Current Affairs February 18 2020

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 18 February 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

India to get Peninsular & Air Defence Command by next 2021, theatre commands by 2022
In order to deal with future security challenges, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat has proposed Peninsular Command by merging Western and the Eastern Command of the Indian Navy, which will spread from the Sir Creek near the Arabian Sea to the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal. It will be under the operational control of the Navy Chief and will have air assets and support from the army. This tri-services Peninsular Command will be responsible for dealing with maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It will be rolled out by the end of 2021.

• It should be noted that currently, there are about 19 military commands in the country and only two of them are tri-service commands – Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) and the Strategic Forces Command, which looks after nuclear assets. ANC, the first tri-service command of the country, will remain as it is because it is focused on surveillance while the proposed Peninsular Command has focus on defence.

Other Command Proposals:
i.Theatre Commands by 2022: Instead of having separate commands for every service, the CDS is working on having a joint or theatre command, by the year 2022, that can carry out all war-fighting formations under a single commander. The commander could either be from the Army, Air Force or the Navy. Theaterisation means putting specific units of personnel from the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) — under a common theatre commander so they fight as a cohesive unit.
ii.Air Defence Command by 2021: The other proposed command is the Joint Air Defence Command that will roll out by 2021. It will have air assets such as missiles from the army. The navy will also be a part of it. It’s aim is timely implementation of orders in case of aerial attacks.It will be headed by Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
iii.The CDS is also looking to set up the Doctrine and Training command and Logistics command.

Soil health card scheme completes 5 years on 19 February 2020
On February 17, 2020, According to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Soil Health Card Scheme which was launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on 19.02.2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan completes 5 years on February 19, 2020.Till now, a total of Rs.751.42 crore has been released under the scheme.
i.During the Phase-I of the scheme (2015 – 2017),a total of 10.74 crore cards were issued to farmers and in the 2^nd  phase (2017 – 2019),11.69 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers in the last two years.
ii.Establishment of Soil Testing Labs: In order to set up soil health laboratories under the scheme,so far the central Government has approved 429 New Static Soil Testing Labs (STLs), 102 new mobile labs, 8,752 mini labs, and 1,562 Village level soil testing labs (VLSTLs), besides strengthening 800 existing labs.Hence, the soil analyzing capacity has increased to 3.33 crore from 1.78 crore soil samples per annum in short period of 5 years….Click here to Read More

Sanjay Agarwal inaugurated 4th National Conference on PMFBY in Udaipur, Rajasthan
On February 17, 2020, the two-day long 4th National Conference on Review of Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) held in Udaipur, Rajasthan. It was inaugurated by Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the conference saw the participation of 140 members representing different states, banks, insurance companies, RBI (Reserve Bank of India), NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development).  The first three editions were held in Lucknow, Bangalore, and Guwahati respectively.
About Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana:
Launched on 18th February 2016 by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, PMFBY provides a comprehensive insurance cover to farmers against failure of the crop.It was formulated in line with One Nation–One Scheme theme by replacing earlier two schemes National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS) by incorporating their best features and removing their inherent drawbacks (shortcomings).Currently, the scheme has three active participants namely the state government, banking sector and the insurance sector. The scheme is being administered by the Ministry of Agriculture with an aim of supporting sustainable production in agriculture.

Bihar to get north India’s first bird ringing station and MoU inked in Gujarat
On February 17, 2020 Bihar becomes North India’s first “bird ringing station” for observation, monitoring & research on migratory birds and 4th state in the country after Tamil Nadu (Chennai), Rajasthan (Jaipur) and Orissa (Bhubaneshwar). The bird ringing station will be at Bhagalpur, Bihar, located close to the Ganges & is known to be a favorite destination of migratory birds.
Key Points:
i.About MoU: The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged between Deepak Kumar Singh, principal secretary of Bihar government, department of environment, forest & climate changes with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in the presence of C K Mishra, secretary to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate change (MoEFCC).
ii.The MoU was signed on the occasion of CMS-COP13 (Conservation of Migratory species- conference of parties) or the 13th Conservation of Migratory Species- Conference of Parties held  at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, where delegates from 130 countries are participating in discussions on preservation of migratory species.
iii.The MoU would be valid for 5 years in which the state government of Bihar will spend almost Rs. 5 crore for the new bird ringing station.
iv.In Bihar, migratory birds are also spotted in large numbers in Jamui, Begusarai, Darbhanga and Vaishali.
v.This will be the first bird-ringing station in the country to be set up with support of a state government & it is one among the only three breeding places of Greater Adjutant across the world, the other two being in Assam and Cambodia .
About Bihar:
Capital- Patna.
Chief Minister (CM)- Nitish Kumar.
Governor- Phagu Chauhan.

Delhi-based IGIA becomes 1^st single-use plastic-free airport of India
On February 17, 2020, According to the GMR Group-led  Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), Delhi-based Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has become the 1^st airport in India to be completely free of single-use plastic usage.It is inline with India’s target to abolish all single-use plastic from India by 2022.
Key Points:
i.The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) -ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD) also recognized DIAL for successfully implementing the campaign to make the airport voluntary plastic free.
ii.With the resolve to ‘Beat plastic pollution’ on the occasion of World Environment Day in the year 2019, the IGIA campus has also become the first airport in the country to complete it by launching a campaign to make plastic single-free.
About Delhi International Airport Ltd(DIAL):
Headquarters– New Delhi
Chief Executive Officer(CEO)- Videh Kumar Jaipuriar.
It is a joint venture consortium of GMR Group (64%), Airports Authority of India (26%) and Fraport (10%).

UP becomes 1^st in India to enforce Performance regulation act 2019 for Power department
On February 18, 2020, In order to provide timely and hassle-free service to electricity consumers, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) state Government led by its Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath has implemented the Performance Regulation Act 2019 for the power department. Consumers will now get financial compensation for delay in resolving their complaints by the department.
Key Points:
i.With this new act, about 2 crore 87 lakh people are expected to benefit from the new law.
ii.New rule: Breakdown, cable fault, transformer, new connection, meter reading, load reduction or increase time will be determined in this case. If the faulty meter repair is delayed and the call center is not responding then the consumer will get compensation of Rs 50 per day. In case of delay in repair of underground cable break, the consumer will get 100 rupees per day.
About Uttar Pradesh(UP):
Capital– Lucknow
Chief minister– Yogi Adityanath
Governor– Anandiben Patel
National Park– Dudhwa National Park
Folk dances– Nautanki, Raslila, Kajri, Jhora, Chappeli, Jaita.

80% Indian bird species population on decline in past 5 yrs: State of India’s Bird 2020 reportOn February 17, 2020, According to the ‘State of India’s Bird 2020: Range, trends and conservation status’ report launched at the 13^th Conference of Parties (COP) of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals which is taking place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, around 80 % among 146 species of birds population in India has been on decline in the past 5 years with close to 50% declining strongly & Just over 6% are stable and 14% increasing.
On the other hand, of the 261 species for which long-term trends could be determined, 52% have declined since the year 2000, with 22% declining strongly.In all, 43% of species showed a long-term trend that was stable and 5% showed an increasing trend.
i.The first-of-its-kind analysis was undertaken by a total 10 research and conservation organizations across India by using a big database of more than 10 million observations provided by 15,000 birdwatchers on the online platform (e-Bird) and ‘citizen science data’ to assess the distribution and trends of common Indian birds over long-term (25 plus years) and present (past 5 years).
ii.Indian Peacocks: The numbers of India’s national bird, the Indian Peafowl/Peacock, has increased suddenly over the past few decades, while the numbers of vultures and eagles have decreased in India because it has experienced catastrophic population declines starting in the early 1990s….Click here to Read More

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Pak High Commission issues visas to Indian pilgrims to visit Katas Raj temples
The Pakistan High Commission has issued visas to a group of Indian Hindu pilgrims for visiting Katas Raj temples in Chakwal city of Pakistan’s Punjab province from February 19 to 25, 2020, these visit governs under The Pakistan-India Protocol on visits to Religious Shrines (1974) signed by both the countries.
Key points:
i.Katas Raj temple is also known as Qila katas or complex of Katas temple is considered as one of the holiest places for the Hindu community, the temples form a complex and its surrounded by a pond named Katas.
ii.A large number of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals every year.
About Islamic Republic of Pakistan:
Capital- Islamabad
Currency- Pakistani rupee
President- Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi
Prime Minister- Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi

UAE becomes 1^st Arab Nation to issue license to operate a reactor at its Nuclear power plant
On February 17, 2020, The United Arab Emirates representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency Mr. Hamad al-kaabi announced that the National Nuclear Regulator has issued an Operating license for a reactor at its Barakah nuclear power plant and becomes the 1^st arab country in the world to operate a nuclear power plant.
Key points:
i.The Barakah nuclear power plant is being built by the Korea Electric Power Corporation in a deal of USD 20 billion and the plant is on the Gulf coast of Abu Dhabi, out of 4 nuclear reactors in the plant only one got the license, if it is fully operational it can generate 5600 megawatts of electricity which is 25% of the Nation’s need.
ii.The UAE has set a target to produce 27% of its electricity needs with the combined nuclear and renewable energy by 2021.
About United Arab Emirates (UAE):
Capital- Abu Dhabi
Currency- United Arab Emirates Dirham
President- Khalifa bin Zayed Sulatn Al Nahyan
Prime Minister & Vice President- Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI conducts 3- year Long Term Repo Operations (LTRO)’s for Rs.25,000 crore
On February 17, 2020, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has started the first tranche of Long Term Repo Operation (LTROs) by conducting a three-year issue worth Rs 25,000 crore for which it received bids of more than Rs 1.944 lakh crore. The central bank has accepted bids of ₹25,035 crore. The RBI will conduct the second issue for Rs 25,000 crore on February 24 which will have one-year tenor.
What is LTRO?
On February 6, 2020, the RBI released “Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies” which stated about Long Term Repo Operations (LTROs) for improving monetary transmission. It is aimed at providing cheaper money to banks at the repo rate so that it can be used to boost credit growth. RBI decided to conduct Long Term Repo Operations (LTROs) for one-year and three-year tenors for up to a total amount of ₹ 1,00,000 crores at the policy repo rate. Simply, RBI is injecting Rs 1 lakh crore into the banking system through auctions with long term maturity periods (compared to one day repos) of 1 year and 3 year. LTRO is in addition to the existing LAF (Liquidity adjustment facility) and MSF (Marginal Standing Facility) operations….Click here to Read More

Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY): World Bank inks $ 450 mn loan with India for groundwater management in select states
On February 17, 2020, The Government of India (GoI) and the World Bank(WB) have inked a $ 450 million (mn) loan agreement to support Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY) – National Groundwater Management Improvement Program that will be implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh (UP) and cover 78 districts.
The main aim of this agreement is to stop the decreasing level of ground water in India and strengthen the institutions related to ground water.
i.This new project to Improve Groundwater Management will promote the recharge of aquifers, initiate steps related to water conservation, & also create an institutional structure for sustainable groundwater management and communities for sustainable management of ground water….Click here to Read More

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

World Population Review Report: India becomes 2019’s 5th largest economy; US tops
In accordance with the US-based think tank World Population Review, India has become the  fifth-largest in the world with a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of $2.94 trillion overtaking the UK (United Kingdom) and France in 2019. The size of the UK economy is $2.83 trillion and that of France is $2.71 trillion. The list has been topped by the United states (US) with $21.44 trillion GDP.
Key Points:
i.In terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), India’s GDP is $10.51 trillion, exceeding that of Japan and Germany. Due to India’s high population, India’s GDP per capita is $2,170.
ii.India’s service sector is the fast-growing sector in the world accounting for 60% of the economy and 28% of employment.
iii.Though India’s real GDP growth expected to weaken for the third straight year from 7.5% to 5% but still it is positioned as world’s 5th largest economy.
Table showing Top 5 Largest Economies of World:

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The US-based World Population Review is an independent organization without any political affiliations.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS    

20th edition of Laureus world sports awards 2020 held in Berlin, Germany:Sachin Tendulkar won sporting moment of the year 2000-2020On February 17, 2020, 20th edition of Laureus World Sports Awards 2020 was held in Berlin, Germany.It was the 2^nd  Laureus World Sports Awards to take place in Berlin, following the 2016 ceremony which took place at the Messe Berlin.It was organized by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.Laureus World Sports Awards is known as ‘Oscars of Sport’.The event was hosted by Actor Hugh Grant.
Highlights:
i.Indian former international cricketer Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar’s 2011 World Cup-winning moment was voted the Laureus Sporting Moment of 2000-2020. This moment of Sachin has been titled ‘Carried on the Shoulders of a Nation’.With this win, he became the first Indian sportsperson to win a Laureus World Sports Award.
(India won the World Cup by defeating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in 2011 under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni).
ii.Argentine star footballer Lionel Messi and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton were jointly voted Sportsman of the Year 2020.
iii.South African rugby legend Bryan Habana has been inducted into the Laureus World Sports Academy.
Here’s the full list of winners:…Click here to Read More

    APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS  

15^th Finance commission constitutes 8-member panel headed by ITC chairman Sanjiv Puri to boost agri exports
On February 17, 2020, The 15^th Finance Commission has set up a 8-member group led by ITC chairman and managing director (MD) Sanjiv Puri to recommend measurable performance incentives for the states, so as to promote exports & also to encourage the concerned crops to ensure replacement of more imports.
The committee will submit its recommendations within 3 months.
i.The group will assess export and import substitution opportunities for Indian agricultural products (commodities, semi-processed and processed) in the changing situation of international trade and suggest steps to boost exports and reduce imports.
ii.It will recommend different measures to enhance agricultural productivity, ensure wastage reduction, strengthen Indian logistics-related infrastructure, etc. and enhance the competitiveness of this sector globally….Click here to Read More

Australia appointed Barry O’Farrell as new high commissioner to IndiaOn February 18, 2020 Australia has appointed former NSW (New South Wales) premier Barry O’Farrell as the next high commissioner to India. Barry O’ Farrell will be the successor of Harinder Sidhu.
Key Points:
i.About Barry O’Farrell: He served in the New South Wales (NSW) Parliament from 1995-2015, as the 43rd premier of the province, also has non-resident accreditation to Bhutan and as NSW special envoy for India & made a significant contribution as the Deputy Chair of the Australia- India Council Board.
ii.Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne, mentioned about India Australia relationship as India is one of the closest & most significant partners in the Indo-Pacific.
iii.India is a significant trading partner of Australia, with 2 way investment valued of 30.7 billion dollars & around 700,000 people of Indian Origin were living in Australia.
About Australia:
Capital- Canberra.
Currency- Australian Dollar (AUD).
Prime Minister (PM)- Scott John Morrison.

       ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS        

CCI approves acquisition of WABCO Holdings by ZF Friedrichshafen AG
On February 17,2020, Under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved for the acquisition of WABCO (Westinghouse Air Brake Company) Holdings Inc. by ZF (“Zahnradfabrik” which means Gear Factory) Friedrichshafen AG (Automotive industry in Germany), As per the agreement, ZF will acquire 100% shares of WABCO for USD 136.50 per share under all-cash transaction method for a total equity value of USD 7 billion (approximately Rs. 50,391 crores).
Key points:
i.ZF is a global technology company and it develops, design and manufacturing products like gearboxes, steering, axles, clutches, dampers, chassis components and systems, active and passive safety technology system and other automobile components, ZF also distributes products and systems for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, off-highway vehicles and Industrial technology
ii.WABCO is a global supplier of pneumatic braking control systems, technologies and services that improve safety, efficiency and connectivity of commercial vehicles including trucks, buses and trailers, it also manufacturing products like Integrated braking systems & stability control, air suspension system, transmission automation control, aerodynamics, telematics and also supplies fleet operators with fleet management solutions, diagnostics tools, training and other services.
iii.ZF proposed the transaction to CCI under Regulation 25 (1A) of the Competition Commission of India (Procedure regarding to the transaction of business relating to combinations) Regulations, 2011.
About WABCO Holdings Inc.
Headquarters-Bern, Switzerland
Founded- 1968
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Jacques Esculier
About ZF Friedrichshafen AG:
Headquarters- Friedrichshafen, Germany
Founded- 1915
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Wolf-Henning Scheider
About Competition Commission of India (CCI):
Headquarters- New Delhi
Founded- 2003
Chairman- Ashok Kumar Gupta

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Delhi Police integrated with Uber launched “Himmat Plus app” 
On February 18, 2020 Delhi Police along with Uber launched “Himmat Plus app”, at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, New Delhi, to ensure safety and security of the people travelling in cabs.
Key Points:
i.The police headquarters will receive the real time location of a driver or rider in case of emergency through this app so that PCR (Police Control Room ) van can be assigned to provide assistance.
ii.Nearly, 1000 Himmat QR (Quick Response) verification cards were distributed among drivers. Once a rider scans the QR card, they can access a driver’s details and vehicle information on the Himmat app & can report their journey directly to police.
About Delhi:
Chief Minister (CM)- Arvind Kejriwal.
Deputy CM- Manish Sisodia.
Governor- Anil Baijal.

SPORTS

India to host 16-team FIH Junior Men’s World Cup 2021, South Africa to host women’s edition
On February 17, 2020 The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced that India will host Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup 2021 and the women’s Junior Hockey World Cup would be held for the first time in Potchefstroom, South Africa. This is the third time that India will be hosting the prestigious tournament, having staged in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP) in 2016 & New Delhi, India in 2013 .
Key Points:
i.In Junior Men’s World Cup 16 teams will compete for the title, out of which 6 will be from Europe, 4 from Asia, 2 from Africa, 2 from Oceania and 2 from Pan America.
ii.Under women’s edition, out of 16 teams Pan America gets an extra spot & Asia loses one.
iii.Out of these, 6 European teams (Germany, England, Netherland, Spain, Belgium and France) have already qualified for the event in India as they secured their berths through the European Continental Championships held in 2019.
iv.India had defeated Belgium 2-1 in the final match held at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP), in 2016.
v.India had also hosted the FIH senior men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar.
About International Hockey Federation (FIH):
Founded- 7 January 1924.
Motto- FairPlay Friendship Forever.
Headquarters- Lausanne, Switzerland.
President – Narinder Dhruv Batra

Indian Captain Virat Kohli slips to 10th position in ICC T20I Rankings
On February 17, 2020 Indian captain Virat Kohli slipped to the 10th position but K L Rahul and Rohit Sharma remained static at the 2nd and 11th place in the T20I (Twenty20 International) ranking released by the International Cricket Council.
Key Points:
i.T20I Batting Ranking: Rohit was steady at the 11th spot with 662 points in the batting list, which is topped by Pakistan’s Babar Azam with 879 points, followed by India’s Lokesh Rahul with 823 points.
ii.England Captain Eoin Morgan, who scored 136 runs including 2 fifties, during their 2-1 win over South Africa in the 3 match series, moved to the 9th place with 687 points.
iii.T20I Bowling Ranking: Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah was static at the 12th spot sharing with the West Indies fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell.
iv.Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi continued to occupy the top position among bowlers and all-rounders.
Top 3 Players & Indian players ranking in T20I Rankings:

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NADA bans Javelin thrower Amit Dahiya for four yearsOn February 17,2020, The Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) has passed an order to National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to ban javelin thrower Amit Dahiya for four years for sending wrong sample collection and trying to cheat officials during the 2^nd National Javelin throw open Championship 2019 held at Sonipat in Haryana.
Key points:
i.The 21-year-old Amit Dahiya has finished 3^rd in 2019 National Javelin throw open Championship and the National Anti-Doping Agency officials asked him to furnish the dope sample but he instead sent another person sample collection.
ii.NADA temporarily banned him for violating rule 2.3 of NADA anti-doping rules on July 16,2019 and presented the case to ADDP on January 9,2020.
About National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA):
Headquarters- New Delhi
Founded- 2005
Chairman- Minister of Sports (India)
Director General (DG)- Navin Agarwal

OBITUARY

Tapas Pal, former Trinamool Congress MP & Bengali actor, passed away at 61On February 18, 2020 Bengali actor & former Trinamool Congress MP (Member of Parliament) Tapas pal passed away at the age of 61 in Mumbai, Maharashtra due to cardiac arrest.
He was born on 19th September 1958 in Chandannagar, West Bengal and completed his graduation from the Hooghly Mohsin College in Bio-Science.
Key Points:
i.Tapas Pal was a member of All India Trinamool Congress. He was an MLA from Alipore for 2 terms (2001-2006 & 2006-2009) and former MP (Member of Parliament) of Krishnanagar constituency from 2009 to 2019.
ii.He became popular with his debut film Dadar Kirti (1980) and other films are Saheb (1981), Parabat Priya (1984), Bhalobasa Bhalobasa (1985) and Anurager Choyan (1986) etc.,
iii.About awards: He was awarded Filmfare Award for his role in Saheb (1981).

Former Manchester United goalkeeper and Munich hero, Harry Greg, passed away at 87On February 18, 2020 Harry Greg, former Manchester United goalkeeper and Munich hero, passed away at the age of 87 in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK (United Kingdom). He was born on 27th October 1932 in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland.
Key Points:
i.Harry Greg, was named as “Hero of Munich” for rescuing 2 teammates as well as a baby and her pregnant mother in the 1958 air disaster that killed 23 people.
ii.About Harry Greg: Greg spent 9 years with Manchester United after joining as the world’s most expensive goalkeeper in 1957. He played 247 times for the club, including in a victory in the FA (Football Association Challenge Cup) match against Sheffield after the air crash in february 1958.
iii.He also played 25 times for Northern Ireland, including the 1958 world cup and was selected as the best goalkeeper in the competition.
iv.Awards: Gregg was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in the 2019 New Year Honours.

Hall of Fame golfer Mickey Wright passed away at 85On February 18, 2020 Hall of famer Mary Kathryn Mickey Wright, was an American LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour professional golfer, passed away at the age of 85 in Florida, United States (US). She was born on February 14, 1935 in San Diego, California, US (United States). She was a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Key Points:
i.About Mickey Wright: Mickey Wright joined the LPGA tour in 1955 & won 82 events on the LPGA tour, which puts her second on the all-time win list behind Kathy Whitworth, who won 88 times. 13 victory in major championships which places here second to Patty Berg, who won 15 majors.This made to create a LPGA Tour record.
ii.She also won US (United States) Girls Junior Championships in 1952 and World Amateur Championship in 1954, Bob Jones Award in 2010.

Current Affairs Headlines: 18 February 2020

1. India to get Peninsular & Air Defence Command by next 2021, theatre commands by 2022
2. Soil health card scheme completes 5 years on 19 February 2020
3. Sanjay Agarwal inaugurated 4th National Conference on PMFBY in Udaipur, Rajasthan
4. Bihar to get north India’s first bird ringing station and MoU inked in Gujarat
5. Delhi-based IGIA becomes 1^stsingle-use plastic-free airport of India
6. UP becomes 1^st in India to enforce Performance regulation act 2019 for electricity department
7. 80% Indian bird species population on decline in past 5 yrs: State of India’s Bird 2020 report
8. Pak High Commission issues visas to Indian pilgrims to visit Katas Raj temples
9. UAE becomes 1^stArab Nation to issue license to operate a reactor at its Nuclear power plant
10. RBI conducts 3- year Long term Repo Rate Operations(LTRO) for ₹25,000 crore
11. Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY): World Bank inks $ 450 mn loan with India for groundwater management in select states
12. World Population Review Report: India becomes 2019’s 5th largest economy; US tops
13. Laureus world sports awards 2020 in Berlin, Germany:Sachin tendulkar collects sporting moment of the year 2000-2020
14. 15^th Finance commission constitutes 8-member panel headed by ITC chairman Sanjiv Puri to boost agri exports
15. Australia appointed Barry O’Farrell as new high commissioner to India
16. CCI approves acquisition of WABCO Holdings by ZF Friedrichshafen AG
17. Delhi Police integrated with Uber launched “Himmat Plus app”
18. India to host 16-team FIH Junior Men’s World Cup 2021, South Africa to host women’s edition
19. Indian Captain Virat Kohli slips to 10th position in ICC T20I Rankings
20. NADA bans Javelin thrower Amit Dahiya for four years
21. Tapas Pal, former Trinamool Congress MP & Bengali actor, passed away at 61
22. Former Manchester United goalkeeper and Munich hero, Harry Greg, passed away at 87
23. Hall of Fame golfer Mickey Wright passed away at 85

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