Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has flagged off a ‘Plasma Donation Campaign’ at AIIMS, New Delhi.
The campaign programme was co-organized by Delhi Police. As many as 26 police personnel who had recovered from COVID-19 volunteered to donate blood plasma. New Delhi has recently inaugurated the first Plasma bank of the country.

Notes:
Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal has recently inaugurated the Zoram Mega Food Park at Kolasib in Mizoram.
The Food Park that is built over 55 acres of land has entailed a cost of Rs 75 crore. It is expected to directly benefit over 25,000 farmers and provide ample employment opportunities. 37 Mega Food Parks have been approved in the last six years and 18 of them have started functioning.

Notes:
25-year-old Spanish professional Golfer Jon Rahm claimed the top spot in the world, after he clinched victory in the Memorial Tournament.
He surpassed Rory McIlroy to claim the top spot in the World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. This is also his fourth straight season with a victory. After Seve Ballesteros, he is only the second player from Spain to be placed in the Number one rank.

Notes:
As per the data published in the Lancet journal, the potential Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University has produced strong immune response.
The institution has completed phase 1 and phase 2 trials and the study highlighted that the trials have not led to any unexpected reactions. Jenner Institute of the University of Oxford has developed the potential vaccine, which is backed by the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Director General of Civil Aviation have permitted Maharashtra to use drones for inspecting power transmission lines and towers.
Maharashtra is the first state to be permitted for using drones for surveillance of faulty extra high voltage (EHV) power lines, to reduce the risk of the staff involved. As per the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL), each zone will be given a drone with HD cameras.

Notes:
Sumit Deb has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), the iron ore mining company of the country.
Sumit Deb is serving as the Director (Personnel) in the NMDC. He succeeds N Baijendra Kumar who is set to superannuate this month-end. After the appointment, Sumit Deb will have tenure till 2023.

Notes:
The House of Representatives of the United States has unanimously passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), condemning China’s aggression.
China’s military activities against India in the Galwan Valley, its growing territorial actions around disputed areas like the South China Sea are condemned. The United States also added 11 Chinese companies to economic blacklist over its treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has launched a new ‘Jet Zero Council’, to tackle aviation emissions in the country.
The council was launched to mark the Prime Minister’s completion of 1 year in his office, as a part of the 350-million-pound plan to fight climate change. The council will bring together the Government, environment sector and aviation industry experts to develop the zero-emission long-haul passenger plane. UK has a target of becoming net zero by 2050.

Notes:
The Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Arun Kumar, has been nominated to be the Vice-Chairman of the Security Platform of International Union of Railways (UIC).
The Paris-based union also called as Union Internationale Des Chemins, is a global platform for railway systems for improving inter-operability and developing common standards. India has been working closely with the UIC in several initiatives. After the two-year tenure of vice-chairmanship, the DG will hold the chairmanship for the next two years.

Notes:
The Defence Institute of High-Altitude Research (DIHAR) is a life science laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) working on cold arid agro-animal technologies.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has established a COVID-19 testing facility at the DIHAR in Leh. The testing facility is capable of screening 50 samples per day and it enhances the capacity of testing in the Union Territory of Ladakh.