Current Affairs Quiz - June 2022

Notes:
Every year on the 19th of June, the World Sickle Cell Day (SCD) event is conducted by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell anaemia is a group of inherited disorders that cause red blood cells to become sickle in shape instead of normal biconcave shape. In a patient who is suffering from SCD, the red blood cells have abnormal haemoglobin.

Notes:
Former rebel fighter Gustavo Petro secured majority of votes in the Colombia’s presidential election and is set to become the first leftist President of the country.
A shift of South American politics to the left has been observed with the victories in Peru last year, and in Chile and Honduras this year. During the pandemic, Colombia saw anti-establishment protests against corruption, stagnancy, increased taxation and a new health care reform.

Notes:
South Korea launched its first domestically built space rocket ‘Nuri’ in the country’s second attempt. Earlier, the country failed to place a payload into orbit.
If the launch is successful, South Korea will become the world’s 10th nation to place a satellite into space with its own technology. The performance verification satellite will also help South Korea launch more satellites.

Notes:
Spain has been facing wildfires amid an unusual heat wave in the Western Europe region. In Spain’s northwest province of Zamora, over 30,000 hectares have been consumed. The fire in the north-western Sierra de Culebra mountain range has caused significant damage.
Germany has also been hit by wild fires and heat wave due to climate change.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Centre for Brain Research (CBR) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) campus, Bengaluru.
The Centre has been set up at a cost of Rs 280 crore. It is developed as the first research facility which focuses on conducting vital research to provide evidence-based public health interventions to manage age-related brain disorders.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ‘Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojna’ a nutrition scheme for pregnant and lactating mothers- in Gujarat’s Vadodara.
The financial outlay of the scheme is Rs 800 crore. Every month, all identified beneficiaries will receive Poshan Kits along with other ICDS services. Poshan Sudha Yojana, which aims to meet the nutritional needs of pregnant women, has also been expanded to all tribal- areas of Gujarat.

Notes:
The UNSC 1267 committee was set up in the year 1999. It was strengthened in 2001 following the 9/11 attack. Its members include both the permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC. It is also known as Da’esh and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.

Notes:
The Russian enclave Kaliningrad is located on the Baltic Sea. It is sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland. It was captured by the USSR from Nazi Germany in April 1945. It became part of the USSR territory as the result of the Potsdam Agreement. It was recently in news because of a row after Lithuania decided to ban goods part of EU sanctions from moving through its territory to reach Kaliningrad.

Notes:
A joint India-UK Commonwealth Diplomatic Academy programme was recently announced by the foreign ministers of the UK and India.
It aims to equip diplomats from all Commonwealth member states with expertise and skills required for addressing emerging challenges that have global-level impact. This academy programme will be hosted in New Delhi. This was announced during the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which was held in Rwanda, East Africa from June 24 to 25.

Notes:
US President Joe Biden and other G7 leaders re-launched the “Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment” at their annual gathering at Schloss Elmau in Germany.
It aims to raise USD 600 billion in private and public funds over five years, to finance infrastructure in developing countries and counter China’s Belt and Road project. The United States would mobilise USD 200bn in grants, federal funds and private investment over five years, while Europe will mobilise 300 billion euros.