Current Affairs - Miscellaneous

Cyclonic storm 'Midhili' is currently affecting the Northeast Bay of Bengal, leading to alerts and disruptions in the region.

Pablo Picasso's renowned painting "Femme à la montre" ("Woman with a Watch") set a record by selling for $139 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York on November 8, 2023. This makes it the second most expensive Picasso painting ever auctioned and the highest-priced artwork sold at auction in the current year.

The Supreme Court has directed the formation of Special Benches to monitor and expedite the criminal trials of MPs and MLAs, expressing concern about the delay in disposal eroding public confidence in the justice system.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first vaccine for chikungunya on November 10, 2023. The vaccine, called VLA1553, was developed by Valneva Austria, a subsidiary of the French company Valneva. The vaccine is intended for adults 18 years of age and older who are at increased risk of exposure to chikungunya. This includes people who live in or travel to areas where the virus is common, as well as people who work with chikungunya-infected animals.

The Supreme Court's recent clarification indicates that the ban on barium and prohibited chemicals in firecrackers, initially issued in 2021, applies not only to the National Capital Region but to the entire country.