23rd April 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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National Affairs

• Government today launched  Call to Action for TB free India, a campaign to make the country Tuberculosis (TB) free in the next five years.
• Launched by : Health Minister J P Nadda
• Note : The government is going to launch a toll-free helpline, whereby even a missed call would suffice to connect them with the health programme against the disease.
• Unmarried central government employees can now avail benefits of LTC for visiting any part of the country, as per a relaxation in the rule.
• Earlier it was restricted to them use the facility for going to their hometown only. 
• A fresh order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training said that the facility of conversion of home town LTC to allow travel to different parts of the country, under the special dispensation scheme.
• LTC : Leave Travel Concession
• Jammu & Kashmir government slaps Public Safety Act against separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat and shifts him to Kot Bhalwal jail.
• The Public Safety Act (PSA) allows detention of a person for a minimum of six months without trial.
• The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has received an ISO 9001:2008 certification from the British Standards Institute in respect of various permissions and licenses issued by it for the broadcasting and print media and films.
• These include permissions or licences for satellite TV channels, teleports, multi-system operators, community radio stations, DTH services, publication of Indian editions of technical and scientific and foreign magazines of news and current affairs and facsimile editions of foreign newspapers and permission for foreign film producers.
• I&B Secretary : Bimal Julka
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a three-day global exhibition on services at New Delhi to showcase India's strength in the sector and provide platform to the industry to explore business opportunities.
• Over 40 countries will participate in the exhibition.
• The services sector includes IT, ITeS, telecommunication, healthcare, education, logistics, media and entertainment, R&D and space.
• Note : Share of India's services sector in the global services trade is only 3 percent as compared to 4.6 percent of China.

International Affairs

• Today (23rd April) is World Book and Copyright Day.
• This day is organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• This day is an opportunity to recognize the power of books to change our lives for the better and to support books and those who produce them.
• Note : Incheon chosen as 'World Book Capital 2015' by UN for promoting reading in underprivileged sections.

Science & Technology

• One of NASA’s crowning glories, the Hubble Space Telescope, marks its 25th anniversary this week.
• With 1 million-plus observations, including those of some of the farthest and oldest galaxies ever beheld by humanity, no man-made satellite has touched as many minds or hearts as Hubble.
• Important Note : Hubble rocketed into orbit on April 24, 1990.
• NASA engineers have developed the first full-scale, 3-D printed copper rocket engine part - a combustion chamber liner that operates at extreme temperatures and pressures.

Sports

• Sports Ministry suspends recognition of Paralympics Committee of India for poor management and conduct of National Para-Athletics Championships.
• Bangladesh sweeps 3 match ODI series against Pakistan with a 8 wicket victory in the final match at Dhaka.
• World’s top-ranked women’s shuttler Saina Nehwal and compatriot P.V. Sindhu won their respective matches to reach Quarter final of Asia Badminton Championship 2015.

Read more Daily Current Affairs updates from here

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