1 India gave a restrained and precise response, destroyed the air defense system in Lahore
India has given a restrained, precise and fully targeted response to Pakistan’s recent aggressive action under Operation Sindoor . Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh informed the media about this on Thursday. They said that the retaliation taken by India on May 7 was non-provocative and focused only on security threats. Officials said that Pakistan tried to target many military bases of India with drones and missiles on the night of May 7-8 . The targets were cities like Avantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai and Bhuj . But the Indian air defense system and integrated counter-UAS grid completely foiled these attacks. In the retaliation from India, many air defense radars and systems of Pakistan were successfully targeted. In this, an air defense system located in Lahore was completely destroyed. India has made it clear that it takes military action only when its national security is threatened.
2 American priest Robert Francis Prevost elected as new Pope, will take responsibility under the name Leo XIV
American-born priest Robert Francis Prevost was elected the new Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday . 69-year-old Prevost was born in Chicago and has been a member of the Augustinian Order . Now he will be known as Pope Leo XIV . Robert Francis Prevost was serving as the head of the Dicastery for Bishops and the President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since the year 2023. Pope Francis, who appointed him to these posts, made him a cardinal. After the death of Pope Francis, Prevost has become the second Pope from America. The announcement of the election of the Pope took place with white smoke rising in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, which indicated that the cardinals have chosen the new Pope.
3 Indian Navy gets its first indigenous anti-submarine warship ‘Arnala’
Boosting the country’s maritime power, the Indian Navy on Thursday was handed over the first indigenous anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW-SWC) ‘Arnala’ . ‘Arnala’ is the first in a series of eight such warships designed by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) . It has been built at L&T shipyard in Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu . It was formally handed over to the Indian Navy on 8 May . The ‘Arnala’ warship is 77 meters long and is the largest warship of the Indian Navy powered by diesel engine-waterjet combination . This warship is capable of carrying out undersea surveillance, search and rescue operations, low intensity maritime operations and anti-submarine operations in coastal areas . Along with this, it also has the capability of modern mine laying . ‘Arnala’ is named after the historic Arnala Fort near Vasai in Maharashtra , which is a symbol of India’s rich maritime heritage. The warship has been built under the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) rules and is an example of how collaborative efforts can be successful in defence production under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) of GRSE and L&T Shipyard.
4 Rajasthan, along with Madhya Pradesh will be included in India’s first cheetah conservation corridor
In May 2025 , Rajasthan is set to become a key partner in India’s first inter-state cheetah conservation corridor , which will join hands with Madhya Pradesh (MP) to establish a 17,000 square kilometre (sq km) wildlife corridor . This will allow cheetahs to move freely in protected and connected habitat . The project aims to improve genetic diversity, ensure better movement for wildlife, and mitigate the challenges of habitat fragmentation. Out of the 17,000 sq km corridor area, 10,500 sq km falls in Madhya Pradesh and the remaining 6,500 sq km in Rajasthan . The corridor will span 27 districts : 13 in Rajasthan and 12 in Madhya Pradesh . The corridor will connect Palpur Kuno National Park (NP) and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh with Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan .
5 Delhi government approves cloud seeding to reduce air pollution in the city
The Cabinet of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi has approved a proposal for experimental cloud seeding to address the city’s air pollution . The proposal titled “ Technology Demonstration and Evaluation of Cloud Seeding as an Option for Delhi-NCR ” was approved in a meeting of the Delhi Government Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on 7 May 2025. The project will be implemented in the city after receiving regulatory approvals from 13 central government agencies, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Airports Authority of India. China successfully used cloud seeding technology ahead of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics to reduce air pollution and improve air quality . The Delhi government will conduct five cloud seeding trials in the summer season after necessary approvals. The first trial is scheduled for late May/June and will cover an area of about 100 square kilometers, mainly on the outskirts of Delhi. The total cost of this project will be Rs 3.21 crore. Each trial will cost Rs 55 lakh and one-time installation cost will be Rs 66 lakh. The cloud seeding project will be operated by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi . Delhi government will provide funds to IIT-Delhi for this project. Cloud seeding is a process of using dry ice or commonly known as silver iodide aerosol. into the upper part of the clouds to induce precipitation and cause rain. In cloud seeding, small particles are dispersed using aircraft along the flow of clouds. The small particles absorb moisture from the air and condense, increasing their mass. This leads to the formation of heavy water droplets and causing rain.
6 2025 Pulitzer Winner Announced
The 2025 winners of the Pulitzer Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious journalism awards, have been announced by Columbia University in the United States . The award winners will be honored later in a ceremony organized by Columbia University. This year, the award has been given to the news agency Reuters for its investigation into the smuggling of chemicals used to make fentanyl drugs into the US. The New York Times of the United States won four awards and the total number of awards has gone up to 139 since the award began in 1917. The Pulitzer Prize is given in journalism and arts categories but it is famous for the journalism award in the world. There are 15 awards in the journalism category and 8 awards in the arts category. Some of the important winners of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize are as follows.
Journalism Category
Some of the important award winners in journalism categories are as follows.
Public Service : ProPublica, a non-profit investigative journalism organization in California.
Investigative Reporting : Staff of the news agency Reuters for their investigation into the entry of fentanyl drugs into the US.
International Reporting : Declan Walsh and the staff of The New York Times were honored for their investigation into the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Breaking News Reporting : Staff of The Washington Post were honored for their coverage of the assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Editorial Writing : Raj Mankad, Sharon Steinman, Lisa Falkenberg and Leah Binkowitz of the Houston Chronicle.
Audio Reporting : Staff of The New Yorker
Book, Plays & Music Categories
Fiction : “James”, written by Percival Everett
Play : “Purpose”, written by Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins
History : “Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War”, written by Ada L. Fields-Black
Biography : “Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life”, written by Jason Roberts
Poetry : “New and Selected Poems”, composed by Marie Howe
Music : “Sky Islands”, composed by Susie Ibarra
General Nonfiction : “To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement”, written by Benjamin Nathan
7 STRIDE-EUI launched to strengthen EU-India partnership in trade, technology and security
In May 2025 , New Delhi (Delhi)-based The Dialogue and Leuven (Belgium) -based Greyspace Law and Policy Consulting Firm officially launched the European Union (EU)-India Partnership for Strategic Research, Innovation and Dialogue (STRIDE-EUI) through a high-impact discussion . The initiative aims to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and the EU. STRIDE-EUI, based in New Delhi (Delhi) and Brussels (Belgium), will build a bridge between political capitals, connecting policy and practice, government and business, ambition and action.
8 Sanjay Jaiswal appointed head of COE; Baijayant Panda appointed head of COPU for FY 2026
In May 2025 , Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla appointed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dr Sanjay Jaiswal as the chairman of the Committee on Estimates (CoE) for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26) . The committee has 30 members, all from the Lok Sabha. The term of the committee is effective from May 1, 2025 and will end on April 30, 2026. The committee examines the estimates included in the budget and suggests austerity in public expenditure. It also recommends alternative policies to bring efficiency and austerity in administration. Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, BJP MP from Kendrapara, Odisha has been reappointed as the chairman of the Committee on Public Undertakings (CoPU) for FY26 . The committee has 22 members, of which 15 are from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha.
9 International Thalassemia Day
International Thalassemia Day is observed every year on May 8 as a global effort for prevention, awareness and early diagnosis of the inherited blood disorder thalassemia . This year’s theme of International Thalassemia Day – Together for Thalassemia: Integrating communities, prioritizing patients – underlines the need for a collective effort for prevention, early diagnosis and continuous care.
10 World Red Cross Day
World Red Cross Day is celebrated every year on 8 May all over the world. The theme of this year is – Keeping humanity alive . This day is celebrated in honor of those who are dedicated to reducing the suffering of others and protecting their dignity . This day is celebrated in memory of the birth anniversary of Jean Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross Movement and the first Nobel Peace Prize winner. On this occasion, the selfless work of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers around the world was honored, especially their contribution during conflict areas and disasters. The purpose of this day is to promote values such as humanitarian service, neutrality, compassion and service spirit, which are the foundation of the Red Cross Movement.