Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2023

Notes:
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture involving Public Sector Undertakings under the Ministry of Power, has introduced two pioneering programs: the National Efficient Cooking Programme (NECP) and the Energy Efficient Fans Programme (EEFP).
These initiatives seek to transform cooking methods in India and underscore the significance of energy-efficient fans. As part of these programs, EESL aims to promote and implement energy-efficient technologies and practices across the country.

Notes:
In South Africa, paleontologists have made a finding, challenging the notion that humans created the world’s oldest known burial site.
The research has unveiled the presence of remains belonging to small-brained distant relatives of humans at this burial site. These Stone Age hominids, known for their tree-climbing abilities, were unearthed approximately 100 feet underground in a cave system within the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO world heritage site near Johannesburg.

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 businessline’s Changemaker of the Year award was awarded to the Reserve Bank of India for steering India through the turbulent period of the pandemic, which had a large impact of the global economy.
Amul, was crowned iconic changemaker of the year. Power minister R K Singh gave away the awards at the fifth edition of the event.

Notes:
The 2024 Asia-Pacific Human Development Report was recently released by the UNDP. As per the report, the share of the population living in multidimensional poverty fell from 25 to 15 per cent between 2015-16 and 2019-21.
The report also mentions that India has emerged among top countries with high income and wealth inequality. In India, between 2000 and 2022, per capita income soared from 442 to 2,389 while women are only 23 per cent of the labour force.

Notes:
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launches “Women for Water, Water for Women Campaign” under its flagship scheme Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
It was launched in partnership with the Ministry’s National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM). Odisha Urban Academy is the knowledge partner.

Notes:
Legendary Tennis player, Serena Williams, who retired from tennis last year, is the first athlete to win the Fashion Icon award by Council of Fashion Designers of America.
The award was presented to her by Kim Kardashian, a CFDA honoree last year, for her contributions to American fashion.

Notes:
Recently, India conducted a successful test of the Pralay tactical ballistic missile off the coast of Odisha.
During the test, the missile demonstrated its capability by covering its entire range of approximately 500 kilometers. The test was deemed highly successful, with the missile meeting all expected parameters and performing as intended.

Notes:
The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Production Gap report has been released in anticipation of the COP28 climate conference.
It warns that global fossil fuel production over the next seven years is projected to exceed more than double the levels required to stay within the climate goals outlined in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, including the crucial target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Notes:
IBM has expanded its partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to launch an innovation lab in Bengaluru to help mutual clients derive value from the latest technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).
The first of its kind innovation lab, is open to clients from around the world to explore joint IBM-AWS solutions and test prototypes and proof-of-concepts relevant across industries such as banking and financial services, automotive, manufacturing and healthcare, among others.