Daily GK Updates - 17th May, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt launches ‘Clean Money’ portal: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has launched the ‘Operation Clean Money’ portal that aims to create a tax-compliant society. This portal will create awareness about black money and also to help those who want to come clean on demonetisation cash deposits.

2. IIT-Hyderabad professor bags INSA Young Scientist award: Professor Aravind Kumar Rengan (at Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad) has been awarded the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA) medal in the Young Scientist category for 2017. He has been awarded for devising a novel way of nano delivery using liposomes and gold nano-particles which is useful for both imaging and therapeutics.

3. India ranked second in Renewable Energy Attractiveness index: India has overtaken the US to become the second most attractive country after China for renewable energy investment, according to a report by EY.

4. India’s first smart grid project to generate power from renewable energy: The Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology has successfully created the country’s first smart grid project, which will generate power from renewable sources of energy. The smart grid will be synchronised to generate power from solar, wind and vegetable waste resources, depending on the weather conditions and availability of waste products.

5. Chamling gets the first BS Shekhawat Award: Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling was conferred with the first Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Lifetime Achievement Honour in Public Service by President Pranab Mukherjee. Known as the ‘Land of Flowers, Sikkim is gaining popularity as a fully organic state in India.

6. Venkaiah Naidu announces separate channel of Doordarshan 'DD Jharkhand': The Union Information & Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has announced a separate 24 *7 channel of Doordarshan ‘DD Jharkhand ‘for Jharkhand state. Sufficient deployment of funds has been done for the purpose.

7. NASA and ISRO to go for joint inspection of the Oldest civilisation: Teams of the NASA and ISRO will inspect the excavation being carried out at an archaeological site in Haryana’s Fatehabad district to verify claims of it being the oldest civilisation in the world. Archaeologists have recovered artefacts pre-dating the Harappan Civilisation from the site.

8. Shipping Ministry signs MoU on ‘Sagarmala project’ in collaboration with DDU- GKY: The Ministries of Shipping and Rural Development has signed an MoU on ‘Sagarmala project’ in collaboration with Deen Dayal Upadhyay- Gramin Kaushalya Yojna (DDU- GKY) in New Delhi. DDU-GKY is under implementation in 28 states and has over 654 training centres in 522 projects in partnership with training partners.

So far, 54 lakh persons have been given skill training and of them 2.31 lakh got employed.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. David Letterman wins Mark Twain Prize: David Letterman has been named the next recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American humour, the award granted annually by the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He is the longest running host of late night TV. The Mark Twain prize is given annually to a humorist whose impact on American society is reminiscent of Samuel Clemens.

2. Ovais Sarmad to join UNFCCC: U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed Ovais Sarmad to join the UNFCCC as the Deputy Executive Secretary. His appointment comes at a crucial time when most of the countries have ratified the Paris Climate Agreement and the US President, Donald Trump, has threatened to scrap the pact.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Mohd. Anas smashes national record: Muhammed Anas smashed the national record in men’s 400m race to win a gold medal at the third leg of the Indian Grand Prix Athletics Meet in New Delhi. Anas clocked 45.32 sec. He also qualified for the World Championships to be held in London in August.

2. Japanese tennis player Mitsuhashi gets life ban for match-fixing: According to The Tennis Integrity Unit, Japanese Junn Mitsuhashi has been banned for life following an investigation into match-fixing. He has also been fined USD 50,000 after being found to have made corrupt approaches to other players and to have placed bets on matches.

3. ICC hikes prize money for Champions Trophy 2017: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has hiked the prize money of upcoming Champions Trophy 2017 and it now carries a total prize money of USD 4.5 million.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

4. Ambani leads Global Game Changers List: Indian business tycoon and chairman of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani leads Forbes second annual Global Game Changers list. The list features the most influential business leaders from around the world based on corporate growth, innovation and international presence.