Day by Day Current Affairs (February 20 2020) MCQs for CSS, PMS

WELCOME TO CSS TIMES DAY BY DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS, YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR UP-TO-DATE AND DAILY TOP CURRENT AFFAIRS 2019 FOR PREPARATION OF CSS, PMS, BANKING, NTS, RAILWAYS AND ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS. “DAY TO DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS” BASICALLY IS TOP 10 NEWS SUMMARY ON CURRENT HAPPENINGS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE FOR ALL EXAMINATIONS

February 20, 2020: National / International Current Affairs

1. Rabbani submits bill in Senate to amend colonial-era sedition law

• Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Mian Raza Rabbani submitted a private members` bill to the Senate Secretariat, seeking to amend a British colonial era sedition law Section 124-A of the PakistanPenalCode,1860.
• The bill moved by the PPP leader on February 18, 2020 states that Section 124-A is part of the inherited colonial structure of governance that continues in Pakistan.
• `This section was for the natives who had to be kept under control lest they incited rebelling against the masters,` it states.
• This law served as a brutal occupying force and today is being applied with increasing regularity to crush political dissent and make the citizen submit to unquestionable obedience, it further states.

2. UN Secretary General departs after historic Pakistan visit

• The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres departs Pakistan in the wee hours of February 19, 2020 after the historic four-day visit to the country.
• Pakistan’s permanent representative at the United Nations Munir Akram was present at the airport to see off Antonio Guterres. During his four-day stay in Pakistan Antonio Guterres participated in the “International Conference on 40 Years of Hosting Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: A New Partnership for Solidarity” and delivered a keynote address.
• UN chief also held meetings with President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan. He also held a separate meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Antonio Gutres lauded Pakistan s efforts in fight against terrorism

3. New CTO takes charge

• Captain (Retired) Syed Hammad Abid on February 19, 2020, took charge of Chief Traffic Officer. Prior to this, Syed Hammad has served as DPO Jehlum and CTD Lahore.
• He has also served in Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar respectively. A Command sharing ceremony was arranged at CTO office in which Syed Hammad Abid presented a bouquet of flowers to Captain (R) Liaqat Ali.

4. Soaring temp: UAE’s deputy PM cuts short Pakistan visit

• United Arab Emirates (UAE) Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al-Naihan cut short his private visit to Cholistan in Rahim Yar Khan and returned to the UAE on February 19, 2020.
• On this occasion, stringent security measures were taken and the Royal Guards of the UAE had taken Chandna Airport into protective custody.
• It has been learnt that Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed has cut short his visit due to unexpected rise in temperature in Cholistan.

5. Iran reports first two cases of coronavirus

• Iranian authorities confirmed on February 19, 2020 two cases of the new coronavirus, the first in the country, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.
• The report did not elaborate on the nationality of the two people infected. ISNA quoted an official in the country’s health ministry, Kiyanoush Jahanpour, as saying that “since last two days, some suspected cases of the new coronavirus were found.”
• Jahanpour did not say how many people were suspected of having the virus, which causes the illness that the World Health Organization recently named COVID-19, referring to its origin late last year and the coronavirus that causes it. He said the two confirmed cases were detected in the central province of Qom.

6. Queen Elizabeth ‘bans use of Sussex Royal brand’

• Queen Elizabeth has reportedly banned the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from using their Sussex Royal brand.
• The loved-up couple – who recently decided to step down as senior members of the royal family – have already spent tens of thousands of pounds on a new Sussex Royal website to supplement their Instagram page, but following lengthy talks, the Queen has decided the Duke and Duchess can’t retain the word ‘’royal’’ in their brand.
• A source told the Daily Mail newspaper: ‘’’In many ways this is inevitable given their decision to step down, but it must surely come as a blow to the couple as they have invested everything into the Sussex Royal brand The Queen would have had little choice, however

7. China withdraw from Davis Cup tie due to virus

• China have been forced to pull out of next month`s Davis Cup play-off with Romania due to the ongoing deadly coronavirus outbreak, the International Tennis Federation announced (ITF) said on February 19, 2020.
• They were due to travel to the Romanian city of Piatra Nemat for qualifying matches in the second-tier competition in March. `The Davis Cup Committee has accepted the withdrawal of China, P.R. from their Davis Cup World Group I play-off against Romania on March 6-7,` the ITF tweeted

8. Coronavirus: Russia bars entry of Chinese citizens

• Russia will not allow Chinese citizens to enter its territory from February 20, 2020 onwards, according to an order by the government.
• The decision comes in light of the rising death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China, which exceeded 2,000 on February 19, 2020 .
• Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed an order on Tuesday prohibiting the delivery of work, tourist, and student visas to Chinese nationals. Chinese citizens have also been barred from applying for these visas starting Wednesday. The restrictions, however, do not apply to transit passengers.

9. Patient plays violin during brain surgery

• A patient at a British hospital played Mahler and Gershwin on the violin while a tumour was removed from her brain so that surgeons could preserve her ability to play music and her 40-year passion for the instrument.
• Dagmar Turner, 53, a former management consultant from the Isle of Wight, played her violin during an operation to remove a tumour from the right frontal lobe of her brain close to the area that controls the fine movement of her left hand.
• To prevent any damage to her violin skills, Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, Consultant Neurosurgeon at King`s College Hospital, came up with a plan: they would map her brain, open the skull and then get her to play as they removed the tumour.

10. Most-awaited PSL 2020 commences today

• The most-awaited HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 will roll into action today (February 20, 2020), with defending champions Quetta Gladiators will be taking on two-time champions Islamabad United in the opener, followed by a grand opening ceremony at Karachi’s National Stadium.
• The cricket-crazy nation will be served with thrilling encounters across the country as all six captains aim for berths in the 22nd March final at the Gaddafi Stadium, for a shot at the US$500,000, the winning prize money, and the brand new glittering trophy.
• The entire PSL-5 is taking place in Pakistan for the first time in its young history, with Karachi set to host nine fixtures, Lahore fourteen, Rawalpindi eight and Multan three between February 20 to March 22, the concluding day of PSL-5, when its final will be staged at historical Gaddafi Stadium.

Check our daily updated ‘s Complete Day by Day Current Affairs Notes

February 2020:
[catlist name=”February 2020″]

January 2020:
[catlist name=”January 2020″]

December 2019:
[catlist name=”December 2019″]

November 2019:
[catlist name=”November 2019″]