Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
As per the research study of the scientists, released in ‘Nature Climate Change’ scientific journal, Polar bears are pushed to extinction due to climate change.
The study estimates that the carnivorous animal could nearly disappear within the span of a human lifetime. In 12 out of the 13 subpopulations analysed, Polar bears are estimated to be destroyed within 80 years.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Director General of Civil Aviation have permitted Maharashtra to use drones for inspecting power transmission lines and towers.
Maharashtra is the first state to be permitted for using drones for surveillance of faulty extra high voltage (EHV) power lines, to reduce the risk of the staff involved. As per the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL), each zone will be given a drone with HD cameras.

Notes:
The state government of Andhra Pradesh has signed an MoU with the milk cooperative major AMUL (Anand Milk Union Limited).
The agreement aims to promote empowerment of women self-help groups and encourage milk cooperatives in government sector. It also provides exposure to world class infrastructure, technology and market access to the local groups.

Notes:
Gurugram-based Indian air carrier SpiceJet has been designated as Indian scheduled carrier to operate between India and the United States.
SpiceJet is the first air-carrier to operate to the US after Air India. This approval has been given in terms of the Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and the Government of the United States of America. It has also been selected to operate to the United Kingdom.

Notes:
Social media Giant WhatsApp announced that it is set to partner with banks to expand banking services in India.
India is the biggest market of WhatsApp with over 400 million users. The messaging platform has already collaborated with banks including ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank for automated business messaging. This partnership would help expand banking services for low-income people and in rural areas.

Notes:
The Ministry of Defence has recently issued formal sanction order for granting Permanent Commission (PC) to Women Officers in the Indian Army.
As per the order, permanent commission has been granted to Service Commissioned (SSC) Women Officers in all ten streams of the Indian Army including Army Air Defence (AAD), Army Service Corps (ASC) among others.

Notes:
Turkmenistan became the 25th country with a status of an observer in the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The member-states of the WTO General Council unanimously adopted the resolution on granting the status of an observer in WTO to the Central Asian country. There are 164 WTO member-states at present and 25 countries possess the status of an observer including Turkmenistan.

Notes:
The Indian government has recently sent USD 1 million worth of anti-tuberculosis medicine to North Korea after requested by the World Health Organization (WHO).
As per the press release issued by the Ministry of External affairs, the medical assistance is under the ongoing WHO anti-tuberculosis programme in North Korea.

Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently launched an innovation contest named Dare to Dream 2.0.
It was announced by the Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh, on the fifth death anniversary of the former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The contest encourages individuals and start-ups to use advanced technologies for innovation in Aerospace and Defence sectors in the country.

Notes:
Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship recently announced that out of the over 2,00,000 people who became Australian citizens in 2019-2020, around 38,000 were Indians.
They are the largest international community to be granted the Australian citizenship. This figure is also 60 per cent increase from the previous year. India is followed by the people of the UK, China and Pakistan.