Introduction
Current Affairs is a type of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or ongoing at the time of broadcast. The article Current Affairs 7 April 2020 includes News summary on current events of International, National, Education, Banking, Sports, Awards and Obituary importance of 7 April 2020.
INT
China Reports No New Coronavirus Deaths, Decrease In Imported Cases
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Key Highlights- China reported no new coronavirus deaths for the first time since it started publishing figures in January, the National Health Commission said.
- Cases in mainland China have been dwindling since March, but the country faces a second wave of infections brought in from overseas, with health officials reporting nearly 1,000 imported cases in total.
- China's health authorities reported 32 new cases nationwide, all of which were imported.
US Begins Blood Tests For Coronavirus Immunity: Reports
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Key Highlights- The United States has begun taking blood samples from across the country to determine the true number of people infected with the coronavirus, using a test that works retrospectively, according to reports.
- The new tests are based on serological surveys, which differ from the nasal swabs used to determine if someone currently has the virus.
World Short Of Six Million Nurses, Says WHO
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Key Highlights- As COVID-19 captures global headlines, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday that the world needs nearly six million nurses.
- The UN's health agency along with partners Nursing Now and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) underscored in a report the crucial role played by nurses, who make up more than half of all health workers worldwide.
UN Security Council To Hold First Coronavirus Talks
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Key Highlights- The UN Security Council will hold its first meeting on the coronavirus pandemic, after weeks of divisions among its five permanent members, diplomats said.
- Last week, exasperated by the back-and-forth that has paralyzed the council, including between China and the United States, nine of the 10 non-permanent members formally requested a meeting featuring a presentation by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
World Leaders Wish British PM Boris Johnson A Quick Recovery
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Key Highlights- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's admission to intensive care with coronavirus prompted an outpouring of well-wishes from world leaders.
- Here are some of the global figures who wished the British leader a quick recovery
Trump Hints At Retaliation If India Doesn't Send Hydroxychloroquine
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Key Highlights- US President Donald Trump hinted at a possible retaliation if India does not lift its hold on the export of Hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug used in the treatment of coronavirus patients.
- Trump speaking from the White House during the Coronavirus taskforce briefing said that India does very well with the US and he sees no reason why India would not lift the hold on the US order of the medicine.
National
Amid Covid-19 crisis, 198 doctors face absenteeism heat in Bihar
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Key Highlights- Around 198 doctors are in the dock for absenteeism when Bihar has cancelled leaves of health personnel till April 30 in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
- The health department issued show-cause notices to 76 doctors, absent from duty on March 31, while it was in the process of issuing notices to another 122 who were absent on April 1 and 2, said officials.
Railways develops disinfectant tunnel to curb COVID-19 spread
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Key Highlights- The Railways has developed a disinfection tunnel at its Loco Shed in Bhusaval, Maharashtra in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
- Developed at the cost of Rs. 10,000, people are sanitized when they walk through the tunnel. Ppm sodium hypochlorite solution is sprayed for a duration of three to five seconds in order to disinfect people.
Covid-19 update: India records 4,421 coronavirus cases, death toll touches 114
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Key Highlights- India reported 114 Covid-19 related deaths across the country and a jump of 354 coronavirus disease cases taking the tally to 4421, the Union health ministry said.
- As the country entered the 14th day of the country-wide lockdown, there 3981 active cases and 325 people have been cured or discharged or have migrated, the health ministry’s data at 9 am showed.
Odisha govt makes wearing masks in public mandatory, issues guidelines
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Key Highlights- The Odisha government directed the people of the state to cover their mouths and noses with any available form of masks when going out in public.
- “The general public is directed to cover their mouth and nose with any available form of the mask while stepping out of the house for any purpose.
- A handkerchief or any other piece of cloth in at least two layers can also be used for the purpose,” said a government order that will come into effect from 7 am on April 9 and will remain in force till further orders.
Tamil Nadu topped in micro-irrigation coverage under PMKSY for FY 2019-20
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Key Highlights- The state of Tamil Nadu has topped the all-India level for micro-irrigation (MI), under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), with a coverage of 2,06,853.25 ha for the year financial year 2019-20. The state is followed by Karnataka and Gujarat with 1,41,103.56 Ha and 1,08,322.00 Ha of coverage respectively.
- On the other hand, the cumulative total coverage of MI during 2015-2020 has been topped by Karnataka (8,15,690.31 ha) followed by Andhra Pradesh (7,17,421.08 ha) and Gujarat (7,00,858.35 ha). Tamil Nadu occupies the fourth spot with about 5,62,059.11
ICMR approves TB machines for Covid-19 testing
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Key Highlights- The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved the use of Diagnostic machines for COVID-19 tests on April 4, 2020. The machines were used to test drug-resistant Tuberculosis (TB).
- ICMR had recommended the use of the Truenat beta CoV test on Truelab Workstation as a screening test. It has also approved the use of US-FDA approved real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) systems such as GeneXpert and Roche Cobas- 6800/800 in emergency situations.
Testing, treatment is free for Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries
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Key Highlights- National Health Authority (NHA) announced that more than 50 crore eligible citizens under the health insurance scheme of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) will avail free testing through private labs and treatment for COVID-19 in empanelled hospitals to increase the supply of testing and treatment facilities in the country.
- The empanelled hospitals under the AB-PMJAY can use their own authorised testing facilities or tie up with an authorised testing facility & the test will be carried out as per protocols of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and by private labs approved or registered by ICMR.
Central Government Constitutes 10-Member Group Headed by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh kant to Fight Corona
Central government constitutes 10-member group headed by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh kant to fight corona
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Key Highlights- In order to deal with this coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, the central government has constituted a 10-member group under the chairmanship of NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Amitabh Kant.
- The work of this group will primarily identify issues through 3 groups of stakeholders, then present effective measures to address solutions to the issues related to the formulation of plans for counter-activities related to COVID-19. The 3 groups includes
Education
BCECE 2020 postponed due to coronavirus, admit card also delayed
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Key Highlights- Bihar Combined Engineering Competitive Examination Board (BCECEB) has postponed the examination due to coronavirus pandemic. Issuance of BCECE 2020 admit card has also been delayed due to the lockdown.
- BCECE 2020 exam was scheduled to be conducted on April 19 and 20 for which the admit card was to be released on April 6. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown situation, the exam stands postponed.
UNICEF, BEPC to hold online career counselling sessions from April 9 on YouTube
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Key Highlights- The Bihar Education Project Council (BEPC) in association with the UNICEF will provide online career counselling sessions to help the students, who have undertaken Class 10 and 12 examinations.
- Presently, most of the students are in the dilemma as to how to choose the best career path after passing the board examinations.
- At a time when all educational institutes and other consultancy centres are closed amid nationwide lockdown due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the online counseling sessions will be useful for students.
IIT Roorkee develops mobile app to locate coronavirus suspects
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Key Highlights- The IIT Roorkee has developed a mobile tracking application endowed with state-of-the-art features to boost government efforts for the surveillance of coronavirus suspects.
- The application can track the COVID-19 suspects who have been quarantined through the geofencing technology, which marks a virtual geographic area and triggers a response if an individual exits or enters the boundary.
Banking
Sensex rallies over 1,300 points, Nifty reclaims 8,400
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Key Highlights- Equity benchmark Sensex rallied over 1,300 points in early trade on Tuesday led gains in bank, IT and auto stocks amid recovery in global equities.
- After hitting a high of 28,963.25, the 30-share BSE barometer was trading 1,127.57 points or 4.09 percent higher at 28,718.52.
Govt nominated IOB & HDFC Bank for collecting donations of PM Cares Fund
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Key Highlights- After State Bank of India (SBI), now State-owned Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and private lender Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Bank have been nominated for the collection of donations for Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-Cares Fund), which was set up on March 28, 2020 to raise money for providing relief to the affected due to Coronavirus outbreak.
- The contributions can be made by RTGS, NEFT, IMPS, cheques and demand drafts drawn in favour of PM-Cares Fund.
Sports
East Bengal contracts Indian-origin Iranian footballer Omid Singh
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Key Highlights- East Bengal F.C (Football Club ),a professional football Club based in Kolkata, West Bengal (WB), has signed Iran’s Indian-origin footballer Omid Singh (29) for a 2-year deal.
- Omid hails from Punjab and will join the I-League heavyweights from Naft Masjed Soleyman FC in the Persian Gulf Pro League.
COVID-19: Mohun Bagan, East Bengal to join UN-WHO campaign
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Key Highlights- India’s two leading football clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal will join a global campaign by the United Nations and the World Health Organisation to encourage people to remain “active” as millions across the world stay home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The football clubs are among several from across the world that will join the ‘#BeActive’ campaign launched on the UN International Day of Sport for Development and Peace to “encourage people to be #HealthyAtHome as the world comes together in the fight against COVID-19, today and every day.
Resign
China’s High Jumper Zhang Guowei retires at 28
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Key Highlights- China’s world silver- medallist high jumper Zhang Guowei, 28 years old, renowned for his flamboyant twerking celebrations, announced his retirement in high jumping.
- About Zhang: He has won silver at the Beijing 2015 World Championships and also represented China in the London Olympics 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics.
Former Australian Test spinner Stephen O’Keefe retires from 1st class cricket
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Key Highlights- Former Australia Test Spinner Stephen Norman John O’Keefe, 35 years old, has retired from first-class cricket after being omitted from New South Wales’ list of contracted players for the next domestic season.
- About Stephen O’keefe: Stephen, the Australian cricketer who has played for Australian national team in Tests and T20Is (Twenty 20 International). The left-armer took 35 wickets in nine tests including 12 in a match against India at Pune 2017.
Obituary
Malayalam Music composer M.K. Arjunan passed away at 84
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Key Highlights- Famous Malayalam Music Composer M.K. Arjunan (fondly called as Arjunan Master) passed away at the age of 84 in Kochi, Kerala. He was born on March 1, 1936 in Fort Kochi, Kerala.
- About Arjunan: He tuned about 700 songs, many of them among the biggest hits of all time. His songs were celebrated as much as those of great composers like G. Devarajan (who was also his guru), M.S. Baburaj, V. Dakshinamoorthy and K. Raghavan.
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