Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 12 March 2021

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 12 March 2021

::NATIONAL::

PM Modi inaugurates curtain-raiser activities of 'Azadika Amrut Mahotsav'

Prime Minister NarendraModi reached Sabarmati Ashram accompanied by Gujarat Governor AcharyaDevvrat and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The Prime Minister paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and also registered his comments on the visitor's book. Prime Minister inaugurated the curtain-raiser activities of 'AzadikaAmrutMahotsav' and flagged off a Padyatra from Sabarmati Ashram.
The Mahotsav is a series of events being organised by the Government to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence. It will be celebrated as a Jan-Utsav in the spirit of Jan-Bhagidari. The curtain raiser activities begin from March 12, 75 weeks prior to 15th August 2022.
The Padyatra has been undertaken by 81 marchers from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi in Navsari, a journey of 241 miles that will end on 5th of April, lasting for 25 days. The Freedom March will be joined by different groups of people on the way to Dandi.
Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel led the first lap of 75 kilometers of the padyatra. During the march, the Culture Minister will stay overnight with the Padyatris at the place of night halt and the Padyatra will start from the same place the next day.
The day also marks the historic salt march of Mahatma Gandhi. It was on 12th of March in 1930 that Gandhiji began the Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram against the Salt Laws along with 81 padyatris.

::INTERNATIONAL::

U.S., Israel discuss Iran in first meeting of strategic group

Senior U.S. and Israel officials focused on concerns about Iran during the first virtual meeting of a bilateral strategic group on Thursday, the White House said, an issue on which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has differences with the new Biden administration.
President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben-Shabbat, headed the delegations, said Emily Horne, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.
“During the discussion, the two sides shared perspectives on regional security issues of mutual interest and concern, including Iran, and expressed their common determination to confront the challenges and threats facing the region,” she said in a statement, which provided few details.
The Biden administration has depicted the meeting as part of its efforts to consult allies and partners as its seeks to draw Iran into talks about Tehran and Washington resuming compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. U.S. overtures to Iran have set the stage for possible new strains in the U.S.-Israel alliance.
Biden’s White House predecessor, Donald Trump, withdrew the United States from the world powers’ agreement with Iran, deeming it too advantageous for Tehran - a view Israel shared – and reimposed U.S. sanctions. Netanyahu has made clear his opposition to a U.S. return to the deal.
The State Department on Thursday repeated that the United States will not offer Iran unilateral incentives to attend talks that it has rejected so far about resuming compliance with the deal, which gave Tehran sanctions relief in return for limits on its nuclear program.

::ECONOMY::

3000 HP Cape Gauge Locomotives Departed for Export to Mozambique

Union Minister for Railways, commerce & industry and consumer affairs, food and public distribution, PiyushGoyal flagged off the 3000 HP Cape gauge locomotive indigenously developed by Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), Varanasi via video conferencing along with Union minister of skill development and entrepreneurship, DrMahendraNathPandey and Mozambique’s minister of transport and communications JanfarAbdulai
The export of locomotives to Mozambique shall boost the Indo-African relationship and pilot the economic empowerment through export. Indian Railways is exporting the first batch of two locomotives as part of the total order of six locomotives of 3000 HP cape gauge and 90 stainless steel passenger coaches to Mozambique. These locomotives are developed indigenously by Banaras Locomotive Works under Make-in-India..
Speaking on the occasion, Goyal said, “Under Prime Minister NarendraModi’s visionary leadership and his commitment to further strengthen African-Indian relations, we will work as Mozambique’s trusted partner. With significant innovation, re-modelling and upgradation, Indian Railways wishes to become the preferred supplier for Mozambique & countries around the world for all their requirements.

::SCIENCE AND TECH::

ISRO will work together to monitor air quality using JAXA satellite data

The space agencies of India and Japan on Thursday agreed on collaborative activities for rice crop area and air quality monitoring using satellite data, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.
According to the ISRO, a virtual bilateral meeting was held on Thursday, where the Indian delegation was led by ISRO Chairman K. Sivan, and the Japanese delegation led by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) President Hiroshi Yamakawa.
Both agencies signed an implementing arrangement for collaborative activities on rice crop area and air quality monitoring using satellite data, ISRO said.
The two agencies, while reviewing their on-going programmes in earth observation, lunar cooperation and satellite navigation, also agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in space situational awareness and professional exchange programme.

::SPORTS::

Man Utd's De Gea 'touch and go' for West Ham clash, says Solskjaer

Manchester United's David De Gea has returned to England from his paternity leave in Spain but the goalkeeper's participation against West Ham United is in doubt as he is still self-isolating, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.
De Gea has missed United's last three games after he was given time off to travel to Spain for the birth of his first child.
Spain international De Gea was expected to return to the starting lineup for Sunday's match but Solskjaer said he was unsure of his availability.