Current Affairs 26 & 27 July 2021

Daily Current Affairs 26 & 27 July 2021: This post contains the latest current affairs for 26 & 27 July 2021 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. You can also attempt our Current Affairs Quiz after reading our daily current affairs.

National

India Placed Among Top 10 Agricultural Produce Exporters of 2019: WTO Report

• India has find place among the top 10 list of the countries exporting agricultural produce in the year 2019, according to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) report on trends in world agricultural trade in recent 25 years.
• The last such report was released in 1995, in which India was not in top 10.
• In the 2019 report, India has outclassed New Zealand to be ranked at 9th spot.
• India’s share in the global agri exports was recorded to be 3.10%, with a sizable share in the export of rice, cotton, soya beans and meat.

Top Three Nations in the List

1. The European Union (EU) – 16.1% share (ranked 2nd in 1995)
2. The United States – 13.8% share (ranked first in 1995 with 22.2% share)
3. Brazil – 7.8% share (ranked third in 1995 with 4.8%)

Rudreswara Temple (Ramappa Temple) of Telangana inscribed as India’s 39th UNESCO World Heritage List

• The Rudreswara Temple, (also known as the Ramappa Temple) at Palampet, Mulugu district, near Warangal in Telangana has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, on July 25, 2021, during the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO.
• With this latest induction, there are 39 World Heritage Sites located in India.
• The Rudreswara temple was constructed in 1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire.
• The iconic 13th century temple is also known as Ramappa temple, named after its architect, Ramappa
• The Rudreswara temple was the only nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage site tag for the year 2019 by Indian government.

International

UNESCO grants World Heritage Status to Madrid’s Paseo del Prado and Retiro Park

• The historic Paseo del Prado boulevard and Retiro Park of Madrid, in Spain has been granted the status of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on July 25, 2021.
• The wide tree-lined Paseo del Prado, in the centre of the Spanish capital, is home to prominent buildings such as the Prado Museum.
• The iconic Retiro Park, just adjoining with Paseo del Prado, is a 125-hectare green space, and one of the most visited attractions in Madrid’s history.

Philippines becomes world’s first country to approve genetically modified ‘golden rice’ for commercial production

• The Philippines has become the first country in the world to get approval for the commercial production of genetically modified “golden rice”, a variety of rice enriched with nutrients to help reduce childhood malnutrition.
• The Golden rice has been developed by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), after spending nearly two decades.
• It is named Golden Rice due to its bright yellow color.
• A cup of golden rice can give as much as 40 percent of vitamin A which is very essential for children aged six months to five years, to combat childhood blindness and save lives in the developing world..
• It is also the first genetically modified rice approved for commercial propagation in South and Southeast Asia.

Sweden Formally Joins The International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• Leading European nation, Sweden has ratified the framework agreement for the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and its membership to officially join the Gurugram-based global platform, aimed at promoting renewable energy and sustainable development.
• Sweden formally joined ISA on 17 July 2021.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an initiative by the Government of India, for cooperation among countries to increase the use of solar energy in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner.
• The ISA was launched at the 21st Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) on November 30, 2015 .
• It is the only international body with exclusive focus on Solar Energy with focus on delivering cleaner electricity to all by 2030.

NASA Selects SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket for Europa Clipper Mission to Jupiter

• The US space agency NASA has selected California-based SpaceX to provide launch services for Earth’s first mission to conduct detailed investigations of Jupiter’s moon Europa.
• The mission called ‘Europa Clipper mission’ is scheduled to be launched in October 2024 on a Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• The main objective of this mission will be to:
  • conduct a detailed survey of Europa to investigate whether the icy moon has conditions suitable for life,
  • produce high-resolution images of Europa’s surface,
  • determine its composition,
  • look for signs of recent or ongoing geological activity,
  • measure the thickness of the moon’s icy shell,
  • search for subsurface lakes,
  • determine the depth and salinity of Europa’s ocean.

Banking & Economy

Care Ratings Projects India’s GDP growth between 8.8-9% in FY22

• The Care Ratings agency has estimated the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of India to be in the range of 8.8 to 9 percent in the current financial year, that is 2021-22 (FY22).
• The main drivers of the economy would be agriculture and industry sectors.

Business

Byju’s Acquires Learning App Toppr and Higher Education Platform Great Learning for $750 mn

• India’s digital learning pioneer Byju’s has acquired professional training and higher education platform ‘Great Learning’, in a cash-and-stock deal, to enter the higher education segment.
• Apart from this, Byju’s has also acquired after-school learning app Toppr.
• Great Learning acquisition deal is worth $600 million while $150 million have been spent on acquiring Toppr.
• With the two new acquisitions, Byju’s has acquired total six startups in 2021 including in India as well as in US, spending over $2.2 billion.
• The Bengaluru-based edtech major now have a big presence in three verticals: schools, test prep and the higher education and upskilling segment.

Resignations

BS Yediyurappa Resigns as Chief Minister of Karnataka

• Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has announced his resignation from the top post on July 26, 2021, when his government completed two years in the state, after being elected to power in 2019.
• The 78-year-old Yediyurappa, often called by his initials BSY, served as the 19th Chief Minister of Karnataka.
• He had served as the chief minister of Karnataka for four terms, and was the only chief minister to do so in Karnataka history.

World Drowning Prevention Day: 25 July

• The World Drowning Prevention Day, is a United Nations recognised day, which is held on 25 July every year. The year 2021 marks the inaugural celebration of the day.
• In April 2021, the UN passed a resolution, “UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/75/273 “Global drowning prevention”, to observe this day annually on 25 July.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) will lead the preparations for World Drowning Prevention Day.
• The WDP Day highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and offer life-saving solutions to prevent it.
• The UN data estimates that 2,36,000 people drown every year.