Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2021

Notes:
As per a new study, a 4,000-year-old war memorial known as the ‘White Monument’ in Syria was built to honour soldiers who died in battle.
The White Monument, was first excavated several years ago, is found to be built above layers of buried adult males, may have been a memorial to the community’s dead, rather than a symbol of victory over the enemy.

Notes:
The State Government of Punjab has launched an initiative named Mission Fateh 2.0, which is a part of Corona Mukt Punjab Abhiyan.
Under this initiative, the state government has directed to form a group of 7 “Rural Corona Volunteers” (RCV) per village or per municipal ward, under the aegis of the state’s Department of Sports and Youth Affairs.

Notes:
The Indian Army has planned to lease Israel’s Heron TP drones and deploy the same along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
This decision comes in the wake of ongoing tensions between India and China along the LAC and these drones would be deployed to monitor the activities of Chinese troops.

Notes:
The Union Government has launched the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 4.0 and has expanded the scope of the scheme by including the civil aviation sector and loan to health institutions for on-site oxygen generation.
Under ECLGS 4.0 a maximum loan of 40% of the outstanding loan, or Rs 200 crore whichever is lower can be availed by borrowers from financial institutions.

Notes:
The National Statistical Office (NSO) released the provisional estimates of annual national income and quarterly estimates.
As per the release, India’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.6 per cent in the fourth quarter (January-March) of 2020-21. Last quarter, there was 0.5 % growth. The GDP contracted to a record low 7.3 per cent, for the full financial year 2020-21. This was a marginal improvement from the earlier estimate of 8 per cent contraction.

Notes:
Microsoft has launched the first Asia Pacific Public Sector Cyber Security Executive Council. It aims to build a strong communications channel for addressing cyber threats.
It also aims to share best practices across the participating countries by accelerating public-private partnerships in cybersecurity. The council has policy makers from many Asian countries, supported by cybersecurity professionals.

Notes:
China launched ‘Red Tourism’ in the year 2004 to promote locations with historical and cultural significance to the history of the Communist Party.
It also aimed at promoting tourism and local businesses in the country. Recently, there has been a record high footfall in the historic places under the Red Tourism. Some of them include Nanhu Lake, where the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was held in 1921, and Mao Zedong’s birthplace Shaoshan.

Notes:
International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) is being hosted by the Germany’s Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt–UBA).
The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the main focus of the eighth triennial conference of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI). It is being held virtually from May 31-June 3, 2021.

Notes:
Sinovac vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd has been granted emergency use approval by the World Health Organisation.
WHO has recommended the vaccine to be used by people who are 18 years and above. The vaccine needs to be administered in two doses with a gap of two to four weeks.

Notes:
The Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched the Seed Minikit Programme by distributing kits of higher yielding varieties of seeds to farmers.
It aims to introduce new varieties of seeds to the farmers and helps in increasing the seed replacement rate. The mini kits are being provided by the National Seeds Corporation (NCS), NAFED and Gujarat State Seeds Corporation and wholly funded by the Union through the National Food Security Mission.