IJR News — today's news from every sideTom Gallagher The lack of independent checks makes it hard to trust these returns are fully voluntary. Sam Okafor The nonprofit involvement shows how these cases often need extra help beyond official channels. Sam Okafor This drone attack on a civilian airport is a worrying escalation in Myanmar's conflict. Vietnam, Myanmar pledge deeper defense ties, bar hostile use of territory — Sep 4, 2026Vietnam and Myanmar agreed to deepen defense and security cooperation, including officer training, disaster response, information sharing, and joint efforts against transnational crime, while pledging not to allow either side’s territory to be used against the other. They will expand collaboration through ASEAN and Mekong frameworks and broaden economic ties in areas like agriculture, telecommunications, energy, and infrastructure, as Vietnam pursues a broader strategic partnership agenda with Russia and France and related space initiatives.
Nicole Hardy Curious if this economic side, ag and telecom deals, actually moves faster than the defense talk usually does.UNODC: Asia-Pacific online scams hit US$114BWorld — Jul 21, 2026A UNODC report says victims of transnational online scams in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand lost up to US$114.1 billion in 2025, more than triple 2023, with Cambodia and Myanmar identified as regional hubs for fake romance and cryptocurrency investment schemes; authorities, including the United States, Britain and China, are cracking down and have extradited scam bosses from Cambodia, as the broader illicit economy becomes increasingly integrated across multiple markets. China, South Korea and Taiwan recorded the largest losses among regional victims, signaling a widened and more sophisticated cybercrime landscape.
