Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2021

Notes:
Punjab government launched an automated auditory brainstem response system (AABR) under universal new-born hearing screening programme.
Punjab has become the first state in the country to introduce the AABR system to manage hearing loss in new-born and young children. This is done under the Universal new-born hearing screening programme.

Notes:
Russia has invited India for the first time to the Russia-US-China Troika Plus meet on Afghanistan. The meeting aims to discuss the role of Taliban and the future of the landlocked country, among other issues.
As per media reports, Iran has also been invited for the meeting. Pakistan and representatives from Afghanistan are also expected to take part in the meeting.

Notes:
World’s first 3D-printed steel bridge was opened to the public in Amsterdam recently. It was developed by MX3D, a Dutch robotics company, in collaboration with a team of experts.
The bridge was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. The bridge was developed for four years and was installed over one of the oldest canals in Amsterdam’s city centre – the Oudezijds Achterburgwal. This bridge represents a major milestone for 3D-printing technology.

Notes:
Around 154 cases of norovirus cases have been reported in England. It is a highly contagious group of the virus.
As per the Central for Disease Control and Prevention, common symptoms of norovirus include diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. It is also called the winter vomiting bug. Though the people infected with norovirus can shed billions of virus particles, only a few of them can make people sick.

Notes:
WHO launched its first Regional Status Report on Drowning Prevention in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions.
As per the report, nearly two-thirds of global drowning deaths occur in the Asia Pacific. Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, at 7 per cent of all injury-related deaths. Low and middle-income countries account for more than 90 per cent of unintentional drowning deaths.

Notes:
Young Indian wrestler Tannu clinched the 43kg title without conceding a single point, in the 2021 Cadet World Championships, held at Hungary, Budapest.
Other two Indians Aman Gulia (48kg) and Sagar Jaglan (80kg) took titles in men’s freestyle competition. Wrestler Priya won the 73kg title with a 5-0 win. India finished on top with 147 points, ahead of USA (143) and Russia (140).

Notes:
UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific, which is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand has recently released a Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation. Under this evaluation 143 countries have been scored on 5 key indicators.
India has scored 90.32 per cent for the year 2021 as against its score of 78.49 per cent in 2019. In terms of transparency, India scored 100 per cent in 2021.

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:
India’s chief hydrographer Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar received the Alexander Dalrymple award by the British government, in recognition of his works in areas of hydrography and nautical cartography.
The award has been named after the first hydrographer of the British Admiralty and was instituted in 2006. Vice Admiral Badhwar was conferred with the award in 2019 but the award ceremony was held recently, due to the pandemic.