India and Pakistan trade fire and accusations as fears of a wider military confrontation rise

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan said Indian drones killed two civilians and wounded four soldiers, as India accused its neighbor of attempting its own attack. India acknowledged Thursday that it targeted Pakistan’s air defense system, and Islamabad said it shot down several drones. India said it “neutralized” Pakistan’s attempts to hit military targets. It was not possible to verify all of the claims. The exchanges came a day after Pakistani officials said Indian missiles killed 31 civilians. New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month.

Ukraine accuses Russia of violating its own truce over 700 times

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine have both reported attacks on their forces on the first day of a 72-hour ceasefire called by President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of violating its own ceasefire 734 times between midnight and midday Thursday. He described the ceasefire as a “farce.” Meanwhile, the Ukrainian parliament unanimously approved a landmark minerals deal with the U.S. The ratification is a key step in setting the deal in motion. It would allow Washington access to Ukraine’s largely untapped minerals, deepen strategic ties and create a joint investment fund with the U.S. for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Bank of England cuts interest rates and welcomes word of US-UK trade deal

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England cut its main interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.25% amid concerns over the potential shock to global growth emanating from the tariff policies of the Trump administration. The decision Thursday was widely expected, though there was an array of opinion on the nine-member Monetary Policy Committee, with two voting for a bigger half-point cut to 4%, and two voting to hold rates. Bank Gov. Andrew Bailey said inflationary pressures have continued to ease, paving the way for the fourth quarter-point rate cut since August.

Aid group closes soup kitchens across Gaza due to dwindling supplies

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza (AP) — A U.S.-based aid group says that Israel’s ongoing blockade of humanitarian assistance for Gaza has forced the closure of its community soup kitchens. World Central Kitchen said Thursday that it can’t get supplies to refill its empty warehouses. The group was serving 133,000 meals per day. Malnutrition and hunger are becoming increasingly prevalent in the Gaza Strip as Israel’s total blockade enters its third month. And water is also becoming more scarce. The Palestinian Water Authority says water availability has plummeted to an average of 3 to 5 liters per person per day, That’s far less than health experts say is needed to survive.