Bank Holiday today: Are banks closed on May 12 due to Buddh Purnima? Know here
Banks across multiple Indian states remain closed from May 9 to May 12, 2025, due to regional holidays, Buddha Purnima, and regular weekend off.
India-Pakistan Tensions: These Pakistani Army officials attended terrorists’ funeral, their names are…
Funeral of killed terrorists in Muridke, like LeT Commander Abdul Rauf, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by US Treasury, was carried out in Pakistan, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Qatar offers Trump jumbo jet to serve as Air Force One
Qatar’s royal family offered to donate a jumbo jet to the Department of Defense that could serve as Air Force One, but a White House official said the offer has not been accepted, Fox News has learned. Earlier Sunday, ABC News reported that President Trump “was poised to accept” the $400 million Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet and would use it until the end of his term, when it would be given to his presidential library. Trump is believed to be frustrated with Boeing’s delays in producing a new presidential plane. A White House official told Fox News the gift will not be presented or accepted when Trump visits Doha this week. But the White House stopped short of denying altogether that Trump may take possession of the plane at some point. “Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “President Trump’s Administration is committed to full transparency.” Trump confirmed the offer in a Truth Social post Sunday night. “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump wrote. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.” Trump is headed to the Middle East this week and is expected to meet with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. TRUMP TEASES ‘VERY, VERY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT’ AHEAD OF MIDDLE EAST TRIP, CARNEY SAYS HE’S ‘ON EDGE OF MY SEAT’ Trump reportedly toured the plane when it was on the tarmac of the West Palm Beach Airport in Florida in February, ABC News reported. The outlet, which was the first to report on the matter, noted that the plane is so opulently outfitted that it is known as “a flying palace.” The gift has reportedly been tied up with legal reviews as the White House counsel’s office and the Department of Justice reviewed the legality of the president accepting such a pricey gift from a foreign nation. The current Air Force One fleet includes two planes, with Trump awarding Boeing a $3.9 billion contract in 2018 under his first term to manufacture two new jets. The construction of the jets, however, is not expected to be completed until 2029. “Boeing is proud to build the next generation of Air Force One, providing American Presidents with a flying White House at outstanding value to taxpayers. President Trump negotiated a good deal on behalf of the American people,” Boeing said in 2018 after ironing out a deal with Trump for the creation of the new fleet. TRUMP STAFFERS LOAD BOXES OF ITEMS SEIZED BY FBI IN 2022 MAR-A-LAGO RAID ONTO AIR FORCE ONE When not in office as president, Trump travels in his private Boeing 757 jet, dubbed Trump Force One. That jet is famously emblazoned with Trump’s last name and was frequently seen in the backdrop of campaign rallies. Trump purchased the 757 jet in 2011 and outfitted it with luxury fixtures, such as 24-karat gold-plated seat belt buckles. The plane received a total revamp ahead of his 2024 presidential run.
Trump admin fires top US copyright official days after terminating Librarian of Congress
President Donald Trump’s administration fired the top copyright official in the U.S. – just days after terminating the Librarian of Congress. Shira Perlmutter was in charge of the U.S. Copyright Office, which is overseen by the Library of Congress, until she was abruptly fired on Saturday. The U.S. Copyright Office told Fox News Digital that Perlmutter received an email from the White House, stating, “your position as the Register of Copyrights and Director at the U.S. Copyright Office is terminated effective immediately.” Trump fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, who was the first woman and first African American to be Librarian of Congress, on Thursday. The termination was part of the administration’s ongoing purge of government officials who are perceived to be opposed to Trump and his agenda. DEMS ERUPT AFTER REPORT OF TRUMP FIRING LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS: ‘A DISGRACE’ The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on the matter. Hayden tapped Perlmutter to lead the Copyright Office in October 2020. Like Perlmutter, Hayden was notified of her firing in an email, according to The Associated Press. NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EXECUTIVE ORDERS “Carla,” the email from the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office reportedly began. “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service.” Perlmutter’s office recently released a report examining whether artificial intelligence companies can use copyrighted materials to “train” their AI systems. CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS DOUBLES DOWN ON DEFENSE OF COURTS AS SCOTUS GEARS UP TO HEAR KEY TRUMP CASES The report followed a review that started in 2023 with opinions from thousands of individuals, including AI developers, actors and country singers. The Copyright Office clarified its approach in January, as one based on the “centrality of human creativity” in authoring a work that warrants copyright protections. The Copyright Office takes in about a half a million copyright applications each year, covering millions of creative works. “Where that creativity is expressed through the use of AI systems, it continues to enjoy protection,” Perlmutter said in January. “Extending protection to material whose expressive elements are determined by a machine… would undermine rather than further the constitutional goals of copyright.” Perlmutter, who holds a law degree, was previously a policy director at the Patent and Trademark Office and worked on copyright and other areas of intellectual property. She also previously worked at the Copyright Office in the late 1990s. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump says last living American hostage Edan Alexander will be released by Hamas: ‘Coming home’
President Donald Trump confirmed that the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, would be released by Hamas after nearly two years in captivity. “I am happy to announce that Edan Alexander, an American citizen who has been held hostage since October 2023, is coming home to his family,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform ‘Truth Social’ on Sunday. “I am grateful to all those involved in making this monumental news happen. This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones,” Trump continued. “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!” HAMAS CLAIMS IT WILL RELEASE AMERICAN HOSTAGE EDAN ALEXANDER Alexander, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, has been held captive in Gaza since the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel. The news comes after the terror organization announced on Sunday it was “in contact with the U.S. administration in recent days.” “The movement has shown a high level of positivity, and the Israeli soldier with dual American citizenship, [Edan] Alexander, will be released as part of the steps being taken toward a ceasefire, the opening of border crossings, and the entry of aid and relief for our people in the Gaza Strip,” the statement read. It’s unclear when Alexander will be released. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters also released a statement following the announcement of Alexander’s release, saying that they “are embracing and supporting the Alexander family.” NEW PULITZER PRIZE WINNER DISPARAGED ISRAELIS KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS ON OCT 7, QUESTIONED THEIR ‘HOSTAGE’ STATUS “Should this release be confirmed, the release of Edan Alexander must mark the beginning of a comprehensive agreement that will secure the freedom of all remaining hostages,” the statement read. “President Trump, you’ve given the families of all the hostages hope. Please, complete your mission and bring them all home.” Trump recently marked his 100th day in office, and the families of the five Americans still held hostage urged him to reflect on his strategy and apply pressure on both Israel and Hamas, through both economic and diplomatic means, to secure the release of all hostages. In addition, fifty members of Congress sent Trump a letter on May 9 urging him to prioritize getting the remaining hostages out. HAMAS AGREES TO RELEASE EDAN ALEXANDER, THE LAST LIVING AMERICAN HOSTAGE “As months have passed since the most recent exchange, we must keep the five remaining Americans and additional 54 hostages top of mind. The five American hostages include Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein Haggai. Only Alexander is believed to be alive while Nuetra, Chen, Haggai and Weinstein Haggai were either murdered on October 7th or in captivity,” the group wrote in a letter to President Trump. “Our government’s most solemn responsibility is to keep Americans safe. With that responsibility in mind, we urge you to use all diplomatic tools at your disposal, in concert with our regional allies and partners, to ensure Edan’s release and the release of the remains of the deceased American hostages as soon as possible. Every day in captivity adds to the nightmare for the hostages and their families. We must bring them home now,” the letter continued. Raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, Alexander moved to Israel at 18 to volunteer for military service in the IDF’s Golani Brigade. He lived with his grandparents in Tel Aviv and at Kibbutz Hazor, where he was part of a group of lone soldiers. He was kidnapped on the morning of October 7 — a Saturday, he wasn’t required to remain on base. His mother was visiting from abroad, and like many lone soldiers, he had the option to go home for the weekend. But he chose to stay, not wanting to leave his comrades short-staffed on guard duty. There are 59 hostages still in Gaza, at least 24 of whom are assessed to be alive, including Alexander, now 21 years old after having spent two birthdays in Hamas captivity. Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Trump to sign executive order he says will slash drug prices by up to 80%
President Donald Trump announced he plans to sign an executive order on Monday that will reduce the cost of prescription drugs and pharmaceuticals “almost immediately, by 30% to 80%.” Trump made the announcement on Truth Social Sunday. “For many years the World has wondered why Prescription Drugs and Pharmaceuticals in the United States States of America were SO MUCH HIGHER IN PRICE THAN THEY WERE IN ANY OTHER NATION, SOMETIMES BEING FIVE TO TEN TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE SAME DRUG, MANUFACTURED IN THE EXACT SAME LABORATORY OR PLANT, BY THE SAME COMPANY???” Trump wrote. “It was always difficult to explain and very embarrassing because, in fact, there was no correct or rightful answer. MAHA CAUCUS MEMBER PLEDGES HEARINGS INTO ‘CORRUPTION’ OF A PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR ‘CAPTURED BY BIG PHARMA’ “The Pharmaceutical/Drug Companies would say, for years, that it was Research and Development Costs, and that all of these costs were, and would be, for no reason whatsoever, borne by the ‘suckers’ of America, ALONE. Campaign Contributions can do wonders, but not with me, and not with the Republican Party,” the president continued. “We are going to do the right thing, something that the Democrats have fought for many years,” Trump added. “Therefore, I am pleased to announce that Tomorrow morning, in the White House, at 9:00 A.M., I will be signing one of the most consequential Executive Orders in our Country’s history. Prescription Drug and Pharmaceutical prices will be REDUCED, almost immediately, by 30% to 80%. Trump noted that the cost of drugs will rise throughout the World, but for the first time in many years, he added, it will “bring FAIRNESS TO AMERICA!” “I will be instituting a MOST FAVORED NATION’S POLICY whereby the United States will pay the same price as the Nation that pays the lowest price anywhere in the World,” Trump said. “Our Country will finally be treated fairly, and our citizens Healthcare Costs will be reduced by numbers never even thought of before. Additionally, on top of everything else, the United States will save TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.”
DHS says Massachusetts city council member ‘incited chaos’ as ICE arrested ‘violent criminal alien’
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said a Worcester, Massachusetts city council member “incited chaos” when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested a violent criminal illegal alien on Thursday. “District Councilor for the City of Worcester [Etel] Haxhiaj pulled a political stunt and incited chaos by trying to obstruct law enforcement. ICE officers and local police regained control of the situation and ICE arrested Ferreira de Oliveira,” DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “The previous administration’s open border policies allowed this criminal to illegally enter our country in August of 2022. Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem this criminal is off our streets.” DHS went on to describe Oliveira as a “violent criminal alien.” The agency said she was arrested by local police for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a pregnant woman. Tense video emerged over the weekend of Oliveira’s arrest. A rowdy crowd of about 25 people gathered and disrupted the operation. Police called it a “chaotic incident.” CHAOTIC VIDEO SHOWS MASSACHUSETTS ICE ARREST BEING DISRUPTED BY ‘UNRULY’ CROWD, LEADING TO 2 ARRESTS The video showed a group of residents chanting “don’t take the mother” and “no warrant” after a woman was led into an SUV by uniformed ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Before the vehicle pulled away, other women are seen placing their hands on the front hood of an SUV and screaming in protest. The Worcester Police Patrol Officers’ Union said in a press release that the incident happened at about 11:15 a.m. on Thursday and that police were dispatched for a call from federal law enforcement officers who needed assistance due to a hostile and uncooperative crowd. “Officers arriving on scene continued to call for more officers as the scene continued to escalate rapidly,” the union said. “Police officers respond to a variety of highly emotional calls daily and there is nothing that can be more emotional or difficult to deal with than a call that involves times when families are separated or arrested or taken into custody in front of other family members. These types of calls for assistance can be extremely dangerous and place officers at a high risk of injury due to the high emotions people feel at the time.” DHS DEFENDS ICE DETAINMENT OF GEORGIA COLLEGE STUDENT WHO VIOLATED TRAFFIC LAWS All available police officers from Worcester were dispatched to the scene, the union continued, and “for obvious reasons” the officers became concerned for their safety. Federal and local authorities were “threatened, abused and even assaulted” at the scene, the union said. “Such conduct cannot be tolerated or condoned. Because some protesters threatened officers’ safety, police had to make additional arrests,” the union said. “Of particular concern in this case, one of our elected policy makers and someone who has created this difficult task for the police, District 5 City Councilor, Etel Haxhiaj, incited aggression towards the police during the incident. “This councilor participated in the conduct of the unruly crowd and eventually assaulted both Worcester police and federal law enforcement officers on scene. Her behavior also emboldened others to act in this manner,” the union added. “The conduct of this anti-police activist councilor is deplorable and unacceptable. Regardless of political opinions or views, city officials should never condone the assault of an officer and flat-out disregard to the point of violent opposition, the authority of police to maintain safety and public order.” FOX NEWS RIDES ALONG AS FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL BEGINS ENFORCING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS ON STATE ROADS As a result, the union said it is calling for an ethics investigation into Haxhiaj’s behavior, adding it will hold her and others who assaulted their officers accountable. “No one has the right to act in such a reckless manner towards police officers, and we demand accountability for all criminal and ethically deplorable behavior,” the union said. Haxhiaj did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter. MASSACHUSETTS JUDGE CHARGES ICE AGENT WITH CONTEMPT OF COURT The Worcester Police Department said that during the chaotic events on Thursday, 38-year-old Ashley Spring of Worcester was also arrested after she “pushed multiple officers” and “threw an unknown liquid substance on them.” Spring was charged with Assault and Battery on a Police Officer, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon (unknown liquid), Disorderly Conduct, and Interfering with a Police Officer. The Worcester Police Department said the “chaotic incident is still under investigation” and further charges may be forthcoming. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Israel attacks Yemen’s Hodeidah, striking port areas
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, Israel has previously bombed Hodeidah and Sanaa International Airport; Houthi missile targeted Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Israel has launched air attacks on Yemen’s Hodeidah governorate, according to the Houthi Interior Ministry. The attack late on Sunday came after the Israeli army said it had warned those present at three Houthi-controlled ports in the area to evacuate. It was the latest salvo in exchanges between Israel and the Houthis. Israel bombed the Hodeidah port after a Houthi attack near Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv earlier this month. Israeli strikes have also targeted parts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the main international airport there. The Houthis have been firing missiles at Israel and on Israeli targets in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians under fire since the war on Gaza began 19 months ago. Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed more than 52,000 people, including 57 who starved to death due to the total Israeli siege since March 2, according to Palestinian officials. A ceasefire deal between Yemen’s Houthis and the United States does not include any operations against Israel, the group’s chief negotiator announced earlier this week. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Fact-checking Trump’s claim of securing $10 trillion in investments for US
Since returning to the White House, US President Donald Trump has touted corporate and foreign US investment announcements as proof he is ushering in “the golden age of America”. On January 21, Trump said that before he’d finished the “first full business day” of his second term, the United States had “already secured nearly $3 trillion of new investments”. On April 2, he said, “It looks like we’re going to have about $6 trillion of investments”. Six days later, Trump told National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner attendees that the investment total was “now revised up to about $7 (trillion)”. During an April 30 NewsNation town hall, Trump speculated that “it could be more than $8 trillion”. On May 4, Trump told Kristen Welker, the host of the NBC News programme Meet the Press, “I think we probably have close to $9 trillion of investments coming into this country.” On May 6, Trump told reporters, “I think the real number could be $9 or $10 trillion.” Finally, on May 8, Trump said, “We have now close to $10 trillion — think of that, $10 trillion” in investments. “We’re talking about essentially two months.” Advertisement That’s far beyond the figures the White House has released publicly. We tallied the White House’s public lists of investments; they amount to $2.1 trillion in corporate investments, or at most $5.1 trillion when including promised investments from other countries. Experts cautioned that the promised corporate investments are not guaranteed to materialise in full, or during Trump’s presidency, and some of them would have occurred regardless of who was president. Trump isn’t the first to overstate new investments on his watch. Outgoing US President Joe Biden said in 2024 that his bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act had attracted $640bn in private investments; economists told PolitiFact that Biden’s numbers were based on what companies had announced, which is not the same as dollars already spent. Roman V Yampolskiy, a University of Louisville professor and a specialist in artificial intelligence, which dominates the promised investments Trump cited, said, “Historically, large-scale investment announcements often overpromise and underdeliver. There is a performative element to them, especially in politically charged contexts. They function as political theatre as much as economic commitment.” White House lists do not match Trump’s words Since Trump’s inauguration, the White House has publicised investment announcements from three countries and roughly 60 companies on its website, including in a “non-comprehensive running list”. Many of the highest-dollar corporate announcements were in March and April. Corporate announcements in the White House’s lists total approximately $2.1 trillion worth of US investment. Advertisement The White House separately has cited commitments from the United Arab Emirates to invest $1.4 trillion over the next 10 years; from Japan to “boost” its investment in the US to $1 trillion; and from Saudi Arabia to invest $600bn in the US during Trump’s presidency. Combined with the corporate announcements, these bring the total to about $5.1 trillion, $4.9 trillion short of Trump’s figure. But the $5.1 trillion total has caveats. For example, the White House said “Japan announced a $1 trillion investment in the US”, but the article it linked said in 2023, Japan’s US investment was $783.3bn and Japan would “boost” that to $1 trillion. That’s an increase of $216.7bn rather than a new $1 trillion investment. That would put the total value of newly pledged US investment at about $4.3 trillion. Trump’s second-term White House tally of US investments The White House figures can’t easily be used for apples-to-apples comparisons. Some of the investments are planned over Trump’s four-year term, others over five years or a decade. In one case – ADQ and Energy Capital Partners’ planned $25bn investment — it isn’t limited to US-based projects. The White House declined to detail additional investments. A spokesperson pointed to federal Bureau of Economic Analysis data that shows a 22 percent increase in business investment in the first quarter of 2025, calling it a historic increase. However, experts cautioned this increase was shaped by businesses stocking up on inventory before Trump’s tariffs take effect and said the increase is unlikely to be sustained. Advertisement Many of the announcements are aspirational, experts say Experts told PolitiFact that each of the five biggest investments on Trump’s list warrants some caution, because they might not reach Trump’s cited dollar amounts or were not solely prompted by Trump’s policies. “Many of these announcements, particularly those in the AI and semiconductor sectors, appear to be, at least in part, aspirational in nature,” Yampolskiy said. “They serve a signalling function: to attract investor attention, shape policy discourse, and secure favourable regulatory or funding environments.” The five largest company investments collectively account for 82 percent of the dollar value on the White House’s corporate list. Five companies accounting for the majority of new investment promises are: Stargate The Stargate Project is an artificial intelligence collaboration among OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank, announced during a January 21 White House event. The White House values the investment at $500bn. The company’s official announcement says $100bn will be invested “immediately” and that it “intends to invest” a total of $500bn over the next four years, a goal repeated by SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son at the White House event. “Whether that much will ultimately get spent remains to be seen,” wrote John Higgins, chief economist at Capital Economics, an international consulting firm. Enrique Dans, who studies technology and policy at Madrid’s IE Business School, said the $500bn figure is “astronomical – roughly 2 percent of US gross domestic product – and lacks clear documentation”. Advertisement At the White House event, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, “We wouldn’t be able to do this without you, Mr President.” But Altman had been discussing plans for a $100bn investment 10 months before Trump won his second term, The Washington Post reported, including an Abilene, Texas, data centre that began construction in summer 2024. “AI investments have been on a global trajectory driven by technological maturity and competitive pressure, especially from China,” Dans said. “Any US president would have
What can be learned from the latest conflict between India and Pakistan?
A tense ceasefire holds days after the most intense hostilities in decades. Feelings of relief and hope are sweeping India and Pakistan. The latest flare-up in hostilities that killed at least 60 people across the two countries has come to a dramatic halt after four days. Nearly 30 countries including the United States are reported to have been involved in getting the ceasefire agreed. The administration of US President Donald Trump, which announced the truce, has proposed a new round of talks at a neutral venue to try and end the bitter rivalry. A dispute over divided Kashmir, India’s accusation that Pakistan is backing terrorist attacks inside its territory, and differences over the sharing of river water are all issues that have been festering for decades. So are both sides at last ready to negotiate? Presenter: Cyril Vanier Guests: Walter Ladwig – Senior lecturer in International Relations at King’s College London Elijah Magnier – Military and political analyst Shashank Joshi – Defence editor of The Economist newspaper Adblock test (Why?)