19th January 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• The 8th version of 4 day World Future Energy Summit 2015 has begun in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• This summit is Middle East’s largest gathering on future energy and one that drives actionable solutions to the world’s energy challenges.
• WFES 2015 will attract upwards of 30,000 delegates from 170 different countries, representing expertise from industry, technology, finance and government.  
• Hosted by : Masdar (Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company) 
• Bee’ah, Middle East’s leading award-winning fully integrated environmental and waste management company, announced its new, state-of-the-art and eco-friendly headquarters during the first day of the summit.
• Bangladeshi telecom authorities have shut down smartphone messaging and voice services Viber and Tango, which have become a popular communication medium for supporters of the anti-government protests now in their third week.
• Ahead of President Barack Obama's India visit, US has asked Pakistan to ensure that there is no cross-border terror incident during the trip and subtly warned of consequences if any such attack is traced back to the country.
• Germany views Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make In India’ initiative as a big opportunity for its industrial firms, visiting German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said today.
• Dr. Schäuble expressed keen interest in working with India on the manufacturing sector, especially in the auto and solar energy industries.
• The German minister is scheduled to hold talks with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday.
• Indonesian investigators said today that they had found no evidence so far that terrorism played a part in the crash of an AirAsia passenger jet last month that killed all 162 people on board.
• The Malian government and the United Nations have declared the country free of Ebola after 42 days without any new cases of the deadly virus.
• Health Minister Ousmane Kone said no confirmed cases had been registered since December 6 when the last Ebola patient had tested negative.
• Mali recorded six deaths from Ebola, which, according to World Health Organization data, has killed more than 8,400 people in neighbouring Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia in the worst epidemic of the viral haemorrhagic fever on record.

National Affairs

• The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is celebrating its 10th Raising Day today

• It was set up under the Disaster Management Act of 2005 and is under the administrative control of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). 
• Created by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.  
• Initially the NDRF had eight battalions, whose number went up to ten with the last (10th) one that came up at Acharya Nagarjuna University and also operating from the old T.B hospital premises at Mangalagiri in Guntur district. The 9th battalion was formed at Patna.
• Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today assured that the interests of Indian Railways will be fully protected while allowing FDI and private investments in select areas like fright corridors and port connectivity.

Science & Technology

• 2014 was the warmest year on record, with global temperatures 0.68C (1.24F) above the long-term average, US government scientists have recently said.
• The results mean that 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have occurred since the turn of the century.

Awards & Honors

• Eminent Indian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank Islam has been presented with the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. Award in recognition of his contribution to the legacy of the great leader through his efforts in international service and civil engagement.
• The award, which carries the name of Martin Luther King Jr., an apostle of peace, is about building bridges between humanity.

New Appointments

• Filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani was appointed chairperson of the Censor Board, days after Leela Samson resigned as its chief alleging interference by the government in its matters.
• The government also reconstituted the Board of Central Board of Film Certification by appointing nine members including BJP leader Vani Tripathi Tikoo and filmmakers Ashoke Pandit and Chandra Prakash Dwivedi.

Sports

• Australian Open Tennis tournament 2015 begins in Melbourne.

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