For Ukraine, the economic deal was seen as possibly key to ensuring its access to future US military aid in its war against Russia. President Trump had previously called for Kyiv to compensate Washington for billions of dollars in assistance to help repel the Kremlin's forces. A senior Ukrainian official said on Wednesday the US will make "direct financial contributions" to the fund and "may also provide new assistance" such as air defence systems for Ukraine. Trump latest: Deal shows Trump 'committed to free Ukraine' The US Treasury said "in recognition of the significant financial and material support" the US has provided to the "defence of Ukraine... this economic partnership positions our two countries to work collaboratively and invest together to... accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery". US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said: "This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term." He also said "this partnership allows the US to invest alongside Ukraine, to unlock Ukraine's growth assets, mobilise American talent, capital and governance standards that will improve Ukraine's investment climate and accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery". Donald Trump indicated in February he wanted access to Ukraine's rare earth materials, describing it as reimbursement for the billions of dollars in aid the US has given to Kyiv. But talks stalled after a heated Oval Office meeting between him and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and reaching an agreement since then has proven difficult amid strained relations between Washington and Kyiv. Why is US interested in Ukraine's raw materials? The US is seeking access to over 20 raw materials seen as strategically critical to its interests, including some non-minerals such as oil and natural gas. Among them are Ukraine's deposits of titanium, which is used for making aircraft wings and other aerospace manufacturing, and uranium, which is used for nuclear power, medical equipment and weapons. Ukraine also has lithium, graphite and manganese, which are used in electric vehicle batteries. On Wednesday, Ukraine's first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said she had signed the agreement to create the investment fund. She wrote on X: "Together with the United States, we are creating the fund that will attract global investment into our country. "Its implementation allows both countries to expand their economic potential through equal cooperation and investment. "The United States will contribute to the fund. In addition to direct financial contributions, it may also provide new assistance - for example air defence systems for Ukraine." Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said: "Truly, this is a strategic deal for the creation of an investment partner fund. "This is truly an equal and good international deal on joint investment in the development and restoration of Ukraine between the governments of the United States and Ukraine."

Groundworker Daniel Graham, 39, and mechanic Adam Carruthers, 32, each deny two counts of criminal damage to the tree and to Hadrian's Wall overnight on 28 September 2023. Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court heard the tree was a "totemic" feature of Northumberland and was part of a place "much loved by many thousands of people". The video clip lasting two minutes and 40 seconds was recovered from Graham's phone and played to the court twice - once showing the dark, raw footage, and a second time after it had been enhanced by a police specialist. Police analyst Amy Sutherland told the court the video was in the download section of Graham's phone, which was taken from his jacket pocket. In the enhanced black and white version, with audio of wind blowing and a chainsaw buzzing, a figure can be seen working at the trunk of the tree, before it finally crashes to the ground. Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, said the original video was enhanced by changing the contrast, putting a border around the frame and brightening the film "so it could be seen more clearly". The prosecution alleges that the two friends travelled to the location in the pitch black during Storm Agnes and used a chainsaw to fell the sycamore, which then crashed on to Hadrian's Wall. The damage caused was valued at £622,191 for the tree and £1,144 to the Roman wall, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Messages between the two defendants Graham, of Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, of Wigton, Cumbria, swapped messages on the morning of 28 September 2023 after word spread of the tree being felled, the court has heard. Police analyst Ms Sutherland took jurors through the messages between the pair. Graham said to Carruthers in one message: "Not a bad angle on that stump", adding: "That's clearly a professional." A screenshot sent by Carruthers to Graham showed Facebook comments with a circle around one saying: "Judging by the quality of the cut and size of tree I would say whoever it was has knowledge of how to fell large trees." The court heard there was another comment saying: "Some weak people that walk this earth, disgusting behaviour." Jurors were played a voicenote from Graham to Carruthers saying: "That comment. Weak... f****** weak? Does he realise how heavy s*** is?" Carruthers replied with his own voicenote, saying: "I'd like to see [him] launch an operation like we did last night... I don't think he's got the minerals." The court heard Graham sent a voicenote to Carruthers using his nickname, saying: "Jeffrey, it's gone viral, it's gone worldwide, it will be on ITV News tonight." Later, Graham sent another message saying: "Jeffrey, it's on f****** Sky News as we speak." Carruthers sent Graham a video of the Sky News channel's rolling news banner. A statement by Tony Wilmott, a senior archaeologist with Historic England, said he produced a seven-page report into the damage caused to Hadrian's Wall. He said the Sycamore Gap name was coined in the 1980s, and over the decades it has become one of Northumberland's most appreciated features. He said: "Its unmistakable profile has been repeated in many media and because of this it has become totemic. "It has become a place of marriage proposals, family visits and even the location of ashes to be spread. "The place is much loved by many thousands of people." Read more from Sky News:Now Co-op hit by cyber attack - live updatesWales to introduce same-day mental health care The court heard a statement from archaeologist and inspector for Historic England, Lee McFarlane, that some of the stones in Hadrian's Wall were damaged when the tree was felled. The wall and the tree belong to the National Trust. The trial continues.

Warning: This article contains references to sexual assault Miriam Haley is the first of the former movie mogul's accusers to testify at his retrial, which is taking place as New York's highest court overturned Weinstein's 2020 conviction. The former studio boss, 73, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of rape and two of forcing oral sex. He denies sexually assaulting anyone. Ms Haley, who also goes by the name Mimi Haleyi, today told the court Weinstein held her down and forced oral sex on her after she told him: "No, no - it's not going to happen." She dabbed her eyes as she recalled in court what went through her mind during the alleged July 2006 assault. "The unthinkable was happening, I just thought any unthinkable thing could happen," she said. "I just didn't know where it ended." Weinstein, sitting between his lawyers, shook his head as she spoke. Ms Haley also testified at Weinstein's initial trial. She began her testimony yesterday by describing how she got to know Weinstein, saying she had some inappropriate and suggestive interactions with him, while others were polite and professional. Ms Haley maintains she was always looking to forge a professional connection - not sex or romance - with the Miramax founder. Read more: What has happened to the #MeToo movement? Weinstein's lawyers are yet to question Ms Haley, but the defence has sought, often unsuccessfully, to object to prosecutors' questions, such as whether Ms Haley had any sexual interest in the then-powerful producer. She said she did not. The defence has argued that all of Weinstein's accusers consented to sexual activities with him in the hopes of getting work in show business. The 73-year-old's retrial includes charges based on allegations from Haley and Jessica Mann, an actress who alleges Weinstein raped her in 2013. For the first time, he is also being tried on an allegation of forcing oral sex on a former model, Kaja Sokola, in 2006.

Swabs on a bullet casing found at the scene have come back with a match to his DNA. Intelligence suggests he keeps the gun at home. In the room are MO19 officers, colleagues of Martyn Blake, the firearms officer who was charged with murder after opening fire on the job. Blake was acquitted of murdering Chris Kaba last October, but with Wednesday's police watchdog decision to launch a gross misconduct hearing against Blake, the case still lingers over his unit. Police officers don't get paid anything extra for carrying a gun - what they get is the dangerous callouts, and a huge responsibility strapped to their shoulders. The Kentish town operation, like any shift, is another chance when shots could be fired and split-second risk assessments made in the moment could be scrutinised for months, even years, careers could go on hold with suspended officers publicly named as they go on trial. They could end up in prison for the most serious of crimes. "Why risk it?" many asked themselves during the Blake trial, and at one point, it was reported that up to 300 officers had turned in their firearms permits, allowing them to carry weapons. The burden of high accountability is what a firearms officer carries with them in their holster, and many would argue, not least the victims' families of police shootings, that is how it should be; the power to kill in the name of the state must be accompanied by the highest scrutiny. 'Crush the spirit of good officers' Some campaigners feel they are under-scrutinised and have a habit of being acquitted for their actions, but, after the Martyn Blake verdict the Met Commissioner, Mark Rowley, said the system for holding police to account was "broken," adding "the more we crush the spirit of good officers - the less they can fight crime". In a statement on Wednesday, Assistant Commissioner Lawrence Taylor said: "We know another lengthy process will fall heavily on the shoulders of NX121 (Blake's code name) and more widely our firearms officers who continue to bravely and tirelessly police the streets of London every day to protect the public." Chris Kaba's family said they welcomed the IOPC's decision, adding: "We hope this leads to him being removed from the Met Police. What Martyn Blake did was deeply wrong." In the Kentish Town briefing room, plans for the operation are set out: room layouts, entry points, cordons, risk assessments. Then Derek Caroll, a specialist tactical firearms commander, tells the room why it is proportional that the planned dawn raid to arrest Downes should involve officers who carry guns. Caroll said: "Clearly, he has used the firearm in a public place, so that's the reason armed officers have been deployed… the subject these officers are going to go up against has either immediate possession of a firearm or access to a firearm. "Because there is a gun outstanding there is a potential risk - he has a propensity to fire the weapon." The point seems obvious and laboured, but the case of Martyn Blake and other shootings has made it clear that this stuff needs to be spelled out as often as possible. Sergeant Blake had been on a similar mission to these officers when he shot 23-year-old Chris Kaba. The death of Kaba in September 2022 He and other officers were involved in stopping an Audi Q8 used in a shooting in Brixton. Arguably, there are more variables trying to stop a car than in a dawn house raid where suspects are usually asleep. With car stops, they can see you coming, it's not always clear who is driving, and the vehicle itself can be used as a weapon. All of this played out in the attempted hard stop of the Audi Q8 in September 2022. An unmarked police car was following the vehicle when it turned a corner and Blake's marked vehicle blocked its path. Officers didn't know Kaba was driving the car, and with armed officers now on foot, Kaba tried to ram his way out. Seconds later, he was shot by a single round through the windscreen. The police watchdog referred Sergeant Blake to the CPS, and he was charged with murder. In court, he argued that he had opened fire because it was his genuinely held belief that the driver posed an imminent threat to life and in October last year, the jury found him not guilty. After the verdict, it emerged that days before he was shot, Chris Kaba himself was alleged to have shot someone in a nightclub, chasing his victim outside, shooting him again. 'Gung-ho' behaviour Equality activist Stafford Scott believes the killing of Chris Kaba is part of a pattern of what he called "gung-ho" behaviour from Metropolitan Police officers against black men. He feels the hard stop was an unnecessarily "reckless" tactic. He lists other shooting victims such as Jermaine Baker and Mark Duggan and blames "institutional racism" within the force - pointing to the matching findings of the McPherson report of 1999 and the more recent Lousie Casey Inquiry in 2023, which both made damning conclusions about police racism. The prosecution in Blake's case didn't argue that racism played a part in the shooting, but having watched the trial, Scott says it left many questions. "What we have again is this notion of 'honestly held belief' and that's why we are going to the European courts because we won't get justice in this system - 'honestly held belief' must be rational," he says. "And let's remember there was all this stuff in the media afterwards about what Chris Kaba did before he was shot, but at the time Martyn Blake shot Chris Kaba he didn't even know it was Chris Kaba behind the wheel. He didn't know who it was." These arguments, and what happened at the scene, will again be played out in a misconduct hearing, which requires a lower threshold of proof than criminal proceedings and could lead to Blake being sacked from the force. Like tiptoeing armadillos In the operation in Kentish Town, for the officers strapping on their Sig MCXs and holstering their Glocks, the last thing they want is to have to use them. They are trained to only open fire if they believe there is a risk to life, and a large part of their training is also in first aid, be that on victims they find at the scene - or on someone who they have felt compelled to shoot themselves. It is a surreal scene as these heavily tooled-up officers in helmets and body armour stalk through the everyday scene of a dark council estate then, like tiptoeing armadillos, they quietly shuffle up the stairwell with their forcible entry tool kit. The door is busted down in seconds to the shouts of "armed police!" and after loud negotiations at gunpoint, the highly overweight figure of Downes is brought out and cuffed in his boxer shorts. The man is so large, it leads to serious debriefing questions afterwards about what to do if a subject is too big to get out of the door and even taking him downstairs is done by bum shuffle. "There was a knife in a sheet under one of the beds," says one of the arresting officers to his commander, "and then the firearm found down the side of the sofa, which is quite readily available to the subject." "We got him, no shots fired, and we can be nothing but happy with that," responds the Commander. Success is 'where shots aren't fired' Afterwards, Commander Caroll tells Sky News: "It's a satisfaction getting the gun back - but unfortunately, there's guns out there and we are doing these jobs very regularly. "We get a gun off the street. We get the person arrested and as with every firearms operation - every successful firearms operation, for the Met and for the country - is one where shots aren't fired." Out of 4,000 operations a year, shots are only fired once or twice, but whenever they are, questions will always be asked. There is a balance between rigorous accountability for the officer, a process of justice for bereaved families and the impact it may have on policing if officers fear their names could become known in criminal networks after they shot a gang member or if someone's "honestly held belief" is not enough to keep them from jail. Campaigners and members of Chris Kaba's family say the Blake verdict shows that officers can kill without consequence - his colleagues say he has already paid a heavy price for doing what he is trained to do. When they are not on operations to seize guns, MO19 officers patrol London poised to deal with stabbings, shootings and terrorist attacks - there's little doubt the public wants them to keep doing that. Read more from Sky News:Footage of alleged felling of Sycamore Gap treeSerial paedophile jailed for 46 yearsMan charged over incident at Israeli embassy Downes, 23, has since pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of harm and possession of a Class B substance. He is due to be sentenced in June.

The findings, from a new survey by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), come ahead of the union's annual conference in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, this weekend. More than 1,500 senior leaders were surveyed - and 65% said their mental health had been negatively affected over the last 12 months. Nearly half (45%) had sought mental health support, though some reported being unable to access help or not knowing how. Just one in five leaders (20%) now say they would aspire to a headteacher role - which is the lowest level recorded since the union began tracking wellbeing in 2016. The union says the figures highlight how the pressures of school leadership are fuelling a worsening retention crisis in education, at a time when many schools are already struggling to recruit. Members of the NAHT will debate a motion on Saturday which says school leaders have been pushed to "crisis point" and are leaving the profession because of the stresses of the role. It demands "urgent focus" on providing structured and consistent support for school leaders' mental health. Michael Wright, Director of Music, Southwest England said: "I battle daily to make myself present for my students, it's an honour, but it comes with a price and that is the detriment to my mental health." The NAHT survey also found: • 88% of leaders said the job affects their sleep • 77% reported increased stress and worry • 76% said their personal or family life had suffered • 59% reported a negative impact on their physical health • 88% said they now spend more time supporting staff mental health than three years ago Paul Whiteman, NAHT's general secretary, said: "It is deeply concerning that so many dedicated school leaders are struggling - and that some are even quitting the profession they love due to the toll on their mental health. "From unmanageable workloads to the pressure of high-stakes inspections, school leadership now feels like it comes with a health warning." More from Sky News:Footage of alleged moment Sycamore Gap tree cut down'Andrew Tate phenomena' surges in schools The Department for Education said: "We highly value our incredible school staff - they are vital to our Plan for Change, giving every child the best start in life. "We are working together with partners across the education sector to re-establish teaching as an attractive, expert profession - and are already taking action to ease workload pressures and support wellbeing so more teachers stay in the profession."

War erupted in Sudan's capital Khartoum in April 2023 and sent millions searching for safety. The city was quickly captured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after a power struggle with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for total control. At least 61,000 people were killed from the fighting and siege conditions in Khartoum state alone. Thousands more were maimed and many remain missing. The RSF fled Khartoum's neighbourhoods in caravans carrying the city's looted treasures as the army closed in and recaptured it after two years of occupation. 👉 Listen to Sky News Daily on your podcast app 👈 The empty streets they left behind are lined with charred, bullet-ridden buildings and robbed store fronts. The once shiny skyscrapers built along the confluence of the River Nile are now husks of blackened steel. The neighbourhoods are skeletal. Generational homes are deserted and hollow. Trenches snake the streets where copper electric cables were ripped out of the ground and pulled out of lampposts now overridden with weeds. The majority of the 13 million people displaced by this war fled Khartoum. Many left in a rush, assuming it would only take a few weeks for peace to be restored. My parents were among those millions and in the midst of the abandoned, looted homes is the house where I grew up. A shell of a home I have to strain my eyes to see the turn to my house. All the usual markers are gone. There are no gatherings of young people drinking coffee with tea ladies in the leafy shade - just gaping billboard frames that once held up advertisements behind cars of courting couples parked by the Nile. Our garden is both overgrown and dried to death. The mango, lemon and jasmine trees carefully planted by my mother and brother have withered. The Bougainvillea has reached over the pathway and blocked off the main entrance. We go through the small black side door. Our family car is no longer in the garage, forcing us to walk around it. It was stolen shortly after my parents evacuated. The two chairs my mum and dad would sit at the centre of the front lawn are still there, but surrounded by thorny weeds and twisted, bleached vines. The neighbour's once lush garden is barren too. Their tall palm trees at the front of the house have been beheaded - rounding off into a greyish stump instead of lush fronds. Read more:How recaptured palace is a significant sign of return to orderSudan's paramilitary chief announces rival government Everyone in Khartoum is coming back to a game of Russian roulette. Searching out their houses to confirm suspicions of whether it was blasted, burned or punctured with bullets. Many homes were looted and bruised by nearby combat but some are still standing. Others have been completely destroyed. The outside of our house looks smooth from the street but has a crack in the base of the front wall visible from up close. It is likely a bomb fell nearby and shook the house at its base - a reminder of the airstrikes and shelling that my parents and their neighbours fled. Inside, the damage is choking. Most of the furniture has been taken except a few lone couches. The carpets and curtains have been stripped. The electrical panels and wiring pulled out. The appliances, dishes, glasses and spices snatched from the kitchens. The walls are bare apart from the few items they decided to spare. Ceilings have been punctured and cushions torn open in their hunt for hidden gold. The walls are marked with the names of RSF troops that came in and out of this house like it was their own. The home that has been the centre of our life in Sudan is a shell. Glimmers of hope The picture of sheer wreckage settles and signs of familiarity come into focus. A family photo album that is 20 years old. The rocking chair my mother cradled me and my sister in. My university certificate. Celebratory snaps of my siblings' weddings. Books my brother has had since the early nineties. The painting above my bed that I have pined over during the two years - custom-made and gifted to me for my 24th birthday and signed by my family on the back. There are signs of dirt and damage on all these items our looters discarded but it is enough. Evidence of material destruction but a reminder of what we can hope will endure. The spirit of the people that gathered to laugh, cry and break bread in these rooms. The hospitality and warmth of a Sudanese home with an open door. The community and sense of togetherness that can never truly be robbed. What remains in our hearts and our city is a sign of what will get us through.

The 76-year-old monarch praised the organisations that mean that "the darkest moments of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion". Writing ahead of a Buckingham Palace reception to recognise and celebrate "the remarkable organisations and individuals" who do so much for cancer patients and their families, the King said: "Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at times frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones. "But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity." Reflecting on his own cancer journey, he added: "It has certainly given me an even deeper appreciation of the extraordinary work undertaken by the remarkable organisations and individuals gathered here this evening, many of whom I have known, visited and supported over the years. "And it has reinforced what I have long observed during these visits - that the darkest moments of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion". Ending his message, the King paid tribute to Dame Deborah James, by "echoing her final words" - "Find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope." The podcaster and campaigner, whose frank accounts of life with bowel cancer sparked an extraordinary deluge of charity donations, died at the age of 40 in June 2022. The message is written in a booklet that has been given to all those attending the Cancer Support reception. It is an event that both the King and Queen were keen to host, both as patrons of many cancer-related organisations, but also as part of their ongoing work to highlight the impact of cancer on people across the UK. The added emphasis on this side of the King's work has undoubtedly been spurred on by his own experience. Read more from Sky News:Trial shown footage of 'moment Sycamore Gap tree felled'Body found in Thames identified as missing 11-year-old girl In his annual Christmas message, the King specifically thanked the medical staff who supported him and the Princess of Wales last year. 'The most difficult of times' In his written message on Wednesday, he added to those sentiments, saying: "What strikes us repeatedly is the profound impact of human connection - whether in the careful explanation from a specialist nurse, the hand held by a hospice volunteer, or the shared experience in a support group. "These moments of kinship create what I might call a 'community of care', one that sustains patients through the most difficult of times." Over 1,000 new cancer cases each day To highlight the scale of the need for help, the King also refers to the "390,000 people who, sadly, receive a new cancer diagnosis across the UK each year. That is over 1,000 new cases every single day". Since he was diagnosed last year, he has deliberately wanted to be open about his cancer journey, and we know that his treatment is still ongoing. However, he has avoided saying what kind of cancer he has, palace sources partly putting that down to the fact that he doesn't want one type of cancer to appear more significant or attract more attention than others. He has hoped to show that everyone's experiences can be different but no less challenging than others. Should King be even more open? Some have argued that as head of state, he should be even more open about his condition. Among the guests at the reception was the actor Richard E Grant, a friend of the King, who has spoken of the monarch's kindness towards his wife shortly before she died of cancer. Former footballer Ashley Cain, whose eight-month-old daughter lost her life to leukaemia, was also there along with the parents of Dame Deborah James, Alistair and Heather James, and TV presenter Lorraine Kelly and members of the Change + Check Choir.

Burrows, an 81-year-old former boarding school housemaster and scout leader, spent 27 years on the run in Thailand before he was arrested at Heathrow Airport last year. Before his trial, he admitted 43 offences - including indecent assault of boys, making indecent images of children, possession of indecent images of children and four counts of possession of false identity documents with intent. Burrows denied 54 others, which jurors at Chester Crown Court convicted him of last month. Those offences include indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child. James Harvey was befriended by Burrows through his involvement with the sea scouts. Burrows admitted indecently assaulting James in a caravan after visiting an RAF show. Mr Harvey has waived his right to anonymity as a victim of a sexual offence. He told Sky's chief North of England correspondent Greg Milam on Wednesday that he was "grateful to everybody who has been involved in getting him [Burrows] to court. For all of the victims, many of whom have died since they knew him, some of whom were in court. The police, the court system, over 40 years". Mr Harvey said Burrows will be spending "a very, very long time in prison". Read more:Richard Burrows jailed for child sexual abuse offencesDecades on the beach - sex offender's life in hiding During the trial, Mr Harvey faced his perpetrator in court as he gave his statement, seeing him for the first time since the mid-1970s. He said he made eye contact with Burrows as he was leaving court during one of the breaks. 'I felt nothing' Mr Harvey told Greg Milam: "He didn't recognise me and that was almost confirmation that all of us, all of the boys whose lives he's affected, meant nothing to him. "They were just objects for him to use for his pleasure and that every single quality that he had in his life he used for evil purposes. So I felt nothing." Mr Harvey also said it was "difficult to listen to the things that he's done to all of those children, many of them much, much worse than what I had done to me. Some of them my friends". He said it had taken tens of thousands of hours to "prove that this man is what he is. He's a paedophile". "And he spent his whole life trying to get access to young children." He added that everybody who knew him, from his family, his friends, his colleagues, "when they think of his name will think paedophile and that's what he is". "I don't waste my energy thinking about what he is as a person, he's a paedophile and that defines him forever." The trial heard that Burrows had obtained positions of authority and systematically abused 24 boys from the 1960s to the mid-1990s. He had worked as a housemaster at a school for vulnerable children and befriended other youngsters through amateur radio clubs. Burrows was initially charged in May 1997 but failed to attend a hearing later that year. He remained on the wanted list until police using facial recognition software matched him to a man using the name Peter Smith. He had stolen the identity of a terminally ill friend to obtain a passport. Burrows described "living in paradise" in emails found after his eventual arrest, written after he fled to Thailand.

It comes just days after 26 men, mostly tourists, were shot dead by gunmen in the India-controlled part of the disputed region, which the nuclear-armed neighbours both claim as their own. New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for the suspected militant attack near the resort town of Pahalgam on 22 April. India claims it has identified the three attackers involved, including two Pakistan nationals. It says they are "terrorists" who are waging a violent revolt on the Muslim-majority in Kashmir. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation. US secretary of state Marco Rubio has spoken separately to Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The US state department said Mr Rubio expressed support to India in combating extremism and also urged Pakistan to cooperate in investigating the attack. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which is part of the ruling coalition, told Sky News' The World with Yalda Hakim: "As far as India's accusations are concerned, it would be helpful if India was to provide specific, concrete evidence with Pakistan and with the international community." Mr Bhutto Zardari, a former foreign minister, warned the current situation could "turn into anything from a limited skirmish and attack between our air forces or any other wings of our armed forces, or it could turn into a full-scale war". Early on Wednesday, Pakistan said it had "credible intelligence" that India intends to carry out military action against it in the "next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident". Also on Wednesday, the Indian government said it closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines - days after Pakistan banned Indian airlines from flying over its territory. Kashmir attack: What happened? Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged small-arms fire over the past six nights, which New Delhi says was initiated by the Pakistani side across their 460-mile de facto border running through Kashmir. No casualties were reported, and the Pakistan military has not responded to the claims. Pakistan 'well capable of responding to any Indian aggression' Mr Bhutto Zardari, whose mother, former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in 2007, said his country was "bracing for any such action where Pakistan is at the ready to respond". He told Yalda Hakim: "I don't want to go into theoreticals other than to say from our air force to our armed forces to our navy, Pakistan is well capable of responding to any and all forms of Indian aggression." He also said that "our two countries have gone to war before. It is our hope that this does not happen, that better sense prevails, that the international community is engaging with both sides, but forcefully engages with both sides to ensure that there's no escalation". Of the Rubio talks, Mr Sharif's office said in a statement he told the US secretary of state he "categorically rejected Indian attempts to link Pakistan to the incident". The PM called for a transparent, credible and neutral investigation and urged the US to press India to "dial down the rhetoric and act responsibly". Since the attack, the neighbours have announced a number of measures against each other, including India suspending the Indus Water Treaty. It is an agreement for the distribution and use of waters from the Indus River and its tributaries, which feed 80% of Pakistan's irrigated agriculture and its hydropower. Until the attack, the treaty had been in operation despite two wars and other times of hostility between the nations.

Images feature distracted pedestrians jumping out of the way of incoming trains, a teenager staring at their phone while slowly crossing railway lines, and a pram-pushing couple walking over a level crossing despite blaring safety barrier alarms. Network Rail has released the compilation of CCTV footage which shows people "putting [their] lives at risk" at footpath level crossings at locations in Hampshire, West Sussex and Surrey. Six incidents included in the excerpt involve "distracted" people, which are just a few of the 1,574 reported near-misses across the railway network over the past four years. In one clip, a teenager walks a few steps over the level crossing before jumping back as he does not notice an incoming train. Another video captures a father looking at his phone as he crosses the railway lines with his two young children. Footage also shows a teenager strolling over a crossing and even stopping in the middle of it while staring at his phone. A pram-pushing couple can be seen running over a level crossing, despite safety alarms blaring and barriers descending. In another incident, a cyclist hurries across the tracks as he spots an oncoming train. At the same crossing, two youngsters can be seen escaping at the last second before a train speeds through their path. A spokesperson for the rail network operator said the footage highlights the risk of losing focus at level crossings as a survey it commissioned found 47% of respondents in the South East admitted making a mistake while using their phones. "The research also found a concerning lack of caution around level crossings, with over a third of people from the South East (35%) admitting they are more careful when crossing roads - even at zebra or traffic light crossings - compared to level crossings," the spokesman said. Lucy Ruck, who lost her leg in a level crossing incident when she was 17, said: "The consequences of a split-second decision can be life-altering. "Remember, no appointment or destination is worth risking your life for. Always look carefully and never assume it's safe to cross. It's better to be late in this world, than early in the next," Ms Ruck, now 47, added. Read more from Sky News:Video shows 'incredibly dangerous behaviour' on level crossingsGirl caught on CCTV lying on railway tracks using her phone Thomas Desmond, operations director at Network Rail, said: "Level crossings demand your full attention, yet complacency and distraction are putting lives at risk, contributing to hundreds of dangerous near-misses annually. "Whether it's glancing at a phone or simply assuming the track is clear, these lapses in concentration can be fatal. "We urge everyone to stop, look, listen and obey the signals every single time. Waiting a few minutes is infinitely better than risking everything."