NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Jeddah on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the city in over four decades.
• The last Indian Prime Minister to visit Jeddah was Indira Gandhi in 1982.

Saudi Arabia

Virtual High Court bench

• Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (IC) Arjun Meghwal, announced announced a proposal for a virtual High Court bench under the e-Courts project and assured that notary-related issues would be resolved within 15 days.

STATE SPECIAL NEWS

Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam

• Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam, an artisan development scheme, which would serve as the State government’s alternative to the Centre’s PM Vishwakarma scheme.

Tamil Nadu

Sansad Khel Mahakumbh

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 4 day Sansad Khel Mahakumbh at at the K.D. Singh Babu stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh

Gujarat Slashed EV Motor Vehicle Tax to 1%

• The Gujarat government has announced a reduction in the motor vehicle tax rate on electric vehicles from the existing 6 percent to only 1 percent, offering a 5 percent rebate.

Gujarat

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Second Round of US-Iran Nuclear Talks

• The second round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran began in Italy’s Rome.
• The talks led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President’s Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff are hosted by Oman’s Embassy in Rome.

Iran

IMPORTANT DAYS

Civil Services Day

• In India, National Civil Service Day is celebrated every year on April 21 in recognition of the invaluable services rendered by civil servants to the nation.
• This date marks the famous address by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1947 to the first batch of IAS at Metcalfe House in Delhi.

PERSON IN NEWS

Sheikh Hasina

• Bangladesh’s, National Central Bureau (NCB) has made a request to Interpol seeking a ‘red notice’ against 12 people, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

INTERPOL

Bhabesh Chandra Roy

• A senior Hindu community leader in Bangladesh was allegedly kidnapped and killed in Bangladesh.
• India has strongly condemned this abduction and brutal killing.Bangladesh

ART & CULTURE

Festival of Easter

• Celebrated was celebrated across the world on 20 April.
• Easter Sunday marks the joyous celebration of Jesus's resurrection, symbolising new beginnings and spiritual renewal.

ENVIRONMENT + SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indigenous Stellite Nozzle Divergent

• ISRO has developed an alternative for the imported Columbium material used for the nozzle divergent in the fourth stage of the PSLV launch vehicle.
• It has indigenously developed the nozzle divergent made of Stellite which is a cobalt-based alloy with additions of Chromium, Nickel, Tungsten and Iron.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

World Championships Squash 2025

• In Squash, India’s Veer Chotrani and Anahat Singh have qualified for the 2025 World Championships, set to be held in Chicago, USA.

ISSF World Cup 2025

• In shooting, Indian shooter Arjun Babuta won silver medal at the ISSF World Cup 2025 in Lima, Peru.