24 January 2018 Current Affairs
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India ranked 81st on Global Index of Talent Competitiveness
India was ranked 81st among 118 countries in 2017 Global index of talent competitiveness (GTI) list. India has improved its position from 92nd last year. The index measures ability of countries to compete for talent i.e. how countries grow, attract and retain talent. It is produced by global business school INSEAD in partnership with Adecco Group and Human Capital Leadership Institute (HCLI) of Singapore.
Ashok Lavasa assumes charge as Election Commissioner of India
Ashok Lavasa has assumed charge as the Election Commissioner (EC) of India. He was appointed to the post by President Ram Nath Kovind. Lavasa succeeds Om Prakash Rawat, who was elevated as the Chief Election Commissioner. The third member of the top election body is Election Commissioner Sunil Arora. Lavasa’s term as Election Commissioner would end in October 2022 and would thereafter serve as the Chief Election Commissioner.
FICCI appoints Dilip Chenoy as Director General
Industry Chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has appointed Dilip Chenoy as its Director General. Prior to this, he was Chairman of Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology and Member, Board of Advisors, IILM. He was awarded the Game Changer Award in 2015 and the Rashtriya Media Ratan Award in 2013.
George Weah sworn-in as Liberian President
Former football star George Weah was sworn in as president of Liberia, completing the country’s first transition between democratically-elected leaders in three generations. In his inauguration speech, Mr Weah said he couldn’t offer any “quick fixes” but rather steady progress towards the goals of Liberians. his biggest priorities, would be to fight corruption and pay civil servants “a living wage”, and show the private sector that Liberia was “open for business”.
Lifter Rakhi Halder created a new national record
Lifter Rakhi Halder created a new national record in clean and jerk to a gold medal in the 63kg women’s category in the 33rd Women Senior National Weightlifting Championships, in Mangaluru, Karnataka. Rakhi lifted 128kgs in the clean and jerk for a total of 230kgs to create a new national record, bettering Karnam Malleswari’s feat (127kg) created in Athens in 1999.
RIL becomes India’s 1st firm to Cross Rs6-lakh crore Market Capitalization
Reliance Industries (RIL) become the first Indian company to cross the Rs6-lakh crore mark in market capitalisation as its shares touched a 52-week high of Rs974.5. RIL is owned 40% by its chairman Mukesh Ambani, making him the richest Indian with the personal wealth of $40.7 billion and the 20th richest globally, according to Bloomberg’s billionaire index.
US Senate confirms Jerome H Powell as Chairman of Federal Reserve
The United States Senate on January 24, 2018 confirmed the appointment of Jerome H Powell as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve System, the Central banking system of the United State. Powell’s appointment was approved by the Senate by vote of 85 to 12, as he was supported by a majority of Democrats and nearly all republicans. Powell was nominated for the post in November 2017 by President Donald trump. Powell will replace Janet Yellen, whose term will end in February 2018. Yellen was appointed by President Obama in 2014 and has been the first woman to hold the position.
Shah Rukh Khan honoured with Crystal Award at World Economic Forum
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was honoured with the 24th Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. According to the WEF, Shah Rukh Khan received Award for “his leadership in championing children’s and women’s rights in India”. Shahrukh received the award alongside Elton John and Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett.
Rachel Morrison 1st Oscar nominated female cinematographer
Rachel Morrison has become the first female cinematographer to receive an Oscar nomination in the 89-year-old history of the Awards. She has been nominated for her work in the film ‘Mudbound’. “The job of the cinematographer is to visualise emotion – things we as women are inherently good at,” said Rachel while speaking about her nomination.
Ursula K. Le Guin, best-selling science fiction author passes away
Ursula K. Le Guin, the award-winning science fiction and fantasy writer who explored feminist themes and was best known for her Earthsea books, has passed away at the age of 88. Le Guin won an honorary National Book Award in 2014. Le Guin’s first novel was Roncannon’s World in 1966. Her book, ‘The Left Hand of Darkness’ won the Hugo and Nebula awards top science fiction prizes.