Current Affairs Daily Digest – April 15 & 16 2020
1. India to host 2020 Asian Boxing Championship
Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has announced that India will be hosting the 2020 Asian Boxing Championship. The championship is expected to be held during November-December. The host city is yet to be announced later. The announcement was made by the National Federation President Ajay Singh.
BFI got the hosting rights in February 2020. Asian Boxing Championships were held as two individual events for men and women before 2019. Previously, India organized the men’s event in 1980 with Mumbai playing the host. The women’s event was hosted by India in 2003 with Hisar, Haryana hosting the event.
2. “COVSACK” developed by DRDO to combat COVID-19
The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed COVSACK to receive samples from COVID-19 infected patients. The COVSACK is COVID-19 infected patients. The COVSACK is COVID-19 Sample Collection Kiosk.
3. International Monetary Fund predicts India’s Growth Rate at 1.9%
Following the World that set India’s Growth rate between 1.5% and 2.8%, the International Monetary Fund has set growth rate of India at 1.9%. On April 14, 2020, the IMF released its report predicting growth rate of the country at 5.8%.
4. Ministry of Tourism launches “DekhoApnaDesh” webinar series
The ministry of tourism said it was launching the Dekho Apna Desh webinar series.
The ministry said the webinar series will provide information on the many destinations and the ‘depth’ and ‘expanse’ of the culture and heritage of India. The first webinar on Tuesday touched upon the history of Delhi and was titled ” City of Cities- Delhi’s Personal Diary’.
5. Monaz Noble joins Godrej Industries as independent director
Godrej Industries announced the appointment of Monaz Noble as Non-Executive Independent Director for five years. Her tenure will begin on May 1. The strength of the board of directors will increase to 12 directors of which six will be independent directors.
6. Algerian novel wins 2020 International Prize for Arabic Fiction
The Spartan Court by Abdelouahab Aissaoui has won the 13th International Prize for Arabic Fiction. Aissaoui is the first Algerian to win the prize. He wins USD $50,000 (£39,950), as well as funding for the English translation of the novel.
The Spartan Court tells the story of five interconnected characters in Algiers from 1815 to 1833. The novel follows the story of the French campaign against Algiers in 1830 from the five different perspectives.
7. Jim Corbett becomes India’s first quarantine facility for animals
While the world is busy battling coronavirus, the reports of a Malayan tiger being tested positive for COVID-19 in the United States has caught the attention of the Indian authorities. India’s oldest National Park Jim Corbett, situated in Uttarakhand’s Paurhi Garhwal region, has built isolation wards for animals.
8. IMF proposes to deploy full USD 1 trillion lending capacity to support countries battling COVID-19
Describing the COVID-19 pandemic as “a crisis like no other,” IMF head Kristalina Georgieva has said the international lender plans to use all its USD 1 trillion lending capacity to support countries across the world battling the deadly outbreak.
An unprecedented 102 of the International Monetary Fund’s 189 member nations are seeking assistance from the organization to combat the coronavirus, the lending agency’s Managing Director Georgieva said.
9. UP to Become First State to Start Pool Testing of Covid-19 Samples as Cases Jump to 558
As the number of Covid-19 positive patients in Uttar Pradesh reached 558, the state government decided to start pool testing of the coronavirus samples. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) gave permission for pool testing to the state in order to help maximise the testing of samples on a daily basis.
Uttar Pradesh will be the first state to start pool testing, a protocol for the same will be decided soon,” said Amit Mohan Prasad, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
10. Lakshmi Vilas Bank Appoints S Vaidyanathan As Chief Risk Officer For Two Years
Lakshmi Vilas Bank announced the appointment of S Vaidyanathan, Assistant Vice President, Risk Department has been appointed as the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) of the Bank for a period of two years with effect from 15 April 2020.
11. Digital Learning: Rajasthan Govt launches ‘SMILE’ for e-learning at school
The state’s education department has launched a project ‘SMILE’ in order to ensure that the continuity of teaching and learning will not hamper due to the nation-wide covid-9 lockdown.
State education minister Govind Singh Dotasra said, “Rajasthan has believed and demonstrated its belief in strengthening its education system over the years. Project SMILE is a reinforcement of our commitment to continue imparting education in the difficult situation of coronavirus outbreak.”
12.Ajay Mahajan appointed MD & CEO of Care Ratings
CARE Ratings said Ajay Mahajan has been appointed as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the company for five years commencing from April 15, 2020.
The Board of Directors of the credit rating agency, at its meeting, made the appointment, based on the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Board.
13. Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfaraz dies due to coronavirus in Peshawar
Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfaraz has passed away after testing positive for COVID-19. The 50-year-old had been on a ventilator in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Peshawar, ESPNCricinfo reported. Sarfraz has become the first professional cricketer to succumb to COVID-19 in Pakistan.
14. Willie Davis, Pro Football Hall of Famer, dies
NFL Hall of Famer Willie Davis died at age 85, according to the Green Bay Packers. The pro football player “passed away peacefully” after spending about a month in the hospital with kidney failure, the Packers said.
Davis, who became the first black captain for the Packers in 1965 — spent 10 years with the Wisconsin team, from 1960 to 1969.
