NATIONAL NEWS

Supreme Court slammed Tamil Nadu Governor

• The Supreme Court slammed Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi’s conduct as “unconstitutional”, criticising his prolonged inaction on 10 key Bills and said Mr. Ravi had acted as a “roadblock” by delaying action on the Bills sent to him for consent by the Assembly under Article 200 of the Constitution.

Supreme Court

Reporting incidents of birth and death mandatory

• The Registrar-General of India’s (RGI) office under the Union Home Ministry’s authority, as per Section 23(2) of the Registration of Birth and Death (RBD) Act has communicated all states that they must report incidents of birth and death within 21 days and negligence by the registrar in registering any birth or death” is punishable with a fine.
• Under the Civil Registration System (CRS), the Centre’s online portal, government hospitals have been entrusted with the responsibility of functioning as registrars.

Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025

• The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 come into effect from 8 April, 2025 following the assent given by President Droupadi Murmu to the legislation.
• This Act aims to improve governance by enhancing transparency in property management, streamlining coordination between Waqf Boards and local authorities, and protecting stakeholders’ rights.

‘Aadhaar Samvaad’

• A day-long stakeholders’ meet ‘Aadhaar Samvaad’ was organized by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) with ecosystem partners in Delhi.
• UIDAI also unveiled a new Aadhaar app for secure digital verification and QR-based data sharing, which enhances user privacy and reduces dependence on physical copies.

Chintan Shivir

• The two-day Chintan Shivir, organised by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in Dehradun and discussed about better coordination between the state and central governments to implement the schemes.

STATE SPECIAL

Odisha Investors’ Meet

• The Odisha government signed 13 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas at the Odisha Investors’ Meet in New Delhi.
• Prominent proposals among the MoUs include the establishment of a dual-feed naphtha cracker project by Indian Oil Corporation.

Odisha

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

3rd BIMSTEC Agriculture Meet

• Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in 3rd BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting which held in Nepal.

BIMSTEC

India-UAE Bilateral Relations

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, in New Delhi and discussed ways to further strengthen the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

UAE

AIM Congress 2025

• Annual Investment Meeting Congress (AIM Congress 2025) was organized at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. It serves as the premier global platform continues to facilitate crucial dialogues on foreign direct investment and economic cooperation.

Bangladesh inks ‘Artemis Accords’

• Bangladesh has inked the 'Artemis Accords' as the 54th country with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), focused on non-military space exploration.
• The Artemis Accords, established in October 2020, are a set of non-binding agreements designed to promote peaceful and cooperative civil exploration of outer space.

NASA

ECONOMY & BANKING

RBI cuts repo rate by 25 basis points

• RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced a 25-basis point (bps) cut to the repo rate.

Electronics Component Scheme to Boost Atmanirbhar Bharat

• The government has issued a notification for the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme with a funding of 22,919 crore rupees to make India Atmanirbhar in the electronics supply chain.

Reciprocal tariffs take effect: 104% on China, 26% on India

• The US President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs came into effect, including a staggering 104 per cent tariff on Chinese imports and 26% on Indian imports.
• Trump announced 46% tariffs on Vietnam, 32% on Taiwan, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 20% on the European Union.

United States of America:

IMPORTANT DAYS

Navkar Mahamantra Divas

• PM Narendra Modi participated in Jain’s ‘Navkar Mahamantra Divas’ which was organised in New Delhi.
• Navkar Mahamantra is the most revered and universal chant in Jainism and it pays homage to the virtues of enlightened beings and inspires inner transformation.

Jainism

Council 1st: Pataliputra (3rd Century BCE)

• Council 2nd: Vallabhi (512 AD) Important Temples: Shikharji (Jharkhand), Palitana (Gujarat), Ranakpur (Rajasthan), Shravanabelagola (Karnataka)

PERSON IN NEWS

Kumari Anandhan

• Congress veteran and father of BJP leader and former Governor of Telengana Dr. Tamilisai Sounderarajan, Kumari Anandhan passed away in Chennai at the age of 92.

Dadi Ratan Mohini

• 101 years old, Rajyogini Dadi Ratan Mohini, the head of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya, died at a hospital in Ahmedabad.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Heart Lamp

• Karnataka-based writer, activist and lawyer Banu Mushtaq’s short story collection ‘Heart Lamp’ has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025. The work has been translated from Kannada to English by Deepa Bhasthi.

ENVIRONMENT + SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Himalayan Climate Centre in Udhampur

• Union Minister Jitendra Singh launched the first-ever ‘Himalayan High-Altitude Atmospheric & Climate Centre’ in Nathatop, Chenani, Udhampur district. The project, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, will enhance climate monitoring in the Himalayas.

APPOINTMENT

Neelam Dhungana Timsina

• Deputy Governor Dr Neelam Dhungana Timsina has been appointed as acting governor of Nepal Rastra Bank for the time being.

Nepal

SPORTS

World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina

• In shooting, Vijayveer Sidhu has become the first Indian to win gold in the men's 25-meter rapid fire pistol event of the ISSF World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• In the women's category Suruchi Singh claimed her maiden gold in the 10-meter air pistol event.