Daily current affairs today July 15

• Françoise Bettencourt Meyers: As of July 2024, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, a French heiress and businesswoman, is recognized as the world’s richest woman with a net worth of $97.6 billion according to Forbes. She inherited her wealth from her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, and has grown her fortune through strategic investments via her family’s holding company, Téthys Invest. Her wealth saw a significant increase following the high valuation of L’Oréal shares after 2017¹.
• Aparna Vastarey: Aparna Vastarey, a beloved Kannada actress and the familiar voice behind Namma Metro’s announcements, passed away at the age of 57 after battling lung cancer²³⁴.

Daily current affairs today July 15

• Sudarsan Pattnaik: On July 12, renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik won the Golden Sand Master award at an international championship in Russia. The event, held from July 4-12 at the iconic Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, saw participation from 21 master sculptors from around the world⁵⁶⁷.
• China’s Gallium Production: China dominates global gallium production, accounting for over 98% of the world’s supply. This is due to its extensive mining and refining capabilities, ensuring a steady supply of high-purity refined gallium essential for electronics, LEDs, solar panels, and other advanced technologies⁸⁹¹⁰.
• Narendra Modi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the most followed global leader on the social media platform X, surpassing 100 million followers and outpacing other world leaders and celebrities¹¹¹²¹³.
• K.P. Sharma Oli: On July 15, K.P. Sharma Oli was sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister for the fourth time. Appointed by President Ram Chandra Paudel on July 14, Oli, the leader of Nepal’s largest communist party, is set to lead a new coalition government facing the challenge of providing political stability in the Himalayan nation.
• Argentina’s Copa America Victory: In a memorable match, Argentina secured its second consecutive Copa America championship by defeating Colombia 1-0 in extra time. However, the victory was marred by a potentially serious injury to their star player, Lionel Messi, in the second half.
• Paytm Payments Bank: Arun Kumar Bansal, a former IDBI Bank executive, has been appointed as the new MD and CEO of Paytm Payments Bank following RBI approval. He succeeds Surinder Chawla, who retired in June.

Daily current affairs today July 15

• Elon Musk: Elon Musk has become the wealthiest person in the world. As the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Musk holds a substantial 23% stake in Tesla, which anchors much of his wealth. His purchase of Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022 further showcased his strategic investments and bold financial moves.
• India’s Population Projection: According to the United Nations’ World Population Prospects 2024 report, India’s population is expected to peak at 1.7 billion in the early 2060s before declining by 12%. Despite this decline, India will remain the world’s most populous country throughout the 21st century.
• INS Towers Inauguration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the INS Towers at the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) Secretariat in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex. This new facility aims to serve as a modern hub for the newspaper industry in Mumbai, addressing the evolving needs of INS members.
• In an exciting conclusion to the 2024 World Championship of Legends, the India Champions triumphed over their long-time rivals, the Pakistan Champions, by five wickets. The match, held at Edgbaston on July 13, 2024, highlighted the enduring spirit of cricket and the intense rivalry between these two cricket giants¹²³.
•  On June 28, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved $1.5 billion in financing for a second initiative aimed at accelerating India’s development of low-carbon energy. This operation will focus on fostering a dynamic market for green hydrogen, expanding renewable energy, and encouraging investments in low-carbon energy projects⁴⁵⁶.
• In a dramatic finale to Euro 2024, Spain claimed their fourth European Championship title with a thrilling 2-1 victory over England at the Olympiastadion in Berlin⁷⁸⁹.
• Jio Financial Services has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to transition from a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) to a Core Investment Company (CIC). Following this announcement, the company’s shares rose by over 2% on the NSE¹⁰¹¹¹².
•  Carlos Alcaraz successfully defended his Wimbledon title by defeating Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 in the 2024 final. At 21, Alcaraz is the youngest player in the open era to win both the men’s singles titles at Wimbledon and Roland Garros in the same year. In the women’s category, Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini in their Wimbledon 2024 singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London¹³¹⁴¹⁵.
• 17. World Youth Skills Day, celebrated annually on July 15th, was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. This day serves as a global platform to emphasize the importance of equipping young people with essential skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. The 2024 theme, “Youth Skills for Peace and Development,” underscores the vital role of youth in fostering peace and driving sustainable development.