Important Weekly Current Affairs PDF Download (Mar 22nd to 31st Mar 2024)

Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of Mar 22nd to 31st Mar 2024. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2024 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• World Water Day 2024 is celebrated all over the world on March 22nd,
• World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 every year all over the world and it is an annual event.
• World Tuberculosis Day, observed on 24 March each year all over the world, is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis and efforts to eliminate the disease.
• On March 25th , International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade 2024 is celebrated all over the world.
• On March 25^th, International Day of the Unborn Child 2024 is celebrated all over the world.
• Purple Day of Epilepsy is a global awareness campaign for epilepsy held annually on March 26.
• World Theatre Day is celebrated every year on March 27.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

• Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has exempted offshore funds from naming their investors under certain circumstances.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) organised the Annual Conference of the RBI Ombudsmen, in Mumbai, Maharashtra with the theme of “Protecting the Consumers – Building Robust Systems and Procedures”.
• The Finance Ministry announced the release of a unique ₹90 denomination coin to mark the 90th anniversary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The weighted average cut-off at the biggest weekly auction of State Government Securities (SGS) so far in FY24 rose 7 basis points (bps) due to the huge supply of paper.
• Citibank plans to launch its digital payments acceptance product ‘Spring by Citi’ in India in the second quarter of this year (April-June).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had finalised the Omnibus Framework for recognising Self-Regulatory Organisations (SRO) for its Regulated Entities (REs).
• The Income Tax Department has imposed a penalty of Rs 103.63 crore on Tata Chemicals for violation related to disallowance of interest.
• Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has directed the Association of Mutual Funds to stop inflows into overseas exchange traded funds (ETF) from April 1, 2024 as it is approaching the overall limit of $1 billion set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached a preliminary agreement for the release of $1.1 billion from a $3 billion bailout following days long talks in Islamabad.
• Despite efforts from the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the adoption of Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-linked RuPay credit cards among merchants remains low.
• Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE), an industry body for digital lenders, stated that in the 9th edition of its FACETS report that its member companies disbursed loans amounting to ₹33,922 crore in the third quarter of financial year 2024, which is a 46 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) increase from Q3 FY23.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will commence a special audit of IIFL Finance Limited and JM Financial Products Ltd (JMFPL) from April 12, 2024, to further investigate their regulatory breaches.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that its offices dealing with government business and designated branches of agency banks conducting government banking business will remain open during normal working hours on March 30, 2024 (Saturday) and March 31, 2024 (Sunday).
• The Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has introduced a set of new regulations to enhance the regulatory framework for the insurance industry.
• As per the latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s foreign exchange reserves rose for the fourth straight week to hit an all-time high of USD 642.292 billion in the week ending on March 15, 2024.
• Fund houses operating sizable smallcap funds have announced a fresh set of curbs to manage liquidity risk and address concerns raised by regulators.
• Public sector banks (PSBs) are anticipated to pay a dividend exceeding Rs 15,000 crores for the financial year ending March 2024, driven by improved profitability.
• NPCI Bharat Bill Pay (NBBL), along with banks and fintech firms, are in discussions to implement banking interoperability following approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the project.
• The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) strategically targets the defence market of South America by extending a Line of Credit (LOC) of $23.37 million (about Rs 194 crore) to Guyana, South America.
• Japan’s central bank has made a significant policy shift by raising its benchmark interest rate for the first time in 17 years.
• In the 12 months ending January 2024, public sector banks (PSUs) reduced their Automated teller machine (ATM) network by 1,343 machines to 1,36,173 ATMs.
• Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited estimates that Paytm’s revenue for the financial year 2025 (FY25) could decline by 24% due to the regulatory restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) decided to keep most existing surrender charges intact in the revised product regulations, providing relief to life insurance company investors.
• Leading banks, such as State Bank of India (SBI) and Axis Bank are looking to increase their Unified Payment Interface (UPI) market share by making innovations in their mobile application that can be used by both customers and non-customers.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conducted 3 variable rate repo (VRR) auctions to ease the liquidity tightness in the banking system.
• HDFC Bank and TD Bank Group have announced an expanded pact to support Indian students planning to study in Canada.
• According to the Brand Finance Insurance 100 2024 report, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is recognized as the world’s strongest insurance brand, with a steady brand value of $9.8 billion, a brand strength index score of3, and an associated AAA brand strength rating.
• India’s foreign exchange reserves increased by $32.9 billion during April-December 2023, on a balance of payments basis (excluding valuation effects), as against a depletion of $14.7 billion during the year-earlier period, data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed.
• Tata Capital Limited, the flagship financial services company of the Rs 31-lakh crore Tata Group, has raised $200 million through a three- year loan from Singapore’s DBS Bank and Taiwan’s CTBC Bank.
• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has approved the establishment of Bima Sugam, an online insurance marketplace, aimed at simplifying the process of buying, selling, and servicing insurance policies, as well as settling claims.
• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) decision to retain the existing surrender value norms, amid requests from life insurance companies, is deemed positive for the companies & the norms will be effective on April 1, 2024.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its monetary policy committee (MPC) schedule for the upcoming financial year 2024-25 (FY25)- starting from April 1, 2024.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) received bids worth Rs 1.52 trillion against a notified amount of Rs 1 trillion at the overnight variable rate repo (VRR) auction.
• According to CareEdge Ratings, Housing finance companies’ Assets under management (AUM) is seen growing 12-14% in FY24 and FY25 led by continued growth According to CareEdge Ratings, Housing finance companies’ Assets under management (AUM) is seen growing 12-14% in FY24 and FY25 led by continued growth momentum in housing loans coupled with an expected revival in developer loans.
• India’s capital markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has further tightened scrutiny on mutual funds by asking whether they mis-sold certain fund categories to investors.
• Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited will offer dollar-denominated insurance from Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
• The government has updated the list of banks authorized to import gold and silver during the fiscal year 2024-25.
• The public sector insurance companies – Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) and the New India Assurance Company continue to be identified as Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that the facility to exchange or deposit Rs 2,000 banknotes will not be available on April 1, 2024 due to operations associated with the annual closing of accounts.
• The Commodity Participants Association of India (CPAI) has requested timely clarification and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) documents from the stock exchanges regarding the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) new rule for rupee derivatives, set to be effective from April 5, 2024.
• The state-run NTPC group has signed foreign currency loan agreements worth JPY 30 billion (approximately $200 million) with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
• The number of currency chests (CCs) in the country stands at 2,838 in FY23 from 3,812 in FY19 while that of coin depots is at 2,293 (3,519).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

• Electronics and IT Secretary Krishnan launched the BhashaNet portal based on the concept of Universal Acceptance (UA) in New Delhi.
• The Central Government has decided to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Hyderabad State Liberation Day on September 17 in a big manner this year.
• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has amended new regulations related to SIM porting, also known as Mobile Number Portability (MNP), to reduce and prevent fraudulent SIM swap activities.
• The Election Commission has launched the Saksham App to facilitate easier voting for Persons with Disabilities and to avail facilities at Polling Stations.
• Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, IGNCA released two literary works aimed at deepening the understanding of India-Japan cultural connections.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has imposed a financial penalty of eighty lakh rupees on Air India Limited for violation of regulations about Flight Duty Time Limitations, FDTL and Fatigue Management System, FMS of the flight crew.
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Start-up Mahakumbh at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) have announced the launch of the BhashaNet portal at the Universal Acceptance Day event held on March 21, at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
• India has decided to join at least one of the four cooperative work programmes launched last week under the ‘clean energy pillar’ of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) – the one on facilitating and promoting carbon market activities.
• The Centre has approved a simple reversionary bonus for the Postal Life Insurance Scheme and Rural Postal Life Insurance Scheme for fiscal year 2024-25.
• Grid Controller of India Limited (GRID-INDIA) has been designated as a Miniratna Category-I central public sector enterprise by the Ministry of Power, recognizing its integral role in the power sector.
• The Rural Development Ministry may notify revision in wage rates under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and it has received a clearance from the Election Commission as the poll code is in force.
• The government has notified the ‘Fact Check Unit’ (FCU) under the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, as the fact check unit of the Centre.
• India’s aviation regulator has postponed the deadline for airlines to implement new rules on rest and duty times for pilots without giving any reason or new target date.
• India’s state-run natural gas company, GAIL (India) Ltd, is preparing to commission the country’s first green hydrogen project.
• The Centre will borrow ₹7.5 trillion in the first half of the upcoming financial year.
• The federal indirect tax body is unlikely to make any changes to the 28% goods and services tax (GST) regime on online money gaming until the Supreme Court gives its final order on a bunch of tax disputes for the period before its introduction last October.
• The government notified a policy for general authorisation for the export of certain telecom and information security-related items under a policy for dual-use products.
• The Finance Ministry plans to borrow Rs 7.50 lakh crore, 53 per cent of its overall FY25 target, in the first half.
• India’s efforts to ensure early tuberculosis detection and treatment initiation, along with a host of community engagement efforts has resulted in a decline of 16% in TB incidence (new cases emerging each year) and a 18% reduction in mortality due to TB, since 2015.
• India has released the second tranche of ₹500 crore to Bhutan for the development of infrastructure related to the GyalSung Project.
• Army Commanders’ Conference, the first for the year 2024 will be organised in hybrid mode with the conference in virtual mode scheduled on 28^thMarch 2024 and thereafter physical mode in New Delhi on 01^st and 02^nd April 2024.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Australia commits 4.6 billion Australian dollars (USD 3 billion) to British industry to aid in the construction of nuclear-powered submarines, ensuring the timely delivery of its new fleet.
• The 4th edition of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Startup Forum was organized in New Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

• Gross Direct Tax collection has registered a growth of 18.74 percent during the current Financial Year.
• The shares of assets owned by women investors in mutual funds have increased 21 per cent as of last December-end against 15 per cent in March 2017.
• FMC India, an agricultural sciences company and arm of US-based FMC Corporation, has launched a precision agriculture platform Arc Farm Intelligence in India.
• The Centre has notified an interest subsidy cap of ₹2.5 crore for individual export units in the first quarter of the forthcoming fiscal 2024-25 under the popular interest equalisation scheme (IES) for identified sectors and MSMEs.
• Coal and lignite production in India crossed 1 billion tonnes in 2023-24, as of March 22, in line with the government’s target for this financial year.
• Foreign portfolio investors have shown a significant resurgence in their investment activity within the Indian equity markets this month, injecting over 38,000 crore rupees, mainly driven by favourable shifts in the global economic scenario and a strong domestic macroeconomic outlook.
• An annual survey report released by the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) India’s direct selling industry grew over 12% year-on-year in 2022-23, clocking an overall industry turnover of Rs 21,282 crore.
• For the first time in its history of milk cooperatives in India, Amul’s brand of “fresh milk” will be sold in the United States.
• Galaxy Health and Allied Insurance Company has secured approval from the IRDAI to commence its health insurance business in the country.
• The new wage rates for unskilled manual workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 for the financial year 2024-2025 have been introduced ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
• The government will borrow ₹7.5-lakh crore between April 1 and September 30, the Finance Ministry stated.
• Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection in the current financial year ending March 31 is expected to surpass the ₹20 lakh crore mark with an annualised growth of approximately 12%, two officials aware of the development stated, attributing the increase to heightened economic activity and ease of compliance-driven by technology.
• The central government’s fiscal deficit in the first 11 months of 2023-24 stood at ₹15 lakh crore, 86.5% of the revised target for this financial year, according to official data released.
• In the first collaboration between rival billionaires, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industrieshas picked up a 26 per cent stake in Gautam Adani’s Madhya Pradesh power project and signed a pact to use the plants’ 500 MW of electricity for captive use.
• Output growth in eight core infrastructure sectors including electricity, steel, cement and crude oil, accelerated to a three-month high of 6.7% in February from 4.1% in the previous month, official data released.
• The country’s largest electric vehicle (e-PV) maker, Tata Motors, was the biggest beneficiary of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE

• The first-ever India pavilion has been inaugurated at the prestigious Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, reflecting a new dimension of the bilateral relationship between India and the US.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• Mustafa Suleyman, a prominent figure in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology sphere, has been appointed to lead a new group at Microsoft, overseeing all consumer AI initiatives, including the Copilot chatbot.
• According to a Rashtrapati Bhavan notification, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju was given additional charge of the Ministry of Food and Processing Industries following the resignation of Pashupati Kumar Paras from the Union Council of Ministers.
• SoftBank India has promoted Sarthak Misra, who previously served as an investment director, to the position of partner.
• E-commerce major Meesho’s CXO of monetisation, Harsh Chaudhary, has quit the firm to join Flipkart.
• The Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has named Deepak Ballani as its new Director General.
• During the IBA’s managing committee meeting, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has elected M V Rao, Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Bank of India, as its new Chairman for the term 2023-24.
• Naveen Jindal, Chairman of Jindal Steel and Power, has been unanimously elected as the President of the Indian Steel Association (ISA) by the apex committee, which is the governing body of the ISA.
• R Nandini, Managing Director (MD), Chandra Textiles Private Limited, has taken over as the Chairperson of CII Southern Region for the year 2024-25.
• The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB), the head-hunting agency for public sector banks and insurance firms, has selected Girija Subramanian as chairman and managing director (CMD) of the New India Assurance Company and Bhupesh Sushil Rahul as CMD of United India Insurance Company.
• Simon Harris, a prominent figure in Irish politics, has become the sole candidate in the race to become Ireland’s next prime minister following the unexpected departure of Leo Varadkar.
• Mariam Mammen Mathew, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Manorama Online, has been appointed chairperson of the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) for two years from April 1, 2024.
• Embattled aerospace giant Boeing Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of 2024.
• Vinay Kumar, a seasoned diplomat who served as India’s envoy in hotspots such as Afghanistan and Myanmar in recent years, was named as the new ambassador to Russia.
• Microsoft has made a strategic move by reuniting its Windows and Surface teams under a single leadership, marking a return to a familiar structure within the company’s Engineering and Devices organization.
• 1990-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sadanand Vasant Date has been appointed as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• Two months after the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) received a final order cancelling its licence under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), the chief executive of the think-tank, Yamini Aiyar, will step down from her current role “to devote more time to her research interests”.
• The Ministry of Finance (MoF), appointed Nidhu Saxena as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) for 3 years.
• Pankaj Dwivedi has taken charge as an Executive Director (ED) at Union Bank of India (UBI).
• Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the opposition leader in Senegal, is set to become the next President of the country.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

• King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck conferred Bhutan’s highest civilian award, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Thimpu.
• The World Inequality Lab (WIL) and Sciences Po’s Center for Research on Social Inequalities (CRIS) have joined forces for the first edition of the Global Inequality Research Award (or GiRA), which aims to recognize every two years researchers from all disciplines who have made a significant contribution to the understanding of global inequalities.
• The Aviation Week Laureates Award was presented to ISRO for its achievements in the historic Chandrayaan-3 mission.
• Budget airline IndiGo was named as the ‘Airline of the Year’ at the Air Transport Awards 2024 held in Greece’s Athens.
• The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has decided to award the Abel Prize for 2024 to Michel Talagrand of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Paris, France.
• Sanjai Kumar, CMD/RailTel, has been conferred with CMD Leadership Award in the 10th Edition of Governance Now PSU Conference and Awards.
• NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) has bagged the GEEF Global Environment Award 2024 in the mining category during the Global Clean Energy Summit – 2024 held in New Delhi recently.
• In a glittering event honouring top industry leaders, Vijay Jain, Managing Director of Star Estate, was adjudged the prestigious Times Power Icon 2024 Award.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed acquisition of certain shareholding of Shriram Investment Holdings Private Limited (SIHL) by Shriram Ownership Trust (SOT).
• Six asset reconstruction companies (ARCs), including Aditya Birla and Kotak Mahindra-backed ARCs, have accumulated 55% of KSK Mahanadi Power’s ₹29,330-crore debt from lenders in separate transactions.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

• The Indian Army has initiated the establishment of the Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG), a unit dedicated to researching and evaluating futuristic communication technologies.
• Indian Navy has responded to the manifestation of Israel – Hamas conflict in the maritime domain by re-orienting and significantly enhancing the scope of its ongoing maritime security operations since mid-Dec 23.
• The successful testing of the “DragonFire” laser weapon by the United Kingdom’s (UK) Ministry of Defence (MoD) represents a significant milestone in the country’s military technology development.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The European Parliament has approved the world’s first regulations governing artificial intelligence (AI).
• Agnikul Cosmos, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras incubated startup, has postponed its maiden rocket launch due to a ‘technical issue’.
• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully conducted the second landing test of its reusable launch vehicle (RLV), named Pushpak, at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Challakere near Chitradurga, Karnataka.
• In line with the policy to promote exports of high-tech items, the government is set to liberalise exports of two controlled items with dual-use capabilities – networking equipment and information security software – for certified exporters shipping the items for civilian use following specified standards.
• Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane presided over the maiden test-firing of India’s first indigenously-made 1500 Horsepower (HP) engine for Main Battle Tanks at BEML’s Engine division in Mysore complex.
• Scientists discovered a massive volcano on Mars, temporarily designated ‘Noctis volcano’, that has been active until recent times, with the possible remains of a relict glacier at its base.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that its PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere without leaving any debris in orbit.
• The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Gaia telescope has made a significant discovery, unveiling two ancient streams of stars that contributed to the formation of the Milky Way galaxy over 12 billion years ago.
• The International Astronomical Union (IAU) working group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the name ‘Station Shiv Shakti’ for the landing site of Chandrayaan-3’s lander.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi to conduct various awareness programmes throughout the country to enhance public perceptions on the peaceful use of nuclear power and disseminate scientific & authentic information.
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Dhanuka Agritech Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) topromote natural farming in the changing environment.
• India and Bhutan exchanged several agreements of mutual interest to further strengthen their partnership.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) signed a Working Arrangement for establishing cooperative relations between the law enforcement authorities of these two organisations.
• New Delhi and London are aiming at signing the free-trade agreement (FTA) by July, leading to Indian exporters of labour-intensive products such as textiles, machinery, automobile parts, and marine products getting greater market access.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) signed a Working Arrangement for establishing cooperative relations between the law enforcement authorities of these two organisations.
• Airtel Payments Bank collaborated with smartwatch brand Noise and global technology company Mastercard to launch the new smartwatch to redefine and make contactless payments accessible to a larger consumer base.
• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi on Artificial Intelligence.
• Tejas Networks Ltd. announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Telecom Egypt (TE), ITIDA (Information Technology Industry Development Agency), and National Telecom Institute to replicate the Bharatnet (Rural Broadband Project) and NKN (National Knowledge Network) projects in Egypt.
• The National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Railway Protection Force came together to announce a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening efforts to combat human trafficking across India.
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Dhanuka Agritech Limited.
• The National Cadet Corps(NCC) joined hands with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to conduct awareness programmes across the country to enhance public perceptions on the peaceful use of nuclear power and disseminate scientific information.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS & AUTHORS

• A book titled “From A Car Shed To The Corner Room & Beyond”is written by S Raman.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

• India was ranked 126th out of 143 nations in a global happiness index released which noted that older age is associated with higher life satisfaction in the world’s most populous country.
• According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) forced labour in the private economy generates $236 billion in illegal profits per year with the total amount of illegal profits from forced labour rising by $64 billion or 37% since 2014.
• Among global billionaires of Hurun Global Rich List, Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, has re-emerged as the richest man, boasting a fortune of $231 billion followed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, with a net worth of $185 billion, Bernard Arnault ($175 billion), Mark Zuckerberg ($158 billion) and Larry Willson ($140 billion).
• The UN Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report published, tracks the progress of countries to halve food waste by

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• In Table Tennis, India’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran has clinched the Men’s Singles title at the WTT Feeder Beirut tournament in Lebanon.
• Six-time women’s boxing World Champion Mary Kom was appointed Chef de Mission of the Indian contingent for the Paris Olympics, while veteran table tennis player and CWG champion Sharath Kamal will be the country’s flag bearer at the Games.
• Soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, has cancelled a World Cup qualifier between Japan and North Korea which was scheduled to be played on 26^th March in Pyongyang.
• The Badminton World Federation has announced the draws for the upcoming 2024 Thomas and Uber Cup tournaments in Chengdu, China.
• Maharashtra’s Naheed Divecha has won two gold medals in the Indian Masters National Badminton Championship 2024 in Panchkula.
• Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto has become the first woman to win three straight titles at the Figure Skating World Championships since 1968.
• In Table Tennis, India’s Sreeja Akula won the women’s singles title at the WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024 table tennis tournament at the Al Kawthar Secondary School in
• Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty claimed their first title of the year at the French Open after brushing aside their opponents from Chinese Taipei, Lee Jhe Huei-Yang Po Hsuan, in just 36 minutes in the French Open 2024.
• The United States clinched their third consecutiveConcacaf Nations League title with a commanding 2-0 victory over Mexico in the final of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League Finals at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA
• An International Chess Federation (FIDE)-rated Rapid Chess Tournament will be hosted by IIT Madras on March 30 and 31, 2024.
• Former Indian men’s hockey team captain and its goalkeeper goalkeepers PR Sreejesh and Camila Caramof Chile have been appointed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as co-chairs of the FIH AthletesCommittee.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

• Saeed Ahmed, the former Pakistan Test captain and a dashing batsman of his time, passed away at the age of 86.
• Shaharyar Khan, a career diplomat and former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman who played a big role in restoring cricket ties with India in the early 2000s passed away at the age of 89.
• Swami Smaranananda Maharaj, president of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Passed away at the age of 95 in Kolkata.
• Daniel Kahneman, an Israeli-American psychologist who broke ground in the field of behavioural economics and upended the common assumption in economics that human beings are rational decision-makers, died at the age of 90.
• Larry Lloyd, twice a European Cup winner with Nottingham Forest,has passed away at the age of 75.

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