March 2020

World has entered a recession as bad or worse than global financial crisis: IMF chief The coronavirus pandemic has driven the global economy into a downturn that will require massive funding to help developing nations, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Friday. “It is clear that we have entered a recession” that will be worse than in 2009 following the global financial crisis, she said in an online press briefing. With the worldwide economic “sudden stop,” Georgieva said the fund’s estimate “for the overall financial needs of emerging markets is $2.5 trillion.” Source: Livemint

Azim Premji had donated Rs 50,000 crore in 2019, Wipro clarifies Tech giant Wipro has clarified that news reports and social media posts of Founder Azim Premji donating Rs 50,000 crore are misleading as the charitable contribution was made in March 2019. Yes, Premji, the then chairman of Wipro had earmarked 34 percent of his shares worth Rs 52,750 crore to an endowment under the Azim Premji Foundation. The donation was made by the philanthropist in mid-March 2019, making him one of the biggest philanthropists in India’s history. The 74-year-old earlier has donated money for charitable causes wholeheartedly that include...

Ola CEO to forgo annual salary, company to donate Rs 20 crore for drivers hit by coronavirus lockdown Ride-sharing platform Ola has stepped up efforts to raise funds for its partner drivers who will be left unemployed by the lockdown imposed in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The app has started ‘Drive the Driver Fund’ initiative under which it will raise Rs 50 crore through crowdfunding to secure steady funds for the auto-rickshaw, cab, kaali-peeli and taxi drivers employed by Ola. As part of the initiative, Ola will be donating Rs 20 crore for the fund. In fact, Ola...

‘You are a fighter’: PM Modi cheers up coronavirus afflicted Boris Johnson Prime Minister Narendra Modi described British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a “fighter” while wishing him good health and offering prayers for his recovery, soon after he was diagnosed with coronavirus on Friday. Boris Johnson was the latest in an ever growing list of top politicians, celebrities and royals including Prince Charles, to have been infected with the deadly virus that has spread its tentacles across the globe resulting in over 22,000 deaths and 500,000 infections. Source: Hindustan Times

Painter and architect Satish Gujral dies at 94 Painter, writer and architect Satish Gujral died on Thursday. He was 94 years old. Gujral was born in Jhelum, Pakistan in 1925. The artist, who was former Prime Minister Indra Kumar Gujral’s brother, was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in the country in 1999. He designed the Belgium Embassy in New Delhi that was selected by the international forum of architects as one of the thousand best-built buildings in the 20th century around the world, according to Gujral’s website. Source: Scroll.in

Brazil’s governors press Bolsonaro for more coronavirus support Brazil’s governors pressed President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday for more federal support in the coronavirus battle after he blasted them as job-killers and undermined their orders with a decree keeping churches open at evangelical preachers’ request. Mr. Bolsonaro has increasingly echoed the view of U.S. President Donald Trump that jobs should be prioritized over restrictive measures to slow the outbreak, as world health experts suggest. ”This wave of panic and hysteria is bigger than the virus itself,” he said on a Facebook Live broadcast. Source: The Hindu

US announces reward up to $15 million for Venezuela’s Maduro The US State Department on Thursday announced rewards for information leading to the arrest or conviction of various Venezuelan nationals, including President Nicolas Maduro who Washington aims to push out of power. “The Department is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information related to Nicolas Maduro Moros,” the State Department said in a statement. The move came as the US Justice Department announced charges against Maduro and others on narco-terrorism. Source: moneycontrol

Vladimir Putin Calls for Sanctions ‘Moratorium’ at G20 Summit For Coronavirus Pandemic Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called for sanctions relief during the coronavirus pandemic, telling G20 leaders it was a matter “of life and death”. The leader did not specify which countries should be earmarked for sanctions relief, speaking instead more broadly. “Ideally we should introduce a… joint moratorium on restrictions on essential goods as well as on financial transactions for their purchase,” Putin said at a virtual meeting of G20 leaders on Thursday. Source: News18

Coronavirus | Contingency plans in place, says Gen Naravane The Army has responsive and agile Quick Reaction Medical Teams (QRMTs) on standby to mobilise at six hours notice to meet the requirements of hospitals and the civil administration if needed, Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Manoj Naravane said on Friday. Outlining the plans to meet any escalation in Coronavirus infections across the country, he said contingency plans were in place and spread of COVID-19 would not affect the core efficiency of the Army. Source: The Hindu

Bengaluru oncologist claims to be close to an effective treatment for Covid-19: Report A Bengaluru based doctor claims to have developed an effective treatment for coronavirus which could be ready for trials by this weekend, a news agency reported. The treatment involves retriggering of the immune system which gets compromised after a person is infected by Sars-Cov-2 virus, said the doctor. He clarified that the medicine which was under preparation was “not a vaccine”. “We have built a concoction of cytokines which can be injected to reactivate immune system in Covid-19 patients.  Source: Hindustan Times