Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently engaged with over 100 beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), reflecting on the scheme's decade-long impact. Since its inception in 2015, PMMY has disbursed loans totaling ₹32 lakh crore to support non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises. Notably, 74% of these loans have been sanctioned to women entrepreneurs, and 55% to individuals from SC/ST and OBC categories. Beneficiaries shared transformative stories, such as Kiran Kumari from Jharkhand, who expanded her toy business, and Munirabanu Malek from Gujarat, who now earns ₹25,000 monthly driving an auto-rickshaw. PM Modi emphasized that PMMY has liberated entrepreneurs from exploitative moneylenders, fostering self-reliance and economic empowerment across marginalized communities. (PC: UxDT & Mint)

Google CEO Sundar Pichai sold approximately $5.15 million worth of Alphabet's Class C stock on April 2, 2025, under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan adopted on December 2, 2024. The shares were sold at prices between $157.23 and $159.97 each. Following this transaction, Pichai retains direct ownership of 2,717,696 Class C shares, along with 227,560 shares of Class A Common Stock and 224,169 Class C Google Stock Units set to vest over time. Despite a roughly 20% decline in Alphabet's stock value year-to-date amid broader tech sector pressures, analysts remain optimistic about the company's future, citing its strong financial health and strategic investments in AI. (PC: BBC)

An Israeli airstrike killed over 30 people, mostly women and children, in Gaza on Monday, hitting a charity kitchen providing food to civilians. The attack occurred as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss a new potential ceasefire with Hamas. A local journalist was also killed in a separate strike near a hospital. Netanyahu said Israel is committed to securing the release of remaining hostages. Trump added, “We’re looking at another ceasefire.” The previous truce collapsed on March 18, leaving 58 hostages still in Hamas captivity, including 34 presumed dead, according to Israeli military. (PC: AP)

A day after a steep fall triggered by Trump’s tariff announcement, Indian markets rebounded sharply on Tuesday. The S&P BSE Sensex surged 1,217.78 points to 74,355.68, while NSE Nifty50 rose 380.50 points to 22,542.10 by 9:35 am. Titan led the gains with a 5.3% rise, followed by Bajaj Finserv, Adani Ports, SBI, and Axis Bank. All 13 sectors traded in the green, and small-cap and mid-cap indices rose 2.6% and 2.2%. Only TCS slipped slightly by 0.27%. Analysts credited stable Indian macros and attractive largecap valuations for the rebound, with investor sentiment mirroring global recovery. (PC: India Today)

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya admitted Rohit Sharma’s return altered their strategy in the 12-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Wankhede. Pandya acknowledged the powerplay struggles and late execution issues, despite a solid middle-order stand with Tilak Varma. He defended moving Naman Dhir down the order, stating, “Once Ro was back, we knew Naman had to go lower.” Rohit scored 17 runs off 9 balls as an Impact Player. Pandya praised Jasprit Bumrah’s effort on return, calling him “special.” RCB’s 221/5 proved just enough, despite a strong fight from MI, who ended on 209/9. (PC: BCCI)

Tesla CEO and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk privately urged US President Donald Trump to reverse his planned 50% tariffs on Chinese goods, The Washington Post reported. While Musk has publicly criticized the tariff hike, he also directly appealed to Trump, warning of the economic impact. Musk emphasized a "zero-tariff" future during talks with Italy’s Deputy PM Salvini and shared a Milton Friedman video promoting free trade. Despite Musk’s efforts, Trump remains firm on tariffs. Musk also mocked White House adviser Peter Navarro, calling his Harvard economics PhD “a bad thing, not a good thing.” (PC: Reuters)

Donald Trump announced that the US and Iran will hold direct nuclear talks on April 12 in Oman. Iran’s foreign minister described the meeting as “indirect” but noted it is “as much an opportunity as it is a test.” Trump warned it would be a “very bad day for Iran” if talks fail. The announcement follows Trump’s White House meeting with Israeli PM Netanyahu, who supports diplomatic efforts but insists Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons. The 2015 nuclear deal collapsed after Trump withdrew the US in 2016. Tensions have since risen, with Iran enriching uranium beyond agreed limits. (PC: Reuters)

India’s stock markets surged on Tuesday morning as the Sensex climbed 1,141.14 points to 74,279.04 and the Nifty rose 401.10 points to 22,562.70. This 1.56% and 1.81% jump respectively came after Monday’s nearly 3% drop. The recovery follows a partial rollback of US President Donald Trump's global tariff plan, sparing all nations except China for 90 days. While markets briefly recovered 3% globally, investor confidence dipped again as Trump’s administration clarified the move. Despite ongoing global volatility, Indian investors responded positively to early trade signals, driving a green start for both BSE and NSE indices. (PC: Reuters)

The US Supreme Court has denied 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana's plea to block his extradition to India, marking a crucial step in India’s pursuit of justice for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed over 160 people. Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian, is accused of aiding terrorist David Headley and Lashkar-e-Taiba. He filed emergency appeals to stop the extradition, but the Court refused his application. During PM Modi’s February US visit, Donald Trump had confirmed approval of Rana’s extradition. Rana is currently held in Los Angeles and is expected to be transferred soon to face trial in India. (PC: India Today)

US President Donald Trump has warned of an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports from Tuesday if Beijing does not withdraw its newly announced 34% retaliatory tariffs. China's move followed Washington's decision to impose 34% levies on all Chinese goods starting April 9. If enforced, some US companies could face up to 104% tax on Chinese imports. The announcement has rattled markets—US indices plunged at opening, and major European markets, including London's FTSE 100, closed over 4% down. Meanwhile, the EU has offered a "zero-for-zero" tariff deal on selected goods to ease growing transatlantic trade tensions. (PC: BBC)