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 30 April 2020 includes News summary on current events of International, National, Education, Banking, Sports, Awards and Obituary importance of 30 April 2020.
INT
Donald Trump Erupts at Campaign Team as his Poll Numbers Slide
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Key Highlights- President Donald Trump erupted at his top political advisers last week when they presented him with worrisome polling data that showed his support eroding in a series of battleground states as his response to the coronavirus comes under criticism.
- As the virus takes its deadly toll and much of the nation’s economy remains shuttered, new surveys by the Republican National Committee and Trump’s campaign pointed to a harrowing picture for the president as he faces reelection.
US Records 2,502 Coronavirus Deaths in Past 24 Hours
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Key Highlights- The United States recorded 2,502 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, according to the latest real-time tally reported by Johns Hopkins University.
- After two days of a relative easing in the toll, the numbers have spiked again the past two days.
Japan PM Says to Consult Experts on Whether to Extend State of Emergency
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Key Highlights- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the government would consult experts to decide whether to extend the state of emergency beyond May 6.
- Abe, speaking in parliament, also said the situation surrounding the coronavirus epidemic continued to be “severe”.
Canadian NATO Helicopter goes Missing off Greece
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Key Highlights- A Canadian military helicopter operating as part of a NATO surveillance force has gone missing over the sea between Greece and Italy, officials said.
- The helicopter was attached to the Canadian frigate Fredericton, from which it had taken off for a patrol.
- “There is a developing situation regarding one of our CH-148 Cyclone helicopters, deployed onboard HMCS FREDERICTON, which is currently contributing to Op REASSURANCE,” the Canadian armed forces said in a statement.
Russia Slams US Arguments for Low-Yield Nukes
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Key Highlights- The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected U.S. arguments for fielding low-yield nuclear warheads, warning that an attempt to use such weapons against Russia would trigger an all-out nuclear retaliation.
- The U.S. State Department argued in a paper released last week that fitting the low-yield nuclear warheads to submarine-launched ballistic missiles would help counter potential new threats from Russia and China.
Antiviral Remdesivir Showed No Significant Benefit in Virus Patients
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Key Highlights- Treating coronavirus patients with the antiviral drug remdesivir showed no “significant clinical benefits” in the first randomised trial of its kind, according to research released.
- In a study among more than 200 Covid-19 patients in Wuhan, China, published in The Lancet, doctors found no positive effects of administering the drug compared with a control group of adults.
National
IT Min asks MHA to Consider Mobile Goods as Essentials
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Key Highlights- Responding to demands from the mobile manufacturing industry, the IT ministry has asked the home ministry to consider broadening the definition of essential goods to include information and communications technology (ICT) products.
- In a meeting with industry players, associations, and chambers of the electronics goods market, Union minister of electronics and information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad said the ministry had taken note of the demand from mobile manufacturers and taken it up with the home affairs ministry.
Over 4000 Cases in Gujarat, Maharashtra heads Towards Grim Milestone
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Key Highlights- The number of coronavirus cases in the country rose to 33,050. According to the latest figures updated by the Ministry of Health, there are 23,651 active coronavirus cases in the country, 8,324 patients have been cured or discharged while 1,074 people have died from the deadly contagion.
- Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra have crossed the 9,000-mark and now near 10,000 while national capital Delhi is fast catching up with Gujarat, the second worst-affected state. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh have more than 2,000 cases of the coronavirus disease.
Over 1,700 COVID-19 Cases in 24 hours Take India’s Tally to 33,050
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Key Highlights- The number of Covid-19 cases increased by 1,718 in the last 24 hours, pushing the overall tally up to 33,050, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
- The number of deaths went up to 1,074 after 66 more people died of the disease in the last 24 hours, the health ministry’s dashboard showed at 8 am.
India Hints Curbs will be Eased, Migrants to Return Home
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Key Highlights- India indicated on Wednesday that restrictions will be eased in many districts after May 3, when the extended national lockdown is scheduled to end. The government also issued guidelines to enable the return of migrants to their home states by buses.
- Meanwhile, scientists in China said they found genetic fragments of the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in airborne droplets, but stopped short of saying the disease is airborne.
Education
JNU to Conduct 2- Day Workshop for Teachers on Usage of Digital Platforms
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Key Highlights- Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is scheduled to conduct a two-day workshop starting today on the usage of the digital platform for teachers in imparting education to the students.
- “JNU conducts a workshop on “Design, Develop and Deliver Online Courses with Moodle Learning Management System” [April 30 - May 1, 2020].
- More than a thousand participants from across India. JNU playing an active role in training teachers to use digital platforms during COVID-19,” JNU VC M Jagadesh Kumar.
IIT Jammu Develops Face-Shield that can be Produced on Mass Scale
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Key Highlights- COVID-19 crisis, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jammu has developed a face-shield that will be handed over to the police for trial. Moreover, this design can be produced on a mass scale.
- Speaking to ANI, Manoj Singh Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu said, “After the institution was closed following the lockdown, some students and faculty members were interested in developing PPEs. For that, we developed a face shield.
Banking
Banks to Raise up to Rs 35,000 Crore Via Share Sale
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Key Highlights- Commercial banks such as IDFC First Bank, RBL Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bank of Baroda, Yes Bank, IndusInd Bank plan to raise at least ₹35,000 crore by selling shares as they seek to fortify themselves from the economic shocks.
- The banks are hoping that the extra funds would go a long way to bolster their capital base and arrest any erosion in their capital adequacy.
Panel Submits Rs 111 Lakh Crore Plan to Revive Economy
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Key Highlights- A task force headed by economic affairs secretary Atanu Chakraborty has forecast an investment need of ₹111 lakh crore over the next five years to build infrastructure projects and drive economic growth.
- These projects will be implemented under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), a first of its kind exercise, by consulting states, relevant ministries, and departments.
Sports
ISL franchise Hyderabad FC told to clear dues worth nearly Rs 5 crore by May 15
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Key Highlights- Hyderabad FC (HFC) have been given till May 15 to clear payments of over half-a-million dollars to five players and three in the coaching staff including former head coach Phil Brown.
- The decisions by the players’ status committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) include fines ranging from $500 to $2000 on HFC for each claim. The total amount HFC have to pay is $646,918 (almost Rs 4.9 crore).
Appt
Former Finance secretary Rajiv Kumar is appointed as PESB Chief
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Key Highlights- The former finance secretary Rajiv Kumar was appointed as the Chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board(PESB) by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister NarendraModi for a period of three years in place of KapilDevTripathi who took over as the Secretary to the President Ram NathKovind.
- Rajiv Kumar, IAS officer of 1984-batch of Jharkhand cadre, in September 2017 he took over as the Financial services secretary and initiated many reforms in the banking sectors and retired from the post in February 2020.
Former Andhra Bank chief Suresh N Patel takes charge as vigilance commissioner
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Key Highlights- Former Andhra Bank chief Suresh N Patel(62) takes charge as vigilance commissioner in the anti-corruption watchdog Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) & his oath of office is administered by newly-appointed Central Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari.
- The post of the vigilance commissioner has been lying vacant since June 2019 after TM Bhasin completed his tenure.
Obituaries
Padma Shri Awardee and Famous Bollywood Actor Irrfan Khan Passed Away at 53
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Key Highlights- Famous Bollywood star SahabzadeIrrfan Ali Khan, whose international movie career included hits such as Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi and the Amazing Spider-man etc., passed away at the age of 53.
- He was born on January 7, 1967, in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor dies at 67 in Mumbai hospital
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Key Highlights- Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on April 30. The actor was admitted to HN Reliance Hospital in Mumbai.
- Rishi Kapoor was battling cancer since 2018, and was in the US for treatment for a year. The actor's brother, Randhir Kapoor, told the media on Wednesday night that he was admitted to the hospital due to his health deteriorating.