Hong Kong's chief executive John Lee apologised on Thursday for the Wang Fuk Court fire that killed 168 people. Housing Secretary Winnie Ho resigned after a judge-led report faulted four government departments.
Geopolitics
North Korea fired about ten short-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Thursday, less than a week after Seoul proposed military talks.
Geopolitics
A study released on Thursday attributes at least 5,200 deaths in Indonesia to this year's fires and haze. Singapore's foreign minister made a surprise visit to Jakarta to ease tensions.
Geopolitics
China's Communist Party confirmed on Thursday the expulsion of 33 officials, including former diplomat Liu Jianchao. It also promoted General Zhang Shengmin, described by the South China Morning Post as a key player in the anti-corruption drive that hit the military leadership, to the Politburo.
Geopolitics
Samsung's third-quarter profit nearly ninefolded on AI-driven memory demand, and Nikkei Asia calls it the biggest ever for a tech company. A Reuters poll sees South Korea's October exports rising at the fastest pace since 1974, while Japan's chip exports rose 41%.
Economy
The US banned imports from three Chinese genomics companies over forced-labour concerns, The Hindu reports, and the FCC voted to bar all Chinese labs from testing electronics for the US market. China's commerce ministry opposes the blacklisting, and its foreign ministry called the forced-labour claim a "lie of the century", according to Global Times.
Economy
Reuters reports that six people have been killed by Cyclone Arnab, up from three in an earlier Al Jazeera report. The storm battered Andhra Pradesh and damaged homes and farmland, according to Al Jazeera.
Geopolitics
China vows "all necessary measures" if the EU imposes discriminatory restrictions on Chinese products, Global Times reports. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in Beijing on Thursday that Germany does not seek decoupling but must defend its economic interests, while the South China Morning Post reports that EU officials plan to press Beijing for a stronger yuan.
Economy
Shares of Biwin Storage Technology and Moore Threads tumbled on Thursday in a broad rout of mainland technology stocks, despite strong third-quarter revenue. Separately, Iluvatar CoreX claims its new Tiangai 300 GPU can match Nvidia's H200 in real-world AI workloads.
Economy
The UN says poppy cultivation in Afghanistan rose about 330% and opium production about 400%, despite the Taliban government's ban. Farmers told Al Jazeera they are being pushed into poppy farming to make a living, while Le Monde reports a worsening humanitarian crisis driven by aid cuts, higher food prices and mass returns from Iran and Pakistan.
Geopolitics
Taiwan said on Thursday that Pakistan briefly closed its airspace to Taiwanese cargo and passenger flights and that it suspects China is behind the move, according to Bloomberg and Daily Sabah. China's foreign ministry said the one-China principle is a broad international consensus, while Nikkei Asia reports confusion over Pakistan's policy.
Geopolitics
Cyclone Arnab made landfall in India's Andhra Pradesh early on Wednesday, killing at least three people after about 180,000 had been evacuated.
Geopolitics
Shares of Reliance Jio Platforms rose 21% in India's biggest IPO, the Financial Times reports, after the telecoms business raised $3.2bn at a $108bn valuation. Daily Sabah says the stock climbed as much as 21% at the start of trading in Mumbai on Wednesday, making it India's second-most valuable company.
Economy
Hundreds of Indonesian security personnel were deployed in Jakarta on Wednesday ahead of student protests against several policies of President Prabowo Subianto and his government's handling of the forest fires, according to Reuters and the South China Morning Post. In a rare move, Singapore summoned top executives from 10 locally registered companies potentially linked to haze-causing fires in Indonesia to a meeting with three ministers.
Geopolitics
A "national team" of funds and brokers is buying stocks in China as investors turn away from the AI trade, the Financial Times reports. Handelsblatt carries a quote describing the overall Chinese market as in "free fall".
Economy
During his visit to Japan, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz invited Tokyo to back a global alliance for rules-based trade, according to Reuters and FAZ. China called on Germany and the EU to be "rational" on trade and supply chain issues, while Takaichi pressed Merz not to leave Japan out of "Made in Europe" EV subsidies, Nikkei Asia reports.
Economy
India is moving tens of thousands of people to shelters as Cyclone Arnab approaches its eastern coast.
Geopolitics
Chinese AI and tech shares have kept sliding since June, even as state-backed funds try to prop up the market. Outlets put the losses between $480 billion and $2.4 trillion.
Economy
The foreign ministers of Indonesia and Singapore said on Tuesday they want to set up a joint haze task force and share data, as they met to reaffirm ties amid tensions. Indonesia is seeding clouds against fires on Borneo and Sumatra, according to Handelsblatt, while an oxygen bus serves residents of a Borneo city and Bloomberg reports the visit followed natural gas cuts.
Geopolitics
Indonesia's bond yield reached a four-year high on Tuesday as MSCI-related risk and oil prices weighed, Bloomberg reports. A corporate bond sale has also been shelved amid the MSCI fallout, according to Bloomberg.
Economy
Indonesia defended its cut in natural gas exports to Singapore on Monday, citing domestic electricity and industrial needs and saying the reduction stays within contractual limits, according to the South China Morning Post. Smoke from the country's worst wildfires in more than a decade is threatening the world's oldest cave paintings on Sulawesi, Daily Sabah reports.
Geopolitics
Reuters reported on Monday that India will evacuate thousands of people as Cyclone Arnab approaches its eastern coast. Details on the storm's strength and expected landfall were not yet available.
Geopolitics
The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party opened a four-day fifth plenary session on Monday, focused on party discipline and fighting corruption, according to the South China Morning Post. The meeting is being watched closely for clues on the country's direction and future leadership, and the New York Times reports that Xi Jinping is likely preparing to secure a fourth term in 2027.
Geopolitics
Prime Minister Takaichi will hold a cybersecurity meeting as attacks grow, according to Bloomberg. Nikkei Asia reports that the cyberattack on internet provider GMO threatens customers' computers, and Politika says GMO's chief executive Masatoshi Kumagai apologized on Sunday.
Technology
China's Communist Party opened its fifth plenum on Monday, according to Reuters. Nikkei Asia expects Xi Jinping to tighten his grip at the discipline-focused meeting, which follows years of purges that have led some analysts to ask, per The Guardian, whether the issue is corruption or a lack of loyalty.
Geopolitics
Kim Jong Un made a surprise visit to the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday, touring a commercial vehicle factory and crossing a new bridge, according to the South China Morning Post and the Wall Street Journal. North Korea told the UN that South Korea fabricated a landmine incident, KCNA says.
Geopolitics
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Sunday that Singapore expects all parties with commercial gas supply contracts to "honour their commitments" after Indonesia cut its exports. Singapore also expanded its investigation into haze-causing fires in Indonesia, requesting information from 10 locally registered companies.
Geopolitics
GMO Internet is compensating customers of its foreign exchange trading service after a cyberattack. Japanese companies are facing a wave of attacks, Reuters and the South China Morning Post report.
Technology
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un returned home on Saturday after an unannounced visit to Dandong, accompanied by China's top political advisor, according to Global Times. State media said on Saturday that Kim urged the military to become the strongest armed forces in the world at a two-day meeting of company commanders in Pyongyang.
Geopolitics
Hegseth says 80 'propaganda cells' were dismantled as the Pentagon targets China's Confucius Institutes, according to the South China Morning Post. Beijing has urged Washington to halt proposed rules expanding US outbound-investment curbs, Reuters reports.
Geopolitics
Typhoon Champi killed one person and injured 350 in Taiwan, according to The Hindu, while TASS reports at least 500 people affected. On Saturday it grounded more than 100 flights in eastern China and authorities relocated tens of thousands of people, the South China Morning Post reports.
Geopolitics
Indonesia cut pipeline gas exports to Singapore by about 9%, Reuters reports. An official said the cut on Saturday was to prioritise domestic demand, the South China Morning Post reports, while Bloomberg says Singapore has widened its haze investigation to 10 locally based firms.
Economy
Bloomberg reports that sinking profits have turned China's $3.5 trillion stock rout into a trap for investors. The South China Morning Post reports that users noticed on Saturday that the social media account of economist Ren Zeping had been restricted, as Beijing steps up scrutiny of financial market influencers.
Economy
Chinese AI start-up Moonshot AI says it limited the cyber-offence capability of its new Kimi K3.1 Pro model. It announced the step on Saturday amid fears that AI could make cyberattacks easier and cheaper.
Technology
China has launched new remote sensing satellite groups, Global Times reports. The launch created a glowing "space jellyfish" effect in the sky.
Technology
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Nagqu in northern Tibet late on Thursday, killing at least 16 people. Hundreds of homes collapsed in the remote, high-altitude area.
Geopolitics
On Friday, Taiwan shut down ahead of Super Typhoon Champi, with Nikkei Asia reporting nearly 1,000 cancelled flights and Al Jazeera describing huge waves on the northeastern coast and winds of 191 km/h. The South China Morning Post says the storm also threatens eastern mainland China.
Geopolitics
South Korea has again proposed talks with North Korea on the land border, Reuters reports. The FAZ reports that North Korea has laid nearly a million mines along the frontier since 2024, while US and South Korean officials see fading chances of a Trump-Kim summit this year, according to the South China Morning Post.
Geopolitics
Chinese stocks have slid into bear territory, according to Nikkei Asia, shortly before a Communist Party plenum next week in Beijing. Reuters says tougher discipline and Xi Jinping's authority are expected to be key themes, and the South China Morning Post points to a renewed anti-corruption drive.
Economy
China's commerce ministry (MOFCOM) criticised US curbs on research ties with China and vowed necessary countermeasures, while the foreign ministry said arbitrary restrictions serve no party's interests, responding to a US proposal to extend outbound investment curbs to biotechnology. Chinese AI developers DeepSeek and MiniMax have completed export registration and proceeded with open-source releases and overseas licensing, according to state media.
Technology
Jio Platforms' IPO is the first issue worldwide to receive more than 10 million applications, The Hindu reports. According to Reuters, bids topped 10 times the offer.
Economy
Indonesia's worst wildfires in more than a decade are threatening the world's oldest cave paintings on Sulawesi, according to the South China Morning Post and Reuters. Heat and smoke risk accelerating the deterioration of the art.
Geopolitics
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck northern Tibet late on Thursday, and Chinese state media report at least 16 dead. More than 300 houses collapsed.
Geopolitics
Super Typhoon Champi is nearing Taiwan and eastern China, prompting warnings, an emergency response and flight cancellations.
Geopolitics
Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, warned after inspecting border fortifications that loudspeakers aimed at South Korea will be ready to restart, the Guardian reports. Seoul urged dialogue, and Politika reports that it demanded an apology from Pyongyang over mines.
Geopolitics
The Wall Street Journal reports that Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek has raised $15 billion ahead of a potential IPO, while Global Times describes it as a plan to raise that sum. Reuters reports, citing sources, that TSMC is looking for factory-equipment alternatives to counter China's grip on rare earths.
Technology
Protesters in Indonesia are demanding action against rainforest fires, whose smoke has sickened hundreds of thousands and spread to neighboring countries, according to the New York Times. Reuters reports that fire hotspots have eased, but an official says rain is still not enough.
Geopolitics
The New York Times reports that Afghanistan and Pakistan, after eight months of what it calls an 'open war', are increasingly turning to proxy groups. The newspaper says the conflict has taken a heavy toll on civilians.
Geopolitics
Reuters reports that Indonesian stocks with high shareholding concentrations will be excluded from an index from next month, after what the South China Morning Post calls the country's worst stock-market rout since 1998. Sovereign fund Danantara says it has bought stocks, and Bloomberg reports that Indonesia is eyeing a panda bond.
Economy
The retail portion of the Jio Platforms IPO was fully subscribed by the second day of bidding, according to Reuters and The Hindu. Reuters also reports that Ambani's heir Akash is stepping into the spotlight as the company goes public.
Economy
Kim Aris, son of Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has spoken to her for the first time in more than five years, Reuters reports. Aris said they found her voice 'fairly healthy' and that hearing it again 'means more than words can express', amid a loosening of detention restrictions.
Geopolitics
Bank Indonesia held its key rate while the threat of an MSCI reclassification weighs on Indonesian stocks and the rupiah, according to the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. Singapore's Temasek and GIC deny instigating the stock rout, Bloomberg reports.
Economy
Mukesh Ambani's Jio Platforms, whose $3.2bn offering Nikkei Asia calls a record, was fully subscribed on Wednesday within about 100 minutes of opening, The Hindu reports. The rupee closed at a six-week high of 94.43, driven by the IPO and RBI intervention.
Economy
Super Typhoon Champi, now the strongest storm of the year worldwide according to the South China Morning Post, is heading towards Taiwan and eastern China. Authorities are planning evacuations and urging people in its path to prepare, and Bloomberg reports it could have an impact within days.
Geopolitics
Draft rules would tighten China's control over exports of top AI models, the New York Times reports. DeepSeek open-sourced an inference framework called DeepInfer, while experts told the South China Morning Post that the latest US ban on DeepSeek may deter American firms from adopting Chinese models.
Technology
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang signed a joint communique on Wednesday after two rounds of talks in St. Petersburg, TASS reports. Mishustin said the Power of Baikal pipeline project is being developed.
Geopolitics
China accused a US Navy warship of illegally entering disputed waters near Xianbin Jiao, as Beijing calls it, and sent naval forces to monitor it, according to the Jerusalem Post. The China Coast Guard says it permitted and monitored a Philippine resupply to a grounded vessel at Ren'ai Jiao, known as Second Thomas Shoal.
Geopolitics
China's foreign ministry said its rare-earth export controls on Japan are meant to prevent 'remilitarization' and nuclear ambitions, according to Global Times. The statement responds to reports that Japan is seeking US help to ease the controls amid a yttrium shortage.
Geopolitics
Pak Jong Chon, North Korea's army chief, inspected fortification construction sites along the country's southern border on Tuesday, according to state news agency KCNA. KCNA says troops must act if the enemy provokes.
Geopolitics
The US Department of Homeland Security ordered civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek AI tools. Beijing protested and, according to Global Times, warned of countermeasures.
Technology
Japan is months from running out of yttrium and has asked the US to press China to ease rare earth export controls, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. The metal is vital to car, jet engine and chip production.
Economy
Japan's space agency JAXA launched its MMX probe on an H3 rocket on Tuesday. It aims to bring back the first samples from a Martian moon.
Technology
Jio Platforms, the digital arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, floats on the stock market on Wednesday in what The Guardian calls India's biggest-ever IPO, aiming for a valuation of £81bn. The South China Morning Post, which puts the figure at US$108b, says the listing will test investor confidence in the telecoms operator amid a rivalry with Elon Musk.
Economy
Indonesian stocks rebounded as authorities stepped up their response to a possible reclassification by MSCI, Bloomberg reported. The South China Morning Post says financial regulators and exchange officials have vowed to address systemic concerns, while Bloomberg reports that bets on a rate hike jumped as the threat hit the rupiah.
Economy
Indonesia's burned land doubled in September as fires rage, Reuters reports, citing data. The South China Morning Post says the haze continues to shroud Southeast Asia, and Al Jazeera reports that students and activists protested across Indonesia over fires linked to land clearing for palm oil plantations.
Geopolitics
China says the US Navy ship USS Charleston illegally entered waters near the Spratly Islands early on Tuesday, and that PLA forces tracked and monitored it. Beijing accuses the vessel of undermining regional stability.
Geopolitics
Reuters reports that ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent have placed orders for Nvidia chips worth more than $35 billion. Handelsblatt also reported the orders on Tuesday.
Technology
Malaysia's main opposition coalition lost its registration on Tuesday, 11 days before nominations for a state election. The South China Morning Post reports accusations against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government and says the gains for Anwar appear limited.
Geopolitics
The UN warned on Tuesday that the number of people facing acute food insecurity in Afghanistan is set to rise above 19 million this winter. The South China Morning Post puts the figure at 19.2 million.
Geopolitics
South Korea will withdraw part of its diplomatic staff from Ukraine after a dispute over North Korean prisoners of war transferred to Seoul, Yonhap reported. Seoul recalled its ambassador from Kyiv earlier this month after Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer, and the Foreign Ministry cited security challenges amid threats of airstrikes, according to TASS.
Geopolitics
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a visit to India on Tuesday with a trade deal and Russian oil on the agenda, according to Reuters. The Hindu reports that he said Washington will discuss refining Venezuelan crude with Reliance, and the South China Morning Post reports that he confirmed Quad leaders will meet in Manila next month for their first summit in two years.
Geopolitics
China has set up the National Data Group, a new central state-owned enterprise based in Xiong'an, to develop the country's data resources. According to the South China Morning Post, the move is meant to speed up China's artificial intelligence industry.
Technology
China's Commerce Ministry will require export licences for tunnel-boring machines from 18 November and tighten rules on drones and dredgers. Draft curbs on AI and solar technology are pending.
Economy
Indonesia's stock exchange will drop 80 tightly held stocks from its benchmark index to head off an MSCI downgrade. Shares kept falling on Monday.
Economy
China's GDP grew 4.5% in the third quarter compared with a year earlier, beating forecasts, as exports tied to an AI boom lifted growth, according to Al Jazeera and the Guardian. Reuters reports that China is set to leave its benchmark lending rates unchanged for a 17th month.
Economy
The Philippines summoned China's ambassador Jing Quan over comments that China could "easily win" a war between the two countries. According to the South China Morning Post, he denied making threats, while China's foreign ministry, as reported by Global Times, opposed what it called malicious attempts by certain Philippine individuals to hype up China-related issues.
Geopolitics
Indonesia is fighting its worst forest fires and toxic haze in 11 years, Al Jazeera reports. Nikkei Asia reports that the wildfires threaten forest carbon projects.
Geopolitics
An Indian court has extended the custody of leaders of the 'Cockroach' movement, Reuters reports, citing local media. Al Jazeera says the move comes amid a crackdown on near-daily protests against the government, which Nikkei Asia reports are hitting festive season sales.
Geopolitics
China lodged a sharp protest with Japan over an offering by Prime Minister Takaichi to the Yasukuni shrine, Politika reports, quoting Mao Ning as calling the shrine a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists and their war of aggression. Joint drills involving about 45,000 Japanese troops and 12,000 US service members have begun, Kyodo reported, according to TASS.
Geopolitics
Japan is due to launch a spacecraft early on Tuesday Japan time to collect the first samples from a Martian moon, according to the Financial Times and Daily Sabah. A German-French lander named Idefix plays a key role in the mission, FAZ reports.
Technology
At least 19 people, including a seven-year-old girl, died in a stampede during a Hindu festival in Kolkata, according to Al Jazeera. Bloomberg reports that dozens more were injured.
Geopolitics
China's economy grew 4.5% in the third quarter, powered by exports and narrowly beating forecasts, according to the Wall Street Journal and Nikkei Asia. Bloomberg reports that the slump in home prices eased.
Economy
China has proposed export controls on solar-manufacturing technologies, according to Reuters and The Hindu, part of what Handelsblatt describes as planned new controls on key technologies. Reuters separately reports that China's solar panel exports extended their slump in September.
Economy
Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire across the Upper Kurram-Paktia frontier on Saturday, according to Daily Sabah. The South China Morning Post reports that Pakistan's counterterrorism campaign against Taliban insurgents risks being undermined by public resentment after the dismissal of the opposition-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration.
Geopolitics
Global Times reports that China unveiled its first 100,000-card AI supercluster hardware and showcased 10 frontier research applications. The outlet also reports that DeepSeek unveiled a faster, cheaper AI model with improved performance.
Technology
A court in India has acquitted the leader of a youth protest movement, Handelsblatt reports, while the protests over alleged electoral manipulation continue. Bloomberg says Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no easy way to end them, and Al Jazeera reports a protest in London led by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee accusing the government of vote theft.
Geopolitics
Taiwan says it drove away 16 Chinese ships involved in what it calls 'maritime harassment', according to reports on Sunday. Taipei says China is stepping up its presence around the island in a pattern meant to 'alter the status quo'.
Geopolitics
China condemned Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for sending a ritual offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine and warned of 'remilitarisation', the South China Morning Post reports. Separately, a Kyodo poll put support for her cabinet below 50%, the lowest since she took office, according to Reuters.
Geopolitics
A stampede during sudden rain at a Hindu festival pavilion in Kolkata killed at least 17 people on Saturday. Police detained pavilion organisers.
Geopolitics
More than 1,100 people have died in the outbreak, according to Daily Sabah. It exposes serious gaps in vaccination coverage and emergency planning.
Geopolitics
TASS reports that Pakistan's military used heavy weapons in response to an Afghan attack and destroyed fortifications on the Afghan side, including two towers and a CCTV camera. Pakistani officials say several Afghan Taliban personnel were killed in what The Hindu describes as alleged retaliatory action.
Geopolitics
At least 10 people, including six members of one family, died in a fire at a beach resort in Cox's Bazar, officials said on Saturday. According to Politika, the resort operated without permits and lay about 22 kilometres from the nearest fire station.
Geopolitics
Fires in Indonesia have covered parts of Southeast Asia in toxic haze and triggered the highest alert level of the Asean climate and fire monitor, according to the South China Morning Post. Bloomberg reports that Singapore has named seven companies over the fires.
Geopolitics
Police in India released the founder of the Cockroach People's Party (CJP) on Saturday, a day after detaining him for trying to lead another protest, according to Folha de S.Paulo. The Hindu reports that US lawmakers have urged Rubio to question India over its handling of the CJP protests.
Geopolitics
North Korea says it tested a new torpedo system with artificial intelligence capabilities, according to the state news agency KCNA. KCNA presented the test as another showcase of the country's war deterrent.
Geopolitics
Chinese authorities on Friday proposed adding 40 technologies, 23 of them AI-related, to export controls. Public comment runs until 15 November.
Technology
Pakistan has ordered safety checks of schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after a classroom roof collapsed in Peshawar on Thursday. The New York Times counts 32 children and a teacher dead, Al Jazeera at least 34 children and a teacher.
Geopolitics
Indonesia says it will accept foreign help against its worst forest fires in over a decade, after four people died fighting a blaze on Java. Haze is closing schools across the region.
Geopolitics
Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index fell more than 11% on Friday after MSCI said it is considering a downgrade of the country's market status.
Economy
Indian police detained Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke and student leader Neha Bora in New Delhi on Friday ahead of a flag march. Dipke had called the protest in support of two party leaders sent to jail for five days this week for demonstrating at a protest site in violation of a ban.
Geopolitics
China's ambassador to the Philippines said Beijing could "easily win" should it use force in the region but chooses peace, according to the South China Morning Post. Manila called the remarks a "thinly veiled threat", while the Chinese defense ministry said, per Global Times, that a certain Philippine politician damages ties out of selfish interests.
Geopolitics
China and North Korea opened a bridge across their border, and their prime ministers said relations are entering a new phase of cooperation, according to Politika. Analysts cited by Al Jazeera say sanctions and North Korea's focus on security limit prospects for trade.
Geopolitics
Bloomberg reports that Taiwan will curb exports of AI chips to China. The restriction is part of Taipei's trade agreement with the United States.
Technology
Pakistan's parliament has endorsed emergency rule and governor's rule in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, The Hindu reported on Friday. The source material gives no further details on the measure.
Geopolitics
Beijing has criticised Japan's growing nuclear ambitions, according to a Global Times report published on Friday. The criticism follows remarks in which Takaichi hinted at exceptions to Japan's non-nuclear principles.
Geopolitics
A school roof collapsed during morning classes in Peshawar on Thursday, killing a teacher and between 27 and 34 pupils, depending on the source. Police arrested the school's owner.
Geopolitics
North Korea tested two submarine-launched missiles, state media KCNA reported, saying the tests showcase the country's war deterrent. China and North Korea also officially opened the New Yalu River Bridge between Dandong and Sinuiju after a 12-year delay.
Geopolitics
Indonesia blames peatland degradation for the fires, Reuters reports, and plans a dry-ice pilot project in South Sumatra after cloud seeding and water bombing, according to The Guardian. The South China Morning Post reports that Indonesians are urging Singapore and Malaysia to sue Jakarta over the haze.
Geopolitics
India has approved the purchase of nearly 61% of IDBI Bank by Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings for $5.6bn, the biggest foreign takeover of a domestic bank, the Financial Times reports. The Hindu reports that IDBI shares fell 7.5% on Thursday, which Reuters attributes to profit booking.
Economy
Chinese AI lab Z.ai's latest flagship model, GLM-5.3, may be sophisticated enough to "fake" its way through safety tests, according to a new report published on Thursday. The South China Morning Post reports that the finding has raised concern among researchers.
Technology
China's exports rose 36.3% in September from a year earlier, well above forecasts. The nine-month trade surplus has reached $938 billion.
Economy
Rescuers pulled the bodies of 13 children from the Ganges River after an overloaded boat capsized on its way to a Hindu festival, officials said on Wednesday. The South China Morning Post carried the report.
Geopolitics
Air pollution in parts of Singapore reached 'very high' levels on Wednesday, while East Timor closed schools, as haze from Indonesian forest fires triggered a regional crisis, according to Daily Sabah. Bloomberg describes the Singapore reading as the highest level of the haze, and Politika calls it a record for this year.
Geopolitics
A court sentenced two leaders of India's youth-led Cockroach Janta Party, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, to five days in jail on Wednesday for entering Jantar Mantar, a Delhi protest site closed by authorities, according to The Guardian. Le Monde reports that the opposition and the "cockroaches" have been mobilising against the election commission for weeks.
Geopolitics
Tokyo summoned Russia's ambassador after Yuki Imai, a Russia correspondent of the Hokkaido Shimbun, was arrested on Sakhalin, according to reports on Wednesday. The FSB says Imai spied on Russian defence capabilities, while Le Monde reports that Imai was violently detained in a hotel room.
Geopolitics
Motorists have queued for hours at petrol stations across the resort island of Bali in recent days amid reports of a fuel shortage, the South China Morning Post reports. Nikkei Asia reports that the shortages have also reached other regions of Indonesia as prices climb.
Economy
Memory-chip stocks fell sharply on Tuesday after Chinese chipmaker CXMT claimed a technical advance and Broadcom's chief likened AI investing to a casino. South Korea's KOSPI closed down 5.5%.
Economy
Indian police detained leaders of the 'Cockroach' movement again after they entered a banned venue, according to Nikkei Asia. The movement demands the resignation of the election chief amid anger over a contentious revision of voting registration, and nearly 150 journalists marched in New Delhi against the detention of reporters, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Geopolitics
A forest fire on Sumatra island fuelled by El Niño has razed nearly 300 homes in Bangka Belitung province and displaced hundreds of people, according to The Guardian. Haze from Indonesian fires led Malaysia's Firefly to cancel flights to Singapore, and Prabowo ordered more resources to fight the fires, Reuters reports.
Geopolitics
Pakistani police fired tear gas and rounds at supporters of Imran Khan, the party says, and an ally of Khan was detained in the province. Islamabad says Khan's PTI failed to lead the fight against armed groups, while analysts question the federal takeover of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Geopolitics
China's central bank has approved Visa to prepare for domestic bankcard clearing operations, according to Global Times, Reuters, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal. The approval covers preparations for the business in China.
Economy
North Korean state agency KCNA reported on Tuesday that the country tested a technically upgraded ballistic missile component, which is expected to significantly improve the power and accuracy of its offensive weapons. The report came a day after US President Donald Trump said he might meet Kim Jong Un during a planned trip to Asia.
Geopolitics
Chinese courts sentenced three key figures of the Myanmar-based Wei family crime group to death for running large-scale cross-border telecoms fraud networks and causing the deaths of Chinese nationals, according to reports on Tuesday. Al Jazeera reports that dozens more people received prison terms for fraud, trafficking, prostitution and murder.
Geopolitics
A rescue operation is under way after flash floods swept away homes, bridges and parts of the Manaslu trekking trail, leaving more than 100 foreign trekkers stranded, Al Jazeera reports. The South China Morning Post tells how a detour saved Low Hock Meng, a 71-year-old Malaysian trekker, from the floods.
Geopolitics
Russia's FSB says it detained a reporter for Japan's Hokkaido Shimbun on Sakhalin Island and transferred the reporter to Moscow, and Meduza reports that a court ordered the journalist held. TASS alleges the Japanese citizen collected information on mobilized and volunteer participants in what Russia calls its special military operation among Kuril Islands residents, while the New York Times says the reporter had been covering military recruitment.
Geopolitics
The rupee rose 82 paise to 94.96 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Tuesday, The Hindu reports. Reuters reports that India's tough foreign exchange measures have rattled banks and triggered unintended consequences.
Economy
Authorities in Delhi closed metro stations and restricted traffic on Monday ahead of a new march by opposition parties and the youth "cockroach" movement against a revision of voter lists. The Congress party called a rally to the Supreme Court demanding removal of the chief election commissioner, while Bloomberg reports that mass detentions preceded the new protests.
Geopolitics
North Korea fired several ballistic missiles on Monday, according to South Korea and Japan. Seoul describes the launch as an apparent show of force after its own hypersonic missile test.
Geopolitics
Pakistan has declared a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, suspended the provincial government led by Imran Khan's PTI and detained hundreds of party members, according to Le Monde and The Hindu. The president cites the fight against terrorism, FAZ reports, though the paper notes the province had been governed by Khan's supporters.
Geopolitics
The rupee rose 91 paise to 95.80 per dollar in early trade on Monday, a gain of about 1%, after the RBI redirected oil dollar demand and raised the cost of some FX hedges, Reuters and The Hindu report. Indian debt funds are set to extend a $4.5 billion bond selloff after the policy shift, The Hindu reports, and banks are seeking relief and clarity, according to Reuters sources.
Economy
A laboratory worker at an anti-plague research institute in Russia died from pneumonia, and Chinese authorities in Hulunbuir cite a suspected pneumonic plague death; The Telegraph reports that the WHO is probing 'unanswered questions'. Hulunbuir and Hong Kong have stepped up precautions, and health experts say the scant information from Russia means a lab accident cannot be ruled out.
Geopolitics
Volkswagen's third-quarter deliveries fell on plummeting China demand, Reuters reports, and Handelsblatt reports that Audi sales dropped by almost a fifth. Nikkei Asia says China's peak-season auto sales had their sharpest monthly drop of the year, while Reuters notes that exports retained momentum.
Economy
China imposed countermeasures on ministers of Paraguay and Belize, which Bloomberg describes as the first time Beijing has sanctioned officials of Taiwan's diplomatic allies. China's Foreign Ministry cited national sovereignty and Taiwan separatist activities as reasons, according to Al Jazeera.
Geopolitics
More than 100 foreign trekkers are stranded in a flood-hit region of Nepal, an official told Reuters. China's foreign ministry spokesperson said Beijing has no information on Chinese casualties from the landslide and flood and stands ready to help within its capacity.
Geopolitics
Singapore again ranked as the world's most polluted city on Monday, according to the air quality monitor IQAir, as fires on Borneo and Sumatra, intensified by El Niño, continue. In Indonesia's Bangka Belitung, wildfires spread into residential areas and destroyed over 300 houses, Reuters reports, and Malaysia says ASEAN will discuss the haze ahead of its summit.
Geopolitics
Azerbaijani authorities arrested 37 people in Baku over protests against new school uniform rules, Minval reported, citing the Interior Ministry. Under the rules, girls wearing hijabs have been barred from schools, and Meduza reports that fires were set during the protests.
Geopolitics
Pakistan's president declared a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday and suspended the government led by Imran Khan's PTI. The federal government cites failure to tackle militancy, while the PTI calls it a coup.
Geopolitics
A court freed Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke and two other leaders on Sunday, a day after police detained them in Delhi. The movement says its protests against the election chief will go on.
Geopolitics
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday that they detected several ballistic missiles fired off North Korea's east coast. According to TASS, Japan reported two missiles, the first of which landed outside its exclusive economic zone.
Geopolitics
China's Ministry of National Defense rebuked Lai's "Double Ten" speech on Sunday, according to Global Times. Reuters reports that Beijing sanctioned ministers from Paraguay and Belize over Taiwan ties, while Taiwan says it is closely monitoring a series of Chinese live-fire drills.
Geopolitics
A flash flood hit villages along the Budhi Gandaki river in Nepal on Sunday and swept away houses, with at least five people missing, according to Al Jazeera. Reuters reports that a landslide triggered the flood and that authorities urged villagers to evacuate.
Geopolitics
Elon Musk promised in reports published on Sunday to bring "affordable" Starlink service to India, escalating his feud with Mukesh Ambani. According to Al Jazeera, the pledge comes days before the parent company of Ambani's low-cost Reliance Jio launches India's largest-ever IPO.
Technology
Police sealed central Delhi on Saturday and detained protesters, including 'Cockroach' founder Abhijeet Dipke, to stop a youth-led march against the election chief.
Geopolitics
In a speech on Saturday, President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan cherishes peace but will not give up its freedom, and that a defence spending increase aims to deter war. FAZ reports that Lai called on democracies for support against China, while a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, quoted by Global Times, condemned the speech as disregarding facts.
Geopolitics
The Reserve Bank of India announced a special window for state-run oil companies to meet their daily dollar needs, along with regulatory steps to support the rupee, according to The Hindu and Bloomberg. The Financial Times says the currency is nearing record lows, with energy costs pushed up by the US-Israel war on Iran.
Economy
Wildfires on Indonesia's Borneo island are threatening endangered orangutans, and rescuers are evacuating animals found injured, stranded or struggling to survive, Daily Sabah reports. Bloomberg reports that haze in Singapore persisted at unhealthy levels as the F1 weekend began.
Geopolitics
South Korea's Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that it will recall its ambassador to Ukraine, according to TASS. The Financial Times links the move to an escalating row over captured North Korean soldiers.
Geopolitics
Thousands of supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan were on their way to Islamabad on Saturday, according to Al Jazeera. They demand his release from prison.
Geopolitics
According to the New York Times, police ordered a virtual shutdown of New Delhi and trains were cancelled ahead of a protest against the removal of 130 million names from India's voter rolls, and the Supreme Court intervened. Reuters reports that a youth leader says the protest will go ahead despite detentions.
Geopolitics
Malaysia closed schools because of haze from fires in Indonesia, which has also spread to Singapore, and asked ASEAN for a regional response. China's climate centre says a super El Niño was identified in September.
Geopolitics