Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 02 October 2014

National

PM launches 'Swachh Bharat' challenge

• In his bid to make 'Swachh Bharat' a people's movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated a chain by inviting nine eminent personalities including cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, industrialist Anil Ambani along with several actors to spread awareness on cleanliness.
• The Internet-savvy Prime Minister appeared inspired by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which had gone viral in recent months, as he asked the celebrities to nominate nine more people to join the campaign and hoped that the chain would continue.
• Modi also administered a pledge to thousands of people, including schools children and government employees at Rajpath for remaining committed to cleanliness to make the country clean.
• "I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this...I will neither litter nor let others litter," pledged all those present at a function to mark the launch of "Swachh Bharat" (Clean India) mission at India Gate by the Prime Minister.
• "I have invited nine people and asked them to come to public places and work towards a Clean India. I ask them to invite nine more people too...I am sure these nine people will do the work and each will invite nine more people to form a chain and clean the country," Modi said.
• The original ice bucket challenge where such a chain was created online was designed to raise funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis— also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease and motor neurone disease, which is a global viral phenomenon.

Clash between security forces & militants in J&K

• A gunfight broke out between security forces and militants in a village in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, police said.
• Security forces launched a search operation in Chursoo area of Pulwama district following information about presence of militants there, a police spokesman said.
• He said militants opened firing on advancing security forces, which retaliated leading to the encounter.
• Intermittent of exchange of firing was going on but so far there are no reports of any casualties on either side, the spokesman added.

Jayalalithaa bail plea hearing put off (Register and Login to read Full News..)

Person in news

Nobel prize-winner physicist Martin Perl dies

• Martin Perl, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist from Stanford University who discovered a subatomic particle known as the tau lepton, has died at age 87.
• The university said the retired professor, one of two American scientists who shared the Nobel Prize for physics in 1995, died at Stanford Hospital.
• At the time Perl discovered the tau lepton, many physicists doubted the particle that would turn out to be a heavyweight cousin of the electron existed. He eventually proved them wrong using a new kind of accelerator in which electrons and positrons course in opposite directions and collide.

Sports

Mary Kom gets gold

• M.C. Mary Kom, popularly known as "Magnificent Mary" won the first ever boxing gold for India at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon on October 1, 2014. The five-time World Champion has punched her way to earn 13 yellow metals so far in her illustrious career.

17th Asian Games - Day 12 (Register and Login to read Full News..)

Science & technology

India should increase Coverage of antenatal care: WHO

• In 2013, globally, preterm birth complications were responsible for 15 per cent (0.96 million) of deaths in children under five years of age. It is a leading cause of death in neonates (0-27 days after birth). According to WHO, about 15 million babies are born preterm (before 37 completed weeks of gestation) every year. Such births are seen both in the developed and developing countries.
• India ranks first in the list of 10 countries that account for 60 per cent of all preterm births; the U.S. is ranked sixth in the list.
• “India has little more than 50 per cent of antenatal care coverage. So in order to face the issue of premature births, low birth weight babies and stillbirths, the first aspect is to increase the coverage of antenatal care,” Dr. Flavia Bustreo, Assistant Director General at WHO told this Correspondent. “During antenatal care, health workers can detect whether progress of foetal growth is happening normally, pregnant mother’s nutrition is good or look out for any other complications.”