Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (May 09, 2021) for CSS, PMS

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May 09, 2021: National / International Current Affairs

1. Ordinance issued for procurement of e-voting machines

• In what appears to be a hasty move, the government on May 8, 2021 promulgated a presidential ordinance authorising and binding the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to procure electronic voting machines (EVMs) and to enable the overseas Pakistanis to exercise their right to vote while staying in their country of residence in the next general elections.
• President Arif Alvi promulgated the Elections (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2021 under Article 89 of the Constitution only two days after National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had constituted a committee of the cabinet members to engage the opposition on the issue of electoral reforms. Through the ordinance, the president has introduced two amendments to Section 94(1) and Section 103 of the Elections Act 2017

2. Riyadh, Islamabad call for dialogue on Kashmir issue

• Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on May 8, 2021 expressed desire for resolution of Kashmir dispute through dialogue and Afghan conflict through political settlement.
• A joint statement, which is being considered a significant development with Saudi Arabia calling for dialogue to resolve the longstanding issue of Kashmir, was issued by the two Muslim countries on the second day of Prime Minister Imran Khan`s three-day visit to the kingdom.
• The two sides emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve outstanding issues between the two countries, especially Jammu and Kashmir dispute, to ensure peace and stability in the region, according to the joint statement.

3. Pakistan starts receiving vaccine under Covax

• The first batch of over 1.2 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid19 vaccines reached the country on May 8, 2021 under the Covax scheme as another 120 people fell victim to the virus.
• On the other hand, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) has notified a formula to fix prices of Covid-19 vaccines.
• Meanwhile, all educational institutions in the country will remain closed till May 23, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has announced.

4. Turkey announces tariff for freight train

• To the extent of route (Derince-Kapikoy) originating and passing through its territory, Turkey has announced tariff /charges for Istanbul-Tehran Islamabad freight train.
• However, schedule for resumption of the train which is called ECO (Economic Cooperation Organisation)is yet to be agreed and finalised by Pakistan, Iran and Turkey due to various issues, Dawn has learnt
• According to a report submitted by the quarters concerned in the Turkish government (railways, foreign and logistic affairs) at a recent meeting held by the ECO secretariat virtually, the container tariff for export, import and transit had been set as 0.18 Euro per km and 0.23 Euro per km for each 20 and 40 feet loaded container, respectively. Similarly, 0.09 Euro per km and 0.12 per km tariff have been set for 20 and 40 feet for each empty container, respectively.

5. PPP retains NA-249 seat after recount

• The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) completed recounting of votes cast at the 276 polling stations of the NA-249 constituency on May 8, 2021 the third consecutive day of the exercise in which PPP candidate again emerged as winner.
• On April 29, the day of the polling, PPP candidate Qadir Khan Mandokhail had obtained 16,106 votes while Miftah Ismail of PML-N had secured 15,473 votes, according to provisional results.
• On Mr Ismail`s request, the ECP ordered the vote recount. Initially, the candidates of PML-N, PTI, MQM-P, and Pak Sarzameen Party boycotted the recounting while eight other candidates, including those of PPP and the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, took part in the process

6. Cellular subscribers cross 183m mark in March

• Cellular subscriptions in Pakistan crossed the 183 million mark by the end of March 2021 from 178.97m in January, figures shared by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on May 8, 2021 showed.
• Mainly owing to pressures from the education sector in the wake of Covid-19 lockdowns, authorities have been expanding internet infrastructure in the country for more than a year. Broadband penetration reached 46.4 per cent of the country by the end of March 2021 compared to 44.6pc in January earlier this year.
• While 4G users grew from 66m in January to 74m in March, broadband subscriptions including 98m 3G and 4G subscribers topped 101m in the same period.

7. Riyadh to provide $500m for development projects

• Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to give strategic direction to their ties through the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SP-SCC) by strengthening and diversifying existing bilateral cooperation in different fields.
• For this purpose, the Saudi Development Fund will finance projects worth $500 million, according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• The projects to be launched under this initiative will pertain to the sectors of energy, hydropower generation, infrastructure, transport, communication and water resource development

8. Pakistani soldier injured in firing by Afghanistan-based terrorists

• One security man was wounded when terrorists from across the Pak-Afghan border opened fire on a military post in the hilly region of Bajaur tribal district, said the Inter Services Public Relations.
• The incident occurred late on Friday night when terrorists from across the international border opened fire on the post in the Mamound area, the military`s media affairs wing said in a statement.
• Security personnel deployed at the post quickly responded to the attack and a soldier was wounded in the exchange of fire

9. California population declines for first time

• California`s population fell by more than 182,000 last year, the first yearly loss ever recorded for the nation`s most populous state that halted a growth streak dating to its founding in 1850 on the heels of a gold rush that prompted a flood of people to seek their fortune in the West.
• The figures released on Friday followed last week`s announcement from the US Census Bureau that California would lose a congressional seat for the first time because it grew more slowly the another states over the past decade.
• Still, California`s population of just under 39.5 million and soon-to-be52-member congressional delegation remain by far the largest

10. Renowned gynaecologist Faridoon Sethna passes away

• Eminent gynaecologist Dr Paridoon Sethna passed away on May 8, 2021 following a brief illness. He was in his 80s.
• He leaves behind his wife and three sons.
• Dr Sethna was a Dow Medical College graduate and fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists who spent all his life rebuilding Lady Duffer in Hospital (LDH) in the Kharadar area and treated poor patients from old Karachi.
• He was also the chair and medical director of the Concept Fertility Centre in Clifton

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