Current Affairs Quiz - July 2026

Notes:
Scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have developed an advanced ammonia sensor. The sensor can detect ammonia at 319 parts per billion (ppb) and operates efficiently at room temperature. It is based on a vanadium oxide–vanadium sulfide heterostructure, offering high sensitivity, selectivity, and long-term stability. The technology can improve industrial safety, environmental monitoring, and public health by enabling real-time detection of hazardous ammonia leaks.

Notes:
India achieved significant milestones at the 49th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC49) held in Geneva, Switzerland. The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is the international food standards-setting body. It was established jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Its objective is to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in international food trade. The Commission is headquartered in Rome, Italy. Codex standards serve as global benchmarks for food safety, quality, and international trade.

Notes:
The Korku indigenous community of Madhya Pradesh has demanded the removal of illegal encroachments from forest lands. The community alleged that encroachments since 2020 have reduced forest cover, disturbed wildlife habitats, and affected access to minor forest produce. The Korku community is primarily found in Madhya Pradesh, mainly inhabiting the districts of Betul, Khandwa, Burhanpur, and Chhindwara. Smaller populations of the tribe are also found in the Melghat region of Maharashtra and parts of Chhattisgarh.

Notes:
India hosted the 5th BIMSTEC National Security Advisers’ Meeting in New Delhi. The meeting emphasised stronger regional cooperation to tackle terrorism, cyber threats, maritime security, transnational crime, and emerging security challenges. BIMSTEC represents around 1.7 billion people (22% of the global population) with a combined GDP of approximately USD 5 trillion. The grouping reflects India’s Neighbourhood First Policy, Act East Policy, and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.

Notes:
The Indian Council of Medical Research under its flagship i-DRONE initiative demonstrated that drone-assisted transport of TB sputum samples improves access to diagnosis in remote areas. The study was conducted in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana, in collaboration with AIIMS Bibinagar under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). It involved 840 participants and compared conventional sample transport with a drone-enabled model. The median turnaround time for TB diagnosis reduced from 15 days to 5 days. The initiative improves access to diagnostics in remote areas and enables earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Notes:
World Day for International Justice is observed every year on 17 July. The day commemorates the adoption of the Rome Statute on 17 July 1998. The Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court (ICC). The observance aims to promote international criminal justice and strengthen accountability for serious international crimes. It supports the ICC’s efforts to prosecute individuals responsible for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. The day also raises awareness about victims’ rights, justice, and the importance of ending impunity for grave crimes across the world.

Notes:
The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) organised a workshop on “Satellite and Drone-based Survey for Watershed Planning & Monitoring” in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The workshop was held under the World Bank-assisted REWARD Programme. REWARD stands for Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development. It is a watershed development programme assisted by World Bank. It aims to strengthen watershed management practices, enhance farmers’ resilience, and support value chains in selected watersheds.

Notes:
A team of odonatologists has discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti, from the Western Ghats in Kerala. It is the first new species of the genus Lestes described from India since Lestes garoensis (1987). It inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and laterite hillocks, often away from open water bodies. It changes colour from brown in the dry season to bluish during the monsoon. Damselflies are predatory aerial insects belonging to the order Odonata. They are mainly found near shallow freshwater habitats and are smaller and more delicate than dragonflies.

Notes:
West Indies cricket legend Sir Garfield Sobers passed away at the age of 89. He is regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history. Sobers played 93 Test matches, scoring 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries. He also took 235 Test wickets with his left-arm pace bowling. In 1968, he became the first batter to hit six sixes in an over in First-Class cricket, while playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan.

Notes:
Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered two new spider species: Simonia lawbah and Hamataliwa papikonda. Simonia lawbah is a cave-dwelling ray spider discovered in Krem Lawbah Cave, Meghalaya. It is troglophilic (adapted to cave life) and builds a unique cone-shaped “ray web” to trap insects. Hamataliwa papikonda is a lynx spider discovered in Papikonda National Park, Andhra Pradesh. Unlike web-building spiders, it is an active predator that hunts using speed, agility, and spiny legs.