1. Christians across the world observed Good Friday today. The day marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago.
2. The 2012 edition of the annual India-U.S. 10-day naval exercise, ‘Malabar,' will be held in the Bay of Bengal from April 7.
3. Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika died today after suffering a heart attack in the capital, Lilongwe. He was 78.
4. India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board was admitted as the 11th member of MEDP (Multinational Design Evaluation Programme). The other members of this body are China, Finland, Japan, Korea, South Africa, USA, UK, Canada, France and Russia.
5. The United Nations 2011 Revision of the World Urbanization Prospects released today. Important points of the report are:-
a. India, China, Nigeria, Indonesia and the United States are set to lead the world's growth in urban populations during the next four decades.
b. Currently half the world's 7 billion people live in cities.
c. India's cities are to add 497 million people by 2050, increasing the current total population by more than 40 percent
6. United Nations will convene the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio 2012 or Rio+20, in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
7. Army Chief Gen V K Singh announced all possible help by India to Nepal in its army integration process and for its disaster management. The step will take forward the bilateral ties between the two nations.
8. Civil Aviation Ministry today accepted a proposal to name Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) as Kempegowda International Airport. Kempegowda was the founder of garden city Bengaluru.
9. Tougher U.K. student visa rules come into force from today. According to new Rules students from outside the European Union will be required to have a firm job offer of a minimum £20,000 a year from a government-approved employer if they wish to stay on in Britain after completing their studies.
10. Popular social networking site Facebook announced to soon launch its Initial Public Offering(IPO) and choosen the Nasdaq Stock Exchange to list its shares.
11. India has expressed interest in importing additional liquefied natural gas from Qatar to further boost the trade between the two countries. India will be one of the largest gas markets for Qatar after China. India has sought to purchase 2 million tonnes to 3 million tonnes of LNG from Qatar in addition to the 7.5 million tonnes it already imports from Ras Laffan.
12. The CRPF has made history by commissioning in its fold the world's first all-women paramilitary pipe band. The 22-member band has been created after picking the best women troopers from the three exclusive women battalions of the country's largest paramilitary force.
13. After meeting with Finance Minister Pranab mukherjee to press their demand to roll back of proposed exicise duty in the budget 2012-13, Chairman of All India Jems and Jewellery Trade Federation Bachharaj Bamalwa today announced ending the strike of Jewellery manufacturers soon.
14. The Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani will be on a state visit to India from April 8 to 10 at the invitation of President Pratibha Devisingh Patil. He will be accompanied by a high-level ministerial delegation, senior officials and businessmen.
15. Japan's Self-Defense Force completed the transporting and deployment of its ground-based Patriot Advance Capability-3 interceptors in Okinawa Prefecture yesterday to respond to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's, DPRK, satellite launch next week.
16. Lt. Governor of Delhi Tejinder Khanna today flagged off the 1st Indian Indo-Tibetan Border Police Mountaineering and Skiing Expedition to Mount Everest at ITBP headquarters in New Delhi. The 23-member team is headed by Commandant Prem Singh.
17. 2012 marked as the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The ship's wreckage will now come under the cover of the UNESCO convention.
