1. Zoox, that was recently acquired by Amazon, is a start-up firm related to which field?
[A] Self-driving Car
[B] Aerial Transport
[C] Social Media
[D] Ride Hailing service
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Self-driving Car]
Notes:
Amazon has recently acquired the Self-driving Car start-up firm Zoox, in a deal estimated to be worth over USD 1 billion.
Zoox is an American company, which employs more than 1000 persons and was also developing an electric self-driving vehicle. As per sources, this is Amazon’s biggest investment so far in self-driving car technology. This is also one of its biggest purchases ever. The technology is expected to be deployed in automated delivery projects of Amazon.
2. Where is the Headquarters of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) located?
[A] Geneva
[B] New York
[C] Vienna
[D] Paris
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Vienna]
Notes:
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a United Nations office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, headquartered at Vienna, Austria.
According to the latest UNODC World Drug Report, about 26.9 crore people used drugs in 2018, which was 30% more than the 2009 count. The largest share of drug users comprised of adolescents and young adults. Overall opioid users in India is estimated to have increased five times, as compared to those in 2004.
3. Which is the first Indian state/UT to launch a dedicated Plasma Bank to treat COVID-19 patients?
[A] Kerala
[B] Maharashtra
[C] New Delhi
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [New Delhi]
Notes:
The government of New Delhi has recently announced the launch of the country’s first dedicated plasma bank for treating Covid-19 patients.
The facility would be set up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), and it will be made available to all government and private hospitals of the UT. The therapy involves drawing blood from patients who have recovered from covid-19 and using the plasma and antibodies to treat active patients.
4. Which state government is set to launch the ‘Kill Corona’ campaign, to control the spread of coronavirus?
[A] Bihar
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Gujarat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
The state government of Madhya Pradesh is set to launch a campaign called ‘Kill Corona’, to control the spread of coronavirus in the state.
The 15-day campaign, which is to be carried out from July 1, involves door-to-door survey and tests for other diseases. During the campaign, 2.5 lakh tests will be carried out and about 20,000 samples would be collected daily.
5. Which Union Ministry is set to launch a cashless scheme for road accident victims with an insurance cap of Rs 2.5 lakh?
[A] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
[B] Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
[C] Ministry of Women and Child Development
[D] Ministry of Home Affairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Road Transport and Highways]
Notes:
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is set to launch a cashless scheme for road accident victims.
The Ministry is to establish a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund under its aegis, for implementing the scheme. It will have an insurance coverage cap of Rs 2.5 lakh per case and enables all road accident victims of Indian or foreign nationality, to be eligible.
6. Who has been appointed as the next Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations?
[A] Indra Mani Pandey
[B] Ronen Sen
[C] Vivek Katju
[D] Taranjit Singh Sandhu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Indra Mani Pandey]
Notes:
Veteran diplomat Indra Mani Pandey has been appointed as India’s next Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva.
The Indian Foreign Service officer is currently serving as an additional secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He is to succeed the current representative hRajiv K Chander in Geneva. I.M Pandey had served in Indian missions in several places including Cairo, Islamabad and Kabul among others.
7. When is ‘Chartered Accountants (CA) Day’ celebrated in India?
[A] July 1
[B] July 2
[C] July 3
[D] July 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [July 1]
Notes:
Charted Accountants (CA) Day is celebrated on July 1 every year to commemorate the finding of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) was established by the parliament of India in 1949 under an Act. It is the national professional accounting body and the second biggest accounting organization in the world.
8. Which Indian state is to launch a scheme named ‘Hamara Ghar-Hamara Vidyalaya’?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Bihar
[D] Gujarat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
The state Government of Madhya Pradesh is set to launch a new scheme called ‘Hamara Ghar-Hamara Vidyalaya’.
It means My Home-My school and the scheme aims to teach the school-going children, in a school-like environment. Under the scheme, the children of the state will learn to read and write and perform yoga, as per the State Education Centre.
9. Which Indian state/UT has launched a plantation drive called ‘Paudhe Lagao, Paryavaran Bachao’ (Plant Saplings, Save Environment)?
[A] Sikkim
[B] West Bengal
[C] New Delhi
[D] Jharkhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [New Delhi]
Notes:
The Union Territory of Delhi has announced that a plantation drive called ‘Paudhe Lagao, Paryavaran Bachao’ (Plant Saplings, Save Environment).
As per the Environment Ministry, Delhi is to launch a 17-day long plantation drive of 31 lakh saplings, to increase the green cover to 350 sq km by 2021. The aim of the drive is to create awareness about increasing green cover to reduce pollution in the UT. The period of the drive will be observed as “Vrikshaaropan Pakhavaada”.
10. How many countries are involved in the USMCA agreement, that was seen in news recently?
[A] Three
[B] Four
[C] Five
[D] Six
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Three]
Notes:
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is set to replace the 25-year-old NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement).
The renegotiated deal comes into effect from July 1. USMCA is a trilateral agreement between three countries namely the United States, Mexico and Canada. The deal was originally signed in 2018 and since then the countries have been working to implement the new deal. It seeks to support the technology sector and include USD 600 million to address environmental problems.