Source: THE HINDU

PM Modi not to attend WWII Victory Day celebrations in Moscow; Rajnath to go in his stead

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the 80th anniversary celebrations of Victory Day to be held in Moscow next month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will go instead. “India will not be represented at the highest level”, Mr. Peskov said. Russia had invited Mr. Modi for the grand parade to be held in Moscow, but India conveyed to Russia that Mr. Singh would attend it. “An invitation was extended to the prime minister to attend the Victory Day Parade in Moscow. The Russian side was informed earlier that India would be represented by Defence Minister Singh,” said a source.

Govt revamps National Security Advisory Board, appoints ex-RAW chief Alok Joshi its chairman

The government has revamped the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) — a move that came amid speculations about India’s possible retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack in view of its cross-border linkages. It is learnt that former R&AW chief Alok Joshi has been appointed as NSAB chairman. The NSAB is an advisory body that provides inputs to the National Security Council Secretariat. The new members appointed to the NSAB are former Western Air Commander Air Marshal PM Sinha, former Southern Army Commander Lt Gen A K Singh and Rear Admiral (retd) Monty Khanna, people familiar with the matter said.

India closes its airspace to airlines from Pakistan

India on Wednesday (April 30, 2025) banned Pakistan airlines from using its airspace amid escalating tensions with the neighbouring country in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. Sources said that a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) has been issued that bars Pakistan airlines from using the Indian airspace. The development comes a week after Pakistan barred Indian carriers from using its airspace.

More Gulf nations call for lowering tensions between India, Pakistan

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Wednesday reached out to India, calling for deescalating the tension that has erupted in the backdrop of the April 22 terror strike in Pahalgam. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar received a call from the Foreign Minister (FM) of Kuwait, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, and the two sides discussed the latest in Indo-Pakistan relations. Continuing with India’s outreach to members of the UN Security Council, Mr. Jaishankar also called his Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, on Wednesday.

Caste enumeration to be part of next Census: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that the Union Cabinet has decided to include caste enumeration as part of the next census. He was briefing the media regarding decisions of the Union Cabinet. “This demonstrates that our government is committed to the values and interests of our society and the country, like in the past, when our government had introduced 10% reservations for economically weaker sections of society,” says Mr. Vaishnaw.

NDA partners and Opposition celebrate Centre’s decision to conduct caste count

In the Hindi heartland, both the opposition and parties in the ruling alliance are celebrating with equal gusto the Union government’s decision to conduct a caste count along the decadal census, with each side pulling pages from history to project themselves as the original proponent of the idea.

U.S. urges India and Pakistan to ‘de-escalate’; Marco Rubio talks to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

The U.S. has called on India and Pakistan “not to escalate” the tension between them following the Pahalgam terror attack, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday (April 29, 2025). Washington was reaching out to both New Delhi and Islamabad regarding the Kashmir situation and telling them not to escalate the situation, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

Despite High Court order, J&K policeman and eight siblings shifted to Punjab for repatriation to Pakistan

In spite of a Jammu and Kashmir High Court order, a family of nine, including a policeman, were rounded up in J&K’s Poonch and shifted to Punjab for repatriation to Pakistan on Wednesday (April 30, 2025). The move comes at a time of looming uncertainty over the hundreds of women from Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) who have married residents of J&K.

Easy for States to get ration from Centre and distribute it for free, but burden is on taxpayers: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (April 30, 2025) said it is “very easy” for States to get food grains from the Centre and distribute it for free among the people to gain political popularity. Ultimately, however, it is the taxpayer who has to bear the burden of the distribution of free ration to the burgeoning poor, a Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant said. The court held that other activities, such as generating employment and building infrastructure, were as important as distribution of free ration.

U.S., Ukraine sign economic deal after Trump presses Kyiv to pay back U.S. for help in repelling Russia

The U.S. and Ukraine announced on Wednesday an economic agreement after a weekslong press by President Donald Trump on Ukraine to compensate Washington for billions in military and economic assistance to help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a video posted to X that “this partnership allows the United States to invest alongside Ukraine, to unlock Ukraine’s growth assets, mobilize American talent, capital and governance standards that will improve Ukraine’s investment climate and accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery.”

Govt notifies ITR forms; individuals with long-term capital gains up to ₹1.25 lakh can file ITR 1, 4

The government has notified Income Tax Return (ITR) forms 1 and 4 for Assessment Year (AY) 2025-26, simplifying the filing process for individuals earning salary or presumptive income who have long-term capital gains (LTCG) up to ₹1.25 lakh from listed equities. Previously required to file the more complex ITR-2, these taxpayers can now use the simpler ITR-1 (Sahaj) and ITR-4 (Sugam) forms, respectively.

Cabinet approves Shillong-Silchar highway project at an estimated cost of ₹22,864 crore

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the development of a 166.80 km greenfield high-speed corridor from Mawlyngkhung in Meghalaya to Panchgram in Assam on hybrid annuity mode at a total cost of ₹22,864 crore. According to an official statement, the project length of 166.80 km (NH-6) lies in Meghalaya (144.80 km) and Assam (22 km). The proposed greenfield high-speed corridor will improve the service level for the traffic moving between Guwahati to Silchar, it noted.

A total of 786 Pakistanis exit India; 1,465 Indians return home from Pakistan after visa cancellation

As many as 786 Pakistani nationals, including 55 diplomats, their dependents and support staff, besides eight Indians with Pakistani visa, have left India through the Attari-Wagah border crossing in the last six days following a Government Order in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, officials said on Wednesday. A total of 1,465 Indians, including 25 diplomats and officials, besides 151 Pakistani citizens with long-term Indian visas, have crossed over to India from Pakistan through the International Border crossing located in Punjab since April 24.

Supreme Court upholds inclusive digital access as a part of fundamental right to life

The Supreme Court on Wednesday held in a judgment that inclusive and meaningful digital access to e-governance and welfare delivery systems is a part of the fundamental right to life and liberty. A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan laid down that the State has an obligation to provide an inclusive digital ecosystem to the marginalised, underprivileged, vulnerable, disabled and historically-excluded sections of the society.

Supreme Court sets July to hear matter over Lokpal’s jurisdiction in examining complaints against judges

The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to hear in July arguments over an order of the anti-corruption ombudsman, Lokpal, to examine complaints against sitting High Court judges. Justice B.R. Gavai, who was heading a special bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Abhay S. Oka, told assembled lawyers in the suo motu case dealing with the question whether Lokpal has jurisdiction to entertain corruption complaints against HC judges that the case has to be heard by another Bench.

CBI dismantles child sexual abuse exploitation networks as part of Operation Hawk 2025

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on the basis of inputs received from Operation Hawk, launched by the U.S., has taken swift action to successfully dismantle the cybercrime networks involving online child sexual exploitation with international linkages. International Operations Division of CBI registered a case against Sheik Muizz Ahmed under Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code, Section 66D of Information Technology Act, 2000, and Section 12 read with Section 11 of POCSO Act, 2012.

India’s gold demand falls 15% in January-March to 118.1 tonnes on high prices: World Gold Council

“India’s gold demand witnessed a 15% on-year decline to 118.1 tonnes in the January-March quarter of this year, even as value grew by 22% to ₹94,030 crore owing to surging prices,” the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Wednesday (April 29, 2025). According to the WGC forecast, India’s gold demand for 2025 is expected to be between 700-800 tonnes. Gold prices have risen 25% since the beginning of 2025, approaching the key psychological threshold of ₹1,00,000 per 10 gm, affecting consumer buying patterns.

Bangladesh High Court orders Hindu leader’s release on bail

A Bench of the Bangladesh High Court on Wednesday ordered the release of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das on bail, five months after he was arrested on a charge of defaming the country’s national flag, court officials said. “The two-judge bench declared absolute its earlier rule asking authorities why he should not be granted bail,” an official of the High Court said. On October 31, a case with Kotwali police station in Chattogram was filed accusing Mr. Das and 18 others of disrespecting the Bangladesh national flag.

Xi says China’s economy should adapt to external changes

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Wednesday for action to adjust to changes in the international environment as the country drafts economic plans for the next five years, State-run Xinhua reported. “It’s important to take a forward-looking view of changes in the international landscape and their impact on China,” Xinhua quoted Mr. Xi as saying at a symposium in Shanghai on economic and social development during the 15th five-year plan period from 2026 to 2030.

Nepal to restrict Mt Everest permits to only those who have already done 7,000m climbs

Nepal is planning to restrict expeditions to Mount Everest only to those mountaineers who have climbed at least one peak above 7,000 metres aimed at reducing deaths in the high altitude zone, a media report said. Official data shows that since 1953’s Hillary-Norgay summit, around 9,000 mountaineers have successfully scaled Mt Everest while over 300 have lost their lives.

Champak magazine takes BCCI to court for trademark infringement in naming IPL robot dog

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s response on a plea by renowned children’s magazine Champak that alleged trademark infringement over the IPL naming its AI robot dog ‘Champak’. Justice Saurabh Banerjee observed that Champak had been an existing brand name since eternity and asked the BCCI to file its written statement in response to the plea within four weeks. The court listed the matter for further hearing on July 9.