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1. Maldives is set to introduce India's RuPay service, a domestic card payment network known for its wide acceptance in India at ATMs, POS devices, and e-commerce platforms. RuPay, a product of the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), operates under the NPCI, a not-for-profit organization empowered by the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), established in 2018, facilitates the global export of Indian digital payment solutions like RuPay and UPI. RuPay offers various card variants to cater to diverse societal segments and has expanded its reach beyond India, with transactions already accepted in countries like Singapore, Bhutan, UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
2. Indian-American astronomer Shrinivas Kulkarni was honored with the 2024 Shaw Prize for Astronomy for his groundbreaking research on the physics of astronomical transients. These transient phenomena, characterized by their rapid changes in brightness, offer invaluable insights into the universe's most dynamic processes. Supernovae, the explosive deaths of massive stars, illuminate their host galaxies with fleeting brilliance. Active galactic nuclei, powered by supermassive black holes, emit variable light as they consume surrounding material. Fast radio bursts, sudden bursts of radio waves, release immense energy in mere fractions of a second. Kulkarni's work not only sheds light on these phenomena but also promises to deepen our understanding of the universe's most powerful objects and fundamental physical laws.
3. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC), chaired by the Prime Minister, has granted a rare one-month extension to the current Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Manoj Pande. This extension, only the second in over five decades, was approved under Rule 16 A (4) of the Army Rules 1954, citing "exigencies of services". The ACC has the authority to appoint the COAS, the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Army, who serves as the army's head and advises the Defence Ministry and the President of India on military matters. Normally, the COAS serves for three years or until reaching the age of 62, whichever comes first.
4. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is initiating restoration work on the collapsed saalu mantapa, a type of pavilion, at the renowned Virupaksha Temple in Hampi, part of the Group of Monuments designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and built in the 7th century, showcases Vijayanagara architecture and was constructed by Lakkan Dandesha during the reign of Deva Raya II. Situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in central Karnataka, Hampi served as the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, boasting over 1,600 surviving monuments spread across approximately 4,200 hectares. These include forts, temples, palaces, and other structures, exemplifying a blend of Dravidian and Indo-Islamic architectural styles. Notable sites within Hampi include the Vitthala Temple complex, the Royal Enclosure, the Hazara Rama Temple, and the iconic Stone Chariot. UNESCO recognized Hampi's historical and archaeological significance in 1986, underscoring its exceptional universal value.
5. Recent studies reveal that the Sun's magnetic field originates about 32,000 kilometers below its surface, shallower than previously thought. This finding holds potential for improved prediction of solar cycles and more accurate forecasting of severe solar storms. Solar cycles occur approximately every 11 years, during which the Sun's magnetic activity waxes and wanes, affecting surface phenomena like sunspots. These dark areas on the Sun's surface form due to strong magnetic fields, influencing solar weather patterns. Solar flares, explosive releases of energy caused by tangled magnetic field lines, can disrupt radio communications and even damage satellites. When coupled with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), these flares create solar storms, accelerating charged particles toward Earth. These storms, reaching speeds of millions of miles per hour, can impact satellites, endanger space travelers, and produce dazzling auroras in Earth's skies.