Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2021

Notes:
China has launched a high-speed train that works on magnetic levitation (maglev), which is designed to achieve a top speed of 600 kmph. This is stated to be the world’s fastest ground vehicle.
This project was launched by China in the year 2016 and the prototype was made ready in the year 2019. The model was tested in 2020 and now it is made operational.

Notes:
Russia has delivered the commercial offer for delivery of 21 MiG-29 fighters to India, which would be commissioned to the Indian Air Force.
The decision to procure 21 MiG-29 fighters from Russia was made by India’s council for defense purchases in the year 2020. Presently, Indian Airforce has three squadrons of the MiG-29s, which are operational.

Notes:
Russia has conducted a successful test of its S-500 air defence missile systems. During the test, the missile system hit a high-speed ballistic target.
The S-500 is said to have a maximum firing range of 600 kilometres and is the most advanced anti-missile system in the world. It is also capable of countering attacks from space.

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:
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:
The remains of a collapsed underwater volcano, resembling “Eye of Sauron” from the fantasy series “The Lord of the Rings,” have been discovered in the Indian Ocean.
Two other seafloor structures named after places in Tolkien’s Middle-earth were also identified. The eye is actually an oval-shaped depression measuring 6.2 kilometers long by 4.8 km wide. Called as a ‘Caldera’, this giant structure is left over from the ancient collapse of a deep-sea volcano. It is located 280 km southeast of Christmas Island, an Australian external territory, at a depth of 10,170 feet.

Notes:
The Philippines became the world’s first country to approve the commercial production of genetically modified “golden rice”, named for its bright yellow colour.
The rice has been enriched with the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene to make it more nutritional. Experts hope that this rice will combat childhood blindness. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), along with Philippine Rice Research Institute has developed golden rice.

Notes:
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank group, has extended a loan of $250 million to HDFC Bank to boost affordable housing finance in India.
Under the loan agreement, at least 25 per cent of the financing has been allocated for green affordable housing, which is expected to encourage this market in India. India still has an early stage of Green housing market, which needs strengthening.

Notes:
The Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) is the national web portal for sharing Research & Development facilities.
It was formally launched in January 2020, as an initiative of Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Govt. of India (PSA, GOI) under the aegis of Prime Minister Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) mission. The I-STEM project has been recently given extension for five years, until 2026. It has also added new features in its second phase.

Notes:
The health ministry of Russia has approved the clinical trials for combining vaccines shots manufactured by UK’s AstraZeneca with Russia’s Sputnik V.
As per the official release, five number of labs in the country has been approved to conduct the clinical trials and the trials are expected to be completed by March 2022.