Daily GK & Current Affairs Quiz – 30th July 2020

Correct Answer: C. Mausam

Explanation: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched the mobile app “Mausam” for weather forecasts. This app is launched on the occasion of the 14th foundation day of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). This app is designed and developed by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Harsh Vardhan also launched the Knowledge Resource Centre Network (KRCNet), which will act as a one-point stop for research, publications and e-resources of all the institutions that function under the MoES. About “Mausam App”:

• The mobile-based application will provide weather forecasts, nowcast and warning for various cities and locations.
• The app will provide information on current weather with temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction for around 200 cities.
• The information on the app will be updated 8 times a day.
• It will also provide the weather forecast for the next 7 days and the information of the past 24 hours for around 450 cities in India.
• The application provides colour coded alerts – red, yellow and orange – for all the district, two times a day for 5 days to warn the people prior to extreme weather.

Correct Answer – D. Hichem Mechichi

Explanation: Tunisia’s interior minister, Hichem Mechichi has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of the country. He succeeded Elyes Fakhfakh, who resigned over allegations of a conflict of interest. He has a month to form a government. As well as being the interior minister in the outgoing government, Mechichi has been a counsellor to President Saied, handling legal matters. He has previously been chief of staff at the Ministry of Transport and also served in the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Correct Answer – C. 29th July

Explanation: Every year July 29 is celebrated as Global Tiger Day. The decision to celebrate the day was taken at the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Tiger conservation that was signed in 2010. India has 70% of total tiger population in the world. To commemorate Global Tiger Day, the Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar released the All India Tiger Estimation-2018 report. Also, the Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan is to release a report on Tiger Census to commemorate Global Tiger Day. The day is also called International Tiger Day.

The day is celebrated to create awareness for tiger conservation. It promotes a system to protect natural habitats of tigers and raise public awareness. This year, the Global Tiger Day is celebrated with the slogan, “Their Survival is in our hands”. The summit was held to increase the awareness about declining tiger population in the world. Also, the leaders attended the summit pledged to make efforts to double the tiger population by 2022. From the beginning of 20th century, around 95% of the tiger population have been lost according to World Widlife Fund. Currently, there are only 3,900 wild tigers. Poaching, climate change and habitat loss are the main reasons for the decrease in Tiger population.

Correct Answer – B. Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi

Explanation:  Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, AVSM, NM has assumed charge as the Commandant, Indian Naval Academy (INA). He has replaced the Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, AVSM, NM who served as the Commandant, Indian Naval Academy (INA) from 12 June 2019 to 27 July 2020. Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasala, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the erstwhile College of Naval warfare, Karanja and the prestigious National Defence College, New Delhi.

Correct Answer – C. Viral V. Acharya

Explanation: The book titled “Quest for Restoring Financial Stability in India” authored by former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Viral V.Acharya. The book is published by SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd. The book portrays his quest to restore financial stability in India and offers a concrete plan for sustained improvement.

• The book is a compilation of his speeches, research and comments as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, mostly concerned with central banking.
• He shares a feasible plan to address the recapitalization needs of public sector banks, providing solutions on how to improve credit allocation by credit intermediaries and establish potential and efficient capital markets.
• The book also mentions the implicit pressure on the monetary policy committee to cut rates.

Correct Answer – C. Defence Research Development Organization

Explanation: An innovation contest ‘Dare to Dream 2.0’ has been launched by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The contest was launched on the 5th death anniversary of former President and noted scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. ‘Dare to Dream 2.0’ has been launched as an open challenge to promote the innovators and startups of the country. The contest has been launched for emerging technologies to encourage the individuals & startups for innovation in defence and aerospace technologies in the country. After due evaluation, an expert committee will decide the winners of the contest. The winners would be awarded with prize money of up to Rs 10 lakh for startup and Rs five lakh to individual category.

Correct Answer – D. Bangladesh

Explanation: India began the reconstruction a 300-year-old temple Sree Sree Joy Kali Matar Temple in Bangladesh’s northern Natore district. The reconstruction is happening with Indian grant assistance of Bangladeshi Taka 97 lakhs and a total cost of Bangladeshi Taka of 1.33 Crores under the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) scheme of India. The Sree Sree JoyKali Matar temple is among the oldest temples in Bangladesh. It was built approximately 300 years back in the early 18th century by Shri Dayaram Roy. He was an influential Dewan of Queen Bhahani of Natore and the founder of Dighapatia Royal Family.

Correct Answer – C. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Explanation: The World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 launched today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) emphasizes the threat that wildlife trafficking poses to nature and the biodiversity of the planet. The report highlights the trafficking of some wild species – pangolins, birds, turtles, tigers, bears and many more. According to the report Thailand and India are the main source countries for shipments seized in international trade of tiger parts. The report says that India and Thailand source 82% of illegal shipment of tiger body parts. The tiger body parts have great medicinal values. The medicines made of bones of the tiger are used to heal ligament injuries, joint and bone fractures. The tiger parts are also being traded for exotic products.

Correct Answer – C. 30th July

Explanation:  United Nations observes 30 July every year as World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. In 2013, the General Assembly designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights. The 2020 theme for the World Day Against Trafficking: “Committed to the Cause – Working on the Frontline to End Human Trafficking”. The theme will focus on the first responders to human trafficking. These are the people who work in different sectors – identifying, supporting, counselling and seeking justice for victims of trafficking, and challenging the impunity of the traffickers.

• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Founded:

Correct Answer – D. 22 million

Explanation: The new research titled “Childcare in a global crisis: The impact of COVID-19 on work and family life” by the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), 22 million children from South Asian countries, including India, have missed out on early childhood education in their pre-school year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic closure. This report was produced by UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti.

Correct Answer – B. China

Explanation: China sent a new high-resolution mapping satellite namely “Ziyuan III 03”, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, into space through Long March-4B carrier rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the Northern Province of Shanxi, China. It was the 341st flight mission by the Long March rocket series. Along with high-resolution mapping satellite, two small satellites were sent. One of the satellites, named Tianqi 10, was launched for the Beijing-based company Guodian Gaoke for a communication and data relay mission. The other small secondary payload, named Lobster Eye 1, carries a wide-field X-ray astronomy instrument used for dark matter detection. These 2 satellites were developed by the Shanghai ASES Spaceflight Technology Co. Ltd.

Correct Answer – B. S Jaishankar

Explanation: The former diplomat, and current Minister of External Affairs in the Government of India, S Jaishankar, is releasing his new book “The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World”. The book was published under the HarperCollins India publications. Jaishankar writes in the book that India has had to struggle mightily to gain influence in a domain that could have come more easily earlier as its foreign policy carries “three major burdens” from its past. The three burdens in detail:

• The 1947 partition has reduced the nation demographically and politically.
• The economic reforms took a decade and a half after those of China, the 15-year gap still puts India at its great disadvantage that delays economic reforms of India.
• Prolong exercise of the nuclear option stands as another burden.

Correct Answer – D. United States

Explanation:  The American actor, John Saxon passed away. He was born on 5th August 1936 as Carmine Orrico in Brooklyn, New York, United States of America. He was debuted in 1954 and starred in detective and horror shows like “A Nightmare on Elm Street”. Saxon starred in around 200 movies and TV shows. He was best known for his role in “Enter the Dragon” (1973) starring Bruce Lee. He won the Golden Globe Award for the new star of the year in 1958 for the movie “This Happy Feeling”.

Correct Answer: A. Vietnam

Explanation: The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), which is holding surplus stocks of cotton just ahead of the next harvest season, is trying to boost exports of the fibre crop. A memorandum of understanding is being worked out to export 1.5-2 million bales of cotton to Bangladesh while the state-run CCI will also set up its own warehouse in Vietnam to boost cotton exports. One bel of cotton contains 170 kilograms. Countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and Sri Lanka have duty-free access to the markets of Europe, US and China, which give them an edge over Indian yarn and garment exporters, who have to bear the burden of various duties.