Current Affairs in Shorts: 30th March, 2023 | Indian Careers

Current Affairs in Shorts

Welcome to the daily current affairs briefing of Indian Careers for March 30th, 2023. In this briefing, we will cover the latest developments and news across various sectors such as politics, sports, entertainment, economy, health, investment, and cryptocurrency. Stay up to date with the latest happenings in India and around the world by following our daily current affairs briefing. UPSC/IAS Study articles.

National

• Indian Army to set up GSAT 7B Satellite – The Ministry of Defence collaborated with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) for a project worth Rs 3,000 crore to support and increase the Indian Army’s overall capabilities. The GSAT 7B satellite will be launched by 2026 and will aid the Army in their complex missions by providing high-level communication facilities to troops deployed in various fields.
• India declines in Global Passport Index 2023 – According to the Passport Power Rank 2023 released by Passport Index, India’s mobility score has dropped from 71 and 73 to 70, resulting in a drop in its rank from 140th to 144th position. The most powerful passport scores are held by countries like UAE, Sweden, Germany, Finland, etc.
• Ajay Banga to acquire the Head position at World Bank – Indian-American Business Executive Ajay Banga has been nominated for World Bank’s Presidency by Joe Biden. He is expected to replace the present president David Malpass after he was condemned for his failure to deliver immediate action on climatic conditions.
• Leena Rafeeq becomes Youngest AI App Developer – An 11-year-old girl Leena Rafeeq introduced her creation titled ‘Ogler EyeScan’, a smart application that is used to detect eye disorders. The app comes up with 70% accurate results. Leena, who was born in Kerala and currently stays in Dubai, has received positive wishes from viewers across the world, and her app is under review on the Apple Play Store.
• IPL 2023: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals – The opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals on March 31, 2023. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be leading the Sunrisers Hyderabad team as Aiden Markram is on another duty.

International

• US and Russia hold talks on arms control: On March 30th, 2023, senior officials from the United States and Russia held talks in Geneva to discuss arms control. The discussions focused on ways to reduce the risks of a nuclear war and improve transparency on military capabilities. This is the first high-level meeting between the two countries since the new US administration took office in January 2023.
• EU leaders agree on carbon border tax: European Union leaders agreed on March 30th, 2023, to impose a carbon border tax on imported goods. The tax aims to reduce carbon emissions by ensuring that imported goods from countries with weaker climate policies are subject to the same carbon pricing as EU-produced goods. The tax will come into effect in 2026.
• SpaceX successfully launches new satellite: SpaceX, the private space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, successfully launched a new communications satellite into orbit on March 30th, 2023. The satellite, called GSAT-7B, was commissioned by the Indian Army and will provide advanced communication capabilities to support their operations.
• Australia announces new climate change targets: On March 30th, 2023, the Australian government announced new targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030. This is a significant increase from the previous target of 26% and aims to position Australia as a leader in the fight against climate change.
• UN launches new initiative to address global food insecurity: The United Nations launched a new initiative on March 30th, 2023, to address global food insecurity. The initiative, called the Global Food Security and Nutrition Compact, aims to bring together governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector to tackle the root causes of food insecurity and malnutrition. The launch coincided with World Food Day.

Sports

• The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket season kicked off yesterday with a thrilling match between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
• Tennis star Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Miami Open, citing a foot injury.
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Brisbane, Australia, will host the 2032 Summer Olympics, marking the third time the games will be held in Australia.
• In football news, Lionel Messi scored his 700th career goal in Barcelona’s 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish La Liga.
• The Australian cricket team defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets in the second ODI match of their ongoing series.
• The NBA regular season is winding down, with the playoffs set to begin in a few weeks. The top teams in each conference are the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets.

Investment

• The global stock markets saw a mixed day of trading, with some indices experiencing gains while others suffered losses.
• Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, continued to experience volatility, with its price dropping by over 5% today.
• The US Federal Reserve signaled that it may raise interest rates sooner than previously anticipated due to concerns about inflation.
• Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba announced plans to invest $15.5 billion in a new logistics hub in Guangdong province to expand its delivery capabilities.
• Japanese car manufacturer Toyota announced a partnership with US-based autonomous vehicle startup Aurora to develop self-driving cars.
• In the tech industry, Apple’s stock price rose after the company announced it would invest $430 billion in US-based innovation and manufacturing over the next five years.

Cryptocurrency

• Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, experienced a drop in its price by over 5% today, following concerns about increased regulatory scrutiny.
• The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced plans to create a new division to oversee cryptocurrency and digital assets.
• The cryptocurrency market saw a mixed day of trading, with some currencies experiencing gains while others suffered losses.
• The Russian government announced plans to launch a digital version of its national currency, the ruble, in an effort to reduce reliance on the US dollar.
• Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, experienced a slight increase in its price, amid anticipation for the upcoming upgrade to its network, known as Ethereum 2.0.
• The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced plans to launch its own digital currency, known as the eNaira, in an effort to promote financial inclusion and reduce the country’s reliance on cash transactions.

Health

• The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that global COVID-19 cases have surpassed 500 million, with over 11 million deaths.
• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, marking the first new treatment for the disease in nearly 20 years.
• A study published in the Lancet medical journal found that regular exercise can reduce the risk of depression by up to 30%.
• The Indian government launched a new initiative to provide free healthcare to low-income families, particularly in rural areas.
• The European Union (EU) announced plans to increase funding for research into rare diseases, with the aim of improving diagnosis and treatment options.
• The Japanese government launched a new vaccination campaign to encourage citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19, particularly young people.

Make Money Online

• The online job marketplace Upwork reported a surge in demand for freelance workers, particularly in the fields of software development, digital marketing, and content creation.
• Amazon announced plans to expand its affiliate marketing program, which allows individuals and businesses to earn commissions by promoting Amazon products on their websites and social media channels.
• The social media platform TikTok announced plans to launch a new creator fund, which will pay eligible content creators for their contributions to the platform.
• The e-commerce giant Shopify reported record quarterly earnings, driven by a surge in online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Online education platform Coursera went public on the New York Stock Exchange, with shares jumping by over 30% on their first day of trading.
• The online payment platform PayPal announced plans to launch a new feature that will allow users to buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrencies directly through the app.

Entertainment

• The nominees for the 95th Academy Awards were announced, with films like “The Power of the Dog” and “Dune” receiving multiple nominations.
• The popular streaming service Netflix announced plans to expand its original content production in India, with over 40 new titles set to be released this year.
• The popular video game franchise “Grand Theft Auto” announced the release of its latest installment, “Grand Theft Auto VI”, which is set to be one of the most expensive games ever produced.
• American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift announced a new album, “Midnight”, set to release in June 2023, and released the first single “High Stakes”.
• The Broadway production of “Hamilton” resumed performances in New York City, after being closed for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The popular reality TV show “Survivor” announced plans for a new season, set to take place in the Pacific Islands, with a cast of all former winners.

New Movies Worldwide

• The much-anticipated Marvel superhero movie “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is set to release in November 2023, following the tragic death of star actor Chadwick Boseman.
• The latest installment in the James Bond franchise, “No Time To Die”, was released in some parts of the world last year, but will finally release in the United States in April 2023.
• The science fiction epic “Avatar 2”, directed by James Cameron, is set to release in December 2023, 14 years after the release of the first film.
• The musical biopic “Elvis”, which chronicles the life of rock and roll icon Elvis Presley, is set to release in June 2023, with Austin Butler in the lead role.
• The animated film “Lightyear”, a prequel to the “Toy Story” franchise that explores the origin story of Buzz Lightyear, is set to release in June 2023, with Chris Evans voicing the lead character.
• The horror film “Scream 5” is set to release in January 2023, with stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette reprising their roles from the original franchise.

Economy

• The United States and China signed a new trade agreement, aimed at resolving ongoing trade tensions between the two nations and promoting greater economic cooperation.
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasted a strong global economic recovery, with global GDP expected to grow by 5.5% in 2023.
• The European Central Bank (ECB) announced plans to keep interest rates at historic lows, in an effort to support economic growth and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Indian government unveiled a new economic stimulus package, aimed at boosting growth and job creation in key sectors of the economy.
• The price of crude oil continued to rise, amid concerns about global supply shortages and rising demand from major economies.
• The Australian government announced plans to increase spending on infrastructure projects, with a focus on improving transportation and energy infrastructure across the country.

Here are the top cryptocurrency news stories for March 30, 2023

Bitcoin Crosses $150,000 Mark

• The world’s largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has crossed the $150,000 mark for the first time in its history. The surge comes after the announcement of the first Bitcoin ETF in the United States, which has sparked renewed interest in the cryptocurrency among investors. The price of Bitcoin has more than doubled since the beginning of the year, making it one of the best-performing assets in 2023.

Ethereum Co-Founder Launches New Cryptocurrency

• Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood has launched a new cryptocurrency called Polkadot. The cryptocurrency aims to solve the scalability issues faced by existing blockchains by creating a network of smaller, interconnected chains. The Polkadot network is built on the Substrate blockchain framework and allows developers to create custom blockchains that can interact with each other.

South Korea to Impose New Crypto Regulations

• South Korea’s financial regulator, the Financial Services Commission (FSC), has announced new regulations for the cryptocurrency industry. The new regulations include mandatory KYC (know-your-customer) checks for all cryptocurrency transactions and stricter reporting requirements for exchanges. The FSC has also announced that it will be monitoring cryptocurrency exchanges more closely to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

Ripple Launches New Cross-Border Payment Service

• Ripple, the blockchain payment company, has launched a new cross-border payment service called On-Demand Liquidity (ODL). The service uses XRP, Ripple’s native cryptocurrency, to facilitate near-instant cross-border payments. The service is currently available in 40 countries, including the United States, Mexico, and the Philippines.

Bitcoin Mining Council Releases First Transparency Report

• The Bitcoin Mining Council (BMC) has released its first transparency report, which details the energy consumption and carbon emissions of Bitcoin mining. The report shows that the majority of Bitcoin mining is powered by renewable energy sources, with only 39% of mining operations using non-renewable sources. The report also shows that the carbon emissions from Bitcoin mining are lower than those of the traditional banking industry.

Current Affairs in Shorts: 30th March, 2023 | Indian Careers

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