NATIONAL NEWS

Centre’s Green Credit Programme (GCP)

Madhya Pradesh is leading in implementing the Green Credit Programme (GCP) of the Centre. The GCP has approved the plantation of trees in over 500 land parcels, covering 4,980 hectares across 10 states in the past two months.

MP reported the highest area of approved degraded forest land for plantation or greening exercises, followed by Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Assam.

The other states where such land parcels have been approved are Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Odisha.

More than 10,000 hectares of land have been identified for the GCP across these states. Fourteen public sector undertakings and other entities have been registered to undertake plantations on degraded forest lands and earn green credits.

Individuals, industries, philanthropies, and local bodies can also participate voluntarily in the GCP.

The GCP aims to encourage non-carbon environmental positive actions that benefit local soil, water, and ecosystems. It is not just about carbon sequestration and emphasizes the selection of tree species that promote assisted natural regeneration and indigenous species.

The relevant forest department, the entity that has selected the land and the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) will select tree species based on the biodiversity of each degraded forest land block.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

International Humanitarian Conference

An International humanitarian conference for Sudan and neighbouring countries was held in the French capital, Paris, on 15 April 2024.

It is to raise funds for the people of Sudan who have been caught in a war between Sudan’s army and the rebel paramilitary force Rapid Support Forces.

The conference was organised in response to the United Nations' funding appeal on 07 February 2024.

France, Germany and the European Union organised the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and neighbouring countries.

Ministers and representatives of over 58 states, including neighbouring and regional countries and donors, attended the conference.

It was also attended by representatives of various regional organisations such as the African Union, many United Nations programmes and agencies, representatives of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Arab Development Bank. Around 50 international and Sudanese NGOs also participated in the conference.

Nigeria Become 1st Country to Roll Out A Vaccine For Meningitis

Nigeria has become the first country to administer the Men5CV/MenFive conjugate vaccine recommended by WHO, which protects from five strains of meningococcal bacteria.

This vaccine called MenFive is used to prevent meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, Y, W, and X in people aged 9 months to 85 years.

It has been developed to help reduce the number of meningitis cases in countries like Nigeria, where multiple serogroups are common.

Nigeria is one of 26 countries in Africa that have a high incidence of meningitis, and last year, there was a 50% increase in reported cases across the continent.

The vaccine was developed by PATH and the Serum Institute of India through a 13-year partnership and with financial support from the UK government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

This new vaccine uses the same technology as the MenAfriVac vaccine, which effectively eradicated meningococcal A epidemics in Nigeria.

 

SPORTS

ATP Monte Carlo Masters 1000

25-year-old tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece defeated Casper Ruud of Norway in a straight set 6-1, 6-4 to win his third ATP Monte Carlo Masters 1000 title.

Stefanos Tsitsipas joins the list of tennis greats, including Bjorn Borg, Thomas Muster, and Ilie Nastase, who have won the preeminent clay court ATP Masters.

The ATP Monte Carlo Masters 1000 is one of the three Masters 1000 tournaments played on clay courts. It was started in 1906.

The Monte Carlo Open is held in Monaco.

ATP master means the winner gets 1000 points, which is used by the Association of Tennis Professionals to rank professional male tennis players.

Mykolas Alekna Breaks Oldest Athletics Record in Discus Throw

Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania broke the longest-standing men’s world record in the discus throw event.

He threw the discus to 74.35 meters at the Oklahoma Throws Series meeting in Ramona, United States of America, on 14 April 2024.

Mykolas Alekna broke the 38-year-old record of 74.08 meters set by Jurgen Schult of East Germany.

Jurgen Schult set the world record throw of 74.08 meters in Neubrandenburg (Germany) on June 6, 1986.

The 21-year-old Mykolas has won the world and European under-20 titles. At the age of 19, he won the European senior crown in 2022.

In 2022, he became the youngest world discus medallist in history, winning silver in the World Athletics Championship in Eugene (USA).

Wisden Names England's Nat Brunt as World's Leading Female Cricketer

Nat Sciver-Brunt has become the first England woman to be honored as Wisden's leading cricketer in the world.

Joe Wisden has topped Nat Sciver-Brunt in its awards list. Harry Brook and Mark Wood are also among the five cricketers of the year named by Wisden.

Australian captain Pat Cummins was included as the leading cricketer in the men's category.

Pat Cummins will replace Ben Stokes, who has won the prestigious title three times in the last four years.

Ben Stokes had received this honor thrice in four years in 2020, 2021 and 2023.

Pat Cummins is the first Australian to be named as Wisden's leading cricketer since Michael Clarke in 2012.

 

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

Busiest Airports in the World

Delhi Airport has been included in the list of ten busiest airports in the world for 2023. Airports Council International (ACI) World has released this list.

America's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport tops the list.

Dubai International Airport is at second place in the ACI World list and Dallas Airport is at third place.

ACI says that in 2023, 8.5 billion (850 crore) passengers travelled by air all over the world.

This is 93.8 per cent of the number of passengers before the Corona epidemic. Whereas it is 27.2 per cent more than the year 2022.

International air traffic has improved and has come close to domestic traffic which has played an important role in promoting the revival and expansion of the industry.

Delhi's airport handled more than 7.22 crore passengers in 2023. Whereas, in 2022 the airport was at ninth position.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

New PM of Kuwait

Emir of Kuwait announced the appointment of Ahmad Abdullah al-Ahmad al-Sabah as the new Prime Minister, succeeding Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah, who resigned in April.

Sheikh Ahmad has an impressive background in finance and government. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, majoring in Finance (Banking and Investment), from the University of Illinois in 1976.

Over the years, he held various positions at Kuwait's Finance Center and the Central Bank of Kuwait.

In addition, he served as the chairman of the board for Burgan Bank before taking up different ministerial positions, including Minister of Finance, Minister of Communications, Minister of Planning, Minister of State for Administrative Affairs, Minister of Health, and Minister of Oil.

 

DEFENCE

Army Chief General Manoj Pande Leaves for 4-day Visit to Uzbekistan

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Pande departed on 15 April 2024 for his four-day visit to Uzbekistan. This visit of COAS General Manoj Pande will be from 15 to 18 April 2024.

The visit of COAS General Manoj Pande is an important step towards strengthening defence cooperation between India and Uzbekistan.

General Manoj Pande is scheduled to engage in discussions with the senior defence officials of Uzbekistan on April 15

These talks have an important role in promoting stronger military cooperation.

Dustlik' joint military exercise between the two countries is being conducted in Termez district of Uzbekistan from April 15.

Exercise Dustlik 2024 is the 5th edition of the joint military exercise 'Dustlik' between India and Uzbekistan.

 

OBITUTARY

ICC Hall of Fame inductee England spinner Derek Underwood

Derek Underwood, the great England spinner and ICC Hall of Fame inductee, passed away at the age of 78.

Derek Underwood made his cricket debut in 1963 at the age of 17.

In an international cricket career spanning over 15 years, Derek Underwood represented England in 86 Tests and 26 ODIs.

According to the retrospective ICC Men's Test Player Rankings, Derek Underwood held the position of world No. One ranked bowler from September 1969 to August 1973.

Derek Underwood's contributions to cricket are indeed notable. He served as the President of Kent Cricket Club in 2006, President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 2008, and was honored with induction into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009.

Underwood who was also known by his nickname "Deadly". He was one of the first 55 inductees into the International Cricket Council Hall of Fame in 2009.