The Indian army attacks Pakistan: at least 26 civilians killed, 46 injured

Today’s headlines: the Burmese junta extends the ceasefire due to the earthquake (so far never respected); In Turkey, popular support grows for Imamoglu in a hypothetical two-man race against Erdogan for the presidency; Seoul’s High Court postpones the trial of presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung; Nepal among the countries in the world where climate change “inaction” is most evident; Bangkok closes a popular tourist site near the Laos border due to armed clashes.

PAKISTAN - INDIA
Overnight, India attacked at least nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir across six different locations, in the worst fighting between the two nuclear-armed countries in more than two decades. Delhi claims it struck nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites, some of which are linked to an Islamist militant attack on Hindu tourists that killed 26 people in Indian Kashmir last month. According to Islamabad, none of the targets hit were militant camps, and the toll is 26 civilians killed and 46 injured. Yesterday afternoon, seven Pakistani army soldiers were killed when their vehicle was deliberately struck by an improvised explosive device in the province of Balochistan. The military attributed the attack to the Baloch Liberation Army, claiming it too is connected to the Indian “enemy” amid heightened tensions. The BLA is the strongest among a number of insurgent groups operating in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran.

MYANMAR
Myanmar’s junta has extended the temporary ceasefire — so far never respected, with repeated attacks even in earthquake-devastated areas — until May 31 to support reconstruction efforts. The March 28 earthquake killed at least 3,700 people and destroyed entire areas. In recent weeks, military aircraft and artillery have continued to strike rebel groups and civilians.

TURKEY
Popular support for Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul whose arrest triggered the largest protests in the past decade, has increased compared to current president — and rival — Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This is according to two recent polls by the reputable Metropoll and Konda organizations, which show that since March 19, the day of his detention, support for the opposition’s presidential candidate has risen. Imamoglu now leads Erdogan by a wide margin (46.7% to 39.3%) in a hypothetical two-man contest, although the election is scheduled for 2028.

SOUTH KOREA
The High Court has postponed the first hearing in the case involving an alleged offense committed by leading presidential candidate, liberal Lee Jae-myung, to June 18 — two weeks after the scheduled election date. The judges wanted to ensure he could run freely, thus delaying the trial, originally set for May 15.

NEPAL
Nepal is among the countries where global climate inaction is most evident, with melting glaciers, irregular weather patterns, and increasing climate-induced disasters, including heavy rains, floods, and landslides. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, it is among the hardest-hit nations. From mid-2018 to mid-2024, 32,375 incidents were recorded, with climate-related events accounting for 91.2% of them, resulting in 3,672 deaths, 446 missing persons, and another 11,752 injured.

THAILAND - LAOS
A rare armed clash in Laos, possibly linked to drug smuggling, has forced Thailand to close the popular mountain viewpoint of Phu Chi Fa, near the border. The area, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, is now off-limits to the public and the U.S. Embassy has issued a warning. Disturbances in Laos are sporadic; the country is part of the Golden Triangle, which includes Myanmar and serves as a hub for Southeast Asia's drug trafficking.

RUSSIA - IRAN
The number of Iranian students in Russian universities has suddenly increased, with nearly 10,000 this year compared to 6,500 in 2023. All are bound by a ban on studying in Western countries, so they primarily enroll in medical faculties, even without speaking Russian, due to the severe shortage of healthcare workers in Iran.

UZBEKISTAN
In Uzbekistan, elections for the makhally (local councils) will take place throughout May and continue until July. Citizens will vote in over 9,500 cities and towns out of approximately 10,000 nationwide, across 14 regions and 208 provinces. The elections are supported by an intensive informational campaign about candidate lists, financed directly by the central government, with specific training courses for candidates.