Current Affairs in Short: 8 April 2022

Britain sanctions Vladimir Putin’s daughters over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine

• The United Kingdom has announced sanctions on the daughters of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin in response to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
• The country has also put sanctions on the Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Lavrov. As per the official release, the lavish lifestyles of the inner circle will be further targeted as the UK sanctions the daughters of Putin.
• Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova, the daughter of Vladimir Putin will be subject to travel bans and the freeze of their assets.
• The United Kingdom has coordinated these actions with the United States as another show of global unity on the action against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Section 144 imposed in Sivasagar in Assam

• The administration of the bordering district Sivasagar of Assam has invoked Section 144 of CrPC, as part of a precautionary measure.
• A night curfew has also been imposed along the state border with Nagaland to prevent any form of anti-social activities.
• The restrictions in Sivasagar will be in force for the next 60 days until further notice.
• As per the order, the movement of any person or group or motor vehicle has been prohibited within a radius of 5 km from 6.00 PM to 6.00 AM on the border.

President of Yemen transfers power to new council

• The exiled president of Yemen Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has transferred his powers to the new presidential council. He has also dismissed his deputy.
• The latest move has come as Saudi Arabia moved to strengthen an anti-Houthi alliance amid the United Nations-led efforts for reviving negotiations to end a bitter seven-year war.
• Riyadh has also announced a financial aid of 3 billion dollars to the Saudi-backed government after the announcement was made by President Hadi.
• Yemen’s warring side, in a major breakthrough, also agreed last week to a two-month truce that began on April 2, 2022.

International Energy Alliance’s move for collective oil stock release welcomed by India

• The latest announcement by the International Energy Alliance for a collective oil stock release of 120 million barrels has been welcomed by India.
• Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry said in a statement that India has taken note of the US’s decision to release 180 million barrels from its strategic petroleum reserves, over the next 6 months.
• The latest decision will help in calming the rising global fuel prices. India, being a major consumer of energy, has espoused the significance of affordable, stable, and accessible global energy markets.

Government constitutes AVGC promotion task force

• The Central Government has constituted a promotion task force for the Animation, Visual effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) to recommend ways to realize and build the capacity for serving the Indian markets and the global demand.
• AVGC sector in India has the potential of becoming the torchbearer to create in India and Brand India.
• The latest Taskforce will be headed by the Secretary, Ministry of I&B. As per the Ministry, India has the potential to capture 40 billion dollars of global market share by 2025.
• The AVGC promotion task force will also include the State Governments of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana as well as the heads of the education bodies.