Current Affairs in Short: 24 February 2021

Second phase of COVID-19 vaccination to begin in India from March 1

•  The second phase of COVID-19 vaccination will begin in India from March 1, 2021. Under this phase, people above the age of 60 years and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities will be vaccinated. This was informed by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on February 24, 2021 while addressing a press conference after the Union Cabinet meeting.
•  All the beneficiaries will be vaccinated at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres. The vaccine will be given free of cost at government centres but those who would take the vaccine at private centres will have to pay for the vaccine shots. 
•  The amount of the vaccine shot will be decided by the health ministry within the next 3-4 days after discussing with manufacturers and hospitals.
•  Around 1,07,67,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far in the first phase of vaccination which began on January 16, 2021. Almost 14 lakh people have received the second dose as well. In the first phase of the vaccination, only healthcare and frontline workers were vaccinated.

Cabinet approves imposition of President's Rule in Puducherry

•  The Union Cabinet on February 24, 2021 approved the proposal to impose President's Rule in Puducherry. The move comes just a few days after a Congress-led government in the union territory lost the trust vote in the assembly. 
•  Union Minister Prakash Javadekar announced the Cabinet decision, saying that the decision was taken as no party had claimed to form a government in Puducherry following the resignation of Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy. 
•  President Ram Nath Kovind on February 23 accepted the resignation of Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his council of ministers.
•  Following this, Puducherry's Lieutenant General had recommended President's Rule in Puducherry and the Union Cabinet gave its approval for the same. The President's rule will be officially imposed on the UT after President Ram Nath Kovind gives his assent.
•  Puducherry is soon going to have elections.The Election schedule is expected to be announced by the Election Commission soon. 

Ishant becomes Second Indian fast bowler to play 100 Tests

•  Ishant Sharma has become the second Indian fast bowler to play 100 Test matches. He reached the milestone when he bowled the first over in India vs England pink-ball Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 24, 2021.
•  Former Indian skipper Kapil Dev was the only fast bowler to achieve the feat before this. 
•  Sharma has also become the fourth Indian bowler and the eleventh Indian cricketer to feature in 100 Test matches. 
•  Kapil Dev (131), Anil Kumble (132) and spinner Harbhajan Singh (103) are the only bowlers other than Ishant to feature in 100 Tests for India.

Subject Expert Committee to discuss Dr Reddy's application seeking emergency use of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine

•  The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation's (CDSCO) Subject Expert Committee (SEC) is scheduled to meet today to discuss Dr Reddy's Laboratories application seeking emergency use approval (EUA) for Russia's COVID-19 vaccine- SputnikV. 
•  Dr Reddy's had partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V and for its distribution rights in India in September 2020. The vaccine is currently undergoing the phase 3 clinical trial in India.
•  According to Dr Reddy's, Sputnik V vaccine has demonstrated an efficacy rate of 91.6 percent in the interim analysis of phase 3 clinical trial. The data covers  19,866 volunteers in Russia, who received both the first and second doses of the vaccine.
•  Overall, the Sputnik V vaccine has maintained a consistent efficacy at 91.8 percent even among the group of 2,144 volunteers over 60 years old. The vaccine has been developed by Russia's Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

Union Environment Minister uses Sanskrit for first time at UNSC on climate change

•  Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar used Sanskrit for the first time in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Debate on climate change on February 23, 2021. 
•  Javadekar began his UNSC debate on climate change by addressing the other dignitaries with the Sanskrit hymn from Sukla Yajurveda. He asserted that there is no common, widely accepted methodology for assessing the connection between climate change, conflict and fragility.
•  He further added saying that fragility and climate impact are highly context-specific and the idea of climate action should not be to move the climate ambition goal post to 2050.
•  He emphasised on the importance of countries fulfilling their pre-2020 commitments and stated that climate action goes hand-in-hand with the framework for financial, technical and capacity-building support to countries that need it