Hot world events in the past 24 hours

1. US plane engine fire, fuel dumped near lake in Japan

Shortly after takeoff, a fire broke out in the engine of an American F16 fighter jet, forcing the pilot to dump two fuel tanks. Photo: RT

On the morning of February 20, an F16 fighter jet from the US Misawa Air Base suffered an engine fire, forcing it to dump its fuel tank in an area near a lake in northern Japan.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, immediately after the US F16 fighter jet took off, a fire broke out in the plane's engine, forcing the pilot to dump two fuel tanks outside the plane in the area right next to Lake Ogawara, located north of Misawa Air Base.

2.Right-wing AfD party surpasses SPD to become second largest party in Germany

SPD Party leader Martin Schulz (left) at a meeting in Berlin on October 16. Source: AFP/VNA

The support rate for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has surpassed the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) for the first time, and this is considered a big shock for the center-left party.

The results of the latest poll conducted by the INSA Institute and published in the Bild newspaper (Image) on February 19 showed that the support rate for the AfD continued to increase, reaching 16%, while the number for the SPD continued to decrease, currently only 15.5%.

3.Russian President Maintains Huge Support Rating in Polls

Mr. Putin always has the highest approval rating. Source: AFP/Getty Images

On February 20, a VNA reporter in Moscow cited data from both the Foundation for Public Opinion (FOM) and the Public Opinion Polling Agency (VSIOM) as showing that incumbent President Vladimir Putin always has the highest and stable approval rating at around 70%.

It is worth noting that Mr. Putin's approval rating is far behind that of the candidates behind him, such as Mr. Vladimir Zhirinovsky of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia - receiving about 6% of support and Mr. Pavel Grudinin of the Communist Party of Russia, about 7%.

4.India test fires indigenously developed Agni II ballistic missile from Abdul Kalam Island

Source: hindustantimes

On the morning of February 20, India tested its domestically-made Agni II ballistic missile from Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of the Indian state of Odisha.

According to a VNA reporter in New Delhi, an Indian Defense Ministry official said the above-mentioned surface-to-surface missile test was conducted at the launch pad of the integrated test range in Balasore district at around 8:38 a.m. local time (10:08 a.m. Hanoi time).

5.South Korea will still conduct joint military exercises with the US this year.

South Korean and US soldiers during a joint military exercise in Pocheon, 65km northeast of the South Korean capital Seoul, on April 26. Source: AFP/TTXVN

South Korea's defense ministry said on February 20 that its military will continue to conduct joint headquarters exercises with the United States this year, despite the growing atmosphere of reconciliation with North Korea stemming from the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

In a report to the National Assembly, the ministry said the two allies will conduct the “Key Resolve” and “Ulchi Freedom Guardian” exercises to develop the “4D operational concept” to detect, intercept, destroy and defend against North Korean missile threats.

6.Israel arrests two close aides of Prime Minister Netanyahu for corruption

From left to right: Shlomo Filber, Shaul Elovitch, Nir Hefetz. Source: ynetnews.com

On February 20, Israeli police announced the arrest of two close aides of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and five senior executives of the Bezeq telecommunications group as part of a new corruption investigation.

The suspects were arrested on February 18, days after police said they had grounds to charge Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of public trust.
Among those arrested were Nir Hefetz, a former spokesman for Mr Netanyahu's family, and Shlomo Filber, a confidant who was appointed by Mr Netanyahu to head the Information Ministry. Others included former Bezeq CEO Shaul Elovitch and Bezeq executives.

7.Japan raises possibility of UK joining CPTPP

Mr. Kazuyoshi Umemoto, head of Japan's negotiating delegation on CPTPP. Source: Reuters

The Financial Times reported on February 20 that Mr. Kazuyoshi Umemoto, Japan's chief negotiator for the CPTPP, has just recommended that it would be better for the UK if the country joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), rather than seeking a separate bilateral trade agreement with Japan.

However, Mr Umemoto insisted that "a UK-Japan bilateral trade agreement is one idea and the UK joining the CPTPP is another idea."

8.Rumors that Kim Jong-un's sister is pregnant

Ms. Kim Yo-jong shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Photo: AFP

News agencyYonhapOn February 20, citing a local newspaper, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean President Kim Jong-un, revealed to South Korean officials that she was pregnant with her second child.

Rumors arose when Ms. Kim repeatedly appeared in loose vests covering her belly during her visit to South Korea from February 9 to 11.

When asked about the rumor, an official from the South Korean Unification Ministry said Seoul had not received any confirmed information about Ms. Kim's condition.