Current Affairs Daily Digest – April 11 2020
1. NIPER-G designs innovative 3D products to fight coronavirus spread
Researchers at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research -Guwahati (NIPER-G) developed two products, namely 3D-printed hands-free object and 3D-printed antimicrobial face-shield in an effort to control the spread of novel coronavirus, to fight COVID-19 outbreak.
2. April 9: CRPF Valour Day
Every year, April 9 is being marked as CRPF Valour Day all over India. The day is also called “CRPF Shaurya Diwas”. A small contingent of the CRPF on April 9, 1965 fought against Pakistan in Rann of Kutch eliminating 34 Pakistan soldiers.
3. ICMR gives approval to plasma therapy for COVID-19 treatment to Trivandrum based Medical Institute
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Kerala, has obtained a go-ahead for taking a bold step to provide innovative treatment to patients suffering from COVID-19 disease. The Trivandrum based SCTIMST is an Institution of National Importance under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
Technically called “convalescent-plasma therapy”, the treatment aims at using the immune power gained by a recovered person to treat a sick person. ICMR has given approval to the SCTIMST for carrying out the novel treatment.
4. Indonesia has world’s largest Buddhist temple with 504 Buddha statues
The Borobudur Temple, located on the Indonesian island of Java, is the world’s largest Buddhist temple. Built in the 9th century during the reign of Syailendra dynasty, the temple was constructed with approximately 56,000 cubic metres of volcanic stone, has around 504 Buddha statues and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels. It was restored with UNESCO’s help in the 1970s.
5. IMF Inducts Raghuram Rajan To Key Advisory Panel
IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva announced the inclusion of former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan and 11 others to her external advisory group to provide perspectives from around the globe on key developments and policy issues.
Mr Rajan, 57, who was the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor for three years until September 2016, is currently working as a professor at the prestigious University of Chicago.
6. Padma Shri classical singer Shanti Hiranand passes away at 87
Renowned Hindustani classical singer and Padma Shri awardee Shanti Hiranand Chawla passed away at a Gurgaon hospital. She was 87.
“She had a brief ailment, was in the hospital since Sunday. But her condition got worse last night and she passed away this morning,”her son Nishchint Chawla told PTI.
7. Coronavirus: Mumbai becomes first city in India to make face masks compulsory in public
As the number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra had crossed 1,000, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) made wearing face masks mandatory in public places. Mumbai is the first city in India to make masks compulsory.
“All person must wear a three-ply mask or a cloth mask in public places such as streets, hospitals, offices and markets,” Praveen Pardeshi, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner said in a letter.
8. Veteran Congman RK Dwivedi passes away
Freedom fighter and veteran Congress leader Ram Krishna Dwivedi died after prolonged illness in Lucknow. The 88-year-old leader served as minister of state for home in the Congress government in UP and is survived by two sons.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi paid his condolences through a tweet citing Dwivedi as a great leader and remembered him for his contribution to the party.
9. National Safe Motherhood day is observed on April 11
National Safe Motherhood Day is an initiative of the White Ribbon Alliance. The government of India declared in 2003 the national safe motherhood day on April 11. It became the first country to do so. Every year a theme is decided by White Ribbon Alliance to raise awareness about adequate access to care during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal services.
