Daily Current Affairs 26 March 2018 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
NATIONAL NEWS
India signs headquarters agreement with International Solar Alliance
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), signed the Host Country Agreement in New Delhi. The Agreement will give ISA a juridical personality and gives it power to contract, to acquire and dispose off movable and immovable properties, to institute and defend legal proceedings.
- The International Solar Alliance is an initiative jointly launched by the Prime Minister of India and President of France on 30th November 2015 at Paris, in the presence of the Secretary General of the UN, on the side lines of COP21 UN Climate Change Conference. The main objective of ISA is to undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology, etc.
N-TB app to help tuberculosis patients with diet launched
N-TB, an app for TB patients, was launched on March 24, World Tuberculosis Day. The app was developed by Dr. Anurag Bhargava, a professor of Yenepoya University, Mangaluru.
- The app is specially designed for TB patients to provide them nutritional information. N- TB asks for specific details such as the height and weight of a person and then gives information about their health status based on the calculated BMI.
MEA’s ‘Videsh Aaya Pradesh ke Dwaar’ launched
The External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the External Affairs ministry launched an initiative, “Videsh Aaya Pradesh ke Dwaar” in Hyderabad. The initiative is part of the enhanced public diplomacy outreach to take the objectives of the foreign policy to the common people.
- The initiative involves MEA’s engagement with the regional media based in different cities across India.
MHRD has approved ‘Study in India’ programme
Ministry of Human Resource Development has approved ‘Study in India’ programme. The ‘Study in India’ programme’s primary objective is to target foreign students by branding India as an attractive education destination.
- The move is aimed to improve the global ranking of Indian educational institutes.
SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2018 begins in New Delhi
The SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2018 was organized by Ministry of Rural Development in New Delhi. The mela provides rural women producers with a national platform and an opportunity to showcase their products and seek buyers.
Famous Madhavpur Mela begins in Gujarat
The famous Madhavpur Mela began at Madhavpur Ghed of Porbandar district in Gujarat. In a unique initiative, the four-day-long Mela will see its first-ever cultural integration with the North-East with which it is said to share its roots.
- The Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat shares its connection with the Mishmi Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.
World’s Oldest City, Varanasi, Goes Wireless
The overhead cables in India’s oldest city, Varanasi, are being dismantled and replaced with underground lines 86 years after the city first got electricity. As a part of the process, a ₹432-crore project aiming to lay down 16 sq km of underground lines was started in December 2015. The project, which is expected to serve 50,000 people, lasted two years.
AAI signs MoU with Assam govt to develop villages in Kamrup
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) signed an MoU with Assam government under its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) initiative for sustainable development of human settlements at villages in Kamrup district.
Google celebrates Chipko movement
Google commemorated the 45th anniversary of the Chipko movement with a doodle on 25th March. In 1973, villagers in Uttar Pradesh’s Chamoli district (now Uttarakhand) took to hugging trees to prevent their felling at the hands of contractors.
- The whole movement was taken forward by women participants, who became a driving force in educating people on the deleterious effects of deforestation.
India is now the 4th largest Automobile Market Globally
According to the latest 2018 global data show, our nation has overtaken Germany and has become the fourth largest automobile market in the world. Automobile sales, including passenger and commercial vehicles, in Asia’s third largest economy grew 9.5%.
- China topped the list followed by USA and Japan.
India becomes 3rd largest Electricity Producer in the World
India has become the 3rd largest electricity producer in the world as its electricity production grew 34% over seven years to 2017. The country now produces more energy than Japan and Russia, which had 27% and 8.77% more electricity generation capacity installed, respectively, than India seven years ago.
- China topped the list followed by USA and India.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
World’s Largest Cruise ship setssail
The world’s biggest cruise-liner, “Symphony of the Seas”, has left the shipyard of Saint-Nazaire in France to embark on its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean.
- The ship weighs 228,000 tonnes and is 362 metres long.
- It can hold up to 8,000 people including 2,200 staff.
- It will head to Malaga in Spain and spend its first season in the Mediterranean.
BUSINESS
GIFT and Deloitte sign MoU to promote IFSC operations
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) City, India’s first operational smart city and International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) entered into an MoU with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP, which renders consultancy services for mutual cooperation in areas related to international financial services.
SPORTS
ISSF Junior WC: Anish Bhanwala bags gold in 25m Rapid Fire Pistol
National Champion Anish Bhanwala bagged a gold medal in the men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Sydney, Australia.
Punjab crowned National hockey champion
Punjab won its first National title in five years, registering a 2-1 win against Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) in the final of the 8th men’s National hockey championships held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan fastest to 100 ODI wickets
Teenaged Afghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan has become the fastest bowler to the milestone of 100 ODI wickets, doing so in 44 matches which is eight fewer than the previous record holder, Australia’s Mitchell Starc who took 52 matches to break an 18-year-old record in 2016.
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