China Executes Four in Connection to Myanmar Scam Syndicate
China executed four individuals on Monday for their involvement in a Myanmar-based scam and gambling syndicate that caused the deaths of six people and generated over 4 billion in illicit proceeds, according to Sky News. The individuals were convicted of establishing industrial parks in Myanmar's Kokang region, bordering China, where they ran gambling and telecom scam operations.
The syndicate's activities included kidnappings, extortion, forced prostitution, and drug manufacturing and trafficking, Sky News reported. The defendants had been sentenced to death in November. Five people, including members of the Bai family, were sentenced to death for running a network of scam centers and casinos. The group's leader, Bai Suocheng, died from an illness.
In other international news, Iran summoned ambassadors from the European Union to protest the EU's decision to list the Revolutionary Guard as a terror group, Sky News reported. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that meetings to discuss the terror listing began on Sunday and would continue into Monday. "We think that in coming days, a decision will be made about a reciprocal action by the Islamic Republic of Ira," Baghaei said, according to Sky News.
Meanwhile, the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened on Monday after nearly two years of closure, Euronews reported. The reopening allowed limited humanitarian aid and enabled Palestinians to return. State television showed ambulances and microbuses advancing from the Egyptian side as the gates swung open. Officials from Egypt and Israel said the opening is part of the ceasefire process, with around 50 people expected to cross in each direction during the first days, according to Euronews. The move follows a pilot phase.
In the maritime sector, a record number of seafarers were abandoned in 2025. According to Euronews, citing figures from the International Transport Workers' Federation, more than 6,000 seafarers were abandoned on 410 ships, marking the worst year on record for crew abandonment in international shipping. The 2025 total represents a 32% increase in abandoned seafarers and a 31% rise in ship abandonments compared to 2024, revealing a deepening crisis that labour groups say is being fuelled by the expansion of shadow fleets operating outside international regulations. The ITF recovered 16.5 million in unpaid wages.
Finally, Elon Musk's SpaceX has taken steps to prevent Russia from using Starlink to operate and control attack drones over Ukraine, Euronews reported. Ukraine's defense ministry reached out to SpaceX, requesting the company to prevent Russian drones from using Starlink. Defence Minister Mykhailo stated that SpaceX's actions were already delivering "real results," according to Euronews. Ukraine is launching a verification of all Starlink terminals in Ukraine in response to the unauthorised use of Starlink by Russian forces.
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