Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 15 January 2022

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 15 January 2022

::NATIONAL::

Political gains overshadowing Mekedatu’s ecological impact

The padayatra for the proposed Mekedatu reservoir-cum-drinking water project may have been suspended but the issue brings all major political parties on the same platform as it promises rich electoral dividends.
Meanwhile, most political parties are willing to overlook the environmental cost of the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Drinking Water Project, which is adding to the steady erosion and rapid degradation of the ecology.
According to the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited’s draft terms of reference (as in July 2019), the Mekedatu project is aimed at generating 400 MW of renewable energy annually and can supply up to 4.75 tmcft of drinking water for Bengaluru, Karnataka’s most populous city.
“Large-scale developmental activities such as constructing a series of reservoirs and dams, creating special economic zones, townships, and land conversion for built-up areas have led to the loss of large tracts of forests,” said Dr TV Ramachandra from the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES), Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
“The forest cover now is confined to major conservation reserves such as protected areas, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Natural forests show a decline of evergreen forests from 7.5% (1985) to 5.7% (by 2019), moist deciduous forests from 5.7% (1985) to 4.1% (by 2019), and dry deciduous forests from 4.0% (1985) to 2.2% (2019),” he said.
A report released on Thursday by India State of Forests Report (ISFR) 2021 shows that Karnataka has lost 64sq km of moderately dense forest compared to its 2019 findings. Karnataka’s forest cover is 20.2% of the total geographical area which is lower than the national average of 21.7% and terribly short of the globally prescribed 33%, the report adds.

::INTERNATIONAL::

Biden to hold press conference to mark first year in office

US President Joe Biden is to hold a press conference on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of his first year in office, the White House announced.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the 79-year-old president will hold a formal press conference at 4:00 pm (2100 GMT).
"We look forward to seeing you there and the president looks forward to speaking directly to the American people," Psaki said.
Biden, who was sworn in as the 46th US president on January 20, 2021, is closing his first year in office on a string of setbacks, on voting rights and the fight against the Covid pandemic, while facing stubborn inflation as well as provocation from North Korea and Russia.
The Democrat has spent less time speaking to reporters than his Republican predecessor Donald Trump.
Trump, despite his professed hostility towards the press, frequently made himself available to answer questions.
Biden will also occasionally answer questions before boarding Air Force One or after making a speech.
According to the University of California, Santa Barbara, Biden has held nine press conferences so far, not counting the one scheduled for January 19.
Trump held 22 during his first year in office.

::ECONOMY::

Rupee falls 19 paise to 74.09 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee declined by 19 paise to 74.09 against the US dollar in opening trade on Friday, as muted domestic equities and elevated crude oil prices weighed on investor sentiments.
Forex traders said the local unit fell following more hawkish comments by Federal Reserve officials.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened weak at 74.05 against the US dollar, then fell further to 74.09 against the greenback in early deals, registering a decline of 19 paise from the last close.
On Thursday, the rupee rose 3 paise to close at 73.90 against the US dollar.
"Equities are slightly down on Friday but will get bought on dips. European currencies are generally up against the dollar, but the dollar index should find support near to 94.50 for a rally back to 97.00 as most US FED officials are favouring a rate hike in March itself," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury, Finrex Treasury Advisors.
Meanwhile, global oil benchmark Brent crude futures fell by 0.08 per cent to USD 84.40 per barrel.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share Sensex was trading 189.73 points or 0.31 per cent lower at 61,045.57, while the broader NSE Nifty declined 42.80 points or 0.23 per cent to 18,215.00.
Foreign institutional investors remained net sellers in the capital market, as they offloaded shares worth Rs 1,390.85 crore, as per exchange data.

::SCIENCE AND TECH::

Potato-shaped planet discovered about 1.8k light yrs from solar system

Astronomers have finally announced that an exoplanet discovered a few years ago is somewhat similar to a potato. The planet, named WASP-103b, is located in the constellation “Hercules”, at a distance of about 1,800 light-years from the solar system.
According to news agency AFP, WASP-103b is a close distance away from its star WASP-103, which is about 50 times closer to its sun than Earth is to its sun, to the extent that the planet’s cycle takes only 22 hours, while the Earth’s cycle takes 365 days.
Astronomers initially discovered this unusually shaped planet back in 2014.
“WASP-103b is the exoplanet with the highest expected deformation signature in its transit light curve and one of the shortest expected spiral-in times,” a study published in the Astronomy and Astrophysics journal said.
The study added that measuring the tidal deformation of the planet would allow it to estimate the second-degree fluid Love number and gain insight into the internal structure of WASP-103.
“This will allow to constrain the internal structure and composition of WASP-103b, which could provide clues on the inflation of hot Jupiters,” it added.
Susanna Barros, an astrophysicist at the University of Porto, Portugal pointed out that if this planet is 1.5 times more massive than Jupiter, then its radius is twice as large. Barros predicts that WASP-103b will be very puffy because of the hotness of its star along with other mechanisms.

::SPORTS::

Djokovic's appeal of canceled visa moves to higher court

Novak Djokovic’s effort to play in the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated for Covid-19 moved to a higher court Saturday as the No. 1-ranked tennis player appealed the second cancellation of his visa.
Djokovic was not seen on the online feed available to the public for the 15-minute procedural hearing, which began just two days before he is scheduled to play his first match of 2022 at Melbourne Park.
Judge David O'Callaghan ruled that lawyers representing Djokovic and the government would need to submit written arguments later Saturday and scheduled another hearing for Sunday morning.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke blocked the 34-year-old Serb’s visa, which was originally revoked when he landed at a Melbourne airport last week. But it was restored Monday by a judge on procedural grounds, because Djokovic was not allowed to have a lawyer with him at the airport.