China's domestic tourism surpasses pre-Covid levels, travel up 20 percent

Today's headlines: Manipur issues "shoot on sight" order to curb violence between ethnic groups; Bloody day in Pakistan with 16 killed, including seven teachers; May 7 Arab League foreign ministers ready to normalize relations with Damascus, isolated Qatar; Fires in northern Laos have burned half the forest land. 

CHINA
China's domestic tourism surpassed pre-pandemic levels during the five-day break associated with the May Day holiday. According to the Ministry of Tourism, 274 million trips were recorded, a figure about 20 percent higher than in 2019 last year before the closures imposed by Covid-19. Tourists spent about billion, more than double the 2022 figure.

INDIA
After a curfew, authorities in the northeastern XD Indian state of Manipur issued a "shoot on sight" order in response to violence between ethnic groups that erupted in recent days, with damage to property and assets. Governor Anusuiya Uikey ordered the use of arms, authorized by law only "in extreme cases," in an effort to "maintain public order and tranquility." 

MYANMAR
Due to fighting between the military and the People's Defense Forces (in addition to ethnic militias) there were 680,000 new internally displaced persons from January to April, according to ISP-Myanmar data. Since the February 2021 coup, more than 2.6 million people have fled their homes. Added to this is the continuing exodus of Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh, India, and Thailand.

PAKISTAN - AFGHANISTAN
It was a day of bloodshed yesterday in Pakistan, with 16 casualties including six military personnel. In the first attack claimed by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (Ttp), soldiers engaged in a firefight with "terrorists" in North Waziristan, on the border with Afghanistan, killing three. In Kurram district, gunmen stormed a school, seven teachers killed belonging to the Shiite minority.

SYRIA - M. EAST
Foreign ministers of Arab League countries will meet May 7 in Cairo to discuss the return of Syria-suspended in 2011-and the normalization of relations with Bashar al-Assad, as well as talk about the conflict in Sudan. Some nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have changed their approach toward Damascus, others including Qatar remain opposed to full return.

LAOS
Fires in parts of northern Laos have burned up to half of the forest land. The fires have affected hilly and remote areas that are difficult for firefighting teams without modern firefighting equipment to reach. The phenomenon has been going on for weeks and is fueled by above-average dry weather, particularly in Luang Prabang, Xayabury and Oudomxay provinces.

RUSSIA
One of the consequences of Western sanctions is the collapse of road safety in Russia, where there is a more than 80 percent increase in serious accidents, lack of spare parts for foreign cars and having to buy Russian cars of antiquated technology. Industry experts believe the situation is likely to worsen as the car fleet ages.

ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN
A protest demonstration was held in front of the government building in Yerevan, led by dozens of relatives of those killed in the war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh and borders. Demonstrators called for the resignation of Premier Nikol Pašinyan accused of weakness in defending territories and soldiers, and plan to sue him for treason to the homeland.

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