Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams -06 August 2022

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 18 August 2022

::NATIONAL::

Uttarakhand Tourism Department to develop 'Modi Circuit' in Corbett Reserve

The Uttarakhand tourism department is working on a plan to develop a "Modi circuit" at the Corbett Tiger Reserve. The idea of developing a "Modi circuit" in the tiger reserve first came to Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj during a trip to Croatia, where a "Game of Thrones tour circuit" has been developed for tourists, covering the locations where the popular television series was shot.
The circuit will cover the places visited by Prime Minister NarendraModi while shooting for a television programme in 2019.
PM Modi had undertaken a slew of adventure activities while shooting for an episode of "Man vs Wild", hosted by Bear Grylls on the Discovery channel.
During the shoot, Modi and Grylls crossed the Kosiriver on a makeshift raft and walked through a tiger trail, with the prime minister holding a spear in his hand.
The "Modi circuit" is expected to further boost tourism at the Corbett Tiger Reserve, which is already a popular tourist destination.
The spots inside the reserve visited by PM Modi and Grylls during the shoot are being identified.

::INTERNATIONAL::

Chinese missiles believed to have landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone: Defence Minister

Chinese President Xi Jinping decided himself to let ballistic missiles, launched by the military during recent large-scale drills near Taiwan, fall in Japan's exclusive economic zone to deter Tokyo's interference in any cross-strait contingency, according to sources close to the matter.
Xi, who heads the Central Military Commission, the highest decision-making organ of the country's armed forces, ditched a plan to avoid conducting exercises last week in waters overlapping Japan's EEZ to make the training in six areas encircling Taiwan more combat-oriented, the sources said.
The large-scale exercises began on Aug. 4 as part of China's response to U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit earlier last week to the self-ruled island.
Five of the 11 Chinese ballistic missiles launched that day fell into Japan's EEZ, triggering a protest from Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
With regard to the exercise areas, the military submitted two plans to Xi, with one covering Japan's EEZ south of a remote Okinawa Prefecture island and the other avoiding the waters so as not to harm bilateral relations prior to the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties in late September, the sources said.
One of the sources said Xi adopted the plan covering Japan's EEZ to warn the Kishida administration against strengthening Tokyo's involvement in the Taiwan Strait by bolstering its security alliance with the United States.
Xi also preferred the drills to be conducted in waters overlapping Japan's EEZ as a military blockade of areas near the Nansei Islands, a chain that includes Okinawa and stretches southwest from Kyushu toward Taiwan, would be unavoidable in the event of an actual operation to take control of the island, the sources said.
The Chinese military assumes U.S. forces will dispatch vessels and fighter jets from its bases in Okinawa and other parts of Japan to support Taiwan if Beijing launches an operation to seize the democratically governed island of 24 million people.

::ECONOMY::

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 50 basis points to 5.40%

Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das stated on Friday during the Monetary Policy Committee announcements that the repo rate will be increased by 50 basis points to 5.40 per cent. In the last meeting on June 8, the RBI increased repo rate by 50 basis points to 4.90 per cent.
The MPC decided to focus on withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target going forward.
“On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) at its meeting today (August 5, 2022) decided to increase the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 50 basis points to 5.40 per cent with immediate effect. Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate stands adjusted to 5.15 per cent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 5.65 per cent,” the RBI stated.
“The MPC also decided to remain focused on withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target going forward, while supporting growth. These decisions are in consonance with the objective of achieving the medium term target for consumer price index (CPI) inflation of 4 per cent within a band of +/- 2 per cent, while supporting growth,” stated the apex bank.
The RBI increased repo rate as inflation remains high, which is above the upper tolerance level of 6 per cent.
Adhil Shetty, CEO, Bankbazaar.com told Business Today, "The global geopolitical situation and the elevated commodity prices indicate that inflation will likely remain above the upper tolerance level of 6 per cent through the first three quarters of 2022-23. The RBI may announce a hike of 30-50 basis points in its monetary policy meeting this week to pacify the rising inflation.”
According to a Reuters poll, most economists they spoke to predicted an increase of 50 bps, while some argued for 35 bps, and some 25 bps.
::Sports::

Birmingham Commonwealth Games: Murali Sreeshankar wins silver in men's long jump

MuraliSreeshankar won a track and field silver in men’s long jump with a best of 8.08m at the Commonwealth Games on Thursday night. The only other CWG men’s long jump medallist from India is Suresh Babu (1978). This is also India’s second medal in athletics in Birmingham after Tejaswin Shankar won bronze in the men’s high jump on Wednesday.
Muhammad Anees Yahiya, the other Indian in the men’s long jump, came fifth with a 7.97m jump in his sixth and final attempt.
Sreeshankar (7.84m) and Anees (7.72m) qualified for the final round as they finish sixth and eighth respectively after the first three rounds.
Sreeshankar recorded a big jump on his fourth attempt but overstepped by one cm and was red flagged. But he summoned his best effort on the fifth attempt, recording a massive 8.08m (wind assistance of +1.5) to leapfrog to the second spot. Sreeshankar went for the gold in his final attempt but overstepped by 2cms.