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
June 16, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Minister resigns after arrested by NAB
• Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Muhammad Sibtain Khan on June 15, 2019 resigned as Punjab Minister for Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries after National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested him in a corruption case.
• The resignation has been forwarded to Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.
• The PTI leader is accused of awarding illegal contract worth billions of rupees in Chiniot in 2007 when he was serving as Punjab Minister for Mines and Minerals. No other company was considered during the bidding process for the contract, NAB Lahore said.
2. ADB to provide $3.4bn loan for budgetary support
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide a loan of $3.4 billion to Pakistan for budgetary support, said federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar as well as Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikhon June 15, 2019.
• The news was broken by Mr Bakhtiar who told a press conference that an agreement had been reached between the ADB and the finance ministry in this regard. Of the total amount, $2.1bn would be released within a year of the agreement.
3. Merged districts` first police station opens in Wana
• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have commissioned the first police station in WANA, the headquarters of South Waziristan tribal district.
• This is the first police station which became operational in former FATA which was merged with the province in July 2018.
• Wana was main commercial centre of the district and it was necessary to establish a police station there in a first. The building of the police station earlier in use of paramilitary force was properly renovated and now it was fully functional.
• The provincial government recently announced induction of 28,000 Khasaddar and Levies personnel into KP police. Police officers, including DPOs, have been deployed in the merged districts
June 16, 2019: International Current Affairs
4. Iran renews nuclear pact ultimatum amid tensions with US
• Iran will continue scaling back compliance with a nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact show `positive signals`, the Iranian president said on June 15, 2019 as tensions with the United States escalated over tanker attacks in the Gulf region.
• Iran stopped complying in May with some commitments in the 2015 nuclear deal that was agreed with global powers, after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 and ratcheted up sanctions on Tehran.
• `Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally,` President Hassan Rouhani told Russian, Chinese and other Asian leaders at a conference in Tajikistan.
5. Zuzana Caputova inaugurated as first Slovak woman president
• Liberal environmental activist and lawyer Zuzana Caputova was inaugurated on June 15, 2019 as the first female president of Slovakia.
• Caputova took the oath of office at a special session of parliament, becoming Slovakia`s fifth president since it gained independence after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993.
• The 45-year-old has little experience in politics but attracted voters who are appalled by corruption and mainstream politics. Her election to the largely ceremonial post defied a wave of gains for far right populists across Europe.
6. China, Russia reject calls for freeze on UN pullout from Sudan
• China and Russia rejected calls from European and African countries to freeze the planned shutdown of a peacekeeping mission to Sudan’s Darfur region.
• Britain, France, Germany and the African countries on the Security Council told the group that the decision on closing the joint UN-African Union mission should be put on hold while Sudan is engulfed in crisis. The council is scheduled to vote on the mandate of the mission, known as UNAMID, on June 27.
• “The situation has evolved, the situation is not the same in the center, and we cannot proceed as if nothing has happened,” said South Africa’s Ambassador Jerry Matjila. Russia and China however said the drawdown must continue as planned with a view to end operations in 2020.
7. Historic tower collapses in Afghanistan
• An ancient tower dating back 2,000 years in the historic Afghan city of Ghazni collapsed this week, local officials said, raising concerns about the vulnerability of the country`s cultural heritage and the government`s ability to protect them.
• The old citadel known as Ghaznain Fort originally had 36 towers, but 14 of the towers had collapsed in recent years due to decades of war, heavy rain and neglect.
• The fort is one of dozens of unique historic sites in Afghanistan ranging from the pre-Islamic Buddhist centre in the Bamyan valley to the 12th century minaret of Jam in a remote area of Ghor province in urgent need of protection.
8. `Romeo and Juliet` director Franco Zeffirelli dies at 96
• Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, who delighted audiences around the world with his romantic vision and extravagant productions, most famously captured in his cinematic `Romeo and Juliet` and the miniseries `Jesus of Nazareth,` died on June 15, 2019 at 96.
• While Zeffirelli was most popularly known for his films, his name was also inextricably linked to the theatre and opera. He produced classics for the world`s most famous opera houses, from Milan`s venerable LaScala to the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and plays for London and Italian stages. Zeffirelli`s son Luciano said his father died at home in Rome.
• Zeffirelli made it his mission to make culture accessible to the masses, often seeking inspiration in Shakespeare and other literary greats for his films, and producing operas aimed at TV audiences. Claiming no favourites, Zeffirelli once likened himself to a sultan with a harem of three: film, theatre and opera.
June 16, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
9. South Africa keep hopes alive by beating Afghanistan
• South Africa finally got a World Cup win under their belts as they eased to a nine-wicket triumph over Afghanistan on June 15, 2019 to keep alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
• Leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 4-29, engineering an Afghan collapse after a 75-minute rain break as they were dismissed for 125. Chris Morris contributed with figures of 3-13 and Andile Phehlukwayo took two wickets.
• The South Africans set about chasing a slightly adjusted target of 127 from 48 overs in cautious fashion, reaching 131-1 with 19 overs to spare. Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock shared a 104-run opening wicket partnership before De Kock was dismissed for 68.
10. Finch, Stare lead Australia rout of Sri Lanka
• Australia captain Aaron Finch and pace bowler Mitchell Starc stole the show as the holders eased to an 87-run win over Sri Lanka at The Oval on June 15, 2019.
• Finch equalled his career-best one-day international score with a masterful 153 and Steve Smith chipped in with 73 as Australia scored 334-7.
• Needing a World Cup record run-chase to claim a shock win, Sri Lanka got off to a flying start thanks to a first-wicket partnership of 115 between captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera.
• But Perera departed for 52 and when Karunaratne fell for a gallant 97 the game swung back in Australia`s direction.
