Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 10 July 2022

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 10 July 2022

::NATIONAL::

Agnipath is in tandem with the vision of lean, lethal force: IAF chief

The Agnipath scheme complements the Indian Air Force's long-term vision to become a "lean and lethal" force with the best manpower and the new recruitment model will in no way reduce its operational capability, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari.
The Chief of Air Staff said the reform initiative will enable the IAF to meet all its national security mandate and the force envisaged its seamless implementation with a restructured training pattern that is contemporary, technology-based and tailor-made for its operational requirements.
Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari told PTI that 13 teams will take care of enrolment, employment, assessment and training of recruits within the four-year engagement period.
He said any savings in pensions and other expenditures through the implementation of the scheme are only incidental and not the reason for initiating the reform.
"The Agnipath scheme furthers the IAF's manpower optimisation drive that has been ongoing for a decade wherein we have reviewed many human resource policies and organisational structures," he said.
The scheme complements the IAF's "long-term vision of being a lean and lethal force with the best human resource as we strongly believe that the men and women behind the machine make all the difference when it matters," the Chief of Air Staff said.
The scheme, announced on June 14, seeks to recruit youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.

::INTERNATIONAL::

Here are some of the key findings of the report:

The report said that "India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country during 2023."
More than half of the projected increase in global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in just eight countries, including India.
The other seven countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.
The populations of Australia and New Zealand, Northern Africa and Western Asia, and Oceania are expected to experience slower but positive growth through the end of the century.
Eastern and South Eastern Asia, Central and Southern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Northern America are likely to reach the peak of their population and witness decline before 2100.
India was among the 10 countries whose estimated net outflow of migrants exceeded 1 million from 2010-2021. In many of these countries, the outflows were due to temporary labour movements. The highest net outflow of migrants was reported from Pakistan (-16.5 million).
Countries like Syria, Venezuela and Myanmar reported migrants outflow due to insecurity and conflict.
The global life expectancy at birth fell to 71.0 years in 2021, down from 72.8 in 2019, due mostly to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 46 least developed countries are among the world’s fastest-growing in terms of population and many are expected to double in population between 2022 and 2050.
Two-thirds of the projected increase in global population through 2050 will be driven by the momentum of past growth.

Dozens feared trapped after Russian strike on Ukraine apartment building

Rescuers picked through the rubble of an apartment building in eastern Ukraine searching for two dozen people, including a child, feared trapped after a Russian rocket strike on the five-storey building killed 15 people.
President VolodymyrZelenskiy's chief of staff, AndriyYermak, said the attack in the town of ChasivYar in the Donetsk region was "another terrorist attack" and Russia should be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Rescuers used a crane to lift a concrete slab and their hands to dig through the debris on Sunday, while dazed residents who survived the Saturday evening attack retrieved personal belongings and told stories of their miraculous escape.
One woman was seen walking out of the destroyed building carrying an ironing board under her arm, an umbrella and a plastic shopping bag. Others simply watched rescue efforts, fearing the worst as the dead were removed.
"We ran to the basement, there were three hits, the first somewhere in the kitchen," said a local resident who gave her name as Ludmila.
"The second, I do not even remember, there was lightning, we ran towards the second entrance and then straight into the basement. We sat there all night until this morning." Another survivor, who gave her name as Venera, said she had wanted to save her two kittens.
"I was thrown into the bathroom, it was all chaos, I was in shock, all covered in blood," she said, crying. "By the time I left the bathroom, the room was full up of rubble, three floors fell down. I never found the kittens under the rubble.

::ECONOMY::

INS Vikrant finishes sea trials, to be delivered to navy soon

India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-1), INS Vikrant, successfully completed the fourth and final phase of sea trials, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced.
During this outing, the navy carried out integrated trials of most of the equipment and systems onboard the 44,000-tonne carrier, including critical Aviation Facilities Complex equipment, which controls the operations of aircraft from the aircraft carrier.
“The ship’s delivery is being targeted in end-July 22, followed by commissioning of [INS Vikrant] in August 22 to commemorate ‘AzadikaAmritMahotsav,’” the MoD stated.
INS Vikrant will complement the INS Vikramaditya, currently the navy’s lone carrier, which was acquired from Russia in 2013. The indigenous carrier will be the navy’s flagship.
This has grown the country’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities, and developed a large number of ancillary industries. “[It has] provided employment opportunities for over 2,000 CSL workers and 12,000 employees in ancillary industries,” said the MoD.
The IAC-1, which is being delivered vastly late and over-budget, embarked on its maiden sea trials last August. This was followed by the second and third phases of sea trials in October 21 and January 22 respectively.
During these multiple trials, CSL and the navy carried out endurance testing of propulsion machinery, electrical and electronic suites, deck machinery, life-saving appliances and the ship’s navigation and communication systems.
However, the full integration and trials of the Aviation Facilities Complex, which controls the operations of the carrier’s MiG-29K/KUB fighter aircraft, will be carried out by the navy only after the warship’s commissioning.
Former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General BipinRawat, before his death in a helicopter crash last December, had openly questioned the enormous expense – estimated at about Rs 50,000 crore — on a third carrier. The Indian Air Force (IAF) too has opposed IAC-2, arguing that it can provide air support more effectively from IAF bases ashore.

::Science and tech::

Researchers rediscover oak tree thought to be extinct

According to a new study, botanical researchers revealed that oak tree once were thought to be extinct, and now are in immediate need of conservation within Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Researchers headed by The Morton Arboretum and United States Botanic Garden (USBG) were thrilled to find a lone Quercustardifolia (Q. tardifolia) tree standing about 30 feet tall, though it is in poor condition. First described in the 1930s, the last living specimen was believed to have perished in 2011.
"This work is crucial to preserve the biodiversity that Earth is so quickly losing," said Murphy Westwood, Ph.D., vice president of science and conservation at The Morton Arboretum. "If we ignore the decline of Q. tardifolia and other rare, endangered trees, we could see countless domino effects with the loss of other living entities in the ecosystems supported by those trees," she said. According to Westwood, Q. tardifolia is considered one of, if not the rarest oak in the world.
Scientists anticipate that by studying why this tree is going extinct they may be able to protect other organisms from the same fate. Whether or not this specimen of Q. tardifolia can be saved remains in question.
The team that made the discovery on May 25, 2022, described a dire scene. The trunk is scarred by fire and shows signs of severe fungal infection. A drought or fire has the potential to end its life, say the scientists who also report that climate change makes this outcome more likely every year. The group is now working with the National Park Service to reduce the immediate wildfire threat to the tree, and conservationists in this collaborative are moving quickly to return to search for acorns and to attempt propagation, the process of breeding specimens from a parent plant.

::Sports::

List of all records Djokovic scripted with record-equalling haul at Wimbledon

It wasn't for the first time that Novak Djokovic lost the first set at Wimbledon 2022. MatteoBerrettini had pulled off a similar back in the 2021 final while ninth seeded Cameron Norrie and Janik Sinner had emulated the same in the semi-final and quarterfinal round against the Serb as did Nick Kyrgios in the 2022 final.
But all four suffered a similar fate as Djokovic scripted yet another incredible come-from behind win on Sunday on Centre Court as he beat the unseeded Australian 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) to claim his fourth successive Wimbledon crown.
“I lost words for what this trophy means. It has always been and always will be the most special tournament. Realising a childhood dream in winning this trophy. Every year it gets more meaningful, I am really blessed. The most special court in the world. I am extremely happy and grateful to be here,” he said after the win.