India suspends its top cricket tournament, the IPL, for a week amid military tensions with Pakistan

MUMBAI, India (AP) — India’s biggest domestic cricket tournament was suspended for one week on Friday following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan.

The Indian Premier League, which features top players from around the world and attracts hundreds of millions of TV viewers, was halted with immediate effect, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said.

“Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,” the BCCI said in a statement.

The decision came after a night of artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani soldiers across their frontier in Kashmir, amid a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

The IPL is the most popular cricket tournament in the world and runs between March and May. This year it has featured 65 international cricketers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England and Afghanistan.

The 10-team competition still has 12 games to be played in the group stage before the knockout rounds. The final had been scheduled for May 25 in Kolkata.

On Friday night and Saturday, overseas cricketers and broadcast staff were given permission to fly out to their respective home countries, reducing the chance that the tournament would be resumed. There about 70 overseas players in the IPL this season.

The BCCI said the decision to suspend the tournament was made "in the collective interest of all stakeholders.”

“While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the Nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country,” the BCCI statement said.

The suspension comes after the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala in northern India was abandoned on Thursday evening when the power went out during a government-mandated blackout. Players from both teams returned by train late Friday to New Delhi.

Punjab's next game against Mumbai Indians had already been moved from Dharamsala to Mumbai because of the closure of several airports in the Indian northwestern corridor.

Pakistan had earlier said it was moving its own domestic T20 tournament — the Pakistan Super League — to the United Arab Emirates because of the tensions, citing growing concerns among overseas players and the need to prioritize their safety. But later Friday, the Pakistan Cricket Board said that the PSL would now be postponed — and not moved to Dubai — with the announcement giving no indication whether this year’s edition would resume.

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Fans gather outside Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium after organizers suspended the Indian Premier League for one week following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan, in Lucknow, India, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

Fans wait outside a closed entrance of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium after organizers suspended the Indian Premier League for one week following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan, in Lucknow, India, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

Fans take pictures outside the closed entrance of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium after organizers suspended the Indian Premier League for one week following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan, in Lucknow, India, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

A fan displays his ticket outside a closed entrance of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium after organizers suspended the Indian Premier League for one week following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan, in Lucknow, India, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

A security guard closes the gate of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium after organizers suspended the Indian Premier League for one week following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan, in Lucknow, India, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

Fans gather outside Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium after organizers suspended the Indian Premier League for one week following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan, in Lucknow, India, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo)

A display board is partially lit after the authorities asked to evacuate the stadium during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala, India, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)

A vehicle waits to transport the players after the authorities asked to evacuate the stadium during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala, India, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)

A worker removes the equipment placed next to the stumps after the authorities asked to evacuate the stadium during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala, India, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)