Today Current Affairs for Competitive Exams - Current Affairs 2019-2020 Online If you are appearing for any Government Recruitment Exam, it is important that you are familiar with the happenings around the world. Current Affairs is an important part of your syllabus apart from English, Quantitative Aptitude or Logical Reasoning! Thus, we bring you the Important General Awareness in PDF. Now, Banking, SSC and Insurance aspirants can read the update containing all the Important Current Affairs 18th March 2019. You can also attempt yesterday's current affairs quiz: Current Affairs Quiz – 17th March 2019 Important Current Affairs 18th March 2019 • Global Recycling Day o Global Recycling Day is held on March 18 every year. o Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet. o It is a day for the world to come together and put the planet first. o the theme of 2019 as ‘Recycling into the Future’. Source Link: https://www.globalrecyclingday.com/about/ • Krishna Swaminathan assumes Charge as FOST 1 | P a g e o Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, VSM, has assumed charge as Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) at Kochi. o Swaminathan, a specialist in Communication, and Electronic Warfare was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 87, and is an alumnus of the NDA, Khadakwasla at Pune. o He has commanded five frontline ships of the Indian Navy including the missile vessels, INS Vidyut and INS Vinash. Source Link: http://www.pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1568986 • Ritu became Cultural ambassador of Uzbekistan o Popular Indian fashion designer Ritu Beri has been appointed as the Cultural and Tourism Ambassador of Uzbekistan in India by the Ministry of Tourism of Uzbekistan. o This is in recognition of her contribution towards bringing the two countries together by way of fusing cultures in her clothing line. o She is the first Indian to be appointed to this position. Source Link: https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/designer-ritu-beri- becomes-first-indian-to-be-appointed-as-cultural-tourism-ambassador-of- uzbekistan-in-india-2069357.html • Thiem won his Maiden Masters Title o Dominic Thiem claimed the biggest title of his career by defeating Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open final. o He secured his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy in his third final appearance. o Thiem denied Roger Federer a record sixth BNP Paribas Open crown. Source Link: https://www.atptour.com/en/news/indian-wells-2019-final- federer-thiem • Obituaries 2 | P a g e o Senior journalist and environmental activist Darryl D'Monte, who worked with leading English dailies, died. o Legendary Bengali film actor Chinmoy Roy, known for his excellence in comic roles, has died after suffering a heart attack. Source Link: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/senior-journalist-darryl- dmonte-dies-at-74-in-mumbai-2008953 • A gel to selectively remove oil or water o A natural biopolymer, chitosan, which is water-soluble, has been chemically modified by researchers at the IIT Guwahati. o It can selectively remove either an oil or water phase from an oil-water mixture. o The researchers have also made it possible to switch the chitosan-based material’s property from being extremely water-repelling to extremely oil- repelling and vice-versa. Source Link: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/a-gel-to-selectively- remove-oil-or-water/article26556540.ece • NGT asks for action plan on air quality o The National Green Tribunal has directed 6 states to submit action plans for bringing air quality standards within the prescribed norms by April 30. o Failing which they would be liable to pay ₹1 crore each. o A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel ordered the chief secretaries of Assam, Jharkhand Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Nagaland governments to submit their plan 3 | P a g e Source Link: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/ngt-acts-tough-on-air- pollution-directs-6-states-to-submit-action-plan-by-30-april- 1552827554929.html • India’s first REIT o India’s first real estate investment trust (REIT) is going to come up. o It is backed by Embassy Office Parks, a Bangalore-based real estate developer. o The first REIT initial public offering (IPO) is open for investment between March 18 and 20, 2019. o The Embassy Office Parks REIT plans to raise ₹4,570 crore through the IPO. Source Link: https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/india-s-first- reit-is-finally-here-should-you-invest-1552826505402.html • Persons in news o AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes has quit Facebook following the live-streaming of terror attack on two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch. o Former IAS officer Shah Faesal, who became the first IAS topper from J&K in 2009, has launched a political party named 'Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Movement' in Srinagar. Source Link: https://www.livemint.com/companies/people/airasia-ceo-tony- fernandes-quits-facebook-after-live-streaming-of-new-zealand-shooting- 1552800758515.html?utm_campaign=fullarticle&utm_medium=referral&utm_s ource=inshorts • NGT fines Adani Group ₹5 cr for Udupi plant o The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a ₹5-crore fine on the Adani Group over its power plant in Karnataka's Udupi. 4 | P a g e o The NGT also canceled the environmental clearance given to Adani Group to expand its power plant in the area. o This comes after nearby residents complained about the ill-effects on public health and decreasing agricultural yield due to the plant. Source Link: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ngt-fines-adani-group-rs- 5-cr-udupi-power-plant-cancels-its-extension-plans-98471 • Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure o An International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) will be inaugurated on 19 March. o The two-day workshop is being organised by the NDMA in collaboration with UNISDR, and in partnership with the Global Commission on Adaptation, UN Development Programme and the World Bank. o The workshop aims to identify good practices of disaster risk management in key infrastructure sectors Source Link: http://www.pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1568961 • Special Olympics o In Special Olympics, in Roller Skating, Supreet Singh from Haryana in 1000-meter, Rishabh Jain from New Delhi in 1000-meter and Priya Prakash Gada from Maharashtra in 100-meter won a Gold Medal each. o Amanjot Singh won gold in the squat contest after lifting 385 kg. o Indian roller skaters bagged 29 medals comprising nine golds, 13 silver, and two bronze. Source Link: http://www.newsonair.com/News?title=Special-Olympics%3a- India-bags-70-medals&id=361100 • Kohli retains top spots in ICC ODI rankings 5 | P a g e o Indian skipper Virat Kohli and pacer Jasprit Bumrah have retained top positions in the latest ICC ODI rankings. o Kohli remained at the number one spot in the list of batsmen. o Rohit Sharma remained number two. o In the team rankings, India is second, behind England. Source Link: http://www.newsonair.com/News?title=Kohli%2c-Bumrah-retain- top-spots-in-ICC-ODI-rankings&id=361117 • India came second at Asian Youth C'ships o In Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, boys medley relay team won a gold medal for India. o Indian youth team finished second in the overall medals tally with a total of 26 medals including eight gold, nine silver, and nine bronze medals. o China topped the overall medals tally with 31 medals that included 12 gold, 11 silver, and 8 bronze medals. Source Link: http://www.newsonair.com/News?title=Athletics%3a-India- finishes-second-in-medal-tally-at-Asian-Youth- C%26%2339%3bships&id=361141 • NGT asks CPCB to prepare a noise pollution map o The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to prepare a noise pollution map and remedial action plan. o It is done to solve the noise pollution issue across the country. o A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the CPCB to identify noise pollution hotspots and categorise cities with specified hotspots. 6 | P a g e Source Link: http://www.newsonair.com/News?title=NGT-directs-CPCB-to- prepare-a-noise-pollution-map&id=361123 • India signed agreement with Maldives o External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Maldivian counterpart Abdullah Shahid and had a joint ministerial meeting. o She had an agreement for further collaboration, including development cooperation and enhancing people to people contact. o Three agreements were exchanged on visa facilitation for diplomatic and official passport holders, development cooperation and renewable energy. Source Link: http://www.newsonair.com/News?title=EAM-Sushma-to-meet- Maldives-President-Ibrahim-Mohamed-Solih&id=361134 • Pinaki Chandra named as Indias first Lokpal o Pinaki Chandra Ghose is likely to be India’s first anti-corruption ombudsman or Lokpal. o He is the former Supreme Court judge and current member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). o The Lokpal Act passed in 2013 provides for setting up of Lokpal at the center and Lokayuktas in the States to probe corruption complaints against top functionaries and public servants. Source Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/former-sc-judge-pinaki- chandra-ghose-tipped-to-be-indias-first-lokpal/article26559961.ece • K T Irfan qualified for Tokyo Olympics o A 29-year-old Indian athlete from Kerala, K.T. Irfan qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. o He finished fourth in the men’s 20-kilometer category at the Asian Race Walking Championships in Nomi, Japan.