Pakistan’s television regulator on Thursday (26) banned a well-known talk show host for hate speech, after he hosted shows accusing liberal activists and others of blasphemy, an inflammatory allegation that could put their lives at risk.
Blasphemy is a criminal offence in Muslim-majority Pakistan that can result in the death penalty. Even being accused of blasphemy can provoke targeted acts of violence by religious right-wing vigilantes.
Aamir Liaquat Hussain, who describes his programme...
The changes aim to cut costs and eliminate duplication with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). (Representational image: Getty)
NHS ENGLAND will reduce its workforce from 13,000 to about 6,500 as part of a restructuring led by Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
The changes aim to cut costs and eliminate duplication with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), The Guardian reported.
The downsizing, which goes beyond the previously announced loss of 2,000 jobs to save £175m, was communicated to staff by NHS England’s outgoing chief executive, Amanda Pritchard.
She stated that Streeting had directed the restructuring and asked incoming chief executive Jim Mackey and new chair Dr Penny Dash to lead a “radical reform” of NHS England’s size and functions.
A formal transition team of NHS England and DHSC officials will oversee the changes, reporting to Dash and Alan Milburn, the former Labour health secretary appointed as DHSC’s lead non-executive director. Pritchard said the restructuring would be “unsettling” for staff.
Several senior NHS England leaders are leaving, including Julian Kelly, Emily Lawson, and Steve Russell, who will depart alongside Pritchard. National medical director Prof Sir Stephen Powis also announced his exit.
NHS England staff expressed concerns about the scale and speed of the changes, The Guardian reported. One staffer said people were “baffled, unnerved and fearful.”
Streeting has sought greater control over NHS England, which has been semi-independent since the 2012 reforms. Further job cuts and leadership changes are expected as part of the restructuring.
Mackey and Pritchard recently warned NHS leaders of a potential £6.6bn overspend in 2025/26 and said a “fundamental reset” of the financial system was needed.
Smoke and flames rise from a collision between oil tanker and a cargo ship off the northeastern coast of England. (Photo credit: Reuters)
A TANKER carrying jet fuel for the US military caught fire after colliding with a container ship off the northeast coast of England on Monday. The impact caused multiple explosions, forcing both crews to evacuate.
The tanker, capable of carrying tens of thousands of tonnes of jet fuel, was at anchor when it was struck by a smaller container ship, rupturing its cargo tank and releasing fuel into the sea, according to its operator. The owner, Stena Bulk, confirmed the details.
British authorities said 36 crew members were safely brought ashore, with one person hospitalised. One crew member from the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship Solong remains missing, and the search has ended.
The tanker, Stena Immaculate, is operated by US logistics group Crowley and was carrying Jet-A1 fuel. It was anchored near Hull when it was hit by Solong, Crowley wrote on X.
The tanker is part of a US government programme supplying fuel to the armed forces. A US military spokesperson told Reuters it was on short-term charter to the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command.
The Solong, owned by Hamburg-based Ernst Russ, was transiting the North Sea when the collision occurred at 1000 GMT off the British coast of Humberside. Ernst Russ stated that both vessels suffered significant damage from the impact and fire. Thirteen of Solong’s 14 crew members were rescued.
The cargo ship was carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a chemical used in gold mining, along with an unspecified quantity of alcohol, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
Emergency teams deployed helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, lifeboats, and firefighting vessels to the scene. Crowley confirmed that multiple explosions had occurred on board.
The company described the incident as an allision, meaning one of the vessels was stationary at the time.
Environmental concerns
Experts have raised concerns about environmental risks. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said the area is home to protected seabird colonies, including puffins and gannets.
Greenpeace noted that the impact would depend on factors such as the type and amount of fuel spilled, the weather conditions, and the location of the release.
An insurance specialist said the risk of pollution was lower than in a crude oil spill, but the extent of the damage would depend on the amount of cargo affected and the severity of the fire.
British officials are coordinating with salvage and insurance companies as both vessels remain on fire. Aircraft continue to monitor the situation.
The incident took place in a busy shipping route connecting British ports to the Netherlands and Germany. Maritime analytics site MarineTraffic reported that the 183-metre-long Stena Immaculate was anchored off Immingham when it was struck by the 140-metre-long Solong, which was heading to Rotterdam.
Ship insurer Skuld confirmed it provided protection and indemnity (P&I) coverage for Solong, while Stena Immaculate’s insurer, Steamship, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
(With inputs from agencies)
Jaishankar wrapped up his visit with a tour of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, hosted by foreign secretary David Lammy.
INDIA's external affairs minister S Jaishankar has concluded his visit to the United Kingdom, reaffirming strong bilateral ties and adding fresh momentum to the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday.
Jaishankar wrapped up his visit with a tour of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, hosted by foreign secretary David Lammy. He also attended a Tottenham versus Bournemouth football match at the stadium, which is in Lammy’s north London constituency.
“A good match in great company,” Jaishankar posted on social media on Sunday, marking the final day of his nearly week-long visit to the UK and Ireland.
The MEA statement highlighted Jaishankar’s engagements during the visit, including “comprehensive” discussions with Lammy at Chevening House and meetings with prime minister Keir Starmer, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds, and home secretary Yvette Cooper.
Reaffirming strong ties and injecting new momentum.
Highlights of my visit to the United Kingdom 🎥:
🇮🇳 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/tzbk1VXWQJ
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 10, 2025
During the trip, Jaishankar inaugurated the new Consulate General of India in Belfast and Manchester and engaged with key stakeholders from government, business, academia, and the Indian diaspora.
“The visit reaffirmed the strong ties between India and the United Kingdom, injecting fresh momentum into the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” the MEA said.
“It reinforced both nations' commitment to strengthening political, economic, and people-to-people collaboration in an evolving global landscape,” the statement added.
Jaishankar’s meeting with Starmer at 10 Downing Street last week covered various aspects of bilateral relations, with both leaders acknowledging the “positive momentum” following the resumption of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
“They also recognised the strengthening of technology cooperation, deepening of people-to-people ties, and discussed key global issues, including the Ukraine conflict,” the MEA said.
In talks with Lammy, Jaishankar discussed the full range of India-UK relations, covering strategic coordination, political cooperation, trade, education, technology, mobility, and people-to-people exchanges.
“They reviewed progress on the new Roadmap 2.0 being discussed by the two sides that will impart fresh energy and new momentum to the comprehensive strategic partnership. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the Ukraine conflict, West Asia, Bangladesh, and the Commonwealth,” the MEA stated.
Both sides reiterated their commitment to boosting trade and investment, stressing the importance of reducing barriers and improving market access.
On the opening of two new consulates, the MEA said the move fulfilled a long-standing demand of the Indian diaspora and marked a significant step in enhancing India’s diplomatic presence in the UK.
The consulates are expected to strengthen trade, business, technology, and educational ties between the two countries.
(With inputs from PTI)
A 15-YEAR-OLD boy accused of killing an 80-year-old man in a Leicester park told police, “I had my reasons, but I did it,” a court heard.
The boy is charged with murdering Bhim Kohli at Franklin Park, Braunstone Town, in September last year. A 13-year-old girl, also on trial, is accused of manslaughter. Both were 14 and 12 at the time and cannot be named due to their ages.
At Leicester Crown Court, transcripts of police interviews were read, BBC reported. Officers noted that after his arrest, the boy admitted responsibility, saying, “I did it, I did it. I have my reasons but I did it.”
He told police he had heard Kohli had previously pulled a knife on a friend of his co-defendant. On 1 September, he approached Kohli to ask if he was carrying a knife. When Kohli did not respond, he asked again.
The boy claimed Kohli swore at him and tried to hit him. He said he dodged it and hit Kohli back. Later, he admitted hitting Kohli three times on his arm and jaw but denied kicking him.
He said after walking away, Kohli approached his co-defendant with his hands raised, making him concerned for her safety. He ran at Kohli, pushed him over, and fell on top of him.
In his police statement, he said: “I didn’t want to hurt the male, he was the one who had become aggressive. He had taken photos of me and I even posed for them. I deeply regret the incident and was horrified to hear he died. I would like to express my sadness to his family and friends.”
The boy said he told a woman to call an ambulance because his phone battery was low. Asked why he did not use his friend’s phone, he said: “Because I didn’t want to be there.” He added, “I was panicked. He started it, I’ve already explained it.”
The court heard a paramedic at the scene reported that Kohli had said he was kicked and that “the kids” called him a racial slur. The boy denied using any racial slur.
The girl told police she was sitting on a bench away from the altercation but later went to see what was happening. She recorded the incident on her phone and was shown the footage in her interview.
Asked why she filmed, she said: “I don’t know, just to show [the boy] what he had done from far away.”
Describing the footage, she said the boy “slapped [Kohli] round the head with his slider [shoe].”
When asked if she enjoyed it, she replied: “Not really but it was a bit funny at the time.”
She said that after Kohli fell, “We just left. He was just laid on the floor and I think he was breathing pretty loud.”
The court heard that weeks before the incident, Kohli had apples thrown at him by teenagers in the park. The girl said Kohli thought she and her friends were with them and approached them. She claimed he had “something in his pocket” but admitted she did not see a knife.
She also said it was “spread around” that Kohli carried a pocket knife.
A teenage friend of the male defendant told the court he met him the day after the attack in a churchyard, where the defendant appeared “overwhelmed,” BBC reported.
“He was kind of shaking,” the witness said in his police interview. “He told me about it. He said that he was walking with his mates and he saw that man trying to do something to a young girl. When he saw that, he said he got really angry and started battering him.”
The boy told his friend he needed to “leave the area” and was “planning to go somewhere far, like a different city.”
A 14-year-old witness told jurors the defendant had spoken about his “anger issues” the day after the attack, ITV News reported.
“He said, ‘They know it’s me, they have got a full description, I have put a man in intensive care. He is basically dead.’”
The witness added: “He said he was only going to punch him once... but he said he just let his anger out and he couldn’t stop.”
The trial continues.
Carney said he would stand up for Canada’s way of life and push back against American actions affecting trade. (Photo: Reuters)
MARK CARNEY, Canada's incoming prime minister, has pledged to take on the United States in an escalating trade dispute, vowing to defend the country’s interests against US president Donald Trump’s policies.
Speaking to supporters in Ottawa after being elected leader of the Liberal Party, Carney said he would stand up for Canada’s way of life and push back against American actions affecting trade.
"We didn't ask for this fight. But Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves," he said.
"So the Americans, they should make no mistake, in trade as in hockey, Canada will win," added Carney, 59, who is set to take over from prime minister Justin Trudeau in the coming days.
Carney’s time in office could be short. Canada must hold elections by October, but a snap poll could take place within weeks. Current opinion polls show the opposition Conservatives with a slight edge.
'Existential challenge'
In his victory speech, Carney said Trump's administration was trying to take control of Canada.
"The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country," he said.
"These are dark days, dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust."
He accused Trump of targeting Canadian workers and businesses, adding, "We cannot let him succeed."
"We're all being called to stand up for each other and for the Canadian way of life."
Carney, a former central banker, won the Liberal leadership with 85.9 percent of nearly 152,000 votes cast, defeating his main rival, Chrystia Freeland, who received eight per cent.
He campaigned on a promise to challenge Trump’s policies, which have disrupted Canada-US trade with tariffs and economic uncertainty.
Delivering his farewell speech, Trudeau also warned about the US, calling it "an existential challenge" for Canada.
Contending with Trump
Liberal supporters in Ottawa welcomed Carney’s victory. Party member Cory Stevenson said, "We chose the person who could best face off against (Tory leader) Pierre Poilievre in the next election and deal with Donald Trump."
Carney has argued that his background makes him the best candidate to handle Trump. He has highlighted his experience leading the Bank of Canada through the 2008-2009 financial crisis and managing the Bank of England during the fallout from the 2016 Brexit vote.
According to polling firm Angus Reid, Carney is seen as the best choice to handle Trump. A recent survey showed 43 percent of Canadians trusted him most on the issue, compared to 34 percent for Conservative leader Poilievre.
The Liberals had been trailing in the polls before Trudeau announced his resignation in January, but the leadership change and concerns over Trump have made the race more competitive.
"We were written off about four months ago, and now we're right back where we should be," said former MP Frank Baylis, who also ran for the leadership.
Unproven in elections
Before entering public service, Carney worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs.
Since leaving the Bank of England in 2020, he has been a UN envoy promoting private sector investment in climate technology and has taken on corporate roles.
However, he has never held elected office or served in parliament.
Analysts say his lack of electoral experience could be a challenge against a Conservative Party already running attack ads about his policy shifts and background.
"It is absolutely a risk. He is unproven in the crucible of an election," said Cameron Anderson, a political scientist at Western University.
However, he added that Carney’s strong stance against Trump "is what Canadians want to hear from their leaders."
"The average Canadian in the country is viewing these things in an existential way."
(With inputs from AFP)
