Current Affairs 26th March 2019

Current Affairs 26th March 2019 - Important Points

• Italy joined China’s Economic Silk Road project on - 23rd March 2019
• Oman allowed US military to use its ports on - 24th March 2019
• Lose to Win Program launched by -  United Arab Emirates Government
• Marcelo Gleiser wins - Templeton Prize 2019
• Peter Tabichi won Global Teacher Prize 2019 from - Rural Kenya
• World Meteorological Day 2019 celebrated on - 23rd March 2019
  Current Affairs 26th March 2019 - Details

Italy joined China’s Economic Silk Road project on - 23rd March 2019

Italy on March 23rd, 2019 inked a  "non-binding” procedure with China to participate in the nation’s Belt and  Road Move, which aims to link China with Europe. With the move, Italy has become the 1st G 7 nation to draft for the massive project, which is seen as a new Silk Road that will have business links stretching from Asia to Europe.
The pact was inked during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Rome, capital of Italy. It was inked by Italy’s Deputy PM Luigi Di Maio and Chairman of China’s National Development Commission, He Lifeng.
Economic Silk Road
The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road is a development strategy approved by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in 152 nations and  international groups in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa.
The move was unveiled by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September and October 2013 during visits to
Kazakhstan and Indonesia.
The ‘Belt’ refers to the overland roads for highway and rail transportation known as the Silk Road Economic Belt, whereas road refers to the sea route/the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The Maritime Silk Road move was 1st planned by Xi Jinping during a speech to the Indonesian Parliament in October 2013.
As per to the China, the move is a bid to enhance regional connectivity and embrace a golden future, while critics of the move pursue it as a push for Chinese dominance in international affairs with a China-cantered trading network.

Oman allowed US military to use its ports on - 24th March 2019

Oman on March 24th, 2019 inked a pact with the US, allowing American ships and warplanes to take benefit of its ports and airports.
The framework pact is focused at bolstering Oman- United States military ties. It was inked between the defence ministries of both the nations.
Important Highlights

• The pact will permit the United States forces to take benefit of the facilities offered at few of Oman’s ports and airports during visits of the United States military vessels and aircraft, principally in the port of Duqm.
• The Duqm port is situated in southern Oman on the Arabian Sea and about 500 kms from the Strait of Hormuz.
• The Strait of Hormuz is vital to global energy supplies, with about a 3rd of the world's seaborne oil passing through it daily.
• The narrow waterway is also an international transit way through which American forces regularly pass. It has, in fact, witnessed tense fights between the American and Iranian forces in the past.

Peter Tabichi won Global Teacher Prize 2019 from - Rural Kenya

A science  teacher from rural Kenya, Peter Tabichi has secured the prestigious Global Teacher Prize 2019 which prides the world’s best teacher. He was bestowed for his accomplishments in a deprived school with crowded classes and a few textbooks.

Peter Tabichi is a maths as well as physics teacher at Keriko secondary school in Pwani Village, in a
remote part of Kenya’s Rift Valley. He donates away 80 percent of his income to aid the poorest students at the poorly-equipped and overloaded school who could not afford uniforms and books.
Tabichi initiated a ‘talent nurturing club’ and lengthened the school’s science club, helping pupils design
research projects for national and international contests.
His students have participated in international science competitions and secured a prize from the Royal
Society of Chemistry after harnessing local plant life to produce electricity.
Swaroop Rawal, an Indian teacher at Lavad Primary School, Gujarat and various other schools, was also
there in contention for the award.
Global Teacher Prize
The Global Teacher Prize lime-lights the significance of educators and seeks to acknowledge the
impressions of the very best teachers not only on their students but on the communities around them.
The award was established in the year 2015 by the Varkey Foundation and the winners are presented a US $One million award. The prize is presented by the Varkey Foundation under the sponsorship of His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates Vice President and PM of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Marcelo Gleiser wins - Templeton Prize 2019

Brazilian physicist and astronomer Marcelo Gleiser has been bestowed the 2019 Templeton Prize for his work blending science and spirituality.
Marcelo Gleiser struggles that science and religion are not only compatible, but that science is spiritual. The 2 realms of science and spirituality are entangled for him.
For Marcelo Gleiser, science is one part of the tripod of human questioning, and that philosophy and religion have asked these similar questions for far longer than science has occurred. The answers those different corrections yield may be starkly different, but they are parallel pursuits and science has its own way of joining to the spiritual side.
Templeton Prize

• Templeton Prize bestowed by the United States-based John Templeton Foundation prides a living
  person who has done an exceptional contribution to confirming life’s spiritual dimension whether
  through insight, discovery/practical works.
• Templeton Prize was founded in 1972 by the late Sir John Templeton.
• The Prize goals to honour outstanding persons who have dedicated their talents in expanding our vision of human purpose and  reality.
• The Prize rejoices no particular faith tradition/notion of God, but rather the quest for development in humanity’s efforts to understand the many and diverse appearances of the Divine.
• The Prize is a monetary prize in the amount of £1,100,000 sterling.

Lose to Win Program launched by -  United Arab Emirates Government

The government of United Arab Emirates has prleased the Lose to Win Program to benefit the overweight employees in shedding extra weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
More about the Program

• The Program has been started by the Ministry of Health and Prevention of United Arab Emirates.
• The program team includes nutritionists and health educators from the Ministry.
• The program inspires those struggling with weight concerns to learn how to induce positive changes in their lifestyle.
• The program comprises adopting a healthy diet and engaging in physical activity. It goals to assist employees to lose excessive bodyweight within 8 weeks.
• The program also comprises a workshop on healthy nutrition where the participants are informed on essential topics, including how to read food labels as well as explaining the make-up of balanced diets.

World Meteorological Day 2019 celebrated on - 23rd March 2019

World Meteorological Day 2019 was celebrated on March 23rd with the theme “The Sun, the Earth and the weather”. The topic recognises the critical role the Earth’s nearest star possess in what transpires on the planet. The energy from the Sun is taken up by all life methods to perform their biological tasks. The Solar energy also controls global climate, which, in turn, effects local weather conditions and the same energy is also captivated by the oceans which carry it around the planet, creating further conditions for diverse marine life to exist.
World Meteorological Day
World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 every year to celebrate the coming into force of the Convention starting the World Meteorological Organization on 23rd March 1950.
The World Meteorological Day highlights the essential contribution of National Meteorological and
Hydrological Services to the shelter and wellbeing of society and is commemorated with activities worldwide.