Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 07 April 2022

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 07 April 2022

::NATIONAL::

CAG pushes for increasing intake of women in Army’s short service commission

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on Wednesday drew the government’s attention to an “urgent need” for increasing the intake of women short-service commission (SSC) officers in the army to offset officer shortage in the long term.
As of January 2020, there were 1,648 women officers in the army — 4% of the total strength of commissioned officers in the force. The army currently has a shortage of more than 7,700 officers, according to government data.
“There was almost full subscription in all entry courses for women and the meritorious women candidates who were found medically fit were approximately twice the number of those finally selected based on vacancies,” the national auditor informed the Parliament in its report ‘Selection and Training of Officers in Indian Army.’
The report comes at a time when the armed forces have opened new doors for women — an experiment to allow women to fly fighter planes is now a permanent feature, the navy is planning to give them more opportunities to serve aboard warships alongside male counterparts and the army has allowed them to fly helicopters.
The CAG report said that while the ratio of release of vacancies in respect of women to men showed a steady increase from 29% in 2015 to 50% in 2019, the women’s entry for Judge Advocate General (JAG) posts fell from 16% to 8% in the technical entry scheme, during the same period.
The report said the figures pointed towards a need for increasing the vacancies for women SSC entries. The defence ministry should closely monitor efforts to increase the intake of women officers in the army, it added.

::INTERNATIONAL::

UNGA to vote on suspending Russia from human rights council, says report

The war between Russia and Ukraine entered 43rd day on Thursday with the United States announcing new sanctions that target Russia's biggest banks and President Vladimir Putin's daughters. US President Joe Biden again on Wednesday accused Putin of committing "major war crimes" and called for an investigation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, accused Russia of trying to hide the evidence of war crimes to interfere with the international investigation.
The Ukraine government reiterated that the Russian forces are preparing for a new assault on Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk regions and urged residents to immediately leave the areas. "It’s necessary now because people will be under fire and the threat of death,” Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in a statement. "It’s necessary to evacuate while it’s still possible," he added.
Without condemning Putin, China’s envoy to the United Nations expressed dismay at the killing of unarmed civilians in Bucha, that Russia has repeatedly denied killing civilians, dismissing the documentation of the deaths.
Italy said it would support a European Union ban on Russian gas if the bloc was united behind the idea -- which it currently isn’t. Meanwhile, Russia’s ruble has recovered to its pre-invasion level.
US sanctions against two of Russia's largest banks are "a direct blow to the Russian population (and) ordinary citizens", Tass news agency cited Russia's US ambassador as saying on Wednesday.
Anatoly Antonov made his remarks after Washington - seeking to punish Moscow for the Ukraine invasion - hit Sberbank , which holds a third of Russia's total banking assets, and Alfabank, the fourth largest financial institution.

::ECONOMY::

India-Aus trade pact will boost bilateral trade to $100 bn by 2030: Goyal

The Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement signed by India and Australia last week is expected to boost bilateral trade between the two countries to USD 100 billion by 2030 from the current USD 26-27 billion, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said.
Addressing the University of Melbourne along with Dan Tehan, Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, in Melbourne, Goyal said bilateral trade between India and Australia is expected to grow at a much faster rate than earlier estimated. Earlier, it was estimated that India-Australia bilateral trade would increase to USD 50 billion in five years after the signing of the trade pact.
"Together this marriage can truly have far-reaching dimensions for both our economies and, if I dare say, for the rest of the world also where we can collectively engage and have an outreach to other parts of the world," he said.
Goyal invited Australian businesses to invest in India. "We offer you transparency. We offer you our trust, and rule of law. We are two democratic nations, two people who love sports, both are members of the Commonwealth," he said.
The minister also addressed members of the business community from both countries at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Addressing the business community, Goyal noted that India and Australia have complementarities that can benefit both countries. India has a huge market while Australia has investible surplus.
He said the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAus ECTA) will unlock the huge market of almost 1.4 billion consumers in India to Australian industries.

::Sports::

Golfer Tiger Woods intends to compete in 2022 Masters tournament

US golfer Tiger Woods has said that he intends to play in the 2022 Masters tournament.
"As of right now, I feel like I am going to play," the 46-year-old noted at a press conference at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, US on Wednesday (IST).
Woods, a five-time Masters champion and 15-time major winner, arrived in Augusta on Sunday for preparation and practice, tweeting that it's a "game-time decision" on whether he would compete, Xinhua reports.
"I will be heading up to Augusta today (April 3) to continue my preparation and practice. It will be a game-time decision on whether I compete," tweeted Woods.