Daily Gk Updates
India offers $100 million for infrastructure fund to PNG GK Updates
1.Seeking to strengthen bilateral ties and ensuring energy security, India on Friday offered a $100 million line of credit for development of infrastructure in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and agreed to jointly develop new avenues of cooperation to explore and develop the Pacific nation’s vast oil and gas resources.
2.India, during a meeting between visiting President Pranab Mukherjee with his PNG counterpart Sir Michael Ogio, also offered a coastal surveillance radar system and Coast Guard patrol vessels to the country as part of its commitment for the mutual maritime security initiative.
U.S. welcomes India’s interest in joining APEC
1.The U.S. has welcomed India’s interest in joining Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation (APEC) and said it would hold talks with New Delhi in this regard.
2.He was responding to a question from Congressman Matt Salmon, Chairman of the Asia and Pacific Subcommittee on House Foreign Affairs Committee, who recently introduced a legislation for India’s membership to APEC, a forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Sri Lanka secures $1.5 billion IMF loan
1.The IMF has agreed a $1.5 billion loan for cash-strapped Sri Lanka to support government’s reform agenda for the next three years and help lower its borrowing costs and fix its finances.
2.This will also enable Sri Lanka to receive an additional $650 million in other multilateral and bilateral loans, bringing total support to about $2.2 billion, IMF added.
Digvijaya’s daughter dies of cancer
1.Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s daughter Karnika Singh died due to cancer here on Friday.
2.Karnika (37) is the youngest of the four daughters of Mr. Singh.
New Zealand’s $5 bill named best banknote of the year
1.New Zealand’s five-dollar note has been named the banknote of the year for 2015 by the International Bank Note Society.
2.The note incorporates some of the world’s most advanced security features and beautifully showcasing New Zealand’s history, culture, and heritage. The $5 note has won form the 40 eligible designs from a record 20 countries.
New naval detachment launched at Lakshadweep Androth Island
1.The Indian Navy has inaugurated a naval detachment at Androth Island of the Lakshadweep archipelago.
2.It will help Indian Navy to have better surveillance and reach in the Arabian Sea. The naval detachment was inaugurated by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, who is the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command.
Cabinet nod to solar power plant of 200 MW at Jetsar, Rajasthan
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave its approval for utilisation of 400 hectares of un-cultivable farm land at the Central State Farm (CSF), Jetsar in Sri Ganganagar District, Rajasthan for setting up of a solar power plant of capacity exceeding 200 MW.
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Papua New Guinea on cooperation in the field of health area and medical science
1.The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Papua New Guinea on cooperation in the field of Healthcare and Medical Science.
2.The bilateral MoU will encourage cooperation between the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India and the Ministry of Health and HIV/AIDS of the Papua New Guinea through joint initiatives in the health sector.
3.It will strengthen bilateral ties between India and Papua New Guinea.
MoU between Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India and the Insurance Authority, UAE
1.The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Insurance Authority of United Arab Emirates. The MoU was signed in February 2016.
2.The MoU provides for enhanced cooperation between the two authorities in the field of insurance supervision by providing a framework for co-operation such as channels of communication.
Experian India has launched the fraud detection mechanism
1.The Global data services company, Experian, headquarter in Dublin, Ireland, has launched its ‘Hunter Fraud Score’ in India, which is a new scoring mechanism.
2.The mechanism will help to measure the probability of fraud in a credit application across banking and insurance industries. It will help the country to increase their efficiency in fraud detection.
DBS Bank launches ‘mobile-only bank’ in India
1.The Singapore’s largest bank, DBS has unveiled the ‘mobile only bank’ in India. The ‘digibank’ uses technologies, such as bio metrics and artificial intelligence, to enable paperless, signature less and branch less bank.
2.This is the India’s 1st mobile only bank which targeting 5 million retail customers. The bank will leverage bio metrics-enabled ID and Aadhaar card to ensure that that there is no paperwork.
Japan unveiled Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympics emblems
1.The new emblem of Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games was unveiled, featuring an indigo-
coloured check in the design.
2.The logo features a circular Japanese traditional checkered pattern. Below the design are the words “Tokyo 2020” and under them the five interlocking Olympic rings, reports Xinhua.
ICC suspends the Cricket Association of Nepal
1.The Cricket Association of Nepal has been suspended by the International Cricket Council due to a ‘vacuum of cricket leadership’ in the country and also in view of government interference in the board. The ICC took the decision after the 2nd meeting of the year at ICC headquarter in Dubai.
2.According to ICC, the membership of CAN will remain suspended until it becomes free of government interference and is properly structured to begin exploiting the tremendous cricket talent and opportunities that exist in Nepal.
Panel suggests fine or jail for celebs in misleading ads
1.Parliamentary Standing Committee has been formed to tackle misleading advertising as well as to fix liability on endorsers/celebrities.
2.The committee to be headed by MP J C Divakar Reddy advocated that the Department of Consumer Affairs should be empowered to make laws to regulate growing sectors of e-commerce, direct selling and multi-level marketing where consumer complaints are on the rise.
Kerala cartoonist V T Thomas passed away
1.Kerala cartoonist V T Thomas, popularly known as Toms has passed away, following a brief illness at in Kottayam, Kerela. He was 86.
2.Toms created the legendary cartoon characters Boban and Molly (Bobanum Moliyum). He was born in 1929 in Kuttanad in Alappuzha district and initially served the British Army.
Deepika Kumari equals world record in recurve event at Archery World Cup
1.India’s Deepika Kumari has equalled the world record in Women’s Recurve event at the qualifying stage of Archery World Cup being held in Shanghai.
2.Padma Shri recipient Deepika recorded a score of 686 out of 720 to finish 1st in qualifiers and equal the world record set by South Korea’s Ki Boe Bae at the World University Games in Gwangju last year.
Sudarsan Pattnaik bags gold medal at Sculpture Championship in Moscow
1.Renowned artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has won the gold medal at ninth Moscow Sand Sculpture Championship in Russia.
2.Mr. Pattnaik won the competition for his 15 feet high art work Mahatma Gandhi’s sculpture for non-violence and peace .
3.The 20 top sculptors from different countries competed at the championship. Padma Shri Mr. Pattnaik has participated in more than 50 international sand sculpture championships across the world and won many awards for the country.
