The Morning Standard - April 23, 2025

In this issue

April 23, 2025

PM CUTS SHORT VISIT, RETURNS

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday decided to cut short his state visit to Saudi Arabia and return to India in the wake of the J&K terror attack. He was originally scheduled to return on Wednesday night but will now arrive in New Delhi by early Wednesday morning. He also skipped the official dinner hosted in his honour by the Saudi government.

1 min

PM's Saudi trip to bolster strategic, trade partnership

IN a significant boost to bilateral relations, India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to deepen cooperation across multiple strategic sectors, including defence, investment, culture, and space after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

1 min

PM's Saudi trip to bolster strategic, trade partnership

IN a significant boost to bilateral relations, India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to deepen cooperation across multiple strategic sectors, including defence, investment, culture, and space after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

1 min

28 MASSACRED IN J&K

IN one of the biggest attacks on tourists coinciding with the visit of US Vice President JD Vance to India, terrorists on Tuesday massacred 28 people, most of them tourists, in J&K's Pahalgam area and injuring many others. Among the victims were two foreigners from UAE and Nepal and a couple of locals.

1 min

28 Massacred in J&K

IN one of the biggest attacks on tourists coinciding with the visit of US Vice President JD Vance to India, terrorists on Tuesday massacred 28 people, most of them tourists, in J&K's Pahalgam area and injuring many others.

1 min

IAF officer booked for attempt to murder

WING Commander Shiladitya Bose, who allegedly assaulted a call centre employee in a road rage case in Bengaluru and claimed that he did it in \"self-defence\" as the latter allegedly assaulted him first, has been booked for attempt to murder.

1 min

Biochemistry grad from UP, Gujarat CA take top 2 slots

WOMEN clinched the first two positions in the prestigious Civil Services 2024 exams announced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Tuesday.

1 min

Delhi HC tears into Ramdev on 'Sharbat jihad'

YOGA guru and Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev on Tuesday was ordered by the Delhi High Court to take down videos in which he made communal remarks targeting food company Hamdard and its popular drink 'Rooh Afza'.

1 min

Annamalai frontrunner for RS seat from Andhra

THE vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Andhra Pradesh is likely to be filled by a candidate from the BJP.

2 mins

Woman Duped of ₹50K on Pretext of Govt Job

A woman was allegedly duped of ₹50,000 by a cyber fraudster promising a government contract job.

1 min

Sirsa orders crackdown on polluters

IN response to the worsening air quality in the capital, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Monday held an emergency review meeting and ordered immediate action against high-polluting industries, institutions, and construction sites.

1 min

Man stabbed to death after he refuses to give 'bidi' to two

A 21-year-old man was stabbed to death, while his brother and a friend sustained injuries following a violent altercation in South East Delhi's Pul Prahaladpur area, police said on Tuesday.

1 min

Cameras at borders soon to bar overage vehicles

THE Delhi government plans to further intensify its proposed crackdown on preventing overaged vehicles to ply on city roads.

1 min

Security Beefed Up In City After J&K Terror Attack

FOLLOWING the terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed the lives of at least 26 people, mostly tourists, the national capital has been placed on high alert, officials said.

1 min

3 Members of Gogi Gang Planning Robbery Arrested

DELHI Police's Crime Branch arrested three members of the notorious Gogi gang, who were reportedly planning to commit a robbery in the South Delhi area, officials said on Tuesday.

1 min

Desilting of Wazirabad pond begins to boost water supply

IN an effort to enhance Delhi's water supply, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has initiated a large-scale desilting project aimed at increasing the storage capacity of the Wazirabad pond, a key raw water source in the capital.

1 min

Launch of e-buses put off due to mourning for Pope

THE city government postponed the launch of the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interchanges (DEVI) on Tuesday following the Centre's declaration of national mourning in the wake of the passing of Pope Francis.

1 min

Man arrested for injuring traffic police official

A 51-year-old cab driver, Liyakat Ali, was arrested for allegedly hitting and injuring Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Arvind Kumar of Delhi Traffic Police in Mahipalpur, southwestern Delhi, police said on Tuesday.

1 min

MHA asks cops to downgrade Atishi's security from 'Z' to 'Y'

THE Ministry of Home Affairs has directed the police to downgrade the security cover provided to former Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi from 'Z' to 'Y' category, police sources said on Tuesday.

1 min

Gupta Convenes Meeting on Heritage, Conservation Plan for Delhi Assembly Building

To begin the process of creating a detailed heritage and conservation plan for the historic Delhi Legislative Assembly building, Speaker Vijender Gupta chaired a meeting with experts and officials on Tuesday.

1 min

Capital sees warm and dry day, no relief in sight as temperature could rise further

THE capital experienced another hot and dry day on Tuesday, with temperatures nearing 40°C and clear skies prevailing across the region.

1 min

Patkar told to move sessions court for sentence deferment

THE High Court on Tuesday directed social activist Medha Patkar to approach the sessions court to seek deferment of the execution of her sentence in a decades-old defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena.

2 mins

BJP MLAs to aid ministers to improve governance

Model worked out to address issues in constituencies effectively

2 mins

AAP Accuses BJP Govt. of Stopping Pensions for Widows, Divorced Women

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday accused the Delhi BJP government of stopping pensions for widows and divorced women, claiming that payments have been delayed for the past two months.

1 min

HC quashes charge against mother who delayed reporting sexual abuse

THE Delhi High Court clarified that Section 21 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act is meant to prevent the concealment of child sexual abuse and ensure timely reporting in the child's best interest.

1 min

UK judge rejects plea on extradition of Sanjay Bhandari, ED tells court

THE Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a Delhi court on Tuesday that a UK court has rejected its appeal for the extradition of arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to India.

1 min

Telangana IB officer shot dead in front of wife, kids

MANISH Ranjan, a section officer in the Administration Wing of the Central Intelligence Bureau (CIB), Hyderabad, was one of the victims in Tuesday's terror attack.

1 min

Odisha's Prasant 'wanted to show his family heaven'

FOR 43-year-old Prasant Kumar Satpathy the visit to Kashmir was not just a vacation, it was a long-nurtured dream. But that dream of a joyful experience amidst the nature's bounty ended in unthinkable tragedy as he fell to terrorists' bullets in the Baisaran valley of Pahalgam in South Kashmir on Tuesday.

2 mins

Kochi Man's Trekking Trip With Daughter Cut Short

A Kochi native was among those killed in Tuesday's Pehalgam terror attack.

1 min

TTD to begin trial run for early morning VIP darshan

Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has announced a trial run to reinstate the Early Morning VIP Break Darshan, shifting from the current VIP Break Darshan schedule that begins at 8 am or 10 am on peak days like Fridays, and concludes by 1:30 pm.

1 min

Row over Bills: SC to examine on May 6 if its TN verdict covers issues raised by Kerala

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear and examine on May 6, as to whether the recent judgment delivered by it on a plea filed by Tamil Nadu, fixing timelines for the grant of assent to bills, covered the issues raised by the Kerala government in its pleas.

1 min

They shot my husband dead in front of me

A pall of gloom descended on the family of city-based realtor Manjunath Rao, who was killed in the terror attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir on Tuesday.

1 min

The Oil Price Domino In Motion

OIL markets are fundamentally risk-avid and react obsessively in times of geopolitical unrest, ignoring other factors. Historically rising prices and volatility recalibrate political equations aimed at wresting economic advantage. In this light, we can see the current slide in oil prices as steering a broader détente and seeking new multi-lateral alliances.

3 mins

THE INDIVIDUAL: FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

In the age of Trumpism, we can no longer stay content with rights and be indifferent to duties. Individual citizens must create spaces to engage with global affairs

4 mins

Ex-judge says no need to curtail Assembly tenures for simultaneous elections

AT the meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the 'One Nation One election' Bill, former Supreme Court Judge Hemant Gupta made suggestions, including the substitution of existing Article 82A with a new provision for the simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, said sources.

1 min

Man with 9 Failed Marriages Kills His 10th Wife on Suspicion of Theft in C'garh

A decaying body discovered from a pile of leaves in a forest of Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district has blown the lid off a disturbing pattern of domestic abuse by a local resident.

1 min

Vance sales pitch for US wishlist

Outlines vision for stronger India-US ties on defence, trade and energy; lauds Modi leadership

2 mins

Raj rolls out red carpet: Veep, family day-out at Amer Fort in open gypsy

US Vice President JD Vance began his four-day trip to Jaipur by visiting the historic Amer Palace on Tuesday morning.

1 min

Maha U-turn on Hindi as 3rd language, makes it optional

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday took a sharp U-turn over making Hindi the third language in primary schools.

2 mins

Pastor booked for abduction & rape of 22-yr-old

THIRTEEN people, including a pastor, have been booked for raping and kidnapping based on the complaint of a 22-year-old woman at the Dera Baba Nanak police station in Punjab's Gurdaspur district.

1 min

Alert Over Kuki Meet on April 30 in Manipur Dist

AMID a relative lull in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, a Kuki-Zo organisation's call to Kuki village chiefs and uniformed personnel to attend a meeting on April 30 in Kangpokpi district has alarmed Manipur Police even as a state-based insurgent leader has been arrested by Meghalaya Police.

1 min

Patil-Yadav meet triggers Gujarat BJP top deck rejig amid hectic lobbying

THE battle for Gujarat BJP president's chair heats up, with the power struggle now echoing through Delhi's corridors.

1 min

Nine arrested for gang-raping girl in Jaunpur hotel

BARELY four hours after a 15-year-old girl was gangraped by nine people at a hotel room in Jaunpur, the district police rounded up all the culprits, including four juveniles, on Tuesday morning.

1 min

Zelenskyy says no talks with Russia without ceasefire

UKRAINE will only hold direct talks with Russia once a ceasefire is in place, its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday, as his US counterpart Donald Trump pushed for a speedy deal to end the three-year Ukraine conflict.

1 min

Pope's Funeral Set for Saturday to Draw a Galaxy of World Leaders

Ceremony to begin at 10 am local time in front of St Peter's Basilica

1 min

US univs condemn Trump's 'political interference'

More than 100 US universities and colleges, including Ivy League institutions Princeton and Brown, issued a joint letter on Tuesday condemning President Donald Trump's \"political interference\" in the education system.

1 min

SC Delves Into Religious Rights vs. LGBTQ Books Debate in Maryland Schools

The US Supreme Court is hearing arguments Tuesday over the religious rights of parents in Maryland to remove their children from elementary school classes using storybooks with LGBTQ characters.

1 min

UN Halts Aid for 6.5L Women and Kids in Ethiopia

The World Food Programme said Tuesday that it was suspending aid for 650,000 malnourished women and children in Ethiopia because of a lack of funding.

1 min

Hamas in Cairo for Gaza talks as Israel hits kill 26

A Hamas delegation left for Cairo to discuss \"new ideas\" aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza, an official from the group said, as rescuers reported 26 dead in Israeli air strikes on Tuesday.

1 min

WHO Plans Overhaul, Layoffs Amid Funding Cuts

PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese, the World Health Organization chief, acknowledged Tuesday that U.S. funding cuts had left the UN agency with a huge budget gap, forcing it to slash operations and lay off staff.

1 min

HCL profit up 8% at ₹4.3k cr; company adds 1,805 freshers

IT services firm HCLTech on Tuesday reported an 8% increase in its consolidated net profit for the quarter ended March 2025 at ₹4,307 crore.

1 min

Flipkart to Relocate Base to India

WALMART-owned ecommerce company Flipkart will shift its domicile back to India from Singapore.

1 min

Adani Set To Exit Telecom Sector

IN what could signal Adani Data Network's exit the telecom sector, the company is set to grant Bharti Hexacom Limited, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel Limited, rights to use 400 MHz of spectrum in the 26 GHz band.

1 min

IMF Cuts India's Growth Target by 30 bps to 6.2%

AMID the spectre of tariff war, the IMF has cut India's GDP growth targets for FY26 and FY27 to 6.2% and 6.3%, respectively, from 6.5% predicted earlier.

1 min

Gold Outshines Equities as Prices Soar Past ₹1 Lakh Mark

Amid rising global uncertainty and escalating trade tensions, investors are flocking to safe-haven asset gold.

1 min

Ather scales down issue size, files for ₹3,376 cr IPO

ELECTRIC scooter-maker Ather Energy has filed its final papers with market regulator Sebi for a public offer to raise ₹3,376 crore, including ₹2,626 crore in fresh issue.

1 min

Renault expands India ops, opens centre in Chennai

RENAULT is strengthening its presence in India with the launch of its largest design centre outside Europe in Chennai.

1 min

RBI Allows Children Above 10 Years To Open And Operate Bank Accounts

The Reserve Bank has allowed children above 10 years to independently operate, savings and term deposit accounts, saying it will deepen financial literacy and inclusion.

1 min

Nat'l record for Dev Meena; Rupal, Jyothi shine

POLE vaulter Dev Meena from Madhya Pradesh climbed new heights at the National Federation Senior Athletics Competition here on Tuesday.

2 mins

Shooting WC: Brar wins silver, India finish third

INDIAN shooters finished third at the ISSF World Cup after the pair of Prithviraj Tondaiman and Pragati Dubey failed to reach the medals round in the trap mixed team event, on the final day.

1 min

Himanshu has all the ingredients to excel, says coach

ON a humid evening at the port city of Dammam in Saudi Arabia, a lad from India, with the Javelin, had set his eyes on gold, at the Junior Asian Athletics Championship which concluded recently.

2 mins

RR fixing allegation: Stand by my observations, says Bihani

JAIDEEP Bihani, BJP MLA from Sri Ganganagar and Rajasthan Cricket Association's ad-hoc committee convener, has stoked a big controversy by accusing Rajasthan Royals of fixing their match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 19 in Jaipur.

2 mins

Rishabh Living Dangerously

Despite being the most expensive player of all time, LSG captain has had a middling season

3 mins

DIFFERENT STROKES

Delhi actor Abhishek Chauhan was noticed for playing a corporate newbie in the popular series Cubicles. With Khauf, he has stepped into horror.

2 mins

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