Current Affairs Today April 24 2018

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 INDIAN AFFAIRS

PM Modi to launch Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan from MP
On April 24, 2018, on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district and launched the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan at Ram Nagar.
More information about Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan:
i. Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is aimed at helping Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to develop governance capabilities to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through inclusive local governance with focus on optimum utilisation of available resources.
ii. The programme seeks to identify and plug critical gaps that hinder the success of panchayats and also envisages stepping up initiatives for e-governance under the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project.
iii. At Ram Nagar, PM Modi first inaugurated Aadi Mahotsava, a three-day program on the conservation of ancient Tribal culture and heritage. Later, he unveiled a road map for overall development of tribals during the next five years.
iv. The roadmap includes utilisation of Rs. 2 lakh crore funds for development of areas under tribal panchayats.
v. During the course of this visit, PM Modi also unveiled a plaque to mark the laying of foundation stone of an LPG bottling plant of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at Maneri.

Recommendations of Rajesh Bindal committee on Inter-country removal and retention of children
On April 23, 2018, Committee headed by Justice Rajesh Bindal, Judge, High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Chandigarh, submitted its report on legal issues related to inter country removal & retention of children to Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi.
Recommendations of Rajesh Bindal committee:
i. Rajesh Bindal Committee was setup in February 2017 by Ministry of Women and Child Development to evaluate legal issues related to inter country removal & retention of children and to study the draft of the International Child Abduction bill, prepared by the Law Commission.
ii. Most important recommendation of this committee is that the Government should establish an ‘Inter Country Parental Child Removal Disputes Resolution Authority’, which will function as a one window solution in cases of inter country removal and retention of Children.
iii. The committee has recommended that ‘Inter Country Parental Child Removal Disputes Resolution Authority’ should be chaired by a retired High Court Judge and should have Members from Legal and Social sector background along with representatives from key Ministries.
iv. It has been recommended that the proposed authority should keep cultural context, merit of the case, and the best interest of the Child at the forefront while examining the cases.
v. Ministry of Women and Child Development will now share and seek comments on this report from Ministry of External Affairs, Law Ministry and Ministry of Home Affairs.

Madras HC becomes first court in south India to introduce e-court fee payment facility
On April 20, 2018, Madras High Court became the first court in south India and eighth in India to introduce e-court fee payment facility.

About e-court fee payment facility:
i. e-court fee payment facility at Madras HC was jointly launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Indira Banerjee.
ii. It is an advocate/litigant-centric initiative which enables advocates and litigants to pay court fee online.
iii. Tamil Nadu State Government has launched this facility through their central record keeping agency – Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd. It will be initially provided for the principal bench and Madurai bench of the high court.
iv. The e-stamps would not just do away with the hassle of procuring physical court fee stamps but will also help to tackle counterfeiting.
v. So far, only Supreme Court and the High Courts in Delhi, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have the e-court fee payment facility.

India co-hosts Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop
On April 24, 2018, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the four-day Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in New Delhi.

Highlights of Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD):
i. This four-day regional Workshop (April 24-27, 2018) is the fourth in a series of UNCCD Workshops held around the world and the first one being co-hosted  by India.
ii. Representatives from nearly 40 Asia-Pacific nations are participating in this workshop.
iii. Besides, scientists and academicians from premier scientific and research-based institutions of India and senior officers of Central Government ministries that work closely with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to monitor the progress of the Convention in India, are also participating in the Workshop.
iv. During the course of this workshop, training will be imparted to delegates from 12 land degradation prone states in India.
Quick Facts about UNCCD:
♦ Effective from – December 1996
♦ Secretariat – Bonn, Germany

First meeting of E-commerce think tank held on April 24
First meeting of the think tank set up by the government to deliberate on issues related to e-commerce sector and cross-border digital trade was held in New Delhi on April 24, 2018.
About E-commerce think tank:
i. The think tank is led by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and comprises officials from ministries of finance, corporate affairs, home affairs and electronics and information technology.
ii. Representatives from several industry bodies including Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO), telecom firms including Bharti Enterprises and Reliance Jio, IT fimrs including TCS and Wipro and ecommerce firms including Ola and Makemytrip also took part in this meeting.
iii. Key issues discussed at the meeting are cross border data flow, data localisation, non-discriminatory treatment of digital products, protection and disclosure of source code and online consumer protection.

GI tag for Telangana’s Adilabad dokra, Warangal Dhurries
Two craft forms from Telangana – Adilabad Dokra, an ancient bell metal craft popular in the tribal regions of Adilabad district in Telangana and Warangal Dhurries, a popular cotton rug – have been issued the Geographical Indication (GI) Registration Certificate by the GI Registry, Chennai.

About Adilabad dokra and Warangal Dhurries:
i. Adilabad Dokra metal casting products mainly includes bells, idols of local deities, dancing figures, statues, jewellery and many other decorative items.
ii. The speciality of Adilabad Dokra is that no two pieces are alike in shape as well as in size thus making it impossible to replicate.
iii. ‘Warangal Dhurries’ are famous across the world due to the high degree of craftsmanship involved in its creation. Warangal became famous as Dhurrie weaving centre on account of abundant availability of cotton.
iv. Telangana State Handicrafts Development Corporation was able to register both these crafts as Geographical Indications with assistance from Technology Centre of CII.
About Geographical Indications (GI) tag:
i. GI tag is a name or sign given to certain products which correspond to a specific geographical location or origin.
ii. GI tag grants exclusivity for using the name/sign to the producer/manufacturer in the corresponding region and thereby testifies the origin, quality and reputation of the product/commodity.

Two day Secure India Conclave underway in New Delhi
Two day Secure India Conclave, organised by Global Counter Terrorism Council began in New Delhi on April 24, 2018.
Highlights of Secure India Conclave:
i. The conclave has been organised keeping in view, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘New India : Secure India 2018”.
ii. Several sessions on internal security situation on Jammu & Kashmir, Left wing Extremism and cyber security, chaired by eminent personnel will be held during the course of this two day conclave.
iii. Overall, the conclave will offer insights into prevalent internal security issues of India.

Bengaluru Smart City testing prototype Intelligent Traffic Management Solution
Prototype of an intelligent traffic management solution is currently being tested by Bengaluru Smart City jointly with the Electronics City Township Authority (ELCITA), to enhance traffic management.
Bengaluru Smart City testing prototype Intelligent Traffic Management Solution:
i. The intelligent traffic management solution will offer traffic information that is unavailable at present. It will improve management of commuter traffic.
ii. It captures video from several cameras and processes them through artificial intelligence.
iii. Typical traffic management activities like vehicle detection, traffic density estimation and control of traffic lights will be automated for real-time performance.
About Electronics City Township Authority (ELCITA):
♦ CEO – Ms. Rama N S
♦ Location – Bangalore

AFSPA removed from Assam, Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal
On 23^rd April 2018, the central government said that, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been removed from Assam, Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal Pradesh.
AFSPA removed from Assam, Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal:
i. AFSPA has been removed from Assam, Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal Pradesh, due to remarkable improvement in security situation in those regions.
ii. In Arunachal Pradesh, the AFSPA will remain in force under eight police station limits. Earlier it was 16 areas.
iii. It has been extended by another six months in the following areas: in three eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh: Tirap, Longding and Changlang that border Myanmar and specific areas under eight police stations of seven other districts bordering Assam.
iv. AFSPA was completely withdrawn from all areas of Meghalaya from 1^st April 2018.  AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir for many decades. In Assam it was introduced in 1990s.
About Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA):
Purpose – offers special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in disturbed areas
According to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976 once declared ‘disturbed’, the area has to maintain status quo for a minimum of 3 months

Chandrababu Naidu inaugurates AP Cyber Security Operations Center
On 23^rd April 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Operations Center (APCSOC) in Amaravati.
Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Operations Center (APCSOC):
i. APCSOC is an initiative taken by Andhra Pradesh Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (IT and E&C) ministry.
ii. N Chandrababu Naidu  said that, the Center will fight cyber security threats and offer real time intelligence sharing and threat analysis to all state government departments and entities.
iii. He said that, the security operations center has a blended security analytics platform that ingests, correlates and analyses massive amounts of data.
iv. Andhra Pradesh has involved Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) as cyber security consultants to the Government to help framing and adopting best practices and frameworks in this domain.
v. Tech Mahindra has been chosen to operate the APSCOC. He also launched a cyber threat portal and the Andhra Pradesh’s draft Cyber Security Framework (CSF).
vi. The draft framework is a document that integrates the industry standards and best practices. It has been released to invite feedback from the industry and expert groups.
About Tech Mahindra:
♦ CEO – CP Gurnani
♦ Chairman – Anand Mahindra

Rajnath Singh chairs third meeting of Island Development Agency
On 24^th April 2018, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, chaired the third meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA) in Delhi.
Third meeting of Island Development Agency:
i. The Island Development Agency reviewed the work done for preparation of Development Plans for identified Islands (4 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands – Smith, Ross, Long, Avis and five in Lakshadweep – Minicoy, Bangaram, Thinnakara, Cheriyam, Suheli).
ii. For these Islands, Final Site Suitability Reports have been  made, Carrying Capacity measured and Environmental zoning performed to ensure sustainable development.
iii. Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog presented details of actions taken in line with decisions taken in earlier meetings.
iv. Additional Locations in Islands – 12 in Andaman and Nicobar (North Passage, Cinque, Inglis, Viper, Neil (Bharatpur Beach), Ramnagar Beach, Karmatang Beach, Dhaninallah Beach, Kalipur Beach, Rutland, North Bay and Great Nicobar – B Quarry) and 5 in Lakshadweep (Kalpeni, Kadmat, Agatti, Chetlat and Bitra) have been identified by NITI Aayog for planning projects to create more jobs for the Island people.
v. Community-based tourism will be promoted in order to benefit the Island people. 18 Projects in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep, have been chosen for implementation.
vi. 3 projects in Andaman & Nicobar (in Long, Smith and Ayes Island) and 3 in Lakshadweep (in Suheli, Minicoy and Kadamat) are ready for launch.
vii. After implementation of these projects, investment of Rs. 650 crore is expected from private sector.
viii. Preference will be given to the local people for employment. It was said that investors’ conference will be held in May 2018.
Some wildlife sanctuaries in Andaman and Nicobar Islands:
♦ Flat Island Wildlife Sanctuary
♦ Defence Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime: MHA allows foreign tourists to visit Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur
On 24^th April 2018, an official announcement stated that, foreign tourists, except those from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, will now be allowed to visit Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur
MHA allows foreign tourists to visit Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur:
i. The Home Ministry has decided to relax the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime from Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur for five years with effect from 1^st April 2018.
ii. As per the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the Inner line and the International Border of some states were declared as protected areas.
iii. Currently, the protected areas include whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, parts of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.
iv. Still Citizens from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan are banned from all PAP areas, including Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur.
v. According to a circular released on 30^th December 2010 by the government, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland were excluded from the protected area regime initially for a period of one year from 1^st January 2011, subject to certain conditions.
vi. According to the guidelines, a foreign national is not normally allowed to visit a protected or restricted area. He/She will be allowed only if the government is satisfied that there are extraordinary reasons to justify his or her visit.
vii. Every foreigner, except a citizen of Bhutan, who wishes to enter a protected or restricted area, should obtain a special permit from an authority having the power to issue such permits.
Some important international boundary lines:
♦ McMohan Line – India & China
♦ Maginot Line – France & Germany
♦ Mannar haime line – Russia & Finland

BANKING & FINANCE

ADB has agreed in principle to give an aid of 1700 crore rupees to Uttarakhand
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed in principle to give an aid of Rs 1700 crore to Uttarakhand for infrastructure development in its urban areas.

ADB aid to Uttarakhand:
i. Decision in this regard was conveyed to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat by the country director of ADB’s India Regiment Mission Kenichi Yokoyama at a meeting between the two in Dehradun on April 28, 2018.
ii. Rs 1700 crore procured through ADB aid will be utilised for creation of infrastructural facilities, sewer treatment plants and water supply facilities in urban areas of Uttarakhand.
iii. Besides, ADB can also initiate a reform programme to economically strengthen municipal corporations of Uttarakhand which would enable them to efficiently manage the resources at their disposal.
Quick Facts about Asian Development Bank (ADB):
♦ Formation Year – 1966
♦ Headquarters – Manila, Philippines
♦ Current President – Takehiko Nakaho

Government of India and World Bank Signs Agreement to Improve Rural Road Network in Madhya Pradesh
On 24^th April 2018, Government of India, Government of Madhya Pradesh and World Bank signed a $210 million loan agreement for the Madhya Pradesh Rural Connectivity Project.
$210 million loan agreement for the Madhya Pradesh Rural Connectivity Project:
i. The Project would enhance the durability, resilience and safety of the gravel surfaced rural roads and improve the capacity of Madhya Pradesh to manage its rural roads network.
ii. The Project will cover 10,510 km distance of rural roads in Madhya Pradesh that come under the Chief Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (CMGSY) program.
iii. Out of this 10,000 km will be upgraded from existing gravel to bituminous surface roads. 510 km of new roads will be built to the bituminous surface standard.
iv. This project will carry out surface sealing of roads, embankment pitching, and balancing culverts to prevent damages caused by extreme flood events.
v. Alternate sealing options for road construction like polymer modified asphalt, asphalt blended with plastic waste, and multiple surface treatment will be piloted in 20 percent of the length. It will be cost-effective and also reduce the carbon footprint of the transport sector.
vi. This project will involve women self-help groups (SHG) in the post construction maintenance activity. They will carry out routine maintenance of off-carriage way parts of the road.
vii. Main carriageway maintenance will be done by the original contractor. A direct maintenance contract will be formed between the SHG group and MPRRDA (Madhya Pradesh Rural Road Development Authority) for 3-5 years.
viii. The project will implement Road Accident Database Management System (RADMS). Madhya Pradesh will pilot a comprehensive Road Safety Program (PCRSP) in districts with the most fatal and serious injuries observed in the past.
About Madhya Pradesh Rural Connectivity Project (MPRCP):
♦ Chief General Manager – Pankaj Jhawar
♦ Project Implementing Agency of MPRCP – Madhya Pradesh Rural Road Development Authority (MPRRDA)

Electoral Bond Scheme 2018: Sale of Electoral Bonds at Authorised Branches of State Bank of India (SBI)
In the 3rd phase of sale, State Bank of India (SBI) has been authorised to issue and encash Electoral Bonds through its 11 Authorised Branches with effect from 01.05.2018 to 10.05.2018.
Sale of Electoral Bonds at Authorised Branches of SBI:
i. Government of India notified the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 as on Gazette Notification No. 20 dated 2^nd January 2018.
ii. Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 states that, Electoral Bonds can be purchased by a person, who is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India.
iii. A person can buy Electoral Bonds, either singly or jointly with other individuals.
iv. Only the Political Parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) and those that have secured not less than 1 % of the votes polled in the last General Election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State are eligible to receive the Electoral Bonds.
iv. The Electoral Bonds can be encashed by eligible Political Parties only through a Bank account with the Authorized Bank.
v. Electoral Bonds are valid for fifteen days from the date of issue. If the Electoral Bond is deposited after expiry, payment will not be made to any payee Political Party.
v. Electoral Bond deposited by an eligible Political Party in its account will be credited on the same day.
About State Bank of India (SBI):
♦ Chairman – Rajnish Kumar
♦ Headquarters – Mumbai

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Government planning to gift obsolete weaponry to friendly countries
In a bid to boost defence cooperation, Indian Government is planning to gift obsolete military equipment to friendly countries.
Gifting obsolete weaponry to friendly countries:
i. For this purpose, Indian Government has already asked the armed forces to compile a list of obsolete military equipment that can be refurbished at minimal cost and can be gifted to friendly countries.
ii. Indian Government is expecting that this strategy may help in creating a base to expand export of newer defence platforms, which have been made in India.
iii. Besides, during foreign visits of Indian dignitaries, some countries of the Indian Ocean Region, some African countries, Central Asian Republics and the Asia-Pacific region have projected a requirement for second-hand military equipment for their armed forces on a gift basis.
iv. Military platforms that are being considered to be offered as gifts are artillery guns, armoured vehicles, helicopters, naval patrol vehicles and radar systems that are obsolete or nearing obsolescence.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

President Confers Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards
On 23^rd April 2018, President and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces Ram Nath Kovind conferred Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards at an event at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi.
Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards:
i. Ram Nath Kovind conferred 3 Kirti Chakras and 13 Shaurya Chakras to Armed Forces Personnel for displaying courage and devotion to duty.
ii. 2 Kirti Chakras and 2 Shaurya Chakras were awarded posthumously. The President also conferred 13 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 2 UttamYudhSeva Medals, 2 Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medals and 26 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals to senior officers of the Armed Forces for distinguished service of an exceptional order.
iii. The list of awardees is as follows:
Kirti Chakra:

• Pramod kumar (posthumous)
• Giris gurung (posthumous)
• Preetam Singh Kunwar

Shaurya Chakra:

• Gosavi Kunal Munnagir (posthumous)
• Raghubeer Singh (posthumous)
• Kashmir singh
• Shabir ahmed
• Vikash jakhar
• Riyazalam ansari
• Deepak ale
• Pradeep shoury arya
• Manchu
• Rabindra thapa
• Narender singh
• Akhil raj rv
• Devendra Mehta

Param Vishisht Seva Medal:

• Sarath chand
• Dewan rabindranath soni
• Devrajanbu
• Cherish mathson
• Abhay raghunath karve
• Chandrashekharan hari kumar
• Anil khosla
• Rajendra ram rao nimbhorkar
• Sanjay kumar jha
• Gurpratap singh dhillon
• Parminderjit singh pannu
• Kanwaljeet singh gill
• Sanjay thapa

Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal:

• Jaswinder singh sandhu
• Amarjeet singh bedi

Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal:

• Ranbir singh
• Lalit kumar pandey

Some important museums in India:
♦ Folklore Museum – Mysore, Karnataka
♦ Jayachamarajendra Museum – Mysore, Karnataka
♦ Government Museum (Shivappa Nayaka Palace) – Shivamogga, Karnataka

Abu Zeid: Jailed Egyptian Photographer wins 2018 UNESCO Press Freedom Prize
On 23^rd April 2018, jailed Egyptian photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid won the 2018 Press Freedom Prize awarded by UNESCO.
Jailed Egyptian photojournalist wins 2018 UNESCO Press Freedom Prize:
i. In spite of warnings from Egypt, UNESCO has awarded the World Press Freedom prize to Egyptian photographer Abu Zeid. He is also known as Shawkan.
ii. He is in jail as he was arrested in Cairo in August 2013 for covering a demonstration at Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square.
iii. The Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize will be awarded on 2^nd May 2018 in connection with World Press Freedom Day.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO):
♦ Director General – Audrey Azoulay
♦ Headquarters – Paris, France

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO to launch slew of military satellites soon
In coming months, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be launching a slew of strategically important satellites, which will help the military to keep an eye on activities of hostile neighbours and safeguard our land and sea borders.
Military satellites to be launched by ISRO:
i. In September 2018, ISRO will launch Gsat-7A, for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Gsat-7A will be launched onboard GSLV Mk II rocket and will enable the IAF to interlink different ground radar stations, airbases and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.
ii. Gsat-7A will be similar to Gsat-7 or Rukmini, which was launched on September 29, 2013, for Indian Navy. Rukmini is considered as Indian Navy’s ‘eye in the sky’ as it helps to monitor the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
iii. Another strategically important satellite, Risat-2A will be launched by the end of 2018 onboard PSLV rocket. It is an advanced remote sensing satellite and will boost India’s surveillance capabilities.
Quick Facts about ISRO
♦ Established in – 1969
♦ Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
♦ Current Chairman – K. Sivan

SPORTS

8th South Asian Judo Championship at a Glance
8th South Asian Judo Championship was held in Lalitpur near Kathmandu, Nepal from 21^st– 23^rd April, 2018.
Highlights of 8th South Asian Judo Championship:
i. Total 102 players from six countries – India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan – competed in this Championship.
ii. The 13-player Indian contingent won 10 golds and three bronze medals in individual categories.
iii. All seven Indian women Judokas who competed won gold medals: Likmabam Shushila Devi (48kg), Thoudam Kalpana Devi (52Kg), Angom Anita Chanu (57Kg), Huidrom Sunibala Devi (63Kg), Garima Chaudhary (70Kg), Chongtham Jina Devi (78Kg) and Tulika Maan (78kg)
iv. Among Indian men Judokas, Vijay Kumar Yadav (60Kg), Ajay Yadav (73Kg) and Divesh (81Kg) won Gold while Ankit Bisht (66kg), Jobandeep Singh (90kg) and Udayvir Singh (100kg) bagged the bronze medals.
v. Besides, India also clinched the title of team champion in men’s team category and women’s team category and thereby topped the Medals tally with a total of 12 Gold medals and three Bronze medals.
vi. 9th South Asian Judo Championship will be held in Bangladesh in 2020.
8th South Asian Judo Championship – Medals Tally:

Mohamed Salah Crowned PFA Player Of The Year
Mohamed Salah, an Egyptian professional footballer who plays for English club Liverpool and the Egypt national team was named the PFA Player of the Year on April 22, 2018.
About Mohamed Salah:
i. On April 21, 2018, Salah scored his 31st league goal in Liverpool’s match against West Bromwich Albion, thereby equalling Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Alan Shearer for the most Premier League goals scored in a 38-game season.
ii. Mohamed Salah is the first Egyptian to win this award.
iii. PFA Player Of The Year is also referred to as Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Players’ Player of the Year Award and is awarded annually to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in English football.

Zverer surges to 3rd spot, Nadal stays top in ATP rankings
German tennis player Alexander Zverev improved to the third spot in the latest ATP men’s singles rankings released on 23^rd April 2018.
Latest ATP men’s singles rankings:
i. Alexander Zverev has jumped one position and reached the 3^rd rank. He has achieved this feat after he made a semi-final finish in the recent Monte Carlo Masters.
ii. Rafael Nadal remains at the top spot. He maintains a lead of 100 points over Roger Federer after winning his 11th Monte Carlo Masters title. He is a 16-time Grand Slam Champion.
iii. Croatia’s Marin Cilic is at the fourth spot. Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria has obtained 5^th rank.
iv. The latest ATP top 10 are as follows:

• Rafael Nadal
• Roger Federer
• Alexander Zverev
• Marin Cilic
• Grigor Dimitrov
• Juan Martin Del Potro
• Dominic Thiem
• Kevin Anderson
• John Isner
• David Goffin

About Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP):
♦ Executive Chairman & President – Chris Kermode
♦ Founded – 1972

Three-day martial arts competition concludes in Srinagar
On 24^th April 2018, National Muaythai Federation Cup, a martial arts competition, ended at the Indoor Stadium, Srinagar.
National Muaythai Federation Cup:
i. National Muaythai Federation Cup was a three-day martial arts competition. It was organised by Jammu and Kashmir Muaythai Association with the support of Muaythai India National Federation together with Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council.
ii. Male and female martial art players from 15 states of India participated in the competition.
iii. This is the first time, this kind of national event of martial arts was held in Kashmir.
iv. Muaythai is a combat sport that originated from Thailand. It uses stand-up striking along with many clinching techniques.
v. It is also known as ‘the art of eight limbs’ as it is involves the combined use of fists, elbows knees and shins.
About Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council:
♦ President – Ms Mehbooba Mufti
♦ Locations – Jammu and Srinagar

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Lab Animals Day
On 24^th April 2018, World Lab Animals Day was observed all over the world.
World Lab Animals Day:
i. World Day For Animals In Laboratories (WDAIL) also known as World Lab Animal Day is observed every year on 24 April.
ii. World Day for Laboratory Animals was declared in 1979 by the British National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS).
iii. It marks the birthday of former NAVS president Hugh Dowding. This day highlights the efforts to end the suffering of animals in laboratories and their replacement with advanced scientific non-animal techniques.
About British National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS):
♦ Founded – 1875
♦ Chief Executive – Jan Creamer