Lahore: authorities close primary schools over record pollution

Today's news: pro-European Maia Sandu wins in Moldovan elections; Burmese General Min Aung Hlaing will travel to China for the first time since the coup; Netanyahu staff member detained for leaking documents to compliant media to break hostage negotiations; In a Japanese city, online vote to let citizens choose the mayor's end-of-term allowance.

PAKISTAN

The Punjab government in Pakistan has decided to close all primary schools in Lahore for a week from today due to record levels of pollution. On Saturday, the concentration of PM2.5 was over 40 times the level deemed acceptable by the World Health Organisation. The provincial environmental protection agency had already announced new restrictions in four ‘hot spots’ in the city. Tuk-tuks equipped with two-stroke engines and restaurants having barbecues without filters were banned. Government offices and private companies will have to make half of their staff work from home.

MOLDOVA

In Moldova, pro-European President Maia Sandu claimed victory for a second term in office after a tense runoff election yesterday with her rival Alexandr Stoianoglo, supported by the pro-Russian Socialist Party. With over 99% of the votes counted, Sandu won 55% of the vote and in a late night speech promised to be president for all Moldovans.

MYANMAR-CHINA

The leader of the Myanmar junta, Min Aung Hlaing, will travel to China this week to attend some regional summits. This was announced today by Burmese state media: it will be the general's first visit to the influential neighbouring country since he seized power in a coup in 2021. Min Aung Hlaing will attend summits of the Greater Mekong Subregion and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) and will join a meeting with Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam on 6 and 7 November in Kunming.

ISRAEL

A staff member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was detained in Israel on charges of leaking information that could have harmed hostages in Gaza. Eli Feldstein, a former associate of Ben Gvir, allegedly leaked partial documents to compliant media outlets with the aim of corroborating Netanyahu's demands in the truce negotiations with Hamas and absolving him of responsibility for their failure. Three other people whose identities have not been disclosed are also under investigation.

CANADA-INDIA

In Canada, a protest by radical Sikh groups erupted into violence yesterday at a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area, with some worshippers being attacked. The incident occurred at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in the city of Brampton, where pro-Khalistan protesters had gathered outside the premises to oppose the presence of Delhi consulate officials. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa stated that the ‘violent disruption’ was ‘orchestrated by anti-India elements’. The attack drew condemnation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and across the Canadian political spectrum.

JAPAN

Residents of Tsukuba, a city in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture, are voting online to determine the mayor's end-of-term allowance. The 130,000 people aged 15 years and older were asked to rate Tatsuo Igarashi's performance during his second term by 11 November. Voting is done via the city's smartphone app. Depending on the average score he receives, the 46-year-old mayor will receive between 22 yen (0.13 euro) and 20,394,000 yen (123,171 euro).

KYRGYZSTAN-CHINA

The government of Kyrgyzstan announced the construction of a ‘trade and logistics city’ called Manas, which will be built on an area of 700 hectares in the Čuj region, on the banks of the Ala-Arčinsk Basin, with a large investment from China, meeting Chinese standards according to the strategic programme of the ‘Eurasian Continental Bridge’.