JAPAN
Japan has adopted an emergency package worth several million dollars to address a sudden wave of cyberattacks. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged to take action after dozens of companies reported unauthorised access to their systems and potential leaks of customer data. With artificial intelligence, cyberattacks and data breaches have surged globally, due to its capacity to infiltrate computer systems, a major international concern.
INDIA
The Swiss group IQAir reports that, on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, Delhi has the most polluted air in the world. Local authorities had announced a Winter Action Plan months before smog levels were set to peak. The plan will be in place from 1 November to 28 February, when pollution typically reaches its highest levels. Experts have described the initiative as a step in the right direction, noting that, in the past, such measures were often implemented too late, though they argue that this alone will not be enough.
PAKISTAN – CHINA
A Pakistani astronaut will join the Chinese space station as part of the Shenzhou-24 mission, in thanks to the bilateral cooperation established under China’s Belt and Road initiative. The space station’s first foreign visitor will participate in the mission as a payload specialist. While China has not disclosed the astronaut’s identity, Pakistani pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have spent months training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing in preparation for such a mission.
MALAYSIA
Malaysia’s king, Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, says that the conditional royal pardon he granted to former Prime Minister Najib Razak is clear and unequivocal. This allows the former head of government, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2020, to serve the remainder of his term under house arrest. The monarch warned that any attempt to challenge the order would be tantamount to defying his decree. The king’s statement follows a request by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) for a temporary suspension of Najib’s transfer to house arrest.
IRAN – UNITED STATES
US President Donald Trump announced that US armed forces launched new, limited strikes against Iran on Saturday morning, targeting its air defence systems. Iranian state media reported two explosions in Suza, on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran is reportedly reviewing proposals made by the main mediator, Qatar, aimed at resolving differences with the United States regarding its nuclear programme and the terms for a ceasefire.
RUSSIA – UKRAINE
According to the Black Bird Group, a security analysis and intelligence organisation, Russia lost as much territory as it gained during its ongoing offensive in Ukraine between September and October, largely due to operations by Ukrainian forces north of Lyman (a location crucial for protecting the “fortress belt” of the Donetsk region from the northeast). Bloomberg cites estimates from a senior, unnamed NATO official that Russia lost more than 50,000 soldiers in September alone, including 28,000 deaths, since it continues to press attacks through “kill zones” saturated with drones, landmines, and artillery fire. It is estimated that Ukrainian forces lost approximately 5,000 soldiers during the same period.
TAJIKISTAN
In Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, plans are underway to implement an artificial intelligence-based road safety system near schools. The system will monitor traffic conditions, identify hazardous situations, and alert both children and school staff. Tajikistan’s Ministry of Transport and the South Korean company Kukye signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect. The project entails modernising road infrastructure along major thoroughfares in Dushanbe and deploying an intelligent School Zone system to enhance the safety of children.
