Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2021

Notes:
The United States Government has started providing monthly pay-outs, as part of an expanded income-support programme.
Under the Child Tax Credit programme, that is further broadened under recent COVID-19 stimulus, eligible families collect an initial monthly payment of up to $300 for each child under six years old and up to $250 for each older child.

Notes:
Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, who is a Pulitzer Prize awardee for the year 2018, was killed in Afghanistan at Kandahar, while covering the escalating conflict in Afghanistan. He is known for his breath-taking images of wars, riots and human suffering across the globe.
He was reportedly killed while covering the clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters, near the Pakistan border.

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:
NASA recently announced that its new spacecraft, named NEA Scout (Near-Earth Asteroid Scout) has completed all required tests and has been safely tucked inside the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
NEA Scout is one of several payloads that will ride on Artemis I, which is expected to be launched in November. Artemis I will be an uncrewed test-flight of the Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket. Under the Artemis programme, NASA has aimed to land the first woman on the Moon in 2024.

Notes:
Tripura has initiated steps to promote commercial cultivation of Agar, by launching the ‘Tripura Agar Wood Policy 2021’. It aims to double agar wood plantation by 2025
The state has over 50 lakh Agar trees in the state and has a potential of agar trade of Rs 2000 crore. Agar is used in perfumeries and other industries. Agar Chips and Agar Oil have high demand in the market. Under the policy, testing labs and trade centres would be set up and new technology for artificial inoculation would be introduced.

Notes:
Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE) is the World Chess Federation, headquartered at Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on July 20, 1924 and has as many as 195 member countries.
To commemorate the formation of FIDE, World Chess Day is celebrated on July 20, every year since 1966. The day encourages more people to play and enjoy the game of chess. Chess originated in India, moved to Persia and spread across the Southern Europe.

Notes:
Russian aircraft makers unveiled a prototype of the stealth fighter dubbed “Checkmate”, as per the statement from Rostec, the state-owned military giant which is responsible for exporting Russian technology.
The sneak peek of the new fifth-generation lightweight single-engine fighter jet, was unveiled to the Russian President Vladimir Putin. With a combat radius of 1,500 kilometers and seven tons of combat load, this unique fighter prototype has not been developed before in Russia.

Notes:
There are 135 Centrally Protected Monuments/Sites in Andhra Pradesh. Monuments at Nagarjunakonda, Budhhist Remains at Salihundam and Veerabhadra Temple have been identified as ‘Adarsh Smarak’ in Andhra Pradesh.
The Government provides additional facilities at Adarsh Smarak including Wi-Fi, Cafeteria, Brail signages, etc. Fort at Gandikota has been included in Government’s Adopt-a-Heritage scheme.

Notes:
Ariel Henry was recently appointed as the new Prime Minister of Haiti, amid political turmoil caused by the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
Ariel Henry, a neurosurgeon and former cabinet minister was chosen as Prime Minister by the President, days before he was assassinated at his home. Ariel Henry will lead the nation until a new President is chosen in an election scheduled in September.

Notes:
State owned PSU – Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) would build the country’s first ‘green hydrogen’ plant at its Mathura refinery. This is a part of the company’s plan to produce cleaner forms of energy.
Mathura has been selected by virtue of its proximity to TTZ (Taj Trapezium Zone).