Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2020

Notes:
According to the BP Statistical Review released recently, India’s energy consumption in 2019 was third largest behind China (141.70 EJ) and US (94.65 EJ).
While World primary energy consumption rose to 583.90 Exajoules (EJ), India’s consumption increased 2.3 per cent to 34.06 EJ. The growth was lower than 5.2 per cent in 2018. It also said that India was second biggest growth driver of primary energy consumption in the world, behind China, in 2019.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly has recently elected Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir to be its president. He is the first Turkish national to head the General Assembly.
This decision has been taken ahead of the 75th General Assembly in September. Volkan Bozkir is serving as the head of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. He had also served as Turkey’s Minister of European Affairs and Chief Negotiator. He would assume office in September 2020 and hold the post for one year.

Notes:
Ministry of Tourism is organising a week-long celebration of International day of Yoga from 15th June, 2020.
It has also launched social media activities focussed on Yoga under the central theme “Yoga @ home & Yoga with family”. The Tourism Ministry will also conduct a special session titled ‘Bharat: A Cultural Treasure’ under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar. Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel will attend the session along with celebrity participants.

Notes:
Every year, on June 19, the ‘International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict’ is observed by the United Nations.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed 19 June of each year as this special day in the year 2015, in order to raise awareness to prevent conflict-related sexual violence, to honour the victims and survivors of sexual violence. The day also pays tribute to people who have fought against this crime and laid down their lives. On the same day in 2008, the Security Council resolution condemning sexual violence as a tactic of war, was adopted.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set up a Project Development Cell (PDC) to attract more investments into the sector.
It is to be headed by the Joint secretary of MNRE, Amitesh Kumar Sinha, and will help meet the country’s 175 GW target for green energy. The PDC aims to create projects that have all prior approvals for investors to adopt them. DPIIT can also nominate some officials to this body.

Notes:
The United States Senate has named that veteran Indian-American scientist Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan as the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF).
NSF is a top American body, that promotes fundamental research in non-medical fields of science and engineering. The 58-year old Scientist is the Chief Research and Innovation Officer at Arizona State University, at present. He is to replace France Cordova as the 15th Director of the NSF. He is also the second Indian-American ever to be nominated for the position.

Notes:
According to the data from the US Treasury Department, India has become the 12th largest holder of US government securities at the end of April.
Japan stood at the first position by holding securities worth 157.4 billion dollars. It is followed by China at 1.1 trillion dollars and the UK at 368.5 billion dollars. At the end of April, India had an exposure of 157.4 billion dollars.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot has recently announced that Rajasthan will soon launch the ‘Indira Rasoi Yojna’.
The scheme seeks to provide pure and nutritious food on concessional rates to the needy people residing in the state, twice a day. For implementing the Indira Rasoi Yojna (Indira Kitchen Scheme), the state is to spend Rs 100 crore every year. Local NGOs will be engaged to implement the scheme.

Notes:
Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has recently launched an initiative named ‘YUKTI 2.0’.
YUKTI stands for ‘Young India combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation’. Earlier, the Minister launched the YUKTI portal on April 11, 2020. The 2.0 portal will serve as an online depository for innovative ideas and help students, teachers and researchers in higher educational institutions.

Notes:
The United States President Donald Trump has recently suspended H-1B, H-2B, J, L and other temporary work permits.
The suspension will be effective till December 31, as per the recent announcement from the White House. The President announced that the entry of additional workers through these temporary Visa programs presents a threat to employment opportunities for Americans affected by the economic damages caused by COVID-19 pandemic.