HIGHLIGHTS AT 10.40 PM

New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 10.40 pm:
    
     NATION

     DEL145 INDIA-STRIKE-JAMMU
     *Sounds of blast trigger panic in Jammu, area plunges into darkness
     Jammu: Sounds resembling blasts caused panic in Jammu city late on Thursday evening as security forces detected Pakistani drones near the heavily-guarded airport here, officials said.

     DEL138 INDIA-STRIKE-LDALL PAKISTAN
     India foils Pak attempts to strike military sites in 15 cities, targets air defence systems in Pakistan
     New Delhi: India on Thursday thwarted Pakistan's attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles at 15 places in northern and western regions of the country and targeted Pakistani air defence systems with one in Lahore being "neutralised", as tensions soared between the two countries amid fears of a wider conflict.
    
     DEL169 3RDLDALL INDIA-STRIKE-STATES-ALERT
     Leave cancelled, schools shut: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan among states on high alert
     Chandigarh/Jaipur: Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, many states have announced the closure of schools, blackouts in border districts, and cancellation of leave of police personnel and administration officials.
    
     DEL160 PB-BLACKOUT-LD PATHANKOT
     Punjab: Blackout in Pathankot, Amritsar, Chandigarh
     Chandigarh: A blackout was enforced in several districts including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Mohali in Punjab and Union Territory Chandigarh on Thursday evening, officials said.
    
     DEL154 INDIA-PAK-STRIKE-LD JAISHANKAR
     Any military attack on India will be met with very firm response: Jaishankar
     New Delhi: In a tough message to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said India has no intention to escalate tensions with the neighbouring nation but any military attacks on its soil will be met with a "very" firm response.

     DEL146 INDIA-STRIKE-4THLD ALLPARTY
     At least 100 terrorists, associates killed in strikes, Op Sindoor on: Rajnath at all-party meeting
     New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting on Thursday that at least 100 hardcore terrorists and their associates were killed in Indian strikes on terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) under the ongoing Operation Sindoor, sources said.
    
     DEL152 JK-LOC-SHELLING
     Pak troops shell J-K's Kupwara, Baramulla from across LoC
     Srinagar: Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling along the Line of Control in Kupwara and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir late on Thursday evening with the Indian armed forces retaliating effectively, officials said.
    
     DEL147 UKD-3RDLD CRASH
     6 killed as helicopter on way to Gangotri temple crashes
     Uttarkashi (U'khand): A helicopter on its way to the Gangotri temple crashed near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district on Thursday, killing six people, including the pilot, and leaving a man seriously injured, officials said.

     SPD30 SPO-CRI-IPL-PBKS-DC-CALLED OFF
     IPL match between PBKS and DC called off amid blackout in Dharamsala
     Dharamsala: The IPL match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals here on Thursday was called off due to security reasons following air raid alerts in nearby areas, which forced a blackout in the hill town.

     LEGAL
         
     LGD40 SC-DUBEY-LD ORDER
     'Not as fragile as flowers': SC raps BJP Nishikant Dubey for 'scandalous' remarks on judiciary, CJI
     New Delhi: The Supreme Court has rapped BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for his remarks against it and Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, saying they tend to “scandalise” and lower the authority of apex court.
    
     LGD33 CJI- LD JUSTICE VARMA
     Cash row: CJI recommends impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma, say sources
     New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is learnt to have recommended to the Centre impeachment of Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma following his indictment in the cash discovery row by a Supreme Court-appointed committee.
    
     FOREIGN    
    
     FGN89 US-RUBIO-INDOPAK
     US Secretary of State Rubio urges de-escalation in talks with India, Pak; presses Islamabad to curb terror support
     New York: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday spoke separately with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, emphasising the need for de-escalation and reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups. By Yoshita Singh

     FGN81 NEPAL-INDIA
     Nepal says it will not allow its soil to be used against neighbours by 'inimical' forces
     Kathmandu: Nepal on Thursday said it was "deeply concerned" about the rising tensions in the region and asserted that the Himalayan nation will not allow its soil to be used against neighbours by "inimical" forces. By Shirish B Pradhan

     FGN77 PAK-LDALL ARMY
* Pak army says 3 people killed, 4 soldiers among 8 injured in drone attacks, claims it hit several UAVs launched by India
     Islamabad/Lahore: The Pakistan Army on Thursday said three people were killed and eight others, including four soldiers, were injured in drone attacks and claimed that armed forces shot down several UAVs launched by India, as tension continued between the neighbours. *
    
     FGN71 CHINA-INDOPAK
     * China urges India, Pak to exercise restraint, refrain from taking actions that may 'further complicate' situation
     Beijing: China on Thursday urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may "further complicate" the situation, as it asked the two neighbours to act in the "larger interests of peace and stability". **

    

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)