Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
Reliance Industries (RIL) and the UK-based oil company BP, to start their new fuel retail and mobility joint venture (JV).
As per the joint statement released by the companies, the newly launched JV company is named as Reliance BP Mobility (RBML). Moreover, the JV will begin to rebrand RIL fuel retail outlets to Jio-BP. The new company also aims to provide electric vehicle charging facilities.

Notes:
Australia has recently suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and extended visas for Hong Kong residents.
This decision gains importance as it has been declared amidst the imposition of a tough national security law on Hong Kong by China. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a range of visas of two to five years duration. Offers of permanent residency visas were also announced.

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 Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of the NITI Aayog has launched the ‘ATL App Development Module’ for school children across the country.
NITI Aayog has partnered with the start-up company Plezmo, to launch the Application Development modules, under the flagship Atal Tinkering Labs initiative of the Atal Innovation Mission. The module is an online course and is conducted for free.

Notes:
The officials at Wimbledon club has announced that will pay out USD 12.5 million in prize money to over 600 players despite the tournament’s cancellation.
The oldest tennis tournament in the world, London-based prestigious Wimbledon championship was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. After consultations with their insurance provider, all the 256 players who would have competed in the main event will be paid equally.

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:
India and Iran partnered to construct a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, along the border with Afghanistan, four years ago.
Recently, Iran decided to proceed without India’s assistance and its Transport Minister has inaugurated the track-laying process for the Chabahar-Zahedan line. Recently, China finalised a 25 year-USD 400 billion strategic deal with Iran.

Notes:
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs is implementing the PM SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) scheme.
PM SVANidhi was launched by the government on June 1, 2020, to provide working capital loan to street vendors. Recently, the Ministry has launched a mobile application of PM SVANidhi scheme, in a virtual event from New Delhi.

Notes:
The Horticultural Department of Haryana is organising a five-day Sub-Tropical Fruit Expo 2020 till July 22.
The expo is being organised at the Centre for Sub-Tropical Fruit at Ladwa that is an Indo-Israel project. The cultivation techniques of sub-tropical fruit are explained and streamed live on social media, so that the farmers can learn the technologies under the ‘Mera Pani – Meri Virasat’ crop diversification scheme.

Notes:
John Lewis, who was a pioneer of the civil rights movement of the United States, recently passed away at the age of 80.
He entered the United States House of Representatives in the year 1986 from Atlanta and he was a long-time member of the Congress. He was praised as the “Conscience of the Congress” for his sincere and conscious traits.