June 28 Weekly News Quiz: What’s Hajj?

Hajj is a significant religious pilgrimage in Islam that every able-bodied Muslim must undertake at least once in their lifetime. It involves a series of rituals performed over five days in and around Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In 2024, the Hajj pilgrimage saw over 1.83 million participants, but extreme heat conditions, with temperatures exceeding 50C (122F), led to over 1,300 deaths due to heat-related illnesses.

Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, was released from Belmarsh Prison on June 25, 2024. As part of a plea deal with the US Department of Justice, he plead guilty to one count of violating the Espionage Act. This deal includes a sentence of five years in prison. However, since Assange has already spent over five years in detention, this time will be credited towards his sentence, meaning he will not serve additional jail time. By agreeing to this plea deal, Assange avoided the risk of a much harsher sentence that could have resulted from the original 18 charges he faced, which collectively carried the potential of up to 175 years in prison.

Dagestan is a republic in the North Caucasus region of Russia, known for its diverse ethnic composition and history of militant violence, mostly Islamist. On June 23, 2024, it was the site of multiple coordinated attacks on synagogues, churches, and police posts, resulting in significant casualties.

Russia formalized a mutual defense pact with North Korea in June 2024. This agreement signifies a strategic military alliance between the two countries, allowing them to support each other using all available means if either is attacked. Russia and Belarus signed the Union State Treaty, including mutual defense commitments, on December 8, 1999. Russia is also a leading member of the CSTO, a regional security alliance formed in 1992. The CSTO includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

Lionel Messi holds the record for the most Copa America appearances, a milestone he reached in June 2024. This 70-year-old record was previously held by Chilean footballer Sergio Livingstone, a legendary goalkeeper who played in 34 Copa America matches between 1941 and 1953.

The shiny bean, officially known as Cloud Gate, is a famous public sculpture in Millennium Park, Chicago, USA. Anish Kapoor designed it, and it attracts around 20 million visitors annually. After nearly a year of renovations to the surrounding Grainger Plaza, The Bean reopened on June 23, 2024.

In June 2024, Elon Musk welcomed his 12th child with Shivon Zilis, a top executive at his neurotechnology company Neuralink. It’s their third child together, following twins Strider and Azure’s birth in November 2021. Despite the complexities of Musk’s personal life, which includes a total of 12 children with three different women, he and Zilis have maintained a professional relationship, working closely on projects at Neuralink. This latest addition to Musk’s large family underscores his public stance on addressing declining birth rates by having more children.

The adorable creature in the picture is a wombat. In June 2024, Tasmania Tourism launched a unique campaign to boost winter tourism by offering quirky “odd jobs,” including the role of a wombat walker. This job involves leading wombats on their morning walks as part of their rehabilitation program at East Coast Natureworld. The initiative aims to attract Australians to take a break from their daily routines and experience Tasmania’s natural beauty and unique wildlife. The campaign features ten quirky positions, including “oyster organizer,” “paranormal investigator,” “sauna stoker,” and “wine whisperer.”

The first Black Barbie doll debuted in 1980 – a significant milestone in the toy industry, representing a step towards greater racial diversity and inclusion. The documentary “Black Barbie: A Documentary,” which premiered on Netflix on June 20, 2024, delves into this history, highlighting the contributions of designer Kitty Black Perkins and the cultural impact of the Black Barbie doll.

Donald Sutherland played the iconic role of Hawkeye Pierce in the 1970 film “MAS*H.” This role catapulted him to fame and became one of his defining performances. Over the decades, Sutherland built a diverse and remarkable career, earning acclaim in various genres. He continued acting until his passing on June 20, 2024, at 88, including as President Snow in “The Hunger Games” series.

Prince William, born on June 21, 1982, is 42 years old in 2024. He celebrated his 42nd birthday just a day before attending Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert at Wembley Stadium on June 22, 2024, where she took a viral selfie with the prince and his kids.

In 2024, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania moved two Picasso paintings to a public toilet cubicle to protest a legal ruling. The Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal had ordered the museum to allow men into the previously women-only Ladies Lounge, an installation that featured the Picasso artworks.