International Current Affairs

Singapore’s deputy leader Lawrence Wong was sworn in as the nation’s fourth Prime Minister on 15 May 2024. Fifty-one-year-old Wong succeeds 72-year-old Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down after two decades at the helm.

Lee’s resignation marked the end of a family dynasty led by his father Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s charismatic first leader who transformed the colonial trading outpost into a business-friendly, affluent country during 31 years in office.

Since becoming an independent nation in 1965, Singapore has only had three Prime Ministers, all from the ruling People’s Action Party.

Q: Who was sworn in as Singapore’s fourth Prime Minister on 15 May 2024?

A) Lee Hsien Loong
B) Lawrence Wong
C) Lee Kuan Yew
D) Halimah Yacob

Ans : B) Lawrence Wong

India and Iran signed a long-term contract for operating the Shahid-Beheshti Port Terminal to enhance cooperation and make Chabahar Port a regional trade transit and connectivity hub.

• The Indian delegation, led by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, witnessed the signing of the 10-year contract with Iran’s Minister for Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash.
• India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) will invest approximately $120 million in equipping and operating the port under the contract.
• Chabahar Port serves as an important transit port for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries and is a flagship project of India-Iran cooperation.
• India has been involved in developing and upgrading Chabahar Port’s infrastructure to facilitate trade with landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.
• Chabahar Port is situated in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province and provides a shorter trade route between India, Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.
• India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) operates the Chabahar Port through its subsidiary, India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), since December 2018.

Q: India and Iran signed a long-term contract for operating which port?

a) Chittagong Port
b) Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar
c) Port of Colombo
d) Port of Karachi

Ans : b) Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar

Q: What new trade route will be opened up by the agreement between India and Iran regarding the Chabahar port?

a) Between India and China
b) Between South Asia and Central Asia via Iran
c) Between India and Japan
d) Between South Asia and Europe via Iran

Ans : b) Between South Asia and Central Asia via Iran

The United Nations General Assembly supported a Palestinian bid for full U.N. membership on May 10. The General Assembly recommended the U.N. Security Council to reconsider the matter favorably.

• The vote reflected global support for the Palestinian bid after the U.S. vetoed it in the Security Council the previous month.
• The resolution passed with 143 votes in favor, 9 against (including the U.S. and Israel), and 25 abstentions.
• This resolution doesn’t grant full U.N. membership to Palestine but acknowledges its qualification to join.

Q: What is the outcome of the General Assembly’s resolution on May 10, regarding Palestinian membership?

a) Grants full U.N. membership to Palestine
b) Rejects Palestinian membership entirely
c) Acknowledges Palestine’s qualification to join the U.N.
d) Recommends military intervention in the region

Ans : c) Acknowledges Palestine’s qualification to join the U.N.

India surpasses Japan to become the world’s third-largest solar power generator in 2023, according to Ember report. Global Electricity Review 2024 released alongside the world’s first open dataset on electricity generation, covering 80 countries representing 92% of global electricity demand.

• Solar power’s share in global electricity production reaches a record 5.5% in 2023.
• India sees the fourth-largest increase in solar generation (+18 TWh) in 2023, following China, the United States, and Brazil, accounting for 75% of overall growth.
• India expands solar generation capacity significantly from ranking ninth in 2015 to 5.8% share in 2023.
• Globally, solar power generation increases sixfold between 2015 and 2023, with India experiencing a seventeen-fold increase during the same period.
• IEA forecasts solar power to constitute 22% of global electricity generation by 2030.
• COP28 goal to triple global renewables capacity by 2030 could help achieve this trajectory.
• India aims to triple renewable capacity by 2030, but Ember’s analysis highlights the need for substantial annual capacity additions to meet this target.

Q: According to the Global Electricity Review 2024, which country has overtaken Japan to become the world’s third-largest solar power generator in 2023?

a) China
b) India
c) Brazil
d) United States

Ans : b) India

President Vladimir Putin sworn in for for his fifth term  on May 7, 2024 at a ceremony held at Kremlin, Moscow, Russia

• Putin has been in power since 1999, now starting a new mandate amidst the conflict in Ukraine.
• Russian forces have regained initiative in Ukraine and seek to advance further in the east.
• At 71, Putin maintains dominance in domestic politics and confronts Western countries over Ukraine, accusing them of aiming to weaken Russia.

Q: Vladimir Putin has been President of Russia since:

a) 2000
b) 1999
c) 2005
d) 2008

Ans : b) 1999

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) took place from 6th to 9th May 2024 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) in Dubai, UAE. It is a premier global trade show that brings together travel professionals, industry leaders, and visionaries.

Theme: Empowering Innovation – Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship:

Record-Breaking Participation: ATM 2024 featured a record-breaking 2,300 exhibitors from 165 countries. Approximately 41,000 visitors attended the event, making it a vibrant hub for travel professionals.

Ministry of Tourism, Government of India is also participating in Arabian Travel Mart 2024.

Networking and Opportunities: ATM provided a unique opportunity to make long-lasting business relationships. Attendees explored breathtaking destinations, travel technology solutions, airlines, hotels, and more.

Question : What is the Arabian Travel Market?

A) A global trade show for travel professionals and industry leaders.
B) A popular travel blog focused on Middle Eastern destinations.
C) A sustainable tourism initiative in Dubai.
D) A luxury hotel chain in the UAE.

Ans : A) A global trade show for travel professionals and industry leaders.

Mount Ruang is a 725-meter (2,400-foot) volcano located on Ruang Island in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is one of approximately 130 active volcanoes in the country. Ruang island, North Sulawesi, home to 9,800 people, evacuated due to continuous explosive eruptions. Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado closed due to volcanic ash spread.

Recent Eruptions:

• On April 17, 2024, Mount Ruang erupted.
• On April 30, 2024, Mount Ruang erupted again, spewing ash almost 2 kilometers (more than a mile) into the sky.
• The Indonesian geological service raised the alert level of the volcano to the highest level after detecting increased volcanic activity.

Previous Eruptions:

• Mount Ruang has a history of eruptions dating back to at least 1808.
• Indonesia situated on the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” an area of high seismic activity.

Q: What is the location of Mount Ruang volcano?

A) Java, Indonesia
B) Bali, Indonesia
C) North Sulawesi, Indonesia
D) Sumatra, Indonesia

Ans : C) North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Jeremiah Manele was elected as the new Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands on May 2, 2024, succeeding incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

1. Manele, a former foreign minister, won 31 votes against Opposition leader Matthew Wales’ 18 votes in the 50-seat parliament.
2. The national election saw Sogavare’s government lose half of its seats, prompting intense lobbying from both government and opposition parties to win support from independents.
3. The election outcome was closely watched by China, the U.S., and Australia due to its potential impact on regional security, especially considering Sogavare’s controversial security pact with China in 2022.
4. Manele pledged to continue the Solomon Islands’ international policy of being “friends to all and enemies to none.”
5. Manele’s OUR party won 15 seats, and formed a renewed coalition with two micro parties to gain a majority in the parliament.

Question : Who was elected as the new Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands on May 2, 2024?

a) Manasseh Sogavare
b) Jeremiah Manele
c) Matthew Wales
d) Anthony Albanese

Ans : b) Jeremiah Manele