This is the current affairs of 30 & 31 May 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
PDF Download: Click here
1. Name the winner of the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award 2023?
a. Major Radhika Sen
b. Major Payal Chhabra
c. Major Mitali
d. Major Khushboo Mittal
Answer: a. Major Radhika Sen
– The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stéphane Dujarric, provided this information.
– Radhika Sen is a Major in the Indian Army and has served in the United Nations (UN) mission in Congo from March 2023 to April 2024.
– While working as a peacekeeper in this mission, she helped women and girls. She assisted in establishing networks for local people, especially women, to voice their safety and humanitarian concerns.
– For these efforts, the United Nations (UN) has selected Radhika Sen for this award.
– This award will be given to Radhika Sen on May 30, 2024, on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.
Radhika Sen meets Ruchika Kamboj
– Major Radhika Sen also met with Ruchika Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the Indian Mission.
Radhika has been a Platoon Commander
– Radhika served as the Commander of the MONUSCO Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion (INDRDB) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from March 2023 to April 2024.
– She is originally from Himachal Pradesh.
– She graduated in Biotech Engineering and then decided to join the Indian Army.
Radhika is the second woman to receive this honor
– Radhika is the second woman to receive this honor.
– Previously, this honor was awarded to Major Suman Gawani in 2019, who worked with the UN mission in South Sudan.
Congo
– Capital : Kinshasa
– President : Félix Tshisekedi
– Prime Minister : Sama Lukonde
– Currency : Congolese Franc
————–
2. Which mountaineer created a world record by climbing the peaks of Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse in the same season?
a. S Cheema
b. Satyadeep Gupta
c. Hira Ram Singh
d. Nadre Sherpa
Answer: b. Satyadeep Gupta
– Indian mountaineer Satyadeep Gupta has become the first person to climb Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse twice in one season.
– He made history by crossing both these peaks in 11 hours and 15 minutes.
– Satyadeep completed the ascent of the 8,516-meter high Mount Lhotse in the afternoon of May 27, 2024, and the 8,849-meter high Mount Everest at 12:45 AM.
– He also set another record by becoming the first Indian to travel from Mount Everest to Mount Lhotse in 11 hours and 15 minutes.
– He was accompanied by mountaineer guides Pestemba Sherpa and Nima Ungdi Sherpa.
– Earlier this season, Satyadeep Gupta had climbed Mount Everest on May 21 and Mount Lhotse on May 22.
The world’s five highest mountains
– Mount Everest (in Nepal and China)
– K2 (in India {it is located in POK})
– Kanchenjunga (in India and Nepal)
– Mount Lhotse (in Nepal and China)
Mount Lhotse
– It is the fourth highest mountain in the world.
– Located on the border of Nepal and China.
– Height – 8,516 m (27,940 ft)
Guide shares video of traffic jam on Mount Everest
– Vinayak Malla, a guide from the International Federation of Mountain Guides (IFMGA), shared footage from his expedition. It shows the crowd and tense moments on Everest.
————–
3. Name the first former President of USA who has been convicted of a crime?
a. Joe Biden
b. George Bush
c. Donald Trump
d. Barack Obama
Answer: c. Donald Trump
– On May 30, 2024, Donald Trump became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime.
– In hearings that lasted nearly six weeks in New York amidst the presidential elections, he was found guilty on all 34 charges.
– Trump faced cases involving paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and falsifying business records during the election campaign.
– This matter dates back to 2016, before he was first elected President of the United States.
– It was the first time in American history that a president faced a criminal case.
Trump said – I was defrauded
– After the verdict, Donald Trump said that there was fraud in this trial. The judge is corrupt.
What are the 34 charges against Trump?
– Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. All these charges are related to paying $130,000 (approximately 10.7 million rupees) to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet before the 2016 presidential election.
– Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, alleged that he paid Stormy on Trump’s behalf to keep her from speaking about her affair with Trump before the 2016 election.
Can Trump still run for election despite being convicted?
– According to The New York Times, Donald Trump can still run for election and, if he wins, he can become president.
– The U.S. Constitution outlines very minimal qualifications for someone to become president.
– These include being 35 years old, being born in the United States, or having been a resident of the U.S. for 14 years. The Constitution does not impose any restrictions related to character or criminal record for becoming president.
– A century ago, ‘Eugene V. Debs’ was the only leader who campaigned for the presidency from prison. There has not been a case so far where a convicted person has run for election.
—————
4. For the first time, which Arab country changed the rules for Indian tourists traveling by air and made it mandatory to have Rs 60,000 in their bank account and a return ticket?
a. Kuwait
b. Saudi Arabia
c. UAE
d. Qatar
Answer: c. UAE
– The United Arab Emirates has announced a change in rules for Indian passengers traveling by air.
– Guidelines have been given to airlines. Airlines are now required to verify that young individuals traveling alone (aged 20-35), especially young women, comply with these rules.
New Rules
– According to the new rules, tourists traveling to Dubai-Abu Dhabi must have 60,000 rupees in their bank account or possess a credit card and a return ticket.
– In addition to the visa, travelers must also have necessary travel-related documents and a document showing their bank balance.
– Furthermore, a hotel reservation document is also required.
– If a traveler is going to meet a relative, they must provide the relative’s address, phone number, and other details.
– Travelers who do not meet these conditions will be sent back to India from the Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports.
Why the New Rules Were Made
– The UAE immigration states that there have been cases where people go to Dubai-Abu Dhabi on a tourist visa and start working there.
– Additionally, some people do not have the money to return from Dubai-Abu Dhabi, which leads to their deportation.
First-Time Travelers Under Strict Scrutiny
– Tourists traveling for the first time from Tamil Nadu and Kerala to Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be strictly checked.
– According to media reports, some travelers from the Kottayam and Idukki districts of Kerala were recently deported from the UAE. They did not have the necessary travel documents.
– It has also been stated that if travelers land in the United Arab Emirates without proper documentation, the airline companies will be held responsible.
Extended Check-In Time at Indian Airports
– To comply with the new UAE immigration rules, inspections have become stricter at Indian airports.
– As a result, travelers are facing delays in boarding their flights. The most significant issues are occurring at airports in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
– Check-in times have been extended to prevent flight delays due to the inspections.
Travelers Facing Difficulties
– In recent days, hundreds of passengers arriving at the airport with only a visa and flight ticket were unable to board their flights.
– Passengers provided immigration officers with visa details, and the phone numbers and addresses of relatives and friends residing in the UAE, but they were still not allowed to travel.
– Passengers whose trips were canceled did not receive refunds, nor were they allowed to reschedule their journeys.
– According to a Business Today report, several people were detained at Kerala’s Kochi and Kozhikode airports recently due to a lack of necessary documents.
– At Kochi International Airport, more than 20 passengers were not allowed to board flights to Dubai due to missing information required under the new rules.
– Every day, five people are being prevented from traveling at Kozhikode’s Calicut International Airport.
More than 100 million Indians went to Dubai in 2023.
– Around 35 million Indians reside in the UAE. This accounts for 30% of the country’s total population, making Indians the largest expatriate community in any other country.
– Moreover, after Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, the UAE is India’s fourth-largest oil importer.
– According to data from Dubai International Airport, in 2023, 119 million Indian tourists visited Dubai.
– Now, due to the new rules, many people are canceling their travel plans. This could have an impact on the tourism sector.
United Arab Emirates
– Capital: Abu Dhabi
– Crown Prince: Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
– Currency: Dirham
– Language: Arabic
– Neighboring Countries: Oman and Saudi Arabia
————–
5. Which session of the World Health Assembly of WHO was held from May 27 to June 1, 2024?
a. 75th
b. 76th
c. 77th
d. 78th
Answer: c. 77th
– Event Dates: May 27th to June 1st, 2024
– Location: Geneva, Switzerland
– Theme: All for Health, Health for All
Who Led India?
– The delegation from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India was led by the Central Health Secretary, Apurva Chandra.
World Health Assembly (WHA)
– The WHA is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO).
– It comprises delegations from all WHO member states and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.
Member States: 194
Established: 1948
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
WHO
– Established: 1948
– Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
– Director-General: Tedros Adhanom
– Note: The regional headquarters of WHO for India is located in Delhi, the capital of India.
————–
6. The member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) decided not to invite which country to the World Health Assembly (WHA) [annual meeting]?
a. India
b. Vietnam
c. Taiwan
d. Laos
Answer: c. Taiwan
– The World Health Assembly was held from May 27th to June 1st, 2024.
– Member countries of the WHO decided not to invite Taiwan to the organization’s annual meeting (WHA) on May 27, 2024.
Why was this done?
– Because China had appealed for Taiwan to be excluded.
– Due to China’s objections, Taiwan has been kept out of most international organizations because China considers the democratic island as its territory.
What did China say?
– Chen Jue, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, stated that there is no political basis for Taiwan to participate in the WHA and accused Taiwanese officials of politicizing health issues deliberately.
What did Taiwan’s Health Minister say?
– Before the decision of WHO members, Taiwan’s Health Minister Chen Shih-chung stated that Taiwan’s absence from the WHA assembly is hindering efforts to combat pandemics.
– He said, “Taiwan’s participation in WHA and WHO is a health issue, not political.”
How long was Taiwan a member of the World Health Assembly (WHA)?
– According to The Hindu newspaper, Taiwan participated in the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer under the administration of former President Ma Ying-jeou from 2009 to 2016.
– They had signed historic trade and tourism agreements with China.
– However, after President Tsai Ing-wen came to power, Beijing began blocking Taiwan’s participation in 2017 because she refused to agree with China’s position that both China and Taiwan are part of “One China”.
China’s Military Exercises Surrounding Taiwan
– After the inauguration of Taiwan’s China-skeptic President William Lai Ching-te, China conducted military exercises around Taiwan for two days on May 23rd and 24th, 2024.
– Previously, it had only imposed economic sanctions on Taiwan.
– In fact, prior to this year’s presidential elections in January in Taiwan, China had labeled candidate Lai Ching-te as separatist. – Taiwanese were also warned to choose the right option if they wanted to avoid military conflict.
The Dispute between China and Taiwan:
– Taiwan’s official name is the Republic of China (ROC), while China’s official name is the People’s Republic of China.
– Previously, Taiwan was a part of China. There were two main political parties here – the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang Party.
– The Kuomintang Party had control over a large part of China.
– Both parties were fighting against each other. This was called the Chinese Civil War (1927 – 1949).
– At the end of the civil war, the Chinese Communist Party gained control over a large part of China.
– At that time, Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung) was the leader of the Communist Party.
The other party, Kuomintang, had to flee and they reached Taiwan.
– The leader of the Kuomintang party was Chiang Kai-shek.
– At that time, the strength of the communists’ navy was negligible. Therefore, Mao’s army could not control Taiwan by crossing the sea.
– After that, Taiwan declared itself as a separate country in the form of China. The first President was Chang Kai-shek.
– China claims Taiwan and says it is a part of it.
– But Taiwan considers itself a separate country.
– Xi Jinping clarified in 2019 that they will unite Taiwan with China. He gave the formula of ‘One Country, Two Systems’ for this. Taiwan does not accept this and wants full independence and sovereignty.
Taiwan:
– Official Name: Republic of China (ROC)
– President: Tsai Ing-wen
– Newly Elected President: Lai Ching-te
– Currency: New Taiwan Dollar
– Population: 29 million
—————
7. 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 named ‘Udant Martand’ was published on May 30, 1826, in the Hindi language.
– Due to this reason, this day is celebrated as Hindi Journalism Day.
– ‘Udant Martand’ was started by Pandit Jugal Kishor Shukla as a weekly newspaper from Calcutta. He was also its publisher and editor.
World Press Freedom Day: May 3
—————
8. When is World No Tobacco Day celebrated?
a. 29 May
b. 30 May
c. 31 May
d. 01 June
Answer: c. 31 May
Theme 2024
– Protecting Children From Tobacco Industry Interference
This day is proclaimed by the WHO.
– According to the WHO, tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of nearly 8 million people worldwide every year.
– Tobacco use is responsible for various chronic illnesses, including cancer, respiratory diseases, heart diseases, and strokes.
—————
9. Which two countries are going to jointly host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, for the first time in one of the countries?
a. Canada and New Zealand
b. West Indies and Canada
c. America and Canada
d. America and West Indies
Answer: d. America and West Indies
– The T20 World Cup is set to commence on June 2, 2024, in the United States and the West Indies.
– This marks the first time that the United States is hosting any ICC event.
– Additionally, the United States is slated to host the Olympics in 2028, where cricket has been included.
– Hosting the T20 World Cup will make the United States the second Associate Member nation to do so.
– Associate Members are those to whom the ICC has not granted Test cricket status.
– Prior to the United States, the 2021 T20 World Cup was played in the UAE, an Associate nation.
– However, India organized it as they held the hosting rights for the tournament, being under the jurisdiction of the BCCI.
– This World Cup will also be the first to utilize modular stadiums.
First-time participation by 20 teams
– For the first time, 20 teams will participate in the T20 World Cup. These 20 teams have been divided into 4 separate groups of 5 teams each.
– The top 2 teams from each group will advance to the Super 8 stage, divided into 2 groups.
– The semifinals will be contested between the top 2 teams from each Super 8 group, with the final scheduled for June 29, 2024, in Barbados.
Three teams to make World Cup debut
– The United States and the West Indies will participate as host nations.
– Meanwhile, the other 8 teams secured their spots in the tournament by winning regional qualifiers.
– Canada and Uganda will make their T20 World Cup debut.
– Additionally, it will be the first time for the United States to compete in the T20 World Cup.
PDF Download: Click here
