First human trial to evaluate vaccine against COVID-19 begins in US

1.US Federal Reserve cuts interest rates to 0%

The US Federal Reserve cut interest rates to zero.The Fed’s hugely surprising move comes as the world fights to prevent further damage from the rapidly-spreading coronavirus.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate to 0 to ¼%.

This is the second time in as many weeks the US Fed has cut interest rates as the deadly virus threatens to cause massive disruption to the world economy.

The first and last time interest rate were zero in the US was in December 2008 at the peak of the global financial crisis.

2.Bangladesh celebrates birth Centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Bangladesh is celebrating the birth centenary of its founder President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina marked the day by paying floral tributes to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The day marks the beginning of the year long celebration of the birth centenary named ‘Mujib Barsho’ in Bangladesh and across the world.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born on 17th March 1920 in the town of Tungipara in Gopalganj district of the then undivided India.

He led the movement against the oppressive Pakistani rulers in the then East Pakistan leading to its liberation in 1971.

Known as Bangabandhu, he became the first President of the independent nation of Bangladesh.

3.First human trial to evaluate vaccine against COVID-19 begins in US

The first human trial to evaluate a candidate vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 has begun in Seattle, US.The open-label trial will enroll 45 healthy adult volunteers ages 18 to 55 years over approximately 6 weeks.

The first participant received the investigational vaccine on 16 March.

4.Contamination of Ground Water by Uranium in India

Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria said that, there is prevalence of Uranium concentration above 30 microgram per litre in some of the localized pockets of few States/UTs in the country.As per WHO provisional guidelines, the maximum permissible limit of Uranium as 0.03 mg/l in all drinking water standards.

Elevated uranium level in drinking water may affect human health.

Health studies carried out elsewhere in the world suggest that elevated uranium level in drinking water may be associated with kidney toxicity.

5.India to provide 107.01 million Nepali Rupees for three new school buildings in Nepal

The Government of India will provide 107.01 million Nepali Rupees for three new school buildings in Nepal.The schools will be constructed in Darchula, Dhanusha and Kapilvastu districts.

These schools will be built under the India-Nepal Development Partnership program.

The Government of India is happy to be associated with these projects which complement the efforts of the Government of Nepal in augmenting infrastructure in the field of education.

6.Parliament nod for three central Sanskrit universities

Parliament passed a bill to upgrade three deemed Sanskrit universities into central universities.The Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2019 was passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha. Earlier the bill was passed by Lok Sabha.

The Bill seeks to upgrade three deemed to be universities in Sanskrit – Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth Tirupati – into central universities.

7.President Kovind nominates former CJI Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha

President Ram Nath Kovind has nominated Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha.Mr Gogoi served as the 46th Chief Justice of India from 3rd October 2018 till 17th November last year.

The President of India nominates twelve persons to the Rajya Sabha.

8.Oil India signs crude sales agreement with Numaligarh Refinery

Oil India Ltd (OIL) announced it has signed an agreement with Numaligarh Refinery for sale and purchase of crude oil.The Crude Oil Sales Agreement (COSA) will come into effect from 1 April, 2020 to 31 March 2025, that is, for a term of five years.

The agreement is expected to streamline sale and purchase transactions of crude oil produced from fields in the North East India.

The Numaligarh Refinery is in Golaghat district, Assam. It is a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum, Oil India and Govt of Assam.

9.Actor Imtiaz Khan passes away

Amjad Khan’s brother and Bollywood actor Imtiaz Khan passed away.Imtiaz Khan starred in movies like Yaadon Ki Baraat, Dharmatama, Dayavan and Noor Jahan among more.

He was an actor and director, and associated with popular films such as Hulchul, Pyaara Dost, Procession of Memories and Noor Jahan.

10.Veteran poet and Malayalam scholar Puthussery Ramachandran passes away

Veteran poet and Malayalam scholar Puthussery Ramachandran, passed away.Puthussery, who undoubtedly led an eventful life through his varied roles as a teacher, poet, writer, even doubling up as a political activist at one point of time.

With his appealing, heart-warming poetry, he earned the sobriquet of a poet during the country’s freedom struggle to break free from its colonial masters. 

His poems have also been translated into Hindi, English and Tamil and published in various journals.

‘Puthussery ki Kavitha’, a Hindi translation of his works was published in 2001, while his autobiography Thilacha Mannil Kalnadayayi came out in 2017. 

Puthussery has won many prestigious awards including the Ezhuthachchan Puraskaaram in 2015 among others.

11.‘An Extraordinary Life’: Book on the late Goa CM Manohar Parrikar

A book on the life and times of bureaucrat-turned-politician Manohar Parrikar, who served as the defence minister and Goa chief minister, will hit the stands in April.The book titled ‘An Extraordinary Life: A biography of Manohar Parrikar’ is written by veteran journalists Sadguru Patil and Mayabhushan Nagvenkar.

17 March marks the first death anniversary of Parrikar who died after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year. He was 63.

Parrikar was among the few from Goa who made it to the national level. He held the defence portfolio in the Modi government from 2014 till 2017 before returning to his first love, Goa, to take over the chief minister’s post.