Saturday, May 10

The conflict between India and Pakistan has escalated even further, with both countries launching barrages of strikes on each others' territories.

The conflict began several weeks ago when 26 tourists were killed in a terrorist attack on Kashmir, a union territory in northern India. The attack took place in the Baisaran Valley, an area nicknamed "mini Switzerland" for its stunning landscapes-- due to its natural beauty, the area is a hotspot for tourists. Read more into the initial incident here.

Tension quickly rose between the two countries, with both sides ejecting each others' diplomats, shutting down visa admission, closing the border, and closing each others' airspace.

After the terrorist attack, India attacked several sites within Pakistan, claiming that they struck important infrastructure that was used by the terrorists who entered Kashmir. According to Pakistani authorities, dozens of people were killed in the strikes, which hit nine different locations across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the Pakistani province of Punjab. However, Pakistan confirmed that their air defenses had managed to take down a majority of the incoming missiles.

Pakistan also completely shut down their airspace for all aircraft, leading to the cancellations of hundreds of flights.

Yesterday, Pakistan retaliated, with various drone attacks taking place across northwestern India. In the Indian state of Punjab, scores of armed drones were taken down by Indian forces in the major city of Amritsar, which is home to around 1.5 million people and the famous Golden Temple-- a holy site for the Sikh faith.

Pakistan also claims that they shot down five Indian fighter jets, although India has not confirmed or denied these allegations. India refuses to release their exact losses until their operations are over, so it may be some time before the death toll is established.

Pakistan also claims that they hit several Indian bases, including air fields in the cities of Udhampur, Pathankot, and Surat Garh. They say that they targeted the exact locations where Indian missiles were fired from, but India has not confirmed this either.

India says that they are taking appropriate action, despite calls from all over the world to de-escalate the situation. Foreign nations have expressed their concern for the safety of local citizens, as thousands of people have scrambled to evacuate Kashmir and its surrounding areas since the fighting began.

Fact of the Day (BBC): The Sun makes a sound but we can't hear it. In the form of pressure waves, the Sun does make a sound. The wavelength of the pressure waves from the Sun is measured in hundreds of miles, however, meaning they are far beyond the range of human hearing.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Too many people think that the grass is greener somewhere else but grass is green where you water it. Remember that. (Unknown)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gloss (verb, GLAHSS) - To gloss a word or phrase is to provide its meaning, or in other words, to explain or define it.

In a Sentence: Many unfamiliar terms are glossed in the book’s introduction.