Daily GK Update 1st August 2017, Important Current Affairs

1. World's longest pedestrian suspension bridge opens in Switzerland
i. The World's longest pedestrian suspension bridge 'Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge' has opened in Swiss Alpine resort of Zermatt Matterhorn in south Switzerland.
ii. According to the Zermatt Matterhorn's press release, the steel bridge is 494 meters long and overtakes the "Titan-RT" bridge in Germany as the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge.
iii. The trail is considered by many ones of the most beautiful two-day hikes in the Alps and at a narrow 65 centimeters wide, the bridge stretches like a thin wire across the steep valley floor.

2. Union Govt. orders LPG prices to be hiked by Rs. 4 per month
i. The union govt. has ordered state-run oil companies to raise subsidized cooking gas (LPG) prices by four rupees (excluding tax) per cylinder every month to eliminate all the subsidies by March 2018.
ii. The order came into effect on 1st June 2017.
iii. Oil companies have raised rates twice since then, the last being on 1st July when rates were up by a steep Rs 32 per cylinder.

3. Swachh Survekshan launched in national capital
i. Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs ‘Narendra Singh Tomar’ has launched ‘Swachh Survekshan-2018’ in New Delhi.
ii. Tomar also released a comprehensive Survey Tool Kit, explaining the methodology, weight age, and new features.
iii. The thrust areas that helps cities and towns prepare for the field survey over the next six months.
iv. This first Pan-India sanitation survey will start on 4th January next year.
v. Babul Supriyo released a song ‘Swachhata Ki Jyot Jagi Hai’ as the anthem for the survey.
vi. This song conceived by Mr. Supriyo has been scripted by renowned lyricist Prasoon Joshi and Shankar Ehsaan Loy provided the music.

4. Odisha CM announces cash incentive for Dutee Chand & Jauna Murmu
i. Odisha Chief Minister ‘Naveen Patnaik’ has announced cash incentive of Rs. 5 lakh each for two sprinters of the state, Dutee Chand (21-year) and Jauna Murmu after they qualified for the 22ndWorld Athletics Championships in London.
ii. Dutee's for 100 m sprint (11.30 seconds) gives her a current global ranking of 103.
iiii. Another Odia athlete Murmu has also shown impressive performance to entered the final in 400 meters hurdles in the Championships.

5. Rajya Sabha passes Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017 with amendments
i. The Rajya Sabha (RS) passed the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill -2017 with amendments to create a new commission with constitutional status for the OBCs at par with the National Commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
ii. The bill will encroach upon the rights of the states.

6. SC bans use of five metals in firecrackers
i. A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur has imposed a ban on the use of five harmful metals (lithium, mercury, arsenic, antimony, lead metals) in firecrackers as they cause enormous air pollution.
ii. The order came after the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Member Secretary told the top court that standards on air pollution caused by the bursting of firecrackers are yet to be laid down.
Obituaries

7Dhrupad maestro Ustad Sayeeduddin Dagar passes away
i. Eminent Dhrupad singer Ustad Sayeeduddin Dagar (78-year) passed away in Pune.
ii. He had dedicated his life to keeping the Dhrupad tradition alive.
iii. Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music initially sung only in the temples, the singer facing the Lord.

8Lt Gen Abhay Krishna appointed as Chief of Eastern Command
i. Lt General Abhay Krishna has been appointed as the Chief of the Indian Army's Eastern Command.
ii. He succeeds Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi.
iii. Currently, Krishna was serving as the Head of the Army's Jaipur-based Southwestern Command.

9NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya resigns
i. Arvind Panagariya has resigned as vice chairman of government think tank NITI Aayog.
ii. He has submitted a letter to PM Narendra Modi and requested to be relieved by the end of this month.
iii. He will be returning to the United States to re-join academia.
iv. In January 2015, Mr. Panagariya was appointed at the NITI Aayog Vice Chairman.

10Shiva, Manoj & 3 other strike Gold at Czech Boxing Tournament
i. Indian boxers clinched five gold, two Silver, and one bronze medal at Czech Boxing Tournament.
ii. World Championships bronze-medallist ‘Shiva Thapa’ (60 kg), former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist ‘Manoj Kumar’ (69 kg), Amit Phangal (52 kg), Gaurav Bidhuri (56 kg) and Satish Kumar (+91 kg) category claimed gold medals after winning their respective summit clashes.
iii. Silver medals: Kavinder Bisht (52 kg) and Manish Panwar (81 kg).
iv. Bronze medals: Sumit Sangwan (91 kg).

11. Summer Olympics: Los Angeles agrees to host 2028 Games & Paris gets 2024
i. Today, ‘Los Angeles’ (United States) formally announced its bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics after agreeing on a deal with the Olympic organizers.
ii. Now, this deal with Olympic organizers paves the way for Paris to host the Summer Olympics in 2024.
iii. The 2020 Summer Olympics will be hosted by Tokyo, Japan.
iv. Earlier, Los Angeles hosted Olympics in 1984.

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