Current Affairs Today 14th April 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

B.R. Ambedkar Remembrance Day

• AmbedkarJayanti or Bhim Jayanti is an annual festival observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of  R. Ambedkar.
• It marksBabasaheb Dr. R.Ambedkar’s birthday who was born on 14 April 1891.
• He is known as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, a world-class lawyer, social reformer and number one world-class scholar as per the Ministry of Social Justice, Government of India.

Puthandu

• Puthandu, also known as Puthuvarusham or Tamil New Year, is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar and traditionally celebrated as a festival.It falls on 14th
• On the Tamil New Year, people wake up early and take a bath. After this, they wear new clothes and arrange three fruits — jackfruit, banana and mango – on a tray. They also place silver or gold jewellery, money, arecanut, betel leaves and flowers on the tray. This ritual is known as Kani and it is believed to bring happiness and prosperity.
• Apart from India, the festival is also celebrated in other countries, including Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Singapore and Malaysia.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

IFFCO runs hundreds of awareness campaigns on Ground Zero

• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative, IFFCO, the leading cooperative society of the world is leading efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 at ground IFFCO is continuously organizing ‘Break the CORONA Chain’ Social Awareness Campaign on Ground zero in different states across the country.
• Under the banner of this social awareness campaign over 60 camps were organized and are continuously being organized on a daily basis highlighting the preventive and precautionary measures among the masses. Even during the pandemic, all of IFFCO’s plants remain fully operational given the critical importance of the Industry.
• Under this campaign, aspects like Social distancing, Proper sanitization, Maintaining a healthy diet and Prevention through- covering of face by masks or Gamchha are being emphasized.
• Also, over 3.5 Lakh Vitamin-C Tablets, 50,000 medicated soaps, 20,000 masks, 5,000 sanitizers and numerous medical kits were distributed at different locations all across India.
• Apart from this, medical equipment for hospital staff and health workers were provided in the places facing a shortage of equipment.
• Fertilizer sector is identified as a critical sector by the Government of India, thousands of labourers and employees are working tirelessly even during the pandemic to ensure farmers of the country face no shortage of plant nutrients.
• Ration kits with food material are also being provided to migrant families and families of labourers in different states. IFFCO has contributed 25 crore rupees to PM – CARES Fund.

About Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative:

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• S Nakai (Chairman)
• Anamika roy (MD & CEO)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

IMF grants immediate debt relief to 25 poor nations to help fight Covid-19

• The International Monetary Fund announced it had approved immediate debt relief for 25 poor countries to help them free up funds to fight the coronavirus
• The IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) enables the IMF to deliver grants for debt relief benefitting eligible low-income countries in the wake of catastrophic natural disasters and major, fast-spreading public health emergencies.
• The CCRT can currently provide about $500 million in grant-based debt service relief, according to Georgieva.
• On April 9, the IMF MD had stated that the pandemic inflicted an economic crisis unlike any in the past century and will require a massive response to ensure recovery. She stated the world needed to brace for “the worst economic fallout since the Great Depression

About International Monetary Fund (IMF):

• Headquarters: Washington, D.C. U.S.
• Managing Director : Kristalina Georgieva
• Chief Economist : Gita Gopinath

North Korea fires barrage of cruise missiles on eve of founder’s birthday

• North Korea fires barrage of cruise missiles on eve of founder’s birthday The “multiple projectiles” fired from Munchon in eastern Kangwon province were believed to be “surface-to-ship cruise missiles,” the JCS stated in a statement.
• The missiles flew for approximately 150 kilometres (93 miles) before splashing into the waters off the east coast.
• The launches come on the eve of the birthday of North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung .
• North Korea has carried out a series of short-range missile and other weapons tests amid stalled nuclear talks with the United States.
• Last month, it fired nine ballistic missiles in four rounds of tests, according to analysts.

About North Korea:

• Supreme leader: Kim Jong-un
• Capital: Pyongyang
• Currency: North Korean won

US approves sale of Harpoon missiles, torpedoes worth USD 155 million to India

• The Trump Administration notified the Congress of its determination to sell Harpoon Block II air launched missiles and lightweight torpedoes worth USD155 million to India.
• The sale of 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air launched missiles is estimated to cost USD92 million, while 16 MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes and three MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes are estimated to cost USD63 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated in two separate notifications to the Congress.
• A determination in this regard was recently made by the US State Department following a request for these two military hardware made by the Indian Government, the Pentagon stated.
• The Harpoon missile system will be integrated into the P-8I aircraft to conduct anti-surface warfare missions in defense of critical sea lanes while enhancing inter-operability with the United States and other allied forces.
• While the Harpoon missiles will be manufactured by Boeing, the torpedoes would be supplied by Raytheon, the notification stated.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

ADB triples COVID-19 response package to $20 billion

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) tripled the size of its response to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to 20 billion dollars and approved measures to streamline its operations for quicker and more flexible delivery of assistance.
• The package expands ADB’s 6.5 billion dollars initial response announced on March 18, adding 5 billion dollars in resources to help ADB’s developing member countries counter the severe macroeconomic and health impacts caused by COVID-19.
• The 20 billion dollar package includes about 2.5 billion dollars in concessional and grant resources.
• ADB’s most recent assessment released on April 3 estimates the global impact of the pandemic at between 2.3 and 4.8 per cent of gross domestic product. Regional growth is forecast to decline from 5.2 per cent last year to 2.2 per cent in 2020.

About Asian Development Bank (ADB):

• Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
• President: Masatsugu Asakawa
• Membership: 68 countries
• Founded: 19 December 1966

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

7.4 mn bank accounts to be credited with Rs 1,500 in Telangana

• Telangana government would credit around 4 million bank accounts with Rs 1,500 as support for the needy during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao stated.
• Total of Rs 12 billion has been transferred by the government to the banks.
• Rao, who is also the working president of the ruling party TRS, stated that more than three lakh tonnes of free rice has been distributed to 87 per cent of the 76 lakh beneficiaries in the state.
• The state government had announced that in view of the hardships faced by people due to lockdown, each of the nearly 8.8 million food security cardholders in the state would be given 12 kg of rice and each of these families would be given one-time support of Rs 1,500 to meet expenditure on other essential commodities.

About Telangana:

• Capital- Hyderabad
• CM- Chandra Sekar Rao
• Governor- Tamilisai Soundararajan

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION

Brand Ambassadors in Recent News 

• Mobile Premier League (MPL) has brought on actress Tamannaah Bhatia of Baahubali to endorse their gaming platform. Recently, MPL also renewed its association with Indian Cricket Captain Virat Kohli for another year.
• Sara Ali Khan roped in as JBL brand ambassador.
• Shafali Verma, who has starred in India’s run to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 final, has been named brand ambassador of Pepsi ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8).
• Realme appointed Salman Khan as its brand ambassador.
• Shardul Thakur appointed as the brand ambassador of Tata Power
• Hair colour brand Indica roped in Akshay Kumar and Ileana D’ Cruz as brand ambassadors
  Yashika of Ballabhgarh announced brand ambassador for ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’
• Badminton world championV. Sindhu has been appointed the brand ambassador for Andhra Pradeshgovernment’s anti-graft helpline.
• IDFC FIRST Bank announced the signing of India’s most iconic personality, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, as its first ever brand ambassador.

• Sourav Ganguly invited by IOA to be Indian team’s Goodwill Ambassador at Tokyo Olympics

Syndicate Bank, Andhra Bank chiefs appointed as OSDs in Canara Bank, Union Bank of India

• J Packirisamy and Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, the managing director cum CEOs of Andhra Bank and Syndicate Bank respectively have been appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Union Bank of India and the Canara Bank respectively, according to an official order.
• The order issued by the Personnel Ministry stated that Packirisamy has been appointed as an OSD on supernumerary basis in the Union Bank of India, with effect from April 1, 2020 or the date of assumption of office till the age of his retirement in February next year.
• Similarly, Mahapatra has been appointed as an OSD in Canara Bank from the same date till the age of his retirement next month, the ministry stated.
• Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank have merged into Union Bank of India from April 1. Syndicate Bank has merged into Canara Bank from the same date.

About Andhra bank:

• Headquarters: Hyderabad
• CEO: J Packirisamy
• Tagline :Much more to do with You in focus

About Syndicate Bank:

• Headquarters: Manipal
• CEO: Mrutyunjay Mahapatra
• Tagline: Faithful. Friendly

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participates in G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual meeting

• Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual Meeting.
• The meeting was chaired by Saudi Arabia Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz. The meeting was attended by Energy Ministers of G20 countries, guest countries and heads of international organizations including OPEC, IEA and IEF.
• The G20 Energy Ministers’ focused on ways and means to ensure stable energy markets, which are affected due to demand reduction as result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing surplus production -related matters.
• Under the aegis of the Ujjwala scheme, to provide 80.3 million poor families free LPG cylinders, as part of a 23 billion dollars relief package.

About Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel

• Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Minister of Steel- Dharmendra Pradhan
• Constituency-Deogarh, Odisha

About G20

• Members– Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, ​Republic o​f Korea​,​ Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, ​​​Turkey, United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), and European Union (EU)​.
• 2019– Osaka, Japan
• 2020- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• 2021-Italy
• 2022- India

ASEAN holds special summit on response to COVID-19 pandemic

• The Special Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, on the COVID-19 Response, in videoconferencing format, to affirm their commitment to combating the global pandemic, ensuring peaceful life of people and sustainable development of countries in the region.
• In his capacity as ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, chaired the virtual summit, which was attended by the heads of state or government of the 10 ASEAN members, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and the ASEAN secretary-general.
• The leaders are expected to focus their discussions on containing and preventing the spread of COVID-19, supporting people in the countries hit by the disease, including providing consular assistance to ASEAN citizens living, working and studying in other ASEAN nations or a third country, and minimising socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic.
• They are also expected to adopt a joint statement on COVID-19 response, reaffirming their commitment and determination in eliminating the pandemic’s risks, which threaten people’s lives and socioeconomic stabilisation of the nations.
• The virtual Special ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea (ASEAN Plus Three) Summit on COVID-19 Response will be held, touching upon measures to respond to and repel the global pandemic.
• They are expected to adopt a joint statement on COVID-19 response, after sharing relevant practical experiences and discussing potential cooperation among ASEAN countries, as well as, between the block and its three dialogue partners, especially cooperation on preventing and containing the global pandemic.

About ASEAN:

• Secretary General :Lim Jock Hoi Mon
• Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
• Members: Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, Myanmar (Burma)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog & National Informatics Centre (NIC) jointly launches CollabCAD in ATL schools

• Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog and National Informatics Centre (NIC) jointly launched CollabCAD, a collaborative network, computer enabled software system, providing a total engineering solution from 2D drafting & detailing to 3D product design.
• The aim of this initiative is to provide a great platform to students of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across country to create and modify 3d designs with free flow of creativity and imagination. This software would also enable students to create data across the network and concurrently access the same design data for storage and visualization.
• ATLs established across India, provide tinkering spaces to children to hone their innovative ideas and creativity. AIM’s collaboration with NIC’s CollabCAD is a great platform for students to utilize indigenous, state-of-the-art made-in-India software for 3D modeling/slicing to use 3D Printing.
• A customized version of CollabCAD for ATLs with features that are most relevant to school students to materialize their ideas and creativity into physical solutions has been developed to enable designing without constraints and, thus, allowing creativity and innovation to thrive.
• AIM also launched the Game Development module in partnership with DELL Technologies and Learning Links Foundation. It is an online platform where students can start their learning journey while tinkering from home. Through the platform they can learn to create their own games and also share it with others. This platform envisages to make students transition from ‘game players’ to ‘game makers’.
• Similarly, by launching CollabCAD and gaming module as part of the ‘Tinker from Home’ campaign, young students are encouraged to learn and contribute to the journey of nation building from the safe space of their homes.

About AIM

• Atal Innovation Mission housed at NITI Aayog is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. At the school level, AIM is establishing ATLs in all districts across India. As of today, AIM has selected a total of 14,916 schools across the country spread across 33 different states and union territories, for the establishment of ATLs.

About NITI Aayog

• Headquarters– New Delhi.
• Chairperson– Narendra Modi.
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Amitabh Kant.
• Vice Chairperson– Rajiv Kumar.

About NIC

• Headquarters– New Delhi.
• Director General– Neeta Verma.

IIT Guwahati researchers develop antiviral coating for PPEs

• A team of researchers of Indian Institute of Technology (IITG) Guwahati has developed an antimicrobial (antiviral/antibacterial) spray-based coating for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and 3D-printed ear guard for comfortable use of face masks by healthcare workers.
• While PPEs are meant to protect wearers from infectious microbes and virus droplets, they generally do not have the ability to prevent the spread of microbes as the surface of the fabric allows adherence and accumulation of microbes with time. This leads to further spread of the microbes due to negligent handling of PPE and wrong disposal methods.
• IITG, developed the spray-based coating using metal nanoparticles such as copper and silver as well as other active ingredients. The coating is capable of killing or preventing the spread of microbes once they come in contact with the coated PPE surface. Thus, the coating has the potential to reduce the risk of secondary infection by limiting the transmission of the microbes.
• The IITG scientists also made an ear gurard prototype using 3D printing which makes long-time usage of face masks possible. The ergonomical design of the guard holds the face mask strap in a place without giving pressure to the ear. Therefore, masks can be worn effortlessly for hours without pain or discomfort to the wearer.

Science communication initiative “CovidGyan” launched

• The topics covered range from the exact behaviour of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), transmission dynamics of the Corona flu and its diagnostics to innovative technologies to scale up the fight, means of coping up with physical distancing, and critical assessment of communications.
• To bring the scientific and factual aspects of this pandemic outbreak on to public domain, a multi-institutional, multi-lingual science communication initiative, called `CovidGyan’ has been created.
• The initiative is the brainchild of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and Tata Memorial Centre (TMC). Several other prominent partners have since joined this noble effort including Vigyan Prasar,  IndiaBioscience, and the Bangalore Life Science Cluster (BLiSc), which includes Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), Centre for Cellular And Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), and National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS).
• An outcome of this initiative is the launch of a website that went live on April 03, 2020. This website also named CovidGyan serves as a hub to bring together a collection of resources in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. These resources are generated by public supported research institutions in India and associated programs. The content presented here relies on the best available scientific understanding of the disease and its transmission.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

India to host Asian Championship in Nov-Dec this year: Boxing federation

• The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has stated it will host the Asian Boxing Championships for men and women in November-December, factoring India would have controlled the coronavirusoutbreak by then.
• India last hosted the men’s Asian meet back in 1980 in Mumbai, while it conducted the women’s event in 2003 in Hisar. The tournament became a combined event for men and women in 2019.
• The event is usually a biennial competition but has been held in consecutive years in the past.
• We were awarded the hosting rights in February after a meeting of the Asian Boxing Confederation. The tournament will be held in November-December and the host city will be finalized after things normalize,” Boxing Federation of India’s (BFI) Executive Director R K Sacheti told.
• He added that it is an extraordinary situation no doubt but the sports federation is hoping for this to be brought under control by June. Another three-four months will be taken for the complete resumption.
• Bids were sought in January. The formal announcement by the Asian Boxing Confederation will be made once the Covid-19 situation improves a bit

About Boxing Federation of India (BFI):

• Indian Boxing Federation is the Indian national governing body for Olympic boxing and is the India’s member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Former Attorney General of India Ashok Desai passes away

• Former Attorney General of India and senior advocate Ashok Desai passed away.
• A Padma Bhushan awardee, Desai held office as the Attorney General of India from July 9, 1996 to May 6, 1998.
• Earlier, he was the Solicitor General of India from 18 December, 1989 to December 2, 1990.

Former US Baseball Player Glenn Beckert passes away

• America’s former professional baseball player Glenn Alfred Beckert, has passed away at the age of 79.
• He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman for the Chicago Cubs for nine seasons from 1965 to 1973 before ending his career with the San Diego Padres in 1975.

Former pro golfer Doug Sanders passes away

• Former American professional Golfer Doug Sanders (George Douglas Sanders)has passed away of natural cause. He was 86.
• Known as the “Peacock of the Fairways,” Sanders was one of the most colourful personalities on the PGA Tour, capturing 20 titles including the 1956 Canadian Open.

Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz dies of coronavirus

• Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz has died of Covid-19 at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.
• The 50-year old is the first professional cricket player from Pakistan to succumb to the coronavirus, after testing positive.
• Zafar, a left-handed batter and slow left-arm orthodox bowler, played first-class cricket from 1988 to 1994 and List A cricket from 1990 to 1992.

 DAILY CA 12TH AND 13TH APR

• International Day of Human Space Flight- April 12.
• UGC constitutes committee to promote online learning amid nationwide lockdown
• Govt plans to set up 20 lakh ‘Suraksha Stores’ to sell daily essentials
• NABARD to give refinance to SFBs to provide short-term credit to farmers, small businesses
• Finance Ministry relaxes norms for deposits in PPF, SSA and Post Office RD
• Max Life Insurance, Yes Bank extend partnership by five years
• World Bank slashes India’s growth projection to 5-2.8% for this fiscal
• Food Bank to help the poor and needy introduced in Manipur
• Jim Corbett becomes India’s first quarantine facility for animals
• Union HRD Minister launches a web-portal YUKTI in New Delhi
• Karnataka Bank gets RBI nod to reappoint Mahabaleshwara M S as MD and CEO for 3 yrs
• IMF Ropes In Raghuram Rajan, 11 Others To External Advisory Group
• Maha Prasad Adhikari appointed governor of Nepal central bank
• People’s Bank of China now owns 01 pc stake in HDFC
• Apple and Google collaborate on COVID-19 contact tracing tech
• Formula 1 Racing Legend Sir Stirling Moss Passes Away
• Peter Bonetti: Former Chelsea and England goalkeeper passes away
• Veteran Congress leader MV Rajasekharan passes away in Bengaluru at 91

DAILY CA 14TH APR

• R. Ambedkar Remembrance Day- 14th april
• Puthandu- 14th april
• IFFCO runs hundreds of awareness campaigns on Ground Zero
• IMF grants immediate debt relief to 25 poor nations to help fight Covid-19
• North Korea fires barrage of cruise missiles on eve of founder’s birthday
• US approves sale of Harpoon missiles, torpedoes worth USD 155 million to India
• ADB triples COVID-19 response package to $20 billion
• 4 mn bank accounts to be credited with Rs 1,500 in Telangana
• Brand Ambassadors in Recent News
• Syndicate Bank, Andhra Bank chiefs appointed as OSDs in Canara Bank, Union Bank of India
• Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participates in G20 Extraordinary Energy Ministers’ virtual meeting
• ASEAN holds special summit on response to COVID-19 pandemic
• Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog & National Informatics Centre (NIC) jointly launches CollabCAD in ATL schools
• IIT Guwahati researchers develop antiviral coating for PPEs
• Science communication initiative “CovidGyan” launched
• India to host Asian Championship in Nov-Dec this year: Boxing federation
• Former Attorney General of India Ashok Desai passes away
• Former US Baseball Player Glenn Beckert passes away
• Former pro golfer Doug Sanders passes away
• Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz dies of coronavirus