Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2021

Notes:
UK’s first net zero emissions power plant, also called as the Whitetail Clean Energy project, is set to be established at Teesside.
The project will use a process which combusts natural gas with oxygen instead of air, and uses carbon dioxide in a fluid state, instead of steam, to drive turbines. The process is said to eliminate all air emissions, including traditional pollutants and carbon dioxide, which will be captured and stored under the North Sea.

Notes:
As per Twitter, Indian Government made the largest number of requests for account information during the July-December 2020 period.
Also, it is reported that India is the second in terms of volume of legal demands for content removal, after Japan. These details were shared by Twitter in its bi annual transparency report.

Notes:
Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) is located in the state of Telangana. The Telangana Forest Department have recently identified 14 tigers in the Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) during the 2020-2021 annual estimation and monitoring exercise.
During the previous survey conducted in 2019-2020, 12 tigers were identified. Of the 14 tigers, five are male, seven are female and two could not be classified. Also, there might be more big cats in the reserve that are yet to be identified. Spotted deer and wild boar are found most in the reserve.

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:
Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Company and Snehakunja Trust are the two Indian institution among the 10 awardees of the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) Equator Prize 2021.
This is a biennial award to recognize community efforts for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Company Limited is a 1,700-member cooperative, run by indigenous people from the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Tamil Nadu. Snehakunja Trust has protected wetland and coastal ecosystems in the Western Ghats and the Karnataka coast.

Notes:
The Union Government has decided to set up the Indian Institute of Heritage in Noida, as an umbrella body under which all heritage institutes in the country will operate.
The institute will offer masters and PhD courses in history of arts, archaeology, manuscriptology among others. It will be a “deemed to be university” institute formed by integrating the Institute of Archaeology, National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, National Museum Institute of History of Conservation and Museology (NMICHM) and the academic wing of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.

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:
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:
Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal introduced the Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha.
It seeks to provide safety of navigation, protection of life and cargo and prevention of pollution that may be caused. It also seeks to bring in transparency in administration of inland water transportation, strengthen procedures governing inland vessels. inland waterways of 4000 km  are operational in India.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a central university in Ladakh, at a cost of Rs 750 crore.
The jurisdiction of this university will cover the regions of Leh and Kargil. The Education Ministry is expected to bring two amendments to the Central Universities Act, 2009 for this matter. The government has identified a location near village Khaltsi, which is located between Leh and Kargil.