1.Home, auto and other loans are likely to cost less as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut interest rates Wednesday for a second consecutive time while lowering India's growth forecast to 6.5 per cent from 6.7 per cent estimated earlier for the current financial year on account of impact of global trade and policy uncertainties.

2.The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday cleared a proposal to procure 26 naval variants of Rafale fighter jets from France at a cost of around Rs64,000 crore for deployment on board aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, sources in the defence establishment said.

3.J&K government grants 9.23 lakh kanals, 2,421 urban plots, and quarters to PoJK displaced persons in Jammu region.

4.Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana is set to be extradited to India soon, with legalities underway.

5.Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has unveiled the Aadhaar app, designed to enhance accessibility and security. This new application integrates face ID authentication and artificial intelligence (AI), allowing Indian citizens to access digital Aadhaar services via their mobile devices.

6.Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Wednesday announced that his government would fi ll over 12,000 vacant posts in the police department.

7.The state government Wednesday appointed retired IAS offi cer Manoj Kumar Parida as the Chief Information Commissioner of the state Information Commission.

8.The Odisha government, in collaboration with Unicef, has taken a signifi cant step toward strengthening social protection systems in the state by initiating discussions on the Social Policy and Social Protection Action Plan (SPSP) for the period 2025–2027.

9.Odisha Police Wednesday claimed to have busted an international cyber fraud racket and arrested nine people from the Steel City here. The police also seized Rs1.41 crore from 23 bank accounts, a senior police offi cer said Wednesday.

10.Uttar Pradesh is set to emerge as a hub for advanced potato research and value-added production, with the International Potato Research Centre coming up in Agra and Centres of Excellence being established in Saharanpur and Kushinagar.

11.A Delhi court Wednesday stayed till April 21, an order for further probe against Law Minister Kapil Mishra for his alleged role in the February 2020 riots.

12.The Ram temple at Ayodhya will see the installation of a “Ram Darbar” during a three-day ceremony next month, though it would only be open to devotees from June 6, offi cials said Wednesday.

13.The Delhi High Court Wednesday said a passenger travelling in train was responsible for the safety of their luggage and Railways was not liable for any theft unless there was negligence or misconduct by its officials.

14.Russia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the May 9 celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Germany in World War II, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said.

15.The country's goods and services exports have crossed $820 billion in 2024-25, marking a nearly 6 per cent increase over the previous fiscal year despite global economic uncertainties, the commerce ministry said Wednesday.