December 2021

Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (December 17, 2021) for CSS, PMS

December 17, 2021

WELCOME TO CSS TIMES DAY BY DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS, YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR UP-TO-DATE AND DAILY TOP CURRENT AFFAIRS 2021 FOR PREPARATION OF CSS, PMS, BANKING, NTS, RAILWAYS AND ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS. “DAY TO DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS” BASICALLY IS TOP 10 NEWS SUMMARY ON CURRENT HAPPENINGS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE FOR ALL EXAMINATIONS

Table of Contents

December 17, 2021: National / International Current Affairs

1. Pakistan Refinery shuts down till `situation improves`

• The Pakistan Refinery Ltd (PRL) temporarily shut down its production on December 16, 2021 because of operational and ullage constraints, according to a regulatory filing with the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
• The refinery will stay shut `until the situation improves`, said the notice by PRL, which is one of the five refineries operating in the country.
• A senior PRL executive told Dawn the company was forced to shut down operations after it ran out of storage capacity. The situation arose after the refusal to lift fuel by independent power producers (IPPs)that also have storage for emergency use

2. US notes Islamabad`s efforts to meet FATF demands

• The annual US report on terrorism acknowledged on Thursday that Pakistan took steps in 2020 to counter terrorism financing, restrain India focused militant groups and to meet demands of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
• Pakistan continued to experience terrorist attacks last year, said the report.
• Pakistani military and security forces undertook counterterrorism operations against groups that conducted attacks within Pakistan, such as the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the militant Islamic State (IS) group and Balochistan Liberation Army

3. One-time age relaxation for PMS aspirants

• The Punjab government has decided to allow one-time age relaxation to the candidates aspiring to appear for the Provincial Management Service (PMS) competitive examination to be conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).
• The upper age limit for appearing in the PMS examination is 30.
• The PPSC chairman had initiated a summary requesting one year age relaxation for the PMS examination aspiring candidates as the commission had not conducted the examination during the current year due to coronavirus pandemic. The chairman stated that many candidates would become ineligible, if one year relaxation was not given, and lose their right to appear for the competitive examination

4. Rs160m medicines donated to Afghanistan

• As Afghanistan faces growing economic, health and humanitarian crises endangering millions of people, the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) on December 16, 2021 donated life-saving drugs worth Rs160 million to the conflict-hit country.
• In association with the Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum, the medicines were donated in response to a request made by the Afghan health minister during his visit to Islamabad last month. The medicines were handed over to Charge d`Affaires of Afghan Embassy Sardar Ahmed Khan Shakeeb in over 10 trucks at a ceremony held here. It was attended by PPMA chairman Qazi Mansoor Dilawar and central executive members Usman Shaukat, Aman Shaikh and Arshad Mahmood

5. PM inaugurates Skardu International Airport

• Prime Minister Imran Khan on December 16, 2021 termed Gilgit Baltistan world`s most beautiful mountainous region and said with improved road connectivity and Skardu International Airport, GB was about to turn into a top destination for local and foreign tourists, ensuring prosperity in the region.
• He said Skardu airport was previously used only for domestic flights. However, its status was elevate d on December 2 when it began welcoming international flights as well.
• Addressing a large crowd at Municipal Stadium in Skardu, the prime minister said the facility`s elevation to international airport would bring untold changes for the locals

6. ECC approves textile, auto policies

• The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet has approved Textile and Apparel Policy, 2020-25, and Auto Industry Development and Export Policy, 2021-26, with incentives to promote exports from the country.
• The ECC meeting, presided over by Minister for Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan, directed relevant stakeholders to take the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and power division`s input before implementation of these policies.
• Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Ministers for Industries Khusro Bakhtyar, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Railways Minister Azam Swat, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, Minister for Food Security Fakhar Imam, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib and senior officials attended the meeting

7. France bans most UK travel as fears over Omicron mount

• France said on December 16, 2021 that it would ban non-essential travel to and from Britain in a bid to keep the Omicron Covid-19 variant in check, as European leaders urged coordinated action and more booster shots to counter the more highly contagious threat.
• Countries worldwide have begun advising against foreign travel while ramping up domestic restrictions to battle Omicron, even though scientists remain uncertain how dangerous it is.
• Britain has seen case levels explode in recent weeks to record levels amid fears the variant could overwhelm hospitals during the dinners and parties for the year-end holidays

8. South Asia remains deadliest region for journalists

• Two of the four deadliest countries for journalists Afghanistan and India are from South Asia while the situation in Pakistan has slightly improved, says a report released on December 16, 2021.
• The findings are included in the World Press Freedom Index 2021, which was compiled by Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), an international media advocacy group.
• The index evaluates the situation forjournalistseachyearin180countries and territories.
• The 2021 report notes that a total of 46 journalists were killed across the globe this year, which is the lowest in 20 years. At least 50 journalists were killed in 2020.

9. Babar, prolific Rizwan give Pakistan another T20 series sweep

• The story of how the third Twenty20 International between Pakistan and the West Indies went ahead under a Covid-19 cloud was bigger than how the match went even if the hosts won a runfest at the National Stadium to complete a second successive series sweep.
• Uncertainty had been building overnight when news outlets in the Caribbean first reported that a few West Indies players had contracted coronavirus. That news was confirmed early Thursday morning and only four hours before the game`s scheduled start it was finally confirmed that it would go ahead.
• Having elected to bat, captain Nicholas Pooran`s 64 of f 37 deliveries and good innings from openers Brandon King and Shamarh Brooks gave the West Indies hope of a consolation victory and from what eventually transpired a first victory on the tour as they amassed 207-3.

10. Djokovic, Barty crowned ITF world champions

• Men`s world number one Novak Djokovic has been named the 2021 ITF world champion for a record seventh time while women`s number one Ash Barty has picked up her second crown, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on December 16, 2021.
• Djokovic, who finished the year as number one for a record seventh time, won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon while he fell short at the Tokyo Olympics and the US Open final in his quest for a rare golden slam.
• The Serb was tied with American great Pete Sampras on six wins for the title first awarded in 1978.
• Barty, who won her first Wimbledon title this year and a bronze medal at the Olympics in mixed doubles, previously won the award in 2019

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