Islamabad under lockdown as protesters call for Imran Khan’s release

In today’s newsletter:

• Protesters descend on Islamabad

• Huawei’s new homegrown smartphone software

• An interview with India’s central bank chief

Good morning. Pakistan has put its capital under lockdown as thousands of supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan march towards the city to demand his release.

Protesters from across the country are descending on Islamabad in support of Khan, who remains a widely popular figure in Pakistan and was imprisoned last year on corruption charges.

One police officer was killed and dozens of others were injured in clashes with protesters loyal to Khan, who has been acquitted or received bail in five cases, but faces criminal charges in more than 100 others, ranging from graft to terrorism, according to his party.

Khan has denied all of the charges, which his supporters say are politically motivated.

The latest protests pose a fresh threat to the legitimacy of the military-backed government. They are also the largest demonstrations in the country since elections in February, when candidates loyal to the former prime minister’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party won the most seats but were blocked from power by the military and traditional dynastic parties.

Humza Jilani reports from Islamabad on the rising political tensions.

Here’s what else we’re keeping tabs on today:

• Economic data: Singapore publishes the industrial production index for October.

• Meetings: The China International Supply Chain Expo begins in Beijing and the Apac Wind Energy Summit opens in Seoul.

• Results: Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast reports earnings.

Five more top stories

1. Huawei is poised to launch its first flagship phone that can run its own apps on a fully homegrown operating system, in the latest sign of how technology is splintering into competing US and Chinese ecosystems. The Mate 70 smartphone, which launches today, will feature HarmonyOS Next, which the Chinese company hopes to establish as a major rival to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.

2. French oil major TotalEnergies has suspended fresh investments in joint energy projects with the Adani Group and said the Indian conglomerate had not informed it of a US corruption probe even as the companies pursued deals together. Total is one of Adani’s high-profile foreign partners on several Indian renewable energy projects, though these were not specifically targeted in the US investigation. 

3. The US Department of Justice is seeking to drop two federal criminal cases against Donald Trump, abandoning its historic attempts to prosecute the former president after voters sent him back to the White House for another term. DoJ special counsel Jack Smith cited a long-standing policy against indicting and prosecuting a sitting president. Here are the cases that are set to be dismissed.

4. Israeli officials say a deal to end the fighting with Hizbollah could be finalised “within days”, as US diplomats work to broker a ceasefire agreement that would end more than a year of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group. Here’s what we know about the proposed deal.

5. A pro-Russia, far-right politician has won the first round of Romania’s presidential elections, dealing a major blow to the country’s political establishment. Călin Georgescu, who has praised Romania’s fascist wartime leaders and campaigned on a protectionist platform, will take part in a run-off vote in two weeks. Read more about Romania’s “political earthquake”.

Interview: RBI chief Shaktikanta Das

Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das has defended the country’s economic resilience, saying it was “well placed” to handle global shocks as the spectre of protectionism and trade wars looms during Donald Trump’s second term as US president.

We’re also reading . . . 

• Northvolt dilemma: The Swedish battery group’s fall has left Europe struggling over how to recraft its electric vehicle strategy to compete with China.

• Nato and Trump: Can Europe defend itself without American assistance? Replacing US military heft will not be easy if the president-elect pulls support for the alliance.

• Techno-libertarians: Silicon Valley billionaires are selling a dream of unfettered markets — but reality is not so certain, writes Rana Foroohar.

Chart of the day

The US dollar weakened and Treasuries rallied yesterday as the nomination of Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary eased investor fears over Donald Trump’s trade tariff plans. Here’s what Bessent has said about the president-elect’s tariff pledges.

Take a break from the news

China’s chess world champion Ding Liren, who had not won a classical game since January, stunned India’s Dommaraju Gukesh in the opening round of their 14-game, $2.5mn title match. Leonard Barden reports on the championship showdown in Singapore.