Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2023

Notes:
A research endeavor led by Japanese scientists and a team from the Japan Aerospace Space Agency (JAXA), has achieved the successful cultivation of mouse embryos aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
This significant experiment represents a pivotal stride in exploring the potential for human reproduction in the space environment.

Notes:
Actor Rajkummar Rao has been recognised as National Icon for voter awareness and education for the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The collaboration will encompass a range of activities, including promoting voter awareness in various TV talk shows and digital campaigns by the actor. Last month, the Commission recognised Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar as the National Icon. Earlier, during the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, M.S. Dhoni, Aamir Khan and Mary Kom had been the ECI National Icons.

Notes:
The Global Solar Facility under the International Solar Alliance is poised to secure a capital infusion of 35 million, with the Government of India contemplating an investment of 25 million as its capital contribution.
The primary goal of the Global Solar Facility (GSF) is to stimulate solar investments in underprivileged areas and regions throughout Africa, thereby facilitating the release of commercial capital for these initiatives.

Notes:
According to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) titled ‘The Impact of Disaster on Agriculture and Food Security,’ there has been a significant increase in the frequency of extreme disaster events over the past five decades.
In the 1970s, the world experienced approximately 100 disaster events per year. However, in the last two decades, that number has risen to around 400 disasters annually on a global scale. This trend highlights the growing challenges and risks that disasters pose to agriculture and food security worldwide.

Notes:
Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom have achieved significant advancements in enhancing the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. They have created a straightforward blood test that, when used in conjunction with an online psychiatric assessment, provides a more precise means of diagnosing this mental health condition.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu government has issued an order to establish a fact-checking unit (FCU) as a measure to counter the dissemination of misinformation, hate speech, and fake news.
As per the Government Order, this unit will consist of 80 staff members and will have the primary objective of addressing misleading content across various media platforms, with a particular focus on addressing such issues on social media platforms.

Notes:
The Swiss National Bank, Switzerland’s central bank, has announced its plans to commence a pilot project next month, involving the use of central bank digital currency (CBDC) for financial institutions.
UBS and Zuercher Kantonal Bank are among the participants who have signed up for this initiative, which will utilize a real Swiss franc wholesale CBDC. Additionally, four other commercial Swiss banks will also be part of this pilot project.

Notes:
Storm Ciaran battered north-west Europe with torrential rains and winds upto 200 kilometres per hour.
Dozens of people have been injured and seven people died across Europe so far. The storm hit French shores with winds of more than 190 kilometres per hour slamming the northern tip of France’s Atlantic coast. In the UK, Channel Islands were among the worst-hit areas.

Notes:
The Finance Ministry released ₹10,000 crore in urgent assistance for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
The funds were released to meet unexpected increased expenditure under the rural job guarantee scheme. The funds will be available until the first batch of supplementary demands for grants is approved by parliament at its next session. The unusual move came after 95% of the FY24 budgetary outlay of ₹60,000 crore for the MGNREGS was exhausted well before the commencement of the winter session of parliament.

Notes:
IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Ltd (IndiaFirst Life), one of the private life insurers of the country, became the first Indian life insurance company to get the Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Registration.
It obtained registration from the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) in September 2023 following approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in August of the same year.