12 - Day by Day Current Affairs For The Month of December 2018 PDF

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

Current Affairs
December 2018
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
December 1, 2018 Director General for Broadening of Tax
Base, Muhammad Tanveer has been given the
1. Defence expo attracts large crowds on additional charge to head the DGIP whereas
final day three of his colleagues were also given additional
 The queues outside the National charge to look after the new office.
Coaching Centre gates were unending on  Furthermore, the Federal Board of
November 30, 2018. Revenue (FBR) also transferred three officials to
 The fourth and final day of the 10th the directorate including Saba Rehmat who was
International Defence Exhibition and Seminar appointed as the Deputy Director North, Asim
(IDEAS) 2018 organised by the Defence Export Reza as the Assistant Director Central and
Promotion Organisation at the Karachi Expo Mehran Khan was appointed as the Assistant
Centre was open to the general public, who after Director South.
getting their passes made took the shuttle which  The newly established authority will deal
was leaving every five minutes or so to proceed with all matters related to real estate and
to the venue. immoveable properties including open plots,
 Other productions of the Heavy Industry constructed properties residential, commercial
Taxila such as the command vehicle SAKB, the and industrial, agricultural lands, housing
recovery vehicle Al-Hadeed, the logistics vehicle schemes, projects, societies, towers, chains of
Al-Qaswa, the protection vehicle APC M113P luxury apartments and other related assets. The
and the armoured security vehicle Mohafiz notice defines different type of real estate and
IV/Interceptor also earned several fans. Some immovable properties in detail which are to be
also got fooled by the inflatable smart decoys for dealt with by the authority.
deception, which seemed unbelievably realistic. 3. Pakistan to gift 40,000mt of wheat to
 China`s LY-80 Lomads guidance vehicle Afghanistan
and firing vehicle, their IBIS-150 Radar and heavy  The Economic Coordination Committee
mechanised bridge 84-A were also attracting big (ECC) of the Cabinet on November 30, 2018
crowds. approved to provide 40,000 metric tonnes of
2. Separate directorate established for wheat to Afghanistan as a gift.
real estate  The ECC, which was chaired by Finance
 The government has established the Minister Asad Umar, has considered the
Directorate General Immoveable Properties proposal of Ministry of National Food Security
(DGIP) to deal with matters related to real estate and Research for provision of 40,000 metric tons
and immoveable properties. of wheat to Afghanistan as a gift. The ECC has
 A notification towards this effect was agreed to gift the wheat worth Rs1.73 billion to
issued here on November 30, 2018 which also Afghanistan.
included the details on scope, operational  The ECC has also considered and
mechanics and procedural parameters of the approved a proposal from the Finance Division
newly established authority. The plan to for provision of funds amounting to US$ 82.6
establish the authority was announced in million as grant to Pakistan Poverty Alleviation
Finance Act 2018. Fund (PPA) for disbursement to 320,000 BISP
beneficiaries, helping them graduate out of nearest terminal from the western part of the
poverty. inter-Korean border.
4. Eradication of polio still international 6. Trump claims win as US, Mexico,
health emergency: WHO Canada sign new trade deal
 The spread of polio must still be  The leaders of the United States, Mexico
classified as a public health emergency because, and Canada on November 30, 2018 signed a
while progress has been made towards wiping huge regional trade deal to replace the old
out the disease, that progress is fragile, the NAFTA, denounced by President Donald Trump
World Health Organisation (WHO) said on as a killer of US jobs.
November 30, 2018.  Trump said negotiating the deal known
 `We are so close to the elimination of in Washington as the US-Mexico-Canada
polio, but we have to use all of our international Agreement, or USMCA, had seen the leaders
tools to achieve this end,` Helen Rees, chair of take à lot of barbs and a little abuse.` But he
the WHO`s international emergency committee, insisted that the ìncredible milestone` would aid
told reporters on a telephone briefing. US workers, especially in the auto industry, while
 `The ongoing situation continues to putting in place ìntellectual property protection
require that a public health emergency of that will be the envy of nations all around the
international concern should be applied. world.
 Latest WHO figures show there have  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
been 27 cases of wild polio so far in 2018 all of was less effusive about the renegotiated pact,
them in Pakistan and Afghanistan where the but said the USMCA would resolve the threat of
contagious viral disease is endemic. `serious economic uncertainty` that `would have
 Rees said the WHO was `very concerned` gotten more damaging.
that this number was higher than last year, and  While praising the `historic` nature of
urged governments against complacency in the the deal, Trudeau also told Trump that the
battle to eradicate the paralysing disease. progress gave àll the more reason why we need
5. S. Korean train crosses into North for to keep working to remove the tariffs on steel
first time in 10 years and aluminium between our countries. Mexican
 A South Korean train crossed into North President Pena Nieto, on his last day in office,
Korea on November 30, 2018 for the first time in called the revamped version of NAFTA important
a decade packed with engineers on a mission to in shoring up `the view of an integrated North
upgrade the North`s dilapidated rail tracks and America with the firm belief that together we are
create a linked, cross-border network. stronger and more competitive.
 Connecting the railway systems was one 7. US air strike killed 23 civilians in
of the agreements signed earlier this year in a southern Afghanistan, says UN
key meeting between North Korean leader Kim  At least 23 civilians, including women
Jong Un and the South`s President Moon Jae-in. and children, were killed by a US air strike in
 A red, white and blue train displaying a southern Afghanistan earlier this week,
banner reading Ìron Horse is now running according to an UN investigation, as ordinary
toward the era of peace and prosperity` pull Afghans continue to bear the brunt of the 17-
away from the South`s Dorasan station, the year conflict.
 Ìnitial findings indicate that the vast  Paris city will strip Aung San Suu Kyi of
majority of the victims were women and her honorary freedom of the French capital over
children,` the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a her failure to speak out against a crackdown on
report received by this news agency, adding that Myanmar’s Rohingya minority.
at least three people were also injured in the  Mayor Anne Hidalgo decided to revoke
attack. the honour because of the “multiple violations of
 The strike occurred during a firefight human rights recorded in Myanmar and the
between Afghan special forces working with US violence and persecution by Myanmar’s security
advisers and Taliban insurgents in restive forces against the Rohingya minority.
Helmand province.  The move, which follows similar
 NATO said air support was requested by decisions by Glasgow, Edinburgh and Oxford,
security forces on the ground as the militants would make Myanmar’s de facto leader the first
deployed heavy weapons and retreated into a person to lose the freedom of the French capital,
nearby compound. a purely symbolic award.
 Provincial authorities had earlier said 10. Ukraine holds military drills after Russia
several members of a single family appeared to sea confrontation
be killed in the strike, with one official saying àt  A Ukrainian general wearing camouflage
least 18 civilians were killed`, which could not be and a bulletproof vest looks out from his Mi-8
confirmed. NATO has said it was investigating helicopter flying over the Sea of Azov, the
the incident. flashpoint of rising tensions between Kiev and
8. 3 new Russian military satellites Moscow.
successfully reach orbit  “Our presumed enemy is Russia. We
 The Briz-KM upper stage of the Rokot don’t have any other enemies,” says Sergiy
launch vehicle brought three new Russian Nayev, Ukraine’s commander of military
military satellites to the orbit, the press service operations in the pro-Russian separatist east of
of the Russian Defense Ministry said on the country.
November 30, 2018.  The 48-year-old general is observing
 “The light-class carrier rocket Rokot, from the skies anti-aircraft defence exercises
which lifted off from the state cosmodrome near the village of Urzuf on the coast of this small
Plesetsk in Arkhangelsk Region today on sea, after the Russians seized three Ukrainian
November 30, at 05:27 a.m. Moscow time [02:27 military ships and 24 sailors nearby on Sunday.
GMT], successfully brought three satellites to the Ukraine’s soldiers are practising repelling a
desired orbit for the Russian Defense Ministry,” Russian attempt to land on the coast. The ex-
the press service said in a statement. The upper Soviet republic believes it is now under threat of
stage and the cluster of satellites separated at a “total war” from Moscow.
05:33 a.m. Moscow time.
 The orbit where the upper stage has
been placed is situated around 1,500 kilometers
(932 miles) above the Earth.
9. Suu Kyi to be stripped of freedom of
Paris award
December 3, 2018 country, the scope of investment was widened

by inking 15 new agreements. These agreements
1. PAF, China air force commence joint included cooperation in politics, economics,
drills people-to-people contacts and culture links,
 Pakistan Air Force and People’s amongst others.
Liberation Army Air Force kicked off a joint 3. Iran ends seasonal rice import ban
international air drill Shaheen VII at an  Iran has ended its seasonal ban on rice
operational airbase of Pakistan Air Force on imports, allowing importers to register their
December 2, 2018. orders.
 According to a PAF, a contingent of  The country consumes 3 million tons of
Chinese Air Force arrived in Pakistan which rice a year. About one million tons is imported,
includes pilots and air defence controllers. mainly from India and Pakistan.
 Apart from technical crew, fighter,  Deputy Agriculture Minister Ali Akbar
bomber and early warning AWACS airplanes of Mehrfard announced the end of the annual ban
Chinese Air Force are also part of the drill. It is in a letter dated Nov 28, the ISNA semi-official
the 7th air exercise in the series of joint air drills news agency reported. Other agencies carried
with Chinese Air Force. Shaheen VI was held at a similar reports.
Chinese airbase last year.  The government usually imposes the
 This exercise will help enhance close ban for a few months each year to support local
relations between the two countries in general prices and help Iranian growers during the
and develop mechanism for interoperability of harvest season.
both Air Forces in particular. Pakistan Air Force 4. Drive against child labour from today
emphasises combat training of its air and ground  The Punjab government is all set to
crew and regularly undertakes air exercises with launch its àwareness campaign for combating
Air Forces of friendly countries. child labour` as it has included the programme as
2. Multiple bailout packages for Pakistan: pilot project in its first 100-day agenda.
China  The Labour and Human Resource
 The Chinese Consul-General (CCG) Long Department is already implementing an
Dingbin December 2, 2018 said that instead of Integrated Project for Elimination of Child and
hard cash China plans to eventually provide Bonded Labour in all 36 districts seeking
multiple forms of bailout packages to Pakistan, universal primary education for the vulnerable
in the shape of phenomenal investments in fresh children falling under a certain age.
projects, broadening the area of inclusive  Minister Ansar Majeed Khan will
cooperation and tapping new avenues of inaugurate the awareness campaign at Saeed
collaboration under the China-Pakistan Awan Centre for Improvement of Working
Economic Corridor. Conditions and Environment (CIWCE) on
 China would never leave Pakistan in the December 3, 2018 (today).
lurch and would channelise maximum resources 5. Senior Afghan Taliban commander
to strengthen its languishing economy. killed in air strike
 The consul general explained that during  A top commander of the Taliban was
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent visit to the killed in Afghanistan`s southern province of
Helmand in a joint operation by Afghan and US technology transfer, intellectual property, non-
Special Forces, Afghan officials and Taliban tariff barriers, cyber theft and agriculture, it said.
members said on December 2, 2018. 7. Commander of US 5th fleet found dead
 Abdul Manan, who was in charge of in Bahrain
Helmand province for the insurgent group, was  The commander of US naval forces in the
killed along with 29 others by an air strike on Middle East, Vice Admiral Scott Stearney, was
December 1, 2018 while he was meeting local found dead in his residence in Bahrain on
commanders and fighters in the Nawzad district, December 2, 2018.
Helmand provincial governor Mohammad Yasin  At this time no foul play is suspected.
Khan said.  Other US Defence officials told
 His death was confirmed by Taliban journalists that they were treating the case as an
spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid and by the US àpparent suicide`.
military, which said Afghan forces had gone on  The 5th fleet covers the entire greater
the offensive with US support, notably through Middle East region, from the shores of Pakistan
precision air strikes to push the Taliban to accept to the Suez Canal.
peace talks.  Its areas of responsibility include the
 The death of Mullah Manan, who Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, the Indian Ocean,
commanded Taliban fighters as they steadily Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal.
increased their control over Helmand in the 8. Russia, KSA agree to renew oil output
years following the end of most international cuts
combat missions in 2014, was seen as a major  President Vladimir Putin said that Russia
success by Afghan officials. and OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia had agreed to
6. China, US declare ceasefire in trade war renew a pact on oil production cuts, as crude
 China and the United States have agreed prices slump on global markets.
to halt additional tariffs in a deal that keeps their  Following talks at a G20 summit with
trade war from escalating, as the two sides try Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,
again to bridge their differences with fresh talks Putin said the world's two biggest exporters of
aimed at reaching an agreement within 90 days. crude "have agreed to extend our agreement."
 The White House said that President 9. Launch of Falcon 9 rocket postponed
Donald Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping  The launch of Falcon 9 rocket in
during high-stakes talks in Argentina that he California, which is supposed to deliver cargo for
would not boost tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese the Spaceflight SSO-A: SmallSat Express mission
goods to 25 per cent on Jan1 as previously to low near-Earth orbit, was postponed from
announced. December 2, 2018 to December 3, 2018 due to
 Beijing for its part agreed to buy an additional checks of the vehicle's second stage,
unspecified but `very substantial` amount of the launch vehicle's developer SpaceX reported
agricultural, energy, industrial and other on December 3, 2018.
products, the White House said in a statement.  Standing down from tomorrow’s launch
 The two sides would also launch new attempt of Spaceflight SSO-A: SmallSat Express
trade talks to address issues including to conduct additional inspections of the second
stage.
 Working toward a backup launch 2. CAC Pakistan Summit kicks off
opportunity on December 3," SpaceX said on  Agriculture sector is lifeline of Pakistan’s
Twitter. economy as it is contributing around 25 percent
 Under the new schedule, the launch will in economy, employing 42.3 percent of labor
take place from the Vandenberg Air Force Base force and a major source of raw materials for
in California around 10:32 a.m. local time (18.32 several value added sectors, said Chinese and
GMT) on December 3 Pakistani experts.
10. Microsoft returns to top of world  It was upshot of the speeches delivered
 Microsoft is back at the top of the by Chinese and Pakistani experts at CAC Pakistan
technology world following an extraordinary Conference. Joint ventures and transfer of latest
comeback to close the gap with Apple, some technology is pre-requisite to avail full benefits
three years into a transformation of the onetime from the potential of Pakistani agriculture
leader by chief executive Satya Nadella. sector, they said.
 Microsoft regained its title as the world's  During the conference China
most valuable company when it closed at a Agrochemical Manufacturing Capability, Trends
higher market value than Apple for the first time and future, Pakistani Crops and Demand for
since 2010, after a brief move ahead of the Agrochemicals and Machineries, Pesticides
iPhone maker earlier in the week. Registration Management Updates in Pakistan,
 Microsoft's market capitalization was Most Sold Pesticides and Future Trend in
$851.2 billion, having tripled in value since Pakistan, Pakistani Pesticides Market and Import
Nadella took over in early 2014. & Export Situation, Pakistani Fertilizers Makret
 Apple's valuation stood at $847.4 billion, and Future Development, Current Status and
having dropped some 20 percent in the past Future Trend of Agricultural Machineries,
eight weeks. Not far behind were Amazon ($826 Current Status of Chinese Agricultural Machinery
billion) and Google parent Alphabet ($763 Industry & leading Machinery and Technology
billion). In the 1990s, Microsoft held the crown came under discussion.
as the top tech firm and most valuable company 3. Soyuz spacecraft successfully docks
as it powered the revolution in personal with ISS
computers with its Windows operating system.  The first manned Soyuz flight since a
failed launch in October successfully docked at
December 4, 2018 the International Space Station on December 2,
2018.
1. Egyptian envoy calls on COAS
 The Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft with a crew
 Egyptian Ambassador to Pakistan
onboard successfully docked with the Research
Ahmed Muhammad Fadel Yacoub met with
Module Poisk of the International Space Station.
Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on
 The Soyuz rocket carrying Russian,
December 3, 2018 and discussed matters of
American and Canadian astronauts took off from
mutual interest, regional security and bilateral
Kazakhstan and reached orbit, in the first
relations.
manned mission since a failed launch in October.
 The envoy visited General Headquarters
 Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko,
in Rawalpindi and called on the Chief of Army
Anne McClain of Nasa and David SaintJacques of
Staff (COAS).
the Canadian Space Agency blasted off for a six- transition` from fossil fuels that critics say could
and-a-half month mission on the International allow it to continue polluting for decades.
Space Station.  Nor are any of the world`s largest
4. Sri Lankan court bars Rajapakse from emitters represented at the highest level in
working as PM Poland.
 A court in Sri Lanka suspended Mahinda  The Paris deal saw nations agree to limit
Rajapakse`s powers as prime minister on global temperature rises to below two degrees
December 3, 2018 and ruled his dispute d Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) and under 1.5C if
cabinet could not govern the strife-torn island possible.
until it proved its legitimacy. 6. Iran faces ‘chronic challenges’ beyond
 The decision casts further legal doubt US sanctions
over Rajapakse`s claim to lead Sri Lanka, which  Iran is facing “chronic challenges” that
has been in turmoil since his controversial existed long before US sanctions were
appointment a month ago. reimposed, the influential parliament speaker Ali
 Rajapakse, who was installed after the Larijani said on December 4, 2018.
country`s president sacked Ranil  “External factors do affect our economy,
Wickremesinghe as prime minister on Oct 26, but there are problems persisting from before,”
has twice been voted out by parliament but has Larijani said at a press conference.
refused to step down.  He listed a number of challenges,
5. Catastrophic climate change if use of including “big, costly government”, high interest
fossil fuel not cut: UN rates that “disrupt production”, cash-strapped
 The world is `way off course` in its plan pension funds and a water crisis.
to prevent catastrophic climate change, warns  The International Monetary Fund says
the United Nations as nations gather in Poland to the Iranian economy will contract by 1.5 percent
chart a way for mankind to avert runaway global in 2018 and 3.6 percent is 2019, largely due to
warming. reduced oil sales caused by the renewed
 After a string of damning scientific sanctions.
reports showing humanity must drastically slash 7. Mexico’s new leader opens presidential
its greenhouse gas emissions within the next residence to public
decade, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres  On November 30 night, Mexico’s
told delegates on Monday at the opening of a UN presidential residence was the scene of a gala
climate summit: `We are still not doing enough, reception for the king of Spain.
nor moving fast enough`.  Hours later, its doors were thrown open
 leaders from at risk nations such as Fiji, so tens of thousands of ordinary people could
Nigeria and Nepal plead their case at the COP24 stare slack-jawed at its opulent rooms.
climate talks, which aim to flesh out the  Welcome to the new Mexico of
promises agreed in the 2015 Paris climate President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
accord.  Mexico’s new leader is an anti-
 But host Poland heavily reliant on energy establishment leftist who has made it his
from coal will push its own agenda: a `just trademark to reject the trappings of power.
 He has cut his own salary by 60 percent, to produce a single object over 80 times the
put the presidential jet up for sale, eliminated mass of our star.
the presidential security detail and forsaken the  It happened at least five billion light-
presidential residence, Los Pinos, opting to stay years from Earth.
in his own modest home.  The discovery follows a major data re-
 But he didn’t stop there. analysis project.
 Within hours of officially starting his six- 10. Scientists develop implant for heart
year term at midnight on December 1, 2018 - monitoring
even before taking the oath of office - Lopez  Chinese scientists have designed an
Obrador, 65, had opened up the sprawling implant and self-powered sensor that can help
residence to the public. monitor heart failure.
8. 900-year-old gold coins found in well  Heart failure is a global public health
 A collection of gold coins believed to problem in which the heart is incapable of
have been hidden 900 years ago has been pumping sufficient blood to meet the body’s
discovered by archaeologists in the ancient needs.
Israeli port city of Caesarea.  Typical symptoms include dyspnea,
 The rare cache was found - along with a weakness and fatigue, which lead to poor quality
single gold earring - in a bronze pot between of life and high costs for diagnosis and
stones in the side of a well. treatment.
 The hoard of 24 coins appears to have  The endocardial pressure is a key
been hidden by someone who hoped to retrieve parameter for assessing cardiac function and has
it, but never returned. important clinical implications for patients with
 Archaeologists say the owner may have heart failure.
died when the city’s inhabitants were massacred  Endocardial pressure is commonly
by a Crusader army in 1101. The discovery, which monitored by invasive and expensive cardiac
specialists have identified as belonging to the catheterization, which is not feasible for long-
end of the 11th Century, was made during an term, continuous data collection.
excavation and conservation project at the  There is an urgent need to develop a
Caesarea World Heritage site. minimally invasive, high-sensitive and low-cost
 It was found between two stones in the sensor to monitor endocardial pressure in real
side of a well at a house in a neighbourhood time, which would be of great significance for
dating to the Abbasid and Fatimid periods. cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment.
9. Monster black hole merger detected Based on the triboelectric nanogenerator that
 Gravitational waves have been picked can convert bio-mechanical energy into
up from the biggest black hole merger yet electricity, scientists from the Beijing Institute of
detected. Nanoenergy and Nanosystems affiliated with the
 Scientists say their laser labs sensed the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beihang
ripples in space-time emanating from this University as well as the Second Military Medical
gargantuan collision on 29 July 2017. University have developed a miniaturized self-
 The event saw two holes, weighing more powered sensor that can enter the heart with
than 50 and 34 times the mass of our Sun, uniting minimally invasive surgery.
December 5, 2018 Singapore, who called on him at the Prime

Minister Office, Mr Khan underscored the need
1. Pakistan, US to work as team on for putting in place à robust mechanism to
Afghanistan effectively check misuse of social media in
 Pakistan and the United States spreading false news, violence and hate
December 4, 2018 agreed to work as a team to content`.
resolve the Afghanistan issue and hold  `Facebook, with its large number of
reconciliation talks with the Taliban. subscribers, can play a significant role towards
 Speaking to US Special Representative checking negative attempts that threaten our
for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, society and social values,` he said.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said  Special assistants to the PM Syed
peace in Afghanistan was in the best interest of Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari and Iftikhar Durrani and
Pakistan. senior officials also attended the meeting.
 Qureshi assured that Pakistan will  The prime minister said a huge potential
continue its cooperation with fair intentions for existed for Facebook to develop online
political reconciliation in Afghanistan. communities within Pakistan in the field of social
 Khalilzad’s visit came days after US service, especially in promotion of community
President Donald Trump wrote a letter to Prime health services and raising health awareness
Minister Imran Khan seeking Islamabad’s campaigns in remote areas of the country.
support in securing a “negotiated settlement” to 3. Government unveils austerity plan
the war in Afghanistan.  The PTI-led government has introduced
 This comes as Washington steps up austerity plan for the current fiscal year including
efforts to hold peace talks with the Taliban, more imposing ban on creation of new jobs and
than 17 years after the invasion of Afghanistan. purchase of vehicles to control the rising
In his letter, Trump said a settlement is “his most expenditures of the country.
important regional priority”, the Pakistani  The Ministry of Finance, through a
foreign ministry stated. “In this regard, he has notification, has directed all ministries and
sought Pakistan’s support and facilitation,” it divisions to follow the austerity measures during
added. current fiscal year. The government has not
 Qureshi said Prime Minister Imran Khan changed the austerity measures, which have
had welcomed US President Donald Trump’s been followed from last few years.
letter seeking Pakistan’s cooperation for  The Ministry of Finance has once again
reconciliation process in Afghanistan introduced old-fashioned austerity measures for
2. PM asks Facebook to check misuse of the ongoing financial year that may have little
social media impact on the country’s overall expenditures.
 Prime Minister lmran Khan on December  Pakistan’s budget deficit was recorded
4, 2018 urged the Facebook management to play at Rs541.7 billion during the first quarter (July to
its role in checking misuse of social media in September) of the ongoing fiscal (FY2019). The
spreading fake news, violence and hate content. deficit went up mainly due to massive increase in
 During a meeting with Simon Milner, expenditures. The country’s expenditures have
Vice President of Public Policy, Facebook stood at Rs1.64 trillion as against the revenues of
Rs1.1 trillion during July-September period of  Ambassador Khalilzad is on his third visit
FY2019. Expenditures increased due to massive to Pakistan since he took charge of the office
spending on defence and interest payments. dealing with peace and reconciliation in
4. Pakistan, Iran agree to fully support Afghanistan in September.
Afghan peace efforts 6. US takes aim at China, Iran & Russia
 Pakistan and Iran have agreed to extend over treaty violations
full support to the Afghan-led and Afghan-  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took
owned efforts for peace in Afghanistan. aim at China, Iran, Russia and others on
 This consensus was reached during the December 4, 2018 for violating numerous
10th round of Pak-Iran Bilateral Political treaties and multi-state agreements, and he
Consultations held here. questioned whether many pillars of
 Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and international trade and diplomacy are still
Iran`s Deputy Foreign Minister Syed Abbas led relevant.
their respective delegations at the meeting.  Pompeo said the Trump administration
 An official statement about the meeting is no longer willing to accept such transgressions
said: Ìt was noted that fully supporting an and is acting to reform institutions that have
Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace and formed the basis of the post-World War II global
reconciliation process was the best way to order. He said a lack of American and European
overcome the serious security and politico- leadership over the last 30 years had contributed
economic challenges faced by Pakistan and Iran. to the malaise.
 The two neighbours also agreed on  Àfter the Cold War ended, we allowed
having a `coordinated approach` on Afghanistan this liberal order to begin to corrode: It failed us,
for `safeguarding their core interests The and it failed you,` he said in a speech to the
statement noted that `Pakistan and Iran, as the German Marshall Fund in Brussels.
major geographic neighbours of Afghanistan,  China, Iran and Russia all deny the
also have commonality of views and future charges, which the US makes frequently.
approach to restore complete peace and 7. NASA deep space probe reaches
stability in the country`. asteroid deemed potential Earth threat
5. US assured of support for peace in  NASA`s deep space explorer Osiris-Rex
Afghanistan flew on December 4, 2018 to within a dozen
 Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood miles of its destination, a skyscraper-sized
Qureshi on December 4, 2018 reaffirmed asteroid believed to hold organic compounds
Pakistan`s support for the Afghan peace process fundamental to life as well as the potential to
in his meeting with US Special Envoy for Afghan collide with Earth in about 150 years.
reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.  Launched in September 2016, Osiris-Rex
 `Pakistan will continue to cooperate embarked on NASA`s unprecedented seven-year
with sincerity for political settlement in mission to conduct a close-up survey of the
Afghanistan. Long-lasting peace in Afghanistan is asteroid Bennu, collect a sample from its surface
in Pakistan`s best interest, Mr Qureshi tweeted and return that material to Earth for study.
after his meeting with the visiting US special  Bennu, a rocky mass roughly a third of a
envoy. mile wide and shaped like a giant acorn, orbits
the sun at roughly the same distance as Earth network of trade links stretching across Asia,
and is thought to be rich in carbon-based organic Africa and Europe
molecules dating back to the earliest days of the  Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in
solar system. Water, another vital component to Portugal on December 4, 2018 for a two-day visit
the evolution of life, may also be trapped in the to boost economic ties, despite concern in some
asteroid`s minerals. EU capitals over China’s growing influence across
 Scientists believe that asteroids and the continent.
comets crashing into early Earth delivered  His two-day stay will include the signing
organic compounds and water that seeded the of cooperation agreements, one of which will
planet for life, and atomic level analysis of bring the southwestern port of Sines into what
samples from Bennu could help prove that China calls the “new Silk Road”.
theory.  The initiative offers loans to build
8. Israel launches operation to destroy railways, roads and ports across Asia, Europe and
Hezbollah tunnels Africa.
 Israel’s army said December 4, 2018 it  Portugal is an important hub in the land
has discovered Hezbollah tunnels infiltrating its and maritime silk routes.
territory from Lebanon and launched an 10. Air Marshal Aasim elected WSFP
operation to destroy them, a move likely to raise president
tensions with the Iran-backed group.  Air Marshal Aasim Zaheer, Vice Chief of
 The surprise announcement came hours the Air Staff, was unanimously elected as
after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu president of Winter Sports Federation of
met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Pakistan (WSFP) during the general council
Brussels over regional dangers, with both having meeting here at Air Headquarters on December
repeatedly warned about the activities of Iran, 4, 2018.
Israel’s main enemy. Netanyahu said he  All the member associations,
discussed the operation with Pompeo and called departments and all office-bearers of WSFP
the tunnels a violation of a UN resolution aimed along with representatives of Pakistan Olympics
at ending a 2006 war between Israel and Shiite Association (POA) attended the meeting.
militant group Hezbollah.
 “Whoever tries to harm Israel’s security December 6, 2018
will pay dearly,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
1. Pak-India trade much below full
 “We will continue with further activities,
potential: World Bank
covert and overt, to ensure Israel’s security.”
 Trade between Pakistan and India is only
 US President Donald Trump’s White
valued at a little over $2 billion, but it could be as
House gave its full backing to the operation, with
high as $37bn, says a World Bank report.
National Security Adviser John Bolton saying “we
 The current trade between the two
call on Iran and all of its agents to stop their
countries is much below its full potential. It could
regional aggression and provocation.”
only be harnessed if both countries agreed to
9. Xi arrives in Portugal to boost trade ties
tear down artificial barriers.
 Xi stressed the importance of China’s
 The bank also estimated Pakistan`s
relationship with Portugal as part of a broader
potential trade with South Asia at $39.7bn
against the actual current trade of $5.1bn.The 3. President House set to be opened to
report, `Glass Half Full: Promise of Regional general public on 8th
Trade in South Asia`, released here on December  After the opening of three Governor
5, 2018 unpacks four of the critical barriers to Houses and a government rest house in Murree
effective integration. to the general public, the highly secured and
 The four areas are tariff and para-tariff spacious President House, commonly known as
barriers to trade, complicated and non- Aiwan-i-Sadr, is set to welcome visitors on
transparent nontariff measures, Saturday (Dec 8).
disproportionately high cost of trade, and trust  Governemnt had decided to open
deficit. President House only for one day and people
 World Bank`s Director for with their families could visit it from 9am to 4pm.
Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment So far no decision had been made to make it a
Caroline Freund said Pakistan`s frequent use of regular feature.
tariffs to curb imports or protect local firms  On Saturday (Dec 8), the visitors would
increased the prices of hundreds of consumer have the opportunity to take a round of a mini-
goods, such as eggs, paper and bicycles. zoo inside President House, besides enjoying
 They also raised the cost of production walk on green lawns and visiting the historic halls
for firms, making it difficult for them to integrate situated on the fifth floor, where oath-taking
into regional and global value chains, she said. ceremonies of top government functionaries,
`Pakistan needs to promote export promotion including the prime ministers, took place.
policies to ensure sustainable growth. 4. Islamabad knows peace in Afghanistan
2. Rs82bn plan launched to reduce rural unlikely without its support: US general
poverty  A senior US general has informed
 The Ministry of National Food Security Congress that Pakistan knows very clearly there
and Research (MNFSR) on December 5, 2018 can be no peace in Afghanistan without their
unveiled Rs82 billion plan for the agriculture assistance and the United States has to make it
sector, with the aim of enhanced crop yield, àttractive` for them to cooperate.
improved water efficiency, livestock and  Lt Gen Kenneth F. McKenzie, the next
fisheries development, and creation of agro- commander of the US Central Command, also
markets with the overall objective of uplifting said at his confirmation hearing that the death
small farmers and reducing rural poverty. toll of Afghan security forces was unsustainable
 The transformative plan based on and that`s why a peace deal was needed.
recommendations made to Prime Minister  `Their losses have been very high. They
Imran Khan by MNFSR Task Force follows the are fighting hard, but their losses are not going
`100 Days Agenda` and is part of the Rs200 billion to be sustainable unless we correct this
package for the agriculture sector by the federal problem,` Lt Gen McKenzie told the Senate
and provincial governments. Armed Services Committee.
 Listing targets, the minister said that all  Senator Mazie Keiko Hirono, a Hawaii
goals are achievable and every effort will be Democrat, introduced the Pakistan factor in the
made by the ministry in this regard. debate when she asked the general why he
believed Pakistan had a role in the Afghan peace
process. Àre there any indications that Pakistan  His comments came on the back of
wishes to play that kind of a role?` the senator growing caution in parts of Europe about
asked. Chinese investment in strategic sectors such as
 Ì do believe that any solution in energy and ports, with governments wary that
Afghanistan is going to require the assistance of the security of infrastructure could be
Pakistan. It has to be a regional solution, not just compromised or that innovations that have had
a solution centered in Afghanistan,` Gen years of research could be lost.
McKenzie replied.  By contrast, Portugal, which had to be
5. Japan lends full support to Afghan bailed out by the international community
peace efforts during the global financial crisis, has been open
 Japan on December 5, 2018 lent full to such acquisitions in recent years.
support to efforts for peace in Afghanistan 7. Global CO2 pollution set to make sharp
through political reconciliation in order to end rise this year
decades-old Afghan conflict.  Global emissions of carbon dioxide
 These views were expressed by National mainly from fossil fuel burning will rise 2.7pc in
Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of Japan 2018, scientists said on December 5, 2018,
Kentaro Sonoura during his meeting with Chief signalling a world `completely off course` in the
of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at fight against climate change.
GHQ in Rawalpindi.  Last year, CO2 pollution increased by
 Kentaro Sonoura expressed full support 1.6pc after a three year hiatus that raised hopes
of his government for peace in Afghanistan manmade greenhouse gas emissions had finally
through political reconciliation. peaked despite an expanding world economy.
 Matters of mutual interest, including  The findings, co-authored by a team of
bilateral security cooperation and overall nearly 80 scientists, were published in the
regional situation, were discussed during the journal Open Access Earth System Science Data.
meeting.  Rapid deployment of solar and wind
 The developments took place the same power, along with gains in energy efficiency,
day Pakistan assured all-out support to the US have been outpaced by growth in demand for
for a negotiated settlement of the Afghan freight, personal transport, shipping, and
conflict. aviation, the research showed.
6. China loops Portugal into belt initiative 8. Putin threatens to develop nuclear
 China will always stick to `mutual missiles
respect` in its efforts to deal with global  A defiant Vladimir Putin on December 5,
challenges, President Xi Jinping said on 2018 threatened to develop nuclear missiles
December 5, 2018 in Lisbon, where he signed banned under a treaty with the United States
agreements to link Portugal to Beijing`s belt and after Washington gave Moscow a deadline to
road initiative. comply with the key arms control agreement.
 Portugal was Xi`s last stop on a trip that  The latest spike in tensions came a day
included a meeting of G20 leaders in Buenos after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said
Aires, where China and the United States agreed Washington would withdraw from a major Cold
to negotiate a solution to their trade war. War treaty limiting midrange nuclear arms
within 60 days if Russia does not dismantle services from taxihailing to ordering takeaway
missiles that the US claims breach the deal. food.
 Putin dismissed Pompeo`s statement as  The new smartphone, called
a smokescreen, saying Washington had already Yandex.Phone, will go on sale today in Russia and
decided to ditch the Intermediate-Range Nuclear online. It will cost 17,990 rubles ($269) less than
Forces treaty (INF). similar phones from competitors Apple and
 Putin said about a dozen countries were Samsung and will work with the Android system.
now producing mid-range missiles of the type
banned by the INF treaty. December 7, 2018
9. First baby born via uterus transplanted
1. Swati steps down as federal minister
from dead donor
 Federal Minister for Science and
 In a medical first, a mother who received
Technology Azam Khan Swati on December 6,
a uterus transplant from a dead donor gave birth
2018 handed over his resignation to Prime
to a healthy baby, researchers reported on
Minister as he wanted to face the trial against
December 5, 2018.
him in the apex court in personal capacity and
 The breakthrough operation, performed
would stay away from ministerial slot till the
in September 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, shows
verdict in the case.
that such transplants are feasible and could help
 Azam Swati met premier Khan and
thousands of women unable to have children
handed over his resignation to him and
due to uterine problems, according to a study
requested for his immediate acceptance as he
published in The Lancet.
did not want to give an impression of any sort of
 The baby girl was born in December
his ministerial influence in the ongoing case
2017, the medical journal added.
against him in the Supreme Court.
 Until recently, the only options available
 In a case of a feud with slum dwellers
to women with so-called uterine infertility were
residing near his farm house, Swati had allegedly
adoption or the services of a surrogate mother.
used his influence to get a case registered
 The first successful childbirth following
against the poor family and when IG Islamabad
uterine transplant from a living donor took place
Police refused to screw the family out of the way,
in 2014 in Sweden, and there have been 10
he had managed to get him (IG) transferred.
others since then.
 During the last hearing of the case in
10. Russian tech giant Yandex unveils first
apex court, the Chief Justice, who was heading
smartphone
the bench, hinted at initiating the trial against
 Russian internet giant Yandex on
him under Article 62 (1) (f), for his alleged
December 5, 2018 launched its first ever
meddling in the affairs of police and misuse of his
smartphone in a highly anticipated move into
office.
hardware that builds on its popular service apps.
2. Govt decides to discard 20 public
 The company behind the most widely companies
used search engine in Russia and the ex-Soviet
 A meeting that was presided over by
region has recently diversified to defend its
Chief Minister Usman Buzdar decided on
market share against Google. Like its US rival, it
December 6, 2018 to allow the provincial cabinet
has created a range of popular phone apps for
to discard nearly 20 public companies made by
the previous government because of their shape of cheaper natural gas. This will ensure
alleged mismanagement and misuse of funds, that fertiliser prices remain stable in the market
and the present setup`s inability to fund them at existing rates of litter over Rs1,700 per bag.
anymore.  Speaking to journalists, the minister said
 The meeting which was attended by the cabinet approved a supplementary grant of
senior officials concerned including the chief Rs25.75bn in ratification of a decision of the ECC
secretary reportedly discussed in detail how to to provide a mix of domestic and imported
rid of the companies not required by the liquefied natural gas (LNG) to five zero-rated
province any more. export sectors at a fixed rate of $6.5 per million
 The caretaker government of Dr Hasan British Thermal Unit (mmBtu) for both
Askari Rizvi had also initially decided to close processing and captive plants. These sectors
down the companies which gained notoriety include exporters of the zero-rated sectors
because of hefty pay package of their staff, namely textile (including jute) carpets, leather,
alleged corruption by those who mattered and sports, and surgical goods.
mismanagement. But it finally left the decision to 4. Climate change costs $384m to Pakistan
the next elected government due to the advice last year
by the officials concerned that the companies  Pakistan has suffered an economic loss
should not be closed down before the of $384 million due to extreme weather events
completion of NAB inquiries and audit objections last year, according to a new climate change
against them. index.
 The caretaker government was told that  Other countries including Bangladesh
NAB was probing affairs of many companies suffered a loss of 2.8 billion US dollars, India 13.7
which were also facing audit objections. And billion dollars, Pakistan 384 million dollars, Sri
these could not be closed down before clearance Lanka three billion dollars, and China 30 billion
from the auditor general and NAB. dollars, China Global Television Network (CGTN)
 Closing down companies would mean reported on Thursday while quoting the Global
dumping their matters being questioned by NAB Climate Risk India 2019 released at the opening
and other agencies, it was told. climate summit COP 24 in the Polish City of
3. Cabinet approves Rs25.7bn gas subsidy Katowice.
for exporters  The Asian countries are facing the most
 Two months after the supplementary damaging impacts of rising temperatures,
budget 2018-19, the federal cabinet on factors that are expected to lead to a large
December 6, 2018 approved another Rs25.75 number of deaths and massive economic losses,
billion `supplementary grant` to provide  On a global scale, Puerto Rico is at the
subsidised gas to five zero-rated export sectors top of the chart and five Asian countries figure
in Punjab. among the top ten worst-affected countries due
 The meeting of the federal cabinet to extreme weather events. China is ranked 31st,
presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan also a significant improvement from the last year’s
ratified another decision of the Economic ranking of 12th.
Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet to
extend Rs5.5bn subsidy to fertiliser units in the
 The index ranked countries on the basis  More than 51 per cent of the people
of the number of deaths and financial loss who died because of air pollution were younger
expected due to extreme weather events. than 70, said the study conducted by academics
 Globally, more than 526,000 people died and scientists from various institutions in India
as a direct result of more than 11,500 extreme and around the world.
weather events in 2017, and the economic losses  It was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates
due to climate change between 1998 and 2017 Foundation, the Indian government and the
amounted to around 3.47 trillion US dollars, Indian Council of Medical Research.
according to the report. Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka,  Of the total, about 670,000 died from air
and Dominica suffered the worst in 2017. Among pollution in the wider environment and 480,000
South Asian countries, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and from household pollution related to the use of
Vietnam ranked 2nd, 4th and 6th respectively, solid cooking fuels.
Bangladesh ranked 9th and Thailand 10th  The Indian capital, New Delhi, was most
5. Malala wins second prestigious Harvard exposed to the tiny particulate matter, known as
award PM 2.5, that can reach deep into the lungs and
 Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel cause major health problems, the study
Peace Prize winner, is being honoured with a concluded. Some northern states closer to Delhi
second prestigious Harvard University award for were almost as bad.
her work in promoting girls’ education around 7. Francis to become first pope to visit
the world and her courageous leadership. Arabian peninsula
 The Center for Public Leadership at  The first visit by a Pope to the Arabian
Harvard Kennedy School announced that Ms. Peninsula will take place in February when
Yousafzai, a 21-year-old student at Oxford Francis travels to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab
University in the United Kingdom, will be Emirates.
awarded the 2018 Gleitsman Award December  The Feb 3-5 trip, Pope Francis` latest to
6, 2018 in Cambridge, a city in the US state of a predominantly Muslim nation, will be centered
Massachusetts. around the theme of inter-religious peace.
 She will receive the $125,000 prize for  The Vatican said the pope had accepted
improving the quality of life of children around an invitation from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed
the globe. al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and the
 David Gergen, professor of public service tiny Catholic community there. He will attend an
at Harvard Kennedy School and Center for Public inter-faith meeting.
Leadership director, who is also a senior analyst  The freedom to practice Christianity or
for CNN, said Ms. Yousafzai epitomizes strength any religion other than Islam is not always a
and resiliency. given in the Gulf and varies from country to
6. India`s polluted air claimed 1.24m lives country.
in 2017: study 8. All Kabul votes in election declared
 India`s toxic air claimed 1.24 million lives invalid
in 2017, or 12.5 per cent of total deaths recorded  All the votes cast in Kabul during the
that year, according to a study published in October parliamentary elections have been
Lancet Planetary Health on December 6, 2018.
declared invalid by the Independent Electoral not merely break an 82-year-old record, he
Complaints Commission (IECC). smashed it.
 The votes were nullified because of  By dismissing William Somerville roughly
fraud that was detected in the city. half an hour into the morning, he picked up his
 Media also noted that there were 200th Test wicket in just his 33rd Test. That
concerns on the part of several observers over breaks the record for the fastest to 200 Test
alleged fraud in the electoral process. wickets, so long held by another legspinner,
 Parliamentary elections took place in Clarrie Grimmett who reached the mark in his
Afghanistan on October 20 and became the first 36th Test. The wicket came in trademark Yasir
such elections in the country since 2010. In 2016, style, the key to it the pace at which it was
the election was postponed over the country’s bowled, breaking a little but hurrying onto
unstable security situation, as various militant Somerville’s pads. The batsmen had a discussion,
groups, including the Taliban and the Islamic but ultimately decided not to take a review.
State (terrorist group banned in Russia),  As well as being the quickest to 200,
continued to carry out regular Yasir was the joint second-fastest to 100 Test
9. SpaceX rocket sends worms to Int’l wickets (in 17 Tests) and the fastest Pakistani to
Space Station 50 Test wickets (in nine Tests).
 SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft was
launched on other day on a way to bring worms, December 8, 2018
liquid fuel and other new experiments to the
1. Pakistan wants `proper ties` with US
International Space Station.
like its relations with China
 The spacecraft, riding on a Falcon 9
 Prime Minister Imran Khan has
rocket, lifted off at 1:16 p.m. EST at the Launch
expressed his desire to have a proper
Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
relationship with the United States akin to
in Florida. It is the sixth resupply mission to the
Islamabad`s ties with Beijing rather than the one
space station this year.
where Pakistan is treated like a `hired gun`.
 About 10 minutes after the launch, the
 The prime minister, in his first interview
spacecraft reached its preliminary orbit, then
to The Washington Post after assuming office,
deployed its solar arrays, starting multiple
said: Ì would never want to have a relationship
thruster firings to reach the space station.
where Pakistan is treated like a hired gun given
 The spacecraft, which flew to the space
money to fight someone else`s war. It not only
station in February of 2017, is carrying 36,000
cost us human lives, devastation of our tribal
roundworms in pouches to the orbiting lab and
areas, but it also cost us our dignity.
if goes well, about two or three million ones will
 When asked to elaborate on the ideal
come back to earth. It is part of a study that may
nature of relationship that he would like to have
offer a better understanding of why muscles
with Washington, Mr Khan said: `For instance,
deteriorate in microgravity.
our relationship with China is not one-
10. Yasir Shah fastest to 200 Test wickets,
dimensional. It`s a trade relationship between
breaks 82-year-old record
two countries. We want a similar relationship
 On the fourth morning of the final Test
with the US.
in Abu Dhabi against New Zealand, Yasir Shah did
 The prime minister explained that the International Anti-Corruption Day to raise public
country was not `hedging` towards China, but it awareness about it.
was rather Washington`s attitude that had  The government has now authorised
brought a change in the Pakistan-US SBP to issue Rs50 commemorative coin which
relationship. He clarified that disagreeing with will be available through exchange counters of
US policies did not equate to him being ànti- all the field offices of SBP Banking Services
American` when he was asked why he harboured Corporation from Dec 10
ànti-US sentiments`. `This is a very imperialistic 4. Two new SECP commissioners
approach: you`re either with me or against me,` appointed
he observed.  The federal cabinet on December 7,
2. Ònly 1pc of the population are tax 2018 issued notification for the appointment of
filers, 70pc of the economy is undocumented` two new commissioners at the Securities and
 Economists and energy experts on Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
December 7, 2018 called for structural, legal and  According to the Finance Division
fiscal reforms to bring the country out of crisis. notification, the federal government has
 They suggested increasing the tax base, appointed Executive Director/ Spokesperson
improving the capacity of state institutions, SECP Aamir Khan and Farrukh H Sabzwari as
inclusiveness and creating a technology friendly commissioners in SECP for a period of three
environment to create jobs and harnessing the years with immediate effect.
talents and skills of the younger generation, who  Following the new appointments, the
comprise 60pc of the population. number of commissioners now stands at five,
 During a panel discussion on `The completing the commission.
Dynamic Global Economy: Fostering the Pakistan  Mr Khan has extensive experience
Advantage` organised by a public diplomacy spanning almost 30 years covering banking,
initiative, RAABTA, experts attempted to address capital markets, structuring of financial
some of the tricky questions such as population solutions/products, leading national initiatives,
growth, fiscal and financial imbalances, the business transformation, and regulatory reform.
direction of the government for steering the Since 2012, he has been serving as an executive
country out of economic crisis, the International director at the SECP.
Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout and its impact on 5. Ban on hiring of doctors lifted
the citizens. The discussion was moderated by  The Punjab government allowed the
broadcast journalist Sidra Iqbal. health department on December 7, 2018 for ad
3. SBP to issue Rs50 coin for anti-graft day hoc appointment of doctors and paramedics.
 The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on  According to a notification of Services
December 7, 2018 said it will issue a and General Administration Department,
commemorative coin of Rs50 from Monday, Dec regulations wing, the cabinet, in its meeting held
10, to mark the International Anti Corruption on Aug 31, had decided to impose a ban on all
Day. recruitments from BPS-01 to BPS-16 in all
 On Oct 31, 2003, the United Nations administrative departments except on the posts
General Assembly adopted the convention from BPS-17 and above which fell under the
against corruption and designated Dec 9 as
preview of the Punjab Public Service Commission propel the Chinese space programme to a
(PPSC). leading position in one of the most important
6. Over half of global population now areas of lunar exploration.
online: UN 8. Australia passes new data encryption
 Some 3.9 billion people are now using laws
the Internet, meaning that for the first time  Australia has passed controversial laws
more than half of the global population is online, designed to compel technology companies to
the United Nations said on December 7, 2018. grant police and security agencies access to
 The UN agency for information and encrypted messages. The government says the
communication technologies, ITU, said that by laws, a world first, are necessary to help combat
the end of 2018 a full 51.2 per cent of people terrorism and crime.
around the world will be using the Internet.  However critics have listed wide-ranging
 `By the end of 2018, we will surpass the concerns, including that the laws could
50/50 milestone for Internet use,` ITU chief undermine the overall security and privacy of
Houlin Zhou said in a statement. users.
 `This represents an important step  The laws were rushed through
towards a more inclusive global information parliament on its final day of the year. The Labor
society,` he said, adding though that `far too opposition said it had reluctantly supported the
many people around the world are still waiting laws to help protect Australians during the
to reap the benefits of the digital economy.` He Christmas period, but on December 7, 2018 it
called for more support to `technology and said that “legitimate concerns” about them
business innovation so that the digital revolution remained.
leaves no one offline.  Cyber-security experts have warned the
7. China prepares mission to land laws could now create a “global weak point” for
spacecraft on moon`s far side companies such as Facebook and Apple.
 China was preparing to launch a ground-  Australia already has laws which require
breaking mission to soft-land a spacecraft on the providers to hand over a suspect’s
largely unexplored far side of the moon, communication to police. This may already be
demonstrating its growing ambitions as a space possible if a service provider uses a form of
power to rival Russia, the European Union and encryption that allows them to view a user’s
US. message.
 With its Changè 4 mission, China hopes 9. Tool designed to track steps of cells’
to be the first country to ever successfully development
undertake such a landing. The moon`s far side is  Researchers at Washington University
also known as the dark side because it faces School of Medicine in St Louis have developed a
away from Earth and remains comparatively new tool described as a “flight data recorder” for
unknown, with a different composition from developing cells, illuminating the paths cells take
sites on the near side, where previous missions as they progress from one type to another.
have landed.  Using the flight data recorder, the
 If successful, the mission scheduled to researchers performed experiments that
blast off aboard a Long March 3B rocket will uncovered some surprising details about the
specific routes taken by cells that successfully  They crumbled to 156 in 56.1 overs on a
completed their flight paths. weary pitch at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu
 The technique harnesses the natural Dhabi.
properties of a virus that inserts tiny DNA  The victory gave New Zealand a 2-1
“barcodes,” called “CellTags,” into each cell. As series win after they had taken the first Test by a
the cells divide, their unique barcodes are narrow four-run margin at the same venue.
passed down to all their descendant cells. The Pakistan bounced back with an innings and 16-
CellTagging technique keeps track of which cells run win in the second Test in Dubai.
share common ancestors and how far back that  New Zealand`s last away series win
common ancestor is found in the lineage. The against Pakistan was a 1-0 victory in matches
researchers found that if a certain gene, called played in Pakistan in 1969-70.
Mettl7a1, was turned on in cells, they were three  It was New Zealand`s fifth Test series win
times as likely to successfully reprogram in their last six played since November 2016.
compared with cells in which this gene is They beat Pakistan, Bangladesh, the West Indies
inactive. Another interesting finding was that the and England all at home with the single loss
cells that were not successful in their came against South Africa.
reprogramming didn’t just end up all over the
map. They appeared to converge at the same December 9, 2018
dead end, tending to revert back to look like the
original cell type. The tool could reveal cellular 1. Chinese team arrives for military
“reprogramming” routes that might involve exercises
reverting skin cells back to different types of  A contingent of Special Forces of the
stem cells that could then mature into a new People`s Liberation Army of China reached here
liver or other vital organ. on December 8, 2018 to participate in the joint
 Among many potential uses, the tool counterterrorism drills, Warrior-VI 2018.
also could be applied in cancer research,  Troops of the Special Services Groups
recording the wrong turns normal cells might from both armies will participate in the three-
take to develop into tumors, according to the week-long exercise.
researchers.  This year`s drills would be the sixth in a
10. New Zealand crush Pakistan to win Test series of exercises held annually and alternately
series in the two countries. Pakistan last hosted the
 Debutant Will Somerville grabbed three exercises in 2016.
key wickets to guide New Zealand to their first  The drills are held as part of bilateral
away series win over Pakistan in 49 years with a military cooperation and have complemented
crushing 123-run win in the third and final Test the growth of defence relations between the
on December 7, 2018. neighbours.
 The off-spinner took 3-52 and was aided 2. In a historic first, President House
by fellow spinner Ajaz Patel`s 3-42 as Pakistan opened to public
came up well short after being set a daunting  For the first time in the country`s history,
280-run target in 79 overs. President House on December 8, 2018 opened
its doors to the public as part of the
government`s plans to allow the people to execution etc. Wapda, which was too engaged in
access state-owned buildings. the process, was also directed in the past to
 Earlier, the government had opened explore financing avenues for the project.
Governor Houses in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber  However, the international donors,
Pakhtunkhwa, and a state owned rest house in especially the ADB didn`t agree to fund the
Murree to the public. project if it executed by the Balochistan
 A large number of people from twin government.
cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad visited the 4. World Bank sees moderate growth in
highly secured building of Aiwan-i-Sadr remittances
3. ADB agrees to provide Rs27bn for  While remittances to South Asia are
Nalong dam projected to increase by 13.5 per cent in 2018,
 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has the growth of remittances in Pakistan is
agreed to provide Rs26.6 billion for the projected to remain moderate at 6.2pc due to
construction of the much-delayed Naulong dam significant declines in inflow from Saudi Arabia,
in Balochostan after the provincial government the largest remittance source for the country.
agreed to issue an NOC next week allowing the  The new World Bank report, `Regional
Water and Power Development Authority Trends in Migration and Remittance Flows`,
(WAPDA) to execute it. released on December 8, 2018, says that the
 ÀDB has agreed to fund the project, as remittances to Pakistan is expected to touch the
it has included it in its business plan,` a figure of $20.9bn in 2018, which is 6.9pc of GDP.
spokesman for the bank told while confirming India remains on top with the figure of $79.5bn.
the development.  After slow growth of 2.4pc in 2016,
 The bank is of the view that the remittances remained nearly flat in 2017 largely
provincial government doesn`t have the capacity due to significant declines in inflows from Saudi
to execute the project in a professional manner. Arabia, and this trend continued into early 2018,
And if WAPDA executes this, it is ready to fund it. the report says.
 After this development, the Naulong  Bangladesh remained at third position
dam project is no more in the funding ambit of with $15.9bn followed by Nepal, Sri Lanka,
the federal government`s Public Sector Afghanistan, Bhutan and Maldives. Remittances
Development Programme (PSDP. to South Asia are projected to increase by 13.5pc
 Located on Mula River-about 30km from in 2018, a faster pace than the 5.7pc growth seen
Gandava Town in Balochistan`s Jhal Magsi in 2017.
district, the 4.4-megawatt Naulong project was  In the GCC countries, which host a
planned to be launched in 2009 with completion significantly larger per capita share of foreign
in 2012. However, the project-a zoned earth fill workers, the deployment of workers from South
dam with 186 feet height and gross and live Asia has been declining.
storage capacity of 242,163 and 199,956 acres 5. Seven more economic zones
feet-remained stuck for about nine years and recommended in Punjab
became a shuttlecock between the Planning  The Special Economic Zone Authority
Commission and the provincial government on (SEZA) has recommended that the provincial
various issues related to funding, capacity,
government approve another seven special  Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav
economic zones (SEZs) in Punjab. Volodin called on December 8, 2018 for the
 The total investment size of the projects creation of a common list of terrorist
recommended is estimated to be around Rs27 organisations to avoid double interpretation of
billion which will attract manufacturing the latter’s actions.
concerns, leading to import substitution and  The politician stressed that it was
creation of around 400,000 direct and indirect extremely important for the international
jobs. community to establish cooperation to curb the
 At a meeting presided over by Minister spread of terrorist and extremist ideology.
for Industries, Commerce & Investment Mian  Volodin believes that the format and
Aslam Iqbal it emerged that Special Economic experience of the struggle of the Collective
Zones (SEZs) include: Rahim Yar Khan Industrial Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) against
Estate, Bhalwal Industrial Estate, Vehari terrorism can be used in the framework of the
Industrial Estate by PIEDMIC, Rachna Industrial meetings of the Russia, Afghanistan, China, Iran,
Park by National Industrial Parks, North Star Pakistan and Turkey.
Textiles Ltd (Zaamin Group), Roshan Sun Tao 8. Former Colombian president dies at 95
Paper Mills Ltd and Frontier Oil Company  Colombia’s former President Belisario
(Frontier Works Organization). Betancur Cuartas, known for carrying out
6. Trump nominates new US military chief democratic reforms and for his efforts to bring
 US President Donald Trump on an end to the government’s conflict with rebel
December 8, 2018 nominated an Afghan war groups, died aged 95 in the country’s capital of
veteran, Gen Mark Milley to be the next Bogota on December 7, 2018
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing  Betancur was in office between 1982
Gen Joe Dunford. and 1986 after three unsuccessful bids to secure
 The nomination has to be confirmed by a presidential term.
the US Senate.  The politician initiated peace talks with
 Gen Milley is a veteran of the Iraq and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -
Afghanistan wars and has served as the US People’s Army and other guerrilla groups.
Army`s top officer since August 2015. However, his presidency was overshadowed by
 Gen Dunford, a former commandant of an attack on the Palace of Justice in Bogota by
the Marine Corps, is expected to serve out his the M19 guerrilla group, during which over 300
term as Joint Chiefs chairman, which ends next people were taken hostage by the rebels and
Oct 1. over 100 people were subsequently killed during
 Gen Dunford originally was nominated the government forces’ assault on the palace
for the Joint Chiefs position by former President 9. China mission launches to far side of
Barack Obama, serving an initial two-year term. Moon
 President Trump re-nominated him in  China has launched the first mission to
2017 for a second term land a robotic craft on the far side of the Moon.
7. Russia calls for common list of terror  The Chang’e-4 mission will see a static
organisations lander and rover touch down in Von Kármán
crater, located on the side of the Moon which
never faces Earth. The payload blasted off atop a
Long March 3B rocket from Xichang Satellite
December 11, 2018
Launch Center. 1. Pakistan, China resolve to expand CPEC
 The mission will pave the way for the  Reaffirming the commitment to all-
country to deliver samples of Moon rock and soil weather strategic cooperative partnership,
to Earth. China and Pakistan December 10, 2018
 The landing will not occur until early expressed their resolve on early completion of
January, when the probe will descend on ongoing projects and expansion of the China
thrusters and touch down on the rugged terrain Pakistan Economic Corridor to new areas of
of the lunar far side. Von Kármán crater is of cooperation for the mutual benefit of two
interest to scientists because it is located within neighbouring states.
the oldest and largest impact feature on the  The first round of political consultation
Moon - the South Pole-Aitken Basin. This was between Pakistan and China held here at the
probably formed by a giant asteroid impact Ministry of Foreign Affairs also discussed the
billions of years ago. international political situation with a particular
10. Nasa’s InSight lander hears Martian focus on Afghanistan and South Asia.
winds  Chinese delegation head Vice Foreign
 Nasa’s InSight lander, which touched Minister Kong Xuanyou besides leading his
down on Mars last week, has provided the first delegation in the first round of political
ever “sounds” of Martian winds on the Red consultations with Pakistan also held separate
Planet, said Nasa on other day. meetings with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood
 InSight sensors captured a haunting low Qureshi and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar
rumble caused by vibrations from the wind, Javed Bajwa.
estimated to be blowing between 10 to 15 mph  In the political consultations Pakistan
(5 to 7 meters a second) on Dec. 1, from side was led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina
northwest to southeast, according to Nasa. The Janjua. Both sides held comprehensive
winds were consistent with the direction of dust discussions on the entire gamut of bilateral
devil streaks in the landing area, which were relations. They reaffirmed all-weather strategic
observed from orbit, said Nasa. “Capturing this cooperative partnership between the two
audio was an unplanned treat,” said Bruce countries and expressed their satisfaction at the
Banerdt, InSight principal investigator at Nasa’s strong bilateral ties in political, economic,
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, security, cultural and other spheres.
California. “But one of the things our mission is  The two sides also agreed to build upon
dedicated to is measuring motion on Mars, and the consensus reached between the leadership
naturally that includes motion caused by sound of two countries during the visit of Prime
waves.” According to Nasa, two very sensitive Minister Imran Khan to China
sensors on the spacecraft detected these wind 2. Health programme launched in 1,700
vibrations: an air pressure sensor inside the Punjab schools
lander and a seismometer sitting on the lander’s  The Punjab government launched on
deck, awaiting deployment by InSight’s robotic December 10, 2018 School Health and Nutrition
arm. programme in 1,700 schools of the province.
 Punjab Ministers Dr Murad Raas and Dr  The report pointed out that during this
Yasmin Rashid inaugurated the programme at year alone, Indian forces and police personnel
the Government Central Model School, Lower martyred 350 Kashmiris including PhD scholars,
Mall. engineering students and Hurriyet leaders,
 The government had launched an Professor Dr Muhammad Rafi Butt, Dr Manan
android phone application with the help of the Bashir Wani, Dr Sabzar Ahmad Sofi , Dr Abdul
Punjab Information Technology Board and the Ahad Ganai, M-Phil student Aedimad Fayaz Mali,
Secondary Healthcare Commission to monitor Muhammad Esha Fazali (24-year-old eng
the programme. graduate), Syed Oais Shafi Shah (eng graduate ) ,
 The programme will cater to students of Aasif Ahmad Malik (28- year old B Tech
1,700 schools of the nine districts Lahore, engineer), THK leader, Mir Hafizulla, Muslim
Bhakkar, Jhang, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi, League leader, Tariq Ahmad Ganie, Hurriyet
Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Mianwali and leader, Mohammad Yousuf Rather alias Yousuf
Sargodha. Nadeem and THK leader, Hakim-ul-Rehman
3. Lt-Gen Majid Ehsan appointed as Corps Sultani and arrested over 2,348 people including
Commander of Lahore minor boys, youth, students, females and
 Lt-Gen Majid Ehsan has been appointed Hurriyet leaders and activists and put them in
as Corps Commander of Lahore, says a jails and in houses.
statement issued here by the Inter Services 5. Oman has allowed Israeli planes to use
Public Relations (ISPR) on December 10, 2018. airspace
 It further says Lt-Gen Amir Riaz has been  Oman will let Israeli planes fly through
appointed as President of the National Defence its airspace, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
University said on December 10, 2018, in another sign of his
4. India martyred 95,238 Kashmiris in 28 country`s efforts towards ties with Arab states
years despite the conflict with the Palestinians.
 In Indian occupied Kashmir Indian troops  The announcement follows Netanyahu`s
in their unabated acts of state terrorism, surprise visit to Oman in October.
martyred 95,238 innocent Kashmiris, including  Only two Arab countries Jordan and
7,120 in custody, since January 1989 till date. Egypt officially recognize Israel.
 A report released by the Research  `When I was in Oman I spoke with Sultan
Section of Kashmir Media Service on the Qaboos, who told me El Al would be able to fly
occasion of the World Human Rights Day, today, over Oman,` Netanyahu said.
revealed that these killings rendered 22,894  The permission however provides Israel
women widowed and 107,551 children with little immediate practical use since its
orphaned. planes cannot fly over Oman`s neighbour Saudi
 The report said that the troops molested Arabia.
or disgraced 11,107 women and damaged  Saudi Arabia in March began allowing Air
109,191 residential houses and other structures. India flights between New Delhi and Tel Aviv to
It maintained that Indian troops and police use its airspace, but not Israeli carriers.
subjected at least 8,000 people to custodial 6. Chinese court bans iPhone sales in
disappearance in the period. patent dispute
 A Chinese court ordered a ban in the 8. Roger the kangaroo: Enormous roo dies
country on iPhone sales in a patent dispute aged 12
between US chip maker Qualcomm and Apple,  Roger, a kangaroo who won global fame
according to a Qualcomm statement December for his enormous size and impressive physique,
10, 2018. has died at the age of 12.
 The statement said the Fuzhou  The roo was rescued as a joey after his
Intermediate People`s Court had granted mother was killed in a car accident, and grew up
Qualcomm`s request for two preliminary at the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs in
injunctions against four subsidiaries of Apple, Australia.
ordering them to immediately to stop selling the  And he grew up a lot - ending up more
iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 than 2m (6ft 7) tall and weighing 89kg (196lbs).
Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X.  The sanctuary announced his death from
 The move marked the latest in a long- old age at the weekend, saying they had lost
running dispute over patents and royalties their “beautiful boy”. “He was still a baby when I
between the two California tech giants playing saved him from his mother’s pouch after she’d
out in courts and administrative bodies gotten killed on the highway,” Chris “Brolga”
worldwide. Barns told the BBC.
 Àpple continues to benefit from our 9. Indian historian Mushirul Hasan passes
intellectual property while refusing to away
compensate us.  Leading Indian historian and a scholar of
7. UN adopts global migration pact pahition, Professor Mushirul Hasan, died on
rejected by US December 10, 2018. He was 69.
 Defying fierce opposition from the  Professor Hasan met with a road
United States nearly 85 per cent of the countries accident on his way to Mewat in November
at the UN agreed on December 10, 2018 on a 2014, and was under care at his home. He is
sweeping yet non-binding accord to ensure safe, credited with transforming as its vice chancellor
orderly and humane migration. Jamia Milia Islamia into a globally connected
 A total of 164 countries among the 193 university, hosting international seminars and
UN members approved the agreement. lectures by prominent thinkers and intellectuals.
 Ùnregulated migration bears a terrible  His contribution at the Jamia included
human cost: a cost in lives lost on perilous setting up several halls named after renowned
journeys across deserts, oceans and rivers; and a figures. One of them was the Mir Taqi Mir hall,
cost in lives ruined at the hands of smugglers, while others that sprang up during his watch
unscrupulous employers and other predators,` were named after Noam Chomsky, Fidel Castro,
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a Nelson Mandela among others.
migration conference in Marrakech, Morocco,
December 11, 2018: Sports Current Affairs
the UN press release said. `More than 60,000
migrants have died on the move since the year 10. Egypt`s Ibrahim wins CNS Open for
2000,` he said. `This is a source of collective maiden title in Pakistan
shame.  Riding on the crest of a wave, unseeded
Egyptian Youssef Ibrahim carved out a victory
over third seed Farhan Mehboob in the final to drug trafficking, according to the UN Office on
clinch his maiden international squash title in Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Pakistan on December 10, 2018.  The `Triangular Initiative` was brokered
 Youthful Ibrahim overcame little in 2007 by UNODC as complementary to peace-
resistance from his opponent to record a 11-7, building efforts in the region, promoting
12-10, 11-8 victory in the 32-minute final of the information exchange and encouraging joint
US $18,000 13th CNS International Squash field operations among the three countries
Championship at the PN Roshan Khan-Jahangir against drug trafficking networks and serious
Khan Squash Complex on Monday. operatives.
 According to the latest survey of
December 12, 2018 UNODC, the total area under opium poppy
cultivation in Afghanistan remained at very high
1. Additional advocate general resigns
levels despite a 20 per cent decrease compared
 A recently appointed provincial law
to 2017.
officer tendered on December 11, 2018 his
3. `Mobile tax policy` for foreign visitors
resignation citing personal reasons.
announced
 Additional Advocate General Adeel Aqil
 Minister of State for Revenue Hammad
Mirza sent his resignation to Advocate General
Azhar on December 11, 2018 announced the
of Punjab Ahmad Awais. The AGP would
`mobile tax policy` for foreign visitors after the
persuade Mr Mirza to take his resignation back.
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) released details
 The Punjab government on December 7
of duties imposed on imported handsets.
appointed 18 new additional advocate generals
 Listing the conditions for foreign visitors
and 42 assistant advocate generals. The
that will not require registration or duty charges,
government retained four law officers working
he said: `For benefit of people travelling into Pak
since previous political regimes.
from abroad, the mobile tax policy for you is: 1)
 Faisal Hussain Chaudhry, brother of
One phone allowed to be registered as duty free
Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry,
2) No Registration/Duty needed on any phone (s)
was also appointed additional advocate general.
using roaming 3) No Reg/Duty needed if
2. Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan discuss
phone(s) to be used in Pak for less than 30 days.
drug control measures
 Earlier, in order to curb illegal imports of
 Counternarcotic officials from Pakistan,
handsets, the FBR and Pakistan
Iran and Afghanistan began brainstorming
Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had laid out
sessions here on December 11, 2018 to chart out
new procedures for regularisation of
measures for effectively combating the
unregistered mobile devices.
trafficking of Afghan opiates.
4. Five bills introduced in NA amid noisy
 The thirteenth `Triangular Initiative`
protest by opposition
meeting of senior officials from the three
 The National Assembly on December 11,
neighbouring countries will help find solutions to
2018 carried out some legislative business on a
their common challenges by adhering to a
messy private members day as legislators
comprehensive and balanced approach to
managed to introduce five bills, including two
improve the regional cooperation in countering
constitution amendment bills, amid noisy
proceedings due to inability of Deputy Speaker came as a surprise even for some of the
Qasim Suri to maintain order in the house. ministers.
 The movers remained confused about 6. PN vessel launched in China
the status of their bills after presenting them  The launching ceremony of Pakistan
before the house and on two occasions, the Navy`s Survey Vessel was performed in China.
deputy speaker ejected the bills on a voice vote  The 3,000-tonne vessel is under
and did not order a headcount despite repeated construction at the Jiangsu DAJIN Heavy
requests and challenge by the movers. Industries Company Limited, China, and is the
 The introduced bills, however, will largest survey vessel to be built for Pakistan Navy
remain in the cold storage as Speaker Asad under Sino-Pak collaboration.
Qaiser has not been able to constitute the house  The ship is 80.8 metres in length and is
committees due to a stand-off between the equipped with modern survey equipment. It has
government and the opposition over the issue of the capacity to operate for 50 days at sea, said
chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee the statement.
(PAC).  The ship will be commissioned and
 The deputy speaker kept on announcing inducted into the PN Fleet in August 2019 after
that the bills stood introduced without referring completion of harbour and sea acceptance trials,
them to the yet-to-be-formed committees, while the navy said, adding `the new ship will be one
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali of the most technologically advanced survey
Mohammad Khan claimed that the committees vessels of Pakistan Navy and will strengthen
would be constituted within a week or so. Pakistan`s marine scientific research capability
5. Yousaf Baig Mirza named PM`s special while providing flexibility to carry out
assistant underwater search and localisation operations`.
 Prime Minister Imran Khan expanded his 7. Chinese investors given another
media team on December 11, 2018 by extension for two CPEC projects
appointing Yousaf Baig Mirza, a former  The government on December 11, 2018
managing director of Pakistan Television, as his gave another extension to Chinese investors for
special assistant on media affairs. Mr Mirza is achieving financial close of two major power
currently working as chief executive officer of a sector projects worth $2.2 billion under the
private TV channel. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
 `The prime minister has been pleased to  The projects given extensions include
appoint Yousaf Baig Mirza as Special Assistant on 4000MW Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line and
media affairs with effect from Dec 7, ` said a 300MW Gwadar Coal Power Project.
notification issued by the cabinet secretariat.  At a meeting of the Private Power &
 His appointment would be in an Infrastructure Board (PPIB) presided over by
honorary capacity, the notification said, Power Minister Omar Ayub Khan, the $1.7bn
indicating that he will not get a salary, but will Matiari-Lahore line was given a three-month
receive perks. extension to achieve financial close with a fresh
 Mr Baig`s appointment in the presence deadline of Feb 28, 2019.
of Iftikhar Durrani, who is also working as special  The contractors were earlier given a six
assistant to the prime minister on media affairs, month extension in financial close in March this
year which ended on Dec 1. The new deadline suggested in annual US reports for religious
was approved on assurance that commercial freedom.
operation date (COD) of the project would  The designation is based on these
remain unchanged at Mar 31, 2021. The delay annual reports and opens the door for further
was caused in firming up transmission line actions, including US economic sanctions.
service agreement, finalisation of loan-related  The United States has already imposed
matters with the State Bank of Pakistan and strict economic sanctions on Pakistan for its
problems in land leases. alleged refusal to follow the Trump
8. Khashoggi, other journalists named administration`s Afghan strategy.
Time ‘Person of the Year’  The US media insisted that Tuesday`s
 Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who designation shows Washington`s concerns about
was murdered in October at his country’s the treatment of minorities in Pakistan, including
Istanbul consulate, was named Time magazine’s Shias, Ahmadis and Christians.
“Person of the Year” on December 11, 2018, an 10. Taliban attack on security team near
honour he shared with other targeted journalists Kabul kills 12
recognised as “guardians” of the truth.  The death toll from a suicide bombing
 Among those named with Khashoggi targeting a security forces convoy outside Kabul
were Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, Reuters early on December 11, 2018 jumped to 12,
reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo — currently officials said, with eight civilians killed in the
imprisoned in Myanmar — and the workforce of latest Taliban-claimed attack near the Afghan
the Capital Gazette in the US city of Annapolis, capital.
including five staff members killed in a June  The officials said it was a suicide attack
shooting. on an operational team from the National
9. Pakistan added to US list of violators of Directorate for Security, but he gave no further
religious freedom details.
 US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo  The car bomb follows a wave of deadly
announced on December 11, 2018 that he had violence against Afghan forces across a year in
added Pakistan to a list of countries that violate which insurgents have inflicted record-high
religious freedom. casualties on security personnel in the war-torn
 Others on the list include Burma, China, country.
Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, SaudiArabia,  The blast took place in Paghman district
Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Ì designated west of Kabul as the convoy was returning from
(these states) as Countries of Particular Concern an overnight operation, interior ministry
under the International Religious Freedom Act of spokesman Najib Danish said.
1998 for having engaged in or tolerated
systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations December 13, 2018
of religious freedom,` Secretary Pompeo said.
1. Upgraded aircraft, helicopters inducted
 Last year, Mr Pompeo had placed
into naval fleet
Pakistan on a special watch list a step short of the
designation which is used to persuade the  The Pakistan Navy (PN) inducted its first
targeted nation into introducing reforms marinised and upgraded ATR aircraft and Sea
King helicopters (Ex Mod UK) into its fleet at an
impressive ceremony held at PNS Mehran on  Google on December 12, 2018 released
December 12, 2018. its `Year in Search` lists revealing the top most
 The first marinised ATR aircraft, a searched people, news and events in Pakistan for
modern and widely-operated turboprop the outgoing year.
platform, has been retrofitted with state-of-the-  According to the popular internet search
art weapons and sensors which will substantially engine, Prime Minister Imran Khan`s wife Bushra
enhance the fleet air arm`s operational Manika remained the most trending person in
capability commensurate with contemporary the country for the year 2018, followed by
maritime warfare requirements. Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, singer and
 The induction of the two Mk 3A/ Mk 4 actor Meesha Shafi, and journalist Reham Khan.
Sea King helicopters acquired from UK into the  According to Google`s data, the most
PN`s existing fleet of Sea King helicopters will number of searches in her name was recorded
further enhance its operational capability, between January and February, during the time
particularly of troops` transfer. One of the rumours of her marriage with Imran Khan were
helicopters is purpose built for search and rescue doing the rounds.
missions at sea and the other is optimised for  Searches related to Meesha Shafi spiked
troops-carrying role. after she became the first celebrity in the
 Current Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral entertainment industry to accuse another
Zafar Mahmood Abbasi celebrity, Ali Zafar, of sexual harassment.
2. Pak Navy to host multinational AMAN  Meanwhile, as per the Google data,
Exercise 2019 people searched Reham Khan the most during
 Pakistan Navy will be hosting a major June when her biography came out.
multinational maritime ‘AMAN Exercise 2019’ in 4. Pact signed for Mangla Dam
the beginning of the next year. refurbishment
 To this effect, a final planning  The $78 million Project Implementation
conference was held in Karachi. Forty one Letter (PIL)-2 for Mangla Refurbishment Project
representatives of participating countries (MRP) was signed on December 12, 2018
attended the conference. between WAPDA and the USAID.
 The exercises will play an important role  Water and Power Development
for formation of a joint strategy and consensus Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Lt General
approach for global maritime security. (retired) Muzammil Hussain and United States
 The basic purpose of the exercises Agency for International Development (USAID)
include enhancement of professional expertise Mission Director in Pakistan Jerry Bisson signed
in capability of joint operations and regional the document on behalf of their respective
peace and security. organisations.
 Naval forces from across the world will  The USAID grant will be spent to
be participating in the AMAN Exercises with undertake various works of Package V-IX of the
Pakistan Navy’s declared resolve of ‘Unity for project. PIL-1 worth $72m for MRP was signed
Peace. between USAID and WAPDA in 2014.
3. Bushra Manika was Pakistan`s most  The MRP, on its completion, will
googled person in 2018 enhance generation capacity of the existing
Mangla Hydel Power Station from 1,000 involve 25,000 people whose data will be
megawatt (MW) to 1,310 MW, thus registering collected from before birth and through various
an increase of 310 MW. The refurbishment stages of their lives.
works have been divided into 11 different  Birth cohort studies can go on for 40 to
packages which will be implemented in various 50 years and are used to collect data on diseases,
phases. The generating units will be refurbished social indicators and problems in nations.
by closing down one tunnel (two generating  The data of babies before birth is
units) at a time. Refurbishment of the first two collected, and it is then observed why some
units will be completed in year 2019, while children die during their childhood and others
refurbishment of all 10 generating units is likely live on for decades.
to be accomplished by year 2024. 7. EU parliament approves trade deal with
5. Pakistan`s power sector causes $18bn Japan
loss a year: report  The European Parliament on December
 Estimating about $18bn annual loss to 12, 2018 approved an accord with Japan that has
Pakistan economy due to inefficient power been dubbed the world`s biggest trade deal,
sector, the World Bank has warned the covering economies that represent a third of the
government against increasing power rates as a world`s GDP.
tool to address fiscal challenges in the sector.  The agreement will go into effect in
 In a report Ìn the Dark: How Much Do February and was celebrated as a victory for
Power Sector Distortions Cost South Asia` Europe as a free trade champion in the face of
launched on December 12, 2018, the World Bank US President Donald Trump`s protectionism and
also suggested some solutions to address the Britain`s decision to leave the EU.
power sector problems by asking authorities to 8. Lanka`s sacked PM wins confidence
prioritise gas allocation to efficient power plants vote
and launch tariff mechanism that encourages  Sri Lanka`s former Prime Minister whose
performance. October sacking by the president precipitated a
 Pakistan`s power sector suffers from political crisis won a confidence vote in
inefficiencies that cost the economy $18bn or parliament on December 12, 2018.
6.5 per cent of GDP in the fiscal year 2015, said a  Ranil Wickremesinghe received 117
new World Bank report. Asked about the use of votes in favour in the 225-member legislative
2015 data about economic losses, a World Bank body. The result is expected to increase pressure
official said the situation had not changed much on President Maithripala Sirisena to reappoint
since then. Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister. Sirisena has
6. NHS ministry to undertake Pakistan`s vowed not to reappoint him despite criticism
first ever birth cohort study that his refusal violates the constitution.
 The Ministry of National Health Services  After sacking Wickremesinghe on Oct
(NHS) has decided to undertake a birth cohort 26, Sirisena appointed his former rival, Mahinda
study in Pakistan. Rajapaksa, as Prime Minister. Sirisena had
 The study, which will be initiated by opposed Wickremesinghe`s economic policies
professors from Bradford University and and his efforts to investigate alleged abuses
Liverpool University in the United Kingdom, will
during Sri Lanka`s long civil war, which ended in trophy will be returned to following the end of
2009. the investigation.
9. Tanzania signs deal for Hydel plant at
heritage site December 14, 2018
 Tanzania on December 12, 2018 signed a
1. Army asks US to adopt `regional
$3 billion agreement with two Egyptian
approach` on terrorism
companies to construct a huge hydroelectric
 The army top brass on December 13,
plant in a game reserve that is a UNESCO World
2018 hoped for `success` of US efforts for Afghan
Heritage site.
reconciliation process and called for dealing with
 President John Magufuli witnessed the
terrorism through a regional approach.
signing of the agreement with Egyptian Prime
 `Forum highlighted importance of
Minister Mostafa Madbouly. The companies
regional approach to eliminate roots of terrorism
involved are Arab Contractors and el-Sewedy
and attached hopes for success of ongoing
Electric, an engineering services company.
Afghan reconciliation process while supporting
 The plan was formulated in the 1980s
all stakeholders to bring Afghan war to a
but Tanzania did not have the capital to put it
peaceful logical conclusion,` an Inter-Services
into effect until recently.
Public Relations (ISPR) statement on the 216th
 The dam is expected to produce 5,920
corps commanders` conference said.
gigawatts of power annually
 The corps commanders` conference,
10. DiCaprio ordered to return Oscar statue
which is a monthly feature at the GHQ, this time
 Leonardo Dicaprio has been ordered to
specially focused on regional security and the
return an Oscars statue. The 44-year-old actor -
situation on the eastern and western borders,
who ended a long career journey when he was
including the Line of Control, while reviewing the
named best actor for his role in 2015’s ‘The
geo-strategic environment. Additionally, the
Revenant’ - was gifted Marlon Brando’s 1954
meeting took stock of the internal security
trophy for ‘On The Waterfront’, and he will have
situation and the ongoing security operations.
to hand it over to authorities due to an ongoing
 Pakistan renewed its commitment to
court case.
facilitate the reconciliation process after US
 Malasian financier Jho Low gave
President Donald Trump last week wrote a letter
Leonardo the award after originally buying it at
to Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking his
an auction for $600,000.
government`s help for Afghan peace. Backing
 Low - who financed the actor’s movie
reconciliation in Afghanistan has been
‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ in 2013 - is accused of
Islamabad`s longstanding position.
committing fraud against an investment fund for
2. MoU signed with Iran to boost border
billions of dollars. As well as Brando’s Oscar, the
security
star has also handed over other presents given
 Pakistan and Iran have signed a
by Low, including a Pablo Picasso painting.
memorandum of understanding (MoU) to
 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
improve border security and stop oil, drugs and
Sciences retains the right to by any of its statues
arms smuggling and human trafficking.
by for just $1, so it’s expected that’s where the
 The MoU was signed after a meeting of
the joint border commission held in Zahidan, the
provincial capital of Iranian province Sistan-  These resources will be available during
Baluchestan. the three year period in energy, transport,
 The three-day meeting concluded on agriculture, natural resources and rural
December 13, 2018 in which several agreements development, water and other urban
to strengthen security in the border areas and to infrastructure and services, according to the
prevent illegal movements were signed. business plan document.
 Both sides expressed determination to  Besides the new plan, ADB on December
prevent smuggling of drugs and oil and stop 13, 2018 signed a loan agreement with the
human trafficking and take strict security government, worth $284m to improve the
measures to halt movement of terrorists across country`s power transmission network.
the border.  The Manila-based lending agency says
3. Pakistan reported 3,000 accounts in six while the new government is in the process of
months: Twitter establishing its development priorities, it is in
 The total number of accounts reported close dialogue with the government.
by Pakistani authorities to Twitter for alleged 5. Pakistan, Italy agree to enhance
offences like `spreading hate material` and defence ties
ìnciting violence` shot up to over 3,000 in the  Pakistan and Italy on December 13, 2018
first six months of this year, according to a agreed to enhance defence and trade ties.
biannual report of the social networking  Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah
website. Mehmood Qureshi held a meeting with
 The website`s transparency report Secretary General of Italian Ministry of Foreign
released on December 13, 2018 said that Affairs Elisabetta Balloniat at the Foreign Office
between January and June this year the to discuss bilateral ties in all sectors including
government sent requests for removal of 243 defence and trade.
accounts and reported 3,004 profiles to Twitter.  The two sides discussed a wide range of
Of the profiles specified, some content was regional and bilateral issues of mutual interest
removed from 141 accounts for violating and expressed satisfaction at the current state of
Twitter`s terms of service (TOS). relations.
 Last year, there were only 75 removal  The foreign minister underlined the
requests between July and December, and 674 need for opening channels of legal migration
accounts were reported to Twitter. between the two countries.
 Twitter, however, declined all the 6. Gandhi statue removed after protest in
requests for account information and removal. Ghana
4. ADB unveils $7.5bn business plan for  A statue of Indian independence leader
Pakistan Mahatma Gandhi has been removed from
 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Ghana`s most prestigious university after
December 13, 2018 announced its new `Country complaints that he was racist against black
Operations Business Plan for Pakistan` covering Africans.
2019-21, under which resources would be  India`s former president Pranab
available for sovereign lending programme Mukherjee unveiled the statue to the global
amounting to $7,528 million. peace icon at the University of Ghana in Accra
two years ago as a symbol of ties between the discussed at the next round of talks between the
two nations. Iranian-aligned Houthis and the Saudi-backed
 But lecturers soon began a petition government of President AbdRabbu Mansour
calling for its removal, citing passages written by Hadi.
Gandhi claiming that Indians were ìnfinitely  Western nations, some of which supply
superior` to black Africans. arms and intelligence to the Saudi-led coalition
 The online protest was one of a number that intervened in Yemen in 2015, had pressed
on university campuses in Africa and beyond the two sides to agree confidence-building steps
about the enduring symbols of the continent`s to pave the way for a wider truce and a political
colonial past. process to end the war, which has killed tens of
 The Gandhi statue on the university`s thousands of people.
Legon campus in Accra appeared to have been  The conflict has pushed Yemen, the
removed overnight December 11, 2018 to poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, to the
December 12. verge of famine. The World Food Programme
7. Kabul opens new trade route to Central said the Hodeidah deal was a much-needed
Asia boost for its task of feeding 12 million severely
 Afghanistan on December 13, 2018 hungry Yemenis.
opened a new international trade route aimed at 9. Turkey deploys armored vehicles on
establishing direct access to Central Asian and Syrian border
Europe as it seeks to build up an economy  The Turkish military is reinforcing its
wrecked by decades of war and reduce reliance troops stationed in the province of Kilis on the
on Pakistan. Syrian border with armored vehicles, local media
 President Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the reported on December 13, 2018.
route, known as the Lapis Lazuli corridor, at a  Armored vehicles are reaching the
ceremony in the western province of Herat. Syrian border following a statement made by
 Ghani, a former World Bank official, has Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on
pushed such projects, including the $10 billion December 12, 2018 that Ankara will launch a
TAPI Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and new military operation in Syria within days to
India natural gas network launched this year, as free the east of the Euphrates from the US-
essential to building a functioning Afghan backed Kurdish militia.
economy.  Turkey and the United States have had
8. Yemen`s warring parties agree to truce, tense relations in recent years, in part due to
UN role Ankara's concerns over US support for the
 Yemen`s warring parties agreed on Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), viewed
December 13, 2018 to cease fighting for the by the Turkish authorities as an affiliate of the
Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah and withdraw Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), listed as a
their troops, the first significant breakthrough terrorist organisation in Turkey, the United
for UN-led peace efforts in five years of conflict. States and the European Union.
 At the close of a week of talks in Sweden,  Turkey has been claiming that the YPG
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said a presence near its border hampers its national
framework for political negotiations would be security.
10. Scientists study genes misidentified as  The New York-based agency said the
‘non-protein coding’ downgrading of the rating from `B` to `B-`
 The human genome contains regions reflected heightened external financing risk from
that “code” for proteins, which means they have low reserves and elevated external debt
instructions to make protein molecules with repayments, as well as continued deterioration
specific functions in the body. But Yale in the fiscal position, with a rising debt-to-GDP
researchers have discovered several protein- ratio. It said that a successful conclusion of the
coding genes that were misidentified as non- ongoing negotiations on IMF support could help
protein-coding, and one in particular that plays a stabilise external mances, but the programme
key role in the immune system. would then face significant implementation risk.
 The research team suspected that the  Pakistan`s liquid reserves have
way genes are annotated, or categorized, within continued to fall, reaching $7.3 billion as of Dec
the genome has limited the identification of 6equivalent to 1.5 months of imports despite
genes with the potential to code proteins. To test significant stabilisation efforts by the State Bank
their theory, the researchers used mice models of Pakistan and the new government.
to study interaction between RNA and 2. Second $1bn Saudi deposit arrives in
ribosomes, which are minute structures that SBP account
turn RNA into proteins. They also used a  The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has
technique called ribosome profiling to received second tranche of $1 billion from Saudi
investigate how ribosomes relate to RNA. With Arabia, which will support the country`s
the combined techniques, the researchers found dwindling foreign exchange reserves.
a number of genes previously identified as non-  The central bank confirmed on
protein-coding that were actively making December 14, 2018 that it has received $1bn
proteins. In further experiments, the researchers from the kingdom as part of the promised $3bn
focused on one such gene, Aw112010, that was package.
activated when mice were infected with  On December 13, 2018, a press release
bacteria. Through use of CRISPR gene editing, issued by the SBP showed its reserves at $7.2bn
they confirmed that immune cells were robustly during the week ended on Dec 7. Accounting for
synthesizing the protein made from Aw112010 the latest inflow, the new figure should be
gene in response to Salmonella infection. around $8.2bn.
 The first tranche of $3bn promised aid
December 15, 2018 from Saudi Arabia landed on Nov 9, which
1. Pakistan`s long-term debt rating pushed up the SBP dollar holdings to $8.062bn.
downgraded The third and final instalment of
$1bnisexpectedinJanuary2019.
 Fitch Ratings, one of the three major
global rating agencies, on December 14, 2018  During Prime Minister Imran Khan`s visit
downgraded Pakistan`s long-term debt rating to to Saudi Arabia for the Future Investment
`B-Negative` owing to high debt repayment Initiative, the kingdom pledged $3bn in cash
obligations, low foreign exchange reserves and injections to support SBP`s foreign exchange
fragile fiscal situation. The outlook, however, reserves, which have continuously been falling.
remains stable.
3. KP Govt unveils five-year development 5. US firm`s tourism plane reaches space
plan for first time
 The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government  Virgin Galactic`s Space Ship Two, VSS
on December 14, 2018 unveiled a five-year Unity, flew higher than it ever has before on
ambitious development plan but said it didn`t December 13, 2018, surpassing what the US Air
know where the Rs4 trillion funds required for its Force considers the boundary of space, and
execution would come from. marking the first manned flight to space from US
 The five-year plan and the prime soil since 2011.
minister`s vision required a huge sum of amount  The brief, suborbital flight with two
to be invested in multiple sectors across the pilots on board was a key milestone for the
province. However, the prime minister told the company headed by British tycoon Richard
minister that the real issue was focus on better Branson, who is striving to send tourists to space
governance and not the money. at a cost of $250,000 per seat.
 Peshawar would get Rs5 billion under  No spacecraft with people on board has
the plan to become a modern city taken off from US soil since the American space
4. Six FC men martyred, 4 terrorists killed shuttle program ended, as scheduled, seven
in Turbat clash years ago.
 Six security officials were martyred in an  Since then, the world`s space agencies
intelligence based operation conducted on a have relied on Russian Soyuz rockets to ferry
terrorists’ hideout in Wakai area near Buleda, astronauts to the International Space Station.
Turbat on December 14, 2018. The operation  In the meantime, a burgeoning
also resulted in killing of four terrorists as they commercial space industry is rushing to close the
attacked a convoy of security personnel with gap, as companies hurry to complete spacecraft
heavy fire near Iran’s border. that can carry astronauts and tourists into
 Terrorists targeted one of the vehicles of microgravity.
security forces through improvised explosive 6. Pentagon demands $331m from KSA,
device (IED) and as a result six security personnel UAE
embraced Shahadat (martyrdom), said a press  The United States is seeking
release issued by Inter-Services Public Relations reimbursements from Saudi Arabia and United
(ISPR). In exchange of fire four terrorists were Arab Emirates (UAE) after the Pentagon failed to
killed. charge them for fuel and refueling services.
 Balochistan Information Minister Zahoor  The oversight was reported by The
Ahmed Buledi told newsmen six members of the Atlantic last week, and now the U.S. is requesting
Frontier Corps were martyred in the attack. $331 million from the two countries.
Fourteen others were wounded.  US Central Command reviewed its
 No group has claimed responsibility for record and is seeking $37 million for fuel and
the attack. $294 million for mid-air refueling services
conducted by American forces.
December 15, 2018: International Current
 "Our partners have been individually
Affairs
notified about our intent to seek
reimbursement, and have been given estimates
as to how much they owe," Pentagon quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune. The
spokeswoman Rebecca Rebarich said in a tournament is scheduled to be played in
statement. September 2020, and will be played in the T20
 Yemen has been wracked by violence format. It is set to precede the 2020 ICC T20
since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of World Cup.
the country and the crisis escalated in 2015  The UAE has served as Pakistan`s
when a Saudi-led coalition, with support of the adopted home for their bilateral series since
U.S., launched a devastating air campaign aimed 2010 after international cricket stopped in the
at rolling back Houthi gains. country following the March 2009 terrorist
7. Robot turns out to be man in suit attack on Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore.
 A robot on show at a Russian state-  Furthermore, Pakistan hosted group `B`
sponsored event has turned out to be a man matches of the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia
dressed in a costume. Cup.
 Robot Boris featured on Russian TV and  The 50-overs-a-side 2018 Asia Cup was
was apparently able to walk, talk and dance. But scheduled to be played in India, but was shifted
soon after its appearance journalists began to to the UAE with India triumphing over
question the bot’s authenticity. Bangladesh in the final by three wickets.
 In a picture published afterwards on 9. Karachi to host five matches, Lahore
social media, the neck of a person was clearly three in PSL 4
visible. The robot is in fact a 250,000 rouble  Karachi and Lahore will play host to eight
costume called Alyosha the Robot, made by a Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in the
company called Show Robots. While the fourth season as the countdown to the glitzy
organisers of the Proyektoria technology forum - Twenty20 league began on Friday with the
which was aimed at youngsters - had not claimed announcement it`s the schedule.
the robot was real, the TV coverage on Russia-24  Five matches will be played at Karachi`s
suggested it was National Stadium, including the March 17 final,
while Lahore`s Gaddafi Stadium will play host to
three matches as the Pakistan Cricket Board
8. Pakistan to host 2020 Asia Cup (PCB) continues to increase the number of
 The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has matches in the country with every edition.
awarded the hosting rights for the 2020 Asia Cup Lahore hosted the final in the second edition of
to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, the league before hosting two matches last
the final venue for the tournament remains season when Karachi hosted the final.
unclear over whether it will be played in Pakistan  The fourth edition begins in Dubai on
or the UAE. Feb 14 when defending champions Islamabad
 The decision was made in the United take on Lahore Qalandars.
Bangladesh capital on December 13, 2018. 10. Bangladesh cruise to series triumph
 `The next Asia Cup will be hosted by over West Indies
Pakistan, and the hosting right belongs to them.  Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar
Where they will host the tournament, it`s up to slammed half centuries as Bangladesh cruised to
them,` ACC president Nazmul Hassan Papon was an eight-wicket win over the West Indies in the
third and final One-day International to take the and that the project would complete by next
three-match series 2-1 here at the Sylhet December.
International Cricket Stadium on December 14,  Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long
2018. porous border and Islamabad believes it could
 Tamim hit an unbeaten 81 while Soumya help contain terrorist activities on this side of the
added 80 off 81 balls to guide Bangladesh to202- mountainous border running from tribal areas in
2 in 38.3 overs after Mehidy Hasan`s career best Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to borderlands in
4-29 helped the home side restrict the West Balochistan if cross-border movement of
Indies to 198-8 in 50 overs. militant elements is checked.
 In May, Chief of the Army Staff Gen
December 16, 2018 Qamar Javed Bajwa inaugurated the work for
erecting fences along the Afghan border near the
1. Counterterrorism cooperation MoU
Panjpai area of Balochistan. The director general
signed with Beijing, Kabul
of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the
 Pakistan, China and Afghanistan on
army`s public affairs wing, released the details of
December 15, 2018 signed a memorandum of
the progress on the construction of fencing and
understanding (MoU) for intensification of their
posts in a tweet on December 15, 2018.
counterterrorism cooperation.
 Work on forts & fence continues on Pak-
 The MoU was signed on the occasion of
Afg Bdr. Total length 2611 KM. Work on 233 of
the second trilateral foreign ministers` dialogue
843 forts & 802 of 1200 KM pri 1 areas
in Kabul which, Afghan Foreign Minister
completed. Aiming speedy completion in pri 1
Salahuddin Rabbani said, looked at: `building
areas, overall completion [is expected] by Dec
political trust in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations;
2019 IA [InshaAllah]. Shall benefit peaceful
cooperation on counterterrorism; peace efforts
people of Pak & Afg while restricting terrorists.
and regional connectivity`.
3. PTA chairman elected head of South
 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
Asian telecom regulators` council
witnessed the signing of the MoU.
 Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
 All three foreign ministers during their
(PTA) Chairman Mohammad Naveed was
discussions at the meeting, according to a
unanimously elected as the next head of South
communiqué issued at the end, expressed
Asian Telecommunication Regulators Council
determination to fight and eliminate terrorism
(SATRC) at the 19th meeting of the council on
ìn all its forms and manifestations, and without
December 15, 2018.
any distinction`.
 Representatives from nine countries
 There was consensus that participating
from Asia Pacific region Afghanistan,
countries would not allow their territories to be
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, India, Maldives, Nepal,
used by terrorists against any other country.
Sri Lanka as well from United Kingdom,
2. Afghan border fence to be ready by Dec
Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand attended the
2019: ISPR
three day meeting which started on Dec 13.
 The Pakistan Army announced on
 The aims and goals of the meeting were
December 15, 2018 that work on fencing along
to enhance cooperation between regulators and
the border with Afghanistan was going apace
industry and work towards a harmonised Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel died at Aga
regulatory environment. Khan Hospital in Karachi on December 15, 2018.
 Some of the major issues addressed by  Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan had been
SAT RC were evolution of regulatory framework sick for some time and had been referred to Aga
in South Asia and Asia Pacific, national ICT policy Khan Hospital Karachi where he breathed his last
and regulators` role and its challenges, providing early Saturday morning.
affordable broadband services to all, regulatory  Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan
measures to enhance broadband experiences, remained member of the Balochistan Assembly
enhanced consumer protection in digital from 2002 to 2008 and was elected as senator in
economy and consideration of the regulatory 2015.
framework for spectrum management etc. 6. World`s debt exceeds $86,000 per
4. WB plan for financial reforms in Khyber person: IMF
Pakhtunkhwa  The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
 The World Bank is developing a pointed out that global debt has reached an all-
`Programme for Results` (Pf R) financing time high of $184 trillion, in a recent updation of
instrument that will support implementation of its Global Debt Database on December 14, 2018.
the Public Financial Management Reform  The data showed that on an average, the
Strategy for the period 2017-20 developed by world`s debt now exceeds $86,000 per person
the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. more than two and half times the average
 The strategy`s overall objective is income per-capita.
putting in place a robust public finance  The updated figure equals 225 per cent
management that ensures financial compliance, of the global GDP in 2017.
facilitates prioritization amongst competing  `The top three borrowers in the world
claims on scarce resources, encourages efficient (United States, China, and Japan) account for
delivery of public services and achieves the more than half of global debt, exceeding their
ultimate goal of efficient, effective and share of global output,` said an IMF statement
accountable use of public resources. released with the data.
 The strategy takes an integrated  The dataset comprises total gross debt
approach to public finance management reforms of the (private and public) nonfinancial sector for
that cover the whole PFM cycle at both the an unbalancedpanelofl90advanced economies,
provincial and local government levels, and emerging market economies and low income
organised around six policy objectives: resource countries, dating back to 1950. The update offers
mobilisation, asset and liability management; for the first time a glimpse of global debt
accountability for results; policy-driven planning developments up to 2017.
and budgeting; comprehensive, credible and 7. Rajapakse bows out, ending Sri Lanka`s
transparent budget; and predictability and power struggle
control in budget execution.  Sri Lanka`s crisis looked over on
5. Senator Azam Musakhel passes away December 15, 2018 as strongman Mahinda
 Senator of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Rajapakse bowed out of a power battle that had
Party (PMAP) and chief of Musakhel tribe Sardar crippled the island nation for seven weeks and
sent it heading for a possible debt default.
 Rajapakse held a multi religious service  Delegates at the UN summit, held this
at his home where he signed a letter backing year in the Polish mining city of Katowice, must
down from the post of prime minister agree on a common rule book to put the pledges
controversially conferred on him on October 26. made at the landmark 2015 Paris talks into
 Hours after receiving blessings from the practice.
clergy, the 73-year-old ex-president sounded 10. Australia recognises West Jerusalem as
bitter and vowed to make a comeback at local Israel`s capital but embassy not moving yet
council elections.  Australia formally recognises West
8. Egypt unveils ancient tomb, expects Jerusalem as Israel`s capital, reversing decades
more finds of Middle East policy, but will not move its
 Egypt unveiled a well-preserved 4,400- embassy there immediately, Prime Minister
year-old tomb decorated with hieroglyphs and Scott Morrison said on December 15, 2018.
statues south of Cairo on Saturday, and officials  Àustralia now recognises West
expect more discoveries when archaeologists Jerusalem, being the seat of the Knesset and
excavate the site further in coming months. many of the institutions of government, is the
 The tomb was found in a buried ridge at capital of Israel,` Morrison said.
the ancient necropolis of Saqqara. It was  Morrison also confirmed Australia`s
untouched and un looted, Mostafa Waziri, support for a two state solution with a
secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem.
Antiquities, told reporters at the site. He  In October, Morrison said he was open
described the find as òne of a kind in the last to shifting Australia`s embassy from Tel Aviv.
decades`.  President Donald Trump`s move of the
 The tomb dates from the rule of US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in May
Neferirkare Kakai, the third king of the Fifth delighted Israel, infuriated Palestinians and
Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. upset the wider Arab world and Western allies.
9. Nations inch towards climate deal at
UN summit December 17, 2018
 Nations on December 15, 2018 inched
1. Pakistan asks OIC to take up Kashmir
towards a deal to implement the Paris climate
issue
goals, after all-night negotiations over a plan to
 Urging the world community to
limit global temperature rises exposed a range of
ìntervene` and stop ongoing blood shed in India-
conflicts.
held Kashmir, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood
 Speaking to AFP at the COP24 summit in
Qureshi has asked the Organisation of Islamic
Poland, a senior negotiator said delegates from
Cooperation (OIC) to immediately convene an
nearly 200 nations had reached a `landing zone`
inter-ministerial meeting of its Contact Group on
of agreement.
Kashmir, saying Pakistan is ready to host the
 But sources close to the talks said
event.
differences remained stark on the issues of
 Mr Qureshi said he had contacted the
ambition, how the climate fight is funded and
OIC secretary general to apprise him about the
how best to measure and ensure the fairness of
latest situation in occupied Kashmir and
each nation`s efforts to reduce emissions.
Pakistan`s desire for convening of the meeting of development budget including grant-in-aid, the
the member states in Islamabad. official study portrays a bleak picture of the state
 Mr Qureshi had told the OIC secretary of education in the public sector schools with
general that the proposed meeting could also be most of the schools in the districts lying without
held in Jeddah, if the participants had any electricity, drinking water facility and toilets.
difficulty in travelling to Islamabad. According to Only 43pc schools have electricity, 45.2pc have
the minister, the OIC secretary general drinking water facility, 45pc have toilets and70pc
responded positively and asked him to submit a schools have boundary walls, the EMIS study
formal request. indicates.
 Prime Minister Imran Khan through his 3. Pakistan uses 55 billion shopping bags
official account on Twitter also condemned the every year
killings of innocent civilians at the hands of  Pakistanis use 55 billion polyethylene
Indian forces in the Pulwama area. shopping bags every year, a severe
2. 79pc girls quit primary schools in tribal environmental threat, as these high density bags
districts: study may take over two decades to degrade.
 Only one-fifth of the girls enrolled in  According to Ministry of Climate Change
public sector schools in seven districts of the data, the use of plastic bags is on the rise at the
erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas rate of 15 percent per year.
(Fata) continue their education from  There are about 8,021 production units
preparatory class till Class V, as overall 73 per in the country with average production capacity
cent students 69pc boys and 79pc girls quit of 250-500 kgs per day, majority of them are
schools during the early years of education, an cottage industry.
official report of government educational  Approximately, 160,000 people are
institutions in the region bordering Afghanistan directly, and 600,000 people are indirectly
shows. dependent on plastic bag industry.
 Situation at the middle and secondary  After the 18th constitutional
school levels is also very discouraging as dropout amendment, Pakistan Environmental Protection
rate of girls at these stages is 50pc, according to Agency is mandated with its function under
the 102page statistical report compiled by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 for
Education Management Information System protection, conservation and rehabilitation of
(EMIS), directorate of education of newly environment in Islamabad Capital Territory. Pak-
merged tribal districts. EPA had prohibited manufacturing sale and
 The dropout rate in the militancy usage through district management but due to
affected North Waziristan district is 63pc (73pc weak implementation, plastic bags are available
among girls), which is the highest among the at almost every store of capital no matter small
seven districts, but the report does not highlight or big.
reasons behind the high dropout rate. 4. Pakistan elected VP of UN body on
 The tribal districts have 5,890 schools in climate change
the public sector with a total enrolment of  Pakistan has been elected as Vice
677,157 students. While current budget for President and Rapporteur of the Conference of
education is Rs12 billion and Rs5 billion Parties to United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change at COP24 in  `The special envoy expects the two
Katowice, Poland. parties to respect their obligations as per the
 Pakistan was one of the two countries text and spirit of the Stockholm Agreement and
elected to this position from Asia-Pacific group, to engage in the immediate implementation of
by acclamation. its provisions,` envoy Martin Griffiths tweeted.
 The other bodies in which Pakistan  He said the UN was working with
secured seats include executive board of Clean Yemen`s Saudi backed government and Iran-
Development Mechanism, Standing Committee aligned Houthi rebels to ensure the accord on
on Finance, Adaptation Committee, Consultative Hodeida reached on Thursday was
Group of Experts, and Technology Executive ìmplemented timely and properly`.
Committee.  Clashes shook Hodeida on Sunday after
5. US praises Pakistan for promoting air strikes and deadly fighting on the outskirts
Afghan talks overnight, residents said.
 The United States has said that it 7. Georgia`s first female president sworn
welcomes Pakistan`s efforts to promote peace in
talks between the Afghan government and the  Georgia on December 16, 2018 swore in
Taliban. its first female president, Salome Zurabishvili as
 The acknowledgement came a day after opposition parties continue to denounce her
Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that election as fraudulent and demand snap
Pakistan had arranged another round of talks parliamentary polls.
between the US and Taliban officials but he did  The inauguration paved the way for a
not say when and where. new constitution to come into force,
 But Voice of America (VOA) radio`s Dari transforming the country into a parliamentary
service reported on Sunday that US special republic with a largely ceremonial president.
representative Zalmay Khalilzad is likely to meet  Opposition parties have refused to
Taliban representatives in Islamabad on Monday recognise Zurabishvili`s election last month and
(today). Previous talks were held in Doha, Qatar. tried to hold a protest rally outside the royal
 `The United States welcomes any actions residence. But the plan was thwarted by police,
by the Pakistani government to promote greater who on Sunday morning blocked a kilometres-
cooperation, including fostering negotiations long opposition motorcade on a road leading
between the Taliban, the Afghan government, from the capital Tbilisi to Telavi.
and other Afghans,` a US embassy spokesperson  Zurabishvili was backed in the election
in Kabul told VOA. by the ruling Georgian Dream pany of Georgia`s
6. Yemen`s hard-won ceasefire at risk ex-premier and billionaire tycoon Bidzina
after clashes, air strikes in Hodeida Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili, Georgia`s richest man,
 The UN`s envoy to Yemen called on stepped down as prime minister in 2013 after
Sunday for pro-government forces and rebels to just a year in office but is still widely believed to
respect a ceasefire in the Red Sea port city of be Georgia`s de facto ruler.
Hodeida, after repeated clashes between the  Zurabishvili was born in France to a
two sides threatened to unravel a hard-won Georgian family who fled the Bolshevik regime to
accord hammered out in Sweden last week. Paris in 1921. She studied international relations
at the Paris Institute of Political Sciences before that Qatar is looking to invest in US oil and gas
a 30-year career as a French diplomat, with sectors as well as unconventional resources.
postings to the United Nations, Washington and  “North of $20 billion will be invested
Chad. over the next five years in the United States in
8. Iraq lays cornerstone to rebuild iconic different projects,” Kaabi told the Doha Forum.
Mosul mosque He said Qatar’s main target was to revive the
 Iraqis on December 16, 2018 laid the multi-billion dollar Golden Pass LNG terminal in
cornerstone in rebuilding Mosul`s Al-Nuri Texas.
mosque and leaning minaret, national emblems  Qatar Petroleum owns 70pc of the
destroyed last year in the ferocious battle project, with ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips
against the so-called Islamic State group. splitting the rest.
 The famed 12th century mosque and 10. Belgium clinch maiden hockey World
minaret, dubbed Al-Hadba or `the hunchback`, Cup in dramatic style
hosted Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi`s only public  A gritty Belgium defeated former
appearance as IS chief, when he declared a self- champions the Netherlands in sudden death in a
styled `caliphate` after the jihadists swept into thrilling summit clash to win their maiden men`s
Mosul in 2014. hockey World Cup title at the Kalinga Stadium
 The structures were ravaged three years Bhubaneswar, India on December 16, 2018.
later in the final, most brutal stages of the  Olympic silver medallist Belgium created
months-long fight to rid Iraq`s second city of IS. history by eking out a 3-2 win in the penalty
 On December 16, 2018, dozens of shoot-out after the final match of the game`s
government officials, religious figures, United showpiece event ended in a goalless draw.
Nations representatives and European  It was a great day for Belgium hockey as
ambassadors gathered in the large square in the country registered its second biggest
front of the battered mosque to see the international title after the Olympics silver in Rio
foundation laid. in 2016. In the last edition of the World Cup at
 Abdullatif Al-Humaym, the head of Sunni The Hague in Netherlands, Belgium had finished
Muslim endowments in Iraq, set down the stone fifth.
in a simple ceremony. It bore a black Arabic  The Netherlands, on the other hand,
inscription: `This cornerstone for the rebuilding failed to match Pakistan`s record of a fourth
and restoration of the Al-Hadba minaret and the world title for the second consecutive edition.
Great Al-Nuri Mosque was laid on December 16, The Dutch had finished runners-up to Australia
2018. four years ago in front of their home crowd. They
9. Qatar to invest $20bn in US energy last won a World Cup title way back in 1998 in
sector Utrecht.
 Energy-rich Qatar, under blockade by its  Incidentally, it was the Netherlands`
Gulf neighbours plans to invest more than $20 second consecutive match that went to shoot-
billion in the US energy sector over the next five out in the tournament after their victory over
years. Australia in the semi-finals on December 15,
 Saad al-Kaabi, minister of state for 2018.
energy affairs and CEO of Qatar Petroleum, told

December 18, 2018 Gen Bajwa had interaction with
Commander in Chief of Egyptian Armed Forces
1. First Pak-aided US-Taliban talks held in General Mohamed Zaki, who is also Minister of
UAE Defence and Military Production, and Chief of
 United States diplomats and Taliban Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces Lieutenant
representatives met in the United Arab Emirates General Mohamed Farid Hegazy.
on December 17, 2018 for talks facilitated by  During the meetings, matters of mutual
Pakistan on finding a negotiated settlement of interest, military to military relations, and
the war in Afghanistan. defence and security cooperation were
 The meeting in Abu Dhabi was also discussed. General Bajwa and General Zaki also
attended by officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia agreed to improve cooperation for regional
and the UAE. peace and stability.
 There were no statements from the 3. Pakistan releases Indian spy Hamid
participating parties at the end of the daylong Ansari
meeting, although Pakistan`s Foreign Office  Indian spy Hamid Nehal Ansari has been
spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal officially released from the prison upon completion of his
announced the start of the talks through a tweet. sentence, Pakistan announced December 17,
 `Talks are being held in UAE,` Dr Faisal 2018.
tweeted as the meeting in the UAE got under  Ansari, a 33-year-old Mumbai resident,
way. He reiterated Pakistan`s commitment to was lodged in Mardan Central Prison after being
peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and sentenced by a military court to three years’
expressed the hope that the engagement that imprisonment for possessing a fake Pakistani
began in the UAE would ènd bloodshed in identity card on December 15, 2015. He was
Afghanistan and bring peace to the region`. arrested in Kohat district in November 2012 for
 He closely echoed a recent statement by illegally entering the country from Afghanistan.
the Pakistan Army`s top brass in which it was said  Ansari had used a fake identity card in
that the corps commanders meeting `hopes for the name of ‘Hamza’ and he had entered
success of ongoing Afghan reconciliation process Pakistan through Afghanistan without travel
while supporting all stakeholders to bring Afghan documents. He was charged for ‘espionage’ and
war to a peaceful logical conclusion`. ‘anti-state activities.’ India claimed Ansari had
2. Pakistan, Egypt to boost defence crossed the border to meet a Pakistani girl he
cooperation met online.
 Pakistan and Egypt have agreed to  Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr
enhance bilateral cooperation in multiple fields Mohammed Faisal said: “Hamid Nehal Ansari, an
including joint ventures, defence production, Indian spy who had illegally entered Pakistan and
training and intelligence. was involved in anti-state crimes and forging
 The agreement came during meetings of documents, is being released upon completion
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa of his sentence and is being repatriated to India.”
with the Egyptian military and political  Ansari will not leave for his country
leadership in Cairo on December 17, 2018, immediately as the Peshawar High Court has
according to a statement issued by the ISPR. granted the government a month to complete
his repatriation process. He will be handed over member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
to Indian authorities in January at Wagah Border. (OIC) strongly condemned the shooting at
Till then, he will be kept at an internment centre. demonstrators by the Indian forces and called
4. COP24 ends with a watered down upon the international community to intervene.
agreement  Businesses and schools across the India-
 The UN Climate Change Conference held territory remained closed on December 17,
2018 ended on a note of disappointment on 2018 when the protesters marched on India`s
December 15 after being extended a day, with a military headquarters against the December 15,
watered down rulebook to implement the Paris 2018 killing of more than half a dozen Kashmiris
Agreement, leaving many decisions to further in the Pulwama region.
negotiations as time ran out.  Expressing condolences to the families
 Climate finance, which is needed to help of the victims who lost their lives as a result of
developing countries tackle climate change the terrorist act and wishing the wounded
challenges, was also missing as developed prompt recovery, the OIC general secretariat
countries backtracked on their commitment to asked the international community to play its
provide finance. role in order to reach a just and lasting solution
 The Katowice decision was weak on to the Kashmir conflict, in accordance with the
ambition with no decision to raise ambition on international resolutions adopted by the OIC and
cutting emissions in light of the the UN Security Council, and fulfil the aspirations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s of the Kashmiri people.
1.5 C report that says the world has essentially 6. Moscow to establish special cyber
12 years left to cut carbon emissions to limit security dept
global warming to 1.5 degrees and avert  A special department for information
catastrophic climate change. security will be established within the Russian
 According to the official statement by Foreign Ministry, Russia’s Permanent
the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, Representative to International Organisations in
“The approval of the Paris Agreement Work Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov told Sputnik on
Programme is the basis for a transformative December 17, 2018.
process which will require strengthened  The ministry has been actively engaged
ambition from the international community. in this [issue of cybersecurity]. A special
Science has clearly shown that we need department for information security will be
enhanced ambition to defeat climate change. established in the ministry in the very near
From now on, my 5 priorities will be: ambition, future as an administrative response to the
ambition, ambition, ambition and ambition. emergence of this issue, which is becoming more
Ambition in mitigation. and more urgent.
5. OIC slams killing of Kashmiris amid 7. Effectiveness of Russian missile system
Srinagar lockdown ‘confirmed’
 As Indian forces continued to fire tear-  This comes after Russian Defence
gas shells at Kashmiris protesting against the Minister Sergei Shoigu announced in September
killing of innocent civilians on a third consecutive that Russia would take a spate of measures to
day amid a lockdown of the restive valley, the 57- enhance safety of its troops in Syria, including
the deliveries of the S-300 systems to the Arab this morning just a month after acing its first
country. commercial flight.
 Russia’s Iskander-M mobile short-range  A Rocket Lab Electron booster lifted off
ballistic missile system as well as the Tornado-G from the company's launch site on New
and Smerch multiple launch rocket systems have Zealand's Mahia Peninsula at 1:33 a.m. EST
confirmed their effectiveness during fighting in (0633 GMT and 7:33 p.m. local New Zealand
Syria, according to Russian Deputy Prime time), kicking off the ELaNa-19 mission for NASA.
Minister Yury Borisov. [In Photos: Rocket Lab and Its Electron Booster]
 He said that “in general, the Russian  Fifty-three minutes later, all of the
weapons proved to be effective in the course of payloads had separated from the Electron's "kick
the Syrian campaign, confirming its advanced stage" and settled successfully into a circular
characteristics and traditional advantages, such orbit about 310 miles (500 kilometers) above
as ease of use and reliability.” Earth.
8. Germany to compensate hundreds who  A Rocket Lab Electron booster carrying
fled Nazis as children 13 NASA satellites, including 10 cubesats for
 Germany has agreed to one-time agency's Educational Launch of Nanosatellites
payments for survivors, primarily Jews, who program, lifts off from the Mahia Peninsula of
were evacuated from Nazi Germany as children, New Zealand's North Island on Dec. 16, 2018 on
many of whom never saw their parents again, the ElaNa-19 mission.
the organisation that negotiates compensation 10. Miss Philippines becomes new Miss
with the German government said on December Universe
17, 2018.  Miss Philippines was crowned Miss
 The New York-based Conference on Universe on December 17, 2018 in Bangkok after
Jewish Material Claims Against Germany said the a trail blasing ceremony praised for featuring its
government had agreed to payments of 2,500 first transgender candidate but marred by gaffes
euros ($2,800) to those still alive from among the about the English-speaking ability of two Asian
10,000 people who fled on the so-called `Kinder contestants.
transport.  Catriona Gray, 24, finished first ahead of
 This year is the 80th anniversary of the the South African and Venezuelan finalists in the
beginning of the transport of the children to glittering televised event hosted by American
Britain from Nazi Germany and elsewhere in comic turned TV host Steve Harvey and
Europe. supermodel Ashley Graham. In the final round,
 About 1,000 survivors are thought to be Gray earned applause describing her work in the
alive today, with about half living in Britain, and slums of the Philippine capital Manila.
the payment is seen as a `symbolic recognition of  Gray – a student of music theory – beat
their suffering,` Claims Conference negotiator more than 90 contestants from around the globe
Greg Schneider said. in the 67th instalment of Miss Universe, which
9. Rocket Lab Launches 13 Cubesats on 1st was held in the Thai capital’s Impact Arena.
Mission for NASA
 The spaceflight startup launched 13 tiny
satellites on its first-ever mission for NASA early

December 19, 2018 Pakistan is the second worst country in
the world in terms of gender parity, ranking 148
1. British Airways to resume flights after out of 149 countries in the `Global Gender Gap
10 years Index 2018` report released by the World
 The British Airways has announced that Economic Forum (WEF) on December 18, 2018.
it will be resuming flights to Pakistan from next  According to the report, four Muslim
June after a 10-year break and operating three countries Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and
flights a week between Islamabad and London`s Pakistan are the four worst-performers in the
Heathrow airport. world where the number of women holding
 Ìt`s exciting to be flying between managerial positions is the lowest.
Islamabad and Heathrow from next year, which  Categorised as the lowest ranked
we believe will be particularly popular with the country in South Asia, Pakistan closed 55 per
British Pakistani community who want to visit, or cent of its overall gender gap as compared to
be visited by their relatives, British Airways Head Bangladesh and Sri Lanka which were the top
of Sales for Asia Pacific and the Middle East ranked countries in the region, having closed just
Robert Williams said at a press conference here over 72pc and nearly 68pc of their overall gender
on December 18, 2018. gap, respectively.
 The first flight from Heathrow will reach  The Geneva-based organisation`s annual
Islamabad on June 2 next year. The airline has, report tracked disparities between the genders
however, started ticket sales for now. in 149 countries across four areas: education,
 The return fares start from £499 for health, economic opportunity and political
World Traveller, £773 for World Traveller Plus empowerment.
and £1,799 for Club World.  Pakistan`s scorecard showed that in
 The airline said it would be operating terms of economic participation and
this route with its recently acquired Boeing-787 opportunity, it ranked 146th, while in health and
Dreamliner jets. survival, its rank was 145.
 The British Airways had stopped its  In terms of political empowerment, the
flights to Pakistan in Sept 2008 after the Marriott country was positioned at 97. Pakistan`s
Hotel bombing citing security concerns. The population was growing at the rate of 1.93pc per
airline was at that time operating six flights a annum, the report pointed out.
week to Islamabad. It had on that occasion said  Pakistan made some good progress this
that it would reconsider its decision only when year in wage equality as well as on the
the country was safe to fly to. educational attainment sub-index.
 The British Airways is the first European 3. Punjab replaces vehicle registration
carrier to return to Pakistan since many airlines book with smart card
stopped flying to Islamabad after 9/11 and the  The era of carrying inconvenient
terrorism that later hit the country. registration books of motor vehicles with you
 The British Airways first started comes to an end in Punjab as the excise
operating the London-Islamabad route in 1976. department replaces the document with a smart
2. Pakistan among worst performers on card containing 11 security features.
gender equality: WEF
 Chief Minister Usman Buzdar formally China in the light of agenda and decisions of the
launched the latest technology-laced card at the Planning and Development Working Group
excise offices in Shadman Lahore on December relating to Balochistan`s development projects
18, 2018. in the China-Pakis t an Economic Corridor (CPE
 The smart card will have detailed data of C).
the vehicles and the owners stored in its chip,  Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali
that could be provided to the seeker with just a Shah, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafiz
click. Hafeez-ur-Rehman, Balochistan Information
 A similar card would be launched in the Minister Zahoor Bule di, Chairman of Gwadar
federal capital within a month against payment Port Authority Dostain Jamaldini, Secretary of
of Rs1,500 and of Rs695 in Sindh. However, in P&D Muhammad Ali Kakar, Chairman of P&D`s
Punjab an improved version of the card having CPEC Unit Hafeez Jamali and senior government
multifarious features would be issued for just officials of the Balochistan government will
Rs520 within 48 hours by paying the fee in any attend the meeting
district of the province. 5. Comedian Ali Ejaz passes away
 The facility would be extended to all the  Renowned film, television, radio and
districts shortly. stage actor Ali Ejaz passed away on December
 Earlier, the excise department would 18, 2018. He was 77.
charge Rs300 for a motorcycle registration book  He suffered a heart attack four days ago
and Rs500 for a car`s. and was rushed to a private hospital where he
 The smart card contains QR code, micro breathed his last in the morning. Ali Ejaz had
text, fillip-image and other features as per suffered a paralysis attack some 11 years ago.
recommendations of the Punjab Safe City  Ali Ejaz was born in 1941 in Qila Gujjar
Authority. Singh, Lahore. Popular comedian Munawwar
4. Buledi to represent Balochistan in the Zareef was his school fellow.
8th meeting of the JCC  Known for his versatility in acting, Ali
 Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Ejaz started his showbiz career with theatre in
Khan Alyani will not attend the 8th meeting of the 1960s.
the Joint Coordination Committee to be held in  Pakistan Television was his second home
China on Dec 20. where he acted in a number of plays and trained
 He has nominated Information Minister a generation of artistes. He was awarded Pride
Zahoor Ahmed Buledi to represent Balochistan of Performance in 1993.
government at the meeting.  His first film was Insaniyat. He acted in
 The Balochistan chief minister was not over 100 films and his pairing with actress
part of Pakistan`s delegation which left for China Anjuman and comedian Nannha (Rafi Khawar)
on December 17, 2018, led by Federal Minister was very popular in the 1980s. His TV plays
for Planning and Development Makhdoom Khawaja and Sons, Sona Aur Chandi and Lakhon
Khusro Bakhtiar. Mein Teen (with Qavi Khan and Athar Shah Khan
 The Balochistan government had Jedi) became household names.
announced a few days ago that the chief minister  Among his popular films were Dada
would decide about attending the conference in Ustad, Bhaiyan Di Jori, Yamla Jutt, Bad Nalo
Badnam Bura, Ishq Mera Naam, Sohra Tay Jawai,  The command will be separate from
Sala Sahib, Laila Majnoon, Athra Putar and Sajjan Trump`s goal to build an entirely new branch of
Dushman and Dubai Chalo. the military called `Space Force`, which has not
 TV serial Khawja and Sons and film Dubai received approval from Congress.
Chalo are regarded as his best.  Space Command would integrate space
6. Russia, Iran and Turkey agree on Syria capabilities across all branches of the military.
constitutional body  SpaceCom, as it will inevitably come to
 The foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and be known, will be the Pentagon`s 11th
Turkey said on December 18, 2018 that a new combatant command.
Syrian Constitutional Committee should convene 9. Russia still using social media against
early next year, kicking off a viable political peace US: report
process.  Russia`s sweeping political
 In a joint statement read out by Russian disinformation campaign on US social media was
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the trio met more far-reaching than originally thought, with
UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura, they said troll farms working to discourage black voters
that the work of the new body `should be and `blur the lines between reality and fiction` to
governed by a sense of compromise and help elect Donald Trump in 2016, according to
constructive engagement`. UN Special Envoy reports released by the Senate intelligence
Staffan de Mistura said after talks with Russia, committee (partly published in Tuesday`s issue).
Iran, and Turkey that `there is an extra mile to  And the campaign didn`t end with
go` in the `marathon effort` to ensure a credible, Trump`s ascent to the White House. Troll farms
balanced and inclusive constitutional committee are still working to stoke racial and political
for Syria. passions in America at a time of high political
7. Belgian Prime Minister resigns discord.
 Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel  The two studies are the most
announced his resignation on December 18, comprehensive picture yet of the Russian
2018, less than two weeks after his main interference campaigns on American social
coalition partner quit in a row over migration, media. They add to the portrait investigators
leaving him leading a minority government. have been building since 2017 on Russia`s
 Ì have taken the decision to submit my influence though Trump has equivocated on
resignation and it is my intention to go to see the whether the interference actually happened.
king immediately,` Michel told lawmakers after a  Facebook, Google and Twitter declined
debate in parliament, where he faced a possible to comment on the specifics of the reports.
no-confidence motion 10. Russia slashes military flights to Syria
8. Trump orders creation of `space  Russia has cut its military flights in Syria
command` from more than 100 per day to fewer than four
 US President Donald Trump has ordered a week, in another sign the country`s conflict is
the creation of `space command`, a new winding down.
organisational structure within the Pentagon  Russia launched air strikes in Syria in
that will have overall control of military space support of long term ally President Bashar al-
operations. Assad in September 2015.
 Russian support helped Assad`s forces 2. Groundbreaking of Mohmand dam set
reclaim swathes of territory once in the hands of for next month
opposition fighters and Islamic extremists.  In a rare move, Prime Minister Imran
Khan, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar
December 20, 2018 and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed
Bajwa will launch the Mohmand dam project in
1. US terms peace talks with Taliban
the first week of January.
`productive`
 Federal Minister for Water Resources
 As Pakistan-backed peace talks between
Faisal Vawda said the prime minister would
the United States and Taliban ended in Abu
break ground for the dam project. Terming the
Dhabi with an understanding to reconvene, US
event historic, the minister said: `The foundation
special representative Zalmay Khalilzad on
stone will be laid in the first week of January and
December 19, 2018 described the meetings with
the ceremony will be attended by the army chief,
Àfghan and international partners to promote
prime minister and the chief justice.
intra-Afghan dialogue towards ending the
 The dam will be completed in five years
conflict` as `productive` The US special envoy for
at an estimated cost of Rs300 billion to Rs315
peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan during
billion. He said it was a major development that
his brief stopover here met Pakistan army chief
the 54-year-old project was finally moving
Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General
towards the implementation stage. He praised
Headquarters to follow up on the two days of
the armed forces to restore peace to the
parleys in the Emirati capital before leaving for
militancy-hit area, enabling the government to
Kabul to take the Afghan leadership on board.
launch work on the project.
 While the Afghan government could not
 The dam would generate about 800MW
take part in the negotiations because of Taliban`s
of electricity and irrigate 17,000 acres of land
refusalto talk to the Ghani government, US
besides meeting Peshawar`s water requirement.
embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said: `The
He said the Rs315bn required for the project
special representative expressed his
would be arranged from local resources without
appreciation for Pakistan`s efforts to encourage
seeking international loan. About Rs2bn is
the Taliban to negotiate directly with the Afghan
already allocated in the current year budget for
government and other senior Afghan political
the project launch.
figures to reach a political settlement that ends
3. Islamabad`s vote on death penalty at
the war in Afghanistan`.
UN corrected
 There was no official word on the
 A senior Pakistani diplomat on
outcome of talks from Pakistan`s Foreign Office.
December 19, 2018 said that the United Nations
The Taliban have not confirmed meeting Afghan
had corrected Pakistan`s vote on the death
officials, saying they had held `preliminary talks`
penalty by including it among the votes cast
with the US envoy. They also said they had held
against the resolution calling for a moratorium
èxtensive` meetings with officials from Pakistan
on executions.
and Saudi Arabia and the UAE, repeating
 A vote count at the UN General
demands for international forces to be
Assembly`s plenary session on a draft resolution
withdrawn from Afghanistan.
calling for a moratorium on executions by all
states still retaining the death penalty created a  In the earlier arrangements, only Gilgit
stir when Pakistan was shown as having voted Baltistan and Balochistan were hard areas for the
for the first time in f avour of the resolution. PSP officers.
 At the voting held in New York on 5. Asma given UN human rights award
Monday, 121 UN member states were shown to  The late human rights activist and lawyer
have voted in favour of the seventh resolution Asma Jahangir has been posthumously awarded
calling for a moratorium on capital punishment, the United Nations Human Rights Prize that was
whereas 35 countries were said to have voted received by her daughter Munizae Jahangir at a
against the resolution and 32 as having grand ceremony on December 18, 2018.
abstained.  The award was handed over to Ms
 This was the highest number of Munizae, a journalist and human rights activist
countries to date to have voted in favour of the herself, by president of the General Assembly
moratorium resolutions since 2007. Maria Fernanda Espinosa, who conducted the
 The Foreign Office, however, clarified proceedings in the General Assembly Hall before
that Pakistan`s vote had been erroneously a large number of diplomats, human rights
recorded by the UN. activists and senior UN officials.
4. Draft of new career policy for PSP  UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres
officers finalized and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
 In a draft for a new career policy for the Michelle Bachelet paid tributes to Asma
Police Service of Pakistan (PSPs), the Jahangir`s contributions to advancing human
government has proposed revival of the rights and rule of law.
erstwhile All Pakistan Unified Group and  The Human Rights Prize is awarded
provision of a reasonable quota for PSP officers every five years to individuals and organisations
in the Federal Secretariat in BS-20 to BS-22. in recognition of their outstanding contribution
 The draft also proposes that promotion to the promotion and protection of human rights
of PSP officers should be strictly linked to the and fundamental freedoms.
requirements of field, staff and training  Asma Jahangir was one of the four
assignments, mandatory and annual capacity winners of the award which was announced by
building courses,360-degree evaluation, the UN in October.
mandatory rotation and suitability for the senior 6. US to withdraw all American troops
leadership positions. from Syria, says Trump
 It further proposes expansion of hard  The United States would withdraw its
areas for PSP officers to interior of Sindh, troops from Syria, a US official announced on
particularly the districts of Khairpur, Shikarpur, December 19, 2018 after President Donald
Kashmore, Jacobabad, Ghotki and Tharparkar, to Trump said America `defeated ISIS` in the war-
southern Punjab by including the districts of ravaged country.
Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bhakkar, Layyah,  The stunning move will have
Muzaffargarh and Bhawalnagar and to Khyber extraordinary geopolitical ramifications and
Pakhtunkhwa by including Kohat district. throws into question the fate of US-backed
Kurdish fighters who have been tackling Islamic
State jihadists.
 `We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only accumulating in the oceans. Scientific studies
reason for being there during the Trump have found minuscule particles known as micro
Presidency,` the Republican president tweeted. plastics are being consumed by animals
 The US official told AFP that Trump`s throughout the food chain, though the impact on
decision was finalized on December 18, 2018. human health is unclear.
 `Full withdrawal, all means all,` the  The EU`s executive branch, the
official said when asked if the troops would be European Commission, estimates that almost 60
pulled from all of Syria. per cent of the 25.8 million metric tons (28.4
 Currently, about 2,000 US forces are in million tons) of plastic waste produced in the
Syria, most of them on a train-and-advise bloc each year comes from packaging, with much
mission to support local forces fighting IS. of it exported to third countries rather than
7. South Africa issues arrest warrant for recycled.
Zimbabwe`s ex-first lady 9. UK unveils post-Brexit immigration
 South African authorities issued an restrictions
arrest warrant for Grace Mugabe, the wife of  Britain published proposals on
Zimbabwe`s former leader who was accused of December 19, 2018 for European Union
assaulting on woman in Johannesburg last year. immigration curbs after Brexit as business
 The warrant follows a long legal process groups warned the UK economy was not ready
during which a South African court this year for the country to crash out of the bloc with no
ruled that the government acted illegally in divorce deal in place.
granting diplomatic immunity to Mugabe when  The proposals include a temporary work
the alleged attack was first reported. visa system similar to `guest worker` systems in
 It also marked another setback for Grace other countries as well as a consultation on a
and Robert Mugabe, who have kept a mostly low salary threshold for workers who would be
profile since the former president was forced allowed to settle in Britain.
from office in November 2017. Robert Mugabe,  The European Union also on December
whose command over Zimbabwe once seemed 19, 2018 said it was adopting backup plans in
impregnable, is now 94 years old and ailing. case of a no-deal Brexit, while Prime Minister
8. EU agrees to ban some single-use Theresa May faced another barrage of criticism
plastics in parliament for delaying a critical vote on her
 Plastic knives just won`t cut it any withdrawal deal.
longer, if the European Union has its way.  May has vowed to end free movement
 The 28-nation bloc moved closer on of people from Europe, saying that this was one
December 19, 2018 to banning single-use straws, of the main reasons that Britons voted to leave
plates, cutlery and cotton swabs after officials the European Union in a 2016 referendum.
from EU member states and the European  Immigration levels have already fallen
Parliament said they`re following since the referendum. Net migr ation to Britain
recommendations by its executive branch was around 280,000 last year, a decrease from
designed to reduce marine pollution. levels of more than 300,000 in 2014 and 2015.
 Environmental campaigners have been 10. US approves possible sale of Patriot
calling for curbs on throwaway plastic that`s missiles to Turkey
 The U.S. State Department has approved system. The legislation was first of its kind by a
a possible foreign military sale of the Patriot air province in the country.
and missile defense system to Turkey for an  An employer, if failed to comply with
estimated total of $3.5 billion, the Pentagon said provisions of the law or abuse a worker, shall, on
December 19, 2018. conviction, be punishable with fine or
 According to the Defense Security imprisonment for a term, which may extend to
Cooperation Agency, the department approved one month if he engaged a child below the age
the sale of 80 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance of 12 years and in case of a child under 15 years
Enhanced Missiles (GEM-T) missiles, 60 PAC-3 by fine which may extend to Rs50,000 but shall
Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles not be less than Rs10,000.
and associated equipment.  Every employment or appointment of a
 The agency notified Congress of the domestic worker shall be subject to issuance of
possible sale. The sale includes radar sets, letter of employment in a prescribed `Form`
engagement control stations, launching stations, showing terms and conditions of employment,
communications equipment, tools and test including the nature of work and amount of
equipment, range and test programs and wages etc.
support equipment. 2. Alvi unveils Pakistan`s first maritime
 Turkey had been trying to purchase the doctrine
air defense system from the U.S., but the missiles  President Arif Alvi on December 20,
have never been sold to Turkey when they were 2018 launched the first maritime doctrine of
needed the most. Pakistan at the Naval War College, and
commended the Pakistan Navy for spearheading
December 21, 2018 various initiatives to tap sea resources for the
country`s economic prosperity.
1. Punjab to ban domestic workers under
 The doctrine would be a trendsetter and
15
would lay the foundation for the promotion of
 The provincial government informed the
the maritime sector for present and coming
Lahore High Court on December 20, 2018 the
generations.
draft of `Punjab Domestic Workers Bill of 2018`
 MDP will act as a stimulus in sensitising
had been finalised that carried a ban on children
the public at large, shaping opinions and
below age of 15 years to work as domestic
becoming instrumental in providing a sense of
worker.
direction to the national maritime sector of
 Assistant Advocate General Rai Shahid
Pakistan.
Saleem also presented a copy of the bill draft
 The document is an effort towards a
before the court during hearing of a public
greater understanding and awareness on
interest petition moved by advocate Sheraz
matters related to the ocean and undertaking of
Zaka.
multiple peace and wartime roles by the
 Under the new legislation no child under
Pakistan Navy.
the age of 15 years shall be allowed to work in
3. Framework inked with UN to end
household in any capacity and domestic workers
poverty, achieve food security
shall not be employed under bonded labour
 Pakistan and the Food and Agriculture governments and officials from both countries
Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations have attended the meeting.
signed a new five-year Country Programming  The MoU of industrial cooperation, said
Framework [CPF] covering the 2018-22 period the statement, would include cooperation in
that will focus on three priority areas of zero- diverse industries such as textiles,
hunger, climate-smart resilient agriculture and petrochemicals, iron and steel, and mines and
inclusive and efficient agriculture and food minerals. The minister for planning said that
systems. cooperation in the industrial sector would help
 The new framework is aligned with the attract investment in special economic zones
United Nations Development Assistance and encourage relocation of Chinese industry, it
Framework for Pakistan and the government added.
priority areas as defined in the Vision-2025. 5. US to lift sanctions against two Russian
 Minister for National Food Security and firms
Research Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan and FAO  Despite opposition from most
representative in Pakistan Mina Dowlatchahi lawmakers both Republicans and Democrats -
signed the framework at a ceremony on the Trump administration has notified Congress
December 20, 2018. of its plans to lift sanctions against two Russian
 Pakistan FAO collaboration had positive firms.
history and the UN agency had been supporting  According to the US Treasury
food security and agriculture and `we are moving Department, Rusal, the world`s second largest
towards achieving greater goals`. aluminum producer, and GAZ Group, an
4. Accord signed with China to widen automotive conglomerate, had made `significant
industrial cooperation restructuring and corporate governance
 Pakistan and China on December 20, changes` to allow them to meet the criteria to be
2018 signed an agreement to expand industrial delisted within 30 days.
cooperation in diverse fields and attract  It explicitly said Oleg Deripaska, a
investment in special economic zones. Russian tycoon who has a stake in Rusal,would
 The memorandum of understanding remain on the sanctions list and his property
(MoU) was signed in Beijing at the eighth remain blocked as required under law.
meeting of the China-Pakistan Economic  `The (US) Treasury had sanctioned these
Corridor (CPEC) Joint Coordination Committee companies because of their ownership and
(JCC). control by sancdoned Russian oligarch Oleg
 The meeting was co-chaired by federal Deripaska, not for the conduct of the companies
Minister for Planning Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar themselves,` said Treasury Secretary Steven
with vice chairman of the Chinese National Mnuchin in a statement.
Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) 6. UK, Poland to cooperate against
Ning Jizhe. Russian `disinformation`
 Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah,  Britain and Poland will set up a new joint
Board of Investment chairman Haroon Sharif, unit to tackle Russian `disinformation` and meet
and representatives of other provincial once a year to discuss hostile activity from
Moscow, British Prime Minister Theresa May  “China is willing to work jointly with
said on December 20, 2018. Russia, taking the opportunity of the 70th
 She was speaking after talks with Polish anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and their countries next year to resolutely implement the
respective defence, foreign, business and consensus reached by the two heads of states
interior ministers in London. and promote the two sides’ military cooperation
 Discussions will begin early next year, to continuously score new achievements,” Wei
May told a joint press conference. said.
7. South, North Korea agree to conduct  Kartapolov said Russia would strengthen
joint inspection on DPRK’s eastern road cooperation with China in the military and other
 South Korea and the Democratic fields, and keep pushing the relationship
People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed between the two countries and their militaries to
December 20, 2018 to conduct a joint inspection a new level.
on roads along the DPRK’s eastern coast ahead 9. Russian spacecraft brings ISS astronauts
of the groundbreaking ceremony next week to safely back
modernize and connect railways and roads  Russian spacecraft Soyuz MS-09 has
across the border. successfully landed in Kazakhstan, bringing back
 The 10-member South Korean working- the three astronauts who have completed their
level delegation will visit the DPRK Friday to missions on the International Space Station (ISS),
inspect the 100-km road along the DPRK’s east the Russian mission control centre said
coast from Goseong to Wonsan for three days. December 20, 2018.
 After returning home Sunday, the  "The landing section with Roscosmos
working-level officials will visit the DPRK again cosmonaut Sergei Prokopyev, NASA astronaut
Monday to inspect the 4-km road near the Serena Aunon-Chancellor and astronaut of the
DPRK’s western border town of Kaesong European Space Agency Alexander Gerst has
together with DPRK officials. landed," it was quoted by local media as saying.
 The joint survey on the DPRK western  On June 6, Russia successfully launched
road was completed in August, but the two sides its Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft to the ISS. The three-
agreed to do it again to complete the previous member crew had lived on it for the scheduled
inspection, according to the Seoul ministry. 187 days.
8. China, Russia to boost military  Their successors, Oleg Kononenko of
cooperation Russia, Anne McClain of the United States and
 Chinese State Councilor and Minister of David Saint-Jacques of Canada arrived in early
National Defense Wei Fenghe met with Deputy December and are expected to stay on the ISS for
Defense Minister of the Russian Federation and six and a half months.
Chief of Main Directorate for Political-Military  They were transported by the Soyuz MS-
Affairs of the Russian Armed Forces Andrey 11 spacecraft, which was launched on Dec. 3.
Kartapolov in Beijing December 20, 2018. The flight was carried out after a spacecraft lift-
 Wei spoke highly of recent exchanges off failure in October.
and cooperation between the two militaries.  On Oct. 11 the capsule of the Soyuz MS-
10 spacecraft with Russian cosmonaut Alexei
Ovchinin and U.S. astronaut Nick Hague on battling to control a gaping current account
board made an emergency landing in Kazakhstan deficit that has wobbled its economy and
after the carrier rocket malfunctioned shortly lowered growth, was promptly welcomed by
after lift-off. Prime Minister Imran Khan.
10. Tareen`s son becomes owner of sixth  The UAE`s state-run media WAM quoted
PSL team the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) as
 The suspense around the ownership of saying it would deposit the amount in the
the `sixth team` of the Pakistan Super League `coming days`. It said the amount was meant `to
(PSL) finally ended on December 20, 2018 when support the financial and monetary policy of the
the son of ruling party`s politician Jehangir Islamic Republic of Pakistan`.
Tareen bought the franchise for an attractive  `The country`s support for Pakistan`s
price of $6.35 million per annum for a period of fiscal policy is based on the historical ties
seven years through proper bidding process. between the two people and the two friendly
 After the dissolution of the previous countries and the desire to further develop the
franchise Multan Sultans, the sixth team has bilateral cooperation in all fields,` it added.
been temporarily renamed as Multan 2. Imran converts PM House into
Consortium. The consortium belongs to university
Jehangir, a leading businessman in the country  Fulfilling his party`s manifesto, Prime
who is among the main figures of the Pakistan Minister Imran Khan on December 21, 2018
Tehrik-e-Insaf. converted the palatial Prime Minister House into
 His son Ali Tareen went through the an international university.
bidding process in which several candidates  However, it has not been elaborated
were competing. However, at the end, only two whether the entire PM House will be converted
bidders could qualify for the final process. into the Islamabad National University (INU) or
some of its portion will be used for the purpose.
December 22, 2018  It has been learnt that initially an
institute of advanced studies will be established
1. UAE comes to Pakistan rescue with
in the PM House that will be later turned into a
$3bn
full-fledged university. Minister for Education
 Just a week after a second tranche of$1
and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood also
billion in financial assistance from Saudi Arabia
confirmed that an institute of advanced studies
under $6 billion package was received by
for research would be established at the old PM
Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates on December
House and it would gradually lead to the
21, 2018 announced its intention to deposit $3
establishment of a university.
billion in the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) within
3. Google honours Hanif Mohammad on
the next few days to support the country`s
his 84th birthday
foreign currency reserves and help enhance
 Google on December 21, 2018 released
liquidity.
a doodle in honour of the legendary Pakistani
 The announcement by the UAE state-run
batsman, Hanif Mohammad, to mark his 84th
media, which came at a time when Pakistan has
birthday.
been engaged in bailout talks with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) while
 Google honoured Hanif Mohammad, ceremony. Defence Attaché from the Embassy of
who is also known as `The Original Little Master`, the Peoples Republic of China Maj Gen Chen
with a doodle showing the scorecard at 337, Wenrong was also present on the occasion.
paying homage to the cricketer`s phenomenal  High-ranking officials of both countries
16-hour-long innings where he scored 337 were given a comprehensive briefing on the
against the West Indies at Bridgetown in 1957- exercise. Air Marshal Paracha highlighted the
58 -which saved Pakistan from imminent defeat. significance of the joint venture and appreciated
It remains the longest innings in Test history and the personnel of the two air forces for the
was the longest in all first-class cricket for over smooth conduct of the exercise.
40 years. 6. Shahbaz elected PAC chairman
4. UNDP, beverage company sign MoU unopposed
 The United Nations Development  After months of wrangling between the
Programme (UNDP) signed on December 21, ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the
2018 a memorandum of understanding with one opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
of the leading food and beverage companies (PML-N) over the issue of the Public Accounts
operating in Pakistan to promote the `Kamyab Committee`s (PAC) chairmanship, Leader of the
Jawan Pakistan` project. Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N
 Pakistan`s `youth bulge` offers unique president Shahbaz Sharif was on December 21,
opportunities for the country`s social and 2018 elected unopposed chairman of the
economic development. parliamentary watchdog.
 Both UNDP Pakistan and PepsiCo have  Soon after his election, Mr Sharif
programmes aimed at harnessing the potential summoned the first formal meeting of the PAC
the youth bulge presents. on Dec 28.
 UNDP Pakistan National Human  The PAC is the apex parliamentary
Development Report estimates that more than watchdog that oversees the audit of revenue and
29pc of country`s population consists of young expenditure by the government and it is
people between the ages of 15-29 years. considered to be the most powerful and
 The Youth Empowerment Programme important committee of parliament.
(Kamyab Jawan Pakistan) aims at creating  Previously, the PAC comprised only
opportunities for knowledge, skills and National Assembly members, but in the recent
leadership development of the youth to further past members of the Senate have also been
the Àgenda 2030`. made part of it.
5. Air exercise with China concludes in 7. Mattis quits to protest Syria pullout,
Karachi plan for Afghan troop cut
 The Pakistan-China Joint International  US President Donald Trump plans to
Air Exercise ‘Shaheen-VII’ concluded at an withdraw roughly half of the more than 14,000
Operational Air Base of the Pakistan Air Force of his troops stationed in Afghanistan, the
(PAF) here on December 21, 2018. American media reported on Friday, adding that
 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff this and the intended withdrawal of all US troops
(Operations) Air Marshal Muhammad Haseeb from Syria forced Defence Secretary James
Paracha was chief guest at the culmination Mattis to step down.
 The US forces in Afghanistan are part of unprecedented step observers say could coax
a NATO military mission of about 20,000 troops ethnic rebel groups into the country`s fractious
whose primary goal is to train and advise Afghan peace process.
forces in their battles against Taliban and the  Conflicts have been festering in the
militant Islamic State group. border areas since independence from Britain 70
 The Wall Street Journal, which broke the years ago, with various armed groups fighting for
news, reported that more than 7,000 American autonomy, identity, resources and territory.
troops would begin to return home from  Tens of thousands of people living within
Afghanistan in the coming weeks. This would be the conflict areas have been forced often
the first stage of a phased drawdown and the repeatedly from their homes.
start of a conclusion to the 17-year war, which  So far 10 ethnic rebel groups have signed
could take many months. up to a peace process led by civilian leader Aung
8. Turkey to lead fight against IS after US San Suu Kyi, but several others have held out.
pullout: Erdogan 10. Germany closes its last coal mine
 Turkey would take over the fight against  Germany closed its last black coal mine
the militant Islamic State (IS) group in Syria after on December 21, 2018, paying an emotional
pullout of US troops from the country, President tribute to a 200-year-old industry that once
Tayyip Erdogan said on December 21, 2018, in fuelled the country`s economic growth but lost
the latest upheaval wrought by Washington`s the battle against cheaper foreign competitors.
abrupt policy shift.  After the remaining 1,500 workers of the
 The surprise announcement by US Prosper-Haniel mine in Bottrop clocked off from
President Donald Trump this week that he would their final shift, a group of seven workers exited
withdraw roughly 2,000 troops has felled a pillar the mine`s elevator carrying the symbolic last
of American policy in the Middle East. Critics say chunk of `black gold`.
Trump`s decision will make it harder to find a  Veteran pitman Juergen Jakubeit,
diplomatic solution to Syria`s seven-year-old wearing faded overalls and a black-sooted hard
conflict. hat, then handed the block of coal to German
 For Turkey, the step removes a source of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who
friction with the United States. Erdogan has long accepted it with the traditional miners` greeting
castigated his Nato ally over its support for of `Glueck auf` or `Good luck`.
Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters against IS.Turkey
considers the YPG a terrorist group and an December 23, 2018
offshoot of the armed Kurdistan Workers` Party
1. Army backs peace efforts, asks India to
(PKK), fighting for Kurdish autonomy across the
fight hunger first
border on Turkish soil.
 In its take on Pakistan`s peace overtures
9. Myanmar army declares ceasefire
to India, the army on December 22, 2018
against ethnic rebel groups
showed its support to resolve all issues with the
 Myanmar`s military announced on
neighbouring country on the table, seeing new
December 21, 2018 it would suspend àll military
government`s utmost sincerity in taking the
movements` in the troubled northern and
initiative that it said should not be taken as its
eastern regions for four months, an
weakness.
 The resolve came from the top military  Pakistan improves its position in
command as Chief of the Army Staf f (COAS) international Right to Information rating from 91
General Qamar Javed Bajwa during his address to 33 due to government’s positive steps toward
to a passing-out parade also called for `fight Right to Information Act.
against hunger, disease and illiteracy, then to  According to latest RTI rating issued by
fight against each other`. Global Right to Information Rating, Afghanistan
 While addressing the passing-out parade has replaced Mexico at the very top of the RTI
of 110th Midshipmen and 19th Short Service rating, with an impressive score of 139 points out
Course at Naval Academy, the COAS touched of a possible 150, or 93 per cent.
upon key issues related to the country`s defence  Mexico is now in second place, with 136
and modern technology transforming the nature points, followed by Serbia with 135 and Sri Lanka
of warfare and warned that the ùnannounced with 131. Countries from the Global South
war against us` was yet to be over. dominate the top of the RTI Rating, with not a
 `Pakistan is a peace-loving country and single Western country in the top 25.
believes in peace within and peace without,` the  All but one of the countries in the top 25
army chief said. positions adopted their laws since 2000,
2. PHC launches facility of video reflecting the fact that RTI laws are, on average,
conferencing getting stronger and stronger as time goes on.
 The Peshawar High Court has introduced  Interestingly, Pakistan was at 91st
video conferencing technology for holding swift position and Afghanistan occupied 33rd position
meetings and conferences with district and in the Global Right to Information Rating list in
sessions judges across the province. 2017 but both countries improved a lot. Pakistan
 The first three-hour-long meeting government adopted the RTI in 2002 and
between Peshawar High Court and all district Afghanistan in 2014.
and sessions judges and other judicial officers  The Global Right to Information Rating
took place on December 22, 2018 to discuss (RTI Rating) is a methodology which
effectiveness of the ùnit policy`, performance of comparatively assesses the strength of legal
the district judiciary and other related issues. frameworks for the right to information from
 The PHC can now hold important and around the world.
instant meetings with the district judiciary 4. Afghan war helped Pakistan keep
through this technology which will overcome nuclear option: US papers
distance barriers and reduce travel related  Torn between preventing Pakistan from
expenses and time consumption. going nuclear and fighting the Soviets in
 With no need of wasting precious time Afghanistan, the United States appears to have
on travelling from far-flung and remote districts decided that pushing the Russians out of Kabul
like Kohistan, Chitral and DI Khan after was more important, shows a set of documents
introduction of this technology, now the judicial released by the US State Department .Official US
officers can utilise their extra time on productive memos and letter released under an
work in courts. arrangement to make public official documents
3. Pakistan improves position in Global after 30 years show that Chinese leader Deng
RTI rating Xiaoping (in office from 1978 to 1989) also
played a key role in convincing Washington to  The US House of Representatives, where
continue to support Islamabad despite its Republicans have a majority until Democrats
nuclear programme. take over on Jan 3, then passed a bill that
 A confidential State Department report, included the $5 billion, but it ran aground in the
dated Aug 20, 1984, shows that by 1984 Senate and the shutdown began at midnight on
Washington knew Islamabad had acquired the Friday.
capability to build nuclear weapons. 6. Indonesia gains majority ownership of
 `Despite public and private assurances Freeport mine
by President Zia (ul Haq) that Pakistan has  Indonesia finalised the transfer of
neither the intention, means, nor capability to majority control over a giant gold and copper
acquire nuclear explosives, we have extensive mine from US company Freeport-McMoRan, the
and convincing intelligence that the Pakistanis government said, in a long-awaited deal that
are pressing forward to perfect the design of a boosts the president`s reelection campaign.
nuclear weapon, fabricate nuclear weapon  The Phoenix, Arizona-based Freeport
components, and acquire the necessary nuclear McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. initially owned
material for such a device,` the report says. about 90 per cent of the Grasberg mine since it
 `Recent progress in Pakistan`s uranium began operating in Indonesia`s easternmost
enrichment programme may soon create a province of Papua in 1973. The rest has been
situation in which we could not rule out the owned by the Indonesian government.
possibility that Pakistan was taking all of the 7. Top US envoy quits over Trump`s Syria
steps required to assemble a nuclear device, or pullout
even to stockpile nuclear weapons.  Brett McGurk, the special US envoy to
5. US govt partially shut down in fight over the coalition fighting the so-called Islamic State
Trump`s wall group, has resigned, a US State Department
 The US government was partially shut official said on December 22, 2018.
down on December 22, 2018 in a Herce dispute  His resignation, effective Dec 31, comes
over President Donald Trump`s demands that just after US President Donald Trump abruptly
Congress assign $5 billion for a wall along the ordered the withdrawal of US troops from Syria
border with Mexico. as well as the announcement that Defence
 After failing to strike a budget deal on Secretary Jim Mattis was quitting, citing key
December 21, 2018, congressional leaders and disagreements with Trump.
the White House pledged to keep talking  Just last week McGurk, a Barack Obama
through the weekend in search of a deal to end appointee who Trump kept on, said `nobody is
the shutdown ahead of the Christmas holiday. declaring a mission accomplished` in the battle
 The impasse came after Trump threw a against IS just days before the president`s
wrench into the works earlier in the week by stunning announcement of victory against the IS.
refusing to agree to a short-term funding deal  Trump again on Saturday said ÌSIS is
cut by Democratic and Republican senators largely defeated`.
because it did not include the funds for his 8. Reformist Saudi Prince Talal bin Abdul
border wall. Aziz dies
 Saudi Prince Talal bin Abdul Aziz, a half expected to continue to Sanaa where he will
brother of King Salman, died on December 22, meet Houthi officials.
2018 at the age of 87. 10. Scientists discover way to turn copper
 Defiantly liberal and dubbed the `Red into gold
Prince` Talal bin Abdul Aziz was known as a  Alchemists have been struggling for ages
tireless advocate of reform, sometimes in to create the legendary philosopher’s stone
dehance of the royal family. capable of, among other things, turning base
 He was a long-standing advocate of metals into precious ones, and specifically - into
allowing Saudi women to drive, a right that was gold. Modern day Chinese scientists seem to
finally granted to female citizens this year. have finally come close to performing such a
 Born in 1931, the prince headed the transformation.
Arab Gulf Fund for Development, a UN body that  A group of Chinese scientists from the
promotes education and health in developing Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics has
countries. published research in the journal Science
 Under the influence of Egyptian Advances, which describes how they managed to
president and champion of pan-Arab socialism turn regular copper into a material “almost
Gamal Abdel Nasser, he set up the `Free Princes identical” to gold and silver. The metal, which
Movement` in the early 1960s, calling for the scientists obtained as a result of result of
substantive political change in Saudi Arabia. their experiment was capable of serving as a
9. UN team arrives in Yemen to monitor catalyst for a reaction producing alcohol from
Hodeida truce coal — something only precious metals such as
 The head of a United Nations advance gold are capable of doing. Chinese Scientists Use
team tasked with monitoring a ceasefire Cutting-Edge Tool to Fix Genetic Mutations in
between the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and Viable Human Embryos
Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen`s  Researchers bombarded a piece of
Hodeida has arrived in Yemen on December 22, copper with a stream of hot and electrically
2018. charged argon gas. The procedure charges its
 The sides in Yemen`s nearly four year atoms, making their electrons more dense and
war agreed during UN-sponsored peace talks in more stable, making the resultant material
Sweden earlier this month to stop fighting in closer to gold in terms of resistance to erosion,
Hodeida city and its province and withdraw oxidisation and high temperatures.
forces. The truce began on Tuesday but
skirmishes continued on the outskirts of the city. December 24, 2018
On December 21, 2018 the UN Security Council 1. Qureshi embarks on four-nation tour
unanimously approved the deployment for an on December 24, 2018
initial 30 days of an advance monitoring team led
 Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood
by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert.
Qureshi will leave for a visit to four countries on
 Upon arriving at Aden airport, Monday (December 24, 2018) as part of the
Cammaert met with officials from the Saudi- government`s policy of outreach to the
backed government, local officials said, and he is neighbourhood. Foreign Secretary Tehmina
Janjua and senior officials from the ministry of  The Hindko Board’s chairman Ejaz
foreign affairs will accompany him. Ahmad Qureshi will oversee all the
 The foreign minister will visit arrangements for the literary and cultural event
Afghanistan, Iran, China and Russia from Dec 24 4. PPSC launches probe into `merit
to 26, says a Foreign Office press statement violations` in filling AP slots
issued in Islamabad on Sunday.  The Punjab Public Service Commission
 During the visit, Mr Qureshi will discuss (PPSC), after allegations of merit violations in
Pakistan`s bilateral relations with the leadership selection of doctors against regular slots of
of these countries to strengthen cooperationin assistant professors in various specialties, has
various areas. launched a high level probe into the matter.
 The visit is part of promoting various  The issue surfaced when some affected
initiatives and ideas for regional cooperation, aspirants for the slots came up with èvidences`
especially for promoting economic and people- of violation of rules of both the Pakistan Medical
to-people contacts. & Dental Council (PMDC) and the PPSC, in the
2. NIH starts vaccine production after long selection of candidates.
break  The PPSC launched the probe after many
 The National Institute of Health (NIH) aspirants for the slots in various specialties went
has finally started focusing on vaccine into litigation, while some other directly took up
manufacturing, which is its key responsibility. the issue with the senior hierarchy of the
 It is expected that the institute will be commission.
able to meet half the country`s requirement for 5. Ghani names Pakistan opponents to
anti-venom for snake bites by June 2019 via local two top posts
production.  Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has
 One of the key functions of the institute appointed hardline opponents of Pakistan to two
is to manufacture vaccines. During the 80s and top security posts, potentially complicating US
90s, NIH was producing enough vaccines to meet efforts to revive peace tallks with the Taliban
the country`s requirements and was also looking before next summer`s withdrawal of 7,000
to export them. The institute stopped producing American troops.
vaccines after that.  Ashraf Ghani announced on December
3. International Hindko moot on Jan 5 23, 2018 that Amrullah Saleh will be the new
 The 7th International Hindko Interior Minister and Asadullah Khaled Defence
Conference will be arranged in the provincial Minister.
metropolis from Jan 5 to 6, next year.  Both are former intelligence chiefs who
 Literary and cultural organisations, have blamed Pakistan for the Taliban`s
Gandhara Hindko Board, and Gandhara Hindko resurgence in recent years and have even called
Academy, are organising the two-day moot. for it to be declared a state sponsor of terror.
 The theme is ‘achieving national unity Both men will serve as acting ministers until the
through the promotion of Hindko and Indo- parliament approves their appointments.
Aryan languages’.  The reshuffle comes four months after
President Ghani rejected the resignations of
former interior minister Wais Ahmad Barmak
and Defence Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami 8. Egypt appoints new chief of military
following criticism over an increasingly deadly intelligence
insurgency.  Egypt has appointed Major General
6. Pentagon opposes Trump’s troop Khaled Megawer to serve as the head of the
withdrawal plan country`s military intelligence service, replacing
 The US Department of Defence has Mohamed al-Shahat, two security on December
informed Congress that it wants to continue to 23, 2018.
apply direct and indirect military pressure on the  Egypt`s military and intelligence services
Taliban, while supporting nascent efforts for play a leading role in top level decision making,
peace in war-ravaged Afghanistan. taking a more public role since current president
 The Pentagon’s strategy paper, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the 2013 military
submitted to Congress this week, clearly differs overthrow of Egypt`s first freely-elected
with President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw president, Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim
roughly half of the more than 14,000 of US Brotherhood.
troops stationed in Afghanistan by the end of  The sources did not give a reason for al-
2019. Shahat`s dismissal, but Sisi has replaced several
 Defence Secretary James Mattis also high-ranking security officials in the military,
disagreed with the Trump plan and resigned interior ministry and the general intelligence
earlier this week when the president rejected his service over the last couple of years.
advice to keep troops in Syria and Afghanistan. 9. First female speaker of Fijian
Pakistan has welcomed the Trump plan, calling it parliament dies at 72
“good” for the ongoing peace process.  Dr Jiko Luveni, the first female speaker
7. China mulls over `new foreign of Fiji`s Parliament, has died in office at the age
investment law` of 72.
 China`s legislature is considering a new  Luveni first served for eight years as
law governing foreign investment that will minister for women, social welfare and poverty
streamline existing rules and prevent the forced alleviation in the interim government of Prime
transfer of technology. Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, who seized
 The new ùnified law` will replace three power in a 2006 coup.
existing laws on Chinese and foreign equity joint  She won formal election to Parliament in
ventures, non-equity joint ventures and wholly 2014 and became Fiji`s first female speaker in
foreign-owned enterprises, the official Xinhua October that year. She was re-elected in last
news agency reported. month`s general election and retained the role
 A draft of the proposed legislation was of speaker. Luveni was also the first woman to
presented at a meeting of the Standing graduate in dentistry from the Fiji School of
Committee of the National People`s Congress Medicine.-
(NPC) which began on Sunday. When in place, 10. SpaceX launches first security mission
the new law would bar local governments from for US military
restricting market access for foreign firms and  A Spacex rocket carrying a US military
from forcing them to transfer technology. navigation satellite blasted off from Florida`s
Cape Canaveral on December 23, 2018, marking
the space transportation company`s first the peace process that has remained stalled
national security space mission for the United since 2015 when it broke down due to a news
States. leak that insurgency`s leader Mullah Omar had
 The Falcon 9 rocket carrying a roughly long been dead.
$500 million GPS satellite built by Lockheed 2. Pak envoy to US Ali Jahangir Siddiqui
Martin Corp lifted off from Cape Canaveral at resigns
8:51am local time (1351 GMT). Four previous  Pakistan's ambassador in the United
scheduled launches in the last week, including States Ali Jehangir Siddiqui stepped down from
one on Saturday, were cancelled due to weather his post.
and technical issues.  The outgoing ambassador said that
 The successful launch is a significant during his tenure the trust deficit present
victory for billionaire Elon Musk`s privately held between the United States and Pakistan shrunk
rocket company, which has spent years trying to as both the countries looked for shared ground
break into the lucrative market for military space on diplomatic issues including Afghanistan war.
launches dominated by Lockheed and Boeing Co. 3. Ship-breaking yard approved for
Gwadar
December 25, 2018  Prime Minister Imran Khan has
approved establishing ship-breaking yard in
1. PM, Qatari emir discuss Afghan peace
Gwadar and a policy board for the same is being
process
formulated.
 Prime Minister Imran Khan on December
 This was announced during a high-level
24, 2018 spoke to Emir of Qatar Tamim bin
review meeting on the subject, chaired by Chief
Hamad bin Khalif a Al-Thani while Foreign
Minister Balochistan and attended by Federal
Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi embarked on a
Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal
four nation tour aimed at taking regional
and Finance Minister Asad Umar.
countries on board about Pakistan`s fresh push
 The meeting was informed CM
to jumpstart the Afghan reconciliation process.
Balochistan would also be a member of this
 `Two days, four countries. We`re not
policy board.
slowing down as the year ends,` Mr Qureshi
 The PC1 document of Gwadar
tweeted as he began his tour to Afghanistan,
Shipbreaking Yard was presented in 2007 but
Iran, China and Russia. Underscoring the
could not proceed due to lack of interest by
importance of his trip, he said: À collective out-
successive governments.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on
 Now prime minister has approved the
Monday spoke to Emir of Qatar Tamim bin
project on a partnership basis with the induction
Hamad bin Khalif a Al-Thani while Foreign
of manufacturing, training workshops, and
Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi embarked on a
parking stations.
fournation tour aimed at taking regional
4. 400,000 children missed during
countries on board about Pakistan`s fresh push
nationwide polio drive
to jumpstart the Afghan reconciliation process.
 Almost 400,000 children were missed
 Pakistan last week facilitated a meeting
during the nationwide polio vaccination
between the United States and the Taliban in
campaign held this month.
Abu Dhabi in a bid to pave the way for reviving
 260,000 frontline workers participated  The Knesset, or parliament, is expected
in the campaign. to hold a vote on Wednesday to formally
 Almost 90pc of the 37.73 million under- dissolve, setting the stage for a three-month
five children targeted were covered during the election campaign and a likely vote on April9.
campaign and 92pc of the children who were 7. Order to pull out US troops from Syria
missed were vaccinated during the catch-up. An signed: Reports
extended catch-up is being conducted this week  The execute order to withdraw US forces
to vaccinate the remaining children. from Syria has been signed.
 Despite a significant case decline, the  The order had been signed by outgoing
presence of the virus in sewerage water from US Defence Secretary James Mattis.
urban areas indicates that our job is not yet  The order clarifies how and when the
done. withdrawal of US troops from Syria will take
5. PIA launches new flights to Thailand, place, but the source refused to give any further
Malaysia details on the matter
 The country’s national flag carrier  Mattis announced his resignation, a day
Pakistan International Airlines launched new after US President Donald Trump decided to
flights to Bangkok, Thailand and Kuala Lumpur , withdraw US troops from Syria, saying on Twitter
Malaysia on December 24, 2018. that the United States had defeated the Daesh
 There will be twice-weekly flights from terrorist group in the Middle Eastern country
Lahore to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. 8. US to coordinate troop withdrawal
 The Lahore-Kuala Lumpur flight has from Syria with Turkey
resumed after a gap of two years, the  A US military delegation will visit Turkey
spokesperson added. this week to discuss the withdrawal of American
 The Lahore-Kuala Lumpur flight will stop ground forces from Syria.
over in Bangkok. Another flight will run from  They will discuss how to coordinate (the
Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok. withdrawal) with their counterparts.
6. Israeli govt falls, early elections called  The US has for years supported the
for April Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in
 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin the fight against the militant Islamic State (IS)
Netanyahu`s government agreed on December group in Syria.
24, 2018 to hold early elections in April after the  Critics of Trump`s move fear that
ruling coalition appeared to come up short on thousands of IS members could make gains in
votes needed to pass a contentious piece of Syria, despite the US leader`s claim that the
court-ordered legislation. group had been defeated.
 Netanyahu said his coalition 9. Turkey sends military reinforcements
ùnanimously` agreed to disband the to Syrian border
government and hold a new election. At a  Turkey has sent military reinforcements
meeting of his Likud faction, he listed his to its border with Syria, after Ankara and
accomplishments in office and said he hoped his Washington agreed to coordinate closely during
current religious, nationalistic coalition would be the U.S. withdrawal from Syria.
the `core` of the next one as well.
 A batch of Turkish military convoy, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and thousands of
including howitzers and artillery batteries, advisers from Iran", Eisenkot said.
arrived in border areas of southeastern Kilis  He argued that Iran wants to create a
Province. Meanwhile, in northern Syria, Turkish- "combined ground, aerial, naval and intelligence
backed militia Free Syria Army (FSA) were capability" in order to build up a "line of military
deployed to areas near the Kurdish-held town of positions along the Golan [border]".
Manbij, Anadolu said.
 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan December 26, 2018
and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on
1. China backs Pakistan`s efforts for
Sunday talked on phone and agreed to ensure
Afghan peace
diplomatic and military coordination to prevent
 China on December 25, 2018 expressed
an authority vacuum following the U.S.
its support for latest developments in efforts for
withdrawal from Syria.
revival of Afghan peace and reconciliation
 Erdogan warned on Dec. 12 that Turkey
process.
would in a few days launch a military operation
 Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood
in the east of Euphrates in Syria to clear terror
Qureshi is currently on a regional tour of four
groups there, but later postponed his move after
countries Afghanistan, Iran, China and Russia to
Trump unexpectedly announced to withdraw its
apprise leaders of these countries about the
troops from Syria.
meeting between the United States and the
10. Iran seeking to 'build a force of 100,000
Taliban in Abu Dhabi last week, which was
ground troops' in Syria: IDF Chief
facilitated by Pakistan.
 Late last week, Israeli Prime Minister
 He met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang
Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed the Jewish
Yi at Beijing in the third leg of his visit.
state's commitment to counter Iran in Syria
 FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi, on his tour
despite Washington's recent announcement to
to regional countries, has held discussions with
withdraw US troops from the Arab country.
his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Bilateral and
 In the past four years, the Israeli army
regional issues, especially peace in Afghanistan,
has mainly focused on preventing Iran's
were discussed.
"entrenchment in Syria", according to outgoing
 Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief Gadi Eisenkot.
Hua Chunying said that Mr Qureshi, who made
He is due to wrap up his four-year tenure next
à special trip` here, in his meeting with Mr Wang
month.
discussed `the latest developments surrounding
 Eisenkot claimed that Tehran's alleged
the situation in Afghanistan` and the two sides
plan on its permanent military presence in Syria
reached `broad consensus`.
had been endorsed by the Islamic Revolutionary
2. Balochistan home minister changed
Guard Corps' Quds Force.
 Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal
 "The Iranian vision for Syria for the day
Khan changed portfolios of two ministers on
after [the war]… was to build a force of 100,000
December 25, 2018.
ground troops. There are already 20,000 fighters
 According to an official notification, the
from Hezbollah, Shiite militias from Iraq,
portfolio of Home and Tribal Affairs and
Provincial Disaster Management Authority has
been taken from Mir Saleem Ahmed Khosa and restrictions imposed by the Punjab planning and
given to Ziaullah Langove, who was minister for development department as per a notification
forest and wildlife. issued on Sept 18 this year.
 Mir Saleem Khosa will now hold the  It has been decided that a position of
portfolio of revenue. civil engineer and tourism specialist will be
 However, it was not known who will added to the PC-1, to ensure comprehensive
head the forest and wildlife ministry. technical input is provided on timely basis.
 It was the second time that the chief 4. First-ever dedicated freight train
minister reshuffled the portfolios of his launched
ministers. Earlier, the portfolio of food had been  First ever dedicated freight train loaded
taken from Ziaullah Langove and given to with 75 cargo containers commenced its journey
Asadullah Baloch. However, Mr Baloch refused from Karachi`s Cantonment Railway Station to
to head the food department and is now serving Lahore.
as minister for social welfare.  The freight train is being launched under
3. Punjab tourism project moving at public-private partnership with the expected
snail`s pace: WB report journey time of 48 hours.
 While Prime Minister Imran Khan has  The Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh
vowed to develop eco-friendly tourism in Rasheed Ahmed while inaugurating the service
Pakistan, from the beaches in the south to fair said he was optimistic about the dedicated and
meadows in the north, a World Bank-assisted regular freight train service for cargo transport.
Punjab tourism project for economic growth in  He vowed to launch two more dedicated
the province is moving at a snail`s pace. freight daily trains for containers from Karachi to
 The pace of implementation activities Lahore from Jan 25. He also announced that
needs to be accelerated substantially and scheduled freight trains from Karachi to
despite the fact that the project has initiated a Faisalabad and Sialkot would be launched in near
number of activities towards achieving results, future.
three key posts at the project monitoring and 5. Erdogan invites Trump to Turkey: White
implementation unit level remain vacant House
including project director, says a World Bank  Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has
report while reviewing the status of the project. invited US President Donald Trump to visit
 The project which became effective in Turkey in 2019 following a visit by US military
October 2017 is meant to increase private sector officials this week.
participation and improve infrastructure services  “Our president invited honourable [US
in support of the tourism sector in Punjab. President] Trump to visit Turkey. He responded
 According to the report, the incumbent that he might come in 2019,” Erdogan’s
project director is a civil servant and is holding spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters in
the position on additional charge basis, whereas Ankara.
fresh recruitment will be made from the private  White House spokesman Hogan Gidley
sector. Recruitment of these positions has been said in a statement that they had received the
delayed due to a ban on recruitment placed by invitation; noting, however, that it was too early
the Election Commission and subsequent to speak of any plans. “While nothing definite is
being planned, the President is open to a  According to a report published in The
potential meeting in the future,” he said. National, a UAE based publication, Wamda
 The two leaders held a phone call earlier Capital is planning the first close of its second
on Sunday to coordinate their efforts at $70 million (Dh257m) investment fund in early
preventing an authority vacuum from 2019. The venture capital company that
developing as the United States withdraws from emerged out of an entrepreneurship platform
Syria. Erdogan welcomed Trump’s abrupt set up by Abraaj Capital, the region`s largest
decision last week to withdraw American troops, private equity firm.
which removed a source of friction between the  Wamda Capital, the Dubai VC company,
two countries. A senior US official told Reuters was launched with an inaugural $70m fund in
that Trump had not discussed the decision to 2015. Ìt is now courting the same set of
withdraw with Erdogan in advance. investors but hopes to attract new partners, said
6. Iran presents budget to counter US Fares Ghandour while talking to the Gulf daily.
sanctions 8. Russia expands economic sanctions on
 President Hassan Rouhani on December Ukraine
25, 2018 unveiled Iran`s first annual budget since  Russia on December 25, 2018 expanded
the return of US sanctions, saying it had been its economic sanctions on Ukraine, adding more
adjusted to take account of Washington`s than 250 people and businesses to a blacklist
`cruel`measures. first announced at the start of November.
 The president announced a 20 per cent  According to a decree by Prime Minister
increase in public sector wages in a sign of the Dmitri Medvedev, 245 individuals and seven
economic challenges the Islamic republic has companies, mostly in the energy and defence
faced since the United States pulled out of the sectors, were sanctioned by Moscow.
2015 nuclear deal earlier this year.  Relations between Moscow and Kiev
 The speech gave only a few general have deteriorated since a pro-Western
points of the budget -which will now be government came to power after the 2014 revolt
scrutinised and voted on by parliament -but against a pro-Russian leader, Moscow`s
acknowledged the pressure Iran was under. annexation of the Crimea and the outbreak of
 `Last year we faced some problems,` war in eastern Ukraine.
Rouhani told parliament in a televised speech,  A total of 567 individuals and 75
referring to the widespread protests that hit the Ukranian companies now face Russian economic
country almost exactly a year ago, sparked by sanctions, which put a freeze on any assets they
anger over economic and political conditions. have in Russia.
7. Wamda Capital to launch second $70m 9. Governor of Mexican State dies in
fund helicopter crash
 Wamda Capital, the venture capital (VC)  Martha Erika Alonso, the governor of the
company that emerged out of an Mexican state of Puebla, died on December 24,
entrepreneurship platform set up by Abraaj 2018 in a helicopter crash.
Capital, is planning the first close of its second  Mexican Public Security Secretary
$70 million investment fund in early 2019. Alfonso Durazo said that the crash had been
caused by a technical problem. “The helicopter
had an apparent malfunction, it is not clear so far side register a 2-wicket victory. Saif remained
which one,” Durazo said at a press conference, unbeaten at 35 off 23 deliveries hitting one four
adding that it was yet to be established what and two sixes while Umar Akmal contributed 34
exactly technical fault occurred. off 21 with the help of 5 fours and one six and
 According to Mexico’s Televisa TV Wahab Riaz hit 9-ball 18 runs.
channel, the governor was aboard the helicopter
with her husband Rafael Moreno Valle Rosas, December 27, 2018
who used to serve as governor of Puebla in 2011-
1. Pakistan, Russia have ‘common
2017. Moreno Valle also died as a result of the
interest’ in Afghan peace
accident, the broadcaster added. The helicopter
 Pakistan and Russia have agreed to take
crash was earlier reported by Mexican President
the defence ties to ‘new heights’ as the two
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who entrusted
acknowledged each other’s role for Afghanistan
the government with responding to the
and regional peace, officials said.
situation. The Mexican president has also
 Senior officials at the foreign ministry
expressed condolences to the relatives of the
told that the meeting between Foreign Minister
deceased couple. “I personally express my
Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Russian
deepest condolences to the relatives of senator
counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow was ‘very
Rafael Moreno Valle Rosas and his wife, State of
positive’ and the two sides discussed the Afghan
Puebla governor Martha Erika Alonso.
issue in detail.
10. Lahore Whites clinch National T20 Cup
 “Russia is upbeat about enhancing
 Saif Badar’s sparkling unbeaten knock of
defence ties with Pakistan to new heights. They
34 runs steered Lahore Region Whites to 2-
share our views on Afghanistan. The possible
wicket victory over Rawalpindi Region in the
Taliban talks with the Afghan government and
National Twenty20 Cup final played at Multan
the previously held Taliban talks with the United
Cricket Stadium on December 25, 2018.
States also came under discussions,” said one
 While chasing the target of 163 runs,
official.
Lahore Whites were off to good start as they
 Earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr
gathered 42 runs for the first wicket stand. M
Mohammed Faisal said that the Foreign Minister
Nawaz took first wicket of Salman Butt, who was
was in Russia on the final leg of his tour to the
playing at 13. Younger brother Umar Akmal then
four regional countries.
joined elder brother and captain of Lahore
 “Both sides discussed bilateral ties and
Whites Kamran Akmal and both added 35 runs
regional situation, especially progress on Afghan
for the second-wicket partnership, as Kamran
peace and reconciliation,” he added.
fell prey to Hammad Azam at his individual score
2. Banned BLA leader killed in Kandahar
of 42 runs, which he collected in 31 balls hitting
suicide attack
three boundaries and 2 towering sixes.
 Aslam Baloch alias Achhu, a key leader of
 After that, they kept on losing wickets on
the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and
regular interval as they were struggling at 97-5.
the mastermind of the recent attack on the
Man-of-the-match Saif Badar then steadied
Chinese consulate in Karachi, has been killed
Lahore Whites innings as he kept one end intact
along with five other leaders of the organisation
and kept the scoreboard ticking, thus helping his
in a suicide attack in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
 According to reports, the suicide attack democracy, our decency, our foundation is just
was carried out at a house in the Aino Maina because of political consequences.
area, an upscale locality of Kandahar, on 4. Iran holds talks with Taliban amid peace
December 25, 2018 where the BLA leaders had push
gathered for a meeting.  Iranian officials have met the Afghan
 The other five identified slain militants Taliban, a top Iranian security official said on
are Sangat Sardaro alias Tajo, Karim Marri alias December 26, 2018, according to the Tasnim
Rahim Baloch, Sangat Akhtar Baloch alias news agency, days after the militants took part
Rustam, Freed Baloch and Sadiq Baloch. in reconciliation talks in the UAE.
3. Trump honours fallen Pak-American  Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran`s
Capt Humayun Khan Supreme National Security Council, made the
 US President Donald Trump has signed a announcement while on a visit to Kabul, several
bill to honour fallen Muslim US Army Captain Iranian agencies reported.
Humayun Khan, despite long-running fights with  No details on where the talks took place
his father, a Pakistani-American lawyer. were given by the Tasnim news agency, which is
 The bill, filed by Congressman Tom considered close to Iran`s Revolutionary Guards.
Garrett in July 2017, renames a post office in 5. US offers safety and job security to
Charlottesville, a city in the US state of Virginia, Taliban
after Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in  Eager to persuade Taliban to join the
2004 when a vehicle packed with explosives Afghan peace process, the United States is of
drove into his compound. fering them a safety network that includes
 Humanyun Khan, who was creating job opportunities for the insurgents.
posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and  As the United States, Pakistan, China,
Bronze Star, was 27 at the time. Captain Khan is Russia and other world powers expedite efforts
revered not only in Charlottesville, but across the to encourage the Taliban to join the Afghan
nation, Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim peace process, the US Defence Department has
Kaine said in a statement to The Daily Progress. also outlined a plan for rehabilitating the rebels
With the dedication of this post office, were in a new Afghanistan.
showing the Khan family that were forever  The Pentagon, however, notes that
grateful for his service and sacrifice for our while local leaders are developing programmes
country. that may offer a path to peace on a small scale,
 Humayun Khans parents, Khizr Khan and `the Afghan government has not developed a
Ghazala Khan, were thrust into the spotlight national reintegration programme`.
when they appeared at the 2016 Democratic 6. US responsible for Yemen disaster: NYT
National Convention to criticize then-candidate  America`s fingerprints are all over the
Trumps Muslim ban proposal. war in Yemen, the New York Times said on
 There comes a time in the history of a December 26, 2018.
nation when an ethical, moral stand has to be  The US is currently abetting in a
taken, regardless of the political response, Khizr humanitarian disaster that could ultimately rival
Khan said. The only reason they are not those in Syria and Iraq in its destabilising impact
repudiating his behaviour, his threat to our
on the region and the world, according to the  Settlements play an important role in
newspaper. Israeli right wing politics, and Netan yahu met
 More than 10,000 people have been settler leaders in Jerusalem on December 26,
killed over the past three years in the civil war 2018.
pitting the Houthi rebels against Saudi-backed 8. Japan announces withdrawal from IWC
government loyalists.  Japan will withdraw from the
 The tens of thousands of deaths may International Whaling Commission (IWC) in
represent only a fraction of the total victims and order to resume commercial whaling in July
the US government seems to be `doing 2019, the Japanese government said December
everything it can to make things worse`, an 26, 2018.
article published in NYT said.  Under IWC rules, Japan’s withdrawal will
 International aid agencies have warned become effective on June 30, enabling the
that some 20 million people are at risk of dying country to restart commercial whaling in nearby
of starvation or poverty related diseases in waters and within its exclusive economic zone
Yemen and a number of African countries, all of starting in July, a move prone to international
which are facing critical food shortages. condemnation.
 In Yemen alone, Save the Children  Japan will not hunt whales commercially
counts 20.7 million people, half of them children, in the Antarctic Ocean although the country has
are in dire need of aid. implemented so-called “scientific whaling” for
7. Israel plans to build 2,200 settler research purposes as it claims
homes, says NGO 9. Russia plans to construct airport in Syria
 Israeli authorities have advanced plans  Russian companies plan to construct an
for nearly 2,200 settlement homes in occupied airport in the Syrian coastal city of Tartus as well
West Bank, the Peace Now NGO said on as a joint plant producing vaccine within a
December 26, 2018, the first such approval since framework of agreements signed during the
snap elections were called earlier this week. latest session of the bilateral Intergovernmental
 A defence ministry committee with commission, a Syrian official said on December
responsibility for such projects approved the 26, 2018.
plans, which are in various stages of the approval  “A project to build an airport in Tartus at
process, the settlement watchdog said in a the site of an agricultural airfield within the
statement. framework of the Build-operate-transfer
 It said 1,159 housing units were given cooperation … There are two more projects in
final approval before building permits can be the field of health care, the most significant of
issued, while 1,032 were at an earlier stage. them is the project on building the Russian-
 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Syrian vaccine production plant,” Imad Sabuni,
Netanyahu`s right wing government agreed on the head of the Syrian Planning and International
Monday to dissolve parliament and call for early Cooperation Commission, told the al-Watan
elections on April 9. newspaper. Other notable bilateral projects
 Netanyahu`s current coalition is seen as include rebuilding the car tires’ factory and
the most right wing in Israel`s history. construction of a new cement plant, the official
noted.
 The 11th session of the Syrian-Russian  The agreement was signed by Interior
Intergovernmental Commission was held earlier Secretary retired Major Azam Suleman Khan and
in December, during which several documents British High Commissioner in Pakistan Thomas
have been signed as well as a protocol covering Drew.
30 investment projects.  The agreement was approved in
10. China-made jetliner completes principle during British Home Secretary Sajid
overwater demo flight Javid`s visit to Pakistan in September. It restores
 China's first domestically-made regional and updates a previous agreement between the
jetliner, the ARJ21-700, has completed its first UK and Pakistan and includes strengthened
manned overwater demonstration flight in assurances that all transferred prisoners serve
southern China's island province of Hainan. the appropriate sentence before being released.
 An ARJ21-700 aircraft took off from 2. Miller, Bajwa discuss Afghan
Haikou Meilan International Airport and landed reconciliation process
in the airport after a two-and-half-hour flight,  The commander of the Resolute Support
showcasing its operational capacity in the Mission in Afghanistan, Gen Austin Scott Miller,
tropical marine climate, according to the on December 27, 2018 met Chief of the Army
Shanghai-based Commercial Aircraft Corp. of Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General
China (COMAC), its producer. Headquarters.
 The demonstration flight has further  Matters of mutual interest with
expanded the aircraft's operation area in China. reference to regional security and the ongoing
So far, it has completed flights between dozens Afghan reconciliation process were discussed
of domestic airports, demonstrating its during the meeting.
adaptability to extreme conditions, such as high  Both dignitaries expressed unanimity of
temperatures, high humidity, and high altitude. views on the importance of political resolution of
 The ARJ21-700 is a jet with 78 to 90 seats the Afghan situation and underlined that only an
and a flight range of up to 3,700 km. It acquired Afghan-owned and Afghan-led inclusive process
its aircraft type certificate in December 2014 and could lead to peace in Afghanistan.
completed its maiden flight in June 2016. Mass  They reaffirmed the need for continuing
production started in September 2017. harmonised efforts against terrorists and for
effective border management.
December 28, 2018  Gen Bajwa said Pakistan was committed
to efforts for peace in Afghanistan as it was
1. Pakistan, UK sign amended prisoner
important for peace in Pakistan as well.
transfer accord
 Separately, Russian Ambassador to
 Pakistan and the United Kingdom on
Pakistan Alexey Yurevish Dedov also called on
December 27, 2018 signed an amended prisoner
Gen Bajwa.
transfer agreement that will give convicted
 During the meeting, matters related to
offenders in either country the opportunity to
regional security and bilateral cooperation were
serve their sentence closer to home and allow
discussed.
them to prepare for their reintegration into their
3. CPEC has no military dimensions, says
home community when they are eventually
Pakistan
released from prison.
 Pakistan on December 27, 2018 made it 5. Indian lower house approves end to
clear that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Muslim instant divorce
(CPEC) had no military dimensions.  The lower house of India`s parliament on
 Foreign Office spokesman Dr December 27, 2018 approved a bill to implement
Mohammad Faisal, during his last weekly press the Supreme Court`s ruling that found the
briefing of the current calendar year, had been Muslim practice of instant divorce was
asked to comment on a report published in a unconstitutional.
section of US media alleging that the CPEC was  Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s
not only about economy and trade but had government doesn`t have a majority in the upper
military dimensions as well. house and will need some opposition support to
 The CPEC was an economic project make the bill a law.
between Pakistan and China. `The CPEC has  Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that
helped Pakistan improve its economy, allowing Muslim men to divorce by `triple talaq`
particularly energy and infrastructure sectors violated the constitutional rights of Muslim
have improved under it. women.
 The CPEC is a bilateral economic project,  Most of the 170 million Muslims in India
which is not against any country. are Sunnis governed by the Muslim Personal Law
4. Sabzwari made SECP chairman for family matters. It includes allowing Muslim
 The government appointed Farrukh H. men to divorce their wives by saying `talaq`, the
Sabzwari chairman of the Securities and Arabic word for divorce, three times.
Exchange Chairman of Pakistan (SECP) on 6. Trump declares end to US `policeman`
December 27, 2018 after the position had role in Iraq visit
remained vacant for around 18 months.  President Donald Trump used a lightning
 In a meeting chaired by Prime Minister visit to Iraq his first with US troops in a conflict
Imran Khan, the Federal Cabinet approved his zone since being elected to defend the
appointment as new chairman of the corporate withdrawal from Syria and declare an end to
sector regulator. He will take over the affairs of America`s role as the global `policeman`.
SECP after a notification is issued by the Ministry  Mr Trump, accompanied by his wife
of Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs. Melania, landed at Al-Asad Air Base in western
 Sabzwari is an MBA with more than 25 Iraq after what he described as a stressful,
years of domestic and international professional secrecy shrouded flight on a `pitch black` Air
experience in capital markets. Before joining the Force One.
regulator, he was serving as the chief executive  He spoke to a group of about 100 mostly
of BMA Capital Management. special forces personnel and separately with
 Mr Sabzwari was appointed as military leaders before leaving a few hours later
Commissioner on Nov 15, along with Amir Khan after a visit that sparked controversy in Iraq.
who was serving as an executive director at the  A planned meeting with Iraqi Prime
regulator. The other three commissioners at the Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was scrapped and
SECP include Tahir Mahmood, Shaukat Hussain replaced by a phone call, the premier`s office
and Shauzab Ali. said.
 Mr Trump invited Abdel Mahdi to visit  Borisov spoke a day after Russian
Washington and he accepted, according to the President Vladimir Putin oversaw what he
White House. described as the conclusive successful test of the
7. Taliban urge US to leave Afghanistan or Avangard and hailed it as a reliable guarantee of
face Soviet-style defeat Russia`s security for decades to come.
 The Taliban warned the United States on  In December 26, 2018`s test, the
December 27, 2018 it would face the same fate weapon was launched from the Dombarovskiy
as the Soviet Union in the 1980s if it did not leave missile base in the southern Ural Mountains. The
Afghanistan, as Washington considers slashing Kremlin said it successfully hit a practice target
troop numbers. on the Kura shooting range on Kamchatka, 6,000
 In a taunting message sent on the 39th kilometres (3,700 miles) away.
anniversary of the Soviet invasion of the war- 9. UAE reopens embassy in Syrian capital,
torn country, the Taliban said US forces faced boosting Assad
`humiliation` and could `learn a great deal` from  The United Arab Emirates reopened its
the experience of their Cold War foe. The embassy in Damascus on December 27, 2018,
Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989, ending the latest sign of efforts to bring the Syrian
a decade-long occupation and precipitating a government back into the Arab fold.
bloody civil war and the emergence of the  The UAE broke ties with Syria in
Taliban. February 2012, as the repression of nationwide
 `Take heed from the Soviet defeat in protests demanding regime change was
Afghanistan and abandon thoughts of testing the escalating into a devastating war.
mettle of the already proven Afghans,` Taliban  Nearly seven years later, the Emirati flag
spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a was raised again during a ceremony attended by
statement in English, Dari and Pashto. diplomats and journalists.
 The Taliban have not formally  An acting charged affaires has already
responded to the news that Trump had decided started working, an Emirati statement said,
to withdraw roughly half of the 14,000 US troops stressing that the UAE was `keen to put relations
in Afghanistan. back on their normal track`.
8. Russia tests missile 27 times faster than  A visit to Damascus by Sudanese
speed of sound President Omar al-Bashir earlier this month had
 Russia`s new strategic weapon has been interpreted by some observers as a sign of
rendered any missile defences useless at a small regional efforts to end Syrian President Bashar al
fraction of their cost. Assad`s diplomatic isolation.
 The Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle 10. American completes first unaided solo
flies 27 times faster than the speed of sound, trek of Antarctica
making it impossible to intercept, Deputy Prime  An American adventurer has become
Minister Yuri Borisov told Russian state the first person to complete a solo trek across
television. Antarctica without assistance of any kind. Colin
 The new weapon èssentially makes O`Brady, 33, took 54 days to complete the nearly
missile defences useless. 1,600-km crossing of the frozen continent from
coast to coast.
 His voyage was tracked by GPS, and live  The Advisory Council constituted
updates of the trip were provided daily on his comprises highly experienced former diplomats
website colinobrady.com. and ambassadors alongside academicians from
 O`Brady and an Englishman, army country’s renowned universities associated with
Captain Louis Rudd, 49, set off individually on the study of international relations and foreign
Nov 3 from Union Glacier in a bid to be the first policy.
to complete a solo, unassisted crossing of  The council is tasked to formulate
Antarctica. recommendations related to Pakistan’s foreign
 In 1996-97, a Norwegian polar explorer, policy, based on their experience and
Borge Ousland, made the first solo crossing of knowledge, especially issues that are not
Antarctica but he was wind-aided by kites on his routinely concentrated on such as national
voyage. In 2016, an English army officer, resource constraints.
Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley, died while  In order to emphasis on these issues, Dr
trying to complete an unassisted solo crossing of Adil Najam, a world-renowned expert has been
Antarctica. included in the Advisory Council.
 In order to dispel the impression of our
December 29, 2018 Foreign Policy being mostly security centric and
less directed towards economic issues, experts
1. COAS endorses death sentence of 22
having relevant experience in international
terrorists
economics have been made part of the advisory
 Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa
council.
has confirmed death sentence awarded to 22
 In order to have a holistic approach,
hardcore terrorists.
Minsters of Finance, Commerce and Planning
 Besides this, 15 convicts have also been
have also been included as Members of the
awarded imprisonment. However, two convicts
Council.
tried by special military court were found not
3. First woman principal assumes charge
guilty and have been acquitted accordingly.
at ICS
 Their terrorist activities resulted into
 The historic educational institution of
death of 176 persons including 19 armed forces
the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Islamia Collegiate
personnel, 41 police and levies officials and 116
School on December 28, 2018 got first ever
civilians and injuring 217 others.
female principal in its 106-year meritorious
 They were involved in killing of innocent
educational history.
civilians by exploding vehicle borne improvised
 Zohra Tauqir, a senior teacher of the
explosives device, at Abbas Town Karachi, which
Islamia Collegiate School assumed the charge.
resulted in death of 57 persons and injuries to 79
 She possesses rich teaching and
others.
administrative experience. Her M.Phil is on
2. Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs
application of recreational mathematics at
formed
school level mathematics teaching. The Vice
 Prime Minster Imran Khan December 28,
Chancellor of Islamia College Peshawar, Prof. Dr.
2018 constituted an Advisory Council on Foreign
Habib Ahmad formally approved Zohra Tauqir’s
Affairs under the Chairmanship of Foreign
appointment order
Minster Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
4. “Air SIAL” got approval to start flight gender inclusive employment and income
operation opportunities in the rural areas of Sindh and
 The Sialkot exporters’ own airline Balochistan through targeted support to both
namely “Air SIAL” has finally got Prime Minister’s the public and private sectors. It is a grant
approval to start its flight operation from Sialkot amounting to Euros 50 million.
international airport in 2019. 6. KP Assembly repeals Ehtesab
 A delegation of “Air SIAL” airline called Commission Act
on the Prime Minister Imran Khan at his office in  The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on
Islamabad the other day. Chairman Air SIAL Fazal December 28, 2018 repealed the Khyber
Jillani led the delegation. Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission Act, 2014
 The Sialkot exporters discussed in details under which the KP Ehtesab Commission was
matters pertaining to the operation, fleet and established in the previous government of PTI.
capacity of the airline with the PM.  The assembly dissolved the commission
 On the occasion, Prime Minister Imran by passing the KP Ehtesab Commission Repeal
Khan assured his full support and cooperation to Act, 2018.
Air SIAL airline for its early launch.  The bill transfers all the complaints
 The airline will be operational in the first received by the KP Ehtesab Commission on
quarter of 2019. which inquiries have been initiated to the Anti-
5. Pakistan, EU sign two financing Corruption Establishment.
agreements  Similarly, all the pending inquiries and
 Pakistan and European Union on investigations initiated by the Directorate
December 28, 2018 signed two financing General of the KP Ehtesab Commission were also
agreements, “Development through Enhanced transferred to the Anti-Corruption
Education Programme - (DEEP)” and “Growth for Establishment, which will further inquire and
Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress - investigate them.
(GRASP)”, worth € 100 million which is  The services of the contractual
equivalent to Rs15,942 million collectively. employees of the KP Ehtesab Commission were
 Secretary Economic Affairs Division, terminated while the regular employees have
Noor Ahmed and the Ambassador of the EU to been given the option of taking a golden
Pakistan, Jean Francois Cautain signed the handshake or carrying on their services as
agreements in Islamabad. Pakistan and surplus employees of the KP government
European Union share a long history of 7. Pakistan renews request for Chenab
development cooperation and the financing hydropower projects inspection
agreements are part of the Multiannual  Pakistan has once again urged India to
Indicative Programme (2014-2020) signed fulfil its commitment made in August this year of
between EU and Pakistan. These projects have getting its two hydropower projects 1,000MW
been designed in collaboration with government Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnal inspected by
of Pakistan stakeholders. Pakistani experts.
 GRASP is a six year programme that  `We have once again requested our
contributes to the reduction of poverty through counterpart, Indian Commissioner for Indus
development of rural SMEs thereby, creating Waters, through a letter on De cember 24 to
immediately schedule our experts` tour to (DRDO) will provide its expertise and collaborate
inspect 1,oooMw Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower with Indian Railways in the project.
Kalnal at Chenab Basin, Pakistani Commissioner 9. Major avenue in Brooklyn named after
for Indus Waters Mehr Ali Shahtold Dawn on Quaid
Friday.  A section of a busy avenue in Brooklyn, a
 Islamabad had earlier in last month borough of New York City, has been named after
written a letter to New Delhi, reminding it of Pakistan’s founder Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad
fulfilling its promise made during the 115th Ali Jinnah.
meeting of the Permanent Commission for Indus  Under a resolution adopted on Dec 26 --
Waters (PCIW) held between the two countries Quaid’s birthday -- the New York City Council
from Aug 29 to 30 in Lahore. During the meeting, designated the part of Coney Island Avenue
India had not only agreed to allow Pakistani where the Pakistani-American community is
experts to inspect the aforementioned two concentrated, as “Mohammad Ali Jinnah Way”,
projects in September but also the Kishanganga an elated Waqil Ahmad, the PAYO President, told
project at Jhelum basin at a later stage. a press conference in Brooklyn.
Reciprocally, Pakistan had also agreed to allow  The resolution, tabled by Jumaane
India to carry out inspection of Kotri Barrage Williams, a city council member from Brooklyn,
over the Indus after September. was adopted by a majority vote.
8. India to construct world’s highest rail 10. Amla, Elgar give South Africa series lead
bridge  Battling knocks from Dean Elgar (50) and
 Indian Railways under the Modi Hashim Amla (63*) helped South Africa wrap up
government will build the world’s highest rail- a six-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test.
arch bridge with a height of 359 metres over the  Set 149 to win, the hosts were struck an
river Chenab in the northern state of Jammu and early blow with the departure of Aiden Markram
Kashmir. in the second over of the day.
 Currently, the highest rail-arch bridge is
the Najiehe Railway bridge at Liuchangxiang in December 30, 2018
Guizhou, China with a height of 310 meters,
1. Bahawalpur hosts first-ever meeting of
whilst the second highest is the Bejpan River
Punjab cabinet
Shuibai Railway bridge at Liupanshui in Guizhou
(275 meters high).  The Punjab cabinet in its first meeting in
south Punjab on December 29, 2018 took major
 Railways is on track to achieve another
decisions such as approving water and labour
engineering milestone with the Chenab Bridge in
policies, increasing teaching and general cadre
Jammu & Kashmir, set to be the highest railway
doctors` pay package, levying user charges in
arch bridge in the world
teaching hospitals and lifting ban on the
 The Indian Railways have also tweeted,
recruitment of the disabled against their three
“Chenab bridge, world’s highest rail bridge, is
per cent quota across the province.
India’s unparalleled engineering feat.
 It also okayed subsidy on export of sugar
 More than 24,000 tonnes of steel will be
during the meeting which has been hailed as a
used in the construction. The Indian Defence
historic occasion.
Research and Development Organisation
 Chief Minister Usman Buzdar chaired mainly due to the sharp depreciation in local
the 46-member sixth cabinet meeting having currency and increase in interest rate.
ministers, advisers and special assistants besides  The ministry of finance has upward
chief secretary, administrative secretaries and revised the interest payment on foreign loans to
other officials in attendance at the Islamia Rs1.79 trillion for the year 2018-19 after the
University Old Campus conference hall. The massive depreciation in currency against the US
entire government machinery, said the chief dollar. Initially, at the time of budget for current
minister, was in Bahawalpur to remove a sense fiscal year, the government had earmarked
of deprivation among the people of south Rs1.62 trillion for interest payment for the
Punjab. current fiscal year. However, the government
 Never in the past 70 years did any would have to pay additional Rs166.86 billion on
Punjab cabinet meeting take place outside interest payment only due to rupee
Lahore. depreciation.
 The next cabinet meeting is expected to  The officials of ministry of finance
be held in Sargodha which will be followed by informed that government had set Rs1.62 trillion
another in Multan. for interest payment when dollar was at around
2. Inauguration ceremony of Mohmand Rs115 in April this year. Now, the amount of
dam postponed interest payment had gone to Rs1.79 trillion
 The government has shelved the when a dollar is trading at Rs140. “Not only
inauguration ceremony of the much-awaited interest payment, but the size of public loan will
Mohmand dam project, which was scheduled for also increase due to the rupee depreciation,”
Jan 2. said an official. Cumulatively, the rupee has
 The inauguration of the dam project dropped 33 percent, or around Rs35, on closing
which was to be conducted by Prime Minister basis in the one year, he added.
Imran Khan along with Chief Justice of Pakistan 4. First phase of fencing Torkham border
Mian Saqib Nisar as chief guests had been completes
postponed. The ceremony has been postponed  Pakistan Army has installed fence wire at
and no new date has yet to be finalized. Torkham border and prevented the entry of
 The construction of the Rs309 billion terrorists and smugglers into the land of
Mohmand dam is said to be imperative to Pakistan. For the first time it has been decided to
resolve the problems of water scarcity and monitor the Pak Afghan border through drones.
electricity shortfall in the country.  The officials said that the installation of
 A sum of Rs2bn has been allocated for fence at Pak Afghan border was started on 27th
the project in the Public Sector Development April, 2017, from Big Ben Check Post, which is
Programme 2018-19. still going on as the total length of fence would
3. Govt to pay additional Rs166.8b as be 1403 kilometres. In the first phase Torkham
interest payment border has been made safe by installing 539 KM
 The government would have to pay long fence on it.
additional Rs166.86 billion on interest payment  The purpose of putting in wire on the
on foreign loans during ongoing fiscal year border is to prevent all ways of illegal transit to
Pakistan. In the second phase 379 kilometres
and in the third leg 485 KM long fence would be  Relations between Ukraine and Russia
established. The process would be completed went into free fall after Moscow`s 2014
within two years. annexation of Crimea and the subsequent
 The setting up of the fence is being outbreak of a pro-Russian insurgency in the
carried out under the supervision of Khyber eastern Donbass region.
Rifles, whose 147 personnel sacrificed their lives  Since then, Russia has banned imports of
for the protection of motherland. beer, vodka, juice, wallpaper and confectionery
 some 700 border check posts and forts from Ukraine.
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being fortified and 7. Russia, Turkey to coordinate on Syria
all the posts would be linked with one another, after US pullout
whereas modern equipments and gadgets are  Russia and Turkey on December 29,
being utilised for day and night monitoring of the 2018 agreed to coordinate ground operations in
border Syria after the shock announcement of a US
5. Nuclear scientist Dr Masud dies military withdrawal.
 Dr Masud Ahmad, an illustrious scientist  President Donald Trump`s move has
of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), already hastened a shift in alliances with Syrian
died on December 29, 2018. He was 74 and left troops deployed on Friday in support of Kurdish
behind three daughters and a widow. forces around a strategic northern city. The
 Dr Masud remained Member Science in Kurds, under threat from Ankara, had been
the PAEC from 2001 till 2006 and also served as supported by US forces.
member, Chairman Advisory Council till 2016. He  The Syrian deployment pleased ally
was well rated in the area of Theoretical Physics. Russia but upset Turkey ahead of Saturday`s
 He held great respect and admiration for talks in Moscow.
his work in the service of the country. In 8. Pentagon not yet asked to pull out
recognition of his significant contribution in troops from Afghanistan
Pakistan’s nuclear programme, he was conferred  The White House said on December 29,
upon Hilal-e-Imtiaz and Pride of Performance by 2018 that President Donald Trump had not yet
the government ordered the Pentagon to pull out troops from
6. Russia widens ban on Ukrainian Afghanistan, contradicting reports last week that
imports he is withdrawing half of the 14,000 US troops
 Russia expanded a ban on imported deployed there.
goods from Ukraine on December 29, 2018,  Garrett Marquis, a White House and US
saying it would halt some $500 million worth of National Security Council spokesman, said in an
annual imports of mainly industrial products in email to Bloomberg news agency that the
retaliation for economic sanctions by Kiev. question of withdrawal remained undecided.
 Earlier this year, Russian President  `The president has not made a
Vladimir Putin instructed the government to determination to drawdown US military
prepare a list of measures against Ukraine after presence in Afghanistan,` he wrote. Ànd he has
Kiev announced economic sanctions on a list of not directed the Department of Defence to begin
Russian companies and business figures. the process of withdrawing US personnel from
Afghanistan.
 Last week, US officials told journalists
that Mr Trump had made up his mind to
December 31, 2018
withdraw 7,000 troops from Afghanistan by the 1. Pak-Qatar coordination to help stabilise
summer. `That decision has been made. There Afghanistan: Qureshi
will be a significant withdrawal.  Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood
9. Kremlin confirms info on Syrian army Qureshi has emphasised that close and regular
taking control of Manbij coordination between Pakistan and Qatar would
 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan be helpful in the ongoing efforts to achieve a
brushed off the report on Manbij passing under broad regional understanding for long term
the Syrian government’s control as a stability in Afghanistan and the region.
“psychological operation”, saying that “there is  During his daylong visit to Doha on
nothing definite yet”. December 30, 2018, the foreign minister briefed
 Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Qatari leadership on recent developments
December 29, 2018 the information that the concerning peace in Afghanistan and underlined
Syrian government’s forces had taken control of the foresight of the Qatariemir in providing an
the city of Manbij was true. early foundation for peace and reconciliation
 The Syrian Arab Army announced its effortsin Afghanistan.
troops had entered the northern city of Manbij  Mr Qureshi called on Deputy Emir of
after a request by the Kurdish People’s Qatar Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani and
Protection Units (YPG) to take control of the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin
town ahead of Turkey’s looming offensive in the Khalifa Al-Thani. He also held a meeting with his
area. Qataricounterpart and Deputy Prime Minister,
Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani.
 The Qatari deputy emir reiterated his
10. Shahbaz resigns as PHF secretary country`s desire for working to achieve peace
and stability in the region.
 Olympian Shahbaz Senior December 29,
2018 tendered his resignation from the post of  The two sides stressed the importance
Pakistan Hockey Federation Secretary tendered of synergy to overcome common hurdles and
to PHF President Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar. devise a consensus-based approach to achieve
 Shahbaz Senior who was looking highly wider regional development and progress, the
emotional and somewhat dejected, confirmed Foreign Office said in a statement.
2. Critic, writer Dr Saleem Akhtar passes
he had sent his resignation to PHF president. He
away
said the government didn’t have any time for
national game hockey and it makes no sense of  Renowned critic, short story writer and
clinging on to federation, when government, IPC educationist Dr Saleem Akhtar passed away on
Minister and Prime Minster don’t have time or December 30, 2018. He was 84.
funds to revive hockey.  He was a giant of Urdu literature with a
 “I along with Brig Khokhar had worked big contribution to it, not only in form of books
tirelessly for last four years and trust me I would he had written but a long career teaching. He
have long tendered my resignation had Brig wrote 88 books on different topics in various
Khokhar was not the president.” genres, including short stories, novelettes,
travelogues, textbooks, criticism, psychology, the Sadia Khan Ski Cup 2018 on December 30,
religion and culture. 2018.
 Dr Saleem Akhtar was born in Lahore on  Skiers of different ski associations from
March 11, 1934. He got his early education in all across Pakistan participated in the
Pune, India, where his father was posted in championship.
military accounts. He did matriculation from  The closing ceremony was held at the
Faizul Islam High School, Rawalpindi, and BA PAF Ski Resort Naltar on December 30, 2018.
from Govt Degree College, Lower Mall,  Civil and military officials were also
Rawalpindi. After a brief stint with a newspaper present at the ceremony. Base Commander, PAF
in Peshawar, he left the job and did MA Urdu as Base Kalabagh, Air Commodore Asim Ijaz was the
a private candidate. He also did a diploma in chief guest.
Library Sciences. His master`s degree got him a 5. Talks move to Saudi Arabia as US,
job as a lecturer at Emerson College, Multan in Taliban mark positions
1962 where he taught for eight years before  Afghan Taliban said on December 30,
being transferred to the Govt College, Lahore. 2018 they would meet US officials in Saudi
During his teaching career, he also completed his Arabia next month as the Trump administration
PhD. He retired from the college as assistant created more space for its negotiators to man
professor in 1994. oeuvre by not outlining a pullout plan.
3. DR Congo votes after two-year delay  `We will meet US officials in Saudi Arabia
 After two years of delays, crackdowns in January and we will start our talks that
and political turmoil, the Democratic Republic of remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi,` a member
Congo voted on December 30, 2018 in of the Taliban Leadership Council told Reuters
presidential elections that will determine the news agency.
future of Africa`s notoriously unstable giant.  Diplomatic sources in Washington said
 The vote gives the DRC the chance of its that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi,
first peaceful transfer of power since it gained who visited Qatar on Sunday to discuss the
independence from Belgium in 1960. Afghan peace initiative with Qatari leaders, may
 Analysts, though, say the threat of also visit Saudi Arabia soon.
upheaval is great, given organisational hitches  Last week, Mr Qureshi wrapped up a
and suspicion of President Joseph Kabila, who whirlwind, three-day tour ofAfghanistan, Iran,
refused to quit in 2016 after his two-term limit China and Russia to promote à regional
expired. approach` for resolving the Afghan dispute.
 The election`s credibility has been  By December 30, 2018, it became clear
strained by repeated delays, fears of chaos on that the US and Taliban were both marking their
polling day and accusations that electronic positions for the next round of talks in Saudi
voting machines would help to rig the result. Arabia. While the US rescinded an earlier plan to
 On election eve, talks aimed at averting recall half of its 14,000 troops from Afghanistan,
violence after the vote broke down. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the
4. GB team wins Naltar ski championship group wanted to reach an agreement with the
 Showcasing some extraordinary US before engaging with the Afghan
performances, the GB Ski Association clinched government.
6. Hasina ‘wins’ Bangladesh polls after deadly Telegraph reported, citing British Secretary of
vote day State of Defence Gavin Williamson. He
 Sheikh Hasina’s party, the Bangladesh Awami reportedly called Brexit “the biggest moment”
League, December 30, 2018 won controversial for the UK since the end of the Second World
general elections marred by violence. War and said that it would allow London to
 The local media said that Hasina’s ruling Awami “recast ourselves in a different way” and “play
League party easily crossed the 151 seats the role on the world stage that the world
needed to form a majority government. expects [the UK] to play”.
 The Awami League and its allies had won 191  “For so long — literally for decades — so much
seats, said reports. While the Opposition of our national view point has actually been
coalition, which has called the results as coloured by a discussion about the European
“farcical”, managed only five seats. Union. This is our moment to be that true global
7. India killed 355 Kashmiris in 2018 player once more”, he said.
 A human rights organization says that a total of 9. Fire-resistant Xuan paper developed for
355 people lost their lives to Indian state precious calligraphy
terrorism in Kashmir in 2018.  Today's Chinese artists now have the
 The deceased included a 10-year-old boy, a opportunity to preserve their works much longer
pregnant woman, two-mentally challenged men, than the masters who painted hundreds of years
a senior journalist and three PhD scholars, ago.
according the report released by the  Chinese researchers have developed a non-
International Forum for Justice and Human flammable version of Xuan paper that has high
Rights (IFJHR). thermal stability, according to the Chinese
 As many as 95 cordon and search operations Academy of Sciences (CAS).
took place in Kashmir in the year in which 120  Xuan paper, a type of handmade paper, was
houses were destroyed, reported the Kashmir originally produced in ancient China and used for
Media Service (KMS) citing the report. both Chinese calligraphy and paintings. The
 It said in all 355 Kashmiri Muslims and 95 Indian procedure of making Xuan paper was listed as a
forces’ personnel lost their lives in the year 2018. world intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in
 The report stated that Musharraf Fayaz (10) died 2009.
after getting injured in an explosion in Shopian in  The raw materials need to produce Xuan paper
January, while a pregnant woman, Firdousa, lost are found in Jingxian County, east China's Anhui
her life to troops’ bullets. Province and as of late, are in short supply.
 Senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari was also shot 10. China launches human voice speech synthesis
dead outside his office at the Press Enclave. system
8. UK to establish new overseas military bases  A Mongolian speech synthesis system that
after Brexit makes machines speak the language as naturally
 Currently Britain has several overseas military as humans has been launched in Hohhot, capital
bases, including bases on Cyprus, the Falkland of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous
Islands, Gibraltar and the Indian Ocean, but is Region.
reportedly planning to expand its global military  The "Aoyun" Mongolian speech synthesis system
presence. was developed by the Mongolian text
 London is planning to set up new military bases information processing technology lab under the
in the Caribbean and in Southeast Asia after it College of Computer Science of Inner Mongolia
completes the Brexit process, The Sunday University.

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12 - Day by Day Current Affairs For The Month of December 2018 PDF

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DAY BY DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQS

FOR THE MONTH DECEMBER 2018

Day by Day Top-10

December 3, 2018 country, the scope of investment was widened

December 5, 2018 Singapore, who called on him at the Prime

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