Current affairs 22 March 2024

India's fertility rate to fall down to 1.3 in 2050: Lancet study.

• India's fertility rate dropped from nearly 6.2 in 1950 to just under 2 in 2021, and is projected to fall further to 1.29 and 1.04 in 2050 and 2100, respectively.
• The global Total Fertility Rate (TFR) was over 4.8 children per woman in 1950 and fell to 2.2 children per woman in 2021.
• These figures have been projected to fall to 1.8 and 1.6 in 2050 and 2100, respectively.

New Zealand will ban disposable e-cigarettes.

• New Zealand will ban disposable e-cigarettes, or vapes, and raise financial penalties for those who sell such products to minors.
• The New Zealand government has received significant criticism for rolling back a world-first law banning tobacco sales for future generations.
• Retailers that sell vapes to children under 18 years of age will face fines of up to 100,000 New Zealand dollars.

BPCL secures 5th spot in Business World Real 500.

• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) announced that it has continued its position as the 5th-ranked company in
• The Business World Real 500 List of 2024.
• BPCL is an Indian public sector undertaking under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas incorporated on Nov 3 1952.
• BPCL ranked 309th in the Fortune list of the world's biggest PSUs in 2020 & 792nd on Forbes's Global 2000 in 2021.

,

"National Internet Exchange" to unveil "BhashaNet" portal.

• National Internet Exchange of India is set to unveil the BhashaNet portal at the upcoming Universal Acceptance Day, in a move towards advancing digital inclusion and promoting linguistic diversity in India.
• The event will take place at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi.
• Theme - BhashaNet: Impetus Towards Universal Acceptance

1st ever India pavilion inaugurated in San Francisco.

• The India Pavilion has been inaugurated at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, marking a new phase in India-US relations.
• The India Gaming Market Report has been launched with the US India Strategic & Partnership Forum & WinZO, forecasting significant growth.
• India's gaming market has been projected to double from USD 3.1 billion in 2023 to USD 6 billion by 2028.