CURRENT AFFAIRS 16 July, 2024
- INDIAN SAND ARTIST SUDARSHAN BAGS GOLD MEDAL IN INTERNATIONAL SAND SCULPTURE CHAMPIONSHIP –
- Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on July 12, won the Golden Sand Master award at an international championship in Russia. The event, International Sand Sculpture Championship was organised from July 4-12 in St Petersburg at the iconic Peter and Paul Fortress. The world’s 21 master sculptors participated in the event.
- Sudarsan Pattnaik (born 15 April 1977) is an Indian sand artist from Puri, Odisha. In 2014, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his seashore sand arts.
- He was awarded Padma Shri by Government of India, the Fourth Highest Civilian Award in India, in 2014 for his contribution in Sand Arts.
- People’s Choice Award at Sand Sculpting World Cup 2014 at Atlantic City, US.
- First Indian to win the Italian Sand Art Award, 2019, at the International Scorrano Sand Nativity event held in Lecce, Italy from 13 to 17 November.
- INDIA’S LONGEST URBAN TUNNEL BETWEEN BORIVALI AND THANE –
- Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, led the event to break ground on the Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel project in Mumbai on July 13, 2024. This Rs. 16,600 crore project is part of a bigger plan to improve Mumbai’s infrastructure that will cost a total of Rs. 29,000 crores and will aim to make it much easier to move around and connect with other places in the city.
- The Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel, which is India’s longest and biggest urban tunnel project, is expected to cost Rs. 16,600 crore.
- It will connect Thane and Borivali through a direct subway line that runs for 11.8 km and finishes at Borivali on National Highway 8. With this route’s two regular lanes and one emergency lane, the journey will go from taking over an hour to only 12 minutes, and the distance will be cut by 12 km.
- ARGENTINA WIN RECORD 16TH COPA AMERICA –
- Argentina triumphed over Colombia with a 1-0 win in extra time to secure their 16th Copa America title at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, USA.
- Lautaro Martinez scored the decisive goal in the 111th minute, leading Argentina to become the most successful team in the tournament’s history, surpassing Uruguay.
- Argentina captain – Lionel Messi
- WORLD POPULATION DAY 2024 –
- World Population Day is observed on 11th July every year to raise awareness about global population issues and the importance of reproductive health and rights. It was established by the United Nations in 1989.
- In 1989, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) proposed that July 11th be designated as World Population Day to draw global attention to the urgency and significance of population-related issues.
- UNDP was inspired by the public interest and awareness that was created by “Five Billion Day” on 11th July 1987 when the world’s population reached 5 billion. The theme of this 2024 WPD is “Leave no one behind, count everyone”.
- INDIA SEIZES PAK-BOUND CONSIGNMENT OF BANNED CHEMICALS –
- India has seized Pakistan-bound consignment, consisting of internationally banned chemicals used for tear gas and riot control agents, from China at a port in Tamil Nadu.
- Chinese firm had shipped a consignment of “Ortho-Chloro Benzylidene Malononitrile” to Pakistan.
- The chemical consignment was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005.
- Ortho-Chloro Benzylidene Malononitrile (CS) is a listed substance under the Wassenaar Arrangement. India is a signatory to the Wassenaar Arrangement, China and Pakistan are not.