Thẻ: News

Chinese organized crime networks moved $16 billion in crypto in 2025. Southeast Asia has become a base for these networks as China tightens enforcement.

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

CNBC.com Published Sun, Feb 1 2026

Key Points

  • Chinese-language crypto networks moved $16.1 billion in illicit funds, about 20% of the global crypto crime market.
  • Telegram “guarantee” platforms act as key hubs linking launderers, criminals and sanctioned actors.
  • Southeast Asia has become a base for these networks as China tightens enforcement.
SIHANOUKVILLE, CAMBODIA - JANUARY 18: Amber Casino and former scam center, owned by Chen Zhi, a Chinese businessman who was deported to China, is seen in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on January 18, 2026. Casinos and scam centres shape life in Cambodiaâs Sihanoukville. Wealth is concentrated among finantial elite while poorer people work in harsh conditions for the rich, with reports of kidnappings, forced labour and torture, particularly involving workers in scam centres; tuk-tuks are fitted with curtains to c

Amber Casino and former scam center, owned by Chen Zhi, a Chinese businessman who was deported to China, is seen in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Jan. 18, 2026.

Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images

Chinese-language money laundering networks funneled an estimated $16.1 billion in illicit funds through cryptocurrency transactions in 2025, according to a report released Tuesday by blockchain data analysis firm Chainalysis.

These networks, known as CLMNs, accounted for roughly one-fifth of the illicit cryptocurrency ecosystem in 2025, which Chainalysis valued at over $82 billion.

The criminal networks primarily operate through various channels and chat groups on the messaging platform Telegram, where launderers advertise their services to prospective customers. These postings often include pictures showing heaps of cash and public testimonials as proof of liquidity and service quality, according to the report.

These Telegram-based channels, known as “guarantee” platforms, function as marketing hubs or informal escrow services that connect vendors with prospective clients. While the platforms do not control the underlying transactions, Chainalysis said they are the main conduits through which illicit deals are arranged.

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Australia: Historic pay deal with Uber Eats and DoorDash could set minimum pay for gig economy delivery workers

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abc.net.au Tuesday 25 November 2025

Man with helmet and yellow jacket on e-bike with neon yellow Uber Eats bag
A new deal looks set to provide wideranging new minimum conditions to delivery riders and drivers who work for Uber Eats and DoorDash. (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid)

In short:

The Transport Workers Union has reached an agreement with Uber Eats and DoorDash for minimum safety net pay rates and other conditions for delivery drivers and riders.

The union says it is a “significant step” towards improving fairness in the gig economy.

What’s next?

The deal requires approval from the Fair Work Commission.

A historic deal could transform Australia’s gig economy, with the country’s two largest on-demand delivery platforms agreeing to minimum pay rates and providing wide-ranging improvements and protections for riders and drivers.

The agreement struck between the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and Uber Eats and DoorDash followed years of campaigning by workers and the union.

Minimum safety net pay rates would put a floor beneath what have been wildly variable earnings for delivery workers, who have often taken home far less than Australia’s minimum wage under current pay arrangements, which see them paid per delivery, not for time worked.

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Top 10 Ship Building Countries In The World (Vietnam is on the list)

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China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, USA, Germany, France, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Vietnam

marineinsight.com ByZahra AhmedFebruary 11, 2025

The shipbuilding industry is growing at a tremendous rate, with its market size expected to increase from USD 155.58 billion in 2025 to 203.76 billion in 2033, owing to greater container and dry bulk trade and the opening of new markets, per Straits Research. Around 85% of shipbuilding activities are concentrated in China, Japan, and South Korea, which are the top shipbuilding countries in the world.

Shipbuilding, which involves the construction of large seagoing vessels, manufacturing marine equipment, and refurbishing old vessels is a lucrative industry, propelled by the rising sea trade between countries, as the world population increases amidst rising consumer demands worldwide.

Apart from commercial vessels, naval vessels are also witnessing an increased demand with several navies like the Chinese and American, building new ships to showcase naval prowess.

ship building countries

In this article, we will mention the top 10 shipbuilding countries in the world, the majority of which are in Asia, Europe and the Americas, leading through their technological breakthroughs, and strategic investments in port infrastructure and ship equipment.

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Thailand, the sick man of Southeast Asia?

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eastasiaforum.org Published: 22 December 2025

In Brief

Thailand is confronting a convergence of economic and political pressures that threaten to lock in prolonged stagnation caused by weak growth, demographic decline and low productivity. Decades of political instability, repeated intervention by unelected ‘tutelary’ powers and the blocking of reformist forces have undermined policy continuity, discouraged investment and diverted spending away from long-term growth drivers like education and public investment. Renewed border tensions with Cambodia and looming elections now compound these structural weaknesses, leaving Thailand trapped in a cycle of political uncertainty and economic underperformance that erodes its regional standing.

With growth barely above 2 per cent, a looming demographic crisis and an immigration regime unsuited to offsetting future workforce challenges, Thailand is in urgent need of pro-growth, pro-productivity reforms and public investment despite its strained public finances. These challenges are par for the course in any rich post-industrial country — but for a middle-income country in today’s international environment, they’re all the more daunting.

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Nuclear Deterrence in the 21st Century

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chatthamhouse.org Research paper Published 20 April 2020 ISBN: 978 1 78413 391 7

Royal Navy Vanguard Class submarine HMS Vigilant returning to HMNB Clyde after extended deployment. The four Vanguard-class submarines form the UK's strategic nuclear deterrent force. Photo: Ministry of Defence.

Royal Navy Vanguard Class submarine HMS Vigilant returning to HMNB Clyde after extended deployment. The four Vanguard-class submarines form the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent force. Photo: Ministry of Defence.21st century. Researchers at Chatham House have worked with eight experts to produce this collection of essays examining four contested themes in contemporary policymaking on deterrence.

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International Atomic Energy Agency reviews Viet Nam’s nuclear power infrastructure development

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IAEA.org 12 December 2025 Ninh Thuan Province, Viet Nam

Viet Nam has taken important actions towards adding nuclear power to its energy mix, including in developing the necessary infrastructure for a safe and sustainable nuclear power programme, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review mission.

An IAEA team of experts yesterday concluded an 11-day mission to Viet Nam to review its infrastructure development for the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project, which had been stopped in 2016. In 2024, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam decided to restart the project and the National Assembly of Viet Nam authorized the Government to allocate the necessary resources for its implementation.

The establishment of nuclear power is an objective of the Revised National Power Development Plan for the period 2021-2030, which considers nuclear power as key for diversifying the national energy mix and strengthening energy security amidst Viet Nam’s steadily rising energy demand and economic growth in recent years.  The plan envisages the commissioning of two nuclear power plants, Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2, during the 2030–2035 period, with a total capacity of 4,000–6,400 MW.

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China unveils ‘world’s first’ autonomous drone that can hunt submarines: is it all hype?

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The Wing Loong X debuts as China’s first long-endurance UAV designed for independent ASW missions.

IE.com Nov 22, 2025 06:14 AM EST

Wing Loong II
Image of a Wing Loong II at the Dubai Air Show, circa 2017.Mztourist/Wikimedia Commons

China has officially unveiled its latest large autonomous drone, the Wing Loong X, at the Dubai Airshow 2025. Ostensibly the same as its predecessor, Wing Loong drone siblings, this new drone is reportedly the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the world capable of fully independent anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

If true, this is a big deal, as anti-submarine missions are widely considered the most difficult of all maritime military aviation operations. The new drone is huge, with a reported wingspan of well over 65.6 feet, or 20 meters (that’s roughly the same size as a small business jet).

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How Greenland’s Rare Earth Reserves Compare to the Rest of the World

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 visualcapitalist January 19, 2026

How Greenland’s rare earth reserves compare globally and why its untapped minerals are drawing Trump’s attention.

Key Takeaways

China dominates global rare earth mining, but undeveloped reserves elsewhere could reshape future supply chains.

Greenland holds an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of rare earth reserves despite having no commercial production.

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again put Greenland at the center of global attention.

His renewed threat to assert U.S. control over the Arctic territory has drawn sharp reactions from European leaders and Denmark, which governs Greenland as an autonomous territory.

While the island’s strategic location is often cited, another underlying motivation is increasingly tied to its vast mineral potential. In particular, Greenland’s rare earth reserves have become a focal point in a world racing to secure critical resources.

This visualization compares rare earth mine production and reserves across countries, placing Greenland’s untapped resources in a global context. 

The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as of 2024.

China’s Grip on Rare Earth Supply

China remains the backbone of the global rare earth market. In 2024, it produced roughly 270,000 metric tons, accounting for well over half of global output.

China also controls the largest reserves, estimated at 44 million metric tons. This combination of scale and integration gives Beijing significant leverage over industries ranging from electric vehicles to defense systems.

CountryReserves (Metric Tons)Rare Earth Production 2024 (Metric Tons)
🇨🇳 China44.0M270,000
🇧🇷 Brazil21.0M20
🇮🇳 India6.9M2,900
🇦🇺 Australia5.7M13,000
🇷🇺 Russia3.8M2,500
🇻🇳 Vietnam3.5M300
🇺🇸 United States1.9M45,000
🇬🇱 Greenland1.5M0
🇹🇿 Tanzania890K0
🇿🇦 South Africa860K0
🇨🇦 Canada830K0
🇹🇭 Thailand4.5K13,000
🇲🇲 Myanmar031,000
🇲🇬 Madagascar02,000
🇲🇾 Malaysia0130
🇳🇬 Nigeria013,000
🌍 Other01,100
🌐 World total (rounded)>90,000,000390,000

Large Reserves, Limited Production Elsewhere

Outside China, many countries with sizable reserves play only a minor role in production.

Brazil holds an estimated 21 million metric tons of rare earth reserves yet produces almost nothing today. India, Russia, and Vietnam show similar patterns.

Why Greenland Matters

Greenland’s estimated 1.5 million metric tons of rare earth reserves exceed those of countries like Canada and South Africa. Yet the island has never had commercial rare earth production.

Environmental protections, infrastructure constraints, and local political opposition have slowed development. Still, as supply chain security becomes a priority for major economies, Greenland’s position is becoming harder to ignore.

Trump’s interest in Greenland is driven by more than symbolism. Rare earths are essential for advanced manufacturing, clean energy technologies, and military hardware. With China firmly entrenched as the dominant supplier, policymakers in Washington are increasingly focused on alternative sources.

Déjà vu? The global LNG industry risks repeating the coal bust of the 2010s

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IEEFA November 20, 2025 Amandine Denis-Ryan

 Key Findings

In the early 2010s, the coal industry attracted a large wave of investment, banking on surging coal imports from China and India.

When this growth didn’t materialise, coal oversupply and depressed prices sent major companies bankrupt with significant value destruction for shareholders.

The LNG industry risks repeating the coal industry’s mistakes, as investment levels outstrip future demand, with potentially more severe consequences for the capital-intensive industry.

Peddling a ‘supercycle’ for coal in the 2010s

In the early 2010s, the coal industry was on the rise. Global trade had tripled between 1990 and 2011, with the 2000s experiencing “the largest growth in coal demand in history – greater than the previous four decades combined”. This growth was expected to accelerate after China and India entered the global coal import market (Figure 1). Between 2011 and 2012, global coal imports increased by 13% and coal prices doubled (Figure 2).

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Lessons from the UN’s first resolution on AI in nuclear command and control

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thebulletin.org By Alice Saltini | December 22, 2025

Flags of nations in front of the UN headquarters in New York against a blue sky.In November, 115 states voted in favor, eight voted against, and 44 abstained from voting on a resolution adopted by the General Assembly’s First Committee that examines the possible risks of integrating AI into nuclear weapons systems. Image: depositphotos

The United Nations rarely moves fast on disarmament. This year, though, it did something unusual. On November 6, the General Assembly’s First Committee, where states debate over questions of disarmament and international security, adopted a resolution that directly looks at the possible risks of integrating artificial intelligence into nuclear weapons systems, especially in nuclear command, control, and communications, known as NC3. Austria, El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Malta, and Mexico pushed the text, bringing into a formal setting a problem that has mostly lived in expert circles and informal dialogues.

With 115 states voting in favor, eight voting against, and 44 abstaining, support was broad. Nuclear-armed states and many of their allies voted against the resolution or chose to abstain. In contrast, the Global South and most non-nuclear-weapon states expressed strong support. This split reflects how each group views threats and what policies they prioritize. It also reveals how early and unsettled global thinking on AI in the nuclear field still is. Rather than seeing the outcome of the vote as a clear-cut failure or success, it may be best read as an initial test case. In other words, the resolution was an early attempt to translate a fast-moving technical debate into diplomatic language.

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China is overplaying its rare earth hand in Japan

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CNA Few countries are better prepared against China threatening their rare earth supplies than Japan, says David Fickling for Bloomberg Opinion.

Commentary: China is overplaying its rare earth hand in Japan
A labourer works at a site of a rare earth metals mine at Nancheng county, Jiangxi province, China, on Mar 14, 2012. (File photo: Reuters)
David Fickling 09 Jan 2026 05:59AM(Updated: 09 Jan 2026 09:30AM)

SYDNEY: To a hammer, every problem is a nail. If your most potent means of geopolitical leverage is threatening supplies of high-strength magnets, rare earth elements will always be the solution. 

That’s the latest approach Beijing is taking in its dispute with Tokyo sparked by comments from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about the possibility of military conflict over Taiwan. Exports of all items with potential military applications to Japan will be immediately banned, China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday (Jan 6). 

The most obvious victim of this threat will be rare earth magnets made with the elements neodymium and praseodymium, and increasingly spiced up with rarer samarium, dysprosium and terbium. They’re used everywhere from charging cables to the switchgear in wind turbines to motors powering electric vehicles, missile guidance systems and aircraft flaps.

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Around 300 Million People Are Homeless Worldwide, and Nearly 2.8 Billion Lack Adequate Housing

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UN.org

Photo Credits: UN-Habitat/Julius Mwelu

04 September 2025

The world is facing an unprecedented housing crisis. According to the latest UN-Habitat estimates, 318 million people are homeless, while 2.8 billion people—over a third of the global population—lack access to adequate housing. Behind these stark figures lie deep inequalities that undermine social progress and human dignity.

Adequate housing is more than shelter, it is a foundation for stability, health, education, and opportunity. Without a safe and secure home, individuals are more vulnerable to poverty, exclusion, and poor health outcomes. Homelessness also carries a heavy social cost, eroding trust, cohesion, and the potential for societies to thrive.

The housing challenge is global but manifests differently across contexts. In rapidly urbanizing regions, millions live in informal settlements or slums, where basic services are scarce and conditions unsafe. Today, 1.1 billion people live in such informal settlements, with 90 percent concentrated in Africa and Asia. Conflict, economic inequality, climate change, and natural disasters are major drivers of displacement and housing insecurity, pushing millions into precarious living conditions.

The urgency of the crisis was underlined at the UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi (29–30 May 2025), where Member States adopted the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan for 2026–2029. The plan places affordable housing, secure land tenure, and access to basic services at the heart of global priorities. Leaders called for bold and coordinated action, stressing that housing must be treated as a human right and a cornerstone of sustainable development.

The right to adequate housing is embedded in international human rights instruments and explicitly tied to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Goal 11 commits the international community to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Addressing homelessness and housing insecurity is therefore essential to achieving the SDGs and ensuring that no one is left behind.

Tackling homelessness and inadequate housing requires integrated strategies at local, national, and global levels:

  • Scaling up affordable housing initiatives through innovative financing, public-private partnerships, and policy reforms.
  • Expanding social protection systems to prevent families from falling into homelessness.
  • Investing in resilient housing solutions to adapt to the realities of climate change and disasters.
  • Strengthening community-based models such as cooperatives and housing associations that empower people to participate in shaping their own futures.

Homelessness is not inevitable. With coordinated action and commitment, the global community can reverse these trends. As the world prepares for the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, 4-6 November 2025, the message is clear: accelerating social progress requires that every person has access to a safe, secure, and dignified place to call home.

The gap in global standards – World Development Report 2025

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STANDARDS FOR DEVELOPMENT

worldbank.org

Rising Standards Reshape the Global Economy

International standards are proliferating, delivering major benefits to wealthy nations and big multinationals while leaving many developing countries behind, a new World Bank report shows. 

Main Messages

  • Standards are the hidden foundations of prosperity. They are the shared rules that make plugs fit sockets, medicines work safely, and digital systems connect seamlessly. Standards embody collective knowledge, build trust, and enable economies to function efficiently. When they fail, markets fragment; when they work, prosperity follows.
  • For low- and middle-income countries, standards have never mattered more. Nearly 90 percent of world trade is now shaped by nontariff measures, most linked to standards. From digital systems for payment to charging stations for electric vehicles, new technologies can deliver economywide benefits only when standards exist. Mastering them can enhance national competitiveness and protect against technological, financial, and environmental risks.
  • Standards are a versatile tool of economic policy.Governments can use voluntary standards to drive innovation and give technical guidance on compliance with regulations. They can also make them mandatory when uniform compliance is necessary to protect health, safety, or the environment. In addition, governments can deploy standards as an instrument of industrial policy without reference to specific technologies or firms.
  • Ambition must match capacity.Countries should follow a trajectory that takes into account their stage of economic development, first adapting international standards to local realities when needed, then aligning with them as institutions mature, and actively participating in authoring standards in priority areas as capabilities grow. Rwanda’s Zamukana Ubuziranenge (“Grow with Standards”) program exemplifies this path, helping micro, small, and medium enterprises progress step by step towards compliance with international standards.
  • Investing in quality-enhancing infrastructure makes standards work well. The system of testing, certification, metrology, and accreditation in a country is what makes standards effective. Such systems are expensive to build and easy to neglect. Countries should start with public provision of quality-enhancing services in key sectors, then gradually open these services up to private participation. In many places, capacity gaps are stark: Ethiopia has fewer than 100 accredited auditors for compliance with standards of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), compared with 12,000 in Germany.
  • To make standards a springboard for development, countries should do the following:
    • Create incentives for firms to upgrade the quality of their exports rather than imposing unrealistic mandates.
    • Adapt and sequence standards to align with the national capacity to enforce them.
    • Participate actively in international forums for setting standards.
    • Invest in and share quality infrastructure resources regionally.
  • The global community, for its part, must do the following:
    • Support participation by low- and middle-income countries in developing international standards and design tiered standards that reflect diverse capacities among countries.
    • Deepen regulatory cooperation and reduce fragmentation.
    • Develop credible standards for emerging technologies and actions to prevent or mitigate climate change.
    • Expand research and data on the economic and social impacts of standards.
  • Standards matter for development. Countries that take them seriously are getting ahead. Countries that ignore them risk falling behind.

➜ Download Main Messages: English | عربي | Español | Français | Português | Pусский | 中文

Australia’s Strategic Priorities and Challenges with Southeast Asia

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lowyinstitute.org By Susannah Patton 6 November 2025

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Introduction

Going into the 2022 election, improving relations with Southeast Asia was at the top of the foreign policy to-do list for the Australian Labor Party, led by now prime minister Anthony Albanese. While the outgoing Liberal-National coalition government had notched up some achievements in its engagement with the region, there was also a sense of drift. The Pacific Step Up policy had focused on boosting ties with one of Australia’s two near regions, but Southeast Asia had not received the same level of diplomatic focus. Among the Labor Party’s pledges were appointing a special envoy for Southeast Asia, providing A$470 million in new aid to the region, and creating an office for Southeast Asia within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. [1] For the most part, the Albanese government has followed through on its commitment to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia through more active diplomatic outreach, an economic strategy to boost two-way trade and investment, and a more nuanced approach to managing sensitive issues in Australia’s relations with the region, especially China-related issues and Middle East policy.

During the new term of government beginning in 2025, it is likely that the Albanese government will maintain Southeast Asia, along with the Pacific Islands, as a region of high priority. Albanese’s July 2025 John Curtin Oration articulated what he called Labor’s “constructive and creative role” and gave high billing to efforts to intensify economic engagement with Southeast Asia and deepen security cooperation with Indonesia. [2] While other global relationships may fluctuate according to events, the central importance of Southeast Asia within this distinctively Labor worldview suggests that engagement with this region, especially Indonesia, will remain high on Australia’s agenda for the next three years.

This essay analyzes the achievements of the Albanese government in its relations with Southeast Asia. It also assesses the continued challenges Australia faces both in deepening economic relations with the region and in continuing to balance regional ties with the U.S. alliance, especially given a less predictable and more demanding administration in Washington.

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Nuclear energy: Where China is getting with small modular and fusion reactors

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On Oct. 13 of this year, the PRC state media outlet CPNN, reported that China is pulling ahead in advanced nuclear power technology development with the launch of the large-scale production “Hualong One” (also known as HPR1000). As it develops, China not only aims to tackle the transmission bottleneck in the south, but also to export to countries like Pakistan as the PRC’s “business card” to the world.

China’s dual goals of localization and export orientation have long defined its nuclear strategy. Led by state-owned giants such as the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), Beijing has invested heavily in domestic innovation while aggressively expanding into overseas markets. Beijing has sought to expand its reactor sales to markets such as Argentina and the United Kingdom, while also securing control over upstream uranium resources. CNNC’s 2019 acquisition of Namibia’s Rössing Uranium Mine, one of the world’s largest open-pit uranium operations, underscored China’s growing dominance across the nuclear value.

Beijing’s policy support for state-owned enterprises has enabled it to build a vertically integrated nuclear industry, driving rapid advances in small modular reactors (SMRs), fourth-generation technologies, and nuclear fusion research (the Artificial Sun). Furthermore, intensifying US–China competition is reshaping global nuclear exports and deepening the geopolitical risks of dependence on Chinese nuclear systems.

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