Current Affairs Today Headline -18 February 2022

National News

•  PM Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan to hold virtual summit today.

•  Indian syringe makers asked to hold up stock of syringes by two months amid a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and slowdown in vaccination drive. 

•  Indian Navy test-fires BrahMos supersonic cruise missile off western seaboard on February 18.

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

•  Firozabad glass bangle' industry struggles to recover post-COVID.

•  KL Rahul, Virat Kohli retain their 4th and 10th spot respectively in ICC T20 Men's Batting Rankings. 

Environment News

•  Sea levels along US coastlines to rise 10-12 inches by 2050, as per a new inter-agency report. 

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

•  Fire breaks out on cruise ship carrying 237 passengers, report Greek port police.

International News

•  Six African countries to establish mRNA vaccine production, informed WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

•  Ukrainian Ambassador to UN Kyslytsya warns Russia of 'consolidated' response by the international community.

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

•  The UK closes Tier 1 Investor visa route to all new applicants from all nationalities with immediate effect over security concerns.

•  US says secretary of state Antony J Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to meet next week if no Ukraine invasion.

•  South Korea imposes crowd limits amid 25-fold spike in COVID-19 cases due to Omicron variant. 

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

•  US says nuclear deal with Iran possible within days if the country 'shows seriousness'.

•  Libyans marked 11 years since the revolt that toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi on February 17th. 

•  Israel PM announces that vaccine 'green pass' will end soon.

•  World 'better prepared' to deal with future variants of Coronavirus, as per CEO and co-founder of German vaccine-maker. 

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

•  France announces withdrawal of troops from Mali due to a breakdown in relations with the country's ruling junta, after nearly 10 years of fighting a jihadist insurgency.