The helicopter service to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district resumed on Wednesday after being suspended for a week due to the military standoff between India and Pakistan, officials said. This came a day after flight operations recommenced at 32 airports, including Jammu and Srinagar, following the suspension of hostilities between the two neighbouring nations. "The helicopter service at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine resumed this morning after remaining suspended for the past seven days," an official of the shrine board said, adding pilgrim footfall has also started picking up after witnessing a sharp decline since the beginning of this month. The battery car service for the pilgrims is also functional, the official said. Over 30 lakh pilgrims have paid their obeisance at the shrine since January this year as against 94.84 lakh last year, he said and expressed hope that the rush will increase manifold. "We are happy about the resumption of the helicopter service and the arrangements made by the shrine board," said Shubam Kumar, a pilgrim from Delhi. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 May,2025 08:49 PM IST | Katra | PTIThe helicopter service to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district resumed on Wednesday after being suspended for a week due to the military standoff between India and Pakistan, officials said. This came a day after flight operations recommenced at 32 airports, including Jammu and Srinagar, following the suspension of hostilities between the two neighbouring nations. "The helicopter service at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine resumed this morning after remaining suspended for the past seven days," an official of the shrine board said, adding pilgrim footfall has also started picking up after witnessing a sharp decline since the beginning of this month. The battery car service for the pilgrims is also functional, the official said. Over 30 lakh pilgrims have paid their obeisance at the shrine since January this year as against 94.84 lakh last year, he said and expressed hope that the rush will increase manifold. "We are happy about the resumption of the helicopter service and the arrangements made by the shrine board," said Shubam Kumar, a pilgrim from Delhi. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 May,2025 08:48 PM IST | Katra | PTIAll zoos in Uttar Pradesh and the Lion Safari in the state's Etawah district have been closed to visitors for a week after bird flu was detected in a tigress that died at a zoo in Gorakhpur, officials said on Wednesday. While authorities have directed enhanced surveillance across zoos and poultry farms, a team formed by the Central Zoo Authority will investigate the impact of avian influenza at the Gorakhpur zoo and submit its report in 15 days, they said. The zoo shutdown, effective from May 14 to 20, was ordered in line with directives issued during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday. Principal Chief Forest Conservator (Wildlife) Anuradha Vemuri said that in light of the confirmed presence of bird flu case at the Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan Zoological Park, the Wildlife Department has swiftly closed all zoos in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Kanpur and the Lion Safari in Etawah to tourists. Health safety measures for wild animals are being rigorously followed to contain the spread of the disease, the official said. The Central Zoo Authority has formed a five-member team of veterinary doctors and pathologists to investigate the impact of avian influenza at the Gorakhpur zoo, Vemuri said. The team includes representatives from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairy, Wildlife Health Management Department, Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun), ICAR Bareilly and Bhopal, and pathologists. Once the investigation is complete, a report will be submitted within 15 days, and based on the findings, the future course of action for the zoos and safari parks in the state will be determined, she said. Uttar Pradesh bird flu scare: All zoo premises should be regularly sanitised, animals must have frequent health checks, says CM Vemuri said, "A special monitoring system and stringent health safety protocols are being rigorously enforced across all zoos in the state, including those in Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, and the Etawah Safari Park." "All Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) have been directed to conduct regular health checkups for animals and to immediately report any signs of irregularities. Moreover, wild animals are now being fed only after routine health assessments to ensure their well-being," she said. At a meeting on Tuesday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had given a slew of directions to officials, asking them to act promptly as per the guidelines of the central and state governments. He instructed that all zoo premises should be regularly sanitised, animals must have frequent health checks and food and water sources for animals should be thoroughly tested. The forest and health departments remain on high alert, with zoo and safari staff instructed to use protective gear including masks, gloves and PPE kits while on duty.All animals across the facilities are being monitored closely for symptoms and enhanced sanitation and infection control protocols have been put in place. Uttar Pradesh bird flu scare: No bird flu case in Lucknow yet, zoos closed as a preventive measure Forest Minister Saxena confirmed that bird flu was detected in the tigress that died in Gorakhpur. "Lab reports have confirmed bird flu in the tigress. As a result, surveillance has been intensified not just in zoos, but also in poultry farms across the state. Staff have been directed to follow strict biosecurity measures," Saxena said. Meanwhile, Lucknow Zoo Director Aditi Singh said that while no case of bird flu has been reported at the capital's zoo, the facility has been closed as a preventive measure. "All animals are under close observation. A decision on reopening will be taken after reviewing the situation at the end of the week," she said. Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a contagious viral disease that primarily affects birds, but in rare instances, can spread to mammals and even humans if the virus mutates. It is generally transmitted through contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces. While human infections are uncommon, they can be serious. Health officials have advised citizens to report any dead or sick birds to authorities and maintain hygiene while handling pet or domestic birds. The state government has appealed to the public to refrain from spreading rumours and rely only on verified information. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 May,2025 08:36 PM IST | Lucknow | PTIJawaharlal Nehru University has suspended an academic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Turkiye's Inonu University, citing national security considerations, officials of the university confirmed on Tuesday. The MoU was inked on February 3 for a period of three years. "We have suspended the MoU with Turkiye's Inonu University. Under the pact, there were plans for faculty exchange and student exchange programmes, among others," a senior JNU official told PTI. Inonu University, at Malatya in Turkiye, had entered into the academic partnership with JNU as part of efforts to boost cross-cultural research and student collaboration. The decision to suspend the MoU comes against the backdrop of tensions between India and Pakistan. The two neighbours reached an agreement on May 10 to halt military actions after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. India's trade relation with Turkiye is expected to come under strain due to Ankara backing Islamabad and condemning India's recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. Following their support to Pakistan, calls for boycotting Turkish goods and tourism have surfaced across the country, with online travel platforms such as EaseMyTrip and Ixigo issuing advisories against visiting these nations. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 May,2025 07:37 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe fact check unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Wednesday exposed an another viral video spreading false narratives about the authentication of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, reported news agency ANI. The video, shared by a social media user, falsely claimed to show an Indian Army soldier in Jammu "revealing the truth behind the Pahalgam terror attack". The PIB fact check wing clarified that the video was a fake one. However the fact check unit debunked the claims made in the video and stamped "FAKE" over the video and clarified that the individual in the video is a deserter with no connection to recent events, reported ANI. "A video of an Indian Army soldier, accusing the central government of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, is going viral on social media. The soldier seen in the video is a deserter and has not been present at his duty since March 2025, nor has he been in contact with his family. Please stay vigilant. Do not fall for such videos," the PIB Fact Check unit stated on X. A video of an Indian Army soldier, accusing the central government of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, is going viral on social media.#PIBFactCheck✅The soldier seen in the video is a deserter and has not been present at his duty since March 2025, nor has he been in contact… pic.twitter.com/6xF3HNPUYJ — PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 14, 2025 According to ANI, the original post which the PIB marked as fake, captioned "A soldier from Jammu reveals the truth behind the #Pehlagam false flag operation, exposing Modi and the BJP. #PahalgamJhootHai_ #IndiaPakistanWar2025 #ceasefire," was accompanied by a photo of the alleged soldier. In a recent media briefing, Pakistan's Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) cited an Indian news channel, alleging damage to an Indian airbase. However, the PIB revealed that the video had been deliberately edited to mislead viewers, reported news agency ANI. However on Monday, the Press Information Bureau's (PIB) fact-check unit debunked claims that Pakistan destroyed Indian air bases, stating that such reports were "misleading and false". "The Pakistani military in its briefing has shown a video clip aired on @IndiaTV News Channel, implying that Indian channels have admitted to destruction of Indian airbases. This is an attempt by #Pakistan to mislead its own people by editing and cleverly stitching multiple chunks of a larger video. The actual story in the full video says that the attacks were all intercepted, and it shows footage of a Pakistani missile that was shot down," PIB stated in a post on X. Additionally, PIB's fact-check unit has also dismissed rumours of an artillery exchange along the Line of Control (LoC), calling them baseless, reported ANI. (With imputs from ANI)
14 May,2025 05:29 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentGold prices dipped lower on Wednesday, following easing trade tensions between China and the United States, which led to a decline in safe-haven demand.At 09:53 am IST, MCX June gold futures were trading at Rs 93,321 per 10 grams (or ounce), showing a decrease of Rs 326 from the previous close. Since US-China trade deal, gold has declined nearly 3%. Among other metals, June silver futures shed Rs 522, to trade at Rs 96,245 per kg. "Positive developments in US trade policy are diminishing the appeal of gold in the short-term," Capital.com's financial market analyst Kyle Rodda told Reuters. "I think that if we see continued progress in trade negotiations and deals being done between the US and its trading partners, gold can pull back further."The US and China have arrived at an agreement that they will withdraw their previously announced reciprocal tariffs and counter tariffs for an initial period of 90 days. The tariffs for 90 days are reduced by 115 per cent, by both US and China against each other. China will impose 10 per cent tariffs on US goods, and the US will tax Chinese goods at about 30 per cent.In the United States, traders are waiting for the US Producer Price Index data, which is coming on Thursday, for clues regarding the Fed's interest rate path, which could affect Indian gold prices as well. Meanwhile, the market expects 53 basis points of rate reduction this year, beginning in September.Non-yielding bullion is often seen as a safeguard against inflation and is likely to flourish during the time of low-interest rates. Meanwhile, the inflation data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Tuesday, retail inflation in India in April fell to 3.16 per cent from 3.34 per cent in March.Last month, according to the World Gold Council, safe-haven gold's demand, in volume terms, dropped in Indian markets in the January-March quarter of 2025, due to an unprecedented rise in its prices. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 May,2025 02:30 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIIndo-Canadians Anita Anand and Maninder Sidhu have landed important portfolios in the new cabinet announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney after reshuffle. While Anand was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sidhu is the new Minister for International Trade in the new cabinet announced on Tuesday.Carney announced the reshuffle almost two weeks after his Liberal Party won the federal elections in Canada. He had replaced Justin Trudeau months ahead of the elections. I am honoured to be named Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and our team to build a safer, fairer world and deliver for Canadians. pic.twitter.com/NpPqyah9k3 — Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) May 13, 2025 Anand, 58, was the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry before the polls and in the past has served in the roles including of defence minister. She replaced Melanie Joly, who is now the Minister of Industry. "I am honoured to be named Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and our team to build a safer, fairer world and deliver for Canadians, Anand, an MP from Oakville East", posted on X soon after taking oath. An honour of a lifetime to be appointed as Canada’s International Trade Minister. I’m grateful to Prime Minister @MarkJCarney for the confidence he’s placed in me to diversify trade, support Canadian businesses in reaching new global markets, and help create good-paying jobs… pic.twitter.com/1lDfvjtqkv — Maninder Sidhu (@MSidhuLiberal) May 13, 2025 Sidhu, 41, also took to X after swearing-in and said, "it is an honour of a lifetime to be appointed as Canada's International Trade Minister.I'm grateful to Prime Minister @MarkJCarney for the confidence he's placed in me to diversify trade, support Canadian businesses in reaching new global markets, and help create good-paying jobs across Canada," he said. "I'm proud to stand alongside my colleagues as we work together to build the fastest-growing economy in the G7," he added in the post on X. Sidhu's appointment as the Minister for International Trade comes at a time when Canada is battling the Trump administration's aggression towards Canada on tariffs. Anand, who was a front-runner in the race to be the next prime minister to replace Trudeau, had in January declared that she is backing out from the race and also that she would not be seeking re-election. However, she had reversed the decision on March 1 saying, "Canada is facing a crucial moment in our nation's history."Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Anand moved to Ontario in 1985. The Prime Minister of Canada's website mentions that Anand was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Oakville in 2019 and previously served as President of the Treasury Board, as Minister of National Defence, and as Minister of Public Services and Procurement. "Anand has worked as a scholar, lawyer, and researcher. She has been a legal academic, including as a Professor of Law at the University of Toronto, where she held the J R Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance," it said and listed her other academic achievements too. According to Sidhu's website, the entrepreneur has been an MP from Brampton East since 2019 and for over four years, he has also been a Parliamentary Secretary at Global Affairs Canada, helping to strengthen diplomatic relations, promoting international trade, and supporting international development. "The Canadian prime minister's new cabinet has 28 ministers and they would be supported by 10 secretaries of State who will provide dedicated leadership on key issues and priorities within their minister's portfolio," a statement said Tuesday. Among the secretaries, basically junior ministers Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development). He is a member of parliament from Surrey Centre."Canada, meet your new Cabinet. This is a team that is empowered and expected to lead. Together, we will create a new economic and security relationship with the United States and build a stronger economy, the strongest economy in the G7," Carney said in a post on X as he shared a small video of the team together. Soon after, Carney shared another post on X where he shared a photo of the new cabinet team members standing behind him as he addressed the media and said: "Canada has a new government. No matter how you voted, we are in your service. Together, we will build a stronger, more united Canada." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 May,2025 02:14 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIDays after the first batch of Hajj 2025 pilgrims in Srinagar left for Saudi Arabia's Mecca to undertake the annual holy pilgrimage, the second batch of pilgrims are also set to leave from Srinagar on Wednesday, news agency ANI reported. According to Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi, an executive member of the Jammu and Kashmir Hajj Committee, 642 pilgrims are scheduled to depart from Srinagar on Wednesday, and six flights have been arranged for the purpose. He stated that seven flights were cancelled owing to the recent tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and India's response to it. Only one flight has been rescheduled so far. "Today we are happy that the Hajj pilgrimage has restarted... But seven flights were cancelled, one of which has been rescheduled for May 15... Those who were leaving for today also faced problems, as the Airbus couldn't arrive at Srinagar Airport and now they have to travel to Delhi and from there they will change flights and leave for Mecca... Today there are two flights from Delhi and from Srinagar; four flights will be there, carrying a total of 642... We faced a lot of problems due to the recent tensions but we have time and we will reach there on schedule," Qureshi said. A pilgrim who was set to leave for Mecca expressed his relief at the cessation of the hostilities and stated that he prayed for the situation to become normal. "We just always prayed to Allah so that the situation becomes normal... Thank God that the ceasefire took place and now we are able to travel for Hajj," he said. The first batch of 3,372 Hujjaj Karam – a title bestowed upon the Hajj pilgrims – left from Srinagar on May 4. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Minority Affairs on Tuesday stated that Indian Hajjis had left for Umrah – the pilgrimage – from their accommodation in Makkah after spending eight days in Madinah. "Indian Hajjis going for Umrah from their accommodation in Makkah after spending 8 days in Madinah. We wish them a pilgrimage blessed with peace & spiritual fulfilment," the Ministry of Minority Affairs stated on X on Tuesday. The ministry had also launched an ‘Hajj Suvidha App 2.0’ designed to support a safe and well-organised Hajj experience equipped with smart baggage tracking. (With ANI inputs)
14 May,2025 02:03 PM IST | Srinagar | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Wednesday, the first since the pause in hostilities between India and Pakistan. He is joined by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah in the meeting that is assessing the latest security situation.The prime minister will also chair the meeting of the Union Cabinet after the Cabinet Committee on Security meet. US President Donald Trump's claim of mediation between India and Pakistan in bringing about a halt in hostilities, has been rejected by India. Despite India's rebuttal, Trump again claimed that his government "brokered a historic ceasefire" between the two countries. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 May,2025 01:42 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIWholesale price inflation dropped to 0.85 per cent in April as prices of food articles, manufactured products, and fuel eased, government data showed on Wednesday. WPI-based inflation was 2.05 per cent in March. It was 1.19 per cent in April last year. " Positive rate of inflation in April, 2025 is primarily due to an increase in prices of manufacture of food products, other manufacturing, chemicals and chemical products, manufacture of other transport equipment and manufacture of machinery and equipment, etc," the industry ministry said in a statement. As per the WPI (Wholesale price index ) data, food articles saw a deflation of 0.86 per cent in April from an inflation of 1.57 per cent in March, with vegetables seeing a sharp drop. Deflation in vegetables was 18.26 per cent during April compared to deflation of 15.88 per cent in March. In onion, inflation eased to 0.20 per cent in April, as against 26.65 per cent in March. Manufactured products, however, saw inflation at 2.62 per cent in April, compared to 3.07 per cent in March.Fuel and power too saw a deflation of 2.18 per cent in April, compared to 0.20 per cent in March. The RBI mainly takes into account retail inflation while formulating monetary policy. Data released on Tuesday showed, retail inflation eased to 3.16 per cent in April mainly due subdued prices of vegetables, fruits, pulses, and other protein-rich items. This is the lowest level of inflation since July 2019.Easing of inflation would create enough room for the Reserve Bank to go in for another round of rate cut in the June monetary policy review.In April, the RBI cut the benchmark policy rate by 0.25 per cent to 6 per cent. This is the second cut during the year to stimulate the economy, facing the threat of US reciprocal tariffs. The RBI sees retail inflation averaging 4 per cent in the current fiscal from the previous estimate of 4.2 per cent. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
14 May,2025 01:26 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe Pakistan government has repatriated India's Border Security Force Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw amid the India-Pakistan tensions. Reportedly, BSF Constable Purnam Shaw was detained on April 23, 2025, and was repatriated on Wednesday. The release of BSF Constable is surely a huge diplomatic win for India. PK Shaw, the BSF ranger, had accidentally crossed the border during his duty on April 23. Since then, Shaw has been in the custody of the Pakistan Rangers, as informed by a statement from the Public Relations Officer of the Punjab Frontier, Border Security Force. Today BSF Jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw, who had been in the custody of Pakistan Rangers since 23 April 2025, was handed over to India: BSF(Pic Source: BSF) pic.twitter.com/TVzagO0AhK — ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2025 As per the BSF statement, "Today at 1030 hrs Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw has been taken back from Pakistan by the BSF at Attari - Wagha border. Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistani territory while on operational duty in the area of the Ferozepur sector on 23rd April 2025 around 1150 hrs and was detained by Pak Rangers. With the consistent efforts of BSF through regular flag meetings with Pakistan Rangers and through other communication channels, the repatriation of BSF Constable has become possible," reported ANI. On April 23, Pakistan Rangers detained the BSF trooper after he unintentionally crossed the international border near Firozpur, Punjab. According to earlier reports by ANI, the trooper mistakenly entered Pakistani territory. The BSF had given a strong directive to its men to remain attentive and observant during border patrol operations. The BSF is the major force in charge of protecting India's 3,323-kilometer-long border with Pakistan, which runs through the states of Jammu and Kashmir (including parts of the LoC), Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. This particular region of Punjab is one of the most sensitive parts in the country, owing to historical hostilities, current India-Pakistan situations and continuing security concerns. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, had earlier, on May 5, also voiced her concern about one of the BSF constables from Hooghly who has been detained by the Pakistani Rangers. She also stated that Kalyan Banerjee, who is the leader of the Trinamool Congress, has been in contact with the family members. Furthermore, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing the issue of the detainment of Hooghly's BSF ranger, also expressed that "This is an extremely sad situation. His name is Sahu. Our party's Kalyan Banerjee is in touch with the family members. I want him to be rescued as soon as possible. We have clearly said that our party is with the government on the issues of internal and external security. We are not doing divide and rule here." (With ANI Inputs)
14 May,2025 12:42 PM IST | Amritsar | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
