- The Tokyo Olympic Committee has now announced that Son Goku, a cult anime character from Dragonball Z, will serve as one of its brand ambassadors.
- In their efforts to draw the attention of youngsters, the organizers have revealed a list of "popular animated celebrities" who will double up as the ambassadors of the quadrennial event.
- Goku will have Naruto, Shin Chan, Sailor Moon, Petty Cure, Luffy and Astroboy for company in the ambassadorial role with their faces plastered over the official merchandises.
- With just three years remaining before the next Olympics, Japan has stepped up its effort to promote the extravaganza that will see participation of elite athletes from all over the world in various disciplines when Tokyo hosts them in 2020.
- Tokyo was announced as the host in 2013 and the Games are scheduled to be held from July 24 to August 9 2020.
CASHe integrates Paytm Wallet for direct cash transfers
- Aeries Financial Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a fin-tech company promoted by serial entrepreneur and private equity investor Mr. V. Raman Kumar announced that CASHe, India's fastest loan giving app for young salaried professionals, has partnered with Paytm, India's largest mobile payments and commerce firm to allow its users to deposit cash transfers from CASHe to their Paytm wallets.
- CASHe offers multiple loan options ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 1,00,000 payable over 15, 30 and 90 days.
- With this integration, users of CASHe now have an option to transfer their loan amounts into their Paytm Wallets in part or in full and credit the rest of the amount into their bank accounts. This is an industry-first innovation from CASHe.
- CASHe provides hassle-free loans with its app enabled documentation and loan disbursal or repayment process. Powered by its industry-first algorithm driven credit scoring platform, The Social Loan Quotient (SLQ), CASHe quickly determines a user's credit worthiness by using multiple unique data points to arrive at a distinct credit profile of the customer.
ORF emerges top Indian think tank in Asia category, ranks 5th out of 90
- The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) has emerged as the top ranked think tank in India in the China, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea category, according to the latest Global Go To Think Tank Index Report
- In the Asia region, ORF finished 5th out of 90 think tanks in this category, improving its position from 6th(out of 65) last year, while the first rank was retained by the Korea Development Institute, Republic of Korea in the Index, prepared annually by the Lauder Institute, Pennsylvania University, US. Japan Institute of International Affairs came second while Korea Institute for International Economic Policy came in third.
- ORF was ranked the highest think tank in India in the 'Top Foreign Policy and International Affairs Think Tanks' category. In the world ranking, it came 64th out of 133 think tanks, moving up from the 85th position in the last Index report. Brookings Institution came in the first place.
- In the 'Top Education Policy Think Tanks', only ORF featured from India. It came 63rd out of 65 think tanks.
- ORF was ranked the highest Indian think tank in the categories of 'Best Managed Think Tanks', 'Think Tanks with Best Use of Internet','Best Institutional Collaboration Involving Two or More Think Tanks' and 'Think Tanks with the most Innovative Policy Ideas/Proposals'.
- ORF once again became the most featured Indian think tank across categories, appearing in 26 places while the IDSA and Gateway House have 9 appearances and TERI 8 appearances.
CWC inks pact with IIT Madras and IISc Bengaluru to enhance their dam safety capacity building
- The Central Water Commission (CWC) under the Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation signed two separate MoUs with IIT Madras and IIS Bengaluru in New Delhi.
- These two premier educational institutes will help CWC for the procurement of specified equipment and software for enhancing their capability to support dam rehabilitation efforts of CWC.
- The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has taken on board selected premier academic and research institutes, for capacity building in the areas of dam safety through World Bank assisted Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP).
- The scope includes strengthening the testing laboratories, enhancing analytical capabilities, exposure visits to best global institutions and on ground exposure to dam safety concerns to the faculty of these institutions.
Three-day long Brahmaputra Literary festival begins in Guwahati
- The three-day long Brahmaputra Literary festival will begin in Guwahati today.
- Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar will inaugurate the festival in presence of Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal and others.
- The festival is being organized by National Book Trust and state government.
- Authors from ten countries will take part in the festival.
- Javadekar will also inaugurate a colourful carnival to mark the festival.
- Seminars ,discussions ,film show, book fair, music concert will be held as a part of the festival.
