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February 22, 2020: National / International Current Affairs
1. Govt outlines steps to meet targets after FATF reprieve
• Pakistan announced on February 21, 2020 that it had formulated a broad-based strategy for taking actions for meeting its outstanding commitments with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in the next four months to get out of the grey list.
• The announcement was made by the Ministry of Finance after the weeklong FATF plenary, which concluded in Paris, noted with concern that all deadlines given to Pakistan to complete 27-point action plan had expired and yet only 14 targets had largely been completed. Pakistan has to complete the remaining 13 targets by June this year.
• The FATF urged Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by June or else it would be moved to the list of monitored jurisdiction, commonly known as the blacklist.
2. Record $2.4bn given to Pakistan in 2019: ADB
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) disbursed record $2.4 billion in development assistance to Pakistan in 2019 including $1.8bn in programme lending and $634.3 million in project lending.
• According to its year-in-review document released on February 21, 2020, the ADB disbursed $1.8bn in policy-based loans including $1bn in immediate budget support to shore up the country`s public finances and $500m to improve trade competitiveness.
• The bank also provided additional financing of $200m to help support the Benazir Income Support Programme part of the government`s flagship `Ehsaas` Poverty Alleviation Strategy aimed at reducing inequality and investing in economically disadvantaged people
3. Freight train for Afghanistan flagged off
• Pakistan Railways inaugurated the Goods in Transit to Afghanistan (GITA) Train here on February 21, 2020.
• The inauguration of the cross-border freight train is said to be one of the major achievements during the ongoing calendar year, which has been termed as `Freight Year` aimed primarily at enhancing the revenue generation via transportation of goods through cargo services.
• The train will transit cargo from Karachi towards Chaman and Kandahar.
4. US, Taliban to sign peace deal in Doha on 29th
• The US and the Taliban are set to sign a historic agreement that would pave the way to ending America`s longest war, the bitter foes announced on February 21, 2020, hours after Kabul said a week-long partial truce across Afghanistan would kick off this weekend.
• If that so-called `reduction in violence` holds, it would mark a major turning point in the grueling conflict and set the conditions for a deal that could, ultimately, pull US troops out after more than 18 years and launch Afghanistan into an uncertain future.
• Both US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Taliban issued statements saying they had agreed to sign the accord on Feb 29 in Doha, following the one week partial truce
5. Court orders dissolution of anti-military Thai party
• A stridently anti-military Thai party was dissolved on February 21, 2020 and its key members banned from politics for a decade over a $6 million loan by its billionaire founder, a withering blow to the kingdom`s pro-democracy movement.
• The ruling could edge the politically febrile kingdom whose economy is shrinking closer to the street protests that have scored much of the last 15 years of Thai history.
• The Future Forward Party (FFP), fronted by the charismatic auto-parts scion Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, emerged from nowhere in March last year to become Thailand`s third biggest party in the first elections since a 2014 coup.
6. FATF reinstates Iran on terrorism financing blacklist; Myanmar on watchlist
• The global dirty money watchdog placed Iran on its blacklist on February 21, 2020 after it failed to comply with international anti-terrorism financing norms, a move that will deepen the country`s isolation from financial markets.
• The decision came after more than three years of warnings from the Paris-based Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) urging the Islamic Republic to either enact terrorist financing conventions or see its reprieve from the blacklist lifted and some counter-measures imposed.
• The international financial watchdog also placed Myanmar on its money-laundering watchlist, urging the country at the heart of Asia`s illicit drug-producing `Golden Triangle` to boost its efforts to seize crime proceeds
7. Conservatives set to tighten grip as Iran votes for parliament
• Iran extended voting for a second time on February 21, 2020 in an election expected to see conservatives loyal to Iran`s supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei cementing their grip on power as the country faces mounting US pressure over its nuclear programme.
• The 11th parliamentary election since the 1979 Islamic Revolution comes after a surge in tensions between Tehran and Washington, and Iran`s accidental downing of a Ukrainian airliner that sparked anti-government protests.
• As he cast the first ballot in the election, Iran`s Supreme Leader urged all Iranians to take part, saying that doing so would `guarantee the country`s national interests` Voters formed long queues in the morning at polling stations in south of Tehran, where conservatives have a solid support base. Far fewer were seen waiting to vote in upmarket northern neighbourhoods.
8. Babar leads Kings to victory in high-scoring battle with Zalmi
• Inspired by a sublime Babar Azam contribution, Karachi Kings chalked up a rare victory against the formidable Peshawar Zalmi in their HBL Pakistan Super League clash here at the National Stadium on February 21, 2020.
• Requiring 16 from the final over in pursuit of a gigantic 202-run target, Peshawar were limited to only five runs by an excellent over from Umaid Asif.
9. Shan guides Sultans to victory over Qalandars
• Sensible knocks by captain Shan Masood and Rilee Rossouw inspired Multan Sultans to a five-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars in their first outing of the 5th HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Gaddafi Stadium on February 21, 2020 night.
• Set to score 139 for victory, Multan Sultans cruised to the target in 16.1 overs for the loss of five wickets, consigning the Qalandars to yet another defeat in their inaugural match at PSL.
• They had ended up at the bottom in all the previous four editions
10. Yeshaneh sets world record in half marathon
• Ababel Yeshaneh set a world record in the women`s half marathon on February 21, 2020 in the latest breakthrough by athletes wearing high-tech Nike shoes.
• The Ethiopian runner won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 31 seconds, knocking 20 seconds off the previous record set by Joyciline Jepkosgei in Valencia in 2017.
• Brigid Kosgei, the marathon world record holder, also broke Jepkosgei`s time while finishing second behind Yeshaneh.
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