Morning Digest: Three killed in Bengal clashes over Waqf, CAPF deployed; Russian missile strikes warehouse of Indian pharma firm in Ukraine, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on April 13, 2025

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is likely to file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s April 8 judgement allowing judicial intervention if Governors withhold assent to legislative Bills for too long. It also prescribed a three-month timeline for the President to decide on Bills referred by the Governor. A senior government official told The Hindu that a petition was being readied against the judgement, which lays down definite timelines for the Governors and the President.

A Russian missile struck a warehouse of an Indian pharmaceutical company in Ukraine on Saturday (April 12, 2025), the Ukrainian Embassy in India said. In a social media post, the mission alleged that though Russia claimed “special friendship” with India, it was deliberately targeting Indian businesses in Ukraine.

Three persons were killed on Saturday in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district as violent protests over The Waqf (Amendment) Bill continues to rage in certain parts of the State. “Two deaths have been reported in communal clashes. One person who was injured in the firing yesterday in Suti has died a short while ago,” a senior police official told The Hindu. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while appealing for restraint said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill will not be implemented in the State.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are "safe" and "tamper-proof." He said EVMs used in India cannot be connected to internet, bluetooth or infrared and it is not possible anyway to tamper with it. He said more than five crore VVPAT (voter-variable paper audit trail) slips have been counted and no discrepancies have been reported so far. Mr. Kumar arrived in Ranchi on Friday (April 11, 2025) evening on a three-day visit to Jharkhand. The CEC on Saturday (April 12, 2025) interacted with election officials in Ramgarh.

Two more unidentified militants and a soldier were killed on Saturday in two separate gunfights in the Jammu region, where multiple anti-militancy and anti-infiltration operations are on. A spokesman of the Army’s White Knight Corps said one soldier, identified as Subedar Chand, died while foiling an infiltration attempt by terrorists close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Keri Battal area of Rajouri’s Sunderbani .In the Chenab Valley’s Kishtwar district, where an anti-militancy operation is on for the past four days, the Army killed two more militants, which took the toll to three.

India and 62 other countries voted in favour of the world's first-ever global carbon tax imposed on the shipping industry by the United Nations' shipping agency. The decision, taken at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) headquarters in London on Friday (April 11, 2025) after a week of intense negotiations, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships and promote cleaner technologies. For the first time a global carbon tax has been imposed on an entire industry.

Eminent Kathak exponent and choreographer Kumudini Lakhia passed away at her residence in Ahmedabad on Saturday (April 12, 2025) at the age of 95 due to an age-related ailment. Lakhia was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, on the Republic Day this year in recognition of her lifelong dedication to Kathak. Born on May 17, 1930, in Ahmedabad, Lakhia went on to become a celebrated Indian Kathak dancer and choreographer. At Kadamb Centre, she developed technique, vocabulary and repertoire of Kathak dance.