Daily GK Update 19th July 2017

1. TR Zeliang appointed as Chief Minister of Nagaland by Governor

i. TR Zeliang has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Nagaland by Governor PB Acharya. This will be the second term for Zeliang, his earlier term was from 2014 to 2017.
ii. Zeliang's appointment came after Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu and nine ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) legislators failed to appear for the floor test.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Doyang Dam is situated in Nagaland.
• PB Acharya is the Governor of Nagaland.

2. Maharashtra government approved revised policy of scheme to improve girl child ratio

i. The Maharashtra government has approved a revised policy of the 'Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree' scheme, according to which families who have a yearly income of up to Rs 7.5 lakh will be benefited. The scheme was launched by the state government on April 1, 2016, in place of 'Sukanya' scheme.
ii. It is aimed at improving the skewed girl child ratio, prevent sex determination and female foeticide, and support female education.
iii. Earlier provision: The 'Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree' scheme catered to girls from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and those whose annual income was up to Rs 1 lakh.
iv. Revised provisions: Families having an income up to Rs 7.5 lakh will be eligible for the scheme. After bearing the first girl child, if the mother or the father undergoes a family planning operation, a sum of Rs 50,000 shall be deposited in a bank in the name of the girl child. The scheme will be valid only if there are a maximum of two girl children born. In case a third child is born, the scheme shall become invalid for the first two as well.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Devendra Fadnavis is the CM of Maharashtra.
• C. Vidyasagar Rao is the Governor of Maharashtra.

3. India & Sri Lanka sign MoU to develop village in Anuradhapura District

i. India and Sri Lanka have signed a MoU to develop a village in Anuradhapura District (in Sri Lanka) at a cost of 30 crores Sri Lankan rupees. The village in the name of a famous Buddhist monk Sobitha Thero, envisages construction of 153 new houses, a multi-purpose community building, internal water supply system and renovation of monk’s quarters & library.

ii. The project is in line with Government of Sri Lanka’s policy of rehabilitation of rural villages for economic development. It will benefit 153 families residing in the village.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu is the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka.
• Maithripala Sirisena is the President of Sri Lanka.

4. Indians among top asylum-seekers, according to the International Migration Outlook 2017

i. According to the International Migration Outlook 2017 report on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries, Indians are among top asylum-seekers in other countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Finland, Japan, and the United States of America.
ii. According to the report on OECD member-nations, top asylum-seekers to New Zealand between 2012 and 2016 were from China, India, Fiji, and Iraq. Among these, India and China were the largest source countries of asylum-seekers (11% and 9%), followed by Fiji (8%), Iraq (7%) and Pakistan (6%).

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was officially born on 30 September 1961. 
• Angel Gurría is the Present Secretary-General of OECD. 
• It is the 41st edition of International Migration Outlook 2017.

5. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice Presidential Candidate, Quits BJP And Government

i. M Venkaiah Naidu, the vice presidential candidate of the BJP-led ruling coalition, quit the government and BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top ministers, and allies were by Mr. Naidu as he completed the formalities for joining the vice presidential contest.

ii. In preparation for his new role, 68-year-old Mr. Naidu quit his ministries. Smriti Irani will take additional charge of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Narendra Tomar will take charge of Urban Development.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Smriti Irani is also Textiles Minister in the Government of India. 
• Narendra Singh Tomar is also the Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Housing and Urban Affairs.

6. Australia and US jointly launched multimillion hypersonic missile – HIFiRE

i. The US and Australia have jointly test-fired a hypersonic missile capable of moving at a speed eight times faster than sound as part of a $54-million research project.

ii. The test was part of a project called the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation Program (HIFiRE) involving the US and Australian militaries, Queensland University, Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group.
iii. A hypersonic glider capable of moving at a speed eight times faster than sound has launched from a rocket range in the town of Woomera, South Australia.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Capital of Australia is Canberra.
• Malcolm Turnbull is the present Prime Minister of Australia.

7. US Navy tests world’s first Laser Weapons System

i. The U.S. Navy recently tested the world's first-ever active laser weapons system, which is now deployed and ready for war. The system has special materials that release photons and at the speed of light, it silently hits an object, burning it to a temperature of thousands of degrees.

ii. Each strike travels 50,000 times the speed of an incoming intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Admiral John Richardson is the Chief of Naval Officer of US Navy.

8. Bharat Arun appointed Team India bowling coach

i. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Bharat Arun as the Indian Cricket team’s bowling coach.
ii. BCCI’s acting Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary announced that the cricket body has also decided to retain Sanjay Bangar as an assistant coach and R Sridhar as fielding coach till the 2019 ODI World Cup.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Ravi Shastri is the newly appointed coach of Indian Cricket team.
• He has replaced Anil Kumble.

9. FIFA has lifted their ban on the Sudan Football Association

i. World football's governing body FIFA lifted the ban on the Sudan Football Association (SFA) imposed on it for the failure to abide by agreements mentioned in articles 14 and 19 of the FIFA statute.

ii. The SFA and its member officials are now eligible to benefit from the FIFA development program, course or training.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Mr. Bakri Hassan Salih is the present Prime Minister of Sudan.
• The Capital of Sudan is Khartoum.
• The President of FIFA is Gianni Infantino.

10. UK’s first woman Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill elected to key Parliament panel

i. Britain’s first woman Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill has been elected to an influential cross-party panel in the UK Parliament that examines the workings of the Home Office.
ii. The Labour MP, who won the Birmingham Edgbaston seat in the UK elections 2017, will be one of 11 MPs on the cross-party home affairs committee, which investigates the spending, policy and administration of the ministerial department.

11. UIDAI launches mAadhaar app on Android

i. UIDAI, which issues Aadhaar numbers, has launched mAadhaar app for mobile users that will allow users to carry unique identification profile on mobile.

ii. It allows users to carry their Aadhaar demographic information, i.e. name, date of birth, gender, address and the photograph linked with their Aadhaar number, on their smartphones.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Nandan Nilekani is the present Chairman of UIDAI.
• UIDAI stands for Unique Identification Authority of India.

Daily GK Update 18th July 2017

1. Nelson Mandela International Day: 18th July

i. Nelson Mandela International Day (or Mandela Day) is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela's birthday. 

ii. The Nelson Mandela Foundation is dedicating this year's Mandela Day to Action Against Poverty, honouring Nelson Mandela's leadership and devotion to fighting poverty and promoting social justice for all. 

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Mandela Day was officially declared by the United Nations in November 2009.
• The first UN Mandela Day held on 18 July 2010. 
• Nelson Mandela was the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa.

2. J-K govt launches weekly festival at Dal Lake

i. The spectacular Dal Lake here hosted first ever 'Culture of Cruise', a weekly cultural programme organised by the Jammu and Kashmir government aimed to bring artists from various fields on one stage. 

ii. The innovative programme series brings writers, performance artists, musicians, poets and academics together and offers a program of performances, workshops, talks, forums and debates.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Dachigam, Salim Ali and Hemis are the National Park in Jammu and Kashmir.
• CM of Jammu and Kashmir is Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed.

3. The Book ‘Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives’ has released

i. Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen released a book titled "Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives" at Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Pranab Mukherjee, who received the first copy of the book.

ii. The book ‘Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives’ has been compiled by Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of JGU University and is published by Oxford University Press.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998 and India's Bharat Ratna in 1999 for his work in welfare economics.

4. Smriti Irani gets I&B ministry, Narendra Singh Tomar Urban Development

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the Information and Broadcasting portfolio to Smriti Irani. The Urban Development Ministry, which was also being handled by Naidu, has been given to Narendra Singh Tomar.

ii. This announcement came after BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, who is the government's nominee for the position of Vice-President, resigned from his ministerial responsibilities.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Smriti Irani is also Textiles Minister in the Government of India. 
• Narendra Singh Tomar is also the Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Housing and Urban Affairs

5. Kolkata to host global business meet in November

i. The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), in association with the West Bengal government, will host Horasis Asia Meeting, a global business meet, in the city in November.

ii. The two-day business meet, starting November 26, will focus on sustainable business practices in various areas, including power and energy.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Shashwat Goenka is the President of ICC.

6. SBI launches website for home buyers

i. State Bank of India, the country’s largest commercial bank, has launched 'SBI Realty' - a one-stop integrated website www.sbirealty.in for home buyers.

ii. SBI Realty will help customers to choose their dream home from 3,000 SBI approved projects across the country. These projects are spread across 13 states and Union Territories covering 30 cities, including metros, semi metro and towns. The site is developed by SBICAP Securities in association with PropEquity in terms of data support, project information. 

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Chairman of SBI is Smt. Arundhati Bhattacharya.
• SBI is Headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

7. The Wimbledon 2017- Complete list of Winners

i. 131st edition of the Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament took place at  All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, the United Kingdom from 3rd – 16th July 2017. 

ii. It was played on grass courts, organised by the All England Lawn Tennis Club and the International Tennis Federation and is part of the ATP World Tour, the WTA Tour, the ITF Junior Tour and the NEC Tour. Here is the complete list of all the winners in different categories of Wimbledon 2017.

category	Winner	Runners-up
Men’s Singles	Roger Federer (Switzerland)	Marin Cilic (Croatia)
Women’s Singles	Garbine Muguruza (Spain)	Venus Williams (US)
Men’s Doubles	Lukasz Kubot (Poland) & Marcelo Melo (Brazil)	Oliver Marach (Austria) & Mate Pavic (Croatia)
Women’s Doubles	Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) & Elena Vesnina (Russia)	Monica Niculescu (Romania) & Chan Hao-ching (Chinese)
Mixed Doubles	Jamie Murray (UK) & Martina Hingis (Switzerland)	Heather Watson (UK) & Henri Kontinen (Finland)

Daily GK Update 17th July 2017

1. Roger Federer lifts a record 8th Wimbledon title beating Marin Cilic in Men’s singles

i. Roger Federer won a record eighth Wimbledon title and became the tournament’s oldest champion with a straight-sets victory over Marin Cilic. Federer claimed his 19th Grand Slam title.

ii. The 36-year old Federer is also Wimbledon’s oldest men’s winner of the modern era, succeeding Arthur Ashe, who was almost 32 when he won in 1976. This was his 11th Wimbledon final and 29th title at the majors.
iii. With this victory, Federer also became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win Wimbledon without dropping a set in the entire tournament.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Roger Federer is from Switzerland.
• Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world held in England.

2. India’s Harinder Pal Sandhu wins Victorian Open squash tournament by defeating Rex Hedrick

i. India's Harinder Pal Sandhu has won the second title in two weeks, beating top-seed Rex Hedrick of Australia in a 77-minute final of Victorian Open squash, a PSA Tour event, in Melbourne, Austraila.

ii. Third-seeded Sandhu had recently won the South Australian Open. In the Women’s PSA W10 final, Hong Kong’s Tsz-Ling showed every bit of her undoubted class in a straight games victory over fourth seed, Amanda Landers-Murphy.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Capital of Australia is Canberra.
• Malcolm Turnbull is the PM of Australia.

3. Lewis Hamilton won Formula One's fifth British Grand Prix

i. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix for the fifth time – matching the record of Jim Clark and Alain Prost to cut Sebastian Vettel’s championship lead to just a single point.

ii. They allowed Valtteri Bottas to grab second from Kimi Raikkonen to secure a Mercedes one-two, as Vettel trailed home seventh.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Valtteri Bottas who races for Mercedes stood second in the race.

4. I H Manudev wins 1st National Masters snooker tournament title

i. I H Manudev has won the first National Masters snooker tournament title in Chennai. Alok Kumar, a former national men’s champion, had been in fine form coming into the summit clash but found Karnataka’s Manudev a tough proposition.

5. MobiKwik Partnered with Samsung Pay Mini

i. Digital payments company MobiKwik has partnered Samsung Pay, under which consumers will be able to make payments with a single tap using select Samsung handsets.

ii. Samsung had unveiled a 'Mini' version of the platform that integrates UPI and mobile wallets to work on mid-range priced smartphones.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• CEO of Mobikwik is Bipin Preet Singh.
• Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate headquartered in Seoul.

6. Five P Venture inks pact with Central Silk Board

i. Erode-based Five P Venture India Private Ltd and Central Silk Board (CSB) inked an agreement for development and commercialization of handloom silk products.

ii. This MoU signed at the first-ever mega trade fair for the textile sector organized by the Ministry of Textiles at Gandhinagar. This step will also help revive the heritage skills of the handloom weavers in Chennimalai belt.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Headquarter of Central Silk Board (CSB) is in Bengaluru.

7. Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli to be the new Chief Justice of Nepal

i.Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli will be the new Chief Justice of Nepal. The Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC) unanimously endorsed Justice Parajuli’s name for the post of Chief Justice of Supreme Court.

ii. After endorsement by PHSC the President will now appoint him as the Chief Justice. He will head the Judiciary till April 28, 2018.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Capital of Nepal is Kathmandu.
• Sher Bahadur Deuba is the newly appointed Prime minister of Nepal.

8. Shri R K Pachnanda takes charge as Director General, ITBP

i. Shri R K Pachnanda, an IPS officer, took charge as the new Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), recently.
ii. Shri Krishna Chaudhary, DG who retired on superannuation, handed over the customary baton to Shri Pachnanda. Shri Pachnanda is the 29th Chief of the ITBP.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Capital of Tibet is Lhasa.

9. Former Sikkim CM Nar Bahadur Bhandari passes away

i. Nar Bahadur Bhandari, one of the longest-serving chief ministers of Sikkim has died recently. Mr. Bhandari, a three-term former Chief Minister was 77 years old.

ii. He became the Chief Minister of Sikkim for the first time in 1979 on a Janata Parishad ticket and then again in 1984 and 1989 on a Sikkim Sangram Parishad ticket.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Capital of Sikkim is Gangtok.
• The present Chief Minister Sikkim is Pawan Kumar Chamling.

10. Indonesia renames part of South China Sea

i. Indonesia has named waters in its exclusive economic zone that overlap with China’s expansive claim to the South China Sea as the North Natuna Sea.
ii. The part of the renamed area falls in China’s “nine-dash line” waters extending hundreds of miles to the south and east of China’s island province Hainan.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• In 2011, the Philippines renamed the waters as the “West Philippine Sea” 
• The Capital of Indonesia is Jakarta.

Daily GK Update 16th July 2017

Govt launches GST training programme

i. The government has launched a GST training programme to skill around two lakh youths in six months to handle tax compliance issues like invoice making. The people would be trained under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

ii. The new training course would cater to the need of GST trained professionals to help businesses in areas such as registration and calculation of tax liability under the new tax regime.

Important Takeaways from the above News:

• Rajiv Pratap Rudy is Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge).
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
• GST is a single tax on the supply of goods and services, right from the manufacturer to the consumer.

Superwoman Lilly Singh appointed UNICEF’s Global Goodwill Ambassador

i. UNICEF appointed Indian- origin Canadian YouTube star Lilly Singh as its newest Global Goodwill Ambassador at a special event in New Delhi.

ii. Lilly was in the capital to support UNICEF’s Youth4Change initiative, a programme for youth that brings them together to support their peers and communities in taking action on issues such as health, hygiene, child labour and gender equality.

Important Takeaways from the above News:

• UNICEF stands for United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.
• The Head office of UNICEF is in New York, US.

K K Venugopal: new Attorney General

i. Senior advocate K K Venugopal’s name has been cleared for appointment as the Attorney General for India following the decision of Mukul Rohatgi to step down as the top law officer.

ii. The Law Ministry had recently referred the file relating to the appointment of Venugopal as the Attorney General.

IIFA Awards 2017: List Of Winners

i. The 18th edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards was held in New York. Sonam Kapoor’s film Neerja won the best film award. Actor Shahid Kapoor earned the Best Actor award for his role in Udta Punjab, while Alia Bhatt won the Best Actor (Female) award for the same film.

ii. Here’s the complete list of the IIFA 2017 winners:

• Best Film- Neerja
• Best Director- AnirudhRoy Chaudhary for Pink
• Best Actor (Male)- Shahid Kapoor for Udta Punjab
• Best Actor (Female)- Alia Bhatt for Udta Punjab
• Best Actor in Supporting Role (Female)- Shabana Azmi for Neerja
• Best Actor in Supporting Role (Male)- Anupam Kher for MS Dhoni: The Untold Story
• Best Debutant (Female): Disha Patani for M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story
• Best Debut (Male)- Diljit Dosanjh for Udta Punjab
• Best Lyricist- Amitabh Bhattacharya for the song Channa Mere Ya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
• Best Playback Singer (Male)- Amit Mishra for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
• Best Playback Singer (Female)- Kanika Kapoor for Udta Punjab and Tulsi Kumar for Airlift
• Best Music Direction- Pritam for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
• Best Actor In Comic Role- Varun Dhawan for Dishoom
• Myntra Style Icon Award- Alia Bhatt
• IIFA Woman Of The Year- Tapsee Pannu

Matunga becomes India's first railway station run by women

i. Central Railway has taken a step towards women empowerment by appointing an all-female work staff at the suburban Matunga station. Matunga station has now become the first such ladies special station.

ii. According to the official, women have been manning this station, which falls on the Central Railway, since the past two weeks. A total of 30 women staffers, including 11 booking clerks, five RPF personnel, seven ticket checkers are working under the supervision of station manager Mamta Kulkarni since last two weeks.

Muguruza clinches maiden Wimbledon title

i. Garbine Muguruza of Spain came out with the spectacular performance as she defeated seven-time Grand Slam Champion Venus Williams in straight sets to clinch her maiden Wimbledon title.

ii. The 14th-seeded Spaniard defeated Williams 7-5, 6-0 in what eventually turned out to be a one-sided contest lasting one hour and 23 minutes on the Centre court.

Daily GK Update 15th July 2017

1. Railways launches India's first solar-powered DEMU train

i. Indian Railways launched its first 1,600 HP solar powered Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train with a unique facility of Battery Bank from Safdarjung station, New Delhi.

ii. A solar power DEMU train with six trailer coaches will save about 21,000 Litres of Diesel and thereby bring cost saving of Rs.12 Lac every year. 

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu is the current railway minister of India.
• The DEMU train has been manufactured by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.

2. World Youth Skills Day: 15 July

i. World Youth Skills Day is being observed globally on 15th July. The objective of the day is to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development.

ii. The theme of this year is "Skills for the Future of Work".

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The first World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) was celebrated on 15 July 2015.

3. Railways launches mobile app that does more than just booking

i. Indian Railways launched an integrated mobile application to cater to various passenger requirements over and above ticket booking. The new app will include inquiry, on-board cleaning and ordering meal on a single platform. The app is called Rail SAARTHI and was launched by Railway Minister. 

ii. The Rail SAARTHI (synergised advanced application rail travel help and information) such as safety for women, complaint facility and suggestion for improvement. One can also book air ticket through the app and give feedback.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu is the current railway minister of India.

4. Raipur Airport Ranked First in Customer Satisfaction Index Survey

i. Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda Airport was ranked first in Customer Satisfaction among 49 airports in the country.

ii. Raipur Airport achieved 4.84 score on a five point scale index in the latest CSI (Customer Service Index) survey conducted by an independent agency for the period of January-June 2017, followed by Udaipur, Amritsar and Dehradun airports which have scored 4.75, 4.74 and 4.73 respectively.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Airports Authority of India (AAI) was constituted by an Act of Parliament and came into being on 1st April 1995.
• Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra is the Chairman of AAI.

5. India ranks 116 out of 157 nations on SDG index

i. India is ranked 116 out of 157 nations on a global index that assesses the performance of countries towards achieving the ambitious sustainable development goals (SDGs). The SDG Index and Dashboards Report produced by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

ii. India is ranked 116th on the index with a score of 58.1, behind countries such as Nepal, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and China.

iii. Pakistan is ranked 122. Sweden leads the list, followed by Denmark and Finland.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.
• SDGs were adopted in September 2015 at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York, US.

6. Mukesh Kumar Jain appointed MD & CEO of Oriental Bank

i. The Centre has appointed Mukesh Kumar Jain as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Oriental Bank of Commerce, a public sector bank.

ii. His appointment is for a period of three years. Prior to this appointment, Jain was an Executive Director at Punjab & Sind Bank.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

•  Mukesh Kumar Jain replaces Animesh Chauhan.
• Headquarter of OBC is in Gurugram, Haryana.

7. Sundar Singh wins gold at World Para Athletics Championships 

i. India's Sundar Singh Gurjar has won gold on the opening night of 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London. He triumphed in the men's javelin throw with a personal best of 60.36 meters.

ii. Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Priyantha Herath came second with 57.93 meters while defending champion Guo Chunliang of China was third with a season’s best 56.14 meters.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• World Para Athletics Championships 2013 was held in Doha, Qatar.