Current Affairs Today Headline -18 February 2022

National News

• PM Modi and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will hold a virtual summit today.

• Indian syringe manufacturers asked to stock syringes for two months amid fall in number of COVID-19 cases and slowdown in vaccination campaign.

• The Indian Navy test-fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the western coast on 18 February.

• PM Modi will dedicate the railway lines connecting Thane and Diva to the nation.

• Firozabad glass bangle industry is struggling to overcome COVID.

• KL Rahul, Virat Kohli maintain their 4th and 10th positions respectively in the ICC T20 men’s batting rankings.

environmental news

• According to a new inter-agency report, sea levels will rise 10-12 inches along US coastlines by 2050.

• An earthquake of magnitude 3.8 struck 92 km northwest of Jaipur, Rajasthan at around 8.01 am today.

• A cruise ship carrying 237 passengers caught fire, report the Greek port police.

International news

• Six African countries will set up mRNA vaccine production, informed WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

• Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN Kyslytsya warned Russia of a “consolidated” response by the international community.

• US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III arrives in Poland amid high tensions with Russia.

• The UK has closed the Tier 1 investor visa route with immediate effect for all new applicants of all nationalities due to security concerns.

• US says Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet next week if Ukraine is not invaded.

• South Korea imposes congestion limit amid 25-fold increase in COVID-19 cases due to Omicron variant.

• California is the first US state to adopt an endemic virus policy for the COVID pandemic.

• The US says that a nuclear deal with Iran is possible in a few days if the country shows ‘seriousness’.

• The Libyan people have completed 11 years since the uprising that ousted dictator Moamer Kadhafi from power on February 17th.

• The Prime Minister of Israel announced that the vaccine ‘Green Pass’ will soon end.

• According to the CEO and co-founder of the German vaccine-maker, the world is ‘better prepared’ to deal with future forms of the coronavirus.

• Belarus says it can host nuclear weapons if it faces a Western threat.

• After nearly 10 years of fighting a jihadist insurgency, France announced the withdrawal of troops from Mali due to a rift in relations with the country’s ruling people.