Junior Digest

ISTANBUL, March 19,2025: Turkish authorities detained President Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival on Wednesday on charges including corruption and aiding a terrorist group in what the main opposition party called “a coup against our next president”.

The move against Ekrem Imamoglu, the popular mayor of Istanbul, caps a months-long legal crackdown on opposition figures across the country which has been criticised as a politicised attempt to hurt their electoral prospects.
The government denies the opposition charges and says the judiciary is independent. It is meanwhile pressing to end a decades-long insurgency by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) after its jailed leader called for disarmament last month, in what could be a big step toward regional peace.

Imamoglu, 54, who leads Erdogan in some opinion polls, faces two separate investigations that also include charges of leading a crime organisation, bribery and tender rigging.

In a video posted on social media, the two-term mayor said he would not give up and would continue standing straight in the face of pressure, as he fixed his tie and prepared to leave his home for detention on Wednesday morning.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was ready to name him its official presidential challenger to Erdogan within days.

The next election is set for 2028 but Erdogan has reached his two-term limit as president, after having earlier served as prime minister. If he wishes to run again he must call an early election ahead of finishing his term, or change the constitution.

Erdogan faced his worst electoral defeat last year when Imamoglu’s CHP swept Turkey’s major cities and defeated his ruling AK Party in former strongholds in nationwide municipal elections.

‘COUP ATTEMPT’

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel called the detention a coup attempt and urged opposition groups to unite. The party will go ahead and select Imamoglu as leader on Sunday irrespective, he added before heading to Istanbul from the capital Ankara.

“Turkey is going through a coup against the next President. We are facing a coup attempt here,” he said.

Human Rights Watch called the charges against the mayor “politically motivated and bogus,” and said he must be released immediately.

Erdogan’s office did not immediately comment when asked about claims that the detention was a political move.

According to a statement by the Istanbul prosecutor’s office on the first investigation, a total of 100 people including journalists and businessmen are suspected of being involved in criminal activities related to certain tenders awarded by the municipality.

It said that a second investigation charged Imamoglu and six others with aiding the PKK, which is deemed a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its Western allies.

Last month, the PKK declared a ceasefire in response to jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan’s call for disarmament, marking a big step toward ending an insurgency that has left more than 40,000 dead, and that could have regional security and political ramifications.

Imamoglu’s detention came a day after Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu’s degree, which if upheld would block him from running in presidential elections.

The Istanbul governor’s office banned all meetings and protests in the city for four days. Turkey also restricted access to social media platforms including X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, an internet observatory said.

The widening legal crackdown includes numerous indictments and the appointments of several government trustees to opposition-held municipal positions. As part of it, nationalist party leader Umit Ozdag has been detained since January.

Chennai, Mar 19,2025: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA)’s SpaceX Crew-9, comprising India born Woman Astronaut Sunita Williams and three others, completed the agency’s ninth commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station (ISS), splashing down safely in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in the Gulf of America on early Wednesday morning at 0327 hrs (IST).

In a press release on its website, NASA said its astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth at 5:57 p.m. EDT.

Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and its crew.

Upon returning to shore, the crew will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and reunite with their families.

“We are thrilled to have Suni, Butch, Nick, and Aleksandr home after their months-long mission conducting vital science, technology demonstrations, and maintenance aboard the ISS”, said

NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro.

“Per President Trump’s direction, NASA and SpaceX worked diligently to pull the schedule a month earlier. This international crew and our teams on the ground embraced the Trump Administration’s challenge of an updated, and somewhat unique, mission plan, to bring our crew home. Through preparation, ingenuity, and dedication, we achieve great things together for the benefit of humanity, pushing the boundaries of what is possible from low Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars”, it said.

Hague and Gorbunov lifted off at 1:17 p.m. September 28, 2024, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The next day, they docked to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on June 5, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 41 as part of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.

The duo arrived at the space station on June 6. In August, NASA announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth and integrated Wilmore and Williams as part of the space station’s Expedition 71/72 for a return on Crew-9.

The crew of four undocked at 1:05 a.m. Tuesday to begin the trip home.

Williams and Wilmore traveled 121,347,491 miles during their mission, spent 286 days in space, and completed 4,576 orbits around Earth.

Hague and Gorbunov traveled 72,553,920 miles during their mission, spent 171 days in space, and completed 2,736 orbits around Earth.

The Crew-9 mission was the first spaceflight for Gorbunov. Hague has logged 374 days in space over his two missions, Williams has logged 608 days in space over her three flights, and Wilmore has logged 464 days in space over his three flights.

Throughout its mission, Crew-9 contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations.

Sunita Williams conducted two spacewalks, joined by Wilmore for one and Hague for another, removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collecting samples

from the station’s external surface for analysis, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on an X-ray telescope, and more.

She now holds the record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut, with 62 hours and six minutes outside of station, and is fourth on the all-time spacewalk duration list.

The American crew members conducted more than 150 unique scientific experiments and technology demonstrations between them, with over 900 hours of research.

This research included investigations on plant growth and quality, as well as the potential of stem cell technology to address blood diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancers.

They also tested lighting systems to help astronauts maintain circadian rhythms, loaded the first wooden satellite for deployment, and took samples from the space station’s exterior to study whether microorganisms can survive in space.

The Crew-9 mission was the fourth flight of the Dragon spacecraft named Freedom.

It also previously supported NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4, Axiom Mission 2, and Axiom Mission 3.

The spacecraft will return to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facility

at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where teams will inspect the Dragon, analyze data on its performance, and begin processing for its next flight.

The Crew-9 flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, and its return to Earth follows on

the heels of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 launch, which docked to the station on March 16, beginning another long-duration science expedition.

The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station and low Earth orbit.

The program provides additional research time and has increased opportunities for discovery aboard humanity’s microgravity testbed for exploration, including helping NASA prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

Hyderabad, Apr 11,2025: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy paid rich tributes to the statue of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule on the occasion of his 198th birth anniversary at Amberpet in the city on Friday.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Mahesh Kumar Goud, CM’s Advisor Vem Narender Reddy, MP Anil Kumar Yadav, former MPs V Hanumantha Rao and Anjan Kumar Yadav, several MLAs and MLCs, GHMC Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi, Constituency In-charge Rohin Reddy, and other leaders also offered floral tributes to the statue of Phule.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy inspected the site near Necklace Road IMAX, where a new statue of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule is proposed to be installed.

He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud, MP Anil Kumar Yadav, MLAs, GHMC Mayor Vijayalakshmi, former MP Anjan Kumar Yadav, BC leaders Jajula Srinivas Goud, and other public representatives.

The Chief Minister directed the concerned officials to conduct a detailed survey of the site and submit a comprehensive report with a proposed design plan. He also instructed them to ensure that the proposed installation does not cause traffic congestion or related issues in the future, official sources said.

New Delhi, Apr 22,2025: The Supreme Court is set to hear today a plea demanding the imposition of President’s Rule and urgent deployment of paramilitary forces in West Bengal, citing ongoing communal and political violence, allegedly linked to the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Murshidabad district.

The matter was earlier mentioned for urgent listing before a Bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih on April 21, which scheduled the hearing for today.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing petitioner Ranjana Agnihotri, sought the Court’s permission to submit additional documents detailing the continuing violence in the state. He also urged for immediate invocation of Article 355 of the Constitution to ensure security and constitutional compliance.

“There is a need for immediate deployment of paramilitary forces. This matter is listed for tomorrow. I have filed an additional application seeking the invocation of Article 355,” Jain submitted during the mentioning.

The fresh intervention application was filed by Ranjana Agnihotri through Advocate-on-Record (AoR) Vishnu Shankar Jain, along with AoRs Arvind Kumar Sharma, Kunal Mimani, Prateek Kumar, Parth Yadav, and Omprakash Ajitsingh Parihar.

The plea has been clubbed with a previously filed writ petition by petitioner Shashank Shekhar Jha, which seeks a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the violence in the state.

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 15,2025: In a major milestone for India’s space programme, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully developed the C-32 cryogenic propulsion system, reinforcing the country’s capabilities in advanced space technology.

The achievement comes alongside ISRO’s successful demonstration of docking and undocking technology, placing India in an elite group alongside the United States, Russia, China, and SpaceX.

Announcing the breakthrough, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan told reporters here on Saturday that the C-32 stage, powered by a 20-ton thrust cryogenic engine, marks a significant advancement in India’s human spaceflight and deep-space exploration capabilities. Designed for prolonged operational efficiency, the system was successfully tested using an indigenous nozzle protection mechanism, allowing for extended test durations—an innovation critical for future heavy-lift missions.

“This is yet another critical milestone in our journey towards self-reliance in space technology. Cryogenic propulsion was once denied to India, but today, we have successfully developed and tested three cryogenic stages, including the C-32, demonstrating our capability to push the boundaries of space exploration,” Dr Narayanan said.

In addition, ISRO’s successful docking and undocking demonstration, conducted on January 16, places India among the few nations to have mastered this complex technology. The 125 simulations carried out before the actual attempt ensured that the undocking process succeeded on the very first attempt at 9.21 am, further strengthening India’s credentials in space docking technology—an area where SpaceX has made significant advancements in recent years.

“This achievement will be crucial for India’s future space missions, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, and strengthens our position as a spacefaring nation,” Dr Narayanan added.

With dedicated efforts from ISRO scientists, industrial partners, and academic collaborators, India is rapidly progressing towards its goal of becoming a global leader in space technology, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the country a developed nation by 2047, he said.

Mar 9,2025: Syria’s interim government has sent reinforcements to coastal cities in the country’s northwest where security forces have been engaged in heavy battles with fighters loyal to former ruler Bashar al-Assad.

The violence, which has reportedly killed hundreds of people, including many civilians, presents the most serious challenge yet to new government’s authority since it took power following al-Assad’s removal in December 2024.

Security forces on Saturday said they had regained control of much of the areas in Tartous and Latakia governorates, where al-Assad loyalists carried out co-ordinated attacks at checkpoints, security convoys and military positions on Thursday.

Syria’s state news agency SANA quoted an unidentified security official as saying that after the attacks, numerous people went to the coastal areas seeking revenge for the assault on government security forces. The official said the actions “led to some individual violations and we are working on stop them”.

A curfew remains in effect in Latakia and other coastal areas that are predominantly home to al-Assad’s minority Alawite sect and make up his longtime base of support. Amid the ongoing fighting, dozens of civilians and members of the former regime and their families have taken shelter at the Russian Khmeimim base in the Latakia countryside.

In his first public comments since the surge in violence, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday called on the fighters to lay down their weapons and surrender “before it is too late”.

Al-Sharaa, who commanded the opposition forces that removed al-Assad after nearly 14 years of war, said government forces would “pursue the remnants of the fallen regime” and bring them “to a fair court”.

Washington, Apr 10,2025; US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on new tariffs which went into effect at midnight, but making an exception for China, raised the rates for imports from the Asian economic giant to an astounding 125 percent.

Taking to his microblogging site Truth Social,, Trump said over 75 countries have called US representatives for negotiating a solution to issues like trade, tariff and trade barriers.

He also noted that there countries have not “at my strong suggestion”, retaliated against the US after Washington slapped reciprocal tariffs on them.

“Based on the fact that more than 75 Countries have called Representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the USTR, to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to Trade, Trade Barriers, Tariffs, Currency Manipulation, and Non Monetary Tariffs, and that these Countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form against the United States, I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE,” Trump posted.

He also announced a substantially lowered reciprocal tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately.

At the same time, further escalating his trade war with Beijing, Trump raised the tariff on imports from China to 125 per cent.

President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs went into full effect just after midnight Wednesday.
When Trump announced the latest round of tariffs on April 2, he declared that the US would now tax nearly all of America’s trading partners at a minimum of 10% — and impose steeper rates for countries that he says run trade surpluses with the US.
The 10% baseline already went into effect Saturday. Trump’s higher import tax rates on dozens of countries and territories took hold at midnight.
The steeper levies run as high as 50% — with that biggest rate landing on small economies that trade little with the US, including the African kingdom of Lesotho. Some other rates include a tax of 47% on imports from Madagascar, 46% on Vietnam, 32% on Taiwan, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 20% on the European Union.
Some of these new tariffs build on previous trade measures. Trump last week announced a tariff of 34% on China, for example, which would come on top of 20% levies he imposed on the country earlier this year.
Trump has since threatened to add an another 50% levy on Chinese goods in response to Beijing’s recently promised retaliation. That would bring the combined total to 104% against China.

Brasilia, Mar 27,2025: Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday formally indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven of his allies over an alleged plot to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election.

The justices voted unanimously to move forward with criminal charges, which include attempted coup, conspiracy, and sabotage of democratic institutions.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, said prosecutors presented sufficient evidence that Bolsonaro led efforts to discredit the election, drafted plans to nullify the vote, and sought to block the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Among those indicted are several former high-ranking officials, including Walter Braga Netto, Augusto Heleno, and Anderson Torres.

With the indictment approved, the case now moves into the trial phase.

Ahmedabad, Apr 10,2025: The Congress on the concluding day of the AICC session here on Wednesday adopted the ‘Nyay Path’ resolution outlining its stance on agriculture, foreign policy, economy, social justice, national harmony, gender equality among other things.

Accusing the BJP of “weak-kneed and failed foreign policy”, the resolution said successive Congress governments enhanced India’s global stature and demonstrated leadership on the world stage through a principled and visionary foreign policy.

“Our governments’ foreign policy was always centred around protection of India’s interests, global balance of power, finding solutions through mutual harmony and dialogue, international cooperation and peaceful resolution of disputes,” it said.

The resolution said that the current regime has compromised India’s foreign policy at the altar of “individual branding” and serving “vested interests”.

New Delhi, Mar 16,2025: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday addressed the 57th annual conference of All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) in Kokrajhar, Assam and said that ABSU has played a significant role in establishing peace, development and enthusiasm in the region.

He said, “Without the role of ABSU, the Bodo Accord would not have been possible, and peace would not have been established in Bodoland.”, a Home Ministry statement said.

Shah further said, “ABSU is advancing education, empowerment and development. It is due to the efforts of ABSU that today, students are able to take their exams up to the 12th grade in the Bodo language. As a result, our Bodo language has been recognized and will remain alive for many years to come. Today’s event sends a strong message of the peace established in Bodoland.”

Slamming the Opposition for “mocking” the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) peace agreement, which was signed on January 27, 2020, Shah said, “Today, the central government and the Assam government have fulfilled 82 percent of the conditions of this agreement.”

He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the central government will “implement 100 percent of this agreement in the next two years. After that, there will be lasting peace in the BTR”.

Shah said that under the BTR peace agreement, the government removed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the entire BTR area on April one, 2022. He also mentioned that under the central government’s ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) programme, today, the mushroom from Kokrajhar, known as “Mushroom From Bodoland,” is being included in the menus of hotels in Delhi. This has become possible due to the peace established in Bodoland.

He further stated that because of the peace, Bodoland was able to host the ‘Durand Cup’ tournament. He appealed to the athletes of Bodoland to start preparing for the potential Olympics in India in 2036.

Hailing the contribution of Bodo leader Upendra Nath Brahma, Shah said, “Today, when entire Bodoland is following the path shown by its leader, Upendra Nath Brahma Ji, the government has decided to name a prominent road in Delhi as Bodopa Upendra Nath Brahma Marg. In the first week of April, a programme will be held in Delhi where a bust of Upendra Nath Brahma Ji will be unveiled. The Modi government and the Assam government will bring every dream of Bodopa Upendra Nath Brahma Ji to fruition.”

He said that more than a dozen products from Bodoland have received the GI (Geographical Indication) Tag. As a result, an industrial environment is gradually being created across the entire BTR area. He mentioned that there was a time when there were discussions about unrest, chaos and separatism, but now the focus has shifted to education, development and industry.

Shah also said that the central government and the Assam government have allocated Rs 1,500 crore for the development of Bodoland, even though the population of the region is only 3.5 million.

Hailing his government for carrying out peace and development initiatives, Shah said, “Hundreds of youths have been brought into the mainstream of society. Many weapons were surrendered, and in the last three years, Rs 287 crore have been spent on the rehabilitation of 4,881 members of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in Assam, with 90 percent of this amount provided by the Modi government”.

Praising Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, he said that he has made a new beginning by recruiting 400 Bodo youths into the Assam Commando Battalion. He further mentioned that the central government has signed agreements with a total of nine insurgent groups in Assam, bringing over 10,000 youths into the mainstream of society.

Shah said that where once bullets were fired, today Bodo youth are waving the tricolor in their hands. This sight sends a message to the entire country.

He said that when the Bodo Accord was signed, not only Bodoland and Assam but the entire country was happy.

Just as the people of Bodoland love the country, the entire country loves Bodoland and its people and is committed to the development of its youth, he said.

He said that the Bathou religion, followed by the people of Bodoland, holds great significance. He explained that Bathou is made up of two elements, and its meaning is “the deep mystery of the creator of the five elements.” The five elements, or panchatatva, include fire, air, earth, sky and water, which form the foundation of your great religion. He also mentioned that he strives to spread the message of the Bathou religion.

The Home Minister added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the entire Northeast has been freed from issues such as insurgency, movements, blockades, strikes and violence, and has been ushered onto the path of development.

He appealed to the Bodo youths to focus on their education and contribute to the peace process. He assured that the Government of India and the Assam government will leave no stone unturned in the development of Bodoland.

Vatican,April 21,2025: Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday.
He was 88, and had suffered various ailments in his 12-year papacy.

“This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.

On Sunday, Pope Francis called for freedom of thought and tolerance in his Easter Sunday address.

After giving his Easter greetings to the crowd, estimated at more than 35,000 people, from the basilica’s balcony, Francis delegated the reading of his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) benediction to an associate.

“There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others,” read his speech, which also condemned “worrisome” anti-Semitism, and the “dramatic and deplorable” situation in Gaza.
Pope Francis was discharged from hospital on March 23

Pope Francis was released from the hospital on March 23, after five weeks of treatment for pneumonia.

For the first time since becoming pope in 2013, Francis missed most Holy Week events, such as Friday’s Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum and Easter vigil at Saint Peter’s Basilica, where he delegated his duties to cardinals.
Francis, originally from Argentina and the first pope from the Americas, was also the first pope in more than a century to live outside the Vatican’s apostolic palace, an ornate Italian Renaissance building located next to St. Peter’s Square.

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis, who is said to have never taken holidays, followed a frenetic schedule that he had repeatedly refused to reduce, despite his advancing age and warnings from doctors to slow down.
Pope Francis, known for bold reforms that inspired many Catholics but stirred criticism from traditionalists.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, of Italian immigrant stock. He was ordained a priest in the Jesuit order in 1969. From 1973-79 he was the order’s top leader in Argentina. He became an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992 and the city’s archbishop in 1998. He was made a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.

– Surprising many observers of the Roman Catholic Church, Bergoglio was elected pope at a conclave in March 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict. He chose to be called Francis in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi, emphasising a commitment to poverty, peace, and care for the environment.

– He was the first non-European pope in 1,300 years, the first from Latin America and the first Jesuit to hold the post. Jesuits are known for their commitment to education and social justice, including working with the poor and marginalised.
He shunned many of the traditional trappings of the papacy, preferring to live in a modern Vatican guest house rather than the grand papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He pared back the papal wardrobe, wore a plastic watch and chose to be driven around in a simple family car.

He soon clashed with conservatives, who were unhappy with his informal style from the start. They balked at his calls for the Church to be more welcoming to LGBT people and divorced Catholics and at his clampdowns on the use of the traditional Latin Mass.

Francis made 47 trips outside of Italy, visiting more than 65 states and territories, clocking up more than 465,000 km (289,000 miles). However, he never returned to Argentina.

Dhaka, Mar 14,2025: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is visiting Bangladesh to inspect the situation of more than 1 million Rohingya refugees in the country, officials said.

During his four-day tour to Bangladesh, Guterres is scheduled to join tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in an Iftar, the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on Friday.

The Rohingya refugees are now living in camps in Bangladeshi Cox’s Bazar district, some 400 km southeast of capital Dhaka

Bangladeshi Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain welcomed Guterres upon his arrival at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Thursday.

Guterres is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Sunday morning to wrap up his second visit to Bangladesh.

New Delhi, April 14,2025 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, emphasizing that it is due to his inspiration that the country continues to strive towards realizing the dream of social justice today.
In a post on X, PM Modi asserted that Ambedkar’s principles and ideals would strengthen and accelerate the creation of a self-reliant and developed India.
“On behalf of all the countrymen, I bow down to Bharat Ratna Pujya Babasaheb on his birth anniversary. It is due to his inspiration that the country is dedicatedly engaged in realizing the dream of social justice today. His principles and ideals will give strength and momentum to the creation of an ‘Atmnirbhar’ and ‘Viksit’ India,” the Prime Minister said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch several development projects in Haryana today on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, he will travel to Hisar, where, at around 10:15 AM, he will flag off a commercial flight from Hisar to Ayodhya and lay the foundation stone of the new terminal building. He will also address a public meeting.
At around 12:30 PM, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of development projects in Yamuna Nagar and address the gathering on the occasion.
Babasaheb’s birth anniversary is a public holiday across the country, where schools, banks and some public sector organisations remain closed.
On this day, people pay their respects to Ambedkar by offering flowers, lighting candles and organising cultural events.
Fondly known as ‘Babasaheb,’ Ambedkar was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and is thus also called the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution. ‘Ambedkar was also the first Law and Justice minister of Independent India.
Babasaheb was born into an impoverished Dalit Mahar Family in Madhya Pradesh. He fought tirelessly for the equal rights of marginalised sections of society. He was a part of active movements since 1927 against untouchability. Later, he was revered as a ‘Dalit Icon’ for his contributions towards their rights.

New Delhi, Mar 19,2025: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that today, India is maintaining a balance between its hard power and soft power amidst the prevailing uncertainties in a multipolar world.

Addressing the fifth edition of Major Bob Khathing Memorial Event, jointly organised by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles and United Services Institution of India (USI) here, Rajnath said, “It is a matter of great pride that India has strengthened its global position”.

He said, “A new, strong and organised India has emerged before the world. There was a time when India was not taken seriously on international forums. But today, when we speak, the world listens. This is inspired by the ideals of Major Khathing”, a Defence Ministry statement said.

The Minister expressed satisfaction over the fact that India is touching greater heights due to the organisational skills imbibed from personalities like Major Khathing, an extraordinary figure who made invaluable contributions to the North-East region and national security.

He also stressed on the need to remain organised for India to transform into Viksit Bharat by 2047.

He called upon the people to always put nation first, remain united, discharge duties with honesty, and move fearlessly towards achieving their goals, which were the core principles of Major Bob Khathing.

Paying tributes to Major Bob Khathing, Rajnath Singh asserted that India has been fortunate that it is home to such prominent personalities for whom security, integrity and sovereignty of the nation is paramount.

He termed Major Khathing as a great son of India, who left an indelible mark in the history of the country through his bravery in the battlefield and skill in the field of diplomacy. Adding that, it is the responsibility of the people to adopt the ideals and principles of such great personalities.

While commending Major Khathing’s role in integrating, developing and rebuilding not only Tawang but the entire North-East region, Rajnath said, “Major Bob Khathing made a significant contribution in strengthening national unity. The work he carried out for the North-East is similar to what Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel did at the national level”.

He added that Major Bob Khathing efficiently carried out the integration of Tawang into India without firing a single bullet, and the Government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, follows the principles of such revolutionaries.

“We completely merged Jammu and Kashmir into India by removing the biggest hurdle – Article 370 – without firing a single bullet. The work was carried out peacefully with full security, keeping all the stakeholders in mind,” he said.

Singh highlighted the administrative proficiency of Major Khathing, especially his contribution in the formation of Sashastra Seema Bal and Nagaland Armed Police and other such reforms.

It may be mentioned that the Defence Minister had, in October 2024, virtually inaugurated Major Ralengnao ‘Bob’ Khathing ‘Museum of Valour’ in Tawang.

Rajnath Singh acknowledged the role of the North East in India’s development journey and voiced the Government’s commitment towards increasing the region’s contribution and its progress.

During the event, Rajnath Singh visited a specially curated photo gallery showcasing Major Bob Khathing’s remarkable achievements and enduring legacy.

The event was attended by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Alfred Kanngam Arthur, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Director General Assam Rifles Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera and DG, USI Maj Gen BK Sharma (Retd) among others.

Moreover, John Khathing, son of Major Bob Khathing, shared heartfelt reminiscences about his father’s remarkable life and legacy, adding a personal dimension to the commemoration.

March 10,2025: United States President Donald Trump has declined to rule out the possibility that the world’s largest economy is headed for a recession amid market concerns over his “America First” economic agenda.

In an interview with Fox News that aired on Sunday, Trump demurred when asked if he expected a recession this year.

“I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing,” Trump said during an interview with Sunday Morning Futures.

“It takes a little time, but I think it should be great for us.”

Trump’s comments come amid market jitters over his back-and-forth announcements on tariffs and signs of a slowdown in the US economy.

Trump last week slapped 25 percent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada and doubled the rate of duties on Chinese goods to 20 percent.

But just 48 hours later, he announced he would postpone some of the tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods until April 2.

The benchmark S&P500 index dropped more than 3 percent from last Monday to Friday, racking up its worst weekly performance since September.

On Thursday, the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s gross domestic product (GDP) tracker downgraded its estimate for the January-March period to a 2.4 percent contraction, down from a 2.3 percent expansion last month.

On Friday, Goldman Sachs raised the odds of a recession over the next 12 months from 15 percent to 20 percent.

Mumbai, Apr 9,2025: Delivering second straight cut in key interest rate in the wake of softening retail inflation, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Wednesday decided to cut policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 6% with immediate effect.

“After a detailed assessment of the evolving macroeconomic and financial conditions and outlook, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to reduce the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 6% with immediate effect,” RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said while announcing the first bi-monthly monetary policy of the current fiscal.

Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate under the liquidity adjustment facility shall stand adjusted to 5.75% and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate shall stand adjusted to 6.25%.

The MPC also decided to change the stance from ‘neutral’ to ‘accommodative’.

Besides relief for homebuyers and other borrowers, the repo rate cut is expected to boost economic growth which faces multiple headwinds especially trade disruptions and sluggish private investment.

On rationale of the monetary policy decision, Malhotra said that the MPC noted that the inflation is currently below the target.

“It is supported by a sharp fall in food inflation. Moreover, there is a decisive improvement in the inflation outlook. As per projections, there is now a greater confidence of a durable alignment of headline inflation with the target of 4% over a 12-month horizon,” he said.

Marking the first rate cut in nearly five years, the central bank had in February this year reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25%.

One basis point is equivalent to 0.01%.

While announcing the monetary policy, the RBI Governor said that the current financial year has begun on an anxious note for the global economy.

“The global economic outlook is fast changing. The recent trade tariff related measures have exacerbated uncertainties clouding the economic outlook across regions, posing new headwinds for global growth and inflation,” Governor Malhotra said.

He, however, noted that the Indian economy has made steady progress towards the goals of price stability and sustained growth.

Amid ongoing trade tariff war and its potential impact on India, the RBI has cut India’s GDP growth forecast for the current financial year 2025-26 to 6.5% from 6.7% growth projected earlier.

“Real GDP growth for 2025-26 is now projected at 6.5%, with Q1 at 6.5%; Q2 at 6.7%; Q3 at 6.6% and Q4 at 6.3%,” Malhotra said.

He said that the downward revision essentially reflects the impact of global trade and policy uncertainties.

Noting that the outlook for food inflation has turned decisively positive, the RBI has projected headline inflation for 2025-26 at 4%, with Q1 at 3.6%; Q2 at 3.9%; Q3 at 3.8%; and Q4 at 4.4%.

Commenting on the MPC decisions, Indranil Pan, Chief Economist at Yes Bank said, “Given projections by the Skymet of a normal monsoon, the risks to food inflation are likely reduced. At the other end of the spectrum, global growth risks have unleashed a sharp softening in crude oil and other commodity prices, and this is also a positive for India’s inflation dynamics.”

“Overall, the confidence that inflation would remain aligned to the 4% target has magnified. Given a 4% inflation target, the scope of pushing repo rate down to 5.50% in this cycle has opened. Consequently, we expect the RBI to cut in June and also in August,” he added.