Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 12 October 2021

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 12 October 2021

::NATIONAL::

Jammu and Kashmir: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan inaugurates PrasarBharati Auditorium in Srinagar

Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan inaugurated PrasarBharati Auditorium at All India Radio Srinagar.
With a capacity of more than 170 seats, the auditorium is equipped with state-of-the-art digital technologies. This auditorium was damaged in 2014 floods.
In his inaugural address, MrMurugan praised the role played by All India Radio Srinagar and Doordarshan Srinagar. He said that both these institutions have been making quality programmes in several languages for the past many decades. He made a special mention of the role played by both AIR Srinagar and DD Srinagar during 2014 floods and during Covid-19 pandemic.
MrMurugan said that being stationed in the border area, Srinagar Kendras of All India Radio and DD are playing vital role in countering the propaganda and obnoxious narrative unleashed by the adverse neighbouring countries.
He further said that after abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir is on the path of rapid development, peace and prosperity.
MrMurugan said that Prime Minister NarendraModi’s idea of inclusive growth and good governance and the approach adopted by the Jammu and Kashmir administration led by LG ManojSinha has put this Union Territory on the path of massive development.
A cultural programme by noted Kashmiri artist and singer Bashir Ahmad Tailbali and his troupe was also held during the function.

::INTERNATIONAL::

Austria: Alexander Schellenberg appointed new chancellor

Alexander Schellenberg was elected Austrian Chancellor Monday after Sebastian Kurz, who resigned Saturday for his involvement in a corruption scandal.
Michael Linhardt, a former ambassador to France joined Schellenberg in the role of foreign minister. This helped end the crisis within the Austrian government, the Austrian People’s Party and the Green Party Coalition, which was triggered by Kurz’s public allegations.
Alexander Van der Belen, Austrian President, attended the ceremony. He described the new prime minster as “a convincing European” and said that he was happy to be in this position. Drinhardt said that given his diplomatic experience, he was “not surprised” to become the new foreign minister.
Van der Bellen believes the new government is responsible for “restoring confidence” and warns that words alone will not suffice.
“The challenges we face cannot be delayed: the pandemic is not over yet,” he emphasized, and then listed the challenges in the labor market, education, science, Austria’s position in Europe and the world, and “the biggest of our time. Climate change is the “challenge”.
Schellenberg made it clear that he was open to working with Kurz after the ceremony. He also stated that he believes that the allegations against Kurz are “incorrect.” “Of course, Sebastian Kurz will be my partner. He said that everything else was absurd when it comes to democracy.
At the same time, he promised that not accepting the post of prime minister was “not an option” and pointed out that what Austria needs is “responsibility and stability”, which is what it promises to “guarantee”.

::ECONOMY::

KPMG says Indian IPOs will raise $10bn in next six months

“India is unveiling an absolutely new area of growth with these digital companies for hungry global asset managers,” SrinivasBalasubramanian, senior partner and head of corporate finance at KPMG India, told Bloomberg Television’s RishaadSalamat and Haslinda Amin in an interview. “A lot of money printed during the Donald Trump administration is invariably finding its way to the stock markets globally and India is one of the beneficiaries.”
After nearly two years of enduring the coronavirus pandemic, a robust return to life aided by a mass vaccination drive, an accommodative central bank policy and expected economic growth of 9.5% this year are also fueling India’s stock market rally.
Indian companies have raised $10.8 billion from first-time share sales this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. At this pace, 2021 could well surpass the record $11.8 billion mopped up in 2017.
Balasubramanian said the market’s sentiment has been accentuated by the Chinese government’s regulatory crackdown on its technology companies. In the past when asset managers had money to invest, “90% of that went to China due to their growth and consumption story, but now 80% is coming to India,” he said.
The KPMG senior partner sees old-economy companies partly driving mergers and acquisitions as they sell assets to pare debt, as well as digital and financial-services firms that seek to consolidate by using stock as currency.

::SCIENCE AND TECH::

In a rocky Israeli crater, scientists simulate life on Mars

From the door of the expedition base, a few small steps to the left an autonomous rover passes by. A few giant leaps to the right is an array of solar panels. The landscape is rocky, hilly, tinged with red. Purposefully it resembles Mars.
Here, in the Ramon Crater in the desert of southern Israel, a team of six - five men and one woman - have begun simulating what it will be like to live for about a month on the red planet.
Their AMADEE-20 habitat is tucked beneath a rocky outcrop. Inside they sleep, eat and conduct experiments. Outside they wear mock space suits fitted with cameras, microphones and self-contained breathing systems.
"We have the motto of fail fast, fail cheap, and have a steep learning curve. Because for every mistake we make here on earth, we hope we don't repeat it on Mars," said GernotGromer, director of the Austrian Space Forum.
The Austrian association is running the project together with the Israel Space Agency and local group D-MARS.
A number of recent Mars probes have captivated astronomy fans across the world with robotic rovers like NASA's Perseverance and, for the first time, the helicopter Ingenuity, offering a glance of the planet's surface. But a manned mission is likely more than a decade off.
With AMADEE-20, which was supposed to happen in 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19, the team hopes to bring new insight that will help prepare for that mission, when it comes.
"The habitat, right now, is the most complex, the most modern analog research station on this planet," said Gromer, standing beside the 120 sq meter (1,300 sq feet) structure shaped like two large, connected yurts.
The six team members are constantly on camera, their vital signs monitored, their movements inside are tracked to analyze favorite spots for congregating. All this to better understand the human factor, Gromer said.

::SPORTS::

Germany qualify for Qatar World Cup 2022; Russia, Croatia clinch playoffs

As Germany became the first country to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, its former under-21 team coach was crying tears of joy after his first win in charge of Turkey. Stefan Kuntz was unable to keep his emotions in check after BurakYilmaz's penalty in the ninth minute of injury time earned Turkey a dramatic 2-1 win in Latvia to keep its qualification hopes alive.
Germany booked its place on Monday with an error-strewn 4-0 win in North Macedonia. The goals all came in the second half as the home team tired, and the win went some way to atoning for Germany's surprise 2-1 loss to North Macedonia in Duisburg in March. That was the only blip in an otherwise perfect qualifying campaign with seven wins from eight games in Europe Group J.
In Rotterdam, Memphis Depay scored twice, had two assists and missed a penalty as the Netherlands overpowered Gibraltar 6-0 to remain on course for qualification, two points ahead of Norway and four points ahead of Turkey in Group G. Croatia and Russia are assured of at least a playoff place after their respective results in Group H.