Current Affairs - October 23, 2017 Current Affairs

Sibi George was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Switzerland. Sibi George will replace Smita Purushottam as the ambassador of India to Switzerland. Sibi George is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1993 batch. He has also served as deputy chief of mission of Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia.

According to the latest Forbes' Rich List Cristiano Ronaldo is the richest sports personality in the world. The Real Madridstriker has earned an incredible £70million in the last year, along with picking up another Champions Leaguemedal and becoming the inaugural winner of The Best FIFA Men's Player award. Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli is the only cricketer to feature in the Top 100 list.

As per a study conducted by Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, released in Lancet medical journal, India has topped the list of countries with highest pollution-related deaths in year 2015. In this context, pollution-related death refers to death caused by diseases linked to air, water and other forms of pollution. As per the study, out of 9 million pollution-related deaths worldwide in 2015, 6.5 million deaths were linked to air pollution whereas water pollution and workplace-related pollution caused 1.8 million and 0.8 million deaths respectively.

Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth lifted the Denmark Open Superseries trophy at Odense, Denmark. He defeated South Korea's Lee Hyun-il in straight games, 21-10, 21-5 to bag his third Super Series title of the year and fifth overall. He recently (June 2017) won Australia Open Super Series title.

The very popular playback singers Alka Yagnikand Udit Narayan and the music composers Usha Khanna, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik and have been selected for the Madhya Pradesh state government's prestigious National Lata Mangeshkar award. The award, in the honour of Mangeshkar, will be presented on October 26 at a function in Indore, the birthplace of the 88-year-old legendary singer. Each award winner will get a cash prize of Rs.two lakh, shawl, shreephal (coconut) and a citation.

Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana was appointed the special director of the Central Bureau of Investigation. (CBI). Asthana, a 1984-batch IPS officer, had been serving in the Central Bureau of Investigation as additional director. He is among eight senior police officers promoted by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Electric carmaker Tesla signed a deal with the Shanghai government to set up its own manufacturing facility in the city's free-trade zone in China. The agreement could enable Tesla to slash production costs while incurring China's 25% import tarif. China recently worked to encourage the development of a robust market for EVs.

Concerned over the growing number of 'selfie deaths', the Karnataka government has decided to launch an online campaign warning that "self-photography could cost you your life" and urge people to take a pledge to take selfies responsibly. The government plans to launch a billboard campaign at tourist sites with slogans like 'Say No to Killfie', 'Take Selfies Responsibly' and 'Risky Selfie Thrills and Kills'.

Maruti Suzuki India has become the largest passenger cars exporter from India. They bear Hyundai Motor India Ltd which has now been pushed to the fourth spot behind Volkswagen and General Motors.

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh along with Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated India's first Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) for Skilling in Smart Cities, in collaboration with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). It is launched under skill India Mission.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) announced the appointment of Jayant Rikhye as the Chief Executive Officer for India. He succeeds Stuart Milne. Mr. Rikhye is currently Head of International, Asia-Pacific, responsible for 11 markets in the region.

Izham Ismail has appointed as the CEO of Malaysia Airlines (MAS). Izham Ismail would replace Peter Bellew as CEO of Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

India and Bangladesh planned to protect their societies from hate, violence, and terror by adopting a zero tolerance policy and a comprehensive approach. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka discussed ways to deepen bilateral co-operation.

The 3-day grand finale of Paryatan Parv, a nation-wide celebration of tourism, will begin in New Delhi. The 21-day Paryatan Parv was organized by the Tourism Ministry in collaboration with other Central Ministries, State Governments, and other stakeholders. There will be 15 Theme State Pavilions where each State will showcase their tourism products and destinations. The programme has been organized with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country and reinforcing the principle of Tourism for All.