Lebanon: at least 492 dead in Israeli raids on bloodiest day since 2006

Today's news: China cuts interest rates and bank reserves to give the economy oxygen; Sri Lanka's new president dissolves parliament, general elections in December; Former Singapore transport minister pleads guilty in first corruption case involving a government official; Half of all Russians over 60 suffer from anxiety and depression.

LEBANON-ISRAEL

Israeli air strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and rocket attacks by Shiite militias on northern Israel continued overnight, as thousands of people fled their homes in southern Lebanon. Last night, the Lebanese Health Ministry said at least 492 people were killed and more than 1,645 wounded in the deadliest day of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah since 2006.

CHINA

China's central bank unveiled a series of measures to revive the country's struggling economy by reducing the reserves banks must hold and lowering the key interest rate. The Chinese economy has not yet achieved the long-awaited post-pandemic recovery, as it is plagued by a prolonged debt crisis in the real estate sector, continued deflationary pressure and high unemployment. Beijing has set a growth target of 5% for 2025, which many analysts believe is too optimistic.

SRI LANKA

As announced in the election campaign, Sri Lanka's new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, elected in the 21 September vote, is expected to dissolve parliament today and call new elections by December. Following Dinesh Gunawardena's resignation as prime minister yesterday, a senior National People's Power (NPP) source said that the president will today appoint an interim cabinet of four ministers, including himself, within which 15 portfolios will be divided.

PHILIPPINES

The interim government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has rejected calls to extend its term beyond June 2025. The questiore had been raised after the Supreme Court in recent days excluded the province of Sulu from its jurisdiction, because a majority of voters in the province voted against the ratification of the Autonomous Region in the 2019 referendum. Elections for the 80 members of the Bangsamoro Parliament are scheduled for 2025: 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives and eight sectoral representatives.

SINGAPORE

Singapore's former Transport Minister S. Iswaran has pleaded guilty to receiving gifts while in office, in a rare corruption trial involving an official in the city-state. Iswaran admitted receiving favours from a local businessman, including tickets to English Premier League football matches and the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix. This is the first time a minister has gone on trial in the metropolis that boasts a well-paid and efficient bureaucracy and strong governance.

RUSSIA

The Russian sociological research centre Rankhigs has released a survey on the health of the population, which shows that more than half of Russian citizens over 60 suffer from heavy anxiety and depression, as ‘the elderly suffer from the strains of war much more than others’, but all this will pass ‘soon after the victory’.

UZBEKISTAN

Uzbekistan's Senate, theOlij Mažilis, has approved amendments to the law on the legal status of foreign citizens and those without nationality, providing for the refusal of entry as ‘undesirables’ to those who ‘threaten the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country, who incite hatred, offend the honour, dignity or history of our people’.

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