Current Context: NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is set to fly by asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20, 2025, as part of its 12-year mission to study ancient asteroids in the solar system.

About Lucy Mission

• Launched: 2021 by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
• Mission Duration: 12 years.
• Objective: Study Trojan asteroids near Jupiter and other primitive asteroids to understand the early solar system and planetary formation.

About Asteroid Donaldjohanson

• Location: Main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter (~139 million miles from Earth).

Purpose of Flyby:

• Test run before major Trojan asteroid encounters (2027–2033).
• The Lucy spacecraft will only pass by the asteroid once, focusing on testing its instruments.
• Helps calibrate instruments and gather data on asteroid shape and surface.
• Believed to have an unusual shape (possibly like a bowling pin or snowman).

Scientific Instruments on Lucy

• L’Ralph – Lucy Ralph Spectrometer (Colour camera + Infrared Imaging Spectrometer)
• L’LORRI – Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (High-resolution camera)
• L’TES – Lucy Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Far-infrared spectrometer for surface temperature and composition)

Current Context: India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, completed 50 years . It was named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata.

Key Details

• Launched: April 19, 1975, from Kapustin Yar with Soviet Union’s assistance.
• Launch vehicle:Kosmos-3M

Design:

• A 26-sided polyhedron, 1.4 meters in diameter, weighing 360 kg.
• Solar panels covered 24 faces, except for the top and bottom.
• Purpose: Explore areas like solar physics, aeronomy, and X-ray astronomy.

Challenges and Legacy

• Power Failure: After 5 days in orbit, the satellite experienced a power failure, halting its experiments.
• Despite this, it transmitted valuable data and provided crucial experience for India’s future satellite missions.
• Historical Significance: Aryabhata marked India’s entry into space exploration, making it the 11th country globally to send a satellite into orbit.

Current Context: A contingent of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has arrived at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in Exercise Desert Flag-10. The exercise is scheduled from April 21 to May 8, 2025.

Key Highlights

• Host: UAE Air Force.
• Participants: Air forces from Australia, Bahrain, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and India.

Purpose:

• To conduct complex and diverse fighter engagements.
• Exchange of operational knowledge and best practices.
• Enhance mutual understanding and interoperability among participating air forces.

IAF’s Role

• Aircraft: MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft.
• Objective: Strengthen India’s defence ties and enhance interoperability with allied nations, particularly in the Middle East region.

Current Context: The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has expressed concern over recent United States airstrikes near the Ras Isa fuel port in NORTHWEST HODEIDAH, Yemen, which led to at least 80 casualties.

Key Highlights

• Location: Situated on the Gulf of Aden, approximately 35 kilometers west of Al Mahrah, Yemen .

Strategic Importance:

• A critical oil export hub linked to Yemen’s energy infrastructure.
• Plays a vital role in Yemen’s maritime trade and energy exports.
• Key entry point for humanitarian aid to Yemen, supporting the nation amid ongoing conflict.
• Significance: Controls access to the Red Sea, an essential maritime route for regional trade and geopolitical influence.
• Hodeidah: A major port city on Yemen’s western coast, crucial for importing goods and humanitarian aid.

• Observed on April 23, this day commemorates the birth and death anniversaries of literary giant like William Shakespeare.
• The 2025 theme is “The Role of Literature in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, emphasizing literature’s impact on global development.
• Organized by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO), the day encourages reading, writing, and respecting authors’ rights through various global events.
• Significance: Highlights the importance of books in fostering knowledge, cultural exchange, and intellectual property protection.

Current context: Senior IAS officer Arvind Shrivastava (1994‑batch, Karnataka cadre) has been appointed as the Revenue Secretary, moving from the Prime Minister’s Office to the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.

Current context: India finished 6th at the 6th Asian U‑18 Athletics Championship 2025 in Saudi Arabia, securing 11 medals.

Key Points

• Venue & Organizer: Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Sports City, Saudi Arabia, under the Asian Athletics Association.
• Medal Tally: 1 gold | 5 silver | 5 bronze.
• Gold Medal: Hinmanshu won India’s first-ever boys’ javelin throw gold with a mark of 67.57 m, edging out China’s Lu Hao.
• Participation: Under‑18 athletes from 31 Asian countries
• Previous Edition: India had won 24 medals at the 5th Championship in Tashkent (2023).

Current context :A compilation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speeches on culture, Sanskriti Ka Paanchva Adhyay was launched in New Delhi by Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand Giri.

Key Points

• Content: Speeches focus on safeguarding traditions, spiritual values, and integrating cultural legacy into governance.
• Significance: Serves as a reference for policymakers and citizens to understand and promote India’s civilizational ethos.

Current Context: Telangana launched the Bhu Bharati Act, 2025, to address grievances related to the Dharani portal and improve land governance.

Key Provisions:

• Rectification of land record errors
• Mandatory surveys and mapping before registration/mutation
• Regularisation of sada bainamas based on ground realities
• Timely mutation of hereditary properties

Two-Tier Grievance Redressal:

• Stage 1: Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO)
• Stage 2: District Collector
• Farmer-Friendly: Grievance redressal process is now cost-free.
• Pilot Launch: Implemented in 4 mandals; statewide rollout by Telangana Formation Day (June 2).
• Rules Notified: Cover procedures for record maintenance, dispute resolution, and

Current Context: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched the Mahila Samvad campaign to empower women and strengthen their connection with government welfare schemes.

Key Highlights

• Objective: To spread awareness about women-centric schemes and gather feedback for policy improvement.
• Coverage: Targets over 2 crore women via events at 70,000+ locations across Bihar.
• Awareness Vehicles: 600 “Mahila Samvad” vans with large screens and officials for real-time interaction in rural areas.
• Expected Outcomes: Enhanced awareness of rights, increased participation in governance, and stronger community engagement.