Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
Gurugram-headquartered Indian air carrier SpiceJet has recently aqui-hired Bengaluru-based airline technology company Travenues.
Trevenues is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the famous travel application ixigo. As per the pact, SpiceJet will absorb the travel technology team of the company and airline commerce platform. This will strengthen the e-Commerce exposure of SpiceJet.

Notes:
India has sent its first trial containership ‘MV Shejyoti’ from Kolkata to Agartala through Chattogram port of Bangladesh.
The ship contains iron bars and pulses to be transhipped to North-Eastern states of India. The ship also contains containers imported by the traders of Bangladesh. It has recently arrived in the Chattogram port.

Notes:
The United States has recently ordered China to close its consulate in Houston. This is a sequel of punitive measures against China including the travel bans, strict registration requirements among others.
The State Department said it ordered the consulate to shut down within 72 hours to protect American intellectual property and the private information of Americans. China has its embassy in Washington, its mission to the United Nations in New York, and consulates in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Notes:
Grand Renaissance Dam is a Hydroelectric power plant being constructed in Ethiopia since 2011. The dam formerly known as the Millennium Dam, is in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the Blue Nile river of Ethiopia.
The construction has been in conflict as Sudan and Egypt fear that the hydroelectric dam could lead to water shortage in their countries. But Ethiopia insists that the it needs the USD 4 billion dam to generate electricity for its people. Recently, the three countries have accepted to resume talks on the dam.

Notes:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have jointly released a report titled ‘Cooling Emissions and Policy Synthesis Report: Benefits of cooling efficiency and the Kigali Amendment’ report released July 17, 2020.
As per the report, the world will need more than 10 billion new cooling appliances by 2050, that will make the count of such machines to 14 billion. As per the report around 3.6 billion appliances are being used and it is increasing by up to 10 cooling appliances every second.

Notes:
United States President Donald Trump has announced a program named ‘Operation Legend’ in the country.
The plan aims at sending federal agents to more U.S. cities including Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to take firm action on violent crimes. The federal law enforcement agents will be deployed to assist local police in combatting crimes.

Notes:
E-Commerce Giant Flipkart has announced that it will acquire parent Walmart’s wholesale business, ‘Best Price’.
The loss-ridden cash-and-carry business of Walmart in India is the last part of Walmart to be acquired by Flipkart marking a complete consolidation. This acquisition is expected to help Flipkart to expand its business-to-business vertical.

Notes:
The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has entered into a partnership with IIT Delhi under the ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’ (UBA) programme.
The scheme aims to connect higher education institutions with villages for economic and social betterment of rural areas. A MoU was signed between TRIFED, IIT Delhi and Vijnana Bharati for the implementation. Under ‘Van Dhan’ programme, tribal entrepreneurs will be provided guidance from academic and research institutions.

Notes:
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate is to be called as ‘Covishield’ in India, as per the statement of the Serum Institute of India (SII).
SII is the largest vaccine maker in the world and it has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the Oxford vaccine candidate. Recently, it has sought permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the potential vaccine.

Notes:
State Bank of India (SBI) has provided a liquidity support of USD 16.20 million for local businesses in Maldives.
SBI has also deferred loan repayment for over 200 retail accounts. On the occasion of Independence Day of the Maldives on July 26, SBI’s Covid relief measures have been announced. India had earlier made an assistance of USD 400 million to Maldives through extended currency swap arrangement.