11 July 2018 - Daily Current Affairs
1. World Population Day being observed today
- The World Population Day is observed across the world every year on 11th July to increase the awareness of the people towards the worldwide population issues.
- The theme of this year is ‘Family Planning is a Human Right’.
- This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1968 International Conference on Human Rights, where family planning was, for the first time, globally affirmed to be a human right.
Note: In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended 11th July as World Population Day to draw attention to the urgency and importance of population issues.
National Affairs
2. MPC to continue with the 3-day format for monetary policy meet
- The Monetary Policy Committee has decided to continue the practice of a three-day meeting format, which decides on the key interest rate.
- In October 2016, the six-member MPC headed by RBI Governor Urjit Patel was set up to bring transparency and accountability for making key monetary policy decisions.
- The Third Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement for 2018-19 will be issued on 1st August 2018.
Note:
- The MPC used to meet for two-days, but last the meeting was stretched to three days owing to "certain administrative exigencies".
- The MPC was set up by amending the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, through the Finance Act 2016.
3. Andhra Pradesh tops 'ease of doing business' ranking for states
- Andhra Pradesh (98.42 points) retained its spot in the second edition of the ease of doing business rankings, followed by Telangana (98.33 points), Haryana (98.02 points), Jharkhand (97.99) and Gujarat (97.96) rounding off the top five places.
- Meghalaya was ranked last at 36th position.
- Parameters on which the states and UTs are ranked include reforms they have undertaken and the feedback from the government they’ve incorporated in their policies.
Note:
- The World Bank and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) released ease of doing a business ANNUAL business ranking of states and UTs.
Top Achievers
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| Rank | States | Score |
| 1. | Andhra Pradesh |
98.42 |
| 2. | Telangana |
98.33 |
| 3. | Haryana | 98.02 |
| 4. | Jharkhand |
97.99 |
| 5. | Gujarat |
97.96 |
National Appointment
4. T Latha appointed new MD & CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank
- The ‘Dhanlaxmi Bank Limited’ has appointed ex-PNB executive ‘T Latha’ as the Managing Director (MD) & CEO for a period of three years.
- She has taken over from G Sreeram.
- Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd is an old private sector bank headquartered in Thrissur City, Kerala, India.
International Affairs
5. Michael Ondaatje’s ‘The English Patient’ voted as Best-ever Booker Prize winner
- Michael Ondaatje’s ‘The English Patient’ has been voted as the best-ever Man Booker Prize winner, celebrating five decades of this prestigious literary award.
- The English Patient won the Booker Prize in the year 1992.
- The book was later adapted into a movie in 1996 that won nine academy awards.
- The novel beat 4 other novels in an online poll that received a total of 9000 votes.
6. PM Oli inaugurates Nepal Academy library building built with Indian assistance
- Nepal’s Prime Minister ‘K.P. Sharma Oli’ has inaugurated the three-story Library building of Nepal Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal.
- The library has been built as part of India's development partnership programme.
- The Government of India is providing technical and financial assistance (Nepali Rupees - 43.94 million) for the multi-sectoral development of Nepal.
- More than 500 projects have been undertaken so far focusing on infrastructure development and capacity building in the areas of Education, Health, Roads, Bridges, Electrification, Railways and Cross Borer linkages.
7. NASA Funding Project “RAMA” to Turn Asteroids into Spaceships
- NASA has announced it would give funds to a California-based 3D printing company for finding ways to turn asteroids into giant, autonomous spacecraft, which could fly to outposts in space.
- The project is named as RAMA (Reconstituting Asteroids into Mechanical Automata).
- The company is considering sending an advanced robotic "Seed Craft" out to rendezvous with a succession of near-Earth asteroids in space, as part of its long-term project.
- The Seed Craft would harvest material from the space rocks, then use this feedstock to construct propulsion, navigation, energy-storage and other key systems onsite with the aid of 3D printing and other technologies.
8. South Korea decides to scrap annual govt mobilisation drill this year
- South Korea decided to scrap an annual government mobilisation drill this year as part of a suspended joint exercise with the United States.
- The drill (Ulchi exercises) usually takes place every August in tandem with the joint Freedom Guardian military drill with the United States.
Sports
9. Satyarup Siddhanta scales world’s highest volcano
- Satyarup Siddhanta has become the 2nd Indian mountaineer (first- Malli Mastan Babu) to climb the highest volcano in the world, Mt Ojos del Salado.
- Ojos del Salado is a stratovolcano in the Andes on the Argentina-Chile border.
- It is also the highest active volcano in the world at 6893 metres.
10. India bag four medals at Asia Cup Archery
- India has bagged four medals (3 silver medals and a bronze) in the Asia Cup World Archery Ranking Tournament Stage 3 in Taipei.
- Korea topped the tally with 14 medals (gold-8) and Taipei bagged 5 medals (gold- 2).
- India finished joint third with Iran in the championship.
11. Ahmed Shehzad formally charged after failing the dope test
- According to the Pakistan cricket board (PCB), Pakistan opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad (26-years) has been provisionally suspended and charged with violating anti-doping regulations after he tested positive for a prohibited substance.
- Earlier, Shehzad’s urine sample was collected during the domestic Pakistan Cup tournament in May, tested positive.
- In April 2009, Ahmed Shehzad made his One Day International and T20I debut for Pakistan against Australia.
