The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched three new Information Technology platforms aimed at strengthening the regulatory framework, enhancing cybersecurity oversight, and improving ease of doing business in India’s capital markets.
The announcement was made by SEBI Chairman on March 24, as part of the regulator’s broader push towards digital transformation.
According to an official statement, the newly introduced platforms are designed to streamline regulatory processes, improve operational efficiency, and bring greater transparency across the ecosystem.
The Clinical Laboratory at the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), Bengaluru has achieved ISO 15189:2022 accreditation in Biochemistry and Haematology. It has become the first institute under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences to receive this distinction.
The accreditation certifies that the laboratory meets globally accepted standards for accuracy, reliability, and safety in diagnostic services.
The facility has also secured National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accreditation for 50 test parameters, marking its transition into a centre of excellence.
Minister of State for the Ministry of Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, said that international accreditation ensures precise diagnostics and strengthens healthcare outcomes, while positioning Ayush systems as benchmarks of quality. Secretary of Ayush, Rajesh Kotecha, termed the recognition a landmark step towards integrating evidence-based diagnostics with traditional medicine.
Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh was reelected for a sixth term after official results showed him winning 97.81% of the vote in April 10, 2026 election.
Mr. Guelleh, 78, has ruled the small Horn of Africa nation of about 1 million for more than two decades. Last year, the country's lawmakers scrapped presidential age limits.
Mr. Guelleh succeeded his uncle, former President Hassan Gouled Aptidon, in 1999, extending a family-led system that has shaped the country's politics for decades.
Djibouti hosts multiple foreign military bases, including those of the U.S., China, France and Japan, underscoring its strategic importance along a key global shipping route linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Revenues from these arrangements, along with port services for neighbouring Ethiopia, underpin the economy.
The first astronauts to travel to the Moon in more than half a century are back on Earth after a record-setting mission aboard NASA’s Artemis II test flight.
Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, Kargil hero and Mahavir Chakra awardee, died of a heart attack at his home at the age of 61.
During the Kargil War in 1999, he was assigned the critical mission of securing Chorbat La in the Batalik sub-sector, along the Line of Control with Pakistan in Ladakh. He led the personnel from the Ladakh Scouts.
Maha Vir Chakra (MVC): The nation's second-highest military honor awarded to him for his conspicuous gallantry in the face of the enemy in 1999.
The "Lion of Ladakh": He was widely respected for leading from the front, taking out enemy intrusions, and ensuring the safety of his team under extreme high-altitude conditions.
Sunil Bajpai has assumed the charge of Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry following his promotion on 10 April, 2026. He belongs to the 1990 batch of IRS and holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering & M.Tech. in Structural Engineering from IIT, Kanpur and IIT, Delhi respectively.
He has also completed his PGDM from IIM Lucknow and holds a Bachelor of Law (L.L.B.) degree.
During his distinguished career, he has served in various capacities in the Income Tax Department including as Additional Director of Income Tax in the Directorate of Systems; Principal Additional Director General at NADT Regional Campus, Lucknow.
During his tenure on deputation, he served as Joint Assessor & Collector at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and as Director at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Government of India. He was serving as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax-5, Mumbai and on promotion he has now assumed this charge.
Australia on April 13, 2026 said a woman would lead its Army for the first time in history, as part of a reshuffle of the country’s defence force leadership.
Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, the current chief of joint capabilities, will become Chief of Army in July, the government said in a statement. She will replace Lieutenant General Simon Stuart.
Lt. Gen. Coyle, 55, enlisted in the military in 1987 and has held a number of senior command roles. She will be the first woman to lead any service branch of the military, Mr. Marles said.
Women currently make up around 21% of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and 18.5% of senior leadership roles.
The ADF has set a target of 25% of overall participation for women by 2030. The government on April 13, 2026 also appointed Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, the current Chief of the Navy, as the head of the ADF, succeeding Admiral David Johnston.
The current deputy Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Matthew Buckley, will replace Vice Admiral Hammond as head of the branch.
The General Assembly proclaimed 15 April as International Wellness Day. This Day serves as a platform for education, cultural exchange, and knowledge-sharing — encouraging people everywhere to embrace accessible, inclusive, and affordable wellness practices that enhance both personal and collective health.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasize health and well-being as central to achieving sustainable development. Goal 3, "Good Health and Well-Being," aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, addressing key challenges such as maternal and child health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and access to essential medicines.
The World Bank has released USD 340 million so far for the Amaravati Capital Phase-I development, a top official from the international financial institution has said.
Andhra Pradesh is likely to get another USD 150 million by the end of April, a senior state government official said.
The World Bank, along with the Asian Development Bank have committed USD 1,600 million (USD 800 each) for the Amaravati Capital Phase-I development. Besides the WB and ADB, the Centre will be funding Rs 1,400 crore, out of the Rs 15,000 crore committed by it.
Future fund releases are linked to the achievement of those agreed milestones. The loan has a six-year grace period and a 29-year final maturity, with repayment of the World Bank loan starting on June 15, 2031, the WB official further said.
State-run Bank of Baroda announced a tie-up with Reliance Jio to help anyone access its mobile banking application from the feature phones sold by the telco.
Under the partnership, 'bob World Lite', a comprehensive mobile banking app designed specifically for feature phone users will be available on the JioPhone Prima 4G device, according to a statement.
The app will be available to both existing Bank of Baroda customers and those of any other bank, as per the statement.
The bob World Lite app features a lightweight, low bandwidth architecture with keypad navigation and secure access, it said, adding that it has been built to provide a comprehensive suite of everyday banking services on affordable feature phones.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, has granted R1 approval to the M Pallonji Group for its proposed general insurance venture, in partnership with Divya Sehgal and Federal Bank.
The M Pallonji Group is expected to hold a 51% stake, with additional capital support from Federal Bank and a clutch of family offices.
At the R1 stage, the regulator evaluates the business plan, capital commitment and governance structure, following which proposals are either moved to the next stage, sent back for modifications or rejected. The R2 stage involves demonstrating share capital readiness, while R3 is the final approval.
The company is expected to begin operations with an initial capital infusion of about Rs 200 crore, backed by around six investors, one of the sources said.
The development comes amid a fresh wave of new entrants in the sector. Kiwi General Insurance, backed by WestBridge Capital and led by former Tata AIG General Insurance CEO Nilesh Garg, recently got its licence.
Chipmaker Nvidia announced a new family of open-source AI models, called Ising, aimed at addressing key challenges in quantum computing, including error correction and processor calibration.
The company said the models are designed to help researchers and enterprises build more reliable quantum systems capable of running practical applications.
The Ising family includes AI tools that improve how quantum computers are tuned and how errors are corrected during computations — two of the biggest hurdles in scaling the technology.
The suite includes:
Ising Calibration: An AI model that automates the tuning of quantum processors, reducing the process from days to hours.
Ising Decoding: Neural network-based models for real-time error correction
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said AI would act as the “control plane” for quantum systems, effectively turning fragile qubits into scalable and reliable computing platforms.
