Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (October 19, 2020) for CSS,PMS

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October 19, 2020: National / International Current Affairs

1. Hekmatyar due on three-day visit today

• Veteran Afghan politician and Hezbi-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar will arrive here on October 18, 2020 on a three-day visit to Pakistan.
• During the visit, the Afghan leader will meet President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
• He will also meet Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani,National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and others

2. New CEO to take charge of PTCL Group in December

• The PTCL Board of Directors has appointed Matthew Willsher, currently CEO of Etisalat Afghanistan, as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) PTCL Group (PTCL & Ufone), effective from December 2020.
• Mr Willsher succeeds Rashid Khan, who was president and CEO of PTCL Group since March 2019 and decided to leave the group due to his personal reasons.

3. Balochistan govt allocates Rs20m for students

• The Balochistan government has allocated Rs20 million for Baloch students studying in Punjab, while the Punjab government has agreed to pay for the expenses of 142 of these students studying at Bahauddin Zakaria University (BZU) Multan till 2023.
• Acknowledging the financial problems faced by the Baloch students studying in various universities of Punjab, the Punjab government had contacted the Balochistan government that approved allocation of Rs20m for the students. These funds will be spent on their educational expenses in the new academic year.

4. Makkah`s Grand Mosque opens for prayers after seven months

• Saudi Arabia opened on October 18, 2020 Islam`s holiest site for prayers for the first time in seven months, and expanded the umrah pilgrimage to accommodate 15,000 worshippers as it relaxed coronavirus curbs.
• Mask-clad Saudi citizens and residents of the kingdom were allowed to pray inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah, amid what authorities called extensive health precautions.

5. China passes new law restricting sensitive exports

• China has passed a new law restricting sensitive exports to protect national security, allowing Beijing to reciprocate against the US as tensions mount between the sides over trade and technology.
• The law, which will apply to all companies in China, was passed on October 18, 2020 by the National People`s Congress Standing Committee and will take effect on Dec 1.
• Under the law, China can take reciprocal measures towards countries or regions that abuse export controls and threaten its national security and interests.

6. First Israeli delegation arrives in Bahrain with Trump aides

• An Israeli delegation accompanied by the US treasury secretary arrived in Bahrain on October 18, 2020 to formalise nascent relations and broaden Gulf cooperation that Washington has promoted as an antiIran bulwark and potential economic bonanza.
• Bahrain followed the United Arab Emirates in agreeing last month to normalise ties with Israel, stunning Palestinians who had demanded statehood before any such regional rapprochement

7. Pro-Ankara candidate elected president of Northern Cyprus

• Turkish Cypriots in breakaway northern Cyprus on Sunday elected rightwing nationalist Ersin Tatar, backed by Ankara, in a run-off poll, at a time of heightened tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.
• Tatar, 60, clinched a surprise victory in the second round of presidential elections, winning 51 percent of the vote, official results showed.
• He edged out incumbent Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, 72, a supporter of reunification with the Greek Cypriot south on the divided island.

8. UN embargo on Iran arms trade comes to an end

• Iran said a longstanding UN embargo on arms sales to and from the Islamic republic expired on October 18, 2020 in line with a 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers from which Washington has withdrawn.
• Tehran, which could now purchase weapons from Russia, China and elsewhere, has hailed the development as a diplomatic victory over its arch enemy the United States, which had tried to maintain an indefinite freeze on arms sales.

9. KP outclass Sindh to enter National T20 Cup final

• Riding on a century opening partnership after their bowlers had done a fabulous job, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa outclassed Sindh by eight wickets to sail into the final of the National T20 Cup in Rawalpindi on October 17, 2020 night.
• The second semi-final of the First XI competition at the Pindi Cricket Stadium lacked the competitiveness and was almost replicated the first last-four clash earlier in the evening during which Southern Punjab dethroned Northern by seven wickets with consummate ease.

10. Rins battles past Marquez to seal victory at Aragon MotoGP

• Suzuki`s Alex Rins held off a spirited challenge from Repsol Honda rookie Alex Marquez to claim his first victory of the season at the Aragon Grand Prix in Spain on October 18, 2020.
• Rins` team-mate Joan Mir finished third to take a six point lead at the top of the championship ahead of Fabio Quartararo, who started at the top of the grid but finished a disappointing 18th for Petronas Yamaha.

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