Israel kills 5 journalists in 24 hours in Gaza; toll mounts to 158

Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw who was in Pakistan’s custody since April 23, has been handed over to India. The BSF said in a statement that Shaw was handed over to India at 10:30 am through the Attari border check post in Amritsar. 

BSF stated that Shaw is being debriefed after his handover. 

The handover was conducted peacefully and in accordance with established protocols, said the force. 

"With the consistent efforts of BSF through regular flag meetings with Pakistan rangers and through other communication channels, the repatriation of BSF constable has become possible," said BSF. 

Shaw, a jawan of the 182nd Battalion, was detained by the Pakistan Rangers after he inadvertently crossed the International Border near Punjab’s Ferozepur. 

The jawan on duty was stationed near the border fence. He was in uniform and was carrying his service rifle, when he moved towards a shaded area for some rest. In doing so, he had crossed into Pakistani territory, where he was apprehended by the Pakistani Rangers. 

Amid the ongoing border tension with Pakistan, the Punjab Police in India arrested two individuals on espionage charges. They allegedly leaked sensitive information and photographs of Army cantonment areas and Air Bases in Amritsar, said the police on Sunday.

The two persons were identified as Palak Sher Masih and Suraj Masih. They were arrested in a significant counter-espionage operation by the Amritsar Rural Police.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav wrote on X, "Malerkotla Police apprehends two individuals for their alleged involvement in espionage activities linked to a Pakistani official posted at the High Commission, New Delhi.

"Acting on credible intelligence, one suspect was arrested for leaking sensitive information regarding Indian Army movements to a Pakistan-based handler. Based on disclosures made during interrogation, a second conduit was also identified and taken into custody.

"Preliminary investigation reveals that the accused had been receiving payments through online transactions in exchange for classified information. They were in frequent contact with the handler and were involved in channeling funds to other local operatives as per his instructions. Two mobile phones have been recovered, and an FIR has been registered."

The police said further investigation will be undertaken as per established protocol, with a focus on tracing the financial trail and identifying additional operatives and linkages within the network.

Riyadh: Dismantling years of US government policy of treating Syria like a pariah, President Donald Trump on Wednesday met Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa-- former leader of a rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which was an offshoot of al-Qaeda and designated as a terrorist organisation by the American government. The meeting was held in Riyadh at the request of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a day after President Trump lifted sweeping sanctions against Syria, which the US began imposing in 1979.

After the meeting, Trump, who often judges people based on how they look, suggested that al-Sharaa has a "real shot at doing a good job" with war-torn Syria. He also called the former terrorist a "young, attractive, tough guy" with a "very strong" past. 

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, he said al-Sharaa is a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”

“He's got a real shot at holding it together."

Trump said he spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, "who is very friendly with him. He feels he's got a shot of doing a good job. It's a torn-up country.”

Trump is the first US president to meet a Syrian leader in a quarter of a century, and urged the onetime jihadist to normalise ties with Israel. He, however, gave no indication that the United States would remove Syria from its blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism -- a designation dating back to 1979 over support to Palestinian militants that severely impedes investment.

But the US president's offer to lift sanctions on Syria, mostly imposed during the repressive rule of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, comes as a major boost to the war-ravaged country, still getting to grips with Sharaa's December toppling of Assad.

Why Meeting Raised Eyebrows?

The meeting between the two leaders raised eyebrows globally due to al-Sharaa's murky past. Previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, al-Sharaa was linked to the terror group al-Qaeda and fought against US forces in Iraq, and had even spent years in American custody. However, the former jihadist has abandoned his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, trimmed his beard and donned a suit and tie to receive foreign dignitaries since ousting Assad from power on December 8, 2024.

He was later appointed to lead Syria for an unspecified transitional period, and has been tasked with forming an interim legislature after the dissolution of the Assad era parliament and the suspension of the 2012 constitution.