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October 16, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Pakistan to remain on FATF grey list till February
• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has decided in principle that Pakistan will remain on its grey list till next February and directed Islamabad to take `extra measures` for `complete` elimination of terror financing and money laundering.
• An FATF meeting in Paris on October 15, 2019 reviewed the measures that Islamabad has already taken to control money laundering and terror financing. However, the meeting observed that Islamabad will have to take further steps in these four months.
• The FATF has linked the blacklisting of Pakistan with unsatisfactory steps to curb money laundering and terror financing. The FATF will make final decision in Feb 2020.
• A formal announcement about these developments will be made on Oct 18 this year.
2. William, Kate meet PM, hail Pakistan as `key partner`
• Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton on October 15, 2019 met Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi as they officially started the trip assuring the Pakistani leadership of the United Kingdom`s continued support in dealing with the challenges their country faces.
• `You can rely on us to keep playing an important role as a key partner and your friend,` Prince William said at a reception hosted by the British High Commission for Pakistani business and political elite at the National Monument.
• Assuring Pakistan of the UK`s continued support, he said the two countries `share unique bonds` and it was in Britain`s `best interest` to see Pakistan succeed. `I know that the UK and Pakistan will continue to exemplify the very best in international cooperation,` he said towards the end of his speech in which he spoke about Pakistan`s immense potential and the challenges it faces, especially those related to education, climate change, population growth and water scarcity.
3. Royal couple begin tour with school, Margalla Hills visits
• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton began their tour of Pakistan on October 15, 2019 with a day of education, conservation and official engagements in the capital.
• The British royal couple first visited the Islamabad Model School for Girls in Quaid-i-Azam University Colony. They were received by the school`s principal Noorul Ain and Area Education Officer Sohail Khan.
• They interacted with students and teachers in various classes, and were briefed on a teaching fellowship programme run by Teach for Pakistan, a partner of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).
4. Riyadh urged to resolve row with Tehran thru talks
• Continuing with his endeavour to facilitate rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Prime Minister Imran Khan on October 15, 2019 met Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to encourage a negotiated settlement of disputes with Iran.
• A statement issued by the Foreign Office said that Prime Minister Khan advised the monarch to peacefully resolve regional disputes through diplomacy.
• The statement did not say how King Salman responded to Mr Khan`s suggestion.
• Saudi Arabia has in the past shunned such initiatives by Pakistan.
• Pakistan has tried to mediate on four occasions in the past most lately in 2016 when the then PM Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif visited Tehran and Riyadh to defuse the situation in the aftermath of execution of Saudi Shia cleric Baqir Al-Nimr. A curtain-raiser issued by the FO earlier in the day had also said the trip was part of Mr Khan`s `initiative for peace and security in the region`.
October 16, 2019: International Current Affairs
5. Growth to slow down to 2.4pc in 2020: IMF
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 14, 2019 estimated that Pakistan`s economy would slow down to 2.4 per cent in 2020 and pick up quickly after that as stabilisation measures bear result.
• Speaking at a news conference at the launch of the World Economic Outlook 2019, IMF`s economist Gian Maria Milesi Ferrtti said Pakistani authorities remained steadfast on fiscal adjustment and the country was now picking up stability as a result.
• He was responding to a question as to how the renewed tension on Kashmir could impact growth prospects in India and Pakistan, put to Gita Gopinath, the IMF Economic Counsellor and Director of Research Department.
6. World economy `precarious`, no room for mistakes: IMF
• The world economy is slowing to its weakest pace since the global financial crisis, as the US-China trade war and other factors like Brexit undercut business confidence and investment, the IMF said.
• It warned that the outlook is beset by risks, and urged policymakers to work to find resolutions to trade disputes, since there are limited tools to respond to a new crisis.
• `With a synchronised slowdown and uncertain recovery, the global outlook remains precarious, International Monetary Fund chief economist Gita Gopinath said in her introduction to the latest forecasts.
• The IMF for the past year has every three months cut projected growth for 2019 as trade conflicts worsened.
• In its latest World Economic Outlook, it trimmed the estimate by another two tenths, to 3.0 per cent.
7. India blocks SMS services in held Kashmir after trucker killed
• Text messaging services were blocked in held Kashmir just hours after being restored when a truck driver was killed by suspected militants and his vehicle set ablaze, authorities said on October 15, 2019.
• Indian security sources said the decision to cut text messaging services was taken to reduce the ability of militants to communicate.
• Authorities had only restored call and text services for mobile phones on Monday, following a 72-day blackout in the restive northern territory imposed after New Delhi scrapped the region`s semi-autonomous status.
• The seven million-plus people of held Kashmir the main hotbed of resistance to Indian rule are still cut off from the inter-net, however
8. Archaeologists uncover 20 ancient coffins in Luxor
• Egypt`s Antiquities Ministry says archaeologists have uncovered at least 20 ancient wooden coffins in the southern city of Luxor.
• A brief statement from the ministry said on October 15, 2019 archaeologists found the coffins in the Asasif Necropolis.
• The necropolis, located in the ancient town of West Thebes, includes tombs dating back to the Middle, New Kingdom and the Late Periods (1994 BC to 332 BC).Photos from the ministry show coloured coffins with inscriptions and paintings. The ministry described it as one of the `biggest and most important` discoveries in recent years.
October 16, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
9. Wrestler Inam claims gold at World Beach Games
• Pakistan`s top grappler Mohammad Inam Butt won the gold medal at the inaugural ANOC World Beach Games in the Qatari capital Doha, defeating Georgia`s Dato Marsagishvili in the 90kg final at Katara Beach.
• The 30-year-old is Pakistan`s lone participant among 1237 athletes from 97 countries, who are competing in 14 different disciplines at the Games that started Friday and end on Wednesday. A total of 350 medals are up for grabs at the Games which were created by the world`s Olympic committees and announced in 2015.
• Inam, Pakistan`s sole gold medalist in last year`s Commonwealth Games lived up to expectations as he defeated Marsagishvili 5-2 after a thrilling contest
10. Shahid Afridi launches `Road to Education Tour`
• Former captain and all rounder Shahid Afridi on October 15, 2019 launched his new project `Road to Education Tour` to further the cause of girls education in Pakistan.
• Announcing the details of the project at a crowded press conference at his residence along with squash legend and SAF president Jahangir Khan, Afridi said: `This project will be launched Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) and will start from Multan on Oct 21 and end at Lahore on Oct 31.
