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April 13 2020: National / International Current Affairs
1. Imran asks world for debt relief in war on Covid-19
• Prime Minister Imran Khan has again appealed to the leaders of rich countries, the UN secretary general and heads of financial institutions to give debt relief to developing countries like Pakistan so that they could combat the deadly Covid-19 in a better way.
• In a video message to the international community broadcast by TV channels on April 12, 2020, the prime minister highlighted the difficulties being faced by the developing countries, particularly those burdened by heavy debt, in handling the situation and said the biggest challenge for nations in the developing world was to save their peoples from dying of the pandemic and hunger due to extended lockdowns triggered by the disease.
2. Growth to plummet, fiscal deficit to skyrocket: WB
• Pakistan faces sharp economic recession along with a skyrocketing fiscal deficit as fallout from the prevailing global coronavirus pandemic, the World Bank said on April 12, 2020. In addition, the country`s external position will come under serious stress as remittances can see a sig-nificant fall while portfolio outflows continue and the `non-traditional debt` from countries like Saudi Arabia, China and the United Arab Emirates has to be renegotiated.
• Provision of support systems for the unemployed as well as small businesses, along with massive investments in healthcare infrastructure, are likely to place a steeply rising burden on fiscal resources as the country grapples with the continuing fallout.
• Growth will remain subdued all through next year as well, according to projections contained in the World Bank`s latest report.
3. Ministry releases policy brief exploring gendered impact of Covid-19 in Pakistan
• The Ministry of Human Rights on April 12, 2020 released the Gendered Impact and Implications of Covid-19 in Pakistan, a policy brief analysing the potentially disproportionate impact of the outbreak on women and girls.
• Prepared with UN Women and the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), the brief explores specific vulnerabilities facing women and girls as the coronavirus spreads and makes broad policy recommendations to mitigate immediate risks and prevent the exacerbation of existing gender gaps.
4. 80pc of industries to reopen tomorrow
• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to reopen 80 per cent of the industries and labour department hospitals after a prolonged closure amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• Talking to media persons at Bisham on April 12, 2020, minister for labour and culture Shaukat Yousafzai said that about 80 per cent of the province`s industries would be opened from April 14 (Tuesday), while 28 hospitals of the labour department would be reopened from Monday (today) to reduce rush on other major hospitals.
5. OPEC, Russia agree on biggest-ever oil output cut
• The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other oil producing nations agreed on April 12, 2020 to cut output by a record amount, representing around 10 percent of global supply, to support oil prices amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• The group, known as OPEC+, agreed to reduce output by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) for May-June, after four days of marathon talks and following pressure from US President Donald Trump to arrest the price decline.
• Two OPEC+ sources said the deal had been sealed in a video conference on Sunday, and the agreement was confirmed in a statement by Kazakhstan`s energy ministry
6. Taliban to set free first batch of prisoners
• The Taliban announced on April 12, 2020 they would be releasing 20 Afghan government prisoners the group has been holding, in the first phase of its commitment under its historic peace deal with the United States.
• The deal calls for the government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for 1,000 government officials held by the Taliban insurgents.
• The Afghan government released its first 100 Taliban prisoners last week and Jawed Faisal, a spokesman for Afghanistan`s national security adviser, said the government has thus far released 300 Taliban prisoners overall from government custody.
7. Sheikh Mujib`s killer executed after 25 years on the run
• Bangladesh has executed a military captain less than a week after he was arrested after nearly 25 years on the run over the assassination of the country`s founding leader, a minister said on April 12, 2020.
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was killed along with most of his family in a military coup on August 15, 1975, nearly four years after he led Bangladesh to independence.
• In 1998 Abdul Majed was sentenced in absentia to death along with a dozen other army officers over the murders.
8. Colombo orders cremation for all virus victims
• Sri Lanka made cremations compulsory for coronavirus victims on April 12, 2020, ignoring protests from the country`s minority Muslims who say it goes against Islamic tradition.
• Of the seven deaths from the infectious disease so far in the island nation, three were Muslims. The bodies were cremated by authorities despite protests from relatives.
• `The corpse of a person who has died or is suspected to have died, of … Covid-19 shall be cremated,` Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said on April 12, 2020.
9. UAE launches online weddings
• The United Arab Emirates has launched an online marriage service that allows couples to wed amid restrictions on movement and interaction imposed to counter the deadly coronavirus.
• The justice ministry said on April 12, 2020 that citizens and residents can set a date for an online wedding ceremony conducted via video link with a cleric after their paperwork is submitted and approved, also online, according to the UAE’s official news agency WAM.
• The procedure will see a cleric confirm the identity of the couple and witnesses, before a marriage certificate is relayed to a specialised court for validation.
10. Women`s Rogers Cup in Montreal put off until 2021
• The women`s Rogers Cup tournament in Montreal, one of the key build-up events ahead of the US Open, was axed and will not be played until2021,0fhcials said.
• The event, scheduled for August 7-16, had been in jeopardy after Quebec Province requested that all sporting and cultural events be cancelled through August 31 as a means of slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
• `As a result of the measures imposed by the Quebec government prohibiting holding events until August 31, the Rogers Cup in Montreal will postpone their event to 2021,` said a WTA statement. `The WTA reiterates that health and safety will always be the top priority. We understand this was a difficult decision and we look forward to being back in Montreal in 2021
Current Affairs MCQs (April 13, 2020)
The Ministry of Human Rights is a federal government agency in Pakistan which is founded in:
a. December 19, 2011
b. January 19, 2012
c. February 19, 2012
d. March 19, 2012
Answer: (B)
The Ministry of Human Rights is a federal government agency in Pakistan. The ministry is headed by Shireen Mazari, the Minister for Human Rights, while Rabiya Javeri Agha serves as Federal Secretary.
Founded: January 19, 2012
Officeholder: Shireen Mazari (Minister)
Headquarters: Islamabad
Which Arab Country recently Launched Online Weddings service
a. Qatar
b. Egypt
c. Iran
d. UAE
Answer: (D)
The United Arab Emirates has launched an online marriage service that allows couples to wed amid restrictions on movement and interaction imposed to counter the deadly coronavirus.
Who is Current Minister for Labour and Culture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
a. Shaukat Yousafzai
b. Mahmood Khan
c. Muhib Ullah Khan
d. Hisham Inamullah Khan
Answer: (A)
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