National News
India to Allow 49% Foreign Investment in Nuclear Power
- India will allow 49% foreign investment in its nuclear sector to boost clean energy and meet carbon targets.
- The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (2010) and Atomic Energy Act (1960) will be amended by Monsoon Session 2025.
- Big global companies like Westinghouse, GE-Hitachi, EDF, Rosatom, and Indian giants like Reliance, Tata, Adani, Vedanta may invest $26 billion.
- India aims to expand nuclear capacity from 8 GW to 100 GW by 2047.
Kailash Manasarovar Yatra to Resume After 5 Years
- The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra (KMY) will restart in June-August 2025 after being suspended for 5 years due to COVID-19 and border issues.
- 750 pilgrims will travel via Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).
- Registration at kmy.gov.in, with computerized selection ensuring fairness and gender balance.
International News
China Tests New Type of Hydrogen Bomb
- China tested a fissile-free hydrogen bomb using magnesium hydride and fusion technology (without uranium or plutonium).
- This raises serious global security concerns because it bypasses nuclear treaties like NPT and CTBT.
- Experts suggest forming a new "Fusion Weapons Verification Body" under IAEA.
Economy News
India's Record Cargo Movement on Inland Waterways
- India moved 145.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo through inland waterways in FY 2024–25, compared to just 18.1 MMT in FY 2013–14.
- Growth driven by new national waterways (from 5 to 111), better infrastructure, and digital tools like LADIS, RIS, and MIRS.
- Initiatives like the Jalvahak Scheme and Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route played a big role.
Appointments News
Anant Ambani Appointed Executive Director of Reliance Industries Ltd
- Anant Ambani will become Executive Director (Whole-time) of RIL starting May 1, 2025, for five years.
- A graduate from Brown University, he leads RIL’s green energy projects.
- He is the first among Ambani siblings (Isha and Akash are non-executive directors) to take an executive role.
Awards News
Payal Kapadia Honoured by France
- Filmmaker Payal Kapadia received the prestigious "Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters" from the French Government.
- Her film All We Imagine As Light won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a Golden Globe.
- She joins other Indian legends like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan who received this honour earlier.
Hubballi Airport Wins Platinum Award for Green Initiatives
- Hubballi Airport (Karnataka) won the highest Platinum Recognition under ACI Green Airports Recognition 2025.
- The airport runs an 8 MW solar plant, supplying clean energy to Hubballi, Belagavi, and Mysuru airports.
Defence News
India–France Rafale-M Jet Deal to Be Finalized
- India will sign a ₹63,000 crore deal with France on April 28, 2025, for 26 Rafale-M jets for its Navy.
- Jets will be deployed on INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant aircraft carriers.
- Deliveries will start in 3.5 years and complete in 6.5 years.
DRDO’s Major Success in Hypersonic Technology
- DRDL (a DRDO lab) successfully tested an active cooled scramjet combustor for over 1,000 seconds on April 25, 2025.
- Scramjets allow speeds over Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), a big step toward hypersonic missiles.
Science & Technology News
India's First Gene Therapy Trial for Haemophilia
- India conducted its first human gene therapy trial for Haemophilia, led by BRIC-inStem and CMC Vellore.
- India’s biotech sector is growing fast, with a target of reaching $300 billion by 2030.
Spaghetti Bowl Phenomenon Explained
- The "Spaghetti Bowl Phenomenon," described by economist Jagdish Bhagwati, refers to the messy network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with overlapping rules that complicate global trade.
The Bullseye Galaxy: A Marvel in Space
- The Bullseye Galaxy (LEDA 1313424) in the Pisces constellation has nine glowing rings, likely formed after a collision with a blue dwarf galaxy 50 million years ago.
NASA’s New Gravity Mapping Sensor: QGGPf
- NASA is building the Quantum Gravity Gradiometer Pathfinder (QGGPf) to map Earth's gravity with 10 times better precision.
- It will detect underground water, mineral deposits, and earthquake activity.
Obituaries News
Historian M G S Narayanan Passes Away
- Eminent historian Muttayil Govinda Sankara Narayanan passed away at the age of 92.
- He made significant contributions to the history of Kerala and South India and held key roles at the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).