Today’s headlines: Indonesia, commission investigates 12 civilians killed in army operations in Central Papua; Case of abuse and forced conversions at Indian multinational following employee complaints; 60% of birth bonus paid out in Hong Kong as rate drops from 2025; Fourth ballistic missile test launch of the month in North Korea.
Tension is mounting over the US-Iran truce – due to expire this week – after Washington seized an Iranian cargo ship attempting to breach the US naval blockade. Tehran has vowed to ‘respond’. Diplomatic efforts appear to be faltering, whilst according to state media, Iran currently has no intention of participating in talks with the US, with Trump’s negotiators heading to Pakistan – including Vice-President Vance, according to the White House.
INDONESIA
Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission has criticised the army over the killing of 12 civilians last week during an operation in Papua province. The army stated it had no information regarding the deaths; the commission said that 12 people, including women and children, were shot dead during an operation against separatists in Central Papua on 14 April; investigations are ongoing.
INDIA
Alleged sexual abuse and attempts at forced religious conversion are said to involve some employees of the Indian multinational Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS). An internal investigation has been launched following the arrest of eight employees at the Nashik branch in Maharashtra. The police are investigating nine complaints, all but one filed by female employees of the Hindu faith, relating to alleged cases of rape, sexual harassment, stalking, intimidation and attempts at conversion to Islam.
HONG KONG
Twenty couples in Hong Kong have each received a newborn baby bonus totalling HK,000 (approximately €7,600) for giving birth to three children over a period of about two and a half years. However, by February, less than 60% of the HK.28 billion allocated for the three-year Newborn Baby Bonus scheme, which expires in October, had been disbursed. Government data showed that the birth rate in the first two months of 2026 fell by 20% compared with the same period in 2025.
NORTH KOREA
Kim Jong Un yesterday oversaw ballistic missile launch tests as part of efforts to assess the performance of warheads carrying cluster bombs and fragmentation mines, according to the state news agency KCNA. The tests marked the fourth ballistic missile launch this month and the seventh this year, as North Korea seeks to bolster its missile and nuclear capabilities despite UN Security Council resolutions.
RUSSIA
A Moscow court has ordered the arrest of Alina Džikaeva, editor-in-chief of the North Caucasus news agency Sapa, on charges of corruption for bribes she paid to a police officer in Vladikavkaz, Šamsutdinov Šamsutdin, who is himself now under house arrest, to obtain information on law enforcement operations and military movements in the territories of Dagestan and North Ossetia, including citizens’ personal data.
KYRGYZSTAN
The President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Žaparov, has announced the start of the second phase of territorial and administrative reform, which will lead to the further abolition of several regions and provinces to ‘optimise rural administrations’, despite protests from many rural villagers, who find themselves transferred to different local authorities with significant bureaucratic complications, following the reduction from 465 rural provinces to the current 232.
