Daily GK Updates - 23rd December, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi features on Government of India calendar for 2017: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has featured on the Government of India 2017 calendar. The calendar features candid pictures, with each month representing the issues that Modi has worked for.

2. Union Minister of State for Ayush Yesso Naik inaugurates NE Institute of Ayurveda and Homeopathy: Union Minister of State for Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik has inaugurated the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homeopathy (NEIAH).

3. Delhi named India's most well-read city of 2016 by Amazon: Delhi has emerged as the country's most well-read city in the fourth consecutive year with Bengaluru and Mumbai taking the second and third spot, according to Annual Reading Trends Report 2016 by Amazon. 

4. Hrithik Roshan becomes highest advance taxpaying actor: He has paid an advance tax of Rs 80 crore till December 15, 2016, compared to Rs 50 crore last year.

5. Salman Khan has been ranked No. 1 on the fifth Forbes India Celebrity 100 List. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. China launches satellite to monitor global CO2 emissions: China has launched atmospheric CO2-monitoring TanSat satellite on 22nd December 2016, in an effort to curb and monitor greenhouse gas emissions. 

2.World's first solar road opens in France: The world's first solar road made with 30,000 square feet of solar panels has been opened in the French village of Normandy.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. ICC Awards 2016:

i. RavichandranAshwin has won both the ICC Cricketer of the Year and the ICC Test cricketer of the Year award after he was named as the only Indian in ICC’s Test Team of the Year. 

ii.ViratKohli was named the captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year. 

iii.Misbah-Ul-Haq won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award at the 2016 ICC Awards as he became the first Pakistan player to win the award. 

2. Argentina win FIFA Team of the Year title:FIFA has released the final rankings of 2016, with Argentina reclaiming the team of the year title from Belgium, finishing with 1634 points to top FIFA’s rankings.  

3.India wins bronze at women's U18 Hockey Asia Cup: India has defeated South Korea 3-0 to secure the bronze medal at the 4th Women's U18 Asia Cup 2016 hockey tournament in Bangkok on 22 December 2016.

4.Jeje wins best footballer of the year award by AIFF:Indian fotballer Jeje Lalpekhlua has named 2016's All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year, an award given to the best footballer in the country.