Day by Day Current Affairs (July 18, 2018) | MCQs for CSS, PMS, NTS

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July 18, 2018

1. Pakistan files counter-memorial in Jadhav case in ICJ

• Pakistan on July 17, 2018 filed its second counter-memorial in the Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.
• Dr Fareha Bugti, a Foreign Ministry official serving on the India desk, submitted the dossier at the ICJ. She was accompanied by Hague-based Pakistani diplomat Waseem Shahzad.
• With the filing of the counter-memorial by Pakistan, the process of written submissions in the case by both parties (India and Pakistan) has completed. The case is now ready for oral proceedings.
• The voluminous 400-page written pleading submitted by Pakistan argues that the Vienna Convention is not applicable in the case of Jadhav, who is a commissioned officer in Indian Navy and was serving with spy agency RAW at the time of his capture in Pakistan in March 2016.Jadhav was later sentenced to death in 2017 by a military tribunal for his involvement in espionage. His appeals against the conviction have been rejected by the military appellate court and the mercy petition is pending with Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa.
• India had approached the ICJ against Pakistan for allegedly violating Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by denying consular access to Jadhav immediately after his capture.
• Pakistan had last December hosted Jadhav`s meeting with his wife and mother as a humanitarian gesture.

2. Govt plans Tangir Dam to power Bhasha Dam construction

• To meet electricity requirements of the Diamer Bhasha Hydro Project (DBHP) during construction, the government is planning to construct 15 MW Tangir Hydropower Project in Gilgit Baltistan which will increase the cost of the project by Rs6 billion.
• The proposal will be submitted to the upcoming elected government and if they approved it the cost of Diamer Bhasha Dam component will increase from the ECNEC approved cost of Rs474 billion to Rs480 billion.
• According the official documents earlier it was decided that the position paper regarding inclusion of 15 MW Tangir Hydropower Project into Diamer Bhasha Dam Project will be processed by the Ministry of Water Resources.
• However Ministry of Water Resources verbally requested that Ministry of PD&R may process it through CDWP/ECNEC.
• The project will be completed in June 2027 and the cost will be shared by the Federal government, Wapda equity and commercial borrowing.
• The Federal government will provide Rs 234 billion (49 percent) through PSDP, Wapda equity Rs100 billion (21percent) and Commercial Borrowing Rs146 billion (30percent).
• As per the detail the project was considered by the ECNEC in its meeting held on 17th April, 2018 and instead of PC-I cost of Rs649 billion approved the project at a rationalized cost of Rs474 billion including FEC of Rs154 billion.

3. Iran says to jointly produce defence products with Pakistan

• Iranian top military commander said that Iran and Pakistan are seeking to jointly manufacture defence equipment.
• Major General Mohammad Baqeri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, made the remarks following a meeting with Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain in Islamabad on July 17, 2018.
• Iran and Pakistan are working to jointly make defence products and present them as a joint achievement of the Muslim nations, Baqeri was quoted as saying. In the meeting, Hussain and Baqeri underlined the importance of the Tehran-Islamabad ties in different areas, particularly in the defence sector.
• Baqeri also held a meeting with Chief of Pakistani Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi. During the talks, the two sides discussed topics including military education, pilot training, military drills and contacts between the two countries’ defense industries, he added.
• Baqeri arrived in Islamabad Monday for an official visit at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

4. Pakistan, Germany to set up green energy forum

• Pakistan and Germany on July 17, 2018 signed a Memorandum of understanding for establishing Pakistan German Renewable Energy Forum (PGREF).
• The Federal Minister for Energy Syed Ali Zafar and Ambassador of Federal Republic of Germany to Pakistan Martin Kobler were both present on the occasion.
• Addressing the ceremony of signing of MoU between Pakistan and Germany for establishing Pakistan German Renewable Energy Forum (PGREF), the Federal Minister for Energy, Syed Ali Zafar said that newly established renewable forum would fortify Pakistan’s efforts to capitalize available potential of clean and green energy.
• Highlighting the importance of the event, the minister stated, “this forum would serve as a hub for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency business networking, customer outreach and business development in Pakistan and Germany.”

5. Cyprus sets new record in tourist arrivals

• More than 1.6 million tourists visited Cyprus in the six months to June, the largest number ever for the first half of the year.
• Tourist arrivals in January-June rose 12.4 percent to 1.64 million from 1.46 million in the same period last year, according to the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat).
• An influx of tourists from main market Britain and an upswing from Sweden helped Cyprus mark another record as arrivals in June broke the 500,000 barrier, Cystat said.

6. Trump under pressure to reverse course on Russia

• President Donald Trump found himself isolated and under pressure to reverse course after publicly challenging the US intelligence conclusion that Russia meddled in the 2016 election during his face-to-face with Vladimir Putin. At his inaugural summit with the Russian president in Finland, Trump appeared to accept at face value the strongman’s denial that Moscow interfered in a bid to undermine the Democrat Hillary Clinton.

7. US wants Turkey to buy Patriot missiles

• The United States is trying to persuade NATO partner Turkey to purchase the Patriot surface-to-air missile system, instead of rival Russian equipment.
• The NATO alliance is worried Turkey’s intent to deploy Russia’s S-400 anti-aircraft missile system could provide Moscow with a trove of intelligence on Western war equipment.
• The planned purchase has become a major source of friction, and US lawmakers have warned Ankara could face sanctions if it goes ahead with the purchase of the S-400.

8. IHK’s ex-CM Farooq Abdullah chargesheeted in Rs43 crore fraud

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet against former chief minister of Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and three others for alleged fraudulent withdrawals of Rs43 crore between 2002 and 2012 out of Rs112 crore given to the state cricket association.
• The CBI has said that the funds were misappropriated through bogus bank accounts. Abdullah was president of the J&K Cricket Association when the irregularities were noticed in the state cricket body. The CBI probe found that Rs43 crore was siphoned off by the accused persons, including Abdullah, who allegedly connived with others for personal gain. Abdullah was questioned by CBI during the probe on July 16, 2018.
• Among those named in the chargesheet include then JKCA general secretary Mohammad Saleem Khan, ex-treasurer of the cricket body, Ahsan Ahmad Mirza and a J&K Bank executive Bashir Ahmad Misgar

9. Oldest evidence of bread discovered

• Scientists have discovered the earliest known evidence of bread-making, from a 14,000-year-old dig site.
• The bake would have looked like a flatbread and tasted a bit like today’s multi-grain varieties, they say.
• Our ancestors may have used the bread as a wrap for roasted meat. Thus, as well as being the oldest bread, it may also have been the oldest sandwich.
• The find, from the Black Desert in Jordan, pushes back the first evidence for bread by more than 5,000 years.
• The stone age bread-makers took flour made from wild wheat and barley, mix it with the pulverised roots of plants, added water, and then baked it.
• The product would have looked like a flatbread and tasted a bit like today’s multi-grain bread, they say.

10. Walmart, Microsoft team up to take on Amazon

• Walmart said July 17, 2018 it was entering into a strategic partnership with Microsoft on “digital transformation” for the onetime retail industry leader.
• The move is aimed at helping Walmart compete better against Amazon, which is taking a growing share of retail sales in the United States and globally.
• The two firms said the partnership was focused on using artificial intelligence and other technology tools to help manage costs, expand operations and innovate faster.
• Walmart Chief Executive: Doug McMillon.
• Microsoft´s business cloud computing platform known as Azure will help Walmart manage operations ranging from refrigeration and air conditioning to improving its supply chain and transportation.