In a significant move to strengthen grassroots governance and track rural progress, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has launched the first-ever Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) baseline report for FY 2022-23. The index serves as a comprehensive tool to measure the performance of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across nine localized Sustainable Development Goal (LSDG) themes, according to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

The inaugural PAI data reveals that out of 2,55,699 GPs, 2,16,285 submitted validated data. Among these, only 699 Panchayats (0.3%) qualified as Front Runners, while 77,298 (35.8%) were marked as Performers. A large majority—1,32,392 Panchayats (61.2%)—were classified as Aspirants, and 5,896 (2.7%) were at the Beginner level. No Panchayat achieved the highest “Achiever” category.

Gujarat and Telangana emerged as leaders with the highest number of Front Runner GPs—346 and 270 respectively. Other high-performing states include Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, while Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh saw a significant concentration of Aspirant GPs.

Bangladesh has become the latest signatory of the Artemis Mission, a US-led effort to explode the Moon with plans to build long-term settlements on the lunar surface and push onward to Mars.

Ashraf Uddin, the secretary of defence for Bangladesh, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country in Dhaka.

Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, following the signing, said “Bangladesh’s commitment to the Artemis Accords will enhance the country’s engagement with NASA and the international community. By signing the accords, Bangladesh builds upon an important foundation for the open, responsible and peaceful exploration of space.”

President Droupadi Murmu, on her state visit to Slovakia, held a one-on-one meeting and delegation-level talks with her Slovakian counterpart, Peter Pellegrini, in Bratislava yesterday. The two leaders discussed various aspects of bilateral relations and issues of shared global and regional interests.

Akashvani Correspondent reports that the President of India, Droupadi Murmu and the President of Slovakia, Peter Pelligrini, also witnessed the exchange of two MoUs, one on cooperation in the field of MSMEs between India’s National Small Industries Corporation Limited and the Slovak Business Agency. and another on cooperation between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

President Murmu highlighted the immense potential for the two countries to collaborate more closely in India’s rapidly expanding media, entertainment, and creative economy sectors. The president also invited Slovakia to take part actively in the upcoming WAVE Summit, which India will host in Mumbai from May 1st to 4th.

Russia invites PM Modi: Russia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the May 9 celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of its victory against Germany during World War II, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said.

Russia’s state-run Tass news agency quoted Rudenko as saying on Tuesday, “It’s being worked out…He has an invitation.”

Russia has invited leaders of several friendly nations to attend this year’s Victory Day Parade.

Dadi Ratan Mohini, spiritual leader and chief administrator of the Brahma Kumaris, died at a private hospital in Ahmedabad early on Tuesday (April 8, 2025). Her 100th birthday was celebrated on March 25. She was unwell for the past week, and was shifted from Rajasthan’s Abu Road to Ahmedabad when her condition deteriorated.

Dadi Ratan Mohini’s body has been kept at the Brahma Kumaris’ headquarters, Shantivan, in Abu Road, to enable people to pay their last respects. She was earlier transferred for dialysis at the Trauma Centre in Shantivan before being shifted to Ahmedabad in neighbouring Gujarat.

The centenarian spiritual leader was the second chief of the Brahma Kumaris, said to be the world’s largest spiritual organisation, to reach the advanced age. She was the chief administrator of Brahma Kumaris since 2021. The first, Dadi Janki, passed away in 2020 at the age of 104.

Former test batsman Will Pucovski has confirmed his retirement from cricket at the age of 27 as the Australian continues to battle concussion symptoms more than a year after being struck by a ball in a domestic match.

The Melbourne native was once seen as the future of Australian cricket as he made a half-century on his test debut against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2021.

It was to prove his only international match, though, as he suffered a shoulder injury in the field and was never able to break back into the squad due to repeated instances of concussion.

Pucovski confirmed to radio station SEN on Tuesday that he was still suffering symptoms more than a year after being hit in the helmet by a delivery from Tasmania fast bowler Riley Meredith in a Sheffield Shield match in Hobart.

World Boxing has formed an interim committee to oversee the affairs of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), following requests from Indian boxing stakeholders outlining concerns regarding the governance of the national body.

In its letter, dated April 7, to BFI chief Ajay Singh, the global boxing body mentioned that World Boxing had received requests from Indian boxing stakeholders seeking stability in Indian boxing and the need for an interim framework that aligns with the statutes and vision of World Boxing.

The interim committee, headed by BFI president Ajay Singh, includes BFI vice president Narender Kumar Nirwan, BFI executive director Arun Malik, and Olympian L. Sarita Devi. One nominee of the National Olympic Committee (IOA) will be nominated in consultation with the president of the IOA. Fairuz, president of the Singapore Boxing Association, will serve as a representative from World Boxing as an observer “to observe and validate the work of the committee.”

In shooting, Vijayveer Sidhu has become the first Indian to win gold in the men’s 25-meter rapid fire pistol event of the ISSF World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the women’s category Suruchi Singh claimed her maiden gold in the 10-meter air pistol event.

The double golds put India on top of the medals tally with four gold, one silver and a bronze.

World Homeopathy Day 2025: Observed annually on April 10, World Homeopathy Day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the German physician who founded homoeopathy. The day serves as a tribute to homoeopathy's contributions to the field of medicine and aims to raise awareness about this alternative system of healing.

Homeopathy is an alternative medical practice based on the principle of "like cures like." It suggests that substances causing symptoms in healthy individuals can, in minute doses, treat similar symptoms in those who are unwell. Though its roots trace back to ancient Greek medicine, it was in the 19th century that homoeopathy gained widespread recognition across Europe and North America.

Practitioners use highly diluted natural substances-often derived from plants and minerals- to stimulate the body's innate healing ability. In India, World Homeopathy Day is observed under the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, to promote awareness and research in the field.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, launched a new digital facility that allows for the generation and activation of Universal Account Numbers (UAN) using Aadhaar-based Face Authentication Technology (FAT) through the UMANG mobile application.

In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the EPFO said the move aims to simplify the UAN allotment process, enhance data accuracy, and reduce reliance on employers for initiating UAN generation. The new system enables employees to independently generate and activate their UANs in a contactless and secure manner.

Previously, UANs were largely generated by employers using employee-submitted data. However, discrepancies in Aadhaar-linked information such as names, dates of birth, and mobile numbers often delayed services and created hurdles during claims processing. According to the EPFO, during the financial year 2024–25, out of 1.26 crore UANs allotted, only 44.68 lakh (35.3%) were activated by members.