Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed between the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for data exchange between the two organisations.
This MoU succeeds the agreement signed between them in the year 2015. During the event, a Data Exchange Steering Group has also been constituted that will meet periodically to review the data exchange status.

Notes:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have jointly released a report titled ‘Cooling Emissions and Policy Synthesis Report: Benefits of cooling efficiency and the Kigali Amendment’ report released July 17, 2020.
As per the report, the world will need more than 10 billion new cooling appliances by 2050, that will make the count of such machines to 14 billion. As per the report around 3.6 billion appliances are being used and it is increasing by up to 10 cooling appliances every second.

Notes:
Technology giant Microsoft has partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA) to set virtual fans in the game stands.
Microsoft will use its newly launched Teams app and 17-foot-tall LED screens to put around 300 virtual fans in the stands of each game. Fans can login the Teams app and use the “Together mode”, which simulates a group of people sitting in a room.

Notes:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently launched a new initiative named ‘COVID-19 Law Lab’, to ensure that laws are adhered to protect health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
It is a joint project of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University.

Notes:
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) announced that Partha Pratim Sengupta has been appointed as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive.
He was a former Deputy Managing Director at the State Bank of India (SBI). The appointment is made up to the date of attaining the age of superannuation in 2022. He is to succeed the previous MD & CEO Karnam Sekar.

Notes:
Haryana will host the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, in Panchkula.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that unlike the usual schedule of January, the tournament has been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will be participated by all states with over 10000 sportspersons.

Notes:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations releases the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA)’ report.
FAO has been publishing this assessment once in every 5 years since 1990. It evaluates the state of forests and their management in all member countries. As per the recent report, India has ranked third among the countries that gained in forest areas in the last decade (2010-2020). China and Australia held the first two ranks.

Notes:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has recently launched a dedicated job portal, to revive economy amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The portal (jobs.delhi.gov.in) named Rozgar Bazar will connect the recruiters with the job aspirants. The Chief Minister asked the traders, businessmen, industrialists and people to work together in reviving the UT’s economy.

Notes:
World Nature Conservation Day is celebrated every year on July 28, to create and increase awareness about the importance of natural resources.
The day encourages people to protect Earth’s natural resources and lead a sustainable life style. It also educates people to use the resources judiciously without exploiting the nature Earth. Ministry of Culture has said that Worshipping Nature is a part of Indian culture.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has recently approved the National Education Policy 2020. It has introduced several major reforms in higher education.
As per the policy, a target of 50 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035 has been fixed. It also provides academic, administrative and financial autonomy for institutions and proposes a single regulator for all higher education.