INDONESIA
Around 270,000 passengers were affected by the air traffic chaos caused by the volcanic eruption, which forced the Indonesian authorities to temporarily suspend operations at eight airports.
The first to be closed was Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, after ash from the Anak Krakatau volcano was detected in the surrounding airspace. Over 2,000 flights were delayed. The eruption, which began on the evening of 4 September, has produced continuous seismic activity, lava fountains and loud booms. Flights to and from Singapore, in particular, were cancelled or suspended, along with other international routes.
INDIA
The death toll from the collapse of a multi-storey building in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood of New Delhi, which occurred on the afternoon of Sunday 6 September, continues to rise. The confirmed death toll has risen to seven, but around 40–50 students may still be trapped under the rubble. Eleven students were pulled out alive and taken to nearby hospitals; two are in critical condition. The police have launched an investigation into the building’s owner and others for alleged responsibility for the collapse. According to witnesses and residents, the building was a private hostel for male students called ‘Hostel Daze’.
NEPAL
Flooding in the Bhotekoshi Valley has caused extensive damage to agriculture and food production in Nepal. According to a preliminary assessment by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 1,806 hectares of farmland have been destroyed. Food production in the affected areas is estimated to fall by around 7,686 tonnes. The most severe damage has been to rice paddies, where both local rice varieties and hybrid varieties introduced to cope with climate change have been lost, as well as soya and pulses grown along the edges of the fields. Experts warn that the losses, which occurred during the main agricultural season, could jeopardise food supplies, increase dependence on imports and drive up consumer prices.
ISRAEL-PALESTINE
Under pressure from the United States, which is angered by the ongoing violence by Israeli settlers, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reported to have ordered the dismantling of around a hundred illegal outposts in the West Bank. The news was confirmed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The outposts are considered illegal under Israeli law itself because they were built without the necessary authorisations, even though many receive public support and funding and some are subsequently legalised. Smotrich specified that the operation concerns structures in Areas A and B of the West Bank, which, on paper, should be under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority. However, the timing and procedures for the dismantling remain unclear; it is highly unlikely to take place in the coming weeks whilst Israel is in the midst of an election campaign ahead of the vote on 28 October.
CHINA
Due to the decline in primary school enrolment linked to the demographic crisis, several regions in China are merging primary and secondary school levels, encouraging primary school teachers to move into upper secondary classes and creating schools with flexible enrolment arrangements.
In 2025, 14.6 million children enrolled in primary school, almost 10 per cent fewer than the previous year and 22 per cent fewer than the peak enrolment figure reached in 2023. These ‘flexible’ schools allow facilities and class sizes to be adapted to demand.
JAPAN
The Shinjuku ward in Tokyo intends to ban short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, in residential areas and in areas near schools as a general rule. The ban will also apply to existing properties. In July, there were 3,775 registered short-stay accommodation units, and the ward estimates that around 2,000 may have to cease operations. The decision follows guidelines from the Japan Tourism Agency, which allows local authorities to restrict such rentals when they harm the residential environment. The measure will also apply to cultural and educational districts, with some exceptions for owners who live on site and manage their properties properly.
KAZAKHSTAN
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 22 April as ‘International Day to Make the Planet Greener’. The relevant resolution was initiated by Kazakhstan, and the document was adopted on 31 August during a meeting of the General Assembly in New York. The resolution was supported by 140 states; only one voted against it and three others abstained. The document was drafted in collaboration with 32 countries from different regions of the world. President Kasym-Žomart Tokaev had put forward the proposal in September 2025.
