Day by Day Current Affairs (July 30, 2018) | MCQs for CSS, PMS, NTS

WELCOME TO CSS TIMES DAY BY  DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS, YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR UP-TO-DATE AND DAILY TOP CURRENT AFFAIRS 2018 FOR PREPARATION OF CSS, PMS, BANKING, NTS, RAILWAYS AND ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS.  “DAY TO DAY CURRENT AFFAIRS” BASICALLY IS TOP 10 NEWS SUMMARY ON CURRENT HAPPENINGS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE FOR ALL EXAMINATIONS

 July 30, 2018

1. Weak economy forcing Pakistan to seek loan from IMF: report

• A weakening economy is forcing Pakistan to seek another loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and may also affect its ability to buy defence equipment, says a report released this week.
• The report by Avascent, a consulting firm which advises international defence contractors, revi­ews the impact of this economic slowdown on Pakistan’s defence purchases, but it also includes a brief review of the nat­ional economy.
• “Pakistan’s current account deficit stands at $14 billion, over 5 per cent of the GDP, while its foreign exchange reserves have dwindled to $9.6 billion, enough to cover only two months of imports,” says the report.
• “In a move seen as paving the way for an IMF loan after national elections on July 25, the country’s central bank has devalued the rupee three times since December 2017. A weaker currency makes imports more expensive, further constraining Islamabad’s ability to buy defence equipment and spare parts in US dollars.”
• The report claims that negative trends in its relationship with the United States, a depreciating rupee, and its untenable foreign exchange position, is forcing Pakistan to reach out to other countries for support, particularly China.

2. WB, AIIB to finance project for safe water supply in Karachi

• The World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will co-finance a project to raise the Karachi Water Supply Board`s operational capacity to deliver safe and reliable water service on a sustainable and predictable basis to all its customers in the provincial capital.
• The Beijing-based AIIB has approved the concept decision on the Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement project for which the executive board will approve $160 million loan.
• The World Bank will be the lead financer with a financing of $160 million, while the Sindh government will contribute $80 million for the project.
• The $400 million project will help restore KWSB`s operations to financial stability and establish an enabling environment for future private sector investments in water supply and waste water treatment.
• An important component of the project will be to increase the capacity of the sewage system by constructing 180 million gallons per day wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure in the Malir river basin as part of Greater Karachi Sewerage project.

3. Pakistan to take part in SCO military drill

• The SCO will hold the Peace Mission 2018 joint military drill from August 22 to 29 in Comprehensive Training Field in Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk, Russia.
• The theme of the drill is “Preparation and Cooperation on Counter-terrorism Among SCO Member States Militaries”.
• The participating countries will include Pakistan and India, first time both will be the part of joint drill, under the SCO arrangements, it was announced y a spokesman of the Chinese Defence Ministry, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang.
• The main subjects include field reconnaissance, joint fire strike, counter-terrorism operations in residential settlements. The PLA will send 743 officers and men to participate.
• This is a routine military drill within the framework of the SCO, which has been playing a positive role in deepening defence and security cooperation among member States, enhancing capacity in tackling new threats and challenges and also safeguarding regional peace and stability.

4. Imran accepts Ghani`s invitation to visit Kabul

• Prime Minister-in-waiting Imran Khan will soon visit Afghanistan on an invitation of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
• The Afghan president on July 29, 2018 telephoned Imran Khan and congratulated him over the PTI`s success in general elections held on July 25 in the country.
• Mr Ghani invited Mr Khan to visit Kabul as a goodwill gesture and the invitation was accepted. Mr Ghani was quoted as saying: `You are one of the popular figures among the youth of Afghanistan and it is because of your inspiration, the game of cricket progressed rapidly in the country.
• The Afghan president said both countries had good brotherly relations.

5. Balloki power plant ready to yield 1223 MW

• Work on Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) based Balloki Power plant has been completed which will provide 1223 MW electricity to the national grid.
• National Power Parks Management Company Limited (NPPMCL), Harbin Electric International Company Limited (HEI) and GE July 29, 2018 announced the completion of the Balloki power plant, following the successful conclusion of all commissioning works and performance-related tests.
• This is the second regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) power project developed by NPPMCL – the first being the Haveli Bahadur Shah (HBS) power plant, which entered full-fledged combined cycle commercial operations in May 2018. Together, the HBS and Balloki plants have already added over 5.5 billion kilowatt hours of power to the national grid while in the commissioning phase and they will continue to deliver efficient, low cost power for up to 30 years, making a meaningful difference in the lives of the people of Pakistan.
• The plant had earlier realised an impressive milestone by synchronising an HA unit to the grid just 74 days after it was delivered to the project site, the shortest duration in which GE’s HA technology has achieved this milestone anywhere in the world.

6. Erdogan warns US over sanctions threat

• President Recep Tayyip Erdoganwarned the US in comments published July 29, 2018 that sanctions would not force Ankara to “step back” after Donald Trump threatened to punish Turkey if a US pastor was not freed.
• “You cannot make Turkey take a step back with sanctions,” Erdogan said in his first comments since relations soured after Trump threatened the measures on Thursday if Pastor Andrew Brunson was not released.
• “The US should not forget that it could lose a strong and sincere partner like Turkey if it does not change its attitude,” he was quoted as saying by Hurriyet daily. “The change of attitude is Trump’s problem, not mine,” he told journalists during a visit to South Africa, calling the US threats “psychological warfare”.
• Relations between the NATO allies have worsened over the jailing of Brunson, who ran a Protestant church in the Aegean city of Izmir. He was held in a Turkish jail for almost two years on terror charges but was placed under house arrest on Wednesday. Trump on Thursday hit back at the move, calling for his immediate release and warning that the US would impose “large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment” of Brunson.

7. Cambodia`s ruling party claims landslide win in controversial election

• Cambodia`s ruling party claimed it had won a landslide in July 29, 2018`s one-horse election, an expected outcome after the main opposition was banned paving the way for leader Hun Sen to prolong his 33 years in power.
• Hun Sen, who came to power in 1985 in a country still plagued by civil war, has cracked down on dissent in the run-up to this year`s poll, pressuring civil society, independent media and political opponents. That left him with little competition and no serious challengers.
• Hun Sen, 65, a one-time defector from the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, has pointed to stability and growth as the fruits of his rule a message that resonates with his base.
• `Compatriots have chosen the democratic path and used your rights,` he said on his Facebook page af ter polls closed in an apparent swipe at the opposition, which called for a boycott.
• Voter turnout was 82 per cent, according to the election committee, surpassing the ñnalñgurein 2013 of roughly 69 per cent when the opposition took part.

8. French skier lost in 1954 in Italy finally identified

• A French skier who went missing more than 60 years ago has finally been identified after details of a probe into his disappearance were posted on social media.
• Human remains and ski equipment were found in 2005 more than 3,000 metres up the Cime Bianche in the Valtournenche valley of the Aosta region near the Swiss border in northern Italy. The man appeared to be well off given his top-line wooden skis, said Marinella Laporta of the forensic police unit in Turin.
• Investigators estimated the man to have been about 1.75 metres tall and aged about 30, with his death likely occurring in the spring. They also found glasses, a watch and pieces of his shirt with embroidered initials.
• Having made no progress with identification, the Aosta valley prosecutor decided in late June to post the investigation`s findingson his Facebook page, asking readers to spread the information, especially in France and Switzerland.
• Frenchwoman Emma Nassem heard the story on the radio and said the missing man could be her uncle, Henri Le Masne, born in 1919, who went missing after skiing in a storm near the Matterhorn in 1954.

9. Pakistan finish 8th in WSF Men’s World Junior Team C’ship

• Defending champions Pakistan falls to new lows in the WSF Men’s World Junior Team Championship 2018 in Chennai, India, as they have to settled for eight place, after losing first against Canada and then against Hong Kong China.
• Pakistan changed their strategy by giving chance to Syed M Farhan Hashmi against Hong Kong China, but it didn’t work for the team in green as they were hammered 2-0 by Hong Kong. In the first match, M Uzair was up against Chung Yat Long, who simply toyed with Uzair and took the first game 11-2 and took second 11-3. Uzair did show some fighting qualities in the third game but Long never gave him any chance and won it 12-10, thus gave Hong Kong 1-0 lead in the tie. In the second match, To Wai Lok thrashed M Farhan Hashmi 3-0 in 24 minutes to end miserable tournament for the defending champions. It was by far worst performance by team Pakistan in the World Juniors Team Championship, as before winning last time around, they had played the finals for the last two editions and lost against Egypt in the finals each time. Wai won the first game 11-4, took the second 11-8 and third 11-6 to give Hong Kong seventh place.

10. Baker smashes world record in 100m backstroke at US Championships

• Kathleen Baker sliced more than half a second off her personal best to win the women`s 100m backstroke at the US swimming championships in a world record of 58.00sec on July 28, 2018.
• Baker had been gunning for the Kylie Masse`s world record of 58.10 ever since she
• finished runner-up to the Canadian at the World Championships in Budapest last year.
• That was another silver medal performance for Rio Olympics runner-up Baker, and just more motivation for a swimmer who now has her sights set on breaking through the 58-second barrier.