TNPSC Current Affairs July 12, 2018

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs July 12, 2018 (12/07/2018)

Topic: Population and related issues

World Population day 2018

July 11 was established as World Population Day in 1989 by the United Nations and since then it has been celebrated on this date every year. The United Nations recognises World Population day as an important event to spread information of population-related issues across the globe.

Theme for 2018: World Population day will run on the theme “Family Planning is a Human right” this year.

Aim of World Population Day:

Almost on the verge of completing three decades now, the internationally celebrated event aims to spread awareness on issues such as overpopulation, under-population and birth control.

The world population is currently pegged at around 7 billion and according to UN reports is growing at a fast pace, adding 83 million people every year.

Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

Global Innovation Index 2018

Global Innovation Index 2018 has placed India at the 57th position among 130 countries. GII is jointly released by Cornell University, INSEAD and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). GII ranks 126 economies based on 80 indicators.

GII 2018:

The GII 2018 marks the 11th edition of the GII, and the beginning of its second decade providing data and insights gathered from tracking innovation across the globe.

This year’s edition, is dedicated to the theme of “Energizing the World with Innovation”.

It analyses the energy innovation landscape of the next decade and identifies possible breakthroughs in fields such as energy production, storage, distribution, and consumption.

It also looks at how breakthrough innovation occurs at the grassroots level and describes how small-scale renewable systems are on the rise.

Performance of India:

This year, India has moved up 3 places as compared to 60th rank in GII 2017 and emerged as top-ranked economy in Central and South Asia. It has consistently moving up on global ranking from 81st in 2015 to 57th this year.

India is a top performer in the lower middle income group, where it is ranked at fifth position. It is the most innovative country in its region of central and southern Asia.

In the indicators that capture the quality of innovation inputs and outputs, India is ranked second after China in the lower and upper middle income group combined.

However, India has fared badly on indicators such as ease of starting business, political stability and safety, overall education and environmental performance.

Other countries:

Switzerland is at the top. Since 2011, Switzerland has been ranked at the top every year.

This year, Netherlands follows at second place and Sweden at third. The US drops down to sixth from fourth last year.

Four of the top five innovation clusters are in Asia, based on patents and publishing. San Francisco is the only innovation cluster outside Asia among the top five.

Tokyo is at the top, and two of the top five clusters are in China.

China, at 17, broke into the world’s top 20 most-innovative economies.

On a new indicator – mobile-app creation – Cyprus, Finland and Lithuania emerged as global leaders in development of mobile apps relative to GDP.

Topic : Places in News, Latest Diary of Events, Science and technology

Bowie Seamount

The Haida Nation calls for tighter restrictions around the Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area, a site of an ancient submarine volcano.

About Bowie Seamount:

Bowie Seamount is a large submarine volcano in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, west of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada.

The seamount is also known as Bowie Bank.

Topic : Sports and Medals, Persons in News

IAAF World junior athletics championships

The women’s 400 metres at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships was held at Ratina Stadium on 10-12 July.

Winners:

Hima Das became the first Indian track athlete to hold a global title on winning the Gold medal with a time of 51.46 seconds.

Andrea Miklós from Romania won the Silver Medal in this final with a time of 52.07 seconds.

And American Taylor Manson won the Bronze Medal with a time of 52.28 seconds.

Topic : New Inventions On Science and Health, Latest Diary of Events

Baby porcupine is 1st of its species born at Brookfield Zoo

A prehensile-tailed porcupine was born at Brookfield zoo on July 2. The zoo in Chicago’s eastern suburbs said the male baby porcupine, also known as a porcupette, is the first of its species to be born at the zoo.

He weighed 0.45 kg and had soft quills that hardened after a few days. The yet-to-be-named baby’s parents are Lucia and Eddie.