A region-administered entity in South Asia with a complex political history
India’s squad is preparing for a two-test series in Sri Lanka as part of the World Test Championship cycle 2025-27. The team seeks valuable points to qualify for the 2027 final while navigating workload management and fitness concerns ahead of the tour.
Polling is under way in four PK-administered Kashmir constituencies as security is tightened. The JAAC boycott persists, while PML-N is expected to lead the regional government after securing a majority in earlier phases; violence and protests have marked the campaign.
Heavy monsoon downpours have caused floods and mudslides in Sri Lanka’s central hills, damaging 129 houses and prompting the evacuation of about 2,000 people. Five people are confirmed dead, with several missing, as navy and army units conduct rescues. The disaster compounds the region’s ongoing recovery from Cyclone Ditwa earlier last year.
The monsoon has intensified, causing deadly floods and landslides across multiple Indian states. Assam and Jharkhand report the highest casualties, while Kerala and Kashmir face ongoing damage as the weather system continues to unleash heavy rainfall. Officials warn that climate-driven changes are raising the risk of future disasters.
Pakistan’s Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026 have been issued, requiring accreditation and travel clearance for reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Rights groups call the move a restriction on press freedom; the government says it provides a transparent framework for registration and reporting.
The International Court of Arbitration has ruled that the Indus Waters Treaty remains fully in force, obliging India to limit construction on the Ratle hydroelectric project in Kashmir. Both sides remain locked in a long-running dispute over water-sharing between India and Pakistan, with a neutral expert due by mid-2027 to assess project compliance.
The UN General Assembly has voted 164–1 to encourage use of equal-area map projections, led by Togo and backed by the African Union. The non-binding resolution recommends the Equal Earth projection for schools, governments and tech companies. The United States cast the sole vote against; six states abstained.