Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia won a chaotic Americas Grand Prix ahead of Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez on Sunday after leader Marc Marquez crashed halfway through the race to lose for the first time this season.

Marquez had clinched pole position in qualifying and a third straight sprint victory on Saturday, but after a first crash on the red Ducati, the six-times MotoGP champion opted to retire due to extensive damage on his bike.

Although Bagnaia took the chequered flag to move up to 75 points, Alex Marquez will leave Austin with the bigger smile as finishing second moved him to the top of the championship on 87 points, one point ahead of his elder brother Marc.

H Shankar has officially assumed charge as the Managing Director of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL).

A Mechanical Engineer with an MBA, he was inducted into the Board of CPCL as Director (Technical) in October 2020 and was holding additional charge as Managing Director since July 16, 2024.

With over three decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, he has spearheaded CPCL’s key infrastructure projects, introduced new value-added & sustainable products, and overseen the development of nationally significant fuels for the space and defense sectors, according to a statement.

Hungary has deployed soldiers and launched new disinfection measures to help contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in a northwestern area bordering Slovakia and Austria, the agriculture minister said on Wednesday.

Hungary reported its first case in more than 50 years of the disease, which often leads to trade restrictions, on a cattle farm early last month.

Since then, neighbouring Slovakia has detected outbreaks at five locations after reporting its first cases in March. It has also stepped up measures to contain the disease’s spread.

The government has appointed Deputy CAG S Ramann as Chairperson of pension fund regulator PFRDA.

Ramann would replace incumbent Deepak Mohanty whose term comes to an end in May 2025.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Sivasubramanian Ramann, Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General, to the post of chairperson, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), a government notification dated April 1 said.

The ACC has approved his appointment for a tenure of five years or till he attains age of 65 years, it said.

Ramann, presently serving as Deputy CAG, belongs to 1991 batch of Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IA&AS).

The 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship is set to kick off today at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. The tournament, which is scheduled to run until the 15th of this month, will follow a new division-based format, similar to the Senior Women’s Championship held in March.

A total of 30 teams will participate, divided into three divisions: A, B, and C. The points system in all three divisions is the same. Each team will be awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Matches in Divisions B and C will start today, while Division A matches will commence on April 8.

On the first day, Hockey Rajasthan will face Tripura Hockey, Hockey Arunachal will take on Hockey Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh Hockey will play Hockey Gujarat, and Hockey Himachal will face Hockey Association of Bihar in Division C.

The United Kingdom appears set to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup after FIFA President Gianni Infantino described its interest as the “one valid bid” for the tournament.

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales announced last month that they would submit a joint bid to host the finals.

“We are honoured to be the sole bidder for the FIFA women’s World Cup 2035,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said in a statement.

“Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 with our home nations partners will be very special. The hard work starts now, to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year.”

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has announced the launch of the BPCL Sports Scholarship Initiative. This initiative aims to support and nurture emerging sports talent across India by providing financial assistance to promising young athletes, allowing them to focus on their training and competitive aspirations at both national and international levels.

The BPCL Sports Scholarship Initiative is open to Indian athletes aged 13 to 25, spanning multiple sports disciplines, including Athletics, Badminton, Cricket, Hockey, Chess, Tennis, and more. The selected athletes will receive a monthly stipend, a sports kit, and financial coverage for tournament expenses, ensuring they can train and compete without financial constraints. The scholarships will be awarded in three categories based on age groups: Budding Athlete Engagement for ages 13-17, Junior Athlete Engagement for ages 17-21, and Elite Athlete Engagement for ages 21-25.

In a remarkable display of skill and dedication, young Indian equestrian player Niharika Singhania has clinched first position in the prestigious Azelhof CSI Lier equestrian competition held in Belgium. Competing against international participants, Niharika demonstrated exceptional talent and composure to bring home gold. Niharika participated in the Two Phases special event, riding on Hotese Charboniere. She finished the event with 40.72 and 40.34 penalty points

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu launched the ‘Zero Poverty - P4’ initiative under Swarnadra 2047 vision with an aim to ensure poverty-free Andhra Pradesh by 2029, on Sunday, marking the Telugu New Year, Ugadi. The ambitious programme seeks to bridge the socio-economic divide by encouraging the wealthiest 10% of the population to support the bottom 20% of the poorest families, fostering inclusive growth.

The ‘P4’ initiative stands for Public-Private-People Partnership, wherein affluent individuals willing to contribute are designated as ‘Margadarsies’ (mentors), while the underprivileged beneficiaries are identified as ‘Bangaru Kutumbams’ (golden families). The government will act as a facilitator, ensuring real-time tracking of progress through digital dashboards.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Naidu expressed confidence that this initiative would be a game-changer in eradicating poverty and serve as a model for the world. “Until now, charitable efforts have been individual, and the government has introduced Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). But this initiative is unique as it provides an institutionalised platform for direct interaction between Margadarsies and Bangaru Kutumbams,” he said.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) today expanded its Multi-Banking Centralised Collection System by empanelling 15 more banks, bringing the total to 32. Addressing the occasion in New Delhi, Union Minister for Labour and Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said that the country’s progress towards a Naya Bharat is being significantly supported by institutions like EPFO, which plays a crucial role in shaping the nation’s future. He mentioned that with nearly 8 crore active members and more than 78 lakh pensioners, EPFO provides benefits that ensure social security for millions. Dr. Mandaviya also pointed out that EPFO is actively working on evolving towards EPFO 3.0 to make it as accessible and efficient as banks. The newly empanelled 15 banks will enable direct payment of nearly 12,000 crore rupees in annual collections and allow direct access to employers who maintain their accounts with these banks. This initiative will streamline employer payments, enhance efficiency, and reduce transaction delays, benefiting crores of members.