Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the country's first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) for a period of five years. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's summary recommending Munir for both Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) was approved, the Pakistan President's office said in a X post. "President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently as CDF for 5 years," the official X handle of the President of Pakistan said in a post. President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently as CDF for 5 years, and a 2-year extension for Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu from 19 March 2026. The President conveyed his best wishes to both. pic.twitter.com/RrIJNCC7I5 — The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) December 4, 2025 This comes after a lot of speculation over Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's willingness to hand over more power to Munir, as the Sharif government was supposed to notify the appointment of the country's first Chief of Defence Forces on November 29, the day Munir's original three-year term as army chief ended. The Chief of Defence Forces' role was established last month under the 27th Amendment to the Constitution, aiming to centralise military command. Additionally, the Pakistan President also approved a two-year extension in the service of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, which will take effect from March 19, 2026. Asif Ali Zardari conveyed his best wishes to both Pakistan Armed Forces officers. Asim Munir, who was promoted to the Field Marshal rank this year, will also simultaneously hold the office of the Chief of Army Staff, along with his duties as CDF. He is only the second military officer in the country's history to hold the Field Marshal title after Gen. Ayub Khan, who led Pakistan during the 1965 war with India. Earlier, when the Pakistan government delayed the official notification concerning Munir's appointment as CDF, former member of the India's National Security Advisory Board Tilak Devasher said that Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif was intentionally avoiding the issue of notification. Speaking to ANI, Devasher highlighted that Sharif left for Bahrain and then London, leading to speculation that he's deliberately staying away to avoid issuing the notification. "Very smartly, Pakistan PM had gone to Bahrain and from there, he pushed off to London," Devasher told ANI. "He is deliberately staying out of this because he clearly doesn't want to issue the notification giving Asim Munir 5 years as Army chief and as Chief of Defence Forces. He thinks that by keeping away from Pakistan and not having to sign the notification, he can escape the consequences." According to Devasher, the failure to notify had created a constitutional and operational gap. "All in all, this is a very messy state of affairs," he said. "If the fact remains that he (Asim Munir) is no longer the Army chief, then you have a situation where Pakistan doesn't have an Army chief and even the nuclear command authority, which was supposed to be under the new post of Strategic Forces Command, is also not there. So, it's an extremely strange situation that Pakistan is under at the moment." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 08:27 AM IST | Islamabad | ANIIndiGo on Thursday issued a "heartfelt apology" to customers and industry stakeholders after widespread disruptions across its network and operations over the past two days, and said the airline "remains focussed on streamlining its operations at the earliest." IndiGo has been experiencing a sharp rise in cancellations, reaching approximately 170-200 flights per day, which is substantially higher than normal. Passengers across multiple airports on Thursday voiced strong frustration as IndiGo's nationwide operations remained severely disrupted, leaving many stranded without clear communication or alternate travel options. "We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events. IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the support of MOCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI and airport operators to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy," IndiGo said in a statement posted on X. The last two days have seen widespread disruption across IndiGo’s network and operations. We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events. IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the… — IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 4, 2025 IndiGo said it is keeping passengers informed about any changes to their flight schedules and advised travellers to check the latest status before heading to the airport. "We continue to keep our customers apprised of any changes to their scheduled flights and advise them to check the latest status at https://goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html," the airline said. "IndiGo deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and remains focused on streamlining its operations at the earliest," the airline said in the statement. Flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were also severely disrupted on Thursday as IndiGo cancelled a total of 150 flights, including 75 departures and 75 arrivals, spanning both domestic and international routes since morning, confirmed Delhi Airport. IndiGo, one of India's largest and fastest-growing airlines, operates a fleet of over 400 aircraft and runs more than 2,300 flights daily. The carrier connects 90+ domestic and 45+ international destinations. In 2024, it inducted 58 aircraft and served over 118 million passengers in FY25. IndiGo was recently named the 'Best Airline in India and South Asia' at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 08:22 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIIsrael struck several weapons storage facilities belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the Israel Defence Forces said on Thursday. "These weapons storage facilities were located in the heart of the civilian population. This is yet another example of Hezbollah's cynical use of Lebanese civilians as human shields and continued operations from within civilian areas," the IDF said. To mitigate harm to civilians, residents of nearby buildings were warned to evacuate, while precision weapons, aerial surveillance and other measures were employed. Under the terms of a year-old ceasefire, the Lebanese government is committed to disarming Hezbollah, but Israeli officials have criticised Beirut's measures as unsatisfactory. Israel has launched frequent airstrikes on Hezbollah as the Iran-backed terror group tries to rebuild. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 08:19 AM IST | Tel Aviv | ANIThe Trump administration has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to prioritize visa applications from foreigners wishing to visit the United States to either invest in America or attend the 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympics and other major sporting events. At the same time, the administration has added new criteria for highly skilled foreign workers seeking a particular visa. The new rules would deny entry to those deemed to have directed or participated in the censorship of American citizens on social media through content moderation initiatives that have sprung up throughout Europe and elsewhere to combat extremist speech. In a series of cables sent this week to all U.S. diplomatic missions that were obtained by The Associated Press, the State Department said visa applications for businesspeople considering 'significant investments' in the United States should be at the top of the list for consideration along with applications from those wanting to travel 'for major sporting events which showcase American excellence.' It is the latest effort by President Donald Trump's administration to crack down on migrants and visitors entering the U.S. But with major sports events planned in the United States, the administration is looking to ensure that fans are able to attend those competitions. The policies are getting heightened attention ahead of Friday's World Cup draw. As part of a broader initiative to control the entry of foreigners into the U.S., the State Department has said all those who require visas to enter the country would need to submit to an in-person interview and screening to vet them for potential national security risks. This has led to lengthy wait times at many embassies and consulates for interviews to apply for what are known as 'B1' and 'B2' visas despite a surge in consular staffing. Last month, Trump announced a new initiative, dubbed 'FIFA Pass,' for foreigners traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup that will allow them to get interviews for visas more quickly. Nonetheless, he still encouraged them to apply for their visas 'right away.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration had dispatched more than 400 additional consular officers around the world to handle the demand for visas for the World Cup and that in about 80% of the globe, travelers to the U.S. can get a visa appointment within 60 days ' something reflected in the cable. The new steps in the cable this week go beyond the FIFA Pass initative to expedite applications for those looking to travel to the United States for the Olympics and other major sports events. Posts 'should ensure sufficient appointment capacity to accommodate spectators and other fans traveling for events surrounding the (World Cup) tournament,' said one of the two cables sent Tuesday. 'These should take priority over all other B1/B2 applications, except those related to American re-industrialization.' Others to be prioritized include foreign diplomats, government officials traveling on official business, temporary agricultural workers, religious workers, physicians and nurses, and students attending academic institutions with less than 15% foreign enrollment. 'Posts should ensure that applicants of higher ranked groups get priority over applicants and lower rank groups, regardless of demand by lower ranked applicants,' the cable said. 'Posts may significantly reduce the number of appointment slots available to lower rank groups in order to accommodate demand from higher rank groups.' A second cable sent Tuesday to all embassies and consulates set out new criteria for considering H-1B visa applications, instructing diplomats to 'be on the lookout' for those who may have been or are 'responsible for or complicit in the censorship of Americans' online and elsewhere. Those visas allow American companies to bring in people with technical skills that are hard to find in the United States, and President Donald Trump has said he would slap a USD 100,000 annual fee on them. The department said evidence of this could lead to visa denial. It defined such information as having 'adopting global content moderation policies inconsistent with freedom of expression, complying with global content moderation or censorship demands from a foreign entity and providing access to private data on American citizens in connection with content moderation.' Proof of this could be obtained from an applicant's resume, employment history, social media profiles and posts, and public statements or writings, the cable said, adding that the State Department was developing tools to make it easier and quicker to conduct these screenings. It noted that all visa applicants are subject to these criteria, but that H-1B applicants should be looked at most closely 'as many work or have worked in the tech sector, including in social media or financial services companies involved in the suppression of protected expression.' 'You must thoroughly explore their employment histories to ensure no participation in such activities,' the cable said, adding that 'if you uncover evidence and applicant was responsible for or complicit in censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible' for a visa. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 08:15 AM IST | Washington | APResearchers have found a way to convert acid mine drainage (AMD) — mining most toxic byproduct — into ferric chloride, a widely used coagulant for water purification. AMD is can contaminate rivers, groundwater, and soil for decades. The team extracted ferric iron from AMD and chemically converted it into ferric chloride by using magnesium oxide nanoparticles produced from magnesite. These nanoparticles precipitated iron from AMD, which was then reacted with hydrochloric acid to produce ferric chloride. The approach could turn a major hazard into an economic opportunity. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 08:11 AM IST | Pretoria | AgenciesResearchers have detected enormous clouds of helium drifting away from the exoplanet WASP-107b using the James Webb Space Telescope. Planetary atmospheres can sometimes leak into space. Earth experiences this as well, losing a little more than 3 kg of material every second (mainly hydrogen), and this loss cannot be reversed. The process, known as “atmospheric escape,” is significant for worlds that orbit extremely close to their star, where intense heat makes the effect much stronger. Understanding this process is crucial because it can influence how these planets change over time. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 08:07 AM IST | Texas | AgenciesResearchers have unveiled a microrobot that flies with speed and agility, mirroring the motion of real insects. These machines could help locate survivors in places humans and larger robots cannot reach. Roughly the size of a microcassette, the bot uses soft artificial muscles that power its flapping wings at high frequency. Updated hardware enables tight turns, rapid acceleration, and aerial tricks, while a AI-based controller interprets its position and environment to decide how it should move. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 08:03 AM IST | Boston | AgenciesA recent report presented before the Parliamentary Committee on Minority Caucus has revealed that out of 1817 Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras across Pakistan, only 37 remain operational. The data highlights a grim reality: centuries-old places of worship are worsening due to poor government maintenance and the dwindling population of Hindu and Sikh communities, as reported by Dawn. Local activists have strongly criticised the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) for its failure to care for temples and gurdwaras that fall under its jurisdiction and demanded that the ETPB’s leadership be handed over to a non-Muslim, arguing that only then could the restoration of neglected religious properties be handled with sincerity. They also recommended urgent steps to protect these heritage sites, which represent not only religious significance but also Pakistan’s multicultural past. Most of the temples and gurdwaras were abandoned after 1947. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 07:59 AM IST | Lahore | AgenciesA fighter jet with the Air Force's elite Thunderbirds demonstration squadron crashed in the Southern California desert, but the pilot managed to eject safely, the military said. The pilot was being treated at a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department. The F-16C Fighting Falcon crashed around 10:45 am on Wednesday during a training mission "over controlled airspace in California", according to a statement from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The fire department said it had responded to an "aircraft emergency" near Trona, an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert about 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. In 2022, a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed near Trona, killing the pilot. Wednesday's crash is under investigation and further information will be released from the 57th Wing Public Affairs Office, the Air Force statement said. Like the Navy's Blue Angels, the Air Force Thunderbirds perform their famous tight formations at air shows, and train to fly within inches of each other. The brief statement from the Air Force did not give details on the circumstances of the crash. The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds have had dozens of crashes in their long histories. Formed in 1953, the Thunderbirds practice seasonally out of Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas. Aircraft based there include F-16 Falcon and F-22 Raptor fighter jets as well as A-10 Warthog ground-attack jets. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
04 December,2025 02:58 PM IST | Trona (US) | APThai officials on Thursday said that remains handed over to Israel by militants in Gaza have been identified as belonging to the last Thai hostage taken during the October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had been notified by Israeli authorities that the returned remains belonged to Sudhisak Rinthalak, a Thai national who worked in agriculture. Nikorndej Balankura, the ministry's spokesperson, said that Sudhisak's family had been notified. He added that Sudhisak was killed on the day of the attack, and his body was taken into Gaza. He thanked the Israeli government for their assistance, which led to the release of all Thai hostages. In total, 20 living hostages and the remains of 27 others have been returned to Israel since a US-brokered ceasefire began in early October. These returns are a key part of the terms of a fragile ceasefire, which both Hamas and Israel have accused the other of violating. With just one hostage remaining, the sides are close to completing the first phase of the ceasefire. Since the start of the ceasefire, Israel has released the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians to Gaza in exchange for hostages or their remains, although most remain unidentified. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 December,2025 11:11 AM IST | Bangkok | APThe US government has expanded screening and vetting measures for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents, directing them to keep the privacy settings on all their social media profiles set to "public". In a new order issued Wednesday, the State Department said beginning December 15, a review of the online presence for all H-1B applicants and their dependents will be conducted. Students and exchange visitors were already subject to such scrutiny, which has now been extended to include those applying for H-1B and H-4 visas. "To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to 'public', the State Department said. Underscoring that a US visa is a privilege and not a right, the department said it uses all available information in screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible or pose a threat to America's national security or public safety. "Every visa adjudication is a national security decision," it said. The department said the US must be vigilant to ensure applicants do not intend to harm Americans and that all visa applicants credibly establish eligibility and intent to comply with the terms of their admission. The directive is the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to tighten immigration rules. The administration has launched a massive crackdown to check abuse of the H-1B visa programme, used largely by US technology companies to hire foreign workers. Indian professionals, including tech workers and physicians, form one of the largest groups of H-1B visa holders. In September, US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation, titled 'Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers', imposing a one-time USD 100,000 fee on new H-1B work visas, an order that could significantly impact Indian workers seeking temporary employment in the US. Separately, Washington has also paused with immediate effect Green Card, US citizenship and other immigration applications for people hailing from 19 countries of concern, following the shooting of National Guard soldiers by an Afghan national. A policy memorandum issued Tuesday directs the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to place on hold, effective immediately, all asylum applications, regardless of the immigrant's country of nationality, pending a comprehensive review. The pause also applies to all immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries previously covered by the administration's travel ban. These countries are Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen. The applications will be on hold "pending a comprehensive review, regardless of entry date", the directive said. The new guidance follows the shooting of US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and US Air Force Staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe, 24. Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries, Trump said Thursday during a Thanksgiving call with service members, while Wolfe remains in critical condition. The accused, Lakanwal, 29, had entered the US through 'Operation Allies Welcome', a Biden-era programme for Afghan nationals fleeing the Taliban takeover in 2021. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
04 December,2025 11:11 AM IST | New York/Washington | PTIADVERTISEMENT
