Stories from earlier this week and beyond.
Delhi Police have arrested Rahul Meena, a domestic help, in the murder case of an IRS officer’s 22-year-old daughter from Amar Colony. Officials said CCTV footage tracked his route, showing he used a spare key to enter the home, then fled with cash. Meena was taken from the police station for a medical examination as the investigation continues.
Apple’s long-time hardware leader John Ternus is set to become CEO in September, signaling a return to the company’s device strengths. Analysts expect his focus to blend AI capabilities directly into existing products, aiming to keep iPhone and related ecosystems growing as software competition heats up.
Your news, in seconds
Get the Beige app — every story in 60 words, updated hourly. Free on iOS & Android.
Violence erupted in Jaipur’s Chomu town after a stone-pelting incident linked to allegations of mosque encroachment. Police detained more than 110 people to control the situation and suspend internet services to prevent further escalation. Authorities said tensions flared following a dispute, with officials working to restore calm and investigate the events leading to the clash.
Russian Prime Minister nominee Mikhail Mishustin told lawmakers he wants to keep Russia an open market for foreign companies, even as Western sanctions continue. His statement signals intent to avoid new barriers for international businesses, but observers are watching for the next step: concrete policy changes or real-world implementation that matches the promise.
Silicon Valley Bank’s sudden collapse is sending shockwaves across global finance, with clients in multiple jurisdictions now asking what legal risks may follow. From contract and creditor questions to regulatory and dispute pathways, the fallout could affect businesses tied to SVB internationally, including India. Legal experts are urging clients to review agreements, claims timelines, and governance obligations as investigations and settlements unfold.
PhonePe strengthened its lead in India’s UPI ecosystem in March, with transactions up 88% to 1,050 crore and overall UPI volume hitting record highs. NPCI data shows the month’s transaction value climbed to 29.53 lakh crore. Google Pay and Paytm saw slight market-share declines, while smaller players like Navi and super.money gained modest ground. Regulatory moves on PPIs and new UPI use cases also loom.
Never miss a story
Set alerts for the topics and sources you care about. Download Beige for free.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reacted to the death of 24-year-old postgraduate student Angel Chakma from Tripura, calling such incidents of racial hate crime “completely unacceptable.” Dhami’s office said the Uttarakhand government will handle the case strictly, as the tragedy renews national debate over the safety of students from India’s Northeast when studying in other states.
Cleartrip, part of the Flipkart group, has appointed Pallavi Saxena as its Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer. She will lead marketing strategy, growth planning, and insights, aiming to tightly connect brand building, customer engagement, and commercial performance. Coming from a decade at Flipkart—most recently leading marketing, revenue and customer growth for lifestyle—Saxena is set to strengthen Cleartrip’s travel brand and scalability.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal slammed the Congress-DMK alliance after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge used the term “terrorist” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking in Chennai, Goyal demanded a formal apology to the nation, saying the remarks sparked political outrage and are likely to influence Tamil Nadu’s upcoming polls.
Iran has rejected renewed talks with Washington amid rising tension ahead of an April 22 ceasefire deadline. Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf accused Donald Trump of sabotaging diplomacy through aggressive rhetoric and alleged US violations. He warned that if military escalation occurs, Tehran may reveal “new cards,” signaling a sharper response as negotiations stall.
Reading on mobile?
Open Beige in the app for a smoother experience — free on iOS and Android.
DMart is accelerating its physical footprint, adding 65–70 stores yearly and targeting 2,200 locations by 2030, with each mature outlet earning steady 5–6% margins. Meanwhile, quick commerce firms like Blinkit and JioMart are winning app users and orders via 10-minute delivery, but are still heavily loss-making. The two models are diverging because they serve different shopping moments and economies by city density.
The US dollar hovered near a 1.5-week high as Middle East peace talks stalled and Iran US tensions deepened, pushing crude back above $100 a barrel. Investors stayed cautious as the conflict around the Strait of Hormuz escalated, including Iran seizing ships, while expectations for a Fed rate cut faded in response to the shock.
West Bengal goes to the polls for Phase 1 of the 2026 Legislative Assembly elections on Thursday, April 23, with voting across 152 seats. The exercise spans 16 districts, including entire North Bengal and parts of South Bengal, along with Jangalmahal belts such as Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, and Paschim Medinipur. Campaign fever runs high for the TMC versus BJP contest.
Punjab Kings pacer Xavier Bartlett says the team’s IPL 2026 unbeaten momentum is rooted in the calm leadership of captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. Bartlett points to the environment they’ve built—helping players learn quickly and execute better—while also highlighting positive influence from teammates including Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen as PBKS keep rolling.
Follow your favourite sources
Track sources, tags and categories — all in the Beige app.
Delhi’s government has greenlit a bold 55-kilometre elevated “double-decker” ring road to tackle the city’s chronic congestion. The corridor will be built directly above the existing Mahatma Gandhi Ring Road, aiming to bypass bottlenecks and reduce travel times by as much as 40%. If delivered as planned, it could reshape daily commutes across Delhi’s outer belt.
A goods train collided with the Kanchanjungha Express near New Jalpaiguri, leaving multiple dead and over 60 injured. The tragedy reignited questions about Kavach, Indian Railways’ anti-collision system meant to prevent signal breaches and speed in poor visibility. Despite its safety promise, rollout remains incomplete, with Railways targeting coverage of 70,000 km.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has praised graduates from India’s IITs and IIMs for their contribution to Singapore’s workforce and development. Speaking on the country’s labour needs, Lee highlighted that Singapore continues to attract foreign talent to meet demand, positioning Indian institutions as a major source of high-skill manpower.
ReNew will break ground in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district on a ₹5,400 crore, 6 GW solar ingot and wafer manufacturing facility. Tied to the state’s Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024, the project aims to strengthen India’s domestic solar supply chain, cut import dependence, and support clean energy targets. It is expected to be commissioned within 24 months and create 2,100 jobs.
Stay informed on the go
Bite-sized news from 100+ trusted sources, right in your pocket.
Infosys shares fell as much as 3.5% on April 24, hitting an intraday low of Rs 1,198.80, after the company reported Q4 results. The move came following a weak session overseas and, more importantly, investor reaction to guidance for FY27, which failed to meet expectations despite the quarter’s performance.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrapped up his West Bengal campaign with sharp attacks on Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the Congress party. In Darjeeling, he pledged to end alleged injustice toward the Gorkha community, using his remarks as a signal of intensified political pressure ahead of the next crucial electoral phase.
Trent’s shares fell more than 1% on April 23 even after the Tata Group retail firm reported solid Q4 results. Traders pointed to weak overall investor sentiment that kept the market opening in red repeatedly, overriding confidence from the earnings. The stock move reflects how macro mood can dilute company-specific positives in the near term.
IPL is breaking audience and reach records, but rights holders Disney Star and Viacom18 are reportedly struggling to convert that traction into revenue. Despite major spending on broadcast and digital rights, the economics of monetising viewers—especially across streaming and ad-led formats—remain challenging, leaving both broadcasters seeking better returns.
OpenAI has unveiled GPT-5.5, positioning it as a major shift toward “agentic” work that can navigate software and complete multi-step tasks with less prompting. On Terminal-Bench 2.0, it narrowly edges Anthropic’s restricted Claude Mythos Preview. But the upgrade comes with sharply higher API prices and delayed developer access, while rollout is limited to ChatGPT subscribers.
Nifty 50 and Sensex are set to open lower on Thursday, April 23, as investor sentiment stays weak amid surging crude oil prices. The rise is linked to the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping chokepoint. With GIFT Nifty also pointing to a negative start, traders are watching how oil moves could shape the morning session.
Care Ratings says the upcoming Union Budget will aim to lift consumption by increasing welfare allocations and funding rural economic initiatives. It expects revenue expenditure to jump by about Rs 75,000 crore versus prior interim budgets, with higher support for employment guarantee schemes, PM Awas Yojana housing, PM Gram Sadak Yojana rural infrastructure and measures for labor-intensive small businesses.
A speeding car crashed into a road signboard near Veeravalli Toll Plaza in Ananthapalli, Nallajerla mandal of East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. Police said the passengers were returning to their native village after taking a physically disabled man to Chennai for medical treatment. Three people died on the spot and one suffered serious injuries.
A new study links long daily sitting and not drinking coffee with a markedly higher mortality risk, reporting about a 60% increase for non-drinkers who sit for six or more hours. Researchers say coffee may offer protective effects, especially for people with sedentary routines, and call for deeper work to clarify which compounds drive the benefit.
TVK chief Vijay has urged the Election Commission to intervene after alleging that voters were left stranded at bus terminals due to “intentional misplanning” by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation. He also asked the ECI to extend polling by two hours, citing delays at multiple booths, and called the situation an assault on voters’ fundamental right to vote.
Police in Delhi traced accused Rahul Meena’s movements in the Amar Colony rape and murder case, alleging he travelled from Alwar in Rajasthan to Delhi using an ambulance route to avoid detection. Investigators say the covert journey helped him slip past surveillance before his arrest, with authorities now detailing how he was held in custody for four days.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman met bank heads after Anthropic’s limited release of Claude Mythos, an AI system built to find high-severity zero-day vulnerabilities. Regulators including the RBI, MeitY, NPCI and global central banks are assessing how fast such models could enable cyberattacks in banking and legacy systems. Banks are told to tighten monitoring, pre-emptively secure IT, and report incidents immediately.
A viral video from Kedarnath Temple shows devotees breaking barricades and pushing to reach darshan as the Char Dham Yatra began with doors opening on April 22. Authorities are also facing renewed scrutiny after a separate stampede incident at Sheetla Mata Temple, raising urgent questions about crowd management, safety measures, and how large pilgrim rushes are handled at sites of mass worship.
A case has been registered in Hyderabad after five people allegedly impersonated Telangana’s SOT police and threatened a man, Raju, at his apartment. The group reportedly accused him of running betting applications and demanded ₹3 crore. Police said the complaint was filed at Kukatpally police station, and investigations are underway into the suspects’ identities and motive.
OpenAI has rolled out ChatGPT Images 2.0, aiming to make AI image generation far less dependent on complex prompting. The company says the model can better follow instructions and capture detailed elements such as small text, icons, and user interface components. Early reactions from netizens focus on the improved realism and accuracy compared to the previous version.
India’s appliance repair world is being reshaped as smartphones, smart TVs, and more complex devices raise both the cost and stakes of fixing electronics. Where informal, technician-led visits once dominated, organised, tech-enabled service networks are now gaining ground. Consumer expectations for quicker, reliable turnaround and transparent service are accelerating the shift.
Haryana has increased minimum wages by 35% for unskilled workers following factory protests and work boycotts driven by higher living costs, surging food prices, and disrupted gas supplies. The government says the move will ease pressure on labourers, but industry expects it to raise operating costs for India’s auto sector.
A shooting inside the food court of the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge left one person dead and five others wounded, according to police and witnesses. Shoppers and workers scrambled for safety as gunfire broke out. Authorities say five suspects are in custody, while officials declined further details out of respect for affected families.
The Supreme Court will hear on December 29 the CBI’s appeal against a Delhi High Court order that suspended the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case. The CBI is challenging the bail granted by the High Court, seeking to overturn the suspension and restore the life term.
India and Israel Weapon Industries are discussing integrating IWI’s Arbel computerised rifle system for Indian forces. IWI CEO Shuki Schwartz said initial talks are underway about integrating Arbel in India. The system uses advanced sensors for real-time ballistic computation and target acquisition, aiming to boost hit probability across different combat conditions.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge sparked outrage in Tamil Nadu by calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “terrorist” during campaigning. He later clarified he meant Modi “terrorises” political opponents by misusing agencies. The BJP slammed the remark, demanded an apology, and filed a complaint with the Election Commission alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
A spike in lung-affecting fever, reported first around Beijing and largely in children, has been followed by similar cases in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden. Experts warn the situation echoes the eerie early weeks of 2020, even as scientists debate causes. With spread across regions, preparedness is now the key message for health systems worldwide.
OpenAI has introduced Workspace Agents, a business-focused successor to custom GPTs that teams can build or select from templates and deploy across tools like Slack, Salesforce, Notion, Google Drive, and Microsoft apps. Instead of pausing when you stop chatting, these agents run on a cloud coding backbone, can schedule long workflows, and operate under granular admin permissions.
Mumbai commuters endured another punishing morning as Central Railway services were disrupted by delays, cancellations and overcrowded platforms across all three lines. The disruption follows a derailment near Dombivli the previous day, which has since snowballed into long waits and packed trains. Frustrated riders took to social media to report chaos and demand faster restoration.
The Modi government suffered a rare parliamentary defeat as the women’s quota constitutional amendment failed to win the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. After the setback, the Delimitation Bill and Union Territories Laws Bill were withdrawn. The 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam still stands, but its rollout now hinges on future census and delimitation decisions.
The Supreme Court will examine the NCLT bar association’s locus standi as it challenges the Centre’s 2019 notification that fixed tribunal members’ terms at three years or until age 65. The court said whether members can continue beyond three years hinges on the decision on the association’s standing. Further hearing is set for July 20.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a ban on ZEE5’s upcoming web series “Lawrence of Punjab.” He argues the show risks glorifying gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and may negatively influence youth. The petition calls for stopping the release while the court examines potential harm and portrayal concerns.
Voting in Phase 1 of the West Bengal and Tamil Nadu assembly elections concluded Thursday with overwhelming turnout in both states. West Bengal recorded a historic 92.68% turnout by 10 pm, intensifying the battle between BJP and ruling TMC, which is aiming for a fourth consecutive term. Tamil Nadu also voted in this phase as DMK seeks its second term.
The government has set a new M&A approval trigger: companies must seek Competition Commission of India clearance for deals over Rs 2,000 crore when the target has substantial operations in India. The change is designed to strengthen oversight of mergers and acquisitions, with particular focus on fast-growing digital markets to support fairer competition practices.
India’s fragile Himalayan ecosystem is now threaded by hydropower and major highways and railways, with claims that at least 430 large hydropower projects exist across the region. Yet development often proceeds without disaster-impact assessments or carrying-capacity studies. The question grows sharper as attention turns to the Chungthang dam in Sikkim and what its collapse signals for the future.
An Amravati sex scandal is escalating as police arrest a 19-year-old accused of running a digital exploitation and blackmail racket. Investigators say 350 videos are under scrutiny, with nearly 180 suspected victims, including minors. A cyber team recovered deleted data after arresting a second accused connected to downloading and circulating explicit clips, prompting demands for an SIT probe.
Samsung Electronics saw major drops in chip production at its South Korea facilities during an overnight shift on Thursday, its union says. Foundry chip output fell 58% and memory chip output declined 18% as unionised workers joined a rally seeking higher wages. The incident highlights how labour actions can quickly disrupt high-volume semiconductor supply chains.
Swipe through stories, personalise your feed, and save articles for later — all on the app.