Is Laos actually tackling its vast scam Industry? (December 8, 2024, Radio Free Asia)
Laos is now getting tough on the vast cyber-scamming industry that has infested much of mainland Southeast Asia. The think tank estimated that criminal gangs could be holding as many as 85,000 workers in slave-like conditions in compounds in Laos.
'I don't know how we'll survive': War-damaged Lebanese businesses face the unknown (December 7, 2024, BBC)
All over Lebanon, business owners are reeling after an intense conflict between Israel and Hezbollah saw Israeli bombs rain down on residential, commercial and industrial parts of the country, destroying shops, warehouses and stocks of goods.
'Creeping coup': In Pakistan, lack of internet access is costing livelihoods (December 6, 2024, Context News)
Businesses that rely on the internet have complained Pakistan could lose hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue as a result of the government's imposition of a national firewall to monitor and regulate content and social media platforms and prolonged internet disconnections. The government denies any attempt at censorship.
Buddhist Bhutan to build 'mindfulness city' to woo investment, create jobs (November 11, 2024, Reuters)
The "Gelephu Mindfulness City" (GMC) will lie in a special administrative region with separate rules and laws that will aim to be an economic corridor linking South Asia to Southeast Asia.
The Dark Side of Gifting Gold This Christmas (November 29, 2024, Time)
Gifting gold at Christmas has been a thing since the very first. And there are few better places to buy it than Dubai’s Gold Souk, which is reputed to be the largest and cheapest gold market in the world. Bargain-hunters have flocked here since before the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was even a country.
Stopover now a mini-vacay? Istanbul, Doha offering free stay, cultural tour (November 27, 2024, Business Standard)
Imagine this: You’re on your way to a dream vacation, your flight has a long layover, and instead of waiting at an airport lounge, you’re stepping out into a world of new experiences. No longer just a place to rest between flights, layovers are becoming mini vacations in their own right.
What lies beneath steady global economic growth? (November 17, 2024, The Peninsula Qatar)
At the beginning of the year, significant headwinds outlined a bleak global growth outlook for 2024. But the global economy has once again demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of significant headwinds. Although the 3.2% growth expected for this year is below the 3.6% average during 2000-2023, it is still comfortably above the threshold of 2.5% below which the global economy is considered to be in a recession.
Delivering a Package in a Country With 17,000 Islands (October 31, 2024, The New York Times)
Indonesians spent over $53 billion online in 2023, almost as much as everyone else in Southeast Asia combined. As in many places, ordering for delivery became part of everyday life in Indonesia during the Covid-19 pandemic. The growing popularity of e-commerce on social media apps like TikTok allowed Indonesian businesses to reach customers far away.
Breaking down the world’s tariffs against China’s tech industry (November 27, 2024, Rest of World)
President-elect Donald Trump pledges to escalate the trade war, but non-Western nations have targeted China with tariffs, too. Economies that have benefited from China’s cheap manufacturing now fear that imports could flood their markets, widen trade deficits, and sideline their own manufacturers.
Railways and trade routes: Beijing's hands on Kyrgyzstan (November 25, 2024, Asia News)
The gigantic Manas logistic-commercial centre in the village of Leninskoe, which the Chinese are building not far from Biškek, is a candidate to become a fundamental junction (and alternative to the Russian route) for trade between East and West. With Kyrgyz Prime Minister Žaparov having already dubbed it the ‘great seaport’ of a landlocked country.
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Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
Blessing Asia
In October-2022 more than 500 Christian leaders from across Asia gathered in Thailand for the Asia 2022 Congress, sponsored by the Lausanne Movement and various partnering organizations. I had the opportunity to participate in the Congress virtually and was mightily blessed. From Bible exposition to K-pop worship, and through seminars and workshops, the participants were encouraged by the stories of what God is doing in countries all over Asia. Clearly, God is on the move.
A beautiful vision was portrayed in a video of the popular worship song The Blessing, featuring singers from all over Asia. Here it is:
Many of the sessions have already been posted on their website and to their YouTube channel.
One that I found particularly helpful considering all that is going on in China was a presentation titled Church and State Relationship in Asia Today. You can see the video here.
I encourage you to spend some time on their website; there are fantastic resources for understanding God’s work in Asia today.
Original link: https://www.chinasource.org/resource-library/blog-entries/blessing-asia/
Image credit: Andrea Brucker, via Unsplash
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