27th APRIL CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. World Intellectual Property Day: 26 April

World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on 26 April.

• The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to "raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life".
• 26 April was chosen as the date for World Intellectual Property Day because it coincides with the date on which the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization entered into force in 1970.

2. NITI Aayog announces the launch of Atal New India Challenges

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of the NITI Aayog today announced to launch the Atal New India Challenges, which came into being following Prime Minister’s clarion call to bring innovations and technologies relevant to the people. 

• Applicants showing capability, intent, and potential to productize technologies will be awarded grants up to Rs. One crore.
• This grant support will be supplemented by mentoring, handholding,incubatingand other support as neededat various stages of commercialisation. while generatingwider deployment. 

3. Rajnath Singh chairs 23rd meeting of Western Zonal Council at Gandhinagar

The 23rd meeting of the Western Zonal Council was held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat today under the Chairmanship of the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh.

• The meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat, Ministers of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Administrator of the Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and senior officers from Central and State Governments.
• The Union Home Minister stated that the Zonal Councils were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 with the objective to develop the habit of cooperative working among the States and between the Centre and the States. 
• The Zonal Councils are mandated to discuss and make recommendations on any matter of common interest in the field of economic and social planning.

4. Coastal security exercise 'Sagar Kavach' held in Kerala

A two-day coastal security exercise 'Sagar Kavach' was held to strengthen and assess the loopholes in the coastal security mechanism along Kerala shores.

• Apart from the Coast Guard, the Navy, Coastal Police and Marine Enforcement wing and various other security stakeholders were also participating in the exercise.
• Three ships of the navy, 10 of Coastguard, four fishing boats, besides 20 coastal police stations from Vizhinjam to Kasaragod were among those took part in the drill held twice a year.

5. Govt to acquire RBI’s stake in National Housing Bank

The government will soon acquire the stake of Reserve Bank of India in housing finance regulator National Housing Bank (NHB).

• The stake transfer would be cash neutral and there would be no cash outgo. RBI currently holds 100 per cent stake in the NHB.
• The Finance Bill 2018 has amended the National Housing Bank Act, 1987, for transferring RBI’s stake in the NHB to the government.

6. Indu Malhotra first woman lawyer to be Supreme Court judge

The government is learnt to have cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court.

• She will be the first woman to be appointed to the top post directly from the bar.
• With this development, the government has decided to put on hold the elevation of Justice K M Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court.

7. CSIR bags National Intellectual Property (IP) Award 2018

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is awarded the National Intellectual Property (IP) Award 2018 in the category “Top R&D Institution / Organization for Patents and Commercialization”.

• Dr. Girish Sahni, DG, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR received the award at the hands of Mr. Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Minister, Commerce and Industry, Government of India. 
• The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) is a contemporary R&D organization.

8. 2021 Champions Trophy to be held in India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to convert the 2021 Champions Trophy into a World T20 event scheduled in India.

• Earlier it was an eight-team ODI tournament.
• ICC Chief Executive Dave Richardson said the global body had “unanimously agreed” that the 2021 meet in India would now be a 16-team event in the shortest format.