Xoom enables overseas transfers to 160 countries via PayPal stablecoin

PayPal’s international payment service, Xoom, will allow U.S.-based users to send money overseas using PayPal’s stablecoin, PYUSD. The new option allows conversions from PYUSD to U.S. dollars, facilitating remittances to around 160 countries without any fees from Xoom. Users can transfer funds directly to bank accounts, mobile wallets, or pick-up locations abroad, but currency conversions from USD will include...

Top cop ‘Big Joke’ turns himself in after arrest warrant issued over money laundering probe

BANGKOK: National Deputy Police Chief Pol Gen Surachate 'Big Joke' Hakparn (pic) on Tuesday (April 2) turned himself in at Tao Poon police station in Bangkok after an arrest warrant on him was issued earlier in the day. The Criminal Court issued the arrest warrant on Surachate after he evaded three summonses in a gambling-website case. Surachate...

Man on the run for 27 years held at Heathrow airport after flying back from Thailand

LONDON: An 80-year-old man has been arrested at an airport after 27 years on the run, reported PA Media/dpa quoting British police. Richard Burrows (pic), who is accused of historic sexual abuse of children, was arrested at Heathrow on Thursday (March 28) after returning to the UK from Thailand, a spokesman for Cheshire Police said. The force...

Thailand wilts under heatwave with temperatures hitting above 40 deg C

BANGKOK: Temperatures have soared above 40 degrees Centigrade in northern and central Thailand over recent days, scarcely dropping below 30 degrees at night as an extreme heat wave hits the country, a popular tourist destination year-round, reported dpa news. The authorities have urged residents to remain indoors during the middle of the day. "The Department of Health...

Sons of late banker Wee Cho Yaw among world’s new billionaires on Forbes list

SINGAPORE: The three sons of the late banking tycoon Wee Cho Yaw are newly minted billionaires, according to a Forbes’ list of global billionaires released on April 2. UOB chief executive Wee Ee Cheong and his brothers, Wee Ee Chao and Wee Ee Lim, are among 39 billionaires from the Republic – a number that rose...

Vietnamese tuna products exported to 80 markets worldwide

HO CHI MINH CITY: The export of Vietnam’s aquatic products, including processed tuna, posted positive growth in the first quarter of 2024, bringing hope to its seafood industry, reported Vietnam News Agency (VNA). According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep), canned tuna exports in the said period surged 53 per cent year-on-year,...

CoinGecko: Bitcoin rose by 3,230% on average after each halving

CoinGecko analysts found that, on average, Bitcoin’s value skyrocketed following its previous halving cycles. According to the report, after each mining reward was halved, the Bitcoin (BTC) rate increased by an average of 3,230%. The first halving, dated Nov. 28, 2012, reduced the reward from 50 BTC to 25 BTC. Within 12 months of the halving, the asset’s...

BIS launches Project Agorá to explore tokenization in financial systems

The Bank for International Settlements unveiled Project Agorá, an initiative to explore the potential of tokenization to enhance the efficiency of global financial systems. The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), representing 63 central banks worldwide, spearheads numerous projects focused on issuing national digital currencies and leveraging technology to improve market operations. Tokenization, converting real-world assets into digital...

Solana meme token developers commit rug pull following presale

The URF meme coin team committed a rug pull and disappeared with 2,400 SOL collected during the coin’s presale. According to on-chain researcher ZachXBT, the meme token team on the Solana blockchain withdrew Solana (SOL) worth about $450,000. The developers completed the fraud less than 24 hours after URF launched. The team also used the funds raised...

FTX ad-hoc grows to $700k in claims as community prepares for bankruptcy vote

The FTX Customer Ad-Hoc Committee has over 1,400 signups and $700,000 in claims. The committee is also preparing to distribute more information to guide members through the bankruptcy plan vote. The additional information will include strategic advice and detailed instructions to assist claimants in making informed decisions and taking concerted action to protect their rights. The FTX...