Daily Current Affairs, 11th March 2018

1)  Asian Development Bank, International Solar Alliance Sign Pact To Promote Solar Energy

•The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) has signed a cooperation arrangement to promote solar energy deployment in Asia and the Pacific. 

•The cooperation envisages solar power generation, solar based mini-grids, and transmission systems for integrating solar energy into grids, among others. 

2)  President Xi Jinping Becomes China's Leader For Life As Parliament Abolishes Presidential Term-Limit

•China's Parliament has abolished the decades-old two-term limit for the President, allowing Xi Jinping to remain as the country's leader for life. The constitutional changes were passed in Beijing by the annual sitting of the National People's Congress - the country's legislature - with the two-thirds majority. Of the 2,964 delegates, only two voted against the change, while three abstained.

•Earlier, the seven-member Standing Committee - the topmost body of the ruling Communist Party of China - had unanimously approved the amendment. 64-year old Xi Jinping is currently in his second five-year term and due to retire in 2023 under the current two-term system.

3)  1st ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea begins in Andaman

•The first-ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea, MILES-18, began at the Andaman sea today. 11 naval ships of 8 countries and nine Indian ships are participating in the three-day exercise. 

•Apart from enhancing inter-operability, the exercise aims to hone search and rescue procedures, maritime interdiction operations, core operational skills and exercise a variety of maritime security scenarios.

4)  Govt Makes Passport Mandatory For Bank Loans Of Rs. 50 Crore & Above

•The government has made providing passport details mandatory for taking loans of 50 crore rupees and above to ensure a SWIFT action in case of fraud and prevent fraudsters from fleeing the country.

•According to Financial Services Secretary, all existing loans of over 50 crore rupees, banks have been asked to collect passport details of borrowers within 45 days. 

5)  Tejaswin Shankar Smashes National Record In High Jump

•Delhi youngster Tejaswin Shankar smashed his own national record to claim the high jump gold as three athletes booked their Commonwealth Games berths on the third and penultimate day of the 22nd Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships.

•The 19-year-old Shankar sailed over the bar at 2.28m to marginally improve his own national mark of 2.26m which he achieved in Coimbatore in 2016 during the Junior National Championships.