Daily GK Update : 20th January 2017

National & International Appointment

1. Alok Verma appointed new CBI chief

• A 3-member committee headed by PM Narendra Modi has appointed Delhi Police chief Alok Kumar Verma (1979-batch IPS officer) as next Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director.
• His appointment was approved for a period of 2 years.
• Earlier, Rakesh Asthana was acting as CBI's interim director.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of India, which simultaneously serves as the nation's prime federal law enforcement agency.

Note:

• The CBI was established in 1941 as the Special Police Establishment, tasked with domestic security.
• It was renamed the Central Bureau of Investigation on 1 April 1963.
• Its motto is "Industry, Impartiality, Integrity" and headquarters is in New Delhi.

2. Donald Trump to be sworn in as 45th President of USA

• Today, Donald Trump will be sworn-in as 45th President of the United States
• He will assume office just ten weeks after stunning America and the world by winning the US Presidential election.
• The Chief Justice of Supreme Court John Roberts will administer him the oath of office using a Trump family bible and one known as the Lincoln Bible.
• He will replace Barack Obama in the White House.

National Affairs

3. Karnataka allows sale of white kerosene in open market

• The Karnataka government has decided to allow the sale of white kerosene in open market.
• The dealers who interested in selling white kerosene in the open market can approach the office of the Food and Civil Supplies in their districts.

4. AYUSH, ASCI sign MoU to co-regulate advertisements in AYUSH sector

• Today, the ministry of AYUSH and Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) signed a MoU to co-regulate misleading advertisements in the AYUSH sector in New Delhi.
• The MoU will ensure that any advertisement making false claims for diseases and disorders, in violation of the existing regulations is immediately brought to the attention of the Ministry.
• Now, there is unbridled marketing of Ayush (Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha, naturopathy and homeopathy) drugs across media platforms, including print and television channels.

Obituaries

5. C.V. Vishveshwara Pioneer of Black Hole Discovery passes away

• Veteran Indian Scientist CV Vishveshwara (78-year) has passed away due to prolonged illness. 
• He was the pioneer in the discovery of black hole in India and made major contributions to this field of research since its very beginning.

 International Affairs

6. Alibaba becomes Worldwide Sponsor of Olympic Games through 2028

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Alibaba Group (Chinese e-commerce firm) has entered into a long-term partnership through 2028 at the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland).
• This makes Alibaba the worldwide sponsor of Olympic Games through 2028.
• Now,  Alibaba has become the first company in the world to make a long-term commitment to the IOC through 2028.
• Alibaba is the first Chinese company to commit to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022..

Sports

7. Punjab Royals crowned champions of Pro Wrestling League Season 2

• Today, the Punjab Royals have bagged the Pro Wrestling League Season 2 title in the summit clash in New Delhi.
• The Punjab team beat Haryana Hammers 5-4.

8. Saina Nehwal enters semifinals of Malaysia Masters

• Saina Nehwal has entered into the semifinal of the Malaysia Masters Badminton tournament in the Women's singles event held in Sarawak, Malaysia.
• She beat eighth seed Fitriani Fitriani (Indonesian) 21-15, 21-14 in straight sets.
• Saina will now face Hong Kong's Yip Pui Yin in the semifinals.

Thought of the Day

“You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.”

“बेहतर उपदेश आप अपने होंठों के बजाय अपने जीवन से दे सकते हैं।”

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GK Quiz (for previous day’s news only) Take the quiz below to find out how well-versed you are with current affairs. You can also go through the Daily GK Update: 19th January 2016 before attempting the quiz.