Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2023

Notes:
At a Cairo summit hosted by Egypt, Arab leaders denounced the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, while European leaders emphasized the need to protect civilians.
Due to the absence of Israel and senior U.S. officials, there was no consensus reached on measures to contain the ongoing violence. The conflict has resulted in thousands of casualties and a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza enclave, home to 2.3 million people.

Notes:
The Rafah Border Crossing, also known as Ma’bar Rafah in Arabic, serves as the exclusive crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
It is currently the only point that is not controlled by Israel where civilians can enter and exit Gaza by land.

Notes:
The European tax think tank, EU Tax Observatory, has recommended a global minimum tax of 2% on billionaires’ wealth, which could generate around $250 billion annually.
They also called for a strengthened global minimum tax on multinational companies, which could raise an additional $250 billion per year.

Notes:
Bishan Singh Bedi, the legendary former captain of the Indian cricket team and one of the finest left-arm spin bowlers, passed away recently at the age of 77.
During his long career, Bedi represented India in 67 Test matches, where he achieved 266 wickets, including 14 instances of taking five wickets in an innings and one remarkable 10-wicket haul.

Notes:
Researchers are investigating an innovative approach to produce oxygen on Mars by utilizing a type of desert-dwelling bacteria called Chroococcidiopsis cubana.
These microorganisms have the ability to thrive in harsh environments by harnessing sunlight, absorbing carbon dioxide, and generating oxygen through their metabolic processes. This concept offers a potential solution for generating a sustainable oxygen supply for future Mars missions and human colonization efforts.

Notes:
Australia’s Glenn Maxwell scores fastest ODI World Cup hundred. The 40-ball hundred is also the fourth fastest century in ODI cricket.
Maxwell powered his way to a century by breaking the previous record by 9 deliveries.  South Africa’s Aiden Markram has hit a hundred in 49 deliveries against Sri Lanka earlier.

Notes:
The European Union (EU) and India recently conducted their first joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Guinea. The exercise followed the third meeting of the EU-India Maritime Security Dialogue in Brussels.
During the exercise, Indian Navy’s INS Sumedha, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, was joined by three EU Member States’ ships in the Gulf of Guinea.

Notes:
Eight former Indian Navy personnel have been sentenced to death by a court in Qatar. The former naval officers had been working for Al Dahra company on a submarine project for the Qatari authorities when they were detained more than a year ago.
The Ministry of External Affairs is currently ‘exploring legal options’ and intends to take the matter up with officials in the other country.

Notes:
In spite of being the country’s second least populated State, Mizoram exhibits the highest incidence rate of cancer in India.
The latest evidence from an 18-year trend study notes a consistent rise in cancer incidence and mortality in Mizoram, with stomach cancer emerging as the primary cause of cancer-related deaths among men, while lung cancer is the primary cause of deaths among women.

Notes:
Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has asked Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra to appear before it, in connection with the cash-for-query allegation.
The members of the Ethics Committee are appointed by the speaker for a period of one year.  At present, the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee is headed by the BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar and has 15 members.