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:
A team of Australian scientists has discovered a new species of a tree frog from the rainforests of New Guinea.
Also called as the “chocolate frog” due to its chocolate colour, it belongs to the Australasian tree frog genus Litoria. Hence the new species was named as ‘Litoria mira’. The closest known relative of this new species is the Australian green tree frog.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Karnataka B S Yediyurappa has launched a portal named Akanksha, which would provide details on all the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in Karnataka.
This comprehensive portal would help the state Government officials, corporates and donors. It seeks to improve transparency in utilisation of CSR funds by the Government.

Notes:
A bill named “Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement” or EAGLE Act has been moved in the USA’s legislative body. This bill is seen as a counter to the policy challenges posed by China.
The bill seeks for increased investment to promote US manufacturing, trade and seeks for increased US intervention to Taiwan and Hong Kong.

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:
West African leaders have suspended Mali from their regional association- the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The 15-member bloc held an emergency summit in Ghana’s capital, Accra, in response to last week’s coup. Mali’s military has toppled the President and Prime Minister for the second time in nine months.

Notes:
As per the data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), India’s fiscal deficit for 2020-21 stood at 9.3% of the gross domestic product (GDP) for the financial year 2020-21. This is lower than the Finance Ministry’s Budget estimates of 9.5%.
As per the CGA data, the revenue deficit stood at 7.42% during 2020-21.

Notes:
The Controller General of Accounts (CGA) released the revenue-expenditure data of the Union government for 2020-21.
As per the data, the Net tax receipts were ₹14.24 lakh crore, while total expenditure was ₹35.11 lakh crore during the financial year 2020-21.

Notes:
NASA has planned to send 128 baby squids and some 5,000 tardigrades, also called as Water Bears to the International Space Station for research purposes.
The water animals will be launched aboard SpaceX’s 22nd cargo resupply mission to the ISS. The experiments will also help to understand how beneficial microbes interact with animals. The experiments would also help design protective measures for astronauts going for long space travel.

Notes:
Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Arun Mishra took charge as the new Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission.
Justice Mishra is the first non-CJI to be appointed to the NHRC chief post since the amendment of the Protection of Human Rights Act in 2019. Former Chairperson Justice H L Dattu completed his tenure in December last year. Two other members were also appointed in the Commission.