This is the current affairs of 10 to 12 November 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. What is Deepfake, which was discussed in the media because of actress Rashmika Mandanna?
a. Fit another person’s face into the original video
b. Fit another person’s face into the original photo
c. fitting someone else’s voice into the original video
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
What is Deepfake?
– Deepfake refers to fitting another person’s face onto the original video of a person.
– Fake videos and images can be created through deepfake technology.
– Machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques are used for deepfake creation.
– Essentially, deepfake is based on encoder and decoder technology.
– Nowadays, there are several apps in the market that can be used to create deepfake videos or photos.
Case related to Rashmika Mandanna
– In the first week of November 2023, an actress Rashmika Mandanna’s deepfake video went viral on social media.
– In this deepfake video, Rashmika Mandanna’s face was superimposed on the body of another woman.
– After the video went viral, Rashmika Mandanna expressed deep concern, leading to extensive discussions on the matter.
Government’s stance:
– Later, Union Minister of Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, spoke about taking stringent measures against the viral deepfake videos on social media platforms.
– Rajeev Chandrasekhar has instructed social media platforms to adhere to the notified IT rules in April 2023.
– According to these rules, social media platforms must ensure that no false information is posted by any user.
– If the platform does not comply, Rule 7 will be enforced, and the affected person can take the platform to court under the provisions of the IPC.
– Deepfake is a new and even more dangerous and harmful form of misinformation, and platforms need to address it urgently.
How to Identify Deepfake Videos Created with AI?
Unnatural Eye Movements
– Deepfake videos often display unnatural eye movements.
– In real videos, eye movements are generally authentic.
– In genuine videos, eye movement corresponds significantly to a person’s expressions and the way they speak.
Differences in Color and Lighting
– Deepfake creators struggle to accurately replicate color tones and consistent lighting.
– Pay attention to mismatches in facial features and surrounding lighting in such cases.
Differences in Audio Quality
– Deepfake videos often use AI-generated audio, which may contain significant errors.
– Pay attention to these inaccuracies.
Strange Body Shape and Movement
– In deepfakes, sometimes the body shape can appear unnatural, and body movement can be quite abnormal.
– For example, body parts may be too small or too large.
– Or the body may move in unusual or distorted ways.
– Pay attention to these mismatches.
Artificial Facial Movements
– Deepfake software cannot always accurately mimic the real emotions of the face.
– Observe facial movements that do not sync with the voice and do not match the video at all.
Differences in Body Posture and Physics
– Natural posture and physics of the body are not visible in deepfake videos.
– Pay attention to any strange position or movement of the body that seems unusual or physically impossible.
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2. When will the winter session of Parliament start?
a. 04 December 2023
b. 08 December 2023
c. 15 December 2023
d. 20 December 2023
Answer: a. 04 December 2023
– The winter session of Parliament will be held from December 04 to December 22, 2023.
– During the session, there will be 15 meetings in 19 days.
– This will also be the first full session held in the new Parliament building.
What issues will be discussed in this session?
– Several important bills are likely to be discussed and passed during the winter session.
– These include three laws seeking to amend the Indian Penal Code, the Evidence Act, and the Criminal Procedure Code, along with a bill related to appointments.
– Discussion on the bill related to the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
– Discussion on the report of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on allegations of “cash-for-query” against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.
– The report recommends her expulsion from the Lok Sabha.
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3. According to WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2023, which country had the highest number of TB cases in the year 2022?
a. Pakistan
b. China
c. India
d. Nigeria
Answer: c. India
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4. According to WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2023, India has the highest percentage of TB cases in the world?
a. 10%
b. 17%
c. 27%
d. 37%
Answer: c. 27%
– The WHO released this report on November 7, 2023.
– According to the report, the highest number of tuberculosis cases in the world is in India, accounting for 27% of global TB cases.
– In 2022, India recorded 2.82 million tuberculosis cases, with a mortality rate of 12%.
– The number of deaths due to tuberculosis in India was 342,000.
– The mortality figure for HIV-negative individuals was 331,000.
– For individuals with HIV, the mortality figure was 11,000.
– Overall, in 2022, 30 high TB burden countries were responsible for 87% of the world’s tuberculosis cases.
Top 8 countries with the highest total tuberculosis cases:
1. India (27%)
2. Indonesia (10%)
3. China (7.1%)
4. Philippines (7.0%)
5. Pakistan (5.7%)
6. Nigeria (4.5%)
7. Bangladesh (3.6%)
8. Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.0%)
What else in WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2023?
– According to the report, in 2022, tuberculosis was diagnosed in 7.5 million people, the highest number since the initiation of global tuberculosis monitoring by the WHO in 1995.
– The report highlights that multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has become a public health crisis, with 110,000 cases recorded in India in 2022.
– After two years of COVID-related disruptions, there has been a significant global improvement in the number of people affected by and treated for tuberculosis in 2022.
– This improvement is credited to improved access and provision of health services in several countries.
– India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, responsible for over 60% of the global decline in the number of new tuberculosis cases in 2020 and 2021,
all surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2023:
– This report is prepared by the WHO.
– The data in this report covers 192 countries.
About Tuberculosis:
– Tuberculosis, or TB, is a bacterial infection primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
– It primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other parts of the body.
– When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the bacteria spread through the air.
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5. India filed an appeal to which country after it awarded death sentence to 8 of its former naval officers?
a. Qatar
b. China
c. America
d. Germany
Answer: a. Qatar
– In October 2023, a court in Qatar had sentenced 8 former Indian naval officers to death.
– Now, India has reacted to this by filing an appeal.
– On November 9, 2023, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that an appeal has been filed in this case.
What did the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) say?
– The spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs stated that Qatar’s decision is confidential.
– The initial verdict was announced, and it has been shared with the legal team.
– Considering all legal options, an appeal has been filed.
– We are in contact with Qatari officials.
– Another round of consular access was granted on November 7 with eight Indians.
– We are in contact with family members.
– India will continue to provide all legal and diplomatic support in the case.
Why was the death penalty pronounced?
– The Qatari government has not made the allegations against the 8 Indians public yet.
– However, there is speculation that their confinement in solitary confinement is related to charges of security-related offenses.
– Reports in the Qatari local media claimed that the former Indian Navy officers were involved in espionage for Israel.
– According to BBC – based on reports from Indian and other global media, these former naval officers are accused of allegedly providing information to Israel about Qatar’s advanced Italian submarine program. In other words, these naval officers could also face charges of spying for Israel. Qatar’s intelligence agency claims to have electronic evidence about this alleged espionage.
– Israel is interested in this submarine project because Qatar is a good friend of Iran, and Israel is suspicious that Iran may have an interest in this submarine.
– However, no factual information related to this has been presented in the local media.
Former Naval Officers Sentenced
– Commander Purnendu Tiwari
– Commander Sagnikar Pakala
– Commander Sanjeev Gupta
– Commander Amit Nagpal
– Captain Navtej Singh Gill
– Captain Saurabh Vashisht
– Captain Beirendra Kumar Verma
– Sailor Ragesh
Note – Several of them have served as Commanders in the Indian Navy.
About Qatar
– Capital: Doha
– Emir: Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (Qatar is under the rule of the Thani dynasty)
– The country’s chief and chief executive is the Emir.
– Prime Minister: Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jasim Al Thani (he serves as the head of the government)
– Qatar has vast reserves of petroleum and natural gas.
– Neighbor: Saudi Arabia
– Sea: Arabian Gulf (Persian Gulf)
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6. Bihar Assembly passed a bill to increase the existing 50% reservation for SC, ST, BC and EBC in the state to what percentage?
a. 78%
b. 65%
c. 52%
d. 44%
Answer: b. 65%
– The Bihar Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Bihar Reservation Amendment Bill on November 9, 2023.
– With this, the reservation quota will now reach up to 75%, including EWS.
– The amended bill will now be sent to the Governor for his approval before becoming law.
New Reservation Percentages for Different Categories:
Category – Current Reservation – Increased Reservation
– Scheduled Caste: 16%-20%
– Scheduled Tribe: 1%-2%
– Backward Class (BC): 12%
– Extremely Backward Class (EBC): 18%
– BC + EBC: 43%
– The existing 3% reservation for Backward Class (BC) women has been eliminated.
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7. What type of missile is Pralay, which was tested by DRDO at Abdul Kalam Island?
a. Surface to Surface Shot Range Ballistic Missile
b. Surface to Air Cruise Missile
c. Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
d. Medium Range Ballistic Missile
Answer: a. Surface to Surface Shot Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM)
– A ballistic missile with a range of approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) or less is referred to as a Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM).
– On November 7, 2023, India successfully tested its SRBM from the Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
– Launched around 9:50 AM, the missile achieved all its mission objectives.
Pralay Missile:
– The Pralay missile is a Surface-to-Surface (S2S) Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM).
– It has been developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
– The ‘Pralay’ is a short-range missile with a range of 350-500 kilometers.
– It has a payload capacity of 500-1,000 kilograms.
– The ‘Pralay’ is designed for deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Line of Control (LOC).
Types of Missiles:
– Cruise Missile: Cruise missiles are known for their low altitude flight and high speed. Due to their low altitude, they can evade radar detection. They are usually autonomous. Example: BrahMos.
– Ballistic Missile: Ballistic missiles are generally faster than cruise missiles. They can travel at supersonic to hypersonic speeds, while cruise missiles are typically subsonic or supersonic. Ballistic missiles fly at very high altitudes initially using rocket or jet propulsion, and then travel to their targets mainly through inertia and gravitational forces.
DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization):
– Establishment: 1958
– Headquarters: New Delhi
– Chairman: Satheesh Reddy
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8. Aligarh Municipal Corporation has unanimously passed the proposal to change the new name of Aligarh?
a. Harigarh
b. Devgarh
c. Vijaygarh
d. Ramgarh
Answer: a. Harigarh
– Aligarh Municipal Corporation unanimously passed a proposal on November 6, 2023, to change the name of Aligarh to Harigarh. Mayor Prashant Singhal of Aligarh stated on November 7, 2023, that now the proposal will be sent to the state government for approval.
Places in Uttar Pradesh that have been renamed by the state government so far:
– Allahabad renamed Prayagraj (2018)
– Mughalsarai Railway Station renamed Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar Station (2018)
– Faizabad Railway Junction renamed Ayodhya Cantt (2019)
Demands for Changing Names in Uttar Pradesh Besides Aligarh:
– BJP Member of Parliament Sangam Lal Gupta demanded the government to change the name of Lucknow to Laxmanpur, apart from Aligarh.
– Meanwhile, Om Prakash Rajbhar requested the state government to change the names of Gazipur and Bahraich districts.
– In the past five years, several other legislators and elected representatives have also demanded the renaming of at least eleven districts and many places associated with Hindu personalities in Uttar Pradesh.
– A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is also pending in the Supreme Court, claiming that there are at least 60 religious, historical, and cultural sites in Uttar Pradesh whose names were allegedly changed by foreign invaders during history, and there is a need to change their names.
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9. In which state did the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) discover a new species of epiphytic plant ‘Lisionotus’?
a. Mizoram
b. Kerala
c. Rajasthan
d. Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: d. Arunachal Pradesh
Botanical Survey of India (BSI) scientists have discovered a new species of epiphytic plant named ‘Lysionotus namchoomii’.
– It has been named ‘Lysionotus’.
– This species was found in the Pakke-Kessang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
– BSI scientists conducted the research in collaboration with some renowned international institutions to discover this species.
– The research on this species has been published in the international journal ‘Turczaninowia’.
– It is published under the name ‘Lysionotus namchoomii (Gesneriaceae): A new species from Arunachal Pradesh, India.’
Key features of the newly discovered species ‘Lysionotus’:
– Its natural range extends from the Himalayas to Japan and Indo-China, with approximately 50% of the species being endemic.
– This species is mostly epiphytic, lithophytic, or locally terrestrial perennial herbs.
– The new species has broad leaves and attractive purplish flowers.
– The name of this species is in honor of the late social reformer of the Khapti community in Arunachal Pradesh, Chau Fungyunomchu.
Epiphytic:
– Epiphytic (एपिफाइटिक) plants are those that depend on other trees but are not parasitic.
– They grow on the surface of other plants, such as tree branches, stems, crevices, bark, etc.
BSI (Botanical Survey of India):
– Establishment: February 13, 1890
– Headquarters: Kolkata
– It is the country’s top-level classification research organization, functioning under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India.
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10. Why did ICC (International Cricket Council) suspend the Sri Lanka Cricket Board?
a. Government Intervention
b. Poor Performance
c. Match Fixing
d. None of These
Answer: a. Government Intervention
– During the Cricket World Cup 2023, the ICC has suspended the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.
– This decision from the ICC came after a proposal was unanimously passed by the Sri Lankan Parliament on Thursday. The proposal demanded the removal of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.
– The government’s decision was not favored by the ICC.
– According to ICC rules, cricket boards should be operated independently, ensuring that there is no government interference in the board’s functioning, administration, or cricket management.
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11. When is World Science Day for Peace and Development celebrated?
a. 7 November
b. 9 November
c. 10 November
d. 12 November
Answer: c. 10 November
– The objective of this is to highlight the crucial role of science in society and the need to involve people in discussions on emerging scientific issues.
– UNESCO declared this in 2001.
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12. When is National Education Day celebrated?
a. 10 November
b. 11 November
c. 12 November
d. 13 November
Answer: b. 11 November
– On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister of independent India, National Education Day is observed every year on November 11th.
– In the year 1992, he was posthumously honored with India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.
– The Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education) declared this day on September 11, 2008.
