Times of India

The Union government assured the Supreme Court it would refrain from appointments to the Central Waqf Council and Auqaf Boards, maintaining the status quo on waqf properties. This assurance preempted a potential stay on contentious provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Despite strained trade relations with Bangladesh, India asserts its commitment to regional trade, clarifying that the trans-shipment facility withdrawal aimed to ease port congestion without impacting Bangladesh's exports to Nepal and Bhutan. India has expressed concerns over Bangladesh's restrictive trade measures, including port closures and yarn import blocks, alongside its renewed ties with Pakistan, raising security concerns for India.

Jaipur is making preparations to welcome US Vice-President J D Vance, his wife Usha, and their children on April 22. During their visit, Vance will meet with industry leaders and government officials, as well as tour Amber Fort and City Palace. He is also scheduled to speak at an industry event focused on trade and technology.

Farooq Abdullah disputes A S Dulat's claim of supporting Article 370 abrogation, but Dulat clarifies he meant Abdullah's desire to align with Delhi on his terms. Dulat's book praises Abdullah's leadership, revealing insights into the Rubaiya Sayeed abduction and IC-814 hostage swap, highlighting Farooq's initial opposition and eventual acquiescence to decisions.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor CV Ananda Bose are at odds over Murshidabad, with Banerjee urging against visits to avoid escalating tensions following Waqf law-related violence. Bose intends to assess the situation and report to the Centre, having met with affected individuals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, was introduced after receiving numerous complaints from the Muslim community, particularly women and widows, regarding the previous system. He emphasized that the new law aims to address these grievances and empower those who suffered under the old regulations, ensuring justice for victims, especially widows.

A Bhopal court has reopened the investigation into the 1997 death of Mahila Congress activist Sarla Mishra, who died from severe burns. The court questioned the validity of her dying declaration, citing the extent of her injuries.

Congress has strongly criticized the new waqf law, labeling it a BJP tactic to target minority institutions and undermine their autonomy. The party argues that the law, particularly Clauses 9 and 14, infringes upon the religious freedom guaranteed by Article 26 of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court is considering petitions from a Muslim woman, an NGO, and an advocate challenging the inheritance provisions of Sharia law, arguing they discriminate against women. They seek the freedom to follow the secular Indian Succession Act instead.

Calcutta HC overturned the dismissal of an RPF constable who allegedly praised a colleague for fatally shooting a senior officer during the 2018 Meghalaya elections and cautioned about a potential "mutiny" on Facebook.

In a significant reform, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is considering removing the mandatory physics and maths requirement in class 12 for commercial pilot license (CPL) training. This move aims to open the field to arts and commerce students, aligning India with global standards.

A video circulating online shows an individual, believed to be a student, casually drinking coffee while walking past a bloodied shooting victim at Florida State University. The person filmed the scene instead of offering assistance. The shooting, which resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries, involved a suspect identified as Phoenix Ikner, an FSU student.

In a shocking incident at New Medical College Hospital in Kota, Jagdish Panchal, a 60-year-old partially paralysed man, was mistakenly operated on after responding to a call for another patient with the same name. The error occurred while his son, Manish, was undergoing surgery, leading to an incision before the mix-up was discovered.

The Enforcement Directorate is likely to file prosecution complaints against Robert Vadra in multiple money laundering cases, including the Gurgaon land deal. These cases also involve alleged links to arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and the Bikaner land deal. Vadra's questioning follows charges against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, intensifying scrutiny on financial dealings.

A recent report evaluating India's Information Commissions reveals that a majority of commissioners, particularly chief commissioners, are retired government officials, defying the RTI Act's call for diverse backgrounds. Gender disparity persists, with women holding only a small fraction of positions. Case disposal rates vary significantly across commissions, with some returning a high number of cases without orders.

Adani Enterprises will share approximately 42% of revenue with NHLML for the Sonprayag-Kedarnath ropeway project, a 13 km route expected to drastically cut travel time to 36 minutes. This Rs 4,081 crore project, approved on PPP mode, aims to transport 18,000 pilgrims daily.

In a significant legal setback for Google, a US judge has ruled that the tech giant illegally dominates the online advertising technology market. This decision paves the way for potential antitrust actions, including a possible breakup of Google's ad product divisions. The court found Google guilty of monopolizing publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, harming competition and consumers.

Pakistan's army chief, Gen Asim Munir, delivered a provocative speech urging Pakistanis to uphold the 'two-nation theory,' sparking concerns in India. Intelligence sources view this as a diversionary tactic amid internal security challenges and escalating conflicts with the TTP and Baloch insurgents.

In Agra's Garhi Rammi village, a Dalit wedding procession faced a violent attack allegedly by upper-caste individuals due to loud music played near their residences. The groom was assaulted, robbed, and guests were injured, prompting a police investigation and the detention of two suspects.