1.The Waqf (Amendment) Act, which was passed by Parliament last week, has come into force from Tuesday, the government said in a notification.

2.One stateone RRB will become a reality from next month as the finance ministry has issued notification for the consolidation of 15 Regional Rural Banks across 11 states to achieve better operational efficiency and cost rationalisation.

3.President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement Monday that the United States and Iran were poised to begin direct talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, but Iran’s foreign minister said the discussions in Oman would be indirect.

4.Donald Trump has followed through on his threat of ‘additional 50 per cent tariffs’ on China starting Wednesday. The White House announced that this will make America’s new tariff on China an unprecedented 104 per cent.

5.In a major victory to DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, the Supreme Court Tuesday cleared 10 Bills which were stalled and reserved by Governor RN Ravi for President’s consideration while setting a timeline for governors to act on the Bills passed by state Assemblies.

6.Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Odisha government to set up a mega petrochemical complex at Paradip with an investment of Rs 61,077 crore to meet the rising demand for petrochemicals.

7.Petronet LNG Ltd to set up a Rs6,500-crore LNG import terminal at Gopalpur Port.

8.Ozone pollution, a lesser-known but potent threat, could drastically reduce agricultural yields in the country, according to a new study by IIT-Kharagpur. „The Indo-Gangetic Plain and Central India are particularly vulnerable, where ozone exposure could exceed safe limits by up to six times, the study showed.

9. Supreme Court Tuesday agreed to hear petitions challenging the Centre’s Rs 50 lakh cap on fi nancial assistance for treating rare diseases like spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

10. East Coast Railway (ECoR) Tuesday announced the cancellation and diversion of several trains between April 13 and 24 due to ongoing safety-related modernisation work at Meramandali railway station in the Dhenkanal–Angul section.

11.In 2014, Stephen Hawking warned of the existential risks of artificial intelligence. His concern wasn’t about evil machines, but the concept of singularity—when AI surpasses human intelligence and escapes our control. “If its goals aren’t aligned with ours,” Hawking said, “we’re in trouble.”

12.Lunglei in South Mizoram, the second largest town in the hilly state after Aizawl, is facing a severe water crisis as its water sources are rapidly drying up due to prolonged dry season.

13.Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Tuesday said the government would launch a special drive to ensure the education of all children of ‘guest workers’ arriving in the state in search of jobs.

14.The Supreme Court Tuesday set aside the Calcutta High Court ordering a CBI probe into the West Bengal cabinet's decision to create supernumerary posts in state-run and aided schools.

15.RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra will announce the fi rst bi-monthly monetary policy of the current fi scal Wednesday, the central bank said, amid expectations of a 25 basis points reduction in the short-term lending rate.

16.Gold prices fell by Rs200 to Rs91,250 per 10 grams in the national capital Tuesday amid subdued demand in the local markets, according to the All India Sarafa Association.

17.Leading contenders began to throw their hats in the ring Tuesday as South Korea offi cially set June 3 for a snap presidential election triggered by last week’s removal from offi ce of impeached leader Yoon Suk Yeol.

18.Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launched India's first high-altitude climate research station in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district Tuesday and said that India is now at the forefront of climate forecasting and research in the Himalayas.

19.India and the UAE Tuesday agreed to boost defence ties, including possible co-development of military equipment, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, focusing on cooperation in strategic domains.

20.In a reprieve to social activist Medha Patkar, facing a five-month imprisonment, a Delhi court Tuesday released her on "probation of good conduct" in a defamation case filed by Delhi LG V K Saxena, when he headed an NGO in Gujarat.