Current affairs 14 February 2025

Mukesh Ambani Leads Bloomberg's Asia Richest Families List.

• Mukesh Ambani's family tops Bloomberg's list of 10 Asia's richest families - an index that has six other Indian names.
• Mukesh Ambani’s family - $90.5 billion
• Ranked 2nd, Thailand's Chearavanont family - $42.6 billion
• Hartono - $42.2 billion, the Hartono family of Indonesia
• India’s Mistry family, with a combined wealth of $37.5 billion
• Hong Kong's Kwok family ranks fifth with $35.6 billion

UP Govt Sets ₹60,000 Cr Excise Target for FY26.

• The Uttar Pradesh government has set an excise revenue target of ₹60,000 crore for FY26, up from ₹58,000 crore in FY25.
• The new excise policy introduces an e-lottery system for liquor shop allotment and promotes horticultural produce for wineries.
• The policy prohibits premium liquor outlets in malls, while ethanol production continues to boost revenue and support sugarcane farmers.

Adani Green Exits $442M Sri Lanka Wind Power Project.

• Adani Green withdrew from Sri Lanka's $442M wind power project after the new govt sought to lower tariffs from $0.0826 to below $0.06 per unit.
• The company cited respect for Sri Lanka’s sovereign decisions and challenges like environmental opposition and legal disputes.
• The project, planned for 484 MW in Mannar & Pooneryn, faced hurdles despite a prior agreement.

ONGC, Tata Power Renewable Ink MoU for Battery Storage.

• ONGC signed an MoU with Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd to collaborate on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
• The partnership aims to enhance grid stability, integrate renewable energy, and support India's 500 GW clean energy goal by 2030.
• ONGC targets 10 GW renewable capacity by 2030, aligning with its net-zero carbon emission goal by 2038.

Oldest Jurassic Bird Fossil Found in China.

• A 150-million-year-old short-tailed bird fossil, Baminornis zhenghensis, was discovered in Fujian Province, China.
• The fossil’s pygostyle, a bone unique to modern birds, suggests bird-like body structure emerged 20 million years earlier than thought.
• This discovery offers new insights into the evolution of birds during the Late Jurassic Period.