24-25 March 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. Vice Admiral Karambir Singh appointed as next Navy Chief
- Vice Admiral Karambir Singh has been appointed as the next Navy Chief.
- He will succeed Admiral Sunil Lanba who retires on 31st May 2019.
- Currently, Vice Admiral Karambir Singh is serving as the Flag Officer Commander -in- Chief of the Eastern Naval Command.
- He has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.
Know about Karambir Singh
- Karambir Singh Belongs to Jalandhar in Punjab.
- He is a Helicopter Pilot and has flown Chetaks and Kamovs.
- Admiral Singh is a graduate from the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.
Note:
- The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication and usually held by a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral.
Important Days
2. Int'l Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade observed on 25th March
- The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed every year on 25th March to offer the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system.
- The theme of 2019 is “Remember Slavery: The Power of the Arts for Justice”.
3. Int'l Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members observed on 25th March
- The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is marked each year on 25th March the anniversary of the abduction of Alec Collett, a former journalist.
- His body was finally found in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley in 2009.
- The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members has taken on even greater importance in recent years, as attacks against the United Nations intensify.
- This is a day to mobilize action, demand justice and strengthen our resolve to protect UN staff and peacekeepers, as well as our colleagues in the non-governmental community and the press.
4. World Tuberculosis Day observed on 24th March
- The "World Tuberculosis Day" observed every year on 24th March to fight tuberculosis and eradicate this deadly disease that has been claiming millions of lives.
- World TB Day is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- The theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2019 is " It's time".
- Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).
- Tuberculosis is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs a cough, spit, speak, or sneeze.
Note:
- Tuberculosis was first discovered by Dr. Robert Koch in the year 1882 and amazingly announced by him to the small group of scientists at “the University of Berlin’s Institute of Hygiene” about the cause of tuberculosis means the TB bacillus.
- It claims more than 1.7 million lives every year all over the world and India contributes to about 25% of these deaths.
Agreement
5. Italy, China ink new 'Silk Road' protocol
- Italy has signed a non-binding protocol with China to take part in Beijing's new Silk Road of transport and trade links stretching from Asia to Europe.
- Italy became the first G7 country to sign up for the project.
- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte both attended a ceremony in Rome for the signing of 29 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), which Italian media said were worth 5.6 to 8 billion US Dollars.
National Affairs
6. President Kovind to visit Croatia, Bolivia and Chile from today
- President Ram Nath Kovind will be on a 9-day visit to Croatia, Bolivia and Chile from 25th of this month to 2nd of April.
- Mr Kovind will meet his Croatian counterpart and Prime Minister of Croatia and discuss the issues of mutual interest.
- In Bolivia, the President will hold restricted and delegation level talks with his counterpart.
- He will participate in India-Bolivia business forum meeting and interact with students.
- He will hold talks with Chile Counterpart and discuss issues of mutual interest.
7. CBSE launches new Shiksha Vani' app
- The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched a new podcast app 'Shiksha Vani'.
- This app will disseminate crucial information to students and parents in a timely manner.
- According to CBSE, its first episode, on the evaluation process of Class 10 and 12 board examinations, has been released on the platform.
- As the examinations proceed, the episode helps students understand how their completed papers will be evaluated.
Banking & Economy
8. Govt exceeds disinvestment target for current fiscal by Rs 5,000
- The Union government has exceeded its disinvestment target for the current fiscal by Rs 5,000 crore, taking the total proceeds to Rs 85,000 crore.
- This is the second highest disinvestment proceeds in a financial year after the government last fiscal mopped up a little over Rs 1 lakh crore in 2017-18.
- Last year it was helped by ONGC acquiring government's entire 51.11 per cent stake in oil refiner HPCL for Rs 36,915 crore.
- In the current fiscal, the government is eyeing Rs 14,500 crore by way of sale of its 52.63 per cent stake in REC to state-owned Power Finance Corporation (PFC).
9. Integral Coach Factory of Chennai became the World’s largest rail coach manufacturer
- Indian Railways Integral Coach Factory (ICF) of Chennai has surpassed the top Chinese manufacturers after creating a 40% record increase in its production.
- Now, Indian Railway’s oldest and premier coach manufacturing unit becomes the single largest rail coach manufacturer in the world.
- ICF has manufactured 2,919 coaches (April 2018 to February 2019) as compared to 2,600 coaches by Chinese manufacturers.
10. Financial Technology (Fintech) Conclave held in New Delhi
- NITI Aayog organised the Financial Technology (Fintech) Conclave 2019 on financial technologies at Dr Ambedkar International Center, New Delhi
- The Conclave was inaugurated by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.
- The objective of the conclave is to shape India’s continued ascendancy in FinTech, build the narrative for future strategy and policy efforts, and to deliberate steps for comprehensive financial inclusion.
- Financial technology, often shortened to Fintech, is computer programs and a new technology innovation that aims to compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services.
Note:
- The central bank of the country, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed 5-member committee under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani to further deepen digital payments and enhance financial inclusion through Fintech.
- The committee will give recommendations in 3 months in this regard
- The information was shared by the to the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das at the inaugural event of Financial Technology (Fintech) Conclave in New Delhi.
Science & Defence
11. IAF inducts first four heavy-lift Chinook helicopters
- Indian Air Force (IAF) on March 25 inducted the four heavy-lift Chinook helicopters at Chandigarh's Air Force Station 12 Wing.
- It was announced by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa during the induction at a ceremony held at Air Force base in Chandigarh.
About Chinook helicopter
- Chinook has been procured with India-specific enhancements and can carry out military operations even at night.
- The Chinook helicopter has fully integrated digital cockpit management system and is capable of transporting fully-equipped infantry soldiers for specialised operations.
- A multi-mission heavy-left transport helicopter, Chinook will be used to move troops, artillery, ammunition, supplies and equipment on the battlefield.
- Its 24X7, all-weather operational capabilities are crucial for India Air Force, which operates in some of the most hostile terrains in the world.
International Affairs
12. WEF’s global Energy Transition index: India ranks at 76th position
- India has been ranked at 76th position among 115 countries in the global energy transition index.
- Overall, India has moved up two places from 78th last year.
- China is ranked even lower than India at 82nd position, though it ranks very high at seventh place in the world for regulation and political commitment.
- Sweden remains on the top in the index. Switzerland and Norway ranked at second and third position respectively in the index.
- Among major economies, the United Kingdom (UK) is ranked seventh. Singapore has been ranked thirteenth, while Germany, Japan and the US have bagged the seventeenth, eighteenth and the twenty-seventh place respectively.
- The index is compiled by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF).
13. Sri Lanka President hands over a proposal to declare Tripitaka as World Heritage
- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena handed over a proposal seeking to declare the Theravada Tripitaka as a UNESCO World Heritage.
- The Theravada Tripitaka (sacred scripture of Buddhists) was declared as a National heritage of Sri Lanka by President in January this year.
- Buddha’s preaching was propagated through the word to mouth for generations till the Tripitaka was finally written down in Sri Lanka about 100 years BC.
Note:
- The whole teachings of Buddha are contained in three volumes titled ‘Sutta, Vinaya and Abhidhamma’.
- They were first compiled and written on palm leaves with more than 1000 monks involved in the task in Aluvihare near Matale.
Sports
14. Suresh Raina became first player to score 5000 runs in IPL
- Chennai Super Kings batsman Suresh Raina has become the first ever cricketer to reach 5,000 runs in Indian Premier League.
- During the ongoing IPL 2019 opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Raina achieved the feat as soon as he touched the individual score of 15.
- Raina is followed by India skipper Virat Kohli, who has 4,954 runs from 164 games, containing four hundred and 34 fifties.
