of Koreans. Yoon, Kishida and Biden said they shared the same vision of a "rules-based international order" -- a nod to China's muscle-flexing in Asia but also to Ukraine, of which Japan and South Korea have been prominent non-Western supporters. China denounced the Camp David initiative, with state media saying the United States was raising tensions by creating a "mini-NATO," although there was no three-way mutual defense promise. Shihoko Goto, acting director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center, doubted that the three countries were even aspiring to collective self-defense but said their new cooperation was part of an "interweaving" with existing alliance arrangements. "As a single thread it may be weak, but because it is going to be part of that fabric and making it into a multi-layered approach, it would actually be really strong," she said. Risks await Biden has also moved bilaterally with countries concerned about Russia and China. He has said he plans to travel shortly to boost ties with Vietnam, whose tensions with Beijing run deep. But one of his big bets, India, has stood firm on its historic refusal to join alliances and is also taking part this week in a summit with Russia and China of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies. Trump is not the only wild card for the future. In South Korea, Yoon is only allowed a single term, which ends in 2027. "If an ultra-leftist South Korean president and an ultra-right wing Japanese leader are elected in their next cycles, or even if Trump or someone like him wins in the US, then any one of them could derail all the meaningful, hard work the three countries are putting in right now," said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. The post Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Asian markets struggle to match Wall Street as inflation data looms
Markets were mixed in Asia on Tuesday, with investors awaiting the release of key US inflation data later in the day that could play a big role in the Federal Reserve's keenly anticipated interest rate decision. Expectations are for the US central bank to hold fire at the end of its meeting Wednesday -- after 10 straight hikes -- as data suggested the economy remained healthy but was showing signs that the tightening measures are kicking in. Analysts said bets are on a pause for another increase next month, though they warned that a forecast-busting reading on the consumer price index could force officials to keep lifting. Optimism that borrowing costs will be held -- traders have priced in a 20 percent chance of a hike -- has helped push stocks higher this month, with the S&P 500 now in a bull market, having risen 20 percent from its October lows. "The committee is expected to skip the June meeting but still pair that with hawkish communications to counter any sense that a June pause trumpets the end of their hiking campaign," said SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes. "However, a big upside surprise in today's CPI could move the rate hike needle for June up to and above 50-50." After a strong performance on Wall Street, Asia struggled to pick up the baton. Tokyo, Seoul, Wellington and Taipei rose but Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Manila and Jakarta were in negative territory. The Fed decision comes as central banks around the world continue to struggle in their battle against inflation, which remains well above their two percent targets. The European Central Bank is expected to unveil another increase Thursday despite the eurozone dipping into recession, while the Bank of Japan is tipped to stand pat when it meets Friday. Canada and Australia announced increases last week. But China on Tuesday announced a small cut in its short-term lending rates as authorities try to kickstart a recovery in the economy, which has run out of steam after an initial burst seen after the lifting of zero-Covid restrictions. The move comes after figures showed inflation remained subdued and saw the yuan drop against the dollar. China's ongoing problems remained a weight on the crude market as investors fret over the impact on demand, even after Saudi Arabia's surprise decision to slash output by a million barrels a day next month. WTI is down about 15 percent this year Brent has lost around 13 percent. Both contracts edged up Tuesday but made little headway into the four percent losses suffered the day before as Goldman Sachs slashed its price forecast for the third time in six months. - Key figures around 0230 GMT - Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.6 percent at 32,946.49 (break) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.6 percent at 19,296.53 Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,217.54 Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0772 from $1.0762 on Monday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2522 from $1.2510 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 139.49 yen from 139.56 yen Euro/pound: UP at 86.04 percent from 86.00 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 percent at $67.26 per barrel Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.4 percent at $72.11 per barrel New York - Dow: UP 0.6 percent at 34,066.33 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 7,570.69 (close) dan/dva © Agence France-Presse The post Asian markets struggle to match Wall Street as inflation data looms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Duterte-Duterte tandem leads in Pulse Asia survey
MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and President Rodrigo Duterte led the list of Filipinos’ top bets for president and vice president in Pulse Asia’s 2022 national elections survey. According to Pulse Asia on Tuesday, the survey was conducted on 2,400 respondents from June 7 to 16. Presidential bets Pulse Asia said that […] The post Duterte-Duterte tandem leads in Pulse Asia survey appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Filipino gamers top group stage, advance in MLBB SEA tiff
Philippine bets Blacklist International and Execration are through to the Upper Bracket playoffs of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup (MSC), after going 2-0 record in the group stages......»»
Philippine bets fall to lower bracket in Valorant Challengers SEA playoffs
Both teams still have a chance to win it all and be crowned as the best in the region and represent Southeast Asia in the Valorant Challengers Tour Stage 2: Masters that will take place in Reykjavik, Iceland — the first international tournament for the title game......»»
Sara Duterte tops Pulse Asia poll on possible presidential bets with 27%
An early election poll has suggested that 27% of its respondents prefer Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as their choice in the presidential elections in 2022, with 16% for Manila's Isko Moreno as vice president......»»
Stocks weaken further, lowest in nearly 3 months
Local share prices slid over three percent yesterday, leading broad losses in Asia’s emerging stock markets after US stock futures tumbled, leaving already unnerved investors unsure about taking on riskier bets......»»
Inday Sara tops survey of 2022 presidential bets
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio topped a survey of possible presidential candidates for 2022 conducted by Pulse Asia, released Thursday, followed by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos who tied at second spot with incumbent senator Grace Poe......»»
Philippines beats India for back-to-back wins in women’s Asia ice hockey tiff
The Philippine women’s ice hockey team picked up where they left off after their opening win in the 2024 IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup with a 7-0 shutout of India at the Bishkek Arena in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday......»»
Survey shows Cha-cha still unpopular with Filipinos — Senate leaders
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said that the findings of the survey by private pollster Pulse Asia, which was released on Wednesday, show that Charter change is an "unpopular move.".....»»
Unlock business success at Franchise Asia Philippines Expo
The Franchise Asia Philippines Expo 2024 is set to hold a series of dynamic seminars designed to empower entrepreneurs, investors and business enthusiasts with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the ever-evolving world of franchising. Slated from April 12 to 14 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, these seminars offer invaluable insights into key aspects of franchising and business growth......»»
88% of Pinoys oppose Cha-cha – Pulse Asia
Public opinion on Charter change, which last year was roughly divided among Filipinos, is now largely skewed toward those opposed to changing the country’s Constitution, a survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed......»»
Boracay, Palawan named among ‘Best Islands in Asia-Pacific’
Two island destinations in the Philippines were included in the 10 “Best Islands in Asia-Pacific” by a foreign travel magazine......»»
Gilas women off to great start in FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup
The Gilas Pilipinas women had a strong start in the 2024 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup after coming up unscathed in the first day of the competition Wednesday at the Singapore Sports Hub......»»
Most Filipinos reject Charter change, lifting foreign ownership restrictions
An overwhelming majority of Filipinos oppose changing the 1987 Constitution at this time, according to a new Pulse Asia Survey, with results showing Filipinos in all regions and all socio-economic classes did not support the lifting of foreign ownership restrictions in key industries......»»
'MahalNaAraw2024: Mga Tradisyon tuwing Semana Santa
MAHALAGA ang paggunita ng Semana Santa o Holy Week lalo na sa mga Pilipino na may sagradong paniniwala bilang Katoliko. Sa katunayan, tinaguriang “Asia’s Bastion of Christianity” ang Pilipinas at isa rin ito sa mga bansang may malaking bilang ng mga Katoliko. Kaya naman hindi na rin kataka-taka na talagang binibigyan ng importansya ang Mahal.....»»
‘Our Dream’: K-pop boy band BtoB to hold fan-con in April
The K-pop boy band BtoB, also known as Born to Beat, is poised to come back to Manila on April 7 at the SM Mall of Asia for a fan-con labeled as “2024 BTOB Fan-Con Our Dream.”.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, March 25
JAKARTA -- One was killed and nine others, including children, went missing after a landslide struck a village in the Indonesian province of West Java on Sunday, a local official said Monday. The disaster took place in Cibenda village in West Bandung regency on Sunday after torrential rain reportedly poured over the area for around two hours. (Indonesia-Landslide) - - - - SYDNEY -- Local media repo.....»»
Australia s reputation among Pacific neighbours weakening
From carrying the Coalition's AUKUS pact to supporting Israel's self-defence initiative, Labor's reputation is souring among voters. Bilal Cleland reports.ASIA IS SENSITIVE to memories of the White Australia Policy, the f.....»»