Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2020

Notes:
The Government of India has constituted an empowered Committee (Group 6) to coordinate with Private Sector, NGOs and International Organisations related to COVID-19.
The committee is chaired by the CEO of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant. It aims to address the issues with UN agencies, World Bank, ADB; Civil society organisations and Industry associations. Other members include Principal Scientific Advisor Dr Vijayaraghavan and members from CBIC, Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs.

Notes:
Kolkata Port Trust has recently declared force majeure at its Haldia Dock Complex from 06:00 Hrs on 22 March to 06:00 Hrs on 15 April 2020, thereby becoming the first state-owned major port trust to invoke the clause, at the backdrop of coronavirus outbreak.
The force majeure clause is invoked when the firms are not able to meet their contractual commitments for reasons beyond their control. During the nationwide lockdown, as the trade is grippled, several private ports and terminals operating in the country already invoked the clause.

Notes:
The United Nation has been observing April 6 as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
This year, the international day focusses on health benefits of participating in sporting and physical activity, during this time of pandemic and social distancing. The UN also announced a tagline for this day as “For the International Day of Sport this year, let’s Be Active and healthy to beat COVID19”.

Notes:
The teams of Thailand and Malaysia have been banned from participating in weightlifting events at the Tokyo Olympics.
The sanctions panel of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has imposed disciplinary sanctions on the two countries regarding the same. The panel also suspended the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) for three years and the Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) for a year.

Notes:
The former Prime Minister of Libya, Mahmoud Jibril passed away recently at the age of 68, after contracting coronavirus.
He was the founder of the National Forces Alliance and the former head of the Libyan rebel government that overthrew the country’s long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. He had also been the interim leader until Libya conducted its first free elections in 2012.

Notes:
The Supreme Court on Wednesday recently ordered the Central Government to ensure the availability of Personal protective equipment (PPE).
It directed the centre to provide sterile medical gloves, medical masks, goggles, face shields, respirators, shoe covers, head covers and coveralls to all health workers including doctors, nurses, ward boys, other medical and paramedical professionals, who are attending to patients suffering from covid-19 in India.

Notes:
To promote digital banking among the general public amid the nation-wide lockdown resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India has launched a Twitter campaign.
The central bank asked the bank customers to adopt digital modes of payment which are convenient and safe. Through the campaign that was launched in public interest, the RBI highlighted the multiple digital payment options such as NEFT, IMPS, UPI and BBPS that are available 24*7.

Notes:
E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has launched an exclusive insurance policy to cover COVID-19, in association with ICICI Lombard and Go Digit General Insurance. The two health insurance policies, which provide instant claim benefits, do not require any medical tests at the time of purchase.
The COVID-19 Protection Cover by ICICI Lombard provides ₹25,000 benefit, on positive diagnosis of COVID-19, at an annual premium of ₹159. The cover by Digit Insurance provides hospitalization cover up to a sum assured of ₹1 lakh with an annual premium of ₹511.

Notes:
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved using diagnostic machines that are used for testing drug-resistant Tuberculosis for conducting coronavirus tests.
The ICMR has recommended this as a screening test. As per the guidance issued, throat or nasal swabs are to be collected in the viral transport medium with the ‘virus lysis buffer’, which is provided along with the kit. ICMR-NIV, Pune will inform about the effects of the viral RNA after neutralization of this novel coronavirus by the lysis buffer.

Notes:
The Chief of International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva has recently named former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India Raghuram Rajan and 11 other experts in her external advisory group.
The group is expected to provide perspectives on policy issues and responses to the challenges faced by the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. The group has 12 eminent individuals who have expertise in policy-making, global market and private sector. Raghuram Rajan is currently serving as a professor at the University of Chicago.