Daily GK Updates - 10th July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched: Government has merged the urban development and housing and urban poverty alleviation ministries. It will now be known as Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The merger will create synergy, better coordination and planning between housing and urban infrastructure projects.

2. GST intelligence agency gets Joseph as the new chief: Senior bureaucrat John Joseph has been appointed as the Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DG GSTI). DG GSTI is the new name given to Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence, mandated to check service tax and central excise duty evasion.

3. Free Surgery Scheme at Private Hospital for Delhiites: Citizens of Delhi who are unable to have surgeries at any govt hospital can now get free surgery in 48 private hospitals bill of which will be paid by Delhi govt. Govt would facilitate 52 specified surgeries free of cost at private hospitals. This facility will be provided only if the government hospitals are not able to give required treatment in 1 month.

4. First Maize Based Mega Food Park in Punjab: Union Minister of Food Processing Industry laid the foundation stone for First Maize based Mega Food Park in Kapurthala, Punjab. Mega Food Park is an inclusive concept and a scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing of the Government of India, aimed at establishing a "direct linkage from farm to processing and then to consumer markets" through a network of collection centres and primary processing centres.

5. Scheme for IPR Awareness - Creative India; Innovative India launched: Taking forward the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy 2016, a 'Scheme for IPR Awareness - Creative India; Innovative India' has been launched by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. The Scheme aims at raising IPR awareness amongst students, youth, authors, artists, budding inventors and professionals to inspire them to create, innovate and protect their creations and inventions across India.

International UPDATES:

1. UNHCR calls for Citizenship for Myanmar Rohingyas: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has called for granting citizenship to Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingya minority. The Rohingya have long been denied citizenship, freedom of movement and basic rights in Myanmar, where they are often seen as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

2. Iraq declares victory over ISIS: Iraq’s prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, has declared victory over Islamic State forces in Mosul after months-long of bitter fighting. The city had been the last major urban stronghold Isis held in Iraq, and defeat there pushes the group back towards its insurgent roots. Victory in Mosul is still both a strategic and symbolic milestone for Iraqi fighters backed by US-led coalition forces.

Okinoshima gets World Heritage status

3. A sacred island in south-west Japan “Okinoshima” has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site: Women are banned on the islands while men have to take off their clothes and undergo a cleansing ritual before setting foot on the island. Only 200 visitors are allowed each year.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Youngest winner of professional golf event: 14 years old amateur Atthaya Thitikul has become the youngest known winner of a professional golf tour event with victory at Ladies European Thailand Championship. She defeated Ana Menendez of Mexico.

2. Valterri Bottas wins Austrian Grand Prix: Mercedes’ Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas has won the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix. Bottas finished ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, who finished second and third respectively.

3. Gokulnath becomes first Indian to finish toughest cycle race RAAM: The 35-year-old Gokulnath became the first Indian to complete the 4,900 kilometer RAAM (Race Across America) in the solo category. A solo rider has 12 days to finish the race and has to ride over 400 kilometers a day to finish it in given time. Sleep is for under 3-hours a day.

3. Raninder Singh re-elected NRAI president: Raninder Singh has been re-elected as president of the National Rifle Association of India  for another 4 year term.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

4. Bharti Airtel launches Project Next, to invest Rs. 2000 crores: Bharti Airtel has launched “Project Next” to deliver all services across touch points in a seamless digital way. The company plans to invest up to Rs 2000 crore over the next 3 years under the new project to launch new digital innovations.

5. Crypto currency expert Amit Bharadwaj launches e-book: An e-book ‘Cryptocurrency for Beginners’, which seeks to provide context and clarity on cryptocurrencies (like bitcoin) has been launched by Amit Bharadwaj. This is his third book in the series, after ‘Cryptocurrency Trading for Beginners’ and ‘Cryptocurrency Mining for Beginners’.