Current Affairs Quiz - June 2022

Notes:
West Nile fever was first detected in 1937 in Uganda. The vector-borne infection is spread by the Culex species of mosquitoes. The fever was first detected in Kerala in 2011.
A 47-year-old man died due to West Nile fever in Kerala’s Thrissur district. It is the first fatality in the state caused by the disease in the last three years.

Notes:
National Statistical Office (NSO) marginally slashed its year-on-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to 8.7 per cent, down from 8.9 per cent estimated in February.
The fourth quarter (January-March period of 2021-22) GDP growth was recorded at 4.1 per cent. The economy witnessed a 6.6 per cent contraction in 2020-21. The latest GDP growth estimate is lower than the second advance estimate of 8.9 per cent (released in February) and first advance estimate of 9.2 per cent (released in January).

Notes:
NTPC Ltd, India’s largest integrated energy producer has issued renewed Biodiversity Policy 2022, aligned with environmental and sustainability policies.
NTPC was the first PSU to issue Biodiversity Policy in the year 2018. The Public sector undertaking, formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, also became a member of the India Business & Biodiversity Initiative (IBBI) in the same year.

Notes:
Punjab government has recently launched e-stamping facility after abolishing physical stamp papers of all denominations.
The move aims to bring efficiency and is expected to save Rs 35 crore annually. Stamp papers of any denomination can be obtained only through e-stamp from stamp vendor or from banks authorised by the state government. The facility has been started with the assistance of National e-Governance Services Limited.

Notes:
United States Department of Defense (DoD) announced the authorization of a security assistance valued at up to USD 700 million.
The assistance has been announced to meet critical Ukrainian needs for its fight. This authorization is the eleventh drawdown of equipment from the country for Ukraine since August 2021. The United States has now committed USD 5.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.

Notes:
Indian Film-maker Gitanjali Rao is set to be honoured with an award during the 75th edition of the Locarno Film Festival.
The filmmaker will receive the Locarno Kids Award la Mobiliare, the award dedicated to personalities for conveying the love of cinema to younger viewers. The award will be presented at the film gala, held every year in Locarno, Switzerland.

Notes:
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is on a five day visit to Slovakia and the Czech Republic. He is set to attend the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum in Slovakia and speak on the topic ‘Taking Friendship to the Next Level: Allies in the Indo-Pacific Region’.
He is scheduled to meet Minister of European and International Affairs of Austria Alexander Schallenberg on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum. The Czech Republic will be taking over the EU Presidency from next month.

Notes:
India’s first liquid-mirror telescope, the International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) has been set up on the campus of the Devasthal Observatory of the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital, Uttarakhand.
The telescope will observe asteroids, supernovae, space debris and all other celestial objects from an altitude of 2,450 metres in the Himalayas. It is the first liquid-telescope globally to be designed exclusively for astronomical purposes.

Notes:
The United Nations received the official request of Turkey to rebrand itself to ‘Turkiye’ in all languages.
The UN chief’s spokesperson announced that the change is immediate. Over the past few years, the country sought to change the branding on its products from “Made in Turkey” to “Made in Turkiye.”

Notes:
Rajasthan launched a special Health Care scheme ‘Anchal’ in the Karauli district for pregnant women. During the campaign, over 13000 pregnant women were tested for their haemoglobin levels and are advised to take right medicines.
Under this campaign, it is also ensured that the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife and ASHA workers in the district are in constant touch with the pregnant women of their respective areas.