February 2021 International Affairs

Sakshi Education

Make peace with nature, says new UN report
In 2020, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced that despite the decline in greenhouse gas emissions due to the pandemic, the world will continue to warm up to more than 3°C in this century.

The UNEP has long issued a warning: The per capita stock of natural capital (the resources and services that nature provides to humans) has fallen by 40% in just two decades. We already know that nine out of ten people in the world breathe polluted air.

UNEP is an agency of the United Nations. It coordinates the environmental activities of the United Nations. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) assists developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices.

It was established as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. Its headquarters are located in Nairobi, Kenya.

The main UNEP reports are the Emission Gap Report, Global Environmental Outlook, Frontier, and Investment in a Healthy Planet.
When is the International Mother Language Day observed?
Since 2000, an International Mother Tongue Day has been held on February 21 every year to promote the diversity of languages and cultures and the use of multiple languages.

The idea of celebrating International Mother Tongue Day is an initiative of Bangladesh. It was approved at the UNESCO General Conference in 1999 and has been observed all over the world since 2000.

UNESCO celebrates "Language Without Borders" on International Mother Tongue Day 2020.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2008 as the International Year of Languages. 40% of the global population cannot receive education in a language they speak or understand.

However, in multilingual education based on mother tongue, especially in early education, people have gained more and more understanding of its importance, and progress is currently being made.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Development celebrates this day with educational institutions and language institutions because MatribhashaDiwas is in the country.
When is the World Day of Social Justice observed?
February 20th is World Social Justice Day to promote gender equality, the rights of indigenous peoples and immigrants. Social Justice day also focuses on achieving the goal of full employment and social integration.

Social Day’s purpose is to make people realize the importance of social justice, spread equality, and eliminate discrimination and injustice.

On November 26, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared February 20 as the annual World Social Justice Day. In 2009, this day was first observed.

The theme of the 2019 World Social Justice Day is If you want peace and development, work for social justice.

The theme of the 2020 World Social Justice Day is Closing the inequalities gap in achieving social justice.

The theme of World Social Justice Day in 2021 is A Call for Social Justice in the Digital Economy.
Iran says talks with IAEA chief ‘fruitful’
Iran had held “fruitful discussions” with UN nuclear watchdog chief in Tehran, ahead of a deadline when it is set to restrict the agency’s inspections unless the United States lifts painful sanctions.

UN nuclear watchdog chief ’s visit comes amid stepped-up efforts between U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration, European powers and Iran to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal that has been on the brink of collapse since former President Donald Trump withdrew from it.

Iran’s Foreign Minister signalled that the Islamic republic wants to avoid an “impasse”, but also warned it could step further away from its commitments if Washington does not lift the sanctions.

Iran and the IAEA held fruitful discussions based on mutual respect, the result of which will be released this evening.

Iran’s conservative-dominated Parliament months ago demanded that if the U.S. does not lift sanctions by this Sunday, Iran will suspend some IAEA inspections.

Iran had been hit with devastating economic sanctions by the United Nations, United States and the European Union that are estimated to have cost it tens of billions of pounds a year in lost oil export revenues. Billions in overseas assets had also been frozen.

Trump and opponents to the deal say it is flawed because it gives Iran access to billions of dollars but does not address Iran’s support for groups the U.S. considers terrorists, like Hamas and Hezbollah.

They note it also doesn’t curb Iran’s development of ballistic missiles and that the deal phases out by 2030.

They say Iran has lied about its nuclear program in the past.
US Officially Rejoined Paris Climate accord
The United States (US) officially rejoined the "Paris Climate Agreement" on February 19, 2020. After leaving office 107 days, the United States rejoined the agreement.

With the re-entry of the United States, world leaders expect that the country will now prove its seriousness largely absent for four years.

The two countries are still waiting for Washington to announce the United States’ goal of reducing emissions of heat-collecting gas by 2030.

US President Joe Biden signed an executive order to overturn the order of former President Donald Trump.

In 2019, the Donald Trump administration announced its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Due to the provisions of the agreement, the order came into effect on November 4, 2020.

The Paris Climate Agreement is an agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The agreement was signed in 2016 and involves climate change mitigation, adaptation and financing.

The Paris agreement was negotiated by representatives of about 196 states. The paris agreement was signed at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the French "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change."

The agreement was later passed by consensus in December 2015. Currently, 190 members of the "Convention" are parties to the agreement. Countries such as Turkey, Iran and Iraq have not joined.

According to the Paris Agreement, there is a long-term goal to keep the average temperature below 2°C above the pre-industrial level. It also tried to limit the temperature to 1.5°C. This will help reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.

The agreement further aims to improve the ability of all parties to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. It also seeks to make money flow towards low-greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.
Facebook to end Australia news blackout
Facebook lifts a contentious ban on Australian news and pay local media companies for content, after a last-gasp deal on pending landmark legislation.

Australia’s Treasurer announced a face-saving compromise that will see Google and Facebook plunge tens of millions of dollars into the struggling local news sector.

In return the U.S. digital firms will, for now, avoid being subjected to mandatory payments that could cost them vastly more and create what they see as an alarming global precedent.

Just hours after the compromise was unveiled, Facebook announced its first proposed deal with an Australian media company, Seven West, and was said to be pursuing commercial deals with other local news organisations.

The company is expected to use the content to launch a dedicated news product in Australia later this year.

While links to news may not be direct advertising money-spinners for Facebook or Google, both see the presence of news as an important aspect of audience engagement with their products.

Google and Facebook are two of the largest and most profitable companies in history – and each holds far more bargaining power than any news publisher. The news media bargaining code sets out to undo this imbalance.

The fight in Australia is in fact, centred on how much control these companies would be able to retain on their payout process — operational aspects such as deciding the quantum of payments for news feed sources, and having to reveal changes in their algorithm.

According to a FICCI-EY report for 2020, there are 300 million users of online news sites, portals and aggregators in the country — making up approximately 46% of Internet users and 77% of smartphone users in India at the end of 2019.

With 282 million unique visitors, India is the second largest online news consuming nation after China.

In India, digital advertising spends in 2019 grew 24% year-on-year to Rs 27,900 crore and are expected to grow to Rs 51,340 crore by 2022.

A substantial discussion on the impact of intermediary platforms on the health of news media outlets is yet to begin in any meaningful way.

Google has threatened to remove its search engine from the country, and Facebook has said it could block Australian users from posting or sharing news links if proposed norms on royalty payments are rolled out.

Royalty payment: A royalty is a legally-binding payment made to an individual, for the ongoing use of his or her originally-created assets, including copyrighted works, franchises, and natural resources.

The argument made by the global tech companies is that: The Australian media industry is already benefiting from traffic being routed to them by each of the digital platforms.

The new rules proposed by the Australian authorities would expose them to unmanageable levels of financial and operational risk.

Hefty fines proposed by authorities are being seen as an added disincentive.

The fundamental difference in the approach taken by the French and Australian authorities on the issue is that France specifically linked payments to copyright, without putting a forcing device into the agreements like in Australia.
China topped India’s list of trading partners in 2020
China topped India’s list of trading partners in 2020 despite high tension between the countries, showed provisional data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Its position at the top is not just a result of India’s continued dependence on its electrical and nuclear machinery, but a spurt in shipments of products like iron and steel as well.

Despite a drop from the $85.47 billion traded between India and China from January to December 2019, total trade between the countries stood at $77.67 billion during the same period in 2020 — a year that saw a deadly clash between Indian and Chinese troops at Galwan Valley.

The skirmish sparked various measures by the government to cut Chinese presence in the country, including a ban of popular apps, termination of major infrastructural contracts and the approval of production-linked incentive schemes to reduce dependence on critical goods from the neighbour.

Electrical machinery and equipment, at $17.82 billion, and nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances, at $12.35 billion, continued to top the goods imported from China in 2020 — a sign of continued dependence as India works towards self-reliance in critical sectors.

At the same time, imports of these goods dropped by nearly 11 percent in the calendar year.

Meanwhile, Indian iron and steel saw a 319.14 percent jump in exports to China, with shipments touching $2.38 billion during January to December 2020. Iron and steel exports to China in 2019 were around $567 million.
Australia passes landmark law requiring tech firms to pay for news
The Australian Parliament passed a landmark legislation called the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code on February 25, 2021.

The regulation requires global digital platforms to pay for publishing Australian news content on their respective platforms.

The legislation mainly targets Facebook and Google.

The law is easy to pass, and the tech giants (Facebook and Google) signed an agreement with the government to pay Australian news organizations.

The agreement was signed to avoid the mandatory bargaining rules under the new regulations.

This legislation will ensure that news companies "are fairly paid for their content" It will also help maintain "public interest news" in the country.
U.S. will seek to rejoin UNHRC: Blinken
The United States (US) announced that it will seek re-election to the UN Human Rights Council. This is the latest in a series of measures taken by the Biden administration to reverse the pattern of withdrawal from multilateralism unique to the Trump administration.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump took the U.S. out of the Council in 2018, saying that he was biased against Israel and its members were human rights violators.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system. The mission of the UN Human Rights Council is to promote "universal respect for the protection of the human rights of all people and the fundamental freedoms of all people", and "resolve human rights violations, including serious and systematic violations, and make recommendations on this." It is capable of discussing all the thematic human rights issues and situations that require attention throughout the year.

The UNHRC was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2006. It replaced the former UN Human Rights Commission. The UNHCR is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

It has two main functions: The Council adopts periodic reviews of all 193 UN member states, and adopts non-binding resolutions on human rights issues, called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), while monitoring Expert investigation of infringement. In specific countries/regions (special procedures).

The UNHRC consists of about 47 member states, elected by a majority of the member states of the United Nations General Assembly through direct and secret ballots.

The membership of the UNHRC is based on equitable geographical distribution. The members of the Council have a three-year term, and two consecutive terms are not eligible for immediate re-election.
When is the World Radio Day observed?
Every year February 13th is celebrated as World Radio Day. UNESCO celebrates this day. The organization calls on all radio stations to maintain diversity.

The main purpose of celebrating World Radio Day is to increase the media and public's awareness of Radio. It also aims to encourage key decision-makers to provide information access via radio.

World Radio Day was first celebrated in 2013. The resolution to celebrate World Radio Day was passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012.

Radio is still a widely used communication medium worldwide. In addition, radio stations can also provide services to various communities, provide a wide range of views and reflect the diversity of audiences.

The theme of World Radio Day 2021 is "New World, New Radio."
Pakistan Army holds month-long war games in Thar desert
The Pakistan Army held a one-month exercise code-named ‘Jidar-ul-Hadeed’ in the Thar Desert. The purpose is to prepare for conflict in the extreme desert environment.

The multinational naval exercise Aman-2021 hosted by Pakistan has also begun in the Arabian Sea. 45 countries including the USA, Russia, China and Turkey will participate in the exercise.

Part of the Thar Desert is located in Rajasthan State, northwestern India, and the other part is located in Punjab and Sindh provinces, eastern Pakistan.

The Thar Desert is an arid region covering more than 2 million square kilometers. It forms a natural boundary along the border between India and Pakistan.

The Thar Desert is bordered by the Irrigated Indus Plain in the west, the Punjab Plain in the north and northeast, the Aravalli Range in the southeast, and Rann of Kachchh in the south.

The subtropical desert climate there is due to continuous high pressure and subsidence at this latitude.

In summer, the prevailing southwest monsoon winds brings rain to most of the subcontinent, often bypassing the Thar in the east.

There are several playas (saline lake beds) known locally as dhands, are scattered throughout the region

The region mainly produces herbaceous plants such as cactus, neem, khejri, acacia nilotica. All these plants can adapt to high or low temperature and harsh weather conditions.
Italy gets green superministry as Draghi eyes EU funds
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi put climate change at the center of his management of the Italian plan. He created a super ministry to ensure that the transition to green energy drives the country's recovery.

The purpose of setting up the Super Department is to make full use of EU funds on climate change.

In the first step, the Prime Minister will redraft Italy's recovery plan.

Italy’s recovery plan must be submitted to the European Commission by April 2021 to obtain more than 200 billion euros (240 billion US dollars) in funding.

This amount is needed in order for the country to revive the economy hit by the recession during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the EU agreement, 37% of the 200 billion euros must be transferred to the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Mario Draghi was former President of the European Central Bank. He was formally sworn in as Italy’s new prime minister on February 13, 2021, when the country experienced a fatal coronavirus pandemic and severe economic recession. From the left to the far-right alliance of Salvini, the Prime Minister has the support of the Rainbow Alliance.

This political campaign started in Italy in January 2021 and ended in February 2021 after Mario Draghi was sworn in as prime minister. The Italian government crisis included the announcement of the withdrawal of IV support for the Giuseppe Conte government. The announcement was made by the leader of Italy's Viva (IV) and former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

The 2018 general election produced a suspended parliament in Italy. After several negotiations and negotiations, the Centrist Five-Star Movement (M5S) and the Right-wing Alliance formed a coalition government on June 1, 2019.
Sri Lanka considering India’s grant instead of China project
In an apparent bid to displace a Chinese company that had won the contract to install renewable energy systems in three small islands off Jaffna Peninsula in northern Sri Lanka, India has offered a grant of $12 million to execute it, Colombo-based media reported.

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Power has recently said that the government would consider India’s proposal, and that he would present a Cabinet paper on the matter soon.

Newspaper reports quoted him as saying that receiving a grant “is an advantage” that would ease the burden on the Treasury, as opposed to an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan, as per the original project proposal, that would have to be repaid.

The development comes less than a month after the Cabinet cleared a project to install hybrid renewable energy systems in Nainativu, Delft or Neduntheevu, and Analaitivu, located in the Palk Bay, some 50 km off Tamil Nadu.

The Cabinet decisions taken recently included a proposal to award the contract to Sinosoar-Etechwin Joint Venture in China, with funding from the ADB.

Meanwhile, a group of northern Tamil political parties have voiced opposition to Chinese involvement in the project, citing “security threats” to Tamil people and India.

Tamil people are not opposed to China but given that India has known security concerns in this regard, and also because the project is to come up very close to Tamil Nadu, we oppose Chinese involvement.

The people of Tamil Nadu have been lending unconditional support to the Tamil cause, so their security, as well as that of India, is very important to us.

It remains to be seen if India’s proposal gets official clearance, but India’s swift offer comes in the wake of being ejected — along with Japan — out of the East Container Terminal (ECT) development project at the Colombo Port, following another Cabinet decision taken recently this year.
Bangladesh Supreme Court launches AI based translation software ‘Amar Vasha’
The Bangladesh Supreme Court launched the Artificial Intelligence (AI) based translation software ‘Amar Vasha’ through a virtual event.

The software will translate orders and judgements of the Supreme Court from English to Bangla.

The Software has been developed with ‘EkStep’ foundation of India. It is based on their ‘Anuvaad’ translation software used in India to translate from English to Indian languages including Bangla. Anuvaad was deployed by the Supreme Court of India as SUVAS (Supreme Court VidhikAnuvaad Software) from November 2019.
Pak test-fires nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Ghaznavi
Pakistan successfully tested its nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile named Ghaznavi. The missile was tested on February 3, 2021.

The strike capability of ballistic missiles can reach 290 kilometres.

The Ghaznavi missile was launched to commemorate the culmination of the Army Strategic Forces Command’s annual field training exercise.

The Ghaznavi ballistic missile can launch nuclear warheads and conventional warheads with a range of up to 290 kilometres.

The missile has been tested for day and night modes.

Pakistan also tested the nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Shaheen-III on January 20, 2021. The missile has a range of up to 2,750 kilometres.

It is a ground-to-ground short-range ballistic missile. The missile was designed and developed by the National Development Complex. The missile has a range of 290 kilometres. The missile is named after Mahmud, the Muslim Turkic conqueror of Ghazni in the 11th century. The missile entered service in the Pakistan Army in 2012.
The Army Strategic Command entered service after a successful launch in 2012. Its length is 9.64 m, and the diameter of the missile is 0.99 m. The launch weight of the missile is 5256 kg. The missile is powered by a single-stage solid-fuel rocket engine. The design of the missile was influenced by the design of the Chinese M-11 missile.

It is also called a national development complex. NDC is a state-owned defence and aviation contractor in Pakistan. The complex is located in Fateh Chang, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It was established in 1990.
Denmark is building an artificial island to house the world's first clean energy hub
The Danish government approved a plan to build an artificial island in the North Sea as part of its efforts to switch to green energy.

The project is known as the largest construction project in Danish history, and it is estimated to cost DKK 210 billion.

The energy island is based on a platform that serves as a hub for generating electricity from surrounding offshore wind farms.

The artificial island will be located about 80 kilometers from the North Sea, most of which will be owned by the Danish government.

Its main purpose is to provide large-scale offshore wind power.

The idea is to connect and distribute power between Denmark and neighboring countries.

The move came after the European Union announced plans to transform its power system to rely mainly on renewable energy within ten years and increase its offshore wind energy capacity by more than 25 times by 2050.
US moves to re-engage with UN human rights council in reversal of Trump
The United States has announced plans to re-engage with the UN Human Rights Council, which former President Donald Trump withdrew three years ago.

The UN Human Rights Commission was reorganized from its predecessor, the UN Human Rights Commission, to help overcome the "credibility flaws" of the previous organization. organization.

The headquarters of UNHCR is in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Office of the United Nations Human Rights Commission for Refugees has 47 members, who serve at any time, according to the distribution of the world’s regions to ensure geographical representation, and elections are held every year to fill seats.

Each elected member provides a three-year term. Countries are not allowed to hold more than two consecutive seats.

The UN Commission on Human Rights has passed regular reviews of all 193 UN member states and passed non-binding resolutions on human rights issues, which is called the universal periodic review.

It is responsible for supervising expert investigations (special procedures) of infringements in specific countries.
When is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science observed?> GK > Days
The world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science every year on the 11th day of February.

The year 2021 marked the 6th International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The day was celebrated under the theme “Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19?.

The event was held at the United Nations Headquarters through video conferencing.

The event marked the role of women who were at the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.

The event also marked the discussion on the important part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development namely the gender equality and science.

The International Day of Women and Girls in was started being observed by the United Nations through a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly that was passed on December 22, 2015.

The day is celebrated to recognise the critical role that women and girls play in the field of science and technology.

This day is implemented by UNESCO and UN Women.

Various intergovernmental agencies, institutions and civil society partners collaborates with the UNESCO and UN Women.

The day is observed with the aim to promote women and girls in science.

It seeks to promote full and equal access to women and girls for participation in science.
China calls for delinking boundary from overall ties
China “appreciates” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasising the importance of India-China relations, but reiterated its calls for the boundary dispute to “not be linked with the overall bilateral relations”.

In a speech on Thursday, Mr. Jaishankar said the relationship needed to be built on “mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests”.

The Minister outlined eight propositions to take the ties forward after what he called a year of “exceptional stress”.

Mr. Jaishankar underlined India’s view that peace on the border was a prerequisite for the rest of the relationship to develop.

China’s actions last year had “not only signalled a disregard for commitments about minimising troop levels”, but also “showed a willingness to breach the peace and tranquillity” on the border that had been the foundation of the relationship.

The advancement of ties, he added, was “predicated on ensuring that peace and tranquillity was not disturbed, and the Line of Actual Control [LAC] was both observed and respected by both sides”.

Asked by the official media in Beijing to respond to his remarks, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the Ministry “noted Minister Jaishankar’s remarks”.

“He stressed the importance of India-China relations; it shows the Indian side attaches importance to the ties with China, we appreciate this,” Mr. Zhao said.

China stresses that the boundary issue shall not be linked with the overall bilateral relations.

That is important experience we have gathered through the countries many years efforts to keep the ties moving forward.

We hope the Indian side will work with us to properly manage difference, promote practical cooperation and bring bilateral relations back on track.

China has in recent months hit out at India’s economic measures, such as the banning of apps and tightening the curbs on investment, saying events on the border should not be linked to other aspects of relations.

India has reiterated its view that such a proposition is untenable, and normal relations can’t be restored until there is peace on the border and a full restoration of the status quo, prior to last summer’s transgressions.
2020: Worst Year in Tourism History with 1 Billion Fewer International Arrivals
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) emphasized that 2020 is the worst year on record.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization issued this statement because the international travel ban implemented to curb the COVID-19 outbreak has dealt a heavy blow to the global tourism industry.

According to the report, the number of international arrivals fell by 74%. In addition, compared with 2019, the number of international arrivals allowed to global destinations has decreased by 1 billion.

The report further emphasized that the restrictions on international travel caused a loss of US$1.3 trillion in export revenue.

The loss of export income is more than 11 times the loss during the global economic crisis in 2009.

According to the report, the COVID-19 crisis has affected 10-120 million direct tourism jobs. Many of them are small and medium enterprises.

The report emphasizes that the nature of the pandemic is changing, so many countries are reintroducing stricter travel restrictions, such as changes to quarantine rules, mandatory testing, and complete closure of borders in some countries.

The report of the United Nations World Tourism Organization pointed out that these countries are gradually introducing the COVID-19 vaccine. The organization hopes this will help restore consumer confidence and help ease travel restrictions. Therefore, travel will slowly return to normal in 2021.

The World Travel Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations. The agency is involved in promoting responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. Its headquarters are located in Madrid, Spain.

The World Travel Organization is a leading international organization in the field of tourism. It promotes tourism to become a driving force for economic growth. The agency is a global forum for tourism policy issues.
When is World Leprosy Day observed?
The last Sunday of January is celebrated as the annual World Leprosy Day. All parts of the world are observing this day. Celebrate this day to raise awareness about leprosy. It also tries to spread the necessity and importance of eliminating this disease.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) regulations, the goal for this day in 2021 is to defeat leprosy by disseminating more information about the disease. This day will be celebrated to promote the knowledge that the disease can be cured.

According to the report, 2,08,619 new leprosy cases were registered globally in 2018. The number comes from 159 countries. In India, this day will be observed on January 31, 2021.

Leprosy is also called Hansen's disease. It is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprosy. The disease is named after Norwegian doctor Gerhard HenrikArmauer Hansen.

Hansen proved that leprosy is not a genetic disease, but is caused by bacteria. The disease is a curable disease and early treatment can prevent any disability. If left untreated, it may cause permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes.

The incubation period of the disease is usually 5 years. The symptoms of the disease can be seen within 1 year, but it may also take 20 years or more to occur.

When the affected person sneezes or coughs, the disease is spread from droplets in the nose or mouth.
With Myanmar’s military coup, the tightrope between idealism and realpolitik returns for New Delhi
The return to military rule by Myanmar’s Tatmadaw (Army) and the detention of Aung San SuuKyi and the political leadership of the National League of Democracy (NLD) are a repeat of events 30 years ago.

Modi government’s reaction is likely to be starkly different to India’s strong public criticism of the junta’s actions in 1989-90.

India does care about democracy in Myanmar, but that’s a luxury it knows it will not be able to afford for the time being. The only option will be to engage, building on its outreach in recent years via the security and defence establishment.

One important reason for the change is that India’s security relationship with the Myanmar military has become extremely close. It would be difficult to “burn bridges” with the army given their assistance in securing the North East frontiers from insurgent groups.

In a joint visit to Naypyidaw in October 2020, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and Army Chief Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane made it clear that New Delhi saw both relationships at par.

Another reason for the change is Ms. SuuKyi herself, whose image as a democracy icon and Nobel peace laureate has been damaged by her time in office, where she failed to push back the military, and even defended the Army’s pogrom against Rohingya in Rakhine State in 2015.

Officials also say a harsh reaction from India, on the lines of that from the U.S., would only benefit China. US has threatened action against those responsible for the “coup” unless they revoke the military’s takeover.

Apart from strategic concerns, India has cultivated several infrastructure and development projects with Myanmar, which it sees as the “gateway to the East” and ASEAN countries. These include the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway and the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport network, as well as a plan for a Special Economic Zone at the Sittwe deep-water port.

India still hopes to help resolve the issue of Rohingya refugees that fled to Bangladesh, while some still live in India, and will want to continue to engage the Myanmar government on that.
India asks Sri Lanka, Japan to abide by its commitments on ECT deal
Reneging on a 2019 agreement with India and Japan, Sri Lanka has decided to develop the strategic East Container Terminal (ECT) at the Colombo Port on its own. The Sri Lankan government would instead offer the West Container Terminal to India for possible investments.

It comes amid mounting pressure from Port union workers against any foreign role or investment in the ECT project, where nearly 70% of the transhipment business is linked to India. In 2019, Sri Lanka, Japan and India signed an agreement to jointly develop the East Container Terminal at the Colombo Port.

The three countries will jointly build the East Container Terminal at the Port of Colombo. As per the agreement the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) retains 100% ownership of the East Container Terminal (ECT), while the Terminal Operations Company is jointly owned,the SLPA

Sri Lanka will hold a 51% stake in the project and the joint venture partners will retain 49%. Japan is likely to provide a 40-year soft loan with a 0.1% interest rate, details of India’s contribution to the initiative are awaited Over 70% of the trans-shipment business at the strategically located ECT is linked to India.

The involvement of India and Japan is the project is being seen as a big development aimed at neutralising the growing influence of China, which has poured money into the South Asian island nation under its mammoth Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure plan. Asked about the development, a senior Indian source said: “We would hope that Sri Lanka does not unilaterally decide on this matter, as there is a tripartite agreement on it.” For New Delhi, the strategic ECT project in Colombo has been high on priority. It has figured in talks at the highest levels, including when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited in January.
Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' addresses inaugural ceremony of ASEAN India Hackathon
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal'Nishank' delivered a speech at the ASEAN India Hackathon. Pokhriyal emphasized that the opening of the ASEAN-India hackathon aims to further strengthen the ties between India and ASEAN.

The background of the India-ASEAN hackathon is the call of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2019 India-Singapore hackathon. The minister emphasized that the ASEAN-India Hackathon will provide India and ASEAN countries with a unique opportunity to solve their common challenges.

The challenges facing the two countries are divided into two themes of "blue economy" and "education".

The hackathon provides an opportunity to promot economic and cultural ties between ASEAN and India through cooperation in education, science and technology. The hackathon will help to formulate the six basic virtues of our civilization, namely dialogue, respect, peace, cooperation, prosperity and innovation.

The background and foundation of the relationship between India and ASEAN lies in the common belief, religion and culture. India is the largest democratic and populous country in the region. Therefore, it becomes a place where India can lead the ASEAN community. In this regard, India has provided support to ASEAN countries by providing a COVID-19 vaccine. India and ASEAN also have strong academic and research ties. Various Indian universities such as IIT-Delhi and Tezpur University recruit students from ASEAN partner countries. India has also launched 1,000 ASEAN PhD scholarships for ASEAN citizens. In addition, the "National Education Policy 2020" will also bring opportunities to India and the entire world.

The ASEAN-India hackathon initiative was initiated by the Ministry of Education. In 2021, the hackathon will be held online from February 1 to 3, 2021. This hackathon will provide all 10 ASEAN countries and India with new opportunities to strengthen their economic and cultural ties through cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology.
When is World Wetlands Day observed?
The World Wetland Day is celebrated on February 2 every year. This day is the date when the "Wetlands Convention" was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar on February 2, 1971. The theme for World Wetland 2021 is "Wetlands and Water". It was first celebrated in 1997.

Wetlands are ecosystems that are seasonally or permanently filled with water. These include mangroves, swamps, rivers, lakes, deltas, floodplains and flooded forests, rice fields, coral reefs, marine areas with a depth of no more than 6 meters at low tide, and constructed wetlands such as wastewater treatment ponds and reservoirs. Although they cover only about 6% of the earth's land surface, 40% of all animal and plant species live or reproduce in wetlands.

Wetlands are an important part of our natural environment. They alleviate floods, protect coastlines and enhance community resilience, reduce the impact of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality. Wetlands are vital to humans and life on earth. More than 1 billion people depend on them for their livelihoods, and 40% of the world’s species live and reproduce in wetlands.

Wetlands are an important source of food, raw materials, pharmaceutical genetic resources and hydroelectric power. 30% of terrestrial carbon is stored in peatlands.

They play an important role in transportation, tourism, and the cultural and spiritual well-being of the people. Many wetlands are natural beauty, and many are important to indigenous people.

According to the IPBES (Intergovernmental Scientific Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services), wetlands are the most threatened ecosystem.

Due to human activities and global warming, the rate of disappearance of wetlands is three times that of forests.

According to UNESCO, the threat to wetlands will adversely affect 40% of the animals and plants that live or reproduce in wetlands. Major threats: agriculture, development, pollution and climate change.
United States extends nuclear treaty with Russia for five years
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration extended the New START nuclear treaty with Russia by five years, saying it hoped to prevent an arms race despite rising tensions with Moscow.

One day before the treaty was set to expire, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States was extending New START by the maximum allowed time of five years.

President Biden pledged to keep the American people safe from nuclear threats by restoring U.S. leadership on arms control and nonproliferation.

The United States is committed to effective arms control that enhances stability, transparency and predictability while reducing the risks of costly, dangerous arms races.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed off on legislation extending the accord, meaning that the treaty — signed by then-President Barack Obama in 2010 — will run until February 5, 2026.

The last remaining arms reduction pact between the former Cold War rivals, New START caps to 1,550 the number of nuclear warheads that can be deployed by Moscow and Washington.

Former President Donald Trump’s administration tore up previous agreements with Moscow and unsuccessfully sought to expand New START to cover China.

Mr. Blinken said the U.S. would use the coming five years to pursue diplomacy that addresses “all” of Russia’s nuclear weapons and to “reduce the dangers from China’s modern and growing nuclear arsenal”.
When is the World Cancer Day observed?
World Cancer Day is organized by the International Union for Cancer Control (UICC) and is celebrated on February 4th every year.

The theme for World Cancer Day 2019-2021 is "I Am I Will"-all about personal stories and promises to defeat cancer.

The goal of World Cancer Day is consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-3.4), which is to reduce the premature mortality of non-communicable diseases by one third through prevention and treatment, & promote mental health and well-being by 2030.

It has been observed that the international community has united and put an end to preventable cancer injustice.

The purpose of this day is to raise awareness and urge governments and individuals around the world to take action to save millions of preventable deaths each year.

Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases, which is characterized by the growth of abnormal cells beyond their usual limits, and then these abnormal cells can invade parts of the body and/or spread to other organs. Other common terms used for cancer are malignant tumor and tumor. Cancer is a disease that becomes the second leading cause of death in the world. It is estimated that 9.6 million people will die in 2018. International

The International Union for Cancer Control (UICC) is a membership organization designed to help the global health community accelerate the fight against cancer. It was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Geneva.
When is the International Day of Human Fraternity Observed
The International Humanity Day aims to emphasize the importance of raising awareness of different cultures and religions or beliefs and promoting tolerance.

It also aims to educate people about tolerance, diverse traditions, mutual respect, and diversity of religions and beliefs to promote human fraternity.

The theme of this year's 2021 International Humanity Day is The Pathway to the future.

On December 21, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution proclaiming February 4 as International Humanity Day. Beginning in 2021, this day will be commemorated every year.