Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (November 21, 2021) for CSS, PMS

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November 21, 2021: National / International Current Affairs

1. State Bank, FIA join hands against money laundering, cyberattacks

• The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will strengthen coordination against money laundering, digital frauds and cyberattacks, it was decided on November 20, 2021.
• The central bank governor while chairing a meeting emphasised the need for close cooperation among banks, SBP and FIA to expeditiously investigate white-collar crimes and apprehend and prosecute the fraudsters.
• The meeting was attended by FIA Director General Sanaullah Abbasi, bank presidents and senior SBP and FIA officials. Pakistan has been actively trying to fix its financial monitoring mechanism, especially since the country`s inclusion in the grey list of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) three years ago.

2. Number of microfinance borrowers soars to record 8.2m

• The number of active microfinance borrowers increased 20 per cent year-on year to an all-time high of 8.2 million at the end of the July September quarter.
• According to the latest data released by the Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN) the national association for retail players in the microfinance industry as many as 161,318 customers joined the ranks of active borrowers in the third quarter of 2021, up 2pc from the preceding three-month period.
• Speaking to Dawn, Mobilink Microfinance Bank CEO Ghazanfar Azzam called the 20pc expansion in the number of borrowers `less than satisfactory` given the large size of the potential market.

3. 120m doses of Covid-19 vaccine administered so far

• Pakistan has achieved another milestone of administering 120 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine.
• According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 120,448,598 doses of vaccine have been administered since the vaccination drive began in the country in February this year.
• It said on Saturday that 78,845,170 people have received at least one dose of vaccine and 49,010,906 others have become fully vaccinated.
• The NCOC said in a tweet that due to ongoing national MR [measles rubella] campaign (Nov 15-27), Covid-19 vaccine administration for children between 12-15 years will remain suspended till Nov 27

4. Punjab told to hold local govt polls early next year

• Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the Punjab government to hold local government (LG) elections in the province in the first quarter of next year.
• This was disclosed by federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry while talking to Dawn on November 20, 2021.
• Mr Chaudhry said the prime minister had issued directives to Chief Minister Usman Buzdarand the minister for local government in this regard and the new local government bill would be presented before the Punjab Assembly next week. Providing some details of the proposed law, the minister said local representatives at the district level and mayors of the cities would be elected through a direct vote while the village council would comprise 13 members

5. Britain moves to ban Hamas as `terrorist organisation`

• Showing support for Hamas in Britain could be punished with 14 years in prison if the government succeeds in banning the group as a `terrorist organisation`, the Home Office said on Friday.
• Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the move to bring Britain into line with the United States, which designated Hamas a `terrorist group` in 1995, and the European Union.
• Parliament will vote on the proposals next week and if successful, could become effective from next Friday

6. Taliban begin paying salaries to govt employees

• Afghanistan`s Taliban authorities said on November 20, 2021 they had begun paying government employees who had not received a paycheck since the Islamists seized power and triggered a major financial crisis.
• Most government employees have yet to return to work and many had not been paid for months even before the Taliban captured power, especially rural workers.
• `We are going to start paying salaries from today. We will pay three months` salaries,` Ahmad Wali Hagmal, spokesman for the finance ministry said at a press conference.

7. Houthis say they attacked Saudi cities, Aramco facilities

• Yemen`s Iran-aligned Houthi movement said on November 20, 2021 it had bred 14 drones at several Saudi Arabian cities, including at Saudi Aramco facilities in Jeddah.
• The Saudi-led coalition battling the Houthis in Yemen had on Friday said it destroyed three drones launched towards southern Saudi Arabia and a fourth over Yemen.
• It said the group `f ailed to launch two ballistic missiles` and they fell inside Yemen.
• Saudi Aramco, the state oil firm, said when contacted that it would respond at the earliest opportunity

8. All options open if diplomacy fails to halt Iran`s N-plans: US

• The United States warned on November 20, 2021 it was capable of deploying `overwhelming force` in the Middle East as it faced questions about its willingness to use its military power in the region.
• Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain`s capital that all options would be open if diplomacy fails to halt Iran`s nuclear programme, but he was also forced to rebut claims the US has become reluctant to use force. The Pentagon chief was asked why Washington did not respond to last month`s drone-and-artillery attack on a base used by the US-led coalition fighting the militant Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.
• `The United States of America maintains the right to defend itself. And we will defend ourselves and our interests, no matter what, at the time and place of our choosing,` he replied

9. Bowlers, Fakhar steer Pakistan to T20 series win over Bangladesh

• Pakistan`s Fakhar Zaman struck an unbeaten half-century as his side made light work of beating Bangladesh by eight wickets in their second Twenty20 international in Dhaka on November 20, 2021, taking an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
• Fakhar hit 57 off 51 balls and put on 85 runs with opener Mohammad Rizwan for the second wicket that was instrumental in overhauling Bangladesh`s paltry 108-7 with 11 balls to spare.
• Rizwan scored a patient 39 off 45 with four boundaries.
• Fakhar was watchful after captain Babar Azam (5) dragged fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman`s (1-12) delivery on to his stump in the third over, similar to his dismissal in the first match.

10. FIFA changes playoff format for last two places at World Cup

• FIFA changed the World Cup qualifying format for the intercontinental playoffs on Friday to be single-leg games at a neutral venue.
• The winners of the matches will earn the final two spots at next year`s World Cup in Qatar.
• FIFA cited unprecedented disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic when scheduling the games for June, more than two months later than the pre-pandemic schedule.
• Single games also avoid teams crossing several time zones for two-leg matchups

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