Current Affairs updates of 19/09/2013

 Current Affairs updates of 19/09/2013

International Affairs

• A Syrian activist group says al-Qaida-linked gunmen have captured a town near the Turkish border after heavy fighting with a rebel group.
• Australian researchers have created the first ever 3D map of the interior of Italy's iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa by using a breakthrough mobile laser mapping system.
• Pakistan's maritime security agency arrested 58 Indian fishermen on Thursday after they strayed into Pakistan's territorial waters.

National Affairs

• Prime Minister visits Chhattisgarh for inauguration of NTPC's Sipat thermal plan.
• Bihar Chief Minister NitishKumar demands Central assistance of Rs 12,000 crore to tide over drought situation in 33 of the total 38 districts of Bihar.
• Former Health Minister Rasheed Masood convicted by Delhi court for fraudulently nominating candidates to medical colleges in 1990-91.
• The first phase of Rapid Metro Rail covering a distance of little over 5 km is likely to be inaugurated on October 2.
• Three-day Pune International Literary Festival (PILF) to begin in Pune; more than 50 authors to participate in the event.
• Jammu and Kashmir government sent a group of 285 youths to Punjab and Haryana for training in different employable modules as part of Centre's Skill Development Initiative Scheme.
• Sikkim has maximum unemployed; Chhattisgarh lowest, All India unemployment rate 4.7%: Ministry of Labour and Employment report.
• President Pranab Mukherjee to give National Communal Harmony Awards at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Maldives Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Election Commission to produce the list of eligible voters and voters who cast their ballots in the first round of presidential polls held on September 7.
• 20th Session of Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) to take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
• UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to officially launch Food Security Scheme in Mizoram at a function in Aizawl.

Science and Technology :

• Google Inc said it plans to set up a new company called Calico, headed by Apple Inc and Genentech Chairman Art Levinson, to develop technologies to tackle health issues related to aging.

Sports

• First Sub-Junior Women World Boxing Championship to begin in Bulgaria.
• Young Indian shuttlers K. Srikanth and H.S. Prannoy advanced to the quarterfinals of men’s singles competition in the Japan Open with superb wins but it was curtains for teen sensation P.V. Sindhu at the $200,000 Super Series event in Tokyo.
• 126th Durand Cup football tournament final to be played between ONGC and Mohammedan Sporting at Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi.