Current Affairs 29 July 2026

UNESCO Adds Mount Olympus and D-Day Beaches to World Heritage List.

UNESCO World Heritage Committee added new sites to the World Heritage List during its Busan, South Korea meeting.
D-Day Beaches (France): Includes Omaha, Utah, Sword, Gold, and Juno landing sectors; commemorates the 1944 Allied invasion.
Mount Olympus (Greece): Listed as a mixed cultural and natural heritage site; Greece’s highest mountain (2,918 m) and linked to Greek mythology.
Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape (South Sudan): First UNESCO World Heritage site from South Sudan; supports major wildlife migrations.
Asuka and Fujiwara (Japan): 19 archaeological sites showcasing Japan’s early centralized state development.
Nominations were evaluated by ICOMOS before approval.

Andhra Pradesh Govt and PNB signed an MoU to establish India’s first bank-led Quantum Finance Hub.
Hub will be set up at Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV).
PNB becomes the first Indian bank to partner with a state government for a Quantum Finance Hub.
Focus areas: Quantum computing, AI-based banking, cybersecurity, and fraud detection.
Aim: Improve operational efficiency and customer experience.

Cabinet approves Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.
Individual offences: Jail term increased to 5–10 years; fine raised to ₹50 lakh.
Organized exam malpractices: Minimum 7 years imprisonment and ₹10 crore fine.
Special Task Force (STF) to investigate exam-related unfair practices within 2 months.
Fast-track courts to complete trials within 3 months of chargesheet filing.
Covers exams conducted by UPSC, SSC, RRB, IBPS, and NTA.

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) allows carrying Indian ₹200 and ₹500 notes across the border.
Maximum limit: ₹25,000 per person.
Valid notes: ₹200 and ₹500 denominations issued after November 9, 2016.
Old ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes issued before November 9, 2016, remain banned.
Indian currency can be brought into Nepal only from India; transfer to third countries is restricted.
Foreign currencies up to $5,000 are allowed for visitors and Nepalese nationals.

Mirabai Chanu won her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold in the Women’s 48kg weightlifting category at Glasgow CWG 2026.
Lifted 190kg total and set a Commonwealth record in Snatch (85kg).
Achieved a Golden Hat-trick with titles in 2018, 2022, and 2026.
India won additional weightlifting silvers: Rishikanta Singh Chanambam (60kg) and Raja Muthupandi (65kg).
Indian boxers Jadumani Singh Mandengbam and Preeti Pawar reached quarter-finals.
India’s men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team finished 6th in the final.