DAILY GK UPDATE 25 JAN 2017

Important Dates

1. 7th National Voters Day is being observed today

• Today, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is celebrating the 7thNational Voters’ Day across the country for enhanced participation of citizens in the electoral process.
• The National level function was held in New Delhi.
• President Pranab Mukherjee has given awards for best electoral practices to District Collectors, Superintendents of Police and other functionaries involved in election management.

Note:

• The significance of this day is to encourage more young voters to take part in the political process,Government of India has decided to celebrate 25th January every year as 'National Voters' Day'.
• It started from  25the January,2011 to mark Commission's foundation day.

National Affairs

2. Delhi airport wins Corporate Social Responsibility award

• The Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) has won the prestigious Golden Peacock Award - 2016 for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the transportation sector under theAviation category.
• Earlier, the Delhi Airport has already adjudged the world’s number one airport in ACI ASQ survey in 25- 40 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) category for two consecutive years 2014 and 2015.

Note:

• The Golden Peacock Awards instituted by the Institute Of Directors (IOD), India in 1991.
• Now, the award regarded as a benchmark of Corporate Excellence worldwide.

3. Kiren Rijiju lays foundation stone of Integrated Check Post near Indo-Bangla border

• The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has laid the foundation stone ofMeghalaya's first Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Dawki in West Jaintia Hills district near the Indo-Bangladesh border.
• The Check Post being set up to facilitate bilateral trade with the estimated cost of 92 crorerupees.
• Meghalaya would import Bangladeshi goods through the check post.

4. Head post offices to also serve as passport Kendra

• The External Affairs Ministry and the Department of Posts have agreed to utilize Head Post Offices in various states as the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra for delivering passport related services to the people.
•  The pilot projects have been inaugurated at Head Post Offices of Mysore (Karnataka) and Dahod(Gujarat).
• Now the applicants can apply for passports online and schedule an appointment and then visit the designated Post Office Passport Seva Kendra to complete the formalities.
• This is being done in order to extend passport services to the citizens on a larger scale and to ensure wider area coverage.

National & International Appointment

5. Nikki Haley confirmed as new US envoy to UN

• The Senate of USA has confirmed South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (44-year) as the next Ambassador to the United Nations.
• Haley was approved by the Senate on a 96-4 vote.
• She will replace Samantha Powerat the UN,
• After Bobby Jindal (Louisiana) she is only the second ever Indian-American to be elected as the Governor of a State.

International Affairs

6.  China Develops World’s Biggest Solarpark

• China has built the world’s biggest solar park Longyangxia Dam Solar Park in the western province of Qinghai province.
• The park spans area over 27 square km and produces around850 MW of power which is enough to supply up to 200,000households.
• The construction of the solar parkbegan in 2013 and total costs around $875 million.

Sports

7. Wriddhiman Saha's maiden double ton helps rest of India lift Irani Cup

 

• Rest of India has lifted the Irani Cup Cricket Trophy by chased down the 379 run target set byGujarat with six wickets still in hand in the fourth and final day in Mumbai.
• For Rest of India, Wriddhiman Saha unbeaten 203 (6 sixes and 26 fours) was the stand-out performance.
• It was also the highest score by awicketkeeper-batsman in the tournament's history.
• This was the 15th time in the last19 editions that Rest of India had won the tournament in its 55th year.

Final scores:

• Gujarat 358 and 246
• Rest of India 226 and 379 for 4

8. Virat Kohli fastest to score 1000 runs as ODI captain

• Indian test and ODI captain Virat Kohli has become the fastest captain to score 1000 runs.
• He took just 17 innings as captain to get the milestone.
• Kohli has overtaken the previous record of AB de Villiers (South Africa)-18 innings, Kane Williamson (New Zealand)-20 innings, Alastair Nathan Cook(English cricketer)-21 innings andSourav Ganguly (former India captain)-22 innings.

9. Shane Watson bags Australia's T20 International player of the Year award

• All-rounder Shane Watson (35-year) has been adjusted Cricket Australia's T20 International Player of the Year at the Allan Border medal ceremony.
• Watson retired from international cricket just after the World T20 in India last year.
• He was the second highest run-getter behind all-rounder Maxwellduring the voting period from 8th January, 2016 to  7th January, 2017 but bagged the award on the back of his equally potent bowling.

10. Pankaj Advani wins seventh national billiards championship

• Former Snooker player and now Billiards player Pankaj Advani has won his seventh national title after beating Rupesh Shah 5-1 in the final.
• The ace from Bengaluru won (150 (83) - 135, 150 (150) - 54 (54), 151 (109) - 122 (113), 104 - 151 (144), 151 (74, 67) - 112 in the final ofManisha National Billiards and Snooker Championship at PYC Hindu Gymkhana

Note:

• Pankaj Advani was born in Pune (India) and spent his initial years inKuwait before moving to Bangalore, India.
• He received his education at theFrank Anthony Public School, Bangalore and received training in snooker from former national Snooker champion Arvind Savur.

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