TODAY NEWS ON May 12, 2025

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Operation Sindoor objectives achieved; losses are part of combat but pilots are back home, says IAF

We are in a combat scenario and losses are part of combat, Indian Air Force’s Director General of Air Operations (DGAO) Air Marshal Bharti said on Sunday (May 11, 2025) while adding that the forces have achieved the objectives of Operation Sindoor and all the pilots are back home. The Air Marshal declined to comment at this stage on any aircraft losses on the Indian side.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri abused on social media; IAS, IPS associations come out in support

After Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was subjected to vicious trolling on social media on Sunday (May 11, 2025) for announcing on government’s behalf a day ago that India and Pakistan have agreed for cessation of military operations, the IAS Association came out in solidarity against the “unwarranted personal attacks” against the officer.

Drones spotted over Rajasthan’s Barmer, blackout continues in border districts

Incoming drones suspected to have been launched from across the International Border were spotted in Rajasthan’s Barmer district on Sunday (May 11, 2025) night, prompting the administration to enforce a strict blackout. Residents of the city were advised to stay indoors and switch off their lights.

Total Fertility Rate remains constant at 2.0 in 2021: report

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR), the average number of children per woman, in the country has remained constant at 2.0 in 2021, the same as the year 2020, according to the Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2021 released by the Registrar General of India (RGI) on May 7.

U.S. and China hail ‘progress’ after trade talks end in Geneva

The United States and China on Sunday (May 11, 2025) said progress had been made after a weekend of talks aimed at de-escalating trade tensions sparked by President Donald Trump‘s aggressive tariff rollout. “We’ve made substantial progress between the United States and China in the very important trade talks,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters in Geneva after the second day of discussions had concluded.

Hamas says Edan Alexander, last living American hostage in Gaza, will be released in truce efforts

Hamas says Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage in Gaza, will be released as part of efforts to establish a ceasefire, reopen crossings into the Israeli-blockaded territory and resume the delivery of aid. The Hamas statement Sunday (May 11, 2025) night does not say when the release will happen. The announcement comes shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump visits the Middle East this week. Mr. Trump is not planning to visit Israel.

Indus Waters Treaty to be kept in abeyance: sources

India will keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance as Pakistan had resorted to cross-border terrorism, a highly placed government official told The Hindu here on Sunday (May 11, 2025). Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps inside Pakistan, had created a “new normal” under which India will hit “harder, bigger, stronger” inside Pakistan if cross-border terror attacks continued, the source said.

Awami League rejects its ban by Bangladesh interim government, vows to continue operations

Bangladesh’s deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League on Sunday (May 11, 2025) rejected “with disgust” the interim government’s decision to ban the party and vowed to continue its operations despite the restriction. The party regretted that “today’s independent Bangladesh” had to witness the ban on Awami League activities by an “undemocratic fascist” government that now runs the country “without people’s mandate”, while the country “earned independence and sovereignty under its (Awami League’s) leadership”.

‘Committed’ to faithful implementation of ceasefire: Pakistan Foreign Office

Pakistan on Sunday (May 11, 2025) said it was “committed to the faithful implementation” of the ceasefire with India, asserting that its forces are handling the situation with “responsibility and restraint”. “Pakistan remains committed to faithful implementation of the ceasefire between Pakistan and India,” the Foreign Office spokesperson in Islamabad said in a statement while responding to media queries regarding Mr. Misri’s statement.

Over 100 terrorists killed during Operation Sindoor, says Army

The Indian Army on Sunday (May 11, 2025) said that over 100 terrorists were killed during Operation Sindoor. During a special briefing on Operation Sindoor, Indian Army’s Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai said, “...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 Mudassir Ahmed who were involved in the hijack of IC814 and the Pulwama blast.”

Rahul, Kharge demand special Parliament session to discuss Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor

The leaders of Opposition in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding an immediate special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor and the latest developments in cross-border firing. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and his counterpart in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, have written to the Prime Minister, reiterating their demand to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament to demonstrate the collective resolve against terrorism.

MHA grants citizenship to wife of Kolkata resident killed in Pahalgam terror attack

The Ministry of Home Affairs has granted Indian citizenship to Soheni Roy, the wife of Bitan Adhikari, a resident of Kolkata who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025. After the death of her husband, questions were raised about the nationality of Ms. Soheni by a section of family members of Bitan Adhikari. Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar shared the Certificate of Registration of Soheni Roy on social media under the Citizenship Act, 1955. “The Indian government has accepted that application of citizenship. I thank the Indian government, Bitan babu was brutally killed at Pahalgam. The Union government has given a fresh leash of life to Soheni by granting citizenship ,” Mr. Majumdar said.

Slain Army jawan Murali Naik’s final rites performed amidst outpouring of grief and pride

The last rites of the slain Army jawan, Murali Naik (24), were conducted with military and State honours at Kalli Thanda hamlet of Gummayyagari Palli panchayat of Gorantla mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district on Sunday (May 11, 2025) afternoon. Thousands of people from the combined Anantapur district thronged the hamlet to pay homage to the martyred jawan amidst an outpouring of grief and pride. The rural side of Gorantla mandal was smeared with floral showers, display of national flags, and slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai and Murali Naik Amar Rahe”.

Govt to hold pre-emption right over oil, gas in national emergency, say draft rules

The government will hold pre-emption rights over all oil and natural gas produced in the country in any event of national emergency, according to draft rules being framed under a revamped oilfields legislation. A pre-emption right (or preemptive right) is the legal right of a party - often a government or existing shareholder - to purchase or claim a product, asset, or resource before it is offered to others. The inclusion of such rights over crude oil — extracted from underground or beneath the seabed and refined into fuels like petrol and diesel — as well as natural gas, which is used for power generation, fertilizer production, CNG for vehicles, and piped cooking gas, is intended to help the government prioritize national interests and ensure public welfare during emergencies.

Trump praises strong, unwaveringly powerful leadership of India, Pakistan for reaching ceasefire

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday (May 11, 2025) praised the “strong and unwaveringly powerful” leadership of India and Pakistan for reaching a “ceasefire”, saying their legacy is greatly enhanced by their brave actions. “I will work with you both to see if, after a “thousand years,” a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir. God Bless the leadership of India and Pakistan on a job well done!!!” Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “I am very proud of the strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership of India and Pakistan for having the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to fully know and understand that it was time to stop the current aggression that could have lead (led) to the death and destruction of so many, and so much,” he said.

Zelenskyy welcomes Russian overtures, but says ceasefire must come before peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday (May 11, 2025) welcomed Russia’s offer for direct peace talks, but insisted there must be a full, temporary ceasefire in place before negotiations can start. Mr. Zelenskyy, writing on X, called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s counter-offer to start talks without a ceasefire a “positive sign,” and said that “the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time.” He added, however, that “the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.”

Pope Leo XIV calls for peace in Ukraine, Gaza ceasefire; welcomes India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement

Pope Leo XIV called for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza with the release of hostages and delivery of humanitarian aid in his first Sunday (May 11, 2025) noon blessing as pontiff. According to Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV welcomed the recent announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. “I hope that, through the upcoming negotiations, a lasting agreement may soon be reached,” he said. “Never again war!” Pope Leo said from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Iran, U.S. begin 4th round of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme in Oman

Iran and the United States began a fourth round of negotiations on Sunday (May 11, 2025) over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme, officials said, just ahead of a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to the Middle East this week. The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic, closing in on half a century of enmity. The round of talks, again happening in the sultanate of Oman, likely will see Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi mediating.

Asian Individual Blitz Chess Championship: Karthikeyan, Rout finish fourth

Grandmaster Murali Karthikeyan signed off in fourth place at the Asian Individual Blitz Chess Championship, with Padmini Rout replicating the result in the women’s section to emerge as the top Indian performers Al Ain. The open section was won by 15-year-old Grandmaster Ivan Zemlyanskiia who represents Russia but competed under the FIDE flag. He scores a dominant 8 out of 9 points. Alua Nurman of Kazakhstan won the women’s event ahead of Russian Valentina Gunina on 7.5 points and the third place went to Yuxin Song of China who had a better tie-break than Rout.