Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2021

Notes:
A rare case of monkeypox was detected in Texas, in the United States, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Monkeypox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox. It induces flu-like symptoms, swelling of the lymph nodes and rashes. Scientists have discovered two distinct genetic groups of monkeypox virus—Central African and West African. The first case of monkeypox in humans was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Notes:
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India has setup Dairy Investment Accelerator under its Investment Facilitation Cell.
It aims to promote and facilitate investments in the Indian Dairy sector. Dairy Investment Accelerator is also generating awareness among investors about Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development fund (AHIDF). Under AHIDF, Rs. 15,000 crore fund has been setup for offering financial support to entrepreneurs, private companies, MSME, FPOs etc.

Notes:
As on June 25, 2021, India’s forex reserves stood at US$ 608.99 billion, making India the fifth largest foreign exchange reserves holder in the world. China, Japan, Switzerland and Russia are ahead of India in the list of largest forex reserves holdings.
India’s forex reserves comprise of Foreign Currency Assets, Gold, Special Drawing Rights and Reserve Tranche Position (RTP) in IMF.

Notes:
A 53-year-old veterinarian in China is the first known human case of an extremely rare viral infection known to infect monkeys, called monkey B virus.
The virus most commonly infects macaque monkeys, and it is rarely seen in humans. There have been just 50 human cases of the virus reported since it was discovered in 1932, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Monkey B virus belongs to a family of viruses called herpesviruses while Monkeypox virus belongs to a family of viruses called orthopoxviruses

Notes:
Jeff Bezos – the founder of Amazon owns the privately funded space agency Blue Origin. The agency’s spaceship named “New Shepard” has made a successful trip to space and back to earth, with Jeff Bezos and three others on board.
The booster rocket touched down seven minutes after lift-off and the capsule containing the astronauts landed back to earth after 10 minutes after lift-off.

Notes:
Rasmi Ranjan Das, a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, has been appointed as member of the UN tax committee for the 2021 to 2025 term
A group of 25 tax experts from around the world are appointed as members of the UN tax committee, formally known as the UN Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters. It aims to guide the efforts of countries to adopt stronger tax policies.

Notes:
Government has permitted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100 percent under the automatic route for renewable energy projects, including offshore wind energy projects.
Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh recently replied in Lok Sabha that Government notified the ‘National Offshore Wind Energy Policy’ in 2015, to provide basic framework for developing offshore wind sector. The Government also enabled private investors to carryout offshore wind resource assessment.

Notes:
The Government of India has launched a dedicated portal for children who have been orphaned due to COVID 19 pandemic. Anyone can share the details of such children in this portal, in turn help them to be benefited by the PM CARES Scheme.
The portal can be accessed at www.pmcaresforchildren.in.

Notes:
As of February 2026, India’s foreign exchange reserves totaled USD 717.064 billion. Foreign currency assets comprised USD 570.053 billion, making it the largest component. Gold reserves accounted for USD 123.476 billion. Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were USD 18.821 billion, while the reserve position with the IMF stood at USD 4.715 billion. FCAs are held in major international currencies.

Notes:
Renowned Marathi poet Satish Kalsekar recently passed away in Maharashtra at the age of 78.
Satish Kalsekar was awarded with Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 2014 for his collection of essays ‘Vachanaryachi Rojanishee’. He had written several popular collections of poems. He worked in several forms of literature and contributed in the various fields including poetry, translation, prose writing and editing.