Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2020

Notes:
The Economist Intelligence Unit has lowered its global growth forecast for 2020 to 2.2%, from its earlier estimate of 2.3%. The dip was due to the new risks that have emerged following the virus outbreak in China, which was recently named by the WHO as COVID-19.
The real GDP forecast for China in 2020 was also decreased to 5.4%, from the earlier estimate of 5.9%. The agency has assumed that the spread of the virus will be contained by the end of March.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu Minister for Culture, Pandiarajan and the Minister from the French province Center-Val de Loire, Olivier Frezot had a meeting in the state capital Chennai. During the meeting, they announced that Tamil Nadu and the French Province of Center-Val de Loire are set to make Tamil and French fusion music, which is to be performed in both the states.
The two states have already signed an MoU for mutual cooperation in culture studies. The Ministers also reviewed the progress made in the agreement.

Notes:
Rishi Sunak, the 39-year-old MP from Richmond in Yorkshire has been recently appointed as the Finance Minister of the United Kingdom. It is the second most important position after the Prime Minister.
He replaces the former finance minister of Britain Sajid Javid, who resigned from his role recently. Before joining politics, Rishi Sunak was working at Goldman Sachs and was also a co-founder of an investment firm.

Notes:
The state government of Odisha recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with HDFC Bank, to strengthen its start-ups.
Under the agreement signed between the Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) department of Odisha and the bank, HDFC would lend incubation support to the start-up units of the state, so that they are able to show-case their products to various stakeholders.

Notes:
The biotechnology research company of China- ‘China National Biotec Group’ has developed convalescent plasma to treat the patients who are infected with the COVID-19 (novel corona virus)
The company has collected plasma from some of the recovered patients in the Wuhan city of China and developed therapeutic products that include convalescent plasma and immune globulin. They are used to treat critically ill patients, who have shown significant improvement with the treatment.

Notes:
The late Union External Affairs Minister of India and a veteran politician of BJP, Sushma Swaraj was born in Ambala Cantt, Haryana, where she was elected as MLA twice.
Recently, the 18-Crore newly-constructed bus-stand of Ambala city was renamed after Sushma Swaraj. The senior leader passed away last year in the month of August, at the age of 67. She has been named as the recipient of Padma Vibhushan award this year, posthumously.

Notes:
Bhawana Jat is a top-rated female race walker of India. She was seen in news recently as she was qualified for the Tokyo Olympics Games in 20km Race-Walk event.
The 24-year-old Race walker from Rajasthan was declared as qualified, after she set a new national record at the seventh National Race Walk Championships, held in Ranchi. The Olympic qualification mark was 1:31.00, while she completed the race in 1 hour, 29 minutes and 54 seconds.

Notes:
The Delhi High Court in 2010 had ordered the Indian government to provide permanent commission to women officers of the Indian Army.
After the Central government challenged the Delhi high court’s ruling in the Supreme Court, the apex court recently directed the government to grant permanent commission to women officers who have already worked as Short service commission officers in the Indian Army. This is to be provided irrespective of their years of service.

Notes:
New York- based Social service organisation ‘South Bronx United’ was seen in news recently, as it was announced as the recipient of the 2020 Laureus Sport for Good Award.
It is a programme, which uses ‘Football’ as a tool of social transformation, to change the lives of youth from marginalized communities in New York. Famous Rugby Player Bryan Habana was inducted Into Laureus World Sports Academy.

Notes:
Veteran Kannada actor Kishori Ballal recently passed away at the age of 82. She was known for starring with Shah Rukh Khan in his movie -Swades as ‘Kaveri Amma’.
She made her acting debut during 1960 in the movie ‘Ivalentha Hendathi’ and has acted in more than 75 movies of different Indian languages. The artist had been acting for more than 50 years and starred in several Bollywood films too.