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International Current Affairs

February 2021
All the material is taken from various Web news sources.
Compiler: Rizwan Afzal | 03036611962

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Israel said on February 28, 2021, it would vaccinate Palestinians in the West Bank
with permit s to work in Jewish settlements in the occupied territory and inside
Israel against the coronavirus. The Palestinian Authority said last week it had
reached an agreement with Israel that would see the Jewish state vaccinate
100,000Palestinian labourers.

An unmanned Russian cargo ship launched successfully loaded with supplies for
the International Space Station. Named as ‘Progress MS-16’, the cargo ship
blasted off from Russia’s Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan. The ship is
carrying water, propellant, and other supplies. It is set to dock at the space outpost
two days after the launch.

A historic kangaroo painting created over 17,000 years ago by Aboriginal artists
have been identified in Australia. This is claimed to be the oldest intact rock art
of Australia. The two-meter-long artwork has been found in the Kimberley region
of Western Australia.

The Government of Japan headed by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has recently
appointed Tetsushi Sakamoto as the country’s 1st ever Minister for Loneliness.
This decision has been made to tackle the rise in suicide rates due to the COVID
crisis. Also, the minister is responsible for managing the fall in the birth rate in
the country. The US space agency NASA released the first audio from Mars,
captured by the Perseverance rover. The audio sounded like a faint crackling
recording of a gust of wind in the red planet. Though a microphone did not work
during the rover’s descent to the surface, it could capture audio after it landed on
Mars. NASA also released the first video of the landing of the rover.

The 30th Adriatic Pearl tournament was organized in Budva, Montenegro.

Montenegro is a Balkan country with rugged mountains, medieval villages, and
a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline.

The 11th IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium on Energy Outlooks was held virtually on

February 17, 2021, under the patronage of the Minister of Energy of Saudi
Arabia HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 25, 2021 declared his country had
achieved the `human miracle` of eliminating extreme poverty, though questions
continue to surround the Communist Party`s criteria for making the claim.

According to the provisional data from the Union Commerce Ministry of India,
the two-way trade stood at USD 77.7 billion last year. With this, China regained
its position as India’s top trade partner in 2020, with the higher reliance of India
on imported machines. The bilateral trade with the United States stood at USD
75.9 billion. The UAE remains the third trade partner.

Bangladesh has recently banned the painkiller ketoprofen used widely to treat
cattle. With this, it became the first country to ban all the drugs known so far to
be toxic to vultures. Over 10 years ago, the country banned the veterinary drug
diclofenac. As per Ornithologists, this is a landmark step to save the small
existing population of Asia’s globally threatened vultures.

As per the Scientists at NASA, the Perseverance rover deployed its parachute
through the atmosphere of Mars. During the process, it flashed a secret code of
red-and-white stripes across the sky, which was seen as a random pattern of
concentric circles. It was decoded in some hours and found that it is a message
written in binary computer code, which spelled “Dare Mighty Things”.

Italy`s ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo was among three people
killed on February 22, 2021, when a UN convoy came under attack in the troubled
east, DRC sources and the Italian government said. Luca Attanasio died of his
wounds after a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy came under gunfire near
Goma while he was on a field trip, a senior diplomatic source said in Kinshasa.

Pakistan will host World Environment Day this year to mark the launch of the
United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP) was informed on February 22, 2021. World
Environment Day is celebrated on 5 June every year.

Israel paid Russia $1.2 million to provide the Syrian government with
coronavirus vaccines as part of a deal that secured the release of an Israeli woman
held captive in Damascus, according to Israeli media reports on February 21,
2021.

Germany`s Catholic bishops elected a woman as their general secretary for the
first time on February 23, 2021, in a decision hailed as a `strong sign` of
modernization in the crisis-hit Church. Theologian Beate Gilles, 50, will succeed
Hans Langend oerfer on July 1 as a high-ranking official charged with
implementing decisions taken by the bishops.

Scientists from the USA have successfully cloned Black-Footed Ferret, an

endangered species. This species is North America’s only native ferret. The
cloned animal has been named Elizabeth Ann. The cloning has been successfully
done using the cells of “Walla”, a black-footed ferret that lived more than 30
years ago.
Israel recently announced that it is developing a new ballistic missile shield, the
Arrow-4, in collaboration with the United States. Israel’s Arrow-2 and Arrow-3
anti-missile systems are already functioning, which can be deployed in a multi-
layered module to destroy incoming missiles.

While addressing a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council, United

Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, said 130
countries have not received a single dose of vaccine. As only 10 countries have
administered 75 percent of all vaccinations, the UN slammed the uneven and
inequitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines. He also called for a global effort
to get all people vaccinated as soon as possible.

50-year-old British human rights lawyer Karim Khan has been elected as the new
chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court by its member countries.
He is set to commence his 9-year term from June this year. India records the
highest number of road crash deaths, across the world. The World Bank recently
released a report titled “Traffic Crash Injuries and Disabilities: The Burden on
Indian Society”. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari released the report,
which highlights the unequal impact of a road crash on poor households. Over
75% of the poor households in India reported a decline in their income after a
road traffic crash.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently unveiled an ambitious 10-
year space program for the nation. This program includes missions to the moon,
manned missions to space, and developing internationally viable satellite
systems.

The Indian Government is to introduce a bill in Parliament to ban all private

cryptocurrencies and create a sovereign digital currency by the Reserve Bank of
India.
The bill is to allow certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of
cryptocurrency and its uses. A legislative framework on official digital currency
is also expected to be created. Russia said on February 20, 2021, its scientists had
detected the first case of transmission of the H5N8 strain of avian flu to humans
and had alerted the World Health Organisation. In televised remarks, the head of
Russia`s health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, said scientists at the
Vektor laboratory had isolated the strain`s genetic material from seven workers
at a poultry farm in southern Russia, where an outbreak was recorded among the
birds in December.

Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan have permanently quit royal duties,
Buckingham Palace said on February 19, 2021, just over a year after they rocked
the British monarchy by announcing plans to `step back` from their roles. Queen
Elizabeth II ordered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as they are formally known,
to relinquish their honorary titles and patronages following the confirmation that
they would not be returning as working royals.

Mario Draghi has sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Italy. He is the former
Chief of the European Central Bank. He is nicknamed “Super Mario”. He has
announced his cabinet of ministers, which consists of political and technocratic
ministers. He is presently 73 years old. Mario Draghi Prime Minister of Italy since
13 February 2021.

Japanese athlete-turned politician Seiko Hashimoto has been chosen as president

of the Tokyo 2020 Organising committee, replacing a man who resigned after
setting off a furore with sexist remarks. Hashimoto, who competed in seven
Summer and Winter Olympics as a cyclist and a skater, now faces a raft of tough
issues at the helm of one of the world`s biggest sporting events with less than half
a year before its delayed start.

China last year overtook the United States as the EU`s biggest trading partner,
the EU statistics agency Eurostat said on February 15, 2021. Britain meanwhile,
which is no longer part of the European Union, was the third-largest trading
partner for the bloc, behind China and the United States, the agency said.

Three months after the Trump administration rejected her, former Nigerian
finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala received unanimous backing on February
15, 2021, to become the first woman and first African director-general of the
World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Britain and Canada on February 18, 2021, imposed sanctions on generals in

Myanmar for human rights violations following the military takeover in the
Southeast Asian country. The UK foreign ministry said it was imposing sanctions
on three junta officials, including the ministers of defence and home affairs, and
had begun a review to stop UK businesses working with the regime.

Iran armed forces on February 16, 2021, launched a joint naval drill with Russia
in the north of the Indian Ocean designed to “enhance security” of maritime trade,
state TV reported. The ‘Maritime Security Belt Exercise’ is to cover an area of
17,000 square kilometers and include units from the Iranian army and the elite
Revolutionary Guards as well as Russia´s navy, the broadcaster quoted drill
spokesman Rear Admiral Gholamreza Tahani as saying.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori resigned on Friday, February 12, 2021,
and apologized again for sexist remarks that sparked a global outcry, leaving the
troubled Olympics searching for a chief five months from the opening ceremony.
The resignation of the 83-year-old former prime minister further erodes
confidence in organizers’ ability to pull off the postponed Summer Games during
a coronavirus pandemic.

Tianwen-1 arrived at Mars on Wednesday (Feb. 10) and fired its engines to allow
it to enter orbit around the planet. Tianwen-1, which means “Questioning the
Heavens,” launched on July 23, 2020, and is China’s first independent
interplanetary mission. It arrived in orbit around Mars after a 202-day, 295-
million-mile (475 million kilometers) journey through deep space.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has priced its first education bond to
finance a pool of projects related to the sector, including technical and vocational
training, in Asia and the Pacific. According to an ADB press statement received
here, priced on February 2, the A$75 million (about $57 million) 10-year bond
was purchased entirely by Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited of Japan
and arranged by Credit Agricole CIB.

The United Arab Emirates’ “Hope” probe on Tuesday, February 9, 2021,

successfully entered Mars’ orbit, making history as the Arab world’s first
interplanetary mission. The probe is designed to reveal the secrets of Martian
weather, but the UAE also wants it to serve as an inspiration for the region’s
youth.

“Nutritious Seeds for a Sustainable Future” was determined as a slogan to be

raised in the year 2016 after its nomination as International Year of Pulses. This
year specified and stressed the nutritious importance of Pulses and since then it
has been declared the theme from the year 2019 (10 th February, first observance
as a day) to the current year, 2021’s 10th February, as a similar domain to follow.

Min Aung Hlaing is a Burmese army general who is the current military leader
of Myanmar, concurrently serving as Chairman of the State Administration
Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces. He seized
power after overthrowing the elected government led by de facto leader Aung
San Suu Kyi in a coup d’état on 1 February 2021. He also imposed military rule
and martial law, ending the previous civilian rule.

The United Nations special envoy on Yemen is visiting Iran for the first time to
discuss Yemen’s crisis, Iranian state TV reported on Sunday, February 7, 2021
days after Washington announced an end to its support for Saudi-led military
operations in Yemen. “The UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths has arrived in
Tehran for a two-day visit, during which he will meet with Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif and other Iranian officials,” state TV said.
China has donated Covid-19 vaccines for Pakistan’s armed forces, a statement by
the military’s media affairs wing said on Monday, February 7, 2021. In a
statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the People’s
Liberation Army (PLA) had donated vaccines, making Pakistan’s military the
first foreign military to receive vaccine assistance from Beijing.

Sinovac Biotech said on Saturday, February 6, 2021, that its Covid-19 vaccine
has been approved for use by the general public by China’s medical products
regulator. It marks the second vaccine approved for public use in China after one
developed by a Beijing institute affiliated with the state-owned China National
Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) was approved in December 2020.

Mauritius foreign minister Nandcoomar Bodha on Saturday, February 6, 2021,

submitted his resignation from both government and party, citing irreconcilable
differences with the ruling Mouvement Socialiste Militant (MSM). “This
morning, I submitted my resignation from the government and all MSM bodies,”
Bodha said in a statement. Bodha, an MSM stalwart who served as foreign
minister since November 2019, also submitted his letter of resignation to the
Mauritian president.

Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year) will be celebrated on Friday,
February 12, 2021. Lunar New Year begins on the date (in East Asia) of the
second new moon after the winter solstice, which always takes place in late
December. This means that the first day of the Lunar New Year can occur
between January 21 and February 20.

Bangladesh has sent a third group of Rohingya refugees to Bhashan Char Island,
which is a newly developed island in the Bay of Bengal. Around 4,000 refugees
have been sent to the island since December. After the third set of 1,778 refugees,
the fourth set is also expected to be sent soon. There have been several calls from
human rights activists against the resettlement of refugees on the island.

China-based technology major Xiaomi has announced “Mi Air Charge”. It is a

new wireless charging technology that has been patented by the company. This
device lets users charge multiple electronic devices without any cables, pads, or
wireless charging stands. But Xiaomi has stated that this device is still in the
concept phase and will not be available commercially in the near future.

China celebrates its traditional Lantern festival, on the 15th day of the first
Chinese lunar month. The festival also marks the final day of the Chinese New
Year or the ‘Spring Festival’ period. This year, the country entered the ‘Year of
the Ox’ on February 12, 2021. This Festival also falls the first full moon night in
the Chinese calendar.
In the recently released Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index
report, Norway has taken the top spot, while Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand, and
Canada have made it to the top five.

As per the recent notification of the World Health Organisation, Breast cancer is
now the world’s most commonly diagnosed cancer. Earlier, Lung cancer was the
most commonly diagnosed. According to statistics released by the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), one out of every six deaths in the total
10 million deaths in 2020 was due to Cancer.

United States President Joe Biden announced to end the country’s support for
Saudi-led military operations in Yemen. By ending all support for the offensive
operations including, the arms sales, it is indicated that the new administration
would make efforts to end the civil war in Yemen. Former President Donald
Trump approved to provide logistical assistance and sell advanced weaponry to
the country.

New York has become the first US state to proclaim February 5 as “Kashmir-
American Day” after adopting a resolution on Feb 3. The New York State
Assembly marked Feb 5 as “Kashmir-American Day” by adopting a resolution
through a voice vote, a significant development which was the result of years of
efforts by the American-Pakistani Advocacy Group (APAG) — a non-profit
social service and advocacy organization based in the city.

Andy Jassy is to replace Jeff Bezos as Amazon’s next chief executive officer. He
is serving as the Chief of Amazon Web Services (AWS) at present. Jeff Bezos
had been the CEO of the Tech Giant for almost 30 years. He is to take up the role
of Executive chairman. The billionaire entrepreneur is expected to focus on his
space exploration company Blue Origin and other ventures.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has announced the launch of its first all civilian mission to
space. The mission will be the first all-commercial astronaut mission to orbit.
Named as Inspiration4, the mission is to be launched using the flagship vehicle
of SpaceX, the Falcon 9. Expected to be launched by the end of 2021, it is a
charity-focused mission commanded by the entrepreneur Jared Isaacman.

The United Kingdom has recently announced that it will formally apply to join
the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership
(CPTPP).
CPTPP is a trans-Pacific trading association that removes most tariffs between
11 countries including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia,
Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Anders Antonsen of
Denmark won the men’s singles final at badminton World Tour held in Bangkok
recently. In the final match, he defeated Viktor Axelsen of Denmark.
The tournament is hosted by Thailand in a biosecure coronavirus bubble. The
tournament contained no spectators, to guard against the pandemic. According to
the World Health Organization (WHO), India has the highest number of new
cases of leprosy in the world annually. India is followed by Brazil and Indonesia
in the largest number of cases. In India, more new cases are reported from the
rural belts of Bihar, Lakshadweep, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli. January 31 is
observed as World Leprosy Day.

Sri Lanka was the best faring nation in South Asia, ranking 10, while the Maldives
was at 25, Pakistan at 69, Nepal at 70, and Bangladesh at 84. India ranked 86 out
of 98 countries, while the United States placed 94 and Brazil at the bottom of the
index. New Zealand and Vietnam led the list, followed by Taiwan, Thailand, and
Cyprus in the top five.

The Biden administration said it will review a landmark the United States deal
with the Taliban, focusing on whether the insurgent group has reduced attacks in
Afghanistan, in keeping with its side of the agreement.

The Asia Pacific Advanced Networks (APAN) 51st meeting – APAN51

is hosted by the Pakistan Education & Research Network & Higher Education
Commission of Pakistan, and is to be held virtually on 1 – 5 February, 2021.

The United Kingdom’s largest Muslim umbrella body has elected its first female
secretary-general. Zara Mohammed, 29, was on Sunday, January 31, 2021, voted
to lead the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) during the organization’s annual
general meeting, held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Myanmar’s military has seized power after detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and other
democratically elected leaders. Troops are patrolling the streets and a night-time
curfew is in force, with a one-year state of emergency declared. US President Joe
Biden raised the threat of new sanctions, with the UN and UK also condemning
the coup.

The postponement of the Test series between South Africa and Australia means
New Zealand has become the first team to qualify for the inaugural ICC World
Test Championship final to be held in England from June 18 to 22. Kane
Williamson-led New Zealand on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, became the first
team to qualify for the finals of the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test
Championship.

Sri Lanka on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, scrapped a deal to develop a major

terminal at the Colombo port with India and Japan. The East Container Terminal
(ECT) will be 100% owned by the state-owned Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA),
its government said. Sri Lanka had previously said the terminal would be 49%
owned by India and Japan, with SLPA retaining the majority stake.

The International Day of Human Fraternity is observed every year by the United
Nations on February 4. This year the theme is: A Pathway to the Future
In the year 2019, on the same day, the document entitled “Human fraternity for
world peace and living together” was signed in 2019.

The International Day of Human Fraternity is observed every year by the United
Nations on February 4.

World Cancer Day is being observed on February 4 from 2000, when it was first
established at the ‘World Cancer Summit Against Cancer for the New
Millennium’ in Paris.
It was on the same day, the ‘Charter of Paris Against Cancer’ was signed by the
General Director of UNESCO and then French President. The theme of Cancer
Day is ‘I Am and I Will’, which is being continued since 2019.

World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2nd February to create awareness
on the importance of wetlands and their role played in the planet. This year, the
theme of World Wetlands Day is ‘Wetlands and Water’. This year’s theme
highlights the importance of wetlands as a source of fresh water. It also
encourages action from people and countries to restore them.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to stop protesting

farmers despite police crackdown who entered the historic Red Fort complex in
the capital and hoisted their flags. It was earlier reported that the Khalistan flag
was hoisted atop the Red Fort. However, upon investigation, it was found to be
the ‘Nishan Sahib’, which bears a close visual similarity to the Khalistan flag but
has a very different symbolic meaning. Indian actor and activist, Deep Sidhu, who
has been protesting for farmers’ rights, posted a video on Facebook, clarifying
that only the Nishan Sahib was hoisted on the fort.

Myanmar’s military assumed control of the country in a coup on Monday,

February 1, 2021, ousting the democratically elected government led by Aung
San Suu Kyi, and arresting the Nobel laureate and several leaders of her party in
early-morning raids. The move came after Myanmar’s generals complained of
fraud in the Nov. 8 election—citing evidence that is, at best, disputed.

Israel and Kosovo established diplomatic ties on Monday, February 1, 2021, with
the Muslim-majority territory recognizing al-Quds as the Jewish state’s capital,
putting it at odds with the rest of the Islamic world. In a ceremony held over Zoom
in Jerusalem and Pristina, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and his
counterpart from Kosovo, Meliza Haradinaj Stublla, signed a joint declaration
establishing ties.