Daily updates 9 July 2021

09 July 2021
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9th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

National News

1. Dept of Public Enterprises brought under Finance Ministry

• The Government of India has decided to bring Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) under the finance ministry. DPE was earlier under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
• It has been brought under the finance minister in a bid to ease coordination regarding future disinvestment plans. The Finance ministry now comprises six departments, after the inclusion of DPE.

Other five departments are:

• Department of Economic Affairs,
• Department of Expenditure,
• Department of Revenue,
• Department of Investment & Public Asset Management and
• Department of Financial Services.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs: Nirmala Sitharaman.

International News

2. World's tallest sandcastle constructed in Denmark

• A sandcastle in Denmark has entered into new Guinness World Record for being the tallest sandcastle in the world. The triangular-shaped sandcastle has been built in the town of Blokhus in Denmark.
• It stands at a height of 21.16 metres (69.4 feet). This new structure is 3.5m taller than the previous record held by sandcastle measuring 17.66 m in Germany in 2019. Dutch creator, Wilfred Stijger, was assisted by 30 of the world’s best sand sculptors.
• The structure is built in the shape of a triangle to avoid collapsing like many others have. A wooden structure was built around it to allow the artist to carve the incredible figures in the sand.
• This highly decorated monument in the small seaside village of Blokhus, which is reminiscent of a pyramid, is made up of 4,860 tonnes of sand. To ensure the sand sticks on, it was mixed with around 10% clay.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Denmark Capital: Copenhagen.
• Denmark Currency: Danish krone.

State News

3. India’s first maritime arbitration centre to be set up in Gandhinagar

• The Gujarat Maritime University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) in GIFT City to set up the Gujarat International Maritime Arbitration Centre (GIMAC).
• GIMAC will be the first of its kind centre in India to manage arbitration and mediation proceedings for disputes related to the maritime and shipping sector. It will be part of a maritime cluster that is being set up by the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar.
• There are over 35 arbitration centres in India. However, none of them exclusively deals with the maritime sector. The arbitration involving Indian players is now heard at the Singapore Arbitration Centre.
• The idea is to create a world-class arbitration centre focused on maritime and shipping disputes that can help resolve commercial and financial conflicts between entities having operations in India.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Gujarat Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani;
• Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat.

4. Kerala govt. to have its own OTT platform

• Kerala government has proposed to have its own over-the-top (OTT) platform. The state government has planned to launch it by November 1.
• The State government’s proposed foray into the online content streaming space with the launch of an over-the-top (OTT) platform is a cultural intervention, rather than something prompted by the market or revenues.
• OTT players like Netflix and Amazon have been showing more interest in Malayalam cinema. But they are mostly limited to films from which they can get revenue.
• In the last one year, less than 15 Malayalam films, featuring big stars, have been taken up these platforms.
• Furthermore, smaller & home-grown OTT platforms such as Neestream and Mainstream TV do not have much of finance to match bigger players.
• Thus, the state government proposed this OTT platform which will ensure space and make some sort of revenue share for lower budget & independent films that are struggling to find space among the public.

Defence News

5. INS Tabar conducts military exercise with Italian Navy

• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tabar recently participated in military exercises with the frontline frigate of the Italian Navy. INS Tabar joined Italian Navy and entered Port of Naples on July 3 as part of the ongoing deployment in the Mediterranean.
• Commanding officer Captain Mahesh Mangipudi called on senior officers of Prefect of Naples Authority, regional Italian navy headquarters and coast guard headquarters during the stay.
• This exercise covered several naval operations such as air defence procedures, communication drills, replenishment at sea, and cross deck helo operations by day and night. The exercise was mutually beneficial for enhancing interoperability and consolidating combined operations against maritime threats.

6. Ministry of Defence implements SPARSH System

• Ministry of Defence has implemented SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha), an integrated system for automation of sanction and disbursement of defence pension.
• This web-based system processes pension claims and credits pension directly into the bank accounts of defence pensioners without relying on any external intermediary.
• A Pensioner Portal is available for pensioners to view their pension-related information, access services and register complaints for redressal of grievances, if any, relating to their pension matters.
• SPARSH envisages the establishment of Service Centres to provide last-mile connectivity to pensioners who may be unable to directly access the SPARSH portal for any reason.
• In addition to several offices of the Defence Accounts Department, which are already functioning as Service Centres for pensioners, the two largest banks dealing with defence pensioners – State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) – have been co-opted as Service Centres.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Minister of Defence: Rajnath Singh.

Business News

7. Amazon launches its first Digital Kendra in India in Gujarat

• Amazon has launched its first Digital Kendra in India in Surat, Gujarat. Amazon Digital Kendra was inaugurated by Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister of Gujarat.
• Digital Kendras of Amazon are centres that will provide micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) the opportunity to learn about the benefits of e-commerce.
• MSMEs can visit the Amazon Digital Kendra and avail of third party services including training on the benefits of eCommerce, GST and taxation support, shipping and logistics support, cataloguing assistance and digital marketing services.
• The company has focused on enabling sellers to reach customers across India and globally, and has made significant investments in technology, logistics, delivery infrastructure and digitising payments that collectively helped more customers and businesses to come online.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Amazon CEO: Andrew R. Jassy;
• Amazon Founded: 5 July 1994.

Ranks and Reports News

8. NewsOnAir Radio Live-stream Global Rankings

• NewsOnAir Radio Live-stream Global Rankings was released recently ranking countries where All India Radio (AIR) live-streams on the NewsOnAir app are most popular.
• In the latest Rankings of top countries in the world (excluding India) where All India Radio Live-streams on NewsOnAir App are most popular, Fiji has jumped from 5th position to 2nd, while Saudi Arabia has made a comeback in the top 10.
• Kuwait and Germany are new entrants, while France and New Zealand are no more in the top 10. The United States continues to be number 1. 

NewsOnAir Top Countries (Rest of world)

Rank	Country
1	United States
2	Fiji
3	Australia
4	United Kingdom
5	Canada
6	United Arab Emirates
7	Singapore
8	Kuwait
9	Saudi Arabia
10	Germany

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• AIR is the National Public Radio Broadcaster of India. Since 1956 is officially known as Akashvani.
• Founded in 1936, it is a division of Prasar Bharati.

Schemes and Committees News

9. GoI sets up 25-member development council for cement industry

• The central government has set up a 25-member development council for the cement industry under Dalmia Bharat Group CMD, Puneet Dalmia.
• The council will suggest ways to eliminate waste, obtain maximum production, improve quality, reduce costs and promote standardization of products. Dalmia is the chairman of the council.
• Its members include Shree Cement Ltd MD HM Bangur, The India Cements Ltd Executive President Rakesh Singh; Birla Corporation Limited CEO Pracheta Majumdar; J.K. Cement Ltd Deputy Managing Director Madhavkrishna Singhania, and JSW Cement Ltd CEO Nilesh Narwekar.

Science and Technology News

10. Facebook Launches newsletter platform “Bulletin”

• Facebook has announced a set of publishing and subscription tools named Bulletin, aimed to promote independent writers in the US.
• The bulletin will include support focused on the creation of content, monetisation and audience growth. It also aims to integrate its existing tools to support writing and audio content — from podcasts to Live Audio Rooms in one place.
• Facebook is pushing to compete in the fast-growing email newsletter trend, as high-profile journalists and writers have left media companies over the past year to strike out on their own.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Facebook Founded: February 2004;
• Facebook CEO: Mark Zuckerberg;
• Facebook Headquarters: California, United States.

Books and Authors News

11. A new book titled "The Light of Asia" by Jairam Ramesh

• A new book titled "The Light of Asia" authored by Jairam Ramesh is a biography of an epic bio-poem on the Buddha.
• Ramesh, the author, Member of Parliament, former Union Minister, and Congress leader, digs deep in his new book to bring out the fascinating story behind the epic 1879 poem, "The Light of Asia" by Sir Edwin Arnold, that took the world by storm and in some ways, brought the Buddha's story to the world at the turn of the last century.

Miscellaneous News

12. India’s first movable freshwater tunnel aquarium installed at Bengaluru Station

• Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station also known as Bengaluru City Railway Station has become the first railway station in India with a movable freshwater tunnel aquarium.
• The state-of-the-art aquarium has been jointly opened by the Indian Railway Stations Development Cooperation Limited (IRSDC) in collaboration with the HNi Aquatic Kingdom.
• The Aquatic Kingdom aquarium is based on the concept of the Amazon River and is 12-feet long. The entrance of the station now gives a glimpse into marine life, with a beautiful dolphin humbly greeting visitors with a slight bow and a smile. A 3D selfie area, 20 feet of glass periphery are also some attractive features of the new facility.

13. Antarctica hits a record temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius

• The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization, recognised a new record high temperature for Antarctica. On February 6, 2020, the Esperanza station (the Argentine research station in Trinity Peninsula) experienced 18.3 degrees Celsius.
• According to the UN agency, the high temperatures in Antarctica are a result of a large high-pressure system creating "fohn conditions", which are downslope winds creating significant surface warming. The previous record for high temperature was 17.5 degrees Celsius, recorded on March 24, 2015, at the same station.

Daily updates 10 July 2021

10 July 2021
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10th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

States News

1. Karnataka to develop 46 Kempegowda heritage sites in Bengaluru

• The Karnataka state government has decided to develop 46 Kempegowda heritage sites located in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Chikballapura, and Tumakuru districts, in a bid to promote tourism.
• According to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, the sites identified to be in three circuits would be developed at a cost of Rs 223 crore for promoting tourism.
• According to the Authority, these sites are developed to help people acknowledge the contribution of Kempegowda or Nada Prabhu Kempegowda, the founding father of Bengaluru.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru;
• Karnataka Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa.

2. Manipur enters India’s railway map as first passenger train reaches the state

• A passenger train Rajdhani Express from Assam’s Silchar railway station has reached the Vaingaichunpao railway station in Manipur for a trial run, putting the state on the Indian Railways map.
• The train covered the distance of 11 km between the two northeastern stations, with railway officials onboard.
• The train halted briefly at Manipur’s Jiribam railway station, where railway officials were greeted by local citizens before the national flag was hoisted accompanied by the national anthem.
• Notably, the Vaingaichunpao-Imphal (capital of Manipur) railway line is also under construction. Once completed, it will be the longest railway tunnel near Imphal.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Manipur: N. Biren Singh; Governor: Najma Heptulla.

Appointments News

3. Federal Bank gets RBI nod to re-appoint Shyam Srinivasan as MD & CEO

• Federal Bank shareholders have approved the motion to re-appoint Shyam Srinivasan as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the lender for a period of three years.
• His reappointment will come into effect from September 23, 2021, to September 22, 2024. Srinivasan took over as Federal Bank MD & CEO in 2010 and has been at the helm since then.
• Srinivasan is among the few foreign bankers who chose to move to smaller Indian banks after fairly long, successful stints in foreign banks (the others include RBL Bank’s Vishwavir Ahuja and DCB Bank’s Murali Natrajan).
• Over the last decade, Srinivasan has been at the helm of Federal, the bank has transformed into a mid-sized private bank with a strong focus on retail business, including gold loans and funding small and medium entrepreneurs.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Federal Bank Headquarters: Aluva, Kerala;
• Federal Bank Founder: K.P Hormis;
• Federal Bank Founded: 23 April 1931.

4. ICC releases Manu Sawhney as CEO

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has discontinued the services of Manu Sawhney as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with immediate effect. The decision was taken by the ICC Board during its meeting.
• Geoff Allardice will continue as Acting CEO supported by the Leadership Team working closely with the ICC Board.
• Sawhney was suspended in March following various allegations in an internal review conducted by an external agency. While Sawhney had referred to the review as a witch-hunt, the ICC Board on Thursday decided to sever ties with the sports management veteran.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates;

• ICC Founded: 15 June 1909;

• ICC Deputy Chairman: Imran Khwaja;

• ICC Chairman: Greg Barclay.

Agreements News

5. Bharat Dynamics Ltd signs Rs 499-crore deal with Indian Air Force

• The Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence for the manufacture and supply of Akash missiles to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The total worth of the deal is around Rs 499 crore.
• CMD, BDL Commodore Siddharth Mishra (Retd) stated that BDL is supplying Akash Missiles to the Indian Army and Indian Air Force.
• With the announcement from the Union Cabinet regarding clearance of Akash Weapon System for Export, the Company is exploring offering Akash for export to foreign countries.
• Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, being developed under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• BDL is the prime production agency for projects under IGMDP.
• Akash missile is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), both for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

Banking News

6. RBI imposes monetary penalty on 14 banks for non-compliance

• The RBI  has imposed penalties on SBI, Bank of Baroda, IndusInd Bank, Bandhan Bank and 10 other lenders for contravention of various regulatory norms, including on lending to NBFCs.
• The penalty imposed on the 14 banks totals Rs 14.5 crore, with a maximum Rs 2 crore fine on Bank of Baroda.
• The central bank imposed Rs 2 crore penalty on the Bank of Baroda, Rs 1 crore each on 12 other banks and Rs 50 lakh on the State Bank of India.
• RBI imposed Rs 1 crore penalty each on Bandhan Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Credit Suisse AG, Indian Bank, IndusInd Bank, Karnataka Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, South Indian Bank, The Jammu & Kashmir Bank and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

7. Axis Bank signs MOU with Indian Army to offer defence service salary package

• The country's third-largest private lender Axis Bank has signed MOU with the Indian Army offering a defence service salary package under its "Power Salute" initiative.
• The Defence service salary package will offer different benefits to all ranks of army officers. The benefits of the MoU will cover both serving Defence personnel as well Defence pensioners.
• According to the bank, it will offer--Personal accidental cover of up to ₹56 lakh to all army personnel; additional up to 8 lakh education grant; total Permanent Disability Cover benefit up to 46 lakh; permanent partial disability cover of up to ₹46 lakh; air accident cover of ₹1 crore, and free additional debit card for a family member.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;
• Axis Bank Founded: 1993;
• Axis Bank MD and CEO of Axis Bank: Amitabh Chaudhry.

8. Axis Bank and Max Bupa Health Insurance enter into a Bancassurance partnership

• Max Bupa Health Insurance, a standalone health insurer, has entered into a bancassurance partnership with Axis Bank, the country’s third-largest private sector bank.
• This partnership will help provide comprehensive health insurance solutions to Axis Bank’s employees and customers.
• The tie-up will enable millions of Axis Bank customers across 4,500 plus branches to gain access to quality healthcare solutions through a range of health insurance products offered by Max Bupa.
• Max Bupa Health Insurance will offer indemnity as well as fixed benefit products, and their customisable variants to the diverse customers of the bank across the country.
• Axis Bank also has an existing health insurance tie-up with Aditya Birla Health Insurance. Bancassurance is a relationship between a bank and an insurance company that is aimed at offering insurance products to the bank’s customers.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Max Bupa Health Insurance CEO: Krishnan Ramachandran;
• Max Bupa Health Insurance Headquarters: New Delhi, India;
• Max Bupa Health Insurance Founded: 2008.

Awards News

9. Zaila Avant-garde Wins 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee

• Zaila Avant-garde, an African-American, from New Orleans in Louisiana, has won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
• The 14-year-old Avant-garde, who is also an accomplished basketball player, is the first African-American contestant to win the prestigious competition in its 93 years history.
• The 8th-grader Avant-garde correctly spelt “Murraya”, a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves and flowers, to win a USD 50,000 prize.
• Scripps National Spelling Bee is an annual spelling bee held in the United States, for children of South Asian descent, to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.

Books and Authors

10. Kareena Kapoor introduces a book "The Pregnancy Bible"

• Kareena Kapoor Khan has announced her new book titled Kareena Kapoor Khan's Pregnancy Bible.
• The actor has also called it her 'third child. She shared her experience while writing the book. She was seen wearing a red slip dress as she kept her hair loose parting it in the middle. She was seen bare feet standing near the kitchen countertop.

Important Days

11. National Fish Farmers’ Day: 10 July

• National Fish Farmers’ Day is celebrated every year on 10 July, by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in association with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).
• The event aims to draw attention to changing the way the country manages fisheries resources to ensure sustainable stocks and healthy ecosystems.
• This day is made to honour the fish farmers, aquapreneurs, fisherfolks, stakeholders and whoever else is associated in the fishery for their contribution in the fishery.
• The day is commemorated annually in remembrance of scientists Dr K H Alikunhi and Dr H.L. Chaudhury who had invented induced breeding technology of Indian major carps on 10 July 1957. 2021 will mark 21st National Fish Farmers’ Day.

Miscellaneous News

12. National Film Archive of India adds Aamir Khan's 'PK' to its collection

• National Film Archive of India (NFAI) has announced a significant addition of the original camera negative of Rajkumar Hirani's 2014 film 'PK' in its collection.
• The filmmaker handed the negatives over to Director NFAI, Prakash Magdum, in Mumbai.
• The National Film Archive of India was established as a media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1964.

Daily updates 11 and 12 July 2021

12 July 2021
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11th and 12th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

National News

1. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates India’s first private LNG Facility plant at Nagpur

• The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, inaugurated India’s first private Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility plant at Nagpur in Maharashtra. The plant has been set up on Kamptee Road near Nagpur Jabalpur Highway, by Baidyanath Ayurvedic Group, the makers of Ayurvedic medicines.
• Once operational, this LNG filling station in Nagpur will be the first such facility to operate on a commercial basis. LNG is a clean, pollution-free and cost-effective liquid fuel, which is also easy to store and reduces logistics costs.

International News

2. Abiy Ahmed wins landslide victory in Ethiopian election

• Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party was declared the winner of last month’s national election in a landslide, assuring a second five-year term for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
• The National Election Board of Ethiopia said the ruling party won 410 seats out of 436 contested in the federal parliament. Abiy Ahmed came to power in April 2018 after the former prime minister resigned.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Ethiopia Capital: Addis Ababa;
• Ethiopia Currency: Ethiopian birr.

State News

3. India’s first Cryptogamic Garden Inaugurated in Uttarakhand

• India’s first cryptogamic garden, with around 50 different species grown, has been inaugurated in Deoban area of Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
• The garden is situated at a height of 9,000 feet and is spread over an area of three acres. Located in the district’s Chakrata town, the garden was inaugurated by social activist Anoop Nautiyal.
• Cryptogamae means “hidden reproduction” referring to the fact that no seed, no flowers are produced. Thus, cryptogams represent the non-seed bearing plants.
• Algae, bryophytes (moss, liverworts), lichens, ferns and fungi are the best-known groups of cryptogams that require moist conditions to survive.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya;
• The chief minister of Uttarakhand: Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Appointments News

4. Twitter appoints Vinay Prakash as resident grievance officer for India

• Twitter has named Vinay Prakash as the Resident Grievance Officer (RGO) for India, as per the information updated on its website. Users can contact Vinay Prakash using an email ID listed on the page.
• Earlier the US-based company had announced the appointment of California-based Jeremy Kessel as the new Grievance Officer for India.
• However, as per the new IT rules in India, social media platforms with over 50 lakh users are mandated to appoint three key personnel namely chief compliance officer, nodal officer and grievance officer, and all these three personnel have to be residents in India.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Executive Officer of Twitter: Jack Dorsey.
• Twitter formed: 21 March 2006.
• Headquarters of Twitter: San Francisco, California, United States.

Schemes and Committees News

5. BCCI forms 7-member working group for domestic cricket

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formed a seven-member working group, to look into the compensation package for the domestic players and the other aspects of domestic cricket.
• The main focus of the group will be the remuneration of domestic players for the previous season wherein tournaments were cancelled, due to COVID-19.

The group will have the following members:

• Rohan Jaitley (North Zone)
• Yudhvir Singh (Central Zone)
• Jaydev Shah (West Zone)
• Devajit Saikia (North-East Zone)
• Avishek Dalmiya (East Zone)
• Santosh Menon (South Zone)
• Mohammed Azharuddin (South Zone).

Summits and Conferences News

6. Nirmala Sitharaman attends 3rd G20 finance ministers meeting

• Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman participated virtually in the Third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting under the Italian Presidency.
• The two-day meeting saw discussions on a wide range of issues including global economic risks and health challenges, policies for recovery from the CoVID-19 pandemic, international taxation, sustainable finance and financial sector issues.
• The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors reaffirmed their resolve to use all available policy tools for as long as required to address the adverse consequences of COVID-19.
• Smt. Sitharaman appreciated the Italian G20 Presidency for identifying three catalysts of resilient economic recovery from the pandemic as being Digitalization, Climate Action and Sustainable Infrastructure and shared the Indian experience of integrating technology with inclusive service delivery during the pandemic.

Awards

7. Syed Osman Azhar Maqsusi won Commonwealth Points of Light award

• Hyderabad’s hunger activist Syed Osman Azhar Maqsusi, who has been feeding thousands of people every day as part of his food drive ‘Hunger Has No Religion’ was awarded a top UK award recently.
• In order to honour Maqsusi’s efforts, he was conferred with the Commonwealth Points of Light award for his drive that helps to feed 1,500 people on a daily basis. The award is for those ‘outstanding individuals who are making a change in their community.

Sports News

8. Wimbledon Championships 2021: Complete List Of Winners

• In the men category, Novak Djokovic defeated Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final, 6-7(4-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, to win his sixth Wimbledon title and 20th Grand Slam trophy.
• With this win, he has equalled his total major men’s singles titles record with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, with each of them winning 20 titles.

Here is the Complete List of Winners in Different Categories:

S. No.	Category	Winner	Runner Up
1.	Men’s Singles	Novak Djokovic (Serbia)	Matteo Berrettini
2.	Women’s Singles	Ashleigh Barty (Australia)	Karolína Plíšková (Czech Republic)
3.	Men’s Doubles	Nikola Mektić  and Mate Pavić	Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos
4.	Women’s Doubles	Hsieh Su-wei  and Elise Mertens	Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina
5.	Mixed Doubles	Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk	Joe Salisbury and Harriet Dart

About the Wimbledon:

• Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, which also includes the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open.
• The tournament is held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London, since 1877. 

9. Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah announces retirement from Test cricket

• Bangladesh cricketer Mahmudullah Riyad has announced his retirement from Test cricket in the middle of Bangladesh’s one-off Test match against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club.
• Mahmudullah made his Test debut in 2009 during Bangladesh’s tour of the West Indies.
• The right-handed batsman in 50 matches and 94 innings has scored 2914 runs at an average of 33.49. The 150 not out in the ongoing Test against Zimbabwe is his career-best figure and has five centuries and 16 half-centuries under his belt.

10. Samir Banerjee wins Wimbledon Junior Men's title

• Indian-American Samir Banerjee has won the Wimbledon Junior Men`s title at Number 1 Court. He defeated Victor Lilov of America by 7-5, 6-3 in the Junior Men`s finals to lift the trophy at All England Club.
• For the first time since 2014, and only the second time since 1977, there was an all-American conclusion to the boys` singles event. Notably, both 17-year-olds were unseeded for The Championships.

11. Argentina beats Brazil to Lift Copa America 2021

• Lionel Messi-led Argentina beat Neymar’s Brazil 1-0 to win the Copa America final match, held at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. With this win, Lionel Messi has secured his first major international trophy.
• The 2021 Copa America was the 47th edition of the annual international men’s football championship organised by South America’s football ruling body CONMEBOL.
• Earlier the tournament was scheduled to be held in July 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time since 1991 that no guest nation took part in the tournament.

Books and Authors News

12. PM Modi receives 1st copy of 'The Ramayana of Shri Guru Gobind Singh'

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received the first copy of "The Ramayana of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji" which is written by the late Baljit Kaur Tulsi—the mother of noted lawyer KTS Tulsi.
• The book is published by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts. Apart from this, the Prime Minister also shared the audio of the Gurbani Shabad recital by KTS Tulsi, the sitting Rajya Sabha MP of Congress from Chhattisgarh.

Important Days

13. World Population Day celebrated on 11th July

• World Population Day is observed globally on 11th July every year. This day is observed to raise awareness among people about the impact of a growing population and issues including gender equality, the importance of family planning, poverty, maternal health, human rights, etc.
• This year theme of World Population Day 2021: "the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on fertility".
• In 1989, World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United National Development Programme as an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• United Nations Population Fund Headquarters: New York, United States
• United Nations Population Fund Executive Director: Natalia Kanem.
• United Nations Population Fund Founded: 1969.

14. World Malala Day: 12 July

• The United Nations has declared 12th July as World Malala Day to honour the young activist, Malala Yousafzai.
• Malala Day is commemorated, the birthday of Malala Yousafzai to honour women and children’s rights around the world.
• On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen after she publicly advocated for the education of girls.
• Despite the attack, Malala soon returned to the public eye, fiercer in her views than earlier and continued her advocacy for gender rights.
• She founded the Malala Fund, a non-profit organisation to help young girls go to school and also co-authored a book titled “I Am Malala”, an international bestseller.

Obituaries News

15. Ayurveda Medicine Doyen, Dr P K Warrier passes away

• Veteran Indian Ayurveda practitioner, Dr P.K. Warrier, who was the most respected name in Ayurveda across the world, has passed away. He was 100.
• He was the chief Physician and Managing trustee of Arya Vaidya Sala, a healthcare centre located in Kottakkal, Kerala, and known for its heritage and expertise in Ayurveda.
• The doyen of Ayurveda, Dr Warrier, was honoured with the Padma Shree in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2010. His autobiography titled Smrithiparvam won the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award in 2009.