This is the current affairs of 24 May 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 became the youngest Indian mountaineer to successfully climb Mount Everest?
a. Jyoshana sabar
b. Baburam Hembrom
c. Pooja Verma
d. Kaamya Karthikeyan
Answer: d. Kaamya Karthikeyan
– She is the daughter of Navy officer Commander S. Kartikeyan and is a student of the 12th grade at Navy Children School in Mumbai.
– She is 16 years old.
– Kamya and her father, Commander S. Kartikeyan, successfully climbed Mount Everest (8,849 meters or 29,032 feet) on May 20.
– The Indian Navy said that Kamya Kartikeyan successfully climbed Mount Everest, becoming the youngest Indian mountaineer to reach the world’s highest peak.
– According to the Navy’s statement, “After this achievement, she has become the second-youngest girl in the world and the youngest Indian mountaineer to climb the world’s highest peak from the Nepal side.”
– Along with this, Kamya has completed her mission of scaling the highest peaks of all seven continents, fulfilling her goal of six-milestones.
– Now her goal is to climb Mount Vinson Massif in Antarctica this December, so that she can become the youngest girl to complete the ‘7 Summits Challenge’.
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2. Who became the oldest Indian woman to conquer Mount Everest?
a. Jyoti Ratre
b. Arunima Chaudhary
c. Soni Kumari
d. Ashalata Sinha
Answer: a. Jyoti Ratre
– She is 55 years old.
– Jyoti Ratrey reached the world’s highest mountain peak, Mount Everest, on May 19, 2024.
– She became the oldest Indian woman to achieve this feat.
– In her second attempt, she reached the summit of Mount Everest, setting a new record.
– Previously, in 2023, due to bad weather, she had to return from an altitude of 8,160 meters.
– Jyoti is from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and is an entrepreneur.
– She broke the six-year-old record of 53-year-old Sangita Bahal.
– Sangita Bahal had become the oldest woman in India to climb Mount Everest on May 19, 2018.
– Jyoti Ratrey has conquered the highest peaks of five continents, including Island Peak, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, Mount Aconcagua, and Kosciuszko.
– Her goal is to climb Mount Vinson in Antarctica and Denali in North America, also known as Mount McKinley.
Tamae The Oldest Woman in the World
– The oldest woman in the world to climb Everest is 73-year-old Tamae Watanabe from Japan.
– The oldest person to climb Everest is also from Japan, Yuichiro Miura, who achieved this feat at the age of 80.
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3. Who broke his own record and created a new record of climbing Mount Everest for the 30th time?
a. Kami Rita Sherpa
b. Ang Rita Sherpa
c. Lhakpa Sherpa
d. Shubham Dhananjay
Answer: a. Kami Rita Sherpa
– Renowned mountaineer and Everest man Kamirita Sherpa completed her record 30th ascent of Mount Everest on May 22, 2024, also breaking her previous record.
– This marks her second ascent to the world’s highest peak (8,849 meters or 29,032 feet) in the month of May alone.
– Previously, she ascended Mount Everest for the 29th time on May 12, guiding foreign climbers.
– Speaking about the Everest campaign organized by Seven Summits Treks, Mingma Sherpa said that Kamirita Sherpa will not attempt any further ascents this time.
– She had also climbed Mount Everest twice last year.
Kamirita Sherpa:
– Born on January 17, 1970, she has had a deep passion for climbing since a young age and has been climbing mountains for more than two decades.
– Rita first ascended Mount Everest on May 13, 1994.
– Besides Mount Everest, Rita has also conquered Mount Godwin-Austen (K2), Mount Lhotse, Mount Manaslu, and Mount Cho Oyu.
Pasang also has a record in his name
– In addition to Kami Rita, another Nepali Sherpa, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, also holds the record for the most ascents of Everest.
– Pasang has been climbing Everest since 1998 and has climbed Everest 27 times so far.
Sherpa a caste of snowy areas
– Sherpa is a caste of the snowy areas of the Himalayas.
– Their main habitat is the Himalayan region falling in the part of Nepal.
– However, they are also found in the regions of India and Tibet.
– The word “Sherpa” is derived from the Tibetan language, where “Sher” means “east” and “pa” means “people,” translating to “people of the east.”
– Sherpas are skilled in climbing high mountains, so they mainly work as guides for mount trekkers and carry their equipment.
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4. Which European country became the 99th member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA)?
a. Liberia
b. Mali
c. Niger
d. Spain
Answer: d. Spain
– This information was provided by the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randeep Jayaswal, on May 22, 2024.
– India is the host country of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Its headquarters are located in Gurugram, Haryana.
ISA Members:
– So far, 119 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement.
– 99 countries have ratified and submitted the necessary International Solar Alliance support documents to become full members.
What is International Solar Alliance?
– The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization aimed at bringing about changes in the field of solar energy. Its headquarters is located in Gurugram, Haryana.
– The ISA was established on November 30, 2015, in Paris by India and France.
– Initially, countries located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn were eligible to become members of the International Solar Alliance.
– Later, amendments were made to the ISA Framework Agreement, under which now all member states of the United Nations can become its members.
The objectives of ISA are:
– To work towards efficient utilization of solar energy.
– To reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
– To make energy access convenient.
– To ensure energy security.
– To promote energy transition.
– To promote solar energy for an environmentally sustainable future.
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5. Which Indian-origin scientist has been selected for America’s prestigious Shaw Prize for Astronomy for 2024?
a. Srinivas R Kulkarni
b. MK Venu Bappu
c. Nicholas Kaprinikos
d. Pihu Mohanty
Answer: a. Srinivas R Kulkarni
– Indian-origin astrophysicist Professor Srinivas R. Kulkarni will be honored with the prestigious Shaw Prize by America.
– The award ceremony will be held in Hong Kong on November 12, 2024.
– The Shaw Foundation announced the winners of the 2024 Shaw Prizes on May 21.
Professor Kulkarni’s Research:
– Professor Kulkarni has discovered millisecond pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and other celestial bodies.
– This award is being given for this discovery.
Srinivas R. Kulkarni is a professor of physics, mathematics, and astronomy at the California Institute of Technology.
– He completed his MS from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in 1978.
– He received his Ph.D. from the University of California in 1983.
– He also served as the director of the Caltech Optical Observatories from 2006 to 2018.
Shaw Award is given to
– The Shaw Prize is awarded for outstanding discoveries in the fields of astronomy, life sciences (biology), medical science, and mathematical sciences.
– Recipients of this award are given a prize of 1.2 million dollars.
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6. Who became the new President of Taiwan?
a. KMT Se Hou
b. Wen- J
c. Lai Ching-te
d. Sai ing-wen
Answer: c. Lai Ching-te (64 years old) [also known as William Lai.]
– On May 20, 2024, Lai Ching-te took the oath of office as President.
– He won the presidential election in January 2024.
– Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party (DTP) are considered staunch opponents of China.
– With this victory, the Democratic Progressive Party began its third term in office.
– On May 20, Lai Ching-te urged in his speech to cease military threats from China and maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait.
– Beijing has repeatedly claimed Taiwan as its territory and continues to intimidate this island nation with its military power.
China Declares Lai Ching-te as Separatist
– William Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party dismisses China’s territorial claims.
– This is why China declared Lai Ching-te as a separatist before the elections.
– China allegedly warned the people of Taiwan that they must choose the right option if they want to avoid military conflict.
Taiwan
– Official Name: Republic of China (ROC)
– President: Tsai Ing-wen
– Newly Elected President: Lai Ching-te
– Currency: New Taiwan Dollar
– Population: 29 million
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7. With the aim of ‘punishing’, China started military exercises by encircling which of its neighboring countries in May 2024?
a. Japan
b. Vietnam
c. Philippines
d. Taiwan
Answer: d. Taiwan
– After Taiwan’s anti-China leader William Lai Ching-te took the oath as president, China conducted a two-day military exercise surrounding Taiwan on May 23, 2024.
– China is conducting significant military exercises against Taiwan.
– Until now, it had only imposed economic sanctions on Taiwan.
– In fact, before the presidential elections held in Taiwan earlier this year in January, China had labeled candidate Lai Ching-te as a separatist. Taiwanese citizens were warned to choose the right option if they wanted to avoid military conflict.
– However, despite China’s threat, anti-China leader Lai Ching-te won in Taiwan.
– After his oath, Colonel Li Shi, spokesman for the Chinese military, had stated that the Taiwanese would face consequences for their choice.
What is the China-Taiwan dispute and why?
– Taiwan’s official name is the Republic of China (ROC), while China is officially known as the People’s Republic of China.
– Initially, Taiwan was part of China, where two main political parties existed – the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang Party.
– The Kuomintang Party had control over a significant portion of China.
– Both parties were in conflict with each other, leading to a civil war in China (1927 – 1949).
The Communist Party gained control over a large part of China by the end of the civil war.
– At that time, the leader of the Communist Party was Mao Zedong.
– The Kuomintang Party had to flee, eventually reaching Taiwan.
– The leader of the Kuomintang Party was Chiang Kai-shek.
– At that time, the naval power of the Communists was minimal, so Mao’s army couldn’t establish control over Taiwan by crossing the sea.
– Subsequently, Taiwan declared itself a separate country from China. Chang Kai-shek became its first president.
– China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, asserting that it is part of China.
– However, Taiwan considers itself a separate country.
– Xi Jinping clarified in 2019 that Taiwan would be integrated into China under the principle of ‘One Country, Two Systems’. Taiwan rejects this and seeks full independence and sovereignty.
Most countries including India do not have diplomatic relations
– Most countries, including India, do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan primarily due to pressure from China.
– Instead of embassies, Taiwan establishes “Taipei Economic and Cultural Centers” in most countries. These centers are present in several major cities across India, alongside the capital city of Delhi.
China in the United Nations:
– Following the Second World War, Chiang Kai-shek of China signed the United Nations Charter in 1945.
– During this time, China was also included as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
– In 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan with his 2 million supporters, Taiwan officially represented China in the United Nations.
– However, during the Vietnam War, when American soldiers were heavily engaged, the present-day China was recognized by the United Nations in 1971.
– Since China and the Soviet Union were supporting a faction in Vietnam and were skilled in guerrilla warfare, the situation became unfavorable for America.
– It is believed that under a deal, America supported China, and in 1971, the present-day China replaced Taiwan in the United Nations, becoming the recognized China and a permanent member of the Security Council.
– During this time, the then American President Richard Nixon visited China.
– In a few years, America reestablished relations with China and severed its diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
– Then an agreement was reached between China and America on the One China policy, where America acknowledged that Taiwan is a part of China.
– Despite China’s objections, America continued to supply arms to Taiwan.
– America has also supported the One China policy for decades but has an ambiguous policy regarding the Taiwan issue.
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8. Dr. Paul Parkman passed away, he played a major role in identifying which virus and making the vaccine?
a. N1 H1
b. SARS-CoV-2
c. Rubella
d. DENV-1
Answer: c. Rubella
– Dr. Paul passed away on May 7, 2024, at his home in Auburn, New York.
– His research played a significant role in identifying the rubella virus and developing a vaccine.
– Because of this, the epidemic of this disease has been prevented in the United States (USA) for over 50 years.
– Paul Douglas Parkman was born on May 29, 1932, in the city of Auburn, USA.
About Rubella:
– Rubella is also called German measles because it was classified by German scientists in the 19th century.
– This disease is characterized by spotted and itchy red rashes. During pregnancy, it can cause physical and mental harm to the baby and can also lead to miscarriage and stillbirth.
– In 1964 and 1965, rubella was an epidemic that spread every six to nine years, causing 11,000 women to have miscarriages.
– In 2015, the disease was declared eliminated in the United States.
– However, the virus has not yet been eradicated in Africa or Southeast Asia.
Rubella was identified in 1960:
– The rubella virus was identified in 1960 by Parkman and his colleagues, along with a team of researchers from Harvard University led by Thomas H. Weller.
– In 1966, Parkman, Dr. Harry M. Meyer Jr., and their colleagues, including Maurice R. Hilleman at the National Institutes of Health, announced that they had developed a vaccine to prevent rubella.
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9. Which team became the champion of the English Premier League (EPL) for the fourth consecutive time?
a. West Ham United
b. Manchester City
c. Leicester City
d. Liverpool
Answer: b. Manchester City
– Manchester City defeated West Ham United 3-1 to claim the trophy.
– They became the first team in English top-flight history to achieve this feat.
– They made this history on May 19, 2024.
This team has won the EPL trophy a total of 8 times.
– They are the first team to win the EPL trophy four times in a row.
– The final match took place at the Etihad Stadium in England.
English Premier League (EPL):
– The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs.
– It is the country’s primary football competition, sitting at the top of the English football league system.
– The league was founded in 1992.
It consists of 20 club teams from England.
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