WELCOME TO CSS TIMES DAY BY  DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS, YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR UP-TO-DATE AND DAILY TOP CURRENT AFFAIRS 2017 FOR PREPARATION OF CSS, PMS, BANKING, NTS, RAILWAYS AND ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS.  “DAY TO DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS” BASICALLY IS TOP 10 NEWS SUMMARY ON CURRENT HAPPENINGS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE FOR ALL EXAMINATIONS

 December 01, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs MCQs)

1. The government has promoted Air Commodore Muhammad Zahoor Faisal, Air Commodore Soban Nazir Syed and Air Commodore Rizwan Riaz to the rank of Air Vice Marshal
2. The Sindh High Court appointed its Nazir, a court official, for inspection of movable and immovable properties of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto
3. A US drone struck a suspected compound in the Ghuzgarhi area near the Afghan border in Kurram Agency on November 30, 2017, killing three people
4. Former foreign secretary Akram Zaki passed away on Saturday. He was 86
   • He performed his duties as Pakistan’s ambassador to China, Nigeria, the Philippines and the United States
5. PM Shahid Khagan Abbasi arrived SOCHI (Russia) to participate in the 16th meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
6. Pakistan has regular engagement with Tehran alongside its cooperation with Riyadh
7. Google launched Datally, an android app that helps smartphone users understand, control and save mobile data
8. Pope Francis called on November 30, 2017 for `decisive` international action on the Rohingya refugee crisis as he began a visit to Bangladesh
9. The United States has called upon the international community to cut diplomatic and trade ties with North Korea after the country`s latest ballistic missile test
10. Lahore Blues rout Whites to clinch National T20 Cup title
    • Lahore Blues produced a disciplined show to outplay Lahore Whites in all departments as Mohammad Hafeez`s charges were crowned champions of the National T20 Cup with a comprehensive seven wicket triumph in Rawalpindi on November 30, 2017
      

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December 2, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs MCQs)

1. Saudi Arabia’s $300-billion privatization program was billed as the sale of the century when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled his plan to great fanfare
2. Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has met Senator Jeff Merkley in Washington.
   • Senator Merkley is the member of the US Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees, reported Radio Pakistan.
3. Former US President Barack Obama has confessed that Pakistan had no knowledge of the presence of Osma Bin Laden in Abbottabad
4. Trump might declare Jerusalem the Israeli capital
   • A highly charged declaration that risks inflaming tensions across the Middle East but would be a way to offset a likely decision delaying his campaign promise to move the U.S. Embassy
5. Pakistan says its membership in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will help provide opportunity to enhance trade relations with Russia
6. Pakistan has expressed grave concern at reports of the second ballistic missile attack on the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
7. US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis December 1, 2017 embarked on a five-day trip to Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and Kuwait
   • Mattis is scheduled to meet with leaders in each nation “to re-affirm the enduring US commitment to partnerships in the Middle East , West Africa and South Asia ,”
8. NASA successfully fires Voyager 1 thrusters after 37 years
9. US world’s biggest supplier of heavy oil refining by product
10. Saudi Arabia and Iran have exported their bitter regional tussle to Rome, accusing each other of villainous meddling in the Middle East during diplomacy talks in the Italian capital
    

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December 4, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs MCQs)

1. Iran inaugurated a long-awaited $1 billion project to expand its southeastern Chabahar port which Tehran hopes would help the country become a key transit route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, competing with Gwadar port
2. The government announced on December 3, 2017 that it had managed to ensure `zero loadshedding` in some parts of the country
   • Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Leghari
3. Balochistan Health Minister: Rehmat Saleh Baloch
4. The Punjab government will establish a climate change extension cell in the Department of Agriculture by June 2018
5. In a year where the Trump administration is pulling out of UN accords, from climate change to UNESCO on Israeli pressure, the United States notified the world body that it would no longer take part in the Global Compact on Migration, saying it undermines the nation`s sovereignty
6. Qatar`s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will attend a crucial summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council this week
7. CIA Director Mike Pompeo has warned Pakistan that if it does not eliminate the alleged safe havens inside its territory, the United States will do `everything we can` to destroy them
8. A Pakistani contingent, comprising 68 officers and soldiers of Special Services Group (SSG), is participating in Pak-Saudi Special Forces joint counter terrorism exercise ‘Al-Shehab-2’
   • The exercise is underway at Prince Naif Security City, Riyadh
9. Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB): Siddiqul Farooq
10. French President Emmanuel Macron called for a rapid opening of dialogue between Iraq’s central government and Iraqi Kurdish leaders and for “all militias” to be dismantled to ease tensions
    

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December 5, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs MCQs)

1. The United States on December 4, 2017 urged Pakistan to cooperate with it and `others` as it renewed its call for intensification of Pakistani operation in fight against terrorist groups allegedly operating from here
   • US Defence Secretary: James Mattis
2. Some two dozen 20 universities in Punjab have prepared an action plan to promote peace and tolerance at campuses to counter extremism
3. Asian Development Bank has allocated $5 billion for the implementation of Strategy 2030 under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC)
4. A century after gaining independence from its powerful neighbour Russia, Finland continues to consolidate its ties to the West, as tensions flare between Moscow and the West
5. Veteran Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor died in Mumbai on December 4, 2017
6. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on December 4, 2017 called for a summit of Muslim nations if the United States takes the controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel`s capital
   • The 57-member OIC sought to amplify concern over the possible move in an emergency meeting in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah
7. Britain and the EU failed to strike a Brexit divorce deal during talks in Brussels on December 4, 2017.
8. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang signed three trade agreements on as Ottawa tries to diversify commercial ties amid tough NAFTA negotiations with Washington
9. Chinese authorities have shut down a “female morality class” that provoked anger by lecturing women to shut up, accept a second-rate role in society and focus on housework
10. US, South Korea begin largest-ever joint air drill
    

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December 6, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs MCQs)

1. The contents of the Justice Ali Baqir Najafi report were made public on orders of the Lahore High Court
   • Recalling the gruesome events of June 17, 2014 in Model Town, Lahore, the one-man judicial tribunal, constituted to ascertain the facts and fix responsibility on the perpetrators, observed that the Punjab police had done exactly what `it went for`
2. The US forces seem to be setting up a new military camp in Afghanistan
3. Justice Mohammad Ayub Khan took oath as a permanent judge of the Peshawar High Court on December 5, 2017
4. Northern Ireland is no longer riven by sectarian violence, but its deeply divided politics have thrown Britain`s Brexit plans into disarray
5. Uzbekistan and Afghanistan signed an agreement on December 5, 2017 to extend a railroad connecting the two countries in a move which may eventually give Uzbekistan a direct link to sea ports
6. Canada has high hopes for a trade agreement with China but won`t rush into negotiations that could affect their economies for generations to come
7. The US Supreme Court said on December 5, 2017 that the government could fully enforce a revised ban on travellers from six mainly Muslim countries pending appeal, backing President Donald Trump in the year-long battle over the controversial measure
8. A senior United Nations official arrived in North Korea on December 5, 2017 for a rare visit aimed at defusing soaring tensions over Pyongyang`s nuclear weapons programme
9. Kuwait`s emir on December 5, 2017 quiclcly called an end to a planned two-day meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) within hours of its start amid the ongoing diplomatic dispute surrounding Qatar
10. Romania`s last king Michael I, who was forced to abdicate by the communists in the aftermath of World War 11, died on December 5, 2017. He was 96
    

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December 7, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on December 6, 2017 recognising Jerusalem as Israel`s capital 70 years after the United States formally recognised Israel as a state
2. Pakistan joined the international community in expressing its strong opposition and condemnation of the US decision to recognise the occupied city of Al Quds Al Sharif / Jerusalem as the so-called capital of Israel
3. The Japanese government plans to cooperate with China on its One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative by financially supporting private-sector partnerships
4. 193 nations adopt plan for `a pollution-free planet`
   • The world`s nations vowed to curb plastic and chemical contamination of the air, soil, rivers and oceans, calling for a steep change in how goods are produced and consumed
5. Dubai’s ruler on December 6, 2017 launched the United Arab Emirates’ first space programme aimed at sending four Emirati astronauts to the International Space Station within five years
6. The Time magazine has described the persons behind the #MeToo movement as this year`s most influential people and named them the `Person of the Year`
7. North Korea missile test raises safety concerns
   • A North Korean ballistic missile was seen by the crew of several airliners last week, aviation authorities said
8. National Health Services (NHS) Minister: Saira Fazal Tarar
9. Current Prime Minister of Australia: Malcolm Bligh Turnbull
10. Current President of Syria: Bashar al-Assad
    

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December 8, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution that `strongly condemned` the US decision of shifting its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
2. Pakistan has told the United States that the controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by Washington could spoil its relations with the whole Muslim world
3. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to host three Pakistan Super League (PSL-3) games in the country, which include two eliminators in Lahore and the final in Karachi, to be held in the end of March next year
4. Pakistan Air Force to shoot down US drones breaching airspace
   • Air Chief Marshal: Sohail Aman
5. Greece and Turkey on December 7, 2017 agreed to world on confidence-boosting measures after a rocky start to a landmark two-day state visit to Athens by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
6. Qatar announced December 7, 2017 a deal to buy 12 French-built Rafale fighter jets, as it faces a boycott by neighbouring Gulf states in the region’s worst political crisis in years
7. The Pentagon warned of possible weapons delays and other military ramifications if the government shuts down over a budget deal impasse or passes a stop-gap spending bill to avert it
8. Russia’s defence ministry said its mission to oust Islamic State militants from Syria had been “accomplished” with the country “completely liberated” from the extremist group
9. China lodged an official protest with India on December 7, 2017 after charging that an Indian drone had “invaded” its airspace before crashing, months after the two sides ended a tense border standoff
10. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab: Captain (retd) Arif Nawaz Khan
    

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December 9, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Tanzeem al Ikhwan party chief Maulana Ameer Muhammad Akram Awan, who belonged to the Naqshbandia Owaisia Order of Islam, passed away on December 8, 2017 evening after a protracted illness. He was 83
2. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra on December 8, 2017 administered oath to provincial ministers Ishtiaq Urmar and Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani at the Governor House here
3. The European Union and Japan concluded negotiations on a free trade dealtocreate the world`s largest open economic area
4. Japan plans to purchase offensive air-to-surface missiles to counter North Korea`s rising military threat, a move likely to stir debate over its decades-long pacifist policy
5. Britain and the European Union reached a historic deal on Brexit divorce terms on December 8, 2017
6. Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Garbine Muguruza were named as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) world champions on December 8, 2017
7. Leave Lebanon alone, world powers tell KSA, Iran
   • French President Emmanuel Macron led calls December 8, 2017 for countries to stop meddling in Lebanon at an international meeting aimed at preventing the fragile nation becoming a pawn in the power struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran
8. Inspector General of Punjab Police: Arif Nawaz Khan
9. Ambassador of Nigeria in Pakistan: Maj Gen (r) Ashimiyu Adebayo Olaniyi
10. Current Chairman Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA): Irfan Qaiser Sheikh
    

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December 10, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. The government has failed to sign any free trade agreement (FTA) with any country since June 2013
2. Pakistan, China hold joint navy exercise
   • Pakistan Navy Ship SAIF (FFG-253) participated in 5th PN-PLA(N) Bilateral Exercise held at Shanghai, China
3. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor neither carries any hidden agenda nor has it anything to hide
   • Top Chinese diplomat in Islamabad Yao Jing said
4. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Kenya and Permanent Representative to the United Nations office at Nairobi Raza Bashir Tarrar was unanimously elected as Rapporteur of the Bureau of United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)
5. The World Bank late Friday signed a $1.15 billion loan with the Egyptian government
6. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on December 09, 2017 declared victory in a three-year war by Iraqi forces to expel the Islamic State militant group that at its height endangered Iraq’s very existence
7. Current Commissioner Lahore Division: Abdullah Khan Sumbal
8. Current Director General Punjab Food Authority: Noor-ul-Amin Mengal
9. Aqeel Khan partnering Shahzad Khan created new history, as he won the ITF Futures Tennis Tournament, 2017 men’s doubles title defeating Luka Pavlovic/Pere Riba in the finals played at Senator Dilawar Abbas PTF Complex Islamabad on December 09, 2017
10. Pakistani female powerlifters Saniha Ghafoor and Twinkle Sohail cleaned sweeped their respective categories during the Oceania Pacific Powerlifting Championship
    • Twinkle Sohail secured four gold medals in the 72kg category
    • Saniha won four medals in the 57kg category for squat, bench press, deadlift, and total weight.
    • The event is being held in Park Avenue Convention Centre in Singapore
      

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December 11, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elementary and secondary education department has closed down around 1,000 government primary schools across the province owing to low enrolment
   • KP Minister for Education: Mohammad Atif Khan
2. Communist parties win majority in Nepal vote
   • An alliance of Nepal`s former Maoist rebels and the main Communist party have won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections on December 11, 2017
3. Qatar to buy 24 fighters worth $8bn from UK
   • The $8-billion (6.8-billion-euro) deal was signed in Doha by Qatar`s Defence Minister Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah and his British counterpart, Gavin Williamson
4. OIC emergency summit on Jerusalem on 13^th December
   • The Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold an extraordinary summit in Istanbul, Turkey, to discuss the repercussions of the US recognition of Al-Quds as a capital of Israel
5. Indian trooper opens fire, kills four comrades
   • The trooper turned his gun on his fellow soldiers at around 5:00 pm local time Saturday in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh state
6. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital might hinder the US drive for an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord
   • UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said
7. ‘Ready’ to restore relations with KSA: Iran
   • Irani President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran is ready to restore ties with Saudi Arabia if it stops bombing Yemen and cuts its alleged ties with Israel
8. Peshawar and Abbottabad clinched the 12th Men’s Inter District Judo and 5th Women’s Inter Distract Judo Championships titles
   • The KP Judo Association-organised event was participated by 14 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 135 athletes
9. Current Britain’s foreign minister: Boris Johnson
10. Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Health: Khawaja Imran Nazir
    

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December 12, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. FO rejects Modi`s allegations of interference in Indian polls
   • The Foreign Office rejected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s allegations of interference in Gujarat state assembly elections, asking him to stop relying on conspiracies
2. Senate rejects Trump`s decision on Jerusalem
   • The house adopted a resolution unanimously after a dedicated Senate session discussed the issue for almost five hours
3. Prime Minister to present Pak stance on Jerusalem at OIC summit
   • Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will present Pakistan’s stance in the Extraordinary Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Summit on Al-Quds Al-Sharif being held tomorrow (December 13th) in Istanbul
4. US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale meets with Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Head Quarters on December 11, 2017
5. The High Powered Selection Board headed by Prime Minister Shahid Khagan Abbasi on December 11, 2017 promoted several bureaucrats, including secretary to PM Fawad Hasan Fawad, to grade 22
6. PCB hands one-year ban to Nasir Jamshed
   • Opening Batsman Nasir Jamshed was allegedly the middle man between players and an alleged bookie but he has denied all the charges leveled against him. Pakistan Cricket Board legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi announced the verdict
7. China: Oldest Nanjing massacre survivor dies at 100
   • Guan Guangjing died at age 100 three days before the National Memorial Day for Nanjing massacre Victims
8. Cairo, Moscow sign contract for Egypt’s first nuclear plant
   • The contract to build the plant in Dabaa on the Mediterranean coast was signed and attended by the Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
9. Saudi Arabia lifts ban on cinemas
   • Saudi Arabia on December 11, 2017 lifted a decades-long ban on cinemas, part of a series of social reforms by the powerful crown prince that are shaking up the ultra-conservative kingdom
10. Minister for Commerce and Textile: Muhammad Pervaiz Malik
    

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December 13, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. CPEC long-term plan to be made public on Dec 18
   • Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has announced that the long-term plan (LTP) for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that was signed on Nov 21 will be made public on Dec 18.
2. Indian diplomat arrives in Lahore
   • Indian High Commissioner designate for Pakistan Ajay Bisaria arrived in Lahore through Wagah border on December 12, 2017
3. Pakistani civil liberties body awarded French human rights prize
   • Network, a Pakistani civil liberties organisation working on the issues of freedom of expression, media freedoms and safety of journalists
4. Two soldiers martyred in North Wazirstan Agency
   • The terrorists attacked an army vehicle from surrounding mountains in North Waziristan Agency as a result of which Second Lieutenant Abdul Moeed and Sepoy Basharat were killed
5. Government proposes ‘strategic pact’ with Riyadh
   • Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir has proposed “an all-encompassing strategic cooperation agreement” to deepen defence ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia
6. Russia suspends diplomatic presence in Yemen
   • Russia has halted its diplomatic presence in Yemen and its embassy staff has left the country amid the deepening conflict between the government and Houthi rebels
7. Stoltenberg reappointed as Nato chief
   • Jens Stoltenberg, the former Norwegian prime minister, who took the helm in October 2014, will lead the alliance into its next summit in Brussels in July
8. World leaders in Paris seek cash for climate crunch
   • World leaders met in Paris December 12, 2017 seeking to unlock more money to drive the global economy’s shift to green energy
9. Trump tells NASA to send Americans to Moon
   • US President Donald Trump directed NASA to send Americans to the Moon for the first time since 1972, in order to prepare for future trips to Mars
10. Justice Khawar new NAB special prosecutor
    • The National Accountability Bureau on December 12, 2017 appointed former Justice Shah Khawar as special prosecutor of the bureau
      

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December 14, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. OIC wants East Jerusalem to be Palestine`s capital
   • OIC declares Jerusalem as Palestine capital
   • Summit falls short of agreeing concrete sanction agasint Israel or US
   • No sign of Saudi king or crown prince as Riyadh sends foreign ministry official
2. Vienna Convention doesn`t apply to spy operations
   • Pakistan has told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a counter memorial to the Indian claim that the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963, applies only to the legitimate visitors and does not cover clandestine operations
3. Attaul Haq Qasmi quits PTV
   • Attaul Haq Qasmi on December 13, 2017 resigned from the post of PTV chairman after serving at the post for almost two years
4. No renaming of buildings, roads named after eminent persons
   • The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to ban the renaming of the buildings, roads and other facilities named after the personalities of national and provincial stature in order to prevent controversies and litigation
5. WTO struggles to hone global vision after US turnabout
   • Trade ministers looked set to wrap up their biennial World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting without having reached a single agreement on December 13, 2017
6. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates put forward $130 million on Wednesday towards fighting violent extremists in West Africa`s Sahel region
7. Sri Lanka has entered the Guinness World Records for constructing the world’s tallest artificial Christmas tree in 2016
   • The tree is 72.1 metres tall, and has been made by Arjuna Ranatunga in December last year
8. US President Donald Trump has signed into law a $700 billion defence bill that includes up to $700 million to reimburse Pakistan for supporting US military operations in Afghanistan
9. NEPRA: National Electric Power Regulatory Authority
10. FIA Formed in: 13 January 1975
    

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December 15, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. 2017 the most peaceful year for KP in decade
   • The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police on Thursday said 2017 remained the most peaceful year in a decade with incidence of terrorism coming down by 51 per cent compared with the last year
2. Veteran journalist Afzal Khan died in Arlington, US, on December 14, 2017. He was 80
   • He was APP’s correspondent in Washington for 10 years — from 1995 to 2005
3. China, S. Korea look to defuse tensions, improve ties
   • The presidents of China and South Korea sought on December 14, 2017 to repair ties strained over a US antimissile defence system.
4. Grand jirga opposes Fata-KP merger
   • A grand jirga of tribal elders was held in Jamrud Bazaar on December 14, 2017 which was attended by dozens of elites from the seven tribal agencies and six Frontier Regions across the tribal belt
5. Philippines president tours Pak warship
   • Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte toured a Pakistan Navy ship docked at the Manila Bay, as the Philippine and Pakistani governments and militaries sought to boost relations
6. Naval chief awarded Legion of Turkish Armed Forces
   • Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi has been bestowed with military award of Turkish armed forces, ‘the Legion of the Turkish Armed Forces’
7. US military to send cyber soldiers to the battlefield
   • The US Army will soon send teams of cyber warriors to the battlefield, as the military increasingly looks to take the offensive against enemy computer networks
8. EU launches defence pact, calls it `bad news for enemies`
9. My Music, My Life is an autobiography of:Ravi Shankar
10. President of Brazil:Michel Temer
    

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December 16, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. ECP denotifies Jahangir Tareen from NA seat
   • The Election Commission of Pakistan hereby denotify Jahangir Tareen as Member National Assembly on Pakistan from Constituency No NA-154 Lahore with immediate effect
2. China calls for independent Palestinian state
   • China has officially stated that it supports the establishment of an independent state of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital
3. National Disaster Management Authority, (NDMA) has formally launched the Guidelines for Minimum Standards of Relief in Camps
   • Chairman NDMA: Lt. Gen Omar Mahmood Hayat
4. A solar system with as many planets as our own has been discovered with the help of NASA’s Kepler space telescope and artificial intelligence
5. The leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, has retired from her post
   • Her son, Rahul Gandhi, has been elected unopposed as the new president and will officially take charge
6. Russia`s central bank reduced on December 15, 2017 its key interest rate to 7.75 per cent, the sixth reduction this year as inflation hits a record low
7. Trump redefines US military targets in Afghanistan
   • US President Donald Trump has informed Congress that American forces in Afghanistan will continue to fight those who threaten the viability of the Afghan government
8. US jets intercept Russian warplanes in Syria
   • A pair of US warplanes intercepted two Russian jets over a part of Syria they were not supposed to be operating in, the Pentagon said on December 15, 2017
9. UK seeks cooperation with China on Belt and Road initiative
10. President of Philippines: Rodrigo Rao Duterte
    

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December 17, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Pakistani, Afghan parliamentarians call for stronger bilateral ties
   • Parliamentarians from Pakistan and Afghanistan have stressed the need for stronger ties between the two countries to ensure regional security
   • The speaker of Wolesi Jirga or the lower house of Afghan parliament: AbdulRauf Ibrahimi
2. Punjab gets $300m World Bank loan to modernise agriculture
   • The World Bank has approved $300 million loan to modernise agriculture in Punjab, create better prospects for farmers and ensure better quality and safer food at lower prices to consumers
3. Elections to be held on July 15, 2018
   • Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that the general elections will be held in the country on July 15 next year
4. New Austrian govt pledges pro-EU approach
   • The new Austrian government led by a conservative and a nationalist party is pledging to tighten the country`s asylum and immigration regulations
5. Saudi women will also be allowed to drive motorcycles
   • Saudi Arabian women will be able to drive trucks and motorcycles, three months after the kingdom announced a historic decision to end a ban on women driving
6. Mammoth skeleton sells for $645,000 at French auction
   • The nearly intact skeleton of a woolly mammoth that lived at least 10,000 years ago was sold at auction for more than a half million euros on December 16, 2017 in the southeastern French city of Lyon.
7. Russia warns against conditions for N Korea talks
   • Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov
8. South Korea retain East Asian Championship
   • South Korea handed Japan an historic 4-1 thrashing on December 16, 2017 to retain the East Asian Championship title at Ajinomoto Stadium
9. UN gives green light on Russia arms to C Africa
   • Russia has been authorized to provide the Central African Republic’s armed forces with light arms
10. Jadeja hits six sixes in an over
    • India’s Swashbuckling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja smashed six sixes in an over in a local cricket match
      

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December 18, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Allama Iqbal literary awards distributed
   • The awards and certificates were distributed by provincial Minister for Culture and Tourism Mir Mujeebur Rehman Mohammad Hasni
2. Two rookie astronauts, cosmonaut blast off to ISS
   • A three-man space crew featuring American and Japanese rookie astronauts as well as an experienced Russian cosmonaut blasted off on December 16, 2017 for a six-month mission at the International Space Station
3. Erdogan hopes for opening embassy in E. Jerusalem soon
   • President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed the hope that Turkey would soon be able to open an embassy to a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem
4. Ronaldo goal gives Real another Club World Cup title
   • Real Madrid picked up a fifth trophy of 2017 by beating the South American champions 1-0 to retain the Club World Cup
5. End of an era: Boeing 747 takes last US commercial flight
   • The Boeing 747, the original jumbo jet that was the favourite of American presidents and key to affordable mass market air travel in the United States, will pass into aviation history this week
6. Nergis first recipient of Lahore Technology Award
   • Professor Nergis Mavalvala from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was able to solve centuries-old mystery about gravitational waves
   • Dr Nergis Mavalvala is Professor of Astrophysics and Head of Department of Physics at the MIT. She is a Parsi celebrity scientist
7. Pakistan beaten by India, get silver in Asian Netball
   • Pakistan netball team finished runners-up in the Asian Men’s Netball Championship 2017 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 16, 2017
8. US Secretary of State: Rex Tillerson
9. Spokeswoman for UNHCR: Liz Throssel
10. Chief Justice of Pakistan: Justice Mian Saqib Nisar
    • Justice Mian Saqib Nisar (born in 18 January 1954), is a Pakistani jurist who is currently tenuring as the 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan, appointed in this capacity since 31 December 2016. Justice Nisar also remains a visiting professor of law at the Punjab University where he provides instructions on constitutional law.
      

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December 19, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Civil-military heads agree NAP needs more work
   • The country`s top national security body conceded that progress on key elements of the National Action Plan (NAP) to counter terrorism was still found wanting, and ordered the finalisation of the long-delayed National Security Policy
2. Trump administration’s first foreign policy announced
   • The Trump administration`s first foreign policy announced on December 18, 2017 urges Pakistan to demonstrate that it`s a `responsible steward` of its nuclear assets and warns that the fear of a nuclear conflict with India remains a key concern in Washington
3. PEMRA chief steps down after LHC order
   • Journalist Absar Alam relinquished his position as chairman of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) shortly after the Lahore High Court (LHC) declared his appointment illegal
4. Yuan may replace dollar in Pakistan-China trade
   • The government was examining a proposal to replace the US dollar with the Chinese yuan for trade between China and Pakistan
   • China desired that bilateral trade should take place in its currency known as Renminbi (RMB) or yuan
5. US vetoes UN resolution on Jerusalem
   • The United States on December 18, 2017 vetoed a United Nations Security Council`s (UNSC) draft resolution rejecting the recent recognition by US President Donald Trump of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital
6. Brazil great Kaka announces retirement
   • The devout 35-year-old Brazilian midfielder, who was part of Brazil`s 2002 World Cup-winning team Kaka announced that he is retiring from football
7. Elshorbagy, Welily crowned world squash champions
   • Mohamed Elshorbagy win the world title by beating his brother Marwan in the first ever final between brothers
8. P&D Dept launches Punjab Economic Report 2017
   • The report reveals the development of energy, health, education and infrastructure sectors in Punjab
9. Current Chief Jusice of Lahore High Court: Syed Mansoor Ali Shah
10. Current Chief Jusice of Peshawra High Court: Yahya Afridi
    

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December 20, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. After 2011, First time an Army Chief appeared before a Senate committee on December 19, 2017
   • In a first, COAS briefs Senate Committee of the Whole
   • Asks parliament to take the lead in framing foreign, security policies
   • Military ready to back political leadership on normalisation of ties with India
   • The last time an army chief came to parliament for a briefing was in 2011 after the US raid on Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden`s hideout in Abbottabad
2. Influenza A virus subtype H1N1
   • Influenza A (H1N1) virus is the subtype of influenza A virus that was the most common cause of human influenza (flu) in 2009, and is associated with the 1918 outbreak known as the Spanish Flu
   • Three suspected patients of H1N1 (seasonal influenza A) died in Multan during the last couple of days
3. Pakistan rejects US security strategy
   • The US National Security Strategy 2017, released on Dec 18, makes unsubstantiated allegations towards Pakistan
4. China rejects US-India opposition to CPEC
   • China has rejected US and Indian apprehension against China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) stating that it is new style of cooperative partnership that will continue in the best interest of the region
5. Pak-Japan counter-terror talks held
   • The third round of Pakistan-Japan counter-terrorism consultations was held on December 19, 2017
   • The Pakistan delegation was led by Tasnim Aslam, Special Secretary (UN and European Commission), Ministry of Foreign Affairs
6. Belgium becomes first country to name woman as envoy to S. Arabia
   • Saudi Arabia will get its first woman ambassador in Riyadh with the appointment of a female envoy from Belgium
7. China and Russia decried President Donald Trump’s first National Security Strategy – which pilloried both nations as challengers to US power – as a “Cold War mentality” with an “imperialist character”
8. UN General Assembly to hold special session on Jerusalem on December 21, 2017
9. Japan to beef up missile defence system against N Korea
10. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue: Haroon Akhtar Khan
    

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December 21, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Pakistan issues visas to spy Jadhav`s mother, wife
   • The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on December 20, 2017 issued visas to convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav`s wife and mother so that they could meet him in Pakistan
2. Poland faces tough EU censure in judicial reform row
   • The European Commission launched unprecedented disciplinary proceedings against Poland over its highly controversial judicial reforms
3. India unveils ‘anti-smog gun’
   • India on December 20, 2017 unveiled a new weapon against air pollution – an “anti-smog gun” which will clear the skies above New Delhi
4. The World Bank has approved a loan of $825 million
   • To improve the national power transmission system in Pakistan and enhance health and education service delivery by strengthening financing management and procurement systems
5. Pakistan intensifies diplomatic contacts with Russia
   • Amid a volley of hostile statements from Washington as Islamabad aims to look diplomatically stronger with Moscow and Beijing by its side in the year 2018
6. Outstanding professionals get Pride of Peshawar awards
   • The awards were given to 75 personalities in three categories including legends, champions and youth
7. Agreements worth $250m signed at Build Asia’ Exhibition
   • The three-day mega event of 13th Build Asia Exhibition, successfully concluded in Karachi, as it facilitated the signing of agreements worth 250 million dollars between numerous local and foreign companies participating in this mega event
8. US House approves sweeping tax bill in a win for Trump
   • Representatives gave final approval to the biggest overhaul of the US tax code in 30 years
   • Sending a sweeping $1.5 trillion bill to President Donald Trump for his signature
9. Swiss govt opposes push for national burqa ban
   • The government opposed an initiative aimed at creating a nationwide burqa ban, saying it was up to the regions to determine if such a ban was appropriate
10. Saudi king reassures Palestinians on east Jerusalem
    • The monarch stressed “the legitimate right of the Palestinian people in establishing their independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital”
      

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December 22, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. UN assembly rejects US Jerusalem move
   • Cosponsored by Pakistan, resolution rejecting decision to recognise holy city as Israel’s capital adopted by a vote of 128-9
   • Pakistan told the UNGA that the US decision was a clear violation of internationallaw, and contrary to the provision of the Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on this issue
2. Pakistan to retain full spectrum deterrence policy
   • The National Command Authority (NCA) on December 21, 2017 emphasised that Pakistan was a responsible nuclear state and would continue with its policy of Full Spectrum Deterrence (FSD) to meet growing challenges to its security and for maintaining strategic stability in the region
3. Pakistan`s view on terror list accepted in new Heart of Asia declaration
   • A list of proscribed groups attached with the Amritsar Declaration of the Heart of Asia ministerial conference in Dec 2016 has been dropped from the recent Baku Declaration, thanks to Pakistan`s successful diplomacy
4. China-Pak-Afghan FMs to meet in Beijing
   • The first round of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral Foreign Ministers’ dialogue will be held in Beijing on December 26
5. Catalans vote in bid to solve independence crisis
   • Catalans flooded to the polls December 21, 2017 in a crucial election that could mark a turning point for their region
6. US drone strike kills Qaeda propaganda chief in Yemen
   • The propaganda chief of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was among six militants killed in two separate US drone strikes in Yemen
7. US hits Myanmar general in new global rights sanctions
   • The United States blacklisted a rogues gallery of alleged rights abusers and corrupt officials on December 21, 2017
8. Swiss open humanitarian office in Damascus
   • The Swiss government had opened a “humanitarian office” in Damascus aimed at improving aid distribution and at monitoring and coordinating assistance programmes on the ground
9. Russia finalises S-400 missile system deal with Turkey
   • Russia had completed negotiations with Turkey for the sale of an S-400 air defence missile system, with delivery scheduled for late 2019
     

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December 23, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. 40 billion southern loop of the Lahore Ring Road inaugurated on December 22, 2017
   • The biggest project in privatepublic partnership model that would benefit over 100,000 commuters a day
   • Construction of this 22.4km long road had connected the southern and northern parts ofLahore
2. Rana Afzal picked as Finance Minister
   • RanaAfzal,the parliamentary secretary for finance, is set to fill the vacant slot of finance minister as Prime Minister Shahid Khagan Abbasi approved his appointment as minister of state on December 22, 2017
3. Prime Minister launches SME financing scheme
   • PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi launched the financing policy for the promotion of small and medium enterprises (SME) at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on December 22, 2017
   • He also launched a separate scheme for the promotion of home remittances through mobile wallets, also known as m-wallets
4. Foreigners can now trade in PSX stock
   • The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan on December 22, 2017 lifted the ban on foreign investors to trade in the PSX stock
5. Spain`s crisis re-ignited as Catalan separatists win vote
   • Separatists looked set to regain power in Catalonia after voters rejected Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy`s attempt to neuter its independence movement
6. UK passports changing back to blue after Brexit
   • `to restore their national identity`, Britain will return to blue passports after leaving the European Union in 2019
7. Mahmud Abbas rejects US peace plan after Jerusalem vote
   • Palestinian President would `no longer accept` any peace plan proposed by the United States, dealing a pre-emptive blow to a new initiative expected by Washington next year
8. Annie annexes CAS Int’l Women Squash trophy
   • Awesome Annie Au of Hong Kong thrashed Malaysian Sivasangari Subramaniam in straight games to become crowned champion of the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) International Women Squash Championship 2017 on December 22, 2017
9. Rohit equals fastest T-20 century record
   • Indian opener Rohit Sharma on December 22, 2017 equalled the fastest century in Twenty20 International cricket from only 35 balls against Sri Lanka
10. Australia ends air strike campaign in Iraq, Syria
    • Australian warplanes will cease their air strike campaign in Iraq and Syria, with the country’s six hornet jets heading home after a three-year mission
      

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December 24, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Pakistan, Iran agree on joint aerial border monitoring
   • The two countries met at the Pakistani border town of Taftan
   • It was also decided that Pakistan would monitor the border belt from pole No 72 to 131
2. Pak-China-Afghanistan cooperation talks on 26^th
   • The first round of Pakistan-China-Afghanistan trilateral foreign ministers’ talks will be held in Beijing on December 26, 2017
   • At the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani will head delegations
3. Afghan peace only through talks, Pakistan tells UNSC
   • Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, told the UN Security Council in an open debate on the situation in Afghanistan
4. Pakistan launches factsheet on counterterrorism
   • The factsheet re-emphasises Pakistan`s stance that the death of 122 children at a Peshawar school on Dec 16, 2014 has galvanised the entire nation against terrorism and the operations launched since then have targeted all terrorists without exception
5. Chinese ready to set up auto manufacturing plants
   • A delegation of Chinese manufacturers and assemblers of automobiles, visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and showed interest to set up auto manufacturing plants in Pakistan
6. US decides to arm Ukraine, angering Russia
   • Moscow warned that Washington was encouraging `new bloodshed` in eastern Ukraine by its decision to provide the ex-Soviet nation with lethal weapons
7. UN slaps new sanctions on North Korea over missile test
   • With China`s backing, the UN Security Council slapped new sanctions on North Korea that will restrict oil supplies vital for Pyongyang`s missile and nuclear programmes
8. Turkey plans to change embassy street name in row with UAE
   • The mayor of the Turkish capital Ankara ordered preparations to change the name of the street where the UAE mission is located to that of the former commander and one-time governor of Medina
9. 2017 was Mexico’s most violent year in two decades, with 23,101 murders carried out between January and November
10. Nasa astronaut Bruce McCandless, the first person to fly freely and untethered in space, has died. He was 80
    

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December 25, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. National Assembly of Pakistan hosted “The First Speakers’ Conference” of six regional countries
   • The heads of the parliaments from six regional countries at the First Speakers’ Conference on December 24, 2017 called for establishing a joint mechanism to cope with the challenges of terrorism and security besides promoting the inter-region connectivity
2. World’s largest amphibious aircraft takes off in China
   • China’s home-grown AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft in production, took to the skies on December 24, 2017 for its maiden flight
3. Four-day Test to be played under experimental playing rules
   • The on-off day-night test between South Africa and Zimbabwe, will be staged under experimental playing conditions
4. Ex-CIA officials helping UAE build spy force: report
   • According to the report, the details of the training are contained in an official course schedule reviewed by Foreign Policy and were described by former US intelligence officials who have been involved in the effort
5. ‘Poverty, traditions and social norms major causes behind child marriages’
   • Traditions, poverty and social norms are the major causes behind child marriages, which can cause a number of issues to the young couples, social activists and healthcare experts say
6. Sajjad wins 7th Indus Water Cross Jeep Race
   • Sajjad Hussain Qureshi of Lahore clinched the overall first position as he covered the nine-kilometer track in just 12.32 minutes in the 7th Indus Water Cross Jeep Race 2017 at Swabi Point
7. 3 FC men martyred in NWA IED blast
   • Three Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers embraced martyrdom when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off during a search and clearance operation
8. Abbasi first PM to board a submarine
   • Shahid Khaqan Abbasi became the first prime minister of the country to board a submarine in the open sea
9. North Korea slams new UN sanctions as an ‘act of war’
   • Tension has been high on the flashpoint peninsula as the isolated but nuclear-armed regime has staged a series of atomic and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests
10. China’s Ambassador to Pakistan: Yao Jing
    

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December 26, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Indian spy on death row allowed to meet family
   • The Foreign Office hosted a meeting of convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav with his mother and wife on `humanitarian grounds` and urged New Delhi to show a similar spirit
2. Historic decision on Fata-KP merger taken
   • Meeting attended by PM, Army Chief on Dec 18 decides to let tribal regions elect 23 members to KP Assembly in next polls
   • The high-powered National Implementation Committee (NIC) on Fata Reforms has endorsed the merger of tribal regions with northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and agreed that Islamabad would make a policy statement in this regard
3. Peshawar High Court rules DNA tests mandatory in assault cases
   • A single-member Peshawar High Court bench has ruled that af ter the enforcement of a law last year to check the incidents of sexual abuse, it was mandatory to conduct DNA tests on both the suspected rapist and his alleged victim
4. Actress Menzies-Urich dies
   • Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, who played one of the singing von Trapp children in the 1965 hit film, The Sound of Music, died on December 25, 2017. She was 68
5. India’s new ‘driverless’ metro train keeps driver for now
   • India’s capital launched a metro train with driverless technology on December 25, 2017, it would operate with a driver for at least a year or two
6. Guatemala to move embassy to Jerusalem
   • Guatemala is to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, President Jimmy Morales has announced
   • Guatemala, a Central American country south of Mexico
7. SNGPL clinch Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship title
   • SNGPL December 25, 2017 won their fourth Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title with an epic 103-run victory over defending champions Wapda in the final
8. Iran says has nothing to do with Jadhav
   • Iranian parliament Speaker Dr Ali Larijani said that his country had nothing to do with convicted Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav as Tehran was committed not to allow anybody to use its soil against Pakistan
9. Government got record $40b loans
   • The current government has broken all previous records of taking foreign loans, as it borrowed $40 billion from external sources during its four and half years tenure
10. China island expansion moves ahead in South Sea
    • China’s large-scale land reclamation around disputed reefs and shoals in the South China Sea is “moving ahead steadily”
      

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December 27, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Pakistan gives shut-up call to India on Jadhav meeting
   • FP rejects baseless allegations of harassing spy’s family
   • Chetenkul’s shoes changed after metal detected
2. Islamabad hopeful talks with Kabul to repair ties soon
   • Pakistan is optimistic that its comprehensive bilateral dialogue with Afghanistan for normalising ties will commence shortly
3. US drone kills two on Pak-Afghan border
   • American drones continued violation of Pakistan`s airspace and fired missiles at a moving vehicle in Kurram Agency on December 26, 2017, killing two suspected militants
4. New finance team enters with heavy agenda
   • Rana Mohammad Afzal took oath as State Minister for Revenue, Finance and Economic Affairs
   • Dr Miftah Ismail has been appointed adviser to prime minister on finance, revenue and economic affairs
5. Australia, Timor to sign fresh treaty after row over sea limits
   • Australia and East Timor will sign a new treaty next year setting maritime boundaries in an effort to settle lingering disputes over lucrative oil and gas fields in the East Timor Sea
6. Trump reinforcing religion`s role in US politics
   • Religion has always had an essential but subtle influence on US politics
   • The New York Times pointed out how Mr Trump used religion to get congressional approval for his $1.5 trillion tax package, by attaching to it a provision to repeal a 1954 law
7. Cabinet approves early Fata merger into KP
   • The federal cabinet on December 27, 2017 gave a green signal to expedite the Federally-Administrated Tribal Areas’ merger into the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
   • Approval was granted “to the formation of National Implementation Committee on the Federally-Administrated Tribal Areas Reforms.”
8. Khushab to have university
   • The Higher Education Commission will establish a university in Khushab to cater to the needs of the district and adjoining areas.
9. Embassy move: Israel in touch with 10 countries
   • Israel is in touch with “at least ten countries” over the possible transfer of their embassies to Jerusalem after the United States recognised the city as Israel’s capital
10. Canada kicks out Venezuela ambassador in tit-for-tat row
    • Canada has ordered Venezuela’s ambassador and charge d’affaires to leave, escalating a row two days after its top diplomat at the Canadian embassy in Venezuela was kicked out by President Nicolas Maduro’s regime
      

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December 28, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Army chief for technology upgradation
   • Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa December 27, 2017 visited the Pakistan Ordnance Factories, Wah and emphasised the need for technological up-gradation and maximum indigenisation to attain total self-reliance in the field of defence production
2. Amended rules may make high quality medical devices more accessible
   • The Medical Devices Rules (MDR) have been amended after the intervention of the Supreme Court and the Prime Minister`s Office, which may make it possible for patients to obtain high quality devices in the near future
3. First electronic Murabaha transaction conducted
   • The country`s first electronic commodity Murabaha transaction facilitated by Pakistan Mercantile Exchange Ltd (PMEX) was conducted between Meezan Bank Ltd (MBL) and Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan Ltd (DIBPL) on December 26, 2017
4. US air strike kills 13 Shabaab militants
   • The United States carried out an air strike on Christmas Eve against the militants Shabaab group that left 13 dead
5. Pakistan to share Jadhav wife’s shoes details with India
   • Pakistan will share the details of Chetankul Jadhav’s shoes’ investigations with India when the report of forensic examination arrives
   • Pakistani authorities had sent Chetankul Jadhav’s shoes for forensic examination after finding some “metal” object
6. Vin Diesel is the highest grossing actor of 2017
   • The actor earned $1.6 billion in global ticketing receipts owing to the highly successful eighth installment of Fast And The Furious
7. Saudi king, Turkey PM discuss Jerusalem status
   • Saudi King Salman and Turkey’s premier discussed boosting ties and the status of Jerusalem, in a first high-level meeting since the US controversially recognised the city as Israel’s capital
8. China Communist Party takes control of paramilitary police
   • China’s paramilitary police force will soon be commanded by the Chinese Communist Party’s armed forces, the latest sign of the leadership’s resolve to centralise power
9. Japanese FM to visit Pakistan on Jan 3
   • Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, will visit Pakistan form January 3 to January 4, 2018. This is the first visit of a Japanese foreign minister to Pakistan since 2009
10. Over 170,000 to perform Haj next year
    • Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Sardar Mohammad Yousaf has announced Haj Policy 2018 according to which 120,000 pilgrims would perform Haj under the government scheme, while some 59,210 will avail the private Haj Scheme
      

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December 29, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Army warns US against `unilateral action` in Pakistan
   • `The armed forces are working with friends and want to continue doing so, but there can be no compromise on our national honour. We do not want a conflict with our friends, but will ensure the security of Pakistan,`
   • Major General Asif Ghafoor says unfounded American-Afgnan narrative acquiring ‘threatening tone’
2. NA panel rejects bill for land reforms
   • The bill presented in September this year called for land reforms in the country by limiting family agricultural landholding to 36 acres of irrigated land or 54 acres of unirrigated (barani) land
3. Senate body approves amendment to anti-terror act
   • The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on December 28, 2017 unanimously approved an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act seeking protection for judges and witnesses
   • `The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2017` was moved by senators Mukhtiar Dhamra and Barrister Murtaza Wahab
4. China says cooperation with Pakistan, Afghanistan no threat to any third country
   • China has said that its plan to include Afghanistan in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and a recent meeting featuring the three countries does not target a `third party` and that the project will be beneficial for `the whole region`
5. US, Turkey put end to visa spat
   • The United States and Turkey turned the page on a visa crisis triggered nearly three months ago by the arrest of a staff member at the American mission in Ankara
6. Chinese military tells India to control border guards
   • Chinese Defence Spokesman Col Ren Guoqiang said the highlights of his country`s international military cooperation in 2017 included handling `hotspot issues`like Doklam
7. India`s lower house approves bill banning instant divorce
   • The bill came months after India`s Supreme Court ruled that the Muslim practice that allows men to instantly divorce their wives was unconstitutional
8. US city elects first-ever Sikh woman mayor
   • Preet Didbal, A woman of the Sikh community has become the first-ever mayor of Northern California`s Yuba city
9. Taiwan passports recalled over picture mix-up
   • Taiwan has had to scrap 200,000 new passports after an embarrassing design blunder mistakenly swapped an image of an airport in Washington for the island`s main airport
10. Licences of all prohibited bore weapons suspended The Ministry of Interior in the light of
    

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December 30, 2017 (Day by Day Current Affairs)

1. Pakistan struggles to thwart US advances

• Pakistan is struggling to thwart US advances amid speculations that Washington could unilaterally decide to take direct action against the alleged militants’ hideouts on the Pakistani side of the Afghan border

2. Afghan intelligence facilitator arrested: ISPR

• The Frontier Corps Balochistan along with intelligence agencies conducted IBOs in Musa colony and Sangan areas and arrested a suspected facilitator of Afghan spy agency NDS

3. Pakistan, EU sign grant financing agreement

• Pakistan and European Union have signed grant financing agreement on promotion of human rights in Pakistan amounting to 9.6 million euros

4. Obama second former president to win most popular title

• Former US president Barack Obama and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton remain the most admired man and woman in the United States, according to a survey by Gallup Poll released

5. Ex-football star elected Liberia`s president

• Liberians on December 29, 2017 feted former football star George Weah`s presidential victory in the country`s first democratic transfer of power in seven decades

6. Turkey ignores NATO concern, will buy Russia`s anti-missile system

• Turkey has finalised a deal with Moscow for the purchase of Russia`s S-400 antimissile system, despite concerns voiced by some of the NATO member`s allies

7. KSA releases two princes after graft probe

• Saudi Arabia has released two sons of late king Abdullah two months after they were detained in a sweeping anti-corruption purge

8. Russian space experts regain control of Angola’s satellite

• Russian space experts have managed to regain control of Angola’s first satellite, which was launched earlier this week

9. South Korea seizes HK ship for oil transfer to North

• South Korea briefly seized and inspected a Hong Kong-registered ship in November for transferring oil products to a North Korean vessel and breaching UN sanctions

10. Israel strikes Gaza as Palestinians mark ‘day of rage’

• Israeli tanks and aircraft hit the Gaza Strip on Friday after rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave targeted a southern community

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