Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 27, 2022) for CSS, PMS

Table of Contents

6. S&P, Fitch downgrade Ukraine debt over crisis

• S&P Global Ratings downgraded Ukraine`s long-term debt rating on February 25, 2022, hours after a similar move by Fitch, with both citing the impact of the ongoing Russian invasion.
• S&P downgraded its rating from B to B with a negative outlook, noting potential disruptions to key sectors such as agricultural exports and the country`s gas pipeline network.
• `The Russian decision to launch a military attack on the country adds significant negative risks to its economic prospects, jeopardizing the service of the debt,` the credit rating agency said in a statement.
• Fitch on Friday cut the rating on Ukrainian government debt to `CCC` from `B`, saying the invasion had created a `severe negative shock

7. Kabul varsity reopens, but attendance low

• Afghanistan`s main universities reopened on Saturday, six months after the Taliban returned to power, but only a trickle of women returned to attend now-segregated classes.
• Most secondary schools for girls and all public universities were shuttered following the Taliban`s August 15 takeover of the country, sparking fears women would be barred from education as happened during the Islamists` first rule from 1996 to 2001.
• The Taliban insist they will allow girls and women to be educated this time around but only in segregated classes and according to an Islamic curriculum

8. US allows transactions with Afghanistan despite sanctions

• The US has issued new rules allowing most commercial and financial transactions with Afghanistan that could kick-start the paralysed economy of the war-torn country.
• `To be clear, sanctions on the Taliban remain in place` but the new rules would ease the flow of humanitarian aid and commercial activities, said US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken while announcing the new policy known as General Licence 20.
• The measures would `facilitate private companies and aid organisations working with Afghan governing institutions and paying customs, duties, fees, and taxes, including institutions that are headed by sanctioned individuals,` he added.

9. Pakistan Super League Qalandars take second shot at title against high-flying defending champions Sultans

• Lahore Qalandars are not used to making it to the HBL Pakistan Super League playoffs, but when they do, they end up playing the grand finale.
• In the 2020 season, they finished third in the round robin stage before losing the final against Karachi Kings at the National Stadium in Karachi.
• The match was played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 outbreak which forced the tournament to be split in two phases

10. Poland, Sweden refuse to play World Cup qualifiers with Russia

• Poland and Sweden said they would not play their football World Cup qualifiers against Russia in March, following Russia`s invasion of Ukraine, the governing bodies of both national teams said on February 25, 2022.
• The playoff matches are set to be held in March to fill a slot for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and several Poland players including captain Robert Lewandowski backed the decision with statements on social media.
• `In light of the escalation of the Russian Federation`s aggression against Ukraine, the Polish national team is not going to play a match against Russian Republic, Poland`s Football Association chief Cezary Kulesza wrote on Twitter