HONG KONG - THAILAND
Customs authorities have carried out the largest seizure of drugs transported by sea in Hong Kong’s history, discovering marijuana worth HK$25 million (over €2.5 million) in a container and arresting three people. The container had been declared as containing cool boxes and was reported to have come from Thailand. During the inspection, officers found 364 of these boxes containing approximately 535 kilograms of cannabis flowers. A Vietnamese man, who had arrived at the scene to collect the consignment, was also arrested.
PAKISTAN – AFGHANISTAN
At least three people were killed during Pakistani air raids in north-eastern Afghanistan, according to Afghan officials. The attack, which risks reigniting tensions between the two neighbouring countries after nearly three months of relative calm, comes in retaliation for the suicide bombing at the Kohat mosque. Relations have remained tense since February, when the most serious clashes in recent years took place. The dispute centres on the issue of terrorism in Pakistan, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring militants who launch cross-border attacks from Afghan territory. Afghanistan’s Taliban government denies the allegations. The attacks come just days after an attack on a police facility in north-western Pakistan.
JAPAN
A powerful typhoon is battering the east coast of Japan, causing disruption to transport and the closure of several tourist resorts. Typhoon Dujuan, with sustained winds of 126 km/h and gusts of up to 180 km/h, is passing close to the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo. All Nippon Airways has suspended flights to and from Hachijo Island, south of Tokyo, where heavy rain and strong winds are being reported. JR East, one of the main railway companies, has suspended some services in Chiba, home to Narita Airport.
ISRAEL – PALESTINE
Tensions are running high in the West Bank on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur after a settler was killed yesterday near the Halamish settlement in a Palestinian attack. This violence comes against a backdrop of repeated attacks by settlers on Palestinian villages. The Israeli army has set up checkpoints in the north of the West Bank, two of which are preventing over 100 Palestinian teachers from reaching their schools. Azmi Balawneh, director of education in the Tubas governorate, stated that 104 teachers were unable to reach six schools and a nursery attended by around 1,100 pupils.
RUSSIA
The Kremlin’s main party, “United Russia”, is dominating the first Duma elections held during wartime, according to initial results released on Monday following a tightly controlled vote in which there was virtually no opposition to President Vladimir Putin’s policies. The elections, which will almost certainly consolidate the Kremlin’s dominance, began on Friday for 111 million eligible voters and concluded yesterday. With around 58 per cent of polling stations counted, according to the Russian Central Electoral Commission, “United Russia” had secured almost 58 per cent of the vote. Late on Sunday, voter turnout stood at just under 57 per cent, according to the Commission.
TAIWAN
In Kaohsiung, a city in southern Taiwan, work has begun on the construction of a new industrial park dedicated to advanced packaging, where TSMC plans to establish facilities for technology validation and staff training by 2029. TSMC, the world’s largest contract chip manufacturer, will build two buildings in the Baipu Industrial Park. “With the rapid development of AI and high-performance computing, advanced packaging has become a key element in global competition,” said Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te.
ARMENIA
The preliminary hearing in the criminal case against Karekin II, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and six bishops who are members of the Supreme Spiritual Council took place on 18 September in Echmiadzin. They are accused of obstructing the enforcement of a final judgement by abusing their official powers in the case of Bishop Gevork Saroyan, former head of the Eparchy of Masiatsotn. In January 2026, Karekin II had ordered his removal, but Saroyan lodged an appeal with the court, which ruled that he should remain in office.
