13 July 2016 Current Affairs
Peru declares Zika emergency across northern half of the country
Peru has declared Zika outbreak as a health emergency across the northern half of the country after 102 people were infected with the virus. The 90-day health emergency was declared to prevent the spread of the disease. So far 34 cases of disease (principally transmitted by mosquitoes) were detected in pregnant women. A major Zika outbreak in Peru’s neighbouring country Brazil has caused nearly 1,600 birth of babies with the birth defect due to microcephaly i.e. abnormally small heads and brains. Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which also also transmit 3 other vector-borne diseases Chikungunya, dengue and yellow fever.
Union Government launches Operation ‘Sankat Mochan’ to evacuate Indian citizens from South Sudan
The Union Government has launched operation ‘Sankat Mochan’ to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in South Sudan’s capital Juba. Sankat Mochan in Hindi means reliever from troubles. The operation is being undertaken by Indian Air Force (IAF) and will be headed by Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs General (Retd.) VK Singh. The Indian Ambassador in South Sudan Srikumar Menon and his team is organising this operation on the ground.
Cabinet approves facilities extended to persons residing in India on Long Term Visa
The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended numerous facilities to persons from minority communities of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh namely Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis and Christians staying in India on Long Term Visa (LTV). Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
Supreme Court orders restoration of Congress Government in Arunachal Pradesh
The Supreme Court has ordered the restoration of former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki’s Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh. Verdict in this regard was given by a five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice JS Kehar on a bunch of petitions. These petitions were dealing with discretionary powers of Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa to summon or advance the assembly session.
Theresa takes over as second woman Prime Minister of United Kingdom
Conservative party leader Theresa May became Prime Minister of United Kingdom after meeting Queen Elizabeth II. She succeeds David Cameron, who had resigned in the wake of Brexit referendum that ended his six-year-long stint as the Prime Minister of Britain. With this, she became UK’s second-ever female Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher (in office from 1979-1990).