Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
The United Nations is observing the Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week from July 6 to July 10, 2020.
The event has been convened under the theme of “Strategic and Practical Challenges of Countering Terrorism in a Global Pandemic Environment”. Throughout the week, several webinars and interactive discussions on the fields like bio and cyber terrorism, flagship UN counter-terrorism programmes, among others.

Notes:
The United Arab Emirates has recently announced its plans to send its first Mars mission and it has become the first Arab country to do so.
Until now, only the United States, India, USSR and the European Space Agency have successfully sent their Mars orbiter missions. China is in the process of launching its first Mars rover. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is heading the Mars project of the UAE.

Notes:
The tropical Storm Fay has created heavy rains and floods and has made landfall in New Jersey, before it weakened and moved over the region.
As per the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the storm was moving north at 27 kph and producing top sustained winds of 64 kph. The storm created landfall along the coast of New Jersey. Several beaches in the place were closed and flash flooding is also expected.

Notes:
Russia has become the first nation to complete clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine on humans, in a major step towards the vaccine.
Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University has successfully completed the clinical trails of the vaccine, produced by the Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russia. As per the WHO, there are as many as 21 vaccines under key trials across the world.

Notes:
The birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya is celebrated as ‘Bhanu Jayanti’, in the state of Sikkim.
The poet is revered in Nepali Literature as ‘Adikavi’ and he is said to have laid the foundation of the Nepali literature. He had also translated several religious scripts from Sanskrit to Nepali. The Governor Ganga Prasad and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang participated in the commemorative event.

Notes:
India’s oldest apex industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has projected India’s annual median GDP growth for 2020-21 at -4.5%.
This has been projected in the association’s Economic Outlook Survey in the SBI Banking and Economics Conclave. It had previously predicted India’s growth rate to be 5.5 per cent in the January 2020 survey. In the conclave, RBI Governor said that Indian economy has started showing signs of getting back to normalcy.

Notes:
The Imagineering Laboratory department of IIT Kanpur has developed an Ultraviolet sanitizing product named SHUDH.
SHUDH is an abbreviation of Smartphone operated Handy Ultraviolet Disinfection Helper. The device comprises of six ultra-violet lights, which can be monitored even from a distance. It can disinfect a small room in 15 minutes.

Notes:
The ‘World Youth Skills Day’ is celebrated across the world on July 15 every year, across the world. The United Nations General Assembly declared the day in the year 2014.
It highlights the importance of training young people with skills for decent employment and entrepreneurship. As per the announcement from the United Nations, several virtual events focussing on the theme of “Skills for a Resilient Youth” will take place, to mark the day. Skill India Mission was launched on the same day, five years ago.

Notes:
As per the recent data by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India posted a trade surplus of USD 790 million in June 2020.
This surplus has been recorded for the first time after over 18 years. Due to the Covid-19 induced decrease in domestic demand for crude oil, gold and other industrial products, the country’s import was deeply reduced. This led to a trade surplus with imports of USD 21.11 billion and exports of USD 21.91 billion.

Notes:
India has signed bilateral agreements named ‘Air Bubbles’ with France and the US to operate international flights.
Under the agreement, the airlines of each country will operate international flights between each other. American air carrier United Airlines will be operating 18 flights between India and the US and Air France will be operating 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris.