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 8 April 2020 includes News summary on current events of International, National, Education, Banking, Sports, Awards and Obituary importance of 8 April 2020.
INT
Coronavirus: US records highest death toll in single day
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Key Highlights- The US recorded the most coronavirus deaths in a single day with 1,736 fatalities reported.
- It brings the total number of deaths in the country to 12,722, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
- The US has more than 398,000 confirmed cases, the highest number in the world. Global cases have exceeded 1.4 million.
Indian American’s US pharma firm donates 3.4 million Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate tablets
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Key Highlights- An Indian American-owned pharma firm has pledged to donate 3.4 million Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate tablets to some of the key Covid-19 battleground states, including New York and Louisiana, joining the war against the dreaded coronavirus which by had taken lives of more than 12,800 people in the US alone.
- Owned by philanthropic billionaire Chirag and Chintu Patel, New Jersey-based Amneal Pharmaceuticals, which is one of the largest US-based manufacturers, has also announced ramping up production of Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate at several of its manufacturing sites and expects to produce approximately 20 million tablets between now and mid-April.
Covid-19: ‘Wuhan virus’ no more, US and China in truce
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Key Highlights- The United States and China have reached a truce in a vitriolic feud over the coronavirus pandemic, with the two powers each seeing at least a tactical interest in cooling down.
- President Donald Trump, hardly known for the delicacy of his word choices, has dropped his provocative term “Chinese virus” and held back from criticizing Beijing’s response since a telephone call, on March 26 US time, with his counterpart Xi Jinping.
Russia ready to start testing coronavirus vaccines on humans in June
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Key Highlights- The head of a top Russian research centre told President Vladimir Putin that his lab was ready to start human trials of experimental coronavirus vaccines in June.
- Rinat Maksyutov, head of the Vektor State Virology and Biotechnology Centre, said his facility proposed first-phase clinical trials of three vaccines from June 29, on 180 volunteers.
- Maksyutov was speaking during a video-link meeting between Putin and the heads of top research centres.
Trump sets stage for UNSC meet on Covid-19 on April 9; pans WHO, China
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Key Highlights- After US President Donald Trump virtually blamed the World Health Organisation for playing the Chinese side on the coronavirus pandemic, heat will now mount on Beijing at an informal discussion on the virus outbreak in the UN Security Council on Thursday, April 9, at 3 pm EST (April 10 12.30 am).
- The informal discussion will be preceded by a briefing by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
National
Covid-19 update: Arvind Kejriwal to hold meeting with all Delhi MPs on coronavirus
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Key Highlights- Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a meeting with all the members of Parliament who represent the national capital to discuss the situation over Covid-19 through video-conferencing.
- The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader with speak with both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members at 12 pm as the city report 576 cases of the coronavirus disease and nine deaths till date.
Association of Radio Operators for India asks Sonia Gandhi to withdraw suggestion
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Key Highlights- The Association of Radio Operators for India (AROI) has opposed Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s recommendation to impose a two-year ban on media advertisements by the government and public sector.
- The Congress president had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday with a 5-point list of things that the government should do.
- One of them was to conserve funds by cutting back on advertisements unless these were linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- In a statement, the AROI, a body of private FM channels in the country, said it was strongly opposed to this point.
Covid-19 cases in India breach 5000-mark, death toll at 149
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Key Highlights- India registered 331 new coronavirus cases in the last 12 hours, the government said, taking the number of Covid-19 patients to 5194 and deaths to 149 with 25 new fatalities.
- The latest data available with the Union ministry of health at 8 am showed out of the 4643 active cases, 401 people have been cured or discharged and 149 have died.
Cabinet approved 30% salary cut of PM, Ministers, MPs for FY 20-21 to manage COVID-19; MPLAD suspended for 2 yrs
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Key Highlights- Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved an ordinance of 30% cut in the salaries of all Members of Parliament (MPs) for FY 20-21 and a two-year suspension (2020-21 and 2021-22) of the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme so that the amount saved can go to the Consolidated Fund of India to fight COVID-19.
- This announcement was made by Prakash Javadkar, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting.
Telangana govt deploys ‘Covid-19 Monitoring System’ app
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Key Highlights- The Public Health and Family Welfare Department of the government (govt) of Telangana deployed India’s first automated “COVID- 19 Monitoring System Application”.
- The application (app) was developed by startup Vera Smart Healthcare and launched by Telangana Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivas Rao.
- Objective: The objective of this app is to identify patients, undertake live surveillance, track, monitor and to provide real-time analytics to the Chief Minister and state health department.
Plasma transfusion promise and unemployment rate: Covid-19 news today
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Key Highlights- A new research says virus-fighting antibodies from people who have recovered from Covid-19 can help cure others.
- It describes the technique (convalescent plasma therapy) as a promising option to save lives till a vaccine is found.
- In India, the government appears to be considering suggestions by states to extend the ongoing lockdown even as early estimates of job data suggest Covid-19 may have had a devastating impact on the economy and sent the overall unemployment rate soaring to 23.4% (from 8.4% in mid-March).
Education
Ministers recommend extension of closure of all educational institutions till May 15
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Key Highlights- A Group of Ministers on COVID19 recommended extension of closure of all educational institutions and restricting all religious activities having public participation till May 15 irrespective of whether the government extends the 21-day lockdown or not, official sources said.
- A meeting of the GoM chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and participated by Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman concluded that religious centres, shopping malls and educational institutions must not be allowed to resume normal functioning at least for four weeks from April 14 when the current lockdown ends.
Colleges, varsities postpone application process to beat lockdown loss
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Key Highlights- In a major relief to students aspiring to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate courses this year, various colleges and universities in the state have decided to extend the admission process amid the nationwide lockdown.
- Patna University (PU), which had earlier announced to begin its admission process from April 3, has postponed the admission process till further notice.
Delhi govt schools likely to tie up with online learning platform for students during lockdown
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Key Highlights- The Delhi government is in talks with an online learning platform to explore a programme for students that expands the accessibility of educational resources, particularly in Maths and Science subjects, during the ongoing lockdown.
- The government is looking to design ways to help students continue with their learning during the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 situation, according to government officials.
Banking
SBI cuts savings rate by 25 bps to 2.75 per cent
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Key Highlights- The country’s largest lender SBI said it has cut savings rate by 0.25 per cent to 2.75 per cent on all deposits.
- The new rate will come into effect from April 15, 2020.
- In view of adequate liquidity in the system, SBI realigned its interest rates on Savings Bank Deposits, with effect from April 15, 2020, SBI said in a statement.
Covid-19: Rupee slips 21 paise to 75.85 against US dollar in early trade
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Key Highlights- The Indian rupee fell 21 paise to 75.85 against the US dollar in opening trade, as investors braced for a prolonged period of uncertainty as coronavirus cases rise.
- Forex traders said rising brent prices and firm US dollar index weighed on the local unit.
- The rupee opened weak at 75.83 at the interbank forex market and then fell further to 75.85, down 21 paise over its last close.
App
UB Pravin Rao appointed as Chairman & Rekha Menon as vice chairperson of NASSCOM
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Key Highlights- The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) appoints Infosys Chief Operating Officer(COO) UB Pravin Rao as its chairman & chairman and senior managing director of Accenture in India Rekha M Menon as its vice president for 2020-21.
- UB Pravin Rao succeeds Keshav Murugesh, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of World Network Services (WNS) Global Services, who served as chairman of NASSCOM for the year 2019-20.
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