THE HEADLINES::
- Nation pays homage to social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his birth anniversary today.
- Telangana declared Naxal free after 42 cadres surrender.
- US and Iran to hold direct talks in Islamabad today to end West Asia conflict.
- NASA’s Artemis II astronauts return to Earth, ending record-breaking trip around moon.
- ISRO successfully conducts second integrated air drop test for upcoming Gaganyaan mission.
- Asian Development Bank raises India’s growth forecast for current financial year from 6.5 percent to 6.9 percent.
- And in IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets in Guwahati.
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The nation pays homage to social reformer and activist Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his Birth Anniversary today. Born on this day in 1827, Mahatma Phule along with his wife Savitri Phule had championed the cause of women’s education and empowerment besides fighting for removal of caste system and untouchability.
“Jyotirao Govindrao Phule popularly known as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was a visionary social reformer who played a crucial role in challenging the rigid caste system and championing education and equality for women and marginalised communities in India. Phule worked as a contractor in Pune’s Public Works Department, using his financial independence to fund social reforms, including establishing schools and holding public awareness events. In 1873, he founded the Satyashodhak Samaj to advocate for the rights of oppressed communities. Jyotiba Phule’s ideology was rooted in equality, justice, and rationalism. His relentless pursuit of social justice and empowerment left an indelible mark on Indian society. President Draupadi Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and other prominent parliamentarians will pay floral tributes to Jyotiba Phule at Prerna Sthal in Parliament House premises today. A number of functions have been organised across the country to mark this occasion. SHIVANG MISRA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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Telangana has been declared Naxal free following the surrender of 42 cadres. Telangana DGP B Shivadhar Reddy announced that the state is now free of armed Maoist presence after 42 cadres of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), including PLGA commander Sodi Malla, surrendered. The DGP said, Telangana State Committee has been completely dismantled. Mr Reddy said, 42 Maoists surrendered along with 36 firearms, including five AK-47 rifles, four SLR rifles, two country-made grenades, 1,007 live rounds of ammunition of various calibres, and 800 grams of gold. The DGP said, police are taking the help of surrendered Maoists to detect IEDs planted by ultras in different areas and remove them. A total of 761 Maoists have surrendered to Telangana Police between 2024 and 2026, along with 302 firearms.
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The United States and Iran will hold direct talks in Islamabad today to end weeks of conflict in West Asia region. The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, alongside US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner. Iran will be represented by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He is among the highest-ranking officials remaining in leadership following Israeli strikes that reportedly killed several senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Talks are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme, ballistic missile development, and the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds of oil tankers remain stranded or delayed.
“The negotiations follow a two-week ceasefire window announced by President Trump after what the administration described as a decisive military campaign against Iran. The strategic Strait of Hormuz remains a key point of tension. Iran is also seeking guarantees of a more permanent end to hostilities, beyond the limited ceasefire framework currently on offer from the US. Tehran has proposed a 10-point framework calling for control over the Strait of Hormuz, withdrawal of US forces from regional bases, recognition of its right to enrich uranium, and an end to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon. US officials have said the proposal is not aligned with Washington’s position, though President Trump has described it as “a workable basis on which to negotiate.” A White House official, however, said key demands fall outside the US framework. Washington had earlier circulated a 15-point proposal addressing nuclear and missile restrictions as well as maritime security. In addition to US-Iran talks, Israel-Lebanon negotiations are also expected to begin next week at the State Department in Washington – a potential boost to West Asia ceasefire efforts. CHIRAG JHA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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The four crew members of NASA’s Artemis II moon mission returned to Earth early this morning, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. It was a triumphant homecoming for the crew of four whose record-breaking lunar flyby revealed not only swaths of the moon’s far side that is never seen before by human eyes, but a total solar eclipse as well.
“Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen hit the atmosphere travelling, 33 times the speed of sound – a blistering blur not seen since NASA’s Apollo moonshots of the 1960s and 1970s. Their Orion capsule, dubbed Integrity, made the plunge on automatic pilot. The tension in Mission Control mounted as the capsule became engulfed in red-hot plasma during peak heating and entered a planned communication blackout. All eyes were on the capsule’s life-protecting heat shield that had to withstand thousands of degrees during reentry. The recovery ship, USS John P Murtha, awaited the crew’s arrival off the San Diego coast, along with a squadron of military planes and helicopters. During the 10-day Artemis II mission, the crew became the first humans to travel toward the moon in more than 50 years, and they set a new record for the farthest distance ever traveled from Earth.
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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the second integrated air drop test (IADT-02) for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The system is essential to ensure safe recovery of the crew module, the capsule in which astronauts sit during a human flight. After the module’s release, a parachute system, comprising 10 parachutes, was deployed, helping the capsule decelerate to a safe splashdown speed. The IADT-02 follows the successful completion of the first IADT, which took place on August 24, 2025 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Union Minister Jitendra Singh congratulated the ISRO for successfully conducting the test. India’s first human spaceflight will be launched from Sriharikota in 2027.
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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised India’s growth forecast for current financial year to 6.9 percent from 6.5 percent. According to ADB’s Asian Development Outlook, growth in India is expected to remain robust in current fiscal, underpinned by strong domestic demand, easing financing conditions, and lower US tariffs on Indian goods.
The report highlighted that most economies in Asia and Pacific will witness growth outlook worsen this year and in 2027. Economic growth in the region is expected to slow to 5.1 per cent in both 2026 and 2027, from 5.4 per cent last year, weighed down by the conflict in West Asia and continuing trade uncertainty.
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Nearly 3.98 crore passengers travelled through Vande Bharat Express trains in Financial Year 2025-26, marking a remarkable surge in passenger patronage on the network. This reflects year-on-year growth of nearly 34 percent from 2.97 crore passengers in Financial Year 2024-25. Ministry of Railways said that the rise highlights the growing preference for fast, comfortable, and modern rail travel among passengers across the country. It added, the Vande Bharat Express has served over 9.1 crore passengers through one lakh trips since its introduction.
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In our series of constituency profiles, today we take a look at Sitalkuchi Assembly seat in Coochbehar district of West Bengal, which will go to polls on 23rd April in the first phase of Assembly elections.
Sitalkuchi constituency situated in the Coochbehar district is set to go to the polls on 23rd April under the first phase of Assembly election in West Bengal. This Assembly constituency comprises Sitalkuchi Community Development Block and seven gram panchayats of Mathabhanga I Community Development Block.
Reserved seats for SC total 11 candidates including 3 independents are contesting in this Assembly constituency. In this current election BJP fielded Sabitri Barman as its candidate. Trinamool Congress’s candidate is Harihar Das. CPI (M) candidate is Namadipti Roy Adhikary and Congress fielded Sukamal Barman.
In the last Assembly election BJP defeated Trinamool Congress by nearly eighteen thousand votes. In the current election nearly 3 lakh voters will determine the candidates’ fate on 23rd April.
The main contending parties are BJP and Trinamool Congress. BJP is centering on the corruption of Trinamool Congress to win the hearts of the voters. Senior BJP leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently joined a public meeting in Coochbehar district and stressed on the dishonesty of the TMC. Trinamool Congress is focussing on the deletion of names under the SIR in West Bengal and the party’s Chief Mamata Banarjee is relentlessly attacking BJP over the deletion of names. Kalyan Laha Akashvani News Kolkata.
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The Government has approved 52 new applications under Round III of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles. Ministry of Textiles said that these applicants have committed an investment of six thousand 708 crore rupees with an expected turnover of 21 thousand 186 crore rupees. The approved proposals are expected to provide a significant boost to the textile sector, particularly in the segments of Man-Made Fibre (MMF) fabrics, MMF apparel, and Technical Textiles.
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In IPL Cricket, Punjab Kings will face Sunrisers Hyderabad at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. The match is scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM. In other match, Chennai Super Kings will take on Delhi Capitals at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai this evening. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM.
Yesterday Rajasthan Royals registered a fourth consecutive victory with a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati last night. Chasing a victory target of 202 runs, Rajasthan Royals produced a clinical chase, reaching the target comfortably in 18 overs for the loss of four wickets.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and gusty winds over Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh today. Similar conditions are likely to prevail over Himachal Pradesh,Assam ,Meghalaya, Sikkim, Rayalaseema and Sub Himalayan West Bengal. The met department has predicted thunderstorm accompanied with lightning over Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura , Coastal Andhra Pradesh, South Interior Karnataka ,Kerala and Mahe.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- Most Newspapers have reported US Vice President Vance leaving for Islamabad for talks on Iran. The Hindustan Times headlines ” Iran lays down red lines ahead of talks with US in Islamabad while The Tribune headlines ” Vance heads to Pakistan as Iran sets Lebanon truce among two preconditions for talks” and the Indian Express headlines ” All eyes on Islamabad today: will extend open hand, but don’t play us, says Vance.
- The Indian Express in its’ editorial titled a war lesson: think big, be bold, at home says the first wave of globalization from the 1870’s after the opening of the suez canaland laying of a permanent transatlantic cableconnecting europe and north america resulted in the US becoming the world’s economic superpower. The basis of globalization founded on the free movement of goods, services, capital and people and ideas across borders has been upended. The war has shrunk the economic and political space for easy solutions, the paper concludes.
- A boat capasizing in the Yamuna taking the lives of pilgrims is widely reported on the front page of all dailies. The Times of India headlines “Boat with Punjab pilgrims sinks in UP, 10 dead.
- And finally, a story in The Times of India reports about a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur district finding a unique was to make people regret their verbal slips by imposing monetary fine for using swear word.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- Nation pays homage to social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his birth anniversary today.
- Telangana declared Naxal free after 42 cadres surrender.
- US and Iran to hold direct talks in Islamabad today to end West Asia conflict.
- NASA’s Artemis II astronauts return to Earth, ending record-breaking trip around moon.
- ISRO successfully conducts second integrated air drop test for upcoming Gaganyaan mission.
- Asian Development Bank raises India’s growth forecast for current financial year from 6.5 percent to 6.9 percent.
- And in IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets in Guwahati
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