Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, election night in the US, updates from Gaza, and Canada plans to spend big. Locally, the government readies 5G rollout policy, snowfall hits KP as rain disrupts life, and Italy returns stolen artifacts.

☕ Grab your chaye, let’s go.

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Around The World

The man, the myth. Zohran Mamdani has won the mayoral election in New York City, according to projections, defeating independent Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani, who calls himself a democratic socialist, will become the city’s first Muslim mayor. He has drawn liberal voters with plans for free childcare, free bus transport, and a rent freeze affecting roughly one million rent-regulated New Yorkers. 

Democratic candidates are also securing wins in other key races, including the gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia. Voters in California have approved new congressional maps that could flip as many as five Republican-held House seats to Democratic control in the 2026 midterm elections. Get the key takeaways from election night here.

Meanwhile, the US government shutdown has entered its 36th day, breaking the record as the longest ever and disrupting the lives of millions of Americans with federal program cuts, flight delays, and federal workers without paychecks.

Update from Gaza. The Israeli army has launched raids and intensive artillery shelling while carrying out demolitions in southern Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas has recovered and handed over the body of an Israeli captive, which Israel confirmed, but hasn’t yet verified the identity. Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Israeli authorities have also rejected 23 requests from 9 aid agencies to bring in essential shelter materials, such as tents, sealing kits, bedding, and blankets. 

Additionally, the Trump administration is working on a UN Security Council resolution to deploy a multinational force to Gaza to uphold the US-brokered ceasefire deal. The details of a temporary security force in charge of demilitarizing Gaza and training a new Palestinian police force are under discussion as part of the work on the resolution, in which US troops would not be part of the force on the ground in Gaza, instead operating in a coordination role outside of the territory.

Big money. Canada's PM Mark Carney has put forward his first federal budget, which lays out an ambitious plan to transform Canada's economy and deal with the challenge of US tariffs. Billed as an investment budget by the government, the fiscal plan increases Canada's deficit to C$78bn ($55.3bn), the second largest in history. The budget does outline cuts, however, including slashing the size of the federal workforce by some 10% in the coming years. 

The spending is offset by plans to attract C$1tn of investment into Canada over the next five years, with the federal government arguing that more restrained spending would eliminate vital social programmes and funding for Canada's future. Read more on the key takeaways from the budget here. 

All ears. Venezuela’s government has started encouraging citizens to spy on each other by using a mobile application to report suspicious people or activities, while being faced with the prospect of armed conflict with the US. The software, called VenApp, was originally launched by Venezuelan President Maduro in 2022 as a hybrid application, integrating a messaging service with a helpline for people to report issues with utility services.  Now it is being used as a tool for Venezuelans to inform the government of anything that it might consider rebellious or disloyal.

Pakistan

New connections. Pakistan will soon unveil its long-awaited 5G spectrum policy to enhance digital connectivity and modernize telecom services, Minister for IT Shaza Fatima announced, adding that the plan includes auctioning over 600 MHz of spectrum to improve 3G and 4G services and introduce 5G, alongside new frameworks for telecom infrastructure sharing and satellite Internet. The government is also finalizing a “Smartphones for All” policy to boost digital inclusion. 

White out. Heavy rain and the season’s first snowfall lashed several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday, killing one man and injuring another after a decaying tree fell on a van in Lower Dir. The downpour, hailstorm, and strong winds damaged crops, disrupted power supply, and blocked major roads, including the Peshawar-Chitral route. 

Upper regions such as Swat, Kaghan, and Kohistan received significant snowfall, drawing tourists, while residents in higher altitudes began migrating to lower areas due to plunging temperatures. The PMD forecast continued rain and snowfall in the coming days, urging caution for travelers and residents in hilly areas.

Friendship contracts. Pakistan and Iran on Tuesday signed five Memorandums of Understanding to enhance cooperation in broadcasting, digital media, and cultural exchange between Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB and Pakistani institutions, including PTV and PEMRA. The agreements focus on joint content production, training, and regulatory collaboration to promote shared cultural values and strengthen people-to-people ties. 

Lost & found. Italy has returned ancient artifacts stolen from Pakistan’s Balochistan province, dating back about 5,000 years to the Kuli and Naal Bronze Age sites, in what the Pakistani embassy in Rome called an “excellent bilateral cooperation.” The recovered items, seized by Italian authorities after being smuggled abroad, arrived in Pakistan on October 30, following a handover in Rome. Nearly 100 such artifacts have been returned over the past 18 years, underscoring both nations’ shared commitment to preserving cultural heritage.

What Else Is Happening?

🇺🇲 Dick Cheney, arguably one of the most powerful and influential US vice presidents in history, passed away Tuesday at the age of 84. He was also one of the most forceful and outspoken proponents for regime change in Iraq – perhaps his most lasting, and darkest, legacy.

🌀 Typhoon Kalmaegi killed at least 66 people in the Philippines, with heavy rains and floods across the central region of the country. The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, routinely striking disaster-prone areas where millions of people live in poverty.

👎 Scale AI and the Center for AI Safety published the Remote Labor Index, a new benchmark that tests AI models on real freelance projects, revealing that even the top systems complete less than 3% of tasks at professional human standards.