Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2023

Notes:
South Africa is set to become the first African country to implement shared parental leave, as a high court ruling grants both parents the right to take time off following the birth or adoption of a child.
This decision enables parents to decide how to divide four months of parental leave between them. Previously, mothers were entitled to four months’ leave while fathers or partners were allowed a maximum of 10 days.

Notes:
The ambitious Mars Sample Return mission by NASA, considered one of the most intricate space endeavors, is at risk due to escalating expenses that could lead to a budgetary crisis for the space agency.
The objective of the Mars Sample Return mission is to gather rock samples from Mars utilizing unmanned probes and robotic rovers.

Notes:
France has pledged to invest €1 billion ($1.07 billion) in polar research by the year 2030. As per the President Emmanuel Macron, France will build an ice-capable vessel as part of a billion-euro plan to boost polar research.
This commitment comes as a response to mounting scientific apprehension regarding the rapid melting of global ice caps and glaciers.

Notes:
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Transporter-9 mission from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
This is the 12th launch and landing of the Falcon 9 stage booster, according to SpaceX mission information.

Notes:
The Smart Cities Mission approaches its June 2024 deadline. As per the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry data, about 22% of total projects (1,745 of 7,947) that account for 33% of the total cost are still ongoing. As of November 10, Surat (Gujarat) topped in terms of completion of projects, fund usage and other criteria, followed by Agra (UP), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Varanasi (UP) and Bhopal (MP) in the top five.
Union Territories (UTs) and cities in Northeastern states are among the lowest 10 performers out of the 100 cities involved in the initiative.

Notes:
Quacquarelli Symonds released QS Asia University Rankings 2024. IIT Bombay has secured the top position in India and 40th position in overall Asia. Similarly, IIT Delhi stood second among Indian institutes and secured 46th rank overall.
Peking University of China topped the Asia ranking list by securing Rank 1 followed by the University of Hong Kong in the second position and the National University of Singapore in the third place. A record 148 Indian universities found their place in the QS Asia University Rankings 2024.

Notes:
Hyderabad is preparing for the Sadar festival, an annual event celebrated by the people every year on the second day following Diwali.
This festival, also known as Dunnapothula Panduga (Festival of the Buffalo Cattle), is a carnival dedicated to buffaloes.

Notes:
Cyrtodactylus vairengtensis is a newly discovered species of Gecko endemic to Mizoram. This brings the number of gecko species in the state to six and 22 across the country.
The new species has been named after the town in Mizoram where it was found, while the common name suggested for the new species is ‘Vairengte bent-toed gecko’. There are 335 gecko species across the world, of which 42 are found in India.

Notes:
Recently, negotiators from the European Union (EU) successfully reached an agreement to decrease methane gas emissions from the energy sector throughout the 27-member bloc.
Experts note that methane emissions, which are a major contributor to climate change and pose significant health risks, rank second only to carbon dioxide in terms of environmental impact.

Notes:
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) have jointly introduced IGBC-Nest, focusing on the individual housing sector with the objective of managing and reducing carbon emissions.
This initiative aligns with India’s ambition to reach a net-zero carbon emissions goal by the year 2070.