England’s Joe Root has reclaimed the No.1 spot in the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings after his brilliant century at Lord’s against India. Root scored 104 and 40 in England’s seven-wicket victory, helping the hosts take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. With 888 rating points, Root has overtaken teammate Harry Brook. This marks Root’s eighth stint as the world’s top Test batter. At 34, he becomes the oldest No.1 since Kumar Sangakkara in 2014. Root also surpassed Rahul Dravid’s tally of centuries and crossed 8000 runs batting exclusively at No.4, joining legends Tendulkar, Jayawardene, and Kallis.  (PC: India Today)

A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, painted in 1931 during his visit to London, has been sold at Bonhams auction house for £152,800 ($204,648). Created by British artist Clare Leighton, it is believed to be the only oil painting for which Gandhi sat. The portrait was completed during the second Round Table Conference when Gandhi visited London to discuss India's constitutional future. The painting remained with Leighton’s family after her death in 1989. Bonhams did not disclose the buyer’s identity or whether the artwork will be publicly displayed. Gandhi is revered in India as the "father of the nation." (PC: BBC)

In JP Nagar’s Dollar Colony, Bengaluru locals have carved a touching stone mural of Pikachu—a beloved stray dog—behind Clarence Public School. The tribute features his likeness surrounded by handwritten messages, recalling how the canine warmed neighbourhood hearts before his tragic death in a road accident . Shared by resident Nithin Kumar on X, the mural went viral, prompting emotional responses: “This moved me to tears” . Coinciding with the gesture, BBMP has rolled out a ₹2.88 crore feeding initiative to nourish approximately 5,000 stray dogs daily with nutritious chicken‑rice meals, aimed at reducing aggression. (PC: Money Control)

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee led a massive protest in Kolkata, daring BJP to “prove Bengali-speaking migrant workers are Rohingyas.” She accused the BJP of harassing Bengalis in NDA-ruled states and manipulating voter rolls to rig elections. Banerjee claimed 22 lakh Bengal migrants have valid documents and warned BJP against similar attempts in Bengal. Thousands joined the TMC rally, disrupting traffic, ahead of PM Modi’s Bengal visit. Meanwhile, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari led MLAs to the Election Commission, demanding deletion of alleged “Rohingya” names from voter lists. TMC cited these actions as evidence of rising linguistic discrimination. (PC: News18)

NCERT’s new Class 8 social science textbook describes the Mughal and Delhi Sultanate periods as a “darker time” in Indian history. The book highlights Babur’s brutality, Akbar’s temple destruction, and Aurangzeb’s religious intolerance, while adding a disclaimer that no one today should be blamed for past events. A “Note on Some Darker Periods in History” explains the inclusion of these details. NCERT defended the changes, saying the new books align with NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023. Officials said the approach is evidence-based and encourages students to understand history’s darker chapters without assigning modern-day blame. (PC: X)

A dam near Orsk in Russia’s Orenburg region collapsed on April 5 after torrential rain and melting snow, causing the Ural River to overflow and submerging the city of 200,000 into a “critical” flood situation, officials have warned . Over 4,500 people—including 1,100 children—have been evacuated, with more than 6,500 homes inundated and a federal emergency declared . Water levels rose 28 cm in a single day in nearby Orenburg (pop. 560,000), prompting threats of forced evacuation . Russian authorities are preparing for further flooding in Kurgan and Tyumen, with the flood peak expected by April 9 and stabilization after April 20.  

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde test-drove a Tesla Model Y outside the Mumbai Assembly a day after the company opened its first showroom in India at Bandra Kurla Complex. Videos show Shinde driving the Pearl White Model Y, surrounded by security and media. He also attended the inauguration, calling Mumbai the “right city and state” for Tesla’s India entry. Tesla’s Model Y prices in India start at ₹59.89 lakh, significantly higher than US rates due to import tariffs. A second showroom in Delhi is expected in July. Bookings have begun; deliveries start December quarter onwards. 

Pakistan's ex-cricketers Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal have questioned Ravindra Jadeja’s batting strategy during India’s narrow 22‑run defeat at Lord’s on July 16, 2025. They suggested Jadeja, with over 130 runs in lower‑order partnerships, should have adopted Javed Miandad’s tactic of targeting boundaries at the end of overs when batting with tail‑enders like Bumrah and Siraj . Basit scorned, “Was this Jadeja’s first Test?” while Akmal echoed that Jadeja could have “struck a few sixes” rather than ceding momentum . They argued a bolder intent might have swung the result in India’s favor. (PC: PTI)  

Israel bombed the entrance of the Syrian army’s headquarters in Damascus and launched strikes on Suwayda, a Druze-majority city in southern Syria. The strikes followed renewed clashes in Suwayda despite a ceasefire agreed on Tuesday. Syrian state media reported Israeli drone attacks caused civilian casualties. The Israeli army claimed its actions aimed to protect Druze communities and warned it is prepared for “various scenarios.” Fighting between armed groups and Syrian government forces has intensified in Suwayda. Israel’s strikes near key military sites in Damascus further escalate tensions, as fears grow over a broader regional conflict. (PC: News18)

King Charles III met India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams during their England tour and showed a personal touch by asking fast bowler Akash Deep about his sister’s cancer treatment. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said Charles had detailed knowledge about the players. Akash Deep had earlier dedicated his Edgbaston performance to his sister, who is battling stage 3 cancer. King Charles also consoled Mohammed Siraj after India’s narrow 22-run defeat at Lord’s. The Indian players appreciated the monarch’s warmth and humility during the meeting. India trails England 2-1 with two Tests remaining in the ongoing series. (PC: India Today)