June 2019

Day by Day Current Affairs (June 19, 2019) | MCQs for CSS, PMS

Day by Day Current Affairs (June 19, 2019), MCQs for CSS, PMS
Written by Shahzad F. Malik
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 19, 2019: National Current Affairs


1. KP unveils surplus budget with record development outlay

• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on June 18, 2019 unveiled a Rs900 billion surplus budget for 2019-20 with a record development outlay of Rs319hn.
• KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra presented the budget.
• It was the Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf government`s seventh consecutive budget for the province in which, for the first time, allocations for the merged tribal districts were presented before the provincial assembly.
• The finance minister said that it was a historic moment as for the first time the assembly was witnessing one budget for a new and larger Pakhtunkhwa.
• The budget has been pitched at Rs900bn, of which Rs693bn would be spent in the settled districts, while remaining Rs162bn has been allocated to the tribal districts.
• The province`s current expenditures have been projected at Rs535bn, including an allocation of Rs79hn for merged districts, while development outlay has been pitched at Rs319bn, including Rs83bn for development in merged districts, leaving a surplus of Rs45bn.


2. AJK govt presents over Rs120 billion deficit-free budget

• The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on June 18, 2019 unveiled apparently a deficit free budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 in the Legislative Assembly with a record outlay of Rs121.56 billion.
• Presented by minister for finance Dr Najeeb Nagi the budget proposed Rs97 billion for recurring expenditures and the rest Rs24.56 billion for developmental activities.
• The assembly session, which was presided over by Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir, witnessed commotion from beginning to end, as opposition lawmakers accused the government of pushing them to the wall for the past three years.
• Not only that the government had disregarded its promises to the opposition, it had also evaded recommendations from the opposition, thus leaving them with no option but to reject the `fraud` budget, maintained the opposition lawmakers.


3. Pakistan, WB sign three loan agreements for $918 million

• Pakistan and the World Bank (WB) on June 18, 2019 signed three loan agreements under which the Washington based lending agency would provide $918 million to help the Pakistani government expand the country`s tax base and improve education standards in strategic economic sectors.
• The financing agreements were signed by Economic Affairs Secretary Noor Ahmed and World Bank`s Country Director Patchamuthu Illangovan here on June 18, 2019. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh witnessed the signing ceremony.
• Under the first agreement, the WB would provide $400m loan to help the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) introduce key reforms in its administrative and technological areas. The loan programme had been under negotiations for almost 18 months and was approved by the WB`s board of directors last week.
• Under the second agreement, the WB would extend $400m loan for strengthening the Higher Education Commission. The loan programme is aimed to support research excellence in strategic sectors of the economy, improve teaching and learning and strengthen governance in the higher education sector.
• The third loan worth $118m is meant for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa`s Revenue Mobilisation and Resource Management Programme.


4. Pakistan, eight other countries to account for half of population growth by `50

• The world`s population is expected to increase from 7.7 billion currently to 9.7bn by 2050, and Pakistan will be among the nine countries where more than half of the projected increase will be concentrated, according to projections released by the United Nations.
• According to the World Population Prospects 2019 released by the UN Population Division, the population of Pakistan currently is 217 million, which is 12 million (5.9 per cent) more than the previous estimate from the 2017 revision.
• The population was revised based on the new results of the 2017 census. Previous assessments of total fertility rate and life expectancy at birth were revised slightly upward.
• Between now and 2050, the other eight countries that will make up more than half the projected growth of the global population are India, Nigeria, Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the United States. Around 2027, India is projected to overtake China as the world`s most populous country.


5. Use of drones, flying cameras banned in Punjab

• Operating a drone, remote controlled aircraft, flying cameras and balloons in any part of Punjab could lead to registration of a case which carries a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment.
• The Punjab government imposed a ban on flying unmanned aerial drones and other flying machines which will remain in force across the province, including Rawalpindi, for a period of two months.
• The home department in exercise of powers under Section 144(6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 prohibited the use of flying unmanned drones, remote controlled model aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, flying cameras, quad copters, helicoms and balloons for all types of aerial media coverage and sports activities etc.
• A legal expert from the police department said Section 144 empowers the district administration to issue orders in public interest that may place a ban on an activity for a specific period of time.


6. Senate body unanimously passes Post Office Bill

• The Senate Standing Committee on Postal Services on June 18, 2019 unanimously passed a bill to empower the post office department to improve its services and compete with the private sector.
• The `Post Office Bill 2019` was tabled by Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) Senator Khushbakht Shujat during the sitting of the house on March 4. The draft bill was referred by the chairman to the standing committee on postal services for consideration and finalising a report for presentation in the house.
• The meeting was attended by Senator Anwar Lal Dean, Senator Khushbakht Shujat and senior officers of the Ministry of Postal Services.


June 19, 2019: International Current Affairs


7. US sending troops to Mideast amid Gulf tensions over Iran

• The US is sending 1,000 more troops to the Middle East as tensions in the Gulf mounted on June 18, 2019 over Iran`s announcement it will not comply with the international agreement that keeps it from making nuclear weapons. At the same time, Iran insisted it was not seeking war.
• Iran`s announcement on June 18, 2019 that it could soon start enriching uranium to just a step away from weapons-grade levels challenged President Donald Trump`s assurances to allies that the US withdrawal from the deal last year made the world a safer place.
• The Pentagon responded by ordering 1,000 more troops to the Middle East, including security forces for additional surveillance and intelligence-gathering. The escalation of American military might was aimed at deterring Iran and calming allies worried about the safety of strategic shipping lanes.


8. Qatar sends technical experts to Israel, eyes new Gaza power line

• A Qatari technical delegation held talks in Israel and the Gaza Strip this week about helping pay for a proposed new power line between them, officials on both sides said on June 18, 2019, marking a potential expansion of Doha`s aid efforts for Palestinians.
• Qatar has in recent years funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars into relief projects in Hamas-controlled Gaza, which it views as helping stave off privation and fighting with Israel.
• The intervention is approved by Israel but has gone largely unacknowledged by rightist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, along with US-allied Arab leaders, has cold-shouldered Doha for its ties to Iran and Islamist groups like Hamas.
• Spearheading the Qatari drive has been envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi,who Palestinian officials said this week brought $10 million to Gaza, via Israel, to disburse to the poor.


9. Facebook unveils plans for new cryptocurrency called Libra

• Facebook unveiled plans on June 18, 2019 for a new global cryptocurrency called Libra, pledging to bring a stable virtual money that lives on smartphones and brings the `unbanked` billions into the financial system.
• The Libra coin plan, backed by financial and nonprofit partners, represents an ambitious new initiative for the world`s biggest social network with the potential to bring cryptomoney out of the shadows and into the mainstream.
• Facebook and some two dozen partners released a prototype of Libra as an open source code for developers interested in weaving it into apps, services or businesses ahead of a rollout as global digital money next year.
• The nonprofit Libra Association base d in Geneva will oversee the blockchain based coin, maintaining a real-world asset reserve to keep its value stable.


June 19, 2019: Sports Current Affairs


10. Record-breaking Morgan steals thunder as England whip Afghanistan

• England captain Eoin Morgan set a new world record of 17 sixes in an individual One-day International innings as the World Cup hosts thrashed Afghanistan by 150 runs here on June 18, 2019.
• Victory at Old Trafford saw favourites England go ahead of holders Australia to sit top of the World Cup group table on net run-rate.
• Morgan`s six-hitting spree in his career-best 148 set the tone for England`s team total of 25 sixes, which was also a new ODI innings record.
• The Dubliner`s innings was the centre-piece of England`s commanding score 397-6, That was the highest total of the tournament so far and the largest England had made at any World Cup, surpassing their 386-6 against Bangladesh in Cardiff 10 days ago.


Day by Day Current Affairs (June 19, 2019), MCQs for CSS, PMS

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Shahzad F. Malik

Shahzad Faisal Malik is the administrator of CSSTimes.pk and is responsible for managing the content, design, and overall direction of the blog. He has a strong background in Competitive Exams and is passionate and sharing information with others.
Shahzad Faisal Malik has worked as a Graphic Designer/Content Creator at CSSTimes in the past. In his free time, Shahzad Faisal Malik enjoys watching Cricket, writing blogs for different websites and is always on the lookout for new and interesting content to share with the readers of this website.
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