- National:
- The State Education Achievement Survey (SEAS) 2023 was conducted successfully by PARAKH. This survey was designed to enhance the learning standards for students in Classes 3, 6, and 9. The survey was conducted on November 3, 2023, targeting nearly 11 million students across the country.
- Kerala’s Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission has indeed been selected for the Global List of Case Studies by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). This recognition is another feather in the cap for Kerala’s innovative program for grassroots development while promoting tourism in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Air India for non-compliance with the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR). This was due to violations of certain passenger-centric provisions. The DGCA had found that Air India was not providing the necessary facilities to passengers of delayed and cancelled flights.
- The Inter-Command Ocean Sailing Race 2023 was conducted by the Indian Navy from 22nd to 26th November 2023. The race was organized under the aegis of the Indian Naval Sailing Association (INSA) based at Naval Headquarters (NHQ), New Delhi. The race started from Kochi and ended in Goa.
- As for the creation of a 2D Lysozyme Protein Monolayer, there has been research on the production of biofunctionalized MoS2 flakes with rationally modified lysozyme, which results in a biocompatible 2D hybrid material.
- The Gujarat government has indeed chosen the Ghol as the state fish. This decision was made during the Global Fisheries Conference. The Ghol fish, also known as the ‘fisherman’s lottery’, was chosen due to its economic value and uniqueness.
- International:
- The Al Dhafra Solar Photovoltaic Independent Power Project is the world’s largest single-site solar power plant, with a capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW). It was inaugurated on November 17, 2023 by HH Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The plant uses almost 4 million bi-facial solar panels that capture sunlight from both sides to maximize efficiency.
- The World Coal Association rebranded itself as FutureCoal – The Global Alliance for Sustainable Coal on 21st November 2023. This change was made in response to a call from coal and coal-allied sectors to modernize and unite under a common purpose. FutureCoal aims to represent major and strategic players across the entire coal value chain.
- Banking & Finance:
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Titan’s acquisition of an additional 27% stake in CaratLane. CaratLane is a well-known online jewelry retailer in India, and this additional stake acquisition by Titan is expected to enhance their market presence and competitiveness.
- Govt. Schemes:
- President Droupadi Murmu launched the National Education Campaign titled “New Education for New India” on November 22, 2023. The campaign was launched in Sambalpur, Odisha. This initiative is by the Brahma Kumaris and aims to inculcate values and uplift the consciousness of students for a better society.
- Military Exercise:
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy conducted the second successful trial of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR) on November 21, 2023. The test was carried out from a SeaKing 42B helicopter. The NASM-SR is India’s first indigenous air-launched anti-ship missile.
- Sports:
- The International Cricket Council (ICC) has recently implemented new gender eligibility regulations. Under these regulations, transgender players who have undergone male puberty are not permitted to participate in international women’s cricket. The ICC stated that its priority was to protect the integrity of the international women’s game and the safety of players.
- The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to introduce a stop clock in Men’s ODI and T20I cricket on a trial basis. This new rule will be in effect from December 2023 to April 2024. The purpose of the stop clock is to regulate the time taken between overs.
- Indian cueist Pankaj Advani won the IBSF World Billiards Championship title in Doha for a staggering 26th time. He defeated compatriot Sourav Kothari in the final. Advani defeated Kothari 1000–416 in a rematch of last year’s title clash in Kuala Lumpur.
- Science & Technology:
- scientists from the U. R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) of ISRO and Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) have made a significant discovery. They detected radiation from an extra-galactic black hole source for the first time. This black hole is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a small companion galaxy to the Milky Way.
- scientists have indeed discovered a new species of ‘music frog’ in Arunachal Pradesh. The species is named Nidirana noadihing. The discovery was based on morphological, molecular, and acoustic evidence.
- The Central Council for Research in Ayurveda Sciences (CCRAS), under the Ministry of Ayush, has launched the “Ayurveda Gyan Naipunya Initiative” (AGNI). This initiative aims to promote evidence-based practices and facilitate collaborative research in the field of Ayurveda.
- Appointments:
- The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has indeed announced that Sourav Ganguly, the ‘Dada’ of Indian cricket, will now serve as the 'Brand Ambassador of Bengal’. This announcement was made during the Bengal Global Business Summit.
- Lakshmi Ramakrishna Srinivas has been appointed as the Additional Director of the South Indian Bank. She is a seasoned banker with over 38 years of experience in the banking sector. She was earlier the Chief General Manager of the State Bank of India.
- Girish Chandra Murmu, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), has been elected as the Vice-Chair of the UN Panel of External Auditors. Murmu participated in the sixty-third session of the Panel of External Auditors, held at the UN headquarters in New York from 20-21 November 2023.
- ACKO, the insurtech company, has indeed partnered with the renowned actor R Madhavan on 14th November 2023. In this collaboration, Madhavan will serve as the 'Voice of the Customer’. His role is to be more than just a recognizable face - he will be the customer’s advocate and guide, simplifying the complex world of insurance so consumers can have complete peace of mind.
Questions:
Q.1 Who has been announced as the new brand ambassador of West Bengal?a. Sachin Tendulkar
b. Virat Kohli
c. Sourav Ganguly
d. Rahul Dravid
Q.2 Who won the IBSF World Billiards Championship title?
a. Sourav Kothari
b. Pankaj Advani
c. Geet Sethi
d. Michael Ferreira
