UK, India Announce 'Landmark' Trade Deal

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI: In a historic milestone, India and the UK have successfully concluded an ambitious and mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement, along with a Double Contribution Convention, informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a phone conversation with his British counterpart Sir Keir Starmer, Modi said "these landmark agreements will further deepen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and catalyse trade, investment, growth, job creation, and innovation in both our economies."...more

Netanyahu says Israel to control all of Gaza after launch of new ground assault

TEL AVIV, May 19: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel will "take control" of the whole of Gaza, as the military pressed a newly intensified campaign in the war-ravaged territory.

After Israel announced it would let a "basic amount" of food into the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said it was necessary to prevent a famine for "diplomatic reasons".

In Gaza, rescuers said air strikes killed at least 22 people, after the military announced it had begun "extensive ground operations" against Hamas.

"The fighting is intense and we are making progress. We will take control of all the territory of the Strip," Netanyahu said in a video posted on Telegram.

"We will not give up. But in order to succeed, we must act in a way that cannot be stopped." Israel has come under mounting international pressure, including from key backer the United States, to lift a total blockade it imposed on Gaza more than two months ago.

"We must not let the population (of Gaza) sink into famine, both for practical and diplomatic reasons," Netanyahu said, adding that even friends of Israel would not tolerate "images of mass starvation".

In a report this month, the UN- and NGO-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said Gaza was at "critical risk of famine", with 22 percent of the population facing an imminent humanitarian "catastrophe".

Israel said its blockade since March 2 was aimed at forcing concessions from the Palestinian militant group, but UN agencies have warned of critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicines.

Last week US President Donald Trump acknowledged that "a lot of people are starving", adding "we're going to get that taken care of".
In his inaugural mass, Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful not to forget "our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of war.

"In Gaza, the surviving children, families and elderly are reduced to starvation," he said. But Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir argued against any resumption of aid, saying on X: "Mr Prime Minister, our hostages receive no humanitarian aid."

"The Prime Minister is making a serious mistake in this move, and he has no majority at all. Hamas must only be crushed, and not at the same time provided with oxygen for its survival," he said in a statement.

Israel's military on Monday said the air force had struck "160 terror targets" in Gaza over the past day, as it pressed an expanded offensive.

The campaign, which Israel says aims to free hostages and defeat Hamas, started Saturday as the two sides entered indirect talks in Qatar on a deal.

Netanyahu's office said negotiators Doha were "working to exhaust every possibility for a deal -- whether according to the Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting".

Steve Witkoff is the US Middle East envoy who has been involved in discussions. Netanyahu's statement said a deal "would include the release of all the hostages, the exile of Hamas terrorists, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip".

Since a two-month ceasefire collapsed in March as Israel resumed its offensive, negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to make a breakthrough. Netanyahu has opposed ending the war without Hamas's total defeat, while Hamas has balked at handing over its weapons.

Israel's Netanyahu Says Open To 'End Fighting' In Gaza

TEL AVIV, May 18: In an apparent shift in approach, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Tel Aviv was open to a deal with Hamas to "end the fighting" in Gaza, laying out conditions for such an agreement.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the hostage negotiation team in Doha was exhausting "every possibility" for a deal with the Palestinian group to either temporarily cease fighting or permanently end the war.

Per the PMO, its team is looking at US special envoy Steve Witkoff's proposal for a limited hostage exchange and short-term ceasefire, or a comprehensive agreement to end the war by releasing all hostages in Gaza and the complete surrender and exile of Hamas operatives.

"Even at this very moment, the negotiation team in Doha is working to exhaust every possibility for a deal -- whether according to the Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting, which would include the release of all the hostages, the exile of Hamas terrorists, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip," his office said in a statement.

According to Israel, 58 hostages remain in Hamas's captivity, with about 23 of them said to be alive.

The signal of ending the war shows a major policy shift from Israel, which has consistently said that fighting in Gaza will not end without the destruction of Hamas as a military and governing power. Israel has blocked the entry of medical, food and fuel supplies into Gaza since the start of March to try to pressure Hamas into freeing Israeli hostages and has even approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid.

What Does Hamas Say?

Hamas has said it will only free the hostages in return for an Israeli ceasefire as mediators from Egypt and Qatar, backed by the United States, began a new round of indirect ceasefire talks between the two sides on Saturday.

Hamas leader and Yahya Sinwar's brother Muhammad found dead in Gaza tunnel hit by IDF airstrike: Report

TEL AVIV, May 18: The body of Muhammad Sinwar, the senior Hamas leader who took command of the militant group in Gaza following the death of his brother Yahya Sinwar last year, has reportedly been found in a tunnel struck by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) last week.

“Based on all indications, Mohammed Sinwar was killed in a strike carried out on the grounds of the European Hospital in Khan Younis," said Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz while speaking during a closed-door meeting with parliamentarians.

It is to be noted that Israel has not confirmed the deaths of either Muhammad Sinwar. According to Saudi channel Al-Hadath, Sinwar's body was recovered along with the remains of 10 of his aides.

The report said that there was evidence that the commander of the Rafah Brigade in Hamas’s military wing, Mohammad Shabana, was also killed in the strike.

The discovery comes amid ongoing intense military operations in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces continue to target Hamas infrastructure and leadership in response to the protracted conflict.

Muhammad Sinwar, who assumed leadership of Hamas’s military wing and political command in Gaza after Yahya’s killing in October 2024, was considered one of the most influential figures in the organisation.

IMF's Big Warning And 11 New Conditions For Pakistan After Op Sindoor: Report

ISLAMABAD, May 18: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has slapped 11 new conditions on Pakistan for the release of the next tranche of its bailout programme and warned that tensions with India could heighten risks to the scheme's fiscal, external, and reform goals, according to a media report on Sunday.

The new conditions imposed on Pakistan include the parliamentary approval of a new Rs 17.6 trillion budget, an increase in the debt servicing surcharge on electricity bills and lifting restrictions on import of more than three-year-old used cars.

The Express Tribune newspaper said the Staff Level report, which the IMF released on Saturday, also said that "rising tensions between India and Pakistan, if sustained or deteriorate further, could heighten risks to the fiscal, external and reform goals of the programme".

The report further stated that tensions between Pakistan and India have risen significantly over the past two weeks, but so far, the market reaction has been modest, with the stock market retaining most of its recent gains and spreads widening moderately.

The IMF report has shown the defence budget for the next fiscal year at Rs 2.414 trillion, which is higher by Rs 252 billion or 12%.

Compared to the IMF's projection, the government has indicated allocating over Rs 2.5 trillion or an 18% higher budget, after confrontation with India early this month.

India carried out precision strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

The Express Tribune report said that the IMF slapped 11 more conditions on Pakistan, taking the total conditions to 50.

It has imposed the new condition of securing "parliamentary approval of the fiscal year 2026 budget in line with the IMF staff agreement to meet programme targets by end-June 2025".

The IMF report has shown the total size of the federal budget at Rs 17.6 trillion, including Rs 1.07 trillion for development spending.

A new condition has also been imposed on the provinces where the four federating units will implement the new Agriculture Income Tax laws through a comprehensive plan, including the establishment of an operational platform for processing returns, taxpayer identification and registration, a communication campaign, and a compliance improvement plan.

The deadline for the provinces is June this year.

According to the third new condition, the government will publish a governance action plan based on the recommendations of the Governance Diagnostic Assessment by the IMF.

The purpose of the report is to publicly identify reform measures to address critical governance vulnerabilities.

Another new condition states that the government will prepare and publish a plan outlining the government's post-2027 financial sector strategy, outlining the institutional and regulatory environment from 2028 onwards.

In the energy sector, four new conditions have been introduced. The government will issue notifications of the annual electricity tariff rebasing by July 1st of this year to maintain energy tariffs at cost recovery levels.

It will also issue a notification of the semi-annual gas tariff adjustment to maintain energy tariffs at cost recovery levels by February 15, 2026, according to the report.

Parliament will also adopt legislation to make the captive power levy ordinance permanent by the end of this month, according to the IMF. The government has increased the cost for the industries to force them to shift to the national electricity grid.

Parliament will also adopt legislation to remove the maximum Rs3.21 per unit cap on the debt service surcharge, which is tantamount to punishing honest electricity consumers to pay for the inefficiency of the power sector.

The IMF and the World Bank dictated that wrong energy policies are causing the accumulation of the circular debt in addition to the government's bad governance. The deadline to remove the cap is the end of June, according to the report.

The IMF has also imposed a condition that Pakistan will prepare a plan based on the assessment conducted to fully phase out all incentives in relation to Special Technology Zones and other industrial parks and zones by 2035. The report has to be prepared by the end of this year.

Finally, in a consumer-friendly condition, the IMF has asked Pakistan to submit to the Parliament all required legislation for lifting all quantitative restrictions on the commercial importation of used motor vehicles (initially only for vehicles less than five years old by the end of July. Currently, only cars up to three years old can be imported.

Lashkar Terrorist Abu Saifullah, Masterminded Of Key Attacks In India, Killed

NEW DELHI, May 18: A key terrorist of Lashkar E Taiba, Rajullah Nizamani alias Abu Saifullah, has been shot dead in Pakistan's Sindh. Saifullah, said to be involved in the attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters in Nagpur in 2006, was shot dead by unknown assailants.

Sources said he was working on a Lashkar module in Nepal -- handling financing, recruitment, and logistics -- and was trying to get terrorists infiltrated in India and raise funds.

Saifullah was an associate of Lashkar's operational commander Azam Cheema alias Babaji. Besides, he was also involved in the terrorist attack on CRPF camp in Rampur and the conspiracy to attack IISC Bangalore

Saifullah was also involved in the attack on Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Science in 2005 and the terror strike at a CRPF camp at Rampur in 2001.

Gaza ceasefire talks resume as Israeli assault kills hundreds in 72 hours

JERUSALEM/CAIRO, May 17: Israel and Hamas resumed ceasefire talks on Saturday in Qatar, both sides said, even as Israeli forces ramped up a bombing campaign that has killed hundreds of people over 72 hours, and mobilised for a massive new ground assault.

Palestinian health authorities said at least 146 people had been confirmed killed in the third day of Israel's latest bombing campaign, one of the deadliest waves of strikes since a ceasefire collapsed in March. Many hundreds more wounded were being treated in hospital, and countless others were still buried under rubble.

Israel says it is mobilising to seize more ground in Gaza in a new campaign dubbed "Operation Gideon's Chariots", which follows a visit this week to the Middle East by US President Donald Trump. It has halted all supplies entering Gaza since the start of March, leading to rising international concern over the plight of the enclave's 2.3 million residents.

Taher Al-Nono, the media advisor for the Hamas leadership, said a new round of indirect talks with the Israeli delegation in Doha began on Saturday, discussing all issues "without pre-conditions".

Russia, Ukraine agree on 1,000-prisoner swap, but no ceasefire; Kyiv says Moscow made ‘unacceptable demands’

ISTANBUL, May 16: Russia and Ukraine have agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war (PoWs) each, according to the head of Moscow's peace talks delegation, but there is no agreement on the ceasefire between two countries. In the first direct peace talks since February 2022 when Moscow led an invasion of Kyiv, Ukraine also accused Russia of introducing new “unacceptable demands”.

While there was no ceasefire agreement, exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war is the biggest swap between the two countries.

Both sides also discussed a ceasefire and a meeting between their heads of state, according to chief Ukrainian delegate Rustem Umerov.

Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who headed Moscow's delegation, said both sides agreed to provide each other with detailed ceasefire proposals and a meeting by their heads of state..

During the talks, the Ukrainian side reiterated its call on focusing on agreement on an immediate ceasefire and substantive diplomacy, “just like the U.S., European partners, and other countries proposed.”

The two sides also said they would "present their vision of a possible future ceasefire", said Russia's top negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky.

Russia also took note of Ukraine's request for a meeting of Presidents Putin and Zelensky, he said.

"Overall, we are satisfied with the results and ready to continue contacts," Medinsky added.

Putin declined to travel to Turkey for the meeting, which he had proposed, sending a second-level delegation instead.

Zelensky said Putin was "afraid" of meeting, and criticised Russia for not taking the talks "seriously".

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky had blasted Vladimir Putin of being “unserious” about peace after the Kremlin leader failed to attend direct negotiations in Turkey aimed at ending the war.

“After we understood the level of the Russian delegation, we saw that they unfortunately are very unserious about real negotiations,” Zelensky told reporters in Ankara.

IDF strikes two Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen

TEL AVIV, May 16: The IDF struck the Hodeidah and Al-Salif ports in Yemen on Friday, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post.

The military said that these ports are used for transferring weapons and are "another example of the cynical use and exploitation of civilian infrastructure by the Houthi terrorist regime to advance terrorism."

The strikes were carried out by 15 Israeli air force fighter jets, and over 35 munitions were dropped on the ports.

The strikes will likely put these ports out of operational use for a month, according to IDF estimates. The targets that were hit were more international and more central for the Houthis than what the US hit when it was striking Houthi targets in Yemen.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the military "severely damaged" the ports it attacked in Yemen on X/Twitter shortly after the strikes.

"As we said: If the Houthis continue to fire missiles toward the State of Israel, they will suffer painful blows — and we will also target terror leaders as we have done with Deif and the Sinwars in Gaza, Nasrallah in Beirut, and Haniyeh in Tehran. We will hunt down and eliminate Abd al-Malik al-Houthi in Yemen as well."

114 Killed As Israel Ramps Up Gaza Violence Amid Trump's Middle East Visit

TEL AVIV, May 15: At least 114 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip, health officials and rescuers say, per BBC. The strikes have intensified ahead of a planned expansion of Israel's ground offensive in Gaza, with the Israeli military saying it targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in southern Gaza.

In Khan Younis, 56 people, including women and children, were killed when homes and tents sheltering displaced families were bombed overnight.

The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported deadly strikes in the northern town of Jabalia, including an attack on a health clinic and prayer hall that killed 13 people.

This attack comes amid US President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East. In Qatar, on the third day of his visit, he said, "I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good: make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved and make it just a freedom zone. I'd be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone."

Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, rejected US President Donald Trump's proposal to make Gaza a "freedom zone" under US control, saying, "Gaza is an integral part of Palestinian land - it is not real estate for sale on the open market. We remain firmly committed to our land and our national cause, and we are prepared to make every sacrifice to preserve our homeland and secure our people's future."

Suspense over Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar's fate after Israel airstrike: Report

TEL AVIV, May 14: Israeli fighter jets launched a powerful airstrike on the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Tuesday evening, targeting a senior Hamas leader, Muhammad Sinwar, according to Israeli security sources. The strike reportedly hit an area near the European Hospital, where the Israeli military claimed a Hamas command center was located underground.

He is the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the former Hamas leader who was killed by Israeli forces in 2023. Yahya Sinwar was widely seen as the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023, attacks that triggered the ongoing war.

Though officials would not confirm whether Muhammad Sinwar was present at the site, all three Israeli sources—speaking anonymously—indicated the operation aimed to eliminate one of Hamas’s last remaining top leaders in Gaza.

The Gaza health ministry reported that at least six people were killed and over 40 others injured in the strike Pillars of smoke billowed around the hospital after the bombardment, according to videos from the scene that were verified by The New York Times, though it remains unclear whether hospital buildings had been damaged in the strike.

Israeli officials have accused Hamas of operating from inside Gaza’s hospitals — claims corroborated by some Palestinians in Gaza, as well as some former Israeli hostages who have said they were held there. Hamas, as well as hospital officials, has denied the allegations.

Israel has threatened another major military offensive in the Gaza Strip unless Hamas lays down its weapons and turns over the 20 living hostages it still holds, along with the remains of around 40 others. Hamas leaders have refused to disarm, adding that they will not release the captives unless Israel ends the war, according to New York Times.

'Vacate Illegally Occupied Kashmir': India Says Demand Will Never Change

NEW DELHI, May 13: India's position on Jammu and Kashmir - the return of territory illegally occupied by Pakistan - has not changed, the External Affairs Ministry said Tuesday, underlining what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 24 hours earlier.

India is also determined this issue be resolved bilaterally, the ministry said, despite Pakistan having solicited mediation in the past and United States President Donald Trump having offered it twice.

In a regular briefing this evening, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters India has a "long-standing national position (on J&K) ... that issues pertaining to the Union Territory have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally". This, Jaiswal said, has not changed.

"And, as you are aware, the outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied territory by Pakistan," he said, in response to a question about Trump's offer to broker a resolution.

Anthony Albanese Sworn In As PM, Australia's Labor Government Gets Second Term

SYDNEY, May 13: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was sworn in for a second term on Tuesday, alongside his ministers, after a landslide win at a national election he said had returned the largest centre-left Labor government since federation in 1901.

Albanese's Labor Party rode a voter backlash against global instability caused by US President Donald Trump's policies to a come-from-behind victory on May 3.

The opposition conservative Liberal Party, whose leader Peter Dutton lost his seat at the election, selected Sussan Ley as its new leader on Tuesday, a party spokeswoman told reporters.

Ms Ley will become the first woman leader of the federal Liberal Party, which lost city seats in Sydney and Melbourne to women who ran as independent candidates with policies supporting climate change and gender equality in the last two elections.

"Australia spoke very clearly to the Liberal Party," Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds told reporters on Tuesday after Ms Ley's win.

The Australian Electoral Commission is yet to finalise vote counting in several seats, although Labor has claimed at least 92 seats out of the 150-seat House of Representatives.

It was the largest Labor caucus since Australia was formed by the federation of six former British colonies in 1901, Albanese said on Monday.

Albanese and his ministers were sworn in at a ceremony at Government House in Canberra, conducted by Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

The key roles of treasurer, foreign affairs, defence and trade are unchanged. In new roles, Michelle Rowland was sworn in as attorney-general, Murray Watt as environment minister, and Tanya Plibersek as social services minister.

UK PM Announces Major Immigration Reform

LONDON, May 12: In an announcement that may impact tens of thousands of people who aim to make the United Kingdom their home, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to significantly reduce the net migration in the country by the end of this parliament. This is the first major move in years to overhaul the immigration system in the UK.

Prime Minister Starmer, whose primary objective is to give impetus to growth amid economic stagnation, has debunked the theory that higher migration results in higher growth. "The theory that higher migration numbers leads to growth has been tested in the last four years," he said in response to a question on migration, adding that "That link doesn't hold on that evidence."

The prime minister went on to say that those who want to be British citizens will now have to live there twice as long to be granted one. Speaking about the new immigration policy, Prime Minister Starmer said, "The UK has underinvested in skills and growth. This white paper is not just a white paper on immigration, it is also a white paper that leads to skills and training."

He evaded a question on whether UK's net migration - Inflow of migrants to the UK minus outflow of migrants from the UK - would fall each year between now and the next general election, but confirmed that it would fall by the end of this parliament.

The silver lining for those wanting to migrate to the UK remains in the fact that Prime Minister Starmer has refused to put a cap on the total number of individuals who will be permitted to go to the UK.

In his opening remarks, the prime minister said that the intent behind curbing immigration in the UK was to prevent the country from becoming "an island of strangers". He said that his move must be seen as a "strategy absolutely essential to my plan for change, that will finally take back control of our borders, and close the book on a squalid chapter for our politics, our economy, and our country."

Touching upon the Brexit sentiment of "take back control", Starmer said, "everyone knows what it meant on immigration".

Targeting the previous government he charged that "between 2019 and 2023, even as they were going round our country telling people with a straight face that they would get immigration down, net migration quadrupled."

Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander returns to Israel after Hamas release

JERUSALEM, May 12: Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage in Gaza, was released by Hamas on Monday, ending an 18-month ordeal that began with the militant group’s October 7 attack.

Hamas announced Sunday night it had agreed to free Alexander, 21, after several days of talks with the United States as part of an effort to reach a ceasefire and resume the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Alexander, wearing a black Adidas t-shirt and a baseball cap, was photographed during his handover to the Red Cross, shortly before his convoy left Khan Younis and headed towards Israel. He later arrived at an Israeli military base for a medical assessment and a long-awaited reunion with his family.

Alexander had spoked to his mother, Yael, on the phone after Hamas released him. Footage shared by the Israel Defense Forces showed Steve Witkoff, the US Middle East envoy, handing a phone to Yael.

Putin ready for direct talks with Ukraine ‘without any preconditions’ as Europe demands ceasefire

MOSCOW, May 11: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday proposed restarting direct peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 “without preconditions,” hours after European leaders demanded a full 30-day ceasefire beginning Monday.

The offer comes as Kyiv and its allies intensify diplomatic efforts to halt the three-year war and pressure Moscow into halting hostilities.

“We propose to the Kyiv authorities to resume the talks that they broke off in 2022, and, I emphasise, without any preconditions,” Putin said in a statement delivered just after 1 am (local time).

He added, “We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine,” and said the Kremlin doesn’t rule out agreeing to a ceasefire during the course of the talks.

The proposal follows a strong show of unity in Kyiv on Saturday by the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland, who issued a joint call for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and warned Moscow of “new and massive” sanctions if it fails to comply.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire would be monitored by the US, with support from European partners.

“An unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions,” read the joint statement published on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official website. “If Russia calls for such conditions, this can only be considered as an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy.”

The proposed ceasefire is backed by US President Donald Trump, who has recently said Ukraine and Russia are “very close to a deal,” although he also voiced doubts about Putin’s willingness to end the conflict.

Retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, was quoted as saying that the ceasefire would “start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II.”

Putin did not directly respond to the European proposal but claimed Ukraine had “sabotaged” past Russian ceasefire offers, including a 30-hour Easter truce and a May 8–10 unilateral halt in fighting. “Those who truly want peace cannot but support” the new talks in Istanbul, he said.

Modi calls off visit to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands

NEW DELHI, May 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called off a planned visit to Croatia, Norway and the Netherlands next week following India’s military strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The visit to the three countries was planned during May 13-17 but had not been formally announced so far by any of the countries. He was set to co-chair the third India-Nordic Summit in Norway, the centre-piece of the visit.

The people said on condition of anonymity that New Delhi had informed the capitals of the three countries about the visit being called off after India’s military strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) early on Wednesday morning.

Called ‘Operation Sindoor’, the strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and PoK were carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 that killed 26 men, mostly tourists, making it the worst such attack on civilians since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

The India-Nordic Summit brings together the leaders of India, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The first summit was held in Sweden in 2018 and the second in Denmark in 2022.

The visits to Croatia and the Netherlands were aimed at bolstering cooperation in areas ranging from trade to the green economy.

Israel strikes Yemen’s Sanaa in second round of attacks in 24 hours

TEL AVIV, May 6: Israel has attacked Yemen’s Sanaa airport and other locations in the capital area, fewer than 24 hours after it bombed Hodeidah following a Houthi attack on its main international airport.

Senior Hamas official Basem Naim says there is “no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals” as long as Israel’s blockade and bombing of Gaza continue.

Israel’s military said the assault, waged about an hour after it issued forced evacuation orders for residents of the area surrounding the airport, is because of Houthi attacks against “Israel and its allies”.

Gaza has also faced a wave of Israeli air raids, with at least 15 people killed so far today, according to our colleagues on the ground.

The attacks, compounded with 65 days of no aid entering the enclave, have created some of the worst hardship of the war.

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has asserted that Israel will “completely destroy” Gaza and expel its residents abroad “within months”.

Israeli Cabinet Approves Plan To Capture 'All Of Gaza'

TEL AVIV, May 5: Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain there for an unspecified amount of time, Associated Press reported, quoting two officials. If implemented, the plan could vastly expand Israel's operations in the Palestinian territory, which would likely exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Israeli Cabinet ministers approved the plan in an early morning vote on Monday, hours after the Israeli military chief said the army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.

The move is part of the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led government's efforts to elevate pressure on Hamas to free hostages and negotiate a ceasefire on Israel's terms. Officials said that the new plan is meant to help Israel achieve its war aims of defeating Hamas. It would also push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza.

Since a US-brokered truce deal between Israel and Hamas collapsed in mid-March, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have unleashed fierce strikes on the Palestinian territory, killing hundreds of people and capturing large swathes of land. Per reports, Israel now roughly controls 50 per cent of Gaza.

Even before the ceasefire agreement fell apart, Israel had halted all humanitarian aid into Gaza, including food, fuel and water, setting off what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in nearly 19 months of war.

According to Israeli officials, the plan included the "capturing of the strip and the holding of territories." It would also seek to prevent the Hamas group from distributing humanitarian aid, which Israel says strengthens the group's rule in Gaza. Israel has also accused Hamas of keeping the aid for itself to bolster its capabilities.

"The plan also included powerful strikes against Hamas targets," the officials said. One of the officials said the plan would be implemented gradually.

The report said Israel was in touch with several countries about President Donald Trump's plan to take over Gaza and relocate its population, under what Israel has termed "voluntary emigration". However, the plan sparked condemnations from Israel's allies in Europe and the Arab world.

For weeks, Israel has been trying to ratchet up pressure on Hamas and prompt it to show more flexibility in ceasefire negotiations. But international mediators trying to bring the sides toward a new deal have struggled to do so. Israel's measures do not appear to have moved Hamas away from its negotiating positions.

The previous ceasefire was meant to lead the sides to negotiate an end to the war, but that goal has been a repeated sticking point in talks between Israel and Hamas. Israel says it won't agree to end the war until Hamas is defeated. Hamas, meanwhile, has demanded an agreement that winds down the war.

Israel Bombs Yemen's Hodeidah Port Day After Houthi Strike On Airport

TEL AVIV, May 5: Israel has bombed Yemen's Hodeidah port, a day after the Iran-aligned Houthis fired a missile that struck near Tel Aviv's main airport. A huge ball of fire at the port and a cloud of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed to retaliate for the attack by the Houthis near Ben Gurion Airport, who have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea in what they say is solidarity with the Palestinians.

Most attacks from Yemen have been intercepted by Israel's missile defence systems, though a drone strike hit Tel Aviv last year. Sunday's missile was the first known to have escaped being intercepted of a series of missiles fired since March.

Late on Sunday, Houthi rebels said they would impose a "comprehensive" aerial blockade on Israel by repeatedly targeting its airports, in response to Israel expanding its operations in Gaza.

The Houthis' Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, a body set up last year to liaise between Houthi forces and commercial shipping operators, issued the warning about targeting Israeli airports, saying Ben Gurion Airport would be the top target.

The statement attached an email it said was sent to the International Air Transport Association, the global airlines body, and the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Houthi forces called "upon all international airlines to take this announcement into serious consideration ... and to cancel all their flights to the airports of the criminal Israeli enemy, in order to safeguard the safety of their aircraft and passengers," the email said.

Netanyahu Vows Multiple Strikes After Houthis Missile Attack

TEL AVIV, May 4: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed multiple strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels after a missile landed in a grove near a Ben-Gurion International Airport access road. Sharing a video on X, he said, "It's not a one-and-done," adding, "We have acted against them and will continue doing so."

"We are acting against them in coordination with the US. We've acted against them before, and we'll act against them in the future. It's not a one-and-done, but there will be strikes," he said

Earlier on Sunday, a Houthi missile landed in a grove near a Ben-Gurion International Airport access road, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said. The attack marked the first time a missile had landed inside the airport complex.

At least one man was injured in a nearby parking lot.

"There is an injured person from the fall near Terminal 3, near the planes," said the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority Employees' Committee following this morning's Houthi missile attack.

Following the attack the arrivals and departures were suspended while workers checked the runways. Air India has also suspended all its flight operations to and from Israel’s capital, Tel Aviv, for the next two days.

India looking for partners; not preachers: Jaishankar in veiled message to Europe

NEW DELHI, May 4: Europe must display some sensitivity and mutuality of interest for deeper ties with India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, asserting that New Delhi is looking for partners and not "preachers".

In an interactive session, Jaishankar said India always advocated on the "Russia realism" and there is an "important fit" and "complementarity" between India and Russia as a resource provider and consumer.

The external affairs minister also criticised earlier attempts by the West to find a solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict without involving Russia, saying it "challenged the basics of realism".

"Just like I am an advocate of Russia realism, I am also an advocate of America realism," he said at the 'Arctic Circle India Forum'.

"I think the best way to engage today's America is also through finding mutuality of interests rather than putting ideological differences upfront and then allowing it to cloud the possibilities of working together," he said.

The external affairs minister was broadly delving into global consequences of developments in the Arctic and how the changing world order impacts the region.

In answering a question on India's expectations from Europe, Jaishankar said it has to get beyond preaching and start acting based on a framework of mutuality.

"When we look out at the world, we look for partners; we do not look for preachers, particularly preachers who do not practice at home and preach abroad," he said.

"I think some of Europe is still struggling with that problem. Some of it has changed," the external affairs minister said, adding, Europe has "entered a certain zone of reality check".

"Now whether they are able to step up to it or not, it is something we will have to see," he said.

"But from our point of view, if we are to develop a partnership, there has to be some understanding, there has to be some sensitivity, there has to be a mutuality of interest and there has to be a realisation of how the world works," he noted.

"And I think these are all work in progress to differing degrees with different parts of Europe. So some have moved further, some a little bit less," Jaishankar said.

On India-Russia ties, he said there is such an "important fit and complimentarily" between the two countries as a "resource provider and resource consumer".

"Where Russia is concerned, we have always taken a view that there is a Russia realism that we have advocated." "When passions were very high (in) 2022, 2023..if one looks back at that period, the kind of predictions and scenarios which were put forward have turned out not to be well founded," he said In the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, New Delhi remained engaged with Moscow and increased its procurement of Russian crude oil notwithstanding increasing disquiet in the West.

Russia's Lavrov calls for India-Pak dialogue in talks with Jaishankar

MOSCOW, May 3: Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has urged India and Pakistan to settle their disagreements bilaterally through political and diplomatic means.

In a phone call with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, on Friday, Lavrov discussed bilateral relations between India and Russia and also the recent aggravation in relations between New Delhi and Islamabad after the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed.

“They discussed issues of Russian-Indian cooperation and the aggravation of Indian-Pakistani relations following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Sergey Lavrov called for settling disagreements between New Delhi and Islamabad on a bilateral basis by political and diplomatic means per the provisions of the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999, ” a release issued by the ministry of foreign affairs of the Russian Federation said.

“The ministers also discussed the schedule of upcoming contacts at the highest levels,” it added.

Following the terror attack, India announced a series of measures in response to Pakistan's support for cross-border terrorism.

These included the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Integrated Check Post at Attari, and reducing the staffing of High Commissions.

Pakistan Claims It Successfully Tested Ballistic Missile With 450 Km Range

ISLAMABAD, May 3: Pakistan has claimed to have successfully tested a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a 450-km range on Saturday. The missile, known as the Abdali Weapon System, was launched as part of Exercise INDUS, Islamabad claimed.

The missile test by Pakistan comes amid rising tensions with India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. India views any missile test by the neighbouring country as a grave provocation, said sources.

"The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile's advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features," the Pakistani government said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other military chiefs have expressed "complete confidence" in the operational readiness and technical proficiency of the forces to safeguard the country's national security, it added.

Pakistan has been trying to provoke India with regular ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, which separates the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and the International Border between the two countries. India had retaliated effectively against all such attempts.

Zelensky Says Ukraine Won't Play Putin's 'Games' With Short Truce

KYIV, May 3: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed a three-day truce ordered by Russian leader Vladimir Putin as theatrics but said Kyiv was ready for a full ceasefire.

Russia has so far rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire pushed by Kyiv and Washington, which is trying to broker an end to the three-year Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"This is more of a theatrical performance on his part. Because in two or three days, it is impossible to develop a plan for the next steps to end the war," Zelensky said.

Zelensky was speaking on Friday to a small group of journalists, in remarks embargoed until Saturday.

Zelensky said Ukraine would not be "playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin's exit from isolation on 9 May," when some foreign leaders are due in Moscow for Russian World War II commemorations.

Russia's proposal has been seen in Ukraine as an attempt to prevent Kyiv from hitting Moscow on the holiday, during which there is a grand military parade on Red Square and the Russian leader addresses the nation.

'UK Must Stand With Our Friends': Indian-Origin MP Condemns Pahalgam Attack

LONDON, May 2: Indian-origin UK MP Priti Patel on Thursday condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 people, calling it an "act of terrorism".

Speaking at the UK Parliament, Ms Patel urged the Britain government to support India during the difficult times and pressed on working together to tackle the terrorist threats.

"Speaker, my condolences, thoughts and prayers are also with all those affected by this murderous, violent terrorism that has taken place in Pahalgam. And I recognise that for India and the communities in the UK in particular, this has been a really difficult week. This was an act of terrorism and we should call it out for exactly for what it is. And it is part of a long-standing pattern of attacks on civilians, visitors to the region and also minority communities," Ms Patel said.

The MP recalled the India-UK strategic relationship from the New Delhi declaration in 2002 to the UK India 2030 roadmap.

"We have a series of long-standing security and counterterrorism partnerships with India going back to the New Delhi Declaration in 2002 and the India-UK Strategic Partnership in 2016, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership announced in 2022, and the UK India 2030 roadmap agreed under the last government. So, under that, security arrangements have been absolutely watertight, which is why we must always be in lockstep with our friends in India," she said.

Ms Patel questioned the UK government over what information it has on those responsible for carrying out the terrorist attacks.

"Does the government believe the LeT, the terrorist group proscribed in the UK, bears responsibility, or is the government aware of any cross-border links to Pakistan of the perpetrators of this terrorist act? We know the Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, but has the UK provided any specific support in response to this terror attack and taken any practical steps to assist our friends in India?" she questioned.

The Indian-origin MP also pointed out the timing of the attack - when US Vice President JD Vance and his family were on a tour to India.

"Has the Government got a view on whether this is a coincidence or does it demonstrate a pattern of targeted and deliberately timed attacks?" Ms Patel asked.

Ms Patel also raised concerns about the security implications of the attack on the UK, adding that the terrorist group may have been engaged with Hamas.

"Has the government made an assessment of the relationship between groups causing terror and destabilisation in Kashmir and those pursuing violence and terrorism that threaten our interests and global peace and security? Can the minister give an update on the actions being taken to prevent tensions from escalating to communities in the UK, including protections of the High Commission, which has already been mentioned? And will the UK leverage its influence in easing tensions between India and Pakistan?" she questioned.

Israel says it struck near Syria palace over violence in Druze areas

TEL AVIV, May 2: Israel says its fighter jets bombed an area next to the presidential palace in Syria's capital, Damascus, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to protect the Druze religious minority following days of deadly sectarian violence.

Netanyahu said the strike was "clear message to the Syrian regime" that Israel would "not allow the deployment of forces south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community".

There was no immediate response from the Syrian government.

However, it rejected "foreign intervention" when Israel carried out strikes south of Damascus on Wednesday during clashes between Druze gunmen, security forces and allied Sunni Islamist fighters.

The spiritual leader of Syria's Druze, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, has condemned the violence as an "unjustifiable genocidal campaign" against his community and called for intervention by "international forces to maintain peace".

The Syrian government has said it has deployed security forces to Druze areas to combat "outlaw groups" which it has accused of instigating the clashes.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani has also warned that "any call for external intervention, under any pretext or slogan, only leads to further deterioration and division".

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, at least 102 people have been killed this week in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, a town in the southern outskirts of Damascus, the mainly Druze suburb of Jaramana, and the southern province of Suweida, which has a Druze majority.

It says that includes 10 Druze civilians and 21 Druze fighters, as well as another 35 Druze fighters who were shot dead in an "ambush" by security forces while travelling from Suweida to Damascus on Wednesday. Thirty members of the General Security service and allied fighters have also been killed, it says.

The violence erupted in Jaramana on Monday night after an audio clip of a man insulting the Prophet Muhammad circulated on social media and angered Sunni Muslims. It was attributed to a Druze cleric, but he denied any responsibility. The interior ministry also said a preliminary inquiry had cleared him.

The Druze faith is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs. Half its roughly one million followers live in Syria, where they make up about 3% of the population, while there are smaller communities in Lebanon, Israel and the occupied Golan Heights.

Syria's transitional President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has promised to protect the country's many religious and ethnic minorities since his Sunni Islamist group led the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime in December after 13 years of devastating civil war.

However, the mass killings of hundreds of civilians from Assad's minority Alawite sect in the western coastal region in March, during clashes between the new security forces and Assad loyalists, hardened fears among minority communities.

In February, Israel's prime minister warned that he would not "tolerate any threat to the Druze community in southern Syria" from the country's new security forces.

Netanyahu also demanded the complete demilitarisation of Suweida and two other southern provinces, saying Israel saw Sharaa's Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as a threat. HTS is a former al-Qaeda affiliate that is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, the US, the EU and the UK.

The Israeli military has already carried out hundreds of strikes across Syria to destroy the country's military assets over the past four months. It has also sent troops into the UN-monitored demilitarised buffer zone between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria, as well as several adjoining areas and the summit of Mount Hermon.

Kim Jong Un calls new warship a 'breakthrough' as he oversees missile tests

PYONGYANG, May 1: North Korea said Wednesday leader Kim Jong Un observed the test-firings of missiles from a recently launched destroyer — the first such warship for the North — and called for accelerating efforts to boost his navy’s nuclear attack capabilities.

North Korea last week unveiled the 5,000-ton destroyer equipped with what it called the most powerful weapons systems built for a navy vessel. During Friday’s launching ceremony at the western port of Nampo, Kim called the ship’s construction “a breakthrough” in modernizing North Korea’s naval forces.

Outside experts say it’s North Korea’s first destroyer and that it was likely built with Russian assistance. They say North Korea’s naval forces lag behind South Korea’s but still view the destroyer as a serious security threat as it could bolster North Korea’s attack and defense capabilities.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday that Kim watched the tests of the destroyer’s supersonic and strategic cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missile, automatic guns and electronic jamming guns earlier this week.

He appreciated the ship’s combination of powerful strike weapons and conventional defenses and set tasks to speed the nuclear-arming of his navy, the report said.

During the ship’s launching ceremony, Kim said the destroyer will be deployed early next year. He said the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening his navy. He underscored the need to beef up North Korea’s deterrence capability to cope with what he called escalating U.S.-led hostilities targeting the North.