Summary of The Hindu 18th FEBRUARY 2024

India wants Israel to be mindful of civilian death

·         Annual Munich Security Conference ( MSC )  started in Germany from  February 16

·         India’s external affairs minister  S. jaishankar  participated in a talk  , which was also accompanied by US secretary of state Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

·          S. Jaishankar talkin on Israel Hamas war Called Hamas’s  attack as ‘ terrorism ‘ , he calls for return of hostages and a Gaza ‘relief corridor’.

·         He also called for “ permanent “ and “ long term “ fix for Israel Palestinian issue . He reiterated India’s called for two state solution of Israel and Palestine  issue .

·         S Jaishankar also observed that Israel has obligation to observe humanitarian law .

·         EAM said that Israel has an obligation to observe humanitarian law .“ It is very important that Israel should be , Israel should have been very mindful of civilian casualties “.

Urdu poet & Sanskrit Scholar gets Janpith

·         Celebrated Urdu poet Guljar and Sanskrit scholar Rambhadracharya have been selected for 58 th Janpith Award ,

·         It is country’s largest literary honour .

·         Janapith Award – Is annually given for “outstanding contribution in literature“ prize amount of ₹11 lakh and a plaque of goddess Sarswati is given to the awardee .

·         It is given to Indians only writting in Indian language and English . It is not given posthumously .

Greek PM to attend annual Raishina dialogue

·         Greece PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis will travel to Delhi this week as the Chief guest of Raisina dialogue , while final schedule is yet to be announced  .

·         Raisina dialogue is being organized between Fabruary 21 to 23 in New Delhi .

·         Deputy Foreign Ministers of many countries is expected to participate . Deputy Foreign Ministers of Many countries such as Latavia , Romania. Estonia , Serbia and the Netherlands and neighbouring countries like Nepal , Vietnam and other ministers from other parts of the world .

·         G20 Foreign Minister meeting will coincide with Raisina dialogue and many Foreign Ministers will be participating in that .

·         Miskotis visit : On PM Modi’s visit last year India Greece partnership was elevated to “ strategic partnership “ .The two countries had targetted to double bilateral trade by 2030.

·         Greece is very crucial for India for implementation of IMEC ( India Middle East European Corridor).

Farmers want Ordinance on farm guarantee

·         Protesting farmers which are on the boundary of Delhi and currently camping in Delhi and Haryana has asked government to bring a Ordinance for a legal guarantee of minimum support price ( MSP ) of crops .

·         At Shambhu border Sharwan Singh Pandher ,of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM ) said the government should quickly issue the address , if it wanted to resolve the address to bring an ordinance on

INSAT – 3DS meteorological satellite successfully injected into orbit

·         The GSLV F 14 carrying INSAT 3D S wias successfully launched on Saturday from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota .

·         The satellite is exclusively designed for enhanced meterological observation , monitoring of land ocean and surface ls for weather forecasting and disaster warning .

Vayu Shakti 24 Exercise –.

·         Vayu Shakti exercise is currently going in Pokhran . Rafale , Apache were among those which showed it’s maneauovres at the event .Vayu Shakti is Organized every year at Pokharan  .

Kerala brings back Rugby fever as students take  to the combative sports

·         Rugby has emerged as the fastest emerging combative sports in the state , currently all the district institutions have their own Rugby team .After  National games that was organized last time in Kerala the sports has been gaining traction .

World

Ukraine withdraws from Avdiivka as Russia pushes on

·         Ukrainian troops in Saturday withdrew from Avdiivka , this paves the way of Avdiivka falling g in Russian hand .

·         This is biggest win of Russia since May 2023 capture of  Bakhmut . Russia had captured Bakhmut after months of heavy fighting .

·         Avdiivka too has seen heavy fighting since months . Ukriane recently changed its army chief .

·         Both sides have gone through heavy casualties in Avdiivka  but none has confirmed the actual figure .

·         On Saturday Russia said that it’s forces had inflicted  heavy defeats to Ukraine over 1000 km border .

·         Kremlin for Alexie Navalny’s team confirms his death , cause unclear

·         Alexie Navalny spokesperson confirmed on Saturday that the Russian Opposition leader died at the age of 47 , at a remote Arcticr Penal Colony , and said he was “ murdered “ but it was unclear where  his body is.  ffical notes says that he died at 2:17 PM on Friday after a walk  . The cause of death is still “ being established “ .

·         At least 273 have  been detained across Russia for protesting in favour of Navalny.

·         Navalny was a fierce opponent of  Putin . In 2021 he was jailed for 19 years on several Charges rekating to extremism .

Somalia accuses Ethiopia of trying to block meet access

·         African  Union ( AU ) meeting is  going on in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa .On Saturday , Somalian President who came to participate said that he was blocked by Ethiopian security forces from accessing the African Union summit . Mogadishu described it as “ Outrageous Conduct “ .

·         Somalia and Ethiopia has tense relationship in recent times over an Agreement  between Somaliland and Ethiopia . Under the agreement Somaliland has given its ports on the lease to Ethiopia . In one part of the Agreement Ethiopia agreed to view Somaliland as an independent country .

·         Somaliland earlier had declared itself independent from Somalia . No country in the world recognises Somaliland as an independent nation except  Somalia .