The decline of traditional journalism has inadvertently created a breeding ground for a digital contagion: local misinformation. As trusted, professional news outlets struggle to survive, “news deserts” have emerged across Britain, leaving millions of residents without reliable sources of information. In these quiet corners of the information landscape, social media groups—on platforms like Facebook, X, and Nextdoor—have stepped in to fill the void. However, instead of reporting facts, many of these forums serve as echo chambers for inflammatory falsehoods. A recent study by the Social Market Foundation (SMF) has exposed the scale of this crisis, revealing that misinformation is three…

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has recently uncovered a troubling case of fraud surrounding the government’s “Daya Kerjaya 2.0” initiative. Designed with the noble intention of helping vulnerable groups—such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and former inmates—the program provides employers with RM1,500 in wage subsidies per worker over six months. However, MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman revealed that these good intentions were exploited by dishonest actors, leading to an estimated RM9.01 million in false claims. The investigation, which is slated to scale up next week, has already identified 143 companies and 320 “ghost” employees involved in…