NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Mohammad Rihan appointed as DG of National Institute of Solar Energy: Mohammad Rihan has been named Director General of the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE). He is a professor of electrical engineering department in Aligarh Muslim University. He will be on deputation for three years with a possible two-year extension. Rihan’s expertise in smart grid and solar energy aligns with NISE’s goals in R&D, testing, certification, and skill development in solar technology.
2. Gurgaon admin ropes in cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal to boost voter turnout: Amid poll boycotts and apprehension over low voting rates among urban voters, the Gurgaon administration has announced cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal as its brand ambassador for the election. The popular bowler will appeal to voters to exercise their rights. Haryanvi singers MD Desi Rockstar and Naveen Punia have also been picked as brand ambassadors.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. World’s deepest blue hole discovered in Mexico: Researchers have discovered the world’s deepest blue hole located in Mexico’s Chetumal Bay, named Taam Ja’ Blue Hole (TJBH). Initially thought to be the second deepest, recent measurements have now recorded it at depths exceeding 420 meters below sea level (mbsl), surpassing all known blue holes to date A blue hole is a large marine cavern or sinkhole, which is open to the surface and has developed in a bank or island composed of a carbonate bedrock.
2. Jose Raul Mulino wins Panama’s Presidential election: José Raúl Mulino has won Panama’s presidential election after three of his nearest rivals conceded defeat. The 64-year-old former security minister has secured nearly 35% of the counted votes, with more than 92% of the votes counted. He has an unassailable 9 per cent lead over his nearest rival. Jose Raul Mulino was initially chosen as a Vice-Presidential candidate by former president Ricardo Martinelli, who was himself the Presidential candidate.
3. 7 May 2024 – World Asthma Day: World Asthma Day is observed every year on first Tuesday of May. This year was observed on 7 May. Objective – To raise awareness about asthma, a long-term lung disease that affects millions of people around the world. Theme 2024 – Asthma Education Empowers Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterised by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
4. 7 May – World Athletics Day: World Athletics Day is observed every year on 7 May. This day aims to promote sports and encourage peole, especially the youth, to participate in athletics. It is an annual event dedicated to honouring athletes and instilling values such as dedication and motivation that we can learn from sports. World Athletics Day was established by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), now known as World Athletics, in 1996.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Mumbai City FC win the ISL 2023-24: The Mumbai City FC football club defeated Mohun Bagan Bagan Super Giant by 3-1 goals to win the 2023-24 Indian Super League (ISL) final. It was played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata (West Bengal). This was Mumbai City FC’s second title. In the final match, Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Bipin Singh and Jakub Vojtus scored for Mumbai City FC, while the solitary goal for the Mohun Bagan Bagan Super Giant was scored by Jason Cumming.
2. Japan win 2024 Men’s AFC U-23 title: Japan defeated Uzbekistan in the final to win the Men’s AFC U-23 Asian Cup for the second time. In the final match played at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Japan had earlier won the tournament title in 2016. The solitary goal scored by substitute Yamada in injury time secured Japan’s victory and qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Oldest evidence of Earth’s magnetic field found in Greenland rocks: Geologists from MIT and Oxford University discovered the oldest evidence of Earth’s magnetic field in 3.7-billion-year-old rocks from Greenland’s Isua Supracrustal Belt. Researchers determined them to be approximately 3.7 billion years old, showing remnants of a magnetic field with a strength of at least 15 microtesla, comparable to today’s magnetic field. This finding suggests Earth’s conditions may have been habitable earlier than thought, with a stable magnetic shield playing a crucial role.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. India Ratings raises FY25 GDP growth forecast to 7.1% from 6.5%: India Ratings and Research revised upward the country’s GDP growth estimate for FY25 to 7.1 per cent from 6.5 per cent earlier. The projection is marginally higher than the Reserve Bank’s estimate of 7 per cent. The domestic rating agency said strong support from the sustained government capex, deleveraged balance sheets of corporate and banking sector, and the incipient private corporate capex cycle make it revise its estimate.
2. ICICI Bank introduces UPI for NRIs through international mobile numbers: ICICI Bank has rolled out a new facility allowing its non-resident Indian (NRI) customers to make Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions in India using their international mobile numbers. Previously, NRIs had to register an Indian mobile number with their Non-Resident External (NRE) or Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) bank accounts to use UPI, limiting their ability to make payments conveniently.
The new facility allows ICICI Bank’s NRI customers to use their international mobile numbers registered with their NRE/NRO accounts for UPI payments.
3. Thomas Cook launches video KYC for forex buyers: Thomas Cook India has launched video KYC for its retail foreign exchange customers for a safe digital transaction. The company said that the new initiative, ‘Ab Forex Ghar Baithe’, offers customers a paperless means to buy forex without stepping out of home. The Aadhaar-based video KYC verification ensures doorstep delivery within two hours. Customers can complete the transaction online, including loading/topping up of prepaid forex cards, fund transfers, and foreign exchange transactions.
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