Month: May 2025

Delhi International Airport Limited issued an advisory on Sunday and said that the airport operations continue to remain normal.

According to the advisory, “Delhi Airport operations continue to remain normal. However, due to evolving airspace conditions and enhanced security measures as directed by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, some flight schedules may be impacted, and security processing times could be longer.”

Passengers are advised to stay informed through updates from their respective airlines and follow hand baggage and check-in luggage regulations.

The airport also asked passengers to arrive early to allow for potential delays at security checkpoints and to cooperate with the airline and security staff for smooth facilitation.

“We urge all passengers to rely solely on official sources for accurate information and avoid sharing unverified content,” the advisory further said.

Earlier, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities issued a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across Northern and Western India for all civil flight operations.

The NOTAM is effective from May 9, 2025, to May 14, 2025 (which corresponds to 0529 IST on 15th May 2025), due to operational reasons.

The list of 32 airports includes Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jammu, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali (Bhuntar), Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla, Srinagar, Thoise and Uttarlai. (ANI)

Two days after India and Pakistan came to an understanding on the cessation of hostilities, life slowly returns to normal in the border villages. These villages especially in JK had borne the brunt of unprovoked firing from across the border.

Morning visuals from Barmer market showed shops open and people going about their day, with life returning to normal after recent tensions along the India-Pakistan border.

In Jaisalmer, a local resident said, “Everything is normal. The market is open, there are no issues during the day. Shops close around 7:30 pm. Our livelihood is not affected.”

People in Barmer and Jaisalmer are relieved as daily life goes back to normal. Local businesses are running as usual, and residents hope the situation stays peaceful.

The tension had peaked early Saturday morning when a missile from Pakistan landed in an agricultural field in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. Security forces successfully defused the missile without any casualties or damage to property.

The unexploded missile was discovered by locals, who immediately alerted the authorities.

The missile reportedly fell around 4:30 AM in a field belonging to Puran Singh Bhati, the former chairman of the Land Development Bank in Jaisalmer.

According to Bhati, he heard three loud explosions.

“The farm where the missile fell yesterday belongs to me. It happened at 4.30 am yesterday. As soon as I stepped out of home, three explosions occurred…I sent someone here to check, and so the missile was found. We informed the administration and there was no loss to life. We were not scared…We take pride in our Indian armed forces. We are proud of PM Modi that he will do something about them…,” Bhati said.

Ahead of this, the Jaisalmer Superintendent of Police (SP) Sudhir Choudhary informed that while the overall situation in the district is mostly normal, ammunition and suspicious items have been discovered in some areas.

The police official said the public is advised to inform the police and not go close to such suspicious items.

“The situation is more or less normal, but we are finding some ammunition and suspected objects at places; I appeal to the people not to get closer to them, inform the police, not to upload pictures of any suspicious object on social media, and follow the police directions,” Choudhary said.

The police have arrested four suspects so far, and investigations are ongoing.

SP Choudhary also revealed that “anyone who is making calls across the border” is on the radar. “We have caught 12 such people…,” he added.

India said that Pakistan violated the understanding reached between DGMOs of the two countries earlier in the day on stoppage of firing and military action and that the Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with the border intrusions. (ANI)

The new parents in Bollywood, Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul, are enjoying a special phase in their lives — parenthood.

As people across the nation are celebrating Mother’s Day 2025, the day has been a little extra special for the couple, as it marked Athiya’s first Mother’s Day since the birth of their daughter, Evaarah.

To make the day memorable, KL Rahul shared a special message along with adorable pictures on his Instagram account.

The cricketer took to Instagram Stories on Sunday and posted a beautiful black-and-white photo of Athiya posing with her mother, Mana Shetty, and her mother-in-law.

“A quiet thank you to the women who do it all. To the hearts behind every home–Happy Mother’s Day,” he wrote in the caption.

In another story, the actor posted the most adorable message for his wife along with a picture featuring Athiya and their baby. The actor, in his message for Athiya, wrote that watching her take on motherhood has made him “fall in love” with her all over again.

“Watching you take on motherhood with so much strength, grace, and patience has made me fall in love with you even more. Happy 1st Mother’s Day, baby. Evaarah is so lucky to have you,” followed by a red heart and kiss emoji.

Earlier in the day, Athiya also posted a sweet message for her mother. Sharing a quote, she wrote, “I would pick my mother to be my mother again in any and every lifetime. What a blessing.” She added in the caption, “Happy Mother’s Day to my universe,” with a red heart emoji.

The couple welcomed their baby girl in March this year. They had announced their pregnancy in November last year with a sweet message that said, “Our beautiful blessing is coming soon. 2025,” accompanied by baby feet emojis. (ANI)

As people across India celebrate Mother’s Day 2025, Salman Khan made sure to show his deep affection for the two most special women in his life–his mothers, Salma Khan and Helen.

The ‘Sikandar’ actor, on Sunday, took to his Instagram account to share an adorable throwback picture with the “best mothers.”

In the picture, Salman can be seen looking down, while Helen gazes away from the camera. Salma is seen resting her head lovingly on her son’s shoulder.

Along with the photo, Salman wrote, “Thank you, Dad, for the best mothers in the world. To the most beautiful women in my world. Happy Mother’s Day.”

Take a look

Soon after the actor dropped the pictures, fans chimed in in the comment section.

One user wrote, “Bhai ek hi dil hai, kitni baar jitoge?” Another added, “Best son in the world.” A fan also said, “This guy is superb, great respect for him,” while someone else commented, “You are luckier than me #SalmanKhan.”

Salman is the eldest son of ace screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife, Sushila Charak, now known as Salma Khan. Salman has two brothers, Arbaaz and Sohail, and two sisters Alvira Agnihotri and Arpita.

Meanwhile, on the film front, Salman recently released Sikandar, which also stars Rashmika Mandanna in the lead role. (ANI)

Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai on Sunday said that at least 35 Pakistani army personnels were killed on the Line of Control (LoC) between May 7 and 10. He added that there would be more casualties, which are being assessed, since the Indian army used heavier weapons in response to air intrusions by the neighbouring country’s army. 

“There are various means to ascertain (the loss of lives). There is information from various agencies. From the Line of Control (LoC), there are other ways to determine the effects. I mentioned 35-40 on the Line of Control. Please remember that once Operation Sindoor was launched, the responses of the Pakistan Army were also on the Indian Army or the Indian Armed Forces infrastructure,” Ghai told reporters in a press conference.

“Our targets were terror-oriented, and later, once they launched air intrusions and air operations on our infrastructure, we used heavier weapons, and there would have been casualties, but those are still being assessed,” he added.

The DGMO said that some of the air fields and dumps witnessed repeated attacks in waves from the air, which were prevented by the armed forces.

“Some of the air fields and dumps saw repeated attacks in waves from the air. All were thwarted. The Pakistan Army has reported to have lost approximately 35 to 40 personnel in artillery and small arms firing on the Line of Control between May 7 and 10,” Ghai said.

He further stated that the armed forces practised caution not to target civilian establishments and remained bound by self-imposed restrictions to target only terrorists. Ghai added that some of the terror camps were in PoK while others were located in Punjab province in Pakistan.

The DGMO said that Muridke, a city in Sheikhupura district of Pakistan’s Punjab, has been the hub of Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has bred infamous characters such as Ajmal Kasab and David Headley, accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

“There was also a term of reference and our own binding self-imposed restriction to target only terrorists and thus, prevent collateral damage. There were nine camps you are now familiar with, which were confirmed by our various intelligence agencies to be inhabited. Some of these were in PoJK, while there were others that were located in the Punjab Province in Pakistan. Nefarious places such as Muridke, the hub centre of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, have over the years bred infamous characters such as Ajmal Kasab and the likes of David Headley,” Ghai added. (ANI)

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday welcomed the indication that Russia may be considering ending the war, calling it a positive sign. He emphasised the importance of a full, lasting, and reliable ceasefire as the first step towards peace.

“It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war. The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy posted on X.

This comes after European leaders from United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland travelled to Kyiv and called for a full and unconditional ceasefire starting May 12. Zelenskyy emphasised that the ceasefire must cover all areas, land, sea, and air, and last at least 30 days.

Zelenskyy emphasised that the ceasefire must cover all areas, land, sea, and air, and last at least 30 days. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasised the importance of peace, sovereignty, and Ukraine’s future as a free and European nation.

“There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire – full, lasting, and reliable – starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet,” added Zelenskyy on X post.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia is ready for ‘direct talks’ with Ukraine, according to a report by CNN. The development comes as the US and European leaders press for a ceasefire.

As per CNN, Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed holding “direct talks” with Ukraine on Thursday in Istanbul.

“We would like to start immediately, already next Thursday, May 15, in Istanbul, where they were held before and where they were interrupted,” Putin said in a late-night televised address. He emphasized the talks should be held “without any preconditions”, as reported by CNN.

“We are set on serious negotiations with Ukraine,” Putin said, adding they are intended to “eliminate the root causes of the conflict” and “reach the establishment of a long-term, durable peace.”

CNN reported that Putin called the proposed talks “a first step to a long-lasting stable peace but not a prologue to the continuation of an armed conflict after re-armament and re-equipping of Ukrainian armed forces and feverish digging of trenches in new strongholds.”

he conflict between Ukraine and Russia has been ongoing for an extended period, resulting in significant human suffering and economic losses.

The Russia-Ukraine war, now in its third year since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has become one of the most devastating conflicts in Europe. (ANI)

The Indian Armed force on Sunday held a detailed news conference addressed by the Director Generals of Military operations, Naval operations and Air operations detailing out the success Op Sindoor had in eliminating terror targets deep inside Pakistan.

Sources further said that Operation Sindoor is still on and all countries with whom India had conversations after April 23 and after military actions have been informed that if Pakistan fires, we fire- this is the new normal. There is a quantum jump in our reaction to Pakistan’s misadventure. We have called their nuclear deterrent Bluff.

Sources also said that, India is not ready to engage on matters of Kashmir. The only thing left on Kashmir is Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK). The message is that the DGMO-level talks is the channel of communication about cessation of military action. No third country or no third party is to be involved in this. India will not be ready to engage with anybody or any party other than the Pakistan DGMO.

This response comes after US President Donald Trump earlier made an offer to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issues.

India has always rejected third party mediation on the issue and maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Earlier DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai sin a joint briefing with the DG’s of Air and Naval operations said that the Chief of Army Staff has granted full authority to the Army to counter act any further misadventure from Pakistan

“My communication with the Pak DGMO was conducted at 15:35 hrs yesterday and resulted in cessation of cross-border firing and air intrusions by either side with effect from 17:00 hrs, 10th of May, after he proposed that we cease hostilities. We also decided to further speak on the 12th of May at 12:00 hrs to discuss the modalities that would enable the longevity of this understanding. However, disappointingly, expectedly it took only a couple of hours for Pakistan Army to violate these arrangements by cross border and across Line of Control firing followed by drone intrusions through last night and in the early hours of today. These violations were responded to robustly…We have earlier today sent another hotline message to my counterpart highlighting these violations of the understanding between the DGMOs on 10th of May and our firm and clear intent to respond to these fiercely if repeated tonight, subsequently or later…The Chief of Army Staff has granted full authority to our army commander for counteraction in case of any violation by Pakistan.” he said.

DG Air operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said that Operation Sindoor had the desired effect on enemy targets and it was not the forces job to count body bags.

“Whatever methods and whatever means we have chosen; it had the desired effects on the enemy targets. How many casualties? How many injuries? Our aim was not to inflict casualties, but in case there have been, it is for them to count. Our job is to hit the target, not to count the body bags,” he said.

DG Naval operations, Vice Admiral AN Pramod said India’s response has been measured and non-escalatory.

“In the aftermath of the cowardly attacks on innocent tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani sponsored terrorists on 22nd April, the Indian Navy’s Carrier battle group, surface forces, submarines and aviation assets were immediately deployed at sea with full combat readiness…We tested and refined tactics and procedures at sea during multiple weapon firings in the Arabian Sea within 96 hours of the terrorist attack…Our forces remained forward deployed in the Northern Arabian Sea in a decisive nd deterrent posture with full readiness and capacity to strike select targets at sea and on land, including Karachi, at a time of our choosing. The forward deployment of the Indian Navy compelled Pakistani naval and air units to be in a defensive posture, mostly inside harbours or very close to the coast, which we monitored continuously….Our response has been measured, proportionate, non-escalatory and responsible from day one…As we speak, the Indian Navy remains deployed at sea in a credible deterrent posture to respond decisively to any inimical action by Pakistan, ” he said.

Operation Sindoor has also hit Pakistan at the core of its defence infrastructure with key bases being the target.

Air Marshal AK Bharti said, “A decision was taken to strike where it would hurt and towards that in a swift, coordinated, calibrated attack, we stuck its Air bases, command centres, military infrastructure, air defence systems across the entire Western Front. The bases we stuck includes Chaklala, Rafiq, Rahim Yar Khan sending a clear message that aggression will not be tolerated. This was followed by strikes at Sargodha, Bhulari, and Jacobabad…We have the capability to target every system at these bases and more.”

While India and Pakistan have agreed on cessation of hostilities, India says any further misadventure from the Pakistanis will see India react in full measure. (ANI)

More than 100 terrorists, including those involved in the 1999 Indian Airlines flight (IC-814) hijacking, and the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, were eliminated in the precision strikes carried out by the armed forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajeev Ghai said on Sunday.

He added that Operation Sindoor was conceptualised with a precise military aim to “punish the perpetrators and planners of the Pahalgam terror attack.”

“Operation Sindoor was conceptualised with a clear military aim to punish the perpetrators and planners of terror and to destroy their terror infrastructure. What I do not state here is the often stated determination of India and its intolerance to terror,” Ghai said in a press conference here.

The Indian strikes killed “high-value targets”, namely, Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf and Mudasir Ahmed, who were involved in the hijacking of IC 814, popularly known as the Kandahar hijack, and the Pulwama attack, where 40 CRPF jawans were killed in 2019.

“Those strikes across those nine terror hubs left more than 100 terrorists killed, including high-value targets such as Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf and Mudasir Ahmed, who were involved in the hijack of IC814 and the Pulwama blast,” the DGMO added.

Ghai also informed that the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy played a “major part” in these strikes.

“The line of control was also violated soon after by Pakistan, and the erratic and rattled response of our enemy was apparent from the number of civilians, inhabited villages and religious sites such as Gurudwaras that were unfortunately hit by them, leading to a sad loss of lives. The Indian Air Force played a major part in these strikes by engaging some of these camps, and the Indian Navy provided wherewithal in terms of precision munitions. The Indian Air Force had their assets up in the sky,” he added.

DGMO Ghai said that the brutal Pahalgam terror attack and the “numerous other” such attacks on armed forces and defenceless civilians prompted India to make a “compelling statement of our resolve as a nation” against terrorism.

“You are all by now familiar with the brutality and the dastardly manner in which 26 innocent lives were prematurely terminated at Pahalgam on April 22. When you combine those horrific scenes and the pain of the families that the nation witnessed with numerous other recent terrorist strikes on our armed forces and defenceless civilians, we knew that the time had arrived to make yet another compelling statement of our resolve as a nation,” he said.

DGMO Ghai said that after the Indian strikes, some terror hubs were now “bereft of” terrorists or had been vacated, fearing “retribution from us.”

“It set into motion a very diligent and microscopic scarring of the terror landscape across the borders and the identification of terror camps and training sites. The locations that emerged were numerous, but as we deliberated more, we realised that some of these terror hubs were now bereft of presence and had pre-emptively been vacated, fearing retribution from us, Ghai said. (ANI)

Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan in Chaklala suffered significant damage, while Rahim Yar Khan airbase’s runway was completely flattened in India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, sources said.

Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK).

This operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national.

Following India’s operation, the conflict between India and Pakistan deepened, which resulted in increased cross-border shelling from Pakistan and retaliatory action from the Indian Armed Forces.

Areas across the border were set up on high alert, and there were blackouts whenever attacks from Pakistan took place.

A surprising sequence of events unfolded as Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) proposed a ceasefire to India’s DGMO, which was accepted. Pakistan’s DGMO called India’s DGMO at 3:35 pm, proposing a ceasefire, which India agreed to.

At 5:25 pm, President Trump tweeted about the ceasefire announcement, which seemed to precede official statements from both governments. Shortly after, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweeted that India and Pakistan would meet for talks at a ‘neutral site’, adding another layer to the diplomatic efforts.

On Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions–on land, at sea, and in the air–effective from 1700 hours IST.

Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon.

However, hours after both countries agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and sea, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India’s air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Srinagar.

Red streaks were seen and explosions heard as India’s air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Udhampur. A blackout was also enforced in Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab and Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan.

At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India takes “very serious note of these violations”. India called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and tri-services chiefs at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan were also present at the meeting.

The meeting comes after days of heightened tension with Pakistan along the western border, following Operation Sindoor carried out by the Indian Armed Forces on May 7. The operation targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists.

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan have worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday and noted that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism.

“India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so,” he said in a post on X.

The minister’s remarks came after DGMOs of India and Pakistan agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon.

“Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time,” he said.

“Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours,” he added.

However, India said on Saturday that Pakistan has violated the understanding reached between DGMOs of the two countries earlier in the day on stoppage of firing and military action and that the Indian Army retaliated and dealt with the border intrusions.

At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today and India takes “very serious note of these violations”. (ANI)