Prasar Bharti launches ‘DD Retro’ to invoke nostalgia

1.IMF to consider $1.4 bn loan to Pakistan after Imran Khan seeks help to tackle COVID-19 economic fallout

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called its executive board meeting on April 16 to consider disbursement of an extra loan worth $1.4 billion to Pakistan after prime minister Imran Khan’s request.Khan said that in developing countries, apart from containing the virus and dealing with the economic crisis, the biggest worry is people dying of hunger as a result of the lockdown.

The Pakistan government had also requested the IMF last month for a low-cost, fast-disbursing loan under the fund’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to deal with the adverse economic impact of COVID-19.

The RFI is used to provide financial assistance to IMF member countries facing an urgent balance of payments need.

The $1.4 billion loan to Pakistan is additional to the country’s $6 billion bailout package that it signed with the IMF in July last year to stave off a balance of payments crisis.

The government is also planning to seek more support from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank in the future to save its economy from the dire economic fallout.

2.India sends 5,022 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan

India has shipped the first consignment of 5,022 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan to ensure food security during difficult times of COVID-19 pandemic.Indian Embassy in Afghanistan has announced that 251 containers carrying the first consignment of 5,022 metric tonnes of wheat out of the total gift of 75,000 metric tonnes from India to Afghanistan set sail from Kandla port to Chabahar port.

Last year, India Ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar had said that India would give 75,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan.

Indian embassy in Afghanistan has also announced that New Delhi will send 5 lakh hydroxychloroquine tablets soon.

3.PM Modi greets citizens on Baisakhi, Odia New Year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished the people on the occasion of Baisakhi and the Odia New Year, also known as Maha Bishuba Pana Sankranti.Baisakhi marks the Sikh New Year and is a spring harvest festival celebrated in Punjab and other parts of north India.

On Maha Bishuba Pana Sankranti, people consume ‘pana’, a traditional sweet and sour drink made with raw mango and sugar.

4.PM Modi Pays Tribute To Martyrs Of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to “martyrs” who lost their lives in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on 13 April 1919.

Troops of the British Indian Army, under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, fired machine guns into a crowd of unarmed protesters and pilgrims who had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh in Punjab’s Amritsar on the occasion of Baisakhi.

The crowd had assembled peacefully at the venue to condemn the arrest of two national leaders, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew, when they were fired indiscriminately by General Dyer and his men.

According to British government records, 379 people including men, women, and children were killed while 1,200 were wounded in the firing.

Other sources place the number of dead at well over 1,000.

5.Prasar Bharti launches ‘DD Retro’ to invoke nostalgia

Public service broadcaster Prasar Bharti has launched a new channel specifically dedicated to old classics called DD Retro.For now, DD Retro is airing the same shows that DD National had brought back in the wake of the covid-19 outbreak to keep viewers engaged.

Apart from mythological epics Ramayana and Mahabharat, the classics revived on the network are historical dramas Chanakya directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, superhero series Shaktimaan, detective show Byomkesh Bakshi and many more.

Last week, following the return of these classics, Doordarshan emerged as the most watched channel in India, with its viewership surpassing any other genre in the Hindi-speaking markets when the mythological epic, Ramayana was aired.

In the last two weeks when the Ramanand Sagar show, a favourite from the 1980s, was telecast on DD, the 9am and 9pm slot viewership grew 60 times.

6.HRD Minister launches web portal ‘YUKTI’

Minister for Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has launched a web-portal YUKTI (Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation) in New Delhi.The portal and dashboard will monitor and record the efforts and initiatives of the Ministry of HRD.

It intends to cover different dimensions of COVID-19 challenges in a holistic and comprehensive way.

The Minister informed that it will cover the various initiatives and efforts of the institutions in academics, research especially related to COVID, social initiatives and measures taken for the betterment of the total well being of the students.

The portal will cover both qualitative and quantitative parameters for effective delivery of services to the academic community at large.

7.KVIC successfully develops double layered Khadi mask

In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has successfully developed a double layered Khadi mask and has procured orders for supplying it in large quantities.

• KVIC Chairman V.K. Saxena said the Commission is specifically using double twisted Khadi fabric for manufacturing of these masks as it helps retain 70 per cent of the moisture content inside, while providing an easy passage for the air to pass through.
• Mr Saxena added that these masks are special because they are made of hand-spun, hand-woven khadi fabric which is breathable, easy to reuse, washable and biodegradable.
• In order to make 7.5 lakh masks, around 75 thousand meters of Khadi fabric will be used, which will further enhance livelihoods opportunities to the Khadi artisans.

 8.‘Food Bank’ to help the poor and needy introduced in Manipur

In Manipur, a new initiative titled ‘Food Bank’ has been introduced by the Imphal East District Administration to provide immediate aid in the form of free food to the poor and needy.These banks will provide food to the people  who are facing scarcity of essential commodities due to the long statewide lockdown in view of the threat of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Distribution of food items, hand sanitisers and face masks has already started to Drug Rehabilitation Centres and people living with HIV located in Imphal East District.

On the other hand, many donors from various sections of society have responded positively to the initiative.

Officials, who will be managing the ‘Food Bank’ have announced to the public that they will distribute the items after proper verification of the beneficiaries.

9.Vice President greets the nation on the occasion of Vaisakhi, Vishu, Puthandu, Masadi, Vaishkhadi and Bhoga Bihu

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has wished the people on the occasion of Vaisakhi, Vishu, Puthandu, Masadi, Vaishkhadi and Bhoga Bihu which are being celebrated in different parts of the country on 13th and 14th April, 2020.Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi is a historical and religious festival in Sikhism and Hinduism. It is usually celebrated on 13 or 14 April every year, which commemorates the formation of Khalsa panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.

Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in the South Indian state of Kerala, Tulu Nadu region in Karnataka, bordering areas of Tamil Nadu and their diaspora communities.

Puthandu, also known as Puthuvarusham or Tamil New Year, is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar and traditionally celebrated as a festival.

Rongali or Bhoga Bihu is an important Assamese festival celebrating spring festival.

10.People’s Bank of China now owns 1.01% stake in HDFC

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has bought 1.01 per cent stake in the Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC).PBOC held 1.75 crore shares of HDFC during the quarter that ended in March.

HDFC Vice Chairman and CEO Keki Mistry said the PBOC has been an existing shareholder and had owned 0.8 per cent in the company as of March 2019.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, HDFC shares fell nearly 39.87 per cent this year from a high of Rs 2,493 to a low of Rs 1,499 last week.

11.Apple books coronavirus domain name after Google collaboration

Apple has booked a domain name called AppleCoronavirus.com, after the iPhone maker and Google last week announced a joint effort to enable the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the new coronavirus.Apple and Google are launching a comprehensive solution that includes application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing.

12.Legendary Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Bonetti passes away

Peter Bonetti, the former Chelsea and England goalkeeper nicknamed “The Cat” for his outstanding reflexes and agility, has died.Bonetti died after suffering from long-term illness.

He appeared in 729 appearances for the London club over two spells from 1960-75 and 1977-79.

Only Ron Harris, with 795, has made more appearances for the club.

Bonetti made seven appearances for England, including in the 1970 World Cup finals.

He was in the 1966 World Cup-winning squad but did not play, belatedly receiving a winner’s medal in June 2009.

13.British F1 racer Stirling Moss dies

Stirling Moss, the British racer widely regarded as the greatest Formula One driver ever to win the world championship, has died at the age of 90.He made 67 starts in the F1 World Championship, winning 16 races and claiming 16 pole positions and 24 podium positions.

He retired from top-level competition after a crash in 1962 but continued in historic racing and was highly active within motor racing for the rest of his life.

In 1961 he was named the BBC’s sports personality of the year.