LAW AND AMENDMENTS
Supreme Court granted permission to a rape survivor for terminating 30-week pregnancy.
• The Supreme Court has granted approval for the termination of a nearly 30-week pregnancy for a 14-year-old rape survivor.
• Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, leading the bench, directed the dean of the LokmanyaTilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital (LTMGH) to conduct the procedure.
• This decision reverses the Bombay High Court's ruling, which initially denied the plea submitted by the minor's father seeking permission for the termination.
• Enacted to regulate pregnancy termination by registered medical practitioners, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act sets the maximum limit for termination at 24 weeks for married women and certain special categories.
•These special categories encompass rape survivors and other vulnerable individuals such as minors.
• Medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) has been legalized in India since 1971.
IMPORATANT DAYS
World Book and Copyright Day 2024 observed on 23 April
• World Book and Copyright Day, observed annually on April 23rd, celebrates the joy of reading and acknowledges the significance of authors' contributions worldwide.
• This year's theme, 'Read Your Way,' underscores the importance of individualized reading experiences.
• Recognized in over 100 countries, World Book and Copyright Day pays tribute to authors' literary achievements and promotes reading, writing, translations, publishing, and copyright protection.
• The inception of World Book Day can be traced back to Vicente Clavel Andres, who proposed the idea to honor the esteemed author, Miguel de Cervantes.
• April 23rd holds additional significance as the death anniversary of renowned authors like William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.
STATE NEWS
World Book and Copyright Day 2024 observed on 23 April
• World Book and Copyright Day, observed annually on April 23rd, celebrates the joy of reading and acknowledges the significance of authors' contributions worldwide.
• This year's theme, 'Read Your Way,' underscores the importance of individualized reading experiences.
• Recognized in over 100 countries, World Book and Copyright Day pays tribute to authors' literary achievements and promotes reading, writing, translations, publishing, and copyright protection.
• The inception of World Book Day can be traced back to Vicente Clavel Andres, who proposed the idea to honor the esteemed author, Miguel de Cervantes.
• April 23rd holds additional significance as the death anniversary of renowned authors like William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.
STATE NEWS
Seven members of the Shompen tribe voted for the first time in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Seven members of the Shompen tribe exercised their voting rights for the very first time in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• This particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTGs), residing in the remote Great Nicobar Islands, participated in the electoral process to cast their ballots for the single Lok Sabha seat in the Union Territory.
• Not only did they fulfill their civic duty by voting, but they also enthusiastically engaged in capturing moments by posing for selfies at polling station 411, known as the 'ShompenHut’.
• According to data from the 2011 Census, the Shompen population is estimated to be 229 individuals.
• Voting took place for the first time in 56 Bastar villages in Chhattisgarh at voting places that were built up in the villages themselves.
• Jyoti Amge, the shortest woman in the world, voted in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• Voting was conducted among the deaf and dumb residents of Dhadkahi, also referred to as the "silent village" in Jammu & Kashmir.
AWARDS
Mohammed Salem wins the 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award
• The esteemed 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award has been claimed by Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem for his powerful capture of a Palestinian woman tenderly cradling the lifeless form of her five-year-old niece in the heart of the Gaza Strip.
• This photograph was taken on 17 October 2023, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
• The jury said that this photograph is "composed with care and respect, offering at once a metaphorical and literal glimpse into unimaginable loss".
• The jury selected this photograph from 61,062 entries by 3,851 photographers from 130 countries.
• Mohammed Salem has been working for Reuters since 2003. He had also won an award in the 2010 World Press Photo competition.
• This award is presented by the Amsterdam-based World Press Photo Foundation.
SPORTS
Bengaluru Badshahs won the 5th Deaf Indian Premier League title.
• Bengaluru Badshahs became the champions of the fifth Deaf Indian Premier League title.
• Deaf Bengaluru Badshahs and Deaf Hyderabad Eagles emerged as joint winners of the title. However, Bengaluru Badshahs were declared the winners with the toss of the coin.
• The 5th Deaf Indian Premier League was organised by the Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA) at Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu.
• Sudershan of Deaf Hyderabad Eagles was declared the player of the final match.
• Virender Singh of the Bengaluru Badshahs and Umar Ashraf Beigh of the Hyderabad Eagles have been awarded the best Wicketkeeper/best Fielder of the League.
• Suhail Ahmed from Hyderabad Eagles, Deepak Kumar from Punjab Warriors, and Sai Naresh from the Chennai Blasters received awards for Most Sixes, Most Wickets in a Match, and Fastest Fifty, respectively.
• The league was conducted under the supervision of Sumit Jain, President of IDCA.
SUMMIT AND CONFERENCES
First Rainbow International Tourism Conference held in Kathmandu, Nepal
• The inaugural Rainbow International Tourism Conference took place in Kathmandu, Nepal, marking a significant milestone in global tourism.
• Organized by the civil society organization, MayakoPahichan, in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board, the event aimed to promote inclusivity and diversity within the tourism sector.
• Bhagawati Chaudhary, Minister of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and inaugurated the event alongside Sunil Babu Pant, the first openly gay Member of Parliament in Asia.
• LGBTQ participants and experts engaged in discussions on "pink tourism" and emphasized the importance of making the tourism industry inclusive to enhance the economy of any nation.
• Globally, LGBTQ travelers contribute a substantial USD 202 billion to the tourism sector, presenting a significant opportunity for countries to tap into this market by making their tourism industries LGBTQ-friendly.
• In a historic ruling in 2007, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered the government to repeal all laws that discriminated against the third gender and create legislation that acknowledged their status.
• An interim order from June 2023 made it possible for same-sex marriages to be legally registered in Nepal.
• EU Ambassador in Nepal Veronique Lorenzo said that Nepal being LGBTQ friendly country can attract more tourists.
