Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (October 22, 2022) for CSS, PMS

Table of Contents

6. EU to be `firm` with China, but will avoid confrontation

• European Union leaders said on October 21, 2022 they would stand up for their principles and independence in relations with China, but warned against being drawn into confrontation and a breakdown in ties.
• During their Brussels summit, the 27-nation bloc held three hours of strategic talks on its approach to China as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip over an ever more assertive Beijing.
• Torn between the desire to access China`s vast market and condemnation of its rights abuses and aggressive regional policies, the EU has struggled to fashion a cohesive stance towards Beijing

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7. Anti-immigrant Meloni named Italy`s first woman premier

• Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni was named Italian prime minister on October 21, 2022, becoming the first woman to head a government in Italy.
• Her post-fascist Brothers of Italy party Eurosceptic and anti-immigration won the Sept 25 legislative polls, but needed outside support to form a government.
• Meloni`s appointment is a historic event for the eurozone`s third largest economy and for Brothers of Italy, which has never been in government.
• Shortly after she was named, the 45-year-old from Rome named her ministers, who will be sworn in on Saturday in front of President Sergio Mattarella

8. US in talks with Musk to set up Starlink in Iran

• The White House is in talks with billionaire Elon Musk about setting up SpaceX`s satellite internet service Starlink in Iran, CNN reported on October 21, 2022, citing officials familiar with the matter.
• The satellite-based broadband service could help Iranians circumvent restrictions on accessing the internet and certain social media platforms.
• The US treasury department said last month that some satellite internet equipment can be exported to Iran, suggesting that the company may not need a license to provide satellite broadband service in the country

9. Sri Lanka passes amendment to trim presidential powers

• Sri Lanka`s parliament on October 21, 2022 passed a constitutional amendment aimed at trimming presidential powers, beefing up anti-corruption safeguards and helping to find a way out of the country`s worst financial crisis since independence.
• Sri Lanka has struggled for months to find enough dollars to pay for essential imports such as fuel, food, cooking gas and medicine.
• Many Sri Lankans blame former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa for implementing multiple failed policies including tax cuts, a now-reversed ban on chemical fertilisers and delays in seeking IMF assistance that resulted in the country defaulting on its foreign debt for the first time in history.
• As a response to widespread protests, Rajapaksa had backed constitutional reforms that would reduce the powers of the executive presidency and allocate them to parliament in June. He resigned the next month after protesters stormed his office and residence

10. India fines Google $160m over market dominance

• India`s anti-trust watchdog has fined Google more than $160 million after a probe found the tech behemoth was abusing its commanding position in the local smart phone market.
• The California-based company`s Android mobile operating system is by far the dominant player in India and is run on 95 percent of all the country`s smart phones, according to research agency Counterpoint.
• But the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said the operating system was configured to unlawfully crowd out rivals to YouTube, web browser Chrome and other popular Google apps.