Philippines: Midterm Election Day

Today's news: Hamas announces it will release an Israeli-American hostage; In South Korea, the presidential election campaign begins ahead of the 3 June vote; The ceasefire between India and Pakistan holds, with both sides now facing decisions about their next moves; The Taliban ban chess and dismiss hundreds of university professors.

PHILIPPINES

Polling stations opened today in the Philippines for midterm congressional elections, following months of tension between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the family of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte’s daughter, Sara, currently serves as vice president and is under trial for a series of charges that could prevent her from running for the presidency in the future. The campaign has been shaped by issues such as rising living costs and the “reciprocal” tariffs backed by the Donald Trump administration. Voting operations were marred by violence in Silay City, in the province of Negros Occidental, where two people were killed and five others injured in a shooting outside the campaign headquarters of a mayoral candidate.

MIDDLE EAST WAR

Hamas today announced it would release an Israeli-American prisoner held in Gaza, following direct talks with the US administration. “Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, a US citizen, will be released as part of the measures adopted to achieve a ceasefire, reopen border crossings, and deliver aid and relief to our people in the Gaza Strip,” the group stated yesterday.

SOUTH KOREA

The presidential election campaign began today in South Korea ahead of the 3 June vote, following the dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol by the Supreme Court. Opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung appears to be the frontrunner; the legal proceedings against him have been suspended until after the election. His conservative rival, Kim Moon-soo, launched his campaign in a wholesale public market in Seoul, dining with traders and pledging to revive small businesses amid a slowing economy.

INDIA – PAKISTAN

Despite initial mutual accusations of ceasefire violations, India and Pakistan have ended hostilities, with no explosions reported after four days of clashes. Military officials from both countries are believed to have met today to determine next steps toward restoring calm in the disputed Kashmir region. Pakistan has not released any details, in contrast to India, which had announced the meeting in recent days.

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban authorities have banned chess across Afghanistan, citing concerns that it falls under gambling activities, which are prohibited under sharia law. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have continued to impose strict bans on the population. Recently, they also dismissed hundreds of university professors in key provinces such as Kabul, Herat, and Bamiyan.

KAZAKHSTAN – SAUDI ARABIA

Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia are currently engaged in a market dispute over oil prices, which have recently dropped to their lowest levels in four years due to increased Saudi production. This move conflicts with Kazakhstan’s interests, as the country refuses to comply with OPEC+ quotas—an issue that has previously led to “black gold” price wars, in which the Saudis have typically prevailed.

RUSSIA – UKRAINE

Ukraine’s security services have arrested two agents from a Hungarian spy network operating on Ukrainian territory. Their mission was to gather intelligence on military defences in the border region of Transcarpathia, identifying weak points on both land and air, and exploring ways to influence the political opinions of the local population.

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