Month: July 2022

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Lite Blogs Travel & Tourism

How to plan a safe, scam-free vacation?

Survey usually ends with a request to distribute the site among friends to receive the prize. In such cases, cybercriminals are using the victims themselves as a tool for spreading the scam further…reports Asian Lite News

Vacation season is well and truly upon us, and travelers around the world are looking for interesting places to go, cheap places to stay and reasonably priced flights. And scammers are here to give them what they need — well, sort of. Kaspersky researchers have observed intensified scamming activities, with numerous phishing pages distributed under the guise of airline and booking services. To help travelers avoid scams, company researchers share some of the most widespread fraud schemes used to lure victims as well as helpful tips on how to plan a safe, scam-free, vacation.

Fake ticket aggregators

Most trips start with a plane or train ticket, and travel enthusiasts are often interested in getting their hands on a bargain. Kaspersky experts have seen numerous fake websites claiming to offer users the chance to buy airplane tickets at cheaper costs. Such websites are usually well-made phishing pages that mimic famous airline services and air ticket aggregators. Some of these websites even display the details of real flights, with experienced phishers sending search requests to flight aggregators and displaying the information received from them. However, instead of delivering on promised flight tickets they keep your money and use your personal information for malicious purposes (e.g. selling your bank details and identifying information on the dark web).

Fake lotteries for discounted tickets

There are also plenty of fake pages attempting to lure travelers with airplane ticket draws, lotteries and gift cards. Users are offered the opportunity to take a small survey and enter their personal details in exchange for a generous discount on a flight ticket. As with many other offers that seems to be too good to be true, such websites end up being phishing sites, collecting victims’ personal information and card details.

On top of this, the survey usually ends with a request to distribute the site among friends to receive the prize. In such cases, cybercriminals are using the victims themselves as a tool for spreading the scam further. A link sent by people you know seems more trustworthy than one received from a stranger. If the user then follows the link and tries to get their prize, they often find they need to pay a commission or fee first. After this money is paid, the cybercriminals disappear – without rewarding the user.

Fake rentals

Another popular tactic used to scam travelers is fake rental services. One example includes the offer of a luxury two-bedroom apartment close to the center of a European capital for just €500 a month. Another seemingly appealing offer is for the rental of an entire four-bedroom house with a pool and fireplace for only €1,000 for the whole month. The reviews describe an amazing vacation and hospitable hosts. This encourages users to pay for their month-long stay, but in reality they end up sending their money to fraudsters.

“Planning a vacation is not easy. People can spend weeks, even months, looking for the perfect place to stay and the tickets to get them there. Fraudsters use this to lure users that have grown tired of searching for great deals. After two years of flight restrictions imposed by the pandemic, travelling is back. But so are travel scams – with intensified scamming activity targeting users through fake booking and rental services. Such attacks are totally preventable, which is why we urge users to be skeptical about overly generous offers. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is,” comments Mikhail Sytnik, security expert at Kaspersky.

To keep yourself protected while planning a vacation, Kaspersky experts recommend:

  • Carefully looking at the address bar before entering any sensitive information, such as your login details and password. If something is wrong with the URL (i.e. spelling, it doesn’t look like the original or it uses some special symbols instead of letters) don’t enter anything on the site. If in doubt, check the certificate of the site by clicking on the lock icon to the left of the URL.
  • Only booking your stay and tickets through the trusted websites of trusted providers. Ideally, type the address of their website manually in the address bar.
  • Not clicking on links that come from unknown sources (either through e-mails, messaging apps or social networks).
  • Visiting the business’ official website if you see a giveaway offered in e-mail or on social media by a travel company or an airline to confirm the giveaway exists. You should also carefully check the links the giveaway ad leads you to.
  • Using a good security solution that can protect you from spam emails and phishing attacks. We recommend Kaspersky Security Cloud.

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-Top News Europe

Zelensky urges civilians to evacuate  from Donetsk

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced the government will introduce mandatory evacuation of residents from the unoccupied areas of Donetsk…reports Asian Lite News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked civilians remaining in parts of eastern Donetsk, which is still under Kiev’s control, to evacuate as Russia has intensified fighting in the region.

In his nightly video address to the nation on Saturday, the President said: “There are hundreds of thousands of people, tens of thousands of children… Many people refuse to leave… But it really needs to be done. This decision will have to be made… And the sooner it is done, the more people leave Donetsk region, the fewer people the Russian army will be able to kill.

“The government has taken a decision to begin mandatory evacuation from Donetsk. It’s all been organised: full support, full assistance, both logistical and financial. We only need those people who have not yet made this decision to make this decision at last.

“We are not Russia. That is why every life is important for us. And we will use all available opportunities to save as many lives as possible and to limit Russian terror as much as possible.

“At this stage of the war, terror is the main weapon for Russia. And that is why the main task of every Ukrainian, every defender of freedom and humanity in the world is to do everything to isolate the terrorist state and to protect as many people as possible from Russian attacks.”

Earlier in the day, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced the government will introduce mandatory evacuation of residents from the unoccupied areas of Donetsk.

She added that if anyone refuses to leave, these people will be forced to sign a waiver form, that they understand all the consequences and are responsible for their life, reports Ukrayinska Pravda.

“There is absolutely no gas supply in Donetsk, we repaired all the gas pipelines that could be repaired, but, unfortunately, the enemy again and again destroys everything that would help keep people warm in winter. In short, there will be no heat in the Donetsk region in the winter.

“There are 52,000 children in Donetsk Oblast, they need to be evacuated, they cannot be exposed to mortal danger in the winter without heat, without light, without the possibility of heating,” the Deputy Prime Minister was quoted as saying.

The development comes as Moscow invited UN and Red Cross officials to investigate the deaths of 54 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in another part of Donetsk region held by Russian-backed separatists.

The troops were killed in unclear circumstances during an attack on a prison in Olenivka, with both sides blaming each other.

ALSO READ-Major rejig in Zelensky’s camp

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-Top News USA

Biden tests again positive for Covid 19

Biden, 79, first tested positive for the coronavirus on July 21 before receiving negative testing results earlier this week, Xinhua news agency reported…reports Asian Lite News

US President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 in a “rebound” case, days after ending isolation and treatment, according to his doctor.

White House physician Kevin O’Connor wrote in a memo on Saturday that the President “has experienced no reemergence of symptoms, and continues to feel quite well” but will reinitiate strict isolation procedures.

“This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time,” he added.

“But we will obviously continue close observation.”

Biden, 79, first tested positive for the coronavirus on July 21 before receiving negative testing results earlier this week, Xinhua news agency reported.

Fully vaccinated and twice boosted, the President took Paxlovid, an antiviral therapy produced by Pfizer and given to patients with Covid-19.

There is potential for so-called “rebound” Covid positivity observed in a small percentage of patients treated with Paxlovid, according to O’Connor.

ALSO READ-Biden’s climate change legislation gets a big push

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

WFP running on empty in Afghanistan

“$172 million is urgently needed to provide 150,000 metric tons of foodstuffs before winter in remote areas, in the areas where roads are being blocked by the first snow of the year,” said official…reports Asian Lite News

The World Food Organization (WFP) in Afghanistan said it is facing a shortage of funds to continue humanitarian operations in Afghanistan.

WFP’s spokesman in Afghanistan, Waheedullah Amani said that the Organization needs more than $900 million for the next six months of operations, reports TOLO News.

He said that Organization has helped nearly 19 million Afghans since the start of 2022 and the aid includes foodstuffs and cash.

“$172 million is urgently needed to provide 150,000 metric tons of foodstuffs before winter in remote areas, in the areas where roads are being blocked by the first snow of the year,” Amani said.

Meanwhile, residents of the capital city of Kabul complained about the lack of transparency in aid organizations.

“They took my name and ID card in every round of aid, but the community leader provided it to his relatives. I haven’t received even one grain of rice,” said Sikandar, a resident of Kabul.

“The poor people are destroyed. There is no aid to reach the poor,” said Ahmashah, a resident of Kabul.

Some economists believe that the aid has not had a positive impact on the life of the citizens.

“Lacking a better assessment of the situation and the recognition of truly needy people, as well as lacking monitoring for transparency, and the high administrative and logistics expenses of the aid organizations, means that the aid will not be effective,” said Shakir Yaqobi, an economist.

ALSO READ: Kashmiri activists in UK slam Pakistan’s rights abuses in PoJK

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-Top News Asia News

Bilawal, Muttaqi discuss Afghan situation

The Foreign Minister highlighted the various steps taken by Pakistan to support bilateral engagements with Afghanistan and facilitate international humanitarian assistance…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held talks with Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan interim government, and stressed the need for enhanced cooperation to promote economic integration and regional connectivity, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said.

During their talks on the sidelines of the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional connectivity and infrastructure projects, the Ministry added in a statement on Friday.

He reiterated solidarity and support for the Afghan people following the destruction caused by the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, adding that Pakistan remained firmly committed to a peaceful, stable, prosperous and connected Afghanistan, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Foreign Minister highlighted the various steps taken by Pakistan to support bilateral engagements with Afghanistan and facilitate international humanitarian assistance, according to the statement.

Muttaqi thanked Pakistan for dispatching humanitarian assistance and for hosting Afghan refugees for the last four decades, the Ministry said.

ALSO READ: Kashmiri activists in UK slam Pakistan’s rights abuses in PoJK

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News

Yahoo, PayPal blocked in Indonesia

Some 200 foreign ESPs in the Southeast Asian country, including Google, Zoom, Netflix and Facebook, had rushed to register in days leading to the deadline on Friday…reports Asian Lite News

The Indonesian government has blocked the access to eight major online platforms, including Yahoo, PayPal and Dota, as they have failed to register for licensing, an official said.

Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, Director General of Informatics Application at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, said on Saturday in a written statement that five others blocked are Steam, Counter-Strike, Epic Games, Origin.com and Xandr.com.

Pangerapan added that a licensing registration was required for all of the electronic service providers (ESPs) under a policy issued in 2020, Xinhua news agency reported.

Some 200 foreign ESPs in the Southeast Asian country, including Google, Zoom, Netflix and Facebook, had rushed to register in days leading to the deadline on Friday. Nearly 8,000 domestic private ESPs also had registered with the Ministry before the deadline.

ALSO READ: Indonesia threatens to block social media giants

Categories
-Top News China

China’s image takes a dip globally

Weak diplomacy, increased use of economic coercion, failed soft power attempts, and expanding links to Russia are some of the causes for China’s deteriorating worldwide image.

The global image of China, which had been good or at least neutral in many areas of the world for the last two decades, has deteriorated dramatically in the last four years among the countries including the United States, Japan, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.

Several reports say that between the 1990s and the late 2010s, China had favourable relations with several countries but, at present, Beijing has its worst public image in decades in several areas of the world.

 Despite increased foreign aid through the Belt and Road Initiative, billions of spending on state television, radio, and other mass communication, and a variety of efforts to expand cultural diplomacy, visitor programmes for foreigners, and scholarships for students to attend university in China.

According to a Pew Research Center survey of the public in seventeen different nations, including the United States, “unfavourable opinions of China are… at or near historic highs. The vast majority of industrialised economies polled had largely unfavourable opinions of China.”

There are several causes for China’s deteriorating worldwide image. They include weak diplomacy, increased use of economic coercion, failed soft power attempts, and expanding links to Russia.

Recently, China’s new diplomatic stance, along with the increasing use of state economic pressure against nations and foreign and domestic Chinese companies, undoubtedly contributes to escalating unfavourable attitudes.

Before the Xi era began in 2012-13, there were some hints of China’s rising belligerence, but blatantly confrontational diplomacy has flowered under his leadership.

CCP at 100 (Source twitter@ChinaAmbUN) (4)

At an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Hanoi in 2010, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi unleashed a tirade against Southeast Asian leaders, foreshadowing Beijing’s new attitude.

As Xi has consolidated power at home, eliminating potential opponents and ending consensus authoritarianism for what is now essentially one-man rule, he has demonstrated through speeches and actions that he wants China to reclaim its position as a dominant regional and global power and to promote its model to the rest of the world, the media report stated.

He openly expressed nationalist beliefs and, unlike other presidents since Mao, advocated for a Chinese model of development. With Xi leading the way, Chinese diplomacy has shifted dramatically toward the types of statements made by Yang in 2010, under Xi, some of the most venomous diplomats have risen quickly through the foreign ministry, demonstrating to other Chinese diplomats that acting in this manner is a path to promotion.

Following Xi’s lead, other ministries and diplomats began frequently expressing prickly, nationalist, bombastic words against foreign powers, instilled in China’s increasingly nationalistic internal politics.

Throughout, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian war, China’s more brazen diplomats have vocally assaulted neighbouring countries and promoted misinformation regarding the origins of coronavirus.

Chinese President Xi Jinping with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin

They have also promoted Russian misinformation regarding the Ukraine war in recent months, while local Chinese media channels portray Russia as the true victim. This is a further step in the employment of disinformation by Chinese diplomats, in which Beijing helps to magnify the lies of another big authoritarian country, with whom it has developed a strong relationship. China’s involvement in propagating Russian disinformation online is crucial: many Russian publications are prohibited or blacklisted by governments and tech companies, but China’s are not.

Simultaneously, China has grown more open about using economic pressure against nations who criticise its international and internal policies. Beijing has used coercion against dozens of states and multinational corporations that have taken critical positions on issues that Beijing regards as critical, such as Taiwan, the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang, or that have criticised Xi’s leadership or have demanded investigations into the origins of COVID-19 or have pushed China to abandon its disastrous zero-COVID policy. China’s trajectory is moving towards only one destination – doom. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Xi and Biden exchange warnings on Taiwan

Categories
-Top News Europe USA

US rules out Blinken-Lavrov meet in Cambodia

Russian Foreign Minister called for return to “silent diplomacy” on the issue of prisoner exchange, without speculation and stuffing, reports Asian Lite News

The United States has no plans for a meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during their visit to Cambodia for meetings with ASEAN, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

“We have no plans to meet with Foreign Minister Lavrov when they are in Cambodia,” Price said during a press briefing on Friday.

Meanwhile during a phone conversation with Blinken, Foreign Minister Lavrov called for return to “silent diplomacy” on the issue of prisoner exchange, without speculation and stuffing, the Russian Foreign Ministry said following the conversation.

“Regarding the possible exchange of imprisoned Russian citizens, the United States has been urged by the Russian side to return to a professional dialogue in the ‘silent diplomacy’ mode, without speculative media stuffing,” the ministry said.

 Negotiations on the exchange of prisoners between Russia and the United States are being conducted, but there is no concrete result yet, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier, commenting on a US statement about a possible exchange of Russian Viktor Bout for Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. (ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ: Blinken, Lavrov discuss Ukraine on phone

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-Top News Asia News

Court set to indict Shehbaz in money laundering case

Shehbaz Sharif

A special court in Lahore on Saturday fixed September 7 for the indictment of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz, and others, for their alleged involvement in the laundering of 16 billion PKR in the sugar scam case.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) booked Shehbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman in November 2021 under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Anti Money Laundering Act, Geo News reported.

Suleman Shehbaz is absconding in the UK.

During the hearing on Saturday, property details of Suleman, who was declared a proclaimed offender in the multi-billion-rupee money laundering case, were submitted in the court, Geo News reported.

ALSO READ: Imran blasts Bajwa for seeking US help on IMF loan

In December 2021, the FIA had submitted the challan against Shehbaz and Hamza before the special court for their alleged involvement in laundering an amount of Rs16 billion in the sugar scam case.

According to the FIA report submitted to the court, the investigation team has “detected 28 benami accounts of the Shehbaz family through which money laundering of 16.3 billion PKR was committed during 2008-18. The FIA examined the money trail of 17,000 credit transactions”.

The report added that the amount was kept in “hidden accounts” and “given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity”, Geo News reported.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

This amount (16 billion PKR) has nothing to do with the sugar business (of Shehbaz family), it claimed.

The money received from the accounts of low-wage employees by Shehbaz was transferred outside Pakistan via hundi/hawala networks, ultimately destined for the beneficial use of his family members, the FIA had alleged.

“Eleven low-paid employees of the Sharif group who ‘held and possessed’ the laundered proceeds on behalf of the principal accused, are found guilty of facilitating money laundering. The three other co-accused of the Sharif group also actively facilitated the money laundering,” the agency had said.

ALSO READ: India slams Pakistan for ‘politicising’ Chess Olympiad

Categories
-Top News Arab News Iraq

Protest in Iraq intensifies

The protests began after competing political factions failed to agree on the formation of a new government.

Supporters of Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr reached the Iraqi Prime Minister’s building on Saturday, following the protest against the nomination for Prime Minister by rival Iran-backed parties.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security closed the roads to the building of the Supreme Judicial Council, Al Arabia reported adding that a leader in the Sadrist movement urged peaceful demonstrations in front of the Judicial Council.

 Demonstrators waved Iraqi flags and portraits of al-Sadr, chanted, and sat down in the legislative chamber, with no lawmakers present.

Thousands of protesters also gathered outside the parliament building, with security forces using tear gas, water cannons and sound grenades to disperse them.

Protesters also disassembled large concrete barriers surrounding the heavily-fortified area.

The unrest comes just days after hundreds of protesters on Wednesday burst into the heavily fortified Green Zone in the centre of the Iraqi capital, dancing, singing, posing for selfies and eventually peacefully dispersing, reported Sputnik.

The Wednesday protests began after competing political factions failed to agree on the formation of a new government.

Hundreds of protesters had descended on Iraq’s parliament building on Saturday, putting on a repeat performance of Wednesday’s unrest.

The protesters were opposing the candidacy of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for the post of Prime Minister, as they believe him to be too close to Iran. al-Sudani is a former minister and ex-provincial governor and is nominated for the Prime Minister’s post on behalf of the Coordination Framework.

Visuals from the site showed protestors singing and dancing and one person was seen lying on the desk of the speaker of the Iraqi parliament.

No lawmakers were present and only security forces were inside the building as protestors barged in, reported Al Jazeera.

However, after a few hours of Wednesday protest, al-Sadr had issued a statement on Twitter telling them their message had been received, and “to return safely” to their homes, signalling there would be no further escalation of the sit-in, Al Jazeera reported.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi also called on the protesters to “immediately withdraw” from the closely-guarded Green Zone, which is home to government buildings and diplomatic missions. In a statement, he warned that security forces would see to “the protection of state institutions and foreign missions, and prevent any harm to security and order”.

Shortly after, protesters began making their way out of the parliament building with security forces supervising.

(Credit Twitter via ANI)

Earlier, the police used water cannons to disperse the demonstrators, but still, many breached the gates to the area, according to Al Jazeera.

The demonstrators walked down the Green Zone’s main thoroughfare, with dozens gathering outside the doors to the parliament building.

The demonstrators, outside the two entrances to the Green Zone, started chanting “Al-Sudani, out!”

This incident and al-Sadr’s subsequent show of control over his followers, carried an implicit warning to the Framework Party of a potential escalation if the government is formed with al-Sudani at the helm.

Al-Sudani was selected by State of Law leader and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Before al-Sudani can face parliament to be seated officially as prime minister-designate, parties must first select a president.

Notably, Al-Sadr’s bloc won 73 seats in Iraq’s October 2021 election, making it the largest faction in the 329-seat parliament but, ever since the vote, talks to form a new government have stalled, and Al-Sadr stepped down from the political process. A deadlock persists over the establishment of a new government.

In 2016 too al-Sadr’s supporters stormed the parliament in a similar fashion. They staged a sit-in and issued demands for political reform after then-Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi sought to replace party-affiliated ministers with technocrats in an anti-corruption drive.

Mass protests erupted in 2019 amid public anger over corruption and unemployment and this current protest pose a challenge for the oil-rich country. (ANI)

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