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Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
AI-driven human trafficking scams from South-east Asia spreading globally: Interpol
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Interpol stated that victims from at least 66 countries have fallen prey to human trafficking and forced labour in online scam centres. Online scam centres driven by human trafficking have become a global threat in the digital age. The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has revealed a recent crime trend, stating that ' human trafficking-fueled scam centres ' have rapidly expanded their networks from South-east Asia to new areas in West Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and worldwide in recent years. In its March 2025 report, Interpol stated that victims from at least 66 countries have fallen prey to human trafficking and forced labour in online scam centres. Seventy-four per cent of victims were taken to the traditional 'hub' areas in South-east Asia, while scam centres in other countries are emerging, with West Africa potentially becoming the new hotspot for this type of crime. Many human trafficking victims are lured through fake job advertisements, then detained in compounds and forced to engage in online fraud, including investment scams, money transfers, romance fraud, and online gambling. Those who resist are often threatened, and some face brutal abuse or even torture. While not all workers in scam centres are human trafficking victims, those coerced into committing crimes are often intimidated with debt, forced to work endlessly, and some endure severe psychological distress. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Asia US, India push for trade pact after Trump strikes deal with Vietnam: Sources Business Microsoft cutting 9,000 jobs companywide in second major wave of layoffs this year Opinion How Apple gave 'the gift of fire' to Chinese electronics firms Asia Malaysian nurses following the money abroad for more opportunities Life Sean 'Diddy' Combs to remain jailed ahead of sentencing, judge rules Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach World Iran's nuclear programme degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says Another form of victimisation involves those deceived online in other parts of the world, who lose large sums of money and, in some cases, their financial stability. Interpol describes these online scam centres as a 'double-edged threat', impacting both those forced to commit fraud and victims deceived through screens from other countries. The trend has intensified since 2023, prompting the issuance of an urgent Orange Notice to warn of the serious and escalating threat. International operations coordinated by Interpol with police forces from various countries have uncovered multiple cases of human trafficking for forced criminal activities. For example, in 2024, authorities raided a large scam centre in the Philippines, and in Namibia, a centre was dismantled where 88 young people were forced to engage in fraud. Police seized 163 computers and 350 mobile phones for investigation. In addition to forced labour and systematic deception, Interpol has also warned that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a new tool for criminals. AI is being used to craft highly convincing fake job advertisements and create deceptive profiles and images through Deepfake technology to lure victims into various scams, such as romance scams or sextortion. These criminal networks also use the same trafficking routes to smuggle drugs, weapons, and protected wildlife, such as tigers and pangolins. This means that 'scam centres' are no longer just hubs for cybercrime, but are increasingly becoming epicentres for a variety of transnational crimes. Interpol's data also highlights the profile of 'human trafficking facilitators', key drivers behind this crime. Over 80 per cent are male, and 61 per cent are aged between 20 and 39 years. Meanwhile, 90 per cent are of Asian descent, with 11 per cent from Africa or South America, reflecting the complexity of global criminal networks. Mr Cyril Gout, acting Director of Police Services at Interpol, emphasised that addressing this threat requires genuine international cooperation. This includes intelligence sharing between countries, building partnerships with NGOs that assist victims, and collaborating with technology companies whose platforms are exploited for scams. Interpol continues to push for strict legal action, conducting joint operations with countries worldwide. These efforts have helped rescue many human trafficking victims, arrest perpetrators, and seize criminal assets. Through mechanisms like I-grip which halts illegal money transfers, hundreds of millions of dollars have been blocked. In an era where cybercrime evolves as quickly as the technology used for deception, surveillance, and global collaboration, have become essential in combating online scam centres, which are increasingly tied to new forms of human trafficking. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
61 missing after boat sinks near Indonesia's Bali: Local rescue agency
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The vessel sank in the Bali Strait as it sailed to Bali from Indonesia's main island Java. DENPASAR - At least 61 people were missing after a ferry sank off the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali, a local search and rescue agency said on July 3. The vessel sank around 11.20pm on July 2 in the Bali Strait as it sailed to the famous holiday destination from Indonesia's main island Java, Surabaya search and rescue agency said in a statement. 'The ferry's manifest data totalled 53 passengers and 12 passenger crews,' the Java-based agency said, adding rescue efforts were still underway. 'The ferry, which is estimated to have sunk at 23:20 local time, also contained 22 vehicles including 14 trucks,' it said. The agency said in a later statement that four people were rescued in the early hours of July 3. Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in Indonesia, a South-east Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, in part due to lax safety standards. In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring at least one other person. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Asia US, India push for trade pact after Trump strikes deal with Vietnam: Sources Business Microsoft cutting 9,000 jobs companywide in second major wave of layoffs this year Opinion How Apple gave 'the gift of fire' to Chinese electronics firms Asia Malaysian nurses following the money abroad for more opportunities Life Sean 'Diddy' Combs to remain jailed ahead of sentencing, judge rules Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach World Iran's nuclear programme degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island. AFP
Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Straits Times
Mount Everest's trash-covered slopes are being cleaned by drones
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Drones have been deployed to haul garbage from Everest's Camp 1, which sits at 6,065m above sea level down to base camp, about 700m below. KATHMANDU – Human waste, empty oxygen cylinders, kitchen leftovers and discarded ladders. Sherpas working on Mount Everest carry all that and more – 20kg per person – navigating a four-hour hike that traverses crumbling glacial ice and treacherous crevasses to bring rubbish back to base camp. During the most recent climbing season, they had new assistance from two giant SZ DJI Technology Co drones, which can complete the same journey in six minutes, sharing the task of clearing an expanding volume of refuse piling up on the world's highest peak. Drones have been deployed to haul garbage from Everest's Camp 1, which sits at 6,065m above sea level down to base camp, about 700m below. After a DJI FlyCart 30 delivers supplies like ropes and ladders up the peak, Sherpas hook on a debris-filled garbage bag for the drone's return journey as it buzzes down the mountain, sounding like an oversized mosquito. Between mid-April and mid-May, the drones operated by Nepal-based firm Airlift Technology handled more than 280kg of refuse, according to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, a local non-profit that manages trash collection on Everest. The drones are part of a growing effort to clean the slopes of the mountain, which has become so trash-strewn, it's been referred to as the 'world's highest garbage dump.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Asia US, India push for trade pact after Trump strikes deal with Vietnam: Sources Business Microsoft cutting 9,000 jobs companywide in second major wave of layoffs this year Opinion How Apple gave 'the gift of fire' to Chinese electronics firms Asia Malaysian nurses following the money abroad for more opportunities Life Sean 'Diddy' Combs to remain jailed ahead of sentencing, judge rules Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach World Iran's nuclear programme degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says Enlisting robots can help not only speed up the process but also reduce the danger for the Sherpas carrying decades-worth of garbage down the treacherous peak. 'We're very happy,' said Mr Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa, a 33-year-old Sherpa at local expeditions firm Asian Trekking who has reached the summit of Everest 15 times. He estimates that about 70 per cent of the garbage usually carted off the mountain by his team was transported by drone in 2025. 'When you're coming down from Camp 1 and it's warm, you can smell the garbage,' and that has caused respiratory problems for some Sherpas, he said. 'We want more drones carrying heavier weights.' The 8,849m Everest has seen an influx of rubbish since the 1990s, when visiting grew in popularity following multiple successful summit attempts. During climbing season, which typically lasts from late April until the end of May, tens of thousands of people trek to base camp, though only hundreds attempt to reach the top of the peak each year. Everest's garbage problem is worst at higher altitude campsites, which are also more challenging to clean, given the logistical hurdles of reaching them. Since 2019, the Nepalese army and Sherpas have worked together to remove more than 100 tons of waste from the mountain and several surrounding peaks. In the last decade, the government has also implemented rules requiring climbers who venture above base camp to carry back at least 8kg of rubbish each or risk forfeiting a US$4,000 (S$5,090) deposit that those visiting the mountain must pay. Climate change is only adding to the urgency to clean Everest. Snow and ice are melting, exposing decades-old garbage that can contaminate waterways fed by the run-off and that flow down to villages below. To combat the risks of human waste spreading diseases such as cholera, local officials in 2024 put in place regulations compelling climbers to keep it in doggy bags to be brought back to base camp. At the same time, rising temperatures are making trash collection more dangerous. Ice is weakening, crevasses are widening and meltwater within the Khumbu Glacier – situated between base camp and Camp 1 – is causing ice blocks to collapse more quickly. At lower altitudes, the Khumbu Icefall at the head of the glacier 'is by far the most dangerous part of the mountain, and towards the end of the season, it starts to melt,' said Mr Tenzing David Sherpa, a director at Asian Trekking, which employs about 30 Sherpas. 'It is much safer for drones to bring down the waste.' The Chinese drones, which cost US$70,000 each, can fly in temperatures of minus 20 deg C and brave wind speeds of more than 40kmh. Asian Trekking said it would pay for Airlift's equipment and trash delivery services if the drone company decides to officially offer them commercially. Even so, there are limitations. Drones aren't able to reach higher campsites, where the air is too thin to fly. Weather at high altitude can also be erratic, and during a flight in April, a drone automatically deployed a parachute when wind speeds hit more than 60kmh. The machine was then dragged and damaged by further gusts. The accident highlighted the need for specialised insurance before expanding the project, according to Mr Tshering Sherpa, SPCC's chief executive officer. Such policies are not currently readily available and 'if we don't have any insurance, it is a very high-risk project,' he said. Airlift, which is working with Nepalese authorities, is planning to try more drone models on Everest and the country's other 8,000m peaks, said co-founder Milan Pandey. At least five drone manufacturers from the US and Europe have already reached out to Airlift offering their equipment for testing, Mr Pandey said. At these altitudes, 'we're the only company in the world doing this operation.' BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
BYD sales hit new high in June after China's top EV maker slashed prices
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Despite the discounts, BYD sales barely grew month on month, putting it under pressure to hit its annual target for 5.5 million deliveries. BEIJING – BYD's sales climbed to a fresh monthly high for 2025 after a round of price cuts, though the move sparked scrutiny from government authorities and drew criticism from industry groups. The Chinese car-making juggernaut sold 377,628 passenger vehicles in June, including 206,884 battery electric cars. That was up 11 per cent from a year earlier, helping to push first-half volumes to 2.1 million units, according to a statement on July 2. But sales barely grew month on month, placing greater pressure on BYD's second-half strategy to hit its annual target for 5.5 million deliveries. The incremental rise in sales takes BYD's performance through June to 2.1 million units, but that means it needs to sell 559,000 units for each of the remaining six months on average At the same time, rival Geely Automobile Holdings sold more than 193,000 cars in June, a 59 per cent year-on-year increase. The showing prompted Geely to raise its delivery target for 2025 by 11 per cent to 3 million. The sales figures signal BYD's discounting of as much as 34 per cent across some models in late May didn't give it the sales bump it had hoped for. In its top-selling home market of China, the EV giant's passenger car sales have declined for three straight months and the scrutiny that's come alongside its price cuts cloud the outlook for the second half. Investor qualm about the hit to profit margins has wiped more than US$20 billion (S$25.5 billion) from the company's market value and the aggressive discounts have attracted the ire of policymakers, who chided the industry for 'rate race competition' and warned car companies they should self-regulate on prices. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Asia US, India push for trade pact after Trump strikes deal with Vietnam: Sources Business Microsoft cutting 9,000 jobs companywide in second major wave of layoffs this year Opinion How Apple gave 'the gift of fire' to Chinese electronics firms Life Sean 'Diddy' Combs to remain jailed ahead of sentencing, judge rules Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach Asia Dalai Lama says only his organisation can name his successor; Beijing pushes back World Iran's nuclear programme degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says Still, even with domestic momentum in China slowing, BYD has managed to sustain strong growth in Europe. Data released by Jato Dynamics indicated the Chinese automaker almost matched Tesla's European registrations in May, building on its initial out-performance of its US rival in April. It nearly quadrupled European sales in the first four months of 2025, figures from researcher Dataforce show. Pressured by regulators, BYD has ended some discounts in China and joined a collective industry pledge to standardise bill payments for suppliers to 60 days as authorities scrutinize the use of supply chain financing as a form of debt. BYD meanwhile has shelved plans to build a major plant in Mexico over geopolitical tensions and uncertainty stemming from US President Donald Trump's trade policies. The company remains interested in expanding in the Americas but has no timeline to make a new investment, BYD executive vice president Stella Li said in an interview on July 2 in the Brazilian state of Bahia, where the company is opening its first factory outside Asia. 'Geopolitical issues have a big impact on the automotive industry,' Ms Li said. 'Now everybody is rethinking their strategy in other countries. We want to wait for more clarity before making our decision.' US President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on dozens of US trading partners and separate taxes on certain imports including autos, upending industry supply lines. General Motors in June said it would spend US$4 billion in a plan to shift production of several pickup and SUV models from factories in Mexico to the United States. BLOOMBERG
