The World Bank, which cuts India’s growth rate, is the top headlines of the day, with the latest updates of Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Large -scale manhnts continue for forces for the attackers
Indian forces launched a large -scale manhunt to find criminals who shot and killed at least 26 tourists in Bisaran Valley near Pahgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir on 22 April. It is one of the worst terrorist attacks on citizens in the Kashmir Valley in decades.
Thousands of armed police and soldiers excluded the entire area and raised additional posts. He said that he searched the cars and called the former terrorists to police stations for questioning in some areas.
Many shops and business in Jammu and Kashmir were closed to protest against killings.
Security agencies also issued sketches of three people on suspicion of involvement in the attack. Officials said that men, all three Pakistan, Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha are. They had code names – MOOSA, Yunus and Asif – and were involved in terror related incidents in Poonch.
Officers are working on a plan to permanently deploy army and paramilitary forces in the mountains, ignoring the tourist destination in the Kashmir Valley to avoid such attacks in future. Officials told PTI that a repetition of security forces was also required in front of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, which begins on 3 July.
There are no security forces in the immediate surrounding area of the grasslands of the Bisaran Valley that are played by dense forests. Sources told PTI that the nearest army has a third battalion of the nation rifle and a company of the 116th Battalion of CRPF. The soldiers take time to reach this place from their places and Bisaran is only acceptable on foot or horse back, he said.
Meanwhile, the government announced that additional flights would be operated from Srinagar to help the tourists who want to return from the center area after the Phalgam terror attack. The government said that air fare on the route will be placed at a reasonable level. 3,337 passengers flew from Srinagar in 20 flights between 6 am and 12 am
Indigo, Air India and SpiceJet are operating a total of seven additional flights in addition to their general scheduled services from Srinagar.
PM Modi Chairs Cabinet Committee of Security, Amit Shah in visit attack site
On security, the Cabinet Committee met in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Apart from the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Committee on Security includes Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitarman.
Sitarman is going back from the United States after cutting his official visit.
PM Modi reduced his journey from Saudi Arabia and returned on Wednesday morning. He held a meeting at the airport soon after his arrival and discussed the attack with Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Dawal. Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry was also part of the meeting.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the site of the terrorist attack and interacted with senior army and police officers.
He was given a briefing by security officials. PTI reported that the Home Minister was told about the sequence of incidents and potential routes, which took the terrorists to reach the popular tourist destination, surrounded by thick cedar forests.
The top officials including Jammu and Kashmir Police Nalin Prabhat, Director General of Nalin Prabhat and 15 core Lieutenant General Prashant Srivastava were present on the site, which is about 110 km from Srinagar. He also took an aerial view of the region.
Earlier, the Home Minister attended a wreath ceremony for the victims of the terrorist attack in the police control room of Srinagar, where he said that the country would not bow to terror and those responsible for the killings would not be spared. He visited the Government Medical College Hospital in Anantnag and met some of the injured admitted there.
The Home Minister was accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Security forces began a cordon and search operation in the Tangamarga region of Kulgam, after information about the presence of ultras. Officials said that the terrorists encountered the security personnel after setting fire on the security personnel, the officials said.
At the time of recording, there have been no casualties in the exchange of fire.
Earlier today, two terrorists were killed as an infiltration dialect was thwarted along the line of control in Baramulla. Security forces are on high alert after yesterday’s terrorist attack.
India, American trade talks to be in Washington from today
Indian and American officials will start discussions on the proposed bilateral trade agreement in Washington from today.
The US has said that the agreement with India will help open new markets for American goods and create new opportunities for workers, farmers and entrepreneurs in both countries.
US Vice President JD Vance, who is on a four-day visit to India, said that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi progressed on trade talks on Monday, and confirmed that the two sides had finalized the terms of reference for business talks-an important step towards setting up a road map for the best agreement.
Terms of reference cover around 19 chapters, such as tariffs, non-tariff barriers and customs facilities.
An official said that these negotiations would formally launch the negotiation for bilateral trade agreement (BTA).
Rajesh Aggarwal, the chief negotiator of India, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, is leading the team for the first person’s interaction between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Vance, along with his family, visited the prestigious Taj Mahal in Agra today. He was obtained by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. On the first day of his visit, Vance held a meeting with Modi, where both discussed ways to increase cooperation in energy, defense and strategic technologies. The family will leave India on 24 April.
Pope Francis’s body was shifted to St. Peter Basilica for 3 days public viewing
The body of Pope Francis was shifted from the Vatican Hotel, where he lived in St. Peter Basilica, survived a procession of Sooleman Cardinals and Swiss Guards through the same piage, where Pontiff congratulated his popmobiles a few days ago.
The palbier took the simple wooden coffin on its shoulders in the St. Peter Square and Basilica through the Vatican’s Archway Gates, cardinals in their scarlets, bishops in their purple garments and their golden and blue uniform gradually to backwards.
Cardinal Kevin Paarel, who is running the Vatican temporarily, led the procession until a new Pope is chosen, with the sun clouds chanting the church songs of the church.
Ordinary Catholics will be allowed to mourn the 88 -year -old Pope for three days of public views in Basilica, who died on Monday after suffering from stroke. Basilica will be kept open until midnight to accommodate the crowd and the mourning period will end at 7 pm on Friday, when Francis’ casket will be closed and sealed.
Many heads of the state are expected to attend the funeral of the Pope which is set at St. Peter Square on Saturday.
Francis’ death and funeral inaugurates the 1.4-Billion-Function Catholic Church inaugurated a careful orchestrated period of infection. Cardinals will gather one and enter a conclave, which is a secret ritual voting in Systine Chapel to choose a new Pope. There are 135 cardinals under the age of 80 and are eligible to vote in the Conclave, and the new Pontifs will probably come from within their ranks. The Conclave is not expected to start before 5 May.
World Bank reduces India’s development forecast
The World Bank has reduced India’s development forecast for the current financial year by 4 percent amid global economic weakness and policy uncertainty.
In its previous estimate, the World Bank had estimated India’s growth for the financial year 2025–26 at 6.7%.
The World Bank said in its two-time regional perspective, the increase in FY24-25 was disappointed due to private investment and slow increase in public capital expenditure.
On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund reduced India’s GDP forecast for the current financial year to 6.2% from January 6.5% estimates.
Published – April 23, 2025 11:36 pm IST
