- Union Cabinet approves lowering of age of Juveniles from 18 to 16 years for heinous crimes
- The Union Cabinet has approved the introduction of Amendment to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill 2014, which has special provisions to tackle heinous offences like murder and rape committed by juveniles in the age group of 16-18 years
- Indo – French Naval Exercise Varuna Commences at Goa
- Fourteenth (14th) edition of Indo-French naval exercise (VARUNA) started with the arrival of four French naval ships at Goa today.
- Indian-American Vivek Murthy takes over as U.S. Surgeon-General
- Thirty-seven-year-old Indian-American Vivek Murthy was sworn-in as the U.S. Surgeon-General by Vice-President Joe Biden.
- He become the youngest-ever in-charge of the country’s public health.
- Dr. Murthy, who took the oath on the Gita, is now the highest ranking Indian-American in the Obama administration.
- Dr. Murthy is the country’s 19th Surgeon General.
- National Panchayati Raj Day observed on 24 April 2015
- World Happiness Report 2015 released
- The World Happiness Report 2015 was released. The report was published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) an initiative under the United Nations.
- India’s rank is 117, below nations like Pakistan (81), Palestine (108), Bangladesh (109), Ukraine (111) and Iraq (112). Its rank dropped six notched from the 2013 report, when it was on the 111 spot.
- The report was topped by Switzerland followed by Iceland, Denmark, Norway and Canada.
- The World Happiness Report examined 158 countries and is aimed at influencing government policy.
- The data is used to ranked nations based upon variables such as real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, corruption levels and social freedoms.
- Earthquake of magnitude 7.9 on the Richter scale struck Nepal
- A high-intensity earthquake of magnitude 7.9 on the Richter scale struck in Nepal today.
- The epicenter of the quake was 80km east of Pokhra near Kathmandu, Nepal at a shallow depth of 11 kilometers (7 miles).
- As per latest reports, more than 875 are already in Nepal. Around 34 people died in India.
- The landmark Dharahara tower built in the 19th century in Kathmandu was reduced to rubble.
- The tremors of the quake, which is the worst in the Himalayan nation in over 80 years, were felt in northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In India, the tremors were felt in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana, Assam, and Punjab.
- Paula Radcliffe to receive London Marathon Lifetime Achievement Award
- World record holder Paula Radcliffe will receive the inaugural John Disley London Marathon Lifetime Achievement Award after she completes the 2015 London Marathon.
- The three-time winner will run what is expected to be her final competitive race at the 35th London Marathon.
- She broke the women’s world record with her second London Marathon victory in 2003, almost three minutes faster than any other woman in history who has completed the 42.195 kilometres distance.
- Japan to host continental champions in 2015 and 2016
- FIFA have announced that the 2015 and 2016 FIFA Club World Cup will be hosted in Japan for the seventh and eighth times respectively.
- Japan has hosted the popular tournament more times than any other nation.
- World Malaria day observed today
- Around 3.2 billion people are at risk of malaria, a disease that kills almost half a million children under the age of five a year in Africa.
- On World Malaria Day, observed annually on 25 April, the World Health Organization is calling for continued research and investment into prevention and control to tackle the disease.
- The theme for 2015, Invest in the future: Defeat Malaria, reflects the current global strategy to reduce malaria cases and deaths by 90% by 2030.
Read next : Daily GK Potion – 26th April 2015 ››
Read previous: « Daily GK Potion – 23rd April 2015
« Back to current affairs