1. ULA’s Atlas 5 launches AEHF-6 communications satellite in its first mission for U.S. Space Force

• A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifted off carrying a $1.4 billion Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-6) communications satellite for the U.S. Space Force.
• This was the sixth and final satellite of the AEHF constellation that provides secure, jam-proof voice and data communications for U.S. national leadership, military forces.
• It has international partners like Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Australia. Atlas 5 rockets launched the first five AEHF satellites in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2018 and 2019.

Foot notes: About  ULA(United launch alliance):
CEO: Tory Bruno 
Parent organization: Boeing
Headquarters: Centennial, Colorado, United States
Founded: 1 December 2006

2. US surpasses China for highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the world

• In the United States, according to data compiled by Worldometer, over 16,000 confirmed cases were reported in a single day, making the total number of COVID-19 patients to 85,088 (as on 26 March), the highest for any country. 
• The United States surpassed China (81,285) and Italy (80,589) in terms of number of people infected with the novel coronavirus.
• A week ago, the number of confirmed cases was 8,000. It has dangerously surged 10 times in the span of a week. 
• Dr Deborah Brix, coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force assured Americans that there is no shortage of essential medical supplies including ventilators and ICU beds.

Foot Notes: About US
Capital: Washington, D.C.
President: Donald Trump
Currency: United States dollar
3. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus

• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating but will still lead the government's response to the outbreak.
• This is the UK's second high profile coronavirus case in the last three days. 
• Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne, has tested positive for coronavirus.

Foot Notes: About UK
Capital: London
Prime Minister: Boris Johnson
Currency: Pound sterling

4. Shilpa Shetty Kundra partners with Fit India, announces 21-day weight loss program

• In a first-of-its-kind step, the government’s flagship fitness movement, Fit India, has partnered with Bollywood actress and fitness icon Shilpa Shetty Kundra to provide her premium 21-Day Weight Loss Programme.
• The program includes diet tips, free of cost on the Shilpa Shetty App (SS App), during the 21-day lockdown owing to Covid-19.
• For this period of lockdown that India is in right now, we have made the App''s premium ''21-Day Weight Loss Program'' free for all Indian and global users.

Foot notes: About Fit India movement
Founder: Suparno Satpathy
Founded: 29 August 2019
Headquarters: New Delhi
5. PESO takes measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of oxygen to hospitals, other health care facilities

• Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization, PESO has taken various measures to ensure an uninterrupted supply of Oxygen to hospitals and other health care facilities due to nationwide lockdown for containment of COVID-19 pandemic.
• Instructions have been issued by PESO to all its offices to ensure grant of licenses for storage and transport of medical oxygen on an urgent basis. The validity of licenses for transportation of oxygen and other gases which will expire on 31st of this month has been extended up to 30th June this year. 
• The advisory has been also issued to all States, requesting them to allow uninterrupted transportation and manufacturing of medical oxygen and nitrous oxide.

Foot Notes: About PESO(Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation)
Headquarters: Nagpur
Founded: 9 September 1898

6. RBI permits 3-month moratorium on EMI payments on all outstanding loans

• The Reserve Bank permitted banks, NBFCs (including housing finance companies) and other financial institutions to allow a three-month moratorium on payment of installments on term loans in view of the disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
• Deferment will not impact the credit history of the borrower.
• Financial institutions have been allowed to shift repayment schedule and all subsequent due dates, as also the tenor for such loans, across the board by three months, in respect of all term loans outstanding as on March 1, 2020.

Foot Notes: About RBI
Founded: 01 Apr 1935
Headquarters: Mumbai, India
Governor: Shaktikanta Das

7. Zoya Akhtar won IIFTC Tourism Impact Award 2020   

• Zoya Akhtar won the IIFTC Tourism Impact Award 2020 for her outstanding contribution to world tourism through her cinema at the 8th India International Film Tourism Conclave (IIFTC).
• Zoya Akhter set the trend in the film tourism space with her 2011 classic ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ shot in Spain, following it up with 2015 comedy-drama ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ shot in Turkey. 
• She has single-handedly promoted tourism of these counties through her films.
• Since its inception in 2013, IIFTC’s single-minded objective is to bring the global film locations to the Indian film industry.

8. Brahma Kumari's Chief Dadi Janki passes away at 104

• Rajyogini Dadi Janki, the Chief of Brahmakumaris Sansthan, the world's largest spiritual organization run by women, passed away at the age of 104 after a prolonged illness. 
• She was suffering from respiratory and stomach-related problems for the last two months. 
• Rajyogini Dadi Janki was born on 1st of January 1916 in Hyderabad city located in Sindh province now in Pakistan. 
• She had embraced the spiritual path at the age of 21. In the 1970s, she moved to western countries to establish Indian philosophy, Raj Yoga and human values.  She had set up 'Seva Kendras' in 140 countries around the world. 
• Dadi janki was appointed the brand ambassador of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (Clean India Mission) by the government for her work in the field of maintaining cleanliness.

9. India and France conduct joint patrols for the first time from Reunion Island

• For the 1st time India & France conducted joint patrol from the Reunion Island in February 2020 by P-8I aircraft with French Navy personnel to maintain the security of international maritime routes for trade and communications.
• Currently under the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and broader maritime cooperation, the Indian Navy conducts joint Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ) surveillance with Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius as well as Coordinated Patrols (CORPAT) with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.
• Until now India has carried out CORPAT with maritime neighbours & rejected a similar offer by the United States (US).

Foot Notes: About France
Capital– Paris
Prime Minister (PM)– Édouard Philippe
About P-8I Aircraft:
Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon is designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The P-8s Indian variant is referred to as P-8I. It is not only responsible for coastal patrol but also used for other important tasks such as search and rescue, anti-piracy, and other military support.

10. India’s GDP growth rate may fall sharply to 2.6 % in 2020-21: SBI’s Ecowrap

• According to a report titled “EcoWrap” released by the economic research team from SBI (State Bank of India), India’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth is expected to decline sharply to 2.6 % in the next financial year 2020-21 amid the 21-day lockdown Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.
• The GDP growth rate in 2019-20 can also be reduced from 5 % to 4.5 % with a 2.5 % increment in the fourth quarter (Q4) of the current financial year.The report states that the lockdown will result in a loss of at least Rs 8.03 lakh crore on market value basis, while a loss of Rs 1.77 lakh crore in terms of income. At the same time, there may be a loss of 1.65 lakh in capital income.
• Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has announced a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days (from March 25 to April 14, 2020) to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. During this time people have been asked to stay in homes & maintain the social distancing to battle against the virus.

Foot Notes: About SBI (State Bank of India)
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Chairman– Rajnish Kumar.
Tagline– The banker to every Indian; With you all the way; Purely banking nothing else; The nation banks on us.

Read More :

Current Affairs 27 March 2020

Current Affairs 26 March 2020

Current Affairs 25 March 2020