Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 08-04-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 08-04-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Maharashtra reports its biggest 1-day surge in cases (150), deaths (12) - Less than a month after the first Covid-19 positive case was reported in Maharashtra, the state’s count breached the 1,000-mark. With a record 150 new cases added, the total number has gone up to 1,018. In the last fortnight alone, the number of cases reported daily has jumped from 10-15 to about 140-150 now. With 12 deaths accounted, the toll for the state stands at 64. Of the 12, six were from Mumbai, 3 from Pune and one each from Mira-Bhayandar, Nagpur and Satara. With 116 new cases, Mumbai now has 642 patients; its toll has risen to 40.
2. Sensex up record 2,476 pts on global rally, talk of India easing lockdown - A strong market rally across the globe on slowing daily coronavirus infection numbers, talk of a phased exit from the nationwide lockdown in India, expectations of foreign fund inflow aggregating $1.3 billion into the country after MSCI rejigs its indices and some short covering by speculators combined to lift sensex by 2,476 points on Tuesday, its biggest-ever single-session points gain, to close at 30,067. The day’s gains came on the back of strong buying in heavyweights like RIL, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Infosys and HUL, BSE data showed. The day’s 9% gain was the sensex's biggest percentage rise since May 18, 2009 when it had closed almost 20% higher after Manmohan Singh was re-elected to lead the UPA-II government at the Centre. Tuesday’s rally also added about Rs 8 lakh crore to investors’ wealth with BSE’s market capitalisation now at Rs 115.8 lakh crore.
3. India lifts ban on export of hydroxychloroquine - India on Tuesday announced that it had rescinded its earlier ban on the export of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which is now being used in countries such as the U.S. as a possible line of treatment for COVID-19. The MEA announcement came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said that India could invite “retaliation” if it withheld supplies of HCQ, for which the U.S., Brazil and other countries have already placed advance orders.
4. British PM moved to intensive care - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was taken into intensive care on Tuesday with COVID-19, while Japan’s leader declared a month-long state of emergency for Tokyo and six other regions to keep the virus from ravaging the world’s oldest population. Mr. Johnson,55, the first major world leader confirmed to have COVID-19, was in stable condition and conscious at a London hospital, where he was receiving oxygen but was not on a ventilator, said his spokesman James Slack. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has taken over many of Mr. Johnson’s duties temporarily while he is being treated. Britain has no official post of deputy Prime Minister.
5. U.S. death toll crosses 11,000 - Americans were put on notice not to let up in the fight against COVID-19, as a grim milestone of 11,000 deaths cast a pall over the first signs of optimism about the outbreak’s trajectory. The U.S. has emerged as one of the world’s worst-hit nations, with a steadily mounting number of fatalities and millions facing the possibility of economic ruin. Authorities began the week by telling frightened communities to brace for one of the worst periods yet in an outbreak that has not yet reached its peak. Johns Hopkins University, which has been keeping a running tally of coronavirus numbers, said more than 3,69,000 U.S. cases had been confirmed, with 10,986 deaths. New York State has recorded its highest number of COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, adding though that hospitalizations appeared to be “plateauing.”.
6. No new COVID-19 deaths in China - Mainland China reported no COVID-19 deaths for the first time since the pandemic began and a drop in new cases, a day before the central city of Wuhan, where the virus emerged late in December, was set to lift its lockdown. China had reported 32 new infections, down from 39 a day earlier. For the first time Wuhan saw no new deaths. Wuhan, a city of 11 million that reported only two new infections in the past fortnight, is due to allow residents to leave the city for the first time since it was locked down on January 23 to curb the spread of the virus.
7. Cardinal Pell acquitted of sexual offences - Australia’s highest court acquitted former Vatican treasurer George Pell on Tuesday of sexually assaulting two teenaged choirboys in the 1990s, freeing the 78-year-old cardinal after 404 days in jail. The Vatican welcomed the decision and praised Mr. Pell for having “waited for the truth to be ascertained”. The verdict comes in the middle of Holy Week, the period leading up to Easter, the most important day in the Christian calendar. A few hours after Mr. Pell’s acquittal, Pope Francis offered his morning Mass for those who suffer from unjust sentences. Francis did not mention Mr. Pell by name.
8. Prince Harry and Meghan Start a charitable organisation named Archewell - Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle are planning to launch a wide-ranging nonprofit organization named Archewell, in the United States. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who formally stepped down as senior members of the British royal family last week, told they were establishing the organization in the United States, where they are based. The charitable organization will include emotional support groups, a multimedia educational empire and a wellbeing website, among other things. The new name is derived from the Greek word Arche, meaning “source of action,” and was reportedly the inspiration behind the name of their 11-month-old son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.
9. Chief Minister of Delhi announced “5 Ts Plan” to control the spread of COVID-19: Testing, Tracing, Treatment, Teamwork and Tracking & monitoring.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	Central Ground Water Board	Young Professionals and Consultant	62	M.Sc/MS/M.Tech/M.Sc.Tech	April 25, 2020	http://cgwb.gov.in/documents/Final%20amended%20Advt%20Hiring%20Young%20professional%20CGWB%204th%20April%2020%20pdf.pdf
2	NAFED	Asst Manager (IT/ Accounts)	5	B.Com, BE/ B.Tech/ MCA, MBA, CA/ ICWA	April 21, 2020	http://182.74.122.83/NafedHRMs/JobList
3	SAMEER	Scientist B, C	30	BE/ B.Tech/ ME/ M.Tech	April 30, 2020	https://www.sameer.gov.in/Download/recruitments/Advt_02_2020.pdf
4	North Western Railway	Nursing Officer, Pharmacist & Other	28	10+2, B.Sc, MD/ DNB	April 8, 2020	https://nwr.indianrailways.gov.in/ticker/1586091148272persbkn.PDF
5	North Western Railway	Nursing Officer, Pharmacist & Other	57	10+2, MD/ DNB	April 9, 2020	https://nwr.indianrailways.gov.in/ticker/1586073575026New%20Doc%202020-04-05%2011.48.30.pdf
6	DMHO, Guntur	Staff Nurse, Lab Technician, Pharmacist Gr II	136	SSC, Diploma, Degree, MBBS, MD, MS, M.Pharm	April 7, 2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s30777d5c17d4066b82ab86dff8a46af6f/uploads/2020/04/20200401100.pdf
7	District Panchayat, Junagadh	Medical Officer & Supporting Staff	14	--	April 11, 2020	https://junagadhdp.gujarat.gov.in/junagadh/images/health-recruitment-junagadh.pdf

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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• 1. CONSTITUTION AND LAW (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

1.1 30 common law principles ruling the litigation front in India – Part III of III

• Principle 21 - Ideas cannot be copyrighted.
• Principle 22 - Cause of action comprises of every fact which is necessary to be proved
• Principle 23 - The court never orders a defendant to give particulars of facts and matters which the plaintiff has to prove in order to succeed.
• Principle 24 - Rule as to evidence beyond pleadings: When pleadings are silent on an issue, the party is precluded from adducing evidence in respect of that issue.
• Principle 25 - Claim for damages on breach of contract: Reasonable Compensation Principle
• Principle 26 - When an agreement is invalid every part of it including the clause as to arbitration contained therein must also be invalid.
• Principle 27 - What is a debt?
• Principle 28 - What is an interlocutory decision?
• Principle 29 - A pure question of law can be examined at any stage, including before the court of last resort.
• Principle 30 - Disobeying the order of the court does not put a bar on a party's right of being heard.
  

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• 2. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

2.1 SBI cuts savings rate by 0.25 per cent to 2.75 per cent on all deposits from April 15

• The move is aimed to have adequate liquidity in the system.
• The savings rate has been reduced to 2.75 per cent from 3 per cent.
• SBI has also reduced the marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) by 35 bps across all tenors.
• The one-year MCLR comes down to 7.40 per cent per annum from 7.75 per cent per with effect from April 10, 2020.
• It is the 11th consecutive cut in MCLR in 2019-20.
• The one-year tenor is the benchmark against which most of the consumer loans are priced.

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• 3. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

3.1 Spread of Covid-19 infection from humans to animals

• A Tiger was found infected with Covid-19 in New York (Bronx Zoo).
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued an advisory regarding the containing and management of Covid-19 in National Parks/Sanctuaries/Tiger Reserves.
• A tiger in Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh) has died due to respiratory illness.  
• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is investigating whether the tiger should be tested for the novel coronavirus disease.
•  However, swabs from the throat and nose to test for rhinotracheitis, a viral infection that afflicts cats and causes respiratory illness were collected.
• The Bronx Zoo case suggests that a zoo employee spread the virus to the tiger.
• The virus came from an animal source and mutated; humans have since been infecting humans.
• Thus, it is theoretically possible for the virus to mutate again to survive in certain species after being transmitted by humans.
• Both the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and the NTCA have issued guidelines that require zoos to be on the “highest alert” and monitor animals on closed-circuit cameras 24/7 for “abnormal behaviour and symptoms.”
• The CWLW is the statutory authority under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 who heads the Wildlife Wing of a State Forest Department and exercises complete administrative control over Protected Areas (PAs) within a state.
• The CZA has also directed zookeepers to approach sick animals wearing personal protective equipment and isolate and quarantine them.
• Central Zoo Authority - The CZA is a statutory body whose main objective is to enforce minimum standards and norms for upkeep and health care of animals in Indian zoos. It was established in 1992. Zoos are regulated as per the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and are guided by the National Zoo Policy, 1998.
• National Tiger Conservation Authority - NTCA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It was established in December, 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it .
• Pench Tiger Reserve, Seoni (Madhya Pradesh) is one of the major Protected Areas of Satpura-Maikal ranges of the Central Highlands. It was included in the Project Tiger in 1992-93. It is among the sites notified as Important Bird Areas of India (IBA). Rudyard Kipling’s famous "The Jungle Book" was inspired by Pench National Park and surrounding area. Three types of forests are found here; first, southern tropical wet dry forest; second southern tropical dry deciduous teak forest and third, southern tropical dry deciduous mixed forest.
• The major Carnivores are Tiger, leopard, wild cat, wild dog, hyena, jackal, fox, wolf, weasel, among the vegetarian species, Gaur, Nilgai, Sambar, Chital, Chasinga, Chinkara, Wild Pig etc. are prominent. There are a lot of migratory birds seen in the cold season. Among the migratory birds, Ruddy shelduck, Pintail, Whistling Teal and Vegtel etc are prominent.
• IBA - The IBA is a programme of Birdlife International which aims to identify, monitor and protect a global network of IBAs for conservation of the world’s birds and associated diversity. It has a contiguous forest cover with Kanha Tiger Reserve and Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra).

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• 4. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

4.1 International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda observed on April 7

• The Rwandan genocide was a mass slaughter of Tutsi in Rwanda during the Rwandan Civil War, which had started in 1990. It was directed by members of the Hutu majority government during the 100-day period from April 7th to mid-July 1994.
• It is estimated that up to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed, constituting an estimated 70% of the Tutsi population. Additionally, 30% of the Pygmy Batwa were killed.
• The genocide and widespread slaughter of Rwandans ended after the Tutsi-backed and heavily armed Rwandan Patriotic Front, led by Paul Kagame, took control of the capital and the country. An estimated 2,000,000 Rwandans, mostly Hutu, were displaced and became refugees.
• Genocide Memorial Day marks the beginning of the national mourning period that lasts until July 4th and Liberation Day, a day set aside to celebrate the day Rwanda Patriotic Front brought to an end the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
• In 2003, a United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda on April 7th. In January 2018, the day was renamed as International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

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• 5. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

5.1 HRD Ministry, AICTE, Forge and InnovatioCuris launched mega online challenge ‘SAMADHAN’ for students, researchers and innovators to develop solutions against coronavirus epidemic and future challenges.

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Roundup – Arts and Culture

•  ICCR launches global painting competition on coronavirus - The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) announced launch of a global painting competition entitled “United against CORONA- Express through Art” open to both Indians and foreigners. Participants are required to send high resolution photos (upto a maximum 10MB) of their work to ICCR by May 1, 2020.

• A painting by Dutch master Vincent van Gogh (in photo) stolen from museum in the Netherlands - A painting by Dutch master Vincent van Gogh was stolen in an overnight smash-and-grab raid on a museum that was closed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Singer Laren Museum, based at Laren in the Netherlands, said that The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring 1884 by the Dutch master was stolen in the early hours of March 30, 2020. The painting has an estimated value of between €1 million to €6 million.
• Veteran Japanese comedian Ken Shimura dies at 70 from coronavirus - Veteran Japanese comedian Ken Shimura, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus recently, died at the age of 70 on March 29, 2020 in Tokyo. 

• Singer-songwriter Adam Schlesinger dies aged 52 in US - Emmy award winning singer-songwriter Adam Schlesinger, best known as the co-founder of the 2000s pop-rock band Fountains of Wayne, died due to coronavirus complications on April 1, 2020 at the age of 52 in US.
• WWII hero Rafael Gomez Nieto dies in France at 99 - Rafael Gomez Nieto, the last surviving member of a company of Spanish soldiers that fought with French forces in liberating Paris from Nazi occupation in November 1944, died due to coronavirus aged 99 in France on March 31, 2020.

• South African virologist Gita Ramjee dies aged 64 - Internationally-renowned Indian-origin South African virologist Gita Ramjee died due to COVID-19 complications at the age of 64.
• Actress-writer Patricia Bosworth dies - Patricia Bosworth, an actress who later wrote biographies on several stars including Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift, died due to the coronavirus at the age of 86 on April 2, 2020 in New York.

• Greek resistance hero Manolis Glezos dies at 97 - Greek resistance hero during the Second World War Manolis Glezos died at the age of 97 in Athens on March 30, 2020. He tore down the Nazi swastika flag from the Acropolis on May 30, 1941.
• Singer Bill Withers dies in US at 81 - Bill Withers, the legendary soul singer behind 1970s hits like Lean on Me, Lovely Day and Ain’t No Sunshine, died on March 30, 2020 in Los Angeles at the age of 81. The singer was three-time Grammy winner and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.
• Jazz great Ellis Marsalis passes away aged 85 in US - Jazz great Ellis Marsalis died on April 1, 2020 at the age of 85 after contracting the coronavirus. The acclaimed American pianist and teacher was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2018.
• Leonardo DiCaprio launches relief fund to feed poor amid coronavirus crisis - Actor Leonardo DiCaprio on April 2, 2020 launched a hunger relief initiative - America’s food fund - to raise funds for helping the low-income families of America that have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’ actor is joined by philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs and technology giant Apple in the hunger relief initiative.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Covid 19 measures and precautions

• Health Ministry’s HLL Lifecare Ltd launches rapid antibody diagnostic kit named ‘MakeSure’ for COVID-19
• DRDO, Wipro 3D develop full face shield for healthcare personnel treating COVID-19 patients
• WhatsApp to limit sharing of frequently forwarded messages to only one chat at a time.
• Indian Railways develops low-cost ventilator ‘Jeevan’ at its Kapurthala Rail Coal Factory, seeks ICMR approval for production.

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• 8. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

8.1 Gender violence is also a widely spread disease – United Nations

• Amid lockdown all over the world there were news related to increased violence against women.
• The UN Women has urged member-states to include prevention of violence against women in their action plans on COVID-19 and consider shelters and helplines essential services, calling the rise in gender-based violence a “shadow pandemic”.
• Helplines, psychosocial support and online counselling should be boosted, using technology-based solutions such as SMS, online tools and networks to expand social support, and to reach women with no access to phones or Internet.  
• Police and justice services must mobilise to ensure that incidents of violence against women and girls are given high priority with no impunity for perpetrators
• According to UN Women, globally 243 million women and girls aged 15-49 have been subjected to sexual and/or physical violence perpetrated by an intimate partner in the previous 12 months.
• The number is likely to increase as security, health and money worries heighten tensions and strains are accentuated by cramped and confined living conditions.
• According to emerging data, violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has ‘intensified’.
• As per data compiled by the U.N. body, France has seen a 30% increase in domestic violence since the lockdown on March 17. 
• In Argentina, emergency calls for domestic violence cases have increased by 25% since the lockdown on March 20 and Cyprus (30%), Singapore (33%) have also registered an increase in calls. 
• Canada, Germany, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S. have also registered an increase in cases of domestic violence and demand for emergency shelter.
• Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is the Executive Director of the UN Women.

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• 9. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3)

9.1 DRDO develops bio suit, sealant for safety gear

• In a major breakthrough, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a special sealant as an alternative to seam sealing tape which is critical in personal protective equipment (PPE).
• A bio suit was also developed to keep medical and other personnel engaged in combating COVID-19 safe from the deadly virus, the Defence Ministry said on April 2, 2020.
• Bio suits prepared using this glue for seam sealing by an industry partner has cleared test at the Southern India Textile Research Association (SITRA), Coimbatore.
• The bio suit has been subjected to rigorous testing for textile parameters as well as protection against infection from synthetic blood. The protection against synthetic blood exceeds the criteria defined for body suits by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 
• Bio suit production in the country by DRDO industry partners and other industries was being hampered due to non-availability of seam sealing tapes. The DRDO can mass produce this glue through the industry to support the seam sealing activity by suit manufacturers.
• At present, Kusumgarh Industries, with technology transfer from the DRDO, is producing the raw material, coating material, and the complete suit is being manufactured with the help of another vendor. The current production capacity is 7,000 suits per day.

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• 10. FACTS, CHARTS, RANKINGS and EDITORIALS (Prelims + GS Mains)

10.1  Not Available Today

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• The trial of the Agni-III surface-to-surface ballistic missile was carried out from a Mobile launcher in Nov 2019.
• Climate emergency was announced as its 2019 Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries.
• World Economic Forum has ranked India 112th in gender gap index.
• Right to Property ceased to be a fundamental right with the 44th Constitution Amendment in 1978.
• Barsapara Stadium is in Guwahati.

10.3 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

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