11 - Day by Day Current Affairs For The Month of November 2018 PDF

DAY BY DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQS
FOR THE MONTH DECEMBER 2018
Day by Day Top-10

Current Affairs
November 2018
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November 1, 2018 bear, or takes anything from them against

their free will; I (Prophet Muhammad) will
1. SC acquits Aasia of blasphemy charge, complain against the person on the Day of
orders her release Judgment.
 In a landmark judgement, a five-judge bench  The entire judgment is punctuated with
of the Supreme Court on October 31, 2018 verses from the Holy Quran and sayings of
overturned the death sentence of a Christian the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
woman, Aasia Bibi, convicted on a 2. Pakistan offers coordinated operations
blasphemy charge and ordered her along border to Iran
immediate release from jail after around  Pakistan on October 31, 2018 offered
eight years. coordinated security operations to Iran
 `This appeal is allowed, the judgements of along the border to prevent terrorist
the [Lahore] high court as well as the trial activities.
court are reversed and consequently the  Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, while
conviction as also the sentence of death talking to Iranian journalists at the end of his
awarded to the appellant is set aside and she day-long visit to Islamabad, said: `Pakistani
is acquitted of the charge, announced Chief authorities have proposed coordinated
Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, who operations [to pre-empt terrorist incidents
headed the bench that had reserved its in future]. There appears to be a consensus
ruling on her appeal on Oct 8. within Pakistan that such incidents should
 Aasia Bibi, a mother of five, was awarded not be allowed to recur so that those
capital punishment by a trial court in elements opposed to relations between the
November 2010 for committing alleged two neighbouring Islamic countries cannot
blasphemy during an altercation with a undermine them.
Muslim woman in Sheikhupura over a glass  Mr Zarif was here on an unscheduled trip to
of water in June 2009. The Lahore High Court follow up on the discussions and the ongoing
upheld the decision of the trial court in its cooperation between the two countries for
October 2014 ruling, which was finally the recovery of Iranian border guards
reversed by the Supreme Court after hearing kidnapped by terrorists on Oct 16 from a
her appeal. `Keeping in mind the evidence post in Mirjaveh region close to the border
produced by the prosecution against the with Balochistan province. Jaish alAdl, a
alleged blasphemy committed by the terrorist group operating in the region, had
appellant, the prosecution has categorically claimed responsibility for their kidnapping.
failed to prove its case beyond reason-able Iranian leaders believe that the militants
doubt,` the chief justice observed. transferred the guards to Pakistan after
 The 34-page verdict, which begins with taking them hostage.
Qalma-i-Shahadat, concludes with a Hadith  The Iranian foreign minister, who met Prime
of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him): Minister Imran Khan, his counterpart and
`Beware! Whoever is cruel and hard on a host Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Army
non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa, looked satisfied
or burdens them with more than they can with Pakistani efforts and said that `serious
promises have been made to resolve the banned outfits in Pakistan because the
matter`. ordinance that proscribed the munder a UN
 He described his discussions as resolution had lapsed.
èncouraging`.  The new Pakistani government is working on
 A statement issued by the Foreign Office a proposal to extend the ban.
said: Ìt was agreed to continue close 5. Kanrani becomes SCBA president
consultations through the established  Amanullah Kanrani of Hamid Khan’s
multipronged mechanism between the two Professional group notched the top slot of
countries. president in annual elections of the Supreme
3. Ànti-corruption month` from Court Bar Association for year 2018-19 held
November 1, 2018 here on October 31, 2018.
 The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is  According to unofficial results, Kanrani
observing ànti-corruption month` from bagged 1092 votes while his rival candidate
Thursday (November 1, 2018). Ali Ahmad Kurd of Asma Jahangir’s
 According to a NAB statement, students of Independent group could get 950 votes.
different public and private schools, colleges  Kanrani contested the bar election for the
and universities will participate in second time on the same slot as he lost his
competitions of declamation, poetry, previous election to Kamran Murtaza in
singing, painting, drama and essay writing. 2013.
 `The competitions will last till  Azmatullah Chaudhry of Asma Jahangir's
commencement of International Anti Independent group notched the slot of
Corruption Day (Dec 9). All finalists will be Secretary by bagging 1089 votes while his
given cash prizes and appreciation rival Shamimur Rehman Malik of
certificates on Dec 9. Professional group secured 873 votes.
4. US urges Pakistan to enact law banning 6. Russia plans meeting on Afghan conflict
radical groups  Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Alexey
 Hours before members of religious Dedov has said that Moscow will soon call a
organisations spread across country to meeting of regional and international
protest a Supreme Court decision to free partners and stakeholders to work out a just
Aasia Bibi, the United States urged Pakistan solution to the Afghan issue.
to immediately enact legislation that  The meeting which was scheduled to be held
formally proscribes radical religious groups. in September was being rescheduled on
 The US suggestion followed a decision Afghan President Ashraf Ghani`s request and
announced last week for ending a ban on it would be attended by Iran, China, India,
two radical religious organisations, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat  Moscow supponed all peace initiatives to
Foundation (FIF). solve the Afghan problem as there was no
 The United States has designated both as military solution to the Afghan conflict. He
terrorist groups. said that Russia`s main aim was to maintain
 The Pakistani media reported that the two geo-political stability in the world rather
outfits temporarily came off the list of than acting like a superpower.
 `We are hopeful that intra-Afghan dialogue  Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially
will pave the way for a peaceful solution to opened the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai
decades-old Afghan issue,` the Russian Patel describing the completion of his pet
ambassador said. project as à day that will be remembered in
7. New migrant caravan departs for US the history of India`.
 ABOUT 2,000 migrants began walking north  Air force jets flew over the giant figure and
from El Salvador`s capital on October 31, clouds of rose petals were dropped from
2018, the latest of several groups trying to helicopters onto its head as Modi bent in
reach the United States, even as President front of the statue on the ground.
Donald Trump increases pressure to halt the  Modi hailed Sardar Patel`s `strategic
flow of people. thinking` in bringing together the disparate
 The migrants departed in two groups, country after independence in 1947 and
including men and women pushing strollers described the Statue of Unity as à symbol of
and others with children on their shoulders. our engineering and technical prowess`.
A separate group comprising about 300 9. UN wants to re-launch Yemen talks
people set off for the US border from the after US call for ceasefire
Salvadoran capital.  The United Nations said on October 31, 2018
 A caravan estimated to number at least it aims to re-launch Yemen peace talks
3,500 people, which left Honduras in mid- `within a month`, shortly after the United
October and is now in southern Mexico, has States called for the warring parties to come
become a major issue in US congressional to the negotiating table.
elections on Nov 6. The bulk of migrants  UN envoy Martin Griffiths welcomed calls for
caught trying to enter the United States an immediate resumption of talks and a
illegally via Mexico come from El Salvador, ceasefire in Yemen.
Honduras and Guatemala. Many make the  Mattis said the US is calling for the warring
dangerous journey north to escape high sides to meet Griffith sin Sweden in
levels of poverty and violence in their November.
homelands. The United States is in the 10. Pakistan beat NZ by two runs in T20
process of sending 5,200 troops to its thriller
southern border as part of Trump`s
 Left-arm pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi
crackdown on illegal immigration. The
defended 17 runs in the last over as Pakistan
prospect has so far not discouraged people
defeated New Zealand by two runs in a
from leaving El Salvador.
thrilling finish to the first Twenty20
8. India inaugurates world`s tallest statue international in Abu Dhabi on October
 India inaugurated the world`s tallest statue 31,2018.
on October 31, 2018 with fireworks, folk  The victory gave world number one ranked
dances and floral tributes, deploying tight Pakistan their seventh consecutive win since
security amid an outcry by local groups over July and 15th in 17 Twenty20 internationals
the soaring cost of the 182-metre (600-feet) this year.
sculpture of an independence hero.
 Mohammad Hafeez top scored with 45 in 1,000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnal
Pakistan`s 148-6 after they won the toss and inspected by Pakistani experts next month
batted. after the local (Punchayat) elections in the
held Kashmir end by Dec 15.
November 2, 2018  On the other hand, Islamabad is also set to
send a reminder in-writing to New Delhi in a
1. Islamabad expects good economic day or two, urging it again to fulfill its
package from Beijing promise of allowing Pakistani experts inspect
 Pakistan on November 1, 2018 said it would the projects at Chenab and Jhelum basins.
not seek rescheduling of about $2.7bn  `We approached India`s Commissioner for
Chinese loans due for repayment this year Indus Waters Pradeep Kumar Saxena by
but expected a good economic package, phone a couple days ago and urged him to
including expansion of the multi-billion give us schedule for our tour to the Pakal Dul
dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Lower Kalnal projects. He replied that it
(CPEC) to a next level. is not possible during first or second week of
 China had made tremendous success in December due to local Punchayat elections
fighting corruption and white-collar crimes in the state,` Pakistan`s Commissioner for
and some agreements were expected in this Indus Waters Mehar Ali Shah told.
regard.  According to the minutes of the 115th
 Prime Minister Imran Khan told Chinese meeting of the PCIW held between the two
journalists that he hoped the scale of countries in Lahore, Pakistan had also asked
Chinese partnership would help Pakistan India to share information about potential
bridge current account deficit and build projects at the planning stage for
foreign exchange reserves. He said his examination.
government has been working on two paths, 3. FO rejects Indian protest over CPEC bus
including an IMF programme and support
service
from friendly countries.
 The Foreign Office on November 1, 2018
 Pakistan expects bilateral cooperation to
rejected Indian protest over the launch of a
focus on the vertical increase in productivity
luxury bus service between Pakistan and
of existing crops, transfer of knowledge and
China, saying the international community
technologies, seed and plant protection as
could not be misled.
well disease control, value addition and
 `We reject the Indian Ministry of External
marketing of agri-products, including dairy,
Affairs` (MEA) purported protest and
livestock, and fisheries also through joint
statement regarding bus service through the
ventures in value addition, cold chain
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
management for fruits and vegetables,
India`s repeated regurgitation of claims over
marketing and branding.
India-held Kashmir can neither change the
2. India `likely to allow` dams inspection facts of history nor the legality of the Jammu
next month and Kashmir dispute,` an FO statement said.
 India is likely to fulfill its commitment of  A new bus service called Pak-China CPEC Bus
getting its two hydropower projects - Service is being launched between Lahore
and Tashkurgan (Kashgar China). The service  National flags, banners and pictures of the
would be operated by the North-South heroes of independence war were displayed
Transport Network a Lahore-based private on buildings and roads to pay homage to
company that on its website claims to be them.
accredited with Indian Importers Association 6. Zahid appointed DG Customs
as a `life member` facilitating Indian Intelligence
importers through `logistic services and  The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has
trade` India`s external affairs ministry in a posted Member Customs Muhammad Zahid
statement said: `We have lodged strong as Director General of Customs Intelligence
protests with China and Pakistan on the and Investigation.
proposed bus service that will operate  The post fell vacant following the removal of
through Jammu and Kashmir under. Shaukat Ali, who is now posted as a member
4. Justice Hasnat named as chairman of at FBR.
8th Wage Board  Zahid has emerged as the only member of
 The federal cabinet on November 1, 2018 the FBR who not only achieved the assigned
approved the name of retired Justice Hasnat revenue collection target of the year 2017-
Ahmed as the chairman of the 8th Wage 18, but also exceeded the collection.
Board. 7. US, Turkey begin joint patrols in Syrian
 In September, federal Minister for city
Information and Broadcasting Fawad  Troops from Turkey and the United States
Chaudhry had told media that the federal launched joint patrols in the northern Syrian
cabinet had approved the appointment of city of Manbij on November 1, 2018, the
retired Justice Abdul Rauf as chairman of the Turkish defence minister said, part of a bid
Wage Board which would finalise the award to ease tensions between the NATO allies.
within 120 days to fulfil the longstanding  The joint patrol in Manbij between Turkish
demand of the journalist community. armed forces and the US began. The city is
5. GB Independence Day celebrated with controlled by the US-backed Kurdish
zeal People`s Protection Units (YPG) militia,
 The 71st Independence Day of Gilgit- which Turkey considers a terrorist group.
Baltistan celebrated on November 1, 2018  The patrol took place around the Sajur River
day across the region with traditional zeal that divides Manbij and the region of
and fervour. Jarabulus, which was captured by Turkish-
 Different events were held in various parts backed Syrian rebels from the militant
of the region to mark the day. The Islamic State group in 2016 during Ankara`s
government had announced official holiday first offensive in northern Syria.
in the region on the occasion. 8. WB highlights Pakistan`s business
 Rallies taken out and functions were reforms
organised by various political parties,  Karachi has improved the transparency of
educational institutions and civil society land registration process by publishing
organisations in 10 districts of Gilgit- online the fee schedule and the list of
Baltistan on the occasion. documents necessary to complete any
property registration, says a World Bank  The court`s decision concerned only one
report. defendant, a 34-year-old man surnamed Oh,
 The report, released on November 1, 2018, a Jehovah`s Witness whose trial court guilty
also highlights various steps Pakistan has verdict was upheld at the appellate court.
taken in the last 10 years to improve the  Through decisions in 1969 and 2004, South
business environment. Korea`s Supreme Court had maintained that
 The report includes a comparative study of religious beliefs or conscience were not valid
business environment in Karachi and Lahore, reasons to refuse mandatory military
underlining the reforms undertaken since service.
2008. 10. Azhar quits ODIs, seeks to prolong Test
 The report notes that in 2018, Pakistan made career
starting a business easier by enhancing the  Expressing the desire to extend his Test
online one-stop registration system, career, veteran Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali
replacing several forms for incorporation on November 1, 2018 announced retirement
with a single application and establishing from One-day Internationals.
information exchange between the registry  `Today, I want to announce an important
and the tax authority. This change applied to decision: I feel the time is right for me to
both Karachi and Lahore. announce my retirement from ODIs so that I
 Lahore made registering property easier by can focus with my full energy on Test cricket
streamlining and automating administrative and serve Pakistan longer,` the 33-year-old
procedures, and by increasing the Azhar said during a hurriedly-called press
transparency of its land administration conference here at the Gaddafi Stadium on
system. Karachi made registering property November 1, 2018.
easier by increasing the transparency of the  As batsman Azhar, who made his ODI debut
land registry. in 2011 against Ireland at Belfast,aggregated
9. South Korean court allows 1,845 runs in one-dayers at an average of
conscientious objection to military 36.90 with the help of three centuries and 12
service in landmark ruling half-centuries. He last represented Pakistan
 South Korea`s Supreme Court said on in an ODI against New Zealand in January this
November 1, 2018 that conscientious year at Dunedin. His highest ODI score is 102
objection is a valid reason to refuse which he amassed against Zimbabwe in 2015
mandatory military service, a landmark at Lahore.
change in the court`s decades-long stance
that is expected to impact about930 pending November 3, 2018
cases.
1. Maulana Sami assassinated in his
 The full-bench decision overturns about five
Rawalpindi home
decades of precedents that punished
 Former senator and chief of his own faction
conscientious objectors for refusing
of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Samiul
mandatory military service and is in step
Haq was assassinated at his house in the
with changing South Korean attitudes as
relations with North Korea thaw.
strictly guarded Bahria Town`s Safari Villas II  The firing was conducted from the newly-
on November 2, 2018 evening. commissioned combat logistic support ship
 Maulana Sami was in his bedroom when PNS Moawin to validate war fighting
unidentified persons entered the house and concepts under hybrid threat environment
stabbed him multiple times. He was rushed involving support of the Pakistan Air Force
to the Safari hospital, which is situated 300 (PAF) and the Pakistan Army.
metres from his residence, where doctors  Anti-ship missiles too were successfully fired
pronounced him dead on arrival. by Pakistan Navy ships Shamsheer and
 Maulana Sami had been f acing a threat to Shahjahan. Both missiles hit their targets
his life but he refused to keep a police affirming the PN`s war fighting capability.
security guard with him. 4. Islamabad gets new police chief after
2. China keen to begin new era in Pakistan Swati debacle
ties  Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police
 China has promised to strengthen its Mohammad Aamir Zulfiqar Khan has been
partnership with Pakistan and build à new appointed as police chief of the capital. He
era of China-Pakistan destiny` after Prime succeeds Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of
Minister Imran Khan apprised President Xi Police Jan Mohammad a grade-20 officer.
Jinping of the country`s `very difficult`  According to the notification issued by the
economic situation amid a burgeoning establishment division, Mr Khan, a grade-21
financial crisis. officer, was posted as an officer on special
 Meeting Mr Xi in Beijing`s Great Hall of the duty before the appointment was made.
People on November 2, 2018, PM Khan said  Mr Khan takes over from his predecessor Jan
he had come to `learn` from China`s Mohammad, who voluntarily relinquished
experiences in combating poverty and charge on November 2, 2018.
corruption. `My party has only been in  A week ago, Mr Jan was removed from the
power for two months. post over a complaint by Federal Minister of
 Officials say the recently announced $6 Sciences and Technology Mohammad Azam
bailout package from Saudi Arabia is not Khan Swati.
enough as Pakistan still have to approach 5. 4pc children get `minimally acceptable
International Monetary Fund to avert a diet` in Pakistan: UN
balance of payments crisis.  Four agencies of the United Nations on
 This will be 13th rescue package Pakistan November 2, 2018 warned of a colossal
plans to receive from the lender since the human loss to Asia and the Pacific and their
late 1980s. economies if the countries concerned do not
3. Navy destroyers exhibit firepower recommit themselves to ending all forms of
 Pakistan Navy (PN) destroyers demonstrated malnutrition and achieving zero hunger by
their firepower (missile firing skills) in the 2030.
North Arabian Sea during the culmination of  The report Asia and the Pacific Regional
the sea phase of Seaspark-18 exercise on Overview of Food Security and Nutrition,
November 2, 2018. published by the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO),
the UN Children`s Fund (UNICEF), World Mahinda Rajapakse, who was named to
Food Programme (WFP) and the World replace him.
Health Organisation (WHO) highlights  Rajapakse was head of state from 2005 to
changes that threaten to undermine the 2015 when the decades-old Tamil separatist
Sustainable Development Goal to end all war was brutally crushed although the
forms of malnutrition by 2030 (SDG 2). timing of today`s ruling appeared to have no
 Nearly half a billion people (486 million) in deliberate link with the current politic al
Asia and Pacific region accounts are crisis.
undernourished. 7. Japan cabinet approves bill to accept
 While recently released global figures foreign workers
indicate an overall rise in the prevalence of  Japan`s cabinet on November 2, 2018
hunger worldwide, returning to levels from a approved a draft bill to bring more blue-
decade ago, this regional report points out collar foreign workers into the country, in a
that stagnation in combating hunger and controversial move to address chronic
malnutrition in Asia and the Pacific is also a labour shortages.
major concern due to the large numbers of  The draft legislation, now likely to be
people involved. submitted to parliament as soon as
 South Asia continued to witness some November 2, 2018, has come under attack
progress in reducing the number of from both the opposition and members of
undernourished people, although clearly not Prime Minister Shinzo Abe`s own party, but
sufficient to achieve the zero hunger by business leaders say it is desperately
2030. In South Asia, the number of needed.
undernourished people declined by less than  The bill would allow foreign nationals with
a million between 2016 and 2017. skills in sectors facing particularly severe
6. Sri Lanka court orders arrest of military shortages to obtain five-year visas, which
chief would not allow them to bring their families.
 A Sri Lankan court on November 2, 2018  Foreign workers in those fields who hold
ordered the arrest the country`s top military stronger qualifications and pass a more
officer over the abduction and murder of 11 difficult Japanese language test will be able
people during the Tamil civil war. to obtain a visa that can be extended
 Colombo Fort magistrate Ranga Dissanayake indefinitely, eventually leading to residency,
reprimanded police investigators for failing and will be able to bring over family.
to act on a previous order to detain Admiral 8. UN chief warns of famine in Yemen
Ravindra Wijegunaratne.  UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres
 `The court ordered that the admiral be warned on November 2, 2018 that Yemen
arrested before November 9,` a court official could face `the worst famine we have seen
said. Ìf they fail, there should be action in decades` and urged the country`s warring
against the police officer handling the case.` parties to immediately halt the violence.
The order came amid a bitter power struggle  The UN chief told reporters `the urgency of
between sacked prime minister Ranil the humanitarian crisis leaves no room for
Wickremesinghe and former president
complacency` and the `building wave of  Pakistan lived up to their billing as the
momentum` for peace must be seized. world`s best Twenty20 team with a six-
 UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock wicket victory over New Zealand in Dubai on
warned last week that `there is a clear and November 2, 2018 to clinch the three-match
present danger of an imminent and great big series 2-0.
famine engulfing Yemen` that could affect 14  Mohammad Hafeez (34 not out) and Shoaib
million people half of the country`s Malik (10) added 34 quick runs to help
population. Pakistan overhaul the 154-run target in 19.4
 The conflict began in 2014 when Houthi overs at Dubai stadium, pocketing their 11th
rebels toppled the internationally consecutive series and eighth successive T20
recognised government. A Saudiled coalition match.
allied with the government has been fighting  New Zealand were lifted to 153-7 by Corey
the Houthis since 2015. Anderson and Colin Munro, who made 44
9. Russia invites Afghan leaders for talks each after Kane Williamson won the toss and
with Taliban, angering Kabul opted to bat.
 Russia has quietly invited a group of senior  Since Sarfraz Ahmed took over as captain in
Afghan politicians to talks with the Taliban in Sept 2016, Pakistan have beaten England (1-
Moscow, bypassing President Ashraf Ghani`s 0), West Indies (3-0 and 3-1), a World XI (2-
government in a move that has angered 1), Sri Lanka (3-0), New Zealand (2-1), West
officials in Kabul who say it could muddle the Indies (3-0), Scotland (2-0) and Australia (3-
US-backed peace process. 0).
 The invitations, extended over the past two
months by Russian diplomats in Kabul, were November 4, 2018
confirmed by six of the eight leaders,
1. Pakistan, China sign 15 accords of
including former president Hamid Karzai, or
cooperation
their aides, and by other leading politicians
 Pakistan and China on November 3, 2018
with ties to the Afghan government.
signed 15 various agreements and
 Russia in August proposed holding
documents to further deepen the bilateral
multilateral peace talks in Moscow and
cooperation in multiple spheres, including
invited 12 countries and the Taliban to
economy, agriculture, law enforcement and
attend a summit the following month. But
technology, but there was no
the meeting was postponed after Ghani
announcement of any relief package.
rejected the invitation on the grounds that
 The documents were signed during the visit
talks with the Taliban should be led by the
of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China at a
Afghan government. The United States had
ceremony held at Great Hall of China where
also declined to attend.
the prime ministers of the two countries also
 Three senior Afghan officials said the
held bilateral meeting.
government was unhappy that Moscow was
 The documents signed encompassed the
pressing ahead with plans for talks.
fields of economy, science and technology,
10. Pakistan beat NZ, clinch 11th successive
agriculture, poverty reduction, innovation
series win and drug trafficking besides establishing
joint research centre on earth sciences and  Air Marshal Aasim Zaheer was
working group on social and livelihood commissioned in GD (P) Branch of Pakistan
affairs. Air Force in November 1984.
 After the talks between the two prime  He is a qualified flying Instructor. During his
ministers, a senior Chinese diplomat told outstanding career, he has commanded a
reporters that China will provide Pakistan Fighter Squadron, an Operational Air Base
with economic aid but more talks will take and PAF Academy, Risalpur.
place to fix the details.  In his staff appointments he has served as
2. Six ministers inducted in third Deputy Director Operations (F-16) and Chief
expansion to A JK cabinet Project Director (CPD) Falcon. He has also
 Going back on his words, Prime Minister Raja served as air attaché to France.
Farooq Haider on November 3, 2018 made  Presently he is serving at Air Headquarters as
third expansion in his cabinet by inducting Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Administration). He
six more ministers, raising its strength to 26 is a graduate of Combat Commanders’
more than 50pc of the total membership of School, National Defence University and
AJK Legislative Assembly. General Staff College, Germany.
 With the fresh inductions fourth since the  He holds a Master’s degree in War Studies.
inception of the PML-N government on July He is a recipient of Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military)
31, 2016, all except three of the 31 directly 4. Longest single trans-provincial trail in
elected ruling party lawmakers have become Pakistan inaugurated
flag-holders.  The Margalla Ridge Trail, the longest single
 Those who were administered oath by trans-provincial trail in the country, was
President Sardar Masood Khan on inaugurated on November 3, 2018.
November 3, 2018 were Sardar Farooq  The 44-kilometre trail begins at Shah Allah
Ahmed Tahir, Chaudhry Mohammad Ismail, Ditta in Islamabad and stretches to Summa,
Raja Mohammad Siddique Khan, Dr Mustafa in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was once used by
Bashir Abbasi, Mohammad Ahmed Raza pedestrians but is not frequented anymore.
Qadri and Chaudhry Shahzad Mehmood. However, the trail has been revamped by
 It is believed that the notification about the various departments in the capital alongside
portfolios would be issued after Prime the KP tourism department.
Minister Haider`s departure to UK and  Around 15km of the trail sits within the
Europe on Sunday in what would be capital`s territory, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh
reminiscent of the practice adopted at the Anser Aziz told Dawn.
time of previous expansion on April 14.  The remainder passes through the
3. Asim Zaheer appointed Vice Chief of Air Abbotabad and Haripur districts.
Staff  It takes two to three days to get from one
 The government on November 3, 2018 end to the other, and there are six villages on
appointed Air Marshal Aasim Zaheer as Vice the way including Talhar in Islamabad and
Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force. Lora in KP.
5. Around 10 banks block international
payments on debit and credit cards
 As concerns about a breach of credit and 7. New Caledonia votes on independence
debit card data spread in the banking circles, from France
around 10 banks have blocked all  The French Pacific islands of New Caledonia
international transactions on their cards. vote on November 3, 2018 on whether to
 Sources said the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) become an independent nation, in a closely
has been informed by several commercial watched test of support for France in one of
banks that they have blocked international its many territories scattered around the
payments on debit and credit cards as a globe.
precautionary measure after cyber attacks  Some 18,000 kilometres from the French
on their clients` accounts. mainland, New Caledonia is home to a
 Data of over 8,000 account holders of about quarter of the world`s known supplies of
10 Pakistani banks was sold in a market of nickel a vital electronics component and is a
hackers. strategic foothold for France in the Pacific.
 A large Pakistani bank sent messages to its  Some 175,000 people are eligible to vote in
clients that online mobile banking services the remote islands fringed by spectacular
would be terminated for a temporary period beaches, with opinion polls predicting a
from Nov 3 onwards on `technical grounds`. large majority in favour of staying French.
6. Ukraine`s Orthodox church gets  But there are fears the referendum could
independence from Russia church inflame tensions between indigenous Kanak
 Ukraine`s President Petro Poroshenko and people, who tend to favour independence,
the Istanbul-based Orthodox patriarch on and the white population, which boiled over
November 3, 2018 signed an accord that into deadly violence in the 1980s.
paves the way for the recognition of an  The quasi-civil war claimed more than 70
independent Ukrainian church, a plan that lives.
has infuriated Moscow.  It led to the 1998 Noumea Accord which
 Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had on paved the way for the steady devolution of
October 11 agreed to recognise the powers as well as Sunday`s referendum.
independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox 8. First UN aid trucks reach remote
Church from the Moscow Patriarchate, a refugee camp in Syria
move that was welcomed with jubilation by  A United Nations aid convoy on November 3,
Kiev but condemned as `catastrophic` in 2018 reached the Rukban refugee camp in
Moscow. Syria where thousands of people are
 The Ukrainian branch of Orthodoxy has been stranded in the desert, close to the border
under Moscow`s control for the last 300 with Jordan.
years but this month the leading authority in  The United Nations said it was delivering
Orthodox Christianity granted it the right to food, sanitation and hygiene supplies,
independence. The decision by the nutrition and health assistance to 50,000
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople people in Rukban, an area under rebel
drew cheers from Kiev, fury from Moscow, control, in an operation expected to take
and marked the culmination of more than three to four days.
two decades of work by Kiev`s Patriarch.
 The Syrian Arab Red Crescent is also taking force Iran to curb its nuclear, missile and
part in the convoy, which will also involve an regional activities.
emergency vaccination campaign for 10,000  Iran says the Kowsar is `100-per-cent
children against measles, polio and other indigenously made` and able to carry various
diseases, a UN statement said. weapons and is to be used for short aerial
9. Myanmar by-elections a test for Suu support missions. However, some military
Kyi`s ruling party experts believe the fighter jets a carbon copy
 Voters in several parts of Myanmar went to of an F-5 first produced in the United States
the polls on November 3, 2018 in 13 by- in the 1960s.
elections seen as a test of support for leader
Aung San Suu Kyi and her ruling party. November 5, 2018
 Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy 1. Imran, Xi call for timely completion of
won a landslide victory in the 2015 general
CPEC projects
election, putting an end to decades of rule by
 During the maiden four day visit of Prime
the military and its proxies, though the army
Minister Imran Khan to China, Pakistan and
retains considerable power under a
China have signed 15 memoranda of
constitution it implemented.
understanding (MOU) to enhance bilateral
 Suu Kyi`s appeal with the country`s Buddhist
ties in different fields, including defence,
majority has not suffered much from a crisis
trade, counterterrorism, regional security,
involving 700,000 members of the Muslim
health, agriculture, climate change, poverty
Rohingya minority who fled a brutal army
alleviation, investment, space cooperation
counterinsurgency campaign in the
and culture.
country`s west. Still, economic development
 Although the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf led
has been lagging.
government was expecting Saudi Arabia-like
 The 13 parliamentary seats at stake
monetary assistance to over-come
represent a tiny reaction of the 1,171
prevailing economic crisis, a joint statement
national, regional and state assembly seats
issued on November 4, 2018 regarding the
nationwide, and by-elections rarely drum up
prime minister`s visit did not mention any
the same level of enthusiasm as a general
ìmmediate relief` from China.
election. The next general election is in 2020.
 It has also not been mentioned whether
10. Iran starts producing local fighter jet for China has decided to resume funding for the
its air force China-Pakistan Economic Corridor related
 Iran has started production of the locally infrastructure projects, which was stopped
designed Kowsar fighter plane for use in its in Nov 2017 when a meeting of the Joint
air force, as tensions mount with the United Coordination Committee (JCC) was told by
States after the reimposition of US sanctions the Chinese side that the funding would
on Tehran. remain suspended till `new guideline` from
 The United States said it will temporarily Beijing.
allow eight importers to keep buying Iranian  As a result, work on three main CEPC related
oil whenitre-imposes sanctions to try to road projects had come to a halt.
 After receiving a $6 billion bailout package first Pakistani to circumnavigate the globe
from Saudi Arabia last month, Prime solo.
Minister Khan was also eyeing Chinese  In a message on Twitter, the 42-year-old
investment in different fields. However, the singer said he wanted to give the good news
joint statement said nothing on it. to all Pakistanis that his Mission Parwaaz had
 During his visit to China, Prime Minister Khan been accomplished. `Pakistan aap sab ko
called on Chinese President Xi Jinping and khushkabree deina chaata houn .
held talks with Prime Minister Li Keqiang,  Alam began his journey on a single-engine
Chairman of the Standing Committee of the aircraft (Pilatus PC 12NG) from the
National People`s Congress Li Zhanshu and Clearwater airport in Florida, the United
Vice President Wang Qishan on bilateral, States, on Oct 10. He landed at various
regional and international issues of mutual airports in 22 countries, including Canada,
interest. Greenland, Iceland, the United Kingdom,
2. `Biggest-ever` fraud detected in Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates,
National Savings schemes Pakistan and Russia, for refuelling, supplies,
 A major fraud has been detected in the rest and plane maintenance.
National Savings a public sector organisation  After circumnavigating the entire world, he
of Rs3.6 trillion in which insiders have completed his journey on Sunday (Nov 4)
reportedly siphoned off around Rs200 and reached the same airport from where he
million, breaching trust of more than seven began it.
million small-to-medium individual savers.  In another tweet, Alam said: `The flag is up,
 The fraud came to light on maturity of 10- it`s done, Pakistan congrats we have our first
year saving certificates of individuals at a successful circumnavigation of the globe in
Lahore branch where officials had diverted any mode of transportation.
more than Rs110 million to bank accounts of 4. Kashmiri leader Sardar Ibrahim passes
their own and their family members and away
were in the process of withdrawing another  Veteran Kashmiri leader and chief of Jammu
Rs100m or so. Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP) Sardar Khalid
 This is perhaps the biggest ever fraud in the Ibrahim died of brain hemorrhage on
institution. Not more than three cases of November 4, 2018, plunging his family and
fraud had been reported in the organisation friends into gloom. He was 71.
over the past 15-16 years.  Mr Ibrahim`s spouse is a close relative of
 CDNS Director General Dr Arshad Mahmood former president Gen Ayub Khan. One of his
confirmed that a group of people, including sisters in law Naureen Ibrahim is a PTI MNA
an official of the CDNS, were found involved on reserved seats for women.
in the fraud by operating accounts in an  A 5-time AJK Legislative Assembly member,
organised manner to divert funds. Mr Ibrahim was born on Nov 5, 1947, in Kot
3. Fakhre Alam claims flying around the Mattay Khan on the outskirts of Rawalakot
world solo to Ms Zaibun-Nisa and Sardar Muhammad
 Singer and activist Fakhre Alam claimed on Ibrahim Khan, the founding president of
November 4, 2018 that he has become the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
5. Israel raids office of Jerusalem`s as in Sudan`s troubled western region of
Palestinian governor Darfur since 2015 and fighting has subsided
 Israeli forces raided the offices of the 7. Battles rock Yemen`s port city as UN
Palestinian governor of Jerusalem on speaks of `living hell for children`
November 4, 2018, authorities said, after  Intensified fighting shook a key rebel held
reports of an investigation related to a land port city on Yemen`s Red Sea coast on
sale. November 4, 2018, leaving dozens dead as
 Israeli authorities confirmed the raid in Al- the United Nations warned that children in
Ram, just on the other side of Israel`s the war-torn country face à livinghell`.
separation wall from Jerusalem in the  The bloodshed comes despite growing
occupied West Bank, but provided few international pressure to end a years-long
details. conflict that has killed thousands and pushed
 It came after Israel`s detention of the the impoverished Arabian Peninsula nation
Palestinian governor, Adnan Ghelth, on to the brink of famine.
October 20. He was released two days later.  Fifty-three Houthi rebels have been killed
 The Palestinian Authority`s (PA) Jerusalem and dozens wounded in battles and air
affairs minister, Adnan al-Husseini, said that strikes over the past 24 hours in Hodeida,
Israeli forces confiscated documents and according to medical sources in the port city,
material during the raid. which is a key gateway for humanitarian aid.
 The same building houses his ministry and  Military officials said Saudi-led coalition
the governor`s office, both of which he said warplanes carried out dozens of air strikes
were raided in the first such Israeli action. early Sunday to support pro-government
Palestinian government spokesman Yusuf forces in fighting that appear to be
Mahmud said it was a `dangerous escalation approaching the city`s main university.
of the occupation and a flagrant violation of  Houthi media reported air strikes in Hodeida
all international laws and agreements`. on Sunday but did not give a fighter casualty
6. Khartoum accepts South Sudan`s toll.
mediation 8. Qatar brings energy boss into cabinet in
 Sudan has for the first time accepted surprise reshuffle
mediation by South Sudan`s leader in peace  Qatar, one of the world`s biggest energy
talks over the restive Sudanese border suppliers, surprisingly announced on
regions of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. November 4, 2018 it had drafted the head of
 Sudan had previously accused its southern the country`s state-run oil and gas company
neighbour of stoking unrest in the two into the cabinet.
regions, where rebels kept up a fight against  Saad al-Kaabi, the president and chief
Khartoum`s rule even after most of the executive officer of Qatar Petroleum, was
territory they fought for decades became made a minister of state for energy affairs in
independent South Sudan in 2011. the first comprehensive reshuffle since the
 Sudan`s government has announced start of a Gulf diplomatic crisis which has
unilateral ceasefires in both regions as well seen Doha isolated by neighbouring former
allies.
 It was not immediately clear what the new whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 with a
role meant for long-serving minister of comfortable 47-run win in the third and final
energy and industry, Mohammed Salah al- match in Dubai on November 4, 2018.
Sada, also the current president of OPEC.  The 24-year-old ranked number one in
 Qatar is the world`s top liquefied natural gas Twenty20s hit a punishing 58-ball 79, with
exporter. seven boundaries and two sixes, while
 Kaabi has been a high-profile figure during Mohammad Hafeez hit a 34-ball 53 not out,
the regional political stand-off and recently with two sixes and four boundaries, to lift
announced Qatar would boost natural gas Pakistan to 166-3.
production.  This was Pakistan`s second series whitewash
 His appointment was among a slew of after romping past Australia 3-0. Kane
significant switches announced by ruler Emir Williamson top-scored for New Zealand with
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in an a 38-ball 60, with eight boundaries and two
unexpected reshuffle of top government sixes, while opener Glenn Phillips made 26.
positions.  Babar Azam, when on 48, completed 1,000
9. Suu Kyi`s party slapped down in by- runs in Twenty20 internationals in just 26
election innings, bettering India`s Virat Kohli`s record
 The party of Myanmar`s embattled head of of reaching the mark in 27 innings.
state Aung San Suu Kyi said on November 4,
2018 they were defeated in six November 6, 2018
constituencies in a national by-election, 1. Pak-Russia drill against terrorism ends
showing uneven support for her government
 Pakistan and Russia on November 5, 2018
after a string of controversies.
completed the third edition of their joint
 Suu Kyi and her National League for counterterrorism drills named Druzhba III
Democracy (NLD) swept to power in 2015 in
 Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed
a landslide victory, ending decades of Bajwa and the Russian deputy head of
military rule. mission in Pakistan, Valadamir Betezyuk,
 But her tenure has been full of stumbles, witnessed the drills on the lastday at the
most notably with ethnic groups involved in National Counter Terrorism Centre, Pabbi.
peace talks with the military which has been
 The drills are being held since 2016 when
marred by skirmishes and ongoing civil war Pakistan hosted the first edition. The second
in states like Kachin and Shan. edition was held in Russia. The purpose of
 The dissatisfaction came through in the the war games is to strengthen cooperation
results of Saturday`s by-election, in which 13 between the militaries of the two countries
seats in the lower and upper houses of and exchange professional experience,
parliament and regional assemblies were up particularly in the field of counterterrorism.
for grabs.
 Defence ties between Pakistan and Russia
10. Azam leads Pakistan to another T20 have steadily grown since the two countries
whitewash signed their defence cooperation agreement
 Babar Azam became the quickest batsman in 2014. The agreement, besides providing
to reach 1,000 Twenty20 runs as Pakistan for cooperation in different areas of military
cooperation, also caters for collaboration International Telecommunication Union
between the two sides for promoting during elections held in Dubai. Pakistan was
international security and intensification of one of the thirteen countries elected to this
counterterrorism. important body from the Asia and
 Earlier this year, Islamabad and Moscow set Australasia region. Pakistan secured 155 out
up a commission for promoting military of a total of 177 votes cast.
cooperation  Pakistan's re-election to this Council
2. Pakistan, China to trade in Chinese demonstrates a strong vote of confidence of
currency the international community in Pakistan's
 Pakistan and China had signed an agreement advances in the Information and
to trade in Chinese Yuan instead of US dollar, Communications Technology Infrastructure
Federal Minister for Information and and platforms. This re-election is also
Broadcasting Fawad Ch said on November 5, recognition of the important role and
2018. contribution that Pakistan has made and can
 Current trade volume of Pakistan and China also play in the global ICT policy arena.
stood at 15 billion dollars and the switch  Separately in New York, Pakistan was re-
from the US dollar to Chinese Yuan would elected to the United Nations Committee on
help save country's dollar reserves in the Contributions by acclamation.
State Bank of Pakistan.  The Committee on Contributions is one of
 Pak-China relations had moved beyond the the key UN bodies that worked on the
CPEC as China had not only extended its methodology to determine each UN
support to Pakistan’s currency, it was also member state’s individual mandatory share
pledged to cooperate in agriculture and of financial contribution to the United
industrial sectors. Chinese support in Nations budget.
establishment of industrial zones in the 4. Sino-Pak bus leaves Lahore for Kashgar
country would help create new jobs besides  The much-awaited bus service between
generating economic activity. Pakistan and China started its first operation
 Pakistan had signed a historic pact with on a November 5, 2018.
China on strategic relations which were  The bus will make another trip on November
decades-old and of great value. 7, 2018. These two tour are part of its trial
 Pakistan had also achieved another run while its operation will begin next week.
milestone in space cooperation with China  A private company, North-South Transport
as the first Pakistani astronaut would be sent Service, is authorised to look after its
to the space with the help of Chinese Space operation between Lahore and Kashgar city
Programme in 2022. of Chinese.
3. Pakistan re-elected to two important  The distance between the two cities will be
world bodies covered in around 3o hours and passengers
 Pakistan was November 5, 2018 re-elected will be served food and tea on different
to two important international bodies. designated places.
 Pakistan won a four-year term (2018-2022)  First stopover of the bus will be Islamabad-
for the Administrative Council of the Rawalpindi for pickup of passengers and
from where it will stop at Mansehara for  The European Parliament`s international
breakfast at around 7am. The passengers trade committee voted 25 in favour to10
will be served lunch at Besham at 1pm, he against to clear the deal for vote in the
said, adding the stopover will be made at parliament`s full chamber set for December
Chelas and Gilgat for tea and dinners at 4pm 13.
and 8pm respectively.  An agreement would bind two economies
5. Buzdar opens Head Marala hydro accounting for about a third of global gross
project domestic product and also signal their
 Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar rejection of protectionism.
inaugurated on November 5, 2018 Monday  Both have faced trade tensions with
the Head Marala Hydro Power Project near Washington and remain subject to US tariffs
Head Marala-Sialkot. imposed by President Donald Trump on
 Provincial Energy Minister Punjab imports of steel and aluminum.
Dr.Muhammad Akhtar Malik briefed the  Japan had been part of the 12-nation Trans-
participants about the Head Marala Power Pacific Partnership that Trump rejected on
Project. his first day in office, turning Tokyo`s focus
 The hydro power project was established at to other potential partners such as the
the Upper Chenab Canal near Head Marala European Union.
Barrage over the River Chenab with a cost of 8. British army lifts restriction on
Rs3.98 billion by Chinese engineers. Commonwealth recruits
6. US reimposes tough curbs on Iran`s oil,  Citizens of Commonwealth countries will be
banking industry able to join the British armed forces even if
 The United States imposed strict sanctions they do not live in Britain, the government
targeting Iran`s oil, banking and industrial said on November 5, 2018 as it struggles to
sectors on November 5, 2018 and fill vacancies.
threatened more action to stop Tehran from  Britain`s Junior Defence Minister Mark
pursuing òutlaw` policies, steps the Islamic Lancaster said in a statement to parliament
Republic condemned as economic warfare that the previous five-year residency
and vowed to defy. requirement for Commonwealth army
 The measures are part of a wider effort by recruits has been removed.
US President Donald Trump to curb Tehran`s  Lancaster said that Commonwealth
missile and nuclear programmes and applicants would have to be aged over 18
diminish the Islamic Republic`s influence in two years more than the minimum for
the Middle East, notably its support for Britons so as `to mitigate the risks associated
proxies in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. with unaccompanied minors travelling to the
7. EU-Japan to form largest free trade area UK without the guarantee of a job`.
 European Union and Japanese plans to form  A report by the National Audit Office, an
the world`s largest free trade area cleared a independent government watchdog, earlier
significant hurdle on Monday when EU this year found that the full-time military
lawmakers specializing in trade backed a was running a 5.7 per cent shortfall in its
deal that could enter force next year. ranks.
9. US novelist McDermott takes top  Just part of the collection was offered at the
French literary prize sale held Thursday through Saturday in
 The American writer Alice McDermott’s Dallas as well as online.
novel The Ninth Hour was awarded France’s
Prix Femina for the best foreign novel of the November 7, 2018
year on November 5, 2018.
1. Pakistan to maintain strategic balance
 The prize is awarded to the best French and
with India
foreign novels, written by a man or woman.
 Adviser to the National Command Authority
 The Femina jury is composed exclusively of
(NCA) retired Lt Gen Khalid Kidwal on
women writers and academics.
November 6, 2018 said Pakistan would not
 Established in 1904, the award was seen as a
follow India`s suit in developing a defence
female answer to the Goncourt Prize, which
system against ballistic missiles because it
did not go to a woman until 1944.
found little value in such systems, but would
 The Ninth Hour is McDermott’s eighth novel,
continue to seek to redress the imbalances
and the seventh to be translated into French.
caused by Indian moves.
 Set in Irish Brooklyn at the beginning of the
 `Pakistan remains unfazed and as before, we
20th century, the novel follows the life of
have adequate response options which will
Sally, who is rescued from dire straits and
disallow any disturbance of the strategic
raised by nuns.
balance or strategic stability. That
10. Neil Armstrong’s commemorative fundamental policy will prevail,` Gen Kidwai
plaque sold for $468,500 told a conference on `Nuclear Deterrence
 A commemorative plaque brought to the and Strategic Stability in South Asia` hosted
moon on the Apollo 11 mission went under by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI).
the hammer for $468,500 in Texas, as part of  India had been working on the development
a huge collection that once belonged to late of a multi-layer ballistic missile defence
astronaut Neil Armstrong. system for over a decade now. Besides the S-
 The plaque includes a representation of the 400 deal, India has large-scale cooperation
lunar module that touched down on the with Israel for BMD development.
moon on July 20, 1969.  `Much hype has been created around this
 Once back on Earth, it was mounted on a particular technology induction and some
wooden base before being offered to have gone to the extent of calling it a game
Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the changer for South Asia,` he said, adding that
Moon. this was wrong.
 The other two astronauts who took part in 2. IDEAS 2018 to feature culture show,
the mission, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and sports festival
Michael Collins, also each received one of  With a change in its format, the 10th
these plaques. International Defence Exhibition and
 Armstrong’s two sons, Rick and Mark, Seminar (IDEAS) 2018 will include a Sindh
decided to part with some of the very large culture show, a sports festival and a golf
collection of their father, who died in 2012. tournament.
It includes more than 2,000 objects.
 This was disclosed by the media director of  The Force had placed Pakistan on grey list
Defence Export Promotion Organisation during FATF Plenary in Paris in June for not
(DEPO), Commodore Tariq Javed. acting against terror financing on its soil. The
 The biennial event, with àrms for peace` as United States, Britain, Germany and France
its motto, will be held from Nov 27 to Nov voted in favour of placing Pakistan on grey
30. The golf tournament, however, will take list during FATF meeting while Pakistan’s
place on Nov 26 as it would prove helpful in closest allies Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia
generating interaction and networking also backed them. Then caretaker finance
among the visiting delegates while also minister Shamshad Akhtar and senior
promoting a soft image of Pakistan. officials of the financial monitoring unit were
 There will also be a seminar with experts in Paris to defend Pakistan.
along with a services conference that will be 4. KP Govt, Korean company sign MoU for
divided into three sessions and will 496MW project
commence on the morning of Nov 28.  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and a
 The Pakistan Army will be in charge of the South Korean energy sector company
morning session, the Navy will cover the (KHNP) Tuesday signed a memorandum of
afternoon followed by the Pakistan Air Force understanding (MoU) for initiation of work
the next day. It will provide a good chance to on 496 megawatts Spot Gah Power Project
listen to and meet policy and decision- in district Kohistan under public-private
makers. All the three armed forces chiefs will partnership (PPP) mode.
remain available during the conference.  The Secretary Energy & Power, Mohammad
3. Pakistan offers to multiply efforts for Saleem Khan signed the MoU on behalf of
US-Taliban talks the KP government while Chief Executive
 Pakistan November 6, 2018 offered the KHNP represented the Korean company.
United States to multiply efforts to engage Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Taliban for talks with Washington as Mahmood Khan was chief guest on the
Islamabad hoped to escape further action by occasion.
the Financial Action Task Force.  Besides, the South Korean Ambassador,
 Pakistan and the US agreed to engage Kwak Kyu Sung, Provincial Minister for
Taliban in talks for peace in Afghanistan. Finance, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Advisor to
 Ambassador Alice Wells, the Principal CM on Energy, Himayatullah Khan, Chief
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Executive Officer PEDO, Engineer Zainullah
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Shah and other higher authorities attended
visited Islamabad for talks. She called on the ceremony. The project will be completed
Finance Minister Asad Umar and held in next five years and will be the largest
delegation-level talks at the Ministry of hydel power project in the history of the
Foreign Affairs. province so far. The Spot Gah Hydel Power
 The two sides discussed possible talks with Project to be completed with joint
the Taliban and Pakistan’s steps to avert cooperation of South Korean company and
severe sanctions by the FATF. KP government will generate 496 megawatts
electricity and will earn a receipt of Rs.3 country displayed its fleet of drones and
billion per annum for the province. other military hardware.
 The feasibility study of the project was 7. Afghanistan starts trade with China via
completed in the year 2010. air link
5. Opening ceremony of Zhuhai Air Show  An aircraft on November 5, 2018 flew 20
being held in China tonnes of pine nuts from Afghanistan to
 Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief China, inaugurating their first air cargo link
of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force attended as the landlocked South Asian nation turns
the opening ceremony of Zhuhai Air Show to overseas markets to offset its trade
being held in China. deficit.
 A large number of delegations from different  Worth about $500,000, the cargo sent to the
countries were also present at the occasion. commercial hub of Shanghai went by the
Air Chief along with other high ranking first of what both countries` officials hope
officials and dignitaries witnessed the will be many flights, allowing Afghan
stunning aerial display of ‘Pride of Pakistan’ companies to expand international trade.
JF-17 Thunder aircraft.  By improving links with markets abroad, the
 The Air Chief visited the Pakistan Pavilion, service aims to boost prospects for the
being set up by Pakistan Aeronautical growth of the farming and carpet-making
Complex, Kamra, where he interacted with industries while Afghanistan battles a deadly
the PAF contingent participating in the show. Taliban insurgency.
 He appreciated the performance of PAF 8. Israeli minister in Oman to push for rail
personnel in the show and said that the link with Gulf
participation of Pakistan Air Force in this Air  An Israeli minister has travelled to Oman to
Show is a matter of pride for the nation. propose plans for a railway linking the Gulf
6. China unveils its space station as ISS to the Mediterranean via the Jewish state at
days numbered a world transport conference.
 China unveiled on November 6, 2018 a  Transport and Intelligence Minister Yisrael
replica of its first permanently crewed space Katz, who reportedly arrived in Muscat on
station, which would replace the Sunday, is to make the pitch at the annual
international community`s orbiting meeting of the International Road Transport
laboratory and symbolises the country`s Union.
major ambitions beyond Earth.  The `Tracks for Regional Peace` initiative
 The 17-metre core module was a star calls for a rail link connecting Saudi Arabia
attraction at the biennial Airshow China in with the Mediterranean Sea, according to
the southern coastal city of Zhuhai, the local media.
country`s main aerospace industry  The proposalis part of a push by Israel to
exhibition. capitalise on regional developments,
 Outside, China`s J-10 fighter jet and J-20 particularly anti-Iran sentiments, and to
stealth fighter wowed spectators as they overcome decades of Arab hostility.
zoomed across Zhuhai`s sky. Back inside, the
 The line would extend from Haifa, Israel`s  Some 105,000 migrants and refugees
largest port, passing through Jordan before seeking asylum have reached Europe so far
connecting with existing railways in the Gulf. this year, representing a drop to pre-2014
 Last month, Katz said he had presented the levels.
plan to German Chancellor AngelaMerkel,  But the drownings this year mean that the
whose government had expressed interest rate of deaths has escalated sharply.The
in participating in the project. UNHCR `has called repeatedly for urgent
9. Kim`s portrait on public display for first action to address this situation`, he said.
time
 North Korea has displayed a portrait of Kim November 8, 2018
Jong-un in public for the first time, with 1. No troops being sent to Yemen, FM
analysts saying the move could herald the
assures Senate
building of a personality cult around the
 Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi
young leader.
has told the Senate in clear terms that
 Idealised portraits of Kim`s grandfather and
Pakistan will not send troops to Yemen to
father the North`s founder Kim 11 Sung and
lend support to the Saudi-led forces engaged
his son and successor Kim Jong II are
in fighting there.
ubiquitous throughout the country.
 Speaking in the upper house of parliament
 But while the current leader`s daily activities
on November 7, 2018, he said Pakistan
and photographs of him are the mainstay of
enjoyed friendly relations with both Saudi
state media, in wider society he is not
Arabia and Iran and was trying to play a
portrayed in the same omnipresent way, and
mediatory role between them. Both
no statue of him is so far known to exist.
countries gave importance to Pakistan due
 When Kim met him at Pyongyang
to the neutrality maintained by it.
International Airport separate giant portraits
 During his recent visit to Islamabad Iran`s
of the two men hung on the outside of the
foreign minister had said that Tehran would
building, pictures showed.
respond positively if Pakistan wanted to play
10. Over 2,000 migrants drowned in some role in the conflict in Yemen.
Mediterranean this year: UN agency  A similar effort had been made when Nawaz
 More than 2,000 migrants have died since Sharif was prime minister; Iran had agreed to
January trying to cross the Mediterranean to Pakistan`s suggestions but Saudi Arabia had
reach Europe, the UN said on November 6, refused.
2018, adding that more than half of them 2. Talks with IMF on bailout package get
were headed for Italy.
under way
 `The number of lives lost on the
 Pakistan and the International Monetary
Mediterranean this year has now exceeded
Fund (IMF) formally began two-week talks
2000` after 17 people were found dead off
on November 7, 2018. The talks will aim to
the Spanish coast this week, said Charlie
ascertain the size of the `funding gap` facing
Yaxley, spokesperson for the UNHCR refugee
Islamabad that must be plugged to avert a
agency.
balance of payments crisis.
 The funding gap to be determined at the end  The members of a special parliamentary
of the talks will become 13th IMF bailout committee, constituted by National
package for Pakistan since the 1980s. Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to probe
 The talks would cover data sharing in the allegations of rigging in the July 25 general
First three days. The policy dialogue, elections, unanimously elected Defence
according to the official, will start from Minister Pervez Khattak as its chairman on
Monday onwards. November 7, 2018.
 The available IMF funding quota for Pakistan  As per understanding with the ruling
is approximately $6-6.5 billion. The official Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Mr Khattak`s
said that in some facilities this limit could be name was proposed by Ayaz Sadiq of the
exceeded. However, the actual quantum of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and
the package will be finalised by Nov 20. seconded by Syed Naveed Qamar of the
3. ADB loan for improving civic facilities Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), according to an
 The Asian Development Bank has approved official handout issued by the NA Secretariat.
a loan of $200 million for launching the first  The chairman-elect asked the treasury and
phase of the Punjab Intermediate Cities opposition benches to nominate eight
Improvement Investment Programme members on a parity basis to appoint a sub-
(PICIIP). committee with a mandate to frame terms
 The ADB also plans to sanction further $250 of reference for the committee.
million in future for the second phase of the  The speaker had on Oct 16 constituted the
PICIP a programme aiming at introducing 30-member bipartisan and bicameral
various interventions for improvement and parliamentary committee to probe charges
provision of civic facilities, including the Solid of rigging in the last general elections.
Waste Management, in various cities of 5. Portfolios of 11AJK ministers reshuffled
Punjab.  AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider has
 `The PICIIP`s first phase will support shuffled the portfolios of his 11 cabinet
interventions in two Punjab cities of Sialkot members to accommodate the recently
and Sahiwal. inducted seven ministers.
 Total cost to be incurred on phase-I is $250  A notification to this effect was issued by the
million that includes $200 million being Services and General Administration
financed by the ADB and $50 million to be Department on November 7, 2018.
provided by the government, equivalent as  Senior Minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq was
counterpart funds,` reads a letter of Nov 6 dispossessed of agriculture and animal
written by PICIIP`s Programme Director husbandry but physical planning and
(Local Government and Community housing and irrigation remained with him.
Development Department) to the Lahore  Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani was relieved
Waste Management Company (LWMC) of higher education but he continued to hold
reads. elementary and secondary education and
4. Khattak elected head of parliamentary Muzaffarabad City Development Project.
body on polls  Additionally, he was also given environment.
 Higher education was given to retired Col challenges and threats in the maritime
Waqar Ahmed Noor who was earlier holding domain` Admiral Abbasi is on a visit to
the portfolio of planning and development. Russia. The navy expects that the chief`s visit
 Finance department was withdrawn from Dr to Russia would strengthen defence ties
Najeeb Naqi but health remained with him. between the two countries.
6. Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to follow  Admiral Abbasi and Admiral Korolyov in their
timeline for refugees return meeting deliberated on various avenues of
 Pakistan and Afghanistan on November 7, cooperation between the two navies.
2018 agreed to follow the `decided timeline` 8. Democrats regain control of US House
for the repatriation of Afghan refugees. after eight years
 The agreement was reached during the  Democrats won the House of
second meeting of the Refugee Working Representatives on November 7, 2018,
Group (WG) under the Afghanistan-Pakistan ending one-party rule in the United States
Action Plan for Peace and Stability (APAPPS). after two years of a wild ride for President
 Safron Secretary Muhammad Aslam led the Donald Trump who trampled on all opposing
Pakistani side at the meeting whereas the forces.
Afghan delegation was headed by Deputy  But the Trump charm worked in the Senate,
Minister for Afghan Ministry of Refugee where Republicans outperformed
Affairs Dr Alema. expectations, expanding their lead in the
 The two sides discussed ways to enhance 100-seat body.
mutual cooperation for à dignified, gradual,  The results of these mid-term elections leave
time-bound and complete return of Afghan the political picture even more blurry than it
nationals to their country`. was before Tuesday.
 Ìt was decided to observe the agreed  If it was a referendum on Mr Trump`s
timelines and procedures for repatriation of performance, as predicted during the
various categories of these people to campaign, the results confirmed that he
Afghanistan,` a Foreign Office statement remains hugely popular among his voters,
said. middle-aged, working class whites.
7. Pakistan, Russia to beef up naval  But his divisive policies also united his
cooperation opponent’s women, immigrants, LGBTs,
 The Pakistan and Russian navies on liberals who came out in record numbers to
November 7, 2018 agreed to strengthen show their resentment. The New York Times
bilateral cooperation to deal with challenges estimated that some 114 million ballots
related to maritime security. were cast this year, well above the 83 million
 According to Pakistan Navy`s media votes cast in 2014 and 91 million ballots cast
directorate, during their meeting at Saint in 2010.This surge particularly among
Petersburg, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral suburban voters propelled Democrats to
Zafar Mahmood Abbasi and Commander-in- reclaim a majority in the House after eight
Chief of Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir years, heralding a new era of divided
Korolyov decided to step up èfforts to government in Washington. By Wednesday
effectively confront the trans-national afternoon, the Democratic Party had picked
up more seats than the Republicans. So far, deliveries after New Zealand posted a
Democrats have won 220 seats in the House decent 266-9.
while 194 have gone to Republicans. The  Taylor and Latham shared a brilliant 130-run
House has a total of 435 seats. In the Senate, fourth-wicket stand before Pakistan hit back
Republicans maintained majority of 51 out in the last 10 overs with its ace leg spinner
of a total of 100. Democrats now have 45, Shadab Khan (4-38) claiming three wickets in
down from 49 in the previous Senate. four balls and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi
9. Italy`s senate passes tough anti-migrant ending up with 4-46.
decree
 The Italian senate on November 7, 2018 November 9, 2018
cleared the way for far-right Interior
1. Pakistan, S. Korea to boost economic
Minister Matteo Salvini`s tough anti-migrant
cooperation
and security decree to become law following
 Pakistan and the Republic of Korea (RoK)
a confidence vote.
have agreed in principle on an exchange of
 The populist government of Salvini`s League
high level visits between them to boost
and Luigi Di Maio`s anti-establishment Five
economic cooperation, regional peace and
Star Movement (M5S) won the vote with 163
security.
senators for, 59 against including five M5S
 The agreement was reached during a
members and 19 abstentions.
meeting between Foreign Secretary
 The lower house of parliament now has until
Tehmina Janjua and RoK Foreign Minister
the end of November to approve the decree,
Kang KyungWha before the 10th round of
which the coalition first put forward in
Pakistan-Korea bilateral policy consultations
September and makes it easier to expel
held in Seoul on November 7, 2018.
migrants and strip them of Italian
 Both sides discussed cooperation in culture,
citizenship.
education, forestry and climate change.
 The government opted for a confidence vote
 Foreign Secretary Janjua led the Pakistani
to get the decree through the senate after
delegation, which included Ambassador of
M5S members tabled a slew of
Pakistan to Korea Rahim Hayat Qureshi and
amendments. It should have no problem
Director General of East Asia Pacific Samina
passing the lower house given the coalition`s
Mehtab, while First Vice Minister for Foreign
majority.
Affairs of Korea Cho Hyun led the South
10. Kiwis beat Pakistan after Boult`s hat-
Korean team.
trick jolts top order
 The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of
 Fast bowler Trent Boult became the third bilateral relations and identified possibilities
New Zealander to record a hat-trick in a one- for deepening relations in education, culture
day international as the Kiwis beat Pakistan and parliamentary exchanges.
by 47 runs on November 7, 2018.
 Discussions were also held on the regional
 Boult (3-54) nailed Pakistan`s top order with security situation in South Asia and the
the wickets of Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam Korean peninsula.
and Mohammad Hafeez off successive
2. China, Pakistan sign treaty for transfer  In 2018, two drone attacks have been
of prisoners conducted so far.
 A treaty for transfer of sentenced persons  One person was killed and one was injured.
between Pakistan and China was signed in  It is however worth remembering that the
Beijing, providing legal grounds for top leadership of the Taliban in Pakistan has
cooperation in transfer of sentenced people. been killed in drone attacks.
 The treaty was signed by Chinese Minister of  The attacks over the years have targeted the
Justice Fu Zhenghua and Foreign Minister areas of Bajaur, Bannu, Hangu, Khyber,
Shah Mehmood Qureshi on behalf of their Kurram, Mohmand, North Waziristan,
countries during Prime Minister Imran Nushki,Orakzai, and South Waziristan. The
Khan`s recent visit to China, the Ghína Daily officials of Nacta added that 289 attacks
reponed on November 8, 2018. were conducted in North Waziristan alone,
 The agreement provides that sentenced in which 1,651 individuals were killed and
persons having difficulties in language, 421 were injured. South Waziristan saw 91
habits, religions and visits would be allowed attacks that killed 707 individuals and
to return to their respective countries to injured 215. There were 13 strikes in the
finish their prison terms there. Kurram Agency that killed 110 and injured
 The pact will take effect after the two 32, five in the Khyber Agency that killed 57
countries` legislative institutions give their and injured 29, four in the Bajaur Agency
approval.- that killed 129, two in Hangu that killed
3. Thousands killed in drone strikes, terror seven and injured two, one in the Mohmand
attacks since 2004 Agency that killed 18 and injured 18 and one
in Nushki that killed two.
 A total of 409 drone attacks have been
conducted in Pakistan since January 2004, in 4. Govt allows taking suspicious persons
which 2,714 people have been killed and into custody
728injured.  The federal cabinet, on the
 The majority of the strikes were carried out recommendations of the ministry of interior,
during the government of Pakistan Peoples has approved taking several suspicious
Party between 2008 and 2012. Sources persons into protective custody.
within the National Counter Terrorism  The federal cabinet, which met under the
Authority (NACTA) recently shared details, chair of Prime Minister Imran Khan on
claiming that the period saw 336 aerial November 8, 2018, reviewed the law and
attacks, in which 2,282 people lost their lives order situation in the country. Minister of
and 658 received injuries. The officials added State for Interior Shehryar Afridi briefed the
that 2010 alone saw 117 attacks that cost cabinet on the losses incurred during the
775 people their lives and injured another three-day long countrywide protests in the
193. Between 2013 and 2018 during the wake of the Supreme Court’s acquittal of
government of the Pakistan Muslim League- Aasia Bibi.
Nawaz a total of 65 drone attacks occurred.  The federal cabinet also approved prisoners’
A total of 301 people died and 70 were swap agreements with England and
injured. Northern Ireland.
 The cabinet approved a 21-point agenda and official` level, sending two former senior
reviewed the implementation of decisions diplomats to attend talks on the Afghanistan
taken during cabinet meetings in the past. peace process to be held in Russia on
5. Pakistani women less likely to own a November 8, 2018.
mobile phone than men: study  The talks, known as the `Moscow format`
 A new study shows majority of women, less will include a `high-level` delegation from
educated and the poor in Pakistan do not the Taliban as well as a delegation of
own smartphones, lack awareness of and do Afghanistan`s `High Peace Council`, along
not have access to the internet. with twelve countries, including Pakistan,
 The study Information Communication and will mark the first time an Indian
Technology access and use in Asia and the delegation has been present at the table in
Global South notes that 37pc women talks with the Taliban representatives based
between 15-65 years are less likely to own a in Doha.
mobile phone than men. In the same age  Ìndia supports all efforts at peace and
group, 43pc women are less likely to use reconciliation in Afghanistan that will
internet putting already disadvantaged preserve unity and plurality, and bring
women in a more vulnerable position than security, stability and prosperity to the
their male counterparts. These results put country.
Pakistan alongside India and Bangladesh 7. Trump dismisses attorney general
with the highest gender gap in Asia when it  President Donald Trump forced out Attorney
comes to internet and mobile phone General Jeff Sessions on November 7, 2018,
accessibility. a day after congressional elections, and
 `This marginalization and lack of access is vowed to fight if the US House of
exacerbated in rural and social contexts Representatives new Democratic majority
limiting their access to technology. launches probe into his administration.
 The report based on a survey of 2,000  Sessions an early Trump supporter who ran
households in Pakistan was undertaken to afoul of the president by recusing himself
understand how users use or do not use ICT from an investigation into Russian meddling
services. in the 2016 White House campaign said in a
 The 152 million active cellular subscribers letter to Trump that he had submitted his
mentioned on Pakistan Telecommunication resignation àt your request`.
Authority [PTA] website, despite a good SIM  The 71-year-old former senator was
registration system, tell nothing about the informed on November 7, 2018 morning by
subscribers, whether they are men or White House Chief of Staff John Kelly in a
women, rich or poor and does not really help phone call that it was time to go, said an
one understand access and usage gaps. aide.
6. India agrees to attend Moscow Taliban 8. US bar shooting kills 13
talks  A mass shooting November 8, 2018 night in
 In a departure from India`s stand on the city of Thousand Oaks in Southern
engaging the Taliban, New Delhi has California, has left 13 people dead including
announced it would participate at a `non-
an officer and a gunman, and at least 11 medals on the last day of the events played
injured. at Liaqat Gymnasium Islamabad on
 The gunman was identified as 28-year-old November 8, 2018.
Ian David Long, a former Marine.  Wapda won second place with 4 gold, 11
 Dean said his department had several silver and 11 bronze medals while HEC
contacts with Long over the years, including bagged third place with 1 gold, 6 silver and 8
a call to his home in April when it was bronze medals. In Khyrougi/Poomsae
believed he may have been suffering from competitions U-10, Khubaib TKD Academy
poor mental health. (A) won first position with 11 gold, 2 silver
 According to witnesses at the scene, the and 1 bronze medals, Khubaib TKD Academy
shooter threw a smoke grenade into the bar (B) secured second spot with 2 gold, 2 silver
before opening fire with a handgun. and 5 bronze medals and Sindh TKD
9. World’s first AI news anchor makes his Association remained third with 1 gold, 2
China debut silver and 2 bronze medals.
 The world’s first artificial intelligence (AI)
news anchor made “his” debut at the November 10, 2018
ongoing fifth World Internet Conference in 1. Taliban attend Moscow meeting, refuse
east China’s Zhejiang Province. to negotiate with Kabul
 The news anchor, based on the latest AI
 A Taliban delegation on November 9, 2018
technology, has a male image with a voice,
attended an international diplomatic
facial expressions and actions of a real
conference in Russia for the first time, in a
person. “He” learns from live broadcasting
move that underscored Moscow`s keenness
videos by himself and can read texts as
to play a role in the Afghan peace process,
naturally as a professional news anchor.
but the Kabul government sent no official
 The AI news anchor was jointly developed by representative.
Xinhua News Agency, the official state-run
 Instead, members of Afghanistan`s High
media outlet of China, and Chinese search
Peace Council, a body which oversees peace
engine company Sogou.com.
efforts but does not represent the
 According to Xinhua, “he” has become a government, attended the event, where
member of its reporting team and can work they repeated President Ashraf Ghani`s offer
24 hours a day on its official website and of peace talks without preconditions.
various social media platforms, reducing
 Western officials and Mr Ghani`s
news production costs and improving
government view the Moscow meeting with
efficiency.
some suspicion, seeing it as an attempt by
10. Army crowned National Taekwondo Russia to push its way into a process that
champions they say must be led by Afghanistan.
 Pakistan Army were crowned the 13th  No such agreement has been reached so far.
Korean Ambassador National Taekwondo 2. Govt shares `wealth fund` plan with IMF
Championship 2018 senior mission
Khyrougi/Poomsae categories champions as
they won 22 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze
 The visiting International Monetary Fund utilised to meet the growing litigation by
(IMF) team was informed on November 9, making them function in double shifts.
2018 that the government intended to  Performance of other entities such as
create a `wealth fund` to turn loss-making hospitals and schools could also be increased
public sector enterprises into profitmaking by utilising them in double shifts. The
entities before their sell-off. functioning of the evening court would
 The plan was shared with the IMF delegation benefit schoolchildren and working parents.
by officials of the finance ministry, State 4. Meezan Bank gets Best Banking Award
Bank and Federal Board of Revenue during a for 2018
fresh round of technical level talks focusing  Meezan Bank Limited on November 9, 2018
on privatisation programme of the won the 3rd Pakistan Banking Awards in the
government, which is striving to receive category of the Best Bank for 2018, while
around $12 billion loan from the Habib Bank Ltd and Bank Alfalah fetched two
international lender. awards in two different categories.
 The officials briefed the IMF delegation on  The 3rd Pakistan Banking Awards ceremony
the recent government decision to offer was organised by the Dawn Media Group,
profit-making public sector enterprises to Institute of Bankers Pakistan (IBP) and A.F.
private investors. The visiting team was Ferguson.
informed that the government had decided  The jury decided to choose Dubai Islamic
not to offer Pakistan Steel Mills, Pakistan Bank as the Best Emerging Bank in Pakistan
International Airlines (PIA), Pakistan for 2018.
Railways, Utility Stores Corporation,  HBL and Bank Alfalah received two awards in
National Highway Authority and the Civil two different categories. In the category of
Aviation Authority (CAA) for sell-off. The best bank for small/medium businesses,
government officials observed that all other Bank Alfalah was awarded the best bank.
entities were commercial units except for 5. Talks being held in Beijing to finalise
the CAA which was also a regulatory body in
`cooperation modalities`
the aviation sector.
 Pakistan and China began formal talks in
3. In a first, evening court begins hearing Beijing on November 9, 2018 for finalisation
family cases of modalities on economic cooperation.
 Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad  A delegation led by Finance Secretary Arif
Anwarul Haq on November 9, 2018 Ahmed Khan and State Bank of Pakistan
inaugurated the country`s first evening court Governor Tariq Bajwa is negotiating with its
in Lahore to deal with family and minors` Chinese counterparts details of the
custody cases with a view to keeping assistance package.
children of separated parents away from  Talks are a follow-up to Prime Minister Imran
traditional environment of courts. Khan`s visit to China during which the two
 The purpose of establishing the evening sides signed 15 agreements and
court was to facilitate litigants within the Memorandum of Understanding to enhance
available resources. If creation of new courts cooperation in economy, trade and other
was difficult, the existing courts could be sectors.
6. Mardan DC transferred a day after  As many as 370,000 of these people have
posting died due to direct war violence, including
 Mohammad Tayyab Abdullah, newly-posted armed forces on all sides of the conflicts,
deputy commissioner, was transferred by contractors, civilians, journalists, and
the Establishment Department of Khyber humanitarian workers.
Pakhtunkhwa within 24 hours of his posting  Fatalities in Afghanistan, as of October 2018,
as DC Mardan. stood at about 147,000 people, including
 According to the first notification issued on Afghan security forces, civilians and
November 8 by the establishment opposition fighters. A total of 6,334
department, a copy of which is available with American soldiers and contractors, as well as
this correspondent, the competent authority more than 1,100 allied troops, have also
is pleased to transfer Mohammad Tayyab been killed in Afghanistan between 2001 and
Abdullah (PMS BS-18), deputy secretary 2018.
Home and Tribal Affairs Department, and  Between 268,000 and 295,000 deaths have
posted him as deputy commissioner, occurred in Iraq, where the US-led military
Mardan, by relieving ADC Mardan of the intervened on began in 2003.
additional charge, in his own pay and scale,  The report notes that 200,000 civilians have
with immediate effect. been killed in direct violence by all parties to
 The second notification issued by the said these conflicts, including more than 6,800
department on November 9, the very next US soldiers.
day, stated that Mohammad Abid Khan ( PAS 8. Trump signs order limiting migrant
BS-19) was posted as deputy commissioner, asylum at US-Mexico border
Mardan, in place of Mohammad Tayyab  President Donald Trump on November 9,
Abdullah who had yet to take charge of his 2018 signed a proclamation that effectively
post in the district. will suspend the granting of asylum to
7. War on terror left half a million dead in migrants who cross the US border with
17 years, says report Mexico illegally for up to 90 days.
 War-related violence has killed 65,000  The order, which goes into effect on
people in Pakistan in the last 17 years, November 9, 2018, means that migrants will
including 23,000 civilians, 9,000 security have to present themselves at US ports of
personnel and 90 American contractors, says entry to qualify for asylum. Immigrant
a report released on November 8, 2018. The advocates say the administration has
rest of the casualties were anti-government deliberately slowed the processing of
fighters. migrants at official ports, forcing them to
 The report by the Brown University`s Costs wait for days or weeks to request protection.
of War Project notes that since 2001, when  Trump`s order will be in effect for 90 days or
the United States launched its war on terror, until the United States reaches an
about 507,000 people have been killed in agreement with Mexico allowing it to turn
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. The report back asylum-seekers who had travelled
also warns that there has been a 22 per cent through Mexico, whichever comes first.
increase in war deaths in the past two years.
 US and Mexican diplomats have held talks  New Zealand won the first match by 47 runs,
over the issue this year, but there has been also in Abu Dhabi. The third and final match
little indication Mexico would agree to such is in Dubai on November 11, 2018.
a pact.
9. Lankan president dissolves parliament, November 11, 2018
calls polls on Jan 5
1. 80pc of Pakistan`s poor live in rural
 Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena
areas, says World Bank report
dissolved the nation`s parliament on
 Rural areas in Pakistan remain much poorer
November 9, 2018, in a move that will likely
than urban areas and are far more
worsen an already deep political crisis.
disadvantaged in all respects of service
 The president later called snap polls on Jan
delivery, and the present conditions show
5.
the decline in poverty has not reduced the
 The dissolution comes after an intense
urban-rural gap by much.
power struggle in the past two weeks which
 According to a World Bank report titled
followed Sirisena`s sudden sacking of Prime
`State of Water Supply, Sanitation and
Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the
Poverty in Pakistan` Balochistan has by far
appointment of former leader Mahinda
the highest rural poverty rate, with more
Rajapaksa, a pro-China strongman, in his
than 62 per cent of its rural population living
place.
below the poverty line. However, the gap
 Following the sacking, the president
between rural and urban poverty is the
suspended parliament in a move which
widest in Sindh at almost 30 percentage
Wickremesinghe said was intended to
points. In contrast, the urban rural gap in
prevent the ousted prime minister from
Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was 13 and
contesting the decision in the legislature.
15 percentage points, respectively.
 Later Sirisena agreed to reconvene
 The report said that the poverty head count
parliament on Nov. 14, but that will now not
rate in rural Pakistan was twice as much in
happen.
urban areas 36pc versus 18pc and the gap
 Wickremesinghe has refused to vacate the
had remained virtually unchanged since
official prime minister`s residence, saying he
2001-02. Combined with the slow pace of
is the prime minister and had a
urbanisation only about 35pc of the
parliamentary majority.
country`s population lived in urban areas in
10. Pakistan beat NZ, square ODI series 2014 this gap indicated that 80pc of
 Pakistan beat New Zealand by six wickets in Pakistan`s poor continued to live in rural
the second day night international in Abu areas.
Dhabi, levelling the three match series 1-1  Rural households, it said, faced a substantial
on November 9, 2018. disadvantage in virtually all aspects of
 Paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi took a career service delivery. Nationally, the rural net
best 4-38 to keep New Zealand down to 209- enrolment rate was 13 percentage points
9 in their 50 overs before Fakhar Zaman (88) lower for primary school and 11 percentage
and Babar Azam (46) helped Pakistan reach points lower for middle school than in urban
the target in 40.3 overs. areas. For girls, these gaps stood at 17 and
14 percentage points, respectively. The rural  These decisions were taken at a meeting
female literacy rate, at 28pc, was also less chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad
than half of that in urban areas. Ali Shah and attended by ministers, advisers,
2. Pakistan highlights UN role in building special assistants and government officials,
peaceful world Murtaza Wahab, adviser to the chief
 Amid rising unilateralism threatening minister on information.
multilateralism, Pakistan November 9, 2018  The provincial cabinet, during the meeting,
underscored the role of the United Nations approved a proposal to authorise the
as the best vehicle for creating a peaceful governor, the chief minister, assembly
world order. speaker, chief justice of the Sindh High
 “A rules-based order with the UN at its core Court, chief secretary, inspector general of
remains an abiding and fundamental the Sindh Police and two additional
element of my country’s foreign policy,” inspectors general to use armoured vehicles.
Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told the UN  The ministers or any officers identified to
Security Council. have threat would be provided an armoured
 Speaking in a debate on the role of vehicle available in the pool. The chief
multilateralism, the Pakistani envoy said that minister was told that there were 28 vehicles
UN Charter principles of sovereign equality of 1800cc available in the pool for ministers.
of States, non-interference and peaceful Most of the vehicles have already been
settlement of disputes were critical. As true allotted to ministers.
multilateralism means that decision-making 4. Driving heavy bikes banned in
bodies must be fully representative of the residential areas at night
aspirations of all member states — small,  The police on November 10, 2018 banned
medium and large — Pakistan embraces heavy bikes from being driven in the capital`s
Security Council reform for those purposes. residential areas at night.
 The Pakistani envoy, praising the  The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has said
accomplishments fostered by the United that the ban was imposed to counter noise
Nations in the pursuit of internationally- pollution around residential areas and
shared goals for the common good, said that hospitals at night-time following a number
today such multilateralism is under assault. of complaints.
3. Sindh bans purchase of new vehicles for  All heavy bikes sport and cruisers and normal
officials bikes that are modified to produce noise are
 The Sindh cabinet on November 10, 2018 banned from being driven on roads in and
decided to impose a ban on purchase of new around residential areas, and roads adjacent
vehicles for officials for three years and to them, between 9pmand 6am, an ITP
phase out use of polythene bags within three officer said. There is no ban on driving these
months. vehicles on highways.
 The cabinet also decided to release 12 ailing 5. Pak-IMF policy level talks from next
prisoners and form a committee to review week
amendments to the police transfers and  Policy level talks between Pakistan and
postings law. International Monetary Fund (IMF) would
start from next week that would finalise the sanctions over the murder of journalist
volume of loan and conditionalaties of the Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate on
new borrowing programme. Oct 2.
 The IMF team, which had arrived Islamabad  The United States and Britain late last month
on November 6, had so far held technical called for a ceasefire in Yemen to support
discussion with Pakistan’s authorities. UN-led efforts to end the nearly four-year
Economic ministries had shared data with long war that has killed more than 10,000
the visiting IMF delegation during the people and triggered the world`s most
technical level talks. Both the sides would urgent humanitarian crisis.
initiate policy level talks from week, which  Saudi Arabia has a fleet of 23 planes for
would be headed by Finance Minister Asad refuelling operations, including six Airbus
Umar from Pakistani side. The talks between 330 MRTT used for Yemen, while the United
IMF and Pakistan will continue till November Arab Emirates has six of the Airbus planes,
20. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya al-Hadath channel
6. Bank of Punjab president resigns reported on Saturday.
 The Bank of Punjab President Naeemuddin 8. Iran reopens trade gate at Taftan
Khan has resigned from his post one month  Pak-Iran trade gate was reopened on
before the expiry of his second term. November 10, 2018 in Taftan after three
Naeemuddin served the bank as president weeks by Iranian authorities. The gate was
for around 10 years after taking the charge closed on October 16 due to Hazrat Imam
in 2008. He has over 30 years diversified Hussain’s Chehlum ceremonies.
international banking experience.  According to Levies sources, Zero Point, a
 He had been at the helm of BoP affairs since trade gate at Taftan area of Chaghi, has been
the last one decade, overseeing the reopened for all kind of business activities by
turnaround of the bank from the brink of both side countries which were suspended
bankruptcy and converted it into a profitable after closing of trade gate.
entity.  Businessmen of Taftan expressed their
7. US ends refuelling of aircraft from happiness over resumption of trade
Saudi-led coalition battling insurgents activities through the Zero Point gate
in Yemen 9. WB to grant Belarus $160m
 Saudi Arabia and the United States have  The World Bank (WB) will grant Belarus an
agreed to end US refueling of aircraft from additional loan of $160 million to implement
the Saudi-led coalition battling Houthi energy conservation projects, Deputy
insurgents in Yemen, halting a divisive aspect Chairman of the State Committee for
of US support to a war that has pushed Standardization of the Republic of Belarus
Yemen to the brink of famine. and Director of Department for Energy
 The move, announced by the coalition on Efficiency Mikhail Malashenko said.
Saturday and confirmed by Washington,  Work is underway to raise additional
comes at a time when Riyadh, already under financing to the tune of $160 million. There
scrutiny for civilian deaths in Yemen air is an agreement in principle of the World
strikes, is facing global furore and potential Bank. The loan will be used to build facilities
running on local fuel and to implement pilot  The survey was conducted by Lirne Asia, a
projects to improve energy saving in think-tank based in Sri Lanka that carries out
apartment houses. research on information communication
 He emphasized that construction of facilities technology.
running on bio fuel is an energy-saving  The report is based on a survey of 2,000
project that will pay back soon and will help households in Pakistan. LirneAsia claims that
reduce the prime cost of heat energy the sampling methodology was designed to
considerably. ensure representation of 98pc target
10. Macron, Trump in show of unity after population aged 15 to 65 at a national level.
defence row Conducted between October December
 French President Emmanuel Macron sought 2017, this demand side survey helps
to defuse a row with US counterpart Donald understand how users use or do not use ICT
Trump on November 10, 2018, hailing the services.
"great solidarity" between their countries  The 152 million active cellular subscribers
after Trump blasted his proposals for a mentioned on Pakistan Telecommunication
European army. Authority (PTA) website, despite a good SIM
 The two leaders held talks at the presidential registration system, tell nothing about the
palace in Paris ahead of World War 1 subscribers whether they are men and
commemorations taking place in the shadow women, rich or poor and does not really help
of a new nationalist surge worldwide. understand access and usage gaps,`
 Their body language was less warm than LinreAsia report.
during Trump’s last trip to Paris in July 2017 2. Health cards launched for artists in
and Macron’s visit to the White House in Punjab
April, underscoring a general cooling in  The new government will pay special
relations which were further strained by a attention to culture and the promotion of
late-night tweet by Trump on defence. cultural activities, Punjab Information and
 Macron attempted to smoothe over the Culture Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan
divisions, saying he shared Trump’s view on said on November 11, 2018 at the
the need for Europe to boost defence concluding ceremony of the Lok Mela at Lok
spending. Virsa.
 The minister said the Punjab government
November 12, 2018 has introduced an artist`s health card with
which artists will be able to get free medical
1. Most Pakistanis do not know what the treatment worth Rs 400,000 every year.
internet is: report 3. Alibaba Singles` Day smashes $25bn
 Around 69pc Pakistani users between the
sales record
ages of 15 and 65 do not know what the
 Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group
internet is, revealed an information
Holding Ltd smashed the 2017 record for its
communication technology (ICT) based
Singles` Day sales event on Sunday,
survey launched last week.
surpassing 168 billion yuan ($24.15 billion)
sales in under 16 hours and closing the day voters headed to polling stations after a top
at 213bn yuan ($30bn). rebel was killed in a cafe bombing in August.
 Singles` Day, also called `Double 11` is the  Wary of possible violence, separatist
world`s biggest online sales event, authorities tightened security, with gun-
outstripping US shopping holiday Black toting, camouflage-clad soldiers deployed to
Friday. ensure order.
 The Chinese event was originally a novelty  Campaign posters around the Donetsk rebel
student holiday to celebrate being single, stronghold called on people to vote “with
countering Valentines Day, but has since Russia in your heart.”
grown into a month-long online shopping  Washington and Brussels had asked Russia
festival that peaks with a 24-hour sales not to hold what they call “illegal” polls,
frenzy on November 11. saying they will further hamper efforts to
 A disproportionately large number of sales end a conflict that has killed more than
are recorded in the first minutes of the 24- 10,000 people since 2014. Kiev urged the
hour spending spree, when transactions are West to punish Russia for violating a 2015
recorded for items that have been put on peace agreement.
hold. 6. Dubai Police start training on flying
4. JetBlue launches service from Boston to motorbikes
Havana  The flying motorbike is back in Dubai – and
 A Jet Blue flight from Boston landed in you could see the police riding one in the
Havana on November 10, 2018, as the US not-too-distant future.
airline expanded its routes to Cuba despite a  A year after California-based startup
drop in American visitors amid tensions Hoversurf showcased its hover bike at tech
between the countries. expo GITEX in the white and green livery of
 The plane with more than 120 passengers on the Dubai Police, the company has returned
board was received with flags from both with a new model and evidence its electric
countries at the Jose Marti airport in Cuba`s vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle
capital. might be, well, taking off.
 The number of US visitors to the island  Making good on a deal signed in 2017,
dropped. A Cuban report shows that in the Hoversurf has now gifted Dubai Police its
first quarter of 2018 the number of first serial production unit of the S3 2019
Americans visiting the island fell by 43 per Hoverbike and has begun training officers to
cent compared to the same period last year. fly it.
5. Ukraine rebels elect leaders in defiance 7. Link between brain activity, mood
of West disorders discovered
 Voters in rebel-held east Ukraine chose new  US scientists at University of California San
leaders Sunday after Russia defied Western Francisco (UCSF) have found a new pattern
calls not to sabotage peace talks and Kiev of brain activity that may help develop new
urged fresh sanctions against the Kremlin. therapies in the future to treat mood
 In the Donetsk and Lugansk “People’s disorders like depression.
Republics” in Ukraine’s industrial east,
 Most human brain research on mood 9. Momota wins China Open
disorders has relied on studies in which  World champion Kento Momota won
participants lie in a functional magnetic badminton`s Fuzhou China Open on
resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner and look November 11, 2018 to add another title to
at upsetting images or listen to sad stories. his already spectacular season.
 However, the scientists from UCSF Weill  Japan`s world number one survived a
Institute for Neurosciences recruited 21 spirited challenge from Taiwan`s Chou
patient volunteers with epilepsy who had Tienchen, defeating the fourth seed 21-13,
had 40 to 70 electrodes implanted on the 11-21, 21-16 in 66 minutes.
brain's surface and in deeper structures of  The 24-year-old Momota collapsed to the
the brain to record brain activities for seven court floor and lay on his back exhausted
to 10 days. after finally seeing off Chou.
 By using computational algorithms, they  Momota has been in scorching form this
matched patterns of brain activity to year, winning the World Championships, the
changes in the patients' reported mood and Asia Championships and now four events on
analyzed the recordings of brain activity in the World Tour.
each patient to identify so-called intrinsic 10. Kashima Antlers win Asian Champions
coherence networks (ICNs), which are League for first time
groups of brain regions where their activity  Separated from male supporters, hundreds
patterns fluctuate at a common frequency. of Iranian women watched as Kashima
8. Rain washes away Pakistan`s hopes of Antlers of Japan won the Asian Champions
series win over Kiwis League for the first time on November 10,
 Persistent rain dashed Pakistan`s hopes of 2018.
beating New Zealand in a one-day series for  Kashima beat Iranian champion Persepolis 2-
the first in seven years on November 11, 0 on aggregate after the second leg ended in
2018 after the third and final match in Dubai a goalless draw at the imposing Azadi
hadtobe abandoned. Stadium.
 New Zealand, set a daunting 280run target  Women have been mainly prohibited from
against a potent Pakistan bowling attack, attending men`s games and other sports
were 35-1 after 6.5 overs when rain halted events in Iran since the 1979 Islamic
play. revolution.
 That left the series tied at 1-1 after New  The fact that over 1,000 women could cheer
Zealand won the first match by 47 runs while their favorite team and that this took place
Pakistan claimed the second by six wickets. during Asian football`s most important game
Both games were played in Abu Dhabi. of the season makes this occasion even more
 Pakistan have not beaten the Kiwis in a one- special.
day series since their win in New Zealand in
2011, having lost in 2014 (2-3 in UAE), 2015 November 13, 2018
(0-2 in New Zealand), in 2016 (0-2 in New
Zealand) and in January 2018 (0-5 in New 1. Umar removed as PITB chief
Zealand).
 The Punjab government on November 12, with AFP in Paris, where he was attending a
2018 removed Dr Umar Saif, founding peace conference organised by French
chairman of the Punjab Information President Emmanuel Macron.
Technology Board (PITB), and appointed 4. Pakistan faces IMF today with more
Habib-ur-Rehman Gilani in his place. inefficiencies in power sector
 Saif served as head of the PITB for seven  Pakistan is to face IMF today (November 13,
years. Before completion of Pakistan 2018) with more inefficiencies in power
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s 100 sector with less recovery, no let-up in line
days, the Punjab government decided to losses and electricity theft and more surge in
appoint new chairman to the PITB, the receivables that have contributed to jack up
department, which executes technology- to ever biggest circular debt of Rs1.531
enabled solutions for the government. trillion.
 Saif has not been removed as vice chancellor  “Yes, we are going to sensitise the IMF today
of the Information Technology University about the plight of power sector,” Zargham
(ITU) so far, but he is likely to be removed Eshaque Khan, Joint secretary (Power) in
from this post too in coming weeks. Power Division, confirmed.
2. Iranian border guards firing kill 2  Payables of the power sector currently
Pakistanis stands at Rs996 billion, and the loans and
 Two Pakistani nationals were killed and liabilities of power sector borrowed by the
three others injured in firing of Iranian Power Holding Company Limited (PHCL).
border guards while trying to illegally cross  However, these figures are yet to be verified
border into Iran late on November 11, 2018. by Pepco (Pakistan Electric Power Company)
 Levies Force official said that seven and will be updated prior to the meeting
Pakistanis attempting to enter into Iran with the Fund. Mr Khan said that receivables
through an illegal route from the Panjgur of the power sector have increased to Rs898
district in Balochistan were intercepted by billion.
Iranian border guards.  The IMF mission will be told about the
 Two people were killed in firing of the border government resolve to trim down the
guards while three others were wounded circular debt as plan has been carved out
and taken to a Panjgur hospital for with the help of provincial governments
treatment. under which the crackdown against the
3. Canada, Pakistan hold dialogue over outlaws involved in electricity theft has also
Aasia been kicked off. The operation in the first
 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said phase to this effect has already been started
November 12, 2018 that his government was from Punjab.
holding talks with Pakistan over potentially 5. 700,000 children may die of pneumonia
offering asylum to Aasia Bibi, a Christian in Pakistan by 2030, warns study
woman recently freed from prison after her  Pneumonia will kill nearly 11 million children
blasphemy conviction was overturned. under the age of five by 2030, experts
 “We are in discussions with the Pakistani warned on a global day aimed at raising
government,” Trudeau said in an interview
awareness of the biggest infectious killer of  “Amnesty International cannot justify your
infants worldwide. continued status as a recipient of the
 While in the developed world the severe Ambassador of Conscience award and so
lung infection mainly affects the elderly, in with great sadness we are hereby
developing nations it is children who bear withdrawing it from you.”
the brunt, with hundreds of thousands dying 7. Spider Man creator Stan Lee dies
each year from the easily preventable  Stan Lee, who dreamed up Spider Man, Iron
disease. Man, the Hulk and a cavalcade of other
 More than 880,000 children mainly aged less Marvel Comics superheroes that became
than two years old died from pneumonia in mythic figures in pop culture with soaring
2016 alone. success at the movie box office, died on
 A new analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins November 12, 2018.
University and the aid group Save the  He was 95.
Children using forecasts based on current  As a writer and editor, Lee was key to the
trends showed more than 10,800,000 under- ascension of Marvel into a comic book utan
fives would succumb to the disease by the in the 1960s when, in collaboration with
end of the next decade. Furthermore, a artists such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he
handful of countries are set to carry the created superheroes who would enthrall
highest burdens, with 1.7 million children set generations of young readers.
to die in Nigeria and India, 700,000 in 8. 51 states pledge support for global
Pakistan and 635,000 in the Democratic cybersecurity rules
Republic of Congo.  Fifty-one states, including all EU members,
6. Amnesty strips Suu Kyi off highest have pledged their support for a new
honour international agreement to set standards on
 Amnesty International on November 12, cyber weapons and the use of the internet.
2018 stripped Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest  The states have signed up to a so-called
honour over the de facto Myanmar leader’s “Paris Call for Trust and Security in
“indifference” to the atrocities committed Cyberspace”, an attempt to kickstart stalled
by the country’s military against Rohingya global negotiations.
Muslims.  China, Russia and the United States did not
 The London-based global human rights sign the pledge, reflecting their resistance to
organisation said it was revoking the setting standards for cyber weapons which
Ambassador of Conscience Award it gave are at the cutting edge of modern warfare.
Suu Kyi in 2009 while she was still under  Russia has been accused by Western
house arrest. “Today, we are profoundly countries of cyber-meddling over the last
dismayed that you no longer represent a few years, while huge data breaches online
symbol of hope, courage, and the undying have fuelled calls for new rules governing
defence of human rights,” Amnesty online behavior.
International chief Kumi Naidoo said in a 9. N Korea hiding missile bases: US
letter to Suu Kyi released by the group. researchers
 North Korea is operating at least 13  Since March, Kondo has been living with a
undeclared bases to hide mobile, nuclear- moving, talking hologram of Miku that floats
capable missiles, a new study released in a $2,800 desktop device.
November 12, 2018 has found, raising fresh
doubts over US President Donald Trump’s November 14, 2018
signature foreign policy initiative.
1. FBR policy, administrative functions to
 Trump has hailed his June summit with
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as having separate in 100 days, IMF assured
opened the way to denuclearization of the  The government on November 13, 2018
divided peninsula, defusing tensions that promised the International Monetary Fund
less than a year ago brought the two (IMF) to separate policy and administrative
countries to the brink of conflict. functions of the Federal Board of Revenue
 Since the summit in Singapore, North Korea (FBR) within first 100 days of its tenure and
has forgone nuclear and missile tests, undertake a full-fledged effort for maximum
dismantled a missile test site and promised recovery of more than Rs2 trillion tax and
to also break up the country’s main nuclear power dues.
complex.  In a change of mind, the government has
 But researchers at the Center for Strategic also planned to seek maximum financial
and International Studies in Washington said support from the IMF to tide over its
they have located 13 missile operating bases external account gap instead of earlier
that have not been declared by the indications that it wanted smaller size of the
government, and that there may be as many ballout to keep conditionalities of the
as 20. programme to a bare minimum.
10. Japanese man ‘married’ to a hologram  IMF would obviously like to keep its share on
the lower side and expect us to chip in other
 Akihiko Kondo’s mother refused an
sources as well. The government was in
invitation to her only son’s wedding in Tokyo
contact with other lending agencies and
this month, but perhaps that isn’t such a
friendly countries as well on the sidelines
surprise: he was marrying a hologram. “For
and would keep the IMF posted in a run up
mother, it wasn’t something to celebrate,”
to conclusion of talks on November 22.
said the soft-spoken 35-year-old, whose
“bride” is a virtual reality singer named 2. Pakistan, Iran to improve cooperation in
Hatsune Miku. railways
 In fact, none of Kondo’s relatives attended  Pakistan and Iran have agreed to constitute
his wedding to Miku - an animated 16-year- a technical committee in order to resolve
old with saucer eyes and lengthy issues pertaining to railways of the two
aquamarine pigtails - but that didn’t stop countries.
him from spending two million yen ($17,600)  The decision was taken at a meeting
on a formal ceremony at a Tokyo hall. between Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid
 Around 40 guests watched as he tied the Ahmed and Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan
knot with Miku, present in the form of a cat- Mehdi Hoonardost at the Ministry of
sized stuffed doll. Railways.
 Both Mr Rashid and Mr Hoonardost  The TAPI pipeline project to supply
underlined the importance of the Quetta- Turkmenistan`s gas to India and Pakistan via
Taftan railway section between Pakistan and Afghanistan is moving closer to securing
Iran. funding and a final investment decision
 The two sides also agreed to enhance could be made next year, its chief executive
cooperation in railways. said on November 13, 2018.
3. Over 22m children out of school in  The development, a key step forward for the
Pakistan: HRW report project after decades of delays, could see
 Nearly 22.5 million children in Pakistan are the new pipeline link the energy-rich central
out of school, the majority of them girls, the Asian nation to some of the strongest
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a new growth markets in the region.
report released on November 13, 2018.  Muhammetmyrat Amanov, chief executive
 The report titled `Shall I feed my daughter or of the TAPI Pipeline company, told an
educate her`: Barriers to girls` education in industry conference in the UAE capital of
Pakistan` concluded that many girls simply Abu Dhabi that the cost of the pipeline had
had no access to education, including been reduced to $7 billion from an initial
because of a shortage of government estimate of $10bn.
schools especially for girls. 5. Turkey withdraws from Libya summit in
 The report revealed that 32 per cent of Italy
primary school age girls were out of school  Turkey has withdrawn from a two-day
in the country, compared with 21pc boys. By summit about Libya that is being held in Italy
ninth grade, it added, only 13pc of girls were with deep disappointment.
still in school.  Current Turkish Vice President: Fuat Oktay
 As of 2017, it said, Pakistan was spending  Àny meeting which excludes Turkey would
less than 2.8pc of its gross domestic product prove to be counter-productive for the
on education far below the recommended solution of this problem,` Oktay said. Italy`s
four to six per cent. populist government organised the two-day
 `The Pakistan government`s failure to conference in hopes of making progress on
educate children is having a devastating ending Libya`s lawlessness and promoting a
impact on millions of girls,` said HRW UN framework for eventual elections.
women`s rights director, Liesl Gerntholtz.  But expectations were limited, with Hiftar`s
`Many of the girls we interviewed are camp making clear that he wasn`t
desperate to study, but instead are growing participating in the conference itself but
up without the education that would help rather meeting with leaders of neighbouring
them have options for their future,` she said. countries on the sidelines. Neither Hiftar nor
 The HRW interviewed 209 people for the el-Sissi posed for the final conference group
report in all four provinces, most of them photo.
girls who have never attended school or  And Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay
were unable to complete their education. pulled out before it ended, citing his
4. TAPI pipeline to move forward exclusion from the morning mini-summit.
6. Pakistan, US enhance co-op to placate Forums. The Exhibition was inaugurated by
Taliban Prince Abdulaziz bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz Al-
 Pakistan and the United States have Saud, head of Tourism & Entertainment
enhanced cooperation to placate Taliban for Committee at Jeddah Chamber of
peace in the war-torn Afghanistan. Commerce.
 Senior officials at the foreign ministry told 8. Iran to host major int’l Islamic
that the latest release of the two Taliban conference in Nov
leaders was also part of the peace plan.  Iran’s capital Tehran will host a major Islamic
 The US was ‘reasonably satisfied’ with conference attended by representatives
Pakistan efforts for peace in Afghanistan but from more than 80 countries later in
still wanted more action. They are still November.
demanding more but have started to  The 32nd International Islamic Unity
acknowledge our efforts. They (the US) are Conference, organized by the World Forum
offering to be helpful. for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought
 The Taliban leaders were being released (WFPIST), will be held on Nov. 24-26.
under the new peace plan. “Pakistan has  High-ranking political officials and religious
always supported talks and if release of the figures, including 10 ministers and 40 Muftis,
Taliban leaders can help, we are ready to go most senior religious scholars, are expected
ahead. All efforts (by Pakistan and the US) to participate in the international event.
are aimed at placating the Taliban,”.  Current Iranian President: Hassan Rouhani
 This week, Pakistan had released two  Current Iranian Parliament Speaker: Ali
Taliban officials as US envoy Zalmay Larijani
Khalilzad visits the region. Taliban control 9. New 3D bioprinter to be sent to ISS on
nearly half of Afghanistan. Dec 3
7. Nine Pak firms participating in Foodex  A duplicate magnetic 3D bioprinter, which
Saudi was lost during the October incident with
 Nine Pakistani companies, including the top Soyuz-FG launch vehicle, will be sent to the
exporters dealing in rice, fruits and Russian segment of the International Space
vegetables, processed food, ready to eat, Station (ISS) on board the Soyuz MS-11
beverages, spices, bakery and spacecraft on December 3.
confectioneries, were participating in the  “Duplicate equipment for the magnetic 3D
Foodex Saudi 2018 exhibition being held in bioprinter will be delivered to the station on
Jeddah from November 12 to 15. board the Soyuz MS-11 cargo spacecraft,”
 TDAP, in collaboration with Commercial the training center said, citing Russian
Section Consulate General of Pakistan, had cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. On October 13,
selected nine well established companies to Yousef Hesuani, the co-founder of the 3D
offer their range of quality products for Bioprinting Solutions company, the
Saudi market. manufacturer of the bioprinter, said the firm
 This was 6th edition of Foodex Saudi was preparing to send the duplicate
Exhibition Jeddah organized by Reed Sunaidi equipment in the near future.
Company at Jeddah Center for Events &
 On October 11, the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle different events and activities in partnership
failed to take the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft with the private sector during the next year.
with the new ISS crew into space. Russian  A ‘tourism calendar’ of the events for 2019
cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and Nasa would be issued sometime next month so
astronaut Nick Hague managed to eject in a that each department could make
rescue capsule and make an emergency preparations for its events and activities well
landing in Kazakhstan unharmed. This before time.
became the first failure of a manned space  A high level meeting chaired by Additional
launch in modern Russian history Chief Secretary Development Dr Syed Asif
10. Scientists engineer human tissues for Hussain was also held to elicit
transplants recommendations from the heads and
 Israeli researchers have developed a method representatives of different government and
to engineer human tissues for transplants semi government departments as to how to
from a tiny fat tissue of the patient himself. disseminate information and create
 The method makes it possible to produce awareness among the masses about their
any tissue in the body in a personalized role in the promotion of tourism in the
manner for the patient without risking region.
rejection by the immune system. 2. Govt approves Rs660bn projects
 So far, synthetic or animal-derived  The Executive Committee of the National
substances that cause an immune response Economic Council (ECNEC) on November 14,
in the patient have been witnessed and 2018 approved six development projects
therefore immunosuppressive drugs were worth about Rs660 billion, five of them from
required. the water and power sector.
 In tissue engineering, synthetic or biological  The meeting presided over by Finance
polymers are used as extracellular material, Minister Asad Umar jacked up the costs of
which gives support to the cells and enables the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf`s
the creation of functional tissue. signature transport project for Peshawar Bus
 So far, the extracellular material, which is Rapid Transit (BRT) by 38pc and that of
now considered the best for transplants, is Diamer-Bhasha dam project by 1pc.
taken from pig tissue. In the process all the  The meeting approved a proposal of the
pig’s cells are removed, and the remaining Ministry of Water Resources to include
material grows human cells. Tangir Hydropower in the Diamer-Bhasha
dam project that increased its cost by about
November 15, 2018 Rs5bn from previously approved cost of
Rs474bn to new revised cost of Rs479.68bn.
1. Azad Kashmir to celebrate 2019 as 3. Only one Pakistani firm finds place in
‘tourism year’ top 24 Asian companies
 The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)  An international report commissioned by Bill
government has decided to celebrate 2019 and Melinda Gates Foundation and The
as tourism year and all departments have Netherlands government placed Pakistan-
been asked to gear themselves up to hold based seed company, Punjab Seed,
Enterprise among the 24 leading seed all travel bans, asset freezes and targeted
companies in South and Southeast Asia. sanctions against Eritrea.
 Out of the 24 leading seed companies in  Eritrea and Ethiopia hailed the decision as a
Asia, 21 have a presence in India and boost for regional stability, four months
Pakistan, but only two companies have a after the two countries signed a peace deal
breeding station and production activities in that ended two decades of hostility and led
Pakistan, revealed a recent report. to friendlier relations with Djibouti.
 Only three companies were found to provide  The council slapped sanctions on Eritrea in
farmer training in Pakistan to help farmers to 2009 for its alleged support of Al-Shabaab
adopt new technologies and to adapt their insurgents in Somalia, a claim Asmara has
agricultural practices to new realities, long denied.
caused by climate change. 6. Israeli defence minister quits over Gaza
 Due to less interest of international ceasefire, lands govt in turmoil
companies in local seed business activities in  Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman
Pakistan, the national seed sector does not announced his resignation on November 14,
benefit from these kinds of investment, in 2018 and called for early elections after a
contrast to other countries like India, sharp disagreement over a Gaza ceasefire
Thailand or the Philippines, the report said. deal, throwing the government into turmoil.
4. Senior journalist Salamat Ali passes  Lieberman also said his party was quitting
away Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu`s
 Senior journalist Salamat Ali passed away in coalition, leaving the premier with only a
Islamabad on November 14, 2018. He was one-seat majority in parliament.
84.  Elections are not due until November 2019,
 Mr Ali served and headed a number of but Lieberman`s resignation increases the
newspapers. He was jailed during the likelihood of an earlier vote.
tenures of two dictators Ayub Khan and Ziaul 7. Up to 507,000 people killed in US wars
Haq for writing in favour of democracy and since 2001
basic human rights.  Up to 507,000 people have been killed in the
 After being released from jail he went to US-initiated wars in three countries after the
Hong Kong and later to India and started September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against
living in New Delhi. the United States, according to a report
5. UN lifts sanctions on Eritrea after 9 released by Brown University’ Cost of War
years Project.
 The UN Security Council on November 14,  “Between 480,000 and 507,000 people have
2018 lifted sanctions on Eritrea following a been killed in the United States’ post-9/11
landmark peace deal with Ethiopia and a wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the
thaw with Djibouti that have buoyed hopes report said.
for positive change in the Horn of Africa.  The report explained that the tally of the
 The council unanimously adopted a British- counts and estimates of direct deaths
drafted resolution lifting the arms embargo, caused by war violence does not include the
more than 500,000 deaths from the war in
Syria. While the war in Syria raged since  The US space agency believes it can put
2011, the United States joined the conflict in humans on the Red Planet within 25 years,
August 2014. but the technological and medical hurdles
 The report said a total of 147,000 fatalities - are immense.
including those among US military and other  “The cost of solving those means that under
allied troops, civilians, opposition forces and current budgets, or slightly expanded
others - occurred in Afghanistan between budgets, it’s going to take about 25 years to
October 2001 and October 2018. solve those,” said former Nasa astronaut
 The cost of the United States’ war on Tom Jones, who flew on four space shuttle
terrorism in the Middle East and South Asia missions before retiring in 2001. “We need
since September 11, 2001 will soon exceed to get started now on certain key
$6 trillion, the Watson Institute for technologies,” he told reporters in
International and Public Affairs at Brown Washington.
University said in a new report on  At an average distance of about 140 million
Wednesday. miles (225 million kilometers), Mars poses
8. Pink Legacy diamond sold for world scientific problems an order of magnitude
record price greater than anything encountered by the
 A rare pink diamond has fetched 50.3m Apollo lunar missions.
Swiss francs ($50m) at auction, a record 10. Ancient Greek city Tenea found
price per carat.  Archaeologists in Greece believe they have
 Pink Legacy, weighing in at just under 19 found the lost city of Tenea, thought to have
carats, was bought by US brand Harry been founded by captives of the legendary
Winston at auction in Geneva. Trojan War.
 The price of around $2.6m per carat marked  They said they had discovered the remains of
a world record for a pink diamond, according a housing settlement, jewellery, coins and
to the Europe head of auction house several burial sites in the southern
Christie’s. Peloponnese area.
 It had been valued at between $30-$50m  Until now, archaeologists had a rough idea of
before sale, and was bought after only five where the city might have been located but
minutes of bidding. had no tangible proof. The items date from
 The diamond’s new owners have 4th Century BC to Roman times.
rechristened it the Winston Pink Legacy.  Excavation work around the modern-day
9. Nasa wants people on Mars within 25 village of Chiliomodi began in 2013, and
years “proof of the existence” of Tenea emerged
 Deadly radiation from the cosmos, potential in work carried out in September and early
vision loss, and atrophying bones are just October this year, officials said.
some of the challenges scientists must
overcome before any future astronaut can November 16, 2018
set foot on Mars, experts and top Nasa 1. AIIB keen to invest $1b in Pakistan
officials said November 14, 2018.
 The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 3. Pakistan welcomes Saudi action on
(AIIB) has expressed willingness to invest $1 Khashoggi
billion for the development of various  Pakistan November 15, 2018 welcomed the
projects in Pakistan, Laurel Ostfield, Head of announcement by the Kingdom of Saudi
Communications and Development at AIIB. Arabia to initiate the process of indictment
 AIIB, the multilateral development bank of those responsible for the murder of
desired to bring countries together to journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
address Asia’s daunting infrastructure  A foreign ministry statement said:
funding gap estimated at $ 26 trillion “Commencement of this process
through 2030. demonstrates the resolve and commitment
 AIIB intends to improve economic and social of the Saudi authorities to hold the culprits
development in Asia and beyond through a and their associates to account and fulfill the
focus on sustainable infrastructure, cross- imperatives of justice, as has been mutually
border connectivity and private capital reaffirmed by both Saudi Arabia and
mobilization. Turkey.”
 The bank has gained the strong support from 4. Government launches road safety
diversified global shareholder base having $ strategy
100 billion capital stock with 20% assigned to  The Ministry of Communications on
paid-in capital. November 15, 2018 launched the Pakistan
2. Waleed Iqbal and Seemi Aizdi captured National Road Safety Strategy (PNRSS) 2018-
on November 15, 2018 the two Punjab 30 that aims to provide better facilities to
Senate seats commuters and cut the number of traffic
 Young Waleed is the grandson of Allama accidents.
Muhammad Iqbal while Seemi is the sister of  The strategy was unveiled by Minister of
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf stalwart Jahangir State for Communications Murad Saeed.
Khan Tareen.  The government hopes that by
 They defeated Pakistan Muslim League- implementing the strategy, fatal accidents
Nawaz contestants Saud Majeed and Saira on major highways will rapidly decline.
Afzal Tarar with a slim margin of eight votes  Road safety is a major public health issue in
each. Pakistan. Every five minutes someone is
 According to unofficial results Waleed Iqbal killed or badly injured in a road traffic crash
got 184 votes against 176 of Saud Majeed in in Pakistan.
the secret balloting. Seemi Aizdi received  The PNRSS had been devised by
183 votes against Saira Tarar’s 175 votes cast collaborating with UK-Aid and the Asian
on the reserved seat. Development Bank (ADB).
 A total of 367 votes of the valid 369 votes 5. Faiz festival begins on November 16,
were cast during the polling held at the 2018
Punjab Assembly. Seven and nine votes were  The three-day Faiz International Festival will
rejected in Waleed-Majeed and Seemi-Saira kick off at the Alhamra Art Centre, on
contest respectively. November 16, 2018.
 The festival being organised by the Faiz by infighting and setbacks in the midterm
Foundation Trust (FFT) in collaboration with elections.
the Lahore Arts Council will bring together a  Melania Trump made the extremely rare
bouquet of performances, panel discussions, demand for deputy national security adviser
music, dance, a visual art exhibition and a lot Mira Ricardel to be fired on November 15,
more. 2018, saying `she no longer deserves the
 On the inaugural day there will be a grand honour of serving in this White House.` The
opening ceremony and also the opening of a protocol-busting move followed a falling out
visual art exhibition. Ajoka will stage its that press leaks say was partly linked to a
popular play `Kala Menda Bhaisànd there dispute over seating arrangements on the
will be a panel discussion titled `Kaifi and plane that took the first lady for a tour of
Faiz` featuring Shabana Azmi, Saleema African countries in October. Ricardel was
Hashmi, Adeel Hashmi and Mira Hashmi. also reportedly blamed for negative news
 There will also be a musical evening titled coverage of Melania Trump.
`Yaad ki Rahguzar` in which Tahira Syed will  The first lady got her way when presidential
sing. spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced
6. Five Saudi officials face death penalty, that Ricardel` departs the White House to
crown prince exonerated transition to a new role within the
 Saudi Arabia November 15, 2018 called for Administration.` The start to the second half
the death penalty against five people of Donald Trump`s first term is enveloped in
accused of murdering journalist Jamal gloom as the president surveys the damage
Khashoggi inside the kingdom’s Istanbul from the midterms, tension with some of
consulate, but absolved the crown prince of America`s closest allies, and now turmoil
any blame. inside the administration.
 Khashoggi, the Washington Post contributor 8. Nepal’s first robot waiter is ready for
and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin orders
Salman, was drugged and his body  “Please enjoy your meal,” says Nepal’s first
dismembered, a spokesman for the public robot waiter, Ginger, as she delivers a plate
prosecutor said, in the first Saudi of steaming dumplings to a table of hungry
confirmation of how the journalist died. customers.
 But spokesman Shaalan al-Shaalan denied  The poor Himalayan nation is better known
Prince Mohammed had any knowledge of for its soaring mountain peaks than
the killing. The journalist’s body parts were technological prowess, but a group of self-
then handed over to an agent outside the taught young innovators are seeking to
consulate grounds, Shaalan said change that. Local start-up Paaila
7. Trump fires senior adviser at start of Technology built Ginger, a 1.5 metre (five-
White House reshuffle foot) tall robot, from scratch and
 An angry Donald Trump removed a senior programmed her to understand both English
adviser after First Lady Melania Trump and Nepali. The bilingual humanoid robot -
demanded her sacking, with more heads set named Ginger after a common ingredient in
to roll in a White House reshuffle triggered Nepali cuisine - can even crack jokes like
Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa. Three  The planet, known for now as Barnard’s Star
‘Gingers’ work at Naulo restaurant in the b, is the second nearest to Earth outside the
dusty capital Kathmandu, where pot-holed solar system and orbits its host star once
roads and crumbling buildings still bear the every 233 days.
scars of a powerful earthquake that hit more
than three years ago. November 17, 2018
 The team of 25 young engineers - Raut is the
1. 4th International Faiz festival gets grand
oldest at 27 - worked for months to build the
robot, welding and moulding the prototype opening with Shabana Azmi, Javed
by hand in their tiny three-roomed office. Akhtar
9. Chinese artificial sun pushes past 100  The elegance and splendor of Lahore`s
million degrees cultural calendar -4th International Faiz
Festival-swung open its doors to Faiz`s lovers
 The experimental advanced
and literati at Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall,
superconducting tokamak (EAST), or the
on November 16, 2018.
‘Chinese Artificial Sun’, achieved an electron
temperature of over 100 million degrees in  The festival saw a grand opening of the
its core plasma, a key step towards the test festival with Indian film icon Shabana Azmi
running of fusion reactor and Urdu poet and screenplay writer Javed
Akhtar the jam-packed Hall-1 of the art
 The ultimate goal of EAST is to create nuclear
centre where audience responded well to
fusion like the Sun using deuterium abound
the interesting anecdotes of the former and
in the sea to provide a steady stream of clean
poems of the latter.
energy.
 They both were a part of the session, Kaifi
 The four-month experiment shows China is
Aur Faiz. Mira Hashmi and Adeel Hashmi
making significant progress towards
engaged Shabana and Salima Hashmi in a
tokamak-based fusion energy production.
talk about their fathers, both giants of Urdu
 The achieved temperature is about seven
poetry.
times more than the interior of the Sun,
 The festival would continue until Sunday
which is about 15 million degrees Celsius.
10. ‘Super-Earth’ discovered orbiting Sun’s 2. SC suspends CM`s power in ACE cases
 The Supreme Court on November 16, 2018
nearest star
suspended the rules of Anti-Corruption
 A “super-Earth” has been discovered
Establishment (ACE), which required it to
orbiting the closest single star to our Sun,
seek permission from chief minister prior to
scientists said on other day in a
initiate an inquiry, register a case or arrest an
breakthrough that could shine a light on
officer of BS-20 or above.
Earth’s nearest planetary neighbours.
 These rules were made during previous rule
 Astronomers studied Barnard’s Star, a red
of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) by then
dwarf just six light years away - practically in
governor on Feb 7, 2014 in exercise of
our back garden, galactically speaking - and
powers under section 6 of the Punjab Anti-
noticed the presence of a “frozen, dimly lit
Corruption Establishment Ordinance 1961.
world” at least 3.2 times heavier than Earth.
Incumbent Governor of Punjab Chaudhry
Sarwar of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was in the  In an attempt to expand its business, the
office during his first stint from 2013 to 2015. Pakistan International Airlines has
 ACE Director General had written a letter to announced restoration of flights to Muscat
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and Sharjah from two more cities.
stating that all such powers should vest with  The flight operation on the two routes has
the office of the director general instead of remained suspended for more than a year.
the chief minister.  The operation on the Lahore-Muscat and
 The suspended sections of the ACE rules Sialkot-Sharjah routes would begin from Nov
state that no inquiry or case shall be 17 and Nov 20, respectively.
initiated/ dropped or registered respectively  PIA would operate flights every Saturday and
against a district coordination officer of a Sunday on the Lahore-Muscat route.
district government, a commissioner of a  With the introduction of new flights, the
division, a secretary to the government, a national carrier will have a total of nine
head of an attached department, and any flights to Muscat operating from Peshawar,
other officer of BPS-20 and above without Turbat and Gwadar.
prior permission in writing of the chief 5. Beijing forum stresses joint efforts to
minister. In case of officers in BPS-19 such counter propaganda against CPEC
permission may be accorded by the chief  Lawmakers and opinion makers from China
secretary. and Pakistan on November 16, 2018 called
3. IMF best option for Pakistan: US for joint efforts to highlight cooperation
 The US wants to see Pakistan break the cycle between the two countries and counter
of going to the International Monetary Fund propaganda against the China-Pakistan
(IMF) and adapt structural reforms to Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework.
stabilise the economy, said the Economic  The multi-billion dollar flagship project of
Counsellor at US Embassy Michael A. the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by
Sullivan. China would remain a distant reality unless
 The counsellor said that `we certainly concrete steps were taken to project its true
believe that IMF-led programme is the best perspective.
possible option for Pakistan`.  This was the overall impression given by
 Pakistan has had 12 IMF programmes since Chinese and Pakistani speakers at a day-long
1988, spending more time under the fund- CPEC media forum organised by the China
led policies than the democratically elected Economic Net and Pakistan-China Institute in
governments. Beijing.
 On a question whether US will support  In his opening remarks, Senate Foreign
Pakistan`s request to IMF for assistance, Affairs Committee chairman Mushahid
Sullivan said the US is ready to provide Hussain Sayed said that the CPE Chad
assistance to Pakistan`s government. become a success story within a period of
 The counselor said that Pakistan needs five years. He said that work was progressing
economic certainty to achieve sustainable well on the building of Gwadar port and Thar
growth. coal power and mining project as well as
4. PIA restores flights to Muscat, Sharjah other infrastructure development projects
and asked the media to focus on the Australian city was bombed by Japanese
development process and counter forces in World War II, as he and his
propaganda being generated by the vested Australian counterpart spoke on November
interests. 16, 2018 of strengthening defence and other
6. US spent $113m in Pakistan during ties between their countries.
2018: report  Abe`s one-night stay was described by
 The United States spent $113.3 million on Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison as
key programmes in Pakistan during 2018, a deeply symbolic one. It was also another
says a US State Department report released chance for Japan and Australia to present a
on November 16, 2018. united front as regional partners in the Asia-
 The financial report for the fiscal year 2018 Pacific amid ongoing concerns of spreading
shows that between Oct 1, 2017 and Sept 30, Chinese influence, including the country`s
2018 the department spent $8.7 billion on its building of islands in the disputed South
principal activities. China Sea.
 Within the total, $5bn supported ongoing  Àustralia and Japan also stand united on the
programme operations and $3.7bn went importance of resolving disputes in the
towards the Worldwide Security Protection South China Sea, peacefully and in
programme to strengthen security for accordance with international law, and we
diplomatic personnel and facilities. are strongly opposed to any actions that
 Major elements of this funding included could increase tensions within the region,
$958m to support operations of the US Morrison said., reading from a prepared
Mission in Iraq; $858.3m for activities in statement after meeting Abe.He added that
Afghanistan; $113.3m for key programmes a `stable and secure regional maritime ...
and activities in Pakistan; and $1.1bn for order is central to both Australia and Japan`s
supporting operations in other areas of visions for the region, and is underpinned by
unrest, including high threat, high risk posts. respect for international law.` Morrison also
The report notes that the department also said he looked forward to increased
appropriated $6.1bn for Foreign Military cooperation with Japan to support regional
Funding (FMF), the majority of which is maritime safety and security. The leaders
allocated to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan said they hope to conclude early next year an
and Iraq. agreement on increased defence links,
 The department does not specify how much including more joint military exercises.
of it actually went to Pakistan but it does say 8. North Korea tests new ùltramodern
that the US Defence Security Cooperation tactical weapon`
Agency supports Counterinsurgency  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has
Capability and Peacekeeping Operations overseen the testing of a `newly developed
programmes in the country. ultramodern tactical weapon` Pyongyang`s
7. Japan`s PM lays wreath in Australian state media reported on November 16,
city bombed in WWII 2018, a move seen by analysts as more of a
 Shinzo Abe became the first prime minister political message than a serious provocation.
of Japan to visit Darwin since the northern
 It marked the first official report of a authoritarian country into a key power
weapons test by North Korea since it began producer in Central Asia.
a delicate diplomatic process with  In a colourful ceremony in the Pamir
Washington over its nuclear and missile mountains, the Tajik leader pushed a large
programme. symbolic button to applause from the
 The weapon could be a long-range cannon audience to mark the first of six turbines in
that the North has been developing for many the Rogun hydroelectric dam going online.
years.  World Bank`s vice president for Europe and
 `Kim Jong Un visited the test ground of the Central Asia, Cyril Muller, said at the
Academy of Defence Science and supervised ceremony that Rogun would `help
a newly developed ultramodern tactical transformTajikistan`s economy, and create
weapon test. the foundation for a prosperous future`.
9. US votes against UN censure of Israel
over Golan November 18, 2018
 For the first time, the United States voted on 1. Pakistan witnessed negative wage
November 16, 2018 against an annual UN
growth in 2015-16: ILO
resolution condemning Israel`s occupation
 The International Labour Organisation (ILO)
of the Golan Heights, dropping its practice of
has warned that Asia-Pacific still faces
abstaining in the vote.
structural weaknesses in its labour markets
 The non-binding resolution was adopted in a
despite two decades of economic growth.
General Assembly committee by a vote of
 In its Àsia-Pacific Employment` and `Social
151 to 2, with the United States and Israel
Outlook 2018`, released on November 16,
the only two countries opposing the
2018, ILO pointed out that although the
measure. Fourteen countries abstained.
regional unemployment rate is projected to
 US Ambassador Nikki Haley called the
remain 4.1 per cent through 2020, the
resolution ùseless` and `plainly biased
vulnerable employment rate is expect to
against Israel,` citing concerns about Iran`s
creep up towards 49pc, reversing a
military role in Syria to oppose the measure.
downward trend of at least two decades.
 `Further, the atrocities the Syrian regime
 The region`s future prospects will require
continues to commit prove its lack of fitness
that economic growth go hand in hand with
to govern anyone. The destructive influence
a further expansion of decent work, it says.
of the Iranian regime inside Syria presents
 While real wage growth surpassed labour
major threats to international security.
productivity growth between 2010 and 2016
10. Tajikistan opens $4bn dam, sets sights in almost all countries, the increase in wages
on exportable electricity of employees looked especially strong in
 Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon on China, Thailand and Vietnam. However,
November 16, 2018 inaugurated what is negative wage growth was witnessed in
expected to be the world`s tallest Pakistan in 201516 at minus 4.7pc.
hydroelectric power plant, a $3.9 billion  In Pakistan`s education sector, 6.6pc of the
project that will turn the impoverished total female employment in 2016 was well
behind the 72.9pc share in agriculture and
12.7pc in manuf acturing.Pakistan stands out  `We put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese
with 15.3pc of women working from their goods, and we could more than double that
homes, and 37pc working on the land (in number.
agriculture) in 2017.  `The United States, though, will not change
2. Ready to fight terror on Pakistani soil: course until China changes its ways.
Iran  The stark warning will likely be unwelcome
 Iran says it is prepared to carry out anti- news to financial markets which had hoped
terror operations on Pakistani soil under for a thaw in the Sino-US dispute and
Islamabad’s supervision. perhaps even some sort of deal at a G20
 “As the interior minister and the person meeting later this month in Argentina.
responsible for the country’s internal 4. Former militia leader of Central African
security, I announce that we are prepared to Republic extradited to face ICC trial
conduct operations in areas where terrorists  Central African Republic (CAR) lawmaker and
are present in Pakistan, under the Pakistani former militia leader Alfred Yekatom was
side’s supervision and with their extradited to The Hague on November 17,
permission,” Iran’s Interior Minister Abdol- 2018 to stand trial at the International
Reza Rahmani-Fazli said on November 17, Criminal Court probing war crimes and
2018. crimes against humanity, the first such move
 Fazli said such operations would take place by the conflict-ridden country.
“if the need arises, and they (the Pakistani  A government source said the charges
side) would not possess the readiness to against Yekatom, a former militia leader
operate for any reason.” within the so-called anti-balaka movement
 “If we have refused to operate on the other involved in sectarian bloodletting, were not
side of the border so far, it has been merely specified.
because we wanted to respect Pakistan’s  The ICC launched an investigation in
sovereignty,” the minister said. September 2014 into crimes committed in
3. Pence vows no end to tariffs until China the country since 2012.Yekatom`s militia
bows operated in the south of the country. In
 The United States will not back down from 2015, he became the target of US sanctions
its trade dispute with China, and might even for suspected attacks against Muslims,
double its tariffs, unless Beijing bows to US civilian deaths, and for using 153 child
demands, Vice President Mike Pence said on fighters.
November 17, 2018. 5. Solih sworn in as Maldives president,
 In a bluntly worded speech at an Asia Pacific replacing pro-China leader
Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in  Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took office as the
Papua New Guinea, Pence threw down the new Maldives president on November 17,
gauntlet to China on trade and security in the 2018 and immediately warned of a `dire`
region. economic crisis as he turned to India for
 `We have taken decisive action to address help, signaling an end to the pro China
our imbalance with China,` Pence declared. stance of his predecessor.
 Solih, 54, emerged as a common candidate into the interaction of various peoples with
for the opposition that united to oust the expanding Inca Empire.
strongman leader Abdulla Yameen in a  The remains, which were found about 20
September election. kilometres from La Paz, belong to more than
 Solih`s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) 100 individuals from an indigenous
has pledged to end what it called `China`s civilisation and were buried with more than
colonialism` and to resist a `land grab` in the 30 vessels used by the Incas for performing
country which straddles key East-West death rites, said an archaeologist involved in
shipping routes. the excavation.
 MDP leader and former president Mohamed  The site near the modern day town of Vlacha
Nasheed has vowed his party would reduce also contained elongated skulls that may
reliance on China and renegotiate loans have been stretched to differentiate the
taken from Beijing. social rank of individuals.
 More than 80 per cent of the Maldives`  The cemetery carved intolimestone appears
foreign debt is owed to China, he said. to have been built by the Pacajes people,
6. Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi`s whose cities were conquered by the Incas
elimination: CIA toward the end of the 15th century. The
 The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Pacajes formed part of the Aymara kingdom
Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally and developed around the year 1200 after
ordered the elimination of journalist Jamal the decline of the Tiwanacu people in the
Khashoggi. Andean highlands.
 The Saudi government has rejected the 8. Bulgaria’s vice premier resigns after
claim as false, insisting that the de facto ruler outcry
was not involved.  Bulgaria’s nationalist vice premier Valery
 Ìn reaching its conclusions, the CIA Simeonov resigned on November 17, 2018
examined multiple sources of intelligence, after weeks of street protests by insulted
including a phone call that the prince`s mothers of children with disabilities who
brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi pressed for him to go.
ambassador to the United States, had with  “I tabled my resignation as vice premier in
Khashoggi,` The Washington Post, which first Bulgaria’s coalition government,” Simeonov
broke the story, reported. told journalists.
 The ambassador told Mr Khashoggi, a  The government press service said it had
contributing columnist to the Post, that he been accepted by Prime Minister Boyko
should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul Borisov. Mothers of children with disabilities
to retrieve the documents and gave him rallied in downtown Sofia every evening for
assurances that it would be safe to do so. the past 26 days demanding Simeonov’s
7. Excavators discover 15th-century resignation over a statement in mid-October
indigenous tombs in Bolivia in which he described them as “a bunch of
 Archaeologists say they found tombs at a shrill women who manipulate society by
Bolivian quarry containing remains from taking out in heat and rain these supposedly
more than 500 years ago that give an insight ill children for purely material gain”.
 Daycare centres are scarce and most  The Asian wing is right now the strongest as
mothers of disabled children cannot take up far as international cricket is concerned with
employment as many as five Test playing nations and two
9. Oscar-winning screenwriter William countries with ODI status.
Goldman dies
 William Goldman, the Oscar-winning November 19, 2018
screenwriter behind "Butch Cassidy and the 1. Pak, UAE agree to forge `strategic
Sundance Kid," and "All the President's
economic` ties
Men," has died.
 During his one-day visit to the United Arab
 The 87-year-old passed away November 16,
Emirates on November 18, 2018, Prime
2018 morning in New York City following
Minister Imran Khan was assured of
complications from cancer and pneumonia.
improved strategic and economic ties with
 Born in Chicago, Goldman briefly served in
the Gulf nation, but apparently there was no
the military and got into writing after
agreement on an immediate financial
graduating from university. He wrote a
assistance.
number of bestselling novels before he
 The prime minister was expecting to secure
turned to scriptwriting.
a bailout package similar to the one he got
 "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," his
from Saudi Arabia to ease a financial crisis.
first original screenplay about a pair of
 However, a statement issued by the Prime
outlaws - portrayed in the film by Paul
Minister Office about Mr Khan`s visit did not
Newman and Robert Redford - won him his
mention any monetary assistance from the
first Oscar in 1970.
UAE.
 He went on to win another Academy Award
 This was the prime minister`s second visit to
for Watergate thriller "All the President's
the Gulf country in as many months.
Men" in 1977.
 Prime Minister Khan invited Sheikh
10. Bangladesh gets ACC presidency
Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan to visit
 The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) presidency Pakistan and the UAE prince accepted the
has been handed over to Bangladesh with
invitation.
Nazmul Hassan (President Bangladesh
 Mr Khan visited the UAE on the invitation of
Cricket Board) taking over from Ehsan Mani
Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
(Chairman PCB) for the term 2018-2020.
who is also the deputy supreme commander
 The handing over took place at the Annual
of the UAE armed forces.
General Council Meeting (AGM) of the Asian
2. Faiz fest concludes with massive
Cricket Council on November 17, 2018 which
turnout
was presided over by the outgoing president
 The three-day cultural and literary
Mani.
extravaganza 4th Faiz International Festival
 Delegates from ACC member countries and
concluded at the Alhamra Art Centre, The
officials attended the meeting. This was the
Mall, on November 18, 2018.
first AGM hosted by Pakistan in more than a
 The festival had a biggest turnout of the
decade.
attendees on November 18, 2018 as
compared to previous two days. All three committee formed by the government to
halls of the centre and the lawns were full of hold peace talks with the militants.
people, not only from Lahore but from other 4. Dispute resolution councils to be set up
cities as well. in Punjab
 In a session, titled `Meet the Author: Red  In a major breakthrough, the PTI-led
Birds,` the panelists were Mohammed Hanif government in Punjab is going to make
and Navid Shehzad. The moderator was Dr amendments to the Police Order 2002 in
Ali Madeeh Hashmi. order to introduce Alternate Dispute
3. Tableeghi Jamaat Emir Abdul Wahab Resolution (ADR) mechanism in the
passes away province.
 Tableeghi Jamaat emir Haji Abdul Wahab  The home department has sent the proposal
passed away on November 18, 2018 after a to the law department to convert it into a bill
protracted illness. He was 96. which will be presented in the provincial
 The third emir of the global movement for cabinet for approval next week.
preaching Islam was admitted to a hospital  The law department has completed its
for treatment of dengue fever around a homework in this regard.
week ago. He was put on ventilator after  The basic aim of the formation of the ADR
developing asthma and other respiratory councils is to solve local issues out of court
problems. which will lessen the burden on the judiciary
 Born to a Rajput family in Saharanpur, Uttar and the police. The police will be able to
Pradesh (India), in June 1922, Haji Wahab focus on the investigation of criminal and
graduated from the Islamia College, Lahore, other cases instead of involving itself in petty
and joined the revenue department as matters.
tehsildar. In 1944, he met Maulana Ilyas  Current Punjab Law Minister: Raja Basharat
Kandhalvi, the founder of the Tableeghi 5. Pakistan doesn't 'care' about US: Trump
Jamaat, and resigned from the revenue  US President Donald Trump on November
department to devote his life for preaching 18, 2018 defended his administration's
Islam. After Partition, his family moved to decision to stop hundreds of millions of
Burewala in Vehari district from India. Soon, dollars in military aid to Pakistan, saying the
he moved close to Raiwind Markaz to give country does not do "a damn thing" for the
maximum time to the cause he had taken up US and its government had helped Al-Qaeda
in a young age. leader Osama bin Laden hide near its city.
 In 1992, he was made emir of the Jamaat on  Referring to Laden and his former compound
the demise of then chief Haji Mohammad in Abbottabad, Trump in an interview to Fox
Bashir. News said "You know, living - think of this -
 He was ranked 10th among 500 most living in Pakistan, beautifully in Pakistan in
influential Muslims in the world due to his what I guess they considered a nice mansion,
position in the Jamaat. His name hit I don't know, I've seen nicer."
headlines late in 2013 when Pakistani  The compound was demolished shortly after
Taliban had suggested including him in the US Naval Special Warfare Development
Group forces, in a daring helicopter raid, two powerful neighbours are battling for
killed Laden there in 2011. supremacy.
 "But living in Pakistan right next to the  Salih was received at the airport in Riyadh by
military academy, everybody in Pakistan the province`s governor and other Saudi
knew he was there," Trump added. "And we officials. King Salman held a lunch in honour
give Pakistan $1.3 billion a year. ... (Laden) of the Iraqi president with ministers and
lived in Pakistan, we're supporting Pakistan, high-level princes in attendance.
we're giving them $1.3 billion a year - which  Salih, a 58-year-old moderate Kurd elected
we don't give them anymore, by the way, I to the largely ceremonial role last month,
ended it because they don't do anything for was on an overnight visit at the invitation of
us, they don't do a damn thing for us," he the Saudi monarch.
said. 8. Washington-Beijing tussle mars Apec
6. US votes against UN resolution on summit
Golan`s occupation  AsiaPacific leaders failed on November 18,
 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 2018 to bridge gaping divisions over trade at
November 18, 2018 welcomed a US decision a summit dominated by a war of words
to vote for the first time against an annual between the US and China as they vie for
UN resolution condemning Israel`s regional influence.
occupation of the Golan Heights.  For the first time, APEC leaders were unable
 The United States voted against the United to agree on a formal written declaration
Nations resolution on November 16, 2018, amid sharp differences between the world`s
dropping its practice of abstaining. top two economies over the rules of global
 The non-binding text was adopted in a trade.
General Assembly committee by a vote of  `You know the two big giants in the room.
151 to 2, with the US and Israel the only two What can I say?` said host and Papua New
countries opposing the measure. Guinea Prime Minister Peter O`Neill,
 Fourteen countries abstained. conceding defeat.
 The resolution declares that the Israeli  Canada`s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
decision to occupy and annex the Golan was admitted the failure came down to `different
null and void, and calls on Israel to rescind its visions on particular elements with regard to
moves. trade that pre-vented full consensus.
7. Iraq`s new president meets Saudi king 9. Marilyn Monroe’s award fetches record
after visiting Iran $250,000 at auction
 Saudi Arabia`s King Salman received Iraq`s  Marilyn Monroe’s Golden Globe Award sold
president in Riyadh on November 18, 2018, for a record-breaking $250,000 at Julien’s
a day after the Iraqi official visited the Auctions in Beverly Hills, California, auction.
kingdom`s rival, Iran.  The 1961 award statue for World Film
 Barham Salih`s back-to-back visits to Iran Favourite Female from the Hollywood
and Saudi Arabia reflect the delicate balance Foreign Press Association made history as
Iraq seeks to maintain in a region where its the highest selling Golden Globe sold at
auction.
 Monroe’s raven black two-seater, 1956 Ford 1. Pak-US ties dip to new low after
Thunderbird, which was auctioned for the Trump`s rant
first time, fetched $490,000 at Icons & Idols:  Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 19,
Hollywood, which took place on Friday and 2018 led the sharp reaction by political
Saturday. leaders to US President Donald Trump`s
 Monroe, one of the most collectible tirade against Pakistan by hinting at review
celebrities, was pictured driving in the car of foreign policy options and asking the US
with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, president to introspect on the real reasons
shortly after their June 1956 wedding. The for America`s failure in Afghanistan.
movie star owned the vehicle for six years  Mr Trump, however, looked unwilling to end
until shortly before her death in 1962. the row that began with his interview and
10. Hippo skull, dog skeleton stolen from followed PM Khan`s rejoinder with more
Sydney university tweets in which he repeated the allegations
 Rare animal skeletons dating back to 1880 and insisted that the US was no more in a
including a hippopotamus skull and a full dog giving mood.
skeleton have been stolen from the  Ìnstead of making Pakistan a scapegoat for
University of Sydney. The skeletons were their failures, the US should do a serious
stolen from a museum at the university’s assessment of why, despite 140,000 NATO
Camperdown campus between Wednesday, troops plus 250,000 Afghan troops &
November 7 and Thursday, November 8. reportedly $1 trillion spent on war in
 Also stolen was a hawksbill sea turtle Afghanistan, the Taliban today are stronger
skeleton with its shell, and the skeleton of a than before,` Mr Khan said in one of his four
slow loris, a primate distantly related to a tweets in response to Mr Trump`s interview
lemur. The skeletons are original specimens to Fox News.
that were collected by a natural history  President Trump, while talking about the
dealer and taxidermist from Prague and date reasons for ending the over a billion dollar
back to 1880. Three other skeletons were annual aid for Pakistan, said the country
found outside the museum. “They appear to didn`t do à damn thing for us`. He raked up
have been left behind by the offenders after allegations of global terror kingpin having
the break-in, along with other items that are lived in Pakistan with relative ease. `But
being forensically examined by specialist living in Pakistan right next to the military
police,” Inner West Police Area Command’s academy, everybody in Pakistan knew he
Acting Crime Manager Mark George said. was there,` Mr Trump said.
 Anyone with information about this incident  Ànd we give Pakistan $1.3 billion a year . ...
is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 [bin Laden] lived in Pakistan, we`re
000 or use the Crime Stoppers online supporting Pakistan, we`re giving them $1.3
reporting page billion a year which we don`t give them
anymore, by the way. I ended it becausethey
November 20, 2018 don`t do anything for us, they don`t do a
damn thing for us.
 Although US aid for Pakistan had been on  State Bank of Pakistan`s Chief Spokesman
decline since the last years of President confirmed the arrival of $1bn, taking the SBP
Barack Obama as the strategic misalignment reserves to $8.482bn, from $7.482bn.
of the two countries grew, but it was after  The new government has been struggling to
Mr Trump`s New Year tweet accusing plug the big hole on the external front as the
Pakistan of `lies and deceit` that the security current account deficit reached record
aid was ended. $18bn in FY18.
2. Japan pledges $4.6m for polio vaccines  Estimates suggest the country needs $12bn
 The Japanese government has announced additional inflow to meet the deficit in
providing $4.6 million grant to Pakistan to FY19.Khan visited Saudi Arabia last month
support the supply of essential polio vaccine and got promises of $3bn oil on deferred
for campaigns during 2018-19. payments and $3bn cash to be placed in the
 Notes of grant were signed and exchanged SBP account.
here on Monday between the government  These dollars would not be used by Pakistan;
of Japan, Japan International Cooperation they will simply support the foreign
Agency (JICA) and the United Nations exchange reserves.
Children`s Fund (Unicef). 4. Khalid Mirza made head of SECP policy
 The grant will support procurement of 25 board
million doses of oral polio vaccine  The government has, for the first time,
(OPV)which would be sufficient to appointed a private sector expert to head
vaccinating children under the age of five in the policy board at the Securities and
high-risk districts across the country thus Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
enabling the programme to quickly close  Khalid Mirza, former chairman SECP and
immunity gaps. Competition Commission of Pakistan, has
 With this latest grant aid, the Japanese replaced the secretary finance who was
government had contributed about $230 working as the chairman SECP policy board.
million towards polio eradication initiative  The government has also issued notification
since 1996. To achieve and maintain for appointment of six members from the
interruption in polio transmission, Japan private sector on the board including Sadiq
believed that robust routine immunisation Saeed (JS investments), Farrukh Khan (BMA
was required, and had provided technical Capital), Adnan Afridi (Ex-CEO KSE), Waqar ul
assistance for the Expanded Immunisation Islam and Asad Ali Shah (Chartered
Programme (EPI) in Pakistan since 2001. Accountant).
3. $1bn received from Saudi Arabia  During his tenure at the SECP, Khalid Mirza
 Pakistan received $1 billion from Saudi spearheaded the implementation of major
Arabia on November 19, 2018 as part of the programmes for the capital markets and
$3bn package promised by the kingdom introduced corporate sector reforms.
during the visit of Prime Minister Imran 5. Task forces set up to control population
Khan. growth
 The Centre and the provinces on November
19, 2018 decided to form task forces within
their jurisdictions to control rapid (from Sindh) by the Pakistan Peoples Party in
population growth. March.
 The meeting presided over by Prime  Born on Feb 1, 1979, Ms Kumari had a tough
Minister Imran Khan considered the figure of childhood. She along with her family was
207.8 million population in the last census as held for three years as bonded labour in a
a benchmark to discuss the issue of private jail allegedly owned by a landlord in
population welfare and its control. the Kunri area of Umerkot district.
 Finance Minister Asad Umar, Law and Justice 7. British foreign minister visits Iran for
Minister Dr Farogh Naseem, Inter-Provincial talks on N-deal
Coordination Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza,  British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt visited
Privatisation Minister Mohammadmian Iran for the first time on November 19, 2018
Soomro, Chief Ministers Usman Buzdar of for talks about the nuclear deal and freeing
Punjab, Murad Ali Shah of Sindh, Mahmood UK nationals held in Iranian jails.
Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Jam Kamal  Hunt met his counterpart, Foreign Minister
Khan of Balochistan, Adviser to the PM on Mohammad Javad Zarif, but neither side
Commerce and Industry Abdul Razak took questions from reporters.
Dawood, federal and provincial secretaries  It was the first visit to Tehran by a Western
and other senior officials attended the foreign minister since the United States
meeting. withdrew from the multi-nation nuclear deal
 The task forces will be headed by the prime in May. Britain is determined to keep Iran in
minister at the national level and by the the agreement by finding ways to work
respective chief ministers at the provincial around renewed US sanctions.
levels. 8. Germany bans Khashoggi suspects from
6. Krishna Kumari joins BBC list of 100 much of Europe
influential women  Germany has issued entry bans for 18 Saudi
 Social activist Krishna Kumari, who made citizens suspected of involvement in the
waves earlier this year by becoming the first killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in
Hindu Thari woman to make it to the Senate, Riyadh`s Istanbul consulate, effectively
once again did so on November 19, 2018 by banning them from the European Union`s
joining 99 other women on the BBC`s 100 list passport-free Schengen zone.
of inspirational and influential women for  November 19, 2018`s move represents a
2018. sharpening of the position of Germany,
 The list includes the names of vice chair of which last month imposed a ban on selling
the Clinton Foundation, Chelsea Clinton, weapons to Saudi Arabia until the
actress Jamila Jamil, FGM activist Nimco Ali circumstances of Khashoggi`s killing have
and author Isabel Allende. been fully cleared up.
 The 40-year-old senator hails from the  It suggests Berlin is prepared to use its
remote village of Dhana Gam in influence as the EU`s largest country to push
Nagarparkar. She was selected as a for a tougher European line, given the ban
candidate on a reserved seat for women will effectively apply across the 26-country
Schengen zone.
9. EU ministers agree on terms of `painful` to build reserves and avert the possibility of
Brexit divorce a balance of payments crisis.
 European ministers signed off on Britain`s  A late night press release issued by the Fund
draft divorce deal on November 19, 2018 as said that `[o]ur dialogue with the Pakistani
they launched a `painful` final week of authorities will continue over the coming
negotiations on future cross Channel ties. weeks`.
 Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and the  Contrary to past practice, no press
Union`s Austrian rotating presidency said conference was held at the conclusion of the
the negotiated text would be presented to talks and the Fund team, headed by mission
EU leaders at a signing summit on November chief Harald Finger, left the country without
18, 2018. any further comment. Both sides issued
 Meanwhile, detailed discussions continue on brief, but carefully drafted, statements of
a parallel political statement setting out the their own to the media. Both statements
bloc`s ambitions for future relations with read substantially the same.
post-Brexit Britain and on a possible  Pakistan`s case for an IMF programme can
extension to the transition period. now be taken up by the executive board of
10. Pakistan implode as Patel seals the Fund in the second half of January at the
improbable win for New Zealand earliest. Programmes are finalised and funds
released only after the board`s approval.
 Debutant spinner Ajaz Patel took five
wickets to lead a never-say-die approach 2. Pakistanis helped trace Osama`s
from New Zealand bowlers as they pulled off whereabouts, US told
a thrilling four-run win over an indisciplined  Pakistan on November 20, 2018 reminded
Pakistan in the first Test in Abu Dhabi on the United States of its contribution towards
November 19, 2018. locating Al Q aeda chief Osama bin Laden
 Defending a modest 176-run target, New and cautioned that President Donald
Zealand bowlers led by slow left armed Patel Trump`s diatribe could undermine nascent
(5-59), fast bowler Neil Wagner (2-27) and cooperation for peace and reconciliation in
Ish Sodhi (2-37) bowled out Pakistan for 171 Afghanistan.
on a drama-packed fourth day at the Sheikh  `Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua reminded
Zayed Stadium. the US Chargéd Affaires (CDA) that it was
 It is the fifth smallest win in terms of runs in Pakistan`s intelligence cooperation that
Test cricket history and gives New Zealand a provided the initial evidence to trace the
1-0 lead in the three match series. whereabouts of OBL,` said a statement
issued by the Foreign Office.
November 21, 2018  US CDA Ambassador Paul Joneswas
summoned to the Foreign Office to receive
1. Talks on bailout package with IMF protest over President Trump`s latest
inconclusive criticism of Pakistan`s contribution to the
 Talks remained inconclusive between the fight against terrorism and bin Laden`s stay
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the here.
government of Pakistan for a bailout needed
 It was rather unusual for the Pakistan minister in the PM office, at Kuala Lumpur
government to claim credit for cooperation International Airport.
with the US on Bin Laden, who was  The prime minister`s delegation comprises
eliminated in a US Special Forces raid on his Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi,
hideout in Abbottabad on May 2, 2011. The Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Adviser on
Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) have Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood.
otherwise had an extensive cooperation for  Prime Minister Khan is the first head of
the elimination of about a hundred top Al government to visit Malaysia since Mahathir
Qaeda leaders and other senior terrorist Mohamad became prime minister for a
figures. second time earlier this year.
3. MoU signed for mainline rail upgrade  Prime Minister Khan and his Malaysian
 The Pakistan Railways (PR) and the National counterpart are expected to hold a one-on-
Railway Administration of China (NRAC) one meeting before the two countries`
have inked a memorandum of delegations engage in detailed discussions.
understanding (MoU) for preparing He will also meet other government
feasibility repon to upgrade PR`s track from functionaries.
Peshawar to Karachi or the Mainline-I a  This is Imran Khan`s fourth official visit to any
strategic scheme under the China-Pakistan country after becoming prime minister.
Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. 5. Prominent leader killed in held Kashmir
 `The NRAC will complete initial report of  A prominent leader was killed on November
project`s phase-I by Dec 25,` Minister for 20, 2018 at his home in India-held Kashmir,
Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad told as anti-India protests and clashes followed a
newsman after the signing ceremony at the gun battle that killed four fighters and an
railways headquarters here on Tuesday. army commando in the disputed Himalayan
 A 45-member delegation of the NRAC, led by region.
China`s deputy minister for railways, was  Fighting began early on November 20, 2018
also present on the occasion. after police and soldiers cordoned off a
 Terming the ML-l upgrade plan a backbone village on a tip that fighters were hiding in a
of the CPEC project, Sheikh Rashid said that house, said army spokesman Col Rajesh
the PR was also keen on engaging the Kalia. He claimed the fighters ignored calls
Chinese to upgrade its strategic Mainline 11 for surrender and fired at the soldiers and in
and Ill tracks. the exchange of fire the four were killed.
4. Prime Minister reaches Malaysia on 6. Mobile app for fishermen’s safety
two-day visit launched
 Prime Minister Imran Khan reached Malaysia  Pakistan Maritime Security Agency on
on November 20, 2018 on a two-day official November 20, 2018 launched/ inaugurated
visit. He was received by Senator Marzuki bin its Mobile Application namely “Assistance,
Yahya, deputy minister of foreign affairs, and Anytime, Anywhere at Sea (AAAS)” at a
Dr Mohammad Farid bin Rafik, deputy ceremony held at PMSA Headquarters,
Karachi.
 Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral  Since then Beijing, which is competing with
Kaleem Shaukat graced the occasion as Chief Washington for supremacy in the Pacific, has
Guest. promised $24 billion in investment and
 AAAS is available in four languages i.e Urdu, infrastructure loans that the developing
English Sindhi and Balochi. This is the prime nation of 105 million deeply needs.
feature of the application use to provide  But over two years later, only a trickle of
emergency alert to assisting agencies in funding has arrived, prompting critics to
Pakistan for Search & Rescue mission. question whether Duterte has been duped
7. Russia fails to block OPCW’s new into pivoting toward China and giving too
powers much ground on the South China Sea
 Russia failed on November 20, 2018 in its bid dispute. Xi landed in Manila to a red-carpet
to stall the global chemical warfare welcome for the first state visit from a
watchdog’s controversial new power to Chinese president in 13 years, which Manila
apportion blame for attacks like those in hopes will finally net those investment deals.
Syria. 9. China sends five satellites into orbit
 After a bitter war of words, states approved  China launched a new space environment
the 2019 budget for the Organisation for the research satellite and four nano satellites on
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which a Long March-2D carrier rocket from the
includes funding for the new role. Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest
 They also shot down a proposal by Russia China at 7:40 a.m. November 20, 2018.
and China to set up an “expert group” which  The satellites have successfully entered their
the West said would have effectively blocked preset orbit, according to the center. Shiyan-
the new powers. 6 will be used for conducting space
 In June the OPCW approved a British-backed environment exploration experiments. The
move to allow the body to attribute blame term nanosatellite refers to a small artificial
for chemical attacks. Previously it could only satellite weighing between 1 and 10 kg.
confirm whether or not toxic arms had been  Among the four nanosatellites, Tianping-1A
used. and Tianping-1B will be used for equipment
8. Xi visits Philippines to cosy up to calibration on ground control stations, while
historical US ally Jiading-1 is the first satellite of the Xiangyun
 Chinese President Xi Jinping called his visit satellite constellation in low earth orbit.
November 20, 2018 to long-time US ally the  A software-defined satellite, developed by
Philippines a “milestone”, as he aims to the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites,
boost blossoming ties on the promise of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, will be
billions of dollars in backing for mega- used for conducting experiments on open-
projects. source satellite software research and
 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has development on Android platforms
proven a willing recipient of Beijing’s 10. ICC rejects Pakistan`s compensation
attentions, declaring shortly after his claim over India
election in 2016 his nation’s “separation”  The International Cricket Council (ICC) on
from former colonial master the US. November 20, 2018 dismissed a
compensation claim by Pakistan over India`s corridor in view of the 550th birth
refusal to honour an agreement to play anniversary of the founder of Sikhism, Shri
bilateral series. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, next year.
 `Following a three-day hearing and having  India`s Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
considered detailed oral and written announced the decision at a press briefing
submissions, the Dispute Panel has and said the 550th birth anniversary would
dismissed the PCB`s claim against the BCCI,` be celebrated in a grand manner.
the ICC said in a statement.  India`s External Affairs Ministry conveyed
 The decision cannot be appealed. the decision to Pakistan`s High Commission
 The dispute centred on a Memorandum of in Delhi and urged `the Government of
Understanding (MoU) according to which Pakistan to recognise the sentiments of the
India and Pakistan had agreed to play six Sikh community and to develop a corridor
bilateral series between 2015-2023, four of with suitable facilities in its territory from
which would be hosted by Pakistan. the International Border to Gurdwara
 The PCB had filed a compensation claim of Kartarpur Sahibto facilitate easier access and
$70 million. smooth passage of Indian pilgrims
 But India refused to play Pakistan citing the throughout theyear.
Indian government`s objections due to 2. Mahathir, Imran pledge to boost trade,
strained relations with Pakistan. economic ties
 According to the agreement, the six tours  Pakistan and Malaysia have vowed to
would include up to 14 Tests, 30 one-days strengthen their trade and economic
and 12 Twenty20 internationals. relations.
 The MoU was a reward to Pakistan for  According to a joint statement issued on the
backing the `Big Three` plan according to conclusion of Prime Minister Imran Khan`s
which India, Australia and England had the two-day visit to Malaysia on November 22,
major share of power and revenues of world 2018, the two countries had decided to
cricket. improve their bilateral economic and
strategic ties, expand trade and investment
November 23, 2018 and create favourable conditions for
commerce and business in both countries.
1. India agrees to opening of Kartarpur
 The volume of trade would particularly be
border
enhanced in palm oil, agricultural products,
 In a rare positive development in Pakistan- food retail, Halal products and automotive
India ties, New Delhi has accepted an parts and cooperation would be improved in
Islamabad offer about building a new border education, energy, science and technology
crossing and road connecting their two and telecommunication.
provinces called Punjab, making it easier for
 PM Khan reached Kuala Lumpur on a two-
Sikh pilgrims to visit a religious site in
day official visit on November 20, 2018. He
Pakistan.
visited the country on the invitation of his
 The Indian cabinet agreed on November 22, Malaysian counterpart Dr Mahathir
2018 to avail Pakistan`s offer about a Mohamad.
3. Feminist poet Fahmida Riaz is no more industry as well as payment of Rs1.066
 One of the most courageous feminist voices billion dues to the families of deceased
coming out of the literary circles in Pakistan employees of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM). The
and distinguished Urdu poet, translator and meeting deferred gas load management for
fiction writer Fahmida Riaz passed away on winter months until the next meeting.
November 21, 2018. She was 72.  The import of cotton via Torkham a major
 Ms Riaz was born on July 26, 1946 in Meerut, border crossing between Pakistan and
India. Her father worked in the education Afghanistan was allowed on the request of
sector and was involved in efforts to improve All Pakistan Textile Mills Association
the education system in Sindh. When (APTMA).
Pakistan gained independence, her father  The committee directed that all SPS
was transferred to Hyderabad, Sindh, where regulations shall be abided during the import
the family shifted for good. process. The textile importers would also
 Ms Riaz acquired her early education from a have to produce a certificate from the
school in Hyderabad and went on to National Plant Protection Organisation
graduate from Zubeida College.Her growing (NPPO) for the commodity`s origin.
up in the city meant that apart from Urdu, 5. Chief of Russia`s military intelligence
she was able to learn Sindhi, and agency dies
subsequently as her interest in literature  Russia`s military intelligence chief who
grew, she became well-versed in Persian as oversaw a series of notorious operations
well. abroad has died after a long illness, with
 Her first collection of Urdu poems titled Moscow praising him on November 22, 2018
Pathar Ki Zaban was published when she was as a `great man` and a patriot.
22 years old. It was well received. When her  Igor Korobov, 62, had headed the defence
second book Badan Dareedah hit the ministry`s Main Intelligence Directorate
bookstalls, it created a stir in literary and (GRU) since 2016 and was the target of US
social circles. The conservative section of sanctions.
Pakistani society accused her of employing  Under his tenure the GRU has become a
bold, sexually explicit language. She took all byword for Russian meddling in Western
of that in her stride. affairs.
4. Cotton imports via Torkham crossing  Korobov`s 57-year-old first deputy, Vice
allowed Admiral Igor Kostyukov, has been appointed
 The Economic Coordination Committee acting GRU chief and is likely become his
(ECC) of the Cabinet on November 22, 2018 successor, state news agency TASS said,
allowed cotton imports from Afghanistan citing a military source.
and Central Asian States (CAS) via Torkham 6. Koreas connect DMZ road across border
border provided that all sanitary and  North and South Korea have connected a
phytosanitary (SPS) measures were fulfilled. road across their shared border for the first
 The ECC meeting, presided over by Minister time in 14 years.
for Finance Asad Umar, also approved sale of  The dirt road, which is wholly within the
200,000 tonnes of wheat to the poultry Demilitarised Zone that divides the
peninsula, will be used for joint operations  The levels of greenhouse gases in the
next year to recover remains from the 1950- atmosphere, the main driver of climate
53 Korean War. change, have hit a new high, the UN said on
 The 12-metre-wide construction of the route November 21, 2018, warning that the time
in Cheorwon, near the mid-point of the DMZ, to act was running out.
is one of several steps agreed at the  Ahead of the COP 24 climate summit in
Pyongyang summit between the South`s Poland next month, top United Nations
President Moon Jae-in and the North`s officials are again trying to raise the pressure
leader Kim Jong Un in September. on governments to meet the pledge of
 The neighbours also pledged to remove limiting warming to less than two degrees
bunkers and weapons from the border truce Celsius, as enshrined in the 2015 Paris
village of Panmunjom.But Seoul and accord.
Washington are pursuing increasingly  In an open letter to all states ahead of COP
different approaches to the nuclear-armed 24, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet warned
North. of cataclysmic consequences if the world
7. India dissolves held Kashmir`s didnot rever se course.
legislature  US President Donald Trump, who pulled his
 India`s government has dissolved held government out of the Paris agreement,
Kashmir`s state assembly in a sudden move again appeared to cast doubt on climate
that could lead to fresh elections and further science.
turmoil in the disputed region also claimed 9. Iran failed to declare chemical weapons
by Pakistan.  The United States accused Iran on November
 The move, which came after two rival local 22, 2018 of failing to declare a toxic arms
alliances staked claims to form a programme to the global chemical warfare
government in the heavily-militarised watchdog, in breach of international
region, was seen to strengthen the hand of agreements.
the New Delhi government, which has ruled  US envoy Kenneth Ward told the
occupied Kashmir directly since June and is Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
gearing up for next year`s general election. Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague that Tehran
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s hand- was also seeking deadly nerve agents for
picked governor said he dissolved the “offensive purposes”.
legislature late on November 21, 2018 in the  Tehran did not immediately respond to the
absence of a stable government in Jammu accusations, which add to tensions with
and Kashmir. Washington over Iran’s nuclear programme,
 Malik is the first politician to be appointed terrorism, and the war in Syria.
governor of India-held Jammu and Kashmir  The US is also concerned that Iran is pursuing
in decades, with the role traditionally central nervous system-acting chemicals for
reserved for non-political figures. offensive purposes.
8. UN says greenhouse gas levels in 10. Silent plane with no moving parts
atmosphere hit new high makes ‘historic’ flight
 The blue glowing jets of science fiction attempted to break open the armored gate
spacecraft came a step closer to reality on of the consulate with C4 explosives, but
November 21, 2018 as US physicists were shot dead before they could do so. The
unveiled the world’s first solid-state banned insurgent group Balochistan
aeroplane powered in flight by supercharged Liberation Army (BLA) promptly claimed
air molecules. responsibility even when the operation
 More than a century on from the Wright against the attackers was still under way.
brothers’ first artificial flight, scientists  The Chinese embassy in Pakistan strongly
hailed the “historic” test of the new condemned the terrorist attack and
technology, which could eventually slash appreciated the law enforcers for their
greenhouse-gas emissions from aviation. timely action. `We extend our deep
Ever since Orville and Wilbur Wright’s condolences to the two Pakistani policemen
momentous glide in the winter of 1903, martyred in the attack,` the embassy stated.
aircraft have been driven by propellers or 2. Cabinet approves various drafts, laws
jets that must burn fuel to create the thrust ahead of govt`s 100 days
and lift needed for sustained flight.  The Punjab cabinet on November 23, 2018
 A team of experts from the Massachusetts took up a heavy agenda approving various
Institute of Technology managed to unlock a legislative businesses on the
process known as electroaero dynamics, recommendations of the cabinet`s standing
previously never seen as a plausible way to committee on legislation.
power an aircraft. They were able to fly the  The cabinet retained the ban on
new plane, with a wingspan of five metres recruitments on posts from BPS-1 to 15.
(16 feet), a distance of 55 metres at a speed Similar to the previous practice, respective
of 4.8 metres-per-second. administrative departments will have to
move summaries for relaxation of the ban in
November 24, 2018 specific cases after which the cabinet
committee will present its
1. Attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi
recommendations. Health and education
foiled, militants killed
departments will be permitted to recruit on
 Three heavily armed militants were shot
priority, the cabinet decided.
dead in an encounter with law enforcers
 The Punjab Public Service Commission,
during a gun-and-grenade attack on the
however, will continue recruiting candidates
Chinese consulate in the city that also
regularly in BPS-16 and above.
claimed the lives of two police officials and
 The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief
two visa applicants on November 23, 2018
Minister Usman Buzdar on November 23,
morning.
2018, approved draft law for granung
 The assault on the consulate, which is
concession on property tax in six
situated in the `high security zone` of
computerised districts as well as policy on
Clifton`s Block-4, also left a private guard of
relocation/shifting of sugar mills in the
the foreign mission wounded.
province. It also approved Punjab Industrial
 The attackers lobbed at least 10 hand
Policy 2018 as well as draft Punjab
grenades destroying three vehicles and
Occupational Safety and Health Act 2018, Pakistan in 2002 in the 27 common training
Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2018 and programme.
Punjab Labour Policy 2018. 5. PM inaugurates four new trains
3. E-challan for speed, lane violations  The government on November 23, 2018
 The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has introduced four new train services in a bid to
introduced a new scheme to issue fines to provide better and safer transport facilities
speed violators on four major roads in the to commuters.
provincial capital.  The train services were inaugurated by
 The speed limit will be monitored through Prime Minister Imran Khan at a ceremony.
speed radar cameras which have already The new train services launched by the
been installed. Pakistan Railways are Faisalabad Express,
 Effective from November 26, 2018, the PSCA Shah Latif Express, Sindh Express and
has introduced speed limits for light and Rehman Baba Express.
heavy traffic on Canal Road, Jail Road,  Faisalabad Express will run between
Gulberg’s Main Boulevard and Ferozepur Multanand Faisalabad and make stops at
Road. Khanewal, Abdul Hakim railway station,
 The speed limit for LTV and HTV on Canal Shorkot Cantonment, Toba Tek Singh and
Road is 70km and 50km, respectively, and Gojra.
for rest of the three roads it is 60km and  Shah Latif Express will run between Dhabeji
40km. and Mirpurkhas and make stops at
4. DIG Islamabad police HQ appointed Jangshahi, Jhimpir, Kotri, Hyderabad, Tando
 Sarfaraz Ahmed Falki, a grade 20 officer, has Adam and Tando Allahyar.
been appointed as deputy inspector general  Sindh Express will run between Karachi
of police headquarters Islamabad. (cantonment station) and Sukkur, making
 His predecessor DIG Nasir Mehmood Satti stopovers at Drigh Road, Landhi, Hyderabad,
has been asked to report to the Tando Adam, Shahdadpur, Nawabshah,
Establishment Division. Bandi Goth, Mehrabpur, Ranipur, Khairpur
 According to a notification issued by the and Rohri.
Establishment Division, Sarfaraz Ahmed Falki  Rehman Baba Express, which will go into
from the Police Service of Pakistan group, service on Dec 25, will run between
who is presently under transfer from the Peshawar and Karachi
Punjab government to the Establishment 6. Govt approves Balochistan bank project
Division, has been transferred and his  The Balochistan government on November
service placed at the disposal of the Interior 23, 2018 decided to resume work on
Division for further posting in Islamabad. establishment of the Bank of Balochistan
 Later on the recommendation of the office besides taking other decisions related to the
of inspector general of police Islamabad, he finance department, rural support
was appointed DIG Headquarters. programme, districts development plan,
 Mr Falki started his career as a journalist in hospitals and sports.
1995. Later, he joined Police Service of  The provincial cabinet, which reviewed its
100-day performance, directed the finance
department to prepare a feasibility report on  Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez agreed with
the proposed bank. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel to
 The idea of establishing the Balochistan Bank deepen bilateral political ties on November
remained on the agenda of the two 22, 2018, at the start of the first official visit
successive coalition governments of Nawab by a Spanish leader to the Communist-run
Raisani and Nawab Sanaullah Zehri. But it country in three decades.
was excluded from the annual budget for  The two leaders signed an agreement
2018-19. instituting annual high-level political
7. Indian troops kill six fighters in held dialogue meetings between Spain and Cuba,
Kashmir touching on an array of topics including
 Indian troops killed six suspected fighters in human rights.
a gun battle in India-held Kashmir on  Relations between Cuba and the European
November 23, 2018, taking the death toll for Union have steadily improved since being
the year to the highest in nearly a decade. formally re-launched in 2016 after a two-
 So far this year, 400 people have been killed decade chill, even as they have festered
in the disputed Himalayan region and more between the island and the United States.
than half of them were men fighting Indian 9. NASA counts down to landing of
rule. It is the highest toll since 2008 when Martian quake-sensor
505 people died.  NASA is counting down to a nail-biting
 Indian forces have stepped up an offensive touchdown on November 26, 2018 of the
against men fighting against Indian rule. The $993 million Mars In Sight, the first space
armed groups have hit back, targeting craft to listen for quakes and study the inner
members of the police in recent months. workings of another rocky planet.
 An operation was launched in Sekipora  No one is on board the spacecraft, which
village, around 50km south of Srinagar, after launched nearly seven months ago and has
intelligence reports about the presence of a travelled some 300 million miles (482 million
group of fighters there. `Six militants were kilometres).
killed during a fierce gunfight and arms and  But part of its mission is to inform efforts to
ammunition along with their bodies have one day send human explorers to the Red
been recovered. Planet, which NASA hopes to do by the
 The number of deaths in violence in Jammu 2030s.
and Kashmir had dropped to 99 in 2012 but  The lander is the first to reach Mars since
has been climbing since. 2012, when NASA`s Curiosity rover touched
 The latest crackdown in southern Kashmir down to scour the surface and analyse rocks
was prompted by the abduction of six people for signs that life forms may once have
from the area by local fighters, according to inhabited Earth`s neighbour, now a frigid
government officials. While four were let off, and dry planet.
two of them accused of being informers for 10. China president to visit Panama after
the Indian forces were killed. Taiwan snub
8. Spanish PM agrees to strengthen ties  China’s President Xi Jinping will in December
with Cuba during historic visit make his first visit to Panama since the
Central American country switched the Punjab Assembly, to the event scheduled
diplomatic ties last year from Taiwan. for Nov 26 on their side.
 President Juan Carlos Varela said on Twitter  Lying dormant due to the tense relations
that his government has received official between the two countries since 1988, the
confirmation from Beijing about Xi’s visit. proposal to construct the corridor providing
 Xi is to meet Varela on December 3, and the visa-free access to Sikh pilgrims had been
two leaders will witness the signing of about renewed by the Pakistan army chief in
20 agreements in a range of sectors from August this year.
science to infrastructure.  However, Indian foreign minister Sushma
 Varela already met Xi in Beijing late last year Swaraj will be unable to attend due to her
after the change in diplomatic recognition. In prior commitments. In her place, two of her
August, El Salvador also switched diplomatic cabinet colleagues would attend the
allegiance to Taiwan, as did the Dominican ceremony. Indian Minister for Food
Republic in May under a campaign by Beijing Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Housing Minister
to split democratic Taiwan from its few Hardeep S. Puri will represent their country
remaining diplomatic allies. at the groundbreaking ceremony in Pakistan.
 China and Taiwan have been governed  So far, the Congress leader and Punjab
separately since the end of a civil war on the minister Mr Sidhu is the only politician to
mainland in 1949, but Beijing sees the island have confirmed his participation in the
as part of its territory to be brought back into ceremony at Kartarpur.
the fold. 2. Looming water crisis biggest risk for
Pakistan economy: WEF survey
November 25, 2018  Pakistan`s ease of-doing business is likely to
be affected in the coming decade as the
1. Two Indian ministers to attend
$300 billion economy struggles to mitigate
Kartarpur event
imminent risks, according to a report
 In a major goodwill gesture, Pakistan and
released by the World Economic Forum
India on November 24, 2018 invited each
(WEF).
other`s leaders to the groundbreaking
 The report titled `Regional Risks for Doing
ceremonies of the Kartarpur corridor being
Business` has listed water crisis,
held across the border on November 26,
unmanageable inflation, terrorist attacks,
2018 followed by the other on the Pakistani
failure of urban planning and critical
side on November 28, 2018.
infrastructure as immediate risks faced by
 The Pakistan government invited Indian
the country with 220 million inhabitants.
Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj,
 The risks were identified after the WEF
Indian Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder
carried out an Èxecutive Opinion Survey`
Singh, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu
between January and June. The findings
besides 17 Indian journalists to the Kartarpur
were tabulated after receiving responses to
corridor groundbreaking ceremony on Nov
survey`s risk-related questions for the South
28, whereas the Indian Punjab government
Asian region Bangladesh, India, Nepal,
invited Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Speaker of
Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
 The report highlights 10 major risks to doing Union of Chambers and Commodity
business in South Asia including failure of Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) on November
national governance, unmanageable 24, 2018 signed a memorandum of
inflation, unemployment and understanding (MoU) for establishing
underemployment, failure of regional and Turkish-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and
global governance, cyber attacks, failure of Industry (TPC) at Istanbul, Turkey on the
critical infrastructure, energy price shock, occasion of 32nd Confederation of Asia
failure of financial mechanism or institution, Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industry
water crises and large-scale involuntary (CACCI) Conference on “Asia: Expanding
migration. Boundaries”.
3. 22 civil judges promoted  The MoU was jointly signed by Sr. Vice
 The Peshawar High Court on November 25, President FPCCI Syed Mazhar Ali Nasir and
2018 notified promotion of 22 Civil Judges- President TOBB Mr. Rifat Hisarciklioglu in the
cum-Judicial Magistrates/Illaqa Qazis (BPS- presence of President CACCI Mr. Jemal
18) as senior civil judges (BPS-19) with Inaishvili. The objective of establishing of
immediate effect. TPC is to further strengthen economic
 According to a notification issued by the PHC relations through dialogue on trade and
registrar Khwaja Wajihuddin, the decision economic matter of common interest,
was made by the high court`s chief justice enhancement of investment and financial
and other judges on the recommendation of flows, exchange of delegations, holding of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Promotion joint activities etc. Moreover, the agreement
Administrative Committee. will streamline the mechanism to expand
 The promoted judges include Asadullah, trade facilitation
Shahid Mehmood, Ejazur Rehman Qazi, Ms 5. Bahrain holds parliamentary vote amid
Mah Jabeen, Naseer Ahmed, Ms Farhana boycott calls
Tabassum, Syed Hasan Raza Shah, Asghar Ali,  Bahrain held a parliamentary election on
Abdul Qayum Siddiqi, Nasrullah Khan, November 24, 2018 amid boycott calls from
Ubaidullah, Mohammad Ayaz, Mohammad dissolved opposition groups which were
Ishaq, Mohammad Zahoor, Islamuddin, barred from taking part.
Asmatullah, Syed Fazal Wadood,  The country`s two main opposition groups,
Mohammad Qasim, Syed Murad Ali Shah, the Shia Al-Wefaq and secular Waad, were
Ms Shah Sultan, Qaiser Khan Afridi and barred from fielding candidates. The polls
Ishan-ul-Haq. opened at 8am local time and closed at 8pm.
 The aim of these promotions was to cover  King Hamad in September urged voters to
the ever-increasing pendency by specialised take part in the vote, in which officials said
administrative support. The incumbents will 293 people including 41 women were
also perform judicial work running for parliament.
4. MoU signed to set up Turkish Pak  A municipal poll coincides with the
Chamber parliamentary vote.
 The Federation of Pakistan Chamber of  The tiny Gulf kingdom has been hit by unrest
Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the since 2011, when security forces crushed
Shia-led protests demanding a constitutional  “Without substantial and sustained global
monarchy and an elected prime minister. mitigation and regional adaptation efforts,
 Bahrain has repeatedly accused Shia- climate change is expected to cause growing
dominated Iran of stoking unrest. losses to American infrastructure and
6. China, Brazil to launch new Earth property and impede the rate of economic
resource satellite growth over this century,” it added.
 China and Brazil will launch a new Earth 8. Director of two of the greatest British
resource satellite next year, according to an films dies
official with the China National Space  Nicolas Roeg, the prominent British film
Administration. director known for making provocative films
 The new satellite, the China-Brazil Earth and working with rock stars Mick Jagger and
Resource Satellite-4A, or CBERS-4A, will be David Bowie over a six-decade career, has
launched in the second half of 2019 died. He was 90.
 The CBERS satellites are Earth remote  Roeg worked with Jagger in Performance
sensing satellites, specifically designed for and Bowie in The Man Who Fell to Earth.
Earth observation from orbit for non-military Bowie played an alien who crashes on Earth
use, such as environment monitoring, looking for a way to save his own planet.
meteorology and map making. According to  Roeg’s Don’t Look Now in 1973 is regarded
Li, CBERS-4A, the new satellite to be as one of his most outstanding successes. It
launched, is assembled and currently going is also remembered for the realistic sex
through tests in Brazil. It is set to replace scene between stars Julie Christie and
CBERS-4. CBERS-4, launched in December Donald Sutherland.
2014, is currently in great condition although  Roeg’s last major film was The Witches, in
under extended service 1990, which starred Anjelica Huston.
7. Climate change could cost US ‘hundreds 9. Tehmina Asif elected as softball
of billions’ a year federation`s chairperson
 Climate change is already hurting the global  Tehmina Asif has been elected unanimously
economy and will cost the US hundreds of as the Softball Federation of Pakistan (SFP)
billions of dollars annually by century’s end Chairperson during the Annual General
unless drastic action is taken to cut carbon Meeting of SFP held here in Quetta.
emissions, a major US government report  The meeting was presided over by SFP
warned on other day. President Haider Khan Lehri. and was
 “With continued growth in emissions at attended by SFP Secretary Asif Azeem, vice
historic rates, annual losses in some presidents, associate secretaries and
economic sectors are projected to reach members.
hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of  Balochistan Softball Association (BSA)
the century - more than the current gross Secretary Nasim Khan proposed the name of
domestic product (GDP) of many US states,” Tehmina for the post of SFP chairperson
the latest edition of the National Climate which was unanimously accepted by the
Assessment said. members.
 Haider Khan lauded Tehmina`s service in Programme for Mothers and Children
leading National Softball Academy (BNPMC).
successfully in a short period of time and  He praised BNPMC manager Dr Amin Khan
promoting the game of softball. Mandokhail for his dedication to serving the
10. Kom wins record sixth world boxing poor.
gold  The Balochistan government might work in
 India’s Mary Kom on November 24, 2018 collaboration with the federal government,
became the most successful female boxer in UN agencies and NGOs to address
world championships history after clinching malnutrition among the lower strata of
her sixth gold medal in New Delhi. society.
 The 35 year-old beat Ukraine’s Hanna 2. PM okays economic, social protection
Okhota 5-0 in the final of the 48kg category plans
contest in front of an electric home crowd.  Prime Minister Imran Khan November 25,
 Her sixth gold takes her past Ireland’s Katie 2018 approved two key frameworks, one
Taylor, and level with the men’s record held dealing with the structural reforms in the
by Cuban legend Felix Savon as the most national economy and the other on social
successful pugilist ever at the world protection.
championships.  Chairing a meeting of Economic Advisory
 The mother of three won a silver in the Council (EAC), the prime minister approved
inaugural women’s edition in 2001 and then the two policy frameworks for the medium-
went on to win gold in each of the next five term.
championships, with her most recent  They aim at bringing structural reforms in
coming in Bridgetown, Barbados in 2010. the economy to achieve rapid national
Kom, who was the subject of a Bollywood progress, reduction in poverty levels,
film in 2014, won bronze at the London 2012 addressing the challenges in health sector
Olympic Games and taking care of vulnerable segments of
society.
November 26, 2018  Prepared and recommended by the EAC,
these frameworks are meant for laying the
1. Minister declares nutrition emergency
foundation of a sustainable, inclusive, job
in Balochistan creating and export-oriented economic
 Provincial Health Minister Mir Naseebullah growth strategy as enunciated in the
Marri has declared nutrition emergency in government’s 100-day plan.
Balochistan and said the provincial  The approval was given following a detailed
government planned to expand its campaign briefing by the experts who had prepared
for combating malnutrition, being the frameworks in the light of the proposals
conducted in seven districts, to other parts of different working groups of the council.
of the province.
3. Shahid elected WB’s Human Resources
 He expressed these views while talking to
committee chief
the media after an annual progress review
 The Human Resources Committee of the
meeting of the Balochistan Nutrition
World Bank Board has elected Pakistan’s
Executive Director Shahid Ashraf Tarar as its 5. Israel again arrests Palestinian governor
chairman for a period of two years. of Jerusalem
 This follows Tarar’s recent election by the  Israeli police have arrested the Palestinian
seven countries comprising Pakistan’s Authority`s (PA) governor of Jerusalem for
constituency to represent them at the World the second time in as many months after an
Bank Board as their Executive Director. investigation related to a land sale.
 It is only the second time in Pakistan’s long  Adnan Gheith was arrested in east Jerusalem
association with the World Bank Group that overnight.
its Executive Director has been elected to  Jerusalem magistrate`s court extended his
chair the important Human Resources remand until November 29, 2018. Judge
Committee of the World Bank Board. Chavi Toker was presented with `secret
 The election of Tarar as Chairman of the evidence` and said the reason for his arrest
Human Resources Committee is recognition was unlawful collaboration with the PA`s
of Pakistan’s close collaboration with the security forces, which Israel says violates the
World Bank, says a statement issued by Oslo accords.
ministry of finance on November 25, 2018.  Gheith, a resident of the East Jerusalem
 The Human Resources Committee is one of neighbourhood of Silwan, was appointed
the five Standing Committees of the World governor in September and has been
Bank Board that assist the Board in the arrested a number of times since then.
exercise of its powers assigned under the  On October 20, he was detained for two days
Articles of Association. of questioning before being released, with
4. IS spokesman killed in Afghan clash Israel`s Shin Bet domestic security agency
 Spokesman of the Islamic State (IS) outfit claiming it was over ìllegal activity by the
Sharafat Shafaq was killed in Afghanistan’s [PA] in Jerusalem`.
eastern Nangarhar province.  He was also taken for questioning a number
 According to the statement, the IS of timesin recent weeks and his of fice was
propaganda in-charge and spokesman was raided on Nov 4.
killed during operations against the 6. EU leaders approve Brexit deal, warn
insurgent group in Deh Bala district. it`s only option
 Meanwhile, at least four militants have been  European Union leaders on November 25,
killed and three others injured as a clash 2018 approved a historic Brexit deal with
broke out in Pashtun Kot district of British Prime Minister Theresa May, and
Afghanistan’s northern Faryab province, together warned rebellious MPs in London
provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim this was the best and only option available.
Yurash said on Sunday.According to the  Leaders meeting at a special Brussels summit
official, the clash erupted in Sar-e-Hawz area expressed sadness at the `tragic` end of four
after Taliban militants attacked security decades of British EU membership, but said
checkpoints early morning and police the terms of the withdrawal were now set.
returned fire which lasted for a while. The  `This is the best deal possible for Britain, this
militants fled away, leaving four bodies is the best deal possible for Europe,`
behind. European Commission President Jean-
Claude Juncker said after the agreement was Federation and 14 studies which represent
approved. more than 60 percent of the global type 2
 Juncker emphasized that, after 17 months of diabetes population.
grueling negotiations, `this is the only deal  According to the study, the number of
possible` warning: `Those who think by people with type 2 diabetes worldwide will
rejecting the deal, they will have a better increase from 406 million in 2018 to 511
deal, will be disappointed. million in 2030.
 The agreement prepares for Britain`s  About 79 million people will need insulin to
smooth exit on March 29, 2019, and sets out control their condition, while only 38 million
a vision for às close as possible a partnership will be able to get it if access to insulin
` afterwards. remains the same, researchers predicted.
 But May faces a major battle to get the 9. Scientists propose new way to tackle
agreement through the House of Commons, climate change
with a vote planned for next month.  Scientists have proposed a new way to tackle
7. Swiss reject proposal to put domestic climate change by spraying sun-dimming
law above international rules chemicals into the Earth's atmosphere,
 Swiss voters have clearly rejected a proposal according to a study published.
to give the neutral country`s laws priority  Scientists at Harvard and Yale universities
over international law, a move that critics have proposed using a technique known as
claimed would have deeply damaged its Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI), which
global standing and hurt its economy. they believe could cut the rate of global
 Some 63 per cent of voters in a national warming by half, according to a paper
referendum on November 25, 2018 voted published in the journal Environmental
against the `Swiss law, not foreign judges` Research Letters.
measure, according to the second round of  The technique would involve spraying large
projections by broadcaster SRF. amounts of sulfate particles into the Earth's
 The measure, backed by the right-wing Swiss lower stratosphere at altitudes as high as 12
People`s Party (SVP), called for a provision to miles (19.3 km). However, no existing
be added to the national constitution giving aircraft design - even with extensive
it explicit precedence over international modifications - can reasonably fulfill this
agreements. mission, said the paper.
8. 40m diabetics might face insulin  The scientists propose developing a new
shortage by 2030 purpose-built high-altitude tanker with
 As the morbidity rate of type 2 diabetes substantial payload capabilities to deliver
keeps increasing, about 40 million people the sulfates. The estimated cost of deploying
with the disease will not have access to material is about 2.25 billion U.S. dollars a
insulin for treatment by 2030, a recent study year over 15 years, according to the paper.
from Stanford University suggested. Scientists calculate the number of flights at
 Researchers simulated burden of the disease 4,000 for the first year, linearly increasing by
from 2018 to 2030 across 221 countries 4,000 a year.
using data from the International Diabetes
10. Chinese commercial space startup 2. Project promoting cooperation in
develops AI satellites education between Pakistan, UK
 Having sent two satellites into space within launched
100 days after its establishment, a young  The Pakistan-UK Education Gateway
Chinese commercial space firm is preparing Program was launched at the Higher
for a new launch in December. Education Commission (HEC) Secretariat on
 Supported by the local government, the November 26, 2018.
Chengdu GuoXing Aerospace Technology Co  The program is aimed at cooperation
Ltd. was set up in the capital of southwest between the education sectors of Pakistan
China's Sichuan Province in May. It has and the UK and will include split PhD
developed two experimental satellites programs, fullfledged PhD programs,
integrated with AI technology. "The AI student and faculty exchange.
technology could give the satellite a stronger  The involvement of funding agencies,
capability of automatic data analysis," said research entities, ensuring quality and
Zhao Hongjie, vice president of the startup governance at higher education institutions
firm. and capacity building are also part of the
 For instance, the remote sensing satellite program.
with AI technology could autonomously 3. Rear Admiral Adnan takes over Logistic
identify clouds and fog, and select the useful Command of Navy
images to send back to earth, thus greatly  Rear Admiral Adnan Khaliq has taken over
improving its working efficiency, Zhao said. the Logistic Command of Pakistan Navy in an
impressive change of Command ceremony
November 27, 2018 held at PN Dockyard on November 26, 2018.
1. ITP issues first driving license to  He took over the command from Rear
transgender woman Admiral Imran Ahmad. Rear Admiral Adnan
Khaliq would now be In-charge of Logistic
 The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) on
November 26, 2018 issued a license to a support to all PN Units, Ships,
Establishments and repair/ maintenance
transgender woman for the first time on the
facilities of Pakistan Navy.
special directives of the capital police`s chief.
 A guard of honour was also presented to the
 The inspector general of police (IGP) issued
the directives that the woman, Laila Ali, had newly-appointed Commander Logistics
been driving her car without a license for a during the ceremony. Later, Commanding
Officers of the units under Command were
decade.
also introduced to Commander Logistics
 Laila Ali, who is listed as Mohammad Ali on
her CNIC and driving license, told Dawn she 4. Pakistan, Malaysia vow to strengthen
was visiting the IGP office to discuss the defence ties
issues and problems faced by the  Pakistan and Malaysia have agreed to
transgender community in the federal promote mutual cooperation and defence
capital, including victimisation by the police. ties to further strengthen their relations.
 The understanding came at a meeting
between Chief of Royal Malaysian Air Force
General Tan Sri Dato' Sri Hj Affendi Bin Buang will facilitate easy passage to Sikh pilgrims to
and the Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in
Khan on November 26, 2018. Pakistan.
 The Air Chief briefed the visiting dignitary  The decision to build the passage from Dera
about ongoing indigenization projects being Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the
taken up by the PAF in recent years. International Border was taken by the Union
 The Chief of Malaysian Air Force appreciated Cabinet on Nov 22.
the sound professionalism of PAF its key role  Kartarpur is located in Shakargarh in
in the war on terrorism. Narowal district of Pakistan`s Punjab
5. Communications ministry gets province. Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of
parliamentary secretary Sikhism, had spent more than 18 years of his
 Prime Minister Imran Khan November 26, life there. The Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is
2018 appointed Member National Assembly located on the banks of the Ravi River, about
(MNA) Mian Muhammad Shafique as three-four kilometres from the border in
Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Pakistan.
Communications.  The Indian Punjab government had launched
 Parliamentary Secretary is supposed to play year-long celebrations to commemorate the
a role of mediator between the national 550th `Parkash Purb` (birth anniversary) of
assembly and his/her respective ministries Guru Nanak Dev on Nov 23.
and divisions by carrying out day-to-day 7. ‘Misinformation’ chosen as word of the
business in the house on behalf of the year by Dictionary.com
minister.  Misinformation, as opposed to
 Shafique is a senior politician who got disinformation, was chosen on November
elected as member of National Assembly 26, 2018 as Dictionary.com’s word of the
from District Lodhran in the general year on the tattered coattails of “toxic”,
elections of 2018. A notification regarding picked earlier this month for the same
his appointment was issued by the Ministry honour by Oxford Dictionaries in these
of Parliamentary Affairs on November 26, tumultuous times.
2018.  Jane Solomon, a linguist-in-residence at
 Meanwhile, two other MNAs Syma Nadeem Dictionary, said in a recent interview that her
and Muhammad Ameer Sultan were also site’s choice of “mis” over “dis” was
appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries for deliberate, intended to serve as a “call to
the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination action” to be vigilant in the battle against
and Ministry of National Food Security and fake news, flat earthers and anti-vaxxers,
Research, respectively. among other conduits.
6. India lays foundation stone of Kartarpur  The rampant spread of misinformation is
corridor really providing new challenges for
 Indian Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and navigating life in 2018.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on  Misinformation has been around for a long
November 26, 2018 laid the foundation time, but over the last decade or so the rise
stone of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, which
of social media has really, really changed of the probe`s new surroundings on Martian
how information is shared. soil.
8. Chinese scientist claims making world`s  Members of the mission control team burst
first gene-edited babies into applause and cheered in relief as they
 A scientist in China claims to have created received data showing that the spacecraft
the world`s first genetically-edited babies, a had survived its perilous descent to the
move that would be a groundbreaking Martian surface.
medical first but which has generated a  The landing capped a six-month journey of
barrage of criticism. 548 million kilometres from Earth, following
 Chinese university professor He Jiankui its launch from California in May.
posted a video on YouTube saying that the 10. `The last emperor of Italian cinema`
twin girls, born a few weeks ago, had had Bertolucci dies
their DNA altered to prevent them from  Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucci,
contracting HIV. whose films include Last Tango in Paris and
 The professor, who was educated at 1900, died on November 26, 2018 aged 77.
Stanfordin the US and works from a lab in  Considered one of the giants of world
the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, said cinema, Bertolucci was the only Italian ever
their DNA was modified using CRISPR, a to win the Oscar for best film, snapping up
technique which allows scientists to remove the award in 1988 to The Last Emperor.
and replace a strand with pinpoint precision.  He had gained notoriety for his 1972 erotic
 The development emerged on November drama Last Tango in Paris starring Marlon
26, 2018 in an article published by industry Brando and Maria Schneider, which featured
journal the MIT Technology Review, which a controversial sex scene involving butter.
referenced medical documents posted  Bertolucci`s biographical masterpiece about
online by He`s research team to recruit the last Chinese emperor won a total of nine
couples f or the experiments. Oscars, all of those for which it was
9. Nasa`s probe lands safely on Mars, nominated.
sends picture
 Nasa`s Mars lander InSight touched down November 28, 2018
safely on the surface of the Red Planet on
1. President Alvi opens IDEAS 2018 with
November 26, 2018 to begin its two-year
message of peace
mission as the first spacecraft designed to
 Opening ceremony of the 10th edition of the
explore the deep interior of another world.
International Defence Exhibition and
 Engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Seminar (IDEAS) 2018 organised by the
(JPL), near Los Angeles, said the successful
Defence Export Promotion Organisation at
landing was confirmed by signals relayed to
the Karachi Expo Centre held on November
Earth from one of two miniature satellites
27, 2018.
that were launched along with InSight and
 Following a grand inauguration ceremony,
flying past Mars when it arrived shortly
the president, who was also the chief guest
before 2000 GMT Minutes after the landing,
on the occasion, said that IDEAS served as a
JPL controllers received a fuzzy photograph
regional gateway for international 3. Reform plan for increase in taxes
manufacturers and suppliers to explore new approved
avenues of defence cooperation through  A Reform Action Plan framed by the
joint ventures, outsourcing and Balochistan`s finance department for
collaboration. increase in taxes on taxable and non-taxable
 The biennial exhibition will continue till Nov entities was approved by Chief Minister Jam
30. Kamal Khan Alyani at a meeting held on
2. Pakistan among countries with least November 27, 2018.
spending in social sectors: UN  The meeting decided that a resource
 The United Nations has placed Pakistan in mobilisation conference would be convened
the group of Asia-Pacific countries that soon and in the upcoming financial year all
spend the least on social protection, tax-collecting departments would be given
education and healthcare. certain targets for tax collection.
 According to the `Social Outlook for Asia and  The meeting also decided to give awards to
the Pacific 2018` report published by the UN those provincial government departments
Economic and Social Commission for Asia which will meet their tax-collection targets.
and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) on November 27, For the implementation of the Reform
2018, other countries in the group are Action Plan, the finance department has
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal and given guidelines to all respective
Timor-Leste. departments.
 With the exception of Timor-Leste, it said, all  These departments can make polices and
other countries in the group spent around give suggestions in accordance with already
five per cent of their GDP on the three social provided guidelines.
sectors, which was below the regional 4. Pak Suzuki to set up second plant at Port
average of nine per cent of GDP. Qasim
 Most of these countries were also all low-  Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed
income states, many of which had seen Pak Suzuki Motor Company`s plan for to
human and other resources depleted by setting up its second assembly plant at Port
conflicts and natural disasters. The main Qasim, Karachi.
challenge for this country grouping, it noted,  While talking to a delegation, led by Suzulci`s
was to gather political will and public Global Chairman Osamu Suzuki on
support for significantly boosting November 27, 2018, the premier said the
investments in people. government is committed towards
 The report said that while the Asia Pacific supporting the development of private
region had made considerable achievements sector, promoting investment, improving
in primary education with primary school net ease of doing business and growth of
enrolment rates above 90pc in almost every manufacturing sector.
country gross enrolment rates for secondary  The delegation apprised the PM that the
education varied widely, being as low as construction of second plant will increase
45pc in Cambodia and Pakistan. company`s manufacturing capacity by
additional 100,000 vehicles per year.
 The delegation included Kinji Saito, only woman to currently hold the top army
Masafumi Harano, Shigeo Takezawa, Yusuke post among the NATO countries.
Katto and Shafiq A Shaikh. The members  The British-educated Ermenc replaces Maj.
briefed the Prime Minister on the existing Gen. Alan Geder after serving as his deputy.
investment of Suzuki Motors and the Geder took over Slovenia`s military earlier
company`s future investment plans. this year after his predecessor was sacked
5. UN reaffirms refugees` right to seek over poor results in a Nato test.
asylum in US  Slovenian President Borut Pahor hopes
 Asylum seekers at the Mexican border Ermenc`s appointment will help improve the
fleeing violence or persecution are entitled performance of Slovenia`s military.
to lodge claims in the United States to obtain 7. World must triple its efforts to cap
sanctuary there, UN agencies said in a fresh global warming: UN
attempt to shield migrants from tough US  Humanity is falling further behind in the race
immigration policies. against climate change, with the gap
 United Nations officials have repeatedly between greenhouse gas emissions and
urged Washington to ensure asylum seekers levels needed to achieve the Paris climate
are protected, but US President Donald treaty temperature goals continuing to
Trump said on November 27, 2018 Mexico widen, the UN said on November 27, 2018.
should send migrants seeking asylum in the  With only a single degree Celsius of warming
United States back to their home countries. so far, the world has seen a crescendo of
 US authorities fired tear gas canisters deadly wildfires, heat waves and hurricanes.
towards migrants in Mexico near the border  On current trends, temperatures are on
crossing separating Tijuana from San Diego, track to rise roughly 4°C by the century`s
California on November 26, 2018 when end, a scenario that would tear at the fabric
some rushed through border fencing into of civilisation, scientists say.
the United States. Mexico`s foreign ministry  To cap global warming at two degrees
presented a diplomatic note to the US Celsius, national carbon-cutting pledges
government on November 27, 2018 calling annexed to the 2015 Paris Agreement must
for a `full investigation`. collectively triple by 2030, according to the
6. Woman named first army chief of UN Environment Programme`s (UNEP)
Slovenia Emissions Gap report.
 Slovenia`s government on November 247,  To hold the rise in Earth`s temperature to
2018 appointed a female officer as the head 1.5°C above the pre-industrial benchmark,
of the army, a first for the small country such efforts would have to increase fivefold.
which is a member of NATO and the 8. Martial law in Ukraine: Putin warns
European Union. against `reckless` moves
 Maj. Gen. Alenl(a Ermenc, 55, will formally  Russian President Vladimir Putin on
take up her post as the Chief of the General November 27, 2018 warned Ukraine against
Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces at a any `reckless acts` after Kiev declared
ceremony, when she will also become the martial law in response to Moscow`s seizure
of three of its navy vessels.
 The Ukrainian parliament late on November compete in the battle of nerves which begins
27, 2018 voted in favour of President Petro at the DA Creek Club courts on November
Poroshenko`s request for the introduction of 28, 2018.
martial law inborderareasfor30 days.  The event which is being held in the
 The move came after Russian forces fired on, metropolis after a lapse of 13-years provides
boarded and captured three of Kiev`s ships an opportunity to the followers of the game
on Sunday off the coast of Crimea, sparking and youth to watch exciting matches among
the most dangerous crisis between the ex- eminent players who are bracketed among
Soviet neighbours in years. top 50.
 The incident was the first major  The city has a rich history of staging frequent
confrontation at sea in the long-running high-profile events in the yesteryears when
conflict pitting Ukraine against Moscow and Pakistan used to dominate the top 10
Russian-backed separatists in the country`s rankings in the world.
east.  The heavily-guarded venue is bustling with
 It has raised fears of a wider escalation in a festivity since last one week, having already
conflict that has killed more than 10,000 played host to the DHA Cup International
people since 2014 and prompted Squash Championship, both for men and
international calls for restraint. women, that served as a curtain-raiser for
9. Awesome Yasir takes 14 to help the Pakistan Open.
Pakistan level series  As many as 37 foreign and 11 Pakistani
 Leg-spinner Yasir Shah followed his players belonging to 14 nations besides the
extraordinary first innings performance with hosts will compete in men and women
a six wicket haul as Pakistan beat New events.
Zealand by an innings and 16 runs in the
second Test in Dubai on November 27, 2018 November 29, 2018
to level the series 1-1. 1. Prime Minister lays foundation stone of
 The 32-year-old, who took 8-41 in New
Kartarpur Corridor
Zealand`s first innings on Monday, had
 Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 28,
figures of 6-143 in the second for a grand
2018 laid the foundation stone of the
match haul of 14-184.
Kartarpur corridor and announced that his
 New Zealand following on after being
government and the army wanted a
dismissed for 90 in the first innings-were
`civilised relationship` with India, declaring
bowled out for 312 soon after tea on the
that Islamabad would move two steps
fourth day at the Dubai International Cricket
forward if New Delhi took one step.
Stadium.
 The long-awaited corridor, connecting
10. Players from 14 nations to vie for Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur area of
honours as Pakistan Open begins today Narowal district to Dera Baba Nanak in
 Karachi, the city of lights, is ready to host the India`s Gurdaspur district.
prestigious Pakistan Open Squash  `Whenever I visited India, people would tell
Championship for both men and women as me that the Pakistan army is not interested
some of the top players of the world in peace... I am telling you that I, the PM, our
party, other political parties, our army we 3. Justice Athar Minallah sworn in as IHC
are all on the same page in wanting to CJ
establish a civilised relationship with India,`  Justice Athar Minallah on November 28,
Mr Khan reiterated. 2018 assumed the office of Islamabad High
 While the historic event was under way, the Court (IHC) chief justice.
Indian media reacted strongly when Chief of  After taking oath to his office, he appointed
the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani as the
Bajwa shook hands with a Sikh pilgrim, who inspection judge for the lower courts and
had earlier stopped an Indian diplomat from Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb as the
visiting a Gurdwara in Lahore. inspection judge for special courts.
2. Indigenous multi-role drone unveiled in  Justice Minallah`s oath was administered by
IDEAS President Dr Arif Alvi at the Aiwan-i-Sadr in
 Day two of the 10th International Defence Islamabad and.
Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2018 on  Justice Minallah is the third chief justice of
November 28, 2018 was witness to the the IHC since it was established in Jan 2011.
unveiling of a new indigenous multi-role  The outgoing chief justice, Mohammad
drone built by Global Industrial and Defence Anwar Khan Kasi, retired on Nov 27 after
Solution (GIDS). attaining the age of superannuation.
 The drone was introduced by Vice Chief of 4. Kamila Shamsie wins London Hellenic
Naval Staff Vice Admiral Kaleem Shaukat, Prize
one of the chief guests of the exhibition  British Pakistani author Kamila Shamsie has
being organised under the aegis of the bagged the London Hellenic Prize 2017 and
Defence Export Promotion Organisation at was awarded a cash prize of £10,000 for her
the Karachi Expo Centre. seventh novel, Home Fire.
 Named Shahpar, the drone is capable of  The prize, which is given to the best book
flying at an altitude of 17,000 feet for up to inspired by or relating to Greece, celebrates
seven hours. GIDS describes Shahpar as a `the cultural cross fertilisation of the Greek
medium-range tactical unmanned aerial and English-speaking worlds`.
vehicle (UAV) with autonomous take-off and  Home Fire is a contemporary re-imagining of
landing. It is said to be able to carry various the Greek tragedy Antigone that follows
types of payloads integrated for three orphaned siblings, elder sister Isma
reconnaissance and day and night and twins Aneeka and Parvaiz, as the latter
surveillance. leaves them to work for ISIS.
 Shahpar`s other features include accurate  Ùpon conclusion of a heated debate in the
lateral, longitudinal trajectory control, grounds of New College, Oxford, Kamila
mission planning, management and control, Shamsie was chosen as the winner of
geo-referencing and geo-pointing for the2017 Prize for her novel, Home Fire,
terrestrial targets. published by Bloomsbury,` reads the London
 The drone`s cameras can focus up to a radius Hellenic Prize website.
of 250 kilometres and can operate in any  Home Fire has also won the Women`s Prize
weather. for Fiction 2018
5. Senate body passes bill allowing organ to the formation of the traditional luni-solar
donation calendar dictating times for festivals, feasts
 The Senate Standing Committee on National and socialevents, as well as animal
Health Services (NHS) on November 28, 2018 husbandry and agriculture of the Kalasha
passed a bill which will make it possible for and Muslim community residing in the three
people to donate organs. valleys, consider Suri Jagek to be an integral
 Titled The Transplantation of Human Organs part of their Intangible Cultural Heritage`.
and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2018, the 7. Veteran actor Arshad Durrani passes
proposed law was moved by Senator Mian away
Mohammad Ateeq Sheikh. It suggests CNICs  Veteran television, radio and stage artiste
should indicate if a person is an organ donor. Arshad Durrani passed away in Lahore on
 Sri Lanka has earned respect as the largest November 28, 2018. He was 83.
eye cornea donor across the world and that  He was among the acting troupe of Ajoka
Pakistan gets eye cornea donations from Theatre and his stage play `Lo Phir Basant
various countries. Ayee` was appreciated for his star
6. Kalasha culture listed as Intangible performance as a kite-maker.
Cultural Heritage  Arshad Durrani had been suffering from
 The Suri Jagek practice of Pakistan`s cancer for the last few years. He was
indigenous Kalasha people has been admitted to the CMH last week but his
approved by the United Nations Educational, health deteriorated and he passed away on
Scientific and Cultural Organisation November 28, 2018.
(UNESCO) for inclusion in this year`s list of  Born in Lahore in 1935, he was the son of
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), it scholar and journalist Maulana Tajwar
emerged on November 28, 2018. Najeebabadi.
 The nomination was accepted by the 8. Biggest coral reseeding project
UNESCO`s Inter-governmental Committee launched on Great Barrier Reef
for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural  Scientists have launched the largest-ever
Heritage during its 13th session being held in attempt to regenerate coral on the
Port Louis, Mauritius. The 2018 list also endangered Great Barrier Reef by harvesting
includes cultural heritage in Kenya, Algeria, millions of the creatures` eggs and sperm
Cambodia, Syria, Egypt and Azerbaijan. during their annual spawning.
 The 24-member committee`s session, which  The researchers said on November 28, 2018
began earlier this week and will conclude on they plan to grow coral larvae from the
December 1, 2018, discussed several issues harvested eggs and return these to areas of
that are important for the safeguarding of the reef which have been badly damaged by
living heritage around the world and climate-related coral bleaching.
approved the 2018 list of Intangible Cultural  This is the first time that the entire process
Heritage (ICH) in Need of Urgent of large scale larval rearing and settlement
Safeguarding. will be undertaken directly on reefs on the
 The UNESCO committee accepted Pakistan`s Great Barrier Reef.
nomination that às a ruling custom, integral
 The `Larval Restoration Project` launch was brilliant strike after he was set up by Arthur
timed to coincide with the annual coral van Doren.
spawn on the reef, which began earlier this
week and will last only about 48 to 72 hours. November 30, 2018
9. Chinese geneticist reveals another
1. India offered `grand gesture on terror` if
`potential` gene-edited pregnancy
it responds
 A Chinese scientist at the centre of an ethical
 Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 29,
storm over what he claims are the world`s
2018 said Pakistan could make a `grand
first genetically edited babies said on
gesture` to India on its terrorism concerns,
November 28, 2018 he is proud of his work
but that was contingent upon appropriate
and revealed there was a second `potential`
reciprocation by New Delhi.
pregnancy as part of the research.
 `There can be a grand gesture, but there has
 He Jiankui, an associate professor at
to be a response from India,` he told a
Southern University of Science and
delegation of Indian journalists who had
Technology in Shenzhen, China, addressed a
come to Pakistan to cover the
packed hall of around 700 people attending
groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur
the Human Genome Editing Summit at the
corridor. The prime minister was asked if
University of Hong Kong.
Pakistan could attend to India`s terrorism-
 `For this case, I feel proud. I feel proudest,`
related worries.
He said, when challenged by several peers at
 India has been holding up bilateral dialogue
the conference.
because of what it alleges terrorism
 It was unclear whether the pregnancy had
emanating from Pakistani soil. Foreign
ended or not.
Minister Sushma Swaraj reiterated Indian
10. Hockey WC: India blank South Africa, concerns on the day Pakistan inaugurated
Belgium battle past Canada work on the construction of the Kartarpur
 Hosts India started their Hockey World Cup corridor, which had created hopes of
campaign on a rousing note, blanking South forward movement in fractured ties
Africa 5-0 in their opening Pool `C` match at between the two countries. `Terror and talks
a packed Kalinga Stadium here on cannot go together. The moment Pakistan
Wednesday. stops terrorist activities in India, the
 World number five India are eyeing to dialogue can start. Dialogue is not only
reclaim the World Cup after 43 years, a title connected with Kartarpur,` she had told
which they won only once way back in 1975 journalists in India.
in Kuala Lumpur.  Besides not agreeing to resume bilateral
 Belgium began their quest for a maiden dialogue, India has said it would not attend a
men`s World Cup title with a fighting 2-1 win Saarc summit in Islamabad as long as the
over minnows Canada. terrorism issue is not dealt with. Saarc
 Ranked third in the world, Belgium took the summits cannot take place even if one of the
lead in the third minute through a fine field member states of the South Asian alliance
strike by Felix Denayer before captain refuses to attend. Indian refusal has,
Thomas Briels scored in the 22nd with a therefore, practically suspended the working
of Saarc as heads of states and govern-ments into a multidimensional strategic
of member countries, who hold the supreme partnership, said a foreign ministry
authority in the functioning of the bloc, have statement.
not been able to meet for the last over two  In the recent months, Pakistan has hugged
years. Russia tightly as the United States continues
2. Number of HIV patients in Balochistan its hostile policy towards the only nuclear
tops 5,000 armed Muslim-majority country.
 The number of HIV/Aids patients in  Russian President Vladimir Putin had also
Balochistan has crossed the 5,000 mark, a refused to condemn the 2016 Uri attack and
situation creating uneasiness among people, China also denied supporting India’s bid for
says Dr Afzal Khan Zarkon, provincial chief of the Nuclear Suppliers Group membership.
the Aids Control Programme. Russia’s neutrality gave Pakistan the boost
 Around 71 prisoners incarcerated in they wanted as Islamabad took the Kashmir
different jails had been found to be infected issue to the global powers.
with HIV/Aids.  Both the sides have signed defence
 The disease, so far, had claimed 6,200 lives agreement, held joint military exercises and
across the country with 231 in Balochistan Russia is investing $2 billion in South-North
alone, adding the purpose of observing this gas pipeline project.
day was to create awareness among the 4. Pakistan-China joint air exercise begins
masses about this deadly disease. Some 911 November 30, 2018
patients, out of the registered 1,134, were  Air forces of Pakistan and China will conduct
being treated free of charge under the Aids a joint training exercise Shaheen-VII at an
Control Programme. airbase in Pakistan from November 30, 2018.
 Some 1,033 people had been registered in  China will send its fighter jets, bombers and
Quetta with 301 belonging to Turbat early warning AWACS planes to the exercise
 Some 4,404 prisoners in Quetta and Turbat which will run until December 23, Col Ren
jails were tested and 71 among them were Guoiang said during his monthly briefing
found infected with Aids/HIV which no held here.
doubt was a tragedy.  The exercise was part of the annual
3. Pakistan, Russia aim strategic cooperation plan between the two countries
partnership and it would strengthen bilateral
 Pakistan and Russia November 29, 2018 cooperation and help improve combat
vowed to translate friendship into capabilities of both the sides.
multidimensional strategic partnership.  Shaheen series of exercises between the two
 Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi countries, who are close partners, began in
met Russian Ambassador Alexey Y Dedov of March 2011 and has since gone through six
the Russian Federation at the Ministry of major iterations.
Foreign Affairs. 5. Writer Altaf Fatima passes away
 The two sides appreciated the positive  Eminent writer Altaf Fatima breathed her
developments in bilateral relations and last on November 29, 2018 after a prolonged
agreed to translate the existing friendship illness. She was 91.
 Born in 1927 in Lucknow, UP, Altaf Fatima  The new American embassy is still being built
was an Urdu novelist, short-story writer, and in Cukurambar district in Ankara on what
an expert on poet-philosopher Dr was formerly called 1478 street.
Muhammad Iqbal.  Construction contractors BL Harbert have
 At the time of Partition, she moved to Lahore said the new complex is expected to be
and earned a bachelor’s in education and a finished by 2020.
master’s degree from the University of  The renaming comes after the Ankara city
Punjab. council decision last month to change the
 Her novel Dastak Na Dou is regarded as one name to Malcolm X Street.
of the defining works in the Urdu language. 8. Trump cancels G20 meeting with Putin,
An adaptation was presented on Pakistan cites Ukraine crisis
television and an abridged translation was  US President Donald Trump on November
serialised by monthly Herald. 29, 2018 abruptly cancelled a planned
6. Georgia elects first woman president meeting with Russian President Vladimir
 Georgia`s newly elected President Salome Putin in Argentina, registering his
Zurabishvili on November 29, 2018 hailed disapproval of Russia`s treatment of Ukraine
her victory as a step forward for women and and casting new uncertainty over US-Russia
a move closer to Europe for the ex-Soviet ties.
republic.  Trump said he pulled out due to tensions
 With all votes counted, the country`s over Russian forces opening fire on
election commission said the French born Ukrainian navy boats and then seizing them
former diplomat, backed by the ruling and their crew on Sunday near Crimea,
Georgian Dream party, had taken 59.52 per which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
cent of the second round vote.  His decision also comes as a federal
 Her rival Grigol Vashadze, from an alliance of investigation into his 2016 election
11 opposition parties led by exiled ex campaign`s ties to Russia is intensifying.
president Mikheil Saakashvili`s United  Trump`s former lawyer Michael Cohen
National Movement, took 40.48 per cent. pleaded guilty on November 29, 2018 to
 The opposition denounced the election as a lying to Congress about a proposed Trump
fraud. But while raising some serious real estate project in Russia.
concerns, foreign observers said the vote  `Based on the fact that the ships and sailors
was `competitive` and well-run. have not been returned to Ukraine from
7. Turkey changes name of US embassy Russia, I have decided it would be best for all
street to Malcolm X parties concerned to cancel my previously
 Turkey on November 29, 2018 changed the scheduled meeting in Argentina with
name of the street on which the new US President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to a
embassy will be located after the American meaningful Summit again as soon as this
black Muslim civil rights campaigner situation is resolved!` Trump tweeted.
Malcolm X. 9. Russia succeeds in stopping HIV spread
 Russia has managed to halt the spread of the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after
five years of declining infection rates, the
head of the national health and epidemic
watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said.
 “The growth rate dropped from 13 percent
in 2013 to only 2 percent in 2017 and
reached minus 2 percent in the first 10
months of this year, meaning we have
successfully stopped the viral spread,” Anna
Popova told reporters
10. Hockey WC: Argentina, New Zealand
score hard-fought wins
 Agustin Mazzilli and Gonzalo Peillat scored a
brace each to help Olympic champions
Argentina eke out a 4-3 win over Spain, while
New Zealand scraped past France 2-1 in their
opening matches of hockey World Cup on
November 29, 2018.
 Six places may separate the two teams in
world rankings but world number eight
Spain gave Argentina, ranked second, a run
for their money in the high-scoring match
that produced end-to-end hockey.
 Argentina will play New Zealand in their next
pool match on December 3, while Spain will
be up against France.

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DAY BY DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQS

FOR THE MONTH DECEMBER 2018

Day by Day Top-10

November 1, 2018 bear, or takes anything from them against

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