Current Affairs Updates of 24th and 25th September 2013

 Current Affairs Updates of 24th and 25th September 2013

International Affairs

• NewZealand's flagship airline plans to open new frontier by flying planes to Antarctica for scientists and their crews.
• The US Food and DrugAdministration (USFDA) is increasing its inspections offacilities of drug makers in India, the second largestprovider of finished dose products to the US, to ensurecompliance of approved manufacturing norms.
• Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared the end of a bloody four-day siege by Islamist militants at Nairobi's Westgate shopping centre.

National Affairs

• Ahead of elections, the government on Wednesday announced constitution of the Seventh Pay Commission, which will go into the salaries, allowances and pensions of about 80 lakh of its employees and pensioners.
• Three new medical colleges, each with a 750-bed hospital, will come up in Ratlam, Shahdol and Vidisha districts of Madhya Pradesh.
• Sikkim government has set up an exclusive cell in the police department to engage with the public on social media on a regular basis.
• Public auditor CAG recently announced that it will undertake performance audit of the new and renewable energy sector at all India level with a view to promoting alternative sources of energy.
• Pilgrimage to Gangotri, one of the Char Dhams, resumed on Tuesday after remaining suspended for over three months in the wake of the devastating flashfloods in the state.
• The cabinet has approved auction of coal blocks to private companies, enabling the government to allot coal mining licences through competitive bidding for the first time.
• The government has released religion-wise breakup of communal riot victims till September 15 this year, putting the number of Muslims killed across the country at 66 and Hindus at 41.
• The government approved two highways projects in Maharashtra, including JNPT Port road project under its flagship road building programme NHDP, entailing a total expenditure of Rs 3,001.19 crore.
• Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Gulam Nabi Azad inaugurated the medical college and OPD services at All India Institute of Medical Sciences at Jodhpur.

Business and Economy

• Global beverages and snacks major PepsiCo is looking to enhance potato procurement in India by around 20 per cent to 65 per cent through its tie-up with farmers in the next five years.
• Moody’s has lowered its outlook for India's GDP growth to 4.5 per cent for 2013-14 from 5.5 per cent.
• Making a strong case for approval of their proposed airline JV, Tata Group and Singapore Airlines have said that the joint venture (JV) would create significant job opportunities in India, boost aviation sector and would boost the country's image as an international investment destination.
• ICICI Bank has launched a new Facebook app that will enable its customers to transact directly from the social networking site.
• India's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in partnership with GE and Saudi Aramco Tuesday launched first all-female business process outsourcing (BPO) centre in Saudi Arabia that will create nearly 3,000 jobs in the Gulf kingdom.
• The RBI on Wednesday banned zero per cent interest rate scheme for purchase of consumer goods, a move intended to protect customers but may dampen the festive spirit.
• Tata Communications Payment Solutions Ltd (TCPSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Communications Ltd, on 25th September inaugurated Indicash ATMs in Mysore.

Deaths

• Eminent athletic coach #AKKutty, who trained some of country's leading track-and-field stars like M D Valsamma, passes away.

Awards and Honors

• India environmentalist Bunker Roy and Pakistan's teenage education activist Malala Yousufzai were declared winners of this year's prestigious 'Clinton Global Citizens Awards'.
• Ailing former South African President Nelson Mandela has been presented with a humanitarian achievement award for his contribution to South-South cooperation and sustainable development.

Appointments

• Ruchira Kamboj, currently the Chief of Protocol, has been appointed as the next Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, Paris, with the rank of Ambassador.
• Hun Sen, 61, who has been in power for 28 years, was sworn in as Cambodian prime minister for another five-year term on Tuesday after the parliament re-elected him as the prime minister amid a boycott of the opposition party.
• Vijay Keshav Gokhale has been appointed as India's next Ambassador to Germany
•  Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX)  has announced that mr. R.M. Premkumar, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer as its new Interim Chairman.

Sports

• Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi was on Wednesday slapped with a life ban by the BCCI after its disciplinary committee found him guilty on eight charges of "indiscipline and misconduct.
• India defeated hosts Malaysia 2-0 to qualify for the semifinals of the eighth women's Asia Cup hockey tournament on Tuesday.
• Chinese paddler Liu Shiwen clinched her third women's table tennis World Cup after beating team-mate Wu Yang in four sets.