Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 17, 2022) for CSS, PMS

Table of Contents

6. Crisis-hit Sri Lanka halts share trading

• Sri Lanka on April 16, 2022 announced a five-day share trading halt after the crisis-hit country hiked interest rates and declared a default on its external debt during the traditional New Year holiday, as trade unions and top cricket stars joined protests demanding the president`s resignation.
• The move came ahead of Colombo`s planned talks with the International Monetary Fund in Washington on Monday to negotiate a bailout as the country has run out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential import s.
• The island nation is grappling with its worst economic downturn since independence in 1948, with regular blackouts and acute shortages of food and fuel in addition to record inflation. The crisis has caused widespread misery for Sri Lanka`s 22 million people and led to weeks of antigovernment protests

7. Delhi-Kabul wheat transit stops as 30-day deadline ends

• Wheat transit from India to Afghanistan via Pakistan has stopped since the 30-day time frame set for transport of 50,000 tons ended without any extension from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), it emerged on April 16, 2022.
• The situation embarrassed Pakistan when a convoy of 39 empty Afghan trucks, which had entered the country via Torkham to collect sixth consignment of wheat, was sent back by the authorities concerned at Wagah border (Lahore) during the first week of April.
• Talking to Dawn, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs termed the information about suspension of wheat transit correct, saying: `It is correct that in the approval of the GOP, the SOPs stipulated that the transportation will be completed within 30 days of commencement`

8. Fresh strikes hit Kyiv, Lviv as UN says 5m Ukrainians fled war

• Russia`s warplanes bombed Lviv and its missiles struck Kyiv on April 16, 2022, as Moscow followed through on a threat to launch more long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities after the sinking of its Black Sea Fleet flagship.
• An explosion was heard and smoke seenin Kyiv`s southeastern Darnytskyi district, where Moscow said it had struck a military factory that repairs tanks. The capital`s mayor said rescuers and medics were working there but gave no further details.
• Ukraine`s military said Russian warplanes that took off from Belarushad also fired missiles at the Lviv region near the Polish border, where four cruise missiles were shot down by Ukrainian air defences

9. Ukraine`s richest man vows to rebuild besieged Mariupol

• Ukraine`s richest man has pledged to help rebuild the besieged city of Mariupol, a place close to his heart where he owns two vast steelworks that he says will once again compete globally.
• Rinat Akhmetov has seen his business empire shattered by eight years of fighting in Ukraine`s east but remains defiant, sure that what he calls `our brave soldiers` will defend the Sea of Azov city reduced to a wasteland by seven weeks of bombardment.
• For now, though, his Metinvest company, Ukraine`s biggest steel-maker, has announced it cannot deliver its supply contracts and while his financial and industrial SCM Group is servicing its debt obligations, his private power producer DTEK `has optimised payment of its debts` in an agreement with creditors. `Mariupol is a global tragedy and a global example of heroism. For me, Mariupol has been and will always be a Ukrainian city,` Akhmetov said in written answers to questions

10. Three Chinese astronauts return to Earth after six months

• Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on April 16, 2022 after 183 days in space, marking the end of China`s longest crewed mission as it continues its quest to become a major space power.
• The Shenzhou-13 space craft was the latest mission in Beijing`s drive to rival the United States, after landing a rover on Mars and sending probes to the Moon.
• Live footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed the capsule landing in a cloud of dust, with ground crew who had kept clear of the landing site rushing in helicopters to reach the capsule.
• The two men and one woman -Zhai Zhigang, Ye Guangfu and Wang Yaping returned to Earth shortly before 10am Beijing time (0200 GMT), after six months aboard the Tianhecore module of China`s Tiangong space station