Current Affairs 13 June 2026

Current Affairs 13 June 2026

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Colombia approved a ban on female genital mutilation

Colombia’s Senate has approved a law to ban Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a harmful traditional practice reported among some Indigenous communities in the country. If approved by President Gustavo Petro, Colombia will become the first country in Latin America to pass specific legislation banning Female Genital Mutilation.

  • Colombia’s Senate passed the law after nearly two years of debate.
  • It aims to prohibit and criminalise Female Genital Mutilation.
  • The practice is mainly reported among some Indigenous communities in Colombia.

Female Genital Mutilation

  • Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to procedures involving the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons.
  • It is considered a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
  • It can cause severe health problems, including infections, childbirth complications, trauma, and long-term reproductive health issues.
  • WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA strongly oppose the practice.
  • International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is observed every year on February 6.
  • FGM is mainly reported in parts of Africa, West Asia, and some migrant communities across the world.
📌 Did You Know?
Latin America refers to the countries of the Americas where Romance languages derived from Latin (mainly Spanish, Portuguese, and French) are spoken. Major Latin American countries include Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Cuba.

Largest Latin American Country: Brazil
Largest City: São Paulo (Brazil)
Most Spoken Language: Spanish (Portuguese is spoken in Brazil)
Colombia Capital: Bogotá
Currency: Colombian Peso

‘Varya’ – India’s Indigenous AI Video Generation Model

The IndiaAI Mission has supported the development of ‘Varya’, India’s first indigenous distilled video generation AI model, developed by Avataar. Varya is designed to generate videos from text prompts and images. It is built specifically for Indian contexts, including regional cultures, festivals, food habits, traditional clothing, and local environments.

What Makes Varya Unique?

  • Uses Distilled Video Generation Technology.
  • Reduces video generation steps from 50 to just 4 steps.
  • Claims to maintain output quality while significantly reducing computation costs.
  • According to Avataar, Varya can generate videos at approximately ₹0.48 per second.
  • It is claimed to be up to 10 times more cost-efficient than several leading global video-generation models.

Varya can be used for:

  • Education and e-learning
  • Product advertisements for MSMEs
  • Public information campaigns
  • Storytelling and content creation
  • E-commerce marketing

📌 What is Distilled Video Generation?

Distillation is a machine-learning technique where a smaller “student” model learns from a larger “teacher” model and achieves similar results with much lower computational requirements. Varya applies this concept to video generation, making AI video creation faster and cheaper.

Andhra Pradesh Police to Receive MEA’s Institutional Performance Award

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has selected the Andhra Pradesh Police for the ‘Institutional Performance Award for State Police’ for the year 2025–26. The award recognizes the outstanding performance of the Andhra Pradesh Police in passport verification services.

Global Wind Day – 15 June

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will organize the Global Wind Day 2026 Conference on 15 June 2026 in Goa. The Global Wind Day 2026 theme is “Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration”.

India’s Wind Energy Status

  • India is currently the 4th largest wind power market in the world.
  • Wind energy is a key component of India’s renewable energy strategy.
  • India recorded a 6.1 GW wind power capacity addition during 2025–26.

National Wind Energy Targets

  • 100 GW wind energy capacity by 2030
  • 155 GW wind energy capacity by 2035
  • Supports India’s target of 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and Net Zero emissions by 2070

Legendary Shooter Jaspal Rana Passes Away

Indian shooting legend and renowned coach Jaspal Rana passed away on 12 June 2026 at the age of 49. Widely regarded as one of India’s greatest shooters, Jaspal Rana made immense contributions to Indian shooting both as an athlete and later as a high-performance coach.

  • Won a total of 15 medals at the Commonwealth Games, including 9 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze.
  • Secured three historic gold medals at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games.
  • The Government of India honored him with the Arjuna Award (1994), the Padma Shri (1997), and the Dronacharya Award (2020).

Q1. Which Latin American country recently approved a law to ban Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and is set to become the first country in the region to enact such legislation?
A. Brazil
B. Argentina
C. Colombia
D. Chile

Show Answer

Answer: C. Colombia
Explanation: Colombia’s Senate recently approved a law banning Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Once signed by President Gustavo Petro, Colombia will become the first country in Latin America to enact specific legislation prohibiting the practice.

Q2. Which of the following States was selected by the Ministry of External Affairs for the ‘Institutional Performance Award for State Police’ (2025–26) for excellence in passport verification services?
A. Telangana
B. Karnataka
C. Andhra Pradesh
D. Tamil Nadu

Show Answer

Answer: C. Andhra Pradesh
Explanation: The Ministry of External Affairs selected Andhra Pradesh Police for the ‘Institutional Performance Award for State Police’ for 2025–26 in recognition of its outstanding performance in passport verification services.

Q3. ‘Varya’, recently seen in the news, is associated with which of the following?
A. Quantum Computing Platform
B. AI-based Video Generation Model
C. Indigenous Semiconductor Chip
D. Satellite Navigation System

Show Answer

Answer: B. AI-based Video Generation Model
Explanation: Varya is India’s indigenous distilled AI video generation model developed by Avataar with support from the IndiaAI Mission. It can convert text prompts and images into videos while significantly reducing computational costs.

Q4. Jaspal Rana, who recently passed away, was associated with which sport?
A. Archery
B. Shooting
C. Boxing
D. Weightlifting

Show Answer

Answer: B. Shooting
Explanation: Jaspal Rana was one of India’s greatest sport shooters and among the country’s most decorated Commonwealth Games athletes. He won 15 Commonwealth Games medals and multiple Asian Games medals during his illustrious career.

Q5. What is the theme of the Global Wind Day 2026 Conference being organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)?
A. Harnessing Wind for Green Growth
B. Wind Power for Energy Security
C. Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration
D. Renewable India through Wind Revolution

Show Answer

Answer: C. Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration
Explanation: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will host the Global Wind Day 2026 Conference in Goa under the theme “Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration”, focusing on scaling up India’s wind energy sector and achieving renewable energy targets.

What is the capital of Colombia?

Bogota is the capital city of Colombia.

What is Varya AI?

Varya AI is India’s first indigenous distilled video generation AI model, developed by Avataar. It reduces video generation steps from 50 to just 4 steps.

Global Wind Day 2026 theme?

The Global Wind Day 2026 theme is “Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration”.

What is India’s rank in Wind Energy?

India is currently the 4th largest wind power market in the world.

Disclaimer: This article is prepared for competitive exam preparation using publicly available information.

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