KOSPI Holds 7,000 as Nasdaq Tests 31,000

Ukraine war expands infrastructure and shipping pressure Russian drone and missile attacks are intensifying around Kyiv bridges, Kharkiv and power infrastructure, while Ukraine claims its strikes have disabled 51% of Russian refining capacity—a figure not independently verified. A Turkish-owned grain carrier from Ukraine was also hit and sank near Romania, killing two crew, extending the war’s threat to civilian shipping and grain exports.

Yemen offensive reopens Bab al-Mandab battle Saudi-backed Yemeni forces claim to have retaken Dhubab and positions toward Bab al-Mandab, with heavy air support, while competing Houthi claims and fighting around Mocha and Taiz leave control unsettled. The battle threatens a chokepoint carrying roughly 12% of global trade, has displaced about 184,000 people since the renewed war and risks another energy and shipping shock alongside Hormuz.

Tigray war fears return Federal and allied forces control Mekelle and its airport after the TPLF withdrawal, but fighting elsewhere and a reported drone strike on a displacement camp show that the political and territorial dispute remains unresolved. The risk is a renewed Ethiopian war drawing in Eritrea, Sudan and other regional actors.

Sudan army pushes into Khartoum Government forces are pressing into Khartoum while the RSF remains entrenched across Darfur and Kordofan, pushing civilians toward North Kordofan. Drone warfare, attacks on kitchens and volunteer safe spaces, hunger and blocked aid access continue to make survival the central constraint.

Pakistan and Afghanistan reopen air war Pakistan has resumed strikes inside Afghanistan over alleged militant sanctuaries while Kabul says civilians were killed. Taliban calls for diplomacy have not halted an escalation that could harden into sustained interstate conflict.

Gaza ceasefire meets winter shelter crisis A year into the ceasefire framework, Israeli strikes and restrictions continue to obstruct relief while 1.65 million people face a fourth winter in damaged buildings or worn tents. Only 15 trucks a week carrying restricted shelter materials are allowed from Jordan, far below need, while fuel and machinery shortages leave displacement sites vulnerable to flooding.

Eastern DRC fighting displaces thousands Renewed fighting in North and South Kivu is displacing civilians and disrupting essential services; violence around Rutshuru has reportedly forced about 7,500 people to flee, while damage to maternity facilities further constrains care.

Hormuz shipping remains under risk Iran’s closure and selective enforcement around Hormuz continue to restrict energy traffic and raise insurance and freight costs; repeated tanker incidents, including a reported engine-room fire, keep the route exposed. The unresolved shock delays inventory rebuilding and leaves oil, food and fertilizer markets vulnerable.

Caribbean anti-narcotics strikes raise legal stakes A U.S. military strike on a go-fast vessel in the Caribbean killed four people, according to Southern Command. Washington identified those aboard as narco-traffickers, while rights experts condemned the expanding campaign as potentially extrajudicial, raising legal and regional risks.

Aviation security faces cockpit and bomb threats A Flydubai co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and tried to seize a flight carrying 172 people before passengers subdued him and the aircraft diverted safely; investigators reportedly treated the act as an attempted crash. Separately, a bomb note temporarily closed Şanlıurfa airport during a search of an AJet aircraft, renewing scrutiny of cockpit access and airport screening.

Senegal floods test Dakar infrastructure Flash floods in Dakar and elsewhere have killed and injured people, damaged buildings and roads and disrupted traffic as more rain is forecast. The strain comes weeks before Senegal hosts the Youth Olympics and threatens transport and the school-year opening.

Crete floods isolate communities and farms Five days of exceptional rain and thunderstorms have killed an elderly farmer, stranded eight Samaria Gorge workers and damaged roads, water networks and farmland. Landslides and blocked access are slowing the shift from rescue to recovery.

Catalonia floods paralyze transport and services A renewed storm has killed two people and left one missing across Catalonia, while rivers, landslides and damaged infrastructure have closed schools, disrupted more than half of Rodalies services and cancelled hundreds of flights. Flooded facilities and blocked roads are also prolonging Barcelona-area power repairs.

Thailand flood response escalates Flooding affects Bangkok and 26 provinces, has killed 31 people since mid-September and affected about 3.5 million. Hospitals are moving patients and positioning pumps as residents remain stranded and further heavy rain threatens low-lying areas.

Philippines floods and earthquake overwhelm response Monsoon weather and recent cyclones have killed at least 32 people and affected nearly eight million across Metro Manila and Luzon, while a magnitude-7.8 southern earthquake has killed at least 55 and left 31 missing. Rain, aftershocks and difficult terrain are slowing rescue and stretching shelter and medical capacity.

India’s post-monsoon floods persist Breached embankments, swollen rivers and dam releases continue to inundate Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; Bihar flooding alone has affected nearly 987,000 people across six districts. Rescue and relief operations remain active as water recedes unevenly.

Typhoon Dolphin threatens China ports Typhoon Dolphin is approaching Zhejiang and Fujian as China activates flood measures across six provinces. Ferry services and commercial port operations in Shanghai and Zhejiang are suspended, adding another disruption to coastal trade.

Pacific typhoons threaten islands and shipping Typhoon Choi-wan is near peak intensity east of the Ogasawara Islands while Nolo has reached Category 3 strength near Hawaii. Their broad wind fields threaten island communities, inter-island transport and Pacific shipping.

Nepal flood disaster enters reconstruction Nepal has ended large-scale search and rescue after the August floods, with 1,455 confirmed deaths and 5,285 people still missing. Damage to 12 hydropower plants shifts the national response toward rehabilitation and a major infrastructure rebuild.

Fuego volcano keeps residents displaced Explosive Fuego activity has forced more than 1,700 Guatemalans from their homes. Ash, continuing eruptions and rain-triggered lahars threaten communities, shelters and agricultural supply chains even as activity fluctuates.

Indonesia fire and haze emergency persists Indonesia remains on high alert for peat fires despite fewer detected hotspots, while hot, dry conditions associated with the developing super El Niño keep the risk of renewed fires and haze high across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Respiratory illness and regional air-quality impacts make the emergency more than a local fire season.

Super El Niño becomes a global stress multiplier Forecasters describe a potentially record-strength El Niño lasting into early 2027, shifting rainfall and heat patterns worldwide. Flood, drought, wildfire, power and water stresses are compounding food insecurity; the Philippines already reports more than 388,000 people affected by drought and heat.

Disease outbreaks strain fragile health systems The DRC’s Bundibugyo-virus Ebola outbreak remains active in conflict-affected areas, with six new cases reported in North Kivu after the area had been declared Ebola-free. Conflict and fragmented authority obstruct containment; Bangladesh is simultaneously facing measles and dengue emergencies, while cholera spreads through conflict- and flood-affected settings.

Pennsylvania measles outbreak passes 1,000 cases Pennsylvania has reported 1,004 measles cases, including 198 hospitalizations and five deaths, pushing U.S. measles incidence to its highest level in more than three decades. The outbreak adds a high-income-country failure of vaccination coverage to a wider global resurgence.