Current affairs 18 July 2024

India Shines at 35th International Biology Olympiad 2024.

• Indian team excelled at the 35th International Biology Olympiad in Kazakhstan, winning 1 gold and 3 silver medals.
• Vedant Sakre from Mumbai won a gold medal, while Ishan Pednekar (Ratnagiri), Shrijith Sivakumar (Chennai), and Yashashwi Kumar (Bareilly) each secured a silver medal.
• The event took place in Astana from July 7 to July 13, 2024, led by Prof. Sasikumar Menon and Dr. Mayuri Rege.

India's First National Narcotics Helpline "MANAS" to be Launched.

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the national toll-free narcotics helpline 'MANAS' (1933) on July 18, 2024, during the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) meeting.
• MANAS (Madak Padarth Nisedh Asuchna Kendra) will allow citizens to report narcotics crimes confidentially and 24x7, including drug trafficking, illegal sales, and cultivation.

India's Population to Peak at 1.7 Billion in Early 2060s: UN Report.

• India’s population is projected to peak at about 1.7 billion in the early 2060s and decline by 12%, but will remain the world's most populous nation throughout the century.
• The world population is expected to peak at around 10.3 billion in the mid-2080s and then gradually decline to 10.2 billion by 2100.
• China's population, currently 1.41 billion, will decline to 633 million by 2100.

Greta Gerwig received 2024 Pioneer of the Year Award.

• Greta Gerwig, filmmaker of Lady Bird, Little Women, and Barbie, was honoured with the 2024 Pioneer of the Year Award by the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation.
• Gerwig's Barbie made history as the first solo female-directed film to surpass $1 billion in global box office earnings.
• She is also recognized for her contributions as an actress and screenwriter.

India unveils Comprehensive Roadmap for Global E-Mobility Leadership.

• The Indian government unveiled the e-Mobility R&D Roadmap for India at Vigyan Bhawan Annexe in New Delhi, focusing on energy storage cells, EV aggregates, materials and recycling, and charging and refueling.
• The roadmap aims for self-reliance in crucial EV sectors within five years, aligning with India’s energy independence by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070 goals.