The United States has imposed sanctions on five officials and three entities based in Myanmar and Thailand for their alleged involvement in online investment scams and forced labor operations. According to US government data, Americans lost at least $10 billion to Southeast Asia-based online fraud schemes in 2024, marking a 66% increase from the previous year. Washington said these criminal networks increasingly target US citizens online, posing a serious threat to the nation’s economic security. The sanctions reinforce efforts by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI, and the Secret Service’s Scam Center Strike Force to investigate and prosecute scam networks operating in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. The US reaffirmed its commitment to using all legal and diplomatic tools to protect its citizens from cyber fraud.

According to a recent UNHCR report, Bangladesh has received 136,000 new Rohingya refugees between December last year and October this year, bringing the total registered refugee population to 1.168 million as of October 31. The influx is linked to intensified violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where clashes between the junta forces and the Arakan Army have displaced thousands. The UNHCR noted that 78% of the new arrivals are women and children, and 12% are persons with disabilities. Refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, already overcrowded, are facing severe space shortages and environmental strain. Local authorities warn that continued arrivals and reduced aid could worsen conditions in the region, which hosts 34 camps including those in Ukhiya, Teknaf, and Bhasan Char.