Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 17 April 2021

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 17 April 2021

::NATIONAL::

UK Home Secretary approves extradition of fugitive businessman NiravModi

  • NiravModi now has 14 days to make an application for leave to appeal to the High Court. He may seek leave to appeal against both the decisions of the District Judge and of the Home Secretary, people cited above said.
  • Almost two months after a UK court found fugitive businessman NiravModi guilty of fraud and money laundering in the Punjab National Bank scam and ordered his extradition to India, UK home secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition, people familiar with the development.
  • The decision comes as a shot in the arm for the Indian government, which has been trying to bring fugitive economic offenders back to India, but NiravModi reserves a right to appeal his extradition in the high court, which his lawyer said would be the next course of action. ZulfiquarMemon, who represents NiravModi, told HT – “We will now go to the high court challenging the order of the Westminster Magistrate Court.”
  • A UK Home Office spokesperson said: “On February 25, the District Judge gave judgment in the extradition case of NiravModi. The extradition order was signed on April 15.”

::INTERNATIONAL::

Turkey bans use of cryptocurrencies to purchase goods and services

  • Turkey's central bank is banning the use of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin in payments for goods and services, according to a decision published in the country's Official Gazette on Friday.
  • The decision comes as many in Turkey have turned to cryptocurrencies to shield their savings from rising inflation and the Turkish currency's slump.
  • In a statement explaining its reasons, the bank said transactions carried out through the use of cryptocurrencies presented irrevocable" risks.
  • Crypto assets are neither subject to any regulation and supervision mechanisms nor a central regulatory authority. Their market values can be excessively volatile, the bank stated.
  • It also cited their use in illegal actions due to their anonymous structures, and their possible use illegally without the authorization of their holders.

::ECONOMY::

ROPAX Jetty Project on Dhamra River approved

  • Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) has accorded administrative approval for sanction of Rs 50.30 crore for developing all-weather ROPAX (Roll-on/Roll-off Passenger) Jetty and allied infrastructure connecting Kaninali in Bhadrak district &Talachua in Kendrapara district, Odisha under the Sagarmala initiative. The Government of Odisha will fund another 50% cost of the project.
  • The total capital cost of the project is Rs 110.60 crore which includes construction of RO-PAX Jetty at Kaninali and Talachua, utility infrastructures such as parking area development, navigational aids and dredging.
  • This project will reduce travel time for passengers from 6 hours by road to 1 hour by waterway. The development of the existing ghat with all-weather ROPAX jetties is being carried out with intent of accommodating boats, launches and other vessels as well as to ply vessel having capacity to carry 10 light Motor vehicles, 20 Motorbikes along with 60 passengers at a time, simultaneously ensuring safety of all passengers and vehicles. The project will facilitate indirect employment opportunities to locals around Dhamrariver and reduce road distance of ~200 km from Talachua to Dhamra.

:: SCIENCE AND TECH::

National Level Climate Vulnerability Report will be released

  • The assessments undertaken with the active involvement and participation of States and Union Territory governments and hands-on training and capacity building exercises have identified vulnerable districts, which will help Policymakers in initiating appropriate climate actions. It will also benefit climate-vulnerable communities across India through development of better-designed climate change adaptation projects.
  • A total of 94 representatives from 24 states and 2 Union Territories participated in the nation-wide exercise jointly supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation (SDC).
  • The report titled ‘Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework’, which identifies the most vulnerable states and districts in India with respect to current climate risk and key drivers of vulnerability, will be released by DST Secretary Professor Ashutosh Sharma.
  • In a developing country such as India, vulnerability assessment is considered as an important exercise to develop suitable adaptation projects and programmes. 
  • While climate vulnerability assessments for various states and districts already exist, the states and districts cannot be compared to each other as the framework used for assessments are different, thereby limiting decision-making capabilities at the policy and administrative levels. This necessitated an assessment using a Common Vulnerability Framework.

::SPORTS::

Asian Wrestling Championships: SaritaMor clinches gold medal in 59kg category

  • With the 59kg freestyle gold on Thursday, the Haryana wrestler not only strengthened her claim for a place in the squad for next month’s Asian Olympic qualifiers but also enhanced India’s gold medal tally to three in the women’s category at the Asian Wrestling Championships.
  • Sealing victory against Mongolia’s BattsetsegAltantsetseg in the dying moments of the six-minute bout does speak volumes about SaritaMor’s perseverance. 

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