TOP NEWS

Political situation in Turkey
50 arrested in “corruption charges” against Imamoglu

47 people have been arrested in Turkey in connection with the corruption investigation against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, AFP reports.

Imamoglu has been detained since March 19. The arrest led to the largest demonstrations since 2013 breaking out in the country. Imamoglu is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s biggest political rival and he denies the charges against him. Critics say the arrest is politically motivated.

A further 819 people are to be tried in connection with the anti-government protests, which have been deemed illegal, writes the BBC.

Powerful explosion at important port in Iran – 516 injured

A powerful explosion occurred at an important Iranian port in the coastal city of Bandar Abbas in the southern parts of the country on Saturday morning, international news agencies report.

At least 516 people have been injured, according to a state-owned Iranian news agency. The first figure presented for the number of injured was 47 and the number of injured has since been raised several times.

The explosion is said to have occurred in a group of containers that were standing in the port area. It is still unclear why.

Video clips spread on social media show how large clouds of black smoke rise into the sky, writes AP. Windows several kilometers from the site are said to have been broken.

The city of Bandar Abbas is strategically located at the entrance to the Persian Gulf.

New elections in Canada
Analysis: Trump's nonsense could tip the scales

Canada's next prime minister will be Liberal Mark Carney or Conservative Pierre Poilievre. But in an analysis in The Globe and Mail, columnist Marsha Lederman wonders if it's not time for Canada to be governed by a grand coalition after Monday's election.

She asks not to be laughed at, since such collaborations are so unusual in the country. But given Donald Trump's threats, a broad coalition government "like in wartime" could now be a good idea.

The two major Toronto newspapers are also analyzing the election.

In the conservative Toronto Sun, Brian Lilley writes that a Conservative victory is still possible, even though the large majority of opinion has turned into a disadvantage. Younger voters prefer Poilievre and if voter turnout is higher than expected in that group, the Conservatives could win, he writes.

In the more liberal-minded Toronto Star, Andrew Phillips notes that Donald Trump cannot help but “trashtalk” Canada, even though he knows he shouldn’t. His threats and statements have swung the pendulum in favor of the liberals. When Trump has since toned down his attacks, the conservatives seem to have caught up, but this week it was time for another long exposition about the neighboring country.

“It is clear that Trump’s statements are helping Carney because voters see him as the leader who is best able to fight back against Trump.”

Security around the Baltic Sea
Russian military helicopter violated airspace in Poland

A Russian military helicopter has violated Polish airspace over the Baltic Sea, Reuters reports.

The helicopter belonged to Russia’s Baltic Fleet and the violation took place on Friday evening. “The incident shows that Russia is testing the readiness of our air force,” the Polish Armed Forces wrote on X.

This comes just two days after a Russian reconnaissance aircraft was also identified over the Baltic Sea. At that time, two Swedish Jas 39 Gripen were sent into the air to monitor the Russian aircraft. The operation was the air force’s first serious NATO mission.

Kashmir conflict
The conflict escalates: “Ready to defend the border”

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says his military is ready “to defend the country's sovereignty,” reports AFP.

The statement comes after India accused the country of being connected to the attack on civilian tourists in Kashmir. The attack has escalated the already tense relationship between the two countries. India has accused Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism.”

“Our brave armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Sharif said in a statement.

In the past two days, soldiers from India and Pakistan have clashed with each other, exchanging fire, and India has withdrawn from an important water agreement that has survived 65 years.