Current Affairs One - Liner : 29th January 2025

The ePlane Company secured DGCA’s eVTOL certification for its aircraft, the e200X, on January 20, 2025. This makes it the first private Indian company to achieve this milestone. The certification marks a significant step toward launching commercial eVTOL services by 2026.

The first-ever Pashmina Festival in Kathmandu, held from January 22 to January 24, 2025, celebrated the craftsmanship of Nepali Pashmina. With over 150 domestic stalls, including 40 showcasing pure Chyangra Pashmina, the event highlighted traditional weaving techniques and the high quality of Nepali Pashmina, which is highly valued in international markets.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Republic Day, January 26, 2025, that Dibrugarh will be developed as the state's second capital. This decision is part of a larger plan to distribute administrative functions more evenly and enhance development across the state.

India and Oman agreed to expedite discussions for signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to boost bilateral trade and investments. This decision was made during Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's visit to Oman on January 27-28, 2025. The two nations also signed a protocol to amend the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).
Alexander Lukashenko won the Belarusian presidential election for the seventh time on January 26, 2025. He secured 87.6% of the vote. The election has been widely criticized by opposition groups and international observers.

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) approved a ₹500 crore capital infusion into IFCI on January 24, 2025 through the preferential issue of shares. This move aims to strengthen IFCI's financial position and support its ongoing consolidation plans.
CheQ launched CheQ Wisor on January 22, 2025. Wisor is India's first AI-powered credit card expert, designed to simplify credit card management with personalized insights and real-time assistance. Founded by ex-Flipkart executive Aditya Soni, CheQ Wisor aims to help users maximize rewards and manage their credit cards more efficiently.
Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMBL) completed the acquisition of Standard Chartered Bank India's personal loan portfolio for ₹3,330 crore on January 23, 2025. This acquisition aims to strengthen KMBL's position in the retail credit market, particularly among affluent customers.

Australia clinched the ICC Women's Championship Trophy on January 28, 2025, in Melbourne. Captain Alyssa Healy received the trophy from Mike Baird, Cricket Australia Chair and ICC Director. This marks Australia's third consecutive title in the prestigious 10-team competition.
Manush Shah and Diya Chitale were crowned national table tennis champions on January 27, 2025, at the Senior National Table Tennis Championships 2025 in Surat. They won the titles of Men's Singles Champion and Women's Singles Champion, respectively.

The International Day of Clean Energy 2025 is observed on January 26 with the theme "Clean Energy for Sustainable Development". It emphasizes the transition to renewable energy to achieve sustainable development goals and combat climate change.

Shailesh Kumar Davey became the new Group CEO of Zoho Corp on January 27, 2025. He succeeded Sridhar Vembu, who transitioned to the role of Chief Scientist. Davey, co-founder of Zoho and former Vice President of Engineering at ManageEngine, aims to drive growth and innovation in cloud software solutions.
M. Mohan was appointed as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) on January 27, 2025. He is a distinguished scientist and former Director (Projects) at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

Christine Carla Kangaloo, President of Trinidad and Tobago, was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by India on January 26, 2025, recognizing her exceptional achievements in public affairs and contributions to enhancing India's global prestige. She received the award from the High Commissioner of India, Dr. Pradeep Rajpurohit, during a Republic Day reception in Port of Spain.

Questions:

1. Which Indian state recently announced the development of Dibrugarh as its second capital?

2. The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2025 was conferred upon Christine Carla Kangaloo in recognition of her contributions in which field?