“Only Because Of Sabarimala”: Top Court to hear plea on women in Mosques

  • The Supreme Court today said it will examine a plea for allowing entry of women into mosques without any restrictions, and issued a notice to the government, the Central Waqf Council and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board .
  • “We are hearing this case because of the Sabarimala verdict. We will see...” the top court said today. 
  • Agreeing to examine the petition by a Muslim couple from Maharashtra tomorrow, the top court asked them whether they have been stopped by anyone when they tried to worship at a mosque

Private jets booked up across India to give PM’s campaign edge: report

  • India’s vast and chaotic election is being fought in the skies with private jets and helicopters.
  • Amit Shah, the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party flew the length and breadth of the country on April 6 to give interviews and attend about half a dozen election rallies.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cash-rich BJP booked most of the nation’s available private air fleet as early as three months back 

Government asks Apple and Google to take down TikTok from App Stores

  • India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has reportedly asked Google and Apple to remove the Chinese video sharing application TikTok from their app stores. 
  • The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on April 3 passed an order directing the government to prohibit downloading of the TikTok app in the country. 

Huge fire engulfs Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris

  • The central spire, roof and much of the interior of Notre Dame Cathedral were obliterated Monday as a catastrophic fire spread within minutes through a building that has stood at the heart of Paris for more than 800 years. 

China on India’s concerns: ‘BRI doesn’t involve territorial disputes

  • China on Monday said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) does not “involve territorial disputes” and is transparent, dismissing New Delhi’s concerns that a part of the connectivity project violates India’s sovereignty as it passes through Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). 
  • India has consistently kept away from BRI — a project to connect China with Asia and Europe — because the CPEC, which is a part of it, passes through PoK.