DAILY Current Affairs 10, 11 MAY 2020

DAILY Current Affairs 10, 11 MAY 2020

1. PHASE-II OF MODERNISATION OF AIR FIELD INFRASTRUCTURE

·        The Defence Ministry has signed a contract worth around Rs 1,200 crore with Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division(TPSED) for Phase-II of Modernization of Air Field Infrastructure(MAFI) of 37 airfields for Indian Air Force(IAF), Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The proposal is approved by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

·        The MAFI Phase-II is a follow-on programme on MAFI Phase-I which includes upgradation of 30 airfields of IAF & benefits to both military and civil users.

2. 40^TH ANNIVERSARY OF SMALLPOX ERADICATION

·        WHO and the United Nation postal agency released a commemorative postage stamp on the 40^th  anniversary of the eradication of smallpox.

·        Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, was the speaker on the occasion held in Geneva, Switzerland.

·        When WHO’s smallpox eradication campaign was launched in 1967, one of the ways countries raised awareness about smallpox was through postage stamps.

·        In May 1980, the 33^rd World Health Assembly issued its official declaration that “the world and all its peoples have won freedom from smallpox.”

3. ELSA CORP APPOINTS AJINKYA RAHANE AS ITS BRAND AMBASSADOR

·        ELSA Corp (English Language Speech Assistant Corporation) India, the education technology company based out of the US (United States), has appointed Indian Test team vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane as its brand ambassador for India, Middle East, ANZ (Australia & New Zealand) and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation).

·        About ELSA Speak It is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) powered app uses proprietary speech recognition technology to help language learners in the world improve their English pronunciation.

4. 74% STAKE OF SEQUENT BOUGHT BY CARLYLE

·        The Carlyle Group, an United States based private equity firm acquired 74% stake in SeQuent Scientific Limited, the largest animal healthcare company from India for Rs.1,587 crore($210 million) for Rs.86 apiece.

·        SeQuent is a pure-play animal healthcare company with global operations and provides pharmaceutical ingredients, formulations and analytical services in more than 100 countries and manufacturing in India, Spain, Turkey, Germany and Brazil.

5. GSK SELLS 5.7 % STAKE IN HINDUSTAN UNILEVER

·        GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK), a British multinational pharmaceutical company, has sold its 5.7 % stake in Indian FMCG ( fast-moving consumer goods) company Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) for $3.35 billion (about 254.8 billion rupees) in the stock market through a largest ever block deal.

·        However, the names of the buyers could not be immediately ascertained.

·        Also GSK sold 133.77 million ordinary shares in Hindustan Unilever by its subsidiaries GlaxoSmithKline Pvt Ltd and Horlicks Ltd for an average price of Rs.1905. With this, the company raises Rs 254.8 billion.

6. REUSABLE ANTIMICROBIAL MASK NSAFE

·        With increasing demand for face masks to contain transmission of deadly COVID-19 virus, IIT (Indian Institute of Technology)- Delhi startup company named Nanosafe solutions has developed and launched an antimicrobial and washable face mask “NSafe” that can be reused upto 50 launderings.

·        The mask is extremely comfortable and breathable.

·        Elastic band in the chin region and wire in the nose region provides adequate fit of the mask to the wearer.