Morning Digest: President Murmu gives assent to Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, U.S. Vice-President Vance and NSA Waltz set to visit India this month; and more

Here is a select list of stories to start your day.

President Murmu gives assent to Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the Union Law Ministry said in a notification.

Will the Waqf law usher in transparency? 

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday (April 5, 2025) gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 (2025 Act), the Union Law Ministry said in a notification. The contentious legislation was passed by Parliament this week after two marathon debates in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Originally introduced last year, the law was earlier referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jagdambika Pal for scrutiny. The report was laid before both Houses on February 13, 2025. 

U.S. Vice-President Vance and NSA Waltz set to visit India this month

After a few postponements, U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance, his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance and their children are set to visit India later this month, sources in Delhi confirmed. Mr. Vance, who met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris and Washington this year, had sent out feelers for the visit to India, and in particular for a chance for a “heritage tour” for his family, given his wife is an American of South Indian origin.

Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties seek India’s continued role in ensuring political solution 

The historic Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 remains the only instrument to achieve a political solution for the Tamils of the island, and India’s “legitimate involvement” will be important to reach this goal, Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties told Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Amid cash recovery row, Justice Yashwant Varma takes oath as Allahabad HC judge; lawyers call it ‘unacceptable’

Justice Yashwant Varma, who is at the centre of a raging controversy after unaccounted-for cash was found at his official residence in the capital, took oath as judge at the Allahabad High Court on Saturday.

Kunal Kamra row: People shouldn’t misuse their rights in a democracy, says Shinde

Speaking elaborately on the Kunal Kamra controversy for the first time, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Saturday that people should not misuse their rights in a democracy.

India must ban bottom-trawling to resolve fisheries conflict, Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties tell PM Modi

Sri Lanka’s Tamil political leaders urged India to ban bottom trawling in order to decisively resolve the fisheries conflict affecting the fishermen of northern Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.

‘Hang tough, it won’t be easy’: Trump defiant on tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down on the sweeping tariffs he unleashed on countries around the world, warning Americans of pain ahead, but promising historic investment and prosperity.

Two British MPs detained by Israel, says British Foreign Minister 

Israel has detained two British members of parliament and refused entry to the officials who were visiting as part of a parliamentary delegation, British Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement late on Saturday (April 5, 2025).

IPL 2025, CSK vs DC: Capitals thrash listless Super Kings for third straight win

Chennai Super Kings produced one of the most listless performances in its history to go down by 25 runs against Delhi Capitals in an IPL match on Saturday.

PBKS vs RR, IPL 2025: A Royal thrashing for Kings

RR went on to win by 50 runs, thereby consigning PBKS to its fifth straight loss at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium.

An artiste with a view | Prithviraj Sukumaran 

Prithviraj Sukumaran is no revolutionary in the garb of a filmmaker, but the nature and influence of mainstream cinema is such that even a minor attempt at subversion can invite the full wrath of the ruling establishment and make one look so. The Malayali actor-director has been experiencing just that since the release of his third directorial L2:Empuraan, starring Mohanlal, which has a 15-minute sequence of what appears to be references to the Gujarat riots of 2002 as well as criticism of central investigative agencies.

Published - April 06, 2025 06:24 am IST