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The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is reopening the Online Enrolment Window for June, 2025 session of CS exams. The enrolment window will be reopened from 10 am on April 18, 2025 till April 19, 2025.

Candidates who registered for the exam can submit request for 

• Examination enrolment (with Late Fee)
• Addition of Module (with Late Fee)
• Exemption on the basis of higher qualification

The official notification by ICSI further noted that students can submit request(s) for change of examination centre, medium, module and elective subject during the period from April 20, 2025 to May 1, 2025 till 16:00 hours. 

ICSI also noted that any request for a change in the enrollment form will not be entertained after this. 

Students who are under Executive Programme (2022 syllabus) and Professional Programme (2017 or 2022 Syllabus) and are desirous to appear in CS June, 2025 examination are required to pass Pre-exam test. Students may complete the Pre-exam test during the period from April 10, 2025 to April 18, 2025.
ICSI will conduct the Company Secretary Executive, Professional (2017) and Professional (2022) exams from June 1- June 10, 2025.
 

Dominican Republic rescue workers on Wednesday ended the search for survivors of a nightclub roof collapse as the death count surpassed 180 in the Caribbean nation’s worst disaster in decades.

Emergency personnel late Wednesday reported 60 more deaths compared to the morning’s count, with the total confirmed tally reaching 184.

An official statement had earlier said that “all reasonable possibilities of finding more survivors” had been exhausted, and the focus of the operation will turn to recovering bodies.

“Today we will complete the rescue effort,” said Jose Luis Frometa Herasme, head of the fire service in the Dominican capital Santo Domingo, where the tragedy ocurred at the Jet Set nightclub in the early hours of Tuesday, sending shockwaves through the nation.

Relatives of missing people were still waiting desperately for news Wednesday of their loved ones outside the ruined club, at hospitals and at the local morgue.

Over 300 rescue workers, aided by sniffer dogs, had spent two days combing through mounds of fallen bricks, steel bars and tin sheets, supported by firefighters from Puerto Rico and Israel.

Aerial images of the site showed a scene resembling the aftermath of an earthquake, with a gaping hole where the roof of the club — a fixture of Santo Domingo’s nightlife for half a century — had been.

Over 500 people were also injured when the roof caved in while renowned merengue singer Rubby Perez was performing for a crowd of hundreds.

Perez and two former Major League Baseball players were among the dead.

 ‘A lot of pain’ 

Antonio Hernandez, whose son worked at the Jet Set nightclub, told AFP his hopes of finding his son alive had begun fading as he watched more and more bodies, but no survivors, being retrieved.

The remains in one body bag resembled his son’s height and build, said Hernandez, but he did not investigate. “I don’t have the stomach to find out the worst yet.”

Mercedes Lopez said she was in a lot of pain as she waited to learn the fate of her son.

“We haven’t found him on the lists or in the hospitals,” she said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent his condolences Wednesday and said at least one US citizen was among the victims.

“Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones affected by this devastating event,” he wrote on X.

Pope Francis also sent condolences.

 Merengue ‘idol’ mourned

Local media said there were between 500 and 1,000 people in the club when disaster struck around 12:44 am (0444 GMT) Tuesday. The club can hold 1,700 people.

A video posted on social media showed the venue suddenly plunged into darkness while Perez was singing.

The star’s daughter Zulinka managed to escape but her father did not. His body was recovered Wednesday.

Tributes to the singer, known for hits such as “Volvere” and “Enamorado de Ella,” poured in from across Latin America.

“Maestro, what a great pain you leave us,” Puerto Rican Grammy-winning singer Olga Tanon wrote on social media.

Perez’s former band leader Wilfrido Vargas said he was “devastated” at the death of an “idol of our genre.”

The baseball world meanwhile mourned the death of Octavio Dotel, a 51-year-old baseball pitcher who won the World Series with the St Louis Cardinals in 2011 and Tony Blanco, 45, who also played in the United States.

President Luis Abinader declared three days of national mourning.

 ‘Dirt started falling’ 

Iris Pena, a survivor, told local television that she made for the door after “dirt started falling like dust” into her drink and then a stone fell and cracked the table where she was sitting. 

“The impact was so strong, as if it had been a tsunami or an earthquake,” she said.

The Jet Set club said Tuesday saying it was working with authorities probing the disaster — one of the worst in Dominican history.

In 2005, more than 130 prisoners in the east of the country died in a fire caused by a fight between inmates.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The death toll in the catastrophic nightclub collapse in the Dominican Republic has risen to at least 184, as desperate families continue to wait for news about missing loved ones. The incident occurred on Tuesday.
Video footage circulating on social media shows the moments just before the roof collapsed, crushing hundreds of nightclub-goers under tonnes of debris.
Rescuers officially ended the search for survivors late Wednesday and shifted their focus to recovery efforts.
The collapse occurred early Tuesday at Jet Set, a nightclub in southern Santo Domingo, during a merengue concert by singer Rubby Pérez, who also died in the disaster.
The nightclub was hosting musicians, politicians, professional athletes and celebrities. It was filled with dancing and music when the ceiling gave way without warning — sending tonnes of concrete crashing down on hundreds of guests.
Victimis spent ‘hours under rubble’
Witnesses say dust began falling from the roof and into drinks shortly after the show began, but no one expected the entire structure to give way.
Many victims were instantly crushed or trapped under the rubble, with emergency services receiving over 100 calls from people buried inside the club. Rescuers from Puerto Rico and Israel joined local teams to pull out 145 survivors, but over 20 remain hospitalised, including at least eight in critical condition.
“They spent hours under rubble with multiple injuries, bleeding and fractures,” said Dr Julio Landrón, director of the Dr Ney Arias Lora Trauma Hospital. “None of them are in the clear.”
‘We cannot wait until night time,’ cry grieving families
Only 54 victims have been identified so far. At the National Institute of Forensic Pathology, dozens of people waited overnight. Some wore masks because of the strong smell, while many held photos of missing loved ones and begged officials for information.
“We cannot wait until nighttime!” cried one woman. “We’re going to go crazy!”
Some of the dead include Rubby Pérez, his saxophonist Luis Solís, former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, Dominican player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, fashion designer Martín Polanco, and a retired UN official. Nelsy Cruz, governor of Montecristi province and sister of MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, called the president from beneath the rubble before later succumbing to her injuries in hospital.
Other victims include an Army captain, the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife, and several bartenders from Venezuela.
The collapse of Jet Set has sent shockwaves through the country and beyond. Meanwhile, a psychological support commission has been set up for survivors and grieving families.
“This is a very traumatic situation,” said national lawmaker Pedro Martínez, who is also searching for missing relatives.
Mystery surrounds cause
Authorities have yet to determine why the roof collapsed. The nightclub, which opened in 1973 and was renovated in 2010 and 2015, had also been struck by lightning in 2023. Jet Set’s owners say they are cooperating with authorities, but no inspection records have been released, and government offices have referred questions back and forth.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released a notification providing an opportunity to school authorities to make correction in the particulars of candidates so that a correct result and marks statement are provided to them. The correction facility for all schools was opened on April 9, 2025 and will close on  April 17, 2025. 

The processing fees of Rs 1,000 per candidates will be charged for making correction in the record of regular candidates. The fee will be deposited by the schools to the regional office concerned. 

The type of request for corrections/updates that are allowed in the forms include: 
Mother/Father name interchange
Photo correction
Date of birth is permitted as per rules and based on supporting documents.
Updation in Single child field
Correction in the Gender

Only minor correction will be permitted in case change is required in the name for mother/father

Change of category from General to OBC is not allowed.
The notification has been issued as many schools submitted wrong data to the board despite repeated instructions. These schools thereafter request the board for making various corrections in the candidate’s particulars. 

CBSE has repeatedly asked the schools to ensure that the spelling of the name of student/mother/father is correct and is as per School Record/Admission and withdrawal register maintained by the school. The board has noted that it will not accept any correction request after this and data finalised will be used for providing marks statement to the candidates. 

The schools must make sure that the date of birth entered in the data is correct and is as per School Record/ Admission and Withdrawal Register maintained by the school. 
 

Luka Doncic. Image via: LM Otero/ AP

Luka Doncic made his highly anticipated return to the Dallas Mavericks‘ home ground, the American Airlines Center, on April 9. In a night packed with drama, emotion, and elite basketball, Doncic did not disappoint. Wearing a Lakers jersey for the first time inside the American Airlines Center, he silenced any lingering doubt about how he’d respond in his first matchup back against the team that drafted him, dropping a breathtaking 45-point performance that was as personal as it was dominant in the Lakers’ 112-97 win.

Luka Doncic drops 45 points in his return to the Dallas Mavericks’ American Airlines Center

From the opening tip, it was clear this wasn’t just another regular-season game. Luka Doncic was visibly emotional during a heartfelt tribute video before tip-off. He was seen wiping away tears moments before stepping onto the court. The crowd, torn between nostalgia and loyalty, responded in kind — cheering every Doncic touch while still rallying behind their Mavericks.
Doncic torched his former team, putting up 31 points in the first half alone. He finished the night with 45 points on 57.1% shooting, including a blistering 7-of-10 from three-point range, while also grabbing 8 rebounds, dishing 6 assists, and collecting 4 steals. Even more telling was his +26 plus-minus.
While the Mavericks stayed within striking distance for much of the contest, a crushing 14-1 Lakers run in the fourth quarter sealed the outcome. A step-back three from Doncic brought fans to their feet in appreciation. When he checked out for the final time, he received a rare standing ovation from a fanbase still mourning the void he left behind.
Despite Doncic’s takeover, LeBron James ensured the Lakers didn’t rely solely on their new superstar. The King finished with 27 points and 7 rebounds, powering the Lakers through the second half with timely buckets. Rui Hachimura added 15 points, providing much-needed balance off the wing.
On the other side of the ball, Anthony Davis turned in a mixed bag of a performance. Though he recorded a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double and added 6 assists, his shooting woes (5-for-13 from the field) and -10 plus-minus painted a picture of inconsistency. His presence on defense remained steady, especially on the glass.
Going just 3-of-5 from the free-throw line and committing 4 turnovers, Davis couldn’t quite find the rhythm his team needed.
Also Read: LeBron James predicts emotional homecoming for Luka Doncic in Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks: “It’s gonna be a lot of emotions”
Now 0-2 against the Lakers since the blockbuster trade, the Mavericks’ record drops to 38-42, as chants of “Fire Nico” — directed at GM Nico Harrison — rang through the arena. It was a reflection of the frustration of fans who watched their franchise cornerstone light them up in another uniform.

In the six hours between the departure of the night’s last train and the arrival of the morning’s first one, workers in rural Japan built an entirely new train station. It will replace a significantly bigger wooden structure that has served commuters in this remote community for over 75 years.
The station’s components were 3D-printed elsewhere and assembled on site last month, in what the railway’s operators say is a world first. It may look more like a shelter than a station, but building one the traditional way would have taken more than two months and cost twice as much, according to the West Japan Railway Company.
As Japan’s population ages and its work force shrinks, the maintenance of railway infrastructure, including outdated station buildings, is a growing issue for railway operators. Rural stations with dwindling numbers of users have posed a particular challenge.
The new station, Hatsushima, is in a quiet seaside town that’s part of Arida, a 25,000-population city in Wakayama Prefecture, which borders two popular tourist destinations, Osaka and Nara prefectures. The station, served by a single line, serves around 530 riders a day.
Yui Nishino, 19, uses it every day for her commute to university. She said she was surprised when she first heard the world’s first 3D-printed station building was going to be built here. “Watching it, the work is progressing at a speed that would be impossible with normal construction,” she said. “I hope they can make more buildings with 3D-printing technology.”
As trucks carrying the 3D-printed parts started pulling in on a Tuesday night in late March, several dozen residents gathered to watch the first-of-its-kind initiative get underway, in a place deeply familiar to them. Then, after the last train pulled away at 11:57 pm, workers got busy building the new station. In less than six hours, the preprinted parts, made of a special mortar, were assembled. The new station, which measures about 100 square feet, was completed before the first train arrived at 5:45 a.m. It is a minimalistic, white building, featuring designs that include a mandarin orange and a scabbardfish, specialties of Arida.
It still needed interior work, and West Japan Railway said expected to open the new building for use in July. Officials say they hope the station will show how service can be maintained in remote areas with new technology and fewer workers. nyt

Mumbai terror attack case accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is being extradited from the US, is not in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the agency said.

According to information on the website of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Mr Rana is “Not in BOP Custody” as of April 8, 2025.

An official at the agency told PTI Wednesday that Mr Rana is not in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

“If an individual is listed as “Released” or “Not in BOP Custody” and no facility location is indicated, the inmate is no longer in BOP custody, however, the inmate may still be in the custody of some other correctional/criminal justice system/law enforcement entity, or on parole or supervised release,” the official said.

The “inmate locator” information on the website lists the register number for Mr Rana as “22829-424”, his age, race and sex.

Mr Rana, 64, is a Pakistan-born Canadian national and close associate of one of the main conspirators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a Pakistani American citizen.

According to government sources on early Wednesday, Mr Rana is expected to be extradited to India “shortly”.

A multi-agency team from India has gone to the US and all paperwork and legalities are being completed with the US authorities. Sources had said “very high possibility” that Mr Rana “could be extradited shortly”.

The hugely significant development comes just days after Mr Rana’s last-resort attempt to evade extradition to India failed after the US Supreme Court justices denied his application, moving him closer to being handed over to Indian authorities to face justice in the dastardly attacks.

Mr Rana was lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Los Angeles and had submitted an ‘Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus’ on February 27, 2025 with Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit Elena Kagan. Kagan had denied the application earlier last month.

Mr Rana had then renewed his ‘Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus previously addressed to Justice Kagan’, and requested that the renewed application be directed to US Chief Justice John Roberts.

An order on the Supreme Court website had noted that Mr Rana’s renewed application has been “distributed for Conference” on April 4 and the “application” has been “referred to the Court”.

A notice on the Supreme Court website Monday said that his application is “denied” by the court.

In his emergency application, Mr Rana had sought a “stay of his extradition and surrender to India pending litigation (including exhaustion of all appeals) on the merits of his February 13, 2025 petition for a writ of habeas corpus “asserting, inter alia, that his extradition to India violates United States law… implementing the terms of the United Nations Convention Against Torture, because there are substantial grounds for believing that, if extradited to India, petitioner will be in danger of being subjected to torture”.

“The likelihood of torture in this case is even higher though as petitioner faces acute risk as a Muslim of Pakistani origin charged in the Mumbai attacks,” the application said.

The application also said that his “severe medical conditions” render extradition to Indian detention facilities a “de facto” death sentence in this case.

It cited medical records from July 2024 that confirm Mr Rana has multiple “acute and life-threatening diagnoses”, including multiple documented heart attacks, Parkinson’s disease with cognitive decline, a mass suggestive of bladder cancer, stage 3 chronic kidney disease, and a history of chronic asthma, and multiple COVID-19 infections.

“Accordingly, petitioner certainly has raised a credible, if not compelling, factual case that there are indeed substantial grounds for believing he would be in danger of torture if surrendered to Indian authorities.

“Further, because of his Muslim religion, his Pakistani origin, his status as a former member of the Pakistani Army, the relation of the putative charges to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and his chronic health conditions he is even more likely to be tortured than otherwise would be the case, and that torture is very likely to kill him in short order.” The US Supreme Court denied Mr Rana’s petition for writ of certiorari relating to his original habeas petition on January 21, 2025. The application notes that on that same day, newly-confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio had met with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington on February 12 to meet with US President Donald Trump, Mr Rana’s counsel received a letter from the Department of State, stating that “on February 11, 2025, the Secretary of State decided to authorize” Mr Rana’s “surrender to India,” pursuant to the “Extradition Treaty between the United States and India”.

Mr Rana’s Counsel requested from the State Department the complete administrative record on which Secretary Rubio based his decision to authorise Mr Rana’s surrender to India. The Counsel also requested immediate information of any commitment the United States has obtained from India with respect to Mr Rana’s treatment. “The government declined to provide any information in response to these requests,” the application said.

It added that given Mr Rana’s underlying health conditions and the State Department’s own findings regarding treatment of prisoners, it is very likely that he will not survive long enough to be tried in India.

During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Modi in the White House in February, President Trump had announced that his administration has approved the extradition of “very evil” Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, “to face justice in India”.

The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister’s visit to US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved. The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

“The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement said.

On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, after they sneaked into India’s financial capital using the sea route in the Arabian Sea.

As many as 166 people were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault that sent shockwaves across the country and even brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a notification inviting online nominations and recommendations from eligible candidates for the Padma awards 2025. All Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) have been advised to submit recommendations online by July 31, 2025.
The nominations/recommendations for the Padma Awards will be received only online through Rashtriya Puraskar portal https://awards.gov.in 

The nominations/recommendations should contain all relevant details specified in the format available on the above portal including a citation. The citation should be for a maximum of 800 words in narrative form clearly bringing out the distinguished and exceptional achievements/service of the person recommended in his/her respective field/discipline. 

While recommending a person online, it should be ensured that all the necessary details are properly filled. 

The Padma Awards, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, are amongst the highest civilian awards of the country instituted in 1954. These awards are announced on the occasion of the Republic Day every year. The award seeks to recognise ‘work of distinction’ and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements/ service in all fields/disciplines, such as Art, Literature and Education, Sports, Medicine, Social Work, Science and Engineering, Public Affairs, Civil Service, Trade and Industry etc. All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards.

As per the official notification, the following should be kept in mind while recommending the name:
Persons recommended are pre-eminently worthy of the Awards, looking at their life-time achievement. The criteria for selection should invariably be ‘excellence plus’ and highest standards should be applied while recommending persons for these awards. 

As the Padma Award is the second highest civilian award of the country, it should also be considered whether the recommended person has earlier been given any National award or a State award in his/her respective field.

Efforts may be made to identify talented persons from amongst women, weaker sections of the society, SCs and STs, etc., who deserve to be considered for the award.

The decoration is normally not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving cases, Government could consider giving an award posthumously if the demise of the person proposed to be honoured has been recent, say within a period of one year preceding the Republic Day on which it is proposed to announce the award.

A higher category of Padma Award can be considered in respect of a person who has earlier been conferred an award, provided a period of at least five years has elapsed. However, in exceptionally deserving cases, a relaxation can also be considered.

Government servants including those working with PSUs, except Doctors and Scientists, are not eligible for Padma Awards.