For Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah, currently under fire for his comments aimed at Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, this is not the first time he has been embroiled in a controversy.
Meanwhile, a precautionary blackout has been enforfced in the multiple areas amid the esclating tensions between India and Pakistan.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that 300 to 400 drones were deployed across 36 locations, with several being shot down by Indian forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators convened in Istanbul on Friday for their first direct peace talks in over three years, amidst pressure from US President Donald Trump to resolve Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two.
Pakistan's Olympics gold-winning javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem's Instagram account has been blocked in India owing to a "legal request" in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
So far, over 30 people have died across Northeastern states due to heavy rainfalls, floods and landslides, according to media reports.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has written to Bangladesh's army chief of staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman seeking security assurance for organising the women's T20 World Cup.
An inconclusive end to this war will pose high risk for Netanyahu of a cascading demand for a regime change in Israel, predicts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
China supplied more than $20 billion worth of arms to Pakistan. These include 20 J-10CE and JF-17 Block III fighter aircraft, Wing Loong drones, frigates, submarines, Hongqi HQ-9P surface-to-air missiles, 240 PL-15E air-to-air missiles, LY-80 air defence systems, ZDK early warning aircraft and other weapons.
Some areas were under 10 to 12 feet of water, said health minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel.
When searched for his account, YouTube displays an error message.
The Instagram accounts of leading current and former Pakistani cricketers were blocked in India on Friday.
India on Wednesday dismissed claims on Pakistan social media about 'Operation Sindoor', saying the neighbouring country has unleashed a 'full-blown disinformation offensive' with 'lies' and digital theatrics to control the narrative.
'There's a lot of sense in what Prime Minister Modi did, but the Indian government has to be really prepared for a really sharp escalation spiral.'
Official confirmation from the government is still awaited, and more details are expected soon.
Addressing an event in New Delhi, Gen Pande also said the recent global developments have underscored that the security of the nation can neither be outsourced nor be dependent on the largesse of others.
"More than 85,000 domiciles have been issued to non-locals, creating a pathway for demographic change in Jammu & Kashmir. These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then begin to act as if they own the land. Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally," TRF said in a statement which could not be independently verified by Rediff.
Jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for a dialogue with the military establishment, saying the country is currently governed by "jungle law." Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023, also said that rumors of a deal being made with him are entirely false. He criticized the government's handling of the economy, terrorism, and India's alleged attacks, and warned that Pakistan's moral and constitutional framework has been destroyed.
'If they aim to remain aligned with the public sentiment, as any democratic government should, then they must respond. Why else would the prime minister have cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia? And why would he have instructed the home minister himself to travel to Srinagar to assess the situation firsthand? This suggests that something is indeed being planned. I am quite certain of that, although the exact form it will take remains to be seen.'
Billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani have pledged their support to the Indian armed forces, who are currently repelling intense shelling, gunfire, and drone attacks from Pakistan. "We are very proud of our Indian Armed Forces for Operation Sindoor. India stands united, fierce in resolve and unshakable in purpose, against the scourge of all forms of terrorism," Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd, said in a statement.
'India enjoys conventional superiority, but nuclear deterrence imposes clear boundaries.'
Rutuja Warhade secured the first spot among girls and third in all India ranking. She will join the National Defence Academy in June and hopes to become an army pilot.
Major Inderpaul Singh (retd), who served in the Indian Army for eight years and currently works as a life coach, shares valuable advice for UPSC aspirants giving their exam this year.
'We need to raise the costs and consequences for Pakistan. It is long overdue. Our initial surgical strike was effective for about six months. Then, the Balakot strike provided a deterrent for perhaps two to three years. But we cannot operate under the assumption that such limited responses will suffice for decades to come.'
The first batch of women cadets joined the NDA's 148th course in 2022 after the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) allowed women to apply to the defence academy following a Supreme Court direction in 2021.
Indian Armed Forces brought down a number of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means.
Pakistani military targets at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from Indian fighter jets and the retaliation largely focused on command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas, Qureshi said.
'I am worried that Pakistan will still feel compelled to take substantive military action beyond this apparent drone activity.' 'If so, the crisis could persist for a while more and dangerous days are still ahead.'
The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan on Monday deliberated on various aspects of the May 10 understanding reached between the two sides on cessation of hostilities.
When the country has been at war, the Opposition has buried its differences with the government, points out Aditi Phadnis.
'If there is a military standoff eyeball to eyeball on the western border, the Chinese could create problems by making movements in the north, in our northeast, which could involve us tying down some forces there so that could stretch our military actions.'
Reddy alleged that contracts worth thousands of crores were awarded to people close to Modi, who then purchased Rafale aircraft.
'One good outcome of Operation Sindoor -- perhaps, its best outcome -- could be that India has resumed meaningful contact directly with Pakistan at the military-to-military level,' observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
US strikes on Iran's three main nuclear facilities have once again raised concerns that Tehran might shut down the Strait of Hormuz - one of the world's most critical chokepoints, through which a fifth of global oil and gas supply flows.
Only experienced investors with a high risk appetite, a grasp of market cycles, and comfort with volatility and timing risk should invest.
Pakistan has banned Indian-flagged ships from entering its ports with immediate effect after India imposed fresh punitive measures, including a ban on the import of goods and entry of Pakistani vessels into its ports, against Islamabad amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack. The move comes after India announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the only operational land border crossing at Attari, and downgrading of diplomatic ties following the terror attack. The Pakistan Army has also conducted a successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System, a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 km, saying it was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters. India considers the test launch of the ballistic missile a "blatant" act of "provocation."
Bharath Bhushan from Bengaluru, who was visiting Pahalgam with his wife and three-year-old son, was shot dead by terrorists. His wife, Sujatha, and their child survived the attack.
'Looking at how quickly the hostilities were escalating, the nuclear threshold did not seem that far.'
A noteworthy aspect of 'Akashteer' is its emphasis on mobility and resilience, a source said.
China appears determined to upgrade Pakistan's military capabilities, sufficient to ensure local parity with India, alerts former foreign secretary Ambassador Shyam Saran.
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