Current Affairs in Short: 25 February 2022

NATO alliance to hold an emergency summit to discuss Ukraine crisis

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) will hold a virtual emergency summit on February 25, 2022, to discuss the way forward amid the Ukraine crisis. NATO is a 30-nation alliance.

 • The emergency summit will be joined by the leaders of Finland, Sweden, and the European Union Institutions.

• In a press briefing earlier, the Secretary-General of NATO had said that NATO will take new deterrence and defence steps after Russia launched a military operation against Ukraine.

• The defense steps against Russia will include putting over 100 warplanes on high alert and further increasing the presence of troops on its easter flank.

Sally Kellerman, ‘Star Trek’, ‘MASH’ actor passes away at 84

• An award-nominated star Sally Kellerman passed away at the age of 84. The news of her demise was confirmed by her manager and publicist Alan Eichler.

• Sally Kellerman who was a film and television star was best known for her role as Major Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan in the classic 1970 film ‘MASH’. The film netted her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting role.

• Kellerman, with a career spanning more than 60 years, appeared in the TV Shows including the original pilot for ‘Star Trek’ in 1966, ‘The Outer Limits’, ‘I Spy’, among others.

• Sally Kellerman is survived by daughter Claire, son Jack and her mother-in-law Lorraine Krane.

India-Japan to hold Joint Military Exercise

• EX DHARMA GUARDIAN-2022, a joint military exercise, will be held between India and Japan in Karnataka from February 27 to March 10, 2022.

• Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN is an annual training event that is being conducted in India since 2018. Notably, India has undertaken military exercises with various countries.

• The exercise to be held between India and Japan will also be crucial and significant in terms of security challenges that are faced by both nations in the backdrop current situation.

• The exercise will enhance the level of defense cooperation between the Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces.

Government launches MSME RuPay Credit Card

• Narayan Rane, the Union Minister for MSME, has announced the establishment of the MSME-technology center at Sindhudurg. He also launched MSME RuPay Credit Card.

• The center will be set up at Sindhudurg at a cost of Rs. 200 crores. It will enhance the competitiveness of the MSME industries.

• The center will also provide advisory support for technology as well as its intuition by enhancing the employment potential of the unemployed youth in the area of those industries.

India establishes 4 locations in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovak Republic for Indian citizens evacuation

• Amid Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, the External Affairs Ministry has established 4 locations in Poland, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, and Romania for the evacuation of the Indian citizens.

• Reportedly, the Government of India will also arrange evacuation flights for the Indian Nationals in Ukraine.

• On February 24, India had sent teams to the land borders with Ukraine in Poland, Hungary, Slovak Republic, and Romania to assist the evacuation of the Indian Nationals.

• Indian Embassy in Kiev had also sent an advisory informing the stranded Indian Nationals in Ukraine that the government has been working to evacuate them through Hungary and Romania.