Current affairs 15 March 2024

President of India has approved the Uttarakhand’s UCC Bill.

• Uttarakhand has now become the first State in independent India to have a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Act.
• The Bill, which has kept tribals out of its ambit, has a complete ban on practices like halala, iddat, and talaq (customs related to marriage and divorce in Muslim Personal Law).
• The Bill ensures that women are given equal rights in matters related to property and inheritance rights.

Lancet study: Life expectancy dropped by 1.6 years during pandemic.

• Global life expectancy dropped by 1.6 years between 2019 and 2021, a sharp reversal from past improvements, according to a research published in the Lancet journal.
• One of the first to fully evaluate demographic trends in the context of the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The researchers said, it could have implications for health systems, economies and societies around the world.

Tata Motors inks MoU with TN Govt to set up vehicle manufacturing unit.

• Tata Motors will invest Rs 9000 crore in Tamil Nadu for new vehicle manufacturing facility, creating 5000 jobs.
• Teams from Guidance, Tamil Nadu's nodal agency for investment promotion and facilitation and Tata Motors Group will work together to make the project successful.
• Q3 FY24 sees Tata Motors' net profit jump to Rs 7,025.11 crore, with revenue up by 25.07%, showcasing robust growth.

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Japan's 1st privately developed rocket explodes after takeoff.

• Tokyo-based startup Space One failed to become Japan's first private firm to put a satellite into orbit.
• The 18-meter, 23-ton Kairos rocket, carrying a mock-up of a government spy satellite, took off from a new space facility in Kushimoto.
• The startup’s goal is to undertake 20 liftoffs a year by the end of 2029 and 30 liftoffs in the 2030s.
• Space One was established in 2018.

Rachin Ravindra, youngest cricketer to win Sir Richard Hadlee Medal.

• New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra became the youngest cricketer to win Sir Richard Hadlee medal as he became the country's best male cricketer of the year.
• Kane Williamson received the ANZ Test Player of the Year Award and won the Redpath Cup for men's first-class batting.
• Amelia Kerr became the year's top female cricketer after winning the Debbie Hockley medal for the second time in a row.