Today's Current Affairs10th December 2022

National

NTT India to invest $2 bn in data centres, submarine cable, renewables

• NTT India has earmarked around USD 2 billion to boost information and communications technology infrastructure in the country over the next three-four years, aiming to tap the rise in data consumption. New data centres, cloud computing, submarine cable landing stations and solar parks are key areas where NTT India's capex is planned.

Science and Technology

ISRO inks MoU with Social Alpha to establish SpaceTech Innovation Network

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Social Alpha today signed an MoU to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN), India’s first dedicated platform for innovation curation and venture development for the burgeoning space entrepreneurial ecosystem.In line with the partnership announcement, SpIN has launched its first innovation challenge.

 Appointments and Resignations

Ashok Leyland appoints Shenu Agarwal as MD and CEO

• Ashok Leyland, a subsidiary of Hinduja group, announced on December 8, 2022, that they had appointed Shenu Agarwal as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for a period of five years from December 8, 2022, to December 7, 2027.
• Agarwal joins Ashok Leyland from Escorts Kubota Ltd, where he was its President.

Vodafone CEO Nick Reed to step down from his role

• Vodafone Chief Executive Officer Nick Read will step down as head of organisation at the end of December 2022. He will be replaced on an interim basis by Margherita Della Valle who has been serving as Chief Financial Officer OF Vodafone Group.
• Nick Read has been serving the group for more than 20 years and is holding the chair of CEO for the last four years.

Meghna Ahlawat new TTFI president, ex-champ Kamlesh Mehta secretary

• Meghna Ahlawat was elected president of the Table Tennis Federation of India on Monday with former stalwart Kamlesh Mehta elected secretary general.
• Patel Nagender Reddy was elected treasurer. The Delhi High Court had suspended TTFI in February and appointed a Committee of Administrators (CoA) to take over its functioning.Dushyant Chautala was the previous TTFI president.

 Ranking

20 Indian firms in 500 most valuable globally, Reliance top: Hurun report

• Twenty Indian companies, up eight from last year, are among the 500 most-valuable ones in the world, Hurun report showed. With a valuation of $202 billion, Reliance Industries was the most valuable Indian company on the list. Globally, it was the 34th biggest company.
• Apple, worth $2.4 trillion, was the most valuable company, followed by Microsoft, with $1.8 trillion.

 

World's strongest passports list 2022: India stands at 87th position, UAE ranked the best

• The Passport Index 2022, published by Arton Capital, ranks the world's strongest and weakest passports. The passport rankings indicate how many countries you can visit without a visa.
• The UAE has got the first position in the rating of passports for 2022, while India was ranked 87 in the list of the strongest passports in the world.

 Days

Nobel Prize Day 

• On December 10th, Nobel Prize Day recognizes the annual award established by Alfred Nobel. Since 1901, the five Nobel Prize has been awarded annually on December 10th. In 1969:
• “The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.” Each year on 10 December, a ceremony is held in Stockholm, Sweden on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

 Human Rights Day  

• Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
• The 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be celebrated on 10 December 2023.
• 2022 Theme: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.