PAKISTAN'S parliament session was on Thursday (31) adjourned abruptly till Sunday (3) after opposition lawmakers demanded an immediate vote on a no-confidence motion against prime minister Imran Khan.
The adjournment came amid vociferous protest from the opposition who had tabled the motion on March 28.
Khan has suffered further setbacks as two main allies of the government - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) - have joined the ranks against him.
The government lost its majority after the allies ditched it and pressure is mounting on the cricketer-turned-politician.
His ministers, however, said Khan would fight until “the last ball of the last over”.
Khan needs 172 votes in the Lower House of 342 to foil the opposition's bid to topple him.
However, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), said the opposition has the support of 175 lawmakers and the prime minister should resign.
No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office. Also, no prime minister in Pakistan's history has ever been ousted through a no-confidence motion.
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Southport killer Axel Rudakubana investigated over alleged attack
May 10, 2025
POLICE are investigating an alleged attack on a prison officer by Axel Rudakubana, who is serving a life sentence for killing three girls in Southport last year.
The incident took place last Thursday (8) at HMP Belmarsh in London. It is understood that the officer had boiling water thrown over them. According to the Ministry of Justice, the officer was taken to hospital as a precaution and discharged the same day.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Violence in prison will not be tolerated and we will always push for the strongest possible punishment for attacks on our hardworking staff.”
The alleged assault has raised concerns about staff safety in prisons. It follows a similar attack last month by Hashem Abedi, the Manchester Arena bomber, who reportedly attacked three officers at HMP Frankland using hot oil and improvised weapons.
According to Ministry of Justice data, assaults on staff in adult prisons in England and Wales are at their highest level in ten years.
Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood previously announced a trial of tasers in prisons and a snap review of protective body armour for officers. Asked earlier this week if prison officers were safe, prisons minister James Timpson said: “I think it is fine to work in our prisons.”
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick described the situation as a “full blown crisis” and urged the justice secretary to act “now” in a post on X.
Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors’ Association, said prison officers do “an incredibly difficult job” in “overcrowded conditions”. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “Pretty much anything can be utilised to cause harm. What we're really concerned about is the intent of people to do so.”
Asked whether dangerous prisoners should have access to kettles in their cells, Wheatley said it was “lower risk” than having officers deliver hot water to them.
Rudakubana was jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years in January for the murder of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar. The girls were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29, 2024.
He also attacked eight other children, a dance instructor, and a man who tried to stop him. He was convicted of three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and other offences including producing ricin, possessing terrorist materials, and carrying a knife.
A public inquiry into the Southport killings began in April. In February, the Attorney General decided not to refer Rudakubana’s sentence to the Court of Appeal, despite calls for a review.
The Southport attack triggered widespread unrest in towns and cities across the UK. Far-right groups spread false claims online about the attacker’s background, leading to riots targeting police, shops, and places housing asylum seekers. Mosques were also attacked. Hundreds of people were arrested during the violence.
(with inputs from AFP)
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A man stands amidst the debris on the roof of a damaged house, following Pakistan's military operation against India, in Rehari, Jammu, May 10, 2025. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
India, Pakistan exchange fire as US urges restraint amid nuclear tensions
May 10, 2025
PAKISTAN launched counterattacks against India on Saturday (10) after three of its air bases were struck overnight, and as the conflict between the neighbours spiralled towards a full-blown war that sparked calls against "miscalculation".
Indian Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told a briefing on Saturday there were "several high-speed missile attacks" on air bases, but "limited damage" to equipment.
Pakistan earlier accused India of targeting three of its bases with missiles -- including one in Rawalpindi, some 10 kilometres (six miles) from the capital, Islamabad.
Authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir said 11 civilians were killed by Indian shelling overnight.
In a live broadcast aired by state television in the middle of the night, Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif warned: "Now you just wait for our response."
Pakistan's defence minister said that no meeting of the top military and civil body overseeing the country's nuclear arsenal had been scheduled following a military operation against India.
Pakistan's military said earlier that the prime minister had called on the authority to meet. The information minister did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
"This thing that you have spoken about (nuclear option) is present, but let's not talk about it - we should treat it as a very distant possibility, we shouldn't even discuss it in the immediate context," Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif told ARY TV.
"Before we get to that point, I think temperatures will come down. No meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled."
Later Saturday, prime minister Shehbaz Sharif told senior officials "we have given India a befitting response and avenged the blood of our innocent citizens", his office said in a statement.
Supporters of political and religious party Jamat-e-Islami attend a rally in support of Pakistan Armed Forces in Islamabad, Pakistan, May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Fayaz Aziz
The clashes, involving fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery, are the worst in decades and have killed more than 60 civilians.
The fighting was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of disputed Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, which Delhi blamed on Islamabad.
India accused the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation -- of carrying out the attack, but Islamabad has denied any involvement and called for an independent probe.
The countries have fought several wars over the Muslim-majority Kashmir, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.
In a series of calls to senior officials in both countries, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged them to restore direct communication to "avoid miscalculation".
Rubio "emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation", State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.
For the first known time since the conflict erupted, Rubio also spoke with Pakistan's army chief, considered the country's key powerbroker.
China also made a similar appeal as did the G7 group of industrialised nations.
The overnight Indian attack on the Rawalpindi air base could be heard from Islamabad.
The air base is used to receive foreign dignitaries, and Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs Adel Al-Jubeir had departed just hours earlier.
Separately, AFP journalists reported loud explosions in Srinagar, the capital of India-administered Kashmir.
A police officer speaking on condition of anonymity said the Awantipora military airbase outside the city had been struck.
"Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western border," the army said on X.
The army said "multiple enemy drones were spotted flying over" a military cantonment in Amritsar in Punjab, a state adjoining Kashmir, and were "instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units."
In Jammu, Indian-run Kashmir's second biggest city, people scrambled to board a special train dispatched to ferry people out.
"There are loud explosions the entire night," said Karan Varma, a 41-year-old mason.
"There is no choice but to leave".
The overwhelming majority were poor labourers from other parts of India seeking to return to their homes.
People stand next to a damaged vehicle in a neighbourhood, following Pakistan's military operation against India, in Rehari, Jammu, May 10, 2025. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
On Friday (9), the Indian army said it had "repulsed" waves of Pakistani attacks using drones and other munitions overnight, and gave a "befitting reply".
Pakistan's military spokesman denied that Islamabad was carrying out such attacks, and vowed revenge for India's initial strikes, on Wednesday.
Pakistani military sources said its forces had shot down 77 drones, with debris of many incursions seen by AFP in cities across the country.
Pakistan's military early Saturday claimed New Delhi's forces had bombed their own territory in Amritsar, without providing evidence.
Armed groups have stepped up operations in Kashmir since 2019, when Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked its limited autonomy and took the state under direct rule by New Delhi.
The countries have fought several wars over Kashmir, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.
The conflict has caused major disruptions to international aviation, with airlines having to cancel flights or use longer routes that do not overfly the India-Pakistan frontier.
India has closed 32 airports, while schools in areas close to the border on both sides were shuttered, affecting millions of children.
Pakistan' aviation authority said its airspace would be closed until noon on Sunday (11) (0700 GMT).
(Agencies)
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India's air defence system intercepts objects in the sky during a blackout following multiple blasts in the city of Jammu, May 9, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
China may gain intelligence from India-Pakistan conflict: Report
May 09, 2025
THE CONFLICT between India and Pakistan over Kashmir presents an intelligence opportunity for China, as it may gather data from Pakistani use of Chinese-made fighter jets and other weapons during military action.
Security analysts and diplomats say China’s military has developed the capacity to monitor Indian military movements in real time, using its border infrastructure, naval presence in the Indian Ocean, and satellites.
"From an intelligence perspective, this is a rare target of opportunity right on China's borders involving a key potential adversary," said Singapore-based security analyst Alexander Neill.
Two US officials said a Pakistani J-10 jet, supplied by China, shot down at least two Indian military aircraft, including a French-made Rafale. India has not acknowledged the loss of any planes. Pakistan’s defence and foreign ministers confirmed the use of J-10 jets but did not comment on the weapons used.
Military analysts say the aerial clash is a rare chance to study how fighter jets, pilots, and air-to-air missiles perform in live combat. Such insights can help other air forces in their planning.
India and China share a 3,800-km Himalayan border, which has been disputed since the 1950s. A standoff that began in 2020 eased in October 2024 with an agreement on patrolling.
Both countries have strengthened their border military infrastructure, and China also uses satellites and other assets for intelligence gathering. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) says China operates 267 satellites, including 115 for surveillance and 81 for signals intelligence. This is second only to the United States.
"Both in terms of space and missile tracking capabilities, China is much better off now in terms of being able to monitor things as they happen," said Neill, who is also an adjunct fellow at the Pacific Forum think-tank in Hawaii.
China's defence ministry did not respond to Reuters’ questions about its satellite deployments or intelligence gathering. Pakistan’s military and information ministry also did not respond to queries about information sharing with China.
Pakistan has previously referred to its relationship with China as an "all-weather strategic, cooperative partnership".
India has not commented on the issue. However, its high commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, told Sky News on Thursday that China's relationship with Pakistan was not a concern for India.
"China requires a relationship with all of its neighbours, that includes us," he said.
Missile deployments
Analysts and diplomats say Chinese intelligence teams may seek information on any use of Indian air defences or missile launches, including cruise and ballistic missiles. They may also study command and control systems.
Indian use of the BrahMos cruise missile, developed with Russia, would draw attention, some analysts say. They believe it has not yet been used in combat.
China has also increased its intelligence operations at sea, deploying space-tracking ships and other civilian vessels like oceanographic research and fishing boats in the Indian Ocean, according to open source trackers.
Diplomats say Chinese warships are still limited in the region due to the lack of bases, but China collects intelligence using other vessels.
Last week, trackers observed a large fleet of Chinese fishing vessels moving in a coordinated manner within 120 nautical miles of Indian naval drills in the Arabian Sea.
The Pentagon and analysts have previously said that China’s fishing fleets sometimes act as a maritime militia and help gather intelligence.
"These vessels may double up as listening posts, tracking development rhythms and response patterns, feeding early warning, naval intel to their sponsors," wrote open source tracker Damien Symon in a post on X, referring to the deployment of 224 Chinese vessels near Indian drills on May 1.
Chinese officials typically do not confirm the existence of fishing militia or intelligence activity by civilian vessels.
Analysts say China’s presence in Pakistan also helps it gather data. Chinese military advisers and other personnel are known to be in Pakistan as it imports advanced military systems from China.
"The presence of Chinese military advisers and other personnel in Pakistan is well-known given how Pakistan's Ministry of Defence has been importing some of its most advanced military hardware from China, so we can be certain the PLA would be able to access relevant data," said James Char, a security scholar at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.
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Currently, the requirement is equivalent to a GCSE-level qualification in English as a foreign language.
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Migrants will need higher standard of English to stay in UK: Report
May 09, 2025
MIGRANTS coming to the UK will be required to meet a higher standard of English as part of Labour’s planned immigration reforms, according to a report.
A white paper expected next week will outline that those applying for a UK work visa must show a more advanced level of English, with the aim of improving integration and reducing net migration, The Times reported.
Currently, the requirement is equivalent to a GCSE-level qualification in English as a foreign language. The proposed change would raise the standard to a B2 level, roughly equivalent to A-level.
According to the Home Office, this level means migrants must be able to express themselves “fluently and spontaneously” and communicate “flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.” They must also be able to produce detailed text on complex subjects.
The white paper will also include rules to ensure that all migrants prove their knowledge of English, with successful asylum seekers expected to meet the standard after five years to qualify for permanent settlement. Migrants will be told that “if you want to come here, you must contribute and integrate,” a government source told The Times.
The reforms are also expected to require migrants to show alignment with British values such as democracy and tolerance, though how this will be tested is unclear.
Employers will be banned from hiring foreign workers if they fail to invest in training British staff.
Sectors like engineering, IT and construction will need to show domestic skills development, such as increasing apprenticeships, or risk losing their visa sponsor licences.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticised the plans, calling them a “cosmetic announcement” and said Labour should support Conservative proposals including a migration cap and raising salary thresholds.
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The phone conversation came amid efforts by India’s strategic partners to reduce tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.
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David Lammy speaks to S Jaishankar amid India-Pakistan conflict
May 09, 2025
INDIA’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke with British foreign secretary David Lammy on Friday and said there must be “zero-tolerance” to terrorism.
The phone conversation came amid efforts by India’s strategic partners to reduce tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.
“Our discussions centred around countering terrorism, for which there must be zero-tolerance,” Jaishankar said in a post on social media.
On Thursday, Jaishankar also held phone talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Italian deputy prime minister Antonio Tajani, and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.
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Tensions between India and Pakistan have risen following India’s Operation Sindoor early on Wednesday and Pakistan’s subsequent unsuccessful attempt to attack 15 Indian cities.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Rubio stressed the need for immediate de-escalation.
“He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications,” she said.
“The secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism,” Bruce added.
ALSO READ: India's response to Pahalgam attack was limited to terror targets: Vikram Doraiswami
On his phone call with Kallas, Jaishankar said: “Discussed ongoing developments with EU HRVP @kajakallas.”
“India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response,” he added.
The European Union said it is “monitoring closely and with great concern the growing tensions in the region and the ensuing consequences, including the possible loss of more lives.”
“The EU calls on both parties to exercise restraint, to de-escalate tensions and desist from further attacks to safeguard civilian lives on both sides,” it said.
“The EU urges both sides to engage in dialogue. It is vital that India and Pakistan also live up to their obligations under international law and take all measures possible to protect civilian lives,” it added.
ALSO READ: What is Operation Sindoor, India's strikes in Pakistan?
The EU said it will work with all parties to de-escalate the situation.
The UK foreign secretary on Wednesday also said the current tensions were a serious concern.
“The UK government is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward,” he said.
“The UK was clear in its condemnation of the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month. We need all sides to work urgently to see regional stability restored and ensure protection of civilians,” he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
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