The Y20 Pre-Summit under India's G20 Presidency will start today and will continue till 28th April in Ladakh. It will bring together over 100 delegates from 30 countries to discuss issues concerning the youth of the world. 

The meeting will focus on five Y20 themes, including climate change, peace-building, and health. The event will provide a platform for open discussions and interactive sessions to address the challenges faced by young people and formulate a roadmap for their development. The Summit will also have parallel Deliberation and Negotiation sessions on each of the Y20 themes. It is the second Y 20 Pre-Summit after the first was held at Guwahati in February this year.

Parkash Singh Badal was born on December 8, 1927, in Abul Khurana near Malout. He entered the state Assembly from Malout in 1957 as the Congress nominee and in 1969, entered the Assembly from Gidderbaha seat on the SAD ticket. He was elected as MLA for 11 times, losing only twice. 

Badal became the Chief Minister for the first time in 1970. He was the youngest Chief Minister and headed a coalition government. But the government did not complete its term. Later, he became the Chief Minister four times, from 1977 to 1980, 1997 to 2002, 2007 to 2012, and 2012 to 2017. In 1977, he briefly joined Morarji Desai's government as the Agriculture minister at the Centre. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acknowledged the success of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Replying to a tweet by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, the Prime Minister said that it is an example of the government's efforts to provide top-quality and affordable healthcare. He added, it is contributing towards a healthier India and helping several people. In another tweet, Mr. Modi also praised the people of Thrissur for the warm reception it extended to Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express with traditional folk music at the railway station.

Bangladesh has formally issued the Permanent Transit Order (PTO) allowing the movement of goods from India through its territory using the Mongla and Chattogram ports. With the signing of the PTO,  the deck has been cleared to start commercial operation of transit and transshipment from northeastern states to other parts of India using these two ports. It will drastically reduce the cost and time of transportation of goods between northeastern states and other parts of India.

Goods prohibited by Bangladesh will not be allowed to be transported and the transported goods can’t be kept at Bangladesh ports for more than 7 days. It also specifies the rates for processing the document, the transshipment fee, and other administrative and commercial fees. 

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy have successfully conducted a trial of the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor from a naval platform. In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the scientists involved in the project for their determination and efforts in strengthening the country's defence capabilities.

In another tweet responding to Union Minister Piyush Goyal, the Prime Minister has urged everyone to visit the Indiahandmade.com website and support the Vocal For Local movement. The website acts a one-stop-shop for the country's handloom and handicraft heritage.

Labour and Employment Minister Bhupender Yadav today launched new features on the eShram portal aimed at enhancing its utility for unorganised workers in New Delhi. The portal, which registers workers, will now enable them to connect with employment opportunities, skilling, apprenticeships, pension schemes, digital skilling and states’ schemes. A feature that captures family details of migrant workers has also been added to provide access to child education and women-centric schemes for those who have migrated with family. In addition, a new feature has been introduced to share data of construction workers registered on eShram with the respective Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board to ensure they have access to relevant schemes. The government has also launched a Data Sharing Portal for sharing eShram data with state and union territory governments.

India has launched Operation Kaveri to bring back its citizens stranded in Sudan. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in a tweet said that nearly 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan and more are on their way. He said, Indian ships and aircraft are set to bring stranded Indian nationals back home. He added that the Government of India is committed to assisting all its brethren in Sudan. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station today morning. Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone and dedicate various projects to the nation worth more than three thousand two hundred crore rupees in Kerala today.

Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry has celebrated World Earth Day by reaffirming its commitment to environmental protection, including tree plantation. The Ministry shared that in 2022, they had planted 10,000 trees at the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust, Tuticorin, which are now growing into trees and will prove beneficial for future generations.

Replying to its tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the noble and visionary effort towards environmental protection. He also congratulated the trust for its contribution in this regard.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tributes to Jagadguru Basavanna on his birth anniversary on Sunday and said that his spirituality paved the way to create a fair and equitable society. In a tweet, Mr. Shah said that his sublime wisdom of seeing divinity in every human being continues to guide India's democratic values and our path in service to people.