CKSC SHS UN Month 2024 Past Paper PDF

CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 REVIEWER FOR PARTICIPANTS Current Events: January 2024 1. The 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake struck Japan's Ishi...

CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 REVIEWER FOR PARTICIPANTS Current Events: January 2024 1. The 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake struck Japan's Ishikawa Prefecture on January 1, 2024, with a magnitude of 7.6. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes in Japan in recent history, causing 281 fatalities, mostly in Ishikawa. The earthquake triggered tsunami waves as high as 1.2 meters along the Sea of Japan coast and displaced over 34,000 people, with more than 80,000 homes damaged. 2. Estonia officially legalized same-sex marriage, becoming the first Baltic state to do so. This significant step will take effect on January 1, 2024. The Estonian parliament passed the legislation in June 2023, with a 55-34 vote, expanding on existing civil partnerships that had been available to same-sex couples since 2016. Under the new law, same-sex couples in Estonia will have the same rights to marry and adopt children as heterosexual couples. 3. Claudine Gay resigned as Harvard University’s president in early January 2024, following intense scrutiny over two major controversies. First, Gay faced harsh criticism for her remarks during a December 2023 congressional hearing on antisemitism, where she struggled to give a definitive response regarding whether calls for the genocide of Jews would violate Harvard's conduct policy. This led to significant backlash from both Harvard’s Jewish community and various political figures. Simultaneously, Gay was also dealing with accusations of plagiarism related to her prior academic work, further damaging her credibility. Under mounting pressure from both controversies, she decided to step down after only six months in office, marking one of the shortest presidencies in Harvard’s history. In her resignation letter, Gay emphasized that her departure was in the best interests of the university to allow it to move forward without the distractions her continued leadership might cause​ 4. A tragic accident occurred on January 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Haneda Airport when a Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900, arriving from Sapporo, collided with a Japan Coast Guard Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft. The Coast Guard plane was on a mission to deliver aid to earthquake victims in western Japan. The collision happened as the Airbus was landing, causing a massive explosion. All 379 passengers and crew aboard the Japan Airlines flight were safely evacuated, although the plane caught fire and was severely damaged. Sadly, five of the six crew members aboard the Coast Guard plane were killed. 1  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 5. On January 3, 2024, a double bombing in Kerman, Iran, targeted a ceremony marking the fourth anniversary of the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani. The blasts occurred near Soleimani’s grave during a memorial procession. Initial reports claimed over 100 deaths, but the confirmed toll was later adjusted to 89, with 284 people injured. Among the dead were 23 students and 14 Afghan nationals, and several of the wounded were trampled during the ensuing panic. 6. On Myanmar's Independence Day, the government announced a pardon for 9,652 prisoners, which included 114 foreigners. This annual event is often marked by such clemency as a gesture of goodwill. 7. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that foreigners who fight for Russia in the ongoing war against Ukraine will be granted Russian citizenship, along with their families. This move is likely intended to encourage foreign fighters to join Russian military efforts and bolster troop numbers. 8. Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan, wins five awards at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, while Poor Things wins the awards for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy 9. Lily Gladstone (Blackfeet Nation) becomes the first Indigenous woman to win Best Actress in Golden Globes Awards for her performance in Killers of the Flower Moon. 10. A fire in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh destroys hundreds of shelters and facilities and displaces nearly 7,000 Rohingya refugees. 11. Philippine President Bongbong Marcos has signed a law that allows for electronic tax filing in the Philippines. This development is aimed at modernizing the tax collection process, making it more efficient and accessible for taxpayers. The new law is expected to streamline tax compliance, reduce the burden on individuals and businesses, and enhance the efficiency of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). By 2  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 enabling online filing, the government hopes to improve revenue collection and make the process more user-friendly, which could lead to higher compliance rate 12. President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa declares a state of emergency following the escape of José Adolfo Macías Villamar, leader of the Los Choneros drug cartel, from prison. Gangsters subsequently storm a TC Televisión newsroom in Guayaquil and launch a series of riots, kidnappings, and explosions across the country. Eight civilians are killed, including two at Centro Comercial Albán Borja, and three more injured during random shootings in Guayaquil, while two police officers are killed in Nobol. As a result, schools are closed and the military is called to stop gang activities. 13. South Korea bans the breeding and slaughter of dogs for consumption, effective in 2027. 14. Gabriel Attal becomes the youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister of France. 15. Around 300 people are confirmed dead in an outbreak of cholera in Zambia. 16. Latvia bans the sale and use of tobacco and nicotine products for those under the age of 20 years, beginning on January 1, 2025. 17. Singaporean Transport Minister S. Iswaran resigned both as cabinet minister, member of parliament of West Coast GRC and as a member of the PAP after being charged with 27 counts of corruption and receiving gratification as a public servant by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). It is considered as the highest-profile graft involving a cabinet minister in 38 years. 18. Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada is found guilty on charges of bribery, but acquitted on charges of plunder, over the use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Estrada is sentenced to eight to nine years for direct bribery and two to three years for indirect bribery, and is also ordered to pay a fine of more than US$50,000. 3  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 19. Joseph Boakai is inaugurated as President of Liberia, succeeding outgoing president George Weah. 20. Saudi Arabia, where alcohol has been banned since 1952, opens its first alcohol store in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh. 21. Alabama has executed convicted murderer Kenneth Smith using nitrogen hypoxia, marking the first time this execution method has been implemented. Nitrogen hypoxia involves replacing oxygen with nitrogen, leading to death through asphyxiation without the painful effects often associated with other methods of execution. 22. NASA announces the retirement of Mars Helicopter Ingenuity after the vehicle sustained damage to one of its rotors. 23. A jury in New York has awarded E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in a defamation judgment against former President Donald Trump. This case stemmed from Carroll's allegations of sexual assault, which Trump publicly denied and characterized as fabrications, leading to the defamation claims. 24. The United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Italy, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany have suspended humanitarian aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This decision follows allegations that some staff members were involved in the Hamas-led attacks on Israel. 25. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor has been appointed as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia. The position of Yang di-Pertuan Agong is a rotational monarchy among the nine Malay state rulers, serving a five-year term. Sultan Ibrahim's ascension to this role reflects Malaysia's unique system of monarchy, where the kingship rotates among the sultans. Current Events: February 2024 4  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 1. The European Union formally approves a €50 billion financial support package for Ukraine after Hungary withdraws its veto. The package is expected to help the Ukrainian government cover some costs of pensions and salaries over the next four years with the first funds being released in March. 2. Former CIA (Central Intelligence Agency in the US) employee Joshua Schulte is sentenced to 40 years in prison for charges of espionage, computer hacking, contempt of court, making false statements to the FBI and possession of child pornography. 3. Twenty-three-year-old boxer Kazuki Anaguchi dies from subdural hematomacaused by injuries resulting from a December 2023 boxing match against boxer Seiya Tsutsumi. 4. Chile declares a state of emergency as wildfires kill at least 51 people across the country, while hundreds more are reported missing. Multiple fires have been reported in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. More than 1,100 buildings are destroyed. 5. Miley Cyrus wins Record of the Year, her first Grammy Award, for her 2023 single "Flowers" 6. Taylor Swift wins Album of the Year for Midnights in 66th Annual Grammy Awards, becoming the first artist to win the award four times. She also announces the release of a new album, The Tortured Poets Department, on April 19, 2024. 7. Salvadorans vote to elect the president, vice president, and Legislative Assembly. With over 80% of the popular vote, Nayib Bukele wins re-election in a first-round landslide. 8. King Charles III, of the United Kingdom is diagnosed with prostate cancer following a medical examination on February 5, 2024. 9. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is re-elected for a fifth term in office. 5  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 10. Meta suspends the Instagram accounts of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khameneifor violating its "Dangerous Organizations & Individuals policy" 11. NASA's PACE mission is launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States, to study Earth's ocean and atmosphere. 12. President of Hungary Katalin Novák resigns one week after news media revealed that she had pardoned a person who had been convicted of aiding in child sex abuse. 13. Myanmar's military junta announces that all men aged 18 to 35 and all women aged 18 to 27 will be required to complete two years of mandatory military service, amid territorial losses to anti-military junta forces in the ongoing civil war. 14. The Armed Forces of the Philippines confirm that the alleged mastermind of the Mindanao State University bombing in Marawi, a commander of Dawlah Islamiyah–Maute Group, was among the nine militants killed in counterterrorist operations in Lanao del Sur in January. 15. An over 10,000-years-old underwater structure from the Stone Age is discovered in the Bay of Mecklenburg, in the Baltic Sea. The kilometer long stone wall might be the oldest man-made structure on earth. 16. The Hellenic Parliament votes 176–76 to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption, making it the first Eastern Orthodox country to do so. 17. Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen announces that the country will donate all of its artillery shells to Ukraine. 18. At least 64 people are killed during inter-tribal fighting between the Ambulin and Sikin tribes near Wabag, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea. 6  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 19. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz says that Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is a persona non grata in Israel until he retracts his comments comparing the war between Israel and Hamas to the Holocaust. In response, Brazil recalls its ambassador to Israel. 20. The Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Alabama rules that frozen embryos in test tubes are legally considered children. 21. Three new moons of the Solar System are discovered, one around Uranus and two around Neptune, bringing their total known satellites to 28 and 16, respectively. 22. Japanese technology company Sony announces it will cut 900 jobs across its global workforce and has also proposed the closure of London Studio as part of the restructuring. 23. China urges the world's largest nuclear states to negotiate a "no first use" treaty. China and India are currently the only two nuclear powers to formally maintain a no first use policy. In nuclear ethics and deterrence theory, no first use (NFU) refers to a type of pledge or policy wherein a nuclear power formally refrains from the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in warfare, except for as a second strikein retaliation to an attack by an enemy power using WMD. 24. The Parliament of Ghana passes a bill making the promotion or advocacy of LGBT rights punishable by five years in prison. Current Events: March 2024 7  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 1. Kenyan president William Ruto announces an agreement with Haiti to deploy 1,000 police officers as part of a mission approved by the United Nations to combat gang violence in the Caribbean nation. 2. Alexander Stubb is sworn in as the 13th President of Finland. 3. Shehbaz Sharif is elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan for a second term. 4. Sweden officially joins NATO, becoming its 32nd member last March 7, 2024. 5. A UN fact-finding mission found that during the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, the Iranian government committed serious human rights violations that are considered "crimes against humanity." 6. Oppenheimer wins an Oscar for Best Picture. Director Christopher Nolan wins Academy Award for Best Director, and lead actor Cillian Murphy wins the Best Actor award. 7. 20 Days in Mariupol (directed by filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov), a documentary that focuses on the siege of Mariupol during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, wins an Oscar for Best Documentary. 8. The painting Head of an Old Farmer's Wife in a White Hat by Vincent van Gogh is sold at auction for more than €4.5 million 9. A scientific expedition to the Bounty Trough off the coast of New Zealand reports the discovery of more than one hundred new species. 10. Police in Angola report that around 50 people have died after being forced to drink a toxic concoction to prove they are not witches. 8  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 11. Israel announces the death of senior Hamas military leader Marwan Issa, following an airstrike on a tunnel complex last week, making Issa the highest ranking Hamas official killed in the war so far. 12. Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro is indicted over accusations of lying about his COVID-19 vaccination status. 13. Pope Francis has laicized Belgian bishop Roger Vangheluwe, meaning he has been formally removed from the clerical state, following allegations of sexual abuse. Vangheluwe, a former bishop of Bruges, had previously admitted to sexually abusing his nephew for many years, which led to his resignation in 2010. Despite his resignation, there was widespread criticism that he had not faced harsher penalties. 14. Last March 21, 2024, Filipino former legislator Arnolfo Teves Jr. is arrested in Dili, East Timor, after being placed in the Interpol Red Notice in connection with his role in the 2023 massacre in Negros Oriental, Philippines. 15. The Philippines announces that Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf has been "fully dismantled", bringing an end to the decades-long jihadist insurgency. Twenty members of the group remain in Sulu and Basilan provinces, and negotiations are ongoing for their surrender. 16. The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2728, which calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by Hamas. This resolution aims to address the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in the region. Notably, the United States abstained from voting on the resolution, a move that has political implications, particularly for U.S.-Israeli relations. In response to the U.S. abstention, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a planned visit to the United States, signaling his dissatisfaction with the U.S.'s position on the matter. 17. The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, collapses after the container ship Dali strikes a bridge column, causing multiple vehicles to fall into the water below. 9  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 18. The Thai House of Representatives approves a bill to legalize same-sex marriage by a vote of 400–10, with five abstentions. 19. Myriam Spiteri Debono is unanimously elected by the Maltese Parliament as the next President of Malta. 20. Harvard University removes the binding of human skin from the 19th-century book Des destinées de l'âme by Arsène Houssaye, which has been kept in its library since 1934. Current Events: April 2024 1. Armed youths belonging to the Murle people attack a village in Greater Pibor Administrative Area, South Sudan, killing 12 people and injuring 10 others, with 15 children reported missing. Most of the victims were elderly residents. 2. Ukraine lowers the age of conscription from 27 years to 25. Conscription is a state-mandated enlistment of people in national service, mainly a military service. 3. Uganda's Constitutional Court upholds the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023, which prescribes the death penalty for certain homosexual acts. 4. NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949 to ensure collective defense among member countries. If one member is attacked, all other members agree to come to its defense. It currently has 31 members, mostly from Europe and North America. When U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that Ukraine will eventually become a member of NATO, he means that Ukraine may join this alliance in the future. However, it won’t happen right away, as Ukraine still needs to meet certain requirements, like making internal reforms. Ukraine’s interest in joining NATO has increased, especially since Russia’s invasion, as NATO membership could provide them with stronger military protection. But at the same time, NATO is being cautious to avoid escalating tensions with Russia. 10  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 5. Scientists from Federation University Australia have reported a concerning discovery in Antarctica: thousands of Adélie penguins have been found dead, likely linked to a surge in bird flu cases among wild bird populations. The spread of bird flu, or avian influenza, has been affecting various bird species globally, and its appearance in Antarctica is particularly alarming due to the region's previously isolated ecosystem 6. Researchers at the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument in Arizona, United States, release the largest 3D map of the universe featuring more than six million galaxies. Using this map, researchers are able to measure the acceleration of the expansion rate of the universe with unprecedented accuracy, detecting hints that the rate of expansion has been increasing over time 7. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has launched a new currency called Zimbabwe Gold, which is backed by the country's gold reserves and foreign currencies. This move is aimed at stabilizing the nation's economy and addressing the ongoing depreciation of the Zimbabwean dollar. Zimbabwe has faced chronic inflation and a loss of confidence in its currency due to economic instability, and introducing a gold-backed currency is seen as an attempt to restore trust in the monetary system. 8. Khartoum (CAPITAL OF SUDAN) reports 384 cases of dengue fever which are attributed to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. 9. A court in Vietnam has sentenced business tycoon Trương Mỹ Lan to death after convicting her of embezzling $12.46 billion from the Sai Gon Joint Stock Commercial Bank (SCB). Trương Mỹ Lan, a prominent real estate developer and the founder of Vạn Thịnh Phát Group, faced charges of financial misconduct and corruption in a case that has drawn widespread attention in Vietnam. 10. The European Union pledges €1 billion in short-term financial aid to Egypt to help stabilise the country's economy. 11. Tesla CEO Elon Musk announces that more than 10% of the company's global workforce will be laid off. 12. Taylor Swift releases her new album The Tortured Poets Department as a double album. On Spotify, the album breaks the record for most-streamed album in a single day and Swift becomes the most-streamed artist in a single day. 13. Jamaica becomes the 140th UN member state to recognize the State of Palestine. 14. Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been sentenced to death for his outspoken support of the 2022 protests in Iran. Salehi became a prominent voice during the nationwide protests that erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died while in the custody of Iran's morality police. The protests were largely driven by opposition to government oppression, especially around issues like women's rights and state violence. 11  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 15. Iraq's parliament votes to criminalize same-sex relationships, to be punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison 16. Ecuador has filed a complaint against Mexico at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Mexico's decision to grant political asylum to former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas. Glas, who served under President Rafael Correa, has been convicted on corruption charges and was serving a sentence in Ecuador. His asylum claim was based on allegations of political persecution. Current Events: May 2024 1. President Gustavo Petro announces that Colombia will suspend diplomatic relations with Israel over its actions in Gaza. 2. The United Methodist Church votes 692–51 to repeal a longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy while additionally prohibiting superintendents from forbidding a same-sex wedding. 3. Sadiq Khan wins re-election as mayor of London, England, with 43.8% of the vote, becoming the first London mayor to be elected to a third term. 4. Amid record low birth rates and an aging population, Pope Francis urges Italians to have more children. The Italian government also expands a campaign to encourage at least 500,000 births annually by 2033. 5. The United Nations General Assembly votes 143–9 with 25 abstentions to approve a resolution granting Palestine new rights and privileges, and to reconsider Palestine's request to become a UN member. The nine countries that opposed the resolution were Argentina, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the United States. 6. OpenAI announces a new model of their generative pretrained transformer (GPT) named GPT-4o, capable of visual and video speech recognition and translation. 7. Scientists announce the discovery of SPECULOOS-3 b, an Earth-size exoplanet that orbits a red dwarf star that has a similar size as Jupiter. 8. The annual FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, awards Brazil the host rights for the 2027 Women's World Cup. 9. Migz Zubiri resigns as President of the Senate of the Philippines and is replaced by Francis Escudero. 12  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 10. Pope Francis and the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints approves the canonization of Carlo Acutis, who will become the first millennial saint. 11. The United Nations General Assembly has voted 84 to 19, with 68 abstentions, to establish July 11 as an annual day of remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide. This decision aims to honor the victims of the massacre that occurred during the Bosnian War in 1995. The Srebrenica genocide refers to the systematic killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men and boys in July 1995 in and around the town of Srebrenica, which was designated a safe area by the United Nations. 12. The Senate of Colombia approves a resolution banning Spanish-style bullfighting in the country. Current Events: June 2024 1. At least 33 Indian election polling staff die from heatstroke in a heatwaveacross the country. 2. Halla Tómasdóttir is elected as the President of Iceland with the plurality of the votes at 34.2%. Her opposition Katrín Jakobsdóttir concedes the election with 25.2%. 3. The Maldives announces a ban on Israeli passport holders from entering the country. 4. Claudia Sheinbaum wins the presidential election. She will begin her term as Mexico's first female president on October 1. 5. Slovenian voters approve the use of cannabis for medicinal and recreational use in adults. 6. Russian President Vladimir Putin announces that he is ready for a ceasefireif Ukraine withdraws from Russian-claimed territories, including liberated areas, and stops its accession to NATO. However, Ukraine rejects the offer. 7. Cyril Ramaphosa is re-elected as President of South Africa for a second term. 8. Thousands of women march in São Paulo, Brazil, in protest of a bill that would equate late abortions after 22 weeks to homicide with sentences of six to 20 years in prison. 9. At the 2024 Tony Awards, Stereophonic wins Best Play and The Outsiders wins Best Musical 13  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 10. More than 1301 pilgrims from Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, and Indonesia are confirmed to have died of heat-related illnesses during the Hajj in Saudi Arabia. 11. Two teenagers are charged with the gang rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in Courbevoie, France, in an attack suspected to have been motivated by antisemitism. Antisemitism is prejudice, discrimination, or hostility directed against Jewish people. It encompasses a range of negative beliefs, stereotypes, and actions based on misconceptions about Jews and Judaism. 12. South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol declares a 'demographic national emergency', citing an ultralow birth rate and a declining population. 13. The American film Inside Out 2 surpasses $1 billion in worldwide box office earnings in less than three weeks, the fastest of any animated film in history. Current Events: July 2024 1. In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of the United States rules 6–3 that presidents have presumed absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts taken in exercising constitutional powers while serving as president, and have no immunity for "unofficial acts" 2. A Nepali court sentences Ram Bahadur Bomjon, a man who thousands believed was a reincarnation of the Buddha, to 10 years in jail for child sexual abuse. 3. NATO nations agree to grant Ukraine €40 billion (US$43 billion) in military aid in 2025. 4. Scientists announce the discovery of the world's oldest cave painting, depicting three people gathered around a large red pig, estimated to be at least 51,200 years old, in Leang Karampurang cave in the Maros-Pangkep region, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. 5. Temperatures in Moscow, Russia, reach 32.7 °C (90.9 °F), the highest on this day since 1917. 6. The Supreme Court of Japan rules that the country's forced sterilization law, which was in effect from 1948 to 1996, was unconstitutional. Compulsory sterilization, also known as forced or coerced sterilization, refers to any government-mandated program to involuntarily sterilize a specific group of people. Sterilization removes a person's capacity to reproduce, and is usually done by surgical or chemical means. 14  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 7. Sierra Leone outlaws child marriage, setting the legal age of marriage to 18 years. Offenders could face up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of around US$4,000, with witnesses to child marriages also facing possible jail or fines. 8. Greece passes a law to allow a six-day work week for industries that operate on a 24-hour basis. Workers have the option of working an additional eight hours for 40% additional pay. 9. Catholic Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò is found guilty of schism for denying the legitimacy of Pope Francis and rejecting the Second Vatican Council, and is subsequently excommunicated by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. 10. Thousands of Samsung Electronics workers begin a three-day strike in South Korea over demands for better pay and more annual leave. 11. The National Samsung Electronics Union announces that around 30,000 Samsung Electronics workers will now strike indefinitely after accusing the company of refusing to hold talks on better pay. 12. The International Olympic Committee announces that Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural Olympics Esports Games in 2025. 13. In the journal Nature Astronomy, American and Italian scientists announce the discovery of a lunar cave, approximately 250 miles (400 km) from the landing site of Apollo 11. 14. Romania approves the culling of 481 bears in the country, after a 19-year-old woman was killed by a bear last week in the Carpathian Mountains. Culling is reducing the number of animals in a population by selectively killing some of them. 15. The Supreme Court of South Korea rules that same-sex couples are eligible to receive the same health insurance benefits as heterosexual couples. 16. The United Nations reports that "anarchy" and societal breakdown is expanding across the Gaza Strip due to Israeli military destabilization, citing an increase in looting and extrajudicial killings of police and humanitarian workers. Anarchy means a situation where there is no government, laws, or authority in control. 17. Incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden announces that he will not seek a second term in office and ends his presidential campaign, while endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. 18. Philippine president Bongbong Marcos announces a ban on offshore gaming operations in his State of the Nation Address. 19. Malaysia formally applied to become a member of the BRICS economic blocand geopolitical organization.BRICS is an intergovernmental organization comprising Brazil, 15  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. Current Events: August 2024 1. On August 3, 2024, Carlos Yulo won the gold medal in Men's floor gymnastics, the Philippines' first medal in the sport and the country's second ever gold medal. 2. Kevin Durant became the all-time leading scorer for U.S. men's basketball, with 518 points across four Olympics​. 3. Mondo Duplantis, a Swedish-American pole vaulter, shattered the world record in pole vault, clearing 6.25 meters​ 4. The top 3 medal-winning countries at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were as follows: 1. United States: 126 total medals (40 gold, 44 silver, 42 bronze) 2. China: 91 total medals (40 gold, 27 silver, 24 bronze) 3. Japan: 45 total medals (20 gold, 12 silver, 13 bronze) 5. Imane Khelif wins the gold medal in the Women's 66 kg boxing event, after facing controversy and harassment related to a 2023 gender evaluation by the International Boxing Association, which is no longer recognized by the IOC. 6. Chermen Valiev wins a bronze medal in Men's freestyle 74 kg wrestling, earning Albania its first ever Olympic medal. 7. In the first-ever men's breakdancing event at the Olympics, Philip "Phil Wizard" Kim of Canada wins the B-Boys gold medal, with Danis "Dany Dann" Civil of France winning the silver and Victor Montalvo of the United States winning the bronze 8. The Thai House of Representatives selects Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the new Prime Minister, replacing Srettha Thavisin who was dismissed by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday. 9. For the first time, the Indonesian Independence Day ceremony is held simultaneously in Jakarta and Nusantara due to the relocation of the country's capital. 16  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 10. The Taliban bans women from singing, reciting poetry, or reading aloud in public and mandates that women must wear a veil in public under new laws approved by the Supreme Leader as part of efforts to combat "vice" and promote "virtue". 11. Germany announces that it will donate 100,000 doses of mpox vaccines to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African nations, as well as provide funding to the GAVI Vaccine Alliance through the World Health Organization. Mpox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. 12. The Taliban government bans mixed martial arts, saying that the sport is too violent and has a risk of death and that it is incompatible with Islamic law. 13. Brazil blocks X after they ignore court orders relating to misinformation about the 2023 Brazilian Congress attack on the platform. Current Events: September 2024 1. The South Korean National Police Agency announces an investigation into the messaging app Telegram for abetting and hosting chat rooms that distribute deepfake pornography, including of children. 2. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced that the country will celebrate an early Christmas on October 1st. This decision aims to bring joy and festivities amid ongoing economic challenges and social unrest in Venezuela. The early celebration is part of a broader initiative to uplift the spirits of Venezuelans, who have faced significant hardships in recent year 3. A small 1.5-metre (4.9 ft) asteroid, 2024 RW1, is predicted to fall harmlessly as a fireball over the island of Luzon in the Philippines 4. China opens the world's largest indoor skiing resort in Pudong, Shanghai, with a 90,000 square metres (970,000 sq ft) skiing area and a total campus area of 350,000 square metres (3,800,000 sq ft). 5. American historical drama television series Shōgun wins a record 14 Emmys at the 2024 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, the most won for any single season. 6. Last September 8, 2024, Kingdom of Jesus Christ pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is charged with sex trafficking, is arrested amid a standoff between the police and members of the church at the church's headquarters in Davao City, Philippines. 17  CHIANG KAI SHEK COLLEGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT MINDQUEST 2.0 CKSC-SHS UNITED NATIONS MONTH 2024 7. An All Afghan Women's Summit is held in Tirana, Albania, where more than 130 Afghan women gathered to protest the crackdown on women's rights by the Taliban. 8. The British government announces that a ban on junk food advertisements on television before 9 PM will enter force in October 2025 under plans to tackle childhood obesity. 9. American billionaire Jared Isaacman becomes the first person to perform a commercial spacewalk as part of the Polaris Dawn private spaceflight mission operated by SpaceX. 10. China increases the country's retirement age for the first time since 1978. Beginning in 2025, the retirement age for men will be increased to 63, and the retirement age for women will be increased to either 55 or 58 depending on their occupation. 11. Glasgow, Scotland, is formally selected as the host city of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth of Nations, often simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, most of which are former territories of the British Empire. It promotes democracy, development, and cultural exchange among its members. 12. Instagram introduces teen accounts for users under the age of 18 that will be private by default, limit "sensitive content" and allow parents to view contacts. 13. Climate researchers report that since 1985, deforestation in the Amazon has caused the loss of an area of rainforest equal to the combined area of France and Germany. 14. Iwao Hakamada, the world's longest-serving death row inmate, is acquitted in Japan following a retrial. 15. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres declares a warning at the UN General Assembly for nearly a billion people living in low-lying coastal areas due to the risk of rising sea levels caused by climate change potentially resulting in catastrophic flooding, coastal erosion, and climate migration. 18