Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 13, 2022) for CSS, PMS

Table of Contents

6. KP cabinet okays bifurcation of South Waziristan district

• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on April 12, 2022 approved a proposal for the bifurcation of South Waziristan tribal district for `better service delivery and effective management`.
• The cabinet met here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair.
• The ministers, administrative secretaries and other relevant officers also attended the meeting.
• Spokesman for the government Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif later told reporters that the division of South Waziristan into Upper and Lower South Waziristan districts was a major step to facilitate the residents

7. PM forms advisory body to tackle economic challenges

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday the government will take short and long-term measures to overcome the economic challenges left behind by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) regime.
• `After the formation of the federal cabinet, the government would come up with… plans to overcome inflation and revive the economy,` the prime minister told reporters at an iftar dinner at PM House on April 12, 2022.
• Talking about the relief measures announced in his maiden address as prime minister, including raising minimum wage to Rs25,000 and a 10 per cent increase in pensions, he said these were still not enough to meet the 25pc inflation that had afflicted citizens

8. Crisis-hit Sri Lanka defaults on foreign debt

• Sri Lanka announced a default on its $51 billion foreign debt on April 12, 2022 as the island nation grapples with its worst economic crisis in memory and escalating protests demanding the government`s resignation.
• Acute food and fuel shortages, as well as long daily electricity blackouts, have brought widespread suffering to the country`s 22 million people in its most painful downturn since independence in 1948.
• The government has struggled to service foreign loans and Tuesday`s decision comes ahead of negotiations for an International Monetary Fund bailout aimed at preventing a more catastrophic hard default that would see Sri Lanka completely repudiate its debts

9. US monitoring rise in rights abuses in India: Blinken

• The United States is monitoring a rise in human rights abuses in India, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on April 12, 2022 in a rare direct rebuke by Washington of New Delhi`s rights record.
• `We regularly engage with our Indian partners on these shared values (of human rights) and to that end, we are monitoring some recent concerning developments in India, including a rise in human rights abuses by some government, police and prison officials, Blinken said in a joint press briefing with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankarand Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• Blinken did not elaborate.
• Singh and Jaishankar, who spoke after Blinken at the briefing, did not comment on the human rights issue.

10. Australia`s Victoria state to host 2026 Commonwealth Games

• The Australian state of Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games across four regional hubs in a break from the traditional single-city model, the government said on April 12, 2022.
• With no other countries outside Australia making a bid, Victoria was granted an exclusive negotiating period to secure the Games in February. `Its a great honour to have Victoria chosen as the host venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games we can`t wait to welcome the world to all of our state,` Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said.
• Victoria capital Melbourne hosted the 2006 Games and will stage the 2026 opening ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the sports will be spread far and wide