Conflicts between India and Pakistan have reached a new dangerous phase after the Indian army launched a military operation called “Operation Sindoor.” The attacks followed the massacre in Pahalgam, a part of Indian-controlled Kashmir, where terrorists killed 26 tourists, mostly men, in front of their families. India accused Pakistan of supporting the terrorist groups responsible for the attack, an allegation Islamabad firmly denied.

The escalation of unrest in Kashmir comes at a time when distrust between India and Pakistan has only grown over the years, with virtually no diplomatic efforts to bridge the divide.

The world must be concerned about the growing tensions between these nuclear-armed neighbors who remain in a prolonged state of hostility.

India claims its missile strikes were a response to the brutal murder of tourists near Pahalgam in Kashmir, when militants opened fire on April 22, killing 26 people and injuring dozens.

India accused Pakistan of harboring, arming, and protecting militant organizations whose fighters have infiltrated the nearly 500-mile-long border in Kashmir to attack the state.

Pakistan has rejected these accusations, claiming it only supports the Kashmiris' right to self-determination. However, this time the situation is different, as tourists—previously mostly spared by militants—became targets.

Only men were killed

And only men were killed—some executed in front of their families.

It is significant that India named its retaliation “Operation Sindoor.” Sindoor is a red powder worn by women in the parting of their hair, symbolizing marital status. In the attack near Pahalgam, many women were left widowed.

• French Dockworkers Rebel: We Refuse to Participate in Genocide
• German Minister: Recognizing the Palestinian State Now Would Be a Bad Signal

Days after the killings, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated: “I tell the entire world, India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their accomplices. We will chase them to the ends of the earth. The Indian spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished. We will do everything to ensure justice is served.”

Other forms of attacks and threats

India intensified its diplomatic offensive by expelling military advisers and suspending a key water-sharing agreement known as the Indus Water Treaty.

Pakistan responded. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a National Security Council meeting, adopted reciprocal measures, and emphasized that the suspension of the water treaty would be considered an act of war.

Tensions between the two nuclear neighbors, who have decades of animosity and distrust, have reached their peak.

India and Pakistan have fought several wars and skirmishes since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. In 2019, the two countries were on the brink of war. A suicide bomber attack on a military convoy killed at least 40 Indian soldiers.

India accused Pakistan of sheltering Islamist terrorists and carried out a limited airstrike on Pakistani territory.

The Kargil War in May 1999 led to a situation often described as a nuclear flashpoint.

The Pakistani military had secretly occupied Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC)—the de facto border between Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

War broke out, and Pakistan sought help from U.S. President Bill Clinton to de-escalate the conflict. The Washington Agreement was reached, and then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif agreed to withdraw Pakistani troops and restore the integrity of the LoC.

The “United Jihad Council,” an umbrella group of extremist organizations, rejected the agreement and decided to continue fighting against the Indian state.

The 2008 Mumbai attack

166 people were killed by ten terrorists belonging to the group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), suspected of having close ties with the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.

The killings lasted four days at prominent locations in Mumbai. The only surviving attacker, Ajmal Kasab, was captured and, before his execution in 2012, stated that the attackers were members of this terrorist group.

There is a significant trust deficit between India and Pakistan. India claims to have provided ample evidence of terrorist groups operating from Pakistan and attacking the Indian state and its people.

Pakistan denies this, claiming it is itself a victim of terrorism.

Kashmir as the epicenter of unrest

For decades, Kashmir has been a vortex of violence, conflict, killings, and abductions. The insurgency movement that began in the late 1980s lasted for decades and received support from Pakistan.

Pakistan maintains that Kashmir remains an unresolved issue.

The latest incident could soon become a flashpoint of conflict, and the world should be concerned about the potential consequences.

Josef Mengele, one of the most brutal Nazi war criminals, lived freely in South America for decades. A police file, previously considered lost, reveals how he managed to evade justice.

Investigative journalists from Germany’s public broadcaster MDR Investigativ discovered a police file on Nazi criminal Josef Mengele, previously thought to be lost.

The documents, which apparently originate from the archives of the Argentine Federal Police, contain sensitive information about Mengele’s whereabouts after World War II – and add to our current knowledge of his escape and the international manhunt for him. According to MDR Investigativ, the file disappeared from the archive in 2002.

The documents show that Josef Mengele planned to enter Germany in February 1959. The file also contains a corresponding request submitted to Argentine authorities – previously unknown.

Renowned historian and Nazi-era expert Bogdan Musial thoroughly reviewed copies of the file and confirmed their authenticity.

"This file expands our existing knowledge. It shows that some countries clearly had more detailed information than previously assumed."

Mengele Wanted to Travel to Germany in 1959 – Whether He Did Remains Unclear

"It is interesting that in February 1959 he applied to travel to West Germany under his real name. We knew about the rumors, and we know his father was ill at the time. This matches. And now we have confirmation that he genuinely intended to come as Josef Mengele. That shows he felt secure. He said – my identity is real, I feel safe, and I’m even going to Germany to visit my father."

• French Dockworkers Rebel: We Refuse to Participate in Genocide
• German Minister: Recognizing the Palestinian State Now Would Be a Bad Signal

Until now, only unconfirmed testimonies existed, says Musial for MDR Investigativ.

Asked whether Mengele actually returned to Germany, the German Foreign Ministry told MDR Investigativ it "has no information indicating that Josef Mengele actually traveled to the Federal Republic of Germany."

Mengele at Auschwitz – Selections and Brutal Experiments

World War II ended 80 years ago, on May 8, in Europe. It also marked the end of the Holocaust – the murder of six million Jews. At the heart of this genocide was the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, where over a million people were killed. Josef Mengele "worked as a doctor" in this concentration camp.

Mengele was in charge of selection – meaning he chose among the prisoners who would be allowed to work or be used for his brutal medical experiments and who would be allowed to live. The others were immediately murdered in gas chambers.

In early 1945, Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army.

Soon afterward, Mengele disappeared. As early as May 1945, the Allies issued a warrant for his arrest for mass murder.

Many Nazi Criminals Lived in South America after the War

Like many other Nazi criminals, he took advantage of the post-war chaos and fled to Argentina in 1949.

Numerous Nazi criminals escaped to South America. Argentina – like many Western countries – early on focused on the fight against communism. Nazis were then seen as welcome allies.

"All then-Western governments were accepting German scientists. So did Argentina," says Ariel Gelblung of the "Simon Wiesenthal Center" in Buenos Aires. His organization searches for Nazi criminals worldwide.

To this day, it is not known whether Mengele did actual scientific work in Argentina. He was financially supported by his wealthy family. He lived comfortably, in a villa in one of Buenos Aires’ best neighborhoods. There was no obvious reason for him to flee.

Who Tipped Mengele off in Argentina?

However, in the late 1950s, Mengele allegedly received word that someone was closing in on him. He was part of a network of former Nazis who helped one another. While he hid in Paraguay in 1959, Adolf Eichmann – one of the main organizers of the Holocaust – stayed in Buenos Aires.

That proved fatal for Eichmann. The Israeli secret service Mossad tracked him down, abducted him, and took him to Israel, where he was sentenced to death and executed.

Josef Mengele, unlike Eichmann, continued to live freely – first in Paraguay, then in Brazil.

The MDR Investigativ editorial team gained access to the documents through a collector and managed to photograph them.

"These documents come from the Argentine police archive. They contain the actual sequence of events – with accurate facts and dates," says the collector, who wishes to remain anonymous.

According to MDR Investigativ, the file has been missing for over 20 years. Why was it hidden for so long? According to Professor Daniel Feierstein from the Center for Genocide Studies in Buenos Aires, the police were trying to protect themselves.

"Before Eichmann was abducted, Germany sent information to Argentina for the first time and requested the extradition of Josef Mengele." But when Argentine security forces arrived, Mengele had already fled.

"He was warned even twice," says Feierstein. It is suspected that the tip-offs came from within the police itself. An internal investigation was launched. "That internal investigation was secret and removed from official records."

The German Government’s Stance on Mengele

According to MDR Investigativ, no copies of the discovered police file exist in any archives in Buenos Aires. However, identical passages appear in other documents – confirming its authenticity.

Documents from the German Foreign Ministry show that Germany only submitted an extradition request to Argentina for Mengele at the end of 1959. Three years earlier, Mengele had applied for a passport under his real name at the German embassy.

The Argentine police clearly knew where Mengele was. The file also shows that by January 1960, Argentine police had been informed that Mengele had fled to Paraguay.

"It’s interesting that Argentina knew where he was. I didn’t know that either," says historian Musial.

That same year, Mengele fled further – to Brazil. The file shows that from 1963, Brazilian police were requesting all available information about Mengele from Argentine authorities – including fingerprints and photographs. This indicates that the police had concrete suspicions that Mengele was on Brazilian territory.

What did German authorities know at the time? The foreign intelligence service BND cooperated with Mengele’s helpers – and to this day only allows limited access to documents.

When asked by MDR Investigativ, BND replied: "Access to files about (…) war criminals and individuals accused of Nazi crimes in South America has already been granted to researchers and journalists. It cannot be predicted in advance when specific documents will be made available to the public (...)."

Critics still accuse the German state of doing very little to expose its connections with Nazi criminals – or even of total failure.

Historian Musial disagrees: "To fail would imply that the state genuinely wanted to prosecute them. In the case of Mengele, it is clear that there was no such will." Therefore, he argues, the state did not fail. "On the contrary – it was successful. Because its real goal was: not to prosecute."

Mengele lived under a false name in Brazil until his death in 1979. His grave was discovered in 1985.

This newly uncovered police file raises new questions – about the complicity of Argentina, Brazil, and Germany and their handling of one of the most brutal Nazi war criminals.

The conclave is one of the most sacred and closed processes within the Catholic Church, an event of great spiritual, historical, and political significance. This ceremony, dating back to the Middle Ages, gathers cardinals who assemble to elect a new pope — the successor of Saint Peter and the spiritual leader of over 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.

The word “conclave” comes from the Latin expression “cum clave,” meaning “with a key,” because the cardinals are locked in a strictly guarded room — the Sistine Chapel — and remain isolated from the outside world until they reach a decision on the new pope.

Who Has Voting Rights?

Only cardinals under the age of 80 participate in the conclave. The number of cardinal-electors varies but is usually between 120 and 135. There will be 133 participating in the election of the new pope. All are required to move into the Vatican residence before the conclave and remain in complete isolation, without phones, internet, or any means of communication.

The Day the Conclave Begins

Following a nine-day mourning period for the deceased pope, the conclave begins with a solemn Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. This Mass, called “Pro eligendo Pontifice,” gathers all believers and cardinals in prayer for the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

• French Dockworkers Rebel: We Refuse to Participate in Genocide
• German Minister: Recognizing the Palestinian State Now Would Be a Bad Signal

In the afternoon, the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel in procession, singing ancient prayers such as the Litany of the Saints and Veni Creator Spiritus. Upon arrival, they take an oath of secrecy and loyalty. The ceremonial master then says the key phrase “Extra omnes” (“Everyone out”), after which all who are not part of the conclave must leave the room, and the doors are closed and locked.

The Voting Process

Voting may begin immediately, but more often starts the next day. Each day includes four voting rounds: two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Cardinals use pre-prepared ballots labeled “I elect as Supreme Pontiff,” on which they secretly write the name of their chosen candidate.

The votes are then carefully counted by selected scrutineers (vote counters), while three other cardinals check the validity of the entire process. To be elected, a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes.

If no pope is elected after multiple ballots, the process is paused for a day of prayer and reflection. In the case of a prolonged deadlock, rules allow a vote between the two leading candidates, but even then, an absolute majority is required.

The Symbolism of the Smoke

After each voting round, the ballots are burned. If black smoke appears from the Sistine Chapel chimney, it means no pope has been elected. The appearance of white smoke signals that the election has concluded — Habemus Papam! (“We have a pope!”)

After the Election

The elected cardinal must first accept the position and choose his papal name. He then retreats to a special room known as the “Room of Tears,” where he dons the white papal robes for the first time.

Shortly after, the cardinal protodeacon appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and makes the announcement. The new pope then appears before the gathered faithful and delivers his first blessing to the world.

The conclave is an event where ancient liturgical symbolism meets the modern challenges of the global Church. Although the process is deeply rooted in tradition, it hosts contemporary dialogues on the direction the Catholic Church should take: between preserving doctrine and the need for modernization, between diverse cultures and local challenges across the globe.

The Trump administration has sent an unambiguous message to Europe: You’re on your own.

In the span of three dizzying months, the White House reversed decades of U.S. foreign policy, announced the withdrawal of its presence from the continent, and demanded a swift end to the war in Ukraine – even if it meant Ukraine had to cede part of its territory to Moscow.

This new reality is something Europe has yet to adjust to, writes CNN. But 80 years after American and European allies forced Nazi Germany to surrender, a future in which the continent must defend itself against the Russian threat is no longer hypothetical.

“Europe has lived for 80 years in a situation where peace was taken for granted. And obviously it seemed like peace came for free,” said Roberto Cingolani, former Italian minister and now CEO of European defense giant Leonardo, in an interview with CNN during a recent visit to the company’s headquarters in northern Italy.

“Now, suddenly, after the invasion of Ukraine, we realize that peace must be defended.”

In recent years, the UK, France, and Germany have begun investing in their outdated armies, following a spending freeze in the mid-2010s.

However, it may take several more years before the effects of those investments are felt on the front lines. The number of soldiers, quantity of weaponry, and combat readiness in Western Europe have all declined since the end of the Cold War.

“The high level of attrition in the war in Ukraine has painfully highlighted the current weaknesses of European countries,” wrote the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank, in its direct assessment of European forces last year.

Countries closer to the Russian border are moving faster. The Trump administration hailed Poland as a model.

“We see Poland as a model ally on the continent: willing to invest not only in its own defense but also in our joint defense and the defense of the continent,” said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Warsaw during the first bilateral European meeting of Trump’s second term.

• French Dockworkers Rebel: We Refuse to Participate in Genocide
• German Minister: Recognizing the Palestinian State Now Would Be a Bad Signal

But Poland’s urgency in allocating funds for defense is more closely tied to its own generations-old tensions with Russia than to any desire to earn favor with Trump.

Warsaw and Washington are united in the conflict in Ukraine. Poland has long warned Europe about the threat posed by Russia and has steadfastly supported its neighbor in defending territory from Putin’s advance.

Today, most U.S. land and air bases are located in Germany, Italy, and Poland.

U.S. bases in Central Europe serve as a counterweight to the Russian threat, while naval and air locations in Turkey, Greece, and Italy support missions in the Middle East.

These locations represent “a key foundation for NATO operations, regional deterrence, and global power projection,” according to the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), a think tank specializing in European affairs.

European Court of Human Rights issues interim measure calling on Serbia to prevent the use of "sound weapons" or similar crowd control devices, following claims that such a device was used during a major anti-government protest in Belgrade on March 15, 2025. Although the court did not confirm the use of the sound device, it issued the measure in response to complaints from 47 Serbian citizens and reports from up to 4,000 others who experienced symptoms such as fear, nausea, and hearing problems during the protest, according to Spanish newspaper El Periodico.

The sonic weapon, suspected to be a sound cannon, caused panic, anxiety, dizziness, hearing loss, and nausea, prompting many demonstrators to seek urgent medical assistance. The device was activated during 15 minutes of silence in honor of the 15 victims of the roof collapse at the Novi Sad railway station (another person has since died), which further amplified the effect of the acoustic weapon, reports the Spanish El Periodico.

“The court issued this measure because it assessed that there is an imminent danger of further use of sound devices in Serbia,” Vladica Ilić from the Human Rights Center in Belgrade told El Periodico. This organization, along with Crta, FemPlatz, YUCOM, the A11 Initiative, and Civic Initiatives, filed the request to the European Court.

Ilić explained that “if the Court had not assessed the situation as an immediate threat, it would not have issued this measure,” emphasizing that “it’s not just about what happened, but also about ensuring it never happens again.”

• French Dockworkers Rebel: We Refuse to Participate in Genocide
• German Minister: Recognizing the Palestinian State Now Would Be a Bad Signal

Although Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dačić denied the use of a sound cannon, claiming that Serbia does not possess such sonic weapons, Minister Dačić admitted a day later that “such weapons exist, but are not used.” He also demonstrated a device that emitted the message: “This is a test of the LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device).”

“This order is not only aimed at preventing the Serbian government from acting, but also requires the state to take active measures to ensure such devices are not used by third parties,” Ilić explains.

The Court invited the applicants to submit a formal complaint by May 27 so that the case can proceed to the next stage, writes the Spanish newspaper.

Students call on Europe

The European Court’s response came after an initiative called “Tour to Strasbourg,” organized by students from Serbia. They cycled about 1,500 kilometers to Strasbourg to draw attention to institutional passivity following the roof collapse in Novi Sad.

Nova TV journalist Radovan Seratlić, who took part in the ride to Strasbourg, told El Periodico that “the European Court of Human Rights issued an interim measure to the Serbian authorities to prevent them from considering the use of weapons in future protests, as it is now clear that Serbia possesses such devices, even though their possession violates current laws.”

• Apple in Trouble: After the U.S.-China Trade War, iPhone No Longer Comes from China?
• Driver Who Plowed Into Liverpool Fans Was Under the Influence of Alcohol and Drugs

In addition to making headlines in European media, the cycling route to Strasbourg also prompted the first steps from the Council of Europe, of which Serbia is a member, it is explained.

“It is clear that this would not have happened if the students had not spent 13 days traveling through Europe, delivering messages contained in four letters addressed to European institutions and to the President of France, Emmanuel Macron,” it is stated.

Students and citizens of Serbia have been protesting for more than six months against the government, demanding accountability for the deaths of 16 people in Novi Sad. Many have blamed corruption, which they believe led to the neglect of safety regulations and carelessness during the renovation of the railway station building, the Spanish newspaper reports.

Germany's intelligence service today classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which came in second in the last parliamentary elections, as a "proven far-right extremist" movement, paving the way for placing it under strict surveillance.

The ideology of the AfD, which “devalues entire population groups in Germany and undermines their human dignity, is not compatible with the basic democratic order,” stated the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

In the parliamentary elections held on February 23, the AfD made a historic breakthrough, doubling its previous result with over 20 percent of the vote.

Since then, the young party, founded in 2013, has even surpassed the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of Friedrich Merz in some public opinion polls. Merz is expected to be sworn in as the new chancellor on Tuesday.

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution has not yet provided details on the specific consequences of this classification of the AfD, which could have major repercussions for political life in Germany.

Read also:

• French Dockworkers Rebel: We Refuse to Participate in Genocide
• German Minister: Recognizing the Palestinian State Now Would Be a Bad Signal

This classification grants the authorities significant tools for monitoring and controlling activities, including private communications.

The debate on a possible ban of the AfD, initiated by some political leaders in recent months, could be reignited.

Germany's intelligence service had already classified the AfD's youth organization and several of its regional branches in the former East German states as “extremist.”

The agency's statement mentions “the party's overall hostile stance toward migrants and Muslims” and “ongoing statements” that “encourage the spread and deepening of prejudices, resentment, and fears.”

Several people were injured today in Stuttgart, Germany, when a person drove a car into a crowd, emergency services reported.

The municipal police announced on X that a car struck a group of people in the central city district of Olgaeck.

The fire department, also on the same platform, reported that there are injured individuals, including some with serious injuries.

The AP agency reported that the car driver has been arrested.

Also read:

• French Dockworkers Rebel: We Refuse to Participate in Genocide
• German Minister: Recognizing the Palestinian State Now Would Be a Bad Signal

The United States and Ukraine signed an agreement on Wednesday granting the U.S. access to Ukraine's natural resources, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The U.S. Geological Survey considers 50 minerals critical, including rare earth elements, nickel, and lithium. These critical minerals are essential for industries such as defense, high-tech devices, aerospace, and green energy, reports Reuters.

Ukraine possesses deposits of 22 out of 34 minerals identified as critical by the European Union, according to Ukrainian data cited by Reuters.

This includes industrial and construction materials, ferroalloys, precious and non-ferrous metals, and some rare earth elements.

According to Ukraine's Institute of Geology, the country holds rare earth elements such as lanthanum and cerium, used in televisions and lighting; neodymium, used in wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries; and erbium and yttrium, with applications ranging from nuclear energy to lasers.

EU-funded research also indicates that Ukraine has reserves of scandium. Detailed data remains confidential.

The World Economic Forum reports that Ukraine is also a key potential supplier of lithium, beryllium, manganese, gallium, zirconium, graphite, apatite, fluorite, and nickel.

The State Geological Service states that Ukraine has some of the largest confirmed lithium reserves in Europe, estimated at 500,000 metric tons.

The country has titanium reserves primarily in the northwest and central regions, while lithium is found in the center, east, and southeast.

Ukraine's graphite reserves, a key component in electric vehicle batteries and nuclear reactors, represent 20% of global resources. Deposits are located in the central and western regions.

Ukraine also has significant coal reserves, although most are now under Russian control in occupied territories.

Mining analysts and economists note that Ukraine currently lacks commercially operational rare earth element mines.

China remains the world's largest producer of rare earth elements and many other critical minerals.

What Do We Know About the Agreement?

The two countries signed the agreement in Washington after months of sometimes tense negotiations, with uncertainty persisting until the last moment.

The agreement establishes a joint investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction.

Simultaneously, Trump is seeking a peaceful resolution to the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko were photographed signing the agreement, as posted on X by the Treasury Department, stating that the agreement "clearly signals the Trump administration's commitment to a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine."

Svyrydenko wrote on X that the agreement provides for Washington's contribution to this fund.

She also mentioned that the agreement includes new assistance, such as air defense systems for Ukraine.

The U.S. has not directly addressed this proposal.

Svyrydenko stated that the agreement allows Ukraine to "determine what and where to extract," and that its subsoil remains under Ukrainian ownership.

• French Dockworkers Rebel: We Refuse to Participate in Genocide
• German Minister: Recognizing the Palestinian State Now Would Be a Bad Signal

She emphasized that Ukraine has no debt obligations to the United States under the agreement, a key point in the prolonged negotiations between the two countries. She also noted that it aligns with Ukraine's Constitution and its campaign for European Union membership.

The draft did not provide any specific U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, which was one of its initial goals, according to Reuters.

Which Ukrainian Resources Remain Under Kyiv's Control?

The war has caused significant damage across Ukraine, with Russia now controlling about one-fifth of its territory.

The majority of Ukraine's coal deposits, which powered its steel industry before the war, are concentrated in the east and have been lost to Kyiv.

Approximately 40% of Ukraine's metal resources are now under Russian occupation, according to estimates by Ukrainian think tanks "We Build Ukraine" and the National Institute for Strategic Studies.

• Apple in Trouble: After the U.S.-China Trade War, iPhone No Longer Comes from China?
• Driver Who Plowed Into Liverpool Fans Was Under the Influence of Alcohol and Drugs

Since then, Russian troops have continued to advance steadily in the eastern Donetsk region.

In January, Ukraine closed its only coking coal mine outside the city of Pokrovsk, which Moscow's forces are attempting to capture.

During the war, Russia has occupied at least two Ukrainian lithium deposits—one in Donetsk and another in the Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast.

Kyiv still controls lithium deposits in the central Kirovohrad region.