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India-Pakistan Conflict Escalates: Missile Strikes Kill 8 in 'Act of War' Amid Nuclear Tensions

India fired missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory early Wednesday, killing at least eight people including a child, in what Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned as "an act of war." The strikes, code-named "Operation Sindoor," targeted alleged militant infrastructure used by groups linked to last month's tourist massacre in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Indian officials specifically identified headquarters of militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke as targets, while maintaining they exercised "considerable restraint" by avoiding military facilities.

The attacks hit six locations across Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab province, causing widespread panic as residents fled their homes amid explosions and power outages. Pakistan immediately responded with cross-border shelling that reportedly killed three civilians in Indian-controlled Kashmir, while also claiming to have shot down five Indian jets. The Indian army confirmed "heavy exchanges of fire" along the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing the disputed Kashmir region, and acknowledged aircraft debris scattered in multiple locations including a school and mosque compound.

International observers express grave concern about potential escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors. South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman characterized the strikes as "one of the highest-intensity" in years, warning that "the escalation risks are real" despite nuclear deterrence. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for "maximum military restraint," stating that "the world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan." Meanwhile, Pakistan has closed schools in affected regions, declared a medical emergency, and convened an urgent National Security Committee meeting to formulate its response to what it describes as "cowardly attacks" by a "deceitful enemy."

Webb Resigns as NSW Police Commissioner After Historic Tenure

Karen Webb has announced her resignation as NSW Police Commissioner effective September 30, ending her tenure as the first woman to hold the position after taking over from Mick Fuller in 2022.

Webb had initially planned to announce her retirement on May 18 - marking 38 years since leaving the police academy - but the announcement was brought forward to give the state government adequate time to "recruit and appoint a new commissioner going into an election period in less than two years' time." Police Minister Yasmin Catley confirmed the resignation during parliamentary Question Time on Wednesday, expressing "heartfelt thanks for her incredible work" and describing Webb as a "true trailblazer."

During her approximately three-year leadership, Commissioner Webb established a significant but complex legacy that included securing a pay rise for police officers, establishing a domestic and family violence register, and delivering an apology for the force's historical handling of gay hate crimes. However, her tenure was not without controversy, as she faced criticism over her handling of high-profile incidents including the manslaughter of 95-year-old Clare Nowland by a police officer and her response to the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davis, who were allegedly murdered by an off-duty officer. Last year, she initiated a review into police culture following allegations of bullying and sexism within the force.

New Bill Aims to Restrict Social Media Access for Under-16s in New Zealand

A new members bill has been introduced by National MP Catherine Wedd that would restrict social media access for children under 16 years old in New Zealand. The proposed legislation aims to protect young people from online harms including cyberbullying, addiction, and exposure to inappropriate content by requiring social media companies to verify users' ages before granting platform access.

The bill mirrors similar approaches already implemented in Australia and aligns with protective measures being developed in the UK, European Union, and Canada.

While acknowledging parents' responsibility in monitoring their children's social media usage, Wedd emphasized that social media companies must also take accountability for keeping children safe online, stating that the legislation is "about making sure that social media companies are playing their role in keeping all of our kids safe."

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BUSINESS & MARKETS

➡️ Reserve Bank Warns of Increased Financial Risks in New Zealand's May 2025 Stability Report. Reserve Bank Governor Christian Hawkesby reports increased risks to New Zealand's financial system due to global volatility and US tariffs, but confirms local banks remain well-capitalized with strong buffers while the new Deposit Compensation Scheme will launch July 1, 2025 to enhance financial system protection.

➡️  NAB CEO Andrew Irvine Announces Business Growth and 85-Cent Dividend in Half Year Results. NAB has announced its 2025 Half Year Results with CEO Andrew Irvine reporting the bank is managing well amid challenging conditions, highlighting growth in business banking, improved deposit performance, and an 85-cent interim dividend worth $2.6 billion to shareholders while maintaining a strong balance sheet despite global economic uncertainty.

➡️  ASIC Imposes Additional Licence Conditions on Macquarie Bank Following Repeated Compliance Breaches. ASIC has imposed additional licence conditions on Macquarie Bank requiring an independent expert review and remediation plan after discovering multiple significant compliance failures in its futures dealing and OTC derivatives businesses, including misreporting of over 375,000 transactions and failure to prevent suspicious trading activity despite a previous $5 million fine.

POLITICS & WORLD AFFAIRS

➡️ Cardinals Hold Final Meeting Before 2025 Conclave, Discuss Key Qualities for New Pope. The 12th and final General Congregation of Cardinals before the 2025 Conclave saw 173 Cardinals discuss essential qualities needed in the next Pope including being a shepherd, bridge-builder and reformer, while also finalizing the schedule for the election process beginning with tomorrow's "Mass pro eligendo Pontifice" followed by the Cardinals' entrance into Conclave at 3:45pm.

➡️ Canadian PM Carney Rejects Trump's '51st State' Suggestion in First White House Meeting. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney firmly told President Donald Trump that "Canada is not for sale" and "won't be for sale, ever" during their first White House meeting, where despite exchanging compliments, Trump maintained he would not lift tariffs on Canadian goods while Carney pressed for negotiations on trade issues.

➡️ Xi Jinping Named 'Number One Guest' for Russia's 80th Victory Day Parade Amid Growing Anti-Western Alliance. Chinese President Xi Jinping will be Vladimir Putin's "number one guest" at Russia's 80th Victory Day celebrations commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany, demonstrating their increasingly close economic and military relationship which ANU expert Dr. Matthew Sussex describes as "very much a sense of alignment against the West.

AI & TECHNOLOGY

➡️ OpenAI Reverses For-Profit Plans, Nonprofit Will Maintain Control of AI Giant. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced the company will remain under nonprofit control rather than converting to a for-profit structure, following pressure from civic leaders and government officials, marking a victory for critics like Elon Musk who had opposed the company's commercial ambitions.

➡️ Apple Plans Major iPhone 18 Launch Shakeup: Split Release Strategy Coming in 2027. Apple is reportedly planning to drastically change its iPhone launch strategy starting in 2027, splitting its six-model lineup between September and March releases to better compete with rivals and prevent base models from being overshadowed by Pro variants.

➡️ Google Launches '100 Zeros' Film Production Wing with Range Media Partners. Google has launched a new film and television production initiative called "100 Zeros" in partnership with Range Media Partners to fund and co-produce projects while promoting its AI and spatial computing tools, according to a recent Business Insider report.

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