This is the current affairs of 28 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. Name the Chairman of DRDO, whose tenure has been extended by the Central Government till 31 May 2025?
a. Manoj Pandey
b. Rajeev Gauba
c. Sameer V Kamat
d. Ajay Kumar Bhalla
Answer: c. Sameer V Kamat
– The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet made this decision on May 27, 2025.
– Dr. Sameer V. Kamat is the Chairman of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) as well as the Secretary of the Department of Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence.
– Dr. Kamat was appointed to this position in August 2022.
Note – A day before this decision by the government, Army Chief General Manoj Pande was given a one-month service extension until June 30, 2024.
About DRDO
– Established: 1958
– Headquarters: DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi
DRDO plays a significant role in making India self-reliant in the defence sector.
– India domestically produces only 45% to 50% of its defence products for its use, and the rest is imported.
– The mission of DRDO is to develop and produce state-of-the-art weapon systems, equipment, and sensors for the Indian Armed Forces.
– The goal of DRDO is also to help India achieve self-reliance in critical defence technology and systems and to provide technological solutions to optimize combat effectiveness.
– This organization has developed many weapons and systems, including the Advanced Light Helicopter, missiles (Prithvi, Agni), Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, and radar systems.
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2. In which country, two thousand people were buried in a landslide in May 2024, information about which it itself informed the United Nations?
a. Netherlands
b. Australia
c. Papua New Guinea
d. Indonesia
Answer: c. Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
– It is an independent nation located in the Pacific Ocean region near Indonesia. It is a group of islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean region.
– Capital: Port Moresby
– Prime Minister: James Marape
– Population: 6 million
– Languages: English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
– Currency: Kina
– Neighboring countries: Indonesia, Australia, and the Solomon Islands.
Where the landslide occurred
– The landslide occurred in the Kao Klam village of Papua New Guinea on May 24, 2024.
– The landslide continued for more than four days.
– The government of this country informed the United Nations (UN) on May 26, 2024, that more than two thousand people were buried in the landslide.
An earthquake occurred a day earlier
– Earthquake tremors were also felt in Papua New Guinea before the landslide.
– According to Indian time, the earthquake occurred at 9:49 AM on May 23, 2024.
– Its magnitude was measured at 5.3 on the Richter scale.
Which mountain’s collapse caused the landslide
– A part of Mount Mungalo collapsed, causing debris to fall into the Kao Klam village.
– It was night at that time. The entire village was asleep. They did not get a chance to escape.
– The government of Papua New Guinea has urgently appealed to the UN and international organizations for immediate assistance.
Most damage to agriculture
– According to Papua New Guinea’s Disaster Management Department, the most significant damage has been to agriculture, leading to conditions of starvation.
– The road leading to Kao Klam village is also closed.
– Officials informed the UN that there have been continuous landslides in the area. This has increased the risk to the rescue team and the people present there.
– The army has also been deployed to rescue people.
Rescue team is present at the site
– According to Al Jazeera’s report, the rescue team is currently at the site. However, essential supplies for the search have not yet arrived on time.
– Because the main road is cut off, helicopters are currently the only option to reach the affected area.
– Since the landslide on May 24, 2024, only six bodies have been found by May 27. The UN has stated that the death toll may change.
– In such circumstances, three days after the landslide, a couple, Johnson and Jacqueline Yandam, miraculously emerged alive, which is considered a miracle.
India and Papua New Guinea
– After the G-7 summit in Japan in 2023, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Papua New Guinea.
– There, Prime Minister James Marape himself welcomed him at the airport by touching his feet.
– In 2016, Pranab Mukherjee was the first Indian President to visit Papua New Guinea.
3000 Indians reside
– According to a press note issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on the relations between the two countries, around 3000 Indians live in Papua New Guinea. However, this figure is as of 2020.
– India opened its High Commission in Papua New Guinea in April 1996.
– Ten years later, in 2006, Papua New Guinea also opened its High Commission in India.
India provided COVID-19 vaccines
– When the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak worldwide and major vaccine-producing countries were restricting exports, India provided 131,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Papua New Guinea.
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3. The PM of which neighboring country claimed that an international conspiracy is being hatched to break Bangladesh and Myanmar and create a Christian country like East Timor?
a. Myanmar
b. China
c. Bangladesh
d. Sri Lanka
Answer: c. Bangladesh
– Bangladesh’s PM Sheikh Hasina has claimed that there is a conspiracy to create a country like East Timor by breaking apart certain areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
– She stated that she would never allow this to happen. However, in her statement, PM Hasina did not reveal which countries are behind this plan.
– According to a report by the Bangladeshi website The Daily Star, Sheikh Hasina also claimed that before the election held on January 7, she was offered that if she allowed the establishment of an airbase within her country’s borders, she would be allowed to conduct the election without any problems.
– However, she did not disclose which country made this offer.
– When questioned about the airbase offer, PM Hasina said that a white foreigner came to her with this proposal.
– Sheikh Hasina said that this is why her Awami League government is always in crisis.
PM Hasina said – Conspiracy is being plotted both domestically and internationally
– The Bangladeshi PM said in her address, “They are planning to create a Christian country by taking parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar, similar to East Timor, based in the Bay of Bengal.”
– She said that for centuries, trade activities have been conducted through the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, but now many have their eyes on this area. She said there is no conflict or dispute in this area, and she will never allow such a situation to arise here.
Know about East Timor
– East Timor is also known as Timor-Leste. It is a predominantly Christian country.
– East Timor was a Portuguese colony from the 16th century and remained under Portuguese rule for many centuries.
– In 1975, East Timor gained independence.
However, a few days later, Indonesia occupied it and declared it as its 27th province.
– During this period, Indonesia made significant efforts to crush the independence movement.
– Finally, in 1999, Indonesia agreed to hold a referendum in East Timor.
– Subsequently, in 2002, East Timor became an independent country. It became the first country to gain independence in the 21st century and the newest country in Asia.
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4. Which Indian won the gold medal with a world record in the World Athletics Para Championship 2024 Women’s T-20 400 meters race?
a. Deepthi Jeevanji
b. Deepa Malik
c. Saraswati Saha
d. Tintu Luka
Answer: a. Deepthi Jeevanji
– Where was the World Athletics Para Championship 2024 held – Kobe, Japan
– When was it held – May 2024
Note – Differently-abled athletes participate in the Para Games.
– India’s 20-year-old Deepti broke the world record by finishing the women’s T-20 400 meters final in 55.07 seconds.
– She broke the world record of USA’s Breanna Clark, which was set in the 2023 World Para Championships.
– With this, Deepti also secured a quota for the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Deepti was born with an intellectual disability
– Deepti is a resident of Kalleda village in Warangal district, Andhra Pradesh.
– Her mother, Dhanalakshmi, told the Indian Express that at birth, Deepti’s head was very small, and her lips and nose were slightly unusual.
– Relatives used to call her “pitchi” (mad) and “kothi” (monkey) and suggested sending her to an orphanage.
– Seeing her become a world champion in a distant country today proves that she is indeed a special girl.
– In 2010, PT coach Biyani Venkateshwarlu at the Village Rural Development Foundation School promoted Deepti and enrolled her for training in 100 meters and 200 meters.
– In 2019, at the State Meet held in Khammam, the Sports Authority of India’s coach N. – Ramesh persuaded Deepti’s parents to send her to the SAI center in Hyderabad for training.
– National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand saw Deepti during a training session at the stadium and suggested that she be evaluated at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Secunderabad.
– After a three-day trial, she participated in the Para Nationals in Bhubaneswar and later, with the help of the Gopichand Maitre Foundation, participated in world Paralympic events in Australia and Morocco.
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5. Who became the first Indian gymnast to win a gold medal in the Asian Gymnastic Championships?
a. Rucha Diwekar
b. Kripali Patel
c. Pranati Nayak
d. Dipa Karmakar
Answer: d. Dipa Karmakar
– Where was the championship held – Tashkent, Uzbekistan
– Deepa Karmakar won the gold medal on May 27, 2024, in the Asian Gymnastics Championship 2024.
– She became the first Indian gymnast to win a gold medal in this championship.
– She is 30 years old.
– Despite struggling with injuries, two knee surgeries, and doping allegations, Deepa delivered a fantastic performance.
– This was Deepa’s second medal in the championship. Earlier, she won a bronze medal in Hiroshima in 2015.
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6. Who was elected President of Lithuania for the second time?
a. Andrius Kubilius
b. Darius Petrauskas
c. Ingrida Simonette
d. Gitanas Nauseda
Answer: d. Gitanas Nauseda
Lithuania
– Capital: Vilnius
– Population: 2.83 million (as of 2022)
– Currency: Lithuanian litas
– Language: Lithuanian
– Neighboring countries: Lithuania is bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and Russia to the southwest, including the Kaliningrad Oblast, and surrounded by the Baltic Sea to the west.
– Lithuania, once part of the Soviet Union, became an independent country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Re-elected President
– Gitanas Nauseda was re-elected as the President of Lithuania once again in the elections held on May 26, 2024.
– With this victory, Nauseda will serve as the President of Lithuania for another five years.
– He received 74.43% of the votes in the election, while his rival and the incumbent center-right Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats party’s candidate Ingrida Simonyte secured the second position with 24.06% of the votes.
Ingrida is the Prime Minister
– Ingrida is the Prime Minister of Lithuania.
– She also ran for the presidency in the 2019 elections but was defeated.
Against Baltic States, Pro-Ukraine
– President Gitanas Nauseda is a staunch supporter of Ukraine.
– He believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is continuing a campaign of instability against the Baltic States.
Responsibilities Ahead
– President, Gitanas Nauseda’s responsibilities include leading the armed forces, chairing the Defense and National Security Council, and representing the country at NATO and European Union summits.
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7. When is the International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories observed?
a. 19 to 26 May
b. 22 to 28 May
c. 25 to 31 May
d. 25 to 31 June
Answer: c. 25 to 31 May
– This day is declared by the United Nations.
– The United Nations defines a non-self-governing territory as a place where people have not yet achieved full self-government.
– Regarding non-self-governing territories, the proclamation of the United Nations Charter states that the interests of residents are paramount, and it is the responsibility of administrative authorities to promote their welfare.
– This week encourages nations to support measures that protect the property rights of people in these territories.
– This week sends a message of discouragement to colonialism. In other words, it conveys a message of anti-colonization.
Status of Anti-Colonization Efforts in the UN:
– However, this week has now become merely symbolic.
– The UN itself talks about decolonization in its charter, but there has been no significant update regarding decolonization on its website since 2016. Even the data and maps are only up to 2016.
According to the UN, Non-Self-Governing Territories (as of 2016):
Africa:
– Western Sahara – Was under Spanish control until 1975. Now, most of the territory is administered by the Moroccan government, with tacit support from France and the United States.
Atlantic and Caribbean Countries:
– Angola : UK
– Bermuda : UK
– British Virgin Islands : UK
– Cayman Islands : UK
– Falkland Islands : UK (claimed by Argentina as well)
– US Virgin Islands : USA
Europe:
– Gibraltar : UK
Pacific Area:
– American Samoa : USA
– French Polynesia : France
– Guam : USA
– New Caledonia : France
– Pitcairn : UK
– Tokelau : New Zealand
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8. Which Indian film won the prestigious ‘Grand Prix’ award at the Cannes Film Festival 2024?
a. All We Imagine as Light
b. The Killer Years
c. Car Drama
d. Grand Prix
Answer: a. All We Imagine as Light
– From May 14th to 25th, 2024, several Indian artists won major awards at the Cannes Film Festival, and their work was also praised by critics.
– Indian director Payal Kapadia’s debut feature film, “All We Imagine as Light,” won the prestigious Grand Prix award.
– With this, Payal has become the first Indian filmmaker to win this award (Grand Prix).
– The film premiered in the most prestigious category of Cannes, “Palm d’Or,” on May 23, 2024.
– This Indian film was selected in this category after 30 years.
– Prior to this, in 1994, the film “Swaham” was nominated in this category.
The story revolves around two nurses:
– The story of the film is woven around two nurses from Kerala, Prabha and Anu, who live in Mumbai.
– Both live in the same flat. While Prabha is waiting for her husband to return, Anu falls in love with a Muslim boy named Shiyaz who came to Mumbai from Kerala.
– Both of them also face betrayal from a middle-aged woman. All three are trying to find light in the darkness of these big cities in their own ways.
In 2017 and 2021, Payal’s films were also selected:
– When Payal Kapadia was studying at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, her short film ‘Afternoon Clouds’ was the only Indian film selected in the Cinéfondation segment of the 70th Cannes Film Festival in 2017.
– Subsequently, in 2021, her documentary ‘A Night of Knowing Nothing’ was selected in the Directors’ Fortnight category of the Cannes Film Festival.
– The film also received the Golden Eye Award for Best Documentary at that time.
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9. Which animated film won the third prize of La Cinef at the Cannes Film Festival 2024?
a. Moana
b. Bunnyhood
c. Toy Story
d. Ratatouille
Answer: b. Bunnyhood
– The animated film ‘Banihud’ by Mansi Maheshwari from Meerut has won the third prize (Thard Prize) at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
– This 9-minute film premiered at Cannes and received praise from the audience.
– The first prize of La Semaine de la Critique was awarded to Chidananda S. Naik’s Indian Kannada film ‘Sunflower Wear The First Ones To Know’.
– The second prize was shared between Asja Šehović’s movie ‘Out of the Video Through the Wall’ from Columbia University and ‘Thessaloniki’ from Greece.
‘Bunnyhood’ movie got 15,000 euros
– ‘Bunnyhood’ movie received a prize of 15,000 euros.
– Mansi received 7500 Euro as prize.
Chosen Topic from Life Events
– Mansi described her film saying, ‘Banihud’ is a horror-comedy. In it, I have portrayed the truth of life.
– I shared the story of my mother’s surgery, which was hidden from me during that time. – Inspired by that, I made this film.
– The film attempts to understand why people feel the need to lie?
Britain is doing graduation from NFTS
– Mansi is graduating from Britain’s National Film and Television School (NFTS).
– She was a student of knitwear design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Delhi.
– During that time, she also started filmmaking and began making short films.
– Her initial education was from Meerut.
– Mansi’s father, Nitin Maheshwari, is a businessman, and her mother, Meena Maheshwari, is an interior designer.
India Made Its Mark with 4 Awards at Cannes Film Festival
– Chidanan S Naik’s Kannada film ‘Sunflowers: Wear the First Ones to Know’ received the award for Best Film in the ‘La Semaine’ Cinefoundation segment.
– Anusuya Sengupta won the Best Actress award for the film ‘The Shameless’.
– Payal Kapadia’s movie ‘All We Imagine As Light’ won the Grand Prize.
– Mansi Maheshwari’s animated film ‘Banihud’ received the third prize in the same segment.
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