Current Affairs 1 November 2023

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 1 November 2023, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2023 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

Our Current Affairs November 2023 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Monthly Current Affairs 2023 PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.

Read Current Affairs in CareersCloud APP, Course Name – Learn Current Affairs – Free Course – Click Here to Download the APP

We are Hiring – Subject Matter Expert | CA Video Creator | Content Developers(Pondicherry)

Click here for Current Affairs 31 October 2023

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

16th Edition of Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference & Exhibition 2023 held in New Delhi, DelhiThe Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs organized 16th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference & Exhibition 2023 in collaboration with the Institute of Urban Transport (India) and with the support of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. The event took place from October 27th to 29th, 2023, at the Manekshaw Centre, Parade Road, Delhi Cantt, New Delhi, Delhi.
Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference & Exhibition 2023:
The event saw the participation of around 22 exhibitors from Metro Rail Companies, public and private sectors.

• Inaugurated by: Shri Hardeep Singh Puri. (Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas)
• Theme: Integrated and Resilient Urban Transport

Awards were presented to state/city authorities for their outstanding urban transport projects in various categories
About Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs:
Union Minister – Hardeep Singh Puri, (Rajya Sabha Constituency – Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS) – Kaushal Kishore (Mohanlalganj, Uttar Pradesh)
>> Read Full News

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

UNCCD’s Data: India Lost 30.51 Mn Ha of Healthy Land to Degradation From 2015-19According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)’s first data dashboard, around 30.51 million hectares(Ha) of healthy land in India were degraded from 2015 to 2019.

• Around 9.45% of India’s landmass was degraded as of 2019. This was 4.42% in 2015.
• India’s total degraded land is equivalent to the size of 43 million football pitches.
• According to the UNCCD Data, Between 2015 & 2019, the world lost at least 100 million ha of healthy and productive land every year.

About UNCCD Data Dashboard:
The UNCCD’s dashboard, released on 25th October 2023, compiles national reporting figures from 126 countries, which shows that land degradation is advancing at an astonishing rate across all regions.

• The data is compiled in global and aggregate form “as received” from 126 Parties in their 2022 UNCCD national reports.
• The dashboard takes 2019 as the reporting year for recording data and 2015-2019 as a baseline period.

The comprehensive data from diverse regions underscores the alarming rate at which land degradation is spreading.
Data Analysis in India:
i.The data also reflected that 251.71 million Indians, 18.39% of the Indian population, faced land degradation during 2015-2019.
ii.While 854.4 million Indians, 83.85% of the Indian population, were exposed to drought during the 2015-2018 period. This is the sum of the reported area under all drought intensity classes – mild, moderate, severe and extreme.
National Mission for a Green India (GIM):
National Mission for a Green India (GIM), one of the 8 Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, aims to protect, restore and enhance the forest cover and respond to climate change.
Target: 10 million ha on forest and non-forest lands for increasing the forest/tree cover and to improve the quality of existing forest

• Under this programme, India has allocated Rs 298.09 crore and utilised Rs 233.43 crore from FY2018 to 2021.

India plans to extend the area restored from land degradation from 21 million to 26 million hectares between 2020 and 2030.
Regional disparities
Eastern and Central Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean regions experienced the most severe degradation, around 20% of their total land area were affected.
Sub-Saharan Africa, Western and Southern Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean experienced land degradation at rates faster than the global average.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

USISPF honoured Nita Ambani with 2023 Global Leadership Award for Philanthropy & CSR

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) honoured Nita Ambani, founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, with the 2023 Global Leadership Award for Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR).

• John Chambers, Chairman of USISPF, presented the award to Nita Ambani at the award ceremony held in New Delhi, Delhi.
• Nita Ambani received the award for her contribution towards women empowerment, supporting education, promoting Indian arts & culture (on a global platform) and developing sports in India.

Note: Reliance Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) established in 2010.

Attended Delegates:
The event also saw the participation of Olympic shooter and gold medalist (in 2008 Summer Olympics) Abhinav Bindra, Badminton player Saina Nehwal, and theatre director Feroze Abbas Khan.
About Nita Ambani:
i.Nita Ambani is an Indian businesswoman, educationist and philanthropist. She is the spouse of Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of RIL.
ii.She is also the founder and chairman of Dhirubhai Ambani International School and a Non-Executive Director of RIL.
iii.She is a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment and children’s rights.
Achievements:
i.In 2016, She was the first Indian woman to be elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee(IOC).

• As a representative of IOC, she led the Indian delegation that won the bid to host the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

ii.In 2019, she was the first Indian to be elected an Honorary Trustee of the Board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

About USISPF:
i.The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is a non-profit organization, which aims to strengthen the India-US bilateral and strategic partnership.
ii.It provides policy advocacy in the fields of economic growth, entrepreneurship, employment-creation, and innovation.
President & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Mukesh Aghi
Headquarters- Washington, D.C., United States of America (USA)
Established in- 2017

67th Ballon d’Or: Argentina’s Lionel Messi Wins the Ballon d’Or Award for 8th timeArgentina’s Lionel Andrés Messi (Lionel Messi), who plays as a forward for Inter Miami CF has won the Ballon d’Or award or Golden Ball Award for the record 8th time and Spain’s Aitana Bonmati has won the Women’s Ballon d’Or award or Ballon d’Or Féminin Award.

• The 67th edition of the Ballon d’Or 2023 was held on 30th October 2023 at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, France.
• The Ballon d’Or is annually presented by the French magazine ‘France Football’, since 1956. It was awarded based on achievements from the past season.
• This was the fifth edition of the Women’s Ballon d’Or since the first edition was held in 2018.

>> Read Full News

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Professor Sarang Deo of ISB Appointed to WHO’s Advisory Group for TBProfessor Sarang Deo, Professor of Operations Management at the Indian School of Business (ISB) has been appointed as a member of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) for Tuberculosis (TB) by the World Health Organization (WHO).

• He will be a part of a 15-member expert group responsible for independently evaluating the WHO’s efforts in eradicating TB.

Note: The 15-member STAG-TB, chaired by Ethel Leonor Maciel from the Brazilian health ministry, includes other experts like Dr. Anurag Bhargava, Prof of Medicine from Yenepoya Medical College, Karnataka.

About Professor Sarang Deo:
i.He serves as the Deputy Dean of Faculty and Research and the Executive Director of the Max Institute of Healthcare Management (MIHM) at ISB.
ii.He also serves as a Member of:

• Digital Health Committee, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH);
• Health Insurance Consultative Committee, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI);
• Member (Independent), Board of Directors, Healthvista India Pvt. Ltd. (Portea)
• Member, Advisory Board, Indian Health Outcomes Public Health and Economic Research (IHOPE) Centre;
• Member, National Operational Research Committee, Central TB Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India

iii.He is also a member of expert committees constituted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI).
About STAG-TB:
i.STAG-TB aims to play a crucial role in ending the tuberculosis epidemic and achieving the long-term goal of eradicating the disease globally.
ii.STAG-TB provides cutting-edge scientific and technical guidance to WHO in its efforts to combat TB. It conducts independent evaluations of WHO’s strategic, scientific, and technical aspects related to TB.
iii.It also reviews the progress and challenges of WHO’s TB-related core functions and advises on priority activities for prevention and care.

• WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme serves as the Secretariat for STAG-TB.

Author Chetan Bhagat Named Brand Ambassador of Edtech startup Henry Harvin Education
Renowned Indian Author and columnist Chetan Bhagat was appointed as the Brand Ambassador of Henry Harvin Education (HHE), a Global Edtech company based out of the United States of America and India.

• HHE is an online platform providing 800+ programmes for upskilling and reskilling that serves as a career and competency development organisation.
• HHE provides training & advisory services to corporates and colleges across the world.
• Noted Works of Chetan Bhagat: Five Point Someone (2004), The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009) and What Young India Wants(2012).

About HHE:
Founder & CEO- Kounal Gupta
Operational since 2013.
Headquarters- Noida, Uttar Pradesh

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Fincare SFB to Merge with AU Small Finance Bank in All-share DealThe board of  AU Small Finance Bank (SFB) Limited and Fincare Small Finance Bank (SFB) Limited has approved an all-stock merger of AU SFB and Fincare SFB under Section 44A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

• AU SFB will acquire Fincare SFB in an all-stock transaction valued at Rs 4,411 crore.
• This merger aims to expand the AU SFB’s reach in the southern part of India and enter micro-finance sector.

About the Merger:
i.The merger is subject to approval by the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) and the Competition Commission of India(CCI).
ii.The amalgamation will come into effect from 1st February, 2024 or such other date as may be fixed mutually by the Transfer or Company and the Transferee Company and sanctioned by the RBI.
Terms of the Merger:
i.As per the terms of the merger, shareholders of Fincare SFB will receive 579 shares in AU SFB for every 2,000 shares they hold in Fincare SFB.
ii.Following the transaction, it is expected that existing shareholders of Fincare SFB will maintain approximately 9.9% ownership in AU SFB.
iii.Fincare Business Services Limited (FBSL) will infuse Rs 700 crore into Fincare SFB prior to the completion of the merger.

• FBSL is the promoter of Fincare SFB.

Share exchange ratio:
JM Financial Limited provided a Fairness Opinion to AU SFB on the share exchange ratio and India Infoline Finance Limited (IIFL) Securities Ltd. provided a Fairness Opinion to Fincare SFB.
Post Merger:
i.Rajeev Yadav, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fincare SFB will assume the role of Deputy CEO at AU SFB.

• He will report to Sanjay Agarwal, MD & CEO of AU SFB.
• Yadav will also be an invitee to board meetings of AU SFB.

ii.Divya Sehgal, a current director on Fincare SFB’s board, will join AU SFB’s board.
iii.Uttam Tibrewal, Executive Director(ED) at AU SFB, will be promoted as the ED & deputy CEO of the merged entity.
Financial Advisors:
i.ICICI Securities Limited and Arpwood Capital Pvt Ltd acted as Financial Advisors to Fincare SFB on the transaction
ii.For AU SFB, the Financial Advisors are Ambit Pvt Ltd and Mirae Asset Capital Markets(India) Pvt. Ltd.
About AU Small Finance Bank Limited:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Sanjay Agarwal
Headquarters – Jaipur, Rajasthan
Established in – 1996
Tagline – Badlaav Humse Hai
About Fincare Small Finance Bank Limited:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Rajeev Yadav
Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
Established in – 2017

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China approves world’s first passenger-carrying flying taxi “Ehang’s EH216-S”   
Chinese drone startup EHang received the type certificate for Ehang 216-S (EH216-S), its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the Chinese civil aviation authority under the Ministry of Transport.

• With this, EH216-S becomes the 1st eVTOL vehicle in the world to be cleared for commercial use.
• The EH216-S air taxis are electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft capable of carrying two people or 600 pounds of cargo.
• They are propelled by 16 electric rotors and can fly at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour (mph) and a distance of up to 18 miles.

ENVIRONMENT

Candolleomyces albosquamosus: New Mushroom Species Discovered from Western Ghats, Kerala
Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) have discovered a new species of mushroom, “Candolleomyces albosquamosus” on the campus of JNTBGRI at Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

• Specimens of the new species were collected from the forests on the JNTBGRI campus, which forms a part of the Western Ghats in Kerala.
• Genus Candolleomyces is a relatively small genus with just 35 species recognised worldwide.
• It was published in scientific journal Phytotaxa by JNTBGRI researchers C. K. Pradeep and P. K. Nayana.

About Candolleomyces albosquamosus:
i.The mushroom can grow upto a height of 58 millimeters(mm).
ii.The cap is of bell shaped and its diameter will range from 12 mm to 38.5 mm.
iii.It has the white woolly scale-like structures on its honey-yellow pileus or cap.
iv.The honey-yellow coloured pileus turns brownish-gray or brownish-beige as they grow old.
v.The’stipe’ which is the the stem or stalk of the mushroom is white in colour and cylindrical in shape.
vi.They grow on dead logs or bamboo culms in natural forests.
About Genus Candolleomyces:
The genus Candolleomyces was created in 2020 on the basis of multi-gene molecular studies of the family Psathyrellaceae.
Saprophytic Fungi:
i.Mushrooms are secondary saprophytic fungi of the forest ecosystem.
ii.Secondary saprophytic fungi gets its energy by decomposing plant litter and dead organic matters.
Additional Info:
i.Kerala’s Western Ghats is rich in fungi, many of which is considered as endemic to the region.
ii.Seven species of that were previously classified as Psathyrella are now classified as Candolleomyces.

SPORTS

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen Wins F1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2023Max Verstappen, the Belgian-Dutch driver of Red Bull won the Formula 1 (F1)Mexico City Grand Prix held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City, Mexico from 27th to 29th October 2023.

• This marks Verstappen’s third consecutive win at the Mexico City GP including his win in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
• Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton(United Kingdom-UK) secured second place while Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc(Monaco) secured third place in the Mexico City GP.

Winners of Mexico City Grand Prix 2023:

Max Verstappen’s Records:
i.This win also marks Verstappen’s 16th win out of 19 races of the 2023 season.

• Max Verstappen broke his own record for the most F1 race victories in a single season in 2023 by winning 16 races. His previous record of 15 race victories was set in 2022 season.

ii.Max Verstappen leads the F1 World Championship in 2023 with 491 points in the F1 driver standings.
 About Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA):
The F1 Grand Prix races are organised by Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
President – Mohammed Ben Sulayem
Headquarters – Paris, France
Established – 1904

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) 2023- October 31 National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is annually observed across India on 31 October to commemorate the birth anniversary of the “Iron Man of India,” Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31 October 1875), who was dubbed “Sardar” (chief) for his leadership skills.

• He was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Independent India from 1947 to 1950.
• 31 October 2023 marks the 148th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Background:
i.In 2014, the Government of India (GoI) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to observe Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary on October 31 as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.

• The day aimed to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for his great efforts to unite India.

ii.The first National Unity Day was observed on 31 October 2014.
>> Read Full News

World Cities Day 2023 – October 31United Nations (UN)’s World Cities Day (WCD) is annually observed across the globe on October 31 to promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, push for global cooperation in sustainable urban development and contribute to sustainable urban development worldwide.

• 31st October 2023 marks the 10th World Cities Day.

i.The theme of WCD 2023 is  “Financing sustainable urban future for all”
ii.The Global Observance of WCD 2023 was held at the Municipality of Üsküdar in Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution A/RES/68/239 on 27th December 2013 and proclaimed October 31 of every year as World Cities Day.
ii.The 1st WCD was observed on 31st October 2014, in Shanghai, the People’s Republic of China.
About United Nations Human Settlements Programme(UN–Habitat):
Executive Director – Maimunah Mohd Sharif
Headquarters – Nairobi, Kenya
Established in – 1977
>> Read Full News

World Savings Day 2023 – October 31 World Savings Day (WSD), also known as World Thrift Day, is annually observed across the globe on 31st October to raise awareness regarding the importance of saving and the financial security of individuals.

• India observes World Savings Day on 30th October, since 31st October marks the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi, former(3rd) Prime Minister of India. Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31st October 1984.

Theme:
The theme of  WSD 2023 is “Conquer your Tomorrow” through various saving methods.

• Every year the theme is set by the World Savings and Retail Banking Institute(WSBI).

Background:
i.World Thrift Day was established on 31 October 1924 by the WSBI founding fathers.
ii.The first WSD was observed on 31 October 1924.
Significance:
i.World Thrift Day is celebrated to encourage people to move their savings from home vaults to bank accounts.

• Through this people get benefitted from banking services and earn interest on their savings.

ii.The day promotes financial literacy by educating people about saving, budgeting, and prudent financial decision-making.
iii.The day gained prominence and understanding between 1955 to 1970(after two World Wars).
About the World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI):
The World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) helps savings and retail banks around the world to thrive.
President- Isidro Fainé
Headquarters- Brussels, Belgium
Establishment in – 1924
Members & Countries- 96 Members & 69 Countries

World Occupational Therapy Day 2023 – 27th October
World Occupational Therapy (OT) Day is annually observed across the globe on 27th October to promote the mission and goals of occupational therapy. Occupational therapy is a client-centered health profession that promotes health and well-being through work.
The major purpose of occupational therapy is to enable people to engage in everyday activities.

• The theme of World OT Day in 2023 is “Unity through Community,” which emphasises our responsibility in collaborating with others to foster participation and social engagement.
• The first World OT Day was celebrated in 2010 by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFTO), an organisation of national and regional occupational therapy associations.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) observed World OT Day by conducting activities including Awareness Programmes, National Level webinars, National Level Programme, poster making, and interviews on All India Radio at more than 30 places across India.

STATE NEWS

WB Governor Ananda Bose awarded the inaugural Durga Bharat SammanWest Bengal (WB) Governor CV Ananda Bose presented the inaugural Durga Bharat Samman (2023) during the event organised at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata, WB.

• During the event, he formally launched the “Mission Kala Kranti”, an initiative aimed at “promoting the art and culture of West Bengal and India”.
• The government of WB has organised the Durga Puja Carnival, showcasing the iconic idols of Goddess Durga, on 27th October 2023 in the Red Road, Kolkata, WB.

About West Bengal Governor’s Durga Bharat Samman:
i.Governor Dr. C V Ananda Bose, in September 2023 announced the launch of the annual ‘Governor’s Durga Bharat Samman’ to recognise the contribution of people in different fields from across India.
ii.The awards have been classified into 3 categories:

• Durga Bharat Param Samman
• Durga Bharat Samman (Durga Ratna Awards)
• Durga Bharat Puraskar

Note: Durga Bharat Param Samman is the highest award among the three .
Winners: 
Durga Bharat Param Samman:
i.Ahead of the Durga Puja Festivals 2023 Durga Bharat Param Samman awards were presented to:

• Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty for his outstanding contribution to music;
• Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) for its achievements in shipbuilding ;
• Chandrayaan Team of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the success of the Chandrayaan Mission;
• Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan (WB) for its contribution to education.

ii.The award has a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh for each of the recipients.
Durga Ratna Awards:
i.Four Durga puja pandals received the Durga Ratna Awards in recognition of the most outstanding puja pandals in 2023.
ii.The 4 pandals are

• Tala Prattoy –  “creative use of light and shade”
• Kalyani ITI – “grandeur and visual delight”,
• Bandhudal Sporting Club- “environmental consciousness”
• Netaji Colony (Low land) –  “innovative theme”,

iii.The cash prize of Rs 5 lakh was shared by the four winners.
About West Bengal:
Chief Minister– Mamata Banerjee
Governor– C. V. Ananda Bose
Zoological Parks– Alipore Zoological Garden and Bardhaman Zoological Park

Manipur Celebrates Annual ‘Mera Hou Chongba’ Festival 
On 28th October 2023, People of Manipur celebrated Mera Hou Chongba, the annual cultural festival of solidarity in Manipur at the Kangla Palace Compound in Imphal in Manipur. The event was organised by the Mera Hou Chongba Thoushil Lup.
Manipur Chief Minister(CM) Nongthombam Biren Singh along with the titular king of Manipur Leishemba Sanajaoba attended the event.

• The festival marks the oneness of the growth of nationalism in Manipur and celebrates the bond of brotherhood, love, and unity.
• The celebration is intended to build and strengthen ties between Manipur’s hill tribes and valley people. The exchanges of gifts between hill tribes and valley people took place during the festival.
• The festival is being celebrated in Manipur since the period of Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, the god king of Manipur(1st century AD).

*******

List of Less Important News – Click Here

Current Affairs Today (AffairsCloud Today)

Aspirant: Does Affairscloud covers all the Current affairs topics related to examinations?
Affairscloud: We Guaranteed All the Important topics related to examination are covered in Our Daily CA content and Daily CA Quizzes.
Aspirant: Why is there a delayal in news?
Affairscloud: As some of the major news sites doesn’t provide the required data on the exact day, we take extra time for important data to be presented to the aspirants on the examination basis to ensure nothing is missed.
Example:  In ‘Important Days’ topics the International Organisations publish their reports and Rankings in the evenings, to make sure every data is covered, we delay the topics to the next day.