Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2021

Notes:
Nearly 740,000 deaths in India annually can be attributed to abnormal hot and cold temperatures related to climate change, according to a recent study published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.
The team of researchers also found that globally more than five million extra deaths a year can be attributed to abnormal temperatures. Deaths related to hot temperatures increased in all regions from 2000 to 2019.

Notes:
The ‘Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021’ is prepared annually by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).
UN DESA uses data and estimates in the Global SDG Indicators Database, which contains global, regional and country data and metadata on the official SDG indicators. This year, the number of indicators included in the global SDG database is 211, compared to 115 in 2016.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a special package amounting Rs.23,123 crore, to improve the health infrastructure in India to fight COVID-19.
This package aims to create an additional 20,000 ICU beds, with special focus on paediatric care. This announcement was made by the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who has recently assumed charge. This will be jointly implemented by the Centre and the states.

Notes:
As per a recent study, NASA’s ‘Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite 2’ or ICESat-2, allowed scientists to precisely map the subglacial lakes.
The satellite measures the height of the ice surface, which rises or falls as lakes fill or empty under the ice sheet. ICESat-2 maps the elevation changes of the ice surface with a precision, using a laser altimeter system that can measure Earth’s surface, with more details.

Notes:
The United Nations declared July 12, Malala’s birthday, as World Malala Day in honour of the young education activist from Pakistan.
In 2012, Malala was shot at by Taliban insurgents while she was on her way to school. This day is observed to make an appeal to world leaders, to ensure compulsory and free education for every child in their country.

Notes:
As per the recent study conducted by USA’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a ‘wobble’ in Moon’s orbit combined with rising sea levels due to climate change will lead to devastating floods on Earth.
Called ‘Nuisance floods’, these usually occur in coastal areas when the tide reaches about 2 feet above the daily average high tide. As per the study, these nuisance floods will become more frequent and irregular by mid-2030s.

Notes:
Soberana 2 is a vaccine conjugate developed by the island nation of Cuba. The country has stated that the vaccine, delivered with its booster named Soberana Plus, would be 91 per cent effective against symptomatic Covid-19.
If approved, the country would be first Latin American country to manufacture COVID 19 vaccine.

Notes:
The Indian Navy has received the 10th anti-submarine warfare aircraft P-8I from the US-based aerospace company Boeing.
The Defence Ministry had first signed a contract for eight P-8I aircraft in 2009. Later, in 2016, it signed a contract for four additional P-8I aircraft. This is the second aircraft to be delivered under the contract for four additional aircraft awarded in 2016. P-8I isdeployed during disaster relief and humanitarian missions.

Notes:
The state-run PSU – NTPC’s renewable energy arm NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL) has proposed to set up India’s single-largest solar photovoltaic project at Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, with a capacity of 4750 MW.
The company has received approval from the Union Energy Ministry. The company has been given a target of building 60 GW renewable energy capacity by 2032.

Notes:
The Western Railway Zone of the Indian Railways is set to get its 5-star hotel atop a railway track, on top of a railway track in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar. The hotel has been established with world class amenities and luxury elements.
The hotel has been set up in 7,400 square meters at a total project cost of Rs.790 crore.