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December 22, 2018: National Current Affairs
1. UAE comes to Pakistan rescue with $3bn
• Just a week after a second tranche of$1 billion in financial assistance from Saudi Arabia under $6 billion package was received by Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates on December 21, 2018 announced its intention to deposit $3 billion in the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) within the next few days to support the country`s foreign currency reserves and help enhance liquidity.
• The announcement by the UAE state-run media, which came at a time when Pakistan has been engaged in bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while battling to control a gaping current account deficit that has wobbled its economy and lowered growth, was promptly welcomed by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
• The UAE`s state-run media WAM quoted the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) as saying it would deposit the amount in the `coming days`. It said the amount was meant `to support the financial and monetary policy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan`.
• `The country`s support for Pakistan`s fiscal policy is based on the historical ties between the two people and the two friendly countries and the desire to further develop the bilateral cooperation in all fields,` it added.
2. Imran converts PM House into university
• Fulfilling his party`s manifesto, Prime Minister Imran Khan on December 21, 2018 converted the palatial Prime Minister House into an international university.
• However, it has not been elaborated whether the entire PM House will be converted into the Islamabad National University (INU) or some of its portion will be used for the purpose.
• It has been learnt that initially an institute of advanced studies will be established in the PM House that will be later turned into a full-fledged university. Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood also confirmed that an institute of advanced studies for research would be established at the old PM House and it would gradually lead to the establishment of a university.
3. Google honours Hanif Mohammad on his 84th birthday
• Google on December 21, 2018 released a doodle in honour of the legendary Pakistani batsman, Hanif Mohammad, to mark his 84th birthday.
• Google honoured Hanif Mohammad, who is also known as `The Original Little Master`, with a doodle showing the scorecard at 337, paying homage to the cricketer`s phenomenal 16-hour-long innings where he scored 337 against the West Indies at Bridgetown in 1957-58 -which saved Pakistan from imminent defeat. It remains the longest innings in Test history and was the longest in all first-class cricket for over 40 years.
4. UNDP, beverage company sign MoU
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed on December 21, 2018 a memorandum of understanding with one of the leading food and beverage companies operating in Pakistan to promote the `Kamyab Jawan Pakistan` project.
• Pakistan`s `youth bulge` offers unique opportunities for the country`s social and economic development.
• Both UNDP Pakistan and PepsiCo have programmes aimed at harnessing the potential the youth bulge presents.
• UNDP Pakistan National Human Development Report estimates that more than 29pc of country`s population consists of young people between the ages of 15-29 years.
• The Youth Empowerment Programme (Kamyab Jawan Pakistan) aims at creating opportunities for knowledge, skills and leadership development of the youth to further the `Agenda 2030`.
5. Air exercise with China concludes in Karachi
• The Pakistan-China Joint International Air Exercise ‘Shaheen-VII’ concluded at an Operational Air Base of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) here on December 21, 2018.
• Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) Air Marshal Muhammad Haseeb Paracha was chief guest at the culmination ceremony. Defence Attaché from the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China Maj Gen Chen Wenrong was also present on the occasion.
• High-ranking officials of both countries were given a comprehensive briefing on the exercise. Air Marshal Paracha highlighted the significance of the joint venture and appreciated the personnel of the two air forces for the smooth conduct of the exercise.
6. Shahbaz elected PAC chairman unopposed
• After months of wrangling between the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over the issue of the Public Accounts Committees (PAC) chairmanship, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif was on December 21, 2018 elected unopposed chairman of the parliamentary watchdog.
• Soon after his election, Mr Sharif summoned the first formal meeting of the PAC on Dec 28.
• The PAC is the apex parliamentary watchdog that oversees the audit of revenue and expenditure by the government and it is considered to be the most powerful and important committee of parliament.
• Previously, the PAC comprised only National Assembly members, but in the recent past members of the Senate have also been made part of it.
December 22, 2018: International Current Affairs
7. Mattis quits to protest Syria pullout, plan for Afghan troop cut
• US President Donald Trump plans to withdraw roughly half of the more than 14,000 of his troops stationed in Afghanistan, the American media reported on Friday, adding that this and the intended withdrawal of all US troops from Syria forced Defence Secretary James Mattis to step down.
• The US forces in Afghanistan are part of a NATO military mission of about 20,000 troops whose primary goal is to train and advise Afghan forces in their battles against Taliban and the militant Islamic State group.
• The Wall Street Journal, which broke the news, reported that more than 7,000 American troops would begin to return home from Afghanistan in the coming weeks. This would be the first stage of a phased drawdown and the start of a conclusion to the 17-year war, which could take many months.
8. Turkey to lead fight against IS after US pullout: Erdogan
• Turkey would take over the fight against the militant Islamic State (IS) group in Syria after pullout of US troops from the country, President Tayyip Erdogan said on December 21, 2018, in the latest upheaval wrought by Washington`s abrupt policy shift.
• The surprise announcement by US President Donald Trump this week that he would withdraw roughly 2,000 troops has felled a pillar of American policy in the Middle East. Critics say Trump`s decision will make it harder to find a diplomatic solution to Syria`s seven-year-old conflict.
• For Turkey, the step removes a source of friction with the United States. Erdogan has long castigated his Nato ally over its support for Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters against IS.Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group and an offshoot of the armed Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK), fighting for Kurdish autonomy across the border on Turkish soil.
9. Myanmar army declares ceasefire against ethnic rebel groups
• Myanmar`s military announced on December 21, 2018 it would suspend `all military movements` in the troubled northern and eastern regions for four months, an unprecedented step observers say could coax ethnic rebel groups into the country`s fractious peace process.
• Conflicts have been festering in the border areas since independence from Britain 70 years ago, with various armed groups fighting for autonomy, identity, resources and territory.
• Tens of thousands of people living within the conflict areas have been forced often repeatedly from their homes.
• So far 10 ethnic rebel groups have signed up to a peace process led by civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but several others have held out.
10. Germany closes its last coal mine
• Germany closed its last black coal mine on December 21, 2018, paying an emotional tribute to a 200-year-old industry that once fuelled the country`s economic growth but lost the battle against cheaper foreign competitors.
• After the remaining 1,500 workers of the Prosper-Haniel mine in Bottrop clocked off from their final shift, a group of seven workers exited the mine`s elevator carrying the symbolic last chunk of `black gold`.
• Veteran pitman Juergen Jakubeit, wearing faded overalls and a black-sooted hard hat, then handed the block of coal to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who accepted it with the traditional miners` greeting of `Glueck auf` or `Good luck`.