Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2021

Notes:
The Chandra X-ray Observatory, previously known as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, was launched by NASA, aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Recently, an image from this observatory was released by NASA. It shows threads of superheated gas and magnetic fields weaving around each other, at the center of our Mily Way Galaxy. These new observations stretch above and below our galaxy’s plane, where most of the stars are found.

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:
Tianzhou-2, or “Heavenly Vessel” is China’s cargo spacecraft which carried supplies, equipment and propellant to the space station which is being developed by China. It has successfully docked itself to the module Tianhe, which is a part of a space station.
The spacecraft was launched from earth using the Long March-7 Y3 rocket.

Notes:
Every year, 31st May is observed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the “World No Tobacco Day”. The theme for this year is “Commit to quit”.
This day was created by the WHO members in the year 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the deaths associated with using tobacco. A resolution was passed in 1988 to observe 31st May as the No Tobacco Day.

Notes:
P4G – Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 summit is hosted by the Republic of Korea / South Korea and was organised at Seoul.
It is an acceleration event for promoting market-based partnerships to build sustainable and resilient economies. The theme of the event is “Inclusive Green Recovery Towards Carbon Neutrality”.

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 National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) of Canada has recommended mixing and matching of the second doses of covid 19 vaccines.
This means that people who reside in Canada and have taken the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine as their first shot, can take either of the vaccines as a second shot, based on their availability.

Notes:
India and the UK have launched a new workstream to promote industrial energy efficiency, under the Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI).
The 12th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) is being organised by Chile in virtual mode. IDDI is coordinated by the by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). It is also supported by Germany and Canada.

Notes:
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) implemented “National Automated Clearing House (NACH)”, which can be used for making bulk transactions towards distribution and collection of payments.
NACH is a centralised system which consolidates multiple ECS systems running across the country. As per the RBI’s recent monetary policy committee meeting, the NACH facility would be available on all days of the week from August 1.

Notes:
Lakshmi Nandan Bora, a noted Assamese litterateur and Padma Shri awardee belonging to Assam, passed away recently, due to COVID. He was 89 years old.
Lakshmi Nandan Bora has authored more than 60 books in Assamese language. Patal Bhairavi and Kayakalpa are his famous writings. He received the Padma Shri award from the Government of India in 2015.