Daily Strategic Briefing

UN Cybercrime Treaty wins dozens of signatories, to go with its many critics

Allows surveillance and cross-border evidence sharing, which worries human rights groups The United Nations on Saturday staged a signing ceremony for the Convention against Cybercrime, the world’s first agreement to combat online crime. And while 72 nations picked up the pen, critics continue to point out the convention’s flaws.…

Australia sues Microsoft for misleading Microsoft 365 users about Copilot subscription options

PLUS: China demotes tech self-sufficiency goal; Alibaba Cloud quietly quits VMware; India demands deepfake labels; and more! Asia In Brief  Australia’s Competition & Consumer Commission on Monday commenced legal proceedings against Microsoft for allegedly misleading users of its Microsoft 365 bundle.…

Shaq's new ride gets jaq'ed in haq attaq

PLUS: Judge spanks NSO; Mozilla requires data use disclosures; TARmageddon meets Rust; And more! Infosec In Brief  Former basketball star Shaquille O'Neal is 7'1" (215 cm), and therefore uses car customization companies to modify vehicles to fit his frame. But it appears cybercriminals have targeted Shaq’s preferred motor-modder.…

MPs urge government to stop Britain's phone theft wave through tech

Committee says Apple, Google, and Samsung could render stolen handsets worthless if compelled to act The UK's Home Secretary should use her powers to push the tech industry to deploy stronger technical measures against the surge in phone thefts, according to a House of Commons committee.…

Berkeley boffins build better load balancing algo with AI

One way AI can improve on human work Computer scientists at UC Berkeley say that AI models show promise as a way to discover and optimize algorithms.…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 begins in less than 24 hours — catch our last ticket deals

Summary:

The countdown is almost over — tomorrow’s the day! In less than 24 hours, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 takes over Moscone West. From October 27–29, 10,000 founders, investors, and innovators will flood San Francisco for three days of building, connecting, and deal-making. We’re just days away from live demos of never-before-seen tech and high-stakes pitches as […]

OpenAI reportedly developing new generative music tool

Summary:

Such a tool could be used to add music to existing videos, or to add guitar accompaniment to an existing vocal track, sources said.

High school’s AI security system confuses Doritos bag for a possible firearm

Summary:

A high school student in Baltimore County, Maryland was reportedly handcuffed and searched after an AI security system flagged his bag of chips as a possible firearm.

Who are AI browsers for?

Summary:

OpenAI launched an AI-powered browser this week, but it feels like it offers a slight efficiency gain at best.

The glaring security risks with AI browser agents

Summary:

New AI browsers from OpenAI and Perplexity promise to increase user productivity, but they also come with increased security risks.

L Catterton invests in Pune-based healthcare chain Healing Hands Clinic

The deal will give Healing Hands access to L Catterton’s global experience in building consumer healthcare businesses and support its plans to expand beyond its current network of 36 clinics across 14 cities.

Zepto raises $450M led by CalPERS, now valued at $7B

The round was led by US-based pension fund CalPERS). Existing investor Avenir, Avra, Lightspeed, Glade Brook, The Stepstone Group and Nexus Venture Partners have also participated.

Gen AI-driven English speaking platform SpeakX secures $16M in pre-Series B funding

The Gurugram-headquartered company’s funding round was led by WestBridge Capital, with participation from Elevation Capital and Goodwater Capital.

Enterprise AI firm Uniphore secures $260M from NVIDIA, AMD, others

Uniphore’s latest round, which also included investors such as NEA, March Capital, BNF Capital, National Grid Partners, and Prosperity7 Ventures, maintained the company’s $2.5 billion valuation from its previous funding round in 2022.

Kuku raises $85M in Series C round led by Granite Asia

The company intends to use the newly raised funds to strengthen the firm’s AI and data infrastructure, expand talent pool across technology and content, and deepen creator partnerships as well as accelerate scaling.

Hindustan Copper Rises 2% on Record Global Copper Prices

Hindustan Copper gains over 2% as global copper prices hit record high. Source: ScoutQuest

NCC Gains 2% on ₹6,829 Cr Order Win

NCC shares increased by over 2% after securing a Rs 6,829 crore order from Central Coalfields. Source: ScoutQuest

Aditya Birla AMC Launches Arbitrage Plus Fund Under Apex AIF

Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC unveils new AIF products under Apex, starting with Arbitrage Plus Fund. The rollout will be followed by a Long-Short Fund, as per a concall update. Source: Livesquawk

Aditya Birla Sun Life Gains SEBI Nod for Apex Brand, Files 2 New Products

Aditya Birla Sun Life gets SEBI nod for Apex brand and files 2 products. This marks a strategic expansion in their product portfolio. Source: Livesquawk

Aditya Birla Sun Life Plans to Double Real Estate Portfolio by FY-End

Aditya Birla Sun Life aims to double its real estate portfolio by fiscal year-end. Concall update signals strong growth expectations for the company. Source: Livesquawk

Thailand Import Growth at 4-Month High

Country: Thailand, Description: Imports to Thailand surged 17.1% yoy in September 2025, accelerating from a 15.8% growth in the prior month and topping market consensus of 10.6%. It was the 16th straight month of increase in purchases and the steepest pace since May.

Thailand Export Growth Hits 42-Month High

Country: Thailand, Description: Thailand’s exports surged 19% year-on-year to USD 30.97 billion in September 2025, marking the fastest pace of growth since March 2022. The figure was up sharply from a 5.8% increase in August and far exceeded market expectations of a 9% rise. Stronger shipments largely drove the acceleration to the United States, which jumped 35.3% year-on-year, compared with 12.8% in the previous month.

Brazil Eyes Quick Trade Accord with U.S.

Country: Brazil, Description: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump had "guaranteed" a forthcoming trade deal between the two nations, following their recent meeting. Speaking at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, Lula said talks with Trump went well and predicted an agreement would be reached "faster than anyone thinks." This comes amid heightened tensions, as the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods in response to the sentencing of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Lula criticized the U.S. actions as "incorrect" but expressed openness to dialogue, saying he was willing to discuss any issue with Trump and even offer assistance on matters related to Venezuela.

Thailand Trade Surplus Widens in September

Country: Thailand, Description: Thailand's trade surplus widened to USD 1.28 billion in September 2025, up from USD 0.39 billion in the same month last year and surpassing expectations of USD 0.35 billion, as exports grew more than imports. Exports surged 19% year-on-year, accelerating sharply from a 5.8% rise in August, marking the fastest pace since March 2022 and far above market forecasts of a 9% gain. Imports climbed 17.2% yoy, after a 15.8% rise in August, marking the fastest pace since May, and exceeding expectations of a 10.6% increase.

US 10-Year Yield Edges Higher

Country: United States, Description: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note climbed to around 4.03% on Monday, reaching its highest level in over a week as investors braced a closely watched meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping and a key Federal Reserve policy decision this week. Markets are hopeful for a trade breakthrough at Thursday’s Trump-Xi meeting after productive weekend discussions between US and Chinese negotiators, who reportedly resolved several contentious issues including export controls, fentanyl, and shipping levies. Meanwhile, traders have nearly fully priced in a quarter-point rate cut following softer-than-expected inflation data on Friday, though the ongoing government shutdown continues to weigh on sentiment.

Milei wins big in Argentina midterms after U.S. bailout

Summary: President's party secured 41% of votes, a stunning reversal from September defeat that triggered market turmoil and $40 billion rescue., Description: President Javier Milei achieved a decisive political victory in Argentina's midterm legislative elections Sunday, with his La Libertad Avanza party securing approximately 41% of the nationwide vote and positioning to more than double its congressional representation. The results marked a dramatic comeback from a September defeat that had triggered market turmoil and forced the libertarian leader...

Navy jet, helicopter crash in South China Sea

Summary: Two aircraft from USS Nimitz went down within 30 minutes of each other, but all five crew members were rescued safely., Description: Two US Navy aircraft operating from the USS Nimitz crashed in separate incidents within 30 minutes of each other in the South China Sea on Sunday, with all five crew members successfully rescued and reported in stable condition. The first crash occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time when an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the "Battle Cats" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron...

Russia claims successful test of nuclear-powered missile

Summary: Putin says the Burevestnik cruise missile flew 14,000 kilometers for 15 hours, but Western experts question its reliability and strategic value., Description: Russia announced Sunday it has successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, with President Vladimir Putin declaring the weapon ready for deployment as Moscow escalates nuclear rhetoric amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine. The test, conducted on October 21, saw the missile travel 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) and remain airborne for 15 hours on nuclear power, according to...

US troops may miss pay by Nov. 15 if shutdown continues

Summary: Treasury Secretary Bessent warns military personnel could miss paychecks as the 26-day government shutdown becomes the second-longest in US history., Description: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Sunday that American military personnel will miss paychecks by November 15 if the federal government shutdown continues, marking a critical deadline as the funding crisis enters its fourth week. Speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation" from Malaysia, where he is accompanying President Trump on an Asia trip, Bessent said the administration has exhausted most...

Russia launches 1,200 drones, 1,360 bombs in one week

Summary: Zelensky disclosed the attacks as another deadly Russian drone strike on Kyiv killed three people and injured at least 33., Description: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed the staggering scale of Russian aggression against his country, disclosing that Moscow deployed nearly 1,200 attack drones, more than 1,360 guided aerial bombs, and over 50 missiles in just one week targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas. The revelation came as another deadly Russian drone attack struck Kyiv overnight, killing...