Pakistan’s First Monthly E-Magazine for Civil Services Aspirants i ~ a & > \ ig id. ee “ Jas | Covid-19 & Impact US Religious World Press Freedom Index on Pakistan’s Economy Freedom Report Pakistan Ranked 145/180 MES May 2020 Monthly Domestic & International Solved Current Affairs MCQs = & (April 2020) 4 DESI RRCBuy HSM Books Online Books for Competitive Exams & Military Tests a Just while sitting at home you can choose from a vast variety, and your desired Competitive Exams CSS/PMS/PCS/NTS and Military Tests (Army, ISSB/PAF/NAVY) HSM Books will be efficiently delivered to you on the designated date. Spectacular services and satisfying our customers will always be our most significant priority. We hope you have a worthy shopping experience at . www.hsmpublishers.com Thank you. HSM Publishers was started in 2013 as a publishing division of Ilmi Kitab Khana, founded by Haji Sardar Muhammad in 1945. Today it proudly owns: + Ilmi Kitab Khana Lahore + HSM Publishers Lahore + Ilmi Kitab Khana/HSM Publishers Islamabad F-7 Islamabad (Islamabad showroom where one finds under one roof the widest range of All kinds of Schools/Colleges/Universities educational pos Competitive Exams, ey Exam books and General Knowledge ooks ) 2Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com COVID-19 03 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic in Pakistan * CORONAVIRUS Covid-2019 ‘The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 199 countries and territories around the world and 1 intemational conveyance. 20725 Total Cases 471 Deaths (40 my 2000) * The new coronavirus — COVID-19 — was first confirmed on December 31 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organisation classified COVID-19 as pandemic on March 11. Countries all over the world have taken extraordinary measures to contain the spread of the virus and deal with infected people. Some of these measures include travel bans, urging citizens to self-isolate and closing educational institutions. It was Wednesday, February 26, when Dr. Zafar Mirza, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, officially reported the first two cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Pakistan. One of the coronavirus patients was from Karachi, while the other was from Islamabad. They had both recently returned from Iran — ‘one of the worst coronavirus-hit countries in Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | the region. By the time Pakistan announced its first COVID-19 cases, 48 other countries had already reported this pandemic. The rising death toll and rampant spread of this virus had forced the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare a global emergency as early as on January 30th — exactly a month after China alerted it about the “unusual pneumonia’ in its port city of Wuhan in the central Hubei province. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times COVID-19 04 Geographically, Pakistan shares borders with the world's two worst coronavirus affected countries — China and Iran. India, our eastern neighbour, officially confirmed its first coronavirus case on January 30, while Afghanistan, another western neighbour like Iran, reported the virus's presence on February 24. Since the outbreak of this virus in China in December 2019, and its rapid spread to other countries, Pakistani authorities had been keeping their fingers crossed as one regional country after another confirmed COVID-19 patients. January 2020 27 January : Pakistan's least populated but largest province, Balochistan, started taking steps to prevent the spread of this virus. The provincial government constituted a 14-member technical committee. 29 January On 29 January 2020, four Pakistani students studying in China were tested positive for COVID-19. February 2020 12 February It was confirmed that all four of the students had recovered on 12 February 2020. 14 February Two other Pakistani students recovered on 14 February after being hospitalised in Guangzhou Sindh, in the initial phase, where the number of coronavirus cases was the highest, stood out in performance because of its proactive approach and timely decisions, including the closure of educational institutions, partial lockdown and the banning of collective prayers as well as social and political gatherings. Simultaneously or shortly after, similar steps were taken by the other provinces. 23 February Pakistan closed its border to travellers from Iran until 7 March at the Taftan border, after 43 cases were reported during the coronavirus pandemic in Iran. 26 February + On 26 February, Zafar Mirza, the Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Health, stated in a tweet: "I can confirm first two cases of coronavirus in Pakistan, Both cases were taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable.” The first patient was a student at the University of Karachi, Karachi in Sindh province. The second patient is from the federal territory of the country Both patients had recently returned from Iran. March 2020 31 March The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 2,037 early Wednesday March 31, 2020. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CSS Times a COVID-19 April 2020 coronavirus is spread through droplets April 30 released into the air when an infected person The number of confirmed COVID-19 coughs or sneezes. The droplets generally do cases in Pakistan rose to 16,473 on not travel more than a few feet, and they fall Thursday April 30. to the ground (or onto surfaces) in a few May 2020 seconds — this is why social and physical May 4 distancing is effective in preventing the The number of confirmed COVID-19 _ spread. cases in Pakistan rose to 20,725 on Monday May 4, 2020 Coronaviruses are a type of virus. There are many different kinds, and some cause disease. A newly identified type has caused a recent outbreak of respiratory illness now called COVID-19. How does the new coronavirus spread? As of now, researchers know that the new Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com COVID-19 Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW COVID-19 + COVID-19 is the disease caused by the new coronavirus that emerged in China in December 2019. + COVID-19 symptoms include cough, fever, shortness of breath, Til ya (oe cee CML Cer- LOR a ood) lin sree Re) me Chel ecu diarrhea and headache. COVID-19 can be severe, and some cases have caused death + The new coronavirus can be spread from person to person. It is diagnosed with a laboratory test. + There is no coronavirus vaccine yet. Prevention involves frequent hand-washing, coughing into the bend of your elbow, staying home when you are sick and wearing a cloth face covering if you can't practice social distancing. How did this new coronavirus spread to humans? COVID-19 appeared in Wuhan, a city in Chins in December 2019. Although health officials are still tracing the exact source of this new coronavirus, early hypotheses thought it may be linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, China. Some people who visited the market developed viral pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus. A study that came out on Jan. 25, 2020, notes that the in the first reported case became ill on Dec. 1, 2019, and had no link to the seafood market. Investigations are ongoing as to how this virus originated and spread. What is the incubation period for COVID- 19? It appears that symptoms are showing up in people within 14 days of exposure to the virus. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) [May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HS _May 2020 S Times What are symptoms of COVID-19? COVID-19 symptoms include: Cough Fever Shortness of breath Muscle aches Sore throat Unexplained loss of taste or smell Diarrhea Headache In rare cases, COVID-19 can lead to severe respiratory problems, kidney failure or death How is COVID-19 diagnosed? Diagnosis may be difficult with only a physical exam because mild cases of COVID-19 may appear similar to the flu or a bad cold. A laboratory test can confirm the diagnosis. How is COVID-19 treated? ‘As of now, there is not a specific treatment for the virus. People who become sick from COVID-19 should be treated with supportive measures: those that relieve symptoms. For severe cases, there may be additional options for treatment, including research drugs and therapeutics. COVID-19 | ae 07 Does COVID-19 cause death? As of May 4, 2020, Coronavirus Cases: 3,582,807 and 248,567 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. However, 1,160,120 people have recovered from the illness. Is this coronavirus different from SARS? SARS stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome. In 2003, an outbreak of SARS started in China and spread to other countries before ending in 2004. The virus that causes COVID-19 is similar to the one that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak: both are types of coronaviruses. Much is still unknown, but COVID-19 seems to spread faster than the 2003 SARS and also may cause less severe illness. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comWe are Looking for Writers Required Areas of Expertise are CSS/PMS/PCS. Experienced Teachers and Qualified CSPs Contact us at 042-37171280, 37171281 or kamran.munir@ilmikitabkhana.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued guidelines for the holy month of Ramazan. Many Muslim countries have already issued their own rules and regulations, with mosques and congregational prayers suspended in many countries over fears of a more severe virus outbreak. Given the pandemic, WHO has issued the guideline that should be followed during Ramazan to lessen the impact of coronavirus ‘on public health. The world health body has recommended, that cancelling social and religious gatherings should be seriously considered. "WHO recommends that any decision to restrict, modify, postpone, cancel, or proceed with holding a mass gathering should be based on a standardised risk assessment exercise” it said "These decisions should be part of a comprehensive approach taken by national authorities to respond to the outbreak. If cancelling social and religious gatherings, where possible, virtual alternatives using platforms such as television, radio, digital, and social media can be used instead,” it said, COVID-19 Combined global total $1.9 trillion, > Five bi counted for» Top 15 account for 81% representing a 3.6% growth on 2018 over: al giobal maltary spending ‘Top two spenders Next three Inthe top 10 Inthe top 15 UNITED STATES FRANCE BRAZIL 1B : rm 26.9 pestsenee eats an = total USS, billions, 2019 eofGDP change from 2018 Source: SPRY Trends in Word itary Exp Pakistan: About Pakistan, the Sipri report in 2019 after briefly falling to sixth place the _said its military expenditure had gone up previous year, according to the Stockholm by 70 per cent during the 2010-19 decade International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)'s_t."each $10.3bn. In terms of GDP, the _ military budget rose from 3.4 per cent in latest annual report. Russia now ranks fourth in the world for defense spending, with $65.1 2010.2 four percent last year billion in expenditures in 2019 compared to $61.4 billion the previous year. “At 3.9% of its GDP, Russia's military spending burden was among the highest in Europe in 2019," SIPRI quoted its researcher Alexandra Kuimova as saying Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD REPORTS 17 SPENDING IN 2019 nicest elu eae cc THE SHARE OF WORLD MILITARY EXPENDITURE OF THE 15 COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST China, 14% ‘Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Apr. 2020. India, 3.7% Russia, 3.4% } Saudi Arabia, 3.2% France, 2.6% Germany, 2.6% United Kingdom, 2.5% Japan, 2.5% South Korea, 2.3% = Brazil, 1.4% Italy, 1.4% Australia, 1.4% Canada, 1.2% Israel, 1.1% sipriong im 2020 Volatile military spending in African states in conflict Armed conflict is one of the main drivers for the volatile nature of military spending in sub-Saharan Africa. For example, in the Sahel and Lake Chad region, where there are several ongoing armed conflicts, military spending in 2019 increased in Burkina Faso (22 per cent), Cameroon (1.4 per cent) and Mali (3.6 per cent) but fell in Chad (-5.1 per cent), Niger (-20 per cent) and Nigeria (-8.2 per cent). Among Central African countries that were involved in armed conflict, military spending in 2019 rose overall. The Central African Republic (8.7 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (16 per cent) and Uganda (52 per cent) all increased military spending in 2019. Other notable regional developments South America: Military expenditure Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comDesigned for CSS, PMS, PCS Objective Type Questions (MCQs) with Explanatory Notes — aa Pleats a) ee tlle Buy online: www.hsmpublishers.comin South America was relatively unchanged in 2019, at $52.8 billion. Brazil accounted for 51 per cent of total military expenditure in the subregion. Africa: The combined military expenditure of states in Africa grew by 1.5 per cent to an estimated $41.2 billion in 2019—the region's first spending increase for five years. South East Asia: Military spending in South East Asia increased by 4.2 per cent in 2019 to reach $40.5 billion. The average military spending burden was 1.4 per cent of GDP for countries in the Americas, 1.6 per cent for Africa, 1.7 per cent for Asia and Oceania and for Europe and 4.5 per cent for the Middle East (in countries for which data is available). Virus Impact The world's top five spenders, which also included Russia and Saudi Arabia, together accounted for more than 60 percent of total military expenditures. According to SIPRI, other notable developments included UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD REPORTS _ 1 Germany, which increased spending by 10 percent in 2019 to $49.3bn, the largest percentual increase of all top 15 spenders. Germany's increased spending could in part be explained by an increased perception of threat from Russia, according to the report's authors. SIPRI Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is an international institute based in Sweden, dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Established in 1966, SIPRI monitors developments in military expenditure worldwide and maintains the publicly available data source on military expenditure. As per it the Military expenditure refers to all government spending on current military forces and activities, including salaries and benefits, operational expenses, arms and equipment purchases, military construction, research and development, and central administration, command and support. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comeae are Ruri Pade aa HOST el ar eco pertain Nahe aaa Ts a Mar dca (cr a mi re Mehmood Parcs Buy online: www.h Ay it emerUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly CSS Times HSM May 2020 S WORLD REPORTS 24 2020 CUO) Natta eS “4 The coronavirus pandemic could nearly double the number of people around the world facing acute hunger, the UN's World Food Programme said, its director warning of a looming “global humanitarian catastrophe.’ Anew edition of the annual Global Report on Food Crises has been released by the Global Network Against Food Crises. The report reveals scope of food crises as COVID-19 poses new risks to vulnerable countries. The report, jointly published by an international alliance of UN, governmental and non-governmental agencies, said a total ‘of 183m people were living in stressed condition at the cusp of acute hunger and at risk of slipping into crisis or worse if faced with a shock or stressor, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The food crises, as well as lack of access to dietary energy and diversity, safe water, sanitation and health care will continue to create high levels of child malnutrition, while the pandemic is likely to overburden health systems in these countries. The key drivers behind the food crises as analysed by the report include conflict, extreme weather and economic turbulence, Key Findings: 1. At the close of 2019, 135 million people across 55 countries and territories experienced acute food insecurity. 2. Additionally, in 2019, 183 million people were classified in Stressed condition — at the cusp of acute hunger and at risk of slipping into Crisis or worse if faced with a shock or stressor, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. 3. Worst hit areas: More than half (73 million) of the 135 million people covered by the report live in Africa; 43 million live in the Middle East and Asia; Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com 18.5 million live in Latin America and the Caribbean. 4. The key drivers behind the trends analysed in the report were: conflict, (the key factor that pushed 77 million people into acute food insecurity), weather extremes (34 million people) and economic turbulence (24 million). What is Acute Food Insecurity? Acute food insecurity is when a person's inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger. It is more severe than / not the same as chronic hunger, as reported on each year by the UN's annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report. Chronic hunger is when a person is unable to consume enough food over an extended period to maintain a About the Global Network against Food Crises: It was launched by the European Union, FAO and WFP during the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) to respond to the WHS's call for new approaches to tackle protracted crises and recurrent disasters, reduce vulnerability, and manage risk, by bridging the divide between development and humanitarian partners. The Global Network's unique contribution is in addressing the multiple facets of food crises that cannot be successfully tackled by individual actors working under their own specific mandates. Through its work, the Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | WORLD REPORTS nh NS Global Network is facilitating a fundamental transformation in the way international and local actors interact to holistically address food crises worldwide. Pakistan In recent years, Pakistan has produced more food than its population consumes and has become a major producer of wheat and rice. However, the poorest and most vulnerable people in Pakistan cannot afford a sufficient and nutritious diet despite the overall growth in food production Situation Chronic poverty, recurring disasters, and political and economic volatility drive undernutrition and food insecurity in some areas of Pakistan, More than 20 percent of Pakistan's population is undernourished, and nearly 45 percent of children younger than five years of age are stunted, For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD REPORTS _ according to the UN World Food Program (WFP). Pakistan is also prone to extreme weather and disasters. Since 2013, drought has become a frequent phenomenon in Pakistan, affecting livelihoods and household food security in parts of Balochistan and Sindh provinces, the UN Food Security Cluster (FSC) reports. The FSC estimated that drought affected approximately 5 million people in 26 districts of Balochistan and Sindh provinces in 2019. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | As of July 2019, approximately 1.3 million people were experiencing Crisis and Emergency levels of acute food insecurity in seven drought-affected districts in Sindh Province, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Heavy precipitation—including rain and snow—affected approximately 1 million households in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan regions and Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPk) provinces in early- and mid-January, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports. Road blockages and severe weather prevented many affected households from relocating to safer areas and limited relief actors’ access to households in need of assistance in remote affected areas as of late January, according to OCHA. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com US Panel Wants India on Religious Freedom Blacklist AUS government panel has called for India to be put on a religious freedom blacklist over a “drastic” downturn under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering a sharp rebuttal from New Delhi. Inan annual report, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said India should join the ranks of “countries of particular concern’ that would be subject to sanctions if they do not improve their records. On April 28, 2020, the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) launched its annual report, detailing the violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief in 29 countries. About USCIRF: USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. It makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. WORLD REPORTS Highlights of the report: India “India took a sharp downward turn in 2019, with religious minorities under increasing assault,” the USCIRF, which is a bipartisan agency of the federal government, observed. Nadine Maenza, the USCIRF's vice chairman, said India had “tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom’. The most “startling and disturbing’, she added, was the passage of a citizenship amendment act that fast-tracked citizenship for newcomers who belong to six religions, but excluded Muslims. India is at the lowest ranking, “countries of particular concern” (CPC) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com“Practice Makes A Man Perfect” 2020 HSM CSS Compulsory Subjects ae Solved Papers 2016-19 must have aden Res SsTLuic\ study eee) BEDS Exzm Preparation siadeg panjos de exam and not just gain ComBIERR SIRE knowledge. Here is where Solved Papers ihe resus year papers AVG IY ay an important role. They ZAZA authentic source to know the pattern of questions asked in both the . On analyzing these papers, you get an idea about w different topics number of static a dynamic questions being ed over the ye: So, solve more and more Previous Year CSS Papers for better understanding of . the exam pattern and nature uy nine of questions asked Think CSS- Think HSMUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 This is the first time since 2004 that India has been placed in this category. The report criticises the enactment of India's Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), continued enforcement of cow slaughter and anti- conversion laws, the Supreme Court's ruling on the Babri Masjid, and revocation of the special status of India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Although Pakistan has also been described as a country for particular concern, the report acknowledged a number of positive developments, including opening of the Kartarpur corridor for Sikhs, opening of the country’s first Sikh university, the reopening of a Hindu temple, acquittal of Aasia Bibi and some Supreme Court decisions on blasphemy. Reasons for this downgrade: Concerns about the Citizenship Amendment Act, the proposed National Register for Citizens, anti- conversion laws and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The national government used its WORLD REPORTS 26 5 COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR 3 CONCERN 7 strengthened parliamentary majority to institute national-level policies violating religious freedom across India, especially for Muslims. Besides, national and various State governments also allowed nationwide campaigns of harassment and violence against religious minorities to continue with impunity, and engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence against them. Recommendations made by USCIRF to US government: Take stringent action against India under the “International Religious Freedom Act” (IRFA). Impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and/or barring their entry into the United States under human rights-related financial and visa authorities, citing specific religious freedom violations. Pakistan Pakistan is placed alongside countries, including China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and India. In 2019, religious freedom conditions across Pakistan continued to trend negatively. The systematic enforcement of blasphemy and anti-Ahmadiyya laws, and authorities’ failure to address forced conversions of religious minorities—including Hindus, Christians, and Sikhs—to Islam, severely restricted freedom of religion or belief Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comA Se ei La A SU ey Te FAMILY EXCEPT fal Portuguese [8] Bengali fel German JO] ura ci) fey Twish nn: Languages in the Indo-European family are spoken by more of Se au A ae en a Sead ee eee meme Ces (A), (8), (C), and (0) are all Indo-European languages. Turkish is in the Au a eeu ea eae Pasta bed Rs. 375/- ® hsmpublishers.com “Practice Makes A Man Perfect” y Compulsory Subjects Solved Papers 2016-2019Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 The global outbreak of coronavirus, which has affected the operation of factories in China and other countries, will certainly affect the consumption of industrial gases to some extent. The shutdown of businesses will lead to a decrease in personal income meaning big purchases on things like cars or appliances will be postponed. This in turn could affect the reduction of gas consumption in welding and cutting applications in general manufacturing. For months, Pakistan has struggled to find an opportunity that could ease the country’s balance of payments crisis. From imposing a stricter tax regime to scaling up its interest rates, the current government has done it all to increase its revenue. Despite all these UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com PAKISTAN AFFAIRS 8 ale Ne 0) ee Te OnPakistan's Economy of Pakistan's economic growth have remained dismal. However, that may not be the case anymore if Pakistan's economic planners realizes the significance of the opportunity that is being offered to them by global financial markets and other prospects emerging from the COVID-19 crisis. The COVID-19 crisis has sent shockwaves when it comes to the pandemic’s economic impact globally. Countries across the world have been forced to recalibrate their financial targets for the coming years as the majority of growth indicators hew negative. Pakistan was introduced to the virus through travellers coming in from countries like Iran initially, and then there have been reports of efforts to uplift the economy, the indicators migrant workers and personnel coming to Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 Pakistan from Middle East and Europe. Pakistan as of now, has over 4 thousand cases and under one hundred deaths which are increasing daily. According to experts, this is just the incubation period of the spread of the virus and the full blow of the infection is yet to felt. The only way to limit the spread of the virus is through social distancing, which can only be achieved from lockdown of cities and villages alike. If a lockdown is not initiated, there is a risk of massive infection rates which can overwhelm the health infrastructure resulting in huge loss of lives. On the other hand, lockdowns tend to suffocate the economy in a number of ways. The economic fall-out is able to cripple the economy and it threatens the livelihood of the poorest segments of the society. It's a split decision and a delicate balance of controlling the virus while not destroying the economy in the process. It would be pertinent to thrash the facets of the negative impact on the economy from the COVID-19. The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic that has wreaked havoc all over the world could be even worse than that of the Great Depression, The IMF expects the global GDP to fall by 3% in 2020 while the World Trade Organisation has warned that the volume of international trade could shrink by up to 32%. The International Labour Organisation, on the other hand, has indicated that 195 million jobs could be lost worldwide. PAKISTAN AFFAIRS On April 16, the IMF under its Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI)scheme approved a loan of $1.4 billion for Pakistan. Moreover, Pakistan is also expected to receive around $1.5 billion relief in the form of delay in repayment of loans to bilateral creditors. Pakistan's currency continues to gain value against the dollar and the hot inflow of cash has also started to move back to the Pakistani market. Add to this situation the unprecedented drop in oil prices, which accounts for a quarter of Pakistan's total imports. Consequently, Islamabad should be expected to strengthen its fiscal account position in the coming months and save considerable amounts in foreign exchange reserves. These are extraordinary times. Economies all cover the world, including Pakistan, have come to a screeching halt. An economy that was only just recovering from an external crisis that saw the country go back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for another bailout has now been dealt a body blow whose impact is unimaginable. During every major economic crisis in Pakistan—and there have been several of them—the wheels of the informal economy have chugged along. Today, the informal sector stands to lose the most, particularly the tens of millions of workers who rely on this cash-based sector to provide them with the bare-minimum income required to meet their daily needs. Pakistan will inevitably be impacted by both the global and domestic developments Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com _ PAKISTAN AFFAIRS _ arising from the spread of the virus. The economy was recovering earlier slowly under the umbrella of an IMF programme but the process of growth could be hampered seriously leading to a massive rise in unemployment, poverty and hunger. The World Bank in its latest South Asian Economic Focus report has projected that Pakistan's economy will experience negative GDP growth of 1.3% in 2019-20, followed by only 1% growth in 2020-21. This implies that the GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2019-20 will be a big negative 10%. This is highly likely given the quantum decline expected in exports, private investment and consumption spending by households. The most vulnerable groups are self- employed daily-income earners and employees of SMEs. The lockdowns and the subsequent fall in the GDP could lead to unemployment of over 5 million more workers. This will raise the national unemployment rate to an unprecedented Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | level of 14% and the number of people falling below the poverty line could be as many as. 20 million, raising the number of poor in the country to almost 100 million. The Government of Pakistan has taken a number of steps to tackle the oncoming hurricane of challenges. The idea is to take on the economic impact through stimulating businesses in the urban cities and agriculture in the rural areas. A massive plan of around Rs.30 Billion has been unveiled for the construction industry in particular. Tax exemptions and relaxations regarding source of income have been announced for. investments. Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme. is set to launch a comprehensive pian to engage daily wage workers. These are stimulus packages for the economy from coming to a stand-still. Similarly, relief efforts are being beefed up with cash hand-outs to the poorest of families. Around 10 million families are being given subsistence, for those who have been directly hit by the virus and For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com PAKISTAN AFFAIRS o announced a tiger force as a volunteer body for supplying food and basic necessities to poor families. Approximately 7 hundred thousand have already enrolled. A national relief fund for donations has been created to cater to extra expenses that are being incurred by the Government to fight the COVID outbreak. The Government of China has been engaged to assist in financial as well technical matters. 500 ventilators have been delivered to hospitals across Pakistan and more are on their way. Extra facilities like expo centers are being converted into quarantine centers for corona patients. As per section 245, Army has been called to take part in the fight against Corona and controlling its spread across Pakistan. A national command and control center has been created to co- ordinate the response to COVID-19 cases in their quarantine and contact tracing. It is similar to preparing a wall before the flood, with the hope that it is able to withstand the impact. These developments will increase the danger of social unrest as highlighted by the IMF. Not only do the medical and health Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | facilities have to be expanded rapidly but also simultaneously relief activities and measures for preventing unemployment must be put effectively in place The government has already started a cash transfer of Rs12,000 per family to 12 million households to mitigate the lockdown losses. An overall relief programme of Rs1,200 billion has been implemented by the federal subsidized credit programmes for private businesses to sustain their operation and maintain their workers over the next three months. These initiatives must be implemented successfully and upscaled if eo necessary. We all pray for an early recovery. Pakistan's policymakers need to ensure that the opportunity coming their way should not go to waste: the unexpected financial support that the country has received must go into supporting the local economy, job creation, uplifting small businesses, and other growth sectors. Islamabad should be on a war footing to utilize the timeline, circumstances and improved financial means at disposal to support domestic growth. If done successfully, Pakistan can enter the tough phase of paying back international loans with ease whenever it happens. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comof Buy Online | ob ster Uc Boece Lore www.hsmpublishers.com www.ilmikitabkhana.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com World Bank Report on Remittances The World Bank has released a report on the impact of the COVID-19 on migration and remittances on April 23, 2020. IP DD Pakistan Specific Observations: The World Bank has projected 23 percent decline in remittances for Pakistan, totaling about $17 billion in 2020, compared with $225 billion in 2019, due to the economic crisis induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, and shutdown as well as decline in oil prices. ea Pty The WB in its latest report, "Migration and Development Brief: Covid-19 Crisis through a Migration Lens", stated that global remittances are projected to decline sharply by about 20 percent, while south Asia is projected to witness 22 percent decline in remittances in 2020. The report stated that to encourage remittance service providers (RSPs) to facilitate remittance inflows, some governments (notably that of Pakistan) have announced tax incentives equivalent to the remittance fees waived. According to the report on Pakistan, the projected decline is about 23 percent, totaling about $17 billion, compared with a total of $22.5 billion in 2019, when remittances grew by 6.2 percent The Ministry of Finance has dismissed World Bank's recent projections regarding remittances and expects remittances inflows to reach $20-$21 billion in FY2020 despite COVID-19 impact. The Finance Division in a statement on April 28, 2020 said that that the government measures recently to boost remittances have paid off as remittances have already touched $17 billion levels during the first nine months of the current fiscal year (Jul-Mar, FY2020) against $16 billion last year, registering a growth of 6.2pc. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD REPORTS 34 Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 The WB stated that global remittances are projected to decline sharply by about 20 percent, while South Asia is projected to witness a 22 percent decline in remittances in 2020. Pakistan's Neighborhood: 1. In India, remittances are projected to fall by about 23 percent in 2020, to. $64 billion — a striking contrast with the growth of 5.5 percent and receipts of $83 billion seen in 2019. 2. In Bangladesh, remittances are projected at $14 billion for 2020, a likely fall of about 22 percent. 3. Remittances to Nepal and Sri Lanka are expected to decline by 14 percent and 19 percent, respectively in 2020. Global Scenario: Globally remittances are projected to decline sharply by about 20 per cent this year due to the economic crisis induced by the pandemic and shutdowns. The projected fall is largely due to a fall in the wages and employment of migrant workers, who tend to be more vulnerable to loss of Global Remittance Flows 20002021 USD, 2019 The World Bankestimates 2021: son femitance lows toreach; $5575 Mescareesves 3 ‘majoty of emitances a ‘from the U.S.~the two tations have oe othe trgestemitance caries in the word employment and wages during an economic crisis in a host country. Remittance flows are expected to fall across all World Bank Group regions, most notably in Europe and Central Asia (27.5 per cent), followed by Sub-Saharan Africa (23.1 per cent), South Asia (22.1 per cent), the Middle East and North Africa (19.6 per cent) The coronavirus-related global slowdown and travel restrictions will also affect migratory movements, and this is likely to keep remittances subdued even in 2021. The projected remittance growth of 5.8 percent in 2021 will keep total regional flows at about $115 billion. Remittances to south Asia are projected to decline sharply by 22 percent to $109 billion in 2020. This is a significant and unprecedented deceleration compared with the growth of 6.1 percent seen in 2019. The deceleration in remittances to the south Asian region in 2020 is driven by the global economic slowdown due to the coronavirus outbreak as well as oil price declines. Top Remittance Recipients, by Amount $26.48 Nigeria Pakiston Bangladesh ee $2198 $1758 Inabsohit value terms, India and China are the largest beneficiaries of remittances, reeiving 11/4 the global otal in 2019 Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 World remittance flows $bn i , ; | 2016 2017 Source: World Bank The economic slowdown is likely to directly affect remittance outflows from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the EU countries to south Asia. Falling oil prices will affect remittance outflows from the GCC countries and Malaysia. South Asia was the least costly region to send $200 to (at 4.95 percent) in 2020 Ql. Some of the lowest, cost corridors, including those originating in the GCC countries and Singapore, and the India-Nepal corridor - had costs below the SDG target of three percent. This is probably due to the high volumes, competitive markets, and deployment of technology. But costs are well over 10 percent in the highest-cost corridors (the UK to Afghanistan, Thailand to India, Pakistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan to Bangladesh, WORLD REPORTS 35 Forecast 600 400 200 ° 2018 2019 2020 2021 South Africa to India)) due to low volumes, little competition, and regulatory concerns. Low and middle-income countries (LMIC) senders such as South Africa and Thailand also had high costs. Banking regulations (related to AML/CFT) raise the risk profile of the RSPs, and thereby increase costs for some receiving countries such as Afghanistan and sending countries ‘an, stated the report. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 WORLD REPORTS 36 The report further stated that the coronavirus crisis had affected both international and internal migration in the south Asia region. As the early phases of the crisis unfolded, many international migrants, especially from the GCC countries, returned to countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh — until travel restrictions halted these flows. Some migrants had to be evacuated by governments, such as those of China and Iran. Afghanistan also saw large flows of returnees from Iran (150,000) and Pakistan (60,000). Before the coronavirus crisis, migrant outflows from the region were robust. The number of recorded, primarily low-skilled emigrants from India and Pakistan rose in 2019, relative to the prior year but is expected to decline in 2020, due to the pandemic and oil price declines impacting the GCC countries. In Pakistan, the number of emigrants jumped 63 percent to 625,203 in 2019, largely due to a doubling of emigration to Saudi Arabia. Significance of Remittances: Studies show that remittances alleviate poverty in lower- and middle-income countries, improve nutritional outcomes, are associated with higher spending on education, and reduce child labor in disadvantaged households. They are a vital source of income for developing countries. A fall in remittances affect families’ ability to spend on these areas as more of their finances will be directed to solve food shortages and immediate livelihoods needs. Decline due to drop in wages, job losses Remittances important as steep fall likely in FDI Cost of remittance still high EXPECTED REGION DECLINE (%) Europe & Central Asia 28 Sub-Saharan Africa 23.1 Middle East & 19.6 North Africa Latin America & Caribbean ? y East Asia & Pacific, orld 19.3 13 Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comWe are Looking for Writers Required Areas of Expertise are CSS/PMS/PCS. Experienced Teachers and Qualified CSPs Contact us at 042-37171280, 37171281 or kamran.munir@ilmikitabkhana.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com PAKISTANATAGLANCE _—_—si38 Pakistan | Domestic Affairs Daniel Pearl Case On April 2, 2020, the Sindh High Court had overturned the death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh - the man convicted of kidnapping and murdering American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, to seven years. The SHC had also acquitted three others who had been awarded life imprisonment in the case. The order came almost two decades after they were found guilty and jailed. plead the case on behalf of the PPP-led Sindh government. ‘ Three separate criminal petitions have been Appeal Filed filed seeking death penalty for all accused on On April 22, the Sindh prosecutor-general the same grounds. challenged SHC's verdict in the apex court. Advocate Faroog H Naek — who is also a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader — is to Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS etal May 2020 London School of Economics. He was arrested in India for his involvement in the kidnapping of Western tourists in 1994 as part of his support for militants battling Indian security forces in Kashmir. He was one of three men released from an Indian prison after militants hijacked an Indian airliner in late 1999 and flew it to Afghanistan, where the then-ruling Taliban government helped negotiate an exchange. Prosecution Contends The petitions contend that the “last seen evidence’, “impersonation” and “identification parade” duly proved the crime of the accused and were maintained concurrently by both the lower courts. Moreover, the videocassette was never challenged which showed the act of murder and the same was verified by a public official. “In view of these collective proofs together with the clear and categorical confessional statements of respondents and the co- accused, the acquittal and modification of sentence through the impugned judgment is not sustainable and is liable to be set aside. "Similarly, the evidence of natural and independent witnesses i.e PW-14 and PW-18 confirmed the demand of ransom made by respondents accused and which fact also stood proven through documentary evidence,” said the criminal petition. The petition further said the offences created a sense of fear and terror in the minds of the public at large, both nationally and internationally, and as such all the accused were guilty of the charges leveled against them on all counts. Daniel Pearl Daniel Pearl, 38, was abducted while researching on a story on religious extremists in Karachi in January 2002. He was the South Asia Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal at the time. Nearly a month later, the US consulate received a graphic video showing his murder. Appellant Sheikh was arrested and convicted in the same year. PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 39 ——S Human Rights _—_ Report Gives Pakistan Failing Grade on Human Rights According to the report released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on the State of Human Rights in 2019, Pakistan needs to eliminate poverty not only through effective and universal social safety nets in the short run, but also by developing a people-centered economy where market forces are subservient to people's welfare. An annual human rights report released gives Pakistan a failing grade, charging that too little is being done to protect the country’s most vulnerable, including women and children. The 264-page report by the Independent Pakistan Human Rights Commission laid out a litany of human rights failings. They include unabated honor killings, forced conversions of minority Hindu under- age girls and continued use of a blasphemy law that carries the death penalty to intimidate and settle scores. In December 2019, Pakistan was ranked 151st out of 153 by the World Economic Forum on the Global Gender Gap Index. It also criticizes increased restrictions on media freedom and criticism of state institutions and a growing number of cases of sexual and physical abuse of children. Several thousand journalists, photographers and other people relating to media lost their jobs, and a number of newspapers and magazines ceased to publish because government advertisements were blocked and dues to media houses remained unpaid. According to the report governments old economic team was replaced by old faces Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comHSM English Essays for Competitive Exams HSM English Essays for Competitive Exams contains ample number of essays which are ‘or may be asked in a number of competitive & recruitment examinations. This book has been designed for the candidates of CSS/PMS/PCS examinations. HSM. English Essays covering topics of Contemporary, Social, Environmental, Political, Education, Gender Discrimination, Islam, Pakistan, Economic, Science & Technology International, Proverbial & Idiomatic, etc The essays in the book are meant to provide guidance, knowledge of the topic and stimulating the imagination & enhancing the power of analyzing of the students. Be More Informative With proper Presentation [Knowledge Speaks , But Wisdom Listens VS Table of Contents Writing a Good Essay in Competitive Exam i Digital Pakistan: Objective and Challenges 15. Not Neutrality: A Public Demand [13 Why Online Shopping Will Exceed All Predictions? 18 Artificial Intelligence (Al) 2 Empowering A Woman _, Empowers Next Generation 29 Feminism is Not Really A Third Word Issue [34 New Waves of Feminism _ and Our Culture 37, Reservation of Seats for Women in Parliament: Why itis | 41 Important? ‘Democracy in_ Pakistan : Hopes and Hurdles 5 {ls Colonial Mentality Impeding Pakistan's Progress? | 53 Civil Servants _and Politicians : A Complicated Partnership | 59 ‘Should Educational Qualification be Made of 62 Mandatory for Politicians? | Crisis of Good Governance in Pakistan: Need for | 66 Reforms and institution Building i China -Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) & its Socio | 77 Economic: implications for the Region and the World | ‘Does Foreign Aid Help to Achieve Economic Stability? | 60. Promotion of Tax Culture in Pakistan: Perspective, | 88 Prospects and Challenges | Poverty anywhere is A Threat to Prosperity Everywhere | 94 The Threat of Jobless Future Through Reskilling and Up | 99 Skiling, Modernity is an Unending Project [102] ‘Are Modern Wars _ Not Holy? [105 What is Arts For Peace? [10 Classrooms Decide the Future of the Nation 1113-| Pollution in Urban Areas 115 Pollution [120 Plastic ban in Pakistan [125] Honour Killing _in Pakistan 129_| Population Explosion —— How can we lacke tis problem? [133 Social Empowerment Programmes in Pakistan 138 Urdu Literature _ and Progressive Movement: 148 58 character and) 187 Search for truth is a spiritual problem Attitude makes habit , habit makes character makes a man | Global Warming _ Essay, Causes, Consequences 162 Corruption : Causes & Consequences 168UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 4 Monthly HSM CSS Times from previous regimes and professionals approved of by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A desperate loan agreement with the IMF refuted the government's earlier rhetoric of discouraging borrowing. The agreement with IMF put Pakistan in a tight economic situation. To fully comply with the conditions set forth by debt-providing international financial institutions, the government adopted a policy of austerity measures which includes introducing major cuts in public expenditure ‘on development, and increasing tax rates and levying new taxes without any proper preparation in a largely undocumented economy. As a result of these measures growth was stifled, the currency was devalued substantially, the stock exchange plummeted, and businesses slowed down. The country witnessed neither an increase in productivity and exports as a result of these policies, nor did we see any comprehensive agricultural, industrial or infrastructure plans. Hyperinflation and unprecedented power and energy price hikes, coupled with a sharp decline in income among the middle, lower, and working classes, brought about extraordinary hardships for ordinary people. Poverty indicators soared and unemployment rose to new levels. The major cuts in spending on health and education hit the underprivileged people — a large part of Pakistan's population — directly. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | Moody's Cuts Pakistan's Growth Forecast to 2-2.5%- Moody's Investors Service has said that Pakistan's economy continues to grow unlike the likely recession in several other economies amid the global health crisis but has revised down its growth projection to 2- 2.5% for the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2020. The global credit rating agency had foreseen the country's gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 2.9% before the coronavirus pandemic hit people, businesses and economic activities in Pakistan early last month. Besides, it found the country's central bank measures to protect people, businesses and the economy supportive towards the banking The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) revised down its projection for GDP growth to 3% in the middle of the coronavirus-fuelled crisis some two weeks ago compared to the forecast of 3.5% in January 2020. Moody's stated, “Consumption of services, which has underpinned growth in recent years, will be adversely affected by the movement restrictions (the lockdown that has been extended till April 14)” The textile sector, the country's key manufacturing sector which accounted for around 60% of export earnings, had also been hit by supply-chain disruptions and a decline or postponement of export orders, it said. Manufacturing loans (mainly to the textile and food sectors) accounted for 62% of private-sector loans as of February 29, 2020, itnoted. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 US praises Pakistani university for its efforts to tackle coronavirus: The US has congratulated the researchers at Pakistan's National University of Science and Technology (NUST) for their efforts to prevent the spread of the lethal coronavirus. “Researchers in the US and Pakistan are collaborating to stop the spread of COVID-19. We applaud NextStrain, CIDID in the US and NUST in Pakistan for their work using open data sharing to map the virus,’ said Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in a tweet post. The Nation Punjab Rozgar Scheme worth Rs9.5b approved ; The Punjab government Friday approved Punjab Rozgar Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs9.5 billion and allocated the amount to the Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) to chalk out employment opportunities for youths. The objective of the programme is to reduce unemployment and drive economic stability by facilitating new micro and small entrepreneurs /startups and existing businesses in Punjab in terms of financial support during the current economic loss due to Covid-19. UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 4 In response to existing financial instability triggered by the Covid-19, the current emphasis of the Punjab government is to enable young entrepreneurs to establish and flourish their businesses in the backdrop of soaring un-employment and financial challenges. Punjab Small Industries Corporation has been directed to sign an agreement with the Bank of Punjab for smooth execution of the scheme. In the scheme, the targeted population group includes the university and Tevta graduates with technical / vocational training, artisans and existing businesses. Planning and Development Board Chairman Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh approved the amount in the PDWP meeting and remarked that Punjab Rozgar Scheme would be an encouraging initiative to promote new micro and small prospective entrepreneurs and existing businesses through financial support Dr Abdul Qadir Soomro becomes second doctor to lay down life in battle against coronavirus: Dr Abdul Qadir Soomro became the second doctor in Pakistan to lay down his life in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic after Gilgit-Baltistan's Dr Usama Riaz, who had passed away last month while treating COVID-19 patients. Dr Qadir passed away at an isolation centre of the Indus a ital Karacl Dr Abdul Qadir Soomro was born on Ist February 1956 in the Shikarpur district of Sindh and did his MBBS from the Chandka Medical College Larkana. After specialisation in dermatology, he started practising in the province, and during his entire life, he served suffering humanity Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comHSM European History has been divided into 13 chapters namely, French Revolution of 1789, Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, and Congress of Vienna Industrial Revoluticn) Unification of Italy and Germany, Imperialism and Colonialism, Russian Revolution, UPDATED & REVISED World War I, World War II, Liberation from Colonial Rule, Post War Foundations: NATO and European Community and Fall of the Soviet Union;; expansion and development of the European Union to Europe from 1991 to 2020. As the book has been designed strictly on the lines of latest FPSC Syllabus for CSS Exam and keeping in mind the changing natur of the civil services examinations, this book will serve as an impeccable tool in getting thorough knowledge of the European History. WeCunMe Masso aru usta a mals Moar seo iri Ruane) Senter] political cartoons and it also contains previous years SOLVED Question papers. BUY ONLINE www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Dr Soomro was a former chief medical officer (CMO) of the Pakistan Steel Mills, but most importantly, he was a visionary who helped with the establishment of several charity health facilities in Sindh, including the Alkhidmat Hospital Tharparkar and Farida Yaqoob Alkhidmat Hospital in Gulshan-e- Hadeed, and as well as those in Malir. Pakistan boycotts India-led meeting of SAARC trade officials on coronavirus crisis : The conference was convened to discuss the impact of coronavirus in the region and how the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) forum could come up with a common strategy. In the virtual conference, the trade officials broadly agreed to identify new ways to “sustain and expand” the intra-regional trade to offset the huge | (KOE economic cost of the coronavirus pandemic. The deliberations took place as a follow up to an India-initiated video conference of SAARC leaders on March 15. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested in the conference that the member nations of the bloc should come together to jointly fight the pandemic. Shortly after the conference, Pakistan's Foreign Office in a statement said, “Activities such as today's Trade Officials’ Video-Conference could only be effective if spearheaded by the SAARC Secretariat. Since the SAARC Secretariat was not part of today’s Video-Conference, Pakistan chose not to participate.” IMF to consider $1.4 bn loan to Pakistan to help tackle economic impact of Covid-19: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called its executive board meeting on April 16 mes PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE to consider disbursement of an extra loan worth $1.4 billion to Pakistan. The Pakistan government had also requested the IMF last month for a low-cost, fast-disbursing loan under the fund's Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to deal with the adverse economic impact of COVID-19. The $1.4 billion loan to Pakistan is additional to the country's $6 billion bailout package that it signed with the IMF in July last year to stave off a balance of payments crisis. Pakistan had already announced Rs 1.2 trillion fiscal stimulus package to offset the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country's fragile economy. Pakistan pledges $3m for SAARC COVID- 19 emergency fund: Pakistan has pledged to contribute $3 million in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) COVID-19 Emergency Fund to support regional efforts in the fight against the global pandemic. While communicating Pakistan's DERS - 7 TeV INEW DELH Tran a2 rriaets decision to the Saarc Secretariat, it has been conveyed that all proceeds of the fund should be administered by the Saarc Secretariat and Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com0 4 NA SSS intelligence Tests ~ Y ABOUT BOOK The book for Competitive Exams has 2 parts - Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. ‘Each chapter of this book contains theory with Solved Examples. The exercise in the book contains previous year's questions of the various exams. ‘The book for Competitive Exams has been designed in such a way so that an aspirant not only clears the concept but can also tackle any kind of question that they come across, be it from the previous years or recent years. @hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE 4h Monthly HSM CSS Times that the modalities for the fund's utilisation should be finalised through consultations with the member states as per the Saarc Charter. Pakistan has since been insisting that any regional effort to fight the contagion has to be spearheaded by the Saarc secretariat based in Nepal. Since appearing in China last, December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 184 countries and regions, according to figures compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University. At least 1.5 million cases have been reported worldwide, with over 89,700 deaths and more than 337,000 recoveries. ‘Only half of Pakistanis aware of common risk factors of Covid-19" : Only half of urban and rural Pakistanis are aware of the fact that diabetics, smokers and asthmatics are at a higher risk of falling severely ill from Covid- 19, says a study recently carried out by the ‘Aga Khan University (AKU). Researchers surveyed 738 men and women across rural and urban Pakistan to assess knowledge about coronavirus symptoms, its mode of transmission and ways to protect oneself from the disease. While over 90 per cent of those surveyed knew that the elderly were at a relatively higher risk of complications from the disease, nearly half of respondents were unaware of other risk factors such as diabetes, smoking and asthma. Respondents who could accurately identify more than five of the 10 symptoms of the disease listed by the World Health Organisation were considered to have adequate knowledge; just eight per cent of those surveyed through the study were able to meet or exceed this benchmark. Researchers also found a widespread belief in the myth that coronavirus could be treated with existing medications. Even though there is no cure for the virus and only its symptoms can be treated, up to 60pc of urban Pakistanis incorrectly believed that pneumonia vaccines could protect them from the disease while 83pc of rural respondents asserted a myth that existing medicines can effectively treat the disease. Data from the study also highlights the need for more awareness of isolation practices. While nearly all respondents were aware that symptoms of the coronavirus last up to two weeks, only between 37pc and 64pc of those surveyed were aware that being in contact with someone with coronavirus must lead to a quarantine of up to 14 days. Participants in the study included 403 people across Pakistan who completed an online survey, 198 respondents in urban Karachi who were interviewed by telephone, and 137 individuals who took part in door-to-door surveys in rural Thatta. The study was funded by grants from AKU's Medical College and the university's Research Council. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comYou regret the things you did’nt do when you had the chance. Now! it is your chance. Grab it! {sureSUREES eer uC TEST PRACTICE WORK BOOK Fully Solved MCQs, (042) 37353510 - 37. Ta ie Nera ESCPakistan has been ranked as a 4th Generation Regulator (G4) by the International Tele- communication Union (ITU), becoming the only country in South Asia to have achieved the status. Out of the 38 economies in Asia~ Pacific, only eight per cent states have managed to achieve G4 status. In the ITU report titled “Global ICT Regulatory Outlook 2020 (GIRO)", Pakistan scored 88 out of 100. This means that Pakistan's ICT regulations are led by economic and social policy goals. Pakistan is also among the top five regulators in the entire Asia-Pacific region with a global rank of 48. The GIRO is built on data provided by 193 countries, which forms the basis of ICT Reg- ulatory Tracker’. The tracker, developed by ITY, is an evidence-based tool that helps decision-makers and regulators monitor the rapid evolution of ICT regulation. The report further said that Pakistan had scored full marks (20/20) for regulatory authority, 19/22 for regulatory mandate, 22/30 for regulatory regime and 27/28 for competition framework. Pakistan's journey towards collaborative regulation has also been highlighted as a special feature in the report. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com S Times PAKISTAN AT A GLANCE Pakistan expects $1.8b debt relief from G- 20: The debt relief potential from the Group of 20 countries for Pakistan is $1.8 billion for ‘one year. The G-20 countries had announced a debt deferment plan for poor countries only for May-December 2018 period, which could be extended for another six months to June 2021 in case global economic conditions do not improve. Pakistan has recently received $1.4 billion from the IMF as emergency loan to cushion the country’s external reserves and for spending on health sector. DFID, FAO to provide £1m more to fight locust upsurge: The UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations virtually signed on Sunday an amendment agreement regarding the project ‘Building Disaster Resilience in Pakistan’ for an additional allocation of £1m to continue efforts to contain desert locust upsurge in parts of the country. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Pakistan's economy in deep trouble: The World Bank has warned that Pakistan's economy can shrink 1.3% to 2.2% in the current fiscal year whereas the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the economy may contract 1.5%. PM approves new Board of Directors of Parco: Prime Minister has approved new Board of Directors (BoD) of Pak Arab Refinery Limited (Parco) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) |May 2020 | PAKISTANATAGLANCE _—s_— MY concessional loan is part of the Project Readiness Financing (PRF) facility for engineering and designing urban development projects in seven major cities across Punjab, as identified by the provincial government. Cabinet bans export of all edible items: The federal cabinet on Tuesday banned exports of all edible items to ensure adequate food supply to the local market during the countrywide lockdown due to coronavirus and gave additional three weeks to an inquiry commission conducting the forensic audit of recent sugar and wheat scams. ADB, Pakistan sign $15m loan deal: This concessional loan is part of the Project Readiness Financing (PRF) facility for engineering and designing urban development projects in seven major cities across Punjab, as identified by the provincial government. Lockdown restrictions to stay in place throughout Ramadan: Sindh government- Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that the home department had issued a notification on April 23 which stated that the lockdown restrictions imposed before Ramadan will be implemented till the end of the holy month. ECNEC approves four projects worth Rs249.91bn:; The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Thursday approved Rs249.91 billion four major projects to improve road infrastructure, human capital, agriculture and water reservoir: For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comrented Years LLB Degree Doce ac utd Bu ine: y online: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com HSM CSS Times a | 1- Which country has banned funeral ceremonies? (a) Italy (b) Iran (©) Spain (d)India Answer: © Madrid announced that "religious celebrations and civilian funeral ceremonies are postponed until the end of the alert,” which has been declared until at least April 11th and keeps the population confined. The new measures cut to Just three the number of people who can attend a burial or cremation and social CURRENT AFFAIRS __ at Maintained. Spain has listed 7,340 deaths from COVID-19, the second highest toll in the world after Italy, where the Catholic tradition is equally strong and funerals have also been severely restricted. 2- As per the latest UNCTAD report, the world economy will go into recession with the exception of which two countries? (a) US, China (B) China, UK (c) India, China (d) Japan, South Korea Answer: © distancing of one totwo metres must be Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www hsmpublishers.comMonthly S Times May 2020 The report did not give a detailed explanation as to why and how India and China will be the exceptions as the world faces a recession and loss in global income that will impact developing countries The world economy will go into recession this year with a predicted loss of trillions of dollars of global income due to the coronavirus pandemic, spelling serious trouble for developing countries with the likely exception of India and China, according to a latest UN trade report. With two-thirds of the world’s population living in developing countries facing unprecedented economic damage from the COVID-19 crisis, the UN is calling for a $2.5 trillion rescue package for these nations. According to the new analysis from United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN trade and development body titled ‘The COVID-19 Shock to Developing Countries: Towards a ‘whatever it takes’ programme for the two-thirds of the world's population being left behind’, commodity-rich exporting countries will face a $2 trillion to $3 trillion drop in investments from overseas in the next two years. 3- Which country has recommended the use of Bear bile as a cure of COVID-19? (a)Germany (b) France The Chinese government has recommended using Tan Re Qing, an injection containing bear bile, totreat severe and critical COVID-19 cases. UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CURRENT AFFAIRS 52 It is one of a number of recommended coronavirus treatmentsboth traditional and Westernon a list published March 4 by China's National Health Commission, the government body responsible for national health policy. This recommendation highlights what wildlife advocates say is a contradictory approach to wildlife: shutting down the live trade in animals for food on the one hand and promoting the trade in animal parts on the other. The World Health Organization says no cure exists for COVID-19, though some medicines, such as pain relievers and cough syrup, can treat symptoms associated with the disease. Enacted in 1989, China's wildlife protection law sees wild animals as a resource to be used for the benefit of humans. In 2016, it was amended to further legitimize the commercial use of wildlife, asserting explicitly that animals can be used for traditional Chinese medicine, Humane Society International's China policy specialist Peter Li wrote at the time. 4- The World Bank and Asian Development Bank has offered how much fund for Pakistan's COVID-19 emergency response plan? (a) $500 Million (b) $988 Million (() $588 Million (d) $1.8 Billion Answer: © World Bank and Asian Development Bank have agreed to provide $ 588 million assistance in support for the COVID-19 emergency response Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CURRENT AFFAIRS Plan and to address the socio-economic disruption associated with it. The Planning Commission has cleared an amount of $238 million from World Bank funding and endorsed another $350 million funding offered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in support for the project concept titled "Pakistan National Emergency Preparedness and response Plan for COVID-19 and COVID-19 emergency response and to address the socio-economic disruption associated with it. r; 5- The World Athletics Championships has been postponed till which year? (a) Late 2020 (b) 2021 (©)2022 (d) Mid 2021 Answer: (c) The World Athletics Championships have been moved back 11 months to July 2022 to avoid clashing with the Tokyo Olympics, which has been delayed by the coronavirus outbreak, the sport's governing body said. World Athletics confirmed in a statement that the event, which is usually held every two years, would now take place from July 15-24 in 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.The original dates of August 6-15 2021 would have clashed with the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics which were last_ month postponed by a year from the original July- August 2020 schedule 6- Who has termed Coronavirus pandemic as the most challenging crisis since World War 2? (a) UN Secretary General (b) WHO Director General (C) Italian Prime Minister Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | (D) US President Answer: (a) United Nation Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that the novel coronavirus was "the most challenging crisis we have faced since the Second World War" and that aggressive medical and economic efforts were needed to thwart it. "It is a combination, on one hand, of a disease that represents a threat to everybody in the world,” Guterres said at a press briefing Tuesday night. "And, second, because it has an economic impact that will bring a recession that probably has no parallel in the recent past” 7- What is NASA's mission to study Giant Solar Particle Storms called? (a) Stormy (b) SunRISE (0) Sincerity (d) Solidarity Answer: (b) NASA has selected a new mission to study how the Sun generates and releases giant space For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com‘/o 7 ¢ ‘ i ~\ Z : ~ S14 RO Sees pecs mt tial @ z3 KA ‘ O “Y Fe 4 ( \arinlngy OCLONE ey as » iUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS May 2020 Times weather storms known as solar particle storms into planetary space. ... The new mission, called the Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE), is an array of six CubeSats operating as one very large radio telescope. 8- The first coronavirus drive-through testing facility has been established in which city? (a) Larkana (b) Hyderabad (©) Karachi (d) Sukkur Answer: (c) Pakistan has opened its first drive through coronavirus testing facility in Karachi to cope with the increasing demand for COVID-19 tests by Sindh provincial government. The drive through lab can also be taken to any part of the city to cope with the demand of increasing number of testing. Pakistan is setting up new laboratories and also increasing the capacity of existing labs to speed up the testing for coronavirus patients as the number of coronavirus cases in the country. The drive -Through testing facility has been set up by the Sindh local government and health departments. Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that it was part of the provincial government's war against the coronavirus. The drive-through testing facility has been established in Jahangir Kothari Parade area of Clifton. The doctors, paramedical staff, and Other personnel deployed at the new testing facility in Karachi have been provided with all the necessary safety, protective equipment and Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | CURRENT AFFAIRS 55 gear to safeguard the virus.Citizens can call to Book appointments between 9am and Spm and the facility will collect the samples from 12pm to 3pm. Citizens should call the office for District Commissioner South at 02199203012 between 9am and Spm. The helpline will providea time and code for the test. 9- UN's COP 26 climate summit has been postponed till 2021. Which city was scheduled to host the summit? (a) Glasgow (b) Birmingham (©) Bristol (d) Guam Answer: (a) The UN climate talks due to be held in Glasgow later this year have been postponed as governments around the world struggle to halt the spread of coronavirus. The most important Climate negotiations since the Paris agreement in 2015 were scheduled to take place this November to put countries back on track to avoid climate breakdown. They will now be pushed back to 2021. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to delay the vital talks because of the widespread disruption caused by coronavirus, and will also delay a key preliminary meeting scheduled for Bonn, Germany, which was also expected to be derailed by widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions. 10- Which nation assumed Presidency of United Nations Security Council in April 20207 (a) France (8)Italy For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com mes (Q)Spain (d) Dominican Republic Answer: (d) The Dominican Republic assumed the rotating presidency of the 15-nation Council for the month of April, taking the baton from permanent and veto-welding member China, The presidency of the United Nations Security Council is responsible for leading the United Nations Security Council. It rotates among the 15 member-states of the council monthly. The head of the country’s delegation is known as the President of the United Nations Security Council. tournaments has been cancelled for the fi time since World War lI? (a) Australian Open (b) Wimbledon ()French Open (d)US Open Answer: (b) The Wimbledon Championships have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the All England Club announced. It is the first time Wimbledon has been canceled since World Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | __CURRENT AFFAIRS War Il in 1945. It is also the first time since the tournament began in 1877 that the event will not be played during peacetime. Wimbledon had been scheduled to run from June 29 to July 12. Wimbledon was canceled from 1915 to 1918 because of World War I and from 1940 to 1945 due to World War IL. 12- Who has approved USD 200 million Emergency aid for Pakistan to help tackle COVID-19 pandemic? (a) IMF (b) WB (c) ADB (d) WHO Answer: (b) The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved a $200 million package to help Pakistan take effective and timely action to tespond to the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the country's national healthcare systems and mitigating socioeconomic disruptions. This support will also draw an extra $38 million from eight existing projects for urgently needed medical equipment and supplies. While focusing on the COVID-19 preparedness and emergency response in the health sector, the Pandemic Response Effectiveness Project (PREP) will also help the poor and vulnerable cope with the immediate impact of the pandemic through social protection measures, food rations, and remote learning education. 13- Which provincial government has decided to treat critically ill coronavirus For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 202 Patients with Anti-Malar (@)Sindh (b) Punjab (c)KPK (d) Balochistan Answer: (b Drug? ae 14- Which UN body adopted a resolution calling for ‘Global Solidarity’ to defeat COVID-19? (a)UNGA (b) UNHRC (c) UNSC (d) UNEP Answer: (a) The United Nations General Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution, co- sponsored by 188 nations including India, on COVID-19, calling for intensified international cooperation to defeat the pandemic that is causing “severe disruption to societies and economies." The resolution titled ‘Global solidarity to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)' was the first such document on the global pandemic to be adopted by the world organisation. The resolution said the 193-member General Assembly notes "with great concern" the threat to human health, safety and well-being caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which continues to spread globally. 15- Which among the following country's President was tested twice for COVID-19? (a) United States (b) Russia (€)China (d) Australia Answer: (a) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | CURRENT AFFAIRS 16- Which country will be hosting the 3rd Asian Youth Gamesin 2021? (a) Japan (b) South Korea (China (d) Sri Lanka Answer: (c) The Olympic Council of Asia announced that China will host the third edition of the Asian Youth Games in Shantou from November 20 to 28 next year. The 2021 Asian Youth Games will have 18 sports: athletics, aquatics, badminton, f= {| & > 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, dragon boat racing, football, gymnastics, golf, handball, hip- hop dance, rock-climbing, rugby, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, wind surfing, and wushu. The Asian Youth Games were first held in Singapore in 2011 and then in Nanjing in China in 2013 when more than 2,500 athletes took rt. 7 Tony Lewis passes away at the age of 78 ‘on April 1, 2020. He had co-invented which popular formula? (a) Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle (b) The Wave Equation (c) Quantization of Radiation (d) Duckworth- Lewis Answer: (d) Lewis, who passed away at the age of 78, had developed the original Duckworth-Lewis method jointly with Frank Duckworth, which was adopted by the ICC in 1999. After the retirements of Duckworth and Lewis, Steven Stern became the custodian of the method and his name was added to the system in 2014. Lewis, a graduate in mathematics and statistics from Sheffield University, retired asa lecturer of For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com 57Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 Quantitative Research Methods from Oxford Brookes University. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2010. 18- Who has been reappointed as the managing director (M(D) of Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC)? (a) Shahzad Shafi (b) Farhan Shafi (c) Umair Zia (d) Shahzad Faisal Answer: (b) 19- How many number of coronavirus cases expected by April 25, govt tells Supreme Court? (a) 25,000 (b) 50,000 (c)75,000 (d) 150,000 Answer: (b) 20- Chinese doctors advise Punjab to ensure lockdown for at least (a) 25 days (b) 28 days (0)18 days (d)30days Answer: (b) 21- Which among the following organization's human rights body condemns India's new ‘draconian’ law in occupied Kashmir? (a)EU (b) OIC (c) BRICS (d) Arab League Answer: (b) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CURRENT AFFAIRS 58 In a tweet, the OIC's Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission said the agency condemns the promulgation of illegal ‘ammu and Kashmir Reorganization Order 2020' by India which is an attempt to alter demographic and geographic status of the occupied territory. The Indian government had on August 5, 2019 repealed Article 370 of its constitution, stripping occupied Kashmir ofits special status. It also divided up occupied Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories; one Jammu and Kashmir, and the other the Buddhist- dominated high altitude region of Ladakh. The bifurcation of the territory came into effect on October 31 last year. 22- The president of which country issues partial curfew for those under 20 and shuts borders of 31 cities to halt coronavirus spread? (a) Russia (b) Turkey (©) Spain (d) United States Answer: (b) 23- Queen Elizabeth II addressed the citizens of the UK in a rare message on April 5, 2020. The Queen had similarly addressed the citizens for the first time in 1991 after which major incident? (a) First Gulf War (b) Citizen's Charter campaign (o)Julin Bristol, the last UK nuclear test (d) Invasion of Kuwait Answer: (a) For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comAgriculture&ForestryMCQs For CSS/PCS/PMS/NTS/NAT/GAT (Subject)/Lecturer Agriculture Officer/Forest Officer And All Other Competitive Exams Agriculture Forestry MCQs n Entomology & Plant Pathology with explanation | Se Cas Agriculture Oficer& Forest Oticer PO enc) Roce Be pol vel] ae =Monthly HSM CSS May 2020, nes 24- The Ukrainian authorities reported a major fire and spike in radiation levelsin the restricted zone near Chernobyl. Which year did the Chernobyl nuclear accident take place? (a)1991 (b) 1986 (c)1984 (d) 1988 Answer: (b) big IN HISTORY nuclear power plant in Ukraine was the product ofa flawed Soviet reactor design coupled with serious mistakes made by the plant operators. It was a direct consequence of Cold War isolation and the resulting lack of any safety culture. The accident destroyed the Chernobyl 4 reactor, killing 30 operators and firemen within three months and several further deaths later. One person was killed immediately and a second died in hospital soon after as a result of injuries received. Another person is reported to have died at the time from a coronary thrombosis‘. Acute radiation syndrome (ARS) was originally diagnosed in 237 people onsite and involved with the clean-up and it was later confirmed in 134 cases. 25- Nadia, a four-year-old tiger tested positive for COVID-19 in this city's Bronx zoo. (a) New York (b) Toronto (©) Berlin (d) Milan Answer: (a) UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com CURRENT AFFAIRS 60 26- Which among the following NASA satellites will issue volcano and earthquake warnings? (a) CSAT (b) CIRES (Q) STRIP (d) PUTS Answer: (b) 27- When was the World Health Organisation established? (a) April 6th (b) April 7th (©) April 5th (d) April 8th Answer: (b) 28- Which nation lifted the temporary ban imposed on the export of essential drugs- Hydroxychloroquine, Paracetamol? (a)US (b) Japan ()China (d) India Answer: (d) 29- NASA's Artemis Base Camp is expected to work as a gateway to landing humans on which planet? (a) Venus (b) Mars (o) Jupiter (d) Saturn Answer: (b) NASA is forging ahead with its Artemis program to land humans on the moon by 2024, but the agency has also just offered its first plan Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 20% For what a US. lunar presence may look like after that milestone. The new plan comes from a 13-page report submitted on April 2 to the National Space Council, an advisory group to President Donald Trump chaired by Vice President Mike Pence. Much of the report, titled "NASA's Plan for Sustained Lunar Exploration and Development,” summarizes the vision NASA has laid out for justifying and accomplishing the 2024 moon landing. But the report also looks farther out to focus on what a long-term presence on the moon and in lunar orbit would permit the U.S. to accomplish 30- Pakistan will receive how much amount from IMF under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to deal with the economic turmoil in the wake of coronavirus? (a) $1.5bn (b) $1.4bn (9 $1.7bn (d)$2.1bn Answer: (b) 31- Who among the following has repurposed $50mn to combat coronavirus in Pakistan? (a) WB (b) IMF (c) WHO (d)ADB Answer: (d) 32- Who has become the Democratic nominee for the US Presidential Elections 2020? (a)Joe Biden (b) Bernie Sanders (o) Elizabeth Warren (d) Michael Bloomberg Answer: (a) 33- Who has topped the Forbes list of World's Billionaires in 2020? (a) Jeff Bezos (b) Bill Gates (©) Bernard Arnault (d) Mark Zuckerberg Answer: (a 34- Which airlines has decided to rehire 16,500 employees laid off due to pandemic? Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | CURRENT AFFAIRS 61 (A) PIA (b) AirCanada () AirAsia (d) Spiceset Answer: (b) 35- When did NASA introduce America's first astronauts? (a) April8, 1960 (b) April 9, 1961 (c) April 9, 1959 (d) April7, 1958 Answer: © On April 9, 1959, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introduces America's first astronauts to the press: Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr, John H. Glenn Jr, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr, Alan Shepard Jr. and Donald Slayton 36- The global chemical weapons watchdog blamed which nation for toxic attacks? (a) Turkey (b)Iran (o) Syria (d) Israel Answer: © 37- Which among the following the UN agency has provided Rubb Halls and housing units to the Balochistan government to support its quarantine facilities? (a) WHO. (b) UNHCR (c) UNESCO (d) UNWTO For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com 5 Times Answer: (b) UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has delivered large Rubb halls and housing units to the Balochistan Government to support quarantine facilities. UNHCR has provided 14 self-standing and durable housing units to the provincial Health Department. These have been set up at the Balochistan Institute of Nephrology. The large Rubb Halls that were delivered to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority in Balochistan are expected to accommodate a number of suspected COVID-19 patients. Previously, UNHCR had also donated five fully equipped ambulances to the Balochistan Government. 38- Who was the Pakistan's first recovered di patient from the coronavirus disease, donated his blood at the Children’s Hospital and Research Institute Karachi? (a) AliRaza (b) Tahir Khalil (0) Yahya Jaffri (d) Muhammad Ali Answer: © 39- When was World Homeopathy Day 2020 observed? —— Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | CURRENT AREAIRS __ (a) April 7th (b) April 10th (©) April 8th (d) April 9th Answer: (b) Homoeopathy Awareness Week is from April 10 to April 16, 2020. It is observed to celebrate the birth of Samuel Hahnemann, the father of Homoeopathy. 40- When was the world's first human space flight launched? (a) April 12,1961 (b) April13, 1959 () April 12,1969 (d) April 11,1960 Answer: (a) Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space when he orbited the Earth ina Vostok spacecraft on April 12, 1961. About a month later Alan Shepard, Jr. became the first ‘American in space on May 5, 1961, when he was launched aboard Mercury-Redstone 3 41- Who has been appointed as the Punjab's new chief secretary? (a) Azam Suleman (b) Jawad Rafique Malik (c) Yousaf Naseem Khokar (d) Akbar Hussain Durrani Answer: (b) 42- Which nation has reportedly launched its first-ever mi lite into the orbit? (a) North Korea (b) Japan (c)Iran (d) India Answer: (c) For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com(x AZ (A) ABC ae NN (Oa (C) EDVAC (Cop) CO ee (D) None of above Answer: (a) ON ek) COMPUTER Ee Mis (Meee bts OK a3 Onicha ar Answer: (b) — ¥ (ONG sand GIGABYTE ] aa j OM UGLad mors i eee Answer: (a) Sheraz Sohail OR (0) All of the above Answer: (b) ORDER NOW www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 tt Iran has successfully sent into orbit its first military satellite, the country’s Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday. The satellite called Noor (Light) was put into an orbit located 425 kilometres (624 miles) above the Earth's surface via a two-stage carrier called Qassed (Envoy). 43- Which among the following universities will start human trials of potential Coronavirus vaccine? (a) Oxford (b) Berkeley (©) Harvard (d) Yale Answer: (a) In the worldwide race for a vaccine to stop the coronavirus, the laboratory sprinting fastest is at Oxford University. Most other teams have had to start with small clinical trials of a few hundred participants to demonstrate safety. But scientists at the university's Jenner Institute had a head start on a vaccine, having proved in previous trials that similar inoculations including one last year against an earlier coronavirus were harmless to humans. That has enabled them to leap ahead and schedule tests of theirnew Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | CURRENT AFFAIRS Coronavirus vaccine involving more than 6,000 people by the end of next month, hoping to show not only that it is safe, but also that it works. 44- The 2021 World Games, which have been rescheduled to 2022, was initially planned to beheld in which city? (a) Birmingham (b)Glasgow (c) Tokyo (d) Rio De Janeiro Answer: (a) The World Games in Birmingham, USA, postponed to 2022. The International World Games Association (IWGA) and the Birmingham Organising Committee (BOC) have announced that the next edition of the World Games, which includes drone racing and parachuting canopy piloting, has been moved from 2021 to 2022 (7-17 July) 45- For the first time in 2020, April 5 is observed as which day by the United Nations? (a) International Day of Conscience (b) International Day of Promotion of Love (c) International Day of Peace (d) International Day of Promotion of culture Answer: (a) The International Day of Conscience is a global day of awareness celebrated on April 5, commemorating the importance of the human conscience. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on July 25, 2019 with the adoption of UN resolution 73/329. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com 46- Which nation's Supreme Court proposed adopting social network applications to overcome regular postponement of cases? (a)India (b) Pakistan (Q)United Kingdom (d) Sri Lanka Answer: (b) Confronted with adjournment of cases on a daily basis as well as difficulties faced by litigants in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Pakistan Supreme Court has proposed adopting social network apps to overcome regular postponement of cases. Justice Qazi Faez Isa, while presiding over a two-judge bench during the hearing of a case and facing a similar problem with the absence of a counsel, suggested the use of social network applications, such as Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram or any other suitable video-conferencing platform, to deal with the situation. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | __ CURRENT AFFAIRS _ 47- When was the second G20 Ministerial Meeting 2020 held? (a) April 14th (b) April 15th () April 16th (d) April 11th Answer: (b) 48- RMS Titanic sank into the North Atlantic Ocean onwhich day? (a) April 15,1912 (b) April 13,1912 () April 15, 1913 (d) April 13,1910 Answer: © 49- Which among the following events have been re-scheduled for August 29, 2020? (a) US Open (b) French Open (c) Wimbledon (d) Tour de France Answer: (d) The 2020 Tour de France has been rescheduled for August 29 to September 20, the UCI and organiser ASO announced. The Tour was originally scheduled to take place from June 27 to July 19, dates that became untenable earlier this week when French president Emmanuel Macron extended the current ban on public gatherings until mid-July. The coronavirus pandemic has already seen many major sporting events postponed until 2021 or cancelled altogether. The Tokyo Olympic Games and the Euro 2020 and Copa America football tournaments have been put back to the summer of 2021, while this year's edition of Wimbledon has been cancelled. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times _May 2020 WORLD CURRENT AFFAIRS Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination and COVID-19 April 2, 2020- According to research conducted by US experts, the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine or BCG, which is a vaccine primarily used against tuberculosis in countries where tuberculosis or leprosy is common, is protecting people against COVID-19, if administered during childhoods. Gonzalo Otazu, Ph.D, assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the New York Institute of Technology, says the Coronavirus cases and mortality rates are higher in countries where the vaccine is no longer used, including countries like the US, Italy and the Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE 66 Netherlands. In contrast, in countries where the vaccine is still used, the mortality rate from Coronavirus is significantly lower. What is BCG Vaccine? Bacillus Calmette—Guérin (BCG) vaccine is a vaccine primarily used against tuberculosis For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 (TB). The BCG vaccine is made up of weakened forms of live Mycobacterium bovis, closely related to the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. It was first developed in the 1920s in Paris and later shipped all over the world. Now, countries from Japan to Denmark have their own BCG vaccines, made using different formulations of live bacteria — and each one has varying degrees of immune boosting ability - In countries where TB or leprosy is common, one dose is recommended in healthy babies as close to the time of birth as possible In areas where tuberculosis is not common, only children at high risk are typically immunized, while suspected cases of tuberculosis are individually tested for and treated. How can TB Vaccine Help Fight COVID- 19? The BCG vaccine contains a live but weakened strain of tuberculosis bacteria that provokes the body to develop antibodies to attack TB bacteria. This is called an adaptive immune response, because the body develops a defense against a specific disease- causing microorganism, or pathogen, after encountering it. Most vaccines create an adaptive immune response to a single pathogen. Unlike other vaccines, the BCG vaccine may also boost the innate immune system, first-line defenses that keep a variety of pathogens from entering the body or from establishing an infection. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE 6 BCG Vaccine, Past and Present The BCG vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) was developed by two French researchers, Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin. It was first administered to humans in 1921, to a newborn baby who was born to a TB-infected mother and raised by a TB-infected guardian (the grandmother). The baby never developed TB, even though it is a highly infectious disease. Today, the BCG vaccine is mandatory in almost all countries in Africa, Asia and South America and is given to more than 100 million newborns each year. Intradermal injection - an injection into the middle layer of the skin (dermis) - is the most common route of administration, given in one of the upper arms during the first month of life. In most people, it leaves a small scar. This vaccine has been consistently shown to be highly effective in preventing severe forms of TB in children, with an overall protective efficacy of 86 percent. This means that people vaccinated with the BCG are 86 percent less likely to be infected with TB than those who are unvaccinated. The BCG vaccine is also thought to enhance general immunity and has exhibited "non- targeted" effects, which effectively means it has other beneficial effects as well as protecting against TB. The reason for this is not fully understood, but the vaccine is associated with the reduction of overall mortality by about 50 percent in vaccinated children below the age of five. There are also some published reports of its beneficial effects in non-TB respiratory infections, allergies, eczema and asthma, although overall results of studies are so far inconclusive. In addition to protecting against TB, it also works against leprosy. BCG Vaccine and Coronavirus The new report which has linked BCG vaccination policy with general protection against COVID-19 has appeared in more than 80 news reports around the world and has been tweeted more than 7,000 times. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times What Is The Cytokine Storm And Why Is It So Deadly For Coronavirus Patients? For many COVID-19 patients battling for their lives in the ICU, a runaway immune system response—known as a "cytokine storm"—i their primary foe. SS a = = Doctors have few tools to help tame this hyperinflammatory condition, but early research is suggesting that nanotechnology might safely deliver drugs to affected tissues, quieting the storm. It's so far only been tested in mice, but researchers in Brazil and France said the approach could be "a new tool in the fight against the complex and multi-factorial phenomenon of uncontrolled inflammation. It's not clear why some young, robust patients experience life-threatening illness from COVID-19, while others have either mild or no symptoms. But when severe illness does strike, it's often in the form of an out-of-control immune system response. A Cytokine Storm A cytokine storm is an overproduction of immune cells and their activating compounds—cytokines—which, in something like a flu infection, is often associated with a surge of activated immune cells into the lungs. The resulting lung inflammation and fluid buildup can lead to respiratory distress and can be contaminated by a secondary bacterial pneumonia. This increases the risk of mortality in patients. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE It's not the most widely-understood phenomenon, but it occurs in several types of infections and autoimmune conditions. It appears to be particularly relevant in outbreaks of new flu variants. Cytokine storm is now seen as a likely major cause of mortality in the 1918-20 “Spanish flu"-which killed more than 50 million people worldwide and the H1N1 “swine flu” and H5N1 “bird flu” of recent years—and now COVID-19. In these epidemics/pandemics, sometimes patients at higher risk to die were often relatively young adults with seemingly strong immune reactions to the infection. Previous Instances: It is seen as a likely major cause of mortality in the 1918-20 “Spanish flu" — which killed more than 50 million people worldwide — and the H1N1 “swine flu” and H5SN1 “bird flu” of recent years. In these epidemics, the patients most likely to die were relatively young adults with apparently strong immune reactions to the infection — whereas ordinary seasonal flu epidemics disproportionately affect the very young and the elderly. For Free Download: www.hempublishers.comWe are Looking for Writers Required Areas of Expertise are CSS/PMS/PCS. Experienced Teachers and Qualified CSPs F Contact us at 042-37171280, 37171281 or kamran.munir@ilmikitabkhana.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 Coronavirus: Worst Economic Cri 1930s Depression April 9, 2020- The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva said the world faced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. She forecast that 2021 would only see a partial recovery. Lockdowns imposed by governments have forced many companies to close and lay off staff. A UN study said 81% of the world's workforce of 3.3 billion people had had their place of work fully or partly closed because of the outbreak. Separately, UK-based charity organisation Oxfam warned that the economic fallout from the spread of Covid-19 could force more than half a billion more people into poverty. By the time the pandemic is over, the charity said, half of the world's population of 7.8 billion people could be living in poverty. ince The International Labour Organization (ILO), a UN agency, warned that the pandemic posed “the most severe crisis" since World War Two. It said the outbreak was expected to wipe out 6.7% of working hours across the world during the second quarter of 2020 - the equivalent of 195 million full-time workers losing their jobs. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned that the global economy would take years to recover. Secretary general Angel Gurria said that economies were suffering a bigger shock than after the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001 or the 2008 financial crisis. WORLD AT A GLANCE 10 What is 1930s Great Depression? With the novel coronavirus pandemic severely affecting the global economy, some experts have begun comparing the current crisis with the Great Depression — the devastating economic decline of the 1930s that went on to shape countless world events. What was the Great Depression? The Great Depression was a major economic crisis that began in the United States in 1929, and went to have a worldwide impact until 1939. It began on October 24, 1929, a day that is referred to as “Black Thursday”, when a monumental crash occurred at the New York Stock Exchange as stock prices fell by 25 per cent. How It Began? While the Wall Street crash was triggered by minor events, the extent of the decline was due to more deep-rooted factors such as a fall in aggregate demand, misplaced monetary policies, and an unintended rise in inventory levels. Impacts: 1. In the United States, prices and real output fell dramatically. Industrial production fell by 47 per cent, the wholesale price index by 33 per cent, and real GDP by 30 per cent. 2. The havoc caused in the US spread to other countries mainly due to the gold standard, which linked most of the world's currencies by fixed exchange rates. 3. In almost every country of the world, there were massive job losses, deflation, and a drastic contraction in Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 ” MAT- 1 mis Wi WORT inp NOT-CHARIB onli HELP ME 5 Ss eee o tone os LAY UPD MSH f Y Hae Re output. 4, Unemployment in the US increased from 3.2 per cent to 24.9 per cent between 1929 and 1933. In the UK, it rose from 7.2 per cent to 15.4 per cent between 1929 and 1932. 5. The Depression caused extreme human suffering, and many political upheavals took place around the world. 6. In Europe, economic stagnation that the Depression caused is believed to be the principal reason behind the rise of fascism, and consequently the Second World War. 7. Ithad a profound impact on institutions and policymaking globally, and led to the gold standard being abandoned, UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE 1 Corona Bonds — Euro Corona bonds Corona bonds could be a possible resolution to alleviate Eurozone financial struggles amid the coronavirus crisis. However, the idea has received mixed responses amongst the EU. What are corona bonds? “Corona bonds" are joint debt issued to member states of the EU. The funds would be common and would come from the European Investment Bank. Corona bonds would be a collective debt amongst EU member states, with the aim of providing financial relief to Eurozone countries battered by the coronavirus. The funds would be mutualised and supplied by the European Investment Bank, with the debt taken collectively by all member states of the European Union. What's the issue now? Not all countries in the European Union (EU) are in favour of this idea. The idea of corona bonds has received reinforcement from nine EU countries, all keen to reach a financial solution as soon as possible. The Corona Bonds Dispute The idea of corona bonds has received reinforcement from nine EU countries, all keen to reach a financial solution as soon as possible. The countries in favour of corona bonds include: Spain Italy France Belgium Luxembourg Ireland Portugal Greece Slovenia Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times However, there also remains steep opposition to the idea of corona bonds. The resistance has come most notably from the ‘Frugal Four’ The Frugal Four consists of: Germany The Netherlands Finland Austria The countries have earned this title due to their shared opinions on collective debt and united views on fiscal issues. What's the Basis for Opposition? These countries are of the opinion that finance is an individual nation's responsibility. They believe that each EU member state should keep their finances in order. Why have Corona Bonds? The advantage of corona bonds is that they would allow European countries to gain essential financial support. States could receive economic aid without expanding their national debt. If the EU member states were able to show a display of unity, this would likely strengthen confidence amongst Europe. UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE n Covid-Related Cybercrime April 7, 2020- The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has warned member countries that cybercriminals were attempting to target major hospitals and other institutions on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 with ransomware (Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, designed to deny access to a 4 a iS SS PL computer system or data until a ransom is paid. Ransomware typically spreads through phishing emails or by unknowingly visiting an infected website. Ransomware can be devastating to an individual or an organization.) Interpol has also issued a "Purple Notice’. Europol and Interpol have joined the list of cross-border law enforcement organisatinos who have set out to tackle Covid-19 scams and misinformation campaigns. In an alert sent to 194 nations, including Pakistan, Interpol said organisations at the forefront of the global response to the COVID-19 outbreak had also become targets of ransomware attacks, which were “designed to lock them out of their critical systems in an attempt to extort payments’ What Has the Interpol Said? 1. Organisations at the forefront of the global response to the COVID-19 outbreak have also become targets of ransomware attacks, which were “designed to lock them out of their critical systems in an attempt to extort payments”, Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hempublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times Purple Notice Interpol also issued a ‘Purple Notice’. “At this point, the ransomware appears to be spreading primarily via e-mails —often falsely claiming to contain information or advice regarding the coronavirus from a government agency, which encourages the recipient to click on an infected link or attachment,” the agency said. It added that prevention and mitigation efforts were crucial to stopping the attacks. “As hospitals and medical organizations around the world are working non-stop to preserve the well-being of individuals stricken with the coronavirus, they have become targets for ruthless cybercriminals who are looking to make a profit at the expense of sick patients,” said Interpol Secretary General Jiirgen Stock. “Locking hospitals out of their critical systems n will not only delay the swift medical response required during these unprecedented times, it could directly lead to deaths. Interpol continues to stand by its member countries and provide any assistance necessary to ensure our vital healthcare systems remain untouched and the criminals targeting them held accountable,” he added. 2. Cybercriminals are using ransomware to hold hospitals and medical services digitally hostage, preventing them from accessing vital files and systems until a ransom is paid. 3. Locking hospitals out of their critical systems will not only delay the swift medical response required during these unprecedented times, it could directly lead to deaths. How is it being spread? At this point, the ransomware appears to be spreading primarily via e-mails —often falsely claiming to contain information or advice regarding the coronavirus from a government agency, which encourages the recipient to click on an infected link or attachment. WORLD AT A GLANCE B Interpol The International Criminal Police Organisation, or Interpol, is a 194-member intergovernmental organisation. Headquartered in Lyon, France. Formed in 1923 as the International Criminal Police Commission, and started calling itself Interpol in 1956. Pakistan became member of ICPC (International Criminal Police Commission) in 1952. The National Central Bureau (NCB) of Pakistan was created under the new constitution of ICPO in 1957. It is attached with Federal Investigation Agency since its inception, The “Shadow Pandemic" Women Face During COVID-19 While the world copes with COVID-19, women are facing their own pandemic, the shadow pandemic. The term is used by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The shadow pandemic represents the upsurge in violence against women and girls (VAWG) that has been exacerbated by the virus. According to a report released by UN Women, “Emerging data shows that since the outbreak of COVID-19, reports of violence against women, and particularly domestic violence, have in- creased in several countries Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comWe are Looking for Writers Required Areas of Expertise are CSS/PMS/PCS. Experienced Teachers and Qualified CSPs F Contact us at 042-37171280, 37171281 or kamran.munir@ilmikitabkhana.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times as security, health, and money worries create tensions and strains accentuated by the cramped and confined living conditions of lockdown.” The report is an extremely valuable resource to understanding how exactly the virus affects women. Drawing upon statistics and trends from prior crises, such as the Ebola and Zika outbreaks, experts from various fields are able to quickly deduce that crises exacerbate inequalities--especially inequalities between genders. The UN Women has urged member-states to include prevention of violence against women in their action plans on COVID-19. It has also called the rise in gender-based violence a “shadow pandemic”. Five Things Governments Can Do The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) encourages Governments to take five specific measures. First, ensure that the needs of female nurses and doctors are integrated into every aspect of the response effort. Second, ensure that hotlines and services for all victims of domestic abuse are considered "essential services” and are kept open and law enforcement is sensitized to the need to be responsive to calls from victims. Follow the example of Quebec and Ontario, which have included shelters for women survivors in the list of essential services. Third, bailout and stimulus packages must include social protection measures that reflect an understanding of women's special circumstances and recognition of the care economy. This means ensuring health insurance benefits for those most in need and paid and/or sick leave for those unable to come to work because they are taking care of children or elders at home. Fourth, leaders must find a way to include women in response and recovery decision- making. Whether at the local, municipal or Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE 1 PTE AED m su AC ites PTE aun aa national level, bringing the voices of women into decision-making will lead to better outcomes. The Ebola response benefited from the involvement of women's groups. Fifth, policy makers must pay attention to what is happening in peoples’ homes and support an equal sharing of the burden of care between women and men. There is a great opportunity to “unstereotype” the gender roles that play out in households in many parts of the world. How Lockdown is Worsening the Situation? According to emerging data, violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has ‘intensified’. 1. As per data compiled by the UN. body, France has seen a 30% increase in domestic violence since the lockdown on March 17. . In Argentina, emergency calls for domestic violence cases have increased by 25% since the lockdown ‘on March 20 and Cyprus (30%), Singapore (33%) have also registered an increase in calls. . Canada, Germany, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S. have also registered an increase in cases of domestic violence and demand for emergency shelter. |. In Pakistan , on March 30, the Ministry ‘of Human Rights tweeted: “Lockdowns and quarantine measures often leave women and children vulnerable to For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comMonthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 domestic abuse and violence — which is known to rise during emergencies. Our helpline is here to help you. Dial 1099 or call/text us on WhatsApp: 03339085709." About UN Women: UN Women is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. It was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment: Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW). International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW). Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI). United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). : What the Pandemic Means for UN Peacekeeping Work UN chief has suspended the rotation and deployments of the peacekeepers until June 30 to mitigate the risk of transmission of the novel coronavirus. UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com WORLD AT A GLANCE 16 UN Peacekeeping United Nations Peacekeeping is a joint effort between the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support. Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council. The financial resources of UN Peacekeeping operations are the collective responsibility of UN Member States. According to UN Charter every Member State is legally obligated to pay their respective share for peacekeeping UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets) can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel. Peacekeeping forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis. Civilian staff of peace operations are international civil servants, recruited and deployed by the UN Secretariat. Three basic principles: 1. Consent of the parties. 2. Impartiality 3. Non-use of force except in self- defence and defence of the mandate. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 WORLD AT A GLANCE 7 Pakistan and UN Peacekeeping Mission Beginning with Congo in 1960, Pakistan has deployed peacekeepers in virtually every continent. In the 60 years that followed, the country has sent more than 200,000 troops for 46 missions in 28 different countries, consistently making it one of the top five contributors. With any commitment comes sacrifice, and Pakistan's Blue Helmet story is no different. ‘As many as 157 Pakistani peacekeepers have been martyred while helping restore peace and stability to the turbulent regions, including 24 officers. “State of the World's Nursing” Report 2020 April 7, 2020: WHO has launched the first- ever ‘State of the World's Nursing'Report in 2020, prior to the 73rd World Health Assembly. The report will describe the nursing workforce in WHO Member Stat Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | an assessment of ‘fitness for purpose’ relative to GPW13 targets and achievement of UHC and SDGs. He informed that the Ministry of National Health Services has ambitious plans for nursing andmidwifery and WHO will support every step of this initiative through technical experts in the areas of enhancing health workforce production and retention; improving nursing education and leadership capacities, strengthening health workforce information system and health workforce observatory for nursing, and solidifying the regulation of health workforce practice and education. Although the focus of the report is not the COVID-19 pandemic, its recommendations are extremely relevant in this time of crisis, namely “to invest in a massive acceleration of nursing education, create at least 6 million new nursing jobs by 2030 and strengthen nurse leadership.” According to the report, entitled: "State of the World's Nursing”, there was a global shortage of 5.9 million nurses in 2018, a slight improvement from the 6.6 million shortage in 2016. The report, this year is focused on supporting nurses and midwives, many of whom are serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response. For Free Download: ww.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 More than 80 percent of the world's nurses work in countries that account for half of the world's population, according to the report's findings. x Key findings and observations- Areas of concern: 1. Globally, there are roughly 36.9 nurses per 10,000 people, with variations within and across regions. 2. There are almost 10 times more nurses in the Americas than in the African region. While there are 83.4 nurses per 10,000 population in the former, there are 8.7 nurses per 10,000 population in the latter. 3. By 2030, there will be a shortage of over 5.7 million nurses worldwide. 4. The largest shortfall in absolute numbers is in the South-East Asian region, while in the Americas and Europe, the problem is different since they are facing an ageing nursing workforce. 5. Moreover, a number of high-income countries in Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and American regions are “exclusively” dependent on migrant nurses. 6. As nurses and other medical workers are at the frontlines of this global pandemic, some of the key issues they face include shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) including face masks, eye-protective gear and gloves, and also the psychological stress faced by some medical staff. Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE 8 State of Nursing in Pakistan Hospitals are run by nurses, not by doctors, and unfortunately there is acute shortage of nurses and midwives in Pakistan, where density of nurses and midwives is 0.49 per 1,000 population, compared to the recommended threshold of 3.28 per 1,000 population. In order to achieve the target of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the country will have to double the number of nurses and midwives, with enhanced quality of professional education. At present, there are 82,000 nurses registered with the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC). In the public sector, we have 23 schools of nursing in Sindh, 45 in Punjab, 10 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and five in Balochistan. We have less than 50 private nursing schools. About 28,000 midwives are registered with the PNC and we have 106 schools of midwifery in the public and private sector. The majority of the nurses are not well- trained because of the unavailability of trained faculty members in nursing schools in public and private sectors. Pakistan needs more than 1,200,000 nurses and more than 300,000 midwives to provide basic and emergency nursing care to patients in general and maternity hospitals. We need specialist nurses in specialties such as neonatal care, medical/surgical intensive care, cardiac, renal dialysis, orthopaedics and ophthalmology units. In Sindh, there are 54,000 posts for nursing staff but only 3,700 nurses are working in public-sector hospitals. For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 sf a “Immunity Passports" in the Context of COVID-19 24 April 2020- A few countries have started considering issuing “immunity passports” or some kind of certificates indicating a person has immunity to COVID-19. The World Health Organization has warned against issuing “immunity passports” to people who have recovered from Covid-19, as. there is no evidence that they will be protected from a second infection. Wien ana rin: The idea for the “immunity passport” or a "back to work" pass is this: If you've been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and recover, then you have immunity that will protect you from getting the disease again for some amount of time. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep businesses around the world boarded up and people in a state of lockdown in their homes, it's becoming clearer that patience is running thin for many. Restless people in states around the U.S., notably Michigan and Georgia, have begun taking to the streets to publicly protest safety measures like quarantining and businesses being closed. According to experts, Georgia is prematurely ‘opening up businesses around the state, while beaches in parts of Florida are also moving to lift restrictions. Despite health officials warning of a second wave of the virus hitting the U.S. as a result of these actions, it Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | WORLD AT A GLANCE 19 seems that people are eager to return to normal life now more than ever. Global talks of easing lockdown restrictions are becoming louder, too. Belgium, who has had more than 45,000 positive cases of the coronavirus and is nearing 7,000 deaths, will open business and slowly lift their lockdown orders beginning on May 11. Italy, with over 197,500 positive cases and a staggering 26,644 deaths, is considering relaxing their lockdown measures on May 4 as their number of new death cases wind down. Aside from flattening the curve, the movement to reopen is thanks in part to some antibody testing that's causing widespread speculation. Antibody tests, which are being doled out to survivors of coronavirus, are being investigated to determine if those who underwent COVID-19 have developed any levels of immunity to it, which would allow them to operate freely and reenter society without risk. As such, an “immunity passport,” also called a “risk-free certificate,” has been discussed in countries like Chile as an option for people who have recovered from COVID-19 so that they could travel around and attend work. The immunity passport would, more or less, be a symbol that the holder at one point was infected with the virus and successfully recovered, meaning that they possessed antibodies within them and were unlikely to be infected again. For Free Download: www.hempublishers.comET] Mele enn la ERED GIS —— = FN selon es Encyclopedia GENERAL enon tite Mah (MCQs) Wen calla mnyaaehk &0 Pe eI Cd Bal) UL " 4 \@ 22 *s wy Buy Online www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com _ PAKISTAN AFFAIRS How ‘Teleschool' Can Revolutionize Pakistan's Education System Launched amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the new television channel could give children the tools they need to succeed as citizens and beyond. By: Nadia Naviwala The Test transmission of PTV Tele School Channel has started Pakistan Electronic Media and Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued a notification to all the cable tv operators across the country to add PTV Tele School ‘Channel. This PTV Tele school channel will mostly play Sabaq.pk content from 2 pm-6 pm covering grades 9-12 for Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, Computer Science, General Math, and General Science. The PTV Tele School notification issued by PEMRA states: In wake of the current Corona Pandemic and subsequent closure of schools and Colleges, PTV is in the process of launching a new education channel “TELE SCHOOL” in collaboration with Ministry of Higher Education & Professional Training. Further mentioning: All Cable TV Operators are hereby directed to ensure the transmission / relaying of PTV Tele channel “TELE SCHOOL", Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com Monthly HSM.CSS Times PAKISTAN AFFAIRS 82. DAILY TIME TABLE In the early 1990s in Pakistan, state television aired programs that were designed to amuse TIME GRADE children such as “Ainak Wala Jin” ("The Spectacled Genie”). For decades, however, 8:00AM GRADE KG &! children's media has been curiously absent in BSA Pakistan, That changed in April 2020 when 8:30AM state television launched a new channel, Sena GRADE I Teleschool, in the wake of school closures due paar to COVID-19. With the Pakistani curriculum: jOMSAR GRADE Il now beaming into millions of homes — nationwide, the country has a chance to re- 10:45AM think the content of its failed education LISA: an system and how children’s television media 7 can help fill the gap. 12:15PM GRADE V In 2014, Iwas U.S. Institute of Peace- USIP’s —_ country representative in Pakistan, where we aw GRADE VI funded children's media with a 3D cartoon 2 { called “Quaid Se Batein” (QSB), or “Talks with 12:45PM Jinnah," designed to teach children civics. The oxtspm | GRAPE c three-minute long episodes followed a little ae girl named Zainab who runs into problems, 02:00PM GRADE vill such as trash on the street, her father ———} forbidding her to play with a friend who is oe GRADE IX ferent,” or being told that girls can't play cricket. Zainab takes a nap and meets 03:00PM Pakistan's founding father Jinnah inadream = = —_ 04:00PM es who shows her why these norms must a... 1 change. She wakes up and leads her peers in ore GRADE XI addressing the problem. QSB got free prime i time airing on Pakistan's largest private 05:00PM GRADER television channel and went viral with 14 06:00PM million views on YouTube. It was also used in government schools. if they enjoy it they will do it repeatedly. That The Importance of Repetition and repetition is the path to impact. Engagement Research on how media impacts behavior In the zeal to educate children, it iseasy for suggests that repetition and extended adults to forget how important it is to engage _exposure are key. Watching violent media or them. It is difficult to force children todo or —_seeing a Coke advertisement can prime a watch something that they do not enjoy. But _ person's behavior immediately afterwards but Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com -——— =F got govok SS Nay BM ORS A OF sya Ey gs a single exposure is not likely to shift behavior in the long run, or even be remembered, But continuous exposure to certain content can have a more permanent effect on how the brain is wired “The value of using art, stories, and other indirect methods with children is that it can mask education as entertainment,” said Iqbal, “If you engage kids by involving them in an entertaining story or piquing their curiosity, they will learn without realizing that they are being taught” The challenge is that those who produce children’s media are, by default, adults. With QSB, we thought children would be _PAKISTANAFFAIRS —s_—s BB vw Boll. pushing u fpegaet enon ne itd Abe otaSLY SPE Gyre $l 4A tolsiot er enthralled by the Pixar-quality 3D animation Instead, they saw through the lack of character and plot development. What we saw as meaningful lessons about civic behavior was lecturing and moralizing. While we saw the main character as empowered, some girls wondered why she kept dozing off at critical moments and relied so much on Jinnah to enlighten her rather than figuring things out on her own The lessons abounded. "She was too adult-ish for kids,” said Hassan bin Rizwan, co-founder and CEO of Muse. “She looked like a 4 year old but talked like a 12 or 13 year old.” On engagement tests, children tensed when they Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comWe are Looking for Writers Required Areas of Expertise are CSS/PMS/PCS. Experienced Teachers and Qualified CSPs F Contact us at 042-37171280, 37171281 or kamran.munir@ilmikitabkhana.comMonthly HSM CSS Times May 2020 tried to understand Jinnah's formal Urdu vocabulary. In stores, salespeople told us merchandise for the socially motivated action cartoon, “Burka Avenger,’ sold out while Zainab and Quaid were still on the shelves. If we had understood the importance of engaging children, we would have involved them in production and content testing, as Nickelodeon, “Sesame Street,” and Orenda in Pakistan do.Orenda's thesis, based on observation of children in government schools, is that engagement is central to learning and wanting to go to school. But schools are not engaging children. “Children complain that they are bored and will physically escape schools during the day,” said Haroon Yasin, co-founder and CEO of the Orenda Project. They animated the curriculum, now available as an app, Taleemabad, and airing as part of Teleschool Adapting the Stallings Classroom Observation System, they observed students watching it noting signs of disengagement "When their attention was falling, we added an element of surprise and action,” said Yasin, "Anything that is a break away from the normal—a sudden plot change, a scuffle, a loud noise.” According to Iqbal, recognizing children as independent human beings rather than as extensions of parents and teachers is a matter of child rights. “Everyone is trying to teach [children] and treat them as dependents. As a society, we don't understand children. The priorities are to entertain, inspire, then educate. Otherwise it doesn't work.” Pakistan's federal education ministry mobilized rapidly to get Teleschool on air. Three hundred companies, organizations, and people donated their content. The World Bank stepped in to support the hourly cost of a new broadcast. The adults involved with Teleschool hope the effort will sustain past the COVID-19 crisis as a way to reach out-of- school children and illiterate adults. State television, called Pakistan Television (PTV), covers 90 percent of Pakistan's territory. Sixty-three percent of Pakistani households UPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com PAKISTAN AFFAIRS 85 have televisions. By contrast, only 36 percent have mobile internet, but even fewer would know how to navigate it given language and literacy barriers. Phones also tend to be ‘owned by men. Engaging children while teaching them will be a challenge for Teleschool. With an absence of local language children’s media, storybooks—only 2.5 percent of children under five in Punjab have three or more storybooks—and the second-largest out-of- school population in the world, the country's record on engaging children’s creative capacities is low. "Papa says you should study not play,” one fifth grade girl told me. In speaking to students, we found that they have little time for play. After school, most of them went to tutors and madrassa where they learn to read the Quran. By the time they got home, it was time for dinner and perhaps some chores or watching the news with family. Strengthening Pakistan's Education System Teleschool has an opportunity to correct for the country's education system, which is deeply flawed in its design. Despite “model” curricula, only an estimated 4 to 12 percent of third graders in Pakistan would be considered fluent readers who comprehend most of what they are reading. Urdu, the national language but the mother tongue for only 8 percent of the country, is often pointed to as the most hated and difficult subject. Pakistan's insistence on the use of languages in schools that children and teachers don't Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.comUPLOADED BY HSM PUBLISHERS www.hsmpublishers.com understand has resulted in a loss of language skills—perhaps explaining, at least in part, why “Tom and Jerry,” which has no language, was the most favorite cartoon in our sample of fifth graders. Teleschool should focus on building language, literacy, and cognitive skills, which most Pakistani children lack regardless of their age or grade. The channel's content can be iterated for local language channels so children in Pakistan can finally be educated in their mother tongue, in line with international best practice. Same-language subtitling has been shown to boost literacy with children and adults, Characters can help children gradually build vocabulary in Urdu and English. Language, literacy, and cognitive skills are what many of us once gained from shows like "Sesame Street.” They are the basis for building citizenship, critical thinking and creativity, and habits for lifelong learning “sim Sim Hamara,' Pakistan's USAID-funded PAKISTAN AFFAIRS co Read Cee cere) "Sesame Street” which was quickly dismantled when newspapers reported never-proven rumors of corruption, deserves a second chance. "There is this big dilemma about what kids want and what the adults want the kids to want,” said Rizwan, “We engaged a comedian to explain a science lesson. When we shared it with the experts they objected ... But kids loved it. How do you solve for that?” In making content for children, we should listen to them. Content will need testing, to find the right balance between education and entertainment. To shape the next generation of citizens, we must first engage them. When a child demands, “do it again!” then we, adults, are finally on the right path to having that impact and sustainability. Courtesy: U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP was established by Congress in 1984 as an independent institution devoted to the nonviolent prevention and mitigation of deadly conflict abroad.) Monthly HSM CSS Times (E Magazine) | May 2020 | For Free Download: www.hsmpublishers.com