Day by Day Current Affairs (October 06, 2018) | MCQs for CSS, PMS, NTS
Shahzad F. Malik
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The government has inducted six more diehard political aides to Prime Minister Imran Khan into the cabinet, taking its total strength to 34.
President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath to the new ministers at a ceremony held at the President House.
It was the fourth expansion in the federal cabinet since it was formed following the elections in July.
Muhammad Faisal Vawda, Senator Azam Khan Swati, Muhammad Mian Soomro, Ali Amin Gandapur and Sahibzada Muhammad Mehmood Sultan were sworn in as federal ministers, while Zartaj Gul Wazir was made minister of state.
The federal cabinet now has 24 ministers, six state ministers and four advisers.
According to the Constitution, the maximum strength of the federal cabinet can be 49. Last month, six new ministers were inducted Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Muhammad Khan, Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Muhammad Shabbir Ali, Murad Saeed and Muhammad Hammad Azhar.
2. Govt ready to take more `tough steps proposed by IMF`
The government said on October 5, 2018 it was ready to take `further corrective measures` proposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to restore economic stability and inclusive growth, apparently setting the pitch for a coming bailout package from the fund.
After recently concluding a weeklong dialogue with the Pakistani authorities, a visiting IMF mission has welcomed measures taken by the government like currency depreciation, hike in interest rate as well as gas and electricity tariffs and fiscal tightening, but said these were `not sufficient`.
The IMF staff team stressed the need for a decisive policy action on further exchange flexibility and tightening of fiscal and monetary policies along with structural reforms and `further increase in gas and power tariffs` to address the difficult economic situation Pakistan is facing, with high fiscal and current account deficits and low foreign exchange reserves.
After the departure of the fund mission, the ministry of finance said it largely shared this assessment and was `committed to take further corrective measures to restore stability and inclusive growth`.
3. Criminal record verification system digitized
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have introduced Criminal Record Verification System (CRVS) to put an effective end to terrorism and other heinous crimes across the province.
The move had enhanced the police efficiency to a great extent in connection with the verification which ultimately led to better inter-rogation and investigation.
Computerised data about all criminals had been provided to all police stations available through CRVS.
Record of proclaimed offenders is available on phone through an SIM service to all police stations, checkposts and snap checking points.
The police officials on duty on these points can directly verify the background of any person by clicking the mobile`s button.
4. Tarbela 4th Project’s 3rd, 4th units connected with national grid
The hydel resource development in Pakistan has taken a giant leap forward as the third and the last unit of Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project was also synchronized with the national grid October 5, 2018. The third unit was operated on various loads up to 466 MW.
“With synchronization of the third unit, the maximum contribution from Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project to the national grid reached 1307MW
After conducting the load rejection test at 466 MW, the third unit has now been stopped for technical examination in accordance with the standard operating procedure.
October 6, 2018: International Current Affairs
5. Delhi to buy $5bn air defence systems from Moscow
Russia and India`s leaders announced on October 5, 2018 a raft of deals worth billions of dollars including for a military defence system, as New Delhi walks a tightrope between Moscow and Washington with a wary eye on China.
The flagship accord announced during a visit to India by President Vladimir Putin was for the formidable S-400 surface-to-air missile defence system, worth $5.2 billion according to an Indian source.
Other agreements announced following a meeting between Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that began with a hug were in railways, fertilisers and space, with Russia set to train astronauts for India`s first crewed space mission in 2022.
6. Interpol head goes missing, being `grilled in China`
French police said on October 5, 2018 they were probing the disappearance of the Chinese head of Interpol, who has reportedly been detained for questioning in his home country.
Meng Hongwei, 64, was last seen leaving for China from the international police organisation`s headquarters in Lyon, southeast France, in late September. His wife has since reported him missing.
`He did not disappear in France` where he lives, the source said. But Interpol would not be drawn on his possible whereabouts.
Hong Kong`s South China Morning Post reported that Meng was under investigation in China. He was `taken away` for questioning by the authorities `as soon as he landed in China` last week, the newspaper said, quoting an unidentified source.
It was not known why Meng was being investigated.
7. Congolese doctor, Yazidi activist win Nobel Peace Prize
Denis Mukwege, a doctor who helps victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nadia Murad, a Yazidi rights activist and survivor of sexual slavery by the militant Islamic State (IS) group, won the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize on October 5, 2018.
They were awarded the prize for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
`Denis Mukwege is the helper who has devoted his life to defending these victims. NadiaMurad is the witness who tells of the abuses perpetrated against herself and others,` it said in its citation.
`Each of them in their own way has helped to give greater visibility to war-time sexual violence, so that the perpetrators can be held accountable for their actions.` Mukwege heads the Panzi Hospital in the eastern Congolese city of Bukavu.
Opened in 1999, the clinic receives thousands of women each year, many of them requiring surgery from sexual violence.
Murad is an advocate for the Yazidi minority in Iraq and for refugee and women rights in general. She was enslaved and raped by IS fighters in Mosul, Iraq, in 2014.
8. S Korea ex-president Lee jailed for 15 years over corruption
Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak was jailed for 15 years for corruption Friday, becoming the latest of the country’s ex-leaders to be sent to prison.
The 76-year-old CEO-turned-president, who served from 2008 to 2013, was found guilty on charges including bribery and embezzlement and ordered to pay a fine of 13 billion won ($11.5 million) by the Seoul Central District Court.
The former South Korean leader was indicted in April on 16 charges that included bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.
The court found that Lee was the de-facto owner of DAS – a controversial auto parts company which he claimed was his brother’s – which he used to create slush funds of around 24 billion won.
9. Iran risks losing 70pc of farmlands
Iran faces losing 70 percent of its farmlands if urgent action is not taken to overcome a litany of climate woes, the country’s environment chief Isa Kalantari told AFP.
The Islamic Republic is grappling not only with air, water and soil pollution, as well as drought and desertification, but also with the effect of years of crippling US and international sanctions.
The excessive consumption of water, especially from groundwater is a threat and could have terrible social consequences.
October 6, 2018: Sports Current Affairs
10. Pakistan women seal T20 series in Bangladesh
Pakistan women`s team recorded another convincing seven-wicket victory against Bangladesh in the third Twenty20 International to seal the series 2-0 at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium on October 5, 2018.
The first match of the series was called off due to wet outfield while Pakistan won the second game, which was reduced to 14-overs-aside, by 58 runs.
On October 5, 2018 Bangladesh batted first and were off to a shaky start as they lost Ayasha Rahman inside the first six overs. The batter was run out for just eight, and soon her partner Shamima Sultana was also dismissed.
