As of May 13, the northern province had disbursed more than 5.64 trillion VND (213.9 million USD) in public investment capital, fulfilling 24.2% of its annual target and 54% of its disbursement target of 10.56 trillion VND for the year's first half.

SINGAPORE, May 15 — A victim has lost at least S$4.9 million (RM15.3 million) in a stunningly sophisticated scam that used deepfake AI technology to impersonate Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during a Zoom video conference.

The Singapore Police Force disclosed this in a public advisory yesterday, warning that scammers are now targeting business professionals with elaborate ruses involving the impersonation of senior government officials.

In this particular case, the elaborate deception began when the victim received a WhatsApp message from someone posing as the Secretary to the Cabinet, Wong Hong Kuan, instructing him to attend a meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

The victim was then sent an email from a fraudulent address (WongHongKuan.secretarycabinet@proton.me) containing what appeared to be an official letter of guarantee.

The letter, bearing a forged signature of PM Wong, requested urgent funding assistance related to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and promised reimbursement by the Singapore Government within 15 days.

To further cement the illusion of legitimacy, the victim was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and provide a copy of his identification card.

The scam culminated in the victim being invited to a Zoom video conference, where he saw what appeared to be PM Wong and other local and overseas officials, their likenesses generated using deepfake technology.

Convinced by the meeting, the victim was contacted again via WhatsApp and proceeded to transfer the massive sum through a series of transactions to a corporate bank account provided by the scammers.

He only realised he had been scammed after feeling something was amiss and contacting the real Wong Hong Kuan.

Police noted that this modus operandi appears to specifically target business professionals who may have had prior interactions with government officials, making the initial contact seem more plausible.

In relation to earlier cases, three individuals have already been arrested and charged for their suspected involvement in related SIM card offences.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — In January, Astro Shaw's Cinematic Universe: The Beginning was unveiled.

The three-minute and 44-second concept video showcased a glimpse of how a large-scale crossover within the Astro Shaw Cinematic Universe (ASCU) could take shape.

The local production house has now released another teaser, Astro Shaw Cinematic Universe: Kitab Kataha, introducing a mysterious new figure linked to magic and mysticism within the expanding universe.

Much like the first concept video, the latest one-minute and 52-second short is not tied to any specific film or series.

Instead, it serves as a broader prologue to the ASCU, setting the tone for an interconnected mythology while allowing each story to stand independently.

The teaser centres on a hooded figure carrying a lantern as he journeys through a dense forest towards a secluded house, hinting at darker supernatural elements that may shape future stories in the franchise.

Back in December 2024, the Keluang Man cinematic universe — which forms part of the wider ASCU — revealed several upcoming titles, including Baling, Patani, Besut and Kataha.

This Kitab Kataha video serves as the first official introduction to elements from the previously announced Kataha film.

While Astro Shaw has yet to reveal details about the mysterious character, the figure is set to play a significant role in the overarching ASCU story.

Astro Shaw head Raja Jastina Raja Arshad said the earlier Astro Shaw Cinematic Universe: The Beginning received an overwhelming response that amassed more than 26 million views across digital platforms.

“More interestingly, viewers began approaching it like a puzzle, driving conversations and theories around the clues presented,” she said.

“With Kitab Kataha, we want to build on that curiosity by introducing more questions rather than answers.

“This approach transforms audiences from passive viewers into active participants who analyse, interpret, and connect the dots within the ASCU.”

Kitab Kataha had its first audience yesterday at Immersify Kuala Lumpur.

It was released online later that day, with its YouTube upload already surpassing 9,000 views.

The project was co-directed by acclaimed filmmaker M Shaffuan alongside renowned VFX specialist Sofyank, with cinematography by award-winning director of photography Nicholas Chin.

It was also developed under the creative leadership of Astro Shaw’s Creative Director, Alfie Palermo.

Jastina confirmed that additional teaser videos will be rolled out in the near future to build excitement and gradually connect the entire ASCU.

Astro Shaw Spill The Beans — a short discussion-based clip that explores character links, fan theories, conspiracies and behind-the-scenes details related to the ASCU — continues to deepen the universe’s lore as well.

Baling is the next film to be released under the Keluang Man cinematic universe, while Kudrat 1968, scheduled to premiere on October 22, is expected to become the first major project to officially bridge and expand the broader ASCU lore.

BEIJING, May 15 — US President Donald Trump ‌said his patience with Iran was running out after he discussed the costly and unpopular war with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and a ​ship was reported seized by Iranian personnel off the United Arab Emirates.

The White House said Trump and Xi had agreed during talks in Beijing on the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane open.

Iran effectively shut the waterway in response to US-Israeli attacks which began on February 28, causing an unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies.

China is close to Iran ‌and the main buyer of its oil.

The US paused its attacks on Iran last month but began a blockade of the country’s ports. Talks aimed at ending the conflict have stalled ​with Iran refusing to end its nuclear program or relinquish its stockpile of enriched uranium.

“I am not going to be much more patient,” Trump said in an interview aired on Thursday night on Fox News’ “Hannity” program. “They should make a deal.”

On the key issue of Iran’s hidden stockpile of enriched uranium, Trump suggested it only needed to be secured by the US for public relations purposes.

“I don’t think it’s necessary except from a public relations standpoint,” Trump said in the interview.

“I just feel better if I got it, actually. But it’s, ​I think, it’s more for public relations than it is for anything else.”

In the latest incidents on the trade route, an Indian cargo vessel carrying livestock from Africa to the UAE was sunk on Wednesday in waters off the coast of Oman.

India condemned the attack and said all 14 crew members had been rescued by the Omani coast guard.

Vanguard, a British maritime security advisory firm, said the vessel was believed to have been hit by a missile or drone which caused an explosion.

Separately, British maritime security agency UKMTO reported on Thursday that “unauthorised personnel” had boarded a ship anchored off the coast of the UAE port of Fujairah, and were steering it towards Iran.

Vanguard said a company security officer had reported that “the vessel was taken by Iranian personnel while at anchor.”

After talks between Trump and Xi on Thursday, the White House said the leaders had ‌agreed that the strait should be open and that Xi made clear China’s opposition to the militarisation of the strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use.

Trump said Xi also promised not to send ⁠Iran military equipment. “He said he’s not going to give military equipment, that’s a big statement,” Trump said on “Hannity”.

Xi also expressed ⁠interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s future dependence on the strait and the leaders agreed that Iran should never obtain nuclear weapons, the White House ⁠readout said. Tehran has denied seeking such weapons.

Diplomacy on hold

Trump is ⁠keen to elicit Chinese support to end a ⁠war that has become an electoral liability as it drags on towards key US midterm elections in November. But analysts doubt Xi will be willing to push Iran hard or end support for its military, given its value as a strategic counterweight to the US

In an interview with CNBC from Beijing, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he believed China would “do what they can” to help open the strait, something “very much in their interest.” Before the war, about a fifth of global ⁠oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the waterway.

But diplomacy has been on hold since last week when Iran and the US each rejected the other’s most recent proposals.

Fujairah is the UAE’s sole oil port, on the Gulf of Oman just outside the Strait of Hormuz, and enables some shipments to reach markets without passing through the chokepoint.

Iran appears to be making more deals with countries to allow some ships to pass through the strait – if they accept Tehran’s terms. A Japanese tanker crossed on Wednesday after Japan’s prime minister announced that she had requested help from the Iranian president. A huge Chinese tanker also crossed on Wednesday, and Iran’s Fars news agency reported on Thursday that an agreement had been reached to let some Chinese ships pass.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said 30 vessels had passed through the strait since Wednesday evening, still far short of the 140 on a typical day before the war, ⁠but a substantial increase if confirmed.

According to shipping analytics firm Kpler, some 10 ships had sailed through the strait in the past 24 hours, against five to seven that have crossed daily in recent weeks.

Iran’s threat ‘significantly degraded’

Thousands of Iranians were killed in the US and Israeli airstrikes in the first weeks of the war, and thousands more have been killed in Lebanon since the war ⁠reignited fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

Talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials on Thursday in Washington were productive and positive, according to a senior State Department official, who said they were set to continue on Friday.

Trump said his aims ⁠in starting the war were ⁠to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, end its ability to attack neighbours and make it easier for Iranians to overthrow their government.

A senior US admiral told a US Senate committee on Thursday Iran’s ability to threaten its neighbours and US regional interests had been “significantly degraded”. “They no longer ​threaten regional partners, or the United States, in ways that they were able to do before, across every domain,” Admiral Brad Cooper said.

But Cooper ​declined to directly address reports by Reuters and other news organisations that Iran had retained significant missile and drone ‌capabilities.

Iran’s rulers, who used force to put down anti-government protests at the start of the year, have faced no organised opposition since the war began. ​And their closure of the strait has given them additional leverage in ​negotiations. Washington wants Tehran to hand over the uranium and forgo further enrichment. Iran is seeking the lifting of sanctions, reparations for war damage and acknowledgment of its control over the strait. — Reuters

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 15 — A female civil servant in Terengganu lost RM99,276 after falling victim to two fraudulent online investment schemes.

Kuala Terengganu district police chief ACP Azli Mohd Noor said the 38-year-old victim responded to a ‘’Webull investment scheme’’ advertisement on the Telegram application on May 1, which promised lucrative returns within just six hours.

“She chose a starter package worth RM1,000 and was asked to make several additional payments on the pretext of enabling the withdrawal of investment profits.

“The deceived victim made 12 payments totalling RM48,965 into four different accounts between May 1 and 7,” he said in a statement today.

Azli said that on May 11, the victim invested in another scheme known as Sunway Trade through the same application, making bank transfers totalling RM50,311 over three days after being promised substantial returns within 30 minutes.

“The victim suspected she had been cheated after being asked to make an additional payment of RM38,527 purportedly for extra costs.

“She lodged a police report at 2.40 pm yesterday. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code,” he said. — Bernama

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man on May 15 sent messages of congratulations to Magyar Péter and Forsthoffer Ágnes on their election as Prime Minister and Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary, respectively.

Rather than relying solely on natural advantages, Khanh Hoa province is shifting towards a more integrated development model linking tourism, trade and investment to create new growth momentum.

The Tatmawdaw – the military government in Myanmar – has reportedly expanded a ban on menstrual products from being transported in the country across key routes, as part of the ongoing civil war in the country.

This targeting of sanitary pads appears to be an extension of the military’s so-called “Four Cuts” strategy, which seeks to sever resistance forces from food, funds, intelligence and recruits.

Menstrual products, it seems, have been added to that logic – and in the process stealing women’s dignity and basic human rights. While there has been no official communication about the ban, a spokeperson for local non-government organisation Sisters2Sisters says soldiers on the ground have indicated the crackdown is out of the belief that the products are being used “by the People’s Defence Force for medical reasons and as support for their feet and boots to absorb sweat and blood”.

As medical experts point out, the logic here is absurd, as sanitary pads would be a poor substitute for actual combat triage. In addition, the targeting of medical supplies during conflict is expressly prohibited under international law.

The consequence of restricting access to menstrual products is not merely one of inconvenience, and during conflict it can be especially dire.

An estimated two billion people globally menstruate. Managing periods can be demanding under the best of circumstances, and for hundreds of millions, access to menstrual products is already precarious.

Period poverty — defined as a lack of access to menstrual products, education, waste management and hygiene facilities — affects more than 500 million people worldwide. During conflict, the severity of the impact is heightened.

Limited or a lack of access to water, privacy and basic sanitation during wartime has profound impacts on women’s lives. Women in Myanmar are turning to rags, leaves and newspaper, as the costs of a pack of pads on the black market well exceeds the daily minimum wage.

Women who lack access to menstrual products find their human rights greatly restricted. Girls are less likely to access their education, and women are less likely to participate in public life when menstrual products are not available.

People seeking privacy and access to resources are at heightened risk of placing themselves in unsafe situations. Above all else, human dignity feels the impact. As one woman described it: “Food keeps us alive, but pads, soap and privacy let us live with dignity.”

The impacts of conflict on menstrual health are starkly demonstrated in Gaza. An estimated 700,000 people with menstrual cycles are living through the conflict, and in late 2024 it was estimated there was approximately one toilet for 486 people at best.

With a lack of access to menstrual products, the improvised alternatives included torn cloth, tissues and pieces of tent. In some of the limited aid supplies that were able to reach the area, there were reports the products were of such poor quality that they were causing infections.

Indeed, due in part to the limited options available, a UN Women’s Report from September 2024 found urinary tract infections affected more than 68% of the women in Gaza they interviewed.

The laws governing armed conflict only provide limited protection. While women are deemed objects of “special respect” under international humanitarian law, the focus is squarely on women as pregnant or as mothers, or as prospective victims of sexual violence.

Ironically, this gender essentialism ignores an essential component of reproductive biology: menstruation. The cultural taboos that persist across cultures about speaking about menstruation result in it becoming an ignored part of daily life. This translates to the application of the broader civilian protections as well.

In theory, the law requires civilians to be provided with essential needs, and this language should be broad enough to encompass menstrual products. However, in reality, gender-neutral language defaults to a male perspective, and the specific needs of menstruating people go unrecognised and unaddressed. While this is slowly starting to change globally, all too often menstrual products are still treated as luxury goods rather than a basic need.

Menstruation remains an overlooked part of the consequences of conflict on daily lives. But Myanmar’s deliberate targeting of menstrual products goes a step further and renders menstruation a weapon of war.

Restricting access to menstrual products restricts movement, undermines health, and strips people of dignity. It is an insidious form of gender-based violence. And taboos around menstruation mean we don’t know how widespread this ban in Myanmar actually is. It also raises the question of how many people in other countries suffer from this targeting of such products.

Acknowledging the full reality of how conflict impacts women and others who menstruate means acknowledging all of it — including the parts that are uncomfortable to discuss.

Shireen Daft does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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