Seoul, third interim president in five months: ‘Stability until elections’

Today's news: Israel continues to bomb Gaza, dozens more dead; UN calls for end to embargo; US-Ukraine agreement on rare earths after Trump and Zelensky meeting in the Vatican; Raids by the Burmese military junta have killed eight more civilians despite the ceasefire; In Delhi, four people have died due to rain and strong winds, which have also disrupted flight operations.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea's third interim president in five months, Lee Ju-ho, has said he will ensure stable government until the 3 June elections, following the rapid resignation of the prime minister and finance minister. His task is to steer Asia's fourth-largest economy through political turmoil and the impact of US tariffs. In his current role, Lee must simultaneously serve as president, prime minister, deputy prime minister for economic affairs and education minister.

GAZA

Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 31 people, according to the Strip's civil defence agency, while the United Nations has called on Israel to lift the blockade imposed on the Palestinian territory since 2 March and allow humanitarian aid to enter. At least eight of them died in an Israeli attack that hit the Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza. Palestine is the most dangerous country in the world for journalists, with dozens of reporters killed.

MYANMAR

Bombs dropped by the coup military junta killed eight more people and wounded dozens in northwestern Myanmar's Sagaing region. The same junta had extended the ceasefire for humanitarian purposes until 30 April. Following an agreement with the rebel Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army in the northern state of Shan, the military has concentrated its attacks on other parts of the country, increasingly targeting the Mandalay and Sagaing regions.

INDIA

Four people died - three children and a woman - when a house collapsed in Delhi following heavy rain and strong winds. These phenomena also disrupted flight operations (three flights were diverted and over 100 flights were delayed) and interrupted traffic due to flooding in many parts of the city. According to IMD data, in the last three hours, the Safdarjung weather station, the city's main observatory, recorded 77 mm of rain and wind speeds reaching 70-80 km/h.

USA - UKRAINE - RUSSIA

After the historic meeting between the two leaders in the Vatican on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral, the United States and Ukraine have signed an agreement that will give Washington access to some of the natural resources - “rare earths” - of the war-torn country. Ukraine hopes this will cement US assistance as the country struggles to repel the Russian invasion. It will give the United States a 50% stake in all new oil, gas and mineral projects and infrastructure, which will be used to finance Ukrainian purchases of US weapons systems.

PHILIPPINES - CHINA

The Philippines has arrested a Chinese citizen for using a surveillance device near the country's election commission offices, less than two weeks before mid-term elections, further exacerbating tensions between the two countries. Relations between Manila and Beijing have become increasingly tense, with flags being flown on the disputed Sandy Cay islet in the South China Sea. The man, who holds a Macao passport, was using an ‘IMSI catcher’ to intercept messages within a radius of 1-3 kilometres.

IRAN - AZERBAIJAN

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkyan visited Azerbaijan, confirming Tehran's willingness to ‘strengthen partnership relations’ with all countries in the region, including Baku, overcoming old enmities, given the ‘current tense geopolitical situation’, and activating the North-South corridor with Russia.

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