Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2020

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it will provide USD 200 to companies which manufacture and distribute medicines and other things required to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The financial assistance will be made available through ADB’s Supply Chain Finance Program and provided to selected companies. This support is to provide additional working capital to such manufacturing companies for their requirements to address the virus outbreak.

Notes:
The Rajya Sabha passed ‘The Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020’, which proposes amendments to the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 and The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.
The Lok Sabha had passed this Bill last week and it will come into force after the President’s assent. It seeks to allow companies which do not possess any prior coal mining experience in India to participate in coal auctions. It also seeks to remove the ‘specified end-use criterion’ of the companies.

Notes:
The Maharashtra government has approved the Khatua panel’s recommendation to slash the fare prices of auto-rickshaws by 15 per cent between 12 pm and 4 pm.
This discount in fare is called as implementation of “happy hour” for auto-rickshaws by the state government. However, this is not applicable to app-based taxis and local cabs. This will help the senior citizens of the state but the auto-rickshaw unions expressed their displeasure at the government’s step.

Notes:
The Government has notified the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Rules, 2020 which enables implementation of recent amendments to the Act. Under the new rules, punishment for child abuse has been made more stringent.
The rules state that any person who has received any pornographic material involving a child or any information regarding such material being stored, distributed or is likely to be distributed in any manner shall report the contents to the Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) or Police or the cybercrime portal.

Notes:
Former Chairman and Managing Director of Air India Ashwani Lohani has been recently appointed as the Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC).
This was announced in the order released by the Chief Secretary of the state and the appointment has been made for one year. He had earlier served in several similar positions including the Chairman of the Railway Board and CMD of the India Tourism Development Corporation.

Notes:
‘World Cities Summit’ is a global biennial conference hosted by Singapore. This year, World Cities Summit (WCS) 2020 is scheduled to be held from July 5 to 9.
The theme of this year’s summit as announced by the Singapore government is ‘Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Adapting to a Disrupted World’. Leaders from several governments and industry experts discuss on challenges in climate change, social shifts and technological disruptions.

Notes:
The President of Iraq Barham Salih has appointed Adnan al-Zurfi as the country’s new prime minister-designate.
This announcement has been provided amidst the months-long political crisis prevalent in Iraq. Within 30 days, Al-Zurfi has to form his cabinet which shall be put to a vote of confidence in Iraq’s Parliament. Al-Zurfi would replace caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who quit in December following widespread mass demonstrations against the government.

Notes:
Spanish football coach Francisco Garcia has recently passed away after contracting coronavirus, at the age of 21. He is also the youngest victim of the illness in the region.
Garcia was serving as the manager of Atletico Portada Alta’s youth team and he was tested positive for COVID-19 last week. During his treatment, it was found out that he was also suffering from leukaemia. All major football competitions like have been suspended due to coronavirus outbreak.

Notes:
S&P Global Ratings lowered India’s economic growth forecast to 5.2 per cent for the year 2020. The rating agency had earlier predicted the growth rate of 5.7% for 2020.
The agency also estimated that the Asia-Pacific economic growth in 2020 will dip to less than 3 per cent. It also revealed that saying the global economy is entering a recession amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Notes:
The scientists at Himachal Pradesh based Council of Scientific & Industrial Research -Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT) have developed a chemical-free hand sanitiser in India.
Due to the increasing demand for sanitisers amid the corona virus scare, many companies manufacture fake products. Hence the Scientists have developed this product with the natural constituents and alcohol content as per the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Another firm is to commercially produce this sanitiser as per a new agreement.