TODAY NEWS ON April 25, 2026

Trump dispatches Witkoff, Kushner to Pakistan for talks with Iran’s FM Araghchi; Vance on ‘standby’

An Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reached Pakistan on Friday night (April 24, 2026) to hold bilateral consultations, discuss the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and the current developments in the region, officials and media reports said. Meanwhile, White House confirmed that President Donald Trump is sending his Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday (April 25, 2026) to continue talks.

AAP MPs walk out, casting shadow over 2027 Assembly polls in Punjab

With seven Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) parliamentarians — of which six are from Punjab, the only State where its in power — quitting the party on Friday, the party’s road to the 2027 State Assembly elections, barely a few months away, could become significantly steeper.

Three killed in Kuki-Naga conflict in Manipur

The ongoing conflict between the Kuki and Naga communities in Manipur escalated on Friday, leaving three people dead and several others injured. Two of those killed in the State’s Ukhrul district were Kukis, while the third was a Tangkhul Naga. Tangkhuls are the dominant community in the district.

Raghav Chadha, six AAP MPs join BJP

Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha and six other Aam Aadmi Party’s MPs on Friday (April 24, 2026) quit the party and joined the BJP. Addressing a press conference with Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, Mr. Chadha, who was recently demoted by AAP, said, “We have decided that we, the 2/3rd members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP. 3 of them are here before you. Besides us, there are Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney and Swati Maliwal.”

Opposition parties submit fresh notice seeking motion for removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar

The Opposition parties on Friday (April 24, 2026) submitted a fresh notice seeking motion for removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. This is the second time the Opposition members have moved such a notice. The notice, which levelled nine charges, was signed by 73 Rajya Sabha members from 11 Opposition parties, including Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and TMC’s Sagarika Ghosh.

India among countries where Meta ‘automatically’ blocks flagged content

India is now among a set of “limited countries” where Facebook and Instagram “automatically restrict content, at scale and based on local law requirements,” a company source told The Hindu. Meta, the parent firm of both social media platforms, has complied with censorship orders on a large scale in recent weeks, as the firm has been hit with a barrage of takedown notices from State police authorities as well as the Union government.

RBI cancels banking licence of Paytm Payments Bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday cancelled the banking licence issued to Paytm Payments Bank Limited under Section 22(4) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (‘BR Act’) effective from close of business on April 24, 2026.

Rajnath Singh to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers’ meet in Bishkek

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Bishkek on April 27–28 to attend the Defence Ministers’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), where regional security challenges and evolving geopolitical dynamics are expected to dominate discussions.

Netanyahu treated for early-stage prostate cancer, says he is in ‘excellent’ physical condition

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he underwent successful treatment for early-stage prostate cancer and is “in excellent physical condition” now. Providing details of his annual medical report on Friday (April 24, 2026), he said: “I had a minor medical issue with my prostate that was completely treated. Thank God, it’s behind me.”

India, U.S. conclude ‘constructive’ in-person talks on trade deal, but no word on deadline

The negotiating teams of India and the U.S. held “constructive” and “forward-looking” talks on a trade deal, the government said following the conclusion of the talks which took place in Washington on April 20-23, 2026. The statement however fell short of stating a deadline by which the Interim Agreement would be finalised, or when the next round of talks would be.

Around 240 Indians claiming descent from biblical tribe arrive at Israel’s Tel Aviv

Around 240 Indians claiming descent from a biblical tribe landed at Tel Aviv airport on Thursday (April 23, 2026), as part of a government operation to relocate them to Israel. They were the first “Bnei Menashe” (”Sons of Manasseh”) to arrive in Israel since the government decided in November to fund the immigration of around 6,000 members of the community from the States of Manipur and Mizoram in northeast India.

IPL 2026: RCB defeats GT as Kohli-Padikkal show eclipses Sai Sudharsan’s ton

In present-day T20 cricket, a target around 200 is at best a fighting total. At the batting-friendly M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, such a figure further shrinks in value, like money in an inflation-ravaged economy. On Friday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru confirmed it once more by coasting to a five-wicket victory — with seven balls to spare — over Gujarat Titans to record a fifth success this IPL and regain second spot.

Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from 2026 French Open as wrist injury dashes three-peat dreams

Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes of ​a French Open ‘three-peat’ were effectively ended on Friday ⁠after the world number two said a wrist injury has ruled him out of Roland Garros next month. The seven-times Grand Slam champion picked ‌up the injury in the first round of the Barcelona Open earlier this month before withdrawing ‌from the tournament.