11 July 2014 Daily Current Affairs Updates

1) World Population Day 2014 observed: World Population Day was observed across the world on 11 July 2014. The theme of World Population Day 2014 was Investing in Young People. World Population Day is observed to bring awareness to people about importance of small families and living healthy lives. The day is celebrated with several programs that are initiated to educate people about family planning methods.

2) Puducherry Lt. Governor Virendra Kataria sacked: Another gubernatorial political appointee of the previous UPA regime is on the way out. On Friday (11 Jul 2014)  Puducherry Lt. Governor Virendra Kataria was sacked. A Rashtrapathi Bhavan communiqué said President Pranab Mukherjee directed that Mr. Kataria “shall cease to hold office of the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.” Lt. General (Retd.) Ajay Kumar Singh, Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar islands, will be the interim Lt. Governor.

3) Bill on Polavaram project passed in LS amid protests: The controversial Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill was rammed through in the Lok Sabha on Friday through a voice vote despite stiff opposition. The Bill that paves the way for the shifting of seven mandals from Telangana to Andhra Pradesh for the Polavaram project was opposed on the grounds that the transfer of land was being done in an unconstitutional manner, violating Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution which mandate that the two State Assemblies have to be consulted.

4) Mizoram Governor Vakkom Purushothaman resigned: Mizoram Governor Vakkom B. Purushothaman has resigned.  Mr. Purushothaman's resignation comes in the wake of his transfer to Nagaland. Coming down heavily on the NDA government's decision to seek resignation of Governors appointed by the UPA, Mr. Purushothaman said Governors could not be shunted around like government servants. "This is a Constitutional post and must be accorded due respect," he said.

5) World's highest railway bridge over Chenab to be operational by 2016: Indian engineers are toiling in the Himalayas to build the world's highest railway bridge which is expected to be 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower when completed by 2016. The bridge is expected to be 359 metres (1,177 feet) high when completed -- surpassing the world's current tallest railway bridge over the Beipanjiang River in China's Guizhou province, which stands at 275 metres high. The bridge will connect Baramulla to Jammu in the Himalayan state with a travel time of six-and-a-half hours, almost half the time it currently takes.

6) Air India joined Star Alliance: In a move with several benefits for the India globetrotter, Air India on 11 July 2014 joined Star Alliance, the world's largest network of airlines with 27 members. Now, AI flyers from Friday itself will be able to earn-and-burn miles on any member carrier, apart from enjoying seamless connectivity across the globe and having access to lounges at all airports.

7) Delhi now second most populous city in world: Delhi has become the world’s second most populous city after Tokyo, more than doubling its population since 1990 to 25 million, according to a UN report. The 2014 revision of the World Urbanisation Prospects launched on Thursday said India was projected to add the highest number of people to its urban population by 2050, ahead of China.