Poppy McPherson

In disaster-stricken Myanmar, a desperate bid to rescue survivors with bare hands In the hours after a massive earthquake flattened buildings in Myanmar's Mandalay on Friday, survivors scrambled through the debris using their bare hands in desperate attempts to save those still trapped. Without heavy machinery to assist them and with authorities absent, a resident and rescue workers in the Southeast Asian country's second-largest city told Reuters that they were struggling to pull out survivors crying out for help.

None of the residents we have interviewed so far say they have received any help from #Myanmar’s military junta. Instead, #earthquake survivors are digging through rubble with their bare hands.

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Exclusive: Alleged Chinese spies gave Philippine city and police cash and motorbikes Four Chinese nationals accused by the Philippines of espionage led Chinese Communist Party-affiliated groups that made donations of cash to a Philippine city and vehicles to two police forces, according to photos, videos and online posts seen by Reuters.

New from me & Mikhail Flores - Several Chinese men charged with spying in the Philippines led Chinese Communist Party-affiliated groups that met frequently with the Chinese defense attache & made large donations to a city and two police forces.

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U.S. aid freeze 'decimates' life-saving work globally, survey finds Aid groups across the world have closed operations, laid off staff and halted life-saving work, including with malnourished children, because of U.S. President Donald Trump’s freeze on foreign assistance, according to a survey of 246 humanitarian organisations.

Along the many aid programs forced to close across the world because of the U.S freeze, according to a new survey: life saving health centres for malnourished children.

Report with @stecklow.bsky.social and Giulia Paravicini.

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U.S aid freeze risks handing influence to China in Beijing's backyard After U.S. President Donald Trump's administration froze donations in January to Cambodia's largest demining organization, which works to clear the countryside of deadly remnants of Washington's past wars in Southeast Asia, the group announced new funding - from China.

After President Trump's administration froze donations in January to Cambodia's largest demining organization, which works to clear the countryside of deadly remnants of Washington's past wars in Southeast Asia, the group announced new funding — from China reut.rs/4jQoHMu

US aid freeze risks handing influence to China in Beijing's backyard After U.S. President Donald Trump's administration froze donations in January to Cambodia's largest demining organization, which works to clear the countryside of deadly remnants of Washington's past wars in Southeast Asia, the group announced new funding - from China.

Beijing understands the power of “people to people networks”. That’s what the boss of a demining organization in Cambodia told me after their funding was frozen in the U.S foreign aid shutdown. Then he announced a new $4.4 million pledge - from China.

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US aid freeze risks handing influence to China in Beijing's backyard After U.S. President Donald Trump's administration froze donations in January to Cambodia's largest demining organization, which works to clear the countryside of deadly remnants of Washington's past wars in Southeast Asia, the group announced new funding - from China.

After President Donald Trump's administration froze donations in January to Cambodia's largest demining organization, which works to clear the countryside of deadly remnants of Washington's past wars in Southeast Asia, the group announced new funding - from China.

www.reuters.com/world/us-aid...

Halt in U.S. aid cripples global efforts to relieve hunger The Trump administration’s effort to slash and reshape American foreign aid is crippling the intricate global system that aims to prevent and respond to famine.

“It is not hype or conjecture or hand wringing or even contested use of stats to say that hundreds of thousands of malnourished children could die without USAID." A comprehensive, urgent report on the global consequences of cutting off US aid.
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Exclusive: Trump Air Force nominee arranged satellite contract in manner that favored Musk's SpaceX, sources say President Donald Trump's nominee as Air Force Secretary, currently a top official at the national spy satellite agency, arranged a multibillion-dollar contract solicitation in a way that favored Elon Musk's SpaceX, according to seven people familiar with the contract.

Exclusive: President Trump's nominee as Air Force Secretary, currently a top official at the national spy satellite agency, arranged a multibillion-dollar contract solicitation in a way that favored Elon Musk's SpaceX, according to seven people familiar with the contract reut.rs/4b7MUKt

Burmese refugee dies after discharge from shut US-funded clinic, says family A Burmese refugee with lung problems died after she was discharged from a U.S.-funded hospital on the Myanmar-Thai border that was ordered to close as a result of U.S. President Donald Trump's freeze on foreign aid, her family said.

Pe Kha Lau had been hospitalised for three years and dependent on a supply of oxygen.

When she fell ill at home she asked to go back to the hospital, her daughter Yin Yin Aye, 50, told Reuters through tears.

“I had to tell her that there is no hospital.”

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The Trump administration’s effort to slash and reshape American foreign aid is crippling the intricate global system that aims to prevent and respond to famine reut.rs/4jRBDBV

Detained tycoon She Zhijiang, who says he spied for China, alleges abuse in Thai jail A jailed gambling tycoon fighting extradition to China received "inhumane treatment" in a Thai prison after saying he was a Chinese spy, his lawyers have told Interpol, saying they fear for his life.

A jailed gambling tycoon fighting extradition to China received 'inhumane treatment' in a Thai prison after saying he was a Chinese spy, his lawyers have told Interpol, saying they fear for his life reut.rs/3EadLZI

Detained tycoon She Zhijiang, who says he spied for China, alleges abuse in Thai jail A jailed gambling tycoon fighting extradition to China received "inhumane treatment" in a Thai prison after saying he was a Chinese spy, his lawyers have told Interpol, saying they fear for his life.

China-born She Zhijiang, who has Cambodian citizenship, has suffered violence that has left him unable to stand and has received unwanted visits from Chinese officials, lawyers said. This comes after he said in an Al Jazeera documentary that he spied for Beijing.

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China families appeal to free relatives held by scam gangs in Myanmar The abduction and cross-border rescue had all the makings of the kind of action script struggling Chinese actor Wang Xing had hoped to land – only not as a reality star.

“At first I wanted to file a police report, but they said missing persons reports were only for women and children.”

After a Chinese actor was kidnapped in Myanmar by scam gangs, hundreds of other families began cautiously speaking out about their own relatives.

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Thailand's visa waiver for Chinese tourists under fire after string of crimes Thailand's visa waiver programme for Chinese nationals has come under scrutiny after the high-profile alleged kidnapping of a Chinese actor and similar crimes stoked worries over tourism and security.

“The visa-free policy has increased transnational crime, partly from Chinese criminals who use Thailand as a base.

“We are becoming a hub for criminal activity ... and it is impacting national security and tourism.”

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I continue to be deeply moved by this statement to the heavens by President Carter.

Myanmar junta intimidates aid groups in effort to hide hunger crisis Myanmar’s army has warned aid workers not to release data showing millions are hungry. Fearing retaliation, aid groups have held back publicizing their findings

Last story of 2024 - a @reuters.com team of reporters on the effort by Myanmar’s junta to cover up increasingly desperate hunger. The military warned against the release of research detailing the crisis, which has been driven by conflict and its own policies.

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