February 2018

Day by Day Current Affairs (February 19, 2018) | MCQs for CSS, PMS, NTS

MCQs for CSS | Day by Day Current Affairs MCQs
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 February 19, 2018 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

Current Affairs MCQs | CSS Times General Knowledge MCQs

  1. 66 perish as blizzard brings down Iranian plane
    • All 66 people on board an Iranian passenger plane were feared dead after it crashed on Sunday into the country`s Zagros mountains, with emergency services struggling to locate the wreckage in blizzard conditions.
    • Aseman Airlines flight EP3704 disappeared from radar around 45 minutes after takeoff from Tehran`s Mehrabad airport
    • The ATR-72 twin-engine plane, in service for 25 years, lef t the capital at around 8am and was heading towards the city of Yasuj, some 500 kilometres to the south.
  2. Punjab cabinet approves witness protection bill
    • The Punjab cabinet has finally approved the witness protection bill, providing measures that would prevent elimination, intimidation or winning over of witnesses and help ensure conviction of criminals and terrorists.
    • The draft has been finalised and we are going to table it in the assembly
    • Witnesses are considered important for convictions in criminal and even terrorism cases in Pakistan as scientific evidence is merely taken as an expert opinion. But witnesses are often killed, browbeaten or bought because of lack of any protection for them from the state.
  3. ‘Hopeless’ position for Pakistan at FATF moot
    • No country, except China, has committed to vote for Pakistan as it struggles to avert terror-tag at the six-day meeting of the Financial Action Task Force – a global body combating terror financing and money-laundering.
    • The FATF meeting started on February 18, 2018 in Paris and will also consider the United States’ resolution to place Pakistan on the terror watch list.
    • Some countries like Russia, Germany and Belgium gave a little hope but there was no commitment. Majority of the (FATF member) countries looked firm to raise their hands for the US. We are sure of one vote from China as they (China) have always supported Pakistan.
    • The 37 permanent members of FATF include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Gulf Co-operation Council, Hong Kong, China, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russian Federation, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the US. Israel and Saudi Arabia have observer status.
  4. Nadir Magsi retains title as jeep rally ends
    • Nadir Magsi retained his title by winning the 13th edition of the Cholistan jeep rally that concluded nearthe Derawar Fort on February 18, 2018.
    • Sahibzada Sultan and Jaffar Magsi were the runners-up.
    • In group B ofthe prepared class, Faisal Shadikhel clinched the first position with Owais Khal(wani second and Asad Shadikhel third. In group C of the same class, Mian Rafique Bharchoundhi came first, Gohar Sangi second and Dr Raheel Siddiqui and partner Dr Noorullah third
  5. Saudi women allowed to start business without male relative`s permission
    • Women in Saudi Arabia can now open their own businesses without the consent of a husband or male relative, as the kingdom pushes to expand a fastgrowing private sector.
    • The policy change announced by the Saudi government also marks a major step away from the strict guardianship system that has ruled the country for decades.
    • The kingdom has also opened 140 positions for women at airports and border crossings, a historic first that the government said drew 107,000 female applicants.
  6. Canadian PM Trudeau begins India trip with Taj Mahal visit
    • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on February 18, 2018 toured the Taj Mahal with his wife and children as he began a week-long visit to promote trade and investment with India.
    • It was Trudeau`s first visit to India since taking office in 2015. He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and efforts to expand trade will dominate an agenda also covering energy, education and infrastructure.
  7. Saudis hail push for UN action against Iran
    • Saudi Arabia on February 18, 2018 welcomed a draft United Nations resolution offered by Britain, the United States and France that would condemn Iran for failing to stop its ballistic missiles from falling into the hands of Yemen`s Houthi group.
    • Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir said the measure, if passed, would help hold Iran accountable for what he described as its `exports of ballistic missiles` to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, and `radical and aggressive` behaviour in the region.
  8. 42 Indian languages, dialects facing extinction
    • More than 40 languages or dialects in India are considered to be endangered and is believed to be heading towards extinction as only a few thousand people speak them.
    • According to a report of the census directorate, there are 22 scheduled languages and 100 nonscheduled languages spoken by at least 100,000 or more people in the country.
    • However, around 42 languages which are spoken by less than10,000 people are considered endangered as they seemed heading towards extinction.
  9. 800,000 unregistered Afghans documented
    • Around 800,000 (0.8 million) unregistered Afghan refugees have been documented under Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) project introduced after the approval of Federal Cabinet to give them identity.
    • These Afghans will be linked with government of Afghanistan and repatriated with assistance of International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
    • Highlighting the steps taken by government for repatriation of Afghan Refugees from the country during last four years, sources at States and Frontier Regions Division on Sunday said that a comprehensive policy for Management and Repatriation of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan is also under consideration.
    • Repatriation of registered Afghan Refugees is guided by principle of voluntarism and gradualism as embedded in Tripartite Agreement signed between governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
  10. Syria forces ready for assault on rebel enclave
    • Syrian forces readied Sunday for a ground offensive against the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus, as residents of the capital braced for retaliatory shelling.
    • President Bashar al-Assad has in recent days been sending reinforcements from across the country to the edge of Eastern Ghouta, besieged by regime troops since 2013.

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