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October 13, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Imran flies to Iran today on mediation mission
• Prime Minister Imran Khan will on October 13, 2019 launch his effort for defusing tensions in the Gulf by travelling to Tehran.
• Mr Khan, who announced his intentions to undertake mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran last month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, will meet Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran.
• During the meetings, Mr Khan would focus on issues relating to peace and security in the Gulf. However, he would also touch upon bilateral matters and other regional developments including Kashmir.
• There have been some last-minute changes in PM Khan`s itinerary for the trip.
2. Cabinet approval for six more ordinances sought
• Paying no heed to the ongoing criticism against the government for carrying out legislation through presidential ordinances, the law ministry has sent yet another summary to the federal cabinet to get approval for six more ordinances.
• Through the summary, the law ministry has informed the federal cabinet that it has already `prepared` six ordinances and suggested that `keeping in view the urgency involved`, these ordinances `are proposed to be promulgated immediately`.
• The ordinances, according to the law ministry`s communication, have been pending before various committees of the National Assembly in the form of bills since long.
• `As the legislative process will take substantial time, it is suggested that the bills maybe promulgated as ordinances,` writes the law ministry in its summary to the federal cabinet, which is expected to meet on Oct 16.
3. PM launches regional peace initiative today
• Prime Minister Imran Khan would visit Iran on Sunday (October 13, 2019) as part of his initiative to promote peace and security in the region.
• During the visit, the prime minister would meet with the Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and President Dr Hassan Rouhani, a PM Office statement said.
• Besides the issues relating to peace and security in the Gulf, bilateral matters and important regional developments will be discussed during the meetings.
• This will be the prime minister’s second visit to Iran this year. The prime minister also had a bilateral meeting with the Iranian president on the sidelines of the 74th UN General Assembly session in New York last month.
October 13, 2019: International Current Affairs
4. Judge blocks Trump immigration rule, calls it `repugnant to American Dream`
• A US federal judge in New York temporarily blocked a Trump administration rule that would deny residency to aspiring immigrants deemed likely to require government assistance, calling it `repugnant to the American Dream.
• The rule, finalised in August, vastly expanded who could be considered a possible `public charge,` applying to anyone who might in the future need temporary government help such as food stamps, Medicaid or housing aid. Previously it applied to immigrants who would be primarily dependent on the government.
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule, if ultimately allowed to take effect, could be the most drastic of the Trump administration`s hardline anti-immigration policies, experts have said.
5. Acting US homeland security chief McAleenan resigns
• US President Donald Trump announced that acting US homeland security chief Kevin McAleenan has resigned, becoming the latest in a long list of top officials to leave the administration.
• `Kevin McAleenan has done an outstanding job as Acting Secretary of Homeland Security. We have worked well together with Border Crossings being way down,` Trump said in a tweet.
• `Kevin now, after many years in Government, wants to spend more time with his family and go to the private sector.
• Congratulations Kevin, on a job well done! McAleenan served in the role for six months, replacing Kirstjen Nielsen, who sat at the helm of the powerful agency for 1.5 years.
6. Turkish troops enter Syrian border town
• Ankara stepped up its assault on Kurdish-held border towns in north-eastern Syria on October 12, 2019, defying mounting threats of international sanctions, even from Washington.
• Buoyed by a night of steady advances in the countryside, Turkish troops and their Syrian allies entered the battleground town of Ras al-Ain, sources on both sides said.
• The Turkish defence ministry hailed its forces` capture of the first Kurdish-held town of the offensive so far. But Ras al-Ain`s Kurdish defenders denied the town had fallen and a correspondent said Turkish troops and their Syrian allies had entered it but had yet to capture it.
• The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who were the main ground partner in the US-led campaign against the militant Islamic State (IS)group, called on the United States to assume its `moral obligations` and protect them.
7. Modi to inaugurate Indian side of Kartarpur corridor on Nov 8, says aide
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kartarpur Corridor`s Integrated Check Post on the Indian side on Nov 8, reports quoted his cabinet colleague Harsimrat Kaur Badal as saying on October 12, 2019.
• She said the prime minister will visit Punjab on Nov 8 to inaugurate the corridor and also attend the religious programme organised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to mark the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev.
• There appears to be a parallel track of events relating to the landmark anniversary, divided between Mr Modi`s Sikh allies and the Congress party`s Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. The chief minister had invited former prime minister Manmohan Singh to join the visit to the Pakistan side of the event, which he has accepted
8. US bolsters Saudi defence against Iran with jets, missiles
• The US is deploying dozens more fighter jets and additional air defenses to Saudi Arabia, beefing up efforts to defend the kingdom against Iran even as President Donald Trump repeatedly insists that America must get out of endless Middle East wars.
• Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced the deployments just hours after Iran said two missiles struck one of its oil tankers traveling through the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia. The Pentagon moves are part of a broader response to the suspected Iranian missile and drone attack on Saudi oil facilities on Sept. 14.
• The heightened tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have led the US to pour about 14,000 more US troops into the region since May, including additional ships to maintain maritime security in the Persian Gulf area.
• The decision underscores the complexities of America’s Middle East policies that struggle to align Trump’s desire to pull troops out of the region with what have been persistent threats from Iran and a volatile military operation against Islamic State militants in Syria.
9. Payments giants abandon Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency
• Mastercard, Visa, eBay and payments firm Stripe have pulled out of Facebook’s embattled cryptocurrency project, Libra. Their move, first reported in the Financial Times, follows the withdrawal of PayPal, announced last week.
• It represents a huge blow to the social network’s plans to launch what it envisions as a global currency. The project has drawn heavy scrutiny from regulators and politicians, particularly in the US.
• Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg will appear before the House Committee on Financial Services on 23 October to discuss Libra and its planned roll-out. Regulators have raised multiple concerns over Libra, including the risk it may be used for money laundering.
October 13, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
10. National T20 Cup begins in Faisalabad from October 13, 2019
• After Pakistan`s 3-0 thrashing in the recent home series against Sri Lanka, there will be ample opportunities forthcoming for a number of contenders in the National T20 Cup in the main event that which begins in Faisalabad from October 13, 2019 vying for places in the squad to tour Australia next month.
• With the second XI sides competing at the National Stadium in Karachi, the main focus will be at Faisalabad`s Iqbal Stadium where the country`s top cricketers will be mighty anxious to impress the embattled Pakistan head coach-cum-chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq for possible inclusion in the Australia-bound touring party as well as compete for the player draft for the 2020 HBL Pakistan Super League.
• With talks of wholesale changes in the makeup of the Pakistan squad gathering momentum following the humiliation of the world`s top-ranked team, Misbah and the six regional head coaches will be keeping a close eye on the potential tourists for the three-match series in Australia.
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