India: 26 dead in attack on tourists in Kashmir

Today's news: Prabowo's government is considering (amid controversy) the possibility of declaring Suharto an Indonesian national hero; In South Korea, four candidates have been chosen for the conservative primaries; Trump will visit the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in May for the first of his official visits; 84% of the world's coral reefs have now been bleached due to global warming; Kazakhstan is looking for rare earths in Afghanistan.

INDIA

A terrorist attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir has killed 26 people, mostly tourists. The attack took place in the scenic meadow of Baisaran, a popular tourist spot near Pahalgam, also known as ‘Little Switzerland’. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. An insurgency has been ongoing for decades in the Muslim-majority region, but yesterday's attack is the most serious in recent years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi.

INDONESIA

The Indonesian government is considering naming former president Suharto a national hero, a move that has sparked controversy in the country due to his controversial legacy during the so-called ‘New Order’ era, when he ruled the country for more than two decades (1967-1998). Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said the proposal ‘stems from public aspirations’ and is currently under review. It will be followed by a decision-making process involving local state governments, historians and community leaders.

SOUTH KOREA

In South Korea, the People Power Party (PPP), the party of ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol, has selected four candidates for its primaries ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for 3 June. The four candidates are former Labour Minister Kim Moon-soo, former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and MP Ahn Cheol-soo. The candidates were selected based on the results provided by five polling agencies from among eight contenders. The primaries will be held on 3 May.

GULF-SAUDI ARABIA-UNITED STATES

US President Donald Trump will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia from 13 to 16 May in what will be his first official visit abroad since taking office earlier this year. The trip is expected to feature discussions on customs tariffs and other economic issues, and may also touch on the war between Israel and Gaza.

ENVIRONMENT

An unprecedented wave of coral bleaching has now spread to 84% of the world's coral reefs, affecting even the most resistant ones, scientists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported today. Since it began in early 2023, this global phenomenon has become the largest and most intense ever recorded, with coral reefs affected across the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. Coral turns ghostly white under conditions of thermal stress, and over the past two years, the world's oceans have warmed to record highs.

AFGHANISTAN-KAZAKHSTAN

Geologists from Kazakhstan have taken samples from potential rare mineral extraction sites in Afghanistan, which were discussed during the visit to Kabul by Kazakh Minister of Economy Serik Žumangarin. The 130 kilograms taken by the specialists contained beryllium, lead and zinc, and more specific and in-depth research will now be carried out.

RUSSIA

Since 2017, when the Russian authorities declared Jehovah's Witnesses an ‘extremist organisation’, 904 Russian citizens who are followers of the Jehovah's Witnesses community have been arrested and brought to trial, 10 of whom have died in detention, according to the Memorial association, which describes this as ‘one of the most intense campaigns of repression against freedom of conscience’ in Russia's recent history.

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