Business
Asahi ransomware attack: Personal data potentially stolen
Personal data may have been stolen in the ransomware attack that forced Asahi to halt beer production, the company has said.
Japan’s biggest brewer was forced to pause operations at most of its 30 factories in the country after a cyber-attack late last month disrupted everything from beer shipments to its accounting system.
All of Asahi’s facilities have now partially reopened and restarted production but computer systems remain down, meaning orders are being processed using pen, paper and fax machines.
In a statement on Tuesday, Asahi said it was investigating whether personal information was stolen in the attack.
The company said its Emergency Response Headquarters were working with cybersecurity experts to “restore the system as quickly as possible”, and will contact those affected by the hack.
“As we continue investigating the extent and details of the impact, focusing on the systems targeted in the recent attack, we have identified the possibility that personal information may have been subject to unauthorised data transfer,” it said.
“Should the investigation confirm this, we will promptly notify those concerned and take appropriate measures in accordance with applicable laws on the protection of personal information.”
It remains unclear what personal information was stolen, and Asahi declined to provide more detail as the matter is currently under investigation.
Asahi Group also owns Fullers in the UK and global brands including Peroni, Grolsch, and Pilsner Urquell. But Asahi said only its systems and operations in Japan – which account for around half of its sales – have been affected by the attack.
Asahi apologised for “any difficulties” caused by the incident.
The company also said it would delay the disclosure of its third-quarter financial results, citing the disruption caused by the attack.
The disclosure would be more than 45 days after the end of the October to December quarter, Asahi said, but when exactly would depend on the progress of restoring its system.
Russia-based ransomware group Qilin claimed responsibility for the attack, which has previously hacked other big organisations, including the NHS.
The cyber-attack is the latest to have hit operations at major firms.
Jaguar Land Rover, Marks and Spencer, and Co-op are among the major British companies that have been affected this year.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has reported a record rise in “nationally significant” cyber-attacks in the last year, with an average of four happening every week.
They urged businesses to take “concrete action” to protect themselves from attacks.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has approved a fresh increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), raising the cost for both domestic consumers and commercial users.
According to the notification issued, the LPG price has been increased by Rs7.39 per kilogram, setting the new rate at Rs209 per kg for December. As a result, the price of a domestic LPG cylinder has risen by Rs87.21, bringing the new price to Rs2,466.10.
In November, the price of LPG stood at Rs201 per kg, while the domestic cylinder was priced at Rs2,378.89.
The latest price hike is expected to put additional pressure on households already grappling with rising living costs nationwide.
Business
Private sector data: Over 2 lakh private companies closed in 5 years; govt flags monitoring for suspicious cases – The Times of India
NEW DELHI: The government on Monday said that over the past five years, more than two lakh private companies have been closed in India.According to data provided by Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, a total of 2,04,268 private companies were shut down between 2020-21 and 2024-25 due to amalgamation, conversion, dissolution or being struck off from official records under the Companies Act, 2013.Regarding the rehabilitation of employees from these closed companies, the minister said there is currently no proposal before the government, as reported by PTI. In the same period, 1,85,350 companies were officially removed from government records, including 8,648 entities struck off till July 16 this fiscal year. Companies can be removed from records if they are inactive for long periods or voluntarily after fulfilling regulatory requirements.On queries about shell companies and their potential use in money laundering, Malhotra highlighted that the term “shell company” is not defined under the Companies Act, 2013. However, he added that whenever suspicious instances are reported, they are shared with other government agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department for monitoring.A major push to remove inactive companies took place in 2022-23, when 82,125 companies were struck off during a strike-off drive by the corporate affairs ministry.The minister also highlighted the government’s broader policy to simplify and rationalize the tax system. “It is the stated policy of the government to gradually phase out exemptions and deductions while rationalising tax rates to create a simple, transparent, and equitable tax regime,” he said. He added that several reforms have been undertaken to promote investment and ease of doing business, including substantial reductions in corporate tax rates for existing and new domestic companies.
Pakistan’s textile exports surged to $6.4 billion during the first four months of the 2025-26 fiscal year, marking the highest trade volume for the sector in this period.
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), value-added textile sectors were key contributors to the growth.
Knitwear exports reached $1.9 billion, while ready-made garments contributed $1.4 billion.
Significant increases were observed across several commodities: cotton yarn exports rose 7.74% to $238.9 million, and raw cotton exports jumped 100%, reaching $2.6 million from zero exports the previous year.
Other notable gains included tents, canvas, and tarpaulins, up 32.34% to $53.48 million, while ready-made garments increased 5.11% to $1.43 billion.
Exports of made-up textile articles, excluding towels and bedwear, rose 4.17%, totaling $274.75 million.
The report also mentioned that the growth in textile exports is a result of improved global demand and stability in the value of the Pakistani rupee.
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