18th January 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• The Islamic State (IS) militant group has freed at least 200 members of the Yazidi religious community in northern Iraq.
• IS attacked the Yazidi minority community in Iraq last year, killing and abducting thousands of people.
• An early estimate of their numbers was put at 350, but later reports said there were some 200 in the group.
• Diplomats from Iran and six world powers gathered in the Swiss city of Geneva today to hold talks on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program at the deputy ministerial level.
• The meeting between Iran and the P5+1 group, comprising the permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC)- China, France, Russia, Britain and the US - and Germany, began today's morning.
• The negotiations were focused on bilateral engagements between the US and Iran during the past four days, which started with talks between the US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad-Javad Zarif Wednesday.

National Affairs

• The Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ms Uma Bharati said that the Year 2015-16 will be celebrated as 'Jal Kranti Varsh (Year)' across the country.
  
• The programme will be celebrated in each district of the country and all efforts will be made to conserve and save water.
• She also informed that all the State Governments are on board in this noble mission. Referring to Prime Minister's call for making Water Conservation a true Public Movement, She said, Centre and States should make joint efforts in this endeavour.
• The National Immunization Day for Pulse Polio is being held today. Children below 5 years of age will be given polio drops as part of the government's drive to sustain polio eradication from the country.
• President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday launched the Pulse Polio Immunization Programme by administering polio drops to children at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani has laid the foundation stone for Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Visakhapatnam at Gambhiram village of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.
• The Andhra Pradesh government has signed a pact with ICRISAT to provide assistance in making agriculture sustainable and profitable.
• The agreement with ICRISAT is part of the state government's plans to increase productivity of agriculture and allied sectors.
• ICRISAT - International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
• ICRISAT Director- Dr. David Bergvinson 
• Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh - N Chandrababu Naidu 
• Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley today ruled out imposing censorship on the media saying the days of bans are over.
• He asked media to report carefully on sensitive issues.

Business & Economy

• FDI in India grows by 22 per centduring the first eight months of the current financial year.
• HDFC Bank is the lone Indian entity among the World’s 50 most valued lenders in 2014 with a market capitalisation of close to USD 41 billion.
• Ranked at the 45th position, the private sector bank is ahead of global majors Credit Suisse, DBS Group, and Standard Chartered with a market capitalisation of USD 40.58 billion.

Deaths

• Faten Hamama, one of Egypt's best-known actresses, has died, aged 83.
• Born in 1931, Ms Hamama was known as the "Lady of the Arabic Screen" and was a star of the golden age of Egyptian cinema.

Sports

• South Africa's AB de Villiers hits fastest century in 31 balls in one day internationals against West Indies.
• Australia defeat India by four wickets in the second match of the on-going ODI- Tri-series tournament.
• Sydney International Tennis tournament 2015
• Viktor Troicki of Serbia has won the men’s single title 
• Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic has won the women’s single title 

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