22nd September 2014 - Daily Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif for talks on Iran's nuclear program and the threat posed by Sunni extremist group Islamic State, a senior State Department official said.
• German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has reiterated that Germany will not get involved in US and French airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) jihadists in Iraq and Syria. He also ruled out ground deployments.
• Islamic State militants closed in on Syria's third-largest Kurdish town today as tens of thousands of people fled in terror across the border into Turkey.
• The UN refugee agency said as many as 70,000 Syrian Kurds had streamed into Turkey since Friday, and solidarity protests by Turkish Kurds on the border prompted clashes with security forces.
• Afghanistan's new President-elect Ashraf Ghani congratulated the country today on what he called its first democratic transfer of power, but the former rival Abdullah, with whom he signed a power-sharing deal was absent from celebrations.
• World leaders from 193 countries gather in New York this week to discuss a whole range of issues.
• Violence Islamic State militants are wreaking in Iraq and Syria,
• The exponential spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa and
• Deadlocked negotiations on Iran's nuclear program
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address UN General Assembly on 27th September 2014.

National Affairs

• In a serious blow to transparency regime in the country, the Madras High Court has said RTI applicants must give reasons for seeking information as it gave relief to its Registry from disclosing file notings on a complaint against a chief metropolitan magistrate.
• Delhi Metro will be observing World Green Building Week till September 27 to promote construction of environment friendly buildings. 
• The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has partnered with Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to observe the week on the theme "Get up, Green Up".
• A bill to regulate surrogacy is expected to come up before Parliament during the forthcoming Winter Session.
• Government has set a target of two years to improve the level of nutrition among women and children through National Nutrition Mission Action Plan.

People in News

• UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio joined thousands of people for a march through the New York city to shine the spotlight on the climate crisis with the UN Chief stressing that there is no 'Plan B' to halt advance of climate change as there is no 'Planet B.'
• Barely 10 days after he resigned, CBI today arrested Odisha's former Advocate General Ashok Mohanty for allegedly abusing his official position and misappropriating funds of Artha Tatwa Group of companies in a case which is an offshoot of Saradha chit fund scam.

Science & Technology

• ISRO successfully test fires the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) inside Mangalyaan.
• The Indian Coast Guard Hovercraft H-196, the third series of air cushion vehicle (ACV) built by the UK arrived at Panambur beach of Mangalore today. 
• It will be based permanently at New Mangalore.

Awards & Honors

• Kerala-based Amrita Institute for Medical Sciences (AIMS) has received the first British Medical Journal (BMJ) India Award for Paediatric Heart Programme.
• This award is considered as the "Oscar" in the medical field.

New Appointments

• Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, a close confidante of Pakistan's powerful Army Chief, was named as the new head of the controversial spy agency ISI, enhancing the military's clout over the embattled government facing protests.

Sports

• India's ace shooter Abhinav Bindra has announced retirement from the professional shooting.
• India's first and the only individual Olympic gold medalist in Olympics (10m Air Rifle, 2008 Beijing)
• He will end his professional career tomorrow at Incheon Asian Games, where he will competing for the last time.
• Asian Games 2014
• Squash player Deepika Pallikal settles for bronze medal after losing women'singles semifinals in the 17th Asian games.
• India wins bronze medal in 25m pistol women's team event at the 17th Asian Games.
• Saurav Ghoshal wins men's singles semifinal to assure India of at least a maiden squash silver at Asian Games.
• 1st-ever Asian Games medal other than bronze in racquet sport.
• India assured of 2 bronze in Wushu as TS Devi, N Grewal storm into semis.

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