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November 19, 2020: National / International Current Affairs
1. UAE suspends visit visas for Pakistan, 11 other countries
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has temporarily suspended issuance of new visit visas for Pakistan and 11 other countries, the Foreign Office (FO) said on November 18, 2020.
• While referring to the suspension of visit visas, FO spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said: `We have learnt that the UA E has temporarily suspended the issuance of new visit visas until further announcement for 12 countries, including Pakistan. The suspension is not applicable on already issued visas
2. Imran pays his maiden visit to Kabul today
• Prime Minister Imran Khan would on November 18, 2020 undertake his maiden visit to Afghanistan for seeking better ties with the north-western neighbour that have so far been marred by mistrust and blame game.
• The Prime Minister Office (PMO), while announcing the trip, said Mr Khan would be visiting Kabul on the invitation of President Ashraf Ghani.
• He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Adviser on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood.
3. PIA stops serving hot beverages on flights
• The Pakistan International Airlines has discontinued serving `hot beverages` on domestic and international flights to limit interactions between passengers and crew as the travelers would be only served pre-packaged cold beverages.
• The move was part of reviewed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to limit the interaction between the cabin crew and passengers due to increase in Covid19 cases.
• He said the passengers on domestic flights would be served with a pre-packaged box with cold beverage, instead of tea or coffee
4. ADB raises Rs1.83bn bond for Pakistan
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised Rs1.83 billion ($11.4 million) local currency `Karakoram bonds` and promised its continued support for Pakistan`s development efforts and Covid-19 pandemic response.
• This is a first issue of local currency `Karakoram bonds` by a multilateral development bank of which Pakistan is a member, said the ADB in a statement.
• A Karakoram is an offshore bond denominated in Pakistan rupees and settled in US dollars, listed on a major stock exchange and settled through an international central securities depository
5. Trump fires top US election cybersecurity official who rejected fraud claim
• President Donald Trump on November 18, 2020 fired top cybersecurity official Chris Krebs in a message on Twitter, accusing him without evidence of making a `highly inaccurate` statement affirming the Nov 3 election was secure and rejecting claims of fraud.
• Trump has made debunked allegations that the election was `rigged` and has refused to concede defeat to President elect Joe Biden. His campaign has filed a flurry of lawsuits in battleground states, although election officials in both parties have said they see no evidence of serious irregularities
6. Saudi Arabia, Iraq reopen border after 30 years
• Iraq and Saudi Arabia on November 18, 2020 reopened their land border for the first time in 30 years, with closer trade ties between the two countries irking allies of Riyadh`s rival, Tehran.
• Top officials including Iraq`s interior minister and the head of its border commission travelled from Baghdad to formally open the Arar crossing.
• They met a delegation who had joined them from Riyadh, all in masks, and cut a red ribbon at the border crossing as a line of cargo trucks waited behind them
7. Taliban welcome US troop drawdown from Afghanistan as `good step`
• The Taliban on November 18, 2020 welcomed the Pentagon`s announcement it would soon pull about 2,000 US troops from Afghanistan as a `good step` that will help end the country`s long-running conflict.
• The Pentagon on Tuesday said the US will slash troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq to their lowest levels in nearly 20 years of war after President Donald Trump pledged to end conflicts abroad.
• `It is a good step and in the interest of the people of both countries,` Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, referring to the US and Afghanistan
8. Bahrain, Israel agree to set up embassies in Jerusalem meet
• Bahrain`s foreign minister called for fresh Israeli-Palestinian peace talks during a landmark meeting on November 18, 2020 in Israel with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• Pompeo President Donald Trump`s top diplomat, on a farewell visit to close ally Israel did not address Israel`s dispute with the Palestinians, who have protested his planned trip on Thursday to a Jewish-owned business in the occupied West Bank
9. England to tour Pakistan for first time since 2009 attack
• England cricketers will tour Pakistan next year for the first time since a deadly 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team bus, the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on November 18, 2020.
• England will play two Twenty20 Internationals in Karachi on Oct 14 and 15 in a move hailed as a `significant moment for both nations` by the ECB`s chief executive officer Tom Harrison
10. Former PCB chief curator Haji Bashir passes away
• Renowned curator and former Pakistan Cricket Board`s head groundsman Haji Mohammad Bashir and Akbar Ali, another groundsman who was currently working at the LCCA Ground, both died of cardiac arrest on November 18, 2020.
• After a couple of hours news of Akbar passing away was received it was reported that had also died.
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