UK says ready to help India and Pakistan de-escalate tensions
The UK foreign office issued a travel advisory for British nationals, warning against travel within eight kilometres of the India-Pakistan border, within 16 kilometres of the Line of Control, and all travel to Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.
Trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds said, 'Both have a huge interest in regional stability, in dialogue, in de-escalation and anything we can do to support that, we are here and willing to do.'
Vivek Mishra works as an Assistant Editor with Eastern Eye and has over 13 years of experience in journalism. His areas of interest include politics, international affairs, current events, and sports. With a background in newsroom operations and editorial planning, he has reported and edited stories on major national and global developments.
THE UK is ready to support both India and Pakistan in de-escalating tensions following deadly clashes between the two countries, trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds said on Wednesday.
“Our message would be that we are a friend, a partner to both countries. We stand ready to support them. Both have a huge interest in regional stability, in dialogue, in de-escalation and anything we can do to support that, we are here and willing to do,” Reynolds told BBC radio.
The UK foreign office issued a travel advisory for British nationals, warning against travel within eight kilometres of the India-Pakistan border, within 16 kilometres of the Line of Control, and all travel to Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. British nationals should stay up to date with our travel advice and follow the advice of local authorities,” it said.
The recent violence was the worst between the nuclear-armed neighbours in two decades. The clashes have triggered responses from several countries, urging both sides to show restraint.
China called on India and Pakistan to prioritise peace and stability. “We call on both India and Pakistan to prioritise peace and stability, remain calm and restrained and avoid taking actions that further complicate the situation,” China’s foreign ministry said.
US President Donald Trump said, “It’s a shame, we just heard about it. I just hope it ends very quickly.”
US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said Secretary of State Marco Rubio is encouraging India and Pakistan “to re-open a channel between their leadership to defuse the situation and prevent further escalation,” after speaking with counterparts from both countries.
The United Nations also expressed concern. “The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries,” a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. “The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” he added.
France called for restraint while acknowledging India's security concerns. “We understand India's desire to protect itself against the scourge of terrorism, but we obviously call on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint to avoid escalation and, of course, to protect civilians,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on TF1 television.
Russia said it was “deeply concerned by the escalation of military confrontation.” Its foreign ministry called on both sides to “exercise restraint to prevent further deterioration” and expressed hope that tensions would be resolved through peaceful and diplomatic means.
Afghanistan also issued a warning, saying escalation is not in the interest of the region.
Shubman Gill reacts to reaching his double hundred on day two of the second cricket test match against England at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham, central England on July 3, 2025. (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
SHUBMAN GILL etched his name in cricket history on Thursday (3), becoming the first Indian and Asian captain to score a double-century in a Test match on English soil as he powered India to a commanding position at Edgbaston.
The 25-year-old skipper scored 269 on the second day of the second Test, having shattered multiple records in a masterful innings that has put England to the sword.
Gill not only achieved a career-best knock but also posted the highest ever individual score by an Indian captain in Test cricket, surpassing the great Sunil Gavaskar's 221 at the Oval in 1979.
He reached his first Test double-hundred and walked off unbeaten on 265 at the tea, having taken 311 deliveries to reach the 200-run milestone. His innings, decorated with 30 fours and three sixes, saw him join an elite group of Indian captains alongside MAK Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni who have scored double-hundreds whilst leading the side.
The Punjab batsman's achievement is particularly significant as he becomes only the third Indian batter to score a double-century in England, following in the footsteps of legends Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid.
Previously, Mohammed Azharuddin's 179 in Manchester in 1990 was the highest score by an Indian captain in England, while his 192 against New Zealand in Auckland the same year held the record for the highest score by an Indian skipper in a SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) country.
Gill's innings has been marked by near-flawless execution. After resuming on 114 not out, the skipper continued his assault on England's bowling attack with clinical precision. He was particularly harsh on off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, whom he cover-drove for four and lofted for six.
The India captain also struck two fours in three balls off fast bowler Josh Tongue, showcasing his range with an on-drive followed by a flick off the hip that left fielders Joe Root and Zak Crawley scrambling unsuccessfully to prevent the boundary.
When England desperately introduced part-time medium-pacer Harry Brook in a bid to buy a wicket, Gill responded by striking him for three successive fours, the best being a textbook straight drive that underlined his technical excellence.
This remarkable innings comes just a week after Gill scored 147 in his debut as Test captain at Headingley, where India suffered a five-wicket defeat to trail 1-0 in the five-match series. His consistency at the top level has been extraordinary, with the double-century marking his seventh Test hundred in just 34 matches.
Remarkably, Gill has now scored centuries in each of his first two Tests as captain, joining an exclusive club of just seven players to achieve this feat.
India, who were sent in to bat by England captain Ben Stokes, had resumed Thursday's play on 310-5 after an excellent first day. They were eventually bowled out for 587.
Gill received excellent support from Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed 89 in an outstanding sixth-wicket partnership of 203 runs. When Jadeja was dismissed by Josh Tongue, recalled all-rounder Washington Sundar stepped up to provide further assistance to his captain.
The massive total represents a significant improvement from India's collapses of 7-41 and 6-31 that cost them dearly in the first Test at Headingley, demonstrating the team's determination to level the series.
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Jota scored nine goals in all competitions last season as Liverpool won their 20th Premier League title. (Photo: Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash in Spain early on Thursday, police said. The crash occurred weeks after the Portugal international got married.
The Civil Guard confirmed that a vehicle veered off a motorway and caught fire shortly after midnight in Cernadilla, in the northwestern Zamora province. The crash resulted in the deaths of Jota, 28, and his brother.
"Everything points to the blowout of a tyre while it (the vehicle) was overtaking," the Civil Guard said in a statement, adding that the bodies had been taken to a morgue.
Local media shared footage showing debris and the charred remains of what they said was Jota's Lamborghini by the roadside.
Tributes pour in from players and officials
Cristiano Ronaldo posted a tribute on X, saying Jota’s death “makes no sense” just weeks after his wedding and their UEFA Nations League title win.
“We will all miss you,” Ronaldo wrote.
Pedro Proenca, president of the Portuguese football federation, said he was “devastated”, calling Jota “an extraordinary person, respected by all his colleagues and opponents, someone blessed with an infectious joy and a reference for his own community”.
“We have lost two champions. The death of Diogo and Andre Silva are irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything possible to honour their legacy every day,” he said on social media.
Proenca added that UEFA had been asked to hold a minute's silence before Portugal’s Women’s Euro 2025 match against Spain in Switzerland on Thursday.
Liverpool said it was “devastated” by the “unimaginable loss” and would make no further comment out of respect for the family, friends, teammates and staff.
“We will continue to provide them with our full support,” the club said.
British media reported that fans had started placing flowers, scarves and tributes outside Anfield.
Jota remembered by clubs and teammates
Portugal’s Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said Jota was “an athlete who greatly honoured Portugal’s name”, calling it a “sad day for football and for national and international sports”.
Jota’s former clubs Porto, Atletico Madrid and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as the Premier League, the English FA and Prime Minister Keir Starmer also shared condolences.
Porto president Andre Villas-Boas said both brothers “will be commemorated not only for their footballing talent, but also for their personal and human qualities... football has lost two great men”.
“We are heartbroken. Diogo was adored by our fans, loved by his teammates and cherished by everyone who worked with him... the memories he created will never be forgotten,” Wolves said.
“They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you!”, said Jota’s international teammate Ruben Neves in an Instagram story.
Career and personal life
Jota had married Rute Cardoso on 22 June. He posted a wedding video on Instagram just hours before the crash. The couple had three children.
He scored nine goals in all competitions last season as Liverpool won their 20th Premier League title.
Jota was capped 49 times for Portugal. He moved to England in 2017 to join Wolves and signed for Liverpool in 2020 for £45 million. He scored 65 goals during his five seasons with the club and won the League Cup and FA Cup in the 2021/22 season.
His younger brother Andre Silva played as a midfielder for FC Penafiel in Portugal’s second division.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Starmer has said the NHS must 'reform or die' and promised changes that would control the rising costs of caring for an ageing population without increasing taxes. (Photo: Getty Images)
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer will on Thursday launch a 10-year strategy aimed at fixing the National Health Service (NHS), which he said was in crisis. The plan seeks to ease the pressure on overstretched hospitals and shift care closer to people’s homes.
The NHS, which is publicly funded and state-run, has faced difficulties recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. It continues to experience annual winter pressures, repeated waves of industrial action, and a long backlog for elective treatments.
Starmer has said the NHS must “reform or die” and promised changes that would control the rising costs of caring for an ageing population without increasing taxes.
In a statement, Starmer said his Labour Party had inherited a health system in crisis when it took office a year ago, but that the new plan would “fundamentally rewire and future-proof” the service.
New health centres and waiting list cuts
The strategy includes the creation of new health centres that will offer a wider range of services in a single location. According to the government, this move is intended to reduce pressure on hospitals, help bring down waiting lists and end “perpetual firefighting” in the system.
After a first year in office marked by unpopular spending cuts and some costly U-turns, healthcare is one of the areas where Starmer’s government says it has made progress.
The government has delivered 4 million extra appointments – double the target set for the first year – and brought waiting lists to a two-year low. Starmer said the NHS would not be fixed overnight but added, “we are already turning the tide on years of decline”.
Talks with pharma sector and life sciences strategy pending
However, the government remains in a deadlock with the pharmaceutical industry over drug pricing. It also faces potential further strikes from healthcare workers and has yet to release its promised plan to accelerate development in the UK’s life sciences sector.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Starmer and Reeves during a visit to Horiba Mira in Nuneaton, to mark the launch of the Government's Industrial Strategy on June 23, 2025 in Nuneaton. (Photo: Getty Images)
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Wednesday said that Chancellor Rachel Reeves would remain in her role for “a very long time to come”, after she appeared visibly upset in parliament as questions were raised about her future.
Reeves was seen with tears rolling down her face during Prime Minister’s Questions, after Starmer did not confirm whether she would remain chancellor until the next general election, expected in 2029.
The moment came after the Labour government reversed its position on key welfare spending cuts, removing a multibillion-pound saving from the public finances and prompting speculation about Reeves’s position in the cabinet.
Following the incident, the pound dropped by more than one per cent against the dollar, and the London stock market also declined.
'The Chancellor is going nowhere'
A spokeswoman for Starmer told reporters later that Reeves had the Prime Minister’s “full backing”. A spokesman for Reeves said she had been upset due to a “personal matter”.
“The Chancellor is going nowhere. She has the Prime Minister’s full backing,” said Starmer’s press secretary.
When asked why Starmer had not voiced support for Reeves in the Commons, the spokeswoman said: “He has done so repeatedly.”
She added: “The Chancellor and the Prime Minister are focused entirely on delivering for working people.”
In a later interview with the BBC, Starmer said Reeves had done “an excellent job as chancellor” and would stay in the role “for a very long time to come”.
He said the tears had “nothing to do with politics” and described suggestions to the contrary as “absolutely wrong”.
Reeves to continue work from Downing Street
Asked about why Reeves was upset, her spokesman said: “It’s a personal matter, which, as you would expect, we are not going to get into.”
He added: “The Chancellor will be working out of Downing Street this afternoon.”
Starmer reversed the government’s welfare spending plan on Tuesday following a rebellion from Labour MPs, in what has been seen as a significant blow to his authority.
The decision to drop the cuts has left a gap of nearly £5 billion in Reeves’s fiscal plans, raising the prospect that she may have to increase taxes on “working people”—something she has said she would not do.
She has also ruled out changing her position that day-to-day spending must be funded by tax receipts rather than borrowing.
TRIBUTES have poured in for a 'kind-hearted' mother who tragically lost her life last week after being attacked in Leicester.
Nila Patel, 56, a British Indian woman described as a "beautiful, vibrant soul," died in hospital two days after suffering a head injury during an assault on Aylestone Road.
She was attacked shortly after a BMW overturned nearby at around 5.30pm last Tuesday (24). The incident left her with severe injuries, and despite medical efforts, she passed away in hospital. A post-mortem examination confirmed that the provisional cause of her death was a head injury.
Her children, Jaiden and Danika Patel, have spoken movingly about their mother’s life and the deep impact she had on those around her.
In a heartfelt statement, they described Patel as “one of the most kind-hearted people you could ever meet” and “a loyal friend, and an incredibly hard worker.”
They said: “We are heartbroken, but we want the world to know who our mum truly was - a beautiful, vibrant soul who deserved so much more.
“Mum was one of the most kind-hearted people you could ever meet. Her love was quiet but powerful - shown through warm meals, thoughtful words, and a smile that could light up any room. She always put others before herself, offering comfort without ever asking for anything in return. Even when life was hard, she carried on with strength, dignity and a smile on her face.
“She was a devoted mother, a loyal friend, and an incredibly hard worker. At home and in her career, she gave everything she had - never complaining, always giving. She raised us with patience, love, and unwavering support, and our greatest wish was always to make her proud.
“Mum’s life was full of love, and the stories we’ve heard from those who knew her have reminded us of just how deeply she touched the lives around her. She was truly rich in love and generosity. We will miss her more than words can ever express. We didn’t get the chance to say goodbye, and that pain is something we carry every day. But we will continue to speak her name with pride, honour her memory, and live by the values she taught us.
“Mum’s story matters. Her life mattered. We ask that anyone who hears her story helps us keep her name and memory alive.”
Meanwhile, Leicestershire Police have charged 23-year-old Michael Chuwuemeka, of Dover Street in Leicester, with the murder of Patel.
He appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court last Saturday (28). Chuwuemeka is scheduled to attend a plea and trial preparation hearing at Leicester Crown Court on September 26. A provisional trial date was set for February 23 next year.
He has also been charged with dangerous driving, possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, attempted grievous bodily harm related to an earlier incident on Welford Road, and assault of an emergency worker following his arrest.
Additionally, he faces a charge of causing actual bodily harm in connection with a separate victim in London in the early hours of last Tuesday.
Following the crash and subsequent attack, police cordoned off the area on Aylestone Road and launched an investigation. The force has since set up an online portal to encourage anyone with further information about the incident to come forward.
The death of Patel has deeply affected the local community. Friends and neighbours have remembered her as a warm and generous person who was always ready to help others.