Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (June 18, 2021) for CSS, PMS

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June 18, 2021: National / International Current Affairs

1. Number of Covid cases falls by 65pc in two months

• The number of active cases of Covid-19 in the country has declined by 65 per cent in about two months and positivity rate continues to hover around 3pc for the last two weeks, according to data shared by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).
• The number of patients admitted to hospitals, which was around 7,000 in April, was 2,746 as of June 17.
• Meanwhile, 1,119 cases and 46 deaths were reported in a single day with positivity rate of 3.01pc.

2. Pre-medical students also allowed to take entry test before results

• After settling the issue of students who want to get admissions in engineering universities, the ministries of federal education and health on Thursday decided to allow students to sit in tests of medical colleges before F.Sc pre medical results and A2.
• The decision was taken at a joint high level meeting jointly chaired by Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan

3. KP to announce record Rs 1tr budget today

• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will unveil the largest ever budget of the province today (June 18, 2021) with an outlay of over Rs1 trillion.
• The budget, the second last of the current government, will be presented before the provincial assembly at 3pm on Friday.
• A notification issued by the assembly`s secretariat said in pursuance of Rule 33(1) of the KP Government Rules of Business, 1985, it was announced that the annual budget for the financial year 2021-22 would be presented in the assembly on Friday (June 18)

4. Merger of two power agencies approved

• Amid institutional disagreement over reasons behind the recent power shortfalls despite surplus capacity, the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) on June 17, 2021 once again approved the merger of two power sector agencies Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) and Private Power & Infrastructure Board (PPIB).
• The CCoE meeting was presided over by Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar.
• Informed sources said the reasons explained by Power Secretary Ali Reza Bhutta were challenged by Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) Chairman Tauseef H Farooqui

5. Russia ready for more dialogue if US is willing, says Putin

• The Kremlin was guarded about future dialogue with Washington on June 17, 2021, a day after the first face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Joe Biden.
• The two leaders met in Geneva on Wednesday to ease soaring tensions between Moscow and Washington, with relations at their lowest since the end of the Cold War.
• Putin said Russia was ready to continue the talks provided Washington was also willing to do so

6. US House votes to repeal 2002 law on Iraq invasion

• The Democratic led House, with the backing of President Joe Biden, passed legislation on Thursday to repeal the 2002 authorisation for use of military force in Iraq, a step supporters said was necessary for Congress to reassert its constitutional duty to weigh in on matters of war while detractors worried that it would embolden militia or terror groups operating in the region.
• The repeal legislation was passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 268-161.
• Forty-nine Republicans voted for the bill. Only one Democrat, Rep. Elaine Luria of Virginia, voted against it

7. US Supreme Court upholds Obama era plan, preserves health care for millions

• The US Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a bid by Republican-led states to overturn Obamacare, safeguarding the health insurance of millions with the coronavirus pandemic still a threat in much of America.
• In a 7-2 decision, the nation`s highest court upheld the Affordable Care Act (ACA), former president Barack Obama`s signature health care programme, ruling that Texas and the other 17 states did not have standing in the case.
• President Joe Biden, who was Obama`s vice president when the ACA was enacted, called the court ruling `a big win for the American people` and those `who were in immediate danger of losing their health care in the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic.` `With millions of people relying on the Affordable Care Act for coverage, it remains, as ever, a BFD,` Biden said.

8. Zambia`s independence icon Kenneth Kaunda passes away at 97

• Zambia`s founding president Kenneth Kaunda died on Thursday at the age of 97, the government announced, days after he was admitted to hospital with pneumonia.
• Cabinet secretary Simon Miti said in an address on public television that Kaunda `died peacefully` at 2:30pm at a military hospital where he had been receiving treatment since Monday.
• Miti said it was with `deep regret and sorrow` that President Edgar Lungu announced `the passing of our beloved founding father, icon and global statesman` The government declared 21 days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast, and suspended all forms of entertainment.

9. First astronauts arrive at China`s space station

• The first astronauts arrived at China`s new space station on June 17, 2021 in the country`s longest crewed mission to date, a landmark step in establishing Beijing as a major space power.
• The trio blasted off on a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwest China`s Gobi desert, and their craft docked around seven hours later at the Tiangong station, where they will spend the next three months.
• State broadcaster CCTV showed a live feed from inside the spacecraft during the journey, with the three astronauts lifting their helmet visors after it reached orbit as one smiled and waved at the camera

10. Afghan teenager Noor inspires Karachi to narrow win over Lahore

• Karachi Kings heaved a sigh of relief in the HBL Pakistan Super League 6 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi late on June 17, 2021 night as they edged past old foes Lahore Qalandars by a slender margin of seven runs to bring their playoff aspirations back on track.
• In a game of great significance for the defending champions, they had to regroup following their horrendous defeat to Peshawar Zalmi on Tuesday; they needed inspiration, which came from an unlikely source in the shape of an unknown teenager from Afghanistan as Noor Ahmed Lakanwal aged just 16 years and 166 days dismissed Ben Dunk and Mohammad Hafeez to derail Lahore`s chase of 177 in a brilliant spell of unorthodox left-arm spin

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