Daily Morning Brief -23 April 2026

World News

1. The United Kingdom's parliament has passed a bill to ban smoking.

The UK Parliament has moved forward with the "Tobacco and Vapes Bill," aimed at creating the first smoke-free generation. The law makes it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009, effectively phasing out smoking.  

2. A meeting of 30 countries was held to discuss the protection of the Strait of Hormuz.

Military leaders from 30 nations met in London this week to draft an operational plan for protecting the Strait of Hormuz. Co-chaired by the UK and France, the coalition aims to restore safe passage for commercial shipping vessels.  

India News

3.India has denied requests to make cash or cryptocurrency payments to Iran for transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

: India has officially denied reports of making any payments—specifically in cash or cryptocurrency—to Iran for the safe passage of Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Authorities clarified that such claims were part of a fraudulent scam.  

4. West Bengal and Tamilnadu Assembly Elections Today: State Assembly elections are taking place today, April 23, 2026, across Tamil Nadu and in the first phase for West Bengal. Millions are voting in these high-stakes battles, with results for both states scheduled for May 4.  

Economy

5. India's seafood exports have crossed ₹72,000 crore, with the USA and China emerging as the top importers.

India's seafood exports hit an all-time high of ₹72,325 crore ($8.28 billion) in the 2025–26 fiscal year. Frozen shrimp remained the top export item, with the USA and China continuing to be the primary destination markets.  

6. Forbes Richest person List of World: Elon Musk has secured the #1 spot on the 2026 Forbes Richest list, with a net worth surpassing $800 billion. His wealth growth is driven primarily by the massive valuations of Tesla, SpaceX, and his AI venture.  

7. New rules for online gaming will take effect starting May 1st.

Starting May 1st, new regulations for online gaming will take effect in India. The rules mandate stricter age verification and registration for "real-money" games, while social games receive certain exemptions to promote the digital ecosystem.  

8. Global air services have been affected by a widespread fuel shortage.: Global air services face disruptions due to fuel shortages. Europe has cancelled more than 20000 flight travels.

9. Ethanol  to be blended with jet fuel to reduce dependence.

In response to Global Jet fuel Shortage, India is pushing to blend ethanol with jet fuel to create Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), reducing carbon emissions and the country's economic reliance on imported oil.

Odisha

10. Odisha Cabinet Approves 8 proposal: 

The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by CM Mohan Charan Majhi, recently approved eight transformative proposals. Key highlights include a ₹158.88 crore high-level bridge over the Kathajodi River, the State Data Policy 2.0 for digital governance, and a new City Gas Distribution Policy. Other approvals cover a spinning unit in Bolangir, healthcare regulations, and significant stamp duty relief for apartment buyers.