Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 21 March 2022

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 21 March 2022

::NATIONAL::

NCRTC introduces India's first rapid rail coaches for Delhi-Meerut corridor

The National Capital Regional Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has unveiled the coaches of India’s first rapid rail for the Delhi – Meerut corridor.
The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) train will run on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor and cover a distance of 82 km in just 55 minutes. The new RRTS train is a completely new design of train designed to provide a good travelling experience for passengers.
The coaches will be equipped with modern features including wide standing space, CCTV cameras, sockets for laptop and mobile charging, dynamic route maps, auto control ambient lighting system and heating ventilation and air conditioning system.
The RRTS train will be the first in the country to have a business or ‘premium’ coach on a regional corridor.
The train will be capable of accommodating 1500 passengers at once. The train has been designed to have a setting resembling the one on an aircraft.

::INTERNATIONAL::

Russia attacked Ukraine with caliber cruise missiles from ships in the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea

Russian forces also bombed a theater in Mariupol where civilians took shelter. The authorities said 130 people were rescued but many more could remain under the debris.
Russia struck Ukraine with cruise missiles from ships in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea,and launched hypersonic missiles from Crimean airspace, the Russiandefence ministry said.
Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Russia had carried out strikes against Ukraine's military infrastructure on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
"Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from the waters of the Black Sea against the Nizhyn plant that repairs Ukrainian armoured vehicles damaged in fighting," he said.
Russia fired Kalibr cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea and hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles from airspace of Crimea, the peninsula Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, to destroy a fuel storage facility used by the Ukrainian military, Konashenkov said.
Russia also hit a Ukrainian military preparation centre where foreign fighters joining Kyiv's forces were based.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of people, displaced more than 3 million and raised fears of a wider confrontation between Russia and the United States, the world's two biggest nuclear powers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the "special military operation" in Ukraine was necessary because the United States was using the country to threaten Russia and Russia had to defend against the "genocide" of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine.

::ECONOMY::

36th International Geological Congress (IGC) Inaugurated in New Delhi

Union of Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs ShriPralhadJoshi said that India’s total geographical area under mining has increased substantially during the last few years and the sector is providing employment opportunities to 12 million people across the country, both directly and indirectly.
Addressing the 36th International Geological Congress inaugural session virtually today, Minister Shri Joshi stated that the pace of mineral exploration has increased manifold under the present Government. Highlighting the recent reforms undertaken in the Mining Sector that provided the right fillip to the Indian economy, Shri Joshi praised the noteworthy strides made by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in making use of the latest technologies for scaling greater heights in excellence. Touching upon the importance of the 36th International Geological Congress, the Minister said that the three day event, hosted by India after 58 years, will provide the right platform for geoscientists from across the globe to formulate more effective tools in the field of sustainable development.
Minister of State for Coal, Mines and Railways ShriRaosahebPatilDanve, Minster of State for Communications ShriDevusinhChauhan and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space DrJitendra Singh also addressed the event virtually. The other eminent persons who graced the function include Secretary, Ministry of Mines, Dr.AlokTondon, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences Dr. M Ravichandran, DG: GSI ShriRajendra Singh Garkhal among others.
The 36th International Geological Congress is based on the theme “Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Future”. IGC is a joint endeavour of the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian National Science Academy and the Science Academies of Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Described as the Olympics of Geosciences, the IGCs are held quadrennial, under the aegis of the International Union of Geological Congress (IUGS), the Scientific Sponsor of the IGCs. The three -day event will witness participation of 5000 - 7000 delegates from all over the world.

::Science and tech::

SpaceX launches 53 Starlink satellites into space from Florida

SpaceX expanded its constellation of low Earth orbit satellites on Saturday with the launch of 53 Starlink satellites from Florida.
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:19 a.m. EST and deployed the satellites about 16 minutes after launch.
The rocket’s reusable first stage, which has been used for multiple launches, including the first crewed test flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, successfully returned and landed on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Starlink is a satellite-based global internet system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring internet access to underserved areas of the world.
Earlier this week, SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station, including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years.
It took 21 hours for the flight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to reach the glittering outpost.
The astronauts got emotional when they first spotted the space station from 20 miles (32 kilometers) out, calling it “a pretty glorious sight.”
Three astronauts welcomed the crew instead of the preferred seven.
That’s because SpaceX brought four of them back on Monday, after the launch of their replacements kept getting delayed.
The new crew will spend the next six months at the space station and, during that time, host two groups of visiting tourists.

::Sports::

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won the 'Sportstar of the Year (Male)' award at the 2022 Sportstar Aces Awards held in Mumbai; Weightlifter MirabaiChanu wins 'Sportstar of the Year (Female)' award

It was a star-studded evening at the Sportstar Aces awards 2022 in Mumbai where golden boy Neeraj Chopra and Olympic Silver Medalist MirabaiChanu bagged the top honours.
The awards night was made memorable with the presence of India’s top athletes – with Olympic bronze medalist LovlinaBorgohain, members of the Indian Men and Women’s Hockey Teams, 2008 Beijing Olympics Gold Medalist AbhinavBindra, former India cricket captain MohdAzharuddin and DrNarinderDhruvBatra among other sporting icons of the country among others in attendance.