Current Affairs One - Liner : 13th November 2024

On November 12, 2024, the Indian government approved the creation of the first-ever all-women battalion within the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), known as the Mahila Battalion. This unit will include over 1,000 personnel and will be led by a commandant.

On November 13, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for AIIMS Darbhanga in Bihar, worth over Rs 1,260 crore. This new AIIMS includes a super-specialty hospital, AYUSH block, medical and nursing colleges, and residential facilities.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested USD 400 million in Bajaj Finance as part of a USD 1 billion fundraising initiative. This aims to quadruple Bajaj Finance's climate loans by 2027, supporting electric vehicles, energy-efficient consumer goods, and women-owned microenterprises.

In October 2024, India's retail inflation surged to a 14-month high of 6.21%, with the increase driven primarily by a substantial rise in food prices, particularly vegetables, which saw a dramatic 42.18% year-over-year increase. The inflation rate in rural areas was notably higher at 6.68%, compared to 5.62% in urban areas. This development, reported on November 12, 2024.
India's renewable energy capacity reached 203.18 gigawatts (GW) in October 2024, marking a 13.5% increase from 178.98 GW in October 2023. This growth supports India's ambitious goal of achieving 500 GW from non-fossil sources by 2030 and underscores the nation's commitment to clean energy initiatives.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment and TeamLease EdTech signed an MoU on November 13, 2024, at the Ministry's headquarters in New Delhi. The aim is to enhance employment opportunities for NCS-registered job seekers through work-linked degree programs and live internships.

Exercise Vajra Prahar 2024, the 15th Indo-US Joint Special Forces Exercise, commenced on November 2, 2024, at the Orchard Combat Training Centre in Idaho, USA, running until November 22, 2024. The aim is to enhance military cooperation, interoperability, and mutual exchange of special operations tactics.
The 5th Edition of Vietnam-India Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX 2024) began on November 4, 2024, at Ambala, Haryana. The exercise involves 47 personnel from the Indian Army and 47 personnel from the Vietnam People's Army (VPA). The aim is to enhance joint military capabilities, focusing on engineering tasks and medical teams for UN peacekeeping operations.

Pankaj Advani on November 9, 2024, won the World Billiards Championship in Doha, Qatar. Advani secured his 28th world title by defeating England's Robert Hall 4-2 in the final. This win marks his seventh consecutive world title in billiards.
On November 12, 2024, Aravindh Chithambaram won the Masters title at the Chennai Grandmasters 2024 tournament. The event was held at the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai from November 5th to 11th, 2024.

The 25th South Asian Telecommunication Regulators Council (SATRC) conference was held in New Delhi from November 11 to 13, 2024. Hosted by TRAI and the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), it focused on "Accelerating Telecommunication and ICT Development for Growth and Inclusiveness". The aim of the conference was to accelerate telecommunication and ICT development for growth and inclusiveness.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) on November 12, 2024. The test took place at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha.

Public Service Broadcasting Day is observed on November 12 to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's visit to the All India Radio studio in 1947, where he addressed Partition refugees. The day celebrates the crucial role of public broadcasting in promoting unity, unbiased information dissemination, and social welfare.
On November 7, 2024, we celebrated the 136th birth anniversary of physicist CV Raman, born in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. Known for his discovery of the Raman Effect, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. His work has had a lasting impact on the field of physics.

On November 12, 2024, Mara Kocho was announced as the incoming Managing Director of the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC). Currently serving as Chief Engineer (Electrical) at BSNL, his appointment is expected to bolster the sector and support local artisans.
On November 13, 2024, Arvindar Singh Sahney assumed the role of Chairman at Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). With over three decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, he was previously the Executive Director (Business Development - Petrochemicals) at IOC.
On November 10, 2024, Alix Didier Fils-Aime took oath as Prime Minister of Haiti, succeeding Garry Conille. His appointment comes amid significant security challenges and political instability in the country.

British author Samantha Harvey won the 2024 Booker Prize for her novel "Orbital" on November 12, 2024. The novel, set in space, explores the lives of six astronauts on the International Space Station. Praised for its lyrical prose and profound storytelling, "Orbital" became the second-shortest novel to win the Booker Prize.

On November 12, 2024, Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal launched the book ‘Maa-Mother’ by Dr. Davendra Kumar Dhodawat in New Delhi. The book, a collection of poems in Hindi and English, celebrates the essence of motherhood.

Questions:

1 Who is the author of the book Maa-Mother, launched on November 12, 2024?

2 Who is the author of the novel "Orbital" that won the 2024 Booker Prize?