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1. After the attack on international students in Bishkek, the capital of which country, the Indian and Pakistani embassies asked their students to stay indoors?
a. Tajikistan
b. Kyrgyzstan
c. Uzbekistan
d. Turkmenistan
Answer: b. Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
– This is a landlocked country.
– Capital – Bishkek
– President – Sadir Japarov
– Currency – Kyrgyzstani Som
– Population – 70 lakhs
– Neighboring countries – Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China
– According to media reports, on May 17, 2024, a violent mob attacked some hostels of medical universities and private residences in Bishkek.
– Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi students live in these hostels.
– The Indian Embassy and the Ministry of External Affairs have advised Indian students to stay indoors.
– There are reports of Pakistani students being injured in this violent attack. – Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed deep concern over the incident.
– Imran Khan’s party, PTI, has stated that thousands of Pakistani students are being attacked in Kyrgyzstan. The party has posted several videos showing a mob walking and running on the streets at night.
How the Violence Erupted in Bishkek
– According to media reports, on May 13, a fight broke out between Kyrgyz and Egyptian students.
– The situation escalated after a video of the altercation went viral online.
– Later, the blame was wrongly placed on Pakistanis, which angered the local population.
– On social media, students reported that locals were attacking with guns and sticks. Their hostels were vandalized, and stones were thrown at windows.
– Following this, a mob attacked the hostels of medical universities and private residences.
– Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi students live in these hostels.
How many Indian students are in Kyrgyzstan
– According to the Ministry of External Affairs, approximately 14,500 Indian students live in Kyrgyzstan.
Indian Embassy Issued Advisory
– Amid reports of large-scale mob violence targeting international students in the capital Bishkek, the Indian mission in Kyrgyzstan has advised its citizens to “stay indoors for now.”
– The Indian Embassy stated on X (Twitter): “We are in contact with our students. The situation is currently calm, but students are advised to stay indoors for now and contact the embassy if they have any issues.”
What did S. Jaishankar say?
– External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said he is monitoring the safety of Indian students in Bishkek. “The situation is reportedly calm now. Students are strongly advised to remain in regular contact with the embassy.”
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2. France imposed a state of emergency in New Caledonia, an island under its control, after violent demonstrations in May 2024. It is located in which ocean?
a. Atlantic Ocean
b. Indian Ocean
c. Arctic Ocean
d. Pacific Ocean
Answer: d. Pacific Ocean
What is the case?
– In May 2024, France passed a bill amending voting rules in New Caledonia.
– Its aim is to grant voting rights to French residents who have been living in New Caledonia for more than 10 years.
– This has sparked outrage among the original inhabitants (‘Kanak’ indigenous people) here.
– France has had control of this island for 171 years. So far, 5 people have died in the riots and 64 are injured.
– Protesters say they now want to separate from France.
About New Caledonia
– It is one of the 13 French territories outside Europe.
– Capital : Nouméa
– President : Emmanuel Macron (President of France)
– President of the local government : Louis Mapou
– Seats in the French Parliament : 2 in the Senate and 2 in the National Assembly
– Currency : CFP Franc
– Population : 271,000 (as per the 2019 census)
– Countries near the maritime border : Vanuatu, Fiji, Australia
Geography
– New Caledonia is located approximately 1,500 kilometers east of Australia.
– New Caledonia was once part of Zealandia. It is estimated that New Caledonia separated from Australia around 66 million years ago and later moved to its current position in the northeast direction around 50 million years ago.
In 1853, France seized control.
– Western colonial interest in the island began with the arrival of British explorer James Cook in 1774. Initially, the British utilized it for trade. During this period, French navigators also arrived here.
– After conflicts with Britain, France took control of it in 1853. Today, it remains under French control.
– France initially used it as a penal colony to exile its convicts, similar to how neighboring Australia was utilized by the British.
The population of the local people is now just 41.2%.
– Indigenous groups, especially the Melanesian Kanak people, have been residing in it for thousands of years. Due to European settlers, the population of Kanak people has now reduced to just 41.2%.
Residence here are French citizens.
– In 1946, New Caledonia officially became a French overseas territory.
– By 1953, all New Caledonians were granted French citizenship.
– They vote for the President of France and have the right to vote in European Parliament elections.
– Three referendums on independence from France have been held here (in 2018, 2020, and 2021), but each time the majority voted in favor of France.
– In 1998, a Nouméa Accord was signed between France and New Caledonia to grant limited autonomy to the island.
Emergency declared in New Caledonia.
– France declared a state of emergency there for at least the next 12 days on May 15, 2024.
– A recent bill was passed in the French Parliament aimed at granting voting rights to French residents who have been living in New Caledonia for more than 10 years.
– This sparked outrage among other indigenous inhabitants. However, the bill was passed on Wednesday, and now awaits presidential approval.
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3. Which state’s former Governor Dr. Kamla Beniwal passed away on 15 May 2024?
a. Gujarat
b. Tripura
c. Mizoram
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above (Gujarat, Tripura and Mizoram)
– Dr. Kamla Beniwal was 97 years old.
– Originally from Rajasthan.
– She was born on January 12, 1927, in the Gaurir village of Jhunjhunu district.
– At the age of 11 during the independence movement, Kamla participated in the “Quit India” movement.
– At the age of 27, Kamla Beniwal became the first female minister of Rajasthan.
– Later, she became the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan. She was a Congress leader.
– Dr. Kamla Beniwal had also served as the Governor of Gujarat, Tripura, and Mizoram.
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4. Which Indian company launched UPI facility in Sri Lanka in May 2024?
a. PhonePe
b. Paytm
c. Google Pay
d. Amazon Pay
Answer: a. PhonePe
– On May 15, 2024, the Indian digital payment platform company PhonePe launched the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) facility in Sri Lanka.
– For this, PhonePe has signed a deal with the Sri Lankan company LankaPay.
– Now users in Sri Lanka can also use PhonePe.
– In Sri Lanka, tourists can make payments through PhonePe by scanning LankaPay’s QR code.
– The amount will be deducted in Indian rupees based on the exchange rate.
– PhonePe was launched in India in August 2016.
– There are more than 520 million users of PhonePe in the country.
– PhonePe has registered approximately 38 million merchant customers.
Sri Lanka:
– Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (Legislative), Colombo (Executive and Judicial)
– President: Ranil Wickremesinghe
– Prime Minister: Dinesh Gunawardena
– Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee
– Population: 22 million
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5. When is International Museum Day celebrated?
a. 16 May
b. 17 May
c. 18 May
d. 19 May
Answer: c. 18 May
Theme 2024
– Museums for Education and Research
– The proclamation of this day was made by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in 1977.
– This day is celebrated to highlight the significance of museums in any culture.
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6. When is the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia observed?
a. 17 May
b. 18 May
c. 19 May
d. 20 May
Answer: a. 17 May
– International programs are coordinated with the aim of increasing awareness about LGBT rights and inspiring interest in LGBT rights work worldwide.
LGBT – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
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7. In which case did the Supreme Court decide that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) must seek the court’s permission before arresting the accused?
a. Money laundering
b. Sexual abuse
c. Corruption
d. Liquor scam
Answer: a. Money laundering (PMLA ACT)
– This Supreme Court order came on May 16, 2024.
– A bench comprising Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan passed this order on an appeal against the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had dismissed the pre-arrest bail plea of the accused.
– The court stated that if a money laundering case has reached the Special Court, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) cannot arrest the accused under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
– The Supreme Court had granted interim bail to the accused in January 2023.
– This case is related to a land scam, where some revenue officers were implicated in money laundering.
– The bench remarked that appearing in court summons does not imply that the accused is under arrest.
– The agency will have to apply for custody in the relevant court after the summon.
Comments on ED arrest
– If the accused of money laundering appears in court after receiving summons, there is no need for them to apply for bail. In such a case, the conditions of bail under Section 45 of the PMLA are also not applicable.
– After the court summons, if the accused appears, the ED will have to file an application in the Special Court for their remand.
– The agency will be granted custody by the court only when it is satisfied that interrogation is necessary during custody.
Section 19 of the PMLA:
– Section 19 states that if the Enforcement Directorate (ED) suspects the involvement of any accused in a crime, it can arrest them.
– However, the recent court ruling implies that during the investigation, the accused cannot be arrested when ED has filed a complaint against them.
– At that time, officers cannot use the special powers granted under Section 19 of the PMLA.
Conditions for Bail under PMLA:
– If an accused under money laundering appeals for bail, certain conditions apply.
– The court will listen to the arguments of the government lawyer, and when satisfied that the person is not guilty and will not commit a similar offense if released, bail can be granted.
– In November 2017, the Supreme Court invalidated Section 45(1) of the PMLA because it imposed two additional conditions for bail for the accused under money laundering.
– The central government had amended the PMLA Act to retain these provisions.
In the previous hearing, the Supreme Court had raised a question.
– The previous hearing on this matter took place on April 30th.
– At that time, the Supreme Court had questioned whether if the court summons an accused under the PMLA, can they apply for bail under the CrPC?
– On April 30th, the court had reserved its decision.
– Which was then pronounced on May 16, 2024.
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8. Who was elected the new President of Supreme Court Bar Association?
a. Rajendra Verma
b. Rupesh Baghel
c. Kapil Sibal
d. Rohit Sharma
Answer: c. Kapil Sibal
– He was chosen in place of senior advocate Adish C. Aggarwala.
– Kapil Sibal has been elected as the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association for the fourth time.
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9. Which litterateur was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in the year 2024?
a. Ruskin Bond
b. Jyoti Sinha
c. Viplab Verma
d. Rakesh Maria
Answer: a. Ruskin Bond
– He is a renowned English author.
– In a statement, the Academy mentioned that the President of the Literature Academy, Madhav Kaushik, and Secretary Srinivasarav handed over a plaque to Bond at his residence.
– He has received several awards. He was honored with the Indian Literature Academy Award in 1993. He was also conferred with the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2014.
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10. Aditya L1 sent video of Surya.
– The Aditya L1 mission is India’s first mission to the Sun.
– It was launched by ISRO on September 2nd.
– It is approximately 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth.
– Aditya L1 captured the largest storm on the Sun in May 2024, the video of which was shared by ISRO on social media.
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