Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 22 February 2021

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 22 February 2021

::NATIONAL::

Over 1 crore administered COVID19 vaccines in India

A total of over one crore 11 lakh people have been administered Covid-19 vaccines in the country so far.
Union Health Ministry said that 31 thousand 681 people have been inoculated with Covid-19 doses in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the country's COVID-19 recovery rate reached 97.22 per cent with the total recovery of more than nine thousand patients in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that more than one crore six lakh patients have already been recovered from this disease. Presently, the total number of active cases in the country is one lakh 50 thousand 55 which comprises only 1.36 per cent of the total positive cases.
A total number of 14 thousand 199 new cases have been reported in the country in the past 24 hours taking the cumulative positive cases to over one crore ten lakh. The Health Ministry said, 83 deaths have been reported during the last 24 hour taking the toll to over one lakh 56 thousand across the country.

::INTERNATIONAL::

China to increase recycling of renewable resources

The State Council, China's cabinet, urged local governments and related authorities to improve recycling system of waste and used home appliances and to establish a recycling system to increase utilisation and output rates of renewable resources such as scrap metals and plastics.
China will speed up recycling and utilisation of renewable resources such as metals scrap in an effort to build low-carbon development and meet its carbon neutrality goal, the State Council.
The State Council, China's cabinet, urged local governments and related authorities to improve recycling system of waste and used home appliances and to establish a recycling system to increase utilisation and output rates of renewable resources such as scrap metals and plastics.
China had allowed imports of high-grade copper and aluminium scrap in November 2020 and gave the approval for high-grade steel scrap imports starting 2021 to meet robust demand of the materials.
The cabinet also asked to increase usages of renewable resources and "develop hydrogen energy and biomass energy... according to local conditions," it said in a statement on its website.
China had allowed imports of high-grade copper and aluminium scrap in November 2020 and gave the approval for high-grade steel scrap imports starting 2021 to meet robust demand of the materials.
The cabinet also asked to increase usages of renewable resources and "develop hydrogen energy and biomass energy... according to local conditions," it said in a statement on its website.

::ECONOMY::

Fuel price is a global issue and OPEC has to decide on prices of petrol and diesel around the world: Nirmala Sitharaman

In April last year, India had supported the decision of the major oil-producing countries to cut production as there was a sharp fall in demand amid Covid-19 pandemic.
India has urged the OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and OPEC plus countries to not go for a production cut as that is impacting the fuel price in India, Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Sunday.
"There are two main reasons behind the fuel price rise. International market has reduced fuel production and manufacturing countries are producing less fuel to gain more profit. This is making the consumer countries suffer," the minister said.
Congress and other opposition parties have been protesting against the Centre for the rising fuel prices while the Centre has said it alone has little role behind the astronomical rise in the price. "It’s a very vexatious issue in which no answer except for reducing the price (of fuel) will convince anyone.

::SCIENCE AND TECH::

Isro keen on formulating exclusive space start-up programme

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has embarked on a mission to take startups in the space sector to a higher orbit with a string of initiatives to help them realise their business potential.
According to a report in news agency PTI, Isro chairman K Sivan said the space agency is keen on formulating an exclusive space startup programme -- "Space Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (SEED)".
SEED is conceived as a competitive early stage encouragement programme to startups and MSMEs (Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises) keen on developing products/services in focus areas of interest to ISRO with the space agency helping them to use its facilities, officials was quoted as saying.
A formal mechanism for the programme was expected to be announced soon, they said.
With recent reforms opening up doors for enhanced private sector participation in the space sector, Isro is thrilled to receive several proposals from industries and startups, Sivan said.

::SPORTS::

India's Ankita Raina wins women's doubles title at Phillip Island Trophy Tennis

India's Ankita Raina won her maiden WTA title as she and her Russian partner Kamilla Rakhimova clinched the doubles event in the Phillip Island Trophy here.
The Ankita-Kamilla pair beat Russia's Anna Blinkova and Anastasia Potapova 2-6 6-4 10-7 in the final.