Pakistan’s First Monthly E-Magazine for Civil Services Aspirants ef efits 5 ent ESV I ivi Pd | = ) April 2020 Coronavirus: Which Countries Have Confirmed Cases? World University Rankings By Subject 2020 Monthly Domestic & International Affairs Current Affairs MCQs March 2020 EAMONN oee DLBuy HSM Books Online Books for Competitive Exams & Military Tests a Just while sitting at home you can choose from a vast variety, and your desired Competitive Exams CSS/PMS/PCS/NTS and Military Tests (Army, ISSB/PAF/NAVY) HSM Books will be efficiently delivered to you on the designated date. Spectacular services and satisfying our customers will always be our most significant priority. We hope you have a worthy shopping experience at . www.hsmpublishers.com Thank you. HSM Publishers was started in 2013 as a publishing division of Ilmi Kitab Khana, founded by Haji Sardar Muhammad in 1945. Today it proudly owns: + Ilmi Kitab Khana Lahore + HSM Publishers Lahore + Ilmi Kitab Khana/HSM Publishers Islamabad F-7 Islamabad (Islamabad showroom where one finds under one roof the widest range of All kinds of Schools/Colleges/Universities educational pos Competitive Exams, ey Exam books and General Knowledge ooks ) 2UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times COVID-19 3 Coronavirus: Which Countries Have Confirmed Cases? (April 1, 2020) WNiaw Gases oF the nivel coronavirus that Territories with confirmed cases of COVID- emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan i late December are being reported daily Here are the countries that have so far confirmed coronavirus cases as on April 1, around the world 2020: Top 10 More than 46,000 people have died from 1 United States - 206,207 cases, 4,542 COVID-19, as the illness is officially known, deaths . a while over 921,000 infections have been a Italy 2 110,574 cases, 13.158 deaths - Spain - 102,179 cases, 9,131 deaths confirmed in at least 180 countries and 4. china - 82,361 cases, 3,316 deaths territories. More than 192,000 people have (The total includes 41 cases in Macau and 765 recovered from the coronaviru: cases - four deaths - in Hong Kong) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 CORONAVIRUS 5- Germany - 77,558 cases, 891 deaths 6- France - 57,749 cases, 4,043 deaths 7- Iran - 47,593 cases, 3,036 deaths 8- United Kingdom - 29,857 cases, 2,357 deaths 9- Switzerland - 17,768 cases, 488 deaths 10 Turkey - 15,679 cases, 277 deaths South Asia 1- Pakistan - 2,118 cases, 27 deaths 2- India - 1,834 cases, 45 deaths 3- Sri Lanka - 146 cases, 3 deaths 4- Bangladesh - 54 cases, 6 deaths 5- Nepal - 5 cases 6- Bhutan - 4 cases 7- Maldives - 19 cases Middle Esst Israel - 6,092 cases, 25 deaths Saudi Arabia - 1,720 cases, 16 deaths Qatar - 835 cases, 2 deaths United Arab Emirates - 814 cases, 8 deaths Iraq - 728 cases, 52 deaths Bahrain - 569 cases, 4 deaths Lebanon - 479 cases, 14 deaths Kuwait - 317 cases Jordan - 278 cases, 5 deaths UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com COVID-19 4 Oman - 210 cases, 1 death Occupied Palestinian Territ: cases, 1 death Syria - 10 cases, 2 deaths Asia South Korea - 9,887 cases, 165 deaths Malaysia - 2,908 cases, 45 deaths Japan - 2,412 cases, 67 deaths Philippines - 2,311 cases, 96 deaths Thailand - 1,771 cases, 12 deaths Indonesia - 1,677 cases, 157 deaths Singapore - 1,000 cases, 3 deaths Kazakhstan - 380 cases, 3 deaths Azerbaijan - 359 cases, 5 deaths Taiwan - 329 cases, 5 deaths Afghanistan - 239 cases, 4 deaths Vietnam - 218 cases Uzbekistan - 181 cases, 2 deaths Mauritius - 161 cases, 6 deaths Brunei - 131 cases, 1 death Kyrgyzstan - 111 cases Cambodia - 109 cases Myanmar - 15 cases, 1 death Mongolia - 14 cases Laos - 10 cases East Timor - 1 case ‘ies - 134 Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times COVID-19 / 5 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC COVID-19 COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a new type of coronavirus detected in China in late Europe Belgium - 13,964 cases, 828 deaths Netherlands - 13,696 cases, 1,175 deaths Austria - 10,663 cases, 146 deaths Portugal - 8,251 cases, 187 deaths ‘Sweden - 4,947 cases, 239 deaths Norway - 4,863 cases, 44 deaths Czech Republic - 3,508 cases, 39 deaths Ireland - 3,447 cases, 85 deaths. Denmark - 3,290 cases, 104 deaths Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | 2019. Data shows the disease is mild in 80 percent of patients, severe in 13 percent, and critical in 6 percent. Most common symptoms: $1 Fever @ Fatigue ® Dry cough Some patients may also have: Aches and pains Runny nose Sore throat Shortness of breath Ys Bove Diarrhoea In critical cases. COVID-19 can cause severe pneumonia or a multiple-organ failure and can lead to death. Russia - 2,777 cases, 24 deaths Poland - 2,554 cases, 43 deaths Romania - 2,460 cases, 92 deaths Luxembourg - 2,319 cases, 29 deaths Finland - 1,446 cases, 17 deaths Greece - 1,415 cases, 50 deaths Iceland - 1,220 cases, 2 deaths Serbia - 1,060 cases, 28 deaths Croatia - 963 cases, 6 deaths Slovenia - 841 cases, 15 deaths For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com M CSS Times COVID-19 => ¢ Wash hands th with soap ughly ¢ Cover your face when coughing and sneezing * Face masks optional - scientists doubt their effectiveness Ukraine - 794 cases, 20 deaths Estonia - 779 cases, 5 deaths Lithuania - 581 cases, 8 deaths Armenia - 571 cases, 4 deaths Hungary - 525 cases, 20 deaths Bosnia and Herzegovina - 457 cases, 13 deaths Latvia - 446 cases Moldova - 423 cases, 5 deaths Bulgaria - 422 cases, 10 deaths Slovakia - 400 cases, 1 death Andorra - 390 cases, 14 deaths North Macedonia - 354 cases, 11 deaths Cyprus - 320 cases, 9 deaths Burkina Faso - 282 cases, 16 deaths Albania - 259 cases, 15 deaths San Marino - 236 cases, 26 deaths Malta - 188 cases Belarus - 163 cases, 2 deaths Montenegro - 123 cases, 2 deaths Georgia - 117 cases Kosovo - 112 cases, 1 death Liechtenstein - 68 cases Monaco - 55 cases, 1 death Canada - 9,539 cases, 108 deaths Ecuador - 2,748 cases, 93 deaths Mexico - 1,215 cases, 29 deaths Panama - 1,181 cases, 30 deaths Costa Rica - 375 cases, 2 deaths Cuba - 212 cases, 6 deaths Honduras - 172 cases, 10 deaths Trinidad and Tobago - 89 cases, 5 deaths Guatemala - 39 cases, 1 death Jamaica - 38 cases, 2 deaths El Salvador - 32 cases, 1 death Haiti - 16 cases Brazil - 5,923 cases, 206 deaths Chile - 3,031 cases, 16 deaths Ecuador - 2,748 cases, 93 deaths Peru - 1,323 cases, 38 deaths Colombia - 1,065 cases, 17 deaths Uruguay - 338 cases, 2 deaths Venezuela - 143 cases, 3 deaths Bolivia - 115 cases, 7 deaths Paraguay - 69 cases, 3 deaths Guatemala - 39 cases, 1 death Jamaica - 38 cases, 2 deaths Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com raed Tere iT Guinea - 30 cases Guyana - 12 cases, 2 deaths Suriname - 10 cases Australia - 4,862 cases, 20 deaths Algeria - 847 cases, 58 deaths Egypt - 779 cases, 52 deaths Morocco - 642 cases, 37 deaths Tunisia - 423 cases, 12 deaths Burkina Faso - 282 cases, 16 deaths Cameroon - 233 cases, 6 deaths Ghana - 195 cases, 5 deaths Senegal - 190 cases, 1 death Ivory Coast - 179 cases, 1 death Nigeria - 174 cases, 2 deaths Democratic Republic of the Congo - 109 cases, 9 deaths Rwanda - 82 cases Kenya - 81 cases, 1 death Madagascar - 57 cases Uganda - 44 cases Togo - 36 cases, 2 deaths Zambia - 36 cases Barbados - 34 cases Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | MCS! ; COVID-19 / ari arn virus identifie, Cen? 2019-nCo Pre BEE) Pais Niger - 34 cases, 3 deaths Djibouti - 33 cases Mali - 31 cases, 3 deaths Ethiopia - 29 cases Tanzania - 20 cases, 1 death Republic of the Congo - 19 cases Gabon - 18 cases, 1 death Equatorial Guinea - 15 cases Eritrea - 15 cases Namibia - 14 cases Libya - 10 cases Mozambique - 10 cases Seychelles - 10 cases Suriname - 10 cases Benin - 9 cases Eswatini - 9 cases Grenada - 9 cases Guinea-Bassau - 8 cases Zimbabwe - 8 cases, 1 death Angola - 7 cases, 2 deaths Chad - 7 cases Sudan - 7 cases, 2 deaths Cape Verde - 6 cases, 1 death Mauritania - 6 cases, 1 death Somalia - 5 cases For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comWe are Looking for Writers Required Areas of Expertise are CSS/PMS/PCS. Experienced Teachers and Qualified CSPs Contact us at 042-37171280, 37171281 or kamran.munir@ilmikitabkhana.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com EDUCATION q Weekly HSM CSS Times WORLD Ma UNIVERSITY RANKINGS Mu World University Rankings by Subject 2020 QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) has released the World University Rankings by Subject 2020. Background: To produce the QS World University Rankings by subject area for this year, QS analysed over 22 million papers, producing close to 200 million citations. 8 institutions have been ranked across 48 subjects in 5 broad categories across 159 locations, which reflects the scale behind this internationally benchmarked undertaking to produce these subject rankings. 5 categories are: 1. Arts and humanities. 2. Engineering and technology. 3. Life sciences and medicine. 4. Natural sciences. 5. Social sciences and management. buy subject Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the best university in the world for a dozen subjects in this year's QS World. University Rankings by Subject — more than any other university. MIT is closely followed by Harvard University and the University of Oxford, which are ranked best in the world for 11 and eight subjects respectively. rent subjects are included in the tion of the subject rankings, with 13,198 individual university programs ed and ranked. Some of the most popular subjects are examined in closer detail below. One notable trend this year is ~ despite MIT and Harvard's impressive performance — US universities appear to be declining, with fewer US degree programs featuring in the top 50 than last year. The UK and China have all seen improvements on last year's performance, although not all at the same rate. QS Director of Research Ben Sowter noted: “Our dataset has illuminated a slowdown in Weekly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comWeekly HSM CSS Times Chinese progress. However, their trajectory is still superior to that of American universities.” Arts and Humanities For the sixth consecutive year, the UK's Royal College of Art tops the art & design subject rankings table, one of 11 arts and humanities subjects to be featured this year. chools dominate the rest of the top 10, taking five of the remaining nine places. Also in the top 10 is Finland's Aalto University. No other Finnish institution is ranked this highly across the 48 subjects. Weekly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com EDUCATION 10 In the architecture subject rankings table — another of the most popular subjects with our readers — MIT takes the top spot from UCL's Bartlett School of Architecture. Further down, Sweden has a representative in the top 20 for the first time: KTH Royal Institute of Technology has climbed to 2oth. Engineering and Technology 600 different universities are included in this year's computer science ranking, with MIT ranked in first place for the fifth straight year. Half of the top 10 are from the — For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Weekly HSM CSS Times Ape US, while there is no Asian university in the top 10 this year. Although the National University of Singapore is still the top computer science program in the region, it's slipped to 12th globally. ‘The two most popular engineering degrees with our readers are electrical and mechanical engineering — two subjects which MIT again ranks top for. Of particular note this year is the strong performance of Asian universities, particularly in the electrical engineering table, Mainland China's Tsinghua EDUCATION 1 mostly dominated by Anglosphere universities, with nine of the top 10 hailing from either the UK or US. Sweden's Karolinska Institute is the only medical school bucking the trend in the top 10, and you have to go down to 22nd to find another university from a non-English- speaking country. As well as topping the medical school ranking, Harvard University is also ranked in first place for psychology. Asia's best psychology program can be found at the National University of Singapore; it has. improved from 33rd to 26th year-on-year — University rises to 11th, marginally ahead of the National University of Singapore (12th); South Korea's KAIST features in joint 17th, and Japan's University of Tokyo can be found in joint 2oth. Life Sciences and Medicine Anew university tops this year's dentistry table: King's College London has climbed to first place, it's best-ever performance in the QS subject rankings. Queen Mary of University London (QMUL) also performs remarkably well, ranking 11th in its debut appearance in the ranking. The ranking of top medical schools is its best-ever performance in the subject. Finally, there's a new top university in the veterinary science table. The University of California, Davis has regained the number one spot, having previously lost it to the Royal Veterinary College in the UK. Natural Sciences ‘There's only one new entrant in the top universities for mathematics this year. Tsinghua University has risen five places to 2oth, it's best-ever performance. One of the indicators used to compile the rankings (for more information, consult our methodology) is employer reputation, and Weekly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Weekly HSM CSS Times April 2020 EDUCATION 12 managers and employers that hire mathematics graduates were considered this year. In the physics subject ranking table, the most notable mover in the top 20 is the University of Chicago which has climbed five places to 12th. The top university in Europe for the subject is ETH Zurich, which is ranked ninth. Social Sciences and Management Not to be confused with our ranking of the best full-time MBA programs (the QS Global MBA Rankings), the business & management subject rankings table allows you to see which universities provide the best education for the subject across both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. ‘This year, Harvard Business School is once again top for business & management, while there are notable schools from France, the US and the Netherlands which can all be happy with their performance this year. Harvard also tops this year’s economics ranking, helped by the fact it was the best- performing university in our global survey of employers. The top 10 universities for this subject are all based in the UK and US — Universita Commerciale Luigi Bocconi from Italy is the first to break the duopoly. Law and polities are the other two most popular social sciences covered by our ranking, and Harvard University is once again the best in the world for both of these. However, Yale University out-performs Harvard for research in the field of law, suggesting there's still some room for improvement at the world's best law school. In the polities ranking, the University of Oxford has fallen below second place for the first time ever. Performance of Pakistan's Institutions: The Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB) at LUMS continues to gain greater prominence globally. ‘The latest QS World University Rankings 2020 places it as the top business school in Pakistan and in the top 250 business schools of the world for Business and Management Studies. As per the 2020 rankings, NUST is among the top 200 world universities in the subject of Computer Science & Information Systems (CS&IS), becoming the first and only Pakistani university to make it to the top 200 in this subject. It is also featured prominently in 7 other subjects, namely: Electrical & Electronics Engineering; Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Physics & Astronomy; 7 wy Mathematics; Chemistry; and Business & Management. 151 COMSATS, University Islamabad 168 Pakistan Institute of Engineering and = Applied Sciences (PIEAS) 171 University of Engineering & Technology (UET) Lahore 195 University of the Punjab Weekly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Weekly HSM CSS Times Black Carbon Levels Spike at Himalayan Glaciers Researchers recently conducted a study on varying levels of Black Carbon in Himalayas. In the 18th and 19th century, Britain was abuzz with cranking steam engines, rattling power looms, and clattering machines. Amidst this daily ding, the world was witnessing a defining movement in human history—the Industrial Revolution—that soon spread to the rest of Western Europe. Powered by coal, the production of most things transitioned from hand to machine, spurring a rise in population and air pollution, For the next two centuries, London became infamous for its soot and smog, which turned fatal for about 12,000 people. Now, a new study has shown that this mal air has left its trace in the lofty Himala glaciers, thousands of kilometres away from Europe. The study, by researchers at the Ohio State University, USA, shows evidence of several toxie metals in the Dasuopu glacier in the central Himalayas purportedly deposited since the Industrial Revolution. Besides, massive deforestation and biomass burning in parts of the Northern Hemisphere seems to have added to these deposits. The researchers point out that atmospheric currents and wind patterns are \. responsible for bringing these metals to the now-covered Himalayas. Weekly HSM CSS Ti ENVIRONMENT Key findings: 1. Black carbon concentrations near the Gangotri glacier rose 400 times in summer due to forest fires and stubble burning from agricultural waste, and triggered glacial melt. 2. The monthly mean concentration of EBC (equivalent black carbon) was found to be minimum in August and maximum in the month of May. The observed seasonal mean concentrations of EBC indicated a pristine glacial source and an absence of EBC sources in the locality. 3. The concentration varied from a minimum of 0.01pg/cubic metre in winter to 4.62ug/cubic metre during summer. Being a pristine zone far from sources of pollution, the measurements are critical to establishing a baseline for pollution loads and estimating the contribution of various sources to pollution. What is Black Carbon? What are the Concerns? Black carbon results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. BC is produced both naturally and by human aetivities as a result of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels, and biomass. Primary sources include emissions from diesel engines, cook stoves, wood burg and pasties 18 For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comies UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com HSM CSS Times ENVIRONMENT ‘4 c Ss ciated lived and remains in the 1. The fine particles absorb light and atmosphere only for days to weeks about a million times more energy before it descends as rain or snow. than carbon dioxide. 3. Black carbon absorbs solar energy 2. Itis said to be the second largest and warms the atmosphere. When it contributor to climate change falls to earth with precipitation, it after CO2. But unlike CO2, which darkens the surface of snow and ice, can stay in the atmosphere for years reducing their albedo (the reflecting together, black carbon is short- power of a surface), warming the — snow, and hastening melting. Complete combustion would turn all carbon in the fuel into carbon dioxide (CO2), but combustion is never complete and CO2, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and organic carbon and black carbon particles are all formed in the process, The complex mixture of particulate matter resulting from incomplete combustion is often referred to as soot. Weekly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Weekly HSM CSS Times ENVIRONMENT 15 Black carbon (BC) is the second most important warming component in the atmosphere after CO,. The BC in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau (HTP) has influenced the Indian monsoon and accelerated the retreat of glaciers, resulting in serious consequences for billions of Asian residents. Westerly a Weekly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | Pakistan has more glaciers than any other country outside the polar region — more than 7,200 in the Karakoram, Himalayan and Hindu Kush ranges, according to Pakistan's meteorological department. They feed the Indus River system, the water lifeline. But data gathered over the last 50 years shows that all but around 120 of the glaciers are showing signs of melting, meteorological officials said. Warming temperatures are to blame for much of the melting but so-called “black carbon” — black soot released from diesel vehicle exhaust, factories, open fires and cookstoves - also is to blame, experts say. The wind-blown pollutants settle onto ‘ers, darkening them and reducing their ability to reflect away sunlight, which leads to a faster rate of melting. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Pakistan Domestic Affairs Pakistan annual inflation slows to 12.40%: Pakistan's consumer price inflation slowed to 12.40% in February from the same month a year earlier, the statistics bureau said on Monday. The statistics bureau had recorded the CPI inflation at 14.56% in January, the highest in a decade. Prices of food items such as pulses, fresh vegetables and wheat, which have been the main top drivers of inflation, saw a downward trend. Pakistanis have lately been under a tough squeeze on their household budgets. Pakistan's central bank in late January kept rates unchanged at 13.25%, citing strong inflationary pressures. Essential Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | Times PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE nce March 2020 food items that decreased in Feb over Jan are; onion (8.8%), tomato (60.3%), potato (12.9%), fresh vegetables (11.5%) and wheat flour (5.3%). On non-food side major contributions for decrease came from LPG (13.5%) and electricity (13.5%) Mushtaq Mahar takes charge as IG Sindh: Newly appointed inspector general Sindh Mushtaq Mahar took charge on Monday and was instructed by the provincial chief minister to improve the law and order situation in the province, Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar, a BS-22 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 presently serving as IG, Pakistan Railways Police, under Ministry of Railways, is transferred and posted as Provincial Police Officer, Government of Sindh, with immediate effect and until further orders,’ reads a notification issued by government of Pakistan Cabinet Secretariat Establishment Division. Mahar's name was on the top of the list of the five police officers recommended by the Sindh government for the post of IG Sindh to replace incumbent police chief Syed Kaleern Imam. Earlier, on Feb 1, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had penned yet another letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan to remove Inspector General of Police Kaleem Imam and pick one of the five names recommended by the provincial government for the coveted slot of the top cop. This was a third letter the province's chief executive has written to the premier on the issue of appointment of a new IG. Mushtaq Mahar has served twice as the additional IG of Karachi. Before his appointment as IGP Sindh, Mahar was serving as the Inspector General of the Pakistan Railway. He has also served as the additional inspector general traffic, SSP Nawabshah, SSP Dadu, DIG Mirpurkhas, DIG South Karachi Range, DIG Special Branch Sindh, DIG Headquarters Sindh, DIG Crimes Sindh, United Nations Mozambique and DIG and SSP of the Counter Terrorism Department of the Sindh police. As the Karachi police chief from 2015 to 2018, he led the Karachi Operation. (March 2) Coronavirus: Pakistan confirms fifth case: Pakistan on Tuesday confirmed its fifth case of coronavirus amid strict safety measures to contain the spread in the country. According to local media, the latest case has been identified as a 45-year-old woman from the northern mountainous region of Gilgit Baltistan who had arrived from Iran a few days ago. Soon after confirming the first case in Gilgit, the local government announced that it was closing all schools in the region until March 7 as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, local leading English daily Dawn reported. Pakistan ‘PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus on Feb. 26 in the port city of Karachi, where a 22-year-old male who had recently visited Iran was found to be infected. The novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has sounded global alarms, with China, the epicenter of an outbreak, reporting at least 2,943 deaths.Outside mainland China, the virus has spread to more than 30 countries, including the U.S, the U.K., Singapore, France, Russia, Spain, South Korea and India.( March 3) Coronavirus: Sindh govt releases Rs100m in emergency funds: The Sindh Cabinet was told on Tuesday that an emergency relief fund of one hundred million rupees has been allocated in light of the ongoing coronavirus scare. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired the session of the provincial cabinet today, where the prevention measures against the coronavirus epidemic were discussed, which has penetrated 76 countries with more than 3,100 deaths and more than 80,000 infections reported so far.The provincial cabinet was informed that so far 2,301 people, who recently returned from Iran, have been traced. The cabinet was told that nine isolation wards with 118 beds capacity have been established as a precautionary measure to treat coronavirus patients.As part of the measures against the epidemic, the provincial government said that 5,000 testing kits have also been imported. (March 3) Water dispute can trigger Pak-India war, US envoy Cameron Munter: Former US envoy to Pakistan Cameron Munter said on Wednesday that in his opinion, India and Pakistan are likely to fight a war in future over sharing of water resources. Throughout the world the profits from textile products are declining, said Munter. He added that Pakistani youth need to gain expertise in software and information technology. The former US envoy’s statements came in the backdrop of foreign media reports that India will no longer let its share of water to flow into Pakistan from December. India is planning to stop two TMC of water of the Ujh Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com A CSS 1 river which is a tributary of the Ravi River that flows through the Kathua district in Indian Occupied Kashmir. Basing the news on a source, an Indian media outlet claimed that a technical report has been prepared on it and is awaiting an official response to go ahead. Last year Indian Union Minister for Transport and Water Resources Nitin Gadkari stated that the government was planning to build three dams in Uttarakhand to stop India's unused share of river water from flowing to Pakistan. The Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960 gives India control over the three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutle)) of the Indus basin while it gives Pakistan authority over the three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab). The treaty also guaranteed 10 years of uninterrupted water supply during this period Pakistan was to build dams. Pakistan successfully built Warsak Mangla and Tarbela dams. Centre decides against taking administrative control of JPMC, NICVD and NICH: The federal government has decided against taking administrative control of three major hospitals. in Sindh namely PAKISTANATAGLANCE _ 8 Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre JPMC), National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and National Institute of Child Health (NICH). Foreigners withdraw $263m from debt securities: Foreigners have invested a total of $3.47 billion and divested $313.93 million since July 2019, according to SBP data. Pakistan ranked least internet inclusive country in South Asia: Pakistan has been ranked 76th out of 100 countries on the inclusive internet index 2020 released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), falling into the last quartile of the global index overall ( ) In Pakistan: World Bank okays $300m for human development: The World Bank has approved a $300-million financial package for human development in Pakistan, including a loan of $200 million to improve social and health indicators in about a dozen poorest districts of Punjab. (| ) Equipment for Pakistan seized by India is for industrial, not military use; China: According to Indian media, the ship bearing Hong Kong flag was detained by Customs at Kandla Port in Gujarat while en-route to Port Qasim, Karachi, on February 3. The cargo of the Chinese ship has been offloaded and kept in a godown at the port. Rejecting the Indian claim that the industrial autoclave could be used for "manufacture of a very long-range ballistic missile or satellite launch rocket”, he said that, as a responsible country, China had been strictly fulfilling international nor roliferation obligations and international Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 19 Monthly SM CSS etal H ‘April 2020 commitments.According to Indian media, the ship bearing Hong Kong flag was detained by Customs at Kandla Port in Gujarat while en- route to Port Qasim, Karachi, on February 3. The cargo of the Chinese ship has been offloaded and kept in a godown at the port, the report said.Indian media had reported that experts at India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had ‘confirmed! that the industrial autoclave seized from the Chinese ship could be used for “manufacturing very long-range ballistic missiles or satellite launch rockets”. (March 6) Coronavirus cases jump to six in Pakistan: Another coronavirus case was reported in Karachi, pushing the total number of COVID- 19 cases to three in Karachi and sixth in the country. (March 6) Highest male-female gap on cell-phone registered in Pakistan: Pakistan has the highest male-female gap in terms of mobile phone set ownership among 15 countries, said a report issued by the GSMA, an organisation representing the interests of mobile operators worldwide, The report highlights that among all the 15 countries only Brazil had the negative male-female mobile phone ownership and mobile internet use, where 84 per cent adult males owned a mobile phone compared to 85pc female adult population. The "Mobile Gender Gap Report 2020 is based on the annual GSMA Intelligence Consumer Survey of 2019 belonging to 15 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2020 highlights that Pakistan has the highest gender gap of 38pc over mobile phone ownership as 81pc Pakistani males owned mobile sets compared to 50pc females. Similarly, the gap over mobile internet usage was 49p¢, with 37pc Pakistani males against 19pc females having access to mobile internet. The report highlights that despite progress, the gender gap in mobile internet usage remains substantial, with more than 300 million fewer women than men accessing the internet from a mobile device. The report finds that the mobile internet gender gap has narrowed and 54pc of women in LMICs now use mobile internet, up from 44pc in 2017. However, the gender gap in mobile ownership remains largely unchanged and 165 million fewer women than men own a mobile. The research found that mobile offers essential benefits to users, and the majority of male and female mobile owners reported that mobile ownership makes them feel safer, better informed and supports them in their day-to-day lives. Access to useful information In Pakistan, SSpc of male mobile owners and 53pc of female mobile owners reported that owning a mobile phone gives them access to useful information they would not otherwise be able to access easily. About S8pc of female mobile owners reported that owning a mobile phone helped them with their daily tasks. The smart phone ratio in Pakistan was 37pc and 20pc for males and females, while 90pc for men against 42pc for females buy their own devices. About 90pc males and 63pc females in India bought mobile sets of their choice. This gap was the lowest in Indonesia where 86pc females compared to 91pc males respondents bought their own mobile sets. (March 6) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com in Amanullah Khan passes le had appeared in several late night shows including Khabarnaak on Geo News. Before his death, he was working with a private channel's program Khabarzar. ( ) Pakistan wins GSP-Plus exte : The Inter- national Trade (INTA) Committee of EU Parliament has extended the Generalised System of Preferences-Plus (GSP-Plus) status for Pakistan, enabling the country to continue to enjoy preferential duties on exports for the next two years. (| ) Coronavirus outbreak: Trade activities resume at Pakistan-Iran border after 14 days: Pakistan had closed its border with Iran at Taftan after more than 120 people were killed and more than 4,500 infected with the novel coronavirus in the neighbouring country. Trump signs off on $8.3bn in spending for coronavirus: Funding will provide government support for state and local public health systems, hospitals and medical centres. ( ) PAKISTANATAGLANCE _ 7% women have access to financial services: Currently, only 7% of women in Pakistan have access to financial inclusion services, out of the total female population of over 49%.The economist pinpointed that economic empowerment programmes for women are only 1% of the total economic empowerment programmes that are happening in Pakistan. “Between 1% and 7% we haven't started the game to lift our women,’( ’) Pakistan 11th largest arms importer in the world: Pakistan was ranked the eleventh largest arms importer in the world in a report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). According to the report, arch-rival India was ranked second on the list. According to new data released by the Sweden-based institute — which is dedicated to research on conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament — India was the second-largest arms importer in the world over the past five years “As in previous years, in 2019 India and Pakistan — which are nuclear-armed states — attacked each other using an array of imported major arms," said Siemon T. Wezeman, a senior researcher at Sipri. It noted that while both countries had a long- standing aim to produce their own major arms, they remained largely dependent on imports and had substantial outstanding orders and plans for imports of all types of major arms Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H ‘April 2020 Sipri said skirmishes between India and Pakistan intensified in early 2019. Pakistan reportedly used combat aircraft imported from China, equipped with Russian engines, and combat aircraft from the United States supported by airborne early warning and control aircraft from Sweden. India reportedly used combat aircraft imported from France and Russia, guided bombs from Israel and artillery from Sweden, it noted The report said China — the fifth largest exporter of weapons in the world — accounted for Sipe of Pakistan's arm imports in 2010-14 and for 73pc in 2015-19. The overall decrease in Pakistan's arms imports was linked to the US decision to stop military aid to Pakistan. The US accounted for 30pc of Pakistan's arms imports in 2010-14 but for only 4.1pc in 2015-19. Pakistan continued to import arms from European states in 2015-19 and also strengthened its arms import relations with PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE Turkey with orders for 30 combat helicopters and four frigates in 2018. The institute said Pakistan was among the top three buyers of arms from top weapons exporters like Italy and Turkey, Pakistan had a 7.5pc share in arms imports from Italy in 2015-19, and 12pc share in Turkish arms over the same period. (March 9) Qatar bans passengers from Pakistan, 13 other countries amid coronavirus fears: The ban covers Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria and Thailand. (March 9) Colonel Mujeebur Rehman of Pakistan Army martyred in DI Khan operation against terrorists: Martyred officer survived by a widow, three sons and a daughter, two terrorists also killed in operation. (March 9) US has ‘no imminent plans’ for flight operations to Pakistan: According to a press release from the embassy, officials from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) — the US government agency that oversees airport and air carrier security — will visit Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comAccording to FPSC Revised, syllabi enirvesn ssc Wraita) ee ee baa ees Ua h iri Ce chan e c Ei canal \CcQs Wee ee ona iN ine: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H ‘April 2020 Islamabad airport, view Pakistan's aviation security infrastructure, and meet with their Pakistani civil aviation counterparts this week. (March 10) Sindh govt to issue advisory on avoiding public gatherings after coronavirus cases rise to 13 :Health department suggests CM to shut down schools for longer, ban large gatherings like PSL; countrywide tally is 16. (March 10) Sharmeen Obaid launches international documentary series on gender justice :Released by YouTube Originals and Refinery29, it's the first time an all Pakistan crew has created a global series (March 10) Dollar climbs Rs3.65 in interbank after six months of calm : By midafternoon on Monday, the dollar had hit Rs156.58, representing gains of Rs2.33 or 1.51pc. (March 10) PAF F-16 jet crashes in Islamabad: Pakistan Air Force Wing Commander Noman Akram was martyred when his F-16 fighter jet crashed near Shakarparian in Islamabad on Wednesday morning. (March 11) Govt debt rises only 4% to Rs33tr by end- January: After growing at a double-digit pace in the first year of PTI government, the central government's debt increased nearly 4% to Rs33 trillion in seven months to the end of January, an addition of Rs1.2 trillion, due to a stable exchange rate and better non- tax revenues. The debt bulletin that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) released on Tuesday showed that the central government's debt stood at Rs33 trillion by the end of January 2020. In PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 3 January last year, the central government's debt was Rs31.8 trillion, excluding debt and liabilities of the central bank and public sector enterprises. However, on a year-on-year basis, the central government's debt grew 22% or Rs5.9 trillion due to massive devaluation in the second half of last fiscal year and a steep shortfall in tax revenues. In the current fiscal year, the rupee largely remained stable against the greenback, except for the past two days when it shed over 2.1% of its value. The rupee was traded at Rs157.5 to a dollar ‘on Tuesday in the inter-bank market. If the trend continued in coming days, this may again adversely affect the central government's debt position that is highly sensitive to the exchange rate volatility. When Imran Khan became the prime minister, the central government's debt was close to Rs24.5 trillion and under his watch about Rs8.5 trillion has been added, excluding liabilities. The general government debt, including guarantees and borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), rose to 88% of the gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of previous fiscal year, according to the IMF. In the current fiscal year too, the IMF has revised upwards its projection for public debt and liabilities to 84.7% of GDP or Rs37.6 trillion, showed a report. The central government debt comprises long and short-term domestic debt and external debt. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H ‘April 2020 The short-term domestic debt dropped from Rs5.5 trillion in June 2019 to Rs5.1 trillion in January this year due to the shift of borrowing to long-term instruments. There was a reduction of Rs454 billion or 8.2% in the short-term debt. The federal government's debt, acquired through the sale of Market Treasury Bills (MTBs) to commercial banks, decreased from Rs4.9 trillion to Rs4.7 trillion, a reduction of Rs169 billion or 3.4% in seven months. The external debt of the central government increased from Rs11 trillion in June to Rs11.2 trillion in January, an addition of Rs147 billion or 1.4%, The external debt of the central government did not increase at a rapid pace due to the booking of IMF liabilities and hot foreign money on books of the central bank The hot foreign money has also started gradually flowing out as foreign investors pulled out $552.5 million, mainly the UK investors. But there were still sizeable hot money inflows, standing at $3.4 billion. The term is used for foreign investment in the government's debt securities. It is called hot because the money flows towards the destination where the rate of return is high, like currently in Pakistan where investors are paid 13.3% interest on investment. (March 11) Pakistan's coronavirus tally rises to 21 after GB reports third case: Gigit Baltistan reported its third case of coronavirus on Thursday, taking the nation-wide tally to 21 a day after the region confirmed its second case. (March 12) Punjab govt declares medical emergency to contain coronavirus: The Punjab government on Thursday declared a medical emergency after 20 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the country this week. (March 12) Saudi Arabia widens travel ban to Pakistan, others over coronavirus: The decision comes after the country’s cases jumped from 21 to 45 overnight. (March 12) PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 24 coronavirus fears: Karachi Kings Alex Hales, Multan Sultans Rilee Rossouw and James Vince, Peshawar Zalmi’s Tom Banton, Carlos Brathwaite, Liam Dawson, James Foster (coach), Lewis Gregory and Liam Livingstone and Quetta Gladiators Jason Roy and Tymal Mills have confirmed they are leaving (March 13) WHO official expresses satisfaction over coronavirus screening arrangements at Karachi airport: World Health Organization's (WHO) Country Representative in Pakistan, Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala visited the Jinnah International Airport Karachi (IAP) and expressed satisfaction over arrangements made for the screening of people for coronavirus. (March 13) New coronavirus case confirmed in Pakistan's tally reaches 29 : Latest patient is 38 years old and had recent travel history of Saudi Arabia, says Sindh government spokesman. (March 14) Balochistan govt issues ban on gatherings of more than 10 people: Cinemas, educational gatherings and conferences are also banned with immediate effect for a period of one month (March 14) Founding PPP member Mubashir Hasan passes away: Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had founded the PPP at the house of Mubashir Hasan back in 1967. (March 14) Pakistan responds positively to Modi's offer of video conferencing on coronavirus: Indian PM has called for coordinated efforts by SAARC countries to deal with COVID-19 . (March 14) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly CSS Times HS. ‘April 2020 WHO appreciated efforts of Chief Minister Sindh: The World Health Organization on Sunday appreciated efforts of Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and measures taken by his government in containing the global epidemic coronavirus.. The WHO spokesman said that the Chief Minister is working day and night to curb the spread of the coronavirus on which SIndh is proud of its dynamic Chief Minister. The spokesman added that Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar should follow the footsteps of the CM Sindh to stopping the virus in his province. It is pertinent to mention here that it was the Sindh government who took decision to close educational institutes in the province back in February for the first time in the country and later other provinces also followed the measure. (March 17) 10 new COVID-19 cases push Pakistan's tally to 194: Provincial authorities on Tuesday confirmed 10 new cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh and Punjab, pushing the country’s tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 194. (March 17) PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 25 Sindh education minister shoots down rumour of promotion without exams :Says fresh academic year will begin from June 1. (March 17) Justice Naqvi takes oath as SC judge : Justice Naqvi's appointment will fill the position of SC judge that fell vacant after the retirement of former CJ Khosa. (March 17) Kartarpur corridor project gets ex post facto approval : Modified cost at Rs16.5bn approved on an engineering, procurement and construction basis for phase-1. (March 17) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comDesigned for CSS, PMS, PCS IR TuaTOretL TMT utelttsyo4 VA Buy online: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 WHO Praises CM Sindh and His Efforts On Containing Coronavirus: The WHO spokesman said that the Chief Minister is working day and night to curb the spread of the coronavirus on which Sindh is proud of its dynamic Chief Minister. (March 17) We are heading towards a lockdown; Bilawal: PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday "we are heading towards a lock-down", a day after the country reported its first two deaths from coronavirus. (March 19) ‘Alarming situation going to turn worse’: GDP growth target revised downwards to 2.6%:The government envisages that the GDP growth would touch 3% in Financial Year (FY) 2020-21, 4.5% in F¥ 2021-22 and 5.1% in FY 2022-23, the strategy paper outlined. (March 19) Covid-19: Sindh govt to distribute ration bags to needy: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Thursday ordered provincial authorities to distribute ration bags to the needy as the province takes measures to. battle the coronavirus pandemic. (March 19) ADB offers Pakistan $350m to fight virus: The Asian Development Bank has offered $350 million to fight the coronavirus pandemic, as a three years old global assessment revealed that Pakistan's public Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE health system is very poor in detecting and responding to the outbreak of any major infectious disease. (March 19) Wagah Border closed for two weeks over coronavirus: The decision has been taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus which has infected more than 335 people in Pakistan. (March 19) Coronavirus updates, March 20: Pakistan reported its third death from the coronavirus as the nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 451 on Friday, after new cases were reported in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Globally, 176 countries have been affected, more than 10,000 people have died and more than 245,000 infected by the disease as it spreads rapidly to new territories. (March 20) Sindh govt to establish coronavirus field hospital at Karachi Expo Centre: The chief minister directed the Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani to start purchasing beds and other medical equipments needed to establish a field hospital at the expo centre after the federal government approved the plan. (March 20) Hot money outflows climb to $1.3bn: Foreign investors have pulled out more than $1.38 billion from the country's capital markets in the ongoing month with hot money outflows amounting to $1.28bn. (March 20) Lt Gen (Retd) Gilani resigns from FCCL chairmanship: Lt Gen (Retd) Gilani has resigned from his position as Director and Chairman of FCCL board with effect from 20" March 2020. (March 20) 21 For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H April 2020 US announces $1mn aid for Pakistan to responding to coronavirus in Pakistan with initial $1 million under USAID programme," Alice Wells tweeted. (March 20) Coronavirus updates, March 21: Pakistan's tally rises to 531 after Sindh and Balochistan report new cases; PIA suspends international flights for a week(March 21) IRSA releases 60,000 cusecs water: The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Saturday released 60,000 cusecs water from various rim stations with inflow of 74,600 cusecs. (March 21) Coronavirus Pandemic: CM Murad Ali Shah Announces Province-Wide Lock-Down In Sindh: After 12am tonight [Sunday night), Sindh will undergo a lock-down. People will not be allowed to venture out of their homes unnecessarily (March 22) PM Says Pakistan Does Not Have Capacity To Opt For Lockdown: PM says it is better to quarantine ourselves instead of shutting the entire country. (March 22) Coronavirus Outbreak: K-P Govt Imposes Complete Ban On Public Transport In Province: The decision has been taken in the best interest of the people and as part of precautionary measures against the coronavirus. (March 22) Nation-wide tally of confirmed coronavirus cases rises to 892: : The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the country rose to 892 after Punjab and Sindh reported new cases in the province. (March 24) Coronavirus pandemic: US diplomat Alice Wells condoles death of Pakistani doctor: Senior US diplomat Alice Wells on Tuesday expressed her condolences at the passing of Dr Osama Riaz, who lost his life while treating coronavirus patients. (March 24) Death toll soars to six as tally rises to 892 across country: The total number of positive cases has risen to 892 across the country. According to official figures, 99 new cases were reported during the last 24 hours and three persons died. (March 24) Coronavirus updates, March 25: The PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 8 number of confirmed cases in Pakistan surged to 1,000. (March 25) Pakistan constitutes Scientific Task Force to develop COVID-19 vaccine: The committee of Scientific Task Force on COVID- 19 will be lead by renowned scientist Prof Atta ur Rahman. (March 25) Pakistan seeks clarity about Saarc's Covid- 19 fund: Pakistan wants the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation's Covid- 19 Emergency Fund to be administered by the bloc’s secretary general and is seeking clarity about its utilisation. (March 25) Pakistan's confirmed coronavirus cases jump to 1,118: The country has also reported eight deaths from the virus (March 26) Egypt's Al-Azhar issues fatwa permitting Juma prayers’ suspension in Pakistan : President Arif Alvi had asked for guidance on the matter. (March 26) CM Sindh receives 500,000 face mask from Chinese authorities:The China has donated 500,000 face masks, including 50,000 N-95 to Sindh government.Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah under the banner of Pakistan- China national flags performed taking over ceremony of the consignment. (March 26) Sindh CM approves purchase of new coronavirus testing machines, PPE: The new medical equipment ordered includes 290 ventilators, 3.2 million Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), 100,000 testing kits, 100 Rapid Kit Antigen Test Machines (RKATM), 50 RT Lamp Testing Machines and 10,000 RT Lamp Kits, and 29 portable X-ray machines. With the addition of these tools, Sindh's testing capacity will be improved. (March 26) Coronavirus updates, March 27: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 1,286 on Friday. (March 27) Pakistan's internet usage rises by 15% as COVID-19 confines people to homes: The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) said "a net increase of around 15% in internet usage was witnessed since last week" — based on data from telecom operators. (March 27) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H April 2020 US Dollar hits new highs against Pak Rupee: The US Dollar jumped by Rs1.87 against the Rupee at the interbank and is being traded at 168 rupees. (March 27) Coronavirus updates, March 28: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 1,415 on Saturday after more people tested positive in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Islamabad Capital Territory and Balochistan. (March 28) Chinese medical team arrives in Pakistan to lend expertise against coronavirus:They will remain in Pakistan for two weeks. China has also sent medical supplies. (March 28) PM Imran has not tested positive for coronavirus: The PTI senator was responding to a news report by Arise TV which had claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan had tested positive for coronavirus (March 28) US places Pakistan on high-priority list for Covid-19 assistance: US has set up a $274 million fund to help the international community in combating the outbreak of this deadly disease. (March 28) 3 more recover from Covid-19 in Pakistan sThree more people have recovered from Covid-19 — according to the government's official portal — increasing the total to 28. So far, Pakistan has reported 1,542 cases of the coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of 12 people. (March 29) 2 Covid-19 deaths reported in Sindh: Sindh Health and Population Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho confirmed that two more citizens have died from the novel coronavirus. As of now, three deaths have been reported in the province. (March 29) PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 29 Ex-squash champion Azam Khan succumbs to coronavirus in UK : Khan had tested positive for Covid-19 last week. (March 29) Coronavirus updates, March 30: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 1,670 on Monday after new cases were reported across the country. (March 30) Pakistan Covid-19 fatalities rise after 5 more deaths confirmed today; 2 each in Sindh and Pindi, 1 in GB : Schools in KP to remain closed till May 31; Punjab reports another 45 cases, taking provincial tally to 638. (March 30) Pakistan concerned over curbs in held Kashmir despite virus : World urged to ask India to allow supply of medical equipment. (March 30) Sindh govt should have ‘full plan’ if lockdown prolongs: Bilawal : PPP chairman says it is government's foremost responsibility to ensure that not a single citizen remains hungry. (March 30) ADB approves $2m for Pakistan to combat COVID-19: Country director says ADB recognizes the extraordinary burden of this pandemic on Pakistan The grant, financed from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, will help fund the immediate purchase of emergency medical supplies, personal protective equipment, diagnostic and laboratory supplies, and other equipment. It supplements an initial $500,000 approved by ‘ADB on 20 March which is already being deployed to support Pakistan's procurement of emergency supplies through UNICEF. Taken together, this $2.5 million in approved funding represents ADB's immediate response for Pakistan, with further support to. follow. It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan has arranged about $4 billion additional financial assistance from multilateral lending and aid agencies to shore up foreign exchange reserves and budgetary support for fighting adverse impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. In $4 billion, the Asian Development Bank would provide $350 million immediately and Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comDesigned for CSS, PMS, PCS Objective Type Questions (MCQs) with Explanatory Notes — aa Pleats a) ee tlle Buy online: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM.CSS Times PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE at a request had been made for another $900m disbursement by June this year to meet emerging needs. (March 30) Coronavirus updates, March 31: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 1,872 on Tuesday after new cases were reported in the country. (March 31) Federal cabinet meets to approve coronavirus relief package, discuss economy: The meeting will also deliberate upon the steps taken by the government to languages, including Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, check the coronavirus epidemic as the Balochi and Kashmiri. The technology number of confirmed cases of the virus rise aNswers questions about novel coronavirus, exponentially. (March 31) its symptoms, ways to protect yourself, risk mponentialy.( ) assessment, educative videos made by the health ministry and shares information about nearest labs for the Covid-19 test. The helpline also provides daily figures of confirmed cases in Pakistan. The figures, however, are quoted from the National Institute of Health's 10am update and do not tally with the latest number of confirmed cases across the country. (March 31) Punjab govt approves malaria drug for critically-ill Covid-19 patients : The govt Jang Group's publisher Mir Javedur has procured 50,000 tablets of chloroquine Rehman passes away in Karachi: Mir Javed —_ and hydroxychloroquine. The government has ur Rahman was being treated at a private procured 50,000 tablets of the two said hospital in Karachi and had been in critical medicines.Mayo Hospital had earlier started condition for the past few days (March 31) using the drug on critical patients of Covid- Govt launches virus information service on _19. China had also treated its critical patients WhatsApp : Facebook starts news hub for suffering from the virus and the US has also Pakistan. WhatsApp users across the country _ allowed its use. The decision was taken by the can reach out to the health ministry on government after the Food and Drug +923001111166 for credible information, Authority (FDA) of the US granted approval to awareness resources, latest statistics, or using hydroxychloroquine, which is originally finding the nearest lab for testing. To contact —_ used to treat malaria. (March 31) the helpline, citizens should save the WhatsApp number in their phone, and then start a chat by typing "Hi" and sending it to the number, which will prompt them to either type in a query or choose from a list of frequently asked questions. Depending on the question, users will receive verified information in the form of a video, or text or link. The WhatsApp helpline provides information in Urdu and six regional Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comeae are Ruri Pade aa HOST el ar eco pertain Nahe aaa Ts a Mar dca (cr a mi re Mehmood Parcs Buy online: www.h Ay it emerMonthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 WORLD CURRENT AFFAIRS Turkey launches Operation Spring Shield in Syria's Idlib: Turkey has launched Operation Spring Shield in Idib, the country's defence minister, Hulusi Akar, announced, just days after airstrikes killed 33 of its troops in the Syrian city. (March 1) Operation Spring Shield Idiib, one of the four de-escalation areas designated at the 4th Astana Meeting held on 4-5 May 2017, remains as the last one after the regime took control of Eastern Ghouta, Northern Homs and Daraa-Qunaitra in 2018. President Erdogan and the President of the RF met in Sochi on 17 September 2018 to discuss the situation in the Idlib De- Escalation Area. As a result, the yee tty Battin = Spring os 7s Stet ae x UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE BB “Memorandum on Stabilization of the Situation in the Idlib De-escalation Area" was signed between two countries. Iran, the third Astana guarantor, later announced its support to the Memorandum. Maintaining compliance with the Memorandum is critical to prevent escalation on the ground, a wave of irregular migration and humanitarian crisis as well as for the sustainability of the political process. Regime elements have increased their attacks on Idlib since May 2019 under the pretext of combating terrorism. Turkey emphasizes to the regime's guarantors its deep concern regarding the regime's targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as the risks those pose to Turkey. Turkey's expectation is the establishment of calm on the ground by fully implementing all agreements on Idlib, first and foremost the Memorandum of 17 September 2018. Turkey bet on cooperation with Russia in Syria. It lost this bet. The situation in Idlib escalated after the February 27 terrorists from the Khayyat Tahrir al-Sham group launched a Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 large-scale attack on the positions of the Syrian army. Some 33 Turkish soldiers were killed as a result of an airstrike in the Syrian province of Idlib, Rahmi Dogan, the governor of the Hatay province, located close to the Turkish border with Syria, said 27 February 2020. The Associated Press called the Thursday attack the largest death toll for Turkey in a single day since it first intervened in Syria in 2016," and "a major escalation in a conflict between Turkish and Russia-backed Syrian forces." The BBC reports “The air strike came after the opposition retook the key town of Saraqeb, north-east of Balyun." On 28 Febuary 2020, Turkey began Operation Spring Shield against regime. Operation Spring Shield is already yielding results according to Defence Minister Hulusi Akar. He said since the operation began on February 28, 1 UAV, 8 helicopters, 103 tanks, 72 guns/howitzers/CNRA, 3 air defence systems and 2,212 regime soldiers have already been eliminated. "We have no intention to confront Russia but we want to stop the Assad regime's massacre of civilians. Our target is only regime forces and elements attacking our troops," he added. Al-Hawwash, where these air strikes occurred on 27 February 2020, is only 40km away from Russia's Khmeimim Airbase. There isn't much buffer, and the proximity meant Russia would feel more threatened by Turkish UAVs overhead. On 01 March 2020 Turkish drone strikes in Syria's Idlib province killed 19 regime soldiers, a war monitor reported, as tensions soared between Damascus and Ankara. The 19 died UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE 34 Zawiya area and a base near Maaret al Numan city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The report came hours after Turkey shot down two Syrian regime warplanes, in an escalating offensive against the Damascus regime in the country's northwestern province of Idlib. This operation took the regime planners and their allies by surprise. They probably estimated that the Turkish leadership would think twice, shy away from further human losses, and potentially opt for disengagement from Idlib. However, the Turkish military response destroyed scores of Syrian military assets, including at least three fighter jets (comprising two Sukhoi SU-34 and one L-39), five helicopters, 100 tanks, howitzers, and radar installations, while neutralising hundreds of troops. It dealt a serious blow to the military capabilities of the Syrian army and its surrogates. Pyongyang test-fires two ‘short-range ballistic missiles’: South Korea's military claimed on Monday that Pyongyang fired two short-range ballistic missiles, the launch comes weeks after North Korea threatened to demonstrate a "new strategic weapon” and its deadline for Washington to offer sanctions relief expired. The launch originated from North Pyongan province, the agency said, citing the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff. Earlier this month, the nuclear-armed North carried out similar launches on two occasions - Pyongyang said they had conducted "long- range artillery" drills, but the Japanese coast guard said that the project hich in strikes on a military, convoy in the Jabal al Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE 3b Monthly HSM CSS Times appeared to be ballistic missiles - landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone waters. North Korea announced it will hold in April a session of the Supreme People’s Assembly, its rubber-stamp legislature, in Pyongyang, which analysts had said would involve gathering almost 700 of the country’s leaders in one spot as the coronavirus spreads worldwide. The latest launch comes as a prolonged hiatus in disarmament talks with the United States drags on. The North has been continuing to refine its weapons capabilities, analysts say, more than a year after a summit between its leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump broke down in Hanoi Pyongyang is under multiple sets of United Nations, US and other sanctions over its weapons programmes, The North carried out a series of weapons trials late last year, the last of them in November, which it often described as multiple launch rocket systems, although others called them ballistic missiles. It also conducted static engine tests, most recently in December. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | Pyongyang set Washington a unilateral deadline of the end of 2019 to offer fresh concessions on sanctions relief, and at a party meeting in late December, Kim declared the North no longer considered itself bound by its moratoriums on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests. Heightened tensions in 2017 were followed by two years of nuclear diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington, including three meetings between Kim and Trump, but little tangible progress was made. (March 2) Top brands like Apple, BMW, Gap, Nike using forced Uighur labour in China: China is transferring tens of thousands of Uighur detainees out of internment camps and into factories that supply some of the world's leading brands. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the Chinese government has transferred 80,000 or more Uighurs out of camps in Xinjiang and into factories across the country. An estimated one million mostly Muslim ethnic minorities have been held in internment camps in Xinjiang. After initially denying their existence, Beijing cast the facilities as "vocational education centres" where "students" learn Mandarin and job skills in an effort to steer them away from religious extremism, terrorism and separatism. Rights groups and witnesses accuse China of forcibly trying to draw Uighurs away from. their Islamic customs and integrate them into the majority Han culture. Officially, the Chinese government says it is transferring “surplus” Xinjiang labour to other regions in For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 the name of poverty alleviation According to official news agency Xinhua, more than 25,000 workers from Xinjiang were slated to be transferred “inland” in 2019 China’s foreign ministry and the Xinjiang government did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report. (March 2) UN rights chief approaches Indian Supreme Court against CAA: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has approached the Indian Supreme Court to challenge the Citizenship Amendment Act or more commonly called the CAA UN Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHRC) Michelle Bachelet informed India that her office has filed an application urging the Supreme Court to make the UN body a third party in a petition filed by a former civil servant against the law. The CAA makes it easier for religious minorities from three neighbouring Muslim- majority countries who came to India before 2015 to get Indian citizenship - but not if they are Muslim. Coupled with the ongoing National Population Register (NPR) and a proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), India's Muslims, who form nearly 15 percent of the country’s 1.3 billion population, fear the steps are aimed at marginalising them. The NPR is a list of residents in the country — both citizens and non-citizens — while NRC is the list of citizens. Though the government has denied any links between NPR and the contentious NRC, WORLD AT A GLANCE 36 critics fear the data collected for the NPR may be laying the foundation for deciding citizenship. Opposition leaders as well as some allies of the ruling party have expressed apprehension after the government introduced new clauses in the NPR exercise that requires furnishing of new documents such as date and place of birth of parents. Critics say millions of Indians will find it difficult to furnish date of birth certificates. Nearly a dozen Indian states have said they won't implement NPR in the current form, demanding that it should be implemented in its 2010 form. UN application after Delhi violence: Since the passage of the CAA on December 11, hundreds of thousands of people across India, led mainly by Muslims and students, have been protesting against the legislation. So far, the violence against the law has killed more than 75 people across the country. In the worst communal violence in decades in the national capital, at least 47 people were killed and more than a 100 wounded as groups chanting Hindu nationalist slogans torched mosques and dozens of Muslim houses, Many Muslims abandoned their homes in the areas hit by the violence and took refuge in shelters set up by voluntary relief workers or moved to their relatives’ houses. The violence took place after a series of hate speeches were made by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, some of whom warned Muslims to wind down peaceful sit- ins or face consequences. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hempublishers.com“Practice Makes A Man Perfect” 2020 HSM CSS Compulsory Subjects EO Solved Papers 2016-19 BeSLEESMEt2m Preparation siadeg panjos of pe ) always to crack the CSS hind exam and not just gain knowledge. Here is where CeepnERR SORE Solved Papers the previous year papers an important role. They authentic source to know the pattern of questions asked in both the BH) Css exam, On analyzing these papers, you get an idea about w different topics number of static a dynamic questions being asked over the years 20162019 So, solve more and more Previous Year CSS Papers for better understanding of Buy Online ssn" : Think CSS- Think HSMUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 Videos shared on social media showed Delhi Police officials forcing injured Muslim men to sing the national anthem, and in some cases, smashing CCTV cameras in violence-affected areas. Unfazed by criticism, India’s Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month said his government stands by its CAA decision "despite all the pressure’. z oF sd Iran slams killing of Muslims in India: Iran condemned violence against Muslims in India, calling it "senseless thuggery’. Trump, Mullah Baradar discuss Afghan peace deal over telephone: Afghan Taliban's chief negotiator Mullah Baradar Akhund held a phone call with US President Donald Trump a few days after the two sides signed a troop withdrawal agreement in Doha World Bank to help countries combat coronavirus outbreak : World Bank has WORLD AT A GLANCE a) unveiled a 12 billion dollar aid package that will provide fast-track funds to help countries combat the coronavirus outbreak. World Bank President David Malpass told reporters that the goal is to provide fast, effective action that responds to country needs. The funds, some of which are targeted to the world’s poorest nations, can be used for medical equipment or health services and will include expertise and policy advice. Malpass said the money will go to countries that request help. The bank has been in contact with many member nations, but he did not specify which are likely to be the first to receive aid. Khalilzad speaks to Taliban chief as Pentagon downplays new attacks by insurgents : US Special Envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday said he met with the insurgent group's political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and his team for a “candid discussion" on next steps. Coronavirus is changing the way Muslims worship across the world: People around the world are avoiding crowded places, cutting back on inessential travel and taking precautionary measures such as working from home to avoid catching the new coronavirus. Several countries have also urged their citizens to change the way they greet one another, or celebrate certain festivities. Religious authorities, meanwhile, are advising people how to pray or mark holy days without risking spreading COVID-19 further. The virus, which originated in China, has so far infected more than 93,000 people globally and killed more than 3,000. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 Here are some examples of the new measures and advice from Muslim countries, organisations and Islamic sites for worshippers and pilgrims. Saudi bans ‘Umrah’ pilgrimage, stops foreigners visiting Islam's holiest sites The kingdom on Wednesday banned “Umrah” for residents and citizens, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Umrah, which can be completed in a few hours, is a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time of year, unlike the much more intensive and time-consuming Hajj - one of the five pillars of Islam performed during a few specific days each year. The move was in line with the "precautionary measures taken by Saudi authorities to prevent the spread of the virus” in the Gulf state, SPA said. Last week, Saudi Arabia said it was preventing foreigners from reaching the holy city of Mecca and the Kaaba, the building at the centre of the Great Mosque. It also said travel was suspended to Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina. This year's Hajj, which usually brings about three million people to Mecca, is expected to take place from July 28 to August 2. Authorities have not yet announced any restrictive measures; more than 60,000 people have applied to participate in this year's event already, Iran halts Friday prayers in major cities Iran is struggling to contain the virus, with a rising number of cases and deaths each day. ‘As of Wednesday evening, those totalled 2,922 and 92, respectively. Friday prayers in all provincial capitals have been halted. WORLD AT A GLANCE 39 ‘This disease is a widespread one," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told his cabinet, according to a transcript. "It encompasses almost all of our provinces and is, in a sense, a global disease that many countries in the world have become infected with, and we must work together to tackle this problem as quickly as possible." Singapore Muslim leader advises worshippers to use own prayer mats, avoid shaking hands According to The Straits Times, Masagos Zulkifli, a minister in charge of Muslim affairs in Singapore, has advised Muslims to bring their own prayer mats to mosques and refrain from shaking hands with one another. “In these circumstances, we will not be shaking hands. But if you do, wash your hands, and then make sure you don't touch your face. This is just a precaution for many of us who always forget that,” he said. 9 aa 5e08 While it remains logistically difficult to take worshippers’ temperatures at mosques, some of which attract thousands of people, Masagos said Muslims should stay at home if they showed any coronavirus symptoms. There have been more than 100 cases of coronavirus in Singapore, and the majority of patients have recovered. UK group calls on Muslim institutions to follow hygiene advice The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), one of the United Kingdom's largest Muslim umbrella organisations, has called on mosques and Islamic schools to "keep your Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times congregations safe", by following the government's advice. “Much of this advice, and an emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene is in line with Islamic tradition. Abu Malik Al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said: ‘Purity is half of iman (faith)'," MCB sai on its website, referring to a saying of the Prophet Muhammad. It advised madrassas, or schools, to encourage handwashing and said mosques should have enough soap and hand sanitisers available, especially near ablution areas. The number of people infected in the UK has risen to 87. Prayers banned at mosques in Tajikistan Tajikistan, which so far has no reported cases, has suspended Friday prayers. The Muslim-majority country of nine million has shut its border to neighbours China and Afghanistan as well as South Korea, Iran and Italy. It is also cancelling celebrations for Nowruz or the Persian New Year, which is celebrated from March 21 to 25. Sindh Provincial Govt asks Citizens to pray at home The Sindh government banned prayers and other religious gatherings in mosques, including Karachi, in another attempt to stem the coronavirus. The ban that begins Friday, will go through April 5 and will apply to typical Friday prayers across the province which is home to 50 million people which has been worst hit by the pandemic, provincial information minister Nasir Hussain Shah told reporters. (March 5) ‘This is not a drill': WHO urges world to take coronavirus more seriously ; “Countries have been planning far scenario: like this for decades. Now is the time to act, says WHO chief, (March 6) Adviser to Iran's Javad Zarif passes away after contracting coronavirus: Hossein Sheikholeslam an adviser to Iran's foreign minister who took part in the 1979 US embassy hostage crisis has died from coronavirus. (March 6) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE 40 service in Sindh this month; A Chinese tech giant is set to launch wide-ranging operations in Karachi, including delivery and ride-hailing cab services, with plans to invest $600 million in the country. This time round, a Chinese tech giant is set to launch wide- ranging operations in Karachi, including delivery and ride-hailing cab services, with plans to invest $600 million in the country, Officials and market sources said, _— oa These sources said that, after first setting foot in Islamabad, the Chinese firm Timesaco is now set to expand its Tatu Mobility operations to Karachi, with initial plans to launch two services this month, thereby adding to several existing ride-hailing services being operated by some half a dozen technology companies across the city. The company, however, claims that its services will be different from the already existing operators on a variety of fronts. (March 6) Afghan political leader Abdullah Abdullah escapes attack on Kabul ceremony ; Gunmen attacked a ceremony in the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday where a top Afghan political leader, Abdullah Abdullah, was present but escaped unharmed. (March 6) For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comA Se 3 La AL SU Se Te 3 FAMILY EXCEPT fal Portuguese [8] Bengali Pel Germano] ura (oi) fe] Turkish mn: Languages in the Indo-European family are spoken by more of ee ua uA ae ke Sead eee meee OM cs (A), (8), (C), and (0) are all Indo-European languages. Turkish is in the uae eutectic a ech iO HSM Physical & Human Geography MCQs Rs. 375/- B hsmpublishers.com “Practice Makes A Man Perfect” y Compulsory Subjects Solved Papers = 2016-2019UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 Turkey-Russia agreed ceasefire in Syria's Idlib comes into force ; A ceasefire in northern Syria agreed between Russia and Turkey came into force on Friday, aiming to halt intense fighting that has sparked a humanitarian disaster and raised fears of their armies clashing. (March 6) Tay NiO) Re fey Bangladeshis protest upcoming visit by Indian premier: Large numbers of protesters in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka demanding the cancellation of an upcoming visit by India's premier. Accusing India’s Narendra Modi of “killing Muslims” and "patronizing communal violence” in his country, the demonstrators demanded their government cancel an earlier invitation to Modi for an official visit. Modi is scheduled to visit Dhaka on March 17, but recent communal violence against Muslims in neighboring India has sparked calls for the visit to be canceled. At least 44 people were killed and hundreds injured in the worst communal riots in the Indian capital in decades, triggered by clashes between supporters of a new citizenship law and those against it.(March 7) India makes U-turn on TV ban over Delhi violence coverage : The Indian government backtracked on Saturday after slapping a 48- hour ban on two TV channels for what Officials called biased coverage of the recent New Delhi violence. (March 7) Two test positive for coronavirus at US conference attended by Pence, Pompeo : Two people have tested positive for the new coronavirus after taking part in a pro-Israel lobby group's conference in Washington Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE which Vice President Mike Pence, State Secretary Mike Pompeo and dozens of lawmakers also attended. (March 7) Trump names Meadows as fourth chief of staff: US President Donald Trump announced he had chosen staunch ally Mark Meadows to be his new chief of staff - the fourth person to hold the position since he took office. (March 7) US, Russia not to accept ‘Islamic emirate’ in Afghanistan: The United States and Russia have agreed to work together to ensure that the international community does not accept or support the restoration of the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”. (March 8) Riyadh releases king's photos after purge over ‘coup plot’ :Arrests of two senior princes triggered speculation about a possible coup attempt or deterioration in the king's health. (March 8) Sudan PM escapes assassination bi confirms top aide: Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok escaped unharmed an assassination attempt in an attack on his convoy in Khartoum on Monday, confirmed his top aide. (March 8) Five nations seal Davis Cup Finals debuts: Ecuador, Sweden, Hungary, Czech Republic and Austria will all be in next week's draw for the 18-nation showdown. (March 8) Fire destroys most voting machines in Venezuela's main elections warehouse :Nearly 50,000 voting machines and almost 600 computers went up in flames as a result of the fire that broke out on Saturday. (March 8) US starts troop pullout, seeks end to Afghan leaders’ feud :US military says it has begun its “conditions-based reduction of forces to 8,600 over 135 days.” (March 10) Modi cancels Dhaka trip after Bangladesh detects coronavirus cases :The event marking the centenary of the birth of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was scheduled to take place ‘on March 17. (March 10) Xanana Gusmao returns as East Timor PM in coalition government: Country's first president and former prime minister says his coalition controls 34 of parliament's 65 seats. 42 For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 (March 10) Game of Thrones actor Max von Sydow dies at age 90 :Sydow, who is best known for his role as a priest in The Exorcist, starred in around 200 film and TV productions. (March 10) Conditional prisoner release is against Afghan peace deal: The Afghan Taliban have expressed reservations on the conditional prisoner release order announced by President Ashraf Ghani and said it is against the peace agreement signed with US in Doha last month. (March 11) North Korea tests ‘balli missiles’; South sees it as move to grab attention : Analysts say the North has been continuing to refine its weapons capabilities since the Hanoi summit broke down in 2019. (March 11) Coronavirus: 52 cases in India: Two positive cases were confirmed in Delhi and Rajasthan Wednesday, taking the total number of infections in the country to 52, as per the Union Health Ministry. (March 11) Putin reveals he intends to stay in power beyond ‘24 : Putin tells the lower house there could be a presidential "reset" allowing him to run after his current term ends. (March 11) UN urges Iran to free political prisoners amid coronavirus spread: Tehran freed 70,000 prisoners to help limit the spread, but UN rapporteur says non-violent offenders must be released. (March 11) Indian police deliberately targeted Muslims during Delhi riots: NYT report ; A report published by the The New York Times ‘on Thursday said that recent evidence suggests that New Delhi police "concertedly moved against Muslims” and "actively helped Hindu mobs" that targeted Muslims and their homes during the deadly riots that gripped the Indian capital last month. (March 12) US Congress votes to limit Trump's war powers against Iran: The resolution now goes to President Donald Trump, who has threatened to veto the measure The United States House of Representatives approved a War Powers Resolution aimed at WORLD AT A GLANCE 43 limiting President Donald Trump's ability to wage war against Iran. The passage of the resolution was yet another rebuke of the president over his decision to order the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January amid escalating tensions with Tehran. The Senate voted 55 to 45 - with eight Republicans joining Democrats on February 13 - to approve the resolution. The House action sends the measure to Trump, who has threatened to veto it. A two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate would be needed to override a veto. The measure requires that Trump get congressional approval before engaging in further military action against Iran. “Congress should vote on articles of war before any further hostilities with Iran,” Democratic Representative James McGovern said in House floor debate. Trump ordered the attack that killed Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the airport in Baghdad on January 3. Conflict with Iran swiftly escalated into a standoff that many members of the US Congress feared would lead to outright war. Iran responded to Soleimani's killing with attacks on two Iraqi bases housing US troops. Mare than 100 US troops were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries. "The Constitution gives Congress the authority and responsibility to declare war,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, the resolution directs the removal of US forces from hostilities against Iran that have not been authorised by Congress.(March 12) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hempublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 Trump suspends travel from Europe to US in coronavirus crisis: President Donald Trump suspended travel from Europe to the United States for 30 days in a “tough” new effort to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic that has sparked a run on the stock market and is rapidly multiplying. (March 12) Boris Johnson refuses to apologise over remarks about Muslim women, Islamophobia: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson once again refused to apologise over his derogatory and offensive remarks about Muslim women as well as the increasing incidents of Islamophobia in his party. (March 12) Australia to spend $11.4bn to boost virus- hit economy: The government is also considering extending its travel ban on virus- affected countries to include all of Europe (March 12) Iran says it has asked IMF for $5 billion emergency funding to fight coronavirus: Iran's Central Bank chief Abdolnaser Hemmati wrote on his Instagram page that “ina letter addressed to the head of IMF, I have requested five billion US dollar from the RFI emergency fund to help our fight against the coronavirus" (March 12) Nobel laureate Yunus apologises for labour violations : He has also been fined $88 after pleading guilty in last month's trial. (March 12) Afghanistan: Ghani signs decree to release 1,500 Taliban fighters: Decree says all the released Taliban prisoners will provide 'a written guarantee to not return to the battlefield'(March 12) Turkey's Erdogan accuses Greece of ‘Nazi tortures’ on refugees: Greece responded to the Turkish president's Nazi comments by denouncing Holocaust comparisons, (March India suspends most visas to halt coronavirus spread: Visa free travel afforded to overseas citizens of the country has also been suspended until 15 April. (March 12) WORLD AT A GLANCE 44 Greenland and Antarctica ice loss accelerating: Greenland and Antarctica lost 6.4 trillion tonnes of ice in the period from 1992 to 2017.This was sufficient to push up global sea-levels by 17.8mm. (March 12) US report slams religion-based violence in India : The US state department's "Country Reports on Human Rights" noted 703 incidents of religious violence between 2016- 17. The US State Department's annual Country Reports on Human Rights, noted 703 incidents of religious violence in India between 2016- 17, in which 86 persons were killed and 2,321 injured. The statistics were provided by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs but it did not include all incidents that occurred during this period. In a separate report, The New York Times noted that the New Delhi police “concertedly moved against Muslims” and “actively helped Hindu mobs” that targeted Muslims and their homes during last month's communal riots in the Indian capital At least 50 people were killed in these riots and over two-thirds of them were Muslims, the report added, noting that mosques were also burnt and vandalised and shops looted. At least 15 Hindus were killed as well in what the report described as India's worst religious violence in decades. The official US report, however, focused on human rights violations in India, which included arbitrary killings, forced disappearances, torture, rapes under police custody, arbitrary arrests and detentions, Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comw Buy Online www.hsmpublishers.com www.ilmikitabkhana.com Kabir Street Urdu Bazar, Lahore Phone: 042-373532510UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly CSS Times HSM April 2020 harsh and life-threatening prison conditions. Other violations included censorship, the use of libel laws to prosecute social media speech and site blocking. The report noted that the government imposed restrictions on foreign funding of some NGOs, including those with views the government stated were not in the “national interest’, thereby curtailing the work of these NGOs. The official US report pointed out that “a lack of accountability for misconduct persisted at all levels of government, contributing to widespread impunity”. The report acknowledged that investigations and prosecutions of individual cases took place, but lax enforcement, a shortage of trained police officers, and an overburdened and under-resourced court system contributed to a small number of convictions. The US State Department noted that out of 419,623 prisoners, about two-thirds were awaiting trial and “a disproportionate number of Muslims, Dalits, and Adivasis who made up 53 per cent of prisoners awaiting trial’. The New York Times reported that several videos had surfaced since last month's riots, showing Delhi police assaulting Muslims protesters, and urging Hindu mobs to join. (March 13) In China's coronavirus epicentre, just five new cases : Wuhan, capital of central Hubei province, registered the five new cases, the National Health Commission said, down from eight cases the previous day. (March 13) Iran reports highest-single day death toll at 85, taking total to 514: How countries are coping with coronavirus outbreak : Coronavirus in India, US, China, Italy, Iran: Italy, the European epicentre of the virus outbreak and the hardest-hit country outside Wuhan, has registered over 1,000 deaths with more than 15,000 testing positive. (March 13) IOC chief signals Tokyo Olympics 2020 may be cancelled or postponed: The International Olympic Committee will follow the World Health Organisation's recommendation on whether to cancel or WORLD AT A GLANCE 46 postpone this year’s Tokyo Olympics over the coronavirus pandemic (March 13) Canada PM Justin Trudeau's wife tests positive for coronavirus : “Although I'm experiencing uncomfortable symptoms, | will be back on my feet soon,” says Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau. (March 13) Bahrain accuses Iran of ‘biological aggression’ over COVID-2019: Gulf states take new steps in an attempt to curb coronavirus as Bahrain blames Iran for covering up spread of disease. (March 13) US air strikes in Iraq killed six people: Iraqi military: The Pentagon said the strikes targeted five weapons stores used by Iran- backed Iraqi paramilitary groups, including facilities housing arms used in past attacks on US-led coalition troops. (March 13) President Trump declares national emergency in US over coronavirus: Earlier Trump had announced a 30-day travel ban from Europe to US to help curb the spread of coronavirus. Almost every US states have declared states of emergency in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The country has reported more than 4,660 infections of the novel coronavirus, but amid a nationwide testing shortage the true figure is probably much higher. As of Thursday, almost every state had reported a case. For the coronavirus, it's given government leaders the opportunity to implement restrictive measures to stop the spread of the virus — Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington is reportedly banning gatherings and events of Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com more than 250 people in the Seattle metro area. The response from state leadership is in stark contrast to President Donald Trump's repeated downplaying of the outbreak and rocky public appearances in addressing officials’ response to the virus. Here are the states that have declared emergencies Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in Washington on February 29 after the first coronavirus death was confirmed By March 13, the state had confirmed 37 deaths from the virus and more than 568 cases. WORLD AT A GLANCE California California declared a state of emergency on March 4 after reporting the first death from coronavirus in the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom made the declaration to receive emergency federal funding to battle the outbreak. The proclamation also includes provisions meant to protect consumers from price gouging and allows for out-of-state healthcare workers to assist facilities at the frontlines of the coronavirus battle. The state has 281 confirmed cases and four deaths. Maryland On March 5, Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency in Maryland after announcing the state's first three positive coronavirus tests. The patients contracted the virus while traveling overseas and were quarantined in their homes. Kentucky On March 6, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Kentucky's first confirmed case of the virus and a state of emergency. Utah Gov, Gary Herbert declared a state of emergency in as an anticipatory measure hours before Utah's Department of Health announced the state's first case of COVID-19 ‘on March 6. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in New York. By March 13 the number of confirmed cases in the state reached 435. Florida On March 7, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida declared a level 2 state of emergency, an escalation from the public-health emergency he declared on March 1. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced the declaration ‘on March 8, which will remain in effect for 60 days but could be extended. Indiana A state of emergency was issued by Gov. Eric Holcomb on March 6. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times emergency on March 9, after 11 people in New Jersey had tested positive for the virus. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis made the declaration March 10 after Colorado confirmed its 15th case, with all cases surfacing in just a few days. Towa ‘As of March 9, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency, local news agencies reported. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a state of emergency on March 9. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed an emergency disaster declaration on March 6. Mlinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued a state of emergency ‘on March 9, according to the Southern Illinoisan. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency on March 10 amid a “significant uptick" of cases. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of ‘emergency on March 10 to stop the spread of the virus. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency of March 10, after Michigan had its first two cases of COVID-19. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, according to local media outlets. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont issued a state of emergency Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE 4g ‘on March 10. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a state of emergency on March 11. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency on March 12. Delaware Gov. John Carney declared a state of emergency on March 12. Montana Montana declared a state of emergency on March 12. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak issued a state of emergency on March 12. Arkansas According to local news outlets, Gov. Asa Hutchinson declared a public-health emergency on March 11. °e *covip-19 ¢ 26 of Kansas allie, Gov. Laura Kelly issued a state of emergency on March 12. The announcement was made after a man in his 70s died from COVID-19. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency on March 12. Hawaii On March 5, Hawaii issued an emergency proclamation. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee issued a state of emergency on March 12. Alabama Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency on March 13. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu declared a state of emergency on March 13. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on March 13. Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued a proactive emergency declaration on March 13. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts declared a state of emergency on March 13. Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons declared a state of emergency on March 13. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declared a state of emergency on March 13. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will announce a state of emergency on March 14, local news outlets reported. Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo declared a state of emergency on March 9, local outlets reported. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency on March 11, local news agencies reported. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a declaration of public health disaster emergency on March 1L Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves issued a state of emergency ‘on March 14. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon declared a state of Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE 49 emergency on March 13. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem declared a state of emergency on March 13, local outlets reported North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum declared a state of emergency on March 13, local outlets reported. Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed an emergency proclamation on March 15. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott declared a state of emergency on March 13. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster on March 13. Texas has 48 cases of COVID-19. (March 13) Argentina strike: Farmers protest soybean export tax rise: Argentine farmers start four- day strike against increase in export taxes for soybean amid economic crisis. (March 14) PM Orban announces self- Ludovic Orban's self-quarantine may yet be extended to other members of his administration. (March 14) Greece swears in first female president: Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou, a former high court judge, was overwhelmingly approved by Greece's parliament. She is the first woman in the nation’s 200- year history to occupy one of its highest political offices. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis nominated Katerina Sakellaropoulou as a non-partisan candidate who would enjoy broad support For Free Download: www.hempublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times from across the political spectrum. All major parties voted in favor, with Ms Sakellaropoulou being elected to the largely ceremonial post in a 261-33 vote in January, well above the 200 votes required. Six lawmakers were absent. The Guardian reported in January: Inaugurating a new era for one of Europe's more traditional nations, MPs overwhelmingly endorsed the nomination of Katerina Sakellaropoulou as head of state. No woman has held the post in the nearly 200 years ince Greece proclaimed independence. Today a window to the future has opene said the prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after 261 deputies in the 300-seat House voted in favour of the French-educated jurist assuming the role. “Our country enters the third decade of the 21st century with more optimism. Greece has a low number of women in senior positions in politics, and Mr. Mitsotakis had been criticized for selecting a nearly all-male Cabinet after he won general elections in July 2019. In the current Greek Cabinet, all but ‘one of the 18 senior positions are held by men. “I hope that the election of a woman for the first time to the highest position of the country will improve the position of all women in the country, both in the family and "Ms, Sakellaropoulou said, “It is time for the women of this country to realize that they can attain their dreams, on their own merits, without facing obstacles simply because they were born women." (March 14) WORLD AT A GLANCE 50 Coronavirus: Lessons to learn from Ebola : As COVID-19 cuts a wide swathe of panic, the experts who beat Ebola in West Africa are looking on, knowingly. China and Italy are to the pandemic what Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia were to the epidemic of 2014 ~ 2016 The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented challenge. While countries with advanced healthcare systems struggle in the fight against COVID-19, its effects on countries with weaker health systems, including Liberia and other parts of Africa where cases are growing, will be significant. As a former President and a physician from Liberia, we were directly engaged in the country's Ebola epidemic in 2014-16. The epidemic claimed the lives of over 11,000 people and resulted in massive economic losses across West Ebola taught us painful but valuable lessons. Today, as our fellow political and healthcare leaders across the world confront COVID-19, we share those lessons and five recommendations to strengthen the response. To slow Ebola's spread, in July 2014, the Government of Liberia imposed a curfew to reduce movements and virus transmission. Evidence shows measures to keep people apart (aka “social distancing") such as temporarily closing bars and restaurants and prohibiting public gatherings can slow coronavirus too. China dramatically reduced its daily cases by implementing such actions. An analysis shows that if such actions had been taken even 1-3 weeks later there would have been a 3-to-18-fold increase in cases Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comETC] ear la EEN G IS —— All Exam GURU |, es cr Encyclopedia GENERAL enon tte Oca ey) Rc aL Sl UL 4 gee 5; i \ ° a lex P “gee g erie ash & PO ae wy Buy Online www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly = Times HSM ‘April 2020 UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com “WORLD ATAGLANCE | 52 How Contagious is the Coronavirus? Average number of people infected by an individual with the following* Measles HIV/AIDS EY 2-5 SARS-CoV (IN 2-5 Influenza BH 2-3 12-18 Smallpox SN 5-7 Polio i 5-7 Mumps Si 4-7 090° (aeie oO 300 2019 ncoV WM 14-25 (new coronavirus) Ebola i 1.5-2.5 * Based on current WHO estimated as of 23 Jan 2020. Source: WHO via Spiegel.de across China. In considering such measures, concerns about being criticized for ‘overreacting get in the way of a speedy response. But when the safety of their people is at stake, leaders must overcome their fears and act with no regrets. We commend President Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Prime Minister Abiy of Ethiopia, who have, within days of their countries’ first confirmed COVID19 cases, closed schools and placed bans on all public gatherings such as conferences, funerals, and festivals. Test, test, test: rapidly scale up testing and bring it as close as possible to your residents’ homes Searching for a virus without a test is like looking for a needle in a haystack blindfolded. Early on in Liberia's Ebola epidemic, testing was not available in the country. Samples were shipped to reference labs elsewhere the region. This created delays in detecting the spread of Ebola. The Ebola Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comeh ca Ne eal SS oe response in the Democratic Republic of Congo was aided by deploying rapid testing as close to the community as possible. The Republic of Korea's drive-through test centers helped that country detect those with coronavirus and isolate them to reduce its spread. As rapid coronavirus test kits become available, outreach nurses and community health workers can be trained - and equipped with protective gear — to test patients at or near patients’ homes; in the meanwhile they can educate residents on the symptoms of COVID13, collect samples from those with illness, report test results and monitor and refer those who become ill to hospitals. Ebola killed nearly 1 out of 10 of Liberia's healthcare workers. In the Lombardy region of Italy, the infection rate is 12% for health workers, versus 1% for the general population. Contracting the illness doesn't only lower the number of workers available to fight the virus, it shatters the spirits of those left on the frontlines. Health workers, 70% of whom are women, get sick when they lack protective equipment like gloves, gowns, masks. A nurse without a mask is like a soldier without a helmet — neither stands a chance against their enemy. By working with partners to scale up distribution of protective gear, we were able to lower the rate of Ebola infections amongst health workers. In the COVID-19 fight, however, rich countries are stockpiling personal protective equipment, reducing their export and worsening global shortages. Coronavirus anywhere is a threat to people everywhere. The World Health Organization's UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com ‘SSTimes WORLDATAGLANCE COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund is working to ensure doctors, nurses and community health workers in low-income countries have the gear and training they need to keep safe and keep serving. We encourage companies, philanthropies and individuals to support it. Repurpose arms of government, including the military, to support epidemic response At the peak of Liberia's Ebola epidemic, hundreds of people fell sick every week. Hospitals in Monrovia were overwhelmed, and we ran out of treatment beds. To rapidly increase the availability of hospital beds, we used an unconventional approach. The Government engaged our military to work with the US military to construct Ebola treatment centers dramatically increasing our hospital bed capacity. In a similar way, the logistical and technical resources of other arms of government should be leveraged to support Health Ministries in the COVID-19 response. Plan for recovery now focusing on those most affected by the pandemic’s economic blow The 2014-16 Ebola epidemic cost $53 billion in social and economic losses in West Africa. For this reason, Liberia began to plan for Post-Ebola Recovery during the crisis. In response to COVID-19, the US has announced it will give billions of dollars in economic relief to provide support to small business owners and workers who will lose income during this pandemic. But many low-income Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 countries will simply not have the capacity to cushion the pandemic's economic blow. The United Nations and partners should strongly consider an economic recovery initiative to support the most vulnerable in these countries. When epidemics strike, fear, anxiety and despair can be agonizing. But as we learned during Liberia's Ebola epidemic, we are not defined by the conditions we face, no matter how hopeless they seem - we are defined by how we respond to them. Decisive political leadership and global cooperation — along with every single one of us playing our part - will determine if we win the war against this invisible enemy. (March 14) 5 million Syrian children in need due to war, says UN : Death and displacement are just two of the life-threatening challenges children in Syria face, UNICEF has reported. As fighting enters its 10th year, many Syrian kids have known nothing but war. (March 14) Bill Gates says he is stepping down from Microsoft board : Gates was Microsoft's CEO until 2000 and since then has gradually scaled back his involvement in the company he started with Paul Allen in 1975. (March 14) After 7 months in detention, Farooq Abdullah meets son Omar Abdullah: Farooq Abdullah was released on Friday after his detention under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) was revoked. Today, he drove from his residence to the nearby Hari Nivas where his son has been held since February 5. (March 14) Riots deepen Hindu-Muslim divide in Indian capital : Many Hindus in Yamuna Vihar say they are boycotting merchants and refusing to hire workers from the Muslim community. For years, Hindus and Muslims lived and worked peacefully together in Yamuna Vihar, a densely populated Delhi district. But the riots that raged through the district, last month appear to have cleaved lasting divisions in the community, reflecting a nationwide trend as tensions over the Hindu nationalist agenda of Prime Minister WORLD AT A GLANCE 54 Narendra Modi boils over. Many Hindus in Yamuna Vihar, a sprawl of residential blocks and shops dotted with mosques and Hindu temples, and in other riot-hit districts of northeast Delhi, say they are boycotting merchants and refusing to hire workers from the Muslim community. Muslims say they are scrambling to find jobs at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has heightened pressure on India's economy. “Ihave decided to never work with Muslims,” said Yash Dhingra, who has a shop selling paint and bathroom fittings in Yamuna Vihar. “IL have identified new workers, they are Hindus,” he said, standing in a narrow lane that was the scene of violent clashes in the riots that erupted on Feb. 23. The trigger for the riots, the worst sectarian violence in the Indian capital in decades, was a citizenship law introduced last year that critics say marginalizes India's Muslim minority. Police records show at least 53 people, mostly Muslims, were killed and more than 200 were injured. Dhingra said the unrest had forever changed Yamuna Vihar. Gutted homes with broken doors can be seen across the neighbourhood; electricity cables melted in the fires dangle dangerously above alleys strewn with stones and bricks used as makeshift weapons in the riots. Most Hindu residents in the district are now boycotting Muslim workers, affecting everyone from cooks and cleaners to mechanics and fruit sellers, he said. “We have proof to show that Muslims started the violence, and now they are blaming it on us," Dhingra said. "This is their pattern as they Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hempublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times are criminal-minded people.” Those views were widely echoed in interviews with 25 Hindus in eight localities in northeast Delhi, many of whom suffered large-scale financial damages or were injured in the riots. Reuters also spoke with about 30 Muslims, most of whom said that Hindus had decided to stop working with them. Suman Goel, a 45-year-old housewife who has lived among Muslim neighbours for 23 years, said the violence had left her in a state of shock. "It's strange to lose a sense of belonging, to step out of your home and avoid smiling at Muslim women,” she said. “They must be feeling the same too but it's best to maintain a distance: Mohammed Taslim, a Muslim who operated a business selling shoes from a shop owned by a Hindu in Bhajanpura, one of the neighbourhoods affected by the riots, said his inventory was destroyed by a Hindu mob. He was then evicted and his space was leased out to a Hindu businessman, he said. UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE 55 “This is being done just because I am a Muslim,” said Taslim. Many Muslims said the attack had been instigated by hardline Hindus to counter- protests involving tens of thousands of people across India against the new citizenship law. "This is the new normal for us," said Adil, a Muslim research assistant with an economic think tank in central Delhi. "Careers, jobs and business are no more a priority for Us. Our priority now is to be safe and to protect our lives.” He declined to disclose his full name for fear of reprisals, Emboldened by Modi's landslide electoral victory in 2014, hardline groups began pursuing a Hindu-first agenda that has come at the expense of the country's Muslim minority. Vigilantes have attacked and killed a number of Muslims involved in transporting cows, which are seen as holy animals by Hindus, to slaughterhouses in recent years. The government has also adopted a tough stance with regard to Pakistan, and in August withdrew semi-autonomous privileges for occupied Kashmir, India's only Muslim- majority state. In November, the Supreme Court ruled that a Hindu temple could be built at Ayodhya, where a right-wing mob tore down a 16th- century mosque in 1992, a decision that was welcomed by the Modi government. The citizenship law, which eases the path for non-Muslims from neighbouring Muslim- majority nations to gain citizenship in India, was the final straw for many Muslims, as well as secular Indians, sparking nationwide protests. Modi's office did not respond to questions from Reuters about the latest violence. But the riots that raged through the district last month appear to have cleaved lasting divisions in the community, reflecting a nationwide trend as tensions over the Hindu nationalist agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi boils over. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 aN — Many Hindus in Yamuna Vihar, a sprawl of residential blocks and shops dotted with mosques and Hindu temples, and in other riot-hit districts of northeast Delhi, say they are boycotting merchants and refusing to hire workers from the Muslim community. Muslims say they are scrambling to find jobs at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has heightened pressure on India's economy. Night vigilantes During the day, Hindus and Muslims shun each other in the alleys of the Delhi districts that were hardest hit by the unrest in February. At night, when the threat of violence is greater, they are physically divided by barricades that are removed in the morning And in some areas, permanent barriers are being erected. On a recent evening, Tarannum Sheikh, a schoolteacher, sat watching two welders install a high gate at the entrance of a narrow lane to the Muslim enclave of Khajuri Khas, where she lives. The aim was to keep Hindus out, she said. "We keep wooden batons with us to protect the entrance as at any time, someone can enter this alley to create trouble,” she said. “We do not trust the police anymore.” In the adjacent Hindu neighbourhood of Bhajanpura, residents expressed a similar mistrust and sense of insecurity. “In a way, these riots were needed to unite Hindus, we did not realise that we were surrounded by such evil minds for decades,’ said Santosh Rani, a 52-year-old Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | WORLDATAGLANCE 8 grandmother. She said she had been forced to lower her two grandchildren from the first floor of her house to the street below after the building was torched in the violence, allegedly by a Muslim. “This time the Muslims have tested our patience and now we will never give them jobs," said Rani who owns several factories and retail shops. “I will never forgive them.” Hasan Sheikh, a tailor who has stitched clothing for Hindu and Muslim women for over 40 years, said Hindu customers came to collect their unstitched clothes after the riots. “Tt was strange to see how our relationship ended,” said Sheikh, who is Muslim. “I was not at fault, nor were my women clients, but the social climate of this area is very tense. Hatred on both sides is justified." IMF to mobilise $1tr to fight coronavirus : The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it's ready to use its $1 trillion lending capacity to help countries struggling with the humanitarian and economic impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The US Federal Reserve offered a massive monetary stimulus to encourage economic growth, by slashing interest rates to zero. It also launched a $700 billion quantitative easing programme to shelter the economy from the effects of the virus. “The IMF stands ready to mobilise its $1 trillion lending capacity to help our membership,” IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement. “As a first line of defence, the Fund can deploy its flexible and rapid-disbursing emergency For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comHSM English Essays for Competitive Exams HSM English Essays for Competitive Exams contains ample number of essays which are ‘or may be asked in a number of competitive & recruitment examinations. This book has been designed for the candidates of CSS/PMS/PCS examinations. HSM English Essays covering topics of Contemporary, Social, Environmental, Political, Education, Gender Discrimination, Islam, Pakistan, Economic, Science & Technology International, Proverbial & Idiomatic, etc The essays in the book are meant to provide guidance, knowledge of the topic and stimulating the imagination & enhancing the power of analyzing of the students. Be More Informative With proper Presentation. [Knowledge Speaks , Gut Wisdom Listens — VS Table of Contents Wilting a Good Essay in Competitive Exam i Digital Pakistan; Objective and Challenges 15 Net Neutrality: —A Public Demand [3 Why Online Shopping Will Exceed All Predictions? 18 Artificial Intelligence (Al) 22 Empowering A Woman _, Empowers Next Generation | 29 Feminism is Not Really A Third Word Issue [3a New Waves of Feminism _ and Our Culture 37 Reservation of Seats for Women in Parliament: Why itis | 41 Important? | Democracy in Pakistan : Hopes and Hurdles (45 is Colonial Mentality _ Impeding Pakistan's Progress? | §3 Civil Servants _and Politicians : A Complicated Partnership | 59 ‘Should Educational Qualification be Made of 62 Mandatory for Politicians? | Crisis of Good Governance in Pakistan: Need for | 66 Reforms and Institution Building hes China -Pakistan Economic Corridor _(CPEC) & is Socio | 71 Economic Implications for the Region and the World | DoesForeign Aid Help to Achieve Economic Stability? | 60 Promotion of Tax Culture in Pakistan : Perspective, | 88 Prospects and Challenges | Poverty anywhere is A Threat to Prosperity Everywhere | 94 The Threat of Jobless Future Through Reskiling and Up | 99 Skilling Modernity is an Unending Project [102] ‘Are Modern Wars _ Not Holy? [105 What is Arts For Peace? [10 Classrooms Decide the Future of the Nation 113_| Pollution in Urban Areas [115] Pollution [120 Plastic ban in Pakistan [125] Honour Killing _in Pakistan 129_| Population Explosion _— How can we tacNe this problem? | 133. Social Empowerment Programmes in Pakistan [138 Urdu Literature ar 144 Search for truth _is a spiritual problem (53: Attitude makes habit , habit makes character and) 157 character makes a man it Global Warming Essay, Causes, Consequences 162 Corruption : Causes & Consequences 168UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 response toolkit to help countries with urgent balance-of-payment needs.” The Fund, she said, could provide up to $50bn to emerging and developing economies and up to $10bn to its low- income members through “our concessional financing facilities, which carry zero interest rates’, The IMF already has 40 ongoing arrangements — both disbursing and precautionary — with combined commitments of about $200bn. “In many cases, these arrangements can provide another vehicle for the rapid disbursement of crisis financing. We also have received interest from about 20 countries and will be following up with them in the coming days,” Ms Georgieva said. The IMF chief said the Fund's Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) could help the poorest countries with immediate debt relief, which will free up vital resources for health spending, containment, and mitigation. Britain recently pledged $195 million to the Trust, increasing CCRT's fund to about $400m, which is available for potential debt relief. In the statement, posted on the IMF website, Ms Georgieva argued that “while quarantining and social distancing is the right prescription to combat COVID-19's public health impact, the exact opposite is needed when it comes to securing the global economy.” (March 17) First Coronavirus Vaccine Trial in USA Begins: US. researchers gave the first shots in a first test of an experimental coronavirus WORLD AT A GLANCE vaccine . This vaccine candidate, code-named mRNA-1273, was developed by the NIH and Massachusetts-based biotechnology company (March 17) WHO: ‘Test every suspected case’ of COVID-19 -WHO urges nations to ramp up testing to contain spread of coronavirus as more governments impose lockdown, stop travel. (March 17) ‘Invisible enemy’: US issues new guidelines ‘on coronavirus : Gatherings in US should be limited to 10 people, new White House guidelines say. (March 17) Iraq president names ex-Najaf governor Adnan Zurfi as premier: Zurfi, a 54-year-old lawmaker, has 30 days to form his cabinet which he must then put to a vote of confidence in Iraq's notoriously divided parliament. (March 17) US, China accuse each other of coronavirus fear-mongering : Trump has called it the “Chinese virus" while China has implied the US army might have brought it to Wuhan. (March 17) Over-50 Cricket World Cup in South Africa cancelled due to virus threat : “The decision was taken by the organizing and medical committees but it is fully endorsed by the sponsors." (March 17) China reports zero new domestic cases of novel coronavirus for first time in months: China on Thursday marked a major milestone in its battle against the coronavirus pandemic as it recorded zero domestic infections for the first time since the outbreak emerged, but a spike in imported cases threatened its progress. (March 19) US Congress passes coronavirus aid for families, workers: Measure heads to Trump's desk as negotiations continue for broader economic stimulus bills. (March 19) Breaking coronavirus quarantine in Argentina could mean jail time: Country's president says anyone who is required to be under quarantine must follow it, or face criminal prosecution. (March 19) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | 58 For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times Dozens of Bulgarian doctors resign amid COVID-19 crisis: Medical workers cite inadequate protective gear and equipment to treat patients infected with the coronavirus. (March 19) US sanctions Iran, seeks release of Americans amid coronavirus outbreak : Washington will maintain its maximum- pressure campaign to choke off Tehran's ability to export its oil, says Pompeo. (March South Korea's coronavirus lessons: Quick, easy tests; monitoring: South Korea appears to be bringing its coronavirus outbreak under control without resorting to draconian lockdowns. More than 8,800 people around the world have now died from COVID-19, and countries are turning to draconian measures from sealing borders to stay-at-home orders to try and curb its spread. But in South Korea, once the country with the worst outbreak outside China, life seems to be going on with some sense of normalcy. Dozens line up at pharmacies to buy their government-rationed face masks every week and many are working from home, but businesses carry on and cities have yet to be subjected to a government-instituted lockdown. Even better, South Korea has one of the lowest casualty rates from COVID-19 in the world, at just 1 percent “South Korea really distinguished itself for being able to transparently disclose UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE 9 information and combat the virus,” said Hwang Seung-sik, an epidemiologist and professor at Seoul National University. "We did our best to stockpile resources and we worked hard to mass-test people and conduct quarantines. But the coronavirus has been around for about three months now, and it's not very clear what preparations the US or other European countries have made.” Swift action South Korea's coronavirus outbreak is a lesson in early action and swift containment. One month ago on February 18, South Korea diagnosed its 31st patient with COVID-19, and she soon became known as the country's “super-spreader.” A middle-aged woman who took part in mass congregations at a religious group called the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, Patient 31 passed the virus onto other members of the faithful as well as other unsuspecting residents of the southeastern city of Daegu, Suddenly, South Korea's coronavirus cases multiplied 180-fold in a two-week span. At its peak, medical experts were diagnosing more than 900 new cases a day, making South Korea the second-largest outbreak in the world. Blocking off certain areas and stopping movement was what people did in the Middle Ages when they were dealing with the Black Death. Now, that growth rate has significantly slowed - and there is even talk that the outbreak might have peaked. "We indeed succeeded in decreasing the rate Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly CSS Times HSM April 2020 of new confirmed cases to less than 100 per day. It's a big accomplishment, but we can't celebrate that just yet," Hwang said. "This could be an optical illusion that's fooling us into believing that the outbreak is over - an illusion caused by the previously skyrock numbers in Daegu." More than 8,500 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in South Korea as of mid-morning on March 19, and nearly three-quarters of those cases are concentrated in Daegu. Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, the virus rages on: nearly 3,000 people have died in Italy, along with 1,135 in Iran and 638 in Spain, according to Johns Hopkins Univer which is tracking the pandemic. US casualties have already outpaced those in South Korea. In China, where the virus was first detected late last year, more than 3,200 have died. Even so, medical experts caution about being ver-confident. It's difficult to say that the Korean government has gained full control over coronavirus,” said Roh Kyoung-ho, a doctor who works at the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital. “Since Korea is a country with a high population density, there is a big possibility that coronavirus can return with high propagation power and it may even appear as just a small group infection to start.” Widespread te: Nevertheless, South Korea's success in controlling the epidemic has garnered praise from around the world. When Chinese scientists first published the WORLD AT A GLANCE 60 COVID-19 virus' genetic sequence in January, at least four South Korean firms quietly began developing and stockpiling test kits alongside the government - well before the country had its first outbreak. By the time things got bad, the country had the ability to test more than 10,000 people per day, including at makeshift drive-through testing centres and newly added consultation phone booths at hospitals. Anyone with a mobile phone in the country also received alerts about nearby infection paths so that citizens could avoid areas where the virus was known to be active. At the same time, the South Korean government created a GPS-enabled app to monitor those under quarantine and set off an alarm if they ventured outdoors. Travellers entering the country are also being asked to record their symptoms on a state-sponsored app. Unlike other countries, South Korea also managed to turn its outbreak around without locking down cities or banning travel. In fact, the term "social distancing" first originated with the South Korean president's campaign against the virus. However, that does not mean all other countries should follow suit. South Korea's mass-testing and early detection may have afforded it the luxury of being able to avoid declaring a total shutdown. At least 15 South Korean firms are racing to develop vaccines and other treatments for COVID-19. Some are attempting to develop a testing kit for people to use at home, while others are already in the middle of clinical trials. Hwang estimates it will not be until around the second half of 2021 that a vaccine will become available to the public. Until then some of the old methods of containment, supported by 21st-century technologies, may still prove most effective. (March 19) Coronavirus forces French Open delay, US Open switch possibility : The only time in its history the tournament was not contested was during WWI and WWII (March 19) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 Cannes Film Festival postponed over coronavirus restrictions : Organisers had been extremely reluctant to cancel cinema's largest annual gathering. (March 20) India hangs four over 2012 Delhi bus gang-rape : The brutal attack sparked weeks of demonstrations and highlighted the alarming rates of sexual violence in India. (March 20) Sri Lanka postpones elections, adopts ‘work-from-home' policy : The government announced a work from home time period from March 20-27 while curfews have been also been imposed. (March 20) US pauses deployments in Afghanistan, quarantines 1,500 troops : Top US commander says military has started new screening procedures; quarantine is a precautionary measure. (March 20) US slaps sanctions on UAE-based firms over Iran oil purchases: Latest sanctions signal Washington is still squeezing Iran's economy even as the country battles coronavirus outbreak (March 20) Pentagon successfully tests hypersonic missile: Hypersonic weapons can take missile warfare, particularly nuclear warfare, to a new and, for many, frightening level. In its fiscal 2021 budget the US Defense Department requested $3.2 billion for hypersonic programs, up from over $2 billion in the current year (March 21) Coronavirus updates: 627 die in a single day in Italy: Largest daily jump in Italy's death toll, as WHO warns the world’s youth they are not invincible against COVID-19. (March 21) US locking down 70 million people as virus strains Europe : Out of more than 275,000 cases confirmed globally, more than 11,000 deaths reported; nearly 90,000 have recovered. (March 21) Country singer Kenny Rogers passes away at 81: Rogers, a three-time Grammy winner and a Country Music Hall of Famer, was best known for songs like The Gambler. (March 21) South Africa to build 40km fence along Zimbabwe border: Authorities say fence will WORLD AT A GLANCE 6 stem irregular migration as well as spread of coronavirus in the country. (March 21) Coronavirus: South Korea, Japan and China hold video conference: Diplomatic tensions have been put aside for now as South Korea, China and Japan pledge greater cooperation to fight the pandemic. (March 21) UN Warns Of Risk to 100 Million People in War Zones: The U.N. has already released $15 million from its emergency fund to deal with the coronavirus in vulnerable areas, and U.N.-managed funds. (March 22) New Slovak Government Sworn in Amid Coronavirus Pandemic: PM Igor Matovic assumes office at a ceremony with participants wearing facial masks as precaution against COVID-19. (March 22) Trump Ignored Intelligence Agencies’ Warnings About Coronavirus Threat in January: According to The Washington Post, intelligence agencies depicted the nature and global spread of the coronavirus when it began spreading from Wuhan in China. However, the US president wasn't interested enough. (March 22) In the US, One in Four Ordered to Stay Home Over Coronavirus: As hospitals brace for influx of patients, regulators approve rapid coronavirus diagnostic test. (March 22) US to reduce Afghan aid by $1 billion after Pompeo fails to break impasse: Pompeo's statement came as he flew home from a fruitless day-long effort in Kabul to end competing claims to the presidency (March 24) Facing growing criticism, PM Boris Johnson places UK under virtual lockdown The prime minister said people also could leave their houses for exercise, either alone or with family members, and he did not close parks in London, which became a symbol of Britain's nonchalant response this past weekend when they were thronged with people. (March 24) 17 billion told to stay home worldwide over virus: Some 1,7 billion people have been asked to stay home in over 50 countries and territories around the world as governments battle the coronavirus pandemic (March 24) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 COVID-19: WHO warns Africa to prepare for worst: More than 1,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus in 42 countries across the continent. (March 24) UK govt orders three-week lockdown to tackle virus:"Stay at home," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a televised address to the nation, as he unveiled unprecedented peacetime measures after the country’s death toll climbed to 335. (March 24) Italy reports 602 new coronavirus deaths: Live updates: UK joins others in locking down, Italy death toll reaches 6,077 and WHO chief warns pandemic ‘accelerating’. (March 24) Brazil football stadiums to turn into coronavirus field hospitals: More than half of Brazil's top football clubs hand their stadiums over to authorities to turn them into hospitals. (March 24) Us slashes aid to Afghanistan by $1 billion amid leadership feud : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement after a surprise visit to Kabul. (March 24) China to lift Wuhan lockdown on April 8: China said it will allow transportation to resume for the city of Wuhan on April 8, effectively lifting a mass quarantine over the city where the coronavirus first emerged last December. (March 24) US could become next epicentre, warns WHO :We are now seeing a very large acceleration in the number of cases in the US, says WHO spokeswoman. (March 25) Oil jumps Spc to over $28 :The price of oil has halved in 2020 due to the demand shock caused by the coronavirus outbreak. (March 25) World heading to recession, warns IMF chief :IMF President Kristalina Georgieva warned that she expects a global recession this year due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. (March 25) Sikh religious complex in Kabul attacked: Up to 200 people were believed to be trapped inside the complex. (March 25) Trump declares coronavirus fight close to end, but cases rise :"Our country — it's not built to shut down," says the US president. WORLD AT A GLANCE 62 A third of the world under virus lockdown :More govts are opting not to risk allowing potential virus-carriers to go out and about. (March 25) India Lockdown: Panic buying across country, cops step in :Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for calm and that there were adequate supplies of essential items, his call for a 21-day lockdown, triggered panic buying across states. (March 25) Spanish army finds abandoned nursing home residents with bodies of Covid-19 patients: Spanish army troops disinfecting nursing homes in Madrid have found, to their horror, some residents living in squalor among the infectious bodies of people suspected of dying from the coronavirus (March 25) Tokyo Games moved to 2021 as ‘light at end of pandemic tunnel’ : The Olympic flame will stay in Japan, the host nation as a "symbol of hope". (March 25) Coronavirus: Angelina Jolie donates $1 million to fight child hunger: The Maleficent star pledged the sum to 'No Kid Hungry’ organisation, which will provide meals for children from low-income families across the US, where many schools have closed due to the pandemic. (March 26) UN launches virus aid plan worth $2bn : World Bank and International Monetary Fund urge bilateral creditors to provide debt relief to the world’s poorest. (March 26) Outflows of ‘hot’ money surge to $1.8 billion: Foreign investors divested some $1.8 billion investment from the government debt instruments during this fiscal year (FY20). (March 26) India: Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package: Unveiling an economic stimulus package to deal with the impact of the countrywide lockdown due to coronavirus, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 1,7 lakh crore Garib Kalyan March 25 Yojana . (March 26) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE Foreign ministers spar over calling China source of Covid-19 pandemic at G7 meet : Asa result, just a day after G-7 finance ministers and central bankers issued a joint communique referring to the COVID-19 virus, the foreign ministers opted against releasing a group statement. (March 26) US warships sails through Taiwan Strait amid heightened China tensions :Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial and diplomatic issue and Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. (March 26) Renowned chef Floyd Cardoz dies at 59 of coronavirus complications : Chef Floyd Cardoz, who competed on Top Chef, won Top Chef Masters and operated successful restaurants in both India and New York, died Wednesday of complications from the coronavirus, his company said in a statement. He was 59. (March 26) Cases in India soar to 724:The total number of casualties soared to 724 with 66 of the patients being discharged till now. (March 27) British PM Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus, goes into isolation: The British prime minister has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a video statement released (March 27) US tops world in coronavirus cases, ‘overtaking China and Italy: More than 500,000 people around the world have now contracted the new coronavirus, ‘overwhelming healthcare systems (March 27) UN Security Council condemns ‘heinous* terror attack on Sikh gurudwara in Afghanistan: In a statement, the 15-nation Council said it "condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack” that took place in Shor Bazar area. (March 27) Benny Gantz elected speaker of Israel's parliament: The head of Israel's opposition Blue and White party chosen in move that could signal a deal with Benjamin Netanyahu. (March 27) economy in fight against coronavirus :Group shows more unity than any other time since its creation, says all measures will be taken to stop virus spread. (March 27) ACC moot on Asia Cup T20 put off :With no chance of India travelling to Pakistan, it was all but certain that tournament will be again held in UAE. (March 27) Global cases top 600,000; Spain deaths surge: Coronavirus updates: Spanish health ministry reports 832 deaths in 24 hours, bringing toll to 5,690, as fatalities worldwide exceed 27,000. (March 28) India quarantines 15,000 after virus kills ‘super-spreader’ guru: Religious leader dies of COVID-19 after preaching in over dozen villages in Punjab state, prompting strict restrictions. (March 28) US Space Force launches first mission Sends a military communication satellit orbit, giving senior leadership a survivable line of communications. (March 28) France mourns Euro 84-winning coach Hidalgo, dead at 87 : He had coached the current world champions to their first major football title at the 1984 European Championship. (March 28) 108-yr-old woman, who survived Spanish flu pandemic, becomes oldest in UK to die from coronavirus ; Hilda Churchill, who was to celebrate her birthday on April 5, started showing mild symptoms of the virus on Tuesday, the Sun reported. (March 29) US confirmed coronavirus cases top 100,000: Global coronavirus death toll passes 25,000, with Italy and Spain announcing almost 2,000 fatalities in just 24 hours. (March 29) Mali to go ahead with elections despite COVID-19 crisis : With coronavirus cases on the rise, the government has declared a medical emergency in the country. But people will still head to the polls on Sunday to vote for a new parliament. (March 29) North Korea fires missiles into sea, criticized by South: In recent weeks, North Korea has fired a slew of missiles and artillery Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times April 2020 shells in an apparent effort to upgrade its military capability amid deadlocked nuclear talks with the United States. (March 29) Dog who played Bran’s direwolf in Game of Thrones dies: Odin, a Northern Inuit Dog who was a part of the cast of Game of Thrones, has died. The dog played the role of a direwolf in the show. Bran Stark's direwolf Summer to be precise. (March 29) Iran's death toll from coronavirus reaches 2,640: In the past 24 hours we had 123 deaths and 2,901 people have been infected, bringing the total number of infected people to 38,309. (March 29) US lab unveils portable 5-minute test : The test, the size of a small toaster, also shows negative results within 13 minutes. (March 29) 101-year-old Italian man survives coronavirus: A 101-year-old patient of COVID-19 was released from the hospital in Rimini, Italy after a miraculous recovery. (March 29) Taliban say will not negotiate with team announced by Afghan government : Taliban Spokesman said the group would not negotiate with the team as it was not selected in a way that was inclusive. (March 29) India: 14-day quarantine for migrants: As thousands of migrant workers take to the streets to walk back to their villages across states, the Indian govt said on Sunday that all those who have travelled during the lockdown period would be put under mandatory 14-day quarantine at government facilities. (March 29) Trump extends ‘social distancing’ guidelines until April 30 : According to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, there are nearly 140,000 confirmed cases in US with more then 2,400 dead (March 30) Spain sees record virus deaths as world hunkers down for long haul : Minister in Germany commits suicide over worries of economic fallout; South Asia's infections total tops 2,800. (March 30) As Iran coronavirus deaths rise, Rouhani hits back at criticism: Iranian president says economy is a factor in the country's COVID Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE 64 -19 response as punishing US sanctions remain in place. (March 30) France and allies establish new task force in Sahel: 'Takuba' will be made of European forces that will fight armed groups in Liptako alongside Malian and Nigerien armies (March 30) Spanish Princess Maria Teresa becomes first royal to die from coronavirus: The 86- year-old princess was the cousin of Spanish King Felipe V1. (March 30) Abbott's new testing kits can detect coronavirus in five minutes: A leading pharmaceutical company, Abbott Laboratories, recently introduced a coronavirus test kit that detects positive cases within five minutes. The company has acquired emergency authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make the test available to the health sector as early as next week. The portable lab device, which is the size of a toaster, can also tell the negative ones in less than 13 minutes. The invention is going to be game-changer in the field of public health because the kits in use at the moment take as much as 6 hours in detecting results. A Pakistani was part of the team of software engineers who helped develop a portable test that can tell if someone has COVID-19 in as little as five minutes. Jameel Sheikh, a Pakistani software engineer hailing from Sindh’s Larkana district who graduated from Karachi's NED Engineering University before moving to the United States, was among the engineer who received the first batch of the kit for testing. The pharmaceutical giant in its statement said that they are ramping up production to deliver 50,000 COVID-19 tests per day by For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comHSM European History has been divided into 13 chapters namely, French Revolution of 1789, Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, and Congress of Vienna Industrial Revolution! Unification of Italy and Germany, Imperialism and Colonialism, Russian Revolution, UPDATED & REVISED World War I, World War II, Liberation from Colonial Rule, Post War Foundations: NATO and European Community and Fall of the Soviet Union;; expansion and development of th European Union to Europe from 1991 to 2020. As the book has been designed strictly on the lines of latest FPSC Syllabus for CSS Exam and keeping in mind the changing natur of the civil services examinations, this book will serve as an impeccable tool in getting thorough knowledge of the European History. Wr CUnME Waco eu usta a male Moats eo tries hanes] Monee ComSeu hse cust cath cits SOLVED Question papers. ST Aan www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com BREAKING: We're launching a test that can detect COVID-19 in as little as 5 minutes—bringing rapid testing to the frontlines. abbo.tt/IDNOW next month for the US healthcare system. “Testing remains a crucial step in controlling the novel COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing to supply healthcare providers with new technologies to help curb the spread of infection is a top priority for public health officials and healthcare providers,” the statement added According to the report, Sheikh is also an active member of World Sindhi Congress and Sindhi Association of North America. The novel coronavirus emerged in the central China city of Wuhan towards the end of last year and proliferated to almost the whole world within a couple of months. It's not the virulence or fatality, but the infectivity of the new virus — also known as SARS-CoV-2 — that has set off global frenzy. The COVID-19 respiratory illness caused by this mysterious contagion has so far infected more than half a million people in 202 countries and territories of the world — more than 30,000 of them have died and counting. It should be noted that the US is the new epicenter of the deadly virus where confirmed 2 & ‘So i 3 > & e 2 6 mH cases are above 164,000 with death toll crossing 3,100. US reaches 65,000 H-1B visa cap for 2021: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it has reached the congressionally-mandated 65,000 H-1B cap for the fiscal year 2021 as it received enough requests from corporations and businesses. The USCIS, the federal agency which screens and allocates H-1B applications, said it reached the cap and randomly selected among the registrations properly selected. The fiscal year begins from October 1, 2020. USCIS will notify the successful applicants and their companies before March 31, that they Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com,are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition. The deadline for submitting the H- 18 applications by successful registrants is June 30. Under the new H-1B Electronic Registration Process implemented this year, before the start of the application filing season on April 1, all the companies were mandatorily asked to register with the USCIS and March 20 was the last date for the registration. USCIS said that it has received enough registration for the Congressionally-mandated cap for 65,000 H-1B visas. In addition, USCIS also issues another 20,000 H-18 visas for those who have earned masters and higher degrees from a US institution. USCIS has received enough electronic registrations during the initial period to reach the FY 2021 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap). We randomly selected from among the registrations properly submitted, the federal agency said. We intend to notify petitioners with selected registrations no later than March 31, 2020, that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for the beneficiary named in the applicable selected registration,, it said. UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE Migrants now in shelters: Indian Govt: Chief Justice of India S A Bobde Tuesday told the Centre to ensure migrants who had been shifted to shelter homes received food, nourishment and medical aid. His instruction came after the government stated that all migrants on the road had been shifted to the nearest available shelters as they pose a risk of spreading the coronavirus if they return hore. (! ) Paper-based test to detect coronavirus in wastewater: Study : Researchers are working on a test to detect the novel coronavirus in the wastewater of communities infected with the virus, a development that can help curtail COVID-19 spread via contaminated water sources. According to the scientists, including those from the Cranfield Water Science Institute in the UK, this approach may provide an effective way to predict the potential spread of the virus by picking up signatures of it in faeces and urine from disease carriers that enter water systems. The study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, noted that rapid testing kits using paper-based devices could be used on-site at wastewater treatment plants. It said such kits can be applied to trace sources and determine whether there are potential COVID-19 carriers in local areas. "In the case of asymptomatic infections in the community or when people are not sure Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 whether they are infected or not, real-time community sewage detection through paper analytical devices could determine whether there are COVID-19 carriers in an area to enable rapid screening, quarantine, and prevention," said Zhugen Yang, study co- author from the Cranfield Water Science Institute. According to the scientists, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach can help monitor COVID-19 at an early stage in communities, enabling public health authorities to take effective intervention as early as possible to restrict the movements of that local population. Citing recent studies, they said live samples of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, can be isolated from the faeces and urine of infected people, in which the pathogen can survive for up to several days after exiting the human body. The study noted that the paper device is folded and unfolded in steps to filter the genetic material of pathogens from wastewater samples. Following this, the scientists said a UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE 68 biochemical reaction with preloaded reagents detects whether the genetic material of SARS- CoV-2 is present. Results are visible to the naked eye as a green circle indicating positive and a blue circle negative, they added. "We have already developed a paper device for testing genetic material in wastewater for proof-of-concept, and this provides clear potential to test for infection with adaption,” Yang said. The study noted that the device has the potential to be used as a small, portable tool to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater on site, and to track virus carriers in the community “We foresee that the device will be able to offer a complete and immediate picture of population health once this sensor can be deployed in the near future," Yang added. (March 31) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com,UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com MCSS Times CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs a HSM National & International (a) Saudi Arabia (b) Qatar (©) India (d) Egypt The defence deals pertain to the sale of 24 MH-60R helicopters for the Indian Navy and six AH-64E Apache helicopters for the army. (@) 40 years (b) 50 years (©) 30 years (d) 38 years Hosni Mubarak ruled Egypt for almost 30 years until he was swept from power in a wave of mass protests in February 2011. In effect, Mubarak ruled as a quasi-military leader when he took power. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H ‘April 2020 3)- Who among the following was recently named as the Secretary Narcotics Control Division? (a) Khurram Shakoor (b) Allah Dino Khawaja (c) Inam Waheed Khan (d) Asmatullah Junejo Answer: (b) Explanation- Allah Dino Khawaja, commonly known as AD Khawaja, has been posted as secretary of the Narcotics Control Division (NCD). Khawaja came to limelight over his tussle with the Sindh government over recruitment and postings and transfers of police officers in the police department. 4): The Diamond Princess cruise s| which witnessed the largest coronavirus outbreak, is quarantined in which country? (a) USA (b) China (©) Japan (d) Australia Answer: (c) Explanation- Diamond Princess is a British-registered cruise ship owned and operated by Princess Cruises. The largest Coronavirus outbreak (outside mainland China took place ona cruise ship viz, ‘the Diamond Princess’ that has been quarantined at the Japanese port of Yokohama. 5); Paul Biya, who recently won the Presidential elections, is the incumbent President of which African country? (a) Ghana CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 10 (b) Ethiopia (c) Cameroon (d) Morocco, Answer: (c) Explanation- Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician serving as the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. Biya is currently the longest-ruling non-royal leader in the world and the oldest ruler in Africa. Leo Varadkar, who recently tendered his resignation, was the PM of which country ? (a) Ireland (b) Switzerland (c) Sweden (d). Norway Answer: (a) ‘orona Virus (covid-9) came to Pakistan from which neighboring country? (a) China (b) Iran (©) Afghanistan (d) India Answer: (b) Eaenn ’ ‘ Explanation- The World Health Organization (WHO) situation report reveled that nine recent cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) were imported in Pakistan from Syria and United Kingdom (UK). The number of COVID-19 confirm. cases in country has reached 20 after the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) government confirmed the 20th case in Skardu in a 14 years old boy who also had the travelling history of Iran. The situation report of March 10 2020 issued by WHO on Pakistan said that 11 Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H ‘April 2020 new cases reported till March 10 had travelling history of Syria, United Kingdom (UK) and Iran. According to the details six cases were reported from Syria, 3 from UK and 02 were from Iran. Earlier, the ministry of National Health Services (NHS) had reported all the confirmed cases from neighbouring country Iran. The WHO situation report also said that 59 contacts of the newly confirmed cases are being traced and will be tested for COVID-19 while 31 identified contacts have been home quarantined. The report said that WHO donated 100 PPE kits for COVID-19 to Special Secretary for Health of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, Punjab on 10th March 2020. It also added first ever BSL-3 mobile laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment arrived at Taftan border to conduct tests for COVID- 19 at Point of Entry. 8): Govt of Pakistan seeks help from which UN organization to combat locust problem? (a) FAO (b) IFAD (©) WHO (d) UNESCO Answer: (a) Explanation- The government has sought technical advice and guidance from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations on international best practices and use of pesticides with safety standards, as Punjab is facing a locust Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 1" attack. The Ministry of National Food Security and Research and FAQ signed last week a $500,000 technical cooperation programme to make FAO's technical expertise available to national experts in order to strengthen their capacities to combat the desert locust infestation and improve locust management. FAO is supporting the ministry to ensure availability of locust surveillance data in real-time. The data is being made available as part of the regular food security nutrition and information system for early warning and early action. Locust monitoring and timely control operations are vital to ensure food security and protect agriculture. 9): Richard John Pais, who passed away recently, was associated with which field? (a) Sports (b) Information Technology (c) Literature (d) Business Answer: (c) Explanation- Well-known Indian Konkani writer, dramatist Richard John Pais died on, March 1 owing to ill health. He was 51 years old. 10): When is the ‘Zero Discrimination Day’ observed annually across the world? (a) Feb 29 (b) March 1 () March 23 (d) April 10 Answer: (b) 11): Muhyiddin Yassin, recently sworn in as the new Prime Mi ter of which country? (a) Iraq (b) Indonesia (c) Kazakhstan (d) Malaysia Answer: (d) Explanation- Muhyiddin Yassin is an unassuming career politician who was ejected from the then-government party Umno in 2016. He joined forces with For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comPp ~ NEW VU AL ABOUT BOOK The book for Competitive Exams has 2 parts - Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. ‘Each chapter of this book contains theory with Solved Examples. The exercise in the book contains previous year's questions of the various exams. ‘The book for Competitive Exams has been designed in such a way so that an aspirant not only clears the concept but can also tackle any kind of question that they come across, be it from the previous years or recent years. @hsmpublishers.comMonthly SM CSS Times H ‘April 2020 political heavyweights Mahathir Mohammad and Anwar Ibrahim to form a multi-party, multi-ethnic coalition called Pakatan Harapan (PH). Together they rode a wave of public anger over corruption to inflict the first-ever election defeat on the Umno-led coalition Barisan Nasional (BN). 12): The World Bank has announced how much aid package to help countries combat coronavirus outbreak? (a) USD 10 million (b) USD 12 billion () USD 10 billion (d) USD 90 million Answer: (b) Explanation- As COVID-19 reaches more than 60 countries, the World Bank Group is making available an initial package of up to $12 billion in immediate support to assist countries coping with the health and economic impacts of the global outbreak. This financing is designed to help member countries take effective action to respond to and, where possible, lessen the tragic impacts posed by the COVID-19 (coronavirus). Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs Through this new fast track package, the World Bank Group will help developing countries strengthen health systems, including better access to health services to safeguard people from the epidemi strengthen disease surveillance, bolster public health interventions, and work with the private sector to reduce the impact on economies. The financial package, with financing drawn from across IDA, IBRD and IFC, will be globally coordinated to support country-based responses. The COVID-19 support package will make available initial crisis resources of up to $12 billion in financing — $8 billion of which is new — on a fast track basis. This comprises up to $2.7 billion new financing from IBRD; $1.3 billion from IDA, complemented by reprioritization of $2 billion of the Bank's existing portfolio; and $6 billion from IFC, including $2 billion from existing trade facilities. It will also include policy advice and technical assistance drawing on global expertise and country-level knowledge. 13): Which country recently assumes presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of March 2020? (a) Japan (b) China (c) Turkey (d) Russia Answer: (b) ® ® ® ® & Ce ea a) ie part Cea) Explanation- China has assumed the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for March 2020. While taking on if) For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H ‘April 2020 the role, China vowed to advance solidarity and cooperation among the members China's permanent representative to the UN, Zhang Jun said in a press note that his country attaches great importance to the work during its presidency and will act responsibly and constructively. Zhang Jun further said that China will make an effort to boost cooperation among all parties to ensure that the UNSC fulfils its crucial role and responsibility to maintain international peace and security. The presidency of the Council rotates among each of its 15 members every month, following the English alphabetical order of the Member States names. About UNSC The UN Security Council is one of the United Nations’ six main organs. It was formed in 1945 and held its first session on January 17, 1946. The UN Security Council is one of the United Nations’ six main organs. It was formed in 1945 and held its first session on January 17, 1946. The main responsibility of the UN Security Council is to ensure international peace and security. It is the only UN body that has the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states. The UNSC has previously authorized interventions during the Korean War, Congo Crisis and also authorized peacekeeping missions in the Suez Crisis, Cyprus, West New Guinea, Namibia, Kuwait, Bosnia, Somalia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Cambodia and Somalia. UNSC Elections 2020 The 2020 United Nations Security Council election will be held in June 2020 during the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The elections are for five non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council for two-year mandates commencing on 1 January 2021. CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 14 The Five elected members will serve the Security Council for the period 2021-22. In accordance with the Security Council's rotation rules, whereby the ten non- permanent UNSC seats rotate among the various regional blocs into which UN member states traditionally divide themselves for voting and representation purposes, the five available seats are allocated as follows: One for Africa ‘One for Asia-Pacific Group One for Latin America and the Caribbean Two for the Western Europeans and other groups 14): Which country has launched the world's first free nationwide public transport? (a) China (b) Canada (©) Luxembourg (d) Brazil Answer: (c) 15): Which among the following cruise ships has been stranded off the coast of California over coronavirus fears? (a) Grand Princess (b) Diamond Princess (c) Princess Mary (d) Saint George Answer: (b) 16): Who among the following is expected to sign a bill to tackle the threat of COVID-19? (a) Chinese President Xi Jinping (b) US President Donald Trump (c) South Korean President Moon Jae-in (d) French President Emmanuel Macron Answer: (b) 17): How many new planets were discovered recently by astronomers at the University of British Columbia? (a) 20 (b) 25 Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM ‘April 2020 OB (d) 10 Answer: (c) Explanation- University of British Columbia astronomy student Michelle Kunimoto has discovered 17 new planets, including a potentially habitable, Earth- sized world, by combing through data gathered by NASA's Kepler mission Over its original four-year mission, the Kepler satellite looked for planets, especially those that lie in the "Habitable Zones" of their stars, where liquid water could exist on a rocky planet's surface The new findings, published in The Astronomical Journal, include one such particularly rare planet. Officially named KIC-7340288 b, the planet discovered by Kunimoto is just 1 ¥ times the size of Earth — small enough to be considered rocky, instead of gaseous like the giant planets of the Solar System — and in the habitable zone of its star. The planet has a year that is 142 ¥ days long, orbiting its star at 0.444 Astronomical Units (AU, the distance between Earth and our Sun) — just bigger than Mercury's orbit in our Solar CSS Times. CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 15 System, and gets about a third of the light Earth gets from the Sun. Of the other 16 new planets discovered, the smallest is only two-thirds the size of Earth — one of the smallest planets to be found with Kepler so far. The rest range in size up to eight times the size of Earth. Kunimoto is no stranger to discovering planets: she previously discovered four during her undergraduate degree at UBC. Now working on her PhD at UBC, she used what is known as the “transit method” to look for the planets among the roughly 200,000 stars observed by the Kepler mission. 18): What is the name of NASA's rover for Mars Mission 2020? (a) Prospect (b) Innovation (c) Call (d) Perseverance Answer: (d) 19): When is International Women's Day observed? (a) March 8th (b) March 7th (©) March 6th (d) March 9th Answer: (a) 20): Which country has refused to provide passports to government employees under suspension over corruption charges? (a) Pakistan (b) India (©) Sri Lanka (d) Bangladesh Answer: (b) 21): According to the recent estimates published by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which economy is most affected by the coronavirus outbreak? (a) China Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM_CSS Times CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 76 April 2020 (b) European Union (d) Balochistan (9 USA Answer: (c) (d) Japan 24): Who has been appointed as the Answer: (b) new chairman of PIA with effect from ; March 9, 2020? (a) Ali Khan (b) Aslam Khan (c) Zafar Khan (d) Noor Ullah Khan Answer: (b) 25): Which country has recorded second highest Covid-19 death toll in world after China? (a) Greece (b) Iran Explanation- The slowdown of (us manufacturing in China due to the (a tak coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is Anaees @ disrupting world trade and could result in = a $USSO billion decrease in exports across global value chains, according to estimates published by UNCTAD on 4 March. According to UNCTAD estimates, the most affected sectors include precision instruments, machinery, automotive and communication equipment. Among the most affected economies are the European Union ($15.6 billion), the United States ($5.8 billion), Japan ($5.2 billion), The Republic of Korea ($3.8 billion), Taiwan Province of China ($2.6 billion) and Viet Explanation- Italy reported 683 new Nam ($2.3 billion). deaths in the coronavirus pandemic, 22): Daren Tang of Singapore has been bringing its total to 7,503 as on March 27. nominated as the new Director General Italy has reported more than twice as many of which global organization? deaths than China, where the virus first (a) World Customs Organization emerged in late 2019. As of Friday (b) International Labour Organization morning, there had been 8,215 deaths in (©) World Intellectual Property Italy compared to 3,291 in China, Organization according to data compiled by Johns (d) World Health Organization Hopkins University. Answer: (c) At the same time, Spain's death toll has. 23): The only province to have passed risen sharply in recent days and it is legislation (in 2017) against corporal currently at 4,365 — also significantly punishment is above China's. The worrying figures have (a) Punjab raised questions about what's behind (b) KPK these European countries’ high fatality (0 Sindh rate, Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comYou regret the things you did’nt do when you had the chance. Now! it is your chance. Grab it! {sureSURSES) ecu TEST PRACTICE WORK BOOK Fully Solved MCQs,UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 26): Which nation has introduced a motion to launch an inquiry into gender discrimination on International Women's day? (a) Nepal (b) Maldives (0 Bangladesh (d) India Answer: (b) 27): Which among the following nations has been accused of firing three projectiles on March 9, 2020? (a) North Korea (b) Russia (©) Japan (d) Pakistan Answer: (a) 28): USA gave favor in M.T.C.R for India in June-2016, M.T.C.R stands for? (a) Money Tracking Control Regime (b) Missile Technology Control Regime (©) Memorandum Tracking Control Regime (d) None of these Answer: (b) 29): As per a recent UN report, how many children have been killed and injured in armed conflicts? (a) 3000 (b) 12000 (c) 70000 (d) 8600 Answer: (b) 30): Which country has built first of its kind Underwater Military Museum? (a) Pakistan (b) China (©) Turkey (d) Jordan Answer: (d) 31): Which country witnessed the swearing in of two Presidents on March 10, 2020? (a) Indonesia (b) Afghanistan (0 Malaysia CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 28 (d) Maldives Answer: (b) 32): Recently which of the following African country has been listed in FATF's Grey list? (a) Somalia (b) Kenya (c) Mauritius (d) Ethiopia Answer: (c) 33): Which Country has won the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020? (a) West Indies (b) Australia (©) England (d) South Africa Answer: (b) 34): The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently categorized Coronavirus as which of the following? (a) Pandemic (b) Epidemic ( Endemic (d) Miasmatic Answer: (a) 35): Who among the following will be inducted in World Golf Hall of Fame as the first member of the Class of 2021? (a) Justin Thomas (b) Paul Casey (©) Gary Woodland (d) Tiger Woods Answer: (d) 36): Which country's parliament recently passed a resolution that allows the President of that country to be in the office till 2036? (a) North Korea (b) Canada (co) Russia (d) China Answer: (c) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 37): World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 as a pandemic. Which disease was previously declared as pandemic by WHO? (a) HIV (b) HIN1 Flu (©) Ebola (d) None of these Answer: (b) 38): The Parliament of which country passed a bill to allow the President to contest in Presidential elections after 2024? (a) Bulgaria (b) Russia (©) North Korea (d) Albania Answer: (b) 39): Which global organisation has launched the “COVID Action Platform” to convene the business community to support for COVID-19? (a) IMF (b) WB (c) WEF (d) UNO Answer: (c) 40): The World Athletics Council imposed a USD 10 million fine on the Athletics Federation of which country, for doping scandals? (a) Brazil (b) Russia (©) Germany (d) Spain Answer: (b) 41): The US Congress approved a resolution to restrain President Donald Trump from attacking which country? (a) North Korea (b) Taiwan (c) Cuba (d) Iran Answer: (d) 42): The Central bank of which country slashed its benchmark interest rate to almost zero and announced to buy USD 700 billion in bonds? CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs i) (a) Britain (b) United States (c) France (d) Germany Answer: (b) 43): Which country is set to create a $4 billion anti-crisis fund to protect its economy from COVID-19 outbreak? (a) United States (b) China (©) Russia European country recently imposed a record 1.1 billion euro fine on tech-firm Apple for its anti- competitive ehavior? (a) Italy (b) Greece (©) Germany (d) France Answer: (d) 45): Which nation’s leader called ‘Coronavirus’ its biggest challenge since World War II? (a) France (b) Germany (o) Italy (d) Spain Answer: (b) Explanation- Germany has not faced a challenge like the new coronavirus outbreak since World War Il and every person in the country must help protect those most vulnerable to illness, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her first direct televised address to the nation other than her annual New Year's speech, Merkel, a physicist by training, who has led Germany for over 14 years, said that while researchers are racing to develop a vaccine to prevent infections and medications to treat COID-19, slowing the spread of the virus is currently the only way to minimize the number of people who get sick. 46): Which among the following nations for the first time reported no new domestic cases of COVID-19 on March 19? Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs (d) Ireland Answer: (b) Monthly HSM CSS Times bent 2020 (a) Iran (b) China (c) South Korea (d) Italy Answer: (b) 47): What is the age of the oldest Iranian survivor of COVID-19 virus? (a) 91 (b) 104 (©) 103 (d) 99 Answer: (c) 48): Which nation will chair the first virtual summit of G20 nations? (a) Saudi Arabia (b) Qatar (©) China (d) India Answer: (a) 49): Which nation's monarch has cancelled appointments for the next few months? (a) Denmark (b) Switzerland (c) Thailand (d) United Kingdom Answer: (d) 50): Who has recently been nominated as Prime Minister of Iraq by President Barham Salih? (a) Mohammad Mosaddek (b) Adnan Zurfi (©) Akbar Hashmi Rafsanjani (d) Hussain Dehgan Answer: (b) 51): When is International Day of Happiness celebrated every year? (a) 18th March (b) 19th March (©) 20th March (d) 21th March Answer: (c) 52): Which island is losing ice sheet six times faster than 1990? (a) Iceland (b) Antarctica (©) Greenland Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | Explanation- Greenland and Antarctica are losing ice six times faster than in the 1990s with sea levels set to rise 6.6 inches (17 centimetres) by 2100, a study has found. The Ice Sheet Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise (IMBIE) used 11 different satellite missions and 26 separate surveys to recognise changes in the mass, volume, flow and gravity of the ice sheets. Researchers found that Antarctica and Greenland lost 6.4 trillion tonnes of ice between 1992-2017, increasing sea levels by 0.7 inches (17.8 mm). Of the total sea level rise, 60 per cent was due to Greenland ice losses and 40 per cent came from Antarctica. The combined rate of ice melting has increased from 81 billion tonnes per year in the 1990's to 475 billion tonnes per year in the 2010's HOW MUCH WILL SEA LEVELS RISE IN THE NEXT FEW CENTURIES? Global sea levels could rise as much as 1.2 metres (4 feet) by 2300 even if we meet the 2015 Paris climate goals, scientists have warned. The long-term change will be driven by a thaw of ice from Greenland to Antarctica that is set to re-draw global coastlines. Sea level rise threatens cities from Shanghai to London, to low-lying swathes of Florida or Bangladesh, and to entire nations such as the Maldives. It is vital that we curb emissions as soon as possible to avoid an even greater rise, a German-led team of researchers said in a new report. 80 For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly SM CSS Times H April 2020 By 2300, the report projected that sea levels would gain by 0.7-1.2 metres, even if almost 200 nations fully meet goals under the 2015 Paris Agreement. Targets set by the accords include cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero in the second half of this century. Ocean levels will rise inexorably because heat-trapping industrial gases already emitted will linger in the atmosphere, melting more ice, it said. In addition, water naturally expands as it warms above four degrees Celsius (39.2°F). Every five years of delay beyond 2020 in peaking global emissions would mean an extra 20 centimetres (8 inches) of sea level rise by 2300. ‘Sea level is often communicated as a really slow process that you can't do much about ... but the next 30 years really matter, lead author Dr Matthias Mengel, of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, in Potsdam, Germany, told Reuters, None of the nearly 200 governments to sign the Paris Accords are on track to meet its pledges. 53): When is World Water Day observed across the globe every year? (a) 19th March (b) 20th March (©) 21st March (d) 22nd March Answer: (d) 54): When was World Meteorological Day 2020 observed? (a) 22nd March (b) 21st March (©) 23rd March (d) 20th March Answer: (c) 55): When is World Sparrow Day observed? (a) 25th January (b) 20th February (©) 20th March CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 81 (d) 17th April Answer: (c) 56): What is the name of the new virus that has appeared in China amid COVID- 19 outbreak? (a) Adenoviruses (b) Hantavirus (© Megavirus (d) Epstein-Barr virus Answer: (b) %. Explanation: The death of a person from Yunnan Province who tested positive for the hantavirus. About hantavirus: + The hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread mainly by rodents. A person can get infected if he/she comes in contact with a rodent that carries the virus. + Inthe US and Canada, for instance, the Sin Nombre hantavirus carried by the deer mouse is responsible for the majority cases of the hantavirus infection. + The family of viruses is known as ‘New World hantaviruses’. It is the cause of hantavirus pulmonary disease (HPS), a severe respiratory disease. The entre for Disease Control maintains that HPS can be fatal and has a mortality rate of 38 per cent. + It remains unclear whether human- to-human transmission of the virus is possible. There have been no Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUnder Graduate 5- ey AM Pe ne ene au Buy online: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly SM CSS Times H ‘April 2020 reports of human-to-human transmission of hantavirus in the US. + Chile and Argentina, however, have had rare cases, where close contacts of the patient, who was ill with a type of hantavirus called the Andes virus, were also infected. Symptoms: ‘A person infected with the virus may show symptoms within the first to eighth week after they have been exposed to fresh urine, faeces or the saliva of infected rodents. - Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, chills and abdominal problems. Four to ten days after being infected, late symptoms of HPS may start to appear, which include coughing and shortness of breath. 57): Which Indian occupied Kashmiri political leader was released from preventive detention on March 24, 2020? (a) Omar Abdullah (b) Yasin Malik (©) Mehbooba Mufti (d) Salman Khurshid Answer: (a) 58): When is World Tuberculosis Day observed every year across the globe? (a) 21st March (b) 22nd March (c) 23rd March (d) 24th March Answer: (d) 59): Which two nations are involved in the Kuril Islands dispute? (a) Russia and Japan (b) Japan and North Korea (c) China and Ukraine (d) Indonesia and the Philippines Answer: (a) Explanation- Recently, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck in the northern Pacific and a tsunami warning was issued for the closest shores on Russia's far eastern Kuril Islands. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 83 Cree The earthquakes of this strength in the region have caused tsunamis in the past far from the epicenter of the earthquake. The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus.(The hypocenter is where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates.) Geographic Location of Kuril Islands Kuril Islands are stretched from the Japanese island of Hokkaido to the southern tip of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula separating Okhotsk Sea from the North Pacific ocean. It consists of 56 islands and minor rocks. The chain is part of the belt of geologic instability circling the Pacific and contains at least 100 volcanoes, of which 35 are still active, and many hot springs. Earthquakes and tidal waves are common phenomena over these islands. Importance of South Kuril Islands Natural resources: The islands are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and are thought to have offshore reserves of oil and gas. Rare rhenium deposits have been found on the Kudriavy volcano on Iturup. Nickel-based superalloys of rhenium are used in the combustion chambers, turbine blades, and exhaust nozzles of jet engines. Tourism is also a potential source of income, as the islands have several volcanoes and a variety of birdlife. Strategic Importance: Russia has deployed missile systems in the region. Russia also plans a submarine project and intends to prevent any American military use of the islands. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs 84 Monthly HSM CSS Times ‘April 2020 i Cultural Importanc The Japanese people, especially conservatives in Hokkaido, are emotionally attached to the islands. Historical Background of Kuril Islands Dispute Sovereignty Issue of South Kuril Islands: The Kuril Islands dispute between Japan and Russia is over the sovereignty of South Kuril Islands. The South Kuril Islands comprises Etorofu island, Kunashiri island, Shikotan island and the Habomai island. These islands are claimed by Japan but occupied by Russia as successor state of the Soviet Union. These islands are known as Southern Kurils. by Russia whereas Japan calls them Northern Territories. ginal Inhabitants-Ainu People: The Kurils were originally inhabited by the Ainu people, and they were later settled by the Russians and Japanese, following several waves of exploration in the 17" and 18” centuries. The Ainu or the Aynu, also known as the Ezo in the historical Japanese texts, are an indigenous people of Japan and Russia. Treaty of Shimoda (1855): In 1855, Japan and Russia concluded the Treaty of Shimoda, which gave control of the four southernmost islands to Japan and the remainder of the chain to Russia. Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1875): In the Treaty of Saint Petersburg, signed between two countries in 1875, Russia ceded possession of the Kurils to Japan in exchange for uncontested control of Sakhalin Island. Yalta Agreement (1945): In 1945, as part of the Yalta agreements (formalized in the 1951 Treaty of Peace with Japan), the islands were ceded to the Soviet Union, and the Japanese population was repatriated and replaced by Soviets. The San Francisco Peace Treaty signed between the Allies and Japan in 1951, states that Japan must give up “all right, title and claim to the Kuril Islands", but it also does not recognize the Soviet Union's sovereignty over them. Japan-Soviet J The dispute over the islands has prevented the conclusion of a peace treaty to end World War Il. In 1956, diplomatic ties were restored between Japan and Russia by Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration. During that time, Russia offered to give away the two islands closest to Japan. But the offer was rejected by Japan as the two islands constituted only 7% of the land in question. Developments After 1991: Despite a series of agreements, the dispute continues and Japan still claims historical rights to the southernmost islands and has tried repeatedly to persuade the Soviet Union and, from 1991, Russia to return those islands to Japanese sovereignty. In 2018, the Russian President and the Japanese Prime Minister (PM) met on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit and decided to end the territorial dispute by Japanese PM agreeing to negotiate based on the 1956 declaration. This implicitly showed that Japan has given up the two islands to maintain peace with Russia. However, Russia indicated that the joint declaration signed by Japan and the Soviet Union in 1956 neither mentions a basis for returning Habomai and Shikotan nor clarifies which country has sovereignty over the islands. Further, in 2019, Japanese PM made it clear that the country is not in the favour of withdrawing control over the Islands. Japan also believes that the islands are the inherent part of the nation’s territory. Therefore, Japan mentioned that it aims to sign the peace treaty after the territorial issue is resolved. 60): Who among the British Royal family tested positive for Coronavirus on March 25, 2020? (a) Prince William (b) Prince Harry () Prince Philip (d) Prince Charles Answer: (d) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | April 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com