Hindustan Times Delhi - April 18, 2025

In this issue

April 18, 2025

Scientists find 'strongest evidence' yet of life beyond our solar system

Scientists using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have detected what they describe as the strongest signs yet of possible extraterrestrial life, finding chemical signatures in the atmosphere of an exoplanet that on Earth are only produced by living organisms.

2 mins

Moving closer to resuming yatra, China flights: India

India and China are making preparations for resuming the annual Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, which has not been held since 2020, and are engaged in technical consultations for restarting direct flights, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday.

2 mins

Rift in K'taka cabinet on caste survey report

The Karnataka cabinet failed to reach a consensus on the controversial caste survey report during a stormy three-hour meeting on Thursday, with ministers from the powerful Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities raising strong objections to the findings that showed their populations lower than traditionally believed.

3 mins

BJP SET TO REJIG ITS STATE UNITS, APPOINT A SET OF NEW PRESIDENTS

The process of appointing the new president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has gathered pace, with people aware of the matter saying the party is likely to announce new state unit chiefs in about half a dozen provinces over the coming weekend.

1 min

'Acting as Super Parliament': VP Dhankhar Hits Out at Judiciary

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday questioned the recent Supreme Court judgment setting a timeline for the President to sign bills sent by the states and expressed concern about the judiciary performing executive functions and acting as a \"super Parliament\".

1 min

PM Chairs High-Level Meeting on Yamuna

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a meeting on the rejuvenation of Yamuna with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister for Jal Shakti CR Patil, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta and senior officials at his residence 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, officials said.

1 min

House panel raises concerns over flight delays at IGI airport

DELHI AIRPORT IS RECORDING APPROXIMATELY 240 FLIGHT DELAYS PER DAY, OFFICIALS AWARE OF THE MATTER SAID

1 min

Waqf law on pause till Centre details its case

The Supreme Court on Thursday recorded the Centre's assurances protecting the status of any waqf, including waqf-by-user, property declared so by notification or registered, from being de-notified and on not appointing any non-Muslims to the Waqf Council or boards until the next hearing on the matter in the first week of May.

5 mins

Hycean worlds: A new frontier in search for extraterrestrial life

Public perceptions of alien life, shaped largely by science fiction, often revolve around images of humanoid beings or caricatures of animals roaming a planet similar to our own.

5 mins

Former Delhi Congress MLA Jai Kishan Dies

Senior Delhi Congress leader and former MLA Jai Kishan died of cardiac arrest at his home in Sultanpur Majra on Thursday, party leaders said.

1 min

PM Modi backs role of public, space tech in Yamuna revival

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the rejuvenation of the Yamuna with Union home minister Amit Shah, Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, and senior officials from the Centre and the Delhi government at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, officials said on Thursday.

3 mins

City's 'DEVI' Buses to Hit Streets on April 22

The Delhi government is likely to launch its neighbourhood electric bus service on April 22, under the banner of Delhi Electric Vehicle Interchanges (DEVI), transport department officials said on Thursday.

2 mins

Major Chunk Of Metro Expansion Work Under Phase 4 Complete

More than 70% of the civil work for the three priority corridors of Phase 4 of the Delhi Metro has already been completed, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said on Thursday.

1 min

Delhi Assembly to go paperless from Monsoon Session

Speaker Vijender Gupta visited the Odisha Assembly to study their operations, as it is the latest to go paperless

1 min

Govt to hire add'l agency to flatten Ghazipur landfill

Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday said the government will hire an additional agency to expedite waste processing at the Ghazipur landfill site — one of the city's biggest dumping hills —and ensured that Delhi's garbage mountains will \"disappear just like dinosaurs\" in the next five years.

1 min

JNU Terminates Services of 4, Including 2 Teachers

Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) executive council has dismissed four staff members one teaching staff on charges of sexual harassment, and another teaching staff along with two non-teaching staff in a corruption case currently being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a university official said on Thursday.

2 mins

'Premeditated': 19-year-old held in GTB Enclave killing

Police have arrested a 19-year-old man for the \"premeditated\" murder of the 20-year-old woman who was shot dead in northeast Delhi's GTB Enclave on Monday night.

2 mins

IMD Issues Thunderstorm Alert for Saturday

The maximum temperature rose by 1.5 notches on Thursday and crossed 40°C.

1 min

GGM: Fire Breaks Out After Leak In Gas Pipeline, No Casualties

A fire broke out in Sector 52 on Thursday afternoon after a gas pipeline sprung a leak.

1 min

Lahori Gate Haveli restored, set to host museum

At 96, the once crumbling Lahori Gate Haveli now stands restored in the bustling market square near Chandni Chowk.

2 mins

Clear Barriers on Taimoor Nagar Drain for Revamp: HC

The Delhi high court on Thursday directed clearing of all obstructions, including unauthorised colonies, covering the Taimoor Nagar drain within a month by a Special Task Force for revamp of the drain.

1 min

Women not property: In adultery ruling, HC cites Draupadi episode

The Delhi high court on Thursday discharged a man in an adultery case, invoking the Mahabharata to underscore the consequences of treating women as property.

1 min

FCRA violations: CBI files FIR, raids AAP leader Pathak

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday raided the residence of senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Durgesh Pathak, as part of its probe into alleged violations of foreign funding laws by the party.

3 mins

Nanny, 14, found dead at Vasant Kunj house

They initially said she was 19 or 20. Later they said 17. But she appears to be 14 years old. SURENDRA CHAUDHARY, DCP southwest

2 mins

Parl panel raises concerns over flight delays

A parliamentary standing committee has expressed concerns over mounting flight delays at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, where the closure of one runway has created widespread disruptions, according to people familiar with the matter.

2 mins

New 'pod' hotel near NDLS Metro station offers bunk beds for ₹400

Lucknow resident Nitin Srivastav, 44, frequently travels to Delhi for work. Each time, he books a hostel-style room in south Delhi's Greater Kailash. But last week, with less than 24 hours in the city—arriving late on April 7, attending a conference the next morning, and returning the same evening—Srivastav looked for a place closer to New Delhi Railway Station.

2 mins

Double qawwalis

On the simultaneous commemorations of two historic figures of Delhi

2 mins

Manufacturing Aero Engines A Challenge, Says Rajnath Singh

Manufacturing aero engines remains a challenge for India and the country is in talks with global firms to develop the critical capability to power fighter planes, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, drawing attention to a striking technology gap and steps being taken to overcome it.

1 min

End to trans-shipment pact after Dhaka action

India on Thursday said a decision to end an arrangement for trans-shipment of Bangladeshi export cargo to third countries was a response to measures by Dhaka, including closure of three land ports and halting of yarn imports, that had a bearing on bilateral trade.

2 mins

EU's Naval Force Calls for Exercise with India

The Proposal Was Made During a Visit to India This Week by the Operation Commander of EU Naval Force Atalanta

2 mins

CRPF 'BACKBONE' OF MISSION TO END MAOISM BY MARCH 2026: SHAH

Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday said Maoism, which is confined to just four districts in India, will be eliminated by March 31 next year, and hailed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as the \"backbone\" of this mission.

1 min

BJP to soon announce new chiefs in a clutch of states

The process of appointing the new president of BJP has gathered pace, with people aware of the matter saying the party is likely to announce new state unit chiefs in about half a dozen provinces over the coming weekend.

1 min

Misuse of Law': Allahabad HC Grants Bail to Rape Accused

The Allahabad high court on Thursday granted bail to a 42-year-old man accused of raping a 25-year-old woman, noting that the FIR was lodged after several months and seemed to arise more from an \"emotional aftermath\" of their failed relationship rather than from any bona fide grievance of criminal wrongdoing.

1 min

Oppn slams Mahayuti over Hindi in 3-language policy

SCHOOL EDU DEPT HAS ANNOUNCED ROLLING OUT OF NEW CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK DESIGNED AS PER THE NEP 2020 RECOMMENDATION

2 mins

Cong: SC's Waqf move key to restoring order

Hours after the Union government gave assurance to the Supreme Court that it will not implement key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act till the next hearing, the Congress on Thursday welcomed the top court's preliminary observations, saying they have opened the space for a broader and necessary debate on the legitimate concerns surrounding \"this hastily enacted legislation\".

2 mins

26 States, UTs Adopt 'Holistic Progress Card' for Students

Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal Are Among the 10 States That Are Yet to Adopt HPC

2 mins

Judiciary Cannot Direct Prez, Act as 'Super Parliament': VP

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday questioned the recent Supreme Court judgment setting a timeline for the President to sign bills sent by the states and expressed concern about the judiciary performing executive functions and acting as a \"super Parliament\".

3 mins

NTA uploads, removes answer keys for JEE Mains from website

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Thursday removed the final answer keys for the bachelor of technology (BTech) exam of session 2 of its Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains, barely an hour after uploading it on its official website.

1 min

19 More Accused Acquitted in '17 Panchkula Violence

CJM Highlighted Critical Gaps in the Prosecution's Evidence

2 mins

Top court allows 'untainted' teachers to resume service

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the untainted assistant teachers, who lost their jobs following the court's earlier order in the West Bengal recruitment scam, to continue in service until fresh hiring is made even as it imposed strict conditions on the state for issuing ads by May 31 and completing the recruitment process by December 31.

2 mins

11-Year-Old Raped in UP, Accused Held After Encounter With Police

An 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped and tortured in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh and the accused was arrested after he was shot in the leg by police, an officer said on Thursday.

1 min

Writer Who Immortalized Himalayas Dies

William McKay Aitken, the acclaimed Scottish-born writer who immortalized the Himalayas through his vivid prose, passed away in Dehradun on Wednesday night. He was 91.

2 mins

SC-Appointed CEC Criticises T'gana Over Tree Felling

The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) slammed the Telangana government over the felling of trees in Kancha Gachibowli area of Hyderabad, saying the forest clearing operation was done to avoid the identification process of forest-like land.

1 min

Don't play politics over Haj issue, says Rijiju

Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday cautioned against \"playing politics\" over Haj arrangements following criticisms from Opposition leaders over Saudi Arabia reportedly cutting India's quota for the annual pilgrimage.

1 min

Committed to peace in Manipur, says Scindia

The Centre is committed to supporting Manipur's journey towards peace, development and youth empowerment, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said during his day-long visit to the northeastern state on Thursday.

1 min

RJD MLA, Aides Surrender in Extortion Case

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator Ritlal Yadav and three of his aides on Thursday surrendered before a court in Patna district of Bihar, three days after police launched a manhunt for them in connection with an extortion case.

1 min

SC Sets Aside HC Takedown Order in ANI-Wikipedia Defamation Case

The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside Delhi high court orders directing Wikipedia to remove content about Asian News International (ANI), allowing the news agency to approach the high court afresh with specific defamatory claims.

1 min

Court Summons Fadnavis In 2024 Poll Victory Case

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court on Thursday summoned Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in connection with a plea challenging his 2024 poll victory from the Nagpur South-West assembly constituency.

1 min

Over 300K trees to be cut as Maha plan for dam gets nod

652.21 HECTARES FROM TANSA SANCTUARY AND 167.63 HECTARES OF SURROUNDING AREA WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE DAM PROJECT

1 min

Row erupts over cattle deaths in TTD cowshed

A row erupted in Tirupati town of Andhra Pradesh after YSR Congress party leaders staged a protest on being denied entry into the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) gaushala (cowshed) over cow deaths allegedly caused by the administration's negligence.

1 min

Bengal's CM asks guv to defer visit to riot-hit areas

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday urged the state's governor to postpone his planned visit to riot-hit Murshidabad district and continued to attack the Union home ministry, saying the state administration was not being able to communicate with the people living in villages along the international border due to an extension of the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF).

2 mins

Why ED Didn't Seek Sanction to File Charge Sheet Against Gandhis

Even though the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been ordered by the Supreme Court to take a prior sanction before filing charge sheets against public servants, the agency has charged former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, without such permission as the alleged irregularities in Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and Young Indian (YI) case have no link with their role as parliamentarians, said an officer of the agency, who did not want to be named.

2 mins

Govt Signs Pact To Set Up HQ For Big Cat Alliance In The Country

India and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) signed the Headquarters Agreement on Thursday.

1 min

Police To Reopen Probe Into 1997 Death Of Cong Leader In Bhopal

A court in Bhopal district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday ordered police to reopen the investigation into the 1997 death of a Congress leader, citing the incomplete closure report filed by police.

1 min

UP woman, lover held for staging husband's murder as snakebite

THE POST-MORTEM EXAM REVEALED THE MURDER PLOT AS IT SHOWED THAT THE VICTIM DIED DUE TO STRANGULATION

1 min

SC: Homebuyers Have Right To Raise Grievances

The Supreme Court on Thursday held that homebuyers have a right to raise their genuine grievances against builders by organising peaceful protests and putting up banners to espouse their grievances in a language that is not rude or abusive as it quashed a defamation case initiated by a Mumbai-based developer to silence homebuyers who resorted to this unique form of protest to showcase defaults in constructions of their housing project in Borivali.

1 min

Form Plans for Swift Response in Accidents: SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed states and union territories to come out with a swift response protocol (SRP) for reaching immediate help to road accident victims, underscoring the rise of road accidents in the country and the need to save lives of victims who fail to get immediate medical aid.

1 min

The right balance between private interests, public need

From the populist surge in the Global North to the debt-laden realities of the post-pandemic Global South, governments are facing a stark reckoning.

4 mins

Roll out the red carpet for anchor US firms

America's pivot away from manufacturing in China is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for India

4 mins

Reimagine PMRF scheme to energise R&D ecosystem

The Union budget for the current fiscal emphasised building and promoting a robust research and development (R&D) ecosystem in the country.

3 mins

U.S. Prez Now Says 'Will Have A Good Deal With China'

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he expects to make a trade deal with China, though he offered no specifics or indications of how talks would get underway with the two superpowers at an apparent impasse.

1 min

Trump, Meloni Sure Of Resolving Trade Tensions

US President Donald Trump and close ally Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed optimism about resolving trade tensions that have strained US-European relations, ahead of talks at the White House.

1 min

Judge Finds Google Monopolized Ad Tech, Paves Way to Biz Breakup

Alphabet's Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, a judge ruled on Thursday, dealing another blow to the tech giant and paving the way for US antitrust prosecutors to seek a breakup of its advertising products.

2 mins

'Spreading Russian narratives', Ukraine Prez on Trump envoy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday accused US envoy Steve Witkoff of \"spreading Russian narratives\" after he suggested a peace deal with Russia hinged on the status of Ukraine's occupied territories.

1 min

Russia Removes Af Taliban From List Of Banned Terror Groups

Russia on Thursday suspended its ban on the Taliban, which it had designated for more than two decades as a terrorist organisation, in a move that paves the way for Moscow to normalise ties with the leadership of Afghanistan.

1 min

Even 10 generations of terrorists cannot harm Balochistan: Munir

Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir has vowed to crack down on terrorists in Balochistan, stating that \"even ten generations of terrorists cannot harm Balochistan and Pakistan\", reported the Dawn newspaper.

1 min

Nvidia Chief Holds Talks in China as U.S. Curbs Threaten Sales

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang held talks with Chinese leaders in Beijing on Thursday, state media said, days after the United States curbed sales of its H20 artificial intelligence chips to China.

1 min

B'desh seeks apology from Pakistan over the 1971 atrocities

Bangladesh on Thursday raised \"historically unresolved issues\" and demanded a public apology from Pakistan over the 1971 atrocities as the two countries held their first foreign secretary-level talks in 15 years here.

1 min

Trump takes aim at Harvard's foreign students, tax-free status

President Donald Trump's administration has escalated its ongoing battle with Harvard, threatening to revoke the university's ability to host international students as the president called for withdrawing Harvard's tax-exempt status.

1 min

BluSmart Suspends Operations After Co-founder Investigated

Indian electric cab service BluSmart, seen as a rival to Uber, suspended services on Thursday, two days after the country's market regulator alleged its co-founder misused funds at an affiliate company and bought a luxury apartment with money allocated for electric vehicles.

1 min

IDFC First Bank taps ADIA, Warburg to raise ₹7,500 crore

Private equity major Warburg Pincus and sovereign fund Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) have agreed to invest ₹7,500 crore in IDFC First Bank for close to 15% stake, delivering a capital boost for the private lender to accelerate its credit card and wealth management businesses.

2 mins

Sensex rallies 1,500 points, wipes out year's losses

The benchmark BSE Sensex turned positive for the year for the first time in three months on Thursday, April 17, going up 1,508.91 points during the day to close at 78,553.20.

1 min

India will navigate global trade disruptions effectively: FM

The world is going through a \"very challenging\" phase of trade calibrations, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday, warning that intensifying tariff wars and rising protectionist policies threaten to disrupt global supply chains.

2 mins

Reverse swing: DC's Mitchell Starc brings back the old-school cool

On Wednesday night under the Kotla lights, the ball whispered, tailed and darted in reverse.

3 mins

In coaching reshuffle, Nayar, Dilip set to exit

As a fallout of India's 3-1 defeat to Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar trophy which cost them a berth to the World Test Championship final, assistant coach Abhishek Nayar and fielding coach T Dilip have been shown the exit door.

2 mins

Mumbai Checkmate SRH Batters on a Slow Home Turf

With liberal use of slower balls, MI bowlers restricted SRH's power-packed batters to 162 runs

3 mins

Fraser-Pryce storms to victory in parent's 100m race during son's sports day

It wasn't the Olympic final but Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's competitive edge remained intact as she stormed to victory in the parents' 100m race during her son Zyon's sports day, leaving fellow mums to chase her shadow.

1 min

NEERAJ WARMS UP FOR SEASON WITH WIN IN SA

NEW DELHI: Neeraj Chopra warmed up for the season, hurling the javelin to 84.52m at the Potch Invitational Meet in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Wednesday.

2 mins

Arteta's Arsenal Come of Age With Real Masterclass

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side came of age as they dethroned Champions League kings Real Madrid with ease to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2009.

2 mins

When the ball does exactly as you want, it's a heady feeling

Following a below-par 2024 season with the Indian team in home conditions, when he averaged 57.50 in Tests vs England, 34.50 vs Bangladesh and 58 vs New Zealand, there were doubts about how Mohammed Siraj would turn up at the IPL.

3 mins

Hosting a 'new avenue' for Karan Mehra

Karan Mehra, who became a household name as Naitik with the popular TV show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai (YRKKH), is seguing to hosting with a classical music reality show.

1 min

Reviews Matter A Lot To Me, Says Sadia Khateeb

Sadia Khateeb is riding high on the appreciation for her latest outing, The Diplomat, with actor-producer John Abraham.

1 min

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