Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 11 January 2022

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 11 January 2022

::NATIONAL::

No complete ban on cannabis, medical use allowed: Centre to Delhi HC

The use of cannabis is not completely banned in the country as its medical and scientific use is allowed under the law, the Centre has told the Delhi High Court which, on Monday refused to advance the date of hearing of the plea seeking to legalise its use on various grounds including medicinal purposes.
The bench headed by Justice Rajiv Shakhder refused to allow the early hearing application by the petitioner Great Legalisation Movement India Trust which contended that there were reports to suggest that cannabinoids helped in countering the impact of COVID-19.
Looking at the board position, the application can't be entertained at this junction. We are trying to do whatever is possible, the bench, also comprising Justice Talwant Singh told counsel for the petitioner, advocate AbhishekAvadhani.
The petition, which is listed for further hearing in March, has challenged provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act which prohibit the use of cannabis and has contended that the drug has medicinal and industrial benefits.
The petitioner has sought directions to the central government to frame rules permitting and regulating use of cannabis, especially for medicinal purposes.
In its affidavit filed last year, the Centre urged the court to dismiss the petition with costs and claimed that it has adopted a balanced approach on cannabis by empowering the State governments to permit, control and regulate the cultivation of any cannabis plant, production, manufacture, possession, transport, import inter-state, export inter-state, sale, purchase, consumption or use of cannabis (excluding charas) for medical, scientific and industrial purposes.

::INTERNATIONAL::

US, Russia open high-stakes talks on Ukraine

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and her Russian counterpart Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov opened their meeting at the US mission in Geneva at 8:55 am (0755 GMT), a State Department spokesperson said.
Top US and Russian diplomats kicked off crucial talks Monday on soaring tensions over Ukraine, amid fears of a Russian invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and her Russian counterpart Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov opened their meeting at the US mission in Geneva at 8:55 am (0755 GMT), a State Department spokesperson said.
A convoy of black vehicles with Russian diplomatic plates had arrived shortly before, and was ushered through the large iron gates under a billowing US flag.
The two diplomats had already met informally in the Swiss city on Sunday evening, with Ryabkov afterwards telling the Interfax news agency the conversation was "businesslike" and "difficult".
The United States and Russia have set firm lines with Washington warning of the risk of confrontation and Moscow ruling out concessions.
The talks start a week of diplomacy in which Russia will meet with NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) officials, with the US trying to reassure European allies that they will not be sidelined.
President Vladimir Putin's government is insisting NATO must never grant membership to ex-Soviet Ukraine, which is pushing to join.
Ryabkov told Russian news agencies Sunday that his country had ruled out making any concessions at the talks, even as Washington said many of Moscow's demands were non-starters.

::ECONOMY::

India, Korea to hold discussions on ways to boost trade, investments

Issues such as addressing the large trade deficit, greater market access and non-tariff barriers faced by Indian exporters will figure in the meeting of trade ministers of India and Korea.
The meeting will be held between Commerce and Industry Minister PiyushGoyal and Korean Trade Minister Han-koo Yeo.
"The discussion will focus on addressing the large trade deficit, market access issues and non-tariff barriers faced by Indian exporters. The discussion will also feature investment related issues," it said.
It added that the meeting is expected to further boost India-Korea trade relations in an equitable and balanced manner.
Both the countries have implemented the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a kind of free-trade pact, in January 2010.
The bilateral trade between the countries stood at USD 17.5 billion in 2020-21. The trade is in favour of South Korea.

::SCIENCE AND TECH::

Skyscraper-sized asteroid set to zoom past Earth

A skyscraper-sized asteroid is set to shoot past the Earth at a 3,480,000-mile distance on January 11. The asteroid, named Asteroid 2013 YD48 by Nasa, is bigger than big ben. Nasa has categorised the asteroid as a “potentially hazardous object” due to its size and relative proximity to the Earth while shooting past.
While it will miss Earth by a long distance, Nasacategorises any asteroid or comet as a Near-Earth Object (NEO) if it comes closer than 1.3au astronomical units, little over the distance between the Earth and the Sun. One au is the equivalent of 93 million miles. Such a large asteroid could a devastating if it crashes into Earth, but 2013 YD48 won’t be close enough to cause any worry.
The most recent asteroid to hit the planet was eight years ago in Russia which exploded in the atmosphere.
Nasa recently launched a mission to deliberately smash a spacecraft into an asteroid as a test run to stop a giant space rock from wiping out life on Earth. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) blasted off at 10:21pm Pacific Time on November 24, 2021, aboard a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The goal of the mission is to throw Dimorphos, a "moonlet" around 525 feet wide that circles a much larger asteroid called Didymos, off its course. The spacecraft is expected to hit the asteroid in the fall of 2022, when the binary asteroid system is 11 million kilometres from Earth, almost the nearest point the pair ever get.
"What we're trying to learn is how to deflect a threat," NASA's top scientist Thomas Zuburchen said ahead of the launch.

::SPORTS::

Patrick Tshutshani appointed Analytical Coach of Indian women's hockey team

South Africa's Patrick Tshutshani will take over the duties of Analytical Coach for the Indian Women's Hockey Team. Tshutshani in his previous roles was the Director/ Head Coach of Field Hockey Canada Junior Women's Team.
With an aim to build on their historic Tokyo Olympics 2020 campaign, Hockey India on Monday announced the appointment of new Women's Team Analytical Coach and Scientific Advisors for both senior men and women's teams.
South Africa's Patrick Tshutshani will take over the duties of Analytical Coach for the Indian Women's Hockey Team. Tshutshani in his previous roles was the Director/ Head Coach of Field Hockey Canada Junior Women's Team.
He had coached the Field Hockey Canada Junior Women's Hockey Team that clinched the 2021 Women's Pan America Junior Championship title. He was also the Assistant Coach of Field Hockey Canada Women's National Team.