NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Virat Kohli tops Celebrity Brand Valuation in 2023: Virat Kohli is India’s most valued celebrity with a brand value of USD 227.9 million marking a significant increase of nearly 29% from USD 176.9 million in 2022. Consultancy firm Kroll shared a list ranking India’s most influential celebrity brands in which Virat Kohli featured on the top followed by Ranveer Singh who slipped to the second spot with a brand value of USD 203.1 million. The report, titled Kroll’s Celebrity Brand Valuation Report 2023, features Shah Rukh Khan at the third spot after the success of films like “Jawaan” and “Pathaan”- with a brand value of USD 120.7 million in 2023. Akshay Kumar is at the fourth place with a brand value of USD 111.7 million, down from third in 2022 while Alia Bhatt dropped to fifth from fourth with a valuation of USD 101.1 million. Deepika Padukone is at the sixth place with a brand value of USD 96 million.
2. AAI signs MoU with Rajasthan govt for developing greenfield airport at Kota: Airports Authority of India has signed an agreement with Urban Development Department, government of Rajasthan, and the Civil Aviation Department, for the development of Kota Greenfield Airport in Rajasthan. As per the MoU, the government of Rajasthan will provide land for the development of the greenfield airport and AAI will be responsible for the construction, development, and operation of the airport. The Greenfield airport at Kota will be constructed on 440.086 hectares of land for which a Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared by the Airports Authority of India
3. IIT Guwahati Researchers Explore African Swine Fever Virus Protein: Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have made great progress in understanding the biochemistry of the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV). They have focused on the p30 protein, which is very important for the virus to enter animals. The goal of this work is to come up with successful ways to control the disease, such as vaccines.
4. Two Flower Fly Species Reported from Kerala for the First Time: The genus Mesembrius Rondani,1857 is an Old World genus comprising about 58 species across various regions such as the Oriental, Australasian, and Afrotropical regions, and the Mediterranean Basin of the Palaearctic Region. They belong to the subfamily Eristalinae within the tribe Eristalini.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Gevra & Kusmunda coal mine included in World’s 10 largest coal mines: Two coal mines in Chhattisgarh, Gevra and Kusmunda, have been included in WorldAtlas.com’s top ten coal mines of the world. Gevra mine has an annual production capacity of 70 MT. The mine produced 59 MT of coal in FY24. While Kusmunda produced over 50 MT of coal. Both are open-cast mine projects.
Gevra and Kusmunda coal mines have secured the 2nd and 4th spot in the list of the world’s 10 largest coal mines released by WorldAtlas.com. Indonesia dominates the top ten coal mines list, with four mines, and the United States Black Thunder Mine has been ranked the world’s largest coal mine. China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal, and India is the second largest producer. The United States of America has the largest known coal reserves in the world.
2. Belarus introduces 90-Day Visa-Free Regime for 35 European Countries: Belarus has announced a new visa-free regime allowing citizens from 35 European countries to stay in the country for up to 90 days per year. Under the new policy, citizens of the 35 listed nations – which include Germany, Britain and France – will be able to enter Belarus without a visa and stay for up to 90 days per year. Currently, travellers from those countries can only remain in Belarus for 30 days and must fly in via Minsk airport The visa-free entry can be utilized multiple times within a year but does not apply to holders of special passports such as diplomatic or official passports. This visa-free regime extends the existing policy that already applies to neighboring countries Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Additionally, it will now include 35 other European nations, allowing for greater ease of travel and personnel exchanges.
3. Asia’s First Pre-Clinical Network Facility Inaugurated in Faridabad: Asia’s first Pre-clinical Network Facility for health study was opened in Faridabad, Haryana by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology. This building is part of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and its goal is to make studies better in case of an epidemic.
4. China Unveils World’s First Carbon Fiber High-Speed Train: High-speed rail (HSR) goes faster than 250 km/h (155 mph). Japan’s first high-speed rail line, the Shinkansen, opened in 1964. The world record is held by France’s TGV, which went 357 mph (574 km/h) in 2007. HSR systems use less energy per person than cars, so they are more environmentally friendly. A lot of them run on dedicated lines, which cuts down on delays. With more than 22,000 miles (35,000 km) of HSR tracks, China has the world’s biggest network. HSR can cut travel times by a lot, which can improve the economy and connectivity in the area.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. AIFF awards 2024: Chhangte, Indumathi win top male and female awards: India and Mumbai City FC winger Lallianzuala Chhangte and national women’s team midfielder Indumathi Kathiresan won the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) male and female Player of the Award respectively. The awards were given at a function organised by the national football federation.
The 27-year-old Chhangte recently extended his contract with Mumbai City FC until the end of the 2026/27 season. Indumathi, 30, represents Odisha FC in the Indian Women’s League (IWL) besides marshalling the midfield for the national team.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. China launches new Earth observation satellite: China sent a new Earth observation satellite into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province. The Gaofen-11 05 satellite was launched by a Long March-4B carrier rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully. The satellite will be used in a variety of fields including land surveys, urban planning, road network design, and crop yield estimation. It will also help in land ownership verification and even aid in disaster prevention and mitigation. The launch marked the 528th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.
2. NASA Discovers Six New Exoplanets: NASA has made big strides in its study of exoplanets by confirming six new ones, bringing the total number of them to 5,502. This is an important step toward knowing the universe and the possibility of life beyond Earth. Poltergeist and Phobetor, the first exoplanets found orbiting the pulsar PSR B1257+12 in 1992, marked the start of the trip. By March 2022, the number of finds had sped past 5,000, showing how quickly the field was progressing.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. RBI forms panel to review fee structure for white-label ATMs: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a committee to review the fee structure for white-label ATMs (WLAs). The committee, headed by Indian Banks’ Association chief executive Sunil Mehta. This committee will evaluate current policies and practices, aiming to recommend a fair and sustainable model that balances the interests of all stakeholders. An assessment will be done on fee structure, existing ATM infrastructure and international best practices The committee will submit its report to deputy governor T Rabi Sankar. As per industry estimates, India’s ATM market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2024 to 2032.
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