South Asia
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, blamed India for adopting “belligerent and aggressive policies” that have threatened the stability of the Indian Ocean region. Accordingly, he said that Pakistan would take steps to secure regional security and “maintain credible minimum deterrence.” [Al Jazeera]
The International Monetary Fund and Pakistan have reached a compromise that will allow for the release of $500 million conditional on the Pakistani government adopting significant reforms consisting of debt restructuring and austerity measures. Previously, the IMF had agreed to provide Pakistan with a $6 billion loan, but the deal didn’t go through. [Hindustan Times]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov is currently visiting Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan from February 16-18 to meet with his counterparts. The talks are expected to address “[the] current regional cooperation and its prospects, [and the] integration of Central Asia into global economic processes and transport corridors”. [AKI Press]
Azerbaijan delivered the bodies of 106 Armenian soldiers killed during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. President Araik Arutyunyan of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic said on Facebook that the search for the missing and those killed continues. [TASS]
East and Southeast Asia
Dr Koh Poh Koon, the Senior Minister of State for Health of Singapore, told parliamentarians that shutting the border down to migrant workers from India and Indonesia could mean that the domestic “economy will also slow down and the lives and livelihoods of many will be impacted.” Both countries provide a significant source of labour in the construction and caregiving sectors. [Business Standard]
South Korean intelligence has claimed that North Korea attempted to “hack” into Pfizer Inc to steal information about making the coronavirus vaccine. “There were attempts to steal COVID vaccine and treatment technology during cyberattacks and Pfizer was hacked,” said Ha Tae-keung, an opposition member of the parliamentary intelligence panel. He did not elaborate on the success or timing of the attack. [India Today]
Europe
Hungary on Tuesday became the first EU nation to receive a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines made in China. 550,000 vaccine doses developed by the Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm arrived in Budapest, which will be enough to inoculate 275,000 people. [Associated Press]
In their latest move to silence dissent in the country, Belarusian police on Tuesday raided the homes and offices of journalists and human rights activists, and detained around 25 people. Reports suggest that at least 10 are facing criminal charges. [Euronews]
The Polish government said on Tuesday it will rewrite its proposed media advertising tax to ensure that it is progressive and fair. The announcement came after the initial plan drew a media protest and condemnation from a coalition partner and critics abroad. [Reuters]
On Tuesday, French Members of Parliament voted in favour of the Islamic separatism bill, which was introduced by the country’s President, Emmanuel Macron. Consequently, the bill will be adopted into law within a few months. [Al Jazeera]
The European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of Germany in the case related to the 2009 bombing in Afghanistan by NATO forces, which led to the death of dozens of people. This case was dismissed as the court believed that German authorities were not failing to fulfil their obligation to conduct a fair investigation into the incident. [Al Jazeera]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Venezuela delivered a third shipment of oxygen to Brazil to help the latter deal with the COVID-19 crisis. Brazil has recorded roughly 240,000 deaths and continues to register around 500 deaths on a daily basis. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said, “Despite our political differences, we will not stop helping the Brazilian people.” [Telesur]
Former Ecuadorian President Gustavo Noboa, who was in office from 2000 to 2003, died at the age of 83 in the United States following a surgery he received for a brain tumour. Incumbent President Lenín Moreno declared a day of mourning for the “respected democrat” and “patriot”. During his term, Noboa was tasked with the dealing with hyperinflation and instituted a currency change to the US dollar. [Associated Press]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The United States’ Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Richard Mills, said at a UN Security Council Meeting on Tuesday that, ahead of Iraq’s elections in October, it is necessary to tackle the issue of “Iran-backed militias and Iran's destabilising activities in Iraq”. This, Mills said, would facilitate a “conducive environment” for elections and strengthen the “public’s trust in the government”. [Middle East Monitor]
One week After Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon questioned why United States President Joe Biden had not yet called Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki assured that the call would occur “soon”. She confirmed that Biden’s first call with a Middle Eastern leader will be with Netanyahu, adding, “Israel is, of course, an ally. Israel is a country where we have an important strategic security relationship, and our team is fully engaged—not at the head of state level quite yet, but very soon, but our team is fully engaged, having constant conversations at many levels with the Israelis.” [The Times of Israel]
North America
The Canadian federal government announced new gun-control legislation on Tuesday which introduces a buy-back program for barred firearms and allows municipalities to ban handguns and increase criminal penalties for gun smuggling and trafficking. [Prime Minister of Canada]
The US State Department on Tuesday called on the Houthis in Yemen to end their assault on the internationally recognized government’s northern stronghold of Marib, and urged them to return to negotiations to chart a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The remarks came just a few days after dozens of Houthi and government troops were killed in the area over the weekend, as the rebels intensified attacks in an attempt to seize the oil-rich region. [US Department of State]
Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev will face US lawmakers in a congressional hearing on Thursday that is aimed at getting answers about the GameStop trading frenzy in January. [Al Jazeera]
The US’ top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, has been awarded Israel’s prestigious $1 million Dan David prize for “defending science.” Fauci was recognized for his efforts to tackle the COVID-19 crisis, as well as his leadership on HIV research and AIDS relief. [BBC]
Oceania
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which will now be manufactured domestically. PM Scott Morrison said, “The TGA has found the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to be safe and effective and I welcome their thorough assessment process,” adding, “Safety is our number one priority and our own medical experts have carefully made their assessments before giving approval of the vaccine.” [Prime Minister of Australia]
New Zealand Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O'Connor welcomed Nigeria’s Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new Director-General of the World Trade Organization. He said, “New Zealand looks forward to working with Dr Okonjo-Iweala to progress New Zealand’s negotiating priority of concluding ambitious disciplines on fisheries subsidies as soon as possible this year and to resolve the long-standing impasse on the Appellate Body in order to maintain a two-tier binding dispute settlement system. There’s a lot to do before the Twelfth Ministerial Conference this year.” [New Zealand Government]
Sub-Saharan Africa
South African Education Minister Angie Motshekga has courted controversy for saying that “an educated man won’t rape”. In response to public anger, she released a statement saying, “Rape is indeed about power, hence the department has programmes to educate the boy child to appreciate the importance of how to deal with power relations between men and women from a young age.” She added, “Men need to be educated about how to deal with power, patriarchy and negative or toxic masculinity. Educating men about power relations is also important in the fight against rape.” [IOL]
Ugandan police have arrested two civilians in the capital city of Kampala for ‘flogging’ and effigy of President Yoweri Museveni. They now face charges of ‘public nuisance’. Museveni, who came into power in 1986, recently secured a sixth term in office under highly controversial circumstances. [Africa Feeds]
World News Monitor: 17 February, 2021
A quick look at events from around the globe.
February 17, 2021
SOURCE: REUTERS