NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is set to fly by asteroid Donaldjohanson. 

About Lucy Mission

• Launched in 2021, the name Lucy was chosen in honor of the fossilized human ancestor, named "Lucy," that was found in Ethiopia in 1974.
• Objective: First space mission to explore Jupiter Trojan asteroids (remnants from the early solar system).
  • Trojan asteroids orbit in two “swarms” that lead and follow Jupiter in its orbit around the Sun. 
• Mission Duration: 12 years
• Significance: It will help in understanding the solar system’s origin and evolution.

South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) became the first coal PSU in India to use paste fill technology in underground mining.

About Paste Fill Technology

• It is a modern underground mining technique where:
  • Voids created after coal extraction are filled with a specially prepared paste.
  • The paste consists of crushed overburden from opencast mines,fly ash,Cement,Water and Binding chemicals.
• Key benefits: No need for surface land acquisition, prevents land subsidence, etc. 

Rare fossils of the extinct Stegodon Ganesa have been found in the Wardha-Penganga riverbed.

• Penganga River (676 Km) originates in the Ajantha ranges in Aurangabad district in Maharashtra.
• It flows along State border between Maharashtra & Andhra Pradesh before converging into Wardhthe a River.

About Stegodon Ganesa

• It is an ancient elephant species believed to be the ancestor of modern-day Asiatic elephants
• The fossils, believed to be 25,000 years old, belong to the late Pleistocene period.
• The long tusks of them were closely placed together, with no room for the trunk between them. 

European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation ATALANTA has proposed a joint exercise with the Indian Navy.

About Operation Atalanta

• Objective:  It supports efforts for peace, stability and Maritime security such as  piracy, combating narcotics trafficking, illegal fishing etc.
• It operates in the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea region.

World Heritage Day, celebrated on April 18, under the 2025 theme: “Heritage under Threat from Disasters and Conflicts: Preparedness and Lessons from 60 Years of ICOMOS Actions.”

About International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)

• ICOMOS is a non-governmental organization working to conserve and protect cultural heritage sites around the world. 
• Establishment:  1965 in Warsaw, one year after the adoption of the Venice Charter (at the International Congress of Architects & Technicians of Historic Monuments) of 1964.
• It is the only international NGO that applies scientific methods and techniques to safeguard both tangible and intangible heritage sites.

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has announced the selection of 18 Hub institutions and 106 partnering Spoke institutions under its flagship PAIR (Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research) programme.

About PAIR Programme (2024)

• Objective: To enhance research and innovation in Indian universities through a hub-and-spoke model, aligned with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 
• Structure
  • Hub: A top-ranked or nationally important institution (Top 25 NIRF or Top 50 Institutes of National Importance).
  • Spoke: Central/State Public Universities and select NITs/IIITs needing research support.
  • Each network includes 1 hub and up to 7 spokes
  • Hubs provide guidance, expertise, and resources to spokes to build their research capacity.

INS Sunayna visited Nacala Port, Mozambique, under the SAGAR mission, which is part of India’s SAGAR Vision.

• SAGAR mission is aimed at fostering international cooperation between India & several African countries.

About SAGAR 

• Unveiled by India in 2015, it is India’s strategic vision for maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• Objective: To strengthen maritime ties, enhance stability, and promote economic prosperity, benefiting all nations within the IOR.
• Building upon foundational principles of SAGAR, the Indian Prime Minister recently announced the ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR) Vision.

US airstrikes Houthi-controlled Ras Isa port in Yemen. 

About Ras Isa Port/Terminal

• It is strategically located in Kamaran Bay. 
• Marib-Ras Isa Pipeline runs between the Marib elds and the deep sea port of Ras Isa on the Red Sea. 
• Other key port of Yemen: Aden, Al Hodeidah, Mocha (Al Mokha), etc. 

Create in India Challenge (CIC) Season 1, launched as a flagship initiative under World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) evolves into a global movement. 

About CIC

• Launch: August 2024, initiated by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. 
• Aim: Empower India’s creators, enabling them to showcase their talents, monetize their skills, and contribute to the growth of the media and entertainment industry.
• Focus: Champions grassroots innovation while celebrating diverse purposes and participation.
• Significance: Enhances India’s global soft power and provides a platform for emerging talent to gain international recognition.

Neglected grassland habitat in Guindy National Park set for revival to support blackbuck population.

• Blackbuck, or Indian Antelope (Antilope cervicapra), is native to the Indian subcontinent.
• It’s listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List & Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

About Guindy National Park (8th smallest national park in India)

• Location: Chennai (Near Raj Bhavan), Tamil Nadu
• It is one of the few national parks located within a city.
• Fauna:
  • Mammals: Blackbuck, Spotted Deer, etc.
  • Birds: Over 130 species, including Crow Pheasant, Shrike, Tailor Bird, etc. 
• Vegetation: Thorn Forest, Tropical Dry Evergreen Forests, Grasslands, etc.