This is the current affairs of 31 May 2023. Here are 10 questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. 11 sportspersons including an Olympic winner from the violence-hit state have warned the central government to return their medals if peace is not restored soon.
a. Nagaland
b. Manipur
c. Mizoram
d. Assam
Answer: b. Manipur
– Violence has been ongoing in Manipur since May 3rd.
– So far, 80 people have died.
– Meanwhile, 11 sports personalities of Manipur, including Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu, have written a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah.
– These individuals have demanded swift restoration of peace in the state from Amit Shah.
– They have stated that if the situation does not normalize, they will return their awards and medals.
– The signatories of the letter include Mirabai Chanu, Padma Award-winning weightlifter Kunjarani Devi, former captain of the Indian women’s football team Bem Devi, and boxer L Sarita Devi.
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2. In which violence-hit state did the security forces encounter 40 people?
a. Nagaland
b. Manipur
c. Mizoram
d. Assam
Answer: b. Manipur
– Violence has been ongoing in Manipur since May 3rd.
– Meanwhile, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan stated on Tuesday in Pune that it will take some time for the situation to normalize in Manipur.
– General Chauhan said, “The violence in the state is a result of the conflict between two communities. It has nothing to do with extremism. This is a law and order issue. We are assisting the state government.”
– Central Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Imphal, Manipur on Monday, which was May 29th, for a three-day visit to the violence-affected state.
– He will stay in Manipur for four days.
– Prior to him, Central Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and Army Chief General Manoj Pandey have already visited Manipur.
– The Army Chief stayed in Manipur for two days, on May 27th and 28th.
– The people killed in the encounter were referred to as ‘militants’.
– On May 28th, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had stated that after the outbreak of violence in the state, 40 people were killed in police encounters.
– The confirmation of these 40 encounters was made by Manipur’s CM N. Biren Singh.
– The CM referred to the people killed in the encounters as ‘militants’. Upon controversy, all of them were labeled as extremists.
– According to The Hindu newspaper, these militants are reportedly using AK-47 and AK-74 assault rifles, as well as sniper guns, to shoot at civilians.
– The army and other security forces are deployed in Manipur against these terrorists.
How many people have been killed so far?
– Violence has been ongoing in Manipur between the Kuki and Meitei communities over reservations since May 3rd.
– On May 28th, violence escalated once again in the state.
In this clash, five people, including a police officer, were killed, while 12 people were injured.
– Due to the violence in Manipur, more than 80 people have lost their lives so far.
Why is the violence happening?
– There are two groups in Manipur.
– One is the Meitei community (which is in the majority).
– The other group consists of the Kuki and Naga Scheduled Tribe (ST) of the state.
– The Meitei community wants to be classified as a Scheduled Tribe.
– However, the communities already classified as Scheduled Tribes are against it.
– The entire dispute revolves around this issue.
Demand to dismiss the government there
– There is a coalition government led by the BJP in Manipur.
– Several political parties in Manipur have demanded the dismissal of the government, citing alleged failures in maintaining law and order.
MLAs demanded separate administration
– Ten tribal MLAs have demanded a separate administration for their region amidst this violent conflict.
– These MLAs are associated with the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi group in Manipur.
– Out of the ten, seven MLAs are from the BJP, two are from the Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA), and one is an independent. These ten MLAs belong to the NDA led by the BJP.
– However, the Chief Minister had previously dismissed the demand made by the ten MLAs, stating that “the territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected.”
Manipur:
Chief Minister : N. Biren Singh
Governor : Anusuya Uikey
Capital : Imphal
Neighboring states : Nagaland, Assam, and Mizoram
Bordering country : Myanmar
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3. When is World No Tobacco Day celebrated?
a. 29 May
b. 30 May
c. 31 May
d. 01 June
Answer: c. 31 May
Theme for 2023:
– We need food, not tobacco.
– This day is declared by WHO.
– According to WHO, tobacco-related diseases cause the death of approximately 8 million people worldwide every year.
– Tobacco use is responsible for various chronic diseases, including cancer, lung diseases, heart diseases, and stroke.
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4. Which Indian organizations were given the ‘World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Award-2023’ in the South-East Asia category by WHO?
a. State Tobacco Control Cell (STCC), Meghalaya
b. Center for Multi-disciplinary Development Research Dharwad, Karnataka
c. AIIMS, Delhi
d. Both a and b
Answer: d. Both a and b
– The World Health Organization (WHO) awarded this on May 31, 2023.
– Both organizations received the WNTD Award 2023 for their efforts in controlling tobacco consumption and raising awareness.
World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Award:
– Every year, WHO acknowledges the achievements of individuals or organizations in the field of tobacco control from each of the six WHO regions.
– Based on these achievements, the WNTD Award is presented.
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5. Which is the second country in the world and the first in Europe to introduce health warnings on alcohol?
a. Ireland
b. Germany
c. Hungary
d. Armenia
Answer: a. Ireland
– Ireland has implemented a policy under which information about the risks associated with alcohol consumption and its impact on health will now be displayed on the bottle.
– Irish Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly, has approved the new policy, which will be effective from May 22, 2026.
– It also includes information about the risk of cancer.
– The aim of implementing it until 2026 is to provide sufficient time to align with new health guidelines.
– By emphasizing the risks associated with alcohol consumption on the packaging, it may help prevent young people from drinking alcohol at a young age.
Ireland becomes the first country in the EU
– Ireland, which issues cancer warnings on alcohol products, will become the first country in the European Union and the second country in the world (after South Korea) to do so.
– The label will mention the risks of liver disease and the dangers of drinking during pregnancy.
– The World Health Organization (WHO), the European Union, and the World Trade Organization have supported Ireland’s step.
– WHO had already listed alcohol as a Class 1 carcinogen (a cancer-causing agent) back in 1990.
– Alcohol is a major cause of liver cancer in Europe.
WHO launches EVID-ACTION
– In 2022, WHO/Europe launched the Evidence for Alcohol Policy (EVID-ACTION) project, which will support countries in implementing evidence-based measures.
– The objective of this project is to develop evidence-based alcohol health warning labels with a specific focus on cancer risks and provide information on the design and development of alcohol health warning labels.
Ireland:
– Capital: Dublin
– Currency: Euro
– Prime Minister: Leo Varadkar
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6. Who became the President of Turkey for the third consecutive time?
a. Ahmet Neckdet Sezer
b. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
c. Kemal Kelikdaroglu
d. Rechap Neckdet Sezer
Answer: b. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
– Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won the elections for the 11th consecutive time.
– He has taken charge of the country as the President for the third time.
Turkey:
– Capital : Ankara
– Currency : Turkish Lira
– Neighboring countries : Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, and the island country of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea.
– The first phase of voting took place on May 14. No candidate received more than 50% of the votes, which is why a runoff had to be held.
– In the runoff held on May 28, Erdogan emerged victorious.
– He faced tough competition from opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu (known as the Gandhi of Turkey).
– Erdogan secured 52.1% of the votes out of a total of 97%, while Kilicdaroglu received 47.9% of the votes.
– Erdogan first became the President in 2014. Prior to that, he served as the Prime Minister in 2003 and completed three terms. He has been in power for nearly 20 years.
Global Impact of Results:
– Turkey is located between Europe and Asia and is a strong member of NATO. The distribution of power here has a global impact.
– Recently, Erdogan’s government voted for Sweden to join NATO and is also purchasing missile defense systems from Russia.
– Now, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has appealed to Erdogan to allow Sweden to join NATO.
Relations between India and Turkey:
– After Erdogan’s election as President for the third time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India congratulated him via tweet.
– However, Erdogan has continued to take a pro-Pakistan stance on the Kashmir issue.
– On August 5, 2019, India revoked the special status of Kashmir, which Turkey openly opposed. Erdogan raised this issue at the United Nations General Assembly as well.
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7. Who took over as the President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the year 2023-24?
a. V Vijender
b. R. Dinesh
c. Dr. Rakesh Agarwal
d. R. Rajat Singh
Answer: b. R. Dinesh
– R. Dinesh is the Executive Vice Chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions.
– He has taken the place of Sanjiv Bajaj, the Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv Limited.
– This information was provided by CII on May 25, 2023.
– He has been associated with CII for many years.
Note:
– Sanjiv Puri, the Managing Director of ITC, has been appointed as the President of CII.
– Rajiv Memani, the Chairman of EY India Region, has been appointed as the Vice President of CII.
About the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII):
– Establishment: 1895
– Headquarters: New Delhi
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8. Which World Health Assembly was held on 21-30 May?
a. 75th
b. 76th
c. 77th
d. 78th
Answer: b. 76th
– On May 21, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the assembly through a video message.
– According to the RBI, India has sent nearly 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 100 countries, including countries in the Global South.
– The World Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.
World Health Assembly
– It is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO).
– It includes delegations from all WHO member states and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.
– Member states: 194
– Established: 1948
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9. When is Hindi Journalism Day celebrated?
a. 29 May
b. 30 May
c. 31 May
d. 01 June
Answer: b. 30 May
– The first newspaper in the Hindi language, named ‘Udant Martand’, was published on May 30, 1826.
– Due to this reason, this day is celebrated as Hindi Journalism Day.
– ‘Udant Martand’ was started by Pandit Jugal Kishore Shukla as a weekly newspaper from Kolkata. He himself was its publisher and editor.
World Press Freedom Day : May 3rd.
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10. Some Important Facts:
– Wrestlers who were protesting against former president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brijbhushan Singh, have decided to postpone their decision of throwing their medals in the Ganga River in Haridwar.
– The wrestlers had reached Haridwar to throw their medals.
– As soon as the news spread, Nares Tikait, the President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, also arrived there.
– After talking to the wrestlers, he has given a 5-day ultimatum to the central government for action.
– Tikait has also taken the bags containing the medals and momentos from the wrestlers. He said that they will be presented to the President. All the players have left Haridwar to go home.
– Prior to this, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat sat at Har Ki Pauri for nearly an hour, holding onto their medals and crying.
