Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 18 March 2022

::National::

Shah hands over appointment letters to kin of martyred J&K cops

Union home minister Amit Shah in Jammu handed over the appointment letters to the kin of four personnel of Jammu and Kashmir Police who sacrificed their lives fighting terrorists in the Valley.
Pooja Devi, the wife of late selection grade constable Rohit Kumar, was handed over the appointment letter to join as a panchayat secretary. Her husband joined the J&K executive police in June 2011 and had been associated with counter-insurgency and was given an out of turn promotion as selection grade constable six years later for his brave efforts.
On January 12, a police party along with Army carried out search operations at Sehpora Pariwan village in Kulgam. While civilians were being evacuated, the terrorists opened fire on the police personnel resulting in injuries to three army jawans and constable Rohit Kumar. The constable succumbed to injuries. However, a dreaded Pakistani terrorist Babar was eliminated in the operation.
Ifra Yaqoob, the daughter of head constable Mohammad Yaqoob Shah has been deputed as the orderly cum chowkidar in the industries and commerce department. Her father had joined the J&K Armed Police as the constable on February 1992. On August 13, 2014, Mohammad Yaqoob Shah was on his way to his company headquarters in Anantnag's Bijbehara when his police gypsy was attacked by terrorists in Pampore in Pulwama. The constable died fighting the terrorists.
During his last visit to the union territory in 2021, Shah had visited the house of inspector Pervaiz Ahmad Dar in Srinagar. In 2019, he had handed over the appointment letter to the wife of inspector Arshad Khan
It is pertinent to mention that the Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah during his last visit to Jammu & Kashmir in October 2021 visited the house of Martyr Inspector Pervaiz Ahmad Dar in Srinagar and in 2019 and handed over an appointment letter to the wife of martyr Inspector Arshad Khan.

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::International::

Syria's Assad visits UAE, first trip to an Arab state since war

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad held talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, his first official visit to an Arab country since civil war erupted in 2011, UAE state media said.
The meeting is the latest sign of warming relations between Syria and the UAE, which had broken ties with Damascus in February 2012.
Assad met with the UAE's de facto ruler, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, discussing "fraternal relations" between the two countries, the WAM news agency reported.
They also discussed efforts to "contribute to the consolidation of security, stability and peace in the Arab region and the Middle East", it added.
Sheikh Mohammed said he hoped the visit would "pave the way for goodness, peace and stability to prevail in Syria and the entire region", WAM said.
The pair also discussed ways of "preserving the territorial integrity of Syria and the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country," it said, as well as means of providing "political and humanitarian support for Syria".
Syria's SANA state news agency said the meeting helped "strengthen cooperation" between the two sides.
Photographs released by the Syrian presidency also showed Assad meeting with Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum during the one-day visit.

::Economy::

Asian shares retreat as oil climbs back above $100

Shares were mostly lower in Asia on Friday after Wall Street extended a rally into a third day and oil prices pushed higher, surpassing $105 per barrel. Tokyo and Sydney advanced while Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul declined.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for more help for his country after days of bombardment of civilian sites in multiple cities over the past few days.
The war and plans for President Joe Biden to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping later were among the uncertainties overhanging markets. The White House said the conversation will center on “managing the competition between our two countries as well as Russia’s war against Ukraine and other issues of mutual concern.”
Wrapping up a two-day meeting, the Bank of Japan opted to keep its monetary policy unchanged, with its benchmark interest rate at minus 0.1%. Japan's central bank has been keeping interest rates ultra-low and pumping tens of billions of dollars into the world's third-largest economy for years, trying to spur faster growth.
But Hong Kong's Hang Seng sank 2.6% to 20,952.53 after barreling higher for two days after Chinese leaders promised to provide more support for the economy and markets, suggesting Beijing might temper its crackdowns on technology and real estate companies. The Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.3% to 3,205.90.

::Sports::

Barcelona to face Frankfurt in Europa quarters, West Ham get Lyon

Former European champions Barcelona were drawn against German side Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals of the second-tier Europa League on Friday while West Ham United face a tough challenge against Olympique Lyonnais.
Barcelona beat Napoli and Galatasaray in the previous rounds under new coach Xavi Hernandez while Frankfurt eliminated Real Betis in a tense tie that went to extra time in the second leg.
The two German sides avoided each other after RB Leipzig were drawn against Italian side Atalanta.