Murugappa Group’s fertilizer firm Coromandel International Ltd has announced that Arun Alagappan has been appointed as Executive Chairman of the company. 

• Alagappan has been the executive vice chairman of the company since February 2021.
• His appointment comes as A. Vellayan retires from the position of chairman and non-executive director with effect from the close of Wednesday.
• The board of directors at their meeting held on Thursday accepted the retirement sought by A. Vellayan and, in recognition of his contributions to the company over the past many years.

India's first multi-purpose green hydrogen pilot project at the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) in Himachal Pradesh's Jhakri was inaugurated on Wednesday, according to Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) officials.

SJVN Chairman and Managing Director Geeta Kapur inaugurated a 20Nm3/hr electrolyzer and 25kW fuel cell capacity-based green hydrogen pilot project, a statement issued here said.

The project is the nation's first multi-purpose (combined heat and power) green hydrogen generation plant with the capability to cater to the high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) coating facility of NJHPS to meet its combustion fuel requirements, in addition to generating electricity through its 25 kW capacity fuel cell.

China launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station on April 25 as part of its ambitious program that aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030.

The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China atop a Long March 2-F rocket at 8:59 p.m. (1259 GMT).

This marks the most recent mission in Beijing's space programme, which is working towards sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030.

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait organised the India-Kuwait Investment Conference 2.0.

• The two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to share information regarding technologies and innovation within the financial and regulatory ecosystem.
• The conference was held with the support of the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC), Union of Investment Companies (UIC) and Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). 
• The Managing Director of Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) was the Chief Guest at the conference. Senior-official led delegations from GiFT city, NIIF, InvestIndia and CII also participated.

The World Malaria Day is observed every year on April 25th to spread awareness about the global effort to fight malaria.

• World Malaria Day is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control.
•  It was instituted by WHO Member States during the World Health Assembly of 2007.
•  The 2024 theme of World Malaria Day is 'Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world'.

Under the new Social Democratic Party government led by Olaf Scholz, Germany has lifted restrictions on the sale of small arms, thereby allowing the Indian military and its state police forces to buy them off the shel.

Earlier this month, the German government green-lit a request by the National Security Guard (NSG) to buy spare parts and accessories for its MP5 submachine guns that were procured earlier.

This was a turnaround because the German government had strict regulations in place regarding the sale of small arms to non-NATO countries.

A remotely piloted aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Pithala village in Jaisalmer district, the IAF said on Thursday( 25, April 2024).

No damage to any personnel or property has been reported, the IAF said.

The aircraft crashed reportedly due to a technical glitch.

Odissi classical dance is considered one of the most sensual forms and mostly depicts the songs from Gita Govinda. The form, is inspired by the Gotipua dance from Odisha.

• This is the second edition of the festival and will be staged on April 26 and 27.
• The credit for popularising the dance form goes to legendary dancer-teacher, the late Kelucharan Mohapatra, who created most of the Odissi choreographies that are performed across the globe today.
• Bengaluru- based dancer, Sonalika Padhi Purohit, wants to present that legacy of Kelu Babu (as he was affectionately known) through her dance festival, Kala-dhi. 

The United States slammed Russia for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution on the Outer Space Treaty that put a legally-binding obligation that countries should not be putting weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including nuclear weapons, in orbit.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told members of the UN Security Council that by vetoing the resolution, Russia has abandoned its responsibility.

She said," This is not the first time Russia has undermined the global non-proliferation regime. Over the past few years, Russia has irresponsibly invoked dangerous nuclear rhetoric and walked away from several of its arms control obligations. It has remained unwilling to engage in substantive discussions around arms control or risk reduction. And it has defended and even enabled dangerous proliferators".

Election Commission of India (ECI) issued an order posting two senior IPS officers as AP intelligence chief and commissioner of police, Vijayawada.

• Kumar Vishwajeet will be the new DGP of Intelligence.
• P.H.D. Ramakrishna has been appointed as the Vijayawada police commissioner.
• Both officers have been asked to take charge immediately.
• ECI had recently transferred incumbent intelligence head P.S.R. Anjaneyulu and Vijayawada commissioner Kanti Rana Tata for their lapse in providing adequate security to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, which led to a stone-pelting attack, injuring the CM above his left eyebrow.