Author: www.newsworldbird.com

GURGAON: Newlywed Lieutenant Vinay Narwal (26) from Karnal, Haryana, was on honeymoon with his wife, Himanshi Narwal, when he was killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday. The couple married eight days ago and reached J&K on Monday for their honeymoon.
The couple initially planned to visit Europe after their marriage, but they failed to get a visa. At the last moment, they planned a trip to J&K for their honeymoon.
Read related story: Naval officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal from Karnal killed in Pahalgam attack
His wife, Himanshi Narwal, survived the attack. A video has surfaced showing Himanshi saying, “I was eating bhel puri with my husband when a man came and said he’s not Muslim, then shot him.”
Vinay’s family was informed of the incident on Tuesday evening and left for Jammu and Kashmir. His body is expected to be brought to Karnal today. Originally from Bhusli village in Karnal, Vinay’s family resides in Sector-7.

An engineering graduate, Vinay joined the Navy as a lieutenant three years ago, and he was posted in Kochi, Kerala. Vinay’s father, Rajesh Kumar, works as a superintendent in the Customs Department in Panipat. His grandfather, Hawa Singh, retired from the Haryana Police in 2004. His mother, Asha Devi, and grandmother, Biru Devi, are homemakers. Vinay’s younger sister, Srishti, is preparing for civil services in Delhi.
Vinay was engaged to Himanshi from Gurgaon two months ago after their family fixed the match. Himanshi is pursuing a PhD and takes online classes for children. Himanshi’s father, Sunil Kumar, is an Excise and Taxation Officer in Gurgaon.
According to family members, Vinay took leave for the wedding on March 28, married on April 16 in Mussoorie, and had a reception in Karnal on April 19. “They had planned a honeymoon in Europe, but it was canceled due to visa issues. Instead, they left for Jammu and Kashmir on April 21 and stayed in a hotel in Pahalgam on April 22. After dining, they went to the destination point where the terrorist attack occurred,” said a family member.

Vinay was supposed to celebrate his 27th birthday on May 1 on his return from J&K. “The family planned a big party upon his return from the honeymoon,” said Amit, a family member. Vinay and Himanshi were supposed to return to Kochi on May 3, where they had booked a rest house.
Neighbour Naresh Bansal said the house was filled with joy due to the recent wedding. “We got to know on Tuesday evening that terrorists shot Vinay after asking his name, while Himanshi narrowly escaped,” said Bansal.
Vinay’s grandfather, Hawa Singh, said Vinay attended Sant Kabir School in Karnal and later studied engineering in Delhi. “He prepared for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam since school but was unsuccessful. He then prepared for the SSB and was selected for the Navy three years ago,” said Singh.
Hawa Singh added that their family has a history of military service. His uncle and Vinay’s maternal grandfather’s brother were also in the army, with the latter having fought alongside the British. His nephew is also in the army. Hawa Singh himself was in the BSF before joining and retiring from the Haryana Police.
He also mentioned, “I’m diabetic. Before leaving, Vinay and Himanshi told me not to eat too much sugar. Vinay came on leave on March 28. He got engaged on March 4, had a destination wedding in Mussoorie on April 16, and a reception on April 19. On April 20, they visited Himanshi’s family in Gurgaon before flying to Jammu and Kashmir.”

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WAUKEGAN: Survivors and relatives of people killed in a 2022 mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago are set to address the gunman Wednesday at his sentencing hearing.
Robert E. Crimo III, 24, pleaded guilty last month to the shooting that left seven people dead and dozens more injured. His plea change, just moments before opening statements at his trial, came as a shock even after years of unpredictable legal proceedings.
Crimo is certain to spend the rest of his life in prison. Each count of first-degree murder carries a maximum natural life sentence in Illinois. Prosecutors and attorneys for survivors say addressing Crimo is an important step.
“They have been patiently waiting for justice to be served,” said a statement from Romanucci & Blandin, a Chicago-based law firm that represents nearly 50 victims. They “will tell their personal stories to the court, and they are steadfastly committed to pursuing justice.”
Attorneys were unsure how many people might give so-called “victim impact statements,” saying some may decide at the last minute. Prosecutors are also expected to lay out evidence during the sentencing hearing at the Lake County Courthouse, roughly 45 miles (70 kilometers) from Chicago.
The case has moved slowly through the court, in part because of Crimo’s erratic behavior. He was expected to accept a plea deal last year but changed his mind once he got to court, shocking even his own attorneys.
Crimo fired his public defenders and said he would represent himself. Then he reversed his decision. He’s refused to leave his cell to attend court proceedings at times, including during parts of jury selection. After he pleaded guilty in court, he signed documents waiving his right to trial with both his own name and the name “Donald Trump.”
Ashbey Beasley attended the parade with her son in 2022. Though they weren’t injured, she said they had to run for their lives and seeing Crimo adds to their trauma. “Every single time I see him, it’s stressful,” she told reporters after the guilty plea. “It’s upsetting for everyone in our community.”
Dozens were wounded in the shooting in the suburb about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Chicago. They ranged in age from their 80s down to an 8-year-old boy who was left partially paralyzed.
Authorities said Crimo perched on a roof and fired into the crowds. Witnesses described confusion as the shots began, followed by terror as families bolted from the downtown parade route, leaving lawn chairs and strollers behind.
Prosecutors had reams of evidence, including Crimo’s videotaped confession to police. “We were 1,000% ready to go to trial and prove him guilty to the jury. We have been working for years to prepare our evidence,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart told reporters after the guilty plea.
Prosecutors initially charged Crimo with 21 counts of first-degree murder – three counts for each person killed – and 48 counts of attempted murder for the injured. Prosecutors later dropped 48 less serious counts of aggravated battery before jury selection.
Residents in the upscale Highland Park community of roughly 30,000 have mourned the shooting deeply. Some potential jurors were excused because of their connections to the high-profile case. Several survivors have also filed lawsuits against Crimo and gunmaker Smith & Wesson.
City leaders canceled the usual parade in 2023, opting instead for a “community walk.” The parade was reinstated last year on a different route and included a memorial.
The seven people killed in the shooting were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35.
Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., a former mayoral candidate, was charged in connection with how his son obtained a gun license. He pleaded guilty in 2023 to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct. He served less than two months in jail.

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LAO CAI: Nguyen Thi Kim’s small verdant community in northern Vietnam no longer exists, wiped away in a landslide triggered by Typhoon Yagi’s devastating heavy rains last year.
She and dozens of survivors have been relocated to a site that authorities hope will withstand future climate change-linked disasters, with stronger homes, drainage canals and a gentler topography that lessens landslide risks.
It is an example of the challenges communities around the world face in adapting to climate change, including more intense rains and flash floods like those Typhoon Yagi brought last September.
Kim lost 14 relatives and her traditional timber stilt home when Yagi’s rains unleashed a landslide that engulfed much of Lang Nu village in mountainous Lao Cai province.
The storm was the strongest to hit Vietnam in decades, killing at least 320 people in the country and causing an estimated $1.6 billion in economic losses.
It is unlikely to be an outlier though, with research last year showing climate change is causing typhoons in the region to intensify faster and last longer over land.
Climate change, caused largely by burning fossil fuels, impacts typhoons in multiple ways: a warmer atmosphere holds more water, making for heavier rains, and warmer oceans also help fuel tropical storms.
Kim remains traumatised by the landslide.
She says everything is painful, especially the memory of the moment a torrent of mud swept away her and her two-year-old daughter.
“This disaster was too big for us all,” she said recalling the moment the pair were pulled from the mud hours later.
“I still cannot talk about it without crying. I can’t forget,” the 28-year-old told AFP.
‘We need to change’
Yagi hit Vietnam with winds in excess of 149 kilometres (92 miles) per hour and brought a deluge of rain that caused destructive flooding in parts of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.
In Lang Nu, 67 residents were killed, and authorities vowed to rebuild the homes of survivors in a safe spot.
By December, 40 new houses were ready at a site around two kilometres away.
It was chosen for its elevation, which should be less impacted by adjacent streams, and its relatively gentle slope gradient.
“Predicting absolute safety in geology is actually very difficult,” said Tran Thanh Hai, rector of Hanoi University of Geology and Mining, who was involved in choosing a new site.
But the site is secure, “to the best of our knowledge and understanding”.
Lao Cai is one of Vietnam’s poorest areas, with little money for expensive warning systems.
However, a simple drainage system runs through the new community, diverting water away from the slope.
This should reduce soil saturation and the chances of another landslide, scientists who worked on the site told AFP.
The village’s new homes are all built of sturdier concrete, rather than traditional wood.
“We want to follow our traditions, but if it’s not safe any longer, we need to change,” Kim said, staring out at the expanse of mud and rock where her old village once stood.
Months later it remains frozen in time, strewn with children’s toys, kitchen pans and motorcycle helmets caught up in the landslide.
‘Safest ground for us’
Like Kim, 41-year-old Hoang Thi Bay now lives in the new village in a modern stilt house with steel structural beams.
Her roof, once made of palm leaves, is now corrugated iron and her doors are aluminium glass.
She survived the landslide by clinging desperately to the single concrete pillar in her old home as a wall of mud and rocks swept her neighbourhood away.
“I still wake up in the night obsessing over what happened,” she told AFP.
“Our old house was bigger and nicer, with gardens and fields. But I sleep here in the new house and I feel much safer,” she said.
Even at the new site, home to around 70 people, there are risks, warned Hai.
Development that changes the slope’s gradient, or construction of dams or reservoirs in the area could make the region more landslide-prone, he said.
Building more houses or new roads in the immediate area, or losing protective forest cover that holds earth in place, could also make the site unsafe, added Do Minh Duc, a professor at the Institute of Geotechnics and Environment at the Vietnam National University in Hanoi.
Yagi wiped out large areas of mature natural forest in Lao Cai and while private companies have donated trees for planting, it is unclear whether they can provide much protection.
“In terms of landslide prevention, the only forest that can have good (protective) effects is rainforest with a very high density of trees, so-called primary forest,” explained Duc, an expert on disaster risk maps who also helped choose the new site.
Leaving the old community was hard for Kim, whose family had lived and farmed there for nearly half a century.
But she is grateful that she and other survivors have a second chance.
“I believe this is the safest ground for us.”

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ATLANTA: Anjan Roy was studying with friends at Missouri State University when he got an email that turned his world upside down. His legal status as an international student had been terminated, and he was suddenly at risk for deportation.
“I was in literal shock, like, what the hell is this?” said Roy, a graduate student in computer science from Bangladesh.
At first, he avoided going out in public, skipping classes and mostly keeping his phone turned off. A court ruling in his favor led to his status being restored this week, and he has returned to his apartment, but he is still asking his roommates to screen visitors.
More than a thousand international students have faced similar disruptions in recent weeks, with their academic careers – and their lives in the US – thrown into doubt in a widespread crackdown by the Trump administration. Some have found a measure of success in court, with federal judges around the country issuing orders to restore students’ legal status at least temporarily.
In addition to the case filed in Atlanta, where Roy is among 133 plaintiffs, judges have issued temporary restraining orders in states including New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Judges have denied similar requests in some other cases, saying it was not clear the loss of status would cause irreparable harm.
International students challenge grounds for their status revocation Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month the State Department was revoking visas held by visitors who were acting counter to national interests, including some who protested Israel’s war in Gaza and those who face criminal charges. But many affected students said they have been involved only in minor infractions, or it’s unclear altogether why they were targeted.
The attorney for Roy and his fellow plaintiffs, Charles Kuck, argued the government did not have legal grounds to terminate the students’ status.
He speculated in court last week the government is trying to encourage these students to self-deport, saying “the pressure on these students is overwhelming.” He said some asked him if it was safe to leave their homes to get food, and others worried they wouldn’t receive a degree after years of work or feared their chances of a career in the US were shot.
“I think the hope is they’ll just leave,” Kuck said. “The reality is these kids are invested.”
An attorney for the government, R. David Powell, argued the students did not suffer significant harm because they could transfer their academic credits or find jobs in another country.
At least 1,100 students at 174 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to an Associated Press review of university statements, correspondence with school officials and court records. The AP is working to confirm reports of hundreds more students who are caught up in the crackdown.
In a lawsuit filed Monday by four people on student visas at the University of Iowa, attorneys detail the “mental and financial suffering” they’ve experienced. One graduate student, from India, “cannot sleep and is having difficulty breathing and eating,” the lawsuit reads. He has stopped going to school, doing research or working as a teaching assistant. Another student, a Chinese undergraduate who expected to graduate this December, said his revoked status has caused his depression to worsen to the point that his doctor increased his medication dosage. The student, the lawsuit says, has not left his apartment out of fear of detention.
Tiny infractions made students targets for the crackdown Roy, 23, began his academic career at Missouri State in August 2024 as an undergraduate computer science student. He was active in the chess club and a fraternity and has a broad circle of friends. After graduating in December, he began work on a master’s degree in January and expects to finish in May 2026.
When Roy received the university’s April 10 email on his status termination, one of his friends offered to skip class to go with him to the school’s international services office, even though they had a quiz in 45 minutes. The staff there said a database check showed his student status had been terminated, but they didn’t know why.
Roy said his only brush with the law came in 2021, when he was questioned by campus security after someone called in a dispute at a university housing building. But he said an officer determined there was no evidence of any crime and no charges were filed.
Roy also got an email from the US embassy in Bangladesh telling him his visa had been revoked and that he could be detained at any time. It warned that if he was deported, he could be sent to a country other than his own. Roy thought about leaving the US but decided to stay after talking to a lawyer.
Anxious about being in his own apartment, Roy went to stay with his second cousin and her husband nearby.
“They were scared someone was going to pick me up from the street and take me somewhere that they wouldn’t even know,” Roy said.
He mostly stayed inside, turned off his phone unless he needed to use it, and avoided internet browsers that track user data through cookies. His professors were understanding when he told them he wouldn’t be able to come to classes for a while, he said.
New doubts about students’ future in the US After the judge’s order Friday, he moved back to his apartment. He learned Tuesday his status had been restored, and he plans to return to class. But he’s still nervous. He asked his two roommates, both international students, to let him know before they open the door if someone they don’t know knocks.
The judge’s restoration of his legal status is temporary. Another hearing scheduled for Thursday will determine whether he keeps that status while the litigation continues.
Roy chose the US over other options in Canada and Australia because of the research opportunities and potential for professional connections, and he ultimately wanted to teach at an American university. But now those plans are up in the air.
His parents, back in Dhaka, have been watching the news and are “freaked out,” he said. His father mentioned to him that they have family in Melbourne, Australia, including a cousin who’s an assistant professor at a university there. ___
AP reporters Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this story.

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Musk to reduce Doge role after Tesla profits plunge

Tesla boss Elon Musk says he will cut back his role in Donald Trump’s administration after the company’s profits and revenues plunged during the first three months of the year.

Sales slumped and the electric carmaker faced a backlash as Musk became a political fixture in the White House.

On Tuesday, the firm reported a 20% drop in automotive revenue in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same period last year, while profits fell more than 70%.

The company warned investors that the pain could continue, declining to offer a growth forecast while saying “changing political sentiment” could meaningfully hurt demand.

The recent dip in the company’s fortunes came amid an outcry over Musk’s role in Trump’s new administration, which he acknowledged had taken his focus off the company.

The tech boss contributed more than a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump’s re-election. He also leads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) initiative to cut federal spending and slash the government workforce.

Musk said his “time allocation to Doge” would “drop significantly” starting next month. He would, he said, spend only one to two days per week on government matters “as long as the president would like me to do so and as long as it’s useful”.

His political involvement has sparked protests and boycotts of Tesla around the world.

He blamed the “blowback” on people who would “try to attack me and the Doge team”. But he called his work at Doge “critical” and said “getting the government house in order is mostly done”.

Tesla brought in $19.3bn (£14.5bn) in total revenue in the quarter, down 9% year on year, according to the new numbers. That was less than the $21.1bn expected by analysts, and came as the company cut prices in a bid to woo buyers.

Trump’s tariffs on China also weighed heavily on Tesla, the company indicated. Although the vehicles Tesla sells in its home market are assembled in the US, it depends on many parts made in China. “Rapidly evolving trade policy” could hurt its supply chain and raise costs, according to the company.

“This dynamic, along with changing political sentiment, could have a meaningful impact on demand for our products in the near-term,” Tesla’s quarterly update said.

Musk has clashed on trade with other Trump administration figures, including trade adviser Peter Navarro.

Earlier this month, he called Navarro a “moron” over comments he had made about Tesla. Navarro had said Musk was “not a car manufacturer” but a “car assembler, in many cases”.

On Tuesday, Musk said he thought Tesla was the car company least affected by tariffs because of its localised supply chains in North America, Europe and China, but he added that tariffs were “still tough on a company where margins are low”.

“I’ll continue to advocate for lower tariffs rather than higher tariffs but that’s all I can do,” he said on Tuesday.

Tesla said artificial intelligence would contribute to future growth, though investors have been unconvinced by such arguments in the past.

Shares in the company had shed about 37% of their value this year as of market close on Tuesday. They rose by more than 5% in after-hours trading following the results.

Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, called expectations “rock-bottom” after the company said earlier this month that the number of cars sold in the quarter had fallen 13% to the lowest level in three years.

The firm faces fierce competition, Mr Coatsworth said, warning that potential disruption to global supply chains as a result of Trump’s trade war also created risks.

“Tesla’s problems are mounting,” he said.

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Pope Francis’s funeral will take place on Saturday in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican has confirmed, with hundreds of thousands expected to attend.

The head of the Catholic Church died of a stroke on Monday, aged 88, less than 24 hours after leading an Easter address. He had been in poor health after recently battling double pneumonia.

A host of world leaders and royals – including Sir Keir Starmer, Donald Trump, the Prince of Wales, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, home to the biggest Catholic population in the world – have confirmed their attendance.

Thousands of mourners have already flocked to Vatican City, carrying flowers, crosses and candles and reciting prayers.

On Tuesday, the Vatican released further details of the Pope’s final 24 hours.

Francis, who had recently spent five weeks in hospital, was slightly apprehensive about appearing on the balcony on Sunday.

“Do you think I can do this?” the Pope asked his personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti.

Strappetti reassured him and moments later the pontiff appeared on the balcony, blessing the crowd gathered in St Peter’s Square below.

The following morning at around 05:30 local time (03:30 GMT), Francis began to feel unwell. An hour later, he waved at Strappetti before slipping into a coma.

“Those who were near him in those moments say he didn’t suffer,” the Vatican said in a statement. “It was a discreet death.”

What happens before the funeral?

On Wednesday morning, Pope Francis’s body will be taken in a procession led by cardinals from the Chapel of Santa Marta to St Peter’s Basilica, where he will remain in an open coffin until Friday to allow mourners to pay their respects.

Just before the procession, a moment of prayer will be led by the camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican in the wake of the Pope’s death.

The Vatican has released photos of the Pope’s body lying in the chapel at Casa Santa Marta – his residence during his 12-year papacy – dressed in a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary in his hand.

The general public will be able to visit St Peter’s Basilica from 11:00 to midnight on Wednesday, 07:00 to midnight on Thursday and 07:00 to 19:00 on Friday.

Bucking tradition, there will be no private viewing for cardinals, at Pope Francis’s request. The Pope’s coffin will also not be raised on a pedestal.

What time will the service take place?

The funeral will start at 10:00 in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica.

Patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests from across the globe will take part. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service.

Cardinal Battista Re will deliver the final commendation and valediction – a concluding prayer where the Pope will be formally entrusted to God – and the pontiff’s body will be moved to St Mary Major for the burial.

A nine-day mourning period, known as Novemdiales, then begins.

Who is attending the funeral?

Huge crowds are anticipated on Saturday, with as many as 250,000 people expected to attend the funeral.

Many heads of state and royals have confirmed their attendance, including Prince William, US President Donald Trump, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Other political figures who have announced they will attend include:

Where will Pope Francis be buried?

Pope Francis, who famously eschewed some of the pomp of the papacy during his life, will continue to break with tradition in death.

Historically, popes are buried in triple coffins in marble tombs inside St Peter’s Basilica at the heart of the Vatican. Pope Francis requested that he instead be buried at Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major.

He will become the first pope in more than 100 years to be laid to rest outside the Vatican.

In his final testament, Pope Francis also asked to be buried “in the earth, simple, without particular decoration” and with the inscription only of his papal name in Latin: Franciscus.

His body was moved into the Santa Marta chapel on Monday evening, and his apartment formally sealed, the Vatican said.

When is the new Pope elected?

Following the funeral, a conclave of cardinals will convene to elect a successor.

The dean of the College of Cardinals has 15 to 20 days to summon the cardinals to Rome once the Pope is buried.

Several names have already been floated as potential successors, with more likely to emerge in the coming days.

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NEW DELHI: As many as 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed on Tuesday in a terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley area of Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, reported news agency PTI. The 26 dead included two foreigners and two locals, a high ranking official said without getting into details.
One Indian Navy officer, lieutenant Vinay Narwal (aged 26 years), who was posted in Kochi, was among killed in the Pahalgam attack while he was on leave. He was a native of Haryana and got married on 16 April, said defence officials.
The gunshots were reportedly heard in the Valley, a popular tourist destination often referred to as “mini-Switzerland,” prompting the immediate deployment of security forces to the area.
The site is accessible only on foot or horseback, making the rescue and response efforts more challenging.
The officials said that authorities pressed a chopper into service for the evacuation of the injured, adding some of the wounded were brought down from the meadows by local people on their ponies.
Officials have confirmed injuries among tourists, though the extent is yet to be fully determined.
A doctor at the Pahalgam hospital told PTI that 12 injured tourists were admitted there and the condition of all of them was stable.
Hours after the attack, PM Modi, who is on a visit to Saudi Arabia, spoke Union home minister Amit Shah and asked him to take all suitable measures. The PM also asked the home minister to visit the site.
Condemning the attack on tourists, PM Modi said those behind the “heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! “
“I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” PM Modi wrote on X.
Amit Shah said that “those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared”.
“Anguished by the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. My thoughts are with the family members of the deceased. Those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared, and we will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences,” Shah wrote.
President Droupadi Murmu said attacking “innocent citizens, in this case tourists, is utterly appalling and unpardonable”.
“The terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir is shocking and painful. It is a dastardly and inhuman act which must be condemned unequivocally. Attacking innocent citizens, in this case tourists, is utterly appalling and unpardonable. My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their dear ones and my prayers for the quick recovery of the injured,” the President wrote on X.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply anguished by the news of terrorist attack in Pahalgam (Jammu & Kashmir)”.
“This dastardly attack on innocent civilians is an act of cowardice and highly reprehensible. My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families,” Singh said.
Reacting to the attacks, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said he was “shocked beyond belief” and expressed sympathies to the families of the deceased.
“I’m shocked beyond belief. This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman & worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough. I send my sympathies to the families of the deceased. I’ve spoken to my colleague Sakina Itoo & she has moved to the hospital to oversee arrangements for the injured. I’ll be flying back to Srinagar immediately,” he wrote on X.
Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha also condemned the attack and said search operations were under way.
” I strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam. I assure the people that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished. Spoke to the DGP & Security officials. Army and J&K Police teams have rushed to the area and launched search operations,” he said.
Sinha said he has directed the district administration and the health officials to provide immediate medical attention to those admitted at Pahalgam.
BJP leader Ravinder Raina claimed that Pakistani terrorists were behind the brutal killings of the tourists.
He said that the entire area has been cordoned off and that terrorists and those helping them would be punished.
“Pakistani terrorists have carried out a cowardly terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, South Kashmir. Cowardly Pakistani terrorists cannot face the brave soldiers of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and our paramilitary forces. These cowardly terrorists have targeted unarmed innocent tourists who had come to visit Kashmir,” Raina said.
He further added: “Some tourists have been admitted to the local hospital in an injured condition. The entire area has been cordoned off by the Army and police. The terrorists who are guilty of this attack and those who are helping them will be punished.”
Former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the attack on tourists, saying a “thorough investigation is needed to bring the perpetrators to justice and examine potential security lapses”.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, which tragically killed one and injured several. Such violence is unacceptable and must be denounced. Historically, Kashmir has welcomed tourists warmly, making this rare incident deeply concerning,” she wrote on X.
Mufti futher said: “A thorough investigation is needed to bring the perpetrators to justice and examine potential security lapses. Ensuring visitor safety is paramount, and steps must be taken to prevent future attacks. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.”
Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi said the whole country “is united against terrorism” and lashed out at the central government for “making hollow claims of the situation being normal in Jammu and Kashmir”.
“The news of the death of tourists and injuries to many in the cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir is extremely condemnable and heartbreaking. I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. The whole country is united against terrorism,” Rahul said.
He further wrote: “Instead of making hollow claims of the situation being normal in Jammu and Kashmir, the government should now take accountability and take concrete steps so that such barbaric incidents do not happen in the future and innocent Indians do not lose their lives like this.”
24/7 Emergency Help Desk for Tourists – Police Control Room Anantnag: 9596777669; 01932225870. Whatsapp: 9419051940

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In a heartfelt show of solidarity and condemnation, residents of Srinagar gathered on Tuesday for a candlelight march, mourning the loss of innocent lives in the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam.
The protest, held at the city’s Mecca Market area, drew people from various walks of life who came together to denounce the violence and express their grief.
Fayaz Ahmad Bhatt, General Secretary of Mecca Market, voiced the collective sentiment of the gathering, stating, “We condemn this attack against humanity.”
Locals in Poonch also gathered for candle light protest against the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam. People were seen chanting slogan, “Mazloomon ka qatl-e-aam band karo…”
Meanwhile, over 20 people, primarily tourists, were killed on Tuesday in a terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley area of Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, police told news agency AFP.
Gunshots were reportedly heard in the Valley — a popular tourist destination often referred to as “mini-Switzerland” — prompting the immediate deployment of security forces to the area. The site is accessible only by foot or horseback, which made rescue and response efforts more challenging.
ALSO READ | Pahalgam Terror Attack LIVE updates
Officials said a helicopter was pressed into service to evacuate the injured, while some of the wounded were brought down from the meadows by local residents using their ponies.
Authorities have confirmed injuries among the tourists, though the full extent is still being assessed. A doctor at the Pahalgam hospital told PTI that 12 injured tourists were admitted and that all were in stable condition.
Hours after the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia, spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and directed him to take all suitable measures. The Prime Minister also asked the Home Minister to visit the site.
Condemning the attack on tourists, PM Modi stated that those behind the “heinous act will be brought to justice… they will not be spared!”
“I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice… they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” PM Modi wrote on X.

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NEW DELHI: The Resistance Front (TRF), proxy outfit of Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed’s Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the ghastly attack on tourists in J&K’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.
“More than 85,000 domiciles have been issued to non-locals, creating a pathway for demographic change in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then being to act as if they own the land. Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally,” the TRF said.
The TRF, which was banned by the government last year, has been involved in recruiting youth through the online medium for the furtherance of terrorist activities, recruitment of terrorists, infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of weapons and narcotics from Pakistan into J&K.
The group came into existence in 2019 as a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was involved in numerous terror acts, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Sheikh Sajjad Gul is a commander of The Resistance Front and has been designated as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967.
TRF has been responsible for numerous attacks targeting civilians, security forces, and political figures in Jammu and Kashmir. Its operations are believed to be supported by Pakistani state mechanisms, including the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), aiming to sustain unrest in the region.
In January 2023, the Indian government designated TRF as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and Sheikh Sajjad Gul was officially labelled a terrorist. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has since placed a bounty on Gul, reflecting the group’s significant threat to regional stability.
Union home minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday evening to assess the security situation in Kashmir following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead.
After landing, Shah headed straight to Raj Bhavan from the airport and is set to chair a high-level meeting with top security officials. He is also expected to visit Pahalgam on Wednesday.
The attack, which took place in the picturesque Baisaran Valley—often referred to as “mini Switzerland”—is the deadliest targeting civilians in Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama strike. Terrorists opened fire on tourists gathered in the popular meadow near Pahalgam, killing 26, including two foreigners and two local residents, according to a senior official.
Located around six kilometers from Pahalgam town, Baisaran is a scenic meadow surrounded by dense pine forests and mountains. Witnesses said gunmen entered the area and began shooting at tourists who were enjoying pony rides, eating at local stalls, or picnicking on the grass.

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SRINAGAR: At least 28 tourists were killed and many wounded on Tuesday when terrorists opened fire in a picturesque meadow near the resort town of Pahalgam in J&K, marking the deadliest attack since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The Resistance Front, a proxy of ISI-backed LeT, claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack coincided with US Vice-President J D Vance’s four-day visit to India and PM Narendra Modi’s arrival in Saudi Arabia for strengthening bilateral engagement with the influential Islamic country. Equally significantly, it followed a bellicose speech of Asim Munir, chief of the Pakistan army, the mainstay of terrorists.

This was the deadliest attack on tourists since militancy began in Kashmir in the 1990s. It brought back memories of the March 2000 massacre in Chittisinghpora in Anantnag district, where 36 members of the Sikh community were killed days before US President Bill Clinton’s visit to India.
The synchroneity fitted in well with Pakistan’s attempt to secure international intervention in J&K by casting it as the trigger for a potential nuclear conflagration between the hostile neighbours.

The targeting of tourists drawn from different parts, showed the diabolical intent and, perhaps, an attempt to cause communal unrest across the country. Jihadis have lately refrained from attacking tourists who bring valuable money to the Union territory.
Survivors said the terrorists, believed to be foreigners numbering around six and dressed in Army fatigues, identified their victims by faith asking them to tell their names and recite Islamic verses before spraying bullets on them from close range.
Also read: J&K terror attack – Live Updates
Gunmen struck around 1.30pm in Baisaran meadow – about 7km from Pahalgam and reachable either by foot and or byhorses – as scores of tourists were enjoying a regular afternoon, surrounded by snow-capped peaks and pine forests. Pahalgam’s meadow is a top sightseeing spot that draws hundreds of visitors daily. Heavy security presence, including checkpoints and armed patrols, provided a sense of security.
Victims included honeymooners such as Navy officer Vinay Narwal. Posted at Southern Naval Command in Kochi, the officer was married on April 16. Two foreign nationals – one from Nepal and the other from UAE – were also killed.
Security forces quickly evacuated the wounded to nearby hospitals and launched a search operation to track down the attackers. The area was cordoned off.

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NEW DELHI: The Indian Army foiled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday, eliminating two terrorists in an ongoing operation near Uri, a day after the Pahalgam terror attack that left 28 tourists dead.
According to the Chinar Corps, 2–3 unidentified terrorists tried to infiltrate through the general area of Sarjeevan at Uri Nala on April 23. Alert troops challenged the infiltrators, leading to a heavy exchange of fire. Later on, the Corps confirmed the elimination of two terrorists.
“Heavy exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists, two terrorists have been eliminated… large quantity of weapons, ammunition and other war-like stores have been recovered. Operation is in progress,” it posted.
This infiltration attempt came a day after the deadly terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, which killed at least 28 tourists and left many others wounded. The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front, which is an offshoot of the ISI-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba, marked the deadliest assault since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
It also came during US Vice President J D Vance’s India visit and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Saudi Arabia. PM Modi returned to Delhi early Wednesday, cutting short his trip following the attack. He immediately held a high-level briefing at Palam Airport with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, foreign secretary Vikram Misri and other top officials.
The Prime Minister skipped an official dinner hosted in Riyadh and returned nearly a full day early. PM Modi had earlier condemned the Pahalgam attack, assuring the nation that those responsible would be held accountable. “They will not be spared,” he said, reaffirming India’s unwavering resolve against terrorism.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also returned early from her official visit to the US and Peru following the attack.
Meanwhile, a joint operation by the Army and J&K Police is underway in Pahalgam’s Baisran area to track down the perpetrators. Candlelight marches were held in multiple towns and villages across J&K as residents expressed solidarity with the victims and their families.

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Stock market today: BSE Sensex and Nifty50, the Indian equity benchmark indices, opened in green on Wednesday. While BSE Sensex went above 80,200, Nifty50 was above 24,350. At 9:21 AM, BSE Sensex was trading at 80,140.02, up 544 points or 0.68%.Nifty50 was at 24,326.10, up 159 points or 0.66%.
Indian equity markets finished positively on Tuesday despite global market uncertainty, supported by sustained buying activity and accommodative RBI measures. Market experts anticipate continued upward momentum based on potential India-US trade agreements, ongoing FII investments and supportive central bank policies.
Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited says, “Terror attacks while succeeding in taking precious human lives cannot succeed in even marginally impacting our economy and markets. Pakistan’s political instability and basket case economy cannot do any damage to Indian economy and markets. Markets may send this message today and the fundamental factors are favourable. President Trump’s message that he has no intention of firing the Fed chief has calmed the US markets.Trump’s remarks on Chinese tariffs indicate that he might reduce the US-China tensions. The sustained buying by FIIs is a strong support to Indian markets. Technically the market might move into an overbought territory soon inviting some profit booking. Investors should remain invested in high quality largecaps.”
US equities recovered on Tuesday, driven by quarterly corporate results and positive signals regarding US-China trade relations.
Gold prices fell on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump retreated from his threats to dismiss the Federal Reserve chair, whilst U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated potential easing of trade tensions, reducing the precious metal’s safe-haven demand.
The U.S. dollar strengthened considerably against key currencies on Wednesday, as market participants expressed relief following Trump’s withdrawal from his earlier threats to remove Powell.
Oil prices increased nearly 1% during early Wednesday trading, continuing the previous day’s upward movement.
Foreign portfolio investors became net purchasers at Rs 1,290 crore on Tuesday. DIIs offloaded shares valued at Rs 885 crore.
FIIs’ net short position decreased from Rs 77,270 crore on Monday to Rs 78,335 crore on Tuesday.

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China has set the launch for its Shenzhou-20 mission that will carry three astronauts to the Chinese space station for Thursday (April 24, 2025) at 5.17 p.m. local time (IST 2:47 p.m.), state media said on Wednesday (April 23, 2025).

The main purpose of the mission is to complete the in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-19 crew which is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site on April 29, officials said at a press conference broadcast on CCTV.

The Shenzhou-20 spaceflight will carry astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, CCTV said.

They will conduct space science and application experiments, install a space debris protection device as well as extravehicular payload and equipment, and perform recovery tasks.

The mission will also bring with it zebrafish, planarians and streptomyces as research objects to carry out three life science experiments at the space station.

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United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the “armed attack” in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that attacks against civilians are unacceptable under any circumstances.

Also read: J&K’s Pahalgam terror attack highlights

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the armed attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April, in which at least 28 people were killed,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, said.

Mr. Guterres offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the victims. “The Secretary-General stresses attacks against civilians are unacceptable under any circumstances,” Mr. Dujarric said.

Militants opened fire at a famed meadow near Kashmir’s Pahalgam town on Tuesday (April 22, 2025) afternoon, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, in what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.

The 26 victims of the attack included two foreigners — from UAE and Nepal — and two locals. The toll is still being ascertained, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said while describing the terror attack as “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years”.

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The Salvadoran president on Tuesday (April 22, 2025) criticised Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s rejection of a swap that would see Venezuelan deportees from the United States detained in El Salvador exchanged for what he said were “political prisoners” in Venezuela.

Mr. Maduro has demanded the immediate release of 250 Venezuelans held in an El Salvador mega-prison built by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to house gang members. Mr. Maduro claimed in his weekly televised address on Monday (April 21, 2025) that “Bukele is a serial violator of the right to freedom, fair treatment, and human dignity.”

He urged that Mr. Bukele, instead of an exchange, sign “a decree granting unconditional freedom” to the deportees.

For his part, Mr. Bukele in a post on X on Tuesday (April 22, 2025) goaded Mr. Maduro, asking wasn’t the Venezuelan leader the one who said he’d do “whatever it takes” to secure the release of the Venezuelans detained in El Salvador.

Mr. Bukele and Mr. Maduro’s comments underscore the two leaders’ longstanding animosity, rooted in diametrically opposed political visions.

While both Governments have faced fierce democratic and human rights criticisms in recent years, Mr. Bukele has increasingly cosied up to US President Donald Trump while right-wing figures have long held up Mr. Maduro as an example of democratic decay.

Among those Mr. Bukele wants to set free by Mr. Maduro are the son-in-law of former Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, several political leaders seeking asylum in the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela, and what he said were 50 detained citizens from a number of different countries across the world.

In his initial proposal on Sunday (April 20, 2025), Mr. Bukele also listed the mother of Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado, whose house remains allegedly surrounded by Venezuelan police since January.

The proposal triggered an angry response from Venezuela’s Government, which demanded Mr. Bukele’s Government provide a list of all Venezuelans detained in El Salvador, along with details about their health.

Mr. Bukele reiterated his proposal in the social media post on Tuesday (April 22, 2025), citing Venezuela’s 2023 prisoner swap with the Biden administration for a Mr. Maduro ally.

“Weren’t you the one who said you would do “whatever it takes” to secure the release of the Venezuelans detained in El Salvador?” Mr. Bukele wrote on X, addressing Mr. Maduro.

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US president Donald Trump on Tuesday said he does not plan to remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, even as he renewed his call for the central bank to lower interest rates. Speaking at a White House event, Trump tried to ease market concerns sparked by speculation about Powell’s future. “I have no intention of firing him,” said Trump responding a question by a news reporter.
Financial markets had recently seen a sharp sell-off, as investors grew worried that Trump might try to force Powell out. Stocks, bonds, and the dollar all took a hit amid the uncertainty. According to reports, Trump’s advisers have warned him that removing Powell would not only be legally complex but could also worsen market instability.
Trump has been unhappy with Powell’s stance on interest rates. The Federal Reserve has so far resisted lowering rates, citing inflation concerns. Last week, Powell said that tariffs imposed by the Trump administration were likely to raise inflation and lower economic growth. He also stressed that the Fed had a duty to keep price pressures in check, suggesting that interest rate cuts were not likely in the short term.

Trump reacted strongly to Powell’s comments. On Monday, he accused the Fed chair of being “too late” and a “major loser,” insisting that the economy faced a slowdown unless rates were cut immediately.
“With these costs trending so nicely downward, just what I predicted they would do, there can almost be no inflation, but there can be a slowing of the economy unless Mr. too late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, now,” Trump wrote on social media, referring to Powell.
Although Trump now says Powell’s job is safe, his repeated public criticism has raised questions about the Fed’s independence. The matter could become even more significant, with the Supreme Court preparing to hear a case about the president’s authority to remove officials from independent federal agencies—potentially affecting the Federal Reserve as well.

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A fast-moving wildfire in Barnegat Township, Ocean County, New Jersey, has prompted mandatory evacuations for residents in several areas. According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the fire has already burned about 1,200 acres and remains completely uncontained.
Evacuations are currently underway along Wells Mills Road, between Bryant Road and the Garden State Parkway. CBS news reported that authorities have confirmed sixteen structures are under threat and have been evacuated as a precaution. Aerial footage from the area shows parts of the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area engulfed in flames, with thick smoke visible from miles away.

The wildfire has also caused significant traffic disruption. The Garden State Parkway has been shut in both directions near Exit 69. Several local roads have also been closed, including Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Road) from Route 72 to the Parkway, Bryant Road between Rt. 532 and Rt. 539, and Jones Road between Rt. 532 and Bryant Road.
Firefighting crews have deployed both a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft to drop water on the fire in an effort to slow its spread. No injuries have been reported so far.
Officials have urged the public to stay away from the area and strictly advised against flying drones in the fire zone, which can interfere with emergency aircraft. The cause of the wildfire is still under investigation.

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The story so far:

Across the European Union, a significant and escalating conflict is unfolding between ascendant right-wing nationalist parties and the judicial systems of member states. Recent court rulings targeting prominent far-right figures have led to accusations of political persecution and calls for protest, forming part of a broader, deeply contentious struggle over judicial independence, the rule of law, and the very nature of democratic governance.

Which rulings have intensified the conflict?

The immediate triggers for the heightened conflict are several high-profile court decisions. In France, the political landscape was shaken when the Paris Criminal Court delivered a verdict on March 31 against Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally (RN) party, sentencing her for the embezzlement of EU funds. The sentence included a four-year prison term (two years suspended) and, crucially, a five-year ban from holding public office. This ruling, handed down just over two years before the anticipated 2027 French presidential elections in which Ms. Le Pen was a leading contender, effectively sidelines her unless overturned on appeal.

Similar confrontations are evident elsewhere. In Romania, the Constitutional Court upheld a decision barring Călin Georgescu, a far-right figure who unexpectedly topped the first round of the 2024 presidential election before it was annulled, from running in the rescheduled May 2025 contest. The court’s actions were rooted in the principle of “militant democracy”, citing Mr. Georgescu’s alleged antidemocratic behaviour, fraudulent campaign financing declarations, and suspected links to Russian-backed subversion efforts, which led to the annulment of the initial election results.

Meanwhile, in Germany, the domestic intelligence agency (BfV) has classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a suspected threat to democracy and the constitution, placing it under closer scrutiny. Although formal attempts to ban parties in Germany face high legal hurdles and have rarely succeeded since the 1950s, the BfV’s designation highlights deep concerns within the German establishment about the AfD’s compatibility with the country’s “free democratic basic order”.

What are the reactions?

The reactions from the targeted parties and their supporters have been swift and defiant. Ms. Le Pen and her supporters immediately decried the verdict, framing it as politically motivated. She labelled the proceedings a “political witch hunt” aimed at crippling her party and argued the Sapin II law, on the basis of which she was banned from running for office, was being improperly applied retrospectively. Vowing not to “give up”, Ms. Le Pen has appealed the decision, with a hearing scheduled for 2026.

Meanwhile, fellow nationalist leaders across the continent commented on the rulings. Following the Le Pen verdict, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán posted “Je Suis Marine” on the social media platform X, while Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the Lega party, also voiced support for Ms. Le Pen and criticised ‘Brussels’ and ‘leftwing radicals’.

The AfD in Germany has pursued legal challenges against the BfV’s surveillance and classification decisions, while also taking internal steps, such as dissolving its official youth wing (“Young Alternative”)—which the BfV had classified as extremist—in a move Politico described as potentially aiming to avert a ban and destigmatise the party.

The narrative consistently pushed by the European conservative-nationalists is that these legal actions are not genuine applications of law but rather politically motivated manoeuvres by an entrenched “establishment” or “elite” seeking to eliminate potent electoral rivals who have been gaining significant ground across Europe.

How does this impact wider European politics?

This resonates with a segment of the populace disillusioned with traditional politics. They argue that the judiciary — far from being impartial — has become a tool to suppress conservative-nationalist movements, questioning the selective application of laws like Sapin II and alleging that similar transgressions by mainstream figures are often overlooked.

This conflict feeds into a wider, ongoing debate within the EU concerning the meaning and application of the rule of law. Liberal and centrist forces, alongside EU institutions like the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), strongly maintain that adherence to the rule of law, including judicial independence and constitutional checks and balances, is fundamental to the Union’s values and legal order.

They view attacks on the judiciary, particularly measures aimed at curtailing its independence as seen in Poland, during the former ultra-conservative PiS-led government, and currently in Hungary under Mr. Orbán, as direct threats to democracy itself.

Conversely, many conservative-nationalist voices argue that the “rule of law” concept is being weaponised by Brussels and national elites to impose a specific political agenda, overriding national sovereignty and democratic mandates.

Are foreign actors involved?

Adding another layer of complexity are persistent concerns about foreign interference, particularly from Russia. Analysis from institutions like the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and reports from organisations like The Soufan Center suggest systematic Russian efforts to undermine democratic processes in the West through disinformation, financial support for extremist parties, and cyber operations.

The Romanian election annulment explicitly referenced suspicions of external manipulation favouring Mr. Georgescu, and historical financial links between parties like Ms. Le Pen’s RN and Russian entities fuel anxieties about Moscow’s influence.

While direct interference can be hard to isolate from domestic political dynamics, experts warn that Russia actively cultivates networks and exploits existing vulnerabilities within EU member states to promote anti-EU, anti-NATO sentiment and destabilise liberal democracies from within.

Prominent figures outside Europe have also weighed in. Following the Le Pen ruling, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance had stated that the conviction was imposed for a “very minor offense” and the resulting ban was “not democracy”.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk called the ruling “abuse” that would “backfire”, comparing it to legal actions against U.S. President Donald Trump and accusing “the radical left” of abusing the legal system globally to jail opponents.

Where does it leave the rule of law?

The escalating clash leaves the principle of the rule of law in a precarious position. When significant portions of the electorate perceive the judiciary not as an independent arbiter but as a political actor actively working against their chosen representatives, trust in fundamental democratic institutions erodes.

The rhetoric popularised by figures like Mr. Trump, calling to “drain the swamp”, finds fertile ground among Europeans, particularly younger generations who may lack lived memory of authoritarian regimes of communist Eastern Europe and right-wing military dictatorships in Iberia and Greece, where courts genuinely served as instruments of political oppression.

This erosion of trust poses a long-term challenge. As Marek Safjan, a former judge of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal and the CJEU, noted, while the European judiciary, particularly the CJEU, commands significant respect and has been key to integration, it is not immune to political pressures and the rise of populism.

If courts are increasingly seen as mere players in the political fray rather than guardians of constitutional principles, the essential checks and balances underpinning European democracies risk being fatally weakened, opening the door to further democratic backsliding and instability.

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Five persons, including a Christian, have been arrested on the charges of blasphemy in Pakistan’s Punjab province, police said on Tuesday (April 22, 2025).

A law-and-order situation was created after a large number of people surrounded the Sajid Shaheed Police Station, Sargodha city, some 200 kms from Lahore, on Sunday, forcing the police to arrest the five suspects for insulting a companion of the Prophet, police said.

“Complainant Nisar Ahmad alleged that Naeem, Yasir, Zain, Hanif and Sameul printed stickers containing blasphemous content,” police officer Mobin Ali told PTI.

He said a large number of people gathered outside the police station, demanding stern action against the suspects. A heavy contingent of police controlled the situation and later arrested the culprits.

He said the suspects have been kept in tight security and produced to a magistrate for their physical remand.

A case has been registered against the suspects under sections 295-A and 298-A of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The Christian suspect said he had nothing to do with the printing of the blasphemous stickers as he is an employee there.

Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where anyone deemed to have insulted Islam or Islamic figures can face the death penalty. Often, an accusation can cause riots and incite mobs to violence, lynching and killings.

Minorities, including Christians and Hindus, have been frequently subjected to blasphemy allegations and some have even been sentenced for blasphemy in Pakistan.

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A leader from Hamas-aligned Jamaa Islamiya was killed Tuesday (April 22, 2025) in an Israeli strike, the Lebanese Islamist group and Israel’s military said, as the health ministry reported another dead in a separate raid.

Israel has continued to carry out regular strikes on Lebanon despite a November truce with militant group Hezbollah that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities between the foes including two months of all-out war.

Lebanon’s civil defence said “an Israeli drone targeted a car” near the coastal town of Damour, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Beirut, and rescuers recovered a man’s body.

Jamaa Islamiya in a statement announced the death of Hussein Atwi, calling him “an academic leader and university professor” and saying an Israeli drone strike “targeted his car as he was travelling to his workplace in Beirut”.

The Israeli army said the air force had “eliminated” Atwi, calling him “a significant terrorist in the Jamaa Islamiya terrorist organisation”.

A Lebanese security official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said Atwi was a leader of Jamaa Islamiya’s armed wing, the Al-Fajr Forces.

The official said Israel had previously targeted Atwi during its recent war with Hezbollah.

An AFP photographer saw the charred wreckage of a car at the scene. The Lebanese army had cordoned off the area and forensic teams were conducting an inspection.

Jamaa Islamiya, closely linked to both Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, claimed responsibility for multiple attacks against Israel before the November 27 ceasefire.

The Israeli military said Atwi had been “involved in planning and advancing terrorist activity from Lebanon into Israeli territory” and had operated “in coordination with Hamas in Lebanon”.

It said he had “carried out rocket attacks, coordinated terrorist infrastructure… and advanced attempts to infiltrate into Israeli territory”.

Also Tuesday, Lebanon’s health ministry said an “Israeli enemy” strike in south Lebanon’s Tyre district killed one person.

Under the truce, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters north of Lebanon’s Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.

Israel was to withdraw all its forces from south Lebanon, but troops remain in five positions that it deems “strategic”.

Israel on Sunday said it had killed two senior Hezbollah members in strikes on Lebanon.

Lebanese authorities have said Israeli fire has killed some 190 people since the ceasefire.

After unclaimed rocket fire against Israel in late March, Lebanon’s army said last week it had arrested several Lebanese and Palestinian suspects, while a security official said they included three Hamas members.

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Starmer does not believe trans women are women, No 10 says

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer does not believe transgender women are women, his official spokesman has said.

It comes after the UK Supreme Court ruled last week that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.

In March 2022, when he was leader of the opposition, Sir Keir told the Times that “a woman is a female adult, and in addition to that transwomen are women, and that is not just my view – that is actually the law”.

Asked if Sir Keir still believed that a transgender woman was a woman, the PM’s official spokesman said: “No, the Supreme Court judgment has made clear that when looking at the Equality Act, a woman is a biological woman.”

The spokesman added: “That is set out clearly by the court judgment.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused the government of having U-turned in reaction to the judgement, accusing Labour ministers of needing the Supreme Court to tell them what to think on the issue.

Pressed over when the PM had changed his mind earlier, his spokesman insisted the Labour government had been consistent that single-sex spaces “are protected in law”.

The ruling also makes it clear that a person who was born male but identifies as a woman does not have the right to use spaces or services designated as for women-only.

This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) can be excluded from single-sex spaces if “proportionate”.

The spokesman stressed the PM had repeatedly said “a woman is an adult female” before the court judgment.

In 2023, Sir Keir told The Sunday Times that for “99.9%” of women “of course they haven’t got a penis”.

Later that year he told BBC Radio 5 Live “a woman is an adult female”.

And in April 2024 he said Rosie Duffield, who quit the party last year, was right to say “only women have a cervix”, telling ITV: “Biologically, she of course is right about that.”

Sir Keir had previously been critical of Duffield’s views on trans people when she was a Labour MP, saying in 2021 that she was “not right” to say only women have a cervix.

Asked whether Sir Keir would now use a trans woman’s preferred pronouns, the spokesman declined to comment on “hypotheticals” but insisted the PM had “been clear that trans women should be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else”.

Earlier on Tuesday Sir Keir welcomed the court’s decision, saying it had given “much-needed clarity” for those drawing up guidance.

In his first public comments since the ruling last week, the PM told ITV West Country: “We need to move and make sure that we now ensure that all guidance is in the right place according to that judgment.”

Asked if he does not believe a transwoman is a woman, he said: “A woman is an adult female, and the court has made that absolutely clear.”

During a Commons debate on the ruling on Monday, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson welcomed the “added clarity” of the ruling and said the government would work to “protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex”.

But Badenoch attacked Labour ministers’ previous record, accusing them of being “so desperate to jump on a bandwagon that they abandoned common sense”.

“I know what a woman is and I always have,” she said. “The people of this country know what a woman is.

“We didn’t need the Supreme Court to tell us that – but this government did.”

Badenoch added: “The idea that they have supported this all along is for the birds… They have never said this before, this is a U-turn, but we welcome it.”

Earlier, Phillipson was pressed over whether a trans woman should use a women’s toilet or a men’s toilet.

“That should be on the basis of biological sex – that would apply right across the board to all single-sex provision,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“But the EHRC [Equality and Human Rights Commission] will be setting out additional guidance and a statutory code of practice because we need to make sure that everyone has the ability to access services that are safe and appropriate and respect their privacy and dignity.”

Phillipson added that “many businesses have moved towards unisex provision or separate cubicles that can be used by anyone”.

Asked whether there was unity in the Labour Party about this issue, she replied: “I speak for the government on this matter and I can be crystal clear with you that we welcome the ruling.”

Many Labour MPs will be uneasy about the comments from Sir Keir and Phillipson, although frustration did not seem to extend to being willing to criticise the government, but instead expressing concern about anxieties within the trans, non-binary and intersex community.

In the debate following Phillipson’s statement, Labour’s Emily Thornberry said LGBT helpline calls had “skyrocketed in recent days” and highlighted that “the overwhelming threat to women and to all of the trans community is the violence that we suffer from cis men”.

Nadia Whittome pointed out that a ban on trans women using women’s toilets, or trans men using men’s toilets, would leave them using facilities they “would not feel comfortable or safe in”.

Liberal Democrat women and equalities spokeswoman Christine Jardine warned the ruling threatened the human rights and security “of another vulnerable group in society” and questioned where trans people should now seek refuge.

Women and Equalities select committee chair, Labour’s Sarah Owen, said the judges made their decision “without a single contribution from trans people” and won a commitment from Phillipson that trans “stakeholders” would be involved in the creation of upcoming guidance.

Some MPs who have campaigned in support of trans rights pointed to commitments in Labour’s general election manifesto to introduce a “trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices” as well as to “modernise, simplify, and reform” gender recognition law.

Those are still Labour Party policies, as far as we are aware, but any sign of backsliding on that and this debate may again become a tense one within Labour’s ranks.

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Who will be the next Pope? Key candidates in an unpredictable contest

Who will be the next pope? The decision could have a profound impact on the Catholic Church and the world’s 1.4 billion baptised Roman Catholics.

It also promises to be a highly unpredictable and open process for a host of reasons.

The College of Cardinals will meet in conclave in the Sistine Chapel to debate and then vote for their preferred candidates until a single name prevails.

With 80% of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis himself, they are not only electing a pope for the first time, but will offer a broad global perspective.

For the first time in history, fewer than half of those given a vote will be European.

And although the college may be dominated by his appointments, they were not exclusively “progressive” or “traditionalist”.

For those reasons, it is harder than ever to predict who will be elected the next Pope.

Could the cardinals elect an African or an Asian Pope, or might they favour one of the old hands of the Vatican administration?

Here is a selection of names being mentioned as Francis’s potential successor, and we expect more to emerge in the coming days.

Pietro Parolin

Nationality: Italian

Age: 70

Softly spoken Italian Cardinal Parolin was the Vatican’s secretary of state under Pope Francis – making him the Pope’s chief adviser. The secretary of state also heads the Roman Curia, the Church’s central administration.

Having acted effectively as deputy pope, he could be considered a frontrunner.

He is viewed by some as more likely to prioritise diplomacy and a global outlook than the purity of Catholic dogma. His critics consider that a problem, while his supporters see a strength.

But he has been critical of the legalisation of same-sex marriage around the world, calling a landmark 2015 vote in favour in the Republic of Ireland “a defeat for humanity”.

The bookmakers may back him but Cardinal Parolin will be well aware of an old Italian saying that stresses the uncertainty of the pope-picking process: “He who enters a conclave as a pope, leaves it as a cardinal.”

Some 213 of the previous 266 popes have been Italian and even though there has not been an Italian pope in 40 years, the pivot of the upper echelons of the Church away from Italy and Europe may mean there may not be another for now.

Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle

Nationality: Filipino

Age: 67

Could the next pope come from Asia?

Cardinal Tagle has decades of pastoral experience – meaning he has been an active Church leader among the people as opposed to a diplomat for the Vatican or cloistered expert on Church law.

The Church is massively influential in the Philippines, where about 80% of the population is Catholic. The country currently has a record five members of the College of Cardinals – which could make for a significant lobbying faction if they all back Cardinal Tagle.

He is considered a moderate within the Catholic definition, and has been dubbed the “Asian Francis” because of a dedication to social issues and sympathy for migrants that he shared with the late pope.

He has opposed abortion rights, calling them “a form of murder” – a position in line with the Church’s broader stance that life begins at conception. He has also spoken against euthanasia.

But in 2015 when he was Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Tagle called for the Church to reassess its “severe” stance towards gay people, divorcees and single mothers, saying past harshness had done lasting harm and left people feeling “branded”, and that each individual deserved compassion and respect.

The cardinal was considered a candidate to be pope as far back as the 2013 conclave in which Francis was elected.

Asked a decade ago how he viewed suggestions he could be next, he replied: “I treat it like a joke! It’s funny.”

Fridolin Ambongo Besungu

Nationality: Congolese

Age: 65

It’s very possible the next Pope could be from Africa, where the Catholic Church continues to add millions of members. Cardinal Ambongo is a leading candidate, hailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He has been Archbishop of Kinshasa for seven years, and was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis.

He is a cultural conservative, opposing blessings for same-sex marriage, stating that “unions of persons of the same sex are considered contradictory to cultural norms and intrinsically evil”.

Though Christianity is the majority religion in the DRC, Christians there have faced death and persecution at the hands of jihadist group Islamic State and associated rebels. Against that backdrop, Cardinal Ambongo is viewed as a fierce advocate for the Church.

But in a 2020 interview, he spoke in favour of religious plurality, saying: “Let Protestants be Protestants and Muslims be Muslims. We are going to work with them. But everyone has to keep their own identity.”

Such comments could lead some cardinals to wonder if he fully embraces their sense of mission – in which Catholics hope to spread the Church’s word throughout the world.

Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson

Nationality: Ghanaian

Age: 76

If chosen by his peers, the influential Cardinal Turkson would likewise have the distinction of being the first African pope for 1,500 years.

Like Cardinal Ambongo, he has claimed not to want the job. “I’m not sure whether anyone does aspire to become a Pope,” he told the BBC in 2013.

Asked if Africa had a good case to provide the next Pope based on the Church’s growth on the continent, he said he felt the Pope shouldn’t be chosen based on statistics, because “those types of considerations tend to muddy the waters”.

He was the first Ghanaian to be made a cardinal, back in 2003 under Pope John Paul II.

Like Cardinal Tagle, Cardinal Turkson was considered a potential Pope a decade later, when Francis was chosen. In fact, bookmakers made him the favourite ahead of voting.

A guitarist who once played in a funk band, Cardinal Turkson is known for his energetic presence.

Like many cardinals from Africa, he leans conservative. However, he has opposed the criminalisation of gay relationships in African countries including his native Ghana.

In a BBC interview in 2023, while Ghana’s parliament was discussing a bill imposing harsh penalties on LGBTQ+ people, Turkson said he felt homosexuality should not be treated as an offence.

Back in 2012, he was accused of making fear-mongering predictions over the spread of Islam in Europe at a Vatican conference of bishops, for which he later apologised.

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Tasers in prisons to be trialled after Abedi attack

The use of Tasers in prisons will be trialled after guards were injured by the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, the justice secretary has said.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) had called for guards to have access to electric stun guns in light of Hashem Abedi’s use of makeshift weapons to attack staff at HMP Frankland, a high-security prison in County Durham.

Shabana Mahmood told the Commons on Tuesday: “Wherever we can strengthen our defences, to better protect our staff and the public, we will do so.”

However, POA chairman Mark Fairhurst told the BBC he did not believe a trial was necessary and called for their use to be rolled out “before one of my members is murdered”.

Three guards received hospital treatment after the attack on 12 April. One remains in hospital in a stable condition, while two others have since been discharged.

At the time of the attack Abedi was held in a separation wing used to house the most dangerous and extremist prisoners.

However, he had access to a kitchen, where he was able to heat cooking oil and fashion weapons from equipment which he used to assault the guards.

Following calls for urgent action to keep prison staff safer, Mahmood confirmed HM Prison and Probation service would begin a trial on the use of electric stun guns.

It is due to be launched in the summer and will be limited to facilities housing adult males.

She said a separate independent review into the attack would “ascertain how this incident was able to happen, what more must be done to protect prison staff and, more widely, how separation centres are run”.

Mahmood has previously ordered a “snap review” into the use of protective body armour for prison staff.

She paid tribute to the “bravery of the officers involved that day”, which she said “undoubtedly saved lives”.

Mr Fairhurst, who is due to meet the justice secretary on Wednesday, said the attack had been a clear indication that officers faced urgent danger, and disputed the need for a trial period before allowing prison staff access to electric stun guns.

“The police force has used this equipment for years, we know it’s effective,” he said.

Mr Fairhurst said the equipment should be rolled out in all high-security facilities and used by specially trained staff. He continued: “If not, our lives are on the line.”

Currently, prison officers are only able to carry an extendable baton and synthetic pepper spray.

Abedi, who helped his older brother Salman plan the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, was jailed for life with a minimum 55 years in prison after being convicted of murdering 22 people.

He had been moved to Frankland after carrying out an earlier attack on prison officers in London’s Belmarsh prison in 2020, for which three years and 10 months was added to his sentence.

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Margo Martin, a key aide of US President Donald Trump, shared a picture with her boss from the White House’s Oval Office on Tuesday, praising him as the “world’s greatest boss.”
“‘Margo you’re always behind the camera! Let’s get a photo. World’s greatest boss,” Martin captioned the photo on X.
Martin stood next to a map which showed “Gulf of America.” In February, days after returning to the White House, Trump had issued an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
Who is Margo Martin?
The 28-year-old, a special assistant and communications advisor of Trump, grew up in Oklahoma, according to New York Post. As per the website, she “stayed by his side,” even as several other press officers left through the course of the Republican leader’s “many scandals.”
Martin is also among the few staffers who stayed on despite Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election, which he contested as the sitting president. In April 2024, she was one of the few individuals among the then former commander-in-chief’s inner circle, to accompany him to a Manhattan criminal court for the commencement of the first criminal trial against him – the hush-money case.
Martin had a previous White House stint as well, when she served as Trump’s press assistant during his first presidential term. Ahead of the campaign season for the 2024 presidential election, she was the deputy director of communications for his Save America political action committee.

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“Ask the Houthis how he’s doing,” President Trump quipped this Easter Monday, defending his embattled Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. But behind the bravado and bunny suits on the White House lawn, top officials are privately doing just that — asking if Hegseth’s tenure, marred by leaks, insubordination, and now a national security scandal, is becoming untenable.
According to a senior US official not authorised to speak on the record, the White House has quietly begun the search for a replacement. The catalyst? A second revelation that Hegseth shared sensitive, minute-by-minute details of airstrikes in Yemen — not just with aides, but in a private Signal group that included his wife, brother, and lawyer.
If the first leak was a lapse, the second looks like a pattern. And patterns — especially those that risk lives — are rarely tolerated long in Washington, even in a Trump-led administration where loyalty often trumps protocol.
The SignalGate Scandal
The SignalGate saga began with a bombshell: Hegseth had inadvertently looped a journalist into a private Signal chat with top White House officials just hours before a coordinated airstrike on Houthi targets. That alone triggered alarm bells across the Pentagon, as adversaries like Iran and the Houthis have demonstrated a growing capability to intercept communications and retaliate — already having shot down two American drones this year.
Now, the existence of a second, even more cavalier chat thread — this time with family — has sparked internal panic. According to officials, the chats included real-time strike updates, precise targeting information, and assessments before missions had even launched.
“This isn’t just bad judgement. It’s operational malpractice,” said Rep. Jim Himes, a senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

Trump’s Dilemma: Loyalty vs Liability

Publicly, Trump has stood by Hegseth — calling him a “great patriot” and dismissing the uproar as “media hysteria.” But behind closed doors, aides are reportedly weighing how long the president can afford to defend a man increasingly viewed as a national security risk.
For Trump, the decision is politically fraught. Hegseth is a loyalist, a fellow Fox News alumnus, and a face of the Trump-era military ethos: brash, anti-bureaucratic, and deeply ideological. But even in Trumpworld, loyalty has limits — especially when headlines shift from “tough on terror” to “reckless with secrets.”
One former official described the West Wing mood as “tense and tired” — a recognition that keeping Hegseth may be more costly than letting him go.

Pentagon in Disarray

Adding to the drama is the exodus of senior staff. Four top Pentagon advisers either resigned or were forcibly removed in the past week. Former spokesperson John Ullyot, once a Hegseth ally, now paints a dire picture of dysfunction, calling it a “full-blown meltdown.”
The purge has fueled speculation that Hegseth is not just leaking — he’s losing control.
Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick, two of the aides escorted out, were close allies of Hegseth from his Concerned Veterans for America days. In a defiant joint statement, they accused the Pentagon of political scapegoating, saying they still hadn’t been told what they supposedly leaked.
“All three of us served honorably in Iraq and Afghanistan,” they wrote. “We know what operational security means.”
Their defence — and their sudden dismissal — adds another layer of intrigue. Is Hegseth cleaning house to protect himself? Or is the house simply collapsing?

An Unforced Error

To many defence experts, Hegseth’s appointment was always a gamble. A former weekend TV host and Iraq War veteran with no prior experience managing large institutions, he was an odd choice to run the Pentagon — a behemoth of 3 million personnel and a $900 billion budget.
That oddity is now a liability.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, bluntly called for accountability — not just from Hegseth, but from Trump.
“This is what happens when a complex, consequential job is given to someone with a resume built on primetime rants and MAGA bromides,” she said.
The Endgame
Whether Hegseth survives this scandal may ultimately depend less on the Pentagon than on politics. Trump, facing rising global tensions and seeking re-election, may decide that the symbolism of strength matters more than the substance of discipline.
But make no mistake — the knives are out.
And if history is any guide, Trump doesn’t fire his loyalists until the threat becomes existential. Hegseth may still have a few weeks of borrowed time. But in Washington, as with warfare, leaks have a way of sinking even the most loyal ships.

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