Russia’s Afghan Trade Corridor Has Produced Its First Concrete Deals

Iran–Gulf war and Hormuz Iran says drones targeted a U.S.-linked radar facility in Bahrain and that two oil tankers struck mines in Hormuz; Bahrain reported sirens and interceptions, while the maritime claims remain unindependently confirmed. The widening threat to Gulf bases and shipping keeps a key oil chokepoint hazardous and markets exposed.

Yemen and Bab el-Mandeb The Houthis launched missiles and drones toward Riyadh that Saudi-led forces said were intercepted, while government-aligned Yemeni forces withdrew toward Aden from the Bab el-Mandeb area. The retreat gives the Houthis greater leverage over a route linking the Red Sea with the Suez Canal and keeps shipping under military pressure.

Gaza ceasefire and winter emergency An Israeli strike on Nasser Medical Complex killed at least six Palestinians and wounded more than 20, including medical personnel and children, while Israel says it will maintain an offensive posture despite the ceasefire framework. Flooding has damaged more than 40,000 displacement shelters, affected over 200,000 people and worsened respiratory illness as overcrowding deepens the winter emergency.

Ukraine’s winter energy war Russia launched a mass attack that killed four and injured 69 across Ukraine, hitting an Odesa energy facility and temporarily cutting power to about 41,000 households. Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure and stalled prisoner-exchange diplomacy show the war’s escalation continues without a ceasefire, while Kyiv rejects a Donbas withdrawal and questions whether proposed security arrangements would strengthen its defenses.

Black Sea maritime threat Three commercial vessels were hit by drones near Romania’s Black Sea coast in two days, damaging a Ukraine-bound ship and setting two others on fire. The attacks extend civilian, port-security and insurance risks toward NATO waters and the Danube approach.

China’s Pacific pressure Taiwanese officials say China conducted an unannounced exercise involving more than 100 naval and coast-guard vessels and rehearsed isolation scenarios. The activity shortens Taipei’s warning time and increases coercive pressure without establishing that invasion or blockade is imminent.

Sudan’s war and power collapse Repeated drone attacks have cut Sudanese electricity generation from about 4,400 megawatts before the war to roughly 1,100, producing blackouts that impair hospitals, water systems, communications, dialysis and insulin storage. Fighting around En Nahud and reported civilian killings continue amid communications blackouts.

Eastern Congo offensive and Ebola Renewed M23/FRN fighting in South Kivu has displaced hundreds of thousands while the DRC’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak remains uncontrolled six months after declaration, with more than 11,000 cases and roughly 5,400–5,500 deaths reported. Insecurity, attacks on health workers and disrupted markets are pushing transmission beyond known contacts and worsening hunger risks.

Haiti’s gang offensive Heavy weapons, helicopters and armed drones have intensified fighting around Port-au-Prince, displacing about 2,000 people since mid-October. Road blockades are isolating communities from hospitals, food and water, turning the offensive into a widening access emergency.

Myanmar’s humanitarian war More than 16 million people need assistance and nearly 3.8 million are displaced as airstrikes, conflict and access restrictions block relief. ASEAN is withholding senior representation from Myanmar’s military-backed administration because it has failed to implement the bloc’s peace plan.

European bomb-threat campaign Apparently hoax bomb threats have disrupted more than 50 flights, thousands of schools, media organizations and a cruise ship. Authorities still cannot determine whether the wave reflects coordinated hybrid pressure or copycat activity.

Super El Niño compound shock The 2026–27 El Niño is approaching an exceptionally strong December peak and is acting as a risk multiplier for drought, floods, crop failures, wildfire smoke, disease, food insecurity and coastal inundation across already stressed regions. Strong conditions are expected into early 2027.

Andean El Niño emergencies Peru has declared a state of emergency as El Niño-linked flooding and landslides put more than nine million people at high risk, while Bolivia has activated a nationwide emergency for simultaneous drought and flood impacts affecting families, livestock and infrastructure.

Indonesia fire and transboundary haze An exceptionally strong El Niño reduced rainfall by about half and, alongside human-caused warming and land conversion, helped drive Indonesia’s fiercest fire season in at least a decade. Roughly 1.9 million hectares have burned, exposing 12.5 million people to hazardous haze and producing a major respiratory-health burden across Southeast Asia.

South and Southeast Asian flood belt Flood emergencies remain active across Aceh, Malaysia, central Vietnam and Thailand: Aceh flooding after an embankment failure affected more than 18,000 people and forced over 5,000 into evacuation centers, while Thailand’s prolonged flooding has affected about 162,800 people and killed 88 as further rain and landslides threaten.

Bay of Bengal cyclone threat A depression over the Bay of Bengal is forecast to strengthen into severe or very severe Cyclone Akvan and approach Andhra Pradesh around Nov. 19. Heavy to extremely heavy rain warnings cover Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, with boats ordered ashore and coastal preparations underway.

British Columbia atmospheric river Exceptional river flows continue to drive evacuation alerts in the Pemberton Valley, Lil’wat Nation and parts of Squamish, with roads, slopes, facilities and ferry routes threatened or closed. Three people died in a Squamish River boat capsize during the regional emergency.

Ecuador rainy-season emergency Storm flooding and a sinkhole around Guayaquil killed two people and left two missing while a rain warning remained active, adding a severe local consequence to Ecuador’s wider rainy-season emergency.

Philippines El Niño stress The Philippines is responding to below-normal rainfall and drought with a P7.7 billion plan covering water, food, heat, fire and power risks. Lower rice production and pressure on the vulnerable Visayas grid could worsen as the approaching super El Niño compounds resource constraints.

Philippines volcano unrest Mayon remains at Alert Level 3 after a new lava dome appeared, while Bulusan recorded about 437–438 volcanic earthquakes in 24 hours and Kanlaon produced repeated ash emissions with nearby ashfall. Provincial authorities are staging supplies and preparing evacuations as unrest persists.

Syria’s polio outbreak Syria has begun a second emergency vaccination round in Deir ez-Zor for more than 49,000 children under five, where limited access to safe water continues to compound transmission.

Global measles reversal The United States has recorded 5,412 measles cases as of Nov. 12 in its worst outbreak in decades, while Bangladesh’s outbreak has approached 1,000 suspected and confirmed deaths. Falling vaccination protection is turning preventable disease into a wider public-health setback.

Dengue across Asia and Africa Bangladesh has reported 114,251 dengue cases and 352 deaths, while Chad’s outbreak has doubled in two weeks and spread from a refugee camp into N’Djamena. Heat, displacement and disrupted services are widening transmission.

U.S. aviation infrastructure crisis The FAA says its system is stable after data flooding destabilized legacy communications and radar infrastructure at 17 of 22 en-route centers, prompting a nationwide ground stop; officials found no evidence of a cyberattack. About 12,462 Friday cancellations continue to ripple through schedules, while a Miami taxiway collision and security alerts at Denver and Dallas expose the fragility of recovery operations.