Neighbourhood Scan: 26 billion records exposed in breach
Vietnam: Among the 26 billion records exposed in a historic data leak, 164 million of them were records by Vietnamese multimedia brand Zing. A database 12 terabytes in size was involved in a data breach, considered to be the largest in history, according to reports from security firms Security Discovery and Cyber News. Chinese firm Tencent was considered to be the most heavily affected company, with 1.5 billion data leaks. It is followed by Weibo with 504 million records, Myspace with 360 million records, X with 281 million records, LinkedIn with 251 million records and Zing with 164 million records. — VN Express
Singapore
Changi passenger traffic rebounds
Some 58.9 million passengers passed through Changi Airport in 2023, rebounding to 86 per cent of traffic levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic. This was also an 83 per cent increase from the 32.2 million passengers the airport handled in 2022. Before the pandemic hit, the airport registered 68.3 million passenger movement in 2019. About 3,28,000 flights took off from or landed at Changi Airport in 2023, according to figures released by airport operator Changi Airport Group. It handled 3,82,000 flights in 2019. Between October and December 2023, the airport recorded 16.1 million passenger movements. December was the busiest month, with 5.8 million passengers moving through it. The sTraits Times
Nepal
New travel norms for Nepalese
The Immigration Department has rolled out a series of additional regulations for travellers heading abroad. Applicants for these visas are mandated to possess a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months. Moreover, they must furnish essential documents, including the visa for the destination country, round-trip tickets, proof of accommodation for the entire duration of their stay, or citizenship certificates demonstrating a familial relationship if residing with relatives. Those visiting at the invitation of organisations must also submit the invitation letter from the respective entities or showcase financial capacity of least $500 in cash or in debit/credit cards. The Himalayan Times
Bangladesh
Rising crimes by police worrying
A number of police personnel have formed a syndicate with immigration officials and other airport staff to rob migrant workers entering the country. Upon getting tip-offs from airport informers about migrant workers carrying legally declared valuables such as gold bars, these officials stop their targets on the road, and then take away their valuables using their law enforcement identity if necessary. The syndicate targets Bangladeshi expatriates, snatches gold and smuggles the precious metal to India. In the first nine months of 2023, at least 318 cases were filed against 304 errant police personnel, while 79 were arrested, according to data from the police headquarters. The Daily Star
