15 May 2013 Current Affairs
Rotavirus Vaccine Developed in India
India developed a Rotavac Vaccine to eradicate the Rotavirus diarrhoea in infants.The Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Bharat Biotech announced positive results from a Phase III clinical trial of a rotavirus vaccine.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh files Rajya Sabha nomination papers
On May 15,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections from Assam.Singh's term as Member of Parliament (MP) expires in June.Dr Singh was accompanied by Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.The current term of Rajya Sabha members representing Assam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) Kumar Deepak Das will expire on June 14.
First Boeing P-8I Aircraft joins Indian Navy
Indian Naval Aviation received a major fillip with the arrival of the first of eight Boeing P-8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti Submarine Warfare aircraft at Naval Air Station Rajali, Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu on 15 May 13. The P-8I aircraft, based on the Boeing 737-800(NG) airframe, is the Indian Naval variant of the P-8A Poseidon of the US Navy. The aircraft is equipped with both foreign as well as indigenous sensors for Maritime Reconnaissance, Anti Submarine operations and for Electronic Intelligence missions.
UN General Assembly Approved Syria Resolution
On 15 May The U.N. General Assembly approved an Arab-backed resolution calling for a political transition in Syria and condemning President Bashar al-Assad Government for its increasing use of heavy weapons. A majority of 107 states voted to adopt the resolution. There were 12 votes against and 59 abstentions.Russia was fiercely opposed to the resolution, termed it as unbalanced and inadequate to address adequately atrocities allegedly committed by rebel groups.The resolution was drafted by Arab states who have supported the rebels.India abstained from voting on the non-binding resolution on Syria.Pakistan voted in favour of the resolution.
India Placed Sixth in Economic Confidence
On 15 May According to a survey by global research firm Ipsos ,India’s economic confidence dropped April 2013 due to plethora of corruption allegations against the Union government ministers and the country is now the sixth most economically confident country in the world.India's economic confidence dropped by 2 points to 63 percent in the month of April, 2013 compared to the month of March, 2013.The global assessment of national economies surveyed in 24 countries slipped slightly this month as 36 percent of global citizens rate their national economies to be good down 1 percent from last month.Saudi Arabia (80 percent) continued to lead the world on national economic assessment, despite seeing a downward trend over the past quarter. It is followed by Sweden (73 percent), China (72 percent), Canada (65 percent), Germany (64 percent) and India (63 percent).
India Granted Observer Status in Arctic Council
On 15 May India granted observer status in the Arctic Council was successful along with that of five other countries, China, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Singapore at a meeting in Kiruna, Sweden.The council is made up of the eight Arctic nations are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.This membership will give India chances of navigation and oil and gas exploration.The European Union also applied as an observer, but its final status remained unresolved pending resolution of a dispute with Canada over trade in seal products.