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June 20, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Balochistan unveils Rs419b deficit budget
• The Balochistan government on June 19, 2019 unveiled the budget amounting to Rs 419 billion for the financial year 2019-20, proposing special measures for the uplift of different social sector development projects including health, education, communication and other developmental projects.
• The budget was presented in the Provincial Assembly by Finance Minister Zahoor Ahmed Buledi. The session was chaired by Speaker Abdul Qaddus Bizenjo.
• Presenting the budget, the Finance Minister said that out of the total budget outlay of over Rs 419 billion, Rs 26 billion had been allocated for development programmes and Rs 257 billion for non-development expenditures while the budget deficit during the next fiscal year was estimated at Rs 48 billion. He said that an amount of Rs 60 billion had been set aside for the education sector and Rs 44.6 billion for improving the law and order situation in the province.
• The Minister said that receivable income from the Federal government was estimated at Rs 339 billion and special allocation was made for the promotion of education in the province. He said that sufficient amount was also earmarked for the health, power sector and irrigation. The government, he said, had proposed 10pc ad hoc relief for the government servants from grade-1 to 16, while 5 pc relief was proposed for officials of grade 17-20, whereas the minimum wage was fixed at Rs 17,500 per month.
2. Army chief offers security cooperation to Iraq
• Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa on June 19, 2019 of fered security cooperation to Iraq.
• The army chief was speaking to Iraq`s Acting Defence Secretary Lt Gen (Staf f) Pilot Muhammad Salim Al Araji, who called on him at the General Headquarters.
• It should be recalled that the defence secretary had a day earlier renewed Pakistan`s offer to train Iraq`s armed forces and augment bilateral defence cooperation.
3. Two Naval Commodores made Rear Admiral
• Two Commodores of Pakistan Navy were promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on June 19, 2019.
• These officials include Rear Admiral Muhammad Saeed and Rear Admiral Abdul Samad. Both the rear admirals have served at important command and staff positions during their career.
• Rear Admiral Saeed got commission in Navy in 1988. The Flag Officer is a graduate of Navy War College Lahore, National Defence University, Islamabad, and has also done professional courses from UK and France. The Rear Admiral has an illustrious career with vast experience of various Command and Staff appointments.
• The Admiral is currently performing the duties of Director General Naval Research & Development Institute and Managing Director Platform Design House at Karachi. In recognition of his meritorious services, the Admiral was awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military).
4. Fayyaz Ahmed Qureshi assumes charge as DG NAB KP
• Fayyaz Ahmed Qureshi has assumed the charge of Director General (DG) NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wednesday relieving Mujahid Akbar Baloch.
• It merits mentioning here that Fayyaz Qureshi hails from Sindh.
• He joined National Accountability Bureau in 2004 as Additional Director and became Director in 2014.
5. Pakistan gets SCO Youth Council membership
• Pakistan has secured permanent membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Youth Council which would benefit country’s youth under various programmes of PM Youth Affairs (PMYA).
• SCO would empower maximum youth of Pakistani youth through providing diverse job opportunities across the globe. SCO will benefit youth and will give them exposure to the best international opportunities.
• SCO would select young people from the country to make them successful entrepreneurs. “It is for the first time that our country has secured permanent membership of SCO which would help empower youth socially and economically,” he stated.
• Pakistani youth would be given training as per international level to improve their skills for operating their own business. He said youth would be offered job opportunities across the globe in various sectors with the assistance of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
6. Pakistan records 4th highest temperature on Earth
• Following years of tireless investigation, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that two recent temperature readings have been accepted among the hottest recorded on Earth. One of the scorching marks came from the Middle East, the other from South Asia. According to the WMO the Mitrabah observation, in the northwest of Kuwait, saw temperatures hit 53.9°C on July 21, 2016. It is also the highest temperature ever recorded in Asia.
• The WMO also confirmed that the fourth highest temperature (53.7°C) was noted in Turbat, in southern Balochistan, Pakistan, on May 28, 2017. “The Mitribah, Kuwait temperature is now accepted by the WMO as the highest temperature ever recorded for the continental region of Asia,” the organisation wrote in a statement. It continued, “The two observations are the third (tied within uncertainty limits) and fourth highest WMO-recognized temperature extremes.” Both readings are also the highest temperatures recorded on the planet in the past 76 years.
• “This investigation highlights the fact that we can now conduct extremely in-depth analysis of weather extremes,” said Randall Cerveny, chief rapporteur of climate and weather extremes for the WMO.
June 20, 2019: International Current Affairs
7. Belt and Road Initiative can lift 32m out of poverty: WB
• China`s massive Belt and Road infrastructure drive could speed up economic development and reduce poverty for dozens of developing countries, the World Bank said in a new report that called for deep policy reforms and more transparency for the initiative.
• The long-delayed report said that the Belt and Road a string of ports, railways, roads and bridges and other investments connecting China to Europe via central and southern Asia could lif t 32 million people out of moderate poverty conditions if implemented fully.
• Still, there are `significant risks, the World Bank said.
• `Achieving the ambitions of the Belt and Road Initiative will require equally ambitious reforms from participating countries,` World Bank Vice President for Equitable Growth Ceyla Pazarbasioglu said in a statement.
8. Russians, Ukrainian to face charges over downing of Malaysian plane
• Three Russians and a Ukrainian will face murder charges for the deaths of 298 people aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 that was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014, the international investigative team said on June 19, 2019.
• The suspects are likely to be tried in absentia in proceedings set to start in the Netherlands next March. Dutch authorities said Russia has not cooperated with the inquiry and is not expected to surrender defendants.
• The Russian Foreign Ministry denied that it had not cooperated while saying on Wednesday the investigation was intended to damage Moscow`s reputation.
9. UK makes `first` conviction over 3D printed gun
• A student was convicted on June 19, 2019 of manufacturing a firearm using a 3D printer, in what London`s police said they believed was the first such successful prosecution in Britain.
• Tendai Muswere, 26, pleaded guilty to making the 3D printed gun, in a hearing at Southwark Crown Court in the British capital.
• Police searched Muswere`s central London home on drugs grounds in October 2017. They found evidence of cannabis cultivation and also components of a 3D printed gun, capable of firing a lethal shot.
• Zimbabwean national Muswere, who does not hold a firearms licence, said he was printing the firearm for a university film project and claimed he did not know that the components were capable of firing.
June 20, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
10. Williamson guides Kiwis to victory, dashes Proteas hopes
• Kane Williamson produced a classy innings to lead New Zealand to a tense four-wicket victory against South Africa at Edgbaston on June 19, 2019, all but ending the Proteas` World Cup semi-final hopes.
• The Black Caps` skipper kept his cool at the end of a nerve-jangling match that went down to the last over with eight still required, hoisting Andile Phehlukwayo for a huge six over midwicket to bring up a majestic century.
• He sliced the next ball for four as New Zealand reached their target of 242 with three balls to spare in a match reduced to 49 overs due to a wet outfield.
• The win puts New Zealand on top of the 10-team table in the round-robinphase of the competition in England and Wales while South Africa are third from bottom after just one win in six matches.
