Current Affairs in short : 15 April 2020

The U.S. State Department has approved two potential missile deals with India, for an estimated $92 million and $63 million. 

The India Child Protection Fund (ICPF) said that millions of pedophiles had migrated online, making the Internet extremely unsafe for children.

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued Consolidated Revised Guidelines for the Containment of COVID-19 epidemic in the Country. The lockdown measures will remain in force up to 3rd May 2020.

The government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, has decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds.

The Union government is exploring raising a loan to pay the shortfall of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation amount to the States as the latter have had to ramp up spending to combat the outbreak of COVID-19.

Ministry of Tourism has launched its "DekhoApnaDesh" webinar series to provide information on the many destinations and the sheer depth and expanse of the culture and heritage of our Incredible India.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has taken several initiatives to ensure that the education of learners should not get affected due to the nationwide lockdown because of COVID-19.

Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has added another product to the portfolio to combat Coronavirus (COVID-19) by developing COVID Sample Collection Kiosk (COVSACK).

Fit India and CBSE will organise first-ever live fitness sessions for school students in the second phase of lockdown.Live sessions will commence from 9:30 in morning and students can get access to these live sessions on Facebook and Instagram handles of Fit India Movement and CBSE.

‘COBOT-Robotics’ Robots are serving food and medicine to COVID-19 patients in two hospitals in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district.

HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh pushed for a one-time restructuring of stressed real estate accounts and relaxation in classification of NPA norms to 180 days from 90 days to help the sector.

World Art Day is celebrated globally on 15 April every year to promote the development, diffusion and enjoyment of art.

Researchers from IIT-Guwahati have developed an affordable antimicrobial spray-based coating for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and 3D printed Ear Guard for comfortable use of face masks by healthcare workers.

Researchers of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found the presence of a different kind of coronavirus, bat coronavirus (BtCoV), in two bat species from Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu.

The Government has started procurement of pulses and oilseeds from states during the nationwide lockdown.

Smart cities in India including Vadodara, Bengaluru, Kalyan Dombivali, Agra, Kakinada, Chandigarh, are using the latest technology to create awareness about COVID-19 and the safety of people in the society.

Uttar Pradesh became the first state to start the Pool Testing of the coronavirus samples as the number of COVID-19 positive patients reached 558.

The National Sports Federation of India has announced that it will host the Asian Boxing Championships for men and women in November-December this year. The host city of the competition is not yet decided.

Goa Chief Minister (CM) Pramod Sawant announced that Goa becomes the first state to integrate allopathy and Ayurveda to treat COVID-19 patients and those who have been quarantined.

Nearly two years after signing a deal to take over Ohio-based aluminium rolled products maker Aleris Corp, Kumar Mangalam Birla’s Hindalco Industries finally completed the acquisition through its subsidiary Novelis Inc.

The world's most famous cycling race Tour de France has been postponed in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Former Pakistani first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz became the first professional player in the country to die after contracting the novel coronavirus.

Former Switzerland's Ice hockey player Roger Chappot passed away due to Coronavirus.