Amid ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, an encounter broke out between the police forces and terrorists in the Nader, Tral area of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday morning. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Nader Tral area of Awantipora in the south Kashmir district after getting specific input about the presence of terrorists there, a police official told PTI. The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired upon the forces, who retaliated, he said. The exchange of firing is going on and further details were awaited, the official added. The Kashmir police shared a post on their official 'X' handle and informed about the development. "Encounter has started at Nader, Tral area of Awantipora. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow", the 'X' post from Kashmir police read. #Encounter has started at Nader, Tral area of #Awantipora. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice — Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) May 15, 2025 Further details are awaited into the matter. Meanwhile, three terrorists with affiliation to the Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed in an encounter in Shopian, South Kashmir on Tuesday. The confirmation of the identification of two out of three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-affiliated terrorists has been made, sources told ANI. Three of the terrorists were killed in the Shukroo forest area of Keller in the Shopian district. One of the terrorists was identified as Shahid Kuttay, son of Mohd Yousuf Kuttay and a resident of Chotipora Heerpora in Shopian, sources told ANI. He was a Category A, LeT operative who was involved in the firing incident at the Danish Resort in Srinagar on April 8, 2024, in which two German tourists and one driver were injured. He joined the terror outfit on March 8, 2023. Kuttay was involved in the killing of a BJP Sarpanch at Heerpora on May 18, 2024, and was suspected of being involved in the killing of Territorial Army Personnel at Behibagh in Kulgam on February 3, 2025. The other identified terrorist was Adnan Shafi Dar, son of Mohd Shafi Dar, who was a resident of Wanduna Melhora in Shopian. He joined the terror outfit on October 18, 2024, and was a category C LeT operative. He was involved in the killing of non-local labourers at Wachi in Shopian on October 18, 2024. However, the identity of the last terrorist is yet to be confirmed. (With inputs from PTI and ANI)
15 May,2025 08:53 AM IST | Awantipora | mid-day online correspondentAn FIR was registered against Madhya Pradesh Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his objectionable remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who had briefed the media during Operation Sindoor. The FIR was filed under sections 152, 196(1)(b), and 197(1)(c) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) This comes after a division bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur took suo motu cognisance against him and directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to lodge an immediate FIR. माननीय मध्यप्रदेश हाईकोर्ट के आदेश का पालन करते हुए माननीय मुख्यमंत्री जी ने कैबिनेट मंत्री श्री विजय शाह के बयान के संदर्भ में कार्यवाही करने के निर्देश दिए है।@DrMohanYadav51 — Office of Dr. Mohan Yadav (@drmohanoffice51) May 14, 2025 A short time later, Office of Dr. Mohan Yadav, in a post on X, said, "Following the order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the Chief Minister has given instructions to take action regarding the statement of Cabinet Minister Vijay Shah." A division bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla heard the matter on Wednesday. The Court said that if the FIR is not registered by Wednesday evening, the Court may contemplate proceeding against the Director General of Police of the State for contempt of the order. "The statement made by Minister Vijay Shah prima facie has the propensity to cause disharmony and feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will between the members of the Muslim faith and other persons who do not belong to the same religion," the court observed as stated in the order copy. The Court also directed the AG Office to transmit the order forthwith to the Office of the Director General of Police of the State and ensure that it is done. The next hearing into the matter is scheduled for May 15 and the court has listed the matter on the top of the list.The controversy arose after a video clip of Shah's speech went viral on social media. In his clarification, Shah said his comments were taken out of context and were meant to praise Colonel Qureshi's bravery. Speaking to ANI over the row, the minister said, "My entire background is from the military. Many of my family members were martyred and were in the military... Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is above my real sister, who performed the national religion and took revenge on those people. She (Qureshi) is more important than my real sister. I had nothing in my mind; if something slipped out of the excitement and hurt someone, then I would like to apologise from the heart. Not once, but I apologise ten times. "The minister further said, "I am a patriotic man, and people of every community worked for the nation. If something slipped out in anger and someone felt bad, then I would like to say that I am not a god; I am also a human being. I apologise ten times for it." 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
15 May,2025 08:21 AM IST | Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) | ANIEducational institutions in the border districts of Kashmir Valley, except those in close proximity to the Line of Control, reopened on Wednesday. Schools in the border districts of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora have reopened after a week of closure in the wake of hostilities between India and Pakistan. Schools elsewhere in the Valley had reopened on Tuesday. Talib Dar, a student in Baramulla, said, “We are meeting our friends and teachers. We are very happy that there is a ceasefire and we can restart our studies. We will now focus on our regular classes.” Zahoor Ahmad, who teaches at a government school, said peace is vital for making progress. Meanwhile, schools in five Punjab districts bordering Pakistan also reopened on Wednesday, six days after they were ordered to be closed in view of the military standoff between India and Pakistan, officials said. The state government on May 8 ordered the closure of academic institutions for three days as a military standoff between India and Pakistan soared. While schools in most districts reopened on Monday, they remained shut in the six border districts. 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
15 May,2025 07:37 AM IST | Baramulla | AgenciesIndia and Pakistan on Wednesday handed each other’s border-guarding personnel captured by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pakistan Rangers respectively at the International Borders (IB) between the two countries, officials said. BSF jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw was handed over to India, 21 days after he was apprehended by the Rangers from along the International Border in Punjab. The constable, who hails from Rishra in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, was handed over to the BSF by Pakistan Rangers at 10.30 am via the Attari-Wagah border front in Punjab. Shaw was apprehended by the Rangers on April 23 from along the India-Pakistan International Border in Ferozepur district, a day after the Pahalgam terror attack. The officials said a Pakistan Ranger apprehended by the BSF from the Rajasthan border on May 3 was also handed back to the neighbouring country.Shaw had “inadvertently” crossed over to the Pakistan territory while on operational duty in the Ferozepur sector on April 23 around 11.50 am and detained by the Pak Rangers, he said. The officials said that the jawan will undergo a full body check-up and medical test followed by a counselling and ‘debriefing’ session where he will be asked “relevant questions” by the BSF officials about his 21-day detention by the Rangers. The jawan, belonging to the 24th BSF battalion, will not be drafted in active duty and will also be part of an official inquiry to look into the sequence of his apprehension by the Rangers and find lapses, if any, they said. The spokesperson said the handover of the jawan at the border “was conducted peacefully and in accordance with established protocols”. Family thanks Centre The family members expressed immense relief and gratitude to the central government and BSF authorities for securing his return. “We are very happy today. We thank the central government and the BSF authorities for their efforts in safely bringing him back. The past two weeks have been filled with sleepless nights and uncertainty for us. We were constantly worried about his well-being,” a family member of Shaw told reporters. “We are now eagerly waiting to speak to him and see him in person. Our prayers have finally been answered,” he said. India test-fires anti-drone system Pic/X@ani_digital India recently test-fired a new low-cost counter drone system ‘Bhargavastra’, designed and developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL) signifying a substantial leap in countering the escalating threat of drone swarms. The micro rockets used in this counter-drone system underwent rigorous testing at the Seaward Firing Range, Gopalpur, on May 13, achieving all designated objectives. Trump again stakes claim for de-escalation US President Donald Trump has repeated his claim that Washington “got involved” with India and Pakistan, saying he “didn’t like what was happening” and that he did a “good job” as he “convinced” the two countries “to let’s have peace and let’s go and make trade deals.” This is the fifth time Trump has claimed that the US brokered the “ceasefire”. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict. Indian government sources have been maintaining that the DGMOs of the two countries reached an understanding and that no third party was involved. 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
15 May,2025 07:34 AM IST | Amritsar (Punjab) | AgenciesIndia on Wednesday outrightly rejected as “vain and preposterous” China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh and said such attempts will not alter the “undeniable” reality that the state “was, is, and will” always remain an integral part of India. New Delhi’s reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for some places in Arunachal Pradesh, which the neighbouring country claims as the southern part of Tibet. “We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically,” he said. Jaiswal was responding to a media query on the issue. “Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” he said. In April last year too, India had reacted sharply when Beijing released a list of standardised names of 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh. The Chinese Civil Affairs Ministry released the first list of the standardised names of six places in Zangnan in 2017, while the second list of 15 places was issued in 2021 followed by another list with names for 11 places in 2023. China’s release of the new list of names of places in Arunachal Pradesh comes amid efforts by the two countries to normalise ties hit by the eastern Ladakh border standoff. X-account handles blocked The X account handles of Global Times and Xinhua on Wednesday showed that it has been withheld in India in response to a legal request. An email query sent to the Ministry of Electronics and IT elicited no immediate reply in this regard. This development comes in the backdrop of Beijing announcing Chinese names for some places in Arunachal Pradesh, which the neighbouring country claims as the southern part of Tibet. 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
15 May,2025 07:24 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe 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 | ANIADVERTISEMENT
