Current Affairs Today 10th and 11th March 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 10th and 11th March 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

• Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) celebrated the 51st raising day on 10 March.
• State Bank of India (SBI) has announced a rate cut of the fixed deposit rates across multiple tenors for general customers and senior citizens.
• Software major Infosys partnered with the US-based chipmaker Qualcomm to offer smart cities solutions through Qualcomm’s accelerator program.
• Centre approved the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to construct the first phase of a new highway at a distance of almost 170km.
• The family members of the personnel of paramilitary forces killed in the line of duty were offered jobs under the scheme of compassionate appointment.
• Holi, the Festival of Colors, is a famous festival in India. It is celebrated on different dates every year.
• National Archives of India (NAI) is to celebrate its 130th Foundation Day on 11 March 2020.
• The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan chaired the 43rd Annual Day of the National Institute of Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW) on 9 March.
• Government of India has constituted a committee to work out the modalities of ‘Kisan Rail.’
• Ministry of Railways has constituted a Group of Secretaries (GoS) to advise the terms and conditions for private passenger train operators.
• The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has issued a warning that global foreign direct investment (FDI) could drop by up to 15% on previous estimates due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
• Eleventh Bengaluru INDIA Nano conference and exhibition showcased technologies and products developed by academia and companies in nanotechnology
• The exhibition cum fair “Ekam fest” concluded on 9 March.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released the new Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) on 5 March.
• As per Government data, Gujarat has topped the list in the installations of solar rooftop plants. It is followed by Maharashtra.
• Bloomberg Billionaires Index reported that Jack Ma became Asia’s richest man. Mukesh Ambani, who stood as Asia’s richest man, has moved to the second position after oil prices collapsed along with global stocks.
• India stands as the world’s second-largest arms importer as per the “Trends in international arms transfers 2019” report of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data.
• The current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president Mahim Verma is to resign from his post.
• Lt Gen KJS Dhillon is appointed as the Director-General Defence Intelligence Agency (DG DIA) and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Intelligence) (DCIDS) on 9 March.
• Top Indian shuttler PV Sindhu won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2019.
• Boxers Amit Panghal and Lovlina Borgohain won the bronze medal in the Asian Boxing Olympic qualifiers held in Amman, Jordan.
• State-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is planning to set up its logistics bases in four countries, namely Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.
• National level Search, and Rescue Exercise and Workshop (Exercise SAREX 2020) concluded in the sea at Vasco, Goa.
• The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has instituted a special ‘Shakti Award.’
• India, for the first time, used a combination of two drugs, namely lopinavir and ritonavir was administered on an elderly Italian couple undergoing treatment at a Jaipur hospital for Covid-19.
• Max von Sydow, the Swedish actor who was nominated for two Oscars during his career passed away.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

CISF celebrated 51st raising day on 10 March

• Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) celebrated the 51st raising day on 10 March.
• The day was celebrated by CISF personnel and their families.

Highlights:

• On the raising day, a parade was established by the CISF officials.
• Service Personnel were awarded medals for distinguished and meritorious services.
• PM laid a wreath at the Martyr’s Memorial.
• The day is celebrated to create awareness to cooperate with the CISF to maintain peace and security in the country.

Extra Shots:

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF):

• CISF was established on 10 March 1969. It is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in India. There are around 2,800 personnel in CISF. It functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. CISF is headquartered in New Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is the Minister in charge of the force. The Director-General of CISF is Rajesh Ranjan, IPS.
• CISF protects the country from some vital installations in the aerospace, nuclear, government, and private sectors. It also plays a major role in Disaster Management.

BANKING AND FINANCE

SBI announced rate cuts on FD

• State Bank of India (SBI) has announced a rate cut of the fixed deposit rates across multiple tenors for general customers and senior citizens.
• It has reduced a rate cut up to 50 basis points (bps) in some tenors, and for some tenors, it has announced a reduction of 10 bps.

Highlights:

• The new rates were made effective from 10 March.
• The fixed deposit (FD) rate for a period of 7 days to 45 days has been reduced to 4% from the earlier 4.50%, while it has been reduced to 4.50% from 5% for senior citizens.
• For the FD rates for 1 year to less than 2 years, 2 years to less than 3 years, 3 years to less than 5 years, and 5 years to up to 10 years tenors, the rates have been reduced by 10 bps.
• For general customers, the interest rate has been reduced to 5.90% from the earlier 6%. For senior citizens, in this case, it has been reduced to 6.40% from 6.50%.
• The last rate cuts on FDs were made applicable on 10 February.

Extra Shots:

SBI: The State Bank of India is an Indian multinational, public sector banking and financial services statutory body. It is a government corporation statutory body headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. SBI is ranked as 236th in the Fortune Global 500 list of the world’s biggest corporations of 2019.

• Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
• Headquarters: Mumbai

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Infosys partners with Qualcomm to offer smart cities solutions

• Software major Infosys partnered with the US-based chipmaker Qualcomm to offer smart cities solutions through Qualcomm’s accelerator program.
• The partnership will provide solutions for smart stadiums, smart venues, and smart event management.

Highlights:

• The Accelerator program will connect cities, municipalities, state-run agencies, and enterprises with Qualcomm Technologies’ ecosystem. This will help deliver efficiencies, cost savings, and access to solutions for smart cities’ problems.
• The solutions have been built upon Qualcomm’s proprietary framework for smart spaces. It offers features for building and resource management, physical assets management, and occupants’ safety and security.
• The framework uses digital technologies to deliver an enhanced user experience for personal comfort, wellness, collaboration, and convenience.
• It will also optimize resources for easy maintenance and improved efficiencies.

Extra Shots:

Infosys Limited is an Indian multinational corporation that provides business consulting, information technology and outsourcing services. It has its headquarters in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

• CEO: Salil Parekh
• Headquarters: Bengaluru

Qualcomm Incorporated is an American multinational semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company that designs and markets wireless telecommunications products and services. It derives most of its revenue from chipmaking and the bulk of its profit from patent licensing businesses.

• Headquarters: San Diego, California, United States
• CEO: Steven Mollenkopf

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Centre approved for the construction of Delhi-Baghpat highway

• Centre approved the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to construct the first phase of a new highway at a distance of almost 170km.
• The highway will connect east Delhi’s Akshardham to Uttarakhand’s Dehradun.

Delhi-Baghpat highway:

• The proposed new highway is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun by at least two-and-a-half hours.
• The estimated time for the project is five years.
• The first phase will connect Akshardham with west Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat by a six-lane highway.
• It will cover a distance of 32km, out of which 14.7km in Delhi and another 17.5km under the jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh. It will connect important locations like Loni, Saharanpur, Mohand, and Ganeshpur.
• NHAI has also got in-principle approval for the second phase that will connect Baghpat to Dehradun. It covers a distance of almost 140km.

Jobs provided under scheme of compassionate appointment

• The family members of the personnel of paramilitary forces killed in the line of duty were offered jobs under the scheme of compassionate appointment.
• The announcement was made by Shri Nityanand Rai, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs.

Scheme of compassionate appointment:

• The Compassionate appointment Scheme aims to grant appointment on compassionate grounds to a dependent family member of a Government servant killed in the line of duty or who is retired on medical grounds, thereby leaving his family without any means of livelihood. The scheme also focuses on the family of the Government servant concerned from financial destitution and to help it get over the emergency.

Holi festival is celebrated in India

• Holi, the Festival of Colors, is a famous festival in India. It is celebrated on different dates every year.
• The famous Indian festival is observed at the end of the winters in the month of March after the full Moon.
• This year the festival is celebrated on 9-10 March 2020. Holi is celebrated around the country with great zeal and enthusiasm.

History:

• Holi is an ancient Indian festival. It was originally known as Holika. as per the legend, the festival is about a king Hiranyakashyapu and his son Prahlad. The devil king hated god, especially Lord Vishnu, and threatened people in his kingdom to stop worshipping him. But his own son was a verdant devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyapu instructed his sister Holika to get rid of his own son Prahlad. Holika had the boon to enter fire unscathed. She was asked to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad Prahlad. Lord Vishnu rendered protection to Prahlad while Holika paid the price for her sinister desire. The tradition of burning Holika or the Holika Dahan comes mainly from this legend.

NAI is to celebrate its 130th Foundation Day on 11 March

• National Archives of India (NAI) is to celebrate its 130th Foundation Day on 11 March 2020.
• During the occasion, the Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel will inaugurate an exhibition on Jallianwala Bagh at the premises of National Archives, New Delhi.

Highlights:

• This exhibition commemorates the centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that covers a period from (1915-50).
• The exhibition will be presented with the help of original and digital copies of archival documents relating to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre available in NAI.
• The aim is to portray the relentless struggle of the Indian people against British tyranny through record holdings.
• The exhibition by NAI will be open for public viewing until 30 April 2020.

Extra Shots:

National Archives of India (NAI):

• NAI was established on 11 March 1891 at Kolkatta as the Imperial Record Department. It functions as an Attached Office of the Department of Culture under the Ministry of Culture. In 1911, due to the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi, the National Archives of India was constructed in 1926. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. The transfer of all records from Kolkata to New Delhi was completed in 1937. NAI acts as the nodal agency for the implementation of the Public Records Act, 1993 and Public Record Rules, 1997.

Harsh Vardhan chaired the 43rd Annual Day of NIHFW

• The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan chaired the 43rd Annual Day of the National Institute of Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW) on 9 March.
• He suggested that Synergy and cooperation between institutions are needed to counter India’s Public Health challenges.

Highlights:

• The meeting emphasized the role of Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres in countering public health challenges through a focus on preventive and positive health.
• The centres were asked to ensure if they are equipped with screening for BP, diabetes, three types of cancers, leprosy, etc. It highlighted on preventive health.
• It also highlighted the fine-tuning of strategies and the rethinking of policies to provide public health.
• Academic awards and best employees of the year award were presented during the function.

Extra Shots:

National Institute of Health and Family Welfare Delhi (NIHFW):

• NIHFW was formed on 9 March 1977 by the merger of the National Institute of Health Administration and Education (NIHAE) and the National Institute of Family Planning (NIFP). NIHFW functions under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI. It acts as the apex technical institute and a think tank for the promotion of health and family welfare programs in the country.

GoI constitutes committee on Kisan Rail

• Government of India has constituted a committee to work out the modalities of ‘Kisan Rail.’
• The setting up of Kisan Rail was proposed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
• It was set up through the public-private-partnership (PPP) model for a cold supply chain to transport perishable goods.

Committee for Kisan Rail:

• The committee was formed under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, including a representative from the Ministry of Railways, to work out the modalities of ‘Kisan Rail.’
• Nine such refrigerated vans are available on its network. These vans have a carrying capacity of 17 tonnes, each for transportation of highly-perishable parcel traffic. The vans were developed and procured through the Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala.

Railways constitute GoS to render advice for private passenger train operators

• Ministry of Railways has constituted a Group of Secretaries (GoS) to advise the terms and conditions for private passenger train operators.
• The announcement was stated by the Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

Roles of GoS:

• GoS will advise private passenger train operators to operate trains with world-class technology covering the Indian Railways network and provide world-class services.
• The GoS has held seven meetings so far.
• The draft Request for Qualification and the draft Concession Agreement have been uploaded on the websites of NITI Aayog and Indian Railways to seek feedback from the stakeholders.

UNCTAD stated that FDI inflows dropped by 15 percent due to CoronaVirus outbreak

• The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has issued a warning that global foreign direct investment (FDI) could drop by up to 15% on previous estimates due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Reports:

• The downward pressure on FDI will be -5% to -15%, as compared to previous forecasts that projects marginal growth in the FDI trend for 2020-2021.
• UNCTAD stated that the impact on FDI would be concentrated in the countries that are most severely hit by the Coronavirus outbreak. The economic impact of supply chain disruptions will affect investment prospects in other countries.
• It also projected a stable level of global FDI inflows in 2020-2021 with a potential increase of +5%, which is relatively marginal for FDI.

Extra Shots:

UNCTAD: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. UNCTAD is the part of the United Nations Secretariat dealing with trade, investment, and development issues.

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Head: Mukhisa Kituyi
• Founder: United Nations General Assembly
• Founded: 30 December 1964
• Formation: 30 December 1964; 55 years ago
• Parent organizations: United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Secretariat

SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

Eleventh Bengaluru INDIA Nano conference and exhibition held at Bengaluru

• Eleventh Bengaluru INDIA Nano conference and exhibition showcased technologies and products developed by academia and companies in nanotechnology.
• Organized by: The three-day event was organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of Karnataka, and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), in association with other Govt Institutions and corporate companies.

Highlights:

• Research work to tackle infections related to antimicrobial resistance, eco-friendly batteries, and tools on nanotechnology, which was developed for agriculture were showcased by JNCASR at the exhibition.
• A set of Zn-air eco-friendly batteries were also displayed.
• Rhino Lure and Rhyncho Lure, eco-friendly, cost-effective, and residual free control strategy tools to monitor and manage Rhinoceros Beetle and Red Plam Weevil pests and protect crops like coconut, date palm, oil palm, and arecanut were exhibited.

Extra Shots:

Karnataka:

• Capital: Bengaluru
• Chief Minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
• Governor: Vajubhai Vala
• National Park: Anshi NP, Bandipur NP, Bannerghatta NP, Kudremukh NP, Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) NP.

Ekam Fest concluded on 9 March

• The exhibition cum fair “Ekam fest” concluded on 9 March.
• The exhibition-cum-Fair was organized by National Handicapped Finance Development Corporation (NHFDC) under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

Aim:

• EKAM Fest was aimed to promote entrepreneurship among the Divyangjan community. The main objective of the fest is to raise awareness about the potentialities of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). The Fest provides an opportunity for all to encourage these products made with extraordinary determination by the divyang craftspersons and entrepreneurs.

Highlights:

• Ekam Fest presented vibrant products from J&K and North Eastern regions ranging from handicrafts, handloom, Embroidery work, and dry fruits.
• 82 Divyang artisans and entrepreneurs from 17 States/UTs showcased their products in the Fest.
• On 8 March, during the occasion of International Women Day, a free camp was organized by NAB, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, for examination for early breast cancer by trained visually impaired women.
• The Fest recorded a collective sales of more than Rs.8 lakhs from the bills.
• The Fest culminated with the various award presented to Divyangs artisan and entrepreneurs by Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment.

RANKS AND INDICES

UNDP released Gender Social Norms Index

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released the new Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) on 5 March.
• The report stated that gender disparity still exists in every country.

Highlights:

• The index measured how social beliefs obstruct gender equality in work, politics, and education in 75 countries or 80% of the world’s population.
• It revealed that about half of the world’s men and women feel that men make better political leaders, and over 40% feel that men make better business executives.
• It also stated that people think that men have more right to a job when jobs are scarce, and 28% think it is justified for a man to beat his wife.
• It highlighted that enormous power gaps still exist between men and women.
• Only 24% of parliamentary seats worldwide are held by women, and only 10 out of a possible 193 female heads of government.
• GSNI stated that less than 6% of CEOs in S&P 500 companies are women.
• UNDP said that even though women work more hours than men, the work is more likely to be unpaid care work.

Extra Shots:

UNDP: The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations’ global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves.

• Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
• Head: Achim Steiner
• Founded: 22 November 1965, United States
• Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council
• Awards: Shorty Social Good Award for Best in Live Events
• Nominations: Latin American Green Award: Human Development

Gujarat topped the list in the installations of solar rooftop plants

• As per Government data, Gujarat has topped the list in the installations of solar rooftop plants. It is followed by Maharashtra.
• The aim of the installations of solar rooftop plants is to achieve renewable power generation goals.

Report Highlights:

• As of 2 March, a total of 79,950 systems have been installed across the country with a combined capacity of 322 MW.
• Gujarat has installed about 50,915 systems being fixed on domestic rooftops in the State. The total capacity of the system is 177.67 MW.
• Gujarat has adopted “Surya Gujarat,” a solar rooftop scheme that covers about 8 lakh domestic electricity consumers under the scheme by 2022.
• Maharashtra has about 5,513 installations of solar rooftop plants.

Extra Shots:

Gujarat:

• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
• Governor: Acharya Devvrat
• State formed on: 1 May 1960
• Literacy Rate: 79.31%
• National Park: Vansda NP, Blackbuck NP, Gir Forest NP, Marine NP, Gulf of Kutch

Jack Ma overtook Mukesh Ambani to become Asias richest man

• Bloomberg Billionaires Index reported that Jack Ma became Asia’s richest man. Mukesh Ambani, who stood as Asia’s richest man, has moved to the second position after oil prices collapsed along with global stocks.
• The novel coronavirus erased $5.8 billion from Ambani’s net worth on and pushed him to No.2 on the list of Asia’s richest people.

Jack Ma:

• Jack Ma is the founder of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. He topped the list with a $44.5 billion fortune, which is $2.6 billion more than Ambani. Earlier, in mid-2018, Ma topped the list.

Extra Shots:

Alibaba Group Holding Limited:

• Founded on: 4 April 1999
• Founder: Jack Ma
• Executive Chairman and CEO: Daniel Zhang
• Executive vice-chairman: Joseph Tsai

India listed as the world’s second-largest arms importer as per SIPRI

• India stands as the world’s second-largest arms importer as per the “Trends in international arms transfers 2019” report of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data.
• The data was released on 9 March. Saudi Arabia topped the list.
• Also, India has ranked 23rd position among the top 25 weapon exporters.

Highlights:

• Saudi Arabia registered 12% of the total global arms imports.
• India accounted for 9.2% of the total global arms imports during the year 2015-2019.
• China stood at fifth position with 4.3%
• Pakistan stands at 11th with 2.6%.
• It stated that India has been taking steps to modernize its armed forces by acquiring helicopters, combat jets, submarines, warships, artillery guns, and assault rifles from countries like Russia, the US, France, and Israel.

Extra Shots:

SIPRI: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute is an international institute based in Sweden, dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Founder: Government of Sweden

• Founded: 6 May 1966
• Headquarters: Solna Municipality, Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden

APPOINTMENT

Mahim Verma is to resign as BCCI vice president

• The current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president Mahim Verma is to resign from his post.
• The announcement comes after his win in the election for the post of secretary at the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU).
• Verma was appointed as BCCI’s vice president in 2019.
• He filed his nominations for the elections at the Uttarakhand state association on 28 February.
• He vowed to improve the cricketing infrastructure in the state as he was elected as the secretary of the CAU.
• The Indian cricket board will hold a fresh election for the post of vice president in 45 days after Verma officially resigns.
• Rajiv Shukla, the former IPL chairman, has been nominated for the post

Extra Shots:

 CAU:  Cricket Association of Uttarakhand is the governing authority of the cricket activities in Uttarakhand. In 2019, CAU was affiliated with the BCCI.

• Founded on: 2000
• Headquarters: Raipur, Chhattisgarh
• Founding President of CAU: Hira Singh Bisht
• President: Jot Singh Gunsola

BCCI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India is the national governing body for cricket in India. The board was formed in December 1928 as a society, registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act.

• Secretary: Jay Shah
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• CEO: Rahul Johri
• Vice president(s): Mahim Verma
• Abbreviation: BCCI
• Presidents: C.K. Khanna, Sourav Ganguly

Lt Gen KJS Dhillon to assume charge as Director General of DIA

• Lt Gen KJS Dhillon is appointed as the Director-General Defence Intelligence Agency (DG DIA) and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Intelligence) (DCIDS) on 9 March.
• The department functions under the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in the newly created Department of Military Affairs. He will assume the charge soon.

Extra Shots:

Lt Gen KJS Dhillon:

• Lt Gen Dhillon is 57-year-old age. He is from the 1983 batch of the Indian Military Academy. He served at the strategic XV Corps of Army in 2019 and handed over the charge of XV Corps to Lt Gen BS Raju.

DIA: The Defence Intelligence Agency is an organisation responsible for providing and coordinating military intelligence for the Indian armed forces. It was created in March 2002 and is administered within the Ministry of Defence.

• Founded: 1 March 2002
• Jurisdiction: India
• Parent agency: Ministry of Defence
• Agency executive: Lt.Gen A S Bedi, Director General
• Motto: Service Before Self
• Headquarters: Cabinet Secretariat, Raisina Hills, Delhi, New Delhi

SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

PV Sindhu was awarded the 2019 BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year

• Top Indian shuttler PV Sindhu won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2019.
• The award ceremony was hosted by BBC Director-General Tony Hall.
• Also, Veteran athlete PT Usha was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• She was awarded for her contribution to Indian sports and for inspiring generations of players.

Extra Shots:

PV Sindhu:

• PV Sindhu became the first Indian to win the BWF World Championships in the year 2019. She has secured five world championship medals. She is the first Indian singles badminton player to win an Olympic silver medal.

BBC: The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters are at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London. It is the world’s oldest national broadcaster, and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees.

• Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
• Owner: Public owned

Amit Panghal, Lovlina Borgohain won bronze medal in the Asian Boxing Olympic qualifiers

• Boxers Amit Panghal and Lovlina Borgohain won the bronze medal in the Asian Boxing Olympic qualifiers held in Amman, Jordan.
• Both the boxers had already claimed their place in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
• Borgohain secured 0-5 and lost to China’s Hong Gu in the 69kg weight category. Pangal was defeated by China’s Jianguan Hu in the 52 kg category.

Other winners:

• In a total of five Indian boxers, namely Vikas Krishan in 69kg category, Lovlina Borgohain in 69kg category, Pooja Rani in 75kg category, Ashish Kumar in 75kg category and Satish Kumar in +91kg category, secured their seats at the Olympics.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Qualification Tournaments:

• Five qualification series of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Qualification Tournaments are conducted across all continents and 286 Olympic spots. The qualification series is hosted at Dakar, Amman, London, Buenos Aires, and Paris.

DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS

HAL to set up its base in 4 countries

• State-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is planning to set up its logistics bases in four countries, namely Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.
• The move is a part of HAL’s initiatives to attract the countries to buy India’s light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas and military helicopters.

Highlights:

• The four countries use a number of Russian-origin military aircraft. The serviceability of the choppers used by the countries is very poor.
• The four countries were chosen because these countries use a lot of platforms that are common to India.
• HAL is currently focusing on boosting exports in line with GoI’s priority that has set the target of the defence export as $5 billion dollars in the next 5 years.
• HAL has identified South East Asia, West Asia, and North Africa to sell key platforms like attack helicopter Rudra, Tejas, and advanced light helicopter Dhruv.

Extra Shots:

IAF & HAL:

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has earlier placed an order for 40 Tejas. It is also expected that IAF and HAL are to sign a contract for another 83 aircraft at the cost of around Rs.38,000 crore.

Exercise SAREX concluded at Goa

• National level Search, and Rescue Exercise and Workshop (Exercise SAREX 2020) concluded in the sea at Vasco, Goa.
• The exercise was conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
• It was carried out on 5-7 March.

Highlights:

• The SAREX exercise was inaugurated by Dr. Ajay Kumar, IAS, Secretary (Defence), Ministry of Defence (MoD).
• The exercise witnessed the participation of 24 overseas observers from 19 countries.
• Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Ministry of Defence took part in the event.
• The theme of the exercise was Harmonization of Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue code “HAMSAR.”
• International delegates, including 38 national observers and representatives of 7 commercial airlines, including two helicopter operators, participated in the exercise.
• The exercise tested the efficiency of operations and coordination of the stakeholders involved in Search and Rescue in the Indian Search and Rescue Region.

Extra Shots:

SAREX exercise:

• SAREX is a biennial exercise that is conducted by the Indian Coast Guard under the aegis of the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB). The exercise has been conducted since 2003 under the Chairmanship of Director General K Natarajan, ICG.

AWARDS

CRPF instituted Shakti Award

• The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has instituted a special ‘Shakti Award.’
• It will be annually presented to chosen personnel who works for the empowerment of women.

Shakti Award:

• The award was announced on International Women’s Day on 8 March. The award will be conferred every year on 19 March, the CRPF Raising Day.
• Women who work for creating women-friendly infrastructure, better work environment, ease of living with safety, addressing women-specific issues, and related innovation and initiatives will be awarded.
• The award will carry a reward of Rs.1 lakh, a citation, and a trophy.
• The award aims to recognize the best practices and efforts made towards women empowerment and gender equality in the force.
• It aims to motivate CRPF personnel to do better and innovate in the field.
• CRPF has raised the world’s first all-women battalion with a strength of over 1,000 personnel in 1986. Currently, there are six such battalions.

Extra Shots:

CRPF: The Central Reserve Police Force is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force. It functions under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. The CRPF’s primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order and counter insurgency.

• General nature: Federal law enforcement
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Motto: “सेवा और निष्ठा”
• Minister responsible: Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India used Anti-HIV drugs to treat COVID-19 for the first time

• India, for the first time, used a combination of two drugs, namely lopinavir and ritonavir was administered on an elderly Italian couple undergoing treatment at a Jaipur hospital for Covid-19.
• The two drugs are widely used for controlling HIV infection.

Highlights:

• Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the “restricted use” of the combination of the two drugs, which are second-line HIV drugs, for treating the people who are affected by a novel coronavirus.
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) earlier sought emergency approval for using the combination of the two drugs.
• The combination of lopinavir and ritonavir, along with other drugs, have been used in clinical trials in China and Thailand for treating Covid-19 patients.

OBITUARIES

Swedish actor Max von Sydow passes away

• Max von Sydow, the Swedish actor who was nominated for two Oscars during his career passed away.
• The actor featured in various films and TV series.
• Max Von Sydow was nominated for Oscars as best actor in 1988 for Pelle the Conqueror.
• He was also nominated for Academy awards in the category of best supporting actor for his role in movie “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”.
• His other memorable films and TV series includes: The Exorcist, Flash Gordon and Game of Thrones.

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