Important Current Affairs 13th May 2017

Important Current Affairs 13th May 2017

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important Current Affairs 13th May 2017 with Free PDF in English and Hindi, which will update you with latest headlines, news from various domains i.e: National News, Sports, Business, Awards & recognition. It is useful for the preparation of competitive exams like: SSC, SBI, IBPS PO, Clerk, Railways & Various other Entrance examinations.

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Current Affairs 13th May 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

INS Darshak completes hydrographic surveys in Sri Lanka

INS Darshak of the Eastern Naval Command which has been on a two month deployment to Sri Lanka has successfully completed surveys of Weligama Bay and Southern coast of Sri Lanka. 
●    The result of the surveys were formally handed over by Captain Peush Pawsey, Commanding Officer, INS Darshak to Vice Admiral RC Wijegunaratne, WV, RWP & Bar, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psn, the Commander of Sri Lanka Navy, in a ceremony held at Colombo on 12 May 17.
●    The survey operations were undertaken in three phases and ship also visited Colombo and Galle harbour. 
●    The ship and ship’s survey motor boats fitted with multi beam systems were extensively deployed and the hydrographic survey data for more than 7000 nautical miles was collected. 
●    Ship’s integral Chetak helicopter also participated in the operations. 
●    The Officers and sailors of Sri Lanka Navy had embarked ship during the conduct of joint survey operations and were also imparted training on various aspects of hydrographic surveying. 
●    In addition, the sailors of both the navies interacted during ship’s stay at Colombo and Galle and played friendly football, volleyball and basketball matches. 
●    Beach cleaning drives were also conducted as part of interaction.

INS Rajput on a 3-day visit to Yangon

INS Rajput, Indian Navy's front line guided missile destroyer entered Yangon, Myanmar for an Operational Turn around (OTR) from 11-13 May 17. 
●    The ship was given a traditional welcome and received by Commodore Thant Sin Lay Deputy Commander Naval Dockyard. 
●    Captain RA Shah, Commanding Officer INS Rajput called on Commodore Nay Win , Commander, Ayeyarwady Naval Regional Command. 
●    Later, Capt RA Shah, Commanding Officer, INS Rajput laid wreath for the Martyrs of the First and Second World War at Yangon War cemetery. 
●    He also called on His Excellence V Misra, the Indian Ambassador of Myanmar. 
●    During the visit, 35 Indian Naval officers visited the Myanmar Naval Training Command and 35 Myanmar Navy officers and 160 under trainee sea cadets visited the ship and were given a guided tour of the ship. 
●    The sea cadets interacted with the junior officers of the ship during the visit. 
●    A friendly volleyball match was also with Myanmar navy personnel.

J P Nadda launches Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)

“No child should die in the country from Vaccine Preventable Diseases” is the Goal & Commitment of our government. 
●    We stand committed to reducing child deaths and providing a healthier future to our children.” 
●    Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare stated this as he announced the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) of the country in a function at Mandi, today. 
●    Terming this as an historic moment and an exemplary step in India’s immunization programme, the Union Health Minister added that the Government is committed to reducing morbidity and mortality in children. 
●    Strengthening routine immunization is an essential investment in India’s children and will ensure a healthy future of the country, he noted. 
●    PCV protects children against severe forms of pneumococcal disease, such as pneumonia and meningitis. 
●    Currently, the vaccine is being rolled out to approximately 21 lakh children in Himachal Pradesh and parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the first phase. 
●    This will be followed by introduction in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan next year, and eventually be expanded to the country in a phased manner. 
●    Shri Kaul Singh Thakur, Minister of Health, Government of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Ram Swaroop Sharma, Member of Parliament, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh and Shri Sanjeeva Kumar, Additional Secretary, Health, were also present at the function.

Massive ‘Ransomware’ attack hits 99 countries around the world

A large-scale cyberattack has spread across  99 countries, including the UK, US, China, Russia, Spain, Italy and India. 
●    The cyberattack has affected the IT systems of banks, telephone companies and hospitals.  
●    No instance of the vulnerability being exploited in India has come to light yet.
●    Cyber-security firm Avast, a provider of Antivirus, said it had seen at least 75,000 computers been infected by the malware, dubbed ‘WannaCry’. 
●    Among the government agencies and companies affected include UK’s National Health Service, FedEx, Spain’s communications giant Telefonica and the Russian Interior Ministry.
●    Unknown hackers apparently launched ‘ransomware’ attacks, which basically encrypt  files and demands a Bitcoin (a form of virtual currency) payment to regain access. 
●    The message displaying on NHS computers has been circulated on social media and victims of the attack needs to send $300 or $600 to a bitcoin address.

Narendra Modi announces direct Varanasi-Colombo flight from August

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka, announced that from August this year, Air India will operate direct flights between Colombo and Varanasi.
●    “My Tamil brothers and sisters will also be able to visit Varanasi, the land of Kashi Viswanath,” he said while addressing a crowd at the opening ceremony of International Vesak Day at Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
●    Varanasi is the Prime Minister’s Lok Sabha constituency. In a similar 2014 visit to Japan, Modi had signed a partnership agreement between Varanasi and Kyoto, both historically significant cities, making them sister cities.
●    PM Modi is participating in the International Vesak Day celebrations in the island country. 
●    Later in the day, he will inaugurate the 150-bed multi-specialty Dickoya Hospital which has been built with Indian assistance.
●    Upon his arrival in Sri Lanka on Thursday, PM Modi met President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, who had earlier visited India in April. 

Current Affairs 13th May 2017: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Brazil declares end to Zika emergency

Brazil on 11 May 2017 declared an end to public health emergency for the Zika virus after about 18 months of fight against this mosquito-borne virus.
●    The Zika virus emergency fell upon Brazil when the country was preparing to host the 2016 Olympics, fuelling the concerns that Rio Olympics could spread the virus. 
●    In response to the outbreak, Brazil launched a mosquito-eradication campaign which resultantly helped to dramatically reduce cases of Zika. 
●    From January till mid-April 2017, Brazil recorded 95 percent fewer cases than during the same period in 2016 when there were 170535 cases.  
●    The number of cases of microcephaly fell as well.
●    In November 2016, the World Health Organisation (WHO) lifted its own international health emergency status for Zika.

Current Affairs 13th May 2017: SPORTS

VVS Laxman awarded honorary life membership of Marylebone Cricket Club

V S Laxman on 11 May 2017 was awarded an honorary life membership to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
●    Laxman is the fifth Indian to receive the honour, after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Zaheer Khan.
●    Born on 1 November 1974, Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman is a former Indian cricketer.
●    He was a right-hand aggressive batsman, who played mostly in the lower middle order.
●    He is specifically known for his numerous match-winning and saving innings.
●    His knock of 281 against them in Eden Gardens in 2001 is often considered as the greatest ever test-innings.
●    In 2011, he was awarded the Padma Shri award.
●    He is one of the few players who have played 100 Tests but have never played in a Cricket World Cup.