This is the current affairs of 12 June 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Who has been appointed as the new Army Chief by the Central Government?
a. Upendra Dwivedi
b. Rakesh Maria
c. DK Tripathi
d. Manoj Yadav
Answer: a. Upendra Dwivedi
– The central government announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi as the next Army Chief on June 11, 2023.
– He will take over from General Manoj Pande on June 30.
– General Manoj Pande was supposed to retire on May 31, but the central government had given him a one-month extension of service.
– The Army Chief retires after completing three years of appointment or upon reaching the age of 62, whichever comes first.
About Upendra Dwivedi
– He was born on July 1, 1964.
– He was commissioned into the Infantry (Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) of the Army on December 15, 1984.
– Like the Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. – Tripathi, he is also an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa.
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2. Which country has been added by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General to the global blacklist of criminals committing crimes against children?
a. Palestine
b. Afghanistan
c. Israel
d. Yemen
Answer: c. Israel
– The United Nations (UN) has held both Israel and Hamas responsible for the killing of children in Gaza.
– UN Secretary-General António Guterres has taken this step to punish the crimes committed against children.
– António Guterres will include both in the blacklist in the annual report to be submitted to the Security Council. He has provided this information.
– António Guterres is also set to present a report on children and armed conflict to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on June 14.
– This report includes six violations: killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, recruitment and use of children, denial of humanitarian access, and attacks on schools and hospitals.
– In fact, the UN Secretary-General sends the list to the Security Council, and then the council can decide whether to take action or not.
– The Secretary-General creates a global list of such countries and militias every year.
– This list includes entities from Myanmar’s Kachin Independence Army to Russia during the war with Ukraine.
Israel’s Opposition
– However, Israel’s United Nations envoy Gilad Erdan called António Guterres’ decision shameful.
– Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that this decision will impact Israel’s relations with the United Nations.
– In a report released by the United Nations in May, it was stated that at least 7,797 children were killed in Gaza during the eight-month-long conflict.
– According to Gaza’s health ministry, a total of approximately 15,500 children have been killed.
– According to Israel’s National Child Council, 38 children were killed in the Hamas attack on October 7. Among the 250 people taken hostage, 42 were children.
– Except for two children, all have been released.
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3. Which country proposed a ceasefire to stop the Israel-Hamas war, which was passed in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)?
a. America
b. India
c. China
d. Canada
Answer: a. America
– After nearly 8 months of war and 37,000 deaths, on June 10, 2024, the proposal to end the Israel-Hamas conflict was passed in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
– This proposal was presented by the United States.
– In the voting, 14 out of 15 countries voted in favor, while Russia, which holds veto power, abstained from the proposal.
– U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated that if Hamas agrees to the Security Council’s agreement, the fighting could stop today.
Three Phases to End the War
– The ceasefire proposal outlines ending the war in three phases.
– In the first phase, there will be a 6-week ceasefire. During this time, some Israeli hostages held by Hamas and some Palestinians imprisoned in Israel will be released.
– In the second phase, the war will be completely halted and the remaining hostages will be released.
– In the final phase, the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip is mentioned.
Netanyahu Says – The War Won’t Stop Until Hamas is Defeated
– The United States says that Israel has accepted the proposal.
– However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to stop the war.
– On the other hand, Hamas has welcomed the proposal passed in the UNSC.
– Now, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is trying to persuade Israel.
U.S. Active
– To achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on a tour of Israel and Middle Eastern countries.
– He met with PM Netanyahu and emphasized that the ceasefire would allow all Israeli hostages to return home without difficulty.
– Additionally, humanitarian aid could be delivered to Gaza.
Before This, the U.S. Had Vetoed Three Times
– In March and April 2024, a ceasefire proposal was passed in the UNSC citing the humanitarian crisis.
– The U.S. had vetoed these proposals three times in the UNSC.
– But this time, the U.S. created its own ceasefire plan, and it was passed in the UNSC.
War Has Been Ongoing Since October 7
– On the morning of October 7, Hamas fired about 5,000 rockets at Israeli cities, which led to the ongoing conflict between both sides.
– Israel has termed this attack a terrorist attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that they would not agree to a ceasefire until Hamas is completely eliminated.
– According to Gaza health officials, more than 36,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks. Additionally, over 80,000 people have been injured.
– Most of these are women and children.
80% of the population has been displaced, and hundreds of thousands of people are on the brink of starvation.
Will the War Stop with the Passage of the Proposal?
– UNSC proposals are considered international law. Member countries are required to adhere to them.
– However, Israel is not a permanent or temporary member of the UNSC. Thus, it is not obliged to accept this proposal.
– Even if a proposal is passed in the Security Council, there is no means to enforce it.
– Yes, it is possible that with the consent of the member countries, several sanctions can be imposed on Israel.
– The first proposal to stop the Israel-Hamas war was presented by Malta in November 2023.
– The second time, the UAE presented a proposal in December 2023, and the third time, North African country Algeria presented a proposal in February 2024.
– The U.S. rejected all three proposals.
UNSC’s Role
– The UNSC is responsible for international peace and security.
– For this, the UNSC can resort to imposing sanctions and using force.
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4. When is the World Day Against Child Labour celebrated?
a. 11 June
b. 12 June
c. 13 June
d. 14 June
Answer: b. 12 June
Theme 2024
– Let’s act on our commitments: End Child Labour!
– This day is declared by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
– Child labor deprives children of education and opportunities and hinders them from achieving a good income and stable employment as adults.
– Child labor robs children of their innocence, their rights, and a normal childhood because they are forced to work under harsh conditions and often suffer trauma.
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5. When is International Albinism Awareness Day observed?
a. 11 June
b. 12 June
c. 13 June
d. 14 June
Answer: c. 13 June
Theme 2024
– 10 years of IAAD (International Albinism Awareness Day): A decade of collective progress
What is Albinism?
– It is a rare and hereditary disease.
A person suffering from this condition has partial or complete lack of melanin pigment in their skin, hair, and eyes.
– Albinism can affect individuals of any gender or race.
– There is no cure for it.
– Due to the lack of melanin in the skin, affected individuals may suffer from sunburn and skin cancer.
– People affected by albinism have white patches on their skin, or sometimes their entire skin becomes white.
– As a result, people with albinism often face various forms of discrimination.
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6. RBI did not change the repo rate in the bi-monthly monetary policy review (June 2024), what is this repo rate?
a. 5.5%
b. 5.8%
c. 6.2%
d. 6.5%
Answer: d. 6.5%
– The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI decided not to change the repo rate on June 7, 2024.
– The RBI’s MPC has kept the repo rate unchanged in the previous seven meetings of the Monetary Policy Committee. This is the eighth consecutive time it remains unchanged.
– Governor Shaktikanta Das stated that this decision was made because inflation is under control.
What is the Repo Rate?
– In simple terms, just like banks lend us money and we have to pay interest on that loan.
– Similarly, banks also need a substantial amount of money for their day-to-day operations, and they borrow it from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
– The rate at which the Reserve Bank collects interest from banks on this loan is called the repo rate.
Impact of Repo Rate on the Common Man:
– The repo rate is a powerful tool for the RBI to combat inflation.
– When inflation is very high, the RBI tries to reduce money flow in the economy by increasing the repo rate.
– If banks have access to loans at lower interest rates, meaning the repo rate is low, they can offer cheaper loans to their customers.
– And if the Reserve Bank raises the repo rate, borrowing for banks becomes expensive, and they will charge higher interest rates for their customers.
Reverse Repo Rate:
– This is the opposite of the repo rate.
When banks have a large amount of money left after their daily operations, they deposit that amount with the Reserve Bank.
– The Reserve Bank pays them interest on this amount.
– The rate at which the Reserve Bank pays interest on this amount is called the reverse repo rate.
– Chairperson of the Monetary Policy Committee – Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Shaktikanta Das.
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7. Name the first person to spend 1000 days in space, who is a Russian cosmonaut?
a. Frank Rubio
b. Oleg Kononenko
c. Yelena Kondakova
d. Yelena Serova
Answer: b. Oleg Kononenko
– The Russian space agency Roscosmos announced on June 5, 2024, that 59-year-old Oleg Kononenko has become the first person to spend 1,000 days in space.
– He achieved this milestone on June 4, 2024.
– He has undertaken five international space station missions from 2008 until now.
– It was during this fifth mission that he achieved this feat, which began on September 15, 2023.
Note: Oleg Kononenko was born on June 21, 1964, in Turkmenistan.
When will the journey be completed?
– According to some news reports, his journey will be completed on September 23, 2024, by which time he will have spent 1,110 days in space.
Note:
– According to NASA, Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams has spent a total of 322 days in space.
– She embarked on her first mission in 2006 and her second in 2012.
– She is of Indian origin and is 58 years old.
What is a Cosmonaut?
– Russians refer to those who travel in space as “cosmonauts,” while Americans call them “astronauts.” In India, an Indian space traveler would be referred to as a “vyomanaut.”
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8. Name the first Indian to win in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)?
a. Bhavana Nigam
b. Sony Agarwal
c. Puja Tomar
d. Kalpana Yadav
Answer: c. Puja Tomar (30 years old)
– Pooja Tomar defeated Brazil’s Rayane Dos Santos in the 52 kg weight category.
– She became the first mixed martial arts fighter from the winning nation in the UFC.
– She achieved this feat in June 2024.
UFC Representation for India:
– Last year, in 2023, she signed a contract with the UFC, becoming the first Indian woman to compete in the premier mixed martial arts promotion.
– Anshul Jubli and Bharat Kandare have represented India on the global stage in the UFC.
Pooja Tomar:
– She hails from the Budhana village in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.
– She is also known by the name ‘Cyclone.’
– She is a five-time national Wushu champion.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC):
– The Ultimate Fighting Championship is an American mixed martial arts promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
– It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings.
– It is the largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion in the world as of 2023.
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9. A unique, amazing blue ant species has been discovered in the ‘biodiversity hotspot’ Siang Valley of which state?
a. Himachal Pradesh
b. Arunachal Pradesh
c. Uttarakhand
d. Odisha
Answer: b. Arunachal Pradesh
– Indian researchers discovered this finding in June 2024 in the ‘biodiversity hotspot’ Siang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh.
– In this discovery, they found a distinct, remarkable blue-colored ant, which was different from common ants.
– Its name: Paraparatrechina neela.
– This discovery showcases the first new species of Paraparatrechina in 121 years since the description of the known species, P. seta (Forel, 1902), in the Indian subcontinent.
Meaning of Biodiversity Hotspot:
– A biodiversity hotspot is a place where there is a high diversity of various organisms, plants, and small creatures.
Paraparatrechina Neela (Blue Ant):
– According to researchers, Paraparatrechina neela is a small ant.
– Its length is less than two millimeters.
– Its body is mainly of metallic blue color.
– Except for antennae, mandibles, and legs.
– The ant’s head is triangular with large eyes.
– Its mouthparts (mandibles) are triangular with five teeth.
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10. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in which country did the first death in the world occur due to the bird flu virus called H5N2?
a. Mexico
b. Indonesia
c. Japan
d. Malaysia
Answer: a. Mexico
– A case of death due to bird flu has been reported in Mexico, as informed by the World Health Organization (WHO) on June 5, 2024.
– The deceased person fell victim to avian influenza A (H5N2), considered the most dangerous virus of bird flu.
– Prior to this, human infection with this virus was not detected.
– However, WHO also stated that currently the risk of H5N2 virus to people is quite low, yet caution should be exercised.
WHO Report
– According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), a 59-year-old Mexican man died from bird flu in a hospital in Mexico City.
– On April 17, 2024, the man started experiencing symptoms such as fever, difficulty breathing, and diarrhea.
– His condition deteriorated gradually, and he was admitted to the hospital on April 24. – However, he passed away on the same day.
– Doctors stated that the individual already had several medical conditions, including kidney failure, but he had not been in contact with poultry or other animals.
– Therefore, it is unclear how he contracted bird flu.
– The Mexican government does not know where the deceased person came into contact with the bird flu virus.
– However, a strain of avian influenza has been reported in poultry in the Mexican state where the individual lived.
– WHO has stated that the risk to people from the H5N2 virus is currently low, and no other cases of infection with this virus have been reported after testing.
– WHO was informed about the presence of the bird flu virus in the deceased person’s sample on May 23, 2024.
Poultry farms in India were put on alert
– Recently, cases of bird flu spreading were reported in the capital city of Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
– The administration had culled 920 birds and destroyed 4300 eggs.
– Additionally, the poultry farms in the state were put on alert.
– Previously, instances of bird flu infections in animals and birds have been encountered several times in India.
– However, so far, there have been no reported cases of humans being infected.
– ccording to the WHO, people working in poultry and those in contact with animals and birds should remain vigilant.
– Such individuals are at the highest risk of bird flu infection.
– Mexico City: Capital of Mexico
– Language: Spanish
– Currency: Mexican Peso
– Population: 127.5 million (2022)
– President: Claudia Sheinbaum
– Prime Minister: Enrique Pena Nieto
– Neighboring countries: The United States to the north and Guatemala and Belize to the south.
– Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea to the east.
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