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February 28, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Two Indian fighter jets downed, pilot captured
• Pakistan has emphasised that it does not want further escalation of tensions with India after the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) engaged six targets in India-held Kashmir and in a separate action downed two intruding Indian fighter jets before arresting one of the pilots.
• The intrusion in Pakistani airspace by Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft happened for a second consecutive day, as one of its planes had to release payloads in Balakot area while being chased away in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The Pakistan military spokesman had then promised `surprise` for India in response to the IAF aggression.
• On February 27, 2019, the IAF jets entered Pakistani airspace after the PAF strikes on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC) from Pakistani airspace for, what the Foreign Office and Army described as, demonstration of Pakistan`s `right, will and capability for self-defence`.
• The PAF strikes across the LoC were first announced by FO spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal through a tweet. `PAF undertook strikes across LoC from Pakistani airspace. Sole purpose of this action was to demonstrate our right, will and capability for self defence. We do not wish to escalate but are fully prepared if forced into that paradigm,` he tweeted.
• Shortly afterwards, Pakistan military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor announced the shooting down of IAF aircraft. He tweeted, `IAF crossed LoC` af ter the PAF strikes in India-occupied Kashmir (IOK).
2. Flights disrupted as Pakistan closes airspace
• As Pakistan closed its airspace for more than 50 hours from 12.30 pm on February 27, 2019 to 5am on Friday for international and domestic flights due to prevailing security situation, thousands of passengers have been affected due to cancellation of their flights.
• More than 150 domestic flights 110 of the Pakistan International Airlines and 50 of private airlines were either cancelled or delayed due to the closure of airspace. And 50 international flights from different airports of Pakistan were also affected.
• All airlines operating to and from Pakistan had been informed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) about the closure of airspace.
• The country`s entire airspace has been closed and a notice has been issued to all airlines to `suspend their operations in Pakistan until further notice`.
3. Ahmad Hussain Shah won PK-30 by-poll
• Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate Ahmad Hussain Shah won by-election in the PK-30, Mansehra, constituency on February 26, 2019.
• Announcing unofficial results of the by-election, the returning officer said the PTl nominee secured 46,483 votes, while the runner-up was PML-N`s Mazhar Ali Qasim with 39,945 votes.
• There were seven candidates, including nominees of political parties and independents, for the PK-30 seat, which had fallen vacant last year after the Supreme Court disqualified PML-N`s Mian Ziaur Rehman in a fake degree case.
• The Election Commission of Pakistan had set up 186 polling stations for the by election.
4. Govt revives blocked renewable energy projects
• The government on February 27, 2019 decided to allow partial revival of renewable energy projects blocked in March last year by the PML-N government subject to a revised tariff mechanism and greater decisive role to National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) to provide interconnection facility.
• It also provided an opportunity to the Sindh government to provide interconnection grid facility for renewable projects (RE) projects that it had issued letters of interest (LoI) but were affected by the government`s decision of March 2018.
• The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) presided over by Finance Minister Asad Umar. The meeting also reviewed about 20 per cent increase in revenue collection by power distribution companies through increase tariff, fuel price benefit, loss reduction and better recovery.
5. Islamabad apprises OIC of reservation over invite to India
• Pakistan officially conveyed to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on February 27, 2019 that it may have to boycott the upcoming OIC`s foreign ministers conclave if the invitation extended to the Indian external affairs minister to be guest of honour at its inaugural session is not withdrawn.
• In a letter written to OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan had asked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to withdraw the invitation to Indian external affairs minister or else it would be compelled to reconsider its decision to attend the meet.
• Mr Qureshi`s letter invites OIC`s attention towards the deteriorating security situation in the region after violation of the Line of Control (LoC) by India. He said Indian planes intruded Pakistani airspace from Muzaffarabad sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and were forced to fly back by the Pakistan Air Force.
February 28, 2019: International Current Affairs
6. Trump, Kim begin summit on optimistic note
• US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smiled, shook hands and dined on February 27, 2019 in Hanoi, expressing optimism that their highly personal brand of diplomacy would lead to a deal on the totalitarian state`s nuclear weapons.
• At the start of around two hours of talks and dinner at a luxury hotel in the Vietnamese capital, Trump predicted a `very successful` summit, due to resume on Thursday and end in a still unspecified signing ceremony.
• The two-day get-together follows up on the leaders` initial historic meeting in Singapore in June, where Trump launched his charm offensive to try and get Kim to give up his nuclear arsenal.
• Shaking hands and smiling in front of a bank of US and North Korean flags, they briefly took questions from reporters before starting one-to-one talks, then the dinner.
7. Nepalese tourism minister among 7 killed in chopper crash
• Nepal`s tourism minister Rabindra Adhikari was among seven people killed on February 27, 2019 when a helicopter crashed in the country`s hilly east.
• Rescue workers retrieved the bodies of Adhikari, 49, the pilot and five other passengers from a hillside in Taplejung district where the Air Dynasty chopper went down. `The respected minister`s body has been identified.
• The minister`s personal bodyguard has been identified as among the dead. The owner of the helicopter company was also aboard but his body has not been formally identified.
8. Ex-military ruler re-elected as Nigerian president
• Nigeria`s President Muhammadu Buhari on February 27, 2019 said his re-election was `free and fair`, after his beaten rival denounced the results as a `sham` and promised a legal challenge that could dominate politics for weeks.
• The 76-year-old onetime military ruler`s victory was confirmed late on February 26, 2019, after rescheduled polling blamed on logistical difficulties.
• Buhari`s winning margin over his nearest challenger, Atiku Abubakar, was 3.9 million votes more than enough to ensure he remained head of Africa`s most populous nation and leading oil producer for the next four years.
9. Doctor performs first 5G surgery
• Nextgeneration wireless technology is taking the medical world a step closer to robots performing remotely-controlled surgery, a doctor in Spain said on February 27, 2019 after carrying out the world`s first 5G-powered telementored operation.
• Doctors have telementored surgeries in the past using wireless networks but blazing fast 5G increases image quality and definition which are crucial for medical teams to take decisions with as much information, and as few mistakes, as possible.
• `This is a first step to achieving our dream, which is to make remote operations in the near future,` said Doctor Antonio de Lacy, after providing real-time guidance via a 5G video link from a Barcelona congress centre to a surgical team which operated on a patient with an intestinal tumour about five kilometres away at the Hospital Clinic.
• 5G greatly reduces latency the time it takes to get a response to information sent of wireless networks so images and data are relayed almost instantly.
February 28, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
10. Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United won
• Inspired Sandeep Lamichhane`s brilliant spin bowling, Lahore Qalandars improved their playoff aspirations in the HBL Pakistan Super League when they crushed Quetta Gladiators by eight wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 27, 2019
• In another match an Asif Ali special made the difference between winning and losing in the HBL Pakistan Super League as defending champions Islamabad United bounced back from a seemingly tough situation to hand Karachi Kings a five-wicket defeat.
• Chasing a relatively challenging 169 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United were down and out at 47-3 after seven overs.
