Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs/News (April 12, 2020) for CSS, PMS

WELCOME TO CSS TIMES DAY BY DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS, YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR UP-TO-DATE AND DAILY TOP CURRENT AFFAIRS 2019 FOR PREPARATION OF CSS, PMS, BANKING, NTS, RAILWAYS AND ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS. “DAY TO DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS” BASICALLY IS TOP 10 NEWS SUMMARY ON CURRENT HAPPENINGS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE FOR ALL EXAMINATIONS

April 12, 2020: National / International Current Affairs

1. Pakistan virus cases cross 5,000 mark

• Amid the countrywide lockdown, the total number of confirmed coronavirus patients on April 11, 2020 surged past 5,000 across Pakistan with nearly half of the cases being reported from Punjab alone.
• While disclosing that the government has been losing one-third of its revenue and exports had already dropped by 50pc due to Covid-19, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar told the media that the government would decide on Monday whether to extend the lockdown or ease restrictions after April 15.
• He was addressing a press conference along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza.

2. Buzdar announces Shaheed Package for professionals fighting Covid-19

• Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has announced Shaheed Package for those professionals and workers who may lose their lives in the fight against coronavirus.
• In a tweet on April 11, 2020, he said the professionals and workers fighting against coronavirus on the frontlines were heroes of the nation and the government would continue supporting them.
• `We cannot pay back their sincerity in serving the coronavirus patients but decided to pay risk allowance equal to their monthly salary. In the case of death, the frontline workers will be given Shaheed package,` he tweeted.

3. Speaker allows NA committees` meetings through video link

• Almost one month after his decision to cancel all meetings of the National Assembly committees amid criticism from opposition parties and other sections of society for making parliament redundant during the coronavirus crisis, Speaker Asad Qaiser has allowed holding of meetings of the committees through video link.
• According to a spokesman for the National Assembly Secretariat here on Saturday, the speaker had directed the secretariat staff to make special arrangements for holding of meetings of committees through video conferencing.
• The decision by the speaker, he said, had come in order to revive the non-legislative business of the National Assembly. This decision would facilitate standing committees, Public Accounts Committee and special committees to hold meetings through video conferencing

4. Former minister Raja Ashfaq passes away

• Former minister and ex-general secretary of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Punjab Raja Ashfaq Sarwar passed away after a prolonged illness on Saturday and was laid to rest in his native Ghora Gali village.
• Raja Isfaq remained the minister for youth affairs, forestry, wildlife and fisheries as well as health in the successive governments of PML-N in Punjab.
• Raja Ashfaq was son of late Raja Ghulam Sarwar of Ghorra Gali, a two-time member of the West Pakistan Assembly

5. US general meets Taliban leaders in Doha

• The head of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan has met Taliban leaders to discuss a reduction in violence in the war-weary country, officials said on April 12, 2020, with the insurgents accusing the Americans of violating a landmark agreement.
• Washington signed a key deal with the Taliban in February that promised the withdrawal of US and foreign troops from Afghanistan by next summer, provided the militants start talks with Afghan government officials and adhere to other guarantees.
• US General Scott Miller held discussions with the group`s representatives in Doha on Friday night, US forces spokesman Sonny measures aimed at curbing the spread of the Covid-19 disease carry their own economic and public-health cost

6. Chinese experts warn virus behaviour still not well-understood

• China reported on Saturday a rise in new coronavirus infections, mostly in travellers arriving from abroad, as doctors in the central city of Wuhan, where the virus initially emerged, warned its behaviour was still not well-understood.
• Tough curbs imposed in China since January have reined in infections sharply since the height of the pandemic in February, although it has spread worldwide to infect 1.6 million people with 100,000 deaths.
• But Chinese authorities fear the possibility of a second wave triggered by arrivals from overseas or asymptomatic patients

7. Bangladesh extends lockdown by 11 days

• In South Asia`s latest moves to curb the coronavirus pandemic, Bangladesh has extended its nationwide lockdown by 11 days while some of India`s state ministers said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to do the same.
• In Bangladesh, where the army has been deployed across the country to enforce social distancing measures, the government late on Friday extended the nationwide lockdown to April 25 as the number of confirmed cases rose to 424, with 27 deaths.
• India`s 21-day lockdown ends on Tuesday and several states have urged the prime minister to extend it further, even as concerns have grown that the shutdown has put millions of poor people out of work.

8. HRW calls on India to repeal divisive citizenship law

• A prominent international watchdog has called on India to repeal its discriminatory new citizenship law and policies, saying they threaten the rights of millions of Indian Muslims and have instilled fear among the country`s largest minority group and other communities.
• In an 82-page report, Shoot the Traitors: Discrimination Against Muslims Under India`s New Citizenship Policy, the Human Rights Watch (HRW), said the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, together with a planned nationwide verification process to identify `illegal migrants`, can threaten the citizenship rights of millions of Indian Muslims.
• The report also noted that `statements from the home minister and other BJP leaders have raised fears that millions of Indian Muslims, including many whose families have lived in the country for generations, could be stripped of their citizenship rights and disenfranchised`.

9. International Champions Cup cancelled

• This year`s International Champions Cup (ICC) exhibition has been cancelled due to the coronavirus..
• `The lack of clarity of when social distancing and shelter-in-place restrictions will be lifted and the uncertain international football calendar made the staging of the tournament unfeasible`, Relevent Sports chief executive Daniel Sillman said in a statement.
• Many of Europe`s currently-suspended domestic leagues, as well as the European Champions League, hope eventually to complete their seasons this year.

10. Brazil team of 1982 reunites to help fight Covid-19

• Members of Brazil`s 1982 World Cup squad have reunited to ask their compatriots to work together and donate money to help the country`s overcrowded favelas avoid the worst ravages of the coronavirus.
• In an initiative led by Paulo Roberto Falcao, 19 players, including Zico, Junior and Leandro, recorded a video message appealing for donations.
• `The 1982 Brazil team was known for its creativity, union and collective work ethic, Falcao said. `Now we are springing into action for Brazil again.
• The former AS Roma and International midfielder said 2.6 million reais ($500,000) has been raised in less than a week

Check our daily updated ‘s Complete Day by Day Current Affairs Notes

April 2020:
[catlist name=”April 2020″]

March 2020:
[catlist name=”March 2020″]

February 2020:
[catlist name=”February 2020″]

January 2020:
[catlist name=”January 2020″]

December 2019:
[catlist name=”December 2019″]

November 2019:
[catlist name=”November 2019″]