CURRENT AFFAIRS

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27 APRIL 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

  • 1998 Viagra is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  • 1994 Silvio Berlusconi rises to power in Italy
  • 1977 The worst air crash in history occurs in Tenerife, Spain

 

NATIONAL

  • Supreme Court to hear urgent cases via video. SC would continue to hear cases of “extreme urgency” through videoconferencing during the lockdown, keeping in mind physical distancing norms. The lawyer can present cases via videoconferencing at an allotted time.
  • Election Commission allows use of indelible ink for stamping ‘home quarantined’. The Election Commission has allowed usage by health authorities for stamping ‘home quarantined’ on the hands of those suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus, easing its policy of using the ink only for voting purposes.
  • Finance Minister announces Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. Sitharaman announced, these measures are intended at reaching out to the poorest of the poor, with food and money in hands, so that they do not face difficulties in buying essential supplies and meeting essential needs.

 

ECONOMY

  • Grievance redressal cell set up to resolve problems of food processing industry during COVID-19 lockdown. Smt.HarsimratKaur Badal said, that industry members facing any problem in operations and distribution of food products could send their queries to covidgrievance-mofpi@gov.in.
  • Government to pay employer, employee’s PF contribution for 3 months. The government will pay the (EPF) contribution, 12% each for the next three months. The move will benefit over 4.8 crore employees in the organized sector.
  • Call 1906 for LPG emergency, says IOC. The Indian Oil Corporation has rearranged its refining operations in keeping with the market situation and the refining operations would move in tandem with the withdrawal of the lockdown. All arrangements are in place to meet any rise in demand for LPG.
  • US jobless claims hit 3.3 million, quadruple previous record. Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week - more than quadruple the previous record set in 1982 - amid a widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus.

 

INTERNATIONAL

  • U.S. Senate unanimously passes $2.2 trillion coronavirus rescue package. The U.S. Senate passed an unparalleled economic rescue package steering aid to businesses, workers and health care systems engulfed by the coronavirus pandemic. 
  • US Senate offers $58 bn aid to airlines as they struggle to stay afloat. The US Senate offered struggling airlines unprecedented aid that will help cover their staff wages, as carriers around the world seek state support and turn passenger planes into cargo liners in their desperate bid for revenues.

 

 

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26 APRIL 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

  • 2000 Vladimir Putin is elected President of Russia
  • 1995 The Schengen Agreement enters into force
  • 1979 The Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty is signed

 

NATIONAL

  • British national given HIV antiretroviral drugs to treat COVID-19 now tests negative. The patient, who had earlier tested positive for COVID-19, responded well to the drugs combination of Ritonavir and Lopinavir, and his latest test results showed he has recovered, doctors at the Ernakulam Medical College Hospital, Kerala said.
  • Cabinet nod for supply of extra subsidised foodgrains via ration shops. To ensure sufficient supply during the lockdown, the government has decided to increase the monthly quota of subsidized foodgrains by 2 kg to 7kg per person through ration shops for 80 crores beneficiaries.
  • Panchayat Raj Bill passed. The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was passed in the Legislative Assembly, which aims to reduce the tenure of presidents and vice-presidents of gram, taluk, and Zilla panchayats from five years to 30 months.

 

INTERNATIONAL

  • Spain’s COVID-19 toll surpasses that of China. Spain's death toll overtook that of China, rising to 3,434 after 738 people died over the past 24 hours. COVID-19 epidemic has now infected 47,610 people, the health ministry said.
  • U.S. Senate, White House agree on $2 trillion Coronavirus rescue plan. The leaders of both parties announced an agreement on unprecedented emergency legislation to rush sweeping aid to businesses, workers and a health care system slammed by the pandemic and would give direct payments to most Americans and expand unemployment benefits.
  • Pakistan bans domestic passenger flights due to COVID-19. Pakistan has banned all domestic passenger flights to stop the spread of the COVID-19 after reporting nearly 1,000 cases in the country, just as Libya became the latest at-risk Mideast nation to report its first infection.

 

ECONOMY

  • CCEA approves recapitalisation of RRBs. The government has approved capital infusion to the tune of Rs 1,340 crore for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). The Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar said that the recapitalization of RRBs will improve their Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio.

 

 

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25th APRIL 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

  • 1995 WikiWikiWeb, the world's first wiki, is launched
  • 1975 King Faisal of Saudi Arabia is assassinated by his nephew
  • 1957 6 countries found the European Economic Community

 

NATIONAL

  • India to be under complete lockdown for 21 days starting midnight, PM Modi. PM Modi explained that it was the only way of breaking the Covid-19 infection cycle. All other lockdown conditions, such as the availability of essential commodities, remain the same.
  • Government expenditure system declared as essential service. Department of Expenditure said that the absence of staff should not be a reason for any delay or non-functioning of the payment and accounting systems, thereby ordering all offices connected with the payment functions to remain open on working hours.
  • FM's key announcements to support the economy amid COVID-19. The government deferred deadlines for filing tax returns, extended a tax amnesty program and unveiled other relief steps while promising more measures to support the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.. Govt bans export of sanitizers, face masks with immediate effect
  • This decision was taken as amid the coronavirus outbreak people resorted to panic buying in the market. The DGFT has also banned exports of all types of ventilators, including any artificial respiratory apparatus or oxygen therapy apparatus or any other breathing appliance or device.
  • Karnataka government makes U-turn, no free food at Indira Canteen. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said all Indira canteens will remain closed during the COVID-19 lockdown period to avoid gathering of a large number of people to avoid the rush near the canteen as it may lead to problems.

 

INTERNATIONAL

  • Amazon teams up with Bill Gates-backed research group to deliver COVID-19 test kits. The Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network, a group of medical, public health and research organizations, is collecting nasal swabs from a sample of people across King County and Seattle to learn how the infection is spreading in the areas.

 

ECONOMY

  • Facebook, Instagram reduce video quality to deal with internet overload. To deal with this load on internet infrastructure and to conserve bandwidth, Facebook has announced that they will be reducing bit rates for videos on Facebook and Instagram in India, Europe, and Latin America over this peak period.

 

SPORTS

  • Olympics postponed, to be held latest by 2021 summer. The Games were scheduled for July 24-August 9, but after discussions between IOC president Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a historic joint decision was taken for the first postponement of an Olympics in peacetime.

  

 

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24 APRIL 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

  • 1999 For the first time in its history, NATO attacks a sovereign country
  • 1965 Millions watch NASA spacecraft Ranger 9 crash into the Moon
  • 1882 Robert Koch discovers the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis

 

NATIONAL

  • Reliance sets up India’s first dedicated COVID-19 hospital. The company is enhancing its production capacities to produce 1,00,000 face-masks per day and a large number of personal protective equipment.
  • AIIMS to shut down OPD from March 24 till further notice: Order. AIIMS had issued a circular postponing all non-essential elective procedures and surgeries and directed for only emergency life-saving surgeries with effect from March 21.
  • Domestic flights to be suspended as India strengthens coronavirus lockdown
  • Airlines will have to land domestic passenger flights at destinations by 11.59 pm on Tuesday, said a spokesperson for the aviation ministry on Monday, adding that the restrictions would not apply to cargo flights.
  • Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill by voice vote without discussion. The Lok Sabha also adjourned sine die on Monday, earlier than scheduled in view of the coronavirus scare. Originally, it supposed to have been in session until 3 April.

 

INTERNATIONAL

  • Lost sense of smell may be peculiar clue to coronavirus infection. Several patients who have had symptoms consistent with the coronavirus, but who have not been tested or are still awaiting test results, described losing their senses of smell and taste, even though their noses were clear and they were not congested. 

 

ECONOMY

  • Govt amends law to get powers to raise excise duty on petrol, diesel by Rs 8/L in future. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moved an amendment to the Finance Bill, 2020, to raise the limit up to which the government can raise special excise duty on petrol and diesel to Rs 18 per litre and Rs 12, respectively.
  • Sensex hits lower circuit limit, halts trading for 45 minutes. BSE flagship plunged 2991.85 points, or 10 per cent, at 26,924.11 levels. The Nifty fell below the 8,000-mark, down 834.10 points, or 9.54 per cent. 
  • Coronavirus: Axis Bank announces Rs 100 cr fund to fight pandemic. Private lender Axis Bank on Monday said it will set aside Rs. 100 crore to support its customers, employees, vendors and government agencies towards curbing the spread of coronavirus.
  • RBI extends priority sector classification for bank loans to NBFCs. This is part of steps to provide support for financial sector entities by Reserve bank of India to deal with slowdown and aftermath of COVID-19 
 
 
 
 
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23 APRIL 
 
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
  • 2001 The Russian space station Mir plunges into the sea
  • 1956 Pakistan becomes the world's first Islamic republic
  • 1888 The Football League meets for the first time
NATIONAL
 
  • Metro trains all over the country shut down till 31st March 2020. In view of current global pandemic of the Corona Virus, for containing its further spread through inter-personal proximity, it has been decided to close down metro rail services on all operational networks across the country till 31st March, 2020.
  • Govt decides to shutdown 75 coronavirus-hit districts across the country. The decisions have been taken at a high level meeting attended by chief secretaries of all States and the Cabinet Secretary and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
  • After trains, interstate bus services suspended till 31st March. "In view of the need to contain the spread of COVID 19, it was agreed that there is urgent need to extend the restrictions on the movement of non-essential passenger transport including inter-state transport buses till 31st March 2020," said a press release issued by the Center.
  • Governments announce a slew of measures to alleviate coronavirus pain. Govt caps maximum retail price of 200 ml hand sanitizer at Rs 100 till June, NCLAT to only hear "urgent matters", Chhattisgarh govt orders all offices to remain shut till March 31 and more.
 
ECONOMY
  • Coronavirus scare: SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers. The Union Cabinet, which met on Saturday, also cleared packages worth nearly Rs 55,000 crore to be spent over five to eight years. Analysts expect more public and private sector banks to introduce similar measures next week.
 
 
 
 
 
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22 APRIL 
 
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
  • 1960 The laser is patented
  • 1945 The Arab League is founded
  • 1993 The Intel Corporation produces the first Pentium microprocessor
 
NATIONAL 
  • Coronavirus test should not cost more than Rs 4,500, Government to private labs. In an apparent move to increase testing centers and broaden the existing structure, the government allowed NABL-accredited private laboratories to start testing COVID-19 samples. It has issued guidelines capping the cost of sample testing by private labs at Rs 4,500.
  • Gehlot orders lockdown in Rajasthan till Mar 31, exempts essential services. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot took the decision at a high-level meeting with the top officials. All government offices, malls, factories, public transport, etc. will remain shut during the period.
  • Kerala prohibits public gatherings due to COVID-19. Kerala has issued stringent regulations under the Epidemic Disease Control Act of 1897 to restrict public gatherings. All religious and cultural events, tournaments and group matches are prohibited.
 
ECONOMY
  • Govt caps MRP of 200ml hand sanitiser at Rs 100 till June. The price of a 2 ply (surgical) mask has been capped at Rs 8 and that of 3 ply (surgical) mask at Rs 10 till June 30, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said in a statement.
  • ICICI Lombard rolls out insurance cover for COVID-19. This policy will pay 100% of the sum insured to a policyholder diagnosed as COVID-19 positive, irrespective of the hospitalization expenses.
INTERNATIONAL
  • Maldives pledges $200,000 to SAARC Coronavirus Emergency Fund. Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid said the country will join the initiative to tackle the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic with an initial offer of $10 million from India to help combat the fast-spreading pandemic in the region.
  • Ola suspends shared rides, Uber contemplates move over coronavirus pandemic. Ola is temporarily suspending the ‘Ola Share’ category until further notice, and Uber has suspended its Uber Pool services in some geographies, including the US and Canada and is contemplating similar measures for other countries it operates in.
 
 
 
 
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21st APRIL 
 
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
  • 2006 Jack Dorsey sends the world's first Twitter message, or tweet
  • 1970 Earth Day is celebrated for the first time
  • 1943 A plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler by suicide bomb fails
 
NATIONAL
  • Prices of Alcohol used in manufacturing hand sanitizers capped under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The government has notified order under the Act to declare price cap prevailing on the above alcohols up to 30th June. It has also notified that the raw materials used in the manufacture of essential commodities are also essential commodities under the E.C Act.
  • Parliament passes Central Sanskrit Universities bill. The Bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha in December last year, was again take up for passage as it was amended by the upper house and passed with a voice vote on 21st March 2020.
  • Kamal Nath resigns as Madhya Pradesh CM ahead of floor test. Ending 18 days of political drama, Kamal Nath submitted his resignation to Governor Lalji Tandon, ahead of the Supreme Court-mandated floor test. M.P. Assembly Speaker N.P. Prajapati also accepted the resignation of 16 rebel Congress MLAs.
 
ECONOMY
 
  • BSNL offers free broadband for a month to support work from home. Broadband service is being offered free of charge for one month to all citizens across the country, who have BSNL landline and do not have any broadband, so that they can use this service and minimise the need to move outdoor.
  • RBI appoints R.Gandhi and Narayan in Yes Bank board. Mr. Gandhi is a former RBI Deputy Governor and Ananth Narayan is an associate professor. Both of them have been appointed for a period of two years from March 26, when the new board would take charge.
  • RBI to inject Rs 30,000 crore liquidity into the market. It said that the auctions would be conducted on March 24 and March 30 and has decided to conduct purchase of government securities under open market operations.
 
INTERNATIONAL
 
  • Russia starts testing coronavirus vaccine prototypes on animals. Russian scientists have begun testing prototypes of potential vaccines against the new coronavirus on animals in a laboratory in Siberia, Russia's consumer health regulator said. Russia has reported 199 coronavirus cases so far 
  • Nikki Haley resigns from Boeing board over company’s bailout pursuit.Two-term Governor of South Carolina and former US Ambassador to the UN, Haley resigned from the board on March 16, over the major airline manufacturer’s pursuit of federal assistance to mitigate its financial crisis due to the coronavirus. 
  • US approves anti-malarial drug to treat COVID-19. The US has approved the Anti-malarial drug Chloroquine for use as a treatment against the new coronavirus,but the FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn later indicated that, while the drug has not yet been formally approved, access to it was being expanded so that authorities could gather more data.
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SPORTS
  • PK Banerjee, Indian football legend, passes away at 83. A revered figure in Indian football, Banerjee passed away in Kolkata. He captained the national team and has won the gold medal in the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
 
 
 
 
 
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20 APRIL 
 
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
  • 2003 The United States invade Iraq, assisted by the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland
  • 1995 Japanese terrorists release poisonous gas in the Tokyo subway
  • 1916 Albert Einstein presents his general theory of relativity
 
NATIONAL
  • Additional Advisory for Novel Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19). No scheduled  international  commercial  passenger  aircraft  shall  be allowed to land in India from March 22, 2020 for one week.
 
ECONOMY
  • PM Modi's COVID-19 Plan - Janata curfew, economic task force. The PM appealed people to practice social distancing, avoid public spaces and, as a test case, observe a 'Janata Curfew', a self-imposed curfew "of, for and by the people" on Sunday, 22nd March 2020.
  • Setting Up of National Technical Textile Mission. The focus of the Mission is for developing on usage of technical textiles in various flagship missions, programmes of the country including strategic sectors.
  • Rupee breaches 75 to a dollar, hits record low. The rupee tumbled past the 75-to-a-dollar mark for the first time ever as foreign investors continued to pull out of emerging market economies following the spread of COVID-19 that has put global economic growth at risk.
  • IndiGo announces pay cut for senior employees, CEO takes 25 percent cut. With the precipitous drop in revenues, the very survival of the airline industry is now at stake, therefore we are instituting pay cuts for all employees, excluding Bands A and B, starting April 1, 2020, CEO Ronojoy Dutta said in his email to the employees.
 
INTERNATIONAL
  • Chile declares 90-day state of catastrophe. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera declared a 90-day state of catastrophe as cases of COVID-19 mounted in the nation, giving the government extraordinary powers to restrict freedom of movement and assure food supply and basic services.
  • US freezes all visa services worldwide to halt coronavirus spread. The United States is suspending all routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa services in most countries worldwide due to coronavirus outbreak.
  • China reports no new domestic coronavirus cases for first time: National Health Commission. China's National Health Commission (NHC) in its daily report said that no new domestically transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus disease were reported on the Chinese mainland on 18 Mar.
  • Trump signs emergency coronavirus relief bill into law. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which was passed by a vote of 90-8 in the US Senate, provides for free testing of COVID-19, insurance, paid leave for those diagnosed with or caring for someone affected by the virus.
 
SPORTS
  • Janani, Vrinda named in International Panel of ICC Development Umpires. Tamil Nadu's Janani Narayanan and Vrinda Rathi of Mumbai are named in the international panel. The announcement comes soon after the launch of 100% Cricket, a 12-month campaign to build on the momentum of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.
 
 
 
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