Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, Thailand-Cambodia border clashes and updates from Ukraine. Plus, Story of the day: the Australian social media ban. Locally, Pakistan’s population hits 257m, PTI protests doused at Adiala, and US backs $1.25bn Reko Diq financing.

☕ Grab your chaye, let’s go.

P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

Around The World

Still fighting. Clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have continued for a third day, with cross-border shelling and air raids forcing more than half a million civilians to flee their homes and seek shelter. The death toll over three days of hostilities stands at 10 - seven from Cambodia and three from Thailand. Thai officials said they evacuated more than 400,000 people, while around 100,000 on the Cambodian side have been moved to shelters. US President Trump has also said that he would "make a phone call" to stop the fighting, which is the most serious escalation since clashes in July killed dozens of people. 

POLLuted. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is ready to hold elections in the next 60 to 90 days if its allies can guarantee security for the vote after US President Trump repeated claims Kyiv was "using war" to avoid holding them. Zelenskyy's five-year term as president was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion. Russia has consistently claimed Zelensky is an illegitimate leader and demanded new elections as a condition of a ceasefire deal.

Zelenskyy also reaffirmed his strong refusal to cede any territory, resisting US pressure for painful concessions to Russia as he moved ahead to rally more European support for his country. Following Trump’s claim that Moscow now has the “upper hand,” multiple officials reported that no new US or European assessments are suggesting there have been significant changes on the battlefield, and they don’t see any indications that Putin’s forces are likely to win the conflict quickly.

Story of the Day - Social Media Ban

What happened? Australia has banned children under 16 from social media in a world-first, as other countries consider similar age-based measures amid rising concerns over social media’s effects on children’s health and safety.

What’s the law? The ban, which came into effect at midnight local time on Wednesday (13:00 GMT on Tuesday), is aimed at protecting kids from highly addictive platforms and will affect nearly 86% of Australians between the ages of eight and 15. 

Ten of the biggest social media companies in the world—including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit, Kick, Twitch, and Facebook—are now required to institute age verification or face a fine of up to ~$32 million for repeated offences.

Social media platforms must now have age verification systems in place. The systems range from asking users to submit live video selfies or official documents to verifying via email.

The reactions. The law has been criticised by major technology companies and free speech campaigners, but praised by parents and child advocates. 77% of Australians support the ban, with proponents arguing it will decrease cyberbullying and help protect children’s mental health. Meanwhile, platform execs, free speech advocates, some parents, and young people claim the ban will jeopardise privacy and push kids to even more dangerous parts of the internet.

It’s spreading. Several other countries, like Norway, Denmark, Malaysia, Singapore, Greece, and Brazil, are among those who have said they're looking at Australia as a test case. The UK’s Ofcom also rolled out internet safety measures for teens online, listed here. 

The Senate of Pakistan also introduced a bill in July 2025 aimed at banning social media access for those under the age of 16. Some key concerns brought to the table included issues like cyberbullying, screentime addiction, inappropriate content, and more. However, the Senate decided to withdraw the bill after opposition from other ministries. It was dismissed as unrealistic, too strict, and nearly impossible to implement.

Pakistan

Power in numbers. Pakistan’s population has reached an estimated 257 million, placing it among the world’s most populous nations despite declining fertility and growth rates. The country faces a complex demographic transition, with a growth rate of 1.82% and a total fertility rate of 3.25, above the replacement level, ensuring continued population expansion amid low life expectancy, high child mortality, and strained public services. With a youthful population structure driving rising pressure on jobs, infrastructure, and services, experts warn that Pakistan must urgently improve health, education, and economic opportunities to avoid future instability.

Rain on my parade. Authorities used water cannons early Wednesday to disperse PTI protesters, including Imran Khan’s sisters, who were staging a sit-in outside Adiala jail after being denied a meeting with the former prime minister despite a court order permitting it. The PTI condemned the action as a human rights violation in cold weather, accusing the state of unlawfully blocking family access and keeping Imran isolated without medical visitation for 14 months. The sit-in began on Tuesday after repeated denied visits and escalating tensions between the party and authorities. 

Hopefully caving. The US Export-Import Bank has approved $1.25 billion in financing to support critical mineral mining at the Reko Diq copper-gold project in Balochistan, a joint venture between Barrick Gold and Pakistani stakeholders set to begin production in 2028. The US Embassy said the funding could enable up to $2 billion in US mining equipment and services, while generating an estimated 6,000 jobs in the US and 7,500 in Pakistan. The deal comes amid a renewed phase in US-Pakistan cooperation, following earlier agreements including a $500m MoU between US Strategic Metals and Pakistan’s FWO and the successful export of Pakistan’s first shipment of rare earth minerals to the US.

What Else Is Happening?

🗾A magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern coast on Monday, injuring more than two dozen people and prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for more than 100,000 people.

💰Amazon and Microsoft have announced a combined $52.5bn investment plan for India. Amazon announced today that it plans to invest $35 billion in India by 2030 to advance AI-driven digitisation, promote export growth, and foster job creation, a day after Microsoft committed $17.5 billion to strengthen the country's AI ecosystem.

🩶The price of silver has hit a record high of $60 per ounce on the spot market ahead of an expected US Federal Reserve interest rate cut, as demand from the technology industry for the precious metal remains high.