Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2023

Notes:
The Vigilance Awareness Week, 2023 is being observed by the Central Vigilance Commission and all institutions across the country from 30th October till 5th November. This year the theme is – Say no to corruption, commit to the Nation.
Every year Vigilance Awareness Week is observed as an outreach measure to create greater awareness about the importance of integrity and ethics in public life.

Notes:
Union Finance Minister launches phase IV of ‘Operation Sesha’ to curb the illegal trade of Timber, including Red Sanders.
She launched this during the inaugural session of the first ever Global Conference on Cooperation in Enforcement Matters (GCCEM) in New Delhi. Delegates representing over 40 Custom Organisations participated in the event.

Notes:
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded two toll, operate, and transfer (TOT) bundles, namely 11 and 12, covering a total length of 400 km, for a total of Rs 6,584 crore.
The TOT model is designed to promote private sector involvement in the highway sector, with NHAI periodically awarding contracts for toll collection, operation, and maintenance of different National Highway segments under this arrangement.

Notes:
The Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations officially adopted a code of conduct for companies involved in the development of advanced artificial intelligence systems.
Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) economies as well as the European Union, kicked off the process in May at a ministerial forum dubbed the ‘Hiroshima AI process’. The code aims to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy AI worldwide and will provide voluntary guidance for actions by organizations developing the most advanced AI systems.

Notes:
Escrowpay, a Digital Escrow payments platform, has received the first digital escrow regulatory fintech authorization from IFSCA, Gift City.
Recently, the startup has signed a definitive agreement to raise an additional USD 4 Million via issuance of warrants, taking its total fund raise till date to USD 6 Million.

Notes:
India is on track to operationally deploy its own long-range air defense system by 2028-29. This indigenous system is designed to detect and destroy a wide array of threats, including stealth fighters, aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and precision-guided munitions at ranges of up to 350 km.
The ambitious project, known as Project Kusha, is under the purview of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) is being developed to provide interception capabilities similar to the Russian S-400 Triumf air defense system recently inducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Notes:
The United States is planning to build a new nuclear bomb that will be 24 times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima during World War II.
The B61-13 would also be almost 14 times bigger than the 25-kiloton bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki.

Notes:
The Indian Army’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), known as ‘Prachand,’ has achieved a significant milestone by successfully conducting live firing exercises with 70mm rockets.
These exercises were conducted in both day and night conditions at a firing range located near Likabali in Assam, showcasing the LCH’s capabilities and versatility.

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:
Recently, the Israeli military announced that it had intercepted a missile fired from the Red Sea region, amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East due to Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza with the help of ‘Arrow’ aerial defence system.
This announcement came after Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels fired drones towards Israel in retaliation for its war against Hamas.