Mumbai political murder sparks national outcry and fear

While you were sleeping, here's what global agencies reported overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday.

• The murder of a politician in Mumbai has shaken the entire country. On Saturday night, 66-year-old Baba Ziauddin Siddique was shot near his car as he was leaving his son's office. He later died in the hospital. The motives for the murder are still unknown. Police have arrested three people so far and assure that the investigation is ongoing. According to investigators, the suspects fired six to seven shots, hitting Siddique in the abdomen and chest. Two pistols and 28 rounds of live ammunition were found with the men. Local media report that those arrested are part of the notorious Bishnoi gang, whose leader is currently in prison. One of the suspects, claiming to be a gang member, posted on Facebook that they were behind Siddique's murder. The police have not yet confirmed the authenticity of this post. Siddique was a member of the coalition governing the state of Maharashtra, whose capital is Mumbai. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called the murder a "complete failure of law and order in Maharashtra," and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that this incident has frightened not only the residents of Maharashtra but the entire country.

• Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing sharp criticism after buying a multi-million-dollar house atop a cliff, as Australia undergoes a nationwide housing crisis. He made the purchase a few months before elections in which the cost of living and housing are crucial issues. His decision has elicited many negative comments, even from members of his own party. Albanese defended himself, stating that he "knows what it's like to struggle with difficulties," but explained that he bought this luxury property to be closer to his fiancée's family. Documents show that the house in Copacabana, which features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and three parking spaces with panoramic views, was sold for $2.7 million.

• Russia is actively meddling in the electoral process in Moldova, with the main aim of thwarting Chisinau's efforts to join the European Union. Russia is reportedly using significant financial resources to support a chosen candidate. This information was shared on Tuesday by John Kirby, the spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council. During a briefing, Kirby confirmed that Moscow is spending large sums to influence the election outcome in Moldova, emphasizing that Russia is interfering in the electoral process in an attempt to derail Moldova's EU accession efforts, spending millions of dollars to support its favored candidate.

• Intense battles continue in Sudan between government forces and rebels. Near Khartoum, the military destroyed a rare Russian armored vehicle, the Federal-M, used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as confirmed by local media. One of the materials published on the X service shows a damaged rover painted in desert colors, standing on flat tires, scorched, and riddled with bullets. Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF began on April 15, 2023. The UN has accused several countries, including Russia, of fueling and prolonging the war in Sudan. Russia is supplying both sides of the conflict, with the Sudanese government receiving fighter planes and rebels being armed by mercenaries linked to the former Wagner group. Government troops are also supported by Iran, which supplies them with Mohajer-6 drones, and additionally, cooperation with the Sudanese army is backed by Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

• According to North Korean state media, nearly 1.4 million young Koreans enlisted in the army last week, supposedly in reaction to growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. "Young people are determined to fight in the holy war to destroy the enemy with the weapons of revolution," the statement reads. Meanwhile, Reuters notes that this is the latest report on the increasing number of recruits joining the Korean People's Army. On Tuesday, North Korea reportedly blew up parts of roads at its border with South Korea. On the same day, the South Korean military reportedly fired warning shots, as reported by the Yonhap agency. According to reports, this action is in response to a military operation by Pyongyang officially announced a few days earlier.

Source: PAP, BBC