NATIONAL NEWS
India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (Ind-Indo Corpat) commences at Port Blair
33rd edition of India, Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (Ind-Indo Corpat) commenced at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It aimed at consolidating interoperability and strengthen existing bonds of friendship between India and Indonesia.
- The joint patrolling is conducted by navies of both countries near International Maritime Boundary Line in an effort to keep Indian Ocean region (IOR) safe and secure for commercial shipping and international trade.
- Extra info.:
Indonesia Capital: Jakarta
Currency: Rupiah
First Ever High-Level Dialogue On Indo-Pacific Cooperation (HLD-IPC) Held In Jakarta
The first ever High-Level Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Cooperation (HLD-IPC) was held in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia. It was organized by Government of Indonesia and saw participation of 18 countries Indo-Pacific region including India.
- It was first forum for the 18 countries to discuss the concept of Indo-Pacific. Its theme was ‘Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous, and Inclusive Region’.
CBSE Launches Shiksha Vani App
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) launched a new podcast app 'Shiksha Vani' earlier this week. This app will disseminate crucial information to students and parents in a timely manner.
- The CBSE board also mentioned that its first episode, on the evaluation process of Class 10 and 12 board examinations, has been released on the platform. This episode is helpful for all the students, as when the examinations proceed, the episode helps students understand how their completed papers will be evaluated.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Finland is the happiest nation, India slips 7 spots, ranks 140th
Indians are not as happy in 2019 as they were in 2018 and the country figures at 140th place, seven spots down from last year, on UN World Happiness Report- 2019. The list is topped by Finland for the second year in a row. The report was released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations.
- Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the world for the second year in succession. The Nordic nation is followed by Denmark, Norway, Iceland and The Netherlands.
- Extra info.:
Finland Capital: Helsinki Dialing
Currency: Euro
Chuddies enters Oxford English Dictionary in its March update
The Indian word for underpants - chuddies - has become the latest entry to the Oxford English Dictionary. Chuddies is one of the 650 words added to the Oxford English Dictionary as part of its effort to expand coverage of regional vocabularies. Added in the quarterly March update, chuddies now joins the ranks of pony bottles, jibbons and kitbasher, among others.
- Identifying it is an Indian English word in origin, the entry for chuddies in the Oxford English Dictionary provides its meaning: "Short trousers, shorts. Now usually: underwear; underpants."
BANKING & FINANCE
BoB-Dena-Vijaya Bank to be injected with Rs 5K cr
The Bank of Baroda may get Rs 5,000 capital infusion from the Finance Ministry ahead of its united operations as a merged entity along with the Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank from April 1. In February, the government approved Rs 48,239-crore recap bonds in 12 PSBs.
- The merger will create India's third largest bank with a total business of over Rs 14.82 lakh crore.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Fitch slashes India growth forecast from 7 pc to 6.8 pc
Global rating agency Fitch has cut its India's economic growth forecast to 6.8 per cent for 2019-20 from the earlier estimate of 7 per cent due to weak momentum in manufacturing and agriculture. However, it said India economic growth forecast is expected to be 7.1 per cent in 2020-21.
- On a global level, Fitch said while China and other emerging markets are a key source of weaker demand, there is no onset of a global recession.
- Extra info.:
Fitch Headquarters: New York
India one of world's fastest growing large economies: IMF
India has been one of the fastest growing large economies in the world, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. India has of course been one of the world's fastest growing large economies of late, with growth averaging about 7 per cent over the past five years.
- Extra info.:
IMF Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
Membership: 189 countries
SPORTS
India clinch SAFF Women's C'ship for fifth time
In football, India has clinched the SAFF Women's Championship for the fifth time in a row, defeating hosts Nepal 3-1 in the final at Biratnagar. In the first half, Dalmia Chhibber of India scored the first goal of the match which was equalled by Nepal's Sabitra Bhandari.
- This was India's 23rd straight victory in the championship since its inception in 2010.
India lose Jr. Davis and Fed Cup hosting rights, to be held in Bangkok now
After the Balakot air strikes, Pakistan's air space was shut down and it has resulted in India losing the hosting rights of the junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup. A total of 16 Davis Cup team were to travel to India for the annual competition. The junior Davis Cup was to be held from April 8-13 while the Fed Cup matches were scheduled from April 15-20.
- Both the competitions will now be held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Blossom-themed Olympic torch unveiled for Tokyo 2020 Games
The torch design for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games was unveiled exactly a year before the flame is due to arrive in Japan from Greece. The theme of the pink gold torch centres on ‘sakura’ or cherry blossom in Japan, which arrives every spring to much fanfare, and it was designed with input from children from the areas most severely damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
- The theme of the Tokyo Games is reconstruction from the 2011 disaster and the torch relay will begin in Miyagi prefecture another area deeply affected on March 20 next year.
Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway launched
In an effort to develop coaches from the grassroot level and enable them to meet the requirements and the ever-growing demands of international hockey, the sport's governing body in India launched the Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway.
- The meticulously designed programme aims to provide certification to those candidates who are already coaches or wish to pursue coaching as a career.
Chennai City crowned I-League champions
Chennai City FC was officially crowned the I-League champion in front of representatives of other clubs and bigwigs of All India Football Federation (AIFF) at a function in Chennai.
- I-League CEO Sunando Dhar praised Rohit Ramesh, the owner of Chennai City, for the brand of football his team had dished out in the tournament.
Kane Williamson gets Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for Men’s Player of the Year
Kiwi captain Kane Williamson claimed the coveted Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for Men’s Player of the Year at the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) awards. Williamson also took home the Test Player of the Year award and the Redpath Cup for First Class batting. Ross Taylor, Trent Boult and Colin Munro also received major awards, while teenaged all-rounder Amelia Kerr was a big winner among the women.
- Like Williamson, the 18-year-old Kerr also bagged 3 awards- the Women’s ODI Player of the Year, Phyl Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling and the Venus Cup for Secondary Schools Female Player of the Year.
OBITUARIES
Renowned Indian artist Haku Shah passes away
Renowned Indian artist Haku Shah, best known for his themes of tribal and folk art, passed away following a cardiac arrest at his home in Ahmedabad. He was 85.
- Fondly known as "Haku bhai", the award-winning artist also set up the first of its kind Crafts Village - Shilpgram in Udaipur in Rajasthan in the 1980s.
Kannada Actor L.V. Sharada passes away
Acclaimed actor of yesteryears L V Sharada who played an iconic role in the award-winning movie Phaniyamma passed away in Bengaluru. She entered the Kannada filmdom through 'Vamsha Vruksha' (1971) and won the state award for best actress in her debut role 'Kathyayini'. She was78.
- This apart, Sharada had acted in several other movies, including Adi Shankaracharya, Madhwacharya, Ondu Premada Kathe and Nakkala Rajakumari.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Water Day
World Water Day is celebrated every year on March 22. The idea behind observing this day is focusing on the importance of water and need to conserve it. The World Water Day theme 2019 is "Leaving no one behind".
- World Water Day was first observed in 1993 by United Nations General Assembly. This year is 26th World Water Day.
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