The Punjab government has banned the sale of hybrid paddy seeds (non-Basmati rice), citing that they are being sold at high prices in the state. The government has also said these seeds lead to a higher percentage of broken rice during milling — the process of removing the outer husk and bran layers from paddy (unmilled rice) to produce edible, white rice — compared to the standards set by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

The two issues have resulted in farmers receiving lower prices for their produce, according to the government. However, some of the farmers in Punjab and experts have opposed the ban.

The nation pays homage to the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar on his 134th birth anniversary today. Several functions have been organised throughout the country to mark the occasion.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Leader of House in Rajya Sabha J P Nadda, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Union Ministers and Members of Parliament and general public paid tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar at his statue in Parliament House complex today.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, Leaders of different political parties paid tributes to Dr Ambedkar at his portrait at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.

To enhance wildlife conservation and honour a national icon, the Madhya Pradesh government has officially declared a new wildlife sanctuary spanning 258.64 square kilometres in Sagar district. The sanctuary will be known as Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Abhyaran, as a government notification issued on Friday confirmed.

The declaration comes in the lead-up to the 134th birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar, celebrated annually on April 14. By naming the sanctuary after Ambedkar, the state seeks to pay tributes to his enduring legacy while furthering environmental preservation.

The latest addition brings the total number of wildlife sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh to 25. MP is referred to as the "Tiger State of India", and already renowned for its rich biodiversity and protected areas, including several prominent tiger reserves and wildlife parks.

Dr. Ambrish Mithal, renowned Indian endocrinologist, receives the IOF's 2025 CSA Medal of Achievement for significant contributions to osteoporosis research in Rome.

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) presented eminent Indian endocrinologist, Dr Ambrish Mithal, with the prestigious 2025 Committee of Scientific Advisors Medal of Achievement, the foundation announced on Friday.

“Today, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has presented the 2025 CSA Medal of Achievement to Dr Ambrish Mithal, a renowned Indian endocrinologist and distinguished physician and researcher…,” read the IOF statement.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has set up a dedicated task force to support displaced Afghanistan women cricketers. The world body has joined with the BCCI, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia (CA) to assist the Afghan women cricketers in their development, both on and off the field going forward.

Ever since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, their women’s team hasn’t featured in any international fixture with a majority of the players fleeing the country and settling in Australia. There have been calls to the ICC from several quarters, including from British MPs, to suspend the Afghanistan Cricket Board. During the ICC Champions Trophy, some politicians in Britain even wanted England to boycott their fixture against Afghanistan.

Though the chances of the women’s team returning to the field still look distant, the ICC has stepped in to form this task force to help their cause.

Fintech firm Razorpay has partnered with NPCI BHIM Services Ltd (NBSL) and Axis Bank to launch the Razorpay Turbo UPI plugin on the BHIM Vega platform.

The solution enables businesses to offer seamless in-app payment experiences, allowing customers to complete transactions instantly without switching to third-party apps.

"BHIM Vega -- Razorpay's Partner Businesses can now accept in-app payments, and end-customers can complete payments instantly within the app without switching to third-party apps, reducing friction in online transactions and delivering a high-speed payment experience," a company statement said.

The partnership aims to reduce friction in online payments, increase transaction success rates, and streamline user onboarding.

The Centre has operationalised a dedicated ‘Global Tariff and Trade Helpdesk’ to assist stakeholders in navigating emerging trade issues.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry in a statement said that the Helpdesk will look into issues relating to Import and Export Challenges, Import Surges or Dumping, Logistics or Supply Chain Challenges, Financial or Banking issues and Regulatory or Compliance Issues among others.

The Help desk will also collect and collate trade-related issues concerning other Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Central Government and State Governments. It will also co-ordinate to seek their support and provide possible resolutions. The Ministry added that Export-Imp

HDFC Securities, subsidiary of HDFC Bank, has launched futures and options (F&O) dashboard on its discount broking platform - HDFC Sky. The feature extends advanced tools aiding investors with enhanced market analysis and expert recommendations.

The dashboard comprises tools including smart option chain for in-depth analysis of options contracts, with advanced filters for open interest bar, highest open interest, volume and implied volatility, along with detailed Greeks analysis.

The ‘smart future chain’ provides consolidated view of all available future contracts with buildup data, while the FII/DII activity tracker delivers insights into institutional buying and selling trends across cash and derivatives markets.

Former Tamil Nadu Congress chief Kumari Ananthan, 93, passed away in Chennai in the early hours of Wednesday (April 9, 2025), due to age-related illness. Veteran Congress leader

He was cremated with State honours on Wednesday (April 9, 2025).

Mr. Ananthan is survived by one son and four daughters, including senior BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

In 1977, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Nagercoil as a Janata or Congress (Organisation) candidate.

Mr. Ananthan was a member of the Tamil Nadu Assembly four times and was an eminent orator in Tamil. His body will be kept at his daughter’s house in Saligramam for the public to pay their last respects.

Padma Shri Ram Sahay Pandey, a legendary figure in Rai folk dance, passed away at 92 after a prolonged illness. He died in a private hospital in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. His final rites will be held in Kanera Dev village. Pandey’s contributions to Rai dance left a lasting impact. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav paid tribute, recognizing his dedication to folk art and global recognition of Rai dance. He recognised Pandey’s immense contributions as a cultural pioneer and expressed sorrow for the irreplaceable loss to Madhya Pradesh and the art world.

Pandey fought against societal stigma, especially since Rai is linked to the marginalized Bedia community, once targeted by the Criminal Tribes Act. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022 for his work in preserving and promoting Rai dance. He also received the title ‘Nritya Shiromani’ and was appointed to the Tribal Folk Art Council by the Madhya Pradesh government.