It’s Tuesday, 13 October, and these are the updates for you.

Firstly, an 18-year-old youth in Kedah was allegedly tortured to death after a group of suspects accused him of stealing a motorcycle.

Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said the victim was allegedly detained at a house after being caught in Pendang on 5 October.

Police believe he was held for two days, during which he was beaten and tortured. His hair was also reportedly cut.

The youth was found dead inside the house on the night of 7 October. His body was later dumped by the roadside along Jalan Harvard in Gurun.

A post-mortem examination found that he died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Police believe the suspects acted out of anger following complaints from residents that the victim had stolen a motorcycle.

The case has raised serious concerns over vigilante violence. An allegation of theft does not justify violence, and criminal accusations must be dealt with through the proper legal process.

Secondly, Tabung Haji has restored its main systems and services following a cyberattack on 8 October, although several online functions remain unavailable.

The pilgrimage fund said services resumed after security inspections, system recovery work and additional measures to strengthen its systems.

Branches in Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan reopened on Sunday, while branches in other states continued operating as usual. Services through Tabung Haji’s strategic banking partners have also been restored.

However, three functions on its THiJARI online platform remain unavailable: password resets, registration of new users and online account openings.

Tabung Haji said further recovery work was needed before these functions could resume.

The organisation has reported the incident to the police and notified the National Cyber Security Agency, or NACSA, and the Personal Data Protection Department.

It has also assured depositors that their savings remain safe and urged anyone who notices unusual account activity to contact Tabung Haji directly.

Thirdly, Genting Bhd shares plunged nearly 23 per cent on Monday following its announcement of a RM1.25 billion fundraising plan.

The shares fell 43 sen to close at RM1.45, their lowest level since April 2007.

The company plans to raise the funds through a rights issue, with the proceeds intended to repay RM800 million in short-term borrowings and support working capital.

The fundraising comes as Genting faces mounting debt and weaker profitability. Its total borrowings stood at RM45.3 billion at the end of June, while the company reported a net loss for the second quarter.

Investors are also weighing the potential impact of the rights issue on earnings per share and future dividends.

The sharp decline reflects concerns over the company’s financial position and the potential dilution of existing shareholders’ interests as it seeks to strengthen its balance sheet.

Fourthly, the Women’s Aid Organisation, or WAO, is calling for femicide to be formally recognised under Malaysian law following a series of killings involving women and girls across the country.

The organisation says these deaths should not be treated as isolated incidents, but examined through a broader understanding of gender-based violence.

WAO is also calling for a systematic mechanism to record, monitor and analyse killings motivated by gender.

Cases reported between January and October include incidents in Batu Pahat, Butterworth, Kepong, Kulim, Ketereh, Kuantan and Yong Peng.

Among the recent cases were the deaths of a 19-year-old woman in Kuantan and a 16-year-old schoolgirl in Yong Peng, Johor.

The call puts renewed focus on how authorities identify patterns of violence against women, strengthen prevention measures and ensure victims receive adequate protection.

Fifthly, Malaysia will raise the issue of transboundary haze at an ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting ahead of the bloc’s summit next month.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said he would personally bring the matter to his regional counterparts as Malaysia seeks more effective ways to address the recurring problem.

He said existing ASEAN mechanisms for natural disasters do not specifically cover haze, which continues to affect countries across the region.

Forest and land fires in Indonesia have contributed to worsening air quality in Malaysia and Singapore, with unhealthy pollution levels prompting school closures in several Malaysian states.

Mohamad said firefighting efforts in Indonesia had been complicated by poor visibility, difficult access to affected areas and limited conditions for cloud seeding. He added that Indonesia had deployed personnel on the ground to tackle the fires.

The upcoming discussions will focus on strengthening regional cooperation and developing more effective mechanisms to respond to haze that crosses national borders.

Sixthly, the Health Ministry will propose offering permanent positions to contract dental officers and pharmacists, following the government’s announcement of permanent posts for medical doctors.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the proposal would be submitted to the Finance Ministry and Cabinet for consideration.

He said the ministry would pursue the move within a reasonable timeframe, using an approach similar to the one adopted to address the issue of contract medical officers.

The proposed appointments would use a new quota separate from the 9,000 permanent medical doctor positions announced under Budget 2027.

The move comes amid ongoing concerns about career stability and the welfare of contract healthcare workers, including reports of dental officers whose contracts ended without renewal.

The proposal aims to provide a clearer career pathway for dental and pharmacy officers, although the appointments will depend on the government’s consideration of the recommendation.

Moving to Penang, the Penang Goes Orange 2026 campaign is calling for safer and more responsible digital spaces, with a particular focus on online sexual violence and cyberbullying.

This year’s campaign carries the theme “L.E.A.P.: Learn, Empathise, Act and Partner”, encouraging individuals, communities and organisations to play an active role in preventing online abuse.

Penang Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said building a safer digital environment was a shared responsibility.

The campaign highlights how online harassment and sexual violence can have real-world consequences for victims, while encouraging people to respond responsibly rather than remain bystanders.

An action plan to address online sexual violence and cyberbullying is expected to be launched alongside the campaign’s official launch in December.

Since its introduction in 2014, Penang Goes Orange has worked to raise awareness of violence against women and children and promote safer environments for the wider community.

Finally, the number of people living in multidimensional poverty worldwide has increased for the first time since the global index was introduced in 2010.

The 2026 update by the United Nations Development Programme and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative estimates that 1.2 billion people are now living in acute multidimensional poverty.

That is an increase of 51.5 million people compared with the previous update on a comparable basis.

More than half of those affected are children, while 83 per cent live in rural areas.

Unlike measures based solely on income, the index examines overlapping disadvantages in health, education and living standards, including access to essential services such as clean water and electricity.

The report also points to uneven progress. While some countries have significantly reduced multidimensional poverty, others have experienced setbacks.

The findings highlight the challenge of addressing poverty beyond income alone, particularly as millions continue to face multiple forms of deprivation at the same time.

And that’s your morning brief for today.

Stay informed, stay ahead.