Scammers Flee, Democrats Sweep
Raids on Myanmar’s cyber-fraud empire send workers scrambling for new gigs, while voters across the U.S. hand Democrats decisive victories — and Trump another warning shot
VIDEO: It’s been a week of flight and fight. In Myanmar, trafficked workers fled one scam center only to be re-recruited at another. In America, voters turned out in force to send a message that the Trump-era grip on the Republican Party is slipping. Different corners of the world, same storylines of power shifting hands — and the question of what comes next. For deeper insight and exclusive weekend videos, upgrade to World Briefing Plus — and support independent global reporting that connects the dots so you don’t have to. Or you can send your support via Patreon or PayPal pages. Each and every gesture of support helps power my reporting and commentary mission.
Recent raids on one of Myanmar’s most notorious internet scam hubs sparked a recruitment rush as fleeing workers scrambled to enlist at nearby fraud factories, experts and insiders told AFP. Online scam hubs have mushroomed across Southeast Asia, draining unsuspecting victims of billions of dollars annually in elaborate romance and crypto cons. Many workers are trafficked into the internet sweatshops, analysts say, but others go willingly to secure attractive salaries. Late October raids roiled Myanmar fraud factory KK Park, sending more than 1,500 people fleeing over the border to Thailand -- but many stayed behind to pursue new opportunities in the black market. A Chinese voluntary scam worker told AFP that a few hundred people who left KK Park arrived at his own compound three kilometers (two miles) away on October 23 -- lured by monthly salaries of up to $1,400. The man spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, but shared with AFP a live location on a messaging app showing he was in Myanmar, near the Thai border. “Some people will be picked up by unscrupulous bosses, while others will be picked up by good companies,” he said. “It all depends on your luck.” Jason Tower, senior expert at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, told AFP many KK Park scammers have simply been “re-recruited” by other gangs. “There are some people looking for a new location to engage in scamming from,” he said. “They might see this as a job.” - AFP
In the United States, Democrats routed the Republican Party - from high-profile governors’ races to obscure local contests Tuesday, sweeping statewide races in Virginia and New Jersey while electing New York City’s first Muslim mayor. The blue tide washed further than most pollsters had predicted. In Virginia, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeated Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by more than 10 points, the biggest Democratic margin in 40 years. In New Jersey, Rep. Mikie Sherrill blew past Jack Ciattarelli, a three-time GOP candidate whose energetic campaign made some Democrats nervous. In Pennsylvania, Democrats convinced voters to retain three state Supreme Court justices for 10-year terms. Republicans had hoped to win at least one of those races, running a “No in November” campaign that linked the incumbents to the “lawfare” against Trump. In the end, the president kept his involvement in the state to a Truth Social post, urging voters to reject the “woke” justices. The president did little for Republican nominees in New Jersey and Virginia, too, and virtually nothing on a California ballot measure that could eliminate five Republican House seats. The California redistricting measure passed easily, after Democrats built a massive mail vote lead. Trump was more active in New York, where his plea for Republican voters to abandon GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa and support ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared to move last-minute votes. Support for Sliwa collapsed, and in defeat, Cuomo was on track to win more votes than any mayoral candidate in the last 32 years. But Mamdani won more than 1 million votes — the first candidate for mayor to do that since the 1960s — as turnout surged - Semafor
“Every victorious Democrat ran on “affordability,” betting correctly that voters who trusted Trump to bring down prices this year would be angry that he hadn’t” - David Weigel, Semafor
After striking a raft of mineral deals in recent weeks with Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan, US President Donald Trump will now turn his attention to Central Asia as he hosts the region’s leaders in Washington for a high-profile summit on November 6. The Central Asian states are known for their extensive oil and gas resources, but the region also has largely untapped rich reserves of critical minerals and rare earths -- elements deemed vital to US national security. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are expected to look to translate their mineral wealth into stronger ties with the United States as the White House looks to secure new partnerships. “The Central Asians look well-positioned with their large deposits and growing investment in the Middle Corridor,” Joseph Epstein, director of the Washington-based Yorktown Institute’s Turan Research Center, told RFE/RL, referring to the emerging 6,500-kilometer-long trade route that connects China to Europe through Central Asia and the Caucasus by bypassing Russia. The summit comes on the heels of Trump’s mineral diplomacy across the Asia-Pacific and the US president’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping amid a trade war fueled in part by Beijing’s export restrictions over strategically vital rare earth elements. China maintains a powerful grip on global supply chains for the elements, commanding more than 70 percent of global rare-earth mining, 90 percent of their separation and processing, and 93 percent of magnet manufacturing - RFE/RL
Chinese investors have ramped up funding of Latin American companies, a move that comes as US military threats across the region strain ties with Washington. Ant Group, the company founded by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, last week invested in one of Latin America’s fastest growing start-ups, while Beijing-based financiers have recently funded two leading ventures in Mexico. Washington has vowed to outmuscle China in the region, even as Beijing has spared no expense to become Latin America’s biggest trade partner. However, Washington’s recent military strikes off the coast of Venezuela, and its threats of military interventions in Colombia and Mexico, have badly dented relations, a hawkish approach that risks pushing some nations closer to China’s sphere - Semafor
Belgian authorities will hold a meeting of the national security council Thursday morning in the wake of Brussels Airport being shut down late Tuesday following a drone incursion, Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s office announced today. De Wever will convene the heads of all services — police, military and intelligence — as well as public prosecutors, to discuss recent drone activity and possible counter-measures. Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said today that the drone incident “was not the work of amateurs,” and Belgium is investigating whether it can call on neighboring countries for assistance. Drones were spotted earlier this month over several Belgian military bases. Francken said the drones were believed to be attempting to spy on fighter jets and ammunition depots. The drone incursion caused 28 flight cancellations on Tuesday evening; another 54 flights were canceled at Brussels Airport today, affecting 22 departing and 32 arriving flights - Politico
As America’s government shutdown hits a record-breaking 36 days, the fallout is spreading from Washington’s halls of power to airports across the country. On Tuesday, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy upped the stakes, declaring that parts of US airspace could be closed due to safety concerns if the deadlock continues. His warning has raised the prospect of unprecedented disruption for millions of passengers entering, leaving or travelling in the country. The Trump administration has said the shutdown has left shortages of up to 3,000 air traffic controllers. Employees of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have already missed one paycheck. Duffy and the head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association have warned that the longer it continues, the more the financial pressure on those forced to work without pay will grow. It is difficult to predict how much worse the situation could get if they miss a second paycheck but the shutdown has already left some passengers facing longer queues, missed connections and hours of waiting in airports or on the tarmac - Euronews
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