Current Affairs Quiz - June 2022

Notes:
The second-year anniversary of ‘National AI Portal’ (INDIAai) is celebrated on May 30, 2022. The portal is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and NASSCOM. INDIAai released a book on the basics of AI titled ‘AI for Everyone’.
The portal focuses on promoting a unified AI ecosystem in the country and use AI for economic growth. The portal has a repository of over 1000 articles on AI and several news stories, reports, case studies and videos. It has the databases featuring details of government initiatives and start-ups related to AI.

Notes:
Russia has launched a new “Foreign debt payment system”, an arrangement similar to that used for payments for its gas supplies to pay its dollar-denominated foreign debts.
Russia will offer the holders of its Eurobond obligations to accept a payment system bypassing the Western financial infrastructure. Russia has not defaulted on its international debts since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution when the Soviet Union was created.

Notes:
The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the supply of ASTRA MK-I Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air to Air Missile (AAM).
The contract includes associated equipment for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, along with the missile, at a cost of ₹ 2,971 crore under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category. ASTRA MK-I BVR AAM has been indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Notes:
‘Hurricane Agatha’, the first of the Pacific season hit Mexico and the casualties climbed to at least 10 dead and around 20 missing in southern Mexico.
Heavy rains triggered landslides and flooding in the country. The storm was the strongest to make landfall along Mexico’s Pacific coast in May since record keeping began in 1949. Mexico is regularly hit by tropical storms on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts, between May and November.

Notes:
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu is on a visit to Gabon, Senegal, and Qatar, the first visit from India at the level of Vice President to the three countries.
Libreville is the capital of the Central- African country Gabon. The Vice President reiterated the commitment of the Government of India to be Gabon’s reliable partner. The bilateral trade between the countries reached USD 1.12 billion in 2021-22.

Notes:
Bihar state government is set to conduct a caste-based census in the state. The decision was taken at an all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The exercise would be called Jaati Aadharit Ganana and the state government will publish the data related to the census through advertisements in newspapers. The aim of this exercise is to carry out developmental work for people who are deprived.

Notes:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been invited to attend the World Cities Summit (WCS) in Singapore to present the ‘Delhi Model’ and to discuss urban solutions with other leaders.
It is jointly organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities and the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Notes:
India’s Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu is on a three-nation tour, reached Senegal, a West African country.
India signed three MoUs with the country on 1) visa-free regime for Diplomatic and Official passport holders; 2)renewal of Cultural Exchange Progarmme (CEP) for the period 2022-26 and 3) bilateral cooperation in youth matters.

Notes:
India successfully tested the Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile Agni-4. The successful training launch was carried out from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
Agni-4 is an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile with a range of around 4,000 km. It was developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and can carry a 1,000-kg payload and can go as high as 900 km.

Notes:
People in India’s north-eastern state of Assam celebrate a spring festival named ‘Baikho festival’.
It is predominantly observed by the people of Assam every year in June. The festival is meant to bring an auspicious harvest season with abundant crops and good health.