Top Current Affairs 19 and 20 July 2021
Top Current Affairs 19 and 20 July 2021: This post contains the latest current affairs for 19 and 20 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
35% of tiger ranges in India are outside protected areas: WWF-UNEP report
- The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have jointly developed b report titled ‘A Future for All – A need for Human-Wildlife Coexistence’.
Key highlights of the report
- This new report states that 35 percent of tiger ranges in India are outside protected areas, leading to frequent human-animal conflict, which in turn affects over 75 percent of the world’s wild cat species.
- The marine and terrestrial protected areas cover 9.67 percent globally.
- Apart from India’s tigers, 40 percent of the African lion range and 70 percent of the African and Asian elephant ranges also fall outside protected areas.
- As a consequence of this Human-Wildlife Conflict, there is an increase of pandemics.. (More closer and frequent and diverse contact between animals and people, increases the probability of animal microbes being transferred to people. As wildlife-borne infections increase, the probability of outbreaks and pandemics grows as infectious disease spreads)
‘Common High Court of UT of J&K and Ladakh’ renamed as ‘High Court of J&K and Ladakh’
- The Ministry of Law and Justice has informed that the name of the ‘Common High Court of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh’ has officially been changed to ‘High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh’.
- To bring this change, President Ram Nath Kovind has signed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2021.
- The decision for renaming has been taken because the present nomenclature was rather long-winding and cumbersome. On the other hand, the new nomenclature is quite convenient as well as in consonance with the name pattern followed in other common HCs.
IIT Madras Develops AI-based algorithm to help identify cancer-causing cell alterations
- Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have developed an Artificial Intelligence-based mathematical model to identify cancer-causing alterations in cells.
- The new algorithm will help to pinpoint genetic alterations responsible for cancer progression, which is difficult using present methodologies. It will make use of a relatively unexplored technique of leveraging DNA composition.
- The model will help in identifying the most appropriate treatment strategy for a patient through an approach known as “precision oncology” and “tailoring treatments” not only to a specific illness but also to a person’s genetic make-up is challenging and requires extensive cataloguing of the ‘driver’ variants of interest.
International
US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan agrees to form new quadrilateral grouping
- The United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have agreed in principle to establish a new quadrilateral diplomatic platform, focused on enhancing regional connectivity.
- Through this new platform, the parties intend to cooperate to expand trade, build transit links, and strengthen business-to-business ties.
Business
Google Cloud launches second ‘Cloud Region’ in India at Delhi NCR
- Google Cloud has launched a new Cloud Region in India at the Delhi NCR region, for customers and the public sector located in India and across Asia Pacific.
- The Delhi NCR region is the second such Google Cloud region in India and 10th in Asia Pacific region.
- The new region will benefit the customers with higher performance of their cloud-based workloads and data.
Awards
2021 Cannes Film Festival Awards Winners
- The 2021 Cannes Film Festival was the 74th edition of the annual film festival. It took place from 6 to 17 July 2021 in the south of France.
- The Palme d’Or, which is thehighest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, went to Titane, directed by Julia Ducournau.
List of Awards
- Palme d’Or: Julia Ducournau for “Titane” (France)
- Grand Prix: Shared by Ashgar Farhadi for “A Hero” (Iran) and Juho Kuosmanen for “Compartment No.6” (Finland)
- Best Director: Leos Carax “Annette” (France)
- Best Actress: Renate Reinsve for “Worst Person in the World” (Norway)
- Best Actor: Caleb Landry Jones for “Nitram” (US)
- Best Screenplay: Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Takamasa Oe for “Drive My Car” (Japan)
- Jury prize: Shared by Nadav Lapid for “Ahed’s Knee” (Israel) and Apichatpong Weerasethakul for “Memoria” (Thailand)
- Best first film: Antoneta Kusijanovic for “Murina” (Croatia)
- Best short film: Hong Kong’s “All The Crows In The World” Tang Yi
Bangladesh Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus second recipient of Olympic Laurel
- Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has been chosen to receive the Olympic Laurel at the upcoming Tokyo Games on 23 July 2021, becoming the second recipient of the award.
- Professor Yunus will be awarded the prize for “his extensive work in sport for development, including founding the Yunus Sports Hub, a global social business network”.
- The Olympic Laurel award was created in 2016 to recognise endeavours in culture, education, peace and development through sport and will be awarded at the Opening Ceremony of each Summer Games.
- It was given for the first time at the 2016 Rio Games to Kenyan former Olympian Kip Keino.
- Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist, and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance.
Two Indian organisations win UNDP Equator Prize 2021
- Two communities from India namely Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Company Limited and Snehakunja Trust, have won the prestigious UNDP Equator Prize for 2021. It is the 12th edition of the award.
- They are among the 10 awardees from around the world who have been presented the biennial Equator Prize for 2021, for their work in the field of conservation and biodiversity.
- The UN Development Programme (UNDP) gives the Equator Prize to recognize community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
- The two Indian organisations have won for their exceptional achievement in showcasing local, innovative, nature-based solutions for tackling biodiversity loss and climate change and achieving their local development goals.
- The winners received a prize of US$10,000.
Books & Author
Former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan Pen’s ‘The India Story’
- Former RBI governor Bimal Jalan has written a new book titled ‘The India Story’, which focuses on India’s economic history and aims to provide lessons for the future of India’s political economy.
- The book is published by Rupa Publications India, and will be released on 21 July, 2021.
Sports
Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix 2021
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain), won the British Grand Prix 2021, for a record-extending eighth time. The event was held on July 18, 2021 at the Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom
- This is the 99th career win of seven times world champion Hamilton and the fourth win of the current season after 10 races.
- Monaco based Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) stood second.
- Hamilton’s team mate Valtteri Bottas from Finland, finished third.
Days
International Chess Day: 20 July
- The International Chess Day
- It was on this day that the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded, in 1924.
- The idea to celebrate the day as the international chess day was proposed by UNESCO.
Science Exploration Day: 20 July
- The Science Exploration Day (also called Moon Day) is marked every year on 20 July.
- It was on this day in 1969 that Neil Armstrong and Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin became the first humans to land on the Moon’s surface.
- Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon’s surface.
- The Armstrong- Aldrin duo spent 21.5 hours on the surface of the moon out of which they spent 2.5 hours outside of their capsules.
- To commemorate their achievement, the day was declared a holiday in 1984 by the then President of the United States, Ronald Reagan.
