1) 🇮🇳National

• IMACC 2026 Begins: The Indian Army is hosting the inaugural International Military Adventure Challenge Cup (IMACC) 2026 starting today, 18 February, in the Eastern Himalayas. Military teams from seven friendly nations, including Bhutan, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia, are competing alongside Indian forces.
• AI Impact Summit 2026: Day 3 of the summit continues at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The focus today is on "Safe & Trusted AI" and "Inclusion for Social Empowerment," featuring global tech leaders discussing the responsible deployment of AI in the Global South.
• New PMO "Seva Teerth": The Prime Minister’s Office has officially completed its transition to the new Seva Teerth complex on Dara Shikoh Road. This facility also houses the National Security Council and Cabinet Secretariats.
• Menstrual Health Ruling: In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court has held that menstrual health is a fundamental right under the Right to Dignity (Article 21), mandating all states to ensure free sanitary products in government schools.

2) 🌍International

• Bangladesh Swearing-in Ceremony: Following the general elections, Tarique Rahman was officially sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. India was represented at the ceremony by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, signaling a focus on regional stability.
• Annular Solar Eclipse: A spectacular "Ring of Fire" solar eclipse was observed today primarily over Antarctica and the Southern Hemisphere. This is the first of two solar eclipses scheduled for 2026.
• India-France Year of Innovation: PM Modi and President Emmanuel Macron jointly launched the "India-France Year of Innovation 2026" at the Gateway of India, Mumbai, to boost startups and deep-tech research.

3) 💰Economy

• New CPI & GDP Base Year: The government has officially transitioned to 2024 as the new base year for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and 2022-23 for GDP calculations to better reflect modern consumption patterns.
• Deepfake Regulation: A strict three-hour deadline has been mandated for social media intermediaries to remove flagged AI-generated deepfake content or face legal penalties under the updated IT Rules.
• Airbus H125 Facility: India’s first private-sector helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) has been operationalised at Vemagal, Karnataka, through a partnership between Tata and Airbus.

4) 🗓️Date’s importance

• National Battery Day: Observed on 18 February to celebrate the birthday of Alessandro Volta (born 1745), the Italian physicist who invented the electric battery.
• Historical Significance (1930): On this day, American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto while examining photographs taken at the Lowell Observatory.
• Discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun's Tomb (1923): Anniversary of the unsealing of the burial chamber by archaeologist Howard Carter.

5) 👱‍♂️👩‍🦳Person of the day

• Alessandro Volta: The scientist behind the invention of the chemical battery (Voltaic pile). The unit of electric potential, the Volt, is named in his honour.
• Tarique Rahman: The newly appointed Prime Minister of Bangladesh, who is under international spotlight as he begins his tenure during a period of political transition.

6) 🏅Sports

• T20 World Cup 2026: South Africa secured a thrilling victory against Afghanistan after two Super Overs, one of the most intense matches in the tournament's history so far.
• Ranji Trophy Milestone: Paras Dogra (Himachal Pradesh) has become the second-highest run-scorer in Ranji history, joining the elite 10,000-run club alongside Wasim Jaffer.
• Winter Olympics 2026: Competition intensifies in Milano-Cortina; the Women’s Monobob and Mixed Team Snowboard Cross events are the highlights for today.

7) 🏆Awards

• Vikramaditya International Award: The Madhya Pradesh government has announced this new honour with a prize of ₹1.01 crore to recognize global excellence in Indian culture and heritage.
• 68th Grammy Awards: Recognition continues for the best in global music, with a strong focus on "Best Global Music Performance" where several Indian fusion artists were nominated.

8) ⭐️Other important significance

• ZSI Discovery: Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new wingless, soil-dwelling species of Diplura in the Eastern Himalayas.
• National Productivity Week: Concluding events for the week (12-18 Feb) are being held, focusing on the theme of "Maximizing MSME Productivity through Industrial Clusters."

📚Word of the day

• Equanimity (Noun)
• Meaning: Calmness and composure, especially in a difficult or stressful situation.
• Usage: "An aspirant must maintain equanimity while appearing for highly competitive exams like UPSC."