1.China exempts select US imports from steep tariffs and seeks input from fi rms on essential goods, signaling concerns over impact of ongoing trade war.

2.Pakistan has reportedly been moving its military equipment towards the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir in the wake of the escalating tensions with India.

3.The Supreme Court Friday censured Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for ‘irresponsible’ remarks on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar at a rally in Maharashtra but stayed the criminal proceedings against him. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan said, “Let's not mock our freedom fighters.”

4.Former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, who was at the helm of the space agency for nearly a decade, passed away in Bangalore Friday, officials said.

5.A Delhi court Friday refused to issue notice to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald money laundering case for now.

6.The procurement of paddy for rabi season in 20 districts will begin May 1 and conclude June 30, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja said Friday.

7.The Odisha government has established 46 new civil judge courts in different parts of the state, officials said Friday.

8.Odisha Police arrested three persons including two serving Navy personnel in Khurda district, on the charge of extorting money from Agniveer aspirants during a recruitment drive in November 2024, an offi cer said Friday.

9.Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife Warden Prem Kumar Jha announced on social media platform X that the number of Royal Bengal tigers in Similipal has increased to 40 — a development that has brought joy to wildlife enthusiasts. Efforts are under way to raise the tiger population to more than 100 by 2036, he added.

10.Narmada Bachao leader Medha Patkar on bail after the Delhi High Court suspended her sentence in a defamation case filed by Delhi LG V K Saxena.

11.The net direct tax collection for the 2024-25 financial year narrowly missed the target, even as it grew 13.57 per cent to over `22.26 lakh crore, due to issuance of the highest-ever amount of refunds delivered, official data said Friday.

12.The Odisha government has set a target to construct one lakh houses under second phase of the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana, a flagship rural housing scheme of the state.

 13.The Odisha government Friday started the process of deporting Pakistanis residing in the state, a top police official said.

14.Indian economy could grow at 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal as lower prices of crude oil are expected to ease inflationary pressure and support domestic growth, despite intensifying global trade tensions, EY said Friday.

15.After a month-long senior national training camp, the Indian women’s hockey team is set for a challenging fi ve-match tour of Australia from April 26 to May 4.