Airports in Jammu, Srinagar, Leh shut amid Indo-Pakistan tensions
Srinagar, Jammu and Leh airports in Jammu and Kashmir have been shut until further notice amid tensions between India and Pakistan. Flight operations have also been suspended for Chandigarh, Amritsar and Dehradun airports. This comes after Pakistan Air Force jets reportedly violated Indian airspace and dropped bombs, following which India shot down one of its jets.
Airports shutdown order withdrawn: Government
The government has withdrawn the order to shut down the airports in Jammu, Srinagar, Leh and Amritsar among other places amid tensions between the India and Pakistan relations. The flight operations are likely to resume soon at the airports. The order was issued on Wednesday after reports of Pakistan jets invading the Indian airspace.
India shoots down Pak jet that violated Indian airspace: Reports
Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 jet that violated Indian airspace was shot down in Indian retaliatory fire 3 kilometres within Pakistan territory in Lam valley, Nowshera sector, as per reports. A parachute was reportedly seen as the jet was going down and the pilot’s condition is unknown. Pakistani jets had reportedly dropped bombs near an Indian Army post in J&K’s Rajouri district.
Pak jets violate Indian airspace, drop bombs on way out: Reports
Pakistani fighter jets on Wednesday violated Indian airspace in Nowshera sector of J&K’s Rajouri district and dropped bombs on the way out, a day after IAF strike on Pakistan, a top official told PTI. “The jets entered… Indian airspace over Nowshera sector this morning,” the official added. They were immediately pushed back by Indian jets on air patrol.
IAF chopper crashes in J&K’s Budgam; two pilots feared dead
Two pilots are feared dead after an Indian Air Force Mi-17 transport chopper crashed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam on Wednesday reportedly due to a “technical fault”. Officials have said that they have found two bodies near the crash site. The aircraft broke into two and caught fire immediately after it crashed in an open field, the officials added.
Shane Warne rightly predicted India-Eng 2011 WC match to be a tie
Before India-England’s 2011 World Cup match on February 27, 2011, ex-Australian spinner Shane Warne put out a tweet predicting the match would end in a tie. Warne’s prediction came true when England scored 338/8 in reply to India’s 338, and he was termed a ‘genius’ by then England captain Andrew Strauss. Many Pakistani cricketers demanded ICC to investigate Warne’s ‘prediction’.
Only 7 people knew of the timing of air strike on JeM camp: Report
Only seven people, including PM Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, knew about the timing of the early morning strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot, a report claimed. The others included Indian Air Force chief BS Dhanoa, Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat, Indian Navy chief Sunil Lanba and heads of RAW and Intelligence Bureau.
Sarhad hai mehfooz hamari, apne veer jawano se: Army shares poem
A day after the IAF carried out air strike at the biggest terror training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan, the Twitter handle of ADG of Public Information, Indian Army, tweeted a poem in Hindi on Wednesday. “Sarhad hai mehfooz hamari, apne veer jawano se,” the poem read. On Tuesday, PM Modi had said, “The country is in safe hands.”
France to move to ban Masood Azhar after taking over UNSC: Reports
France will put forward a proposal to ban Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar after it assumes the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in March, according to reports. The proposal, when moved, will be the fourth such bid at the UN in the last 10 years to list Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
Pak must take urgent action against terrorists: US after IAF strike
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has issued a statement in the light of strike by Indian Air Force on Pakistan. “I…spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister…to underscore…the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil,” the statement read. Pompeo further said he also spoke to Sushma Swaraj and emphasised their “shared goal of maintaining peace”.
Working to ensure Pulwama attackers held to account: UK
Urging India and Pakistan to avoid any risk to regional stability, the UK on Tuesday said it “is working closely with international partners, including in the UNSC, to ensure those responsible for the Pulwama attack are held to account.” After India carried out strikes on Pakistan-based terror camps, the UK said it is “concerned” by rising tensions between the countries.
Schools shut, exams postponed in schools near LoC in J&K
Government officials in J&K’s Rajouri have announced that schools within 5 km of the Line of Control (LoC) have been closed and exams will be postponed amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan. This comes after reports of Pakistani troops firing mortar shells and small arms across the LoC following India’s air strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s base in Pakistan’s Balakot.
Pak fires mortars, uses civilians as human shields: Indian Army
Pakistani troops violated ceasefire on Tuesday by firing mortars and missiles from civilian houses across the Line of Control (LoC) and using villagers as human shields, Lt Col Devender Anand said. However, the Indian Army targeted Pakistani posts away from civilian localities. Five Indian soldiers suffered minor injuries, out of which two were evacuated to a military hospital for treatment.
Air strike on JeM came only after Pak failed to act: Swaraj in China
At the Russia-India-China Foreign Ministers meet in China, India’s Sushma Swaraj said Pakistan denied knowledge of Pulwama attack instead of acting against Jaish-e-Mohammed even after calls by international community. “In light of continuing refusal of Pakistan to act…and based on credible information that JeM was planning other attacks…India decided to take preemptive action,” she added.
Pak suspends flight operations at major airports amid border tension
Pakistan has suspended flight operations across major airports, including Sialkot, Islamabad and Lahore, for an indefinite period in the wake of the escalating tensions with India, a top civil aviation authority said. The planes which had left from foreign destinations for these airports have been diverted to “safer” airports. India has also suspended flight operations from various north Indian airports.
DAC approves purchase of defence equipment worth ₹2,700 crore
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Wednesday approved the acquisition of defence equipment worth ₹2,700 crore. Approval for procurement of three cadet training ships for the Indian Navy to provide basic sea training for officer cadets was granted. The meeting of the council, which is the highest decision-making body for defence purchases, was chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Afghan man held for trying to enter Israeli embassy in Delhi
An Afghan national was detained and handed over to the Delhi Police after he allegedly tried to enter the Israeli embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday. The police said, “During questioning, the man said he had gone to the embassy to inquire about his travel plan to visit Jerusalem.” The police have not lodged a case against him yet.
Sonchiriya is action film with difference: Maker Abhishek Chaubey
Director Abhishek Chaubey has said that he believes his upcoming film ‘Sonchiriya’, starring Bhumi Pednekar and Sushant Singh Rajput, is an action film with a difference. “This film is also a plot-heavy action film, but it’s more about the soul of a man,” the director explained. “It’s more about what’s going on in their head and heart,” Chaubey added.
Tanushree to star in short film on sexual harassment in Bollywood
Tanushree Dutta will star in an upcoming short film titled ‘Inspiration’ which deals with the issue of sexual harassment faced by young actresses in Bollywood. “I wrote the dialogues, inspired by my own insight and understanding on the matter,” Tanushree said. The film, which has been directed by Atul Bhalla, will release online on March 8.
Orlando proposed to me in a helicopter, reveals Katy Perry
Singer Katy Perry, who got engaged to actor Orlando Bloom on Valentine’s Day, revealed that the actor proposed while they were onboard a helicopter. “We went to dinner and I thought we were going to see some art…but we pulled up to a helicopter,” Katy said. “We landed on a rooftop and my…family was there, and friends,” she added.
Anushka to build hospital for animals in Maharashtra: Reports
Anushka Sharma, who earlier announced her plans to build an animal shelter, will also build a veterinary hospital in Maharashtra’s Shahapur, as per reports. The project was reportedly initiated in 2016 when Anushka acquired five acres of land in Shahapur. Her plans were halted till 2019 as she was unable to get government clearance to use the land, reports suggested.
14-year-old kills twin brother over ₹40 in Maharashtra
A 14-year-old boy allegedly murdered his twin brother after they fought over ₹40 in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The accused, who has admitted to committing the crime, attacked his brother with a hammer while the latter was asleep. The accused also said that he was unhappy as he was often humiliated by his peers but his twin brother was very popular.
2 JeM terrorists killed in J&K’s Shopian a day after IAF strike
Two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists have been killed in an encounter that broke out early on Wednesday morning in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian. Reportedly, the forces were carrying out a search operation when the terrorists opened fire on them. The encounter took place a day after Indian Air Force jets struck JeM’s biggest training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot.
How did India plan early morning air strike on Pakistan in 11 days?
The government approved Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa’s plan for Tuesday’s early morning air strike on February 15, a day after Pulwama attack. Between February 16-22, IAF and Army conducted surveillance along LoC with Heron drones and drew ‘target tables’ for possible sites to strike. Between February 25-26, 12 Mirage 2000 jets with laser-guided bombs took off from Gwalior.
Three more banks removed from RBI’s corrective action framework
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday said Allahabad Bank, Corporation Bank and Dhanlaxmi Bank have been removed from the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework. The RBI will continuously monitor the performance of these banks under various parameters, it added. Under PCA, banks are restricted from lending until they improve their capital ratios, reduce bad debt and become profitable.
NIA raids 7 places in J&K in terror funding case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out searches at seven locations in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with a terror funding case. The searches were carried out at the residences of top separatist leaders including Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Naseem Geelani and others, officials said. Letterheads of different terrorist organisations were recovered in raids, officials added.
Scientists make toothpaste ingredients from waste glass
Queensland University researchers have developed a method to extract liquid silicate from waste glass, which can be used to produce “thousands of products” including toothpaste, fertilisers and detergents. “We estimate the process is more than 50% cheaper than conventional ways of producing silicate,” researchers claimed. The method also leaves behind little waste, they further said.
Musk directed to respond to SEC contempt motion by March 11
Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday was ordered by a federal judge to explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt for allegedly violating a settlement with the SEC. As per the SEC, Musk violated the settlement by tweeting Tesla would produce “around 500K” cars in 2019 without pre-approval. Musk and Tesla had reached deal with the SEC last year.
US app lets senior citizens find ‘grandkids on-demand’
Florida-based app developers have created an app, Join Papa, to provide senior citizens with help from college students, who the app claims are like “grandkids on-demand”. The app reportedly pays young college-going students $10 per hour to spend time with the elderly, who are charged $17. Senior citizens are charged $30 monthly to enable the feature to choose their “grandkids”.
Spanish court summons Shakira over ₹117 crore tax fraud charges
Shakira has been called to appear before a Spanish court on June 12 to face accusations of failing to pay €14.5 million (₹117 crore) in taxes. Prosecutors earlier claimed that Shakira had not paid tax on income between 2012 and 2014, while she was living in Spain. Denying the allegations, Shakira’s representatives stated that she moved to Spain in 2015.
Balakot IAF strike involved over 200 hours of planning: Reports
The IAF’s strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest camp in Pakistan’s Balakot involved over 200 hours of planning, according to reports. The planning reportedly began after the government got intelligence input two days after the Pulwama attack warning of another similar attack somewhere in India. India said those eliminated included groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action.
Pak must act against terror groups, including JeM: Australia
After India carried out strikes on three terror camps in Pakistan, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said, “Pakistan must take urgent and meaningful action against terrorist groups in its territory, including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)…and Lashkar-e-Taiba.” Payne also urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid any action that would endanger peace and security in the region.
India briefs envoys of 12 nations after Indian Air Force air strikes
Hours after the Indian Air Force carried out a strike at a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp across Line of Control on Tuesday, India launched a global outreach to brief envoys of 12 countries on the operation. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale briefed the diplomats from the USA, UK, Russia, Australia, Indonesia, Turkey among others. Gokhale said the operation became “absolutely necessary”.
We decided time, place and now the fate: Gambhir as India strikes Pak
Reacting to Indian Air Force carrying out strikes on the biggest Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir tweeted, “We decided the time, we decided the place and we have decided the fate.” Notably, a day after Pulwama attack, PM Narendra Modi revealed the government had given security forces permission to choose place and time to retaliate.
State on high alert: Punjab CM after IAF’s strike in Pak
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said that the state has been put on high alert following the ‘non-military preemptive strike’ by the IAF on terror camps in Pakistan. He added he will be touring bordering areas on Wednesday for on-ground assessment and said the state is ready for any eventuality. He also urged the people to remain calm.
