Daily Current Affairs : 27 May 2023 | Daily GK & Current Affairs Tests - Bank Exams PDF Download

US and Papua New Guinea signed a defense pact

The United States and Papua New Guinea have recently entered into a new bilateral defense cooperation agreement, which has stirred controversy in the Pacific Island nation. This agreement comes at a time when Washington and China are competing for influence in the region. During US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the capital Port Moresby, he and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister James Marape signed the pact along with a maritime security agreement. While the details of the agreements were not disclosed, the defense cooperation is expected to enhance US access to military and other facilities in PNG, thus strengthening Washington's security ties in the South Pacific.

About Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is an island country located in the south-western Pacific, encompassing the eastern half of New Guinea and several small offshore islands.

Centre signs agreement with 6 states to start digital crop survey

The Indian government has signed an agreement with six states—Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh—to initiate a digital crop survey. This initiative is part of the government's Agristack or India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture (IDEA), launched in 2020. The agreement was finalized at a workshop organized by the Union Ministry of Agriculture to discuss the implementation plan of the digital crop survey with the state governments.
The workshop also unveiled a web portal and mobile application manual for the survey. It focused on the benefits of the digital crop survey for various stakeholders, the responsibilities of the Central Government, and the expectations from the states, emphasizing the need for support from the Center for successful implementation.

Government to issue special commemorative coin of ₹75 to mark the inauguration of new Parliament building

To commemorate the opening of the new Parliament Building, the Indian government will release a special commemorative coin with a denomination of ₹75. Although commemorative coins are legal tender, they are not generally circulated and can be obtained from specified agencies. The face of the coin will feature the lion capitol of Ashoka Pillar at the center, with the inscription 'Satyamev Jayate' below it.
The left periphery will bear the word 'Bharat' in Devanagari script, and the right periphery will have the word 'India' in English. The coin will also display the Rupee symbol '₹' and the numerical value '75' below the lion capitol. The reverse side of the coin will showcase the image of the Parliament complex.

Magnus Carlsen wins 2023 Superbet Rapid and Blitz Poland

Magnus Carlsen, the world chess champion from Norway, emerged victorious in the 2023 Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland tournament, which was the second leg of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT). The event took place at the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Carlsen competed against Jan-Krzysztof Duda in a thrilling final round, securing a draw and clinching the championship with a score of 24 points.
His achievement earned him the top prize of $40,000 and 13 Grand Chess Tour points. Duda finished in second place with 23 points, earning $30,000 and 10 GCT points. Wesley So and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave tied for third and fourth places with 21.5 points, receiving $22,500 and 7.5 GCT points each. Carlsen showcased remarkable performance throughout the tournament, maintaining a winning streak of 7 consecutive games on the final day.

Tina Turner 'Queen of rock 'n' roll' passes away

Tina Turner, the pioneering rock'n'roll star who achieved massive success as a pop icon in the 1980s, has sadly passed away at the age of 83. She peacefully died after a long illness at her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. Turner began her career during the early years of rock 'n' roll in the 1950s and later became an MTV sensation. She was born in the United States but became a Swiss citizen.
Turner rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue and went on to establish a highly successful solo career. Known as the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll," she made significant contributions to the music industry and won numerous awards, including 12 Grammy Awards. Turner's recordings, such as "River Deep – Mountain High," "Proud Mary," and "What's Love Got to Do with It," have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

R Dinesh takes over as CII president for 2023-24

R Dinesh, the executive vice-chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions and a fourth-generation member of the TVS family, has been elected as the president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the term 2023-24. He succeeds Sanjiv Bajaj, the chairman and managing director of Bajaj Finserv Limited. Dinesh founded TVS Supply Chain Solutions in 1995 and played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a billion-dollar organization.
Under his leadership, the company expanded its operations to more than 50 countries. Sanjiv Puri, the Chairman and Managing Director of ITC Limited, has been appointed as the President-Designate of CII for the year 2023-24. Rajiv Memani, Chairman of the India region of Ernst & Young (EY), has been named Vice President.

Jawaharlal Nehru Death Anniversary

Every year on 27 May, the death anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is observed. On this occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to India's first Prime Minister, who played a significant role in the country's freedom struggle. Nehru fought against British rule and was among the key leaders of the Indian National Congress (INC). He served as the Prime Minister from 1947 until his death in 1964 at the age of 74. Nehru had a special affection for children and was affectionately known as Chacha Nehru. His birth anniversary on November 14 is celebrated as Children's Day in India.

RBI Approves Merger of Maratha Sahakari Bank With The Cosmos Co-operative Bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted approval for the voluntary merger of Maratha Sahakari Bank, based in Mumbai, with The Cosmos Co-operative Bank Limited, located in Pune. This approval is in accordance with the authority vested in the RBI by the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The amalgamation scheme is scheduled to take effect from May 29, 2023. Following the merger, all branches of Maratha Sahakari Bank Ltd. in Mumbai will operate as branches of The Cosmos Co-operative Bank Limited in Pune. It is worth mentioning that Maratha Sahakari Bank had been under RBI's restriction with a cap on deposit withdrawal since August 31, 2016.