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September 3, 2018: National Current Affairs
1. PM launches countrywide drive to plant 10bn trees in five years
- Prime Minister Imran Khan on September 2, 2018 launched a countrywide drive to plant 10 billion trees across the country in five years to counter challenges of global warming and deforestation.
- The prime minister was accompanied by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Adviser to the PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, Special Assistant to the PM on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq, and officials from the forest department.
- The prime minister inaugurated the `10 billion tree tsunami` drive by planting a sapling of deodar in the Makhniyal area where he had also kicked off the `billion tree tsunami` project of the KP government in 2015.
- The first day of the drive was observed as `Plant for Pakistan Day` when around 1.5 million saplings were planned to be planted in a single day across the country.
2. US spells out terms of engagement with Pakistan
- As the United States and the new Pakistani government prepare for their first face-to-face talks in Islamabad on September 5, 2018, the Trump administration has made it clear that Pakistan will have to back the US strategy in Afghanistan if it wants good relations with Washington.
- The strategy as defined by both the State Department and the Pentagon this week is to use a combination of military and diplomatic pressures to force the Taliban to work with Kabul for restoring peace in Afghanistan.
- Washington believes that a working relationship between the Taliban and Kabul can lead to an honourable withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
- Washington sent its first clear message to Islamabad last week when US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo telephoned Prime Minister Imran Khan and asked the latter to take `decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan`.
- Initially, Islamabad disputed the US version of this conversation, but later withdrew its objection.
3. Pak Navy ship completes goodwill visits
- Pakistan Navy Ship, PNS ASLAT visited Jeddah, Saudi Arabia being the last Port Call of her Overseas Deployment to Mediterranean and European Countries. In line with Pakistan’s Foreign Policy, Pakistan Navy has always been instrumental in furthering naval diplomacy in the form of goodwill visits and naval exercises with friendly countries.
- In this regard, PNS ASLAT on overseas deployment to Mediterranean and European Countries reflected Pakistan Navy’s reach in western hemisphere, while pursuing Pakistan’s Foreign Policy objectives. PNS ASLAT Port Call to Jeddah was aimed to further strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and brotherhood between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The visit was capitalised in terms of professional and social interactions with host Country. During 03 days Port Call, PN delegation headed by Commodore Muhammad Faisal Abbasi held meeting with Deputy Commander Western Fleet of Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF).
- During interaction, enormous goodwill and warmth was expressed for the people of Pakistan in general and Pakistan Navy in particular. Moreover, Damage Control & Fire Fighting Practical training was conducted at Madrasat ul Hareeq (RSNF DC & FF School) to enhance interoperability and to mutually benefit from each other’s experience.
4. Pak-Afghan authorities meet to resolve Jalalabad Consulate issue
- Afghan authorities met Pakistani officials over the issue of security and intervention by provincial governor Hayatullah Hayat in Pakistan Consulate in Jalalabad and said that the issue was a simple misunderstanding and would be resolved soon.
- During the meeting, the authorities discussed the possible suggestions for security of the consulate building. While speaking about the issue, spokesman for the Afghan Foreign Ministry said the governor’s intervention was a misunderstanding, which caused concern among staff at the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad however, soon the problem will be solved.
- Earlier, Pakistan had temporarily closed the Jalalabad Consulate on Friday to protest the Nangarhar governor’s intervention. The decision was taken in reaction to provincial governor Hayatullah Hayat’s intervention in activities of the consulate.
September 3, 2018: International Current Affairs
5. Gen Miller assumes Nato command in Afghanistan
- US Army General Scott Miller assumed command of Nato forces in Afghanistan on September 2, 2018, arriving as Washington faces growing questions over its strategy to force the Taliban into talks to end the 17-year conflict.
- Miller, former commander of the US military’s Joint Special Operations Command, takes over at a time of mixed hope and fear for the Western-backed government in Kabul.
- The United States is now a year into its strategy of stepping up pressure on the Taliban by increasing airstrikes and sending thousands more troops to train and advise Afghan forces, but clear signs of success have so far proved elusive.
- “It is time for this war in Afghanistan to end,” he said. Like Nicholson, Miller spent years in Afghanistan before assuming command of US and coalition forces there and his career has followed the different stages of what is now America’s longest war.
6. Migrant crisis haunts European Union
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel won accolades for her stunning call on September 4, 2015 to keep open Germany’s doors to hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers, many fleeing war-torn Syria or Iraq.
- Three years on, scenes of far-right protesters chasing down foreigners in a German city have shocked the world. All of Europe has seen a sea-change since the migration crisis erupted.
- Britain is now just months away from quitting the European Union, the far-right is sharing power in both Italy and Austria, while right-wing extremist group AfD has become the biggest opposition party in Germany’s parliament.
- If there is a common denominator for these upheavals in European politics, it is the migration crisis seized upon by pro-Brexiters and far-right forces across Europe as the public enemy in their campaigns.
7. Russia trying to ‘undercut’ progress: US
- Russia is not giving up on efforts to destabilise Afghanistan and drive divisions between the United States and its coalition partners, US commander in Afghanistan Gen John Nichloson told.
- Nicholson, who relinquishes command on September 2, 2018, cast doubts on Russia’s intentions in the region, despite recent overtures from Moscow to help the Taliban reconcile with the Afghan government.
- The US and Afghan officials have previously accused Russia of meddling in Afghanistan by providing Taliban insurgents with both weapons and training. Moscow has rejected the allegations, saying it has only political ties with the Taliban.
- Still, Russia has faced growing suspicion from the US and its allies, who say the Kremlin has been increasingly working to expand its influence in Afghanistan and beyond.
- Most recently, the US and Russia have been competing over efforts to kick-start peace negotiations between the Taliban and the US-backed Afghan government.
- Russia was set to host both parties, along with the US and other countries, for talks starting September 4, but was forced to postpone after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani declined the invitation.
8. Archaeologists find neolithic remains in Nile delta
- Archaeologists in Egypt say they have found one of the oldest-known villages in the Nile Delta dating back to the Neolithic era.
- A joint Egyptian and French mission discovered several storage silos containing large quantities of animal and plant remains, as well as pottery and stone tools, the antiquities ministry said in a statement on September 2, 2018.
- The ministry said the find indicates that humans inhabited the fertile Tell al-Samara, in the northern province of El-Dakahlia, as early as the fifth millennium BC, far predating Egypt`s oldest known pyramid.
September 3, 2018: Sports Current Affairs
9. Jakarta dreams of hosting Olympics as Asian Games conclude
- The 18th Asian Games closed in a glittering ceremony in Jakarta on September 2, 2018 as hosts Indonesia dreamed of stepping up to host the Olympics in 2032.
- Thousands of athletes in ponchos marched in heavy rain at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium at the close of the two-week tournament featuring 40 sports.
- It added to the relaxed atmosphere of the ceremony, which was mainly devoted to music acts from Indonesia, India and South Korea while booming fireworks lit up the night sky.
- Indonesia has denied expectations to host a smooth Games, which with 17,000 athletes and officials is second in size only to the Olympics.
10. Pakistan fail to reach ISSF World Championship finals
- On September 2, 2018, Minhal Suhail and Zeeshan-ul-Farid secured 68th position with the score of 809.7 points (202.9, 201.2, 202.4, 203.2) in the qualification round of 10 metre air rifle event mixed team category.
- Minhal scored 400 points (99.5, 98.8, 99.4, 102.3) and Zeeshan scored 409.7 points (103.4, 102.4, 103.0, 100.9). Thus, they failed to reach the finals. Farrukh Nadeem did not start in trap event qualification round.
- There are eight shooters of the country in this championship: Khalil Akhtar and Ghulam Mustafa Bashir in 25m rapid fire pistol; Usman Chand, Abdul Sattar Satti and Khurram Inam in skeet; Zeeshan in 10m air rifle, 50m rifle 3 positions, 50m rifle prone, and 10m air rifle mixed team; Farrukh in trap; and Minhal in 10m air rifle and 10m air rifle mixed team.
- The World Championship is being held at the Changwon International Shooting Range and Jinhae Naval Shooting Range where about 4,000 athletes from 120 countries are competing.
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