GK & Current Affairs Quiz: June 17, 2017

Notes:
India has been ranked 75th out of 102 countries in terms of the human impact on environment per person, as per latest study by UK-based financial services website “Money Super Market”. Mozambique has topped the list as the greenest nation because it uses 100% green energy, followed by Ethiopia, Zambia, Latvia and Kenya. The study gave most weight to Carbon dioxide emissions, municipal solid waste and energy consumption. It highlights the individual contribution to the world’s climate and also highlighted areas for improvement for each country. Trinidad and Tobago ranks last because it hardly relies on any green energy sources and have CO2 emissions on an average of 37.1 tonnes per person.

Notes:
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved $150 million equity investment loan to the India Infrastructure Fund (IIF), which is AIIB’s first such loan to fund private projects. The purpose of the Infrastructure Fund is to invest in mid-cap infrastructure companies in India and to expand the bank’s equity and loan deal sourcing pipelines in the private sector through its equity participation in this fund. This initiative will benefit local infrastructure development by enhancing private capital inflows from global long-term investors, such as public pension funds, endowments and insurance companies.

Notes:
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed every year on June 17 to promote public awareness of international efforts to combat desertification. The day is a unique moment to remind everyone that land degradation neutrality is achievable through problem-solving, strong community involvement and co-operation at all levels. The 2017 theme is “Our Land. Our Home. Our Future”.

Notes:
Helmut Kohl (87), the former German Chancellor, has passed away in Oggersheim, Germany on June 16, 2017. Kohl, who led the centre-right Christian Democrats, was the longest-serving German chancellor of the 20th Century. As Germany’s leader for 16 years, Kohl is remembered for reuniting the country and for making a huge political and economic contribution to Europe’s integration. Kohl is credited with bringing East and West Germany together after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Together with his French ally President Francois Mitterrand, he was responsible for the introduction of the Euro.

Notes:
The third annual meeting of the board of governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will be held in Mumbai, India in June 2018. India is AIIB’s second-largest shareholder. The AIIB is a new multilateral development bank founded to bring countries together to address the daunting infrastructure needs across Asia. The headquarters of AIIB is located in Beijing, China. Its mission is to improve economic and social development in Asia by investing in high quality, financially viable and environmentally friendly infrastructure projects. The 2nd annual meeting of the board of governors was held in Jeju, Republic of Korea in 2017.

Notes:
H S Shivaprakash, the noted Kannada poet and playwright, has been conferred with the prestigious 2017 Kusumagraja Rashtriya Puraskar for his outstanding contribution in social and educational fields. The award is constituted by Nashik-based Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University’s (YCMOU) Kusumagraja Adhyasan (Chair). It carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a memento and citation. Beside this, Latur-based Menka Dhumale has been honoured with the YCMOU’s 2016 ‘Baburao Bagul story writing award’ for her book “Korda Paus”.

Notes:
Syama Sanju has won the Kerala’s first-ever beauty contest for transgenders “Queen of Dhwayah-2017”, which was held at CIAL Convention Centre in Nedumbassery, Kerala. Apart from this, Jaz D’souza was crowned the first runner-up while Harini Chandana came third from among fifteen participants. The Queen of Dhwayah 2017 was organized by Dhwayah Arts and Cultural Society with the aim to draw attention to the third gender in the society and its inclusion.

Notes:
Ana Brnabic, a graduate of the University of Hull in England, will become the first gay and first female prime minister of Serbia, following her nomination by the nation’s president, Aleksandar Vucic. She will succeed Ivica Dacic on June 2017. The role of the Prime Minister in Serbia is to direct the work of the Government, and to submit to the National Assembly the Government’s Program, including a list of proposed ministers. The resignation of the Prime Minister will cause the fall of the Government.

Notes:
Ajmer Singh Aulakh (75), the renowned Punjabi playwright and Sahitya Akademi awardee, has passed away in Mansa, Punjab. He was known to depict the real picture of rural life of Punjab, especially the Malwa region, under the stress of capitalism. His plays raised a voice against the ills that plague society, be it honour killings, domestic violence, female foeticide, militancy, etc.

Notes:
The Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has inaugurated Know India Programme (KIP) for young overseas Indians at a function in New Delhi on June 17, 2017. The purpose of the programme is to promote awareness on different facets of life in India and the progress made by the country in various fields such as economic and education. The Know India Programme (KIP) is a three-week orientation programme for the Indian diaspora. It provides a unique forum for students and young professionals of Indian origin to visit India, share their views, expectations and experiences and develop closer bonds with the contemporary India.