THE HEADLINES

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold meeting with US Vice President J D Vance this evening in New Delhi.
• Relief and rescue operations continue in landslide-hit Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir; Schools closed in Kashmir Valley today.
• IMD issues Orange alert for thunderstorms and lightning in parts of Jammu and Kashmir; Predicts heatwave conditions in parts of Central and Northwest India for next five days.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confer Prime Minister’s Awards for excellence in public administration on 17th Civil Services Day today.
• Direct Benefit Transfer initiative saved three lakh 48 thousand crore rupees by reducing leakage, says IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
• In Shooting, India’s 10m Air Rifle mixed team bags silver medal at ISSF World Cup in Peru. 

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Vice President of the United States of America, J D Vance will arrive in New Delhi this morning on a four day official visit to India. He will be accompanied by Second Lady of the US, Usha Vance, their children and senior members of the U.S. Administration. Mr. Vance is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening. During the meeting, both sides are expected to discuss ways to further deepen ties between the two countries. The US Vice President and his delegation will have other engagements in Delhi and are also scheduled to visit Jaipur and Agra before departing for Washington D.C.

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In Jammu and Kashmir, the relief and rescue operation in the cloudburst and landslide hit Ramban district resumed. Authorities are working to reopen the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH44), a vital road that connects the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country. Extreme weather conditions, including heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, and flash floods have caused widespread damage across the region. Three people were killed in a landslide triggered by a cloudburst in Ramban district yesterday. Heavy rains coupled with hail and thunderstorms triggered multiple land and mudslides at over a dozen places, particularly between Nashri and Banihal stretch along the National Highway. 

Recognising the urgency, Army units deployed in the region immediately moved relief operations and provided essential supplies such as food packets, drinking water and medical aid. Deputy Commissioner of Ramban, Baseer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary has said that efforts are underway to clear most of the blocked roads within the next 48 hours. 

As the Srinagar Jammu National Highway to remain closed today with road clearance and restoration work started from morning, Authorities have decided to reopen alternate Mughal Road for Light Motor Vehicles from South Kashmir’s Shopian towards Poonch and Rajouri to reach Jammu.

“Traffic officials said the light motor vehicles will be allowed to ply from South Kashmir’s Shopian district via Mughal Road towards Rajouri and Poonch to reach Jammu from 10 O’clock onwards today. They said no vehicular movement will be allowed from both sides of the highway till road and weather conditions improve. Meanwhile, the road clearance work has been started in Ramban area this morning. All schools in Ramban district and Kashmir Valley have been closed today as a precautionary measure owing to bad weather conditions. “

Meanwhile, Union Science & Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed profound grief and sorrow over the loss of life and properties and expressed condolences with the bereaved families. 

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange colour warning for thunderstorms and lightning, with gusty winds at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad today. Parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Coastal Andhra are also likely to witness thunderstorms and lightning during the next 2 days.

IMD also said heat wave conditions are very likely to prevail over Vidarbha today. Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal are also expected to experience hot and humid weather conditions in the coming 2 days. the weather agency has said that there will be a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2-3 degree celsius over Northwest India during next 5 Days.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address Civil Servants today in New Delhi on the occasion of 17th Civil Services Day. He will also confer the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration.

This year, a total of 14 awards will be given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the categories of Holistic Development of Districts, Aspirational Blocks Programme, and Innovation to civil servants. The Prime Minister has always encouraged civil servants to dedicate themselves to the cause of citizens, be committed to public service, and strive towards excellence in their work. Civil Servants Day is an occasion for the civil servants across India to rededicate themselves to the cause of citizens and renew their commitment to public service. This date was chosen to commemorate the day when Sardar Vallabhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Service Officers in 1947.

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The Supreme Court is slated to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) today, seeking the formation of a five-member judicial enquiry commission under the chairmanship of a retired apex court judge to enquire into the violent protests erupted against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in West Bengal’s Murshidabad. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N.K. Singh will take up the matter for hearing today.

The plea seeks directions to the West Bengal government to file a status report on the clashes or riots which took place during the protest against the Waqf Amendment Act.

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Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that Direct Beneift Trasfer- DBT initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has saved  three lakh 48 thousand crore rupees by reducing leakage. Quoting a policy paper titled a Quantitative Assessment of India’s DBT System, Mr Vaishnaw in a social media post said that under this welfare delivery model, the coverage of beneficiaries has increased by 16 times.

According to the policy paper, the country’s DBT system, implemented in 2013, has redefined welfare delivery by enhancing transparency, curbing leakages, and ensuring precise fund distribution. This policy document evaluates a decade of data from 2009 to 2024.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Jeddah tomorrow, marking the first visit by an Indian leader to Saudi Arabia’s commercial hub in over four decades. The high-profile visit underscores the remarkable transformation of India-Saudi relations from modest beginnings to a comprehensive strategic partnership spanning economic, defence, and cultural dimensions.

Indians now constitute the second-largest expatriate group in Saudi Arabia, representing about 14% of the total foreign resident population. Their contributions span vital sectors including construction, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and services. The Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia calls the diaspora as the living  bridges.

The community’s economic impact extends beyond labour participation, with over 3,000 Indian companies now registered and operating in the Kingdom as of 2025. Let’s hear from a diaspora member who is living in Saudi for the last three decades.

In recognition of the community’s importance, the Indian government has worked with Saudi authorities to implement comprehensive skill verification programs.

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Canadian MP Chandra Arya has urged Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada to speak out and demand strong government action against Khalistani extremists. This follows a recent incident where the Laxmi Narayan Mandir in British Columbia was defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti. In a social media platform, Mr. Arya shared a video from the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce condemning the vandalism and described it as a “chilling reminder” of the growing influence of Khalistani extremism in Canada. He warned that these extremist elements are becoming more organised and are trying to silence Hindu voices.

In a separate incident, the Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara in Vancouver also known as the Ross Street Gurdwara was also vandalized with “Khalistan” spray-painted on its walls. Referring to the incident, Mr. Arya stated that it is time for Hindu and Sikh to call for immediate and decisive action at every level of government.

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Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for breaking a 30-hour Easter ceasefire, which ended last night. The truce was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered a halt to fighting from Saturday evening to Sunday midnight. Ukraine agreed to observe it too. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia broke the truce nearly 3,000 times, with heavy shelling in the eastern city of Pokrovsk. He called the ceasefire a “PR stunt” by Putin and said Russia is the main reason the war continues.

Russia, on the other hand, said it followed the truce but had to defend itself from Ukrainian attacks. It accused Ukraine of using U.S.-supplied weapons during the ceasefire.

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At least 29 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza yesterday. According to the Civil Defence the central Gaza, 10 people were killed and some others wounded by an Israeli airstrike.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defence said  in southern Gaza, a Palestinian woman was killed and four others wounded in an Israeli drone attack on a tent and four others were killed in another two separate Israeli attacks on the city. The Israeli army has not commented on these incidents yet.

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In shooting, India’s 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team duo, Rudrankksh Patil and Arya Borse, secured a silver medal at the ISSF World Cup in Lima, Peru. The Indian pair lost 11-17 to Norway’s Jon-Hermann Hegg and Jeanette Hegg Duestad in the gold medal match held yesterday.

This marks India’s third silver medal at the Lima World Cup, adding to the country’s tally of two golds and one bronze. India currently ranks third in the overall medal standings.

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In IPL T20 Cricket, hosts Mumbai Indians defeated Chennai Super Kings by 9 wickets at Wankhede Stadium last night. Put in to Bat first, Chennai Super Kings posted 176 for 5 in their stipulated 20 overs. In reply, Mumbai chased down the 177-run target with ease, losing just one wicket in just 15.4 overs. Today, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will clash at Eden Garden in Kolkata this evening. The match will begin at 7:30 PM.

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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE

• US Vice President JD Vance set to arrive in New Delhi with his family today, is covered by all the dailies.”Vance to arrive in India today; to meet Prime Minister, discuss trade ties” reports Hindustan Times.
• On the 17th Civil Services Day today, The Asian Age writes “Prime Minister to address bureaucrats”. In another story, The Pioneer reports” In a first, 74 women empower IAS”, about women, making up 41% of the current batch of 180 officers.
• “Maharashtra panel opposes move to make Hindi must” reports The Hindu.
• “Human detection radars, seismic sensors to track tunnels: Ministry of Home Affairs’ hi-tech security at Pakistan border” states The Indian Express.
• And finally, on the 14th edition of European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) 2025, The Times of India writes “Indian girls shine at Maths Olympiad, bag 4 medals to clinch top honours.”

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold meeting with US Vice President J D Vance this evening in New Delhi.
• Relief and rescue operations continue in landslide-hit Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir; Schools closed in Kashmir Valley today.
• IMD issues Orange alert for thunderstorms and lightning in parts of Jammu and Kashmir; Predicts heatwave conditions in parts of Central and Northwest India for next five days.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confer Prime Minister’s Awards for excellence in public administration on 17th Civil Services Day today.
• Direct Benefit Transfer initiative saved three lakh 48 thousand crore rupees by reducing leakage, says IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
• In Shooting, India’s 10m Air Rifle mixed team bags silver medal at ISSF World Cup in Peru.