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Current Affairs Today – 18th April 2020
NEWS AT A GLANCE
- World Heritage Day known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites is observed annually on April 18.
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has announced that it is to finance $500 million projects in India to help the country improve its health care systems.
- CBDT informed the Income-tax refunds are obtained over eight lakh small businesses worth over five thousand 204 crore rupees issued in the last ten days.
- Amid the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Postal employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks are performing various departmental duties as well as serving the social cause in the crisis times.
- TVS Motor Company‘s overseas subsidiary TVS Motor Singapore Pte. Ltd has acquired the United Kingdom’s most iconic sporting motorcycle brand ‘Norton’.
- The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, developed mobile application SAHYO, an Integrated Geospatial Platform out of available geospatial datasets, standards-based services, and analytic tools.
- Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan had a detailed meeting with medical officials with Delhi Medical Superintendents of various hospitals in New Delhi.
- Group of Ministers (GOM) reviewed the current status and actions for the management of COVID-19.
- Home Ministry extended regular and e-visas of all foreigners who are stranded in India due to the coronavirus lockdown till May 3 on a gratis basis.
- The Delhi Government has launched ‘Assess Koro Na’ mobile application.
- In Madhya Pradesh, the state government has decided that the health workers who are directly engaged in the treatment of Corona patients will be given a service amount of Rs 10 thousand every month as honorarium
- Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced the extension of the 24-hour National Sterilisation Programme for another week from 4th April to control the spread of COVID-19 in Dubai.
- US President Donald Trump unveiled a three-phase plan to reopen the country’s economy following the COVID-19 outbreak
- IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva confirmed the world economy was already sluggish before the coronavirus outbreak now bound to suffer a “severe recession” in 2020.
- The Indian High Commission in United Kingdom has organised a virtual roundtable COVID-19 meet for businesses “Covid-19: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward”.
- The National Conference on Kharif crops 2020 was held through video conference.
- Central Drug Research Institute has inked an MoU with King George’s Medical University, Lucknow to sequence the virus strains obtained from COVID-19 patients in Uttar Pradesh
- A book titled “Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P V Sindhu” authored by Krishnaswamy V was published by HarperCollins in Amazon digital platform along with other two books, amid the lockdown due to Coronavirus.
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed Automatic Mist Based Sanitiser Dispensing Unit and UV Sanitisation Box and Hand-held UV device to fight against COVID-19.
- Indian Council of Medical Research recently issued an advisory mentioning the protocol for using Rapid Antibody Test kits in COVID-19 hotspot areas across states to use these kits in the affected areas.
NEWS IN DETAILS
IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES
World Heritage Day observed on April 18
- World Heritage Day known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites is observed annually on April 18.
Theme
- The theme of World Heritage Day 2020 is “Shared Culture’, ‘Shared heritage’ and ‘Shared responsibility”.
- The main aim is to promote cultural heritage through activities undertaken by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
History
- The first World Heritage Day was organized by the ICOMOS in 1982 but it only got approved by the UN General Assembly in the following year.
- India has 38 heritage sites listed under UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list.
- International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) organization established on the year 1964 International Charter on the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites.
Extra Shots:
UNESCO: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations aimed at contributing “to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Head: Audrey Azoulay
- Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom
- Formation: 4 November 1946; 73 years ago
- Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
AIIB to lend USD 500 mn to India to help fight COVID-19 pandemic
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has announced that it is to finance $500 million projects in India to help the country improve its health care systems.
- With this, AIIB has doubled its funds under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility.
Highlights:
- The aim of the move is to help reduce health care pressures in pandemic preparedness and health infrastructure in India. It will also provide liquidity, fiscal and budgetary support.
- The funding is to be used for the purchase of equipment and for detection capacity.
- The move comes as India approaches AIIB for financial assistance to combat COVID-19.
Extra Shots:
AIIB: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a multilateral development bank that aims to support the building of infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region. The bank currently has 78 members as well as 24 prospective members from around the world.
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Region served: Asia and Oceania
- Membership: 76 Members
- Main organ: Board of Governors; Board of Directors
- Purpose: Crediting
- Legal status: Treaty
- Formation: 16 January 2016 (Open for business); 25 December 2015 (Entry into force Articles of Agreement)
CBDT refunds over five thousand 204 crore rupees to help MSME
- CBDT informed the Income-tax refunds are obtained over eight lakh small businesses worth over five thousand 204 crore rupees issued in the last ten days.
- Income tax refunds will help MSME to carry on their business activities without pay cuts and layoffs in COVID-19 pandemic situations.
- Income tax department issued nearly 14 lakh refunds up to five lakh each to date to help taxpayers.CBDT will issue refunds worth of seven thousand 760 crore rupees.
- CBDT gave its request to taxpayers to respond regarding reconciliation queries about outstanding tax demands.
- Around one lakh 74 thousand cases, responses are awaited from taxpayers.
Extra Shots:
MSME: The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, a branch of the Government of India, is the apex executive body for the formulation and administration of rules, regulations and laws relating to micro, small and medium enterprises in India.
- Founded: 2006
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Jurisdiction: India
- Annual budget: 6,552.61 crores INR (US$950 million, 2018-19 est.)
- Departments: National Small Industries Corporation, National Institute of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
- Officeholders: Giriraj Singh (MOS independent charge), Nitin Gadkari (Union Minister)
Central Board of Direct Taxes:
- CBDT was set up under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963. It functions as a Division of the Ministry dealing with matters relating to levy and collection of direct taxes.
- Formed on: 1944
- Chairperson of CBDT: Pramod Chandra Mody
Rs.10 lakhs Compensation for all Postal employees
- Amid the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Postal employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks are performing various departmental duties as well as serving the social cause in the crisis times.
- Therefore, it has been decided to grant payment of compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs to all the Postal employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) succumbing to the disease while brought on duty.
- The above guidelines have been implemented immediately and continues for the entire period till the crises of COVID-19 is over.
- During the lockdown situation due to COVID-19, the Postal employees including the Gramin Dak Sevaks are doing various duties such as providing mail delivery to customers, Post Office Saving Bank, Postal Life Insurance, the ease of money withdrawal at his/her doorstep from any bank and any branch under the AePS facility
Extra Shots:
Indian Post Office: The Department of Posts, trading as India Post, is a government-operated postal system in India, which is a subsidiary of the Ministry of Communications. Generally called “the post office” in India, it is the most widely distributed postal system in the world.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Founder: Government of India
- Founded: 1 April 1854
- Number of employees: 4,33,417 (March 2017)
- Subsidiary: India Post Payments Bank
- Parent organization: Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
TVS Motor Company acquires sporting Motorcycle brand ‘Norton’
- TVS Motor Company‘s overseas subsidiary TVS Motor Singapore Pte. Ltd has acquired the United Kingdom’s most iconic sporting motorcycle brand ‘Norton’. The iconic sporting motorcycle brand was acquired in an all-cash transaction of £16 million.
- As a part of deal, TVS Motor Singapore Pte. Ltd has signed an asset purchase agreement with Norton Motorcycles Holdings Ltd and Norton Motorcycles (UK) Ltd.
- Norton, a 122 year-old motorcycle company was founded by James Lansdowne Norton in Birmingham and went on to become the most popular British motorcycle brands of all time.
- Norton has a popular series of bikes sold under Commando and Dominator names.
Extra Shots:
TVS Motor Company:
- Headquarters: Chennai
- CEO: K. N. Radhakrishnan
- Parent organization: Sundaram – Clayton Limited
NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Centre launches SAHYO app to help area-specific strategies, decisions in COVID-19 outbreak
- The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, developed mobile application SAHYO, an Integrated Geospatial Platform out of available geospatial datasets, standards-based services, and analytic tools.
- The mobile application and the website prepared and managed by the Survey of India (SoI)
SAHYO:
- The SAHYO aims to help decision making during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- It will aid devising area-specific strategies to handle the socio-economic impact in the recovery phase.
- The platform will strengthen the public health delivery system of the Central and State Governments.
- It will provide the necessary geospatial information support to citizens and agencies dealing with the challenges related to socio-economic distress, health, and livelihood challenges.
- SAHYO is also available as a web portal in https://indiamaps.gov.in/soiapp/
- The app has been customized to collect COVID-19 specific geospatial datasets through community engagement to augment the response activities by the Government of India to the pandemic.
- Information parameters required as per the strategy of the Government of India strategy and containment plan for large outbreaks have been incorporated in the SAHYOG application.
- This integrated geospatial platform will strengthen India’s health emergency management due to the COVID-19 outbreak and support the socio-economic recovery process through the seamless provision of spatial data, information, and linkage between human, medical, technological, infrastructural and natural resources.
Extra Shots:
DST: The Department of Science and Technology is a department within the Ministry of Science and Technology in India.
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Founded: May 1971
- Subsidiary: National Innovation Foundation – India
Union Health Minister instructs New Delhi hospitals to take of non-COVID patients
- Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan had a detailed meeting with medical officials with Delhi Medical Superintendents of various hospitals in New Delhi.
- Medical Superintendents of the hospitals in the city to take proper care of non-COVID patients.
- He receives complaints regarding denial of treatment to patients suffering from critical ailments other then COVID-19 and who require dialysis or are suffering from heart disease.
- We have dedicated COVID-19 facilities in hospitals like AIIMS and Safdarjung, and two dedicated COVID Delhi Government hospitals – LNJP hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital in the city.
- The other hospitals are supposed to take care of on- COVID patients
GoM reviews actions for management of COVID-19
- Group of Ministers (GOM) reviewed the current status and actions for the management of COVID-19.
- The committee New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan detailed deliberation on containment and management of COVID-19.
- GoM discussed the actions are taken and the current status of social distancing measures are taken by the government contain the spread of COVID-19.
- Devoting adequate resources for creating dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, equipping the medical institutes with PPEs, ventilators, and other essential equipment.
- GoM reviewed the testing strategy and availability of testing kits across the country, along with the strategy for hotspots and cluster management.
- Around 170 districts are being put in Red Zone or Hotspots with 123 districts with large outbreaks and 47 districts with clusters.
- There are 207 non- hotspot districts with clusters and 353 districts which are placed in the green zone as they are non-infected.
Government extends regular and e-visas of all foreigners stranded till May 3
- Home Ministry extended regular and e-visas of all foreigners who are stranded in India due to the coronavirus lockdown till May 3 on a gratis basis.
- The Home Ministry also said the visa granted to those foreigners, except diplomats and UN officials, who are supposed to come to India, will remain suspended till May 3.
- The home ministry said that after considering the matter, it has been decided to extend the period of providing consular services by the Office of Foreigners Regional Registration Officers and Foreigners Registration Officers to foreign nationals, presently stranded in India.
- Exit to such foreign nationals, if requested during this period, will also be granted up to 14 days beyond May 3, i.e. May 17, without any overstay penalty.
STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Delhi government launches ‘Assess Koro Na’ app
- The Delhi Government has launched ‘Assess Koro Na’ mobile application.
- The Delhi government has also advised the officials to use the new ‘Assess Koro Na’ app to do door-to-door survey in COVID-19 containment zones.
- This mobile application will speed up decision-making by analysing the real-time data and hence removing a major obstacle in the efforts to contain the virus.
- Through this app, the collected data can be uploaded in real-time on the servers for its immediate analysis.
- The ‘Assess Koro Na’ mobile application has launched keeping in view the challenges faced by the officials in collecting and analysing the data of a person in a physical form.
MP govt decides to give ten thousand rupees every month to each personnel engaged in treatment of corona patients
- In Madhya Pradesh, the state government has decided that the health workers who are directly engaged in the treatment of Corona patients will be given a service amount of Rs 10 thousand every month as honorarium
- If employees of other departments engaged in the service of Corona patients are also be infected then they will also be given Rs 10 thousand as service amount.
Extra Shots:
Madhya Pradesh:
- Capital: Bhopal
- Chief Minister: Kamal Nath
- Governor: Lalji Tandon
- National Park: Bandhavgarh NP, Fossil NP, Kanha NP, Madhav NP, Panna NP, Pench NP, Sanjay NP, Satpura NP
INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Dubai extends 24-hour coronavirus lockdown by a week
- Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced the extension of the 24-hour National Sterilisation Programme for another week from 4th April to control the spread of COVID-19 in Dubai.
- Dubai Media Office to announce the extension of the 24-hour lockdown in the Emirate of Dubai for another one week.
- On the 4th of April, UAE govt announced a complete lockdown for two weeks which was due to end on the 18th of April 2020.
- The lockdown as of now has been extended till the 24th of this month.
- Friday Prayers remained suspended yesterday following the directives of the UAE Govt to close the places of worship in the country until further notice.
US President Donald Trump unveils three phase plan to ease lockdown
- US President Donald Trump unveiled a three-phase plan to reopen the country’s economy following the COVID-19 outbreak.
- The new program allows governors to ease the lockdown in their states gradually.
- America wants to be open and that a national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution.
- His administration is issuing new federal guidelines that will allow governors to take a phased approach to reopen their states.
- The guidelines recommend that states see a downward trajectory for 14 days in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases before they move to lift stay-at-home orders and other restrictions.
- The second phase includes asking for all vulnerable individuals to shelter in place, encourage telework, closure of common areas, and physical distancing.
- The third phase is permanently returning to the new normal with better hygiene practices, and respect for spaces between individuals.
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USA (Capital/Currency): Washington, D.C./ United States Dollar
- President: Donald Trump
IMF Chief confirms World economy to suffer severe recession in 2020
- IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva confirmed the world economy was already sluggish before the coronavirus outbreak now bound to suffer a “severe recession” in 2020.
- Addressing the Development Committee Meeting during the annual Spring Meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the IMF Managing Director said a massive global contraction in the first half of this year was inevitable.
- The global coronavirus outbreak is a crisis that is like no other and poses daunting challenges for policymakers in many emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), especially where the pandemic encounters weak public health systems, capacity constraints.
- Countries that were affected early-such as China, South Korea, and Italy-have suffered massive contractions in manufacturing activity and services, exceeding the losses recorded at the onset of the global financial crisis.
Extra Shots:
International Monetary Fund (IMF):
- IMF promotes international monetary co-operation and facilitates international trade. It aims to foster sustainable economic growth, make resources available to members experiencing balance of payments difficulties.
- Formed on: 27 December 1945
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C., The US
- Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva
- Chief Economist: Gita Gopinath
- Membership: 189 countries
- Official language: English
SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES
Indian High Commission (UK) hosts virtual meet for businesses
- The Indian High Commission in United Kingdom has organised a virtual roundtable COVID-19 meet for businesses “Covid-19: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward”.
- The virtual conference was held to address concerns around the economic impact of the coronavirus lockdown in the United Kingdom.
- It was held in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and purposed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various stimulus steps unveiled by the UK government.
- The “Covid-19: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward” meet also deliberated on the issues faced by Indian businesses across various sectors such as financial services, hospitality, healthcare, information technology and IT services.
National Conference on Kharif crops 2020 held
- The National Conference on Kharif crops 2020 was held through video conference.
- The prime objective of the conference was to discuss various issues and to list out measures in consultation with the States about their preparedness for Kharif cultivation amid the lockdown situation.
- The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar addressed the conference.
- During the conference, the minister emphasized on achieving the aim of kharif target and take up doubling of farmers’ income in the mission mode.
- He also urged the states to explain two schemes namely “PM Fasal Bima Yojana” and “Soil Health Card scheme” to each farmer.
- He also announced the commencement of All India Agri Transport Call Centre in order to ensure that Agriculture is not affected due to the lockdown.
AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED
Central Drug Research Institute inks an MoU with King George’s Medical University to sequence virus strains
- Central Drug Research Institute has inked an MoU with King George’s Medical University, Lucknow to sequence the virus strains obtained from COVID-19 patients in Uttar Pradesh
- Initially, the Lucknow-based lab will sequence the virus strains from the samples of a few patients.
- A team has been put into place for analyzing whether changes to the viral sequences, if any, will impact the proposed treatment strategies.
- Therapeutics or repurposing of drugs to fight against COVID-19 is another vertical of the five verticals formulated by the Council of Scientific and Industrial
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P V Sindhu authored by Krishnaswamy V
- A book titled “Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P V Sindhu” authored by Krishnaswamy V was published by HarperCollins in Amazon digital platform along with other two books, amid the lockdown due to Coronavirus.
Highlights:
- “Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P V Sindhu”, conveys the story of one of the finest badminton players in the world. The biography tells her life from the time when, while living in the colony of Secunderabad, she travelled over 40 km every day by train to get to P Gopichand’s academy and train.
- P V Sindhu has achieved so much, including four World Championship medals besides those at Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
- About Krishnaswamy V: He is a sports journalist who has covered seven Olympic Games and numerous international championships in badminton. He is also the author of Sachin: A Hundred Hundreds Now.
- The other two books published by Harpercollins include “Shameless” by Taslima Nasreen. The book was translated from Bengali written by Arunava Sinha.
- The third book is “The Big Questions of Life” authored by Om Swami which marks the way to enlightenment through mindful thinking.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DRDO develops Automatic Sanitiser Dispensing Unit and UV Sanitisation Box to fight coronavirus
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed Automatic Mist Based Sanitiser Dispensing Unit and UV Sanitisation Box and Hand-held UV device to fight against COVID-19.
Automatic Mist Based Sanitiser Dispensing Unit:
- Centre for Fire Explosive & Environment Safety (CFEES), Delhi has developed an automatic mist based sanitizer dispensing unit. It is a contactless sanitizer dispenser that sprays alcohol-based hand rub sanitizer solution for sanitization of hands while entering the buildings/office complexes, etc. It is based on water mist aerator technology, which was developed for water conservation.
- It operates without contact and is activated through an ultrasonic sensor. A single fluid nozzle with a low flow rate is used to generate aerated mist to dispense the hand rub sanitizer. The sanitizer will sanitize the hands with minimum wastage. Using an atomizer, only 5-6 ml sanitizer is released for 12 seconds in one operation.
UV Sanitisation Box & Hand-held UV device:
- Defence Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences (DIPAS) and Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS) have designed & developed Ultraviolet C Light-based sanitization box and handheld UV-C (ultraviolet light with wavelength 254 nanometres) device.
- The UV-C will destroy genetic material in COVID-19. The radiation warps the structure RNA which prevents the viral particles from making more copies of themselves. This is environment friendly and is a contact-free effective sanitization method.
DRDO: The Defence Research and Development Organisation is an agency of the Government of India, charged with the military’s research and development, headquartered in Delhi India.
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Motto: बलस्य मूलं विज्ञानम्; “Strength’s Origin is in Science” (Sanskrit)
- Founded: 1958
- Director: G. Satheesh Reddy
ICMR issues advisory for Rapid Antibody kits in COVID-19 hotspot areas
- Indian Council of Medical Research recently issued an advisory mentioning the protocol for using Rapid Antibody Test kits in COVID-19 hotspot areas across states to use these kits in the affected areas.
- National Task Force has carefully reviewed the data evolving from various countries on the use of such kits and, based on available evidence tests are revised.
Rapid Antibody Test Kit
- The rapid antibody test kits to understand that gold standard frontline test for COVID-19 diagnosis is Real-Time PCR based molecular test, which is aimed at early virus detection.
- The rapid antibody test cannot replace the frontline test.
- It also said that the rapid antibody test is a supplementary tool to assess the prevalence of the diseases within a specific area, and the rapid antibody test will only be of utility after a minimum of seven days of onset of symptoms.
Extra Shots:
ICMR: The Indian Council of Medical Research, the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest and largest medical research bodies in the world.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Secretary & Director General: Dr. Balram Bhargava
- Founder: Government of India
- Founded: 1911
- Leader: Balram Bhargava
- Type of business: Government
