Current Affairs - March 25, 2020 Current Affairs

Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz dies at 76 in Spain after contracting coronavirus.

S&P Global Ratings cuts estimate for India's GDP growth in the fiscal starting April 1 to 5.2% from its earlier estimate of 6.5%.

International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims is observed on 24 March. The day pays tribute to those who have devoted their lives to and lost their lives in the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all. The day is observed to pay tribute to the memory of Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero.

The Heritage Foundation published its 26th annual edition of Economic Freedom Index 2020 to measure the level of economic freedom in 186 countries. India (56.5) ranks in 120th position & Singapore (89.4) tops the index for the 1st time.

US Marines and Emirati forces conducted the biennial exercise, named Native Fury at Abu Dhabi on March 23, 2020.The exercise saw forces seize a sprawling model Mideast city, a drill conducted amid tensions with Iran and despite the new coronavirus pandemic. It also comes after the U.S. killed Iran's most prominent general in a drone strike in January, and Tehran retaliated with a ballistic missile attack on American forces in Iraq.

SBI to provide 0.25% of its annual profit for 2020-21 to fight the coronavirus outbreak in India.

Centre allows States and UTs to lift foodgrains for 3 months in advance from Food Corporation of India (FCI) for Public Distribution System (PDS) scheme.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari appointed Justice Bhushan P Dharmadhikari as the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. He was sworn in at Raj Bhavan. President of India, Ram Nath Kovind issued a notification for appointing him as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.

Indian-origin American author Ruchika Tomar wins 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award in US for her debut novel 'A Prayer for Travelers'.

Sumant Kathpalia succeeds Romesh Sobti as CEO & MD of IndusInd Bank.

The Government of Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan have pledged to contribute $1.5 million, $1 million and $1 million respectively to the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Corona Emergency Fund proposed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on March 15, 2020 with an initial grant of $10 million from India to deal with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

8th India International Film Tourism Conclave in Mumbai. Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar wins IIFTC Tourism Impact Award 2020.

The Uttar Pradesh government announced that around 35 lakh labourers in the state will get Rs 1,000 each as financial aid while free ration for one month will be provided to 1.65 crore construction workers amid the coronavirus outbreak.

World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed on 24 March. The aim is to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social, and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic. The theme of the 2020 World Tuberculosis Day is "It's time." The theme aims to scale up access to prevention and treatment, build accountability, ensure sufficient and sustainable financing including for research, promote an end to stigma and discrimination, and promote an equitable, rights-based, and people-centered TB response.

UBS Securities has cut India's growth forecast for FY21 to 4% from the previous 5.1%. The decrease is due to the coronavirus outbreak.UBS predicts India to grow at 4.8% in FY20.

The 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo have been thrown into further doubt after Canada became the first major country to withdraw. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has admitted for the first time that the games could be postponed. The International Olympic Committee is expected to decide the fate of the games in four weeks' time.

BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan took oath as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on March 23, 2020 at the Raj Bhavan in Bhopal. The oath was administered by Governor Lalji Tandon. This would be Shivraj Singh Chouhan's fourth term as Chief Minister of the state.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has set up India's first COVID-19 dedicated hospital in Mumbai. A dedicated 100 bedded COVID-19 centre has been established at Seven Hills Hospital, Mumbai for patients who test positive for COVID-19.Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital has done this in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Singapore has rescheduled the 7th World Cities Summit (WCS) 2020 to 20 - 24 June 2021 due to the outbreak of COVID-19 which includes, Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESG). The summit is organized by Singapore's Centre for Liveable Cities and the Urban Redevelopment Authority .The theme of WCS is Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Adapting to a Disrupted World, it was earlier scheduled from July 5 to 9, 2020.

Savita Chhabra has launched her first novel titled 'Legacy of Learning'; which offers simplistic and relatable interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita. Savita is Chairperson at Hygienic Research Institute Private Limited (HRIPL). The book introduces readers to the importance of performing good karma and nudges them to be conscious about the purpose of their lives in every decision they make.