Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on April 22-23, marking his first trip to the kingdom in his third term. The agenda includes discussions on trade and investments, energy cooperation, the revival of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEEC), and defense partnerships. Modi is expected to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah. This visit precedes U.S. President Donald Trump's anticipated trip to Saudi Arabia in mid-May. The regional context includes ongoing tensions, such as the Houthi disruptions in the Red Sea and the aftermath of the 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict, which have impacted the IMEEC project. India aims to engage with Saudi Arabia to restore regional stability and advance mutual interests. (PC: India Today)

The Trump administration has requested a decade's worth of records from Harvard University concerning foreign funding and affiliations, citing incomplete disclosures between 2014 and 2019. This action is part of a broader campaign scrutinizing U.S. universities over pro-Palestinian protests, diversity initiatives, and transgender policies. The administration has frozen $2.3 billion in federal funding and is reviewing $9 billion in contracts, threatening Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students. Critics view these measures as assaults on academic freedom and free speech. Harvard maintains compliance with disclosure laws and has rejected federal demands, asserting its constitutional rights. Other elite institutions, including Columbia and Princeton, face similar federal scrutiny. (PC: Reuters)

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a seasoned Indian Air Force pilot, is all set to take part in the journey as a Second Indian into space, 40 years after Rakesh Sharma's historic flight. Selected as the pilot for the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), Shukla will embark on a 14-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission, a collaboration between ISRO, NASA, and Axiom Space, is scheduled for launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in May 2025. Shukla, who has over 2,000 flying hours, will be joined by commander Peggy Whitson and astronauts from Poland and Hungary. This mission signifies a new era in Indo-US space cooperation and is expected to bolster India's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. (PC: Getty Images)

Cambridge University astrophysicist Nikku Madhusudhan and his team have detected the strongest evidence yet of potential alien life on exoplanet K2-18b, located 124 light-years from Earth. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, they found traces of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS)—chemicals known on Earth to be produced only by life forms like marine phytoplankton. K2-18b is a ‘Hycean’ planet, with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and possibly an ocean beneath. While the findings are not yet conclusive, they mark a groundbreaking moment in the search for extraterrestrial life and highlight the growing impact of Indian-origin scientists in astrophysics. (PC: AP)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered their third consecutive home defeat in IPL 2025, falling to Punjab Kings (PBKS) by five wickets in a rain-shortened 14-over match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB, reduced to 42/7 at one stage, were rescued by Tim David’s unbeaten 50, pushing their total to 95/9. PBKS chased it down with 11 balls to spare, thanks to Nehal Wadhera’s 33* and key strikes from Hazlewood. Arshdeep, Brar, and Chahal shared crucial wickets. With this win, PBKS climbed to second in the standings, while RCB’s home form continued to haunt them in a forgettable campaign. (PC: AP)

ISRO cements its global space leadership as it takes center stage in the upcoming Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station, launching in May 2025. Featuring 60 scientific experiments from 31 nations, ISRO contributes seven key studies, including space farming, microalgae nutrition, muscle regeneration, and tardigrade resilience. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will become the first Indian to reach the ISS, marking a historic moment since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 flight. The mission deepens India's role in international space collaboration and prepares the groundwork for ISRO’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program. Shukla's experience will be vital for future indigenous missions. (PC: axiomspace.com)

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly declined an invitation from protesting teachers affected by the WBSSC recruitment scam to join their march to the West Bengal secretariat. The teachers, whose appointments were recently cancelled by the Supreme Court due to recruitment irregularities, approached Ganguly at his Kolkata residence. Ganguly reportedly responded, “Please don't involve me in politics.” The Supreme Court allowed ‘untainted’ teachers of Classes 9 to 12 to continue teaching until fresh recruitment concludes by December 31, with advertisements mandated by May 31. The ruling provides temporary relief while ensuring a transparent hiring process. (PC: NDTV)

Nearly 10,000 previously unreleased documents related to Robert F Kennedy’s 1968 assassination have been declassified and made public by the US National Archives. The release, praised by RFK Jr. and intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard, aims to bring transparency to a case long clouded by conspiracy theories. RFK, brother of President JFK, was shot after his California primary win and his killer, Sirhan Sirhan, remains imprisoned. The files had been locked away in federal archives for decades. The move follows an earlier release of JFK documents under Donald Trump’s transparency push. RFK Jr. called it “a step toward restoring trust.” (PC: AP)

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited relief camps in Malda on Friday to meet victims displaced by the recent Murshidabad violence sparked by protests over the Waqf law. Ignoring CM Mamata Banerjee’s appeal to postpone the visit, Bose interacted with affected families at Parlalpur High School and assured them of “proactive action.” The riots on April 11–12 forced many to flee to Malda. While the situation is now under control, central forces remain deployed. Mamata has ordered a SIT probe and promised to rebuild homes. Bose is expected to visit riot-hit Murshidabad on Saturday. (PC: ANI)

Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, was arrested in Sacramento by the FBI and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A key suspect in 16 terror attacks in Punjab, Singh is believed to have collaborated with Pakistan’s ISI and the Khalistani outfit Babbar Khalsa International. The Punjab Police hailed the arrest as a major breakthrough in dismantling ISI-backed terror networks. Singh used encrypted apps and burner phones to evade capture and recruited drug-addicted minors for attacks. India has initiated extradition proceedings, with the NIA and Punjab Police submitting documentation to US authorities. (PC: X/ @FBISacramento)