Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 19, 2022) for CSS, PMS

Table of Contents

6. Delhi indignant over Singapore PM`s `criminal` remarks

• India has complained to Singapore about a remark its prime minister made on the number of Indian parliamentarians facing criminal charges, an Indian official said on February 18, 2022, in a rare instance of friction between the Asian allies.
• Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made the remark in Singapore`s parliament on Wednesday during a debate about accusations of lying levelled at a member of Singapore`s opposition.
• Lee, referring to parliamentary standards, mentioned India, suggesting a decline there since its first prime minister after independence from Britain in 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru, was in charge

7. Iran nuclear talks nearing `decision point`

• Several world powers have indicated that a deal at least in principle to revive the Iran nuclear accord may be just days away, but experts warn that failure still cannot be ruled out.
• The 2015 accord had offered Tehran sanctions rehef in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, but the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and re-imposed heavy economic sanctions, prompting Iran to start ramping up its nuclear activities.
• The outline of a new deal appears to be on the table in talks which have been held in Vienna since late November between signatories Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States indirectly

8. UAE, India sign `milestone` pact to boost economies

• The United Arab Emirates and India signed a `milestone` economic deal to boost trade and investment on February 18, 2022, as the countries seek to bolster their economies after the coronavirus pandemic.
• Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UA E`s de facto ruler, and India`s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit to witness the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, among other pacts. The deal`s signing `is a milestone event in our bilateral relations`, the official Emirati news agency WAM quoted Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar as saying.
• `It will open new opportunities in both trade in goods and services, and will lead to enhanced investments.` WAM said the pact is `expected to usher in a new era of economic cooperation and unlock greater avenues for trade and investment`

9. Pro-Moscow fighters start evacuating civilians from Ukraine`s east

• Spiking tensions in eastern Ukraine on Friday aggravated Western fears of a Russian invasion and a war in Europe, with a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and pro-Russia rebels evacuating civilians from the conflict zone.
• The Kremlin declared massive nuclear drills to flex its military muscle, and President Vladimir Putin pledged to protect Russia`s national interests against what he sees as encroaching Western threats.
• But immediate worries focused on eastern Ukraine as pro-Moscow rebels in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which form Ukraine`s industrial heartland called the Donbas, announced they had started evacuating civilians to Russia. The announcement appeared to be part of Moscow`s efforts to counter Western warnings of a Russian invasion, and paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead

10. Pakistan Super League At long last, Kings savour victory

• After Mir Hamza sent back both Lahore Qalandars openers, Karachi Kings could sense their time had come.
• Finally, a first win of a dismal campaign seemed on the horizon.
• Having lost the opening eight games of the round robin stage, Babar Azam`s men were already out of the race for the playoffs. Their remaining two games, starting with the one against Qalandars on Friday night, were a chance to salvage some pride.
• They did, and most importantly, in the Lahore Karachi grudge match of the HBL Pakistan Super League at the Gaddafi Stadium