• World Meteorological Day is celebrated on [latex]23^{rd}[/latex] March every year to attract attention towards weather and climate for safety and well being of the society.


• On [latex]23^{rd}[/latex] March, 1950, World Meteorological Organisation came into force. The theme chosen for this day reflects topical weather, climate or water-related issues.

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• The Government of Indonesia has hosted the first ever High-Level Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Cooperation (HLD-IPC) in its capital city Jakarta. The theme of the HLD was 'Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous, and Inclusive Region'.


• The objective behind this meet was to urge all participating governments to talk openly about their plans for increasing cooperation and for building trust in the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean region.

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• The US Defense Department stated that the Islamic State no longer holds any territory in Syria.


• US President Donald Trump was briefed abut the development while he was travelling to Florida on Air Force One.


• While addressing a press conference, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders showed maps of Islamic State territory in 2014 vis-a-vis the maps of the same place in Syria.

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• 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.

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• Indian Railways Integral Coach Factory (ICF) has surpassed the top Chinese manufacturers after creating a 40% record increase in its production.


• With this, Indian Railway’s oldest and premier coach manufacturing unit becomes the single largest rail coach manufacturer in the world.

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• President Ram Nath Kovind will next week visit Croatia, Bolivia and Chile and hold talks with the leadership of these countries to strengthen ties in keys sectors such as trade, investment and renewable energy.


• Kovind will first visit Croatia from March 25-28 in what would be the first visit by an Indian president to the European country, Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a media briefing.


• During the visit, Kovind will participate in the India-Croatia Business Forum. He will also deliver an address at the University of Zagreb.

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• As many as 111 Tamil Nadu farmers will contest against PM Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections from the Varanasi constituency.


• Tamil Nadu farmers' leader P Ayyakannu said the decision was taken to urge the BJP to include in their manifesto that their demands would be fulfilled. He added if BJP assures them, they will not fight against him.

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• 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 [latex]1^{st}[/latex] April. 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.

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• Fitch Ratings cut India’s economic growth forecast for the next financial year starting [latex]1^{st}[/latex] April , to 6.8 percent from its previous estimate of 7 percent, on weaker than expected momentum in the economy.


• The rating agency has also cut growth forecasts for FY20 and FY21 to 7 per cent from 7.3 per cent and 7.1 per cent from 7.3 per cent, respectively.


• Fitch Ratings cut India’s FY19 GDP growth forecast to 7.2% from 7.8% on December 6.

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• The 2nd edition of Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships aka Tong Yun Kai Cup 2019 was held in Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong. The championship was organized by Badminton Asia and Hong Kong Badminton Association. China has grabbed the championship by defeating Japan with 3-2.


• In the mixed doubles, Chinese pair He Jiting and Du Yue has defeated apanese pair Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino by 21-17, 21-17.


• In the men’s doubles, Yugo Kobayashi and Takuro Hoki of China beat Han Chengkai and Zhou Haodong of Japan by 16-21, 21-18, 21-13.


• In the women’s doubles, Li Yinhui and Du Yue won for China by beating Ayako Sakuramoto and Yukiko Takahata with 21-16, 21-19.

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• 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.

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• The forest certification scheme ‘Certification Standard for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)’ developed by the Network for Certification and Conservation of Forest (NCCF) got global recognition by a Geneva based non-profit firm Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).


• Forest certification is a market based conservation tool which is designed to promote sustainable management of trees outside forest by an independent third party.


• The Government has emphasized the importance of buying products made from certified wood for promoting sustainable forest management under the Green Good Deeds Movement.


• Sustainable Forest Management Certificates become mandatory for exports as several developed countries have put trade restrictions on import of non-timber forest products, non-certified timber and wood based goods into their countries.

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• Rear Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, NM took over as the Western Fleet Commander, the “Sword Arm” of the Indian Navy. He will succeed Rear Admiral MA Hampiholi, AVSM, NM who has been appointed as Director General Naval Operations in the rank of Vice Admiral.


• Initiated his career in 1986, the Navigation and Direction specialist, Sanjay Jasjit Singh is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla.

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• Karnataka Minister for Municipal Administration and senior Congress Leader, Channabasappa Sathyappa Shivalli aka “Badavara Bandhu” passed away at the age of 57 due to cardiac arrest, in Hubballi.


• He was born in Yaraguppi village of Karnataka.


• He was a three-time MLA from Kundagol constituency in Dharwad district.