1. Odisha Official language (Amendment), 2016 proposed
a) Odisha Governor Dr SC Jamir has finally brought an Ordinance to amend the Odisha Official Language Act, 1954 – known as ‘The Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016.
b) The amendment will enable the use of Odia language in official matters.
c) If enforced, the ordinance will amend the Language Act and use Odia in writing files, letters and all other important government documents. The changes will be enforced from August 15th, 2016 onwards.
2. S K Sharma appointed CMD of Nuclear Power Corporation of India
a) Renowned scientist S K Sharma has been appointed as the MD and Chairman of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India for a period of 5 years.
b) He will be in charge of design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors.
c) Presently, Sharma is serving as Distinguished Scientist and Director (Operations) in NPCIL.
3. World Bank Group launches Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility
a) The World Bank Group recently launched a pioneering financing facility to combat dangerous disease outbreaks in poor countries, creating the world’s first insurance market for pandemic risk.
b) The new fast-disbursing Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) will expedite global and national responses to disease outbreaks that put large populations and fragile economies at risk.
c) Launch of the PEF was officially announced at the recent meeting of G-7 finance ministers in Sendai, Japan.
e) The insurance will cover outbreaks of several classes of infectious diseases most at risk for epidemics: new orthomyxoviruses including influenza pandemic viruses A, B and C; coronaviruses like SARS and MERS; filoviruses like Ebola and Marburg; and other zoonotic diseases — those that move between animals and humans — including Crimean Congo, Rift Valley and Lassa fever.
4. Scientists discover new property of light based on angular momentum
a) Researchers at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Physics and CRANN Institute have discovered a new form of light, which will change our understanding of the fundamental nature of light.
b) This new form behaves differently in terms of the existing rules of angular momentum.
c) The discovery is said to have real impact in fields like secure optical communications.
d) The discovery shows, for the first time, that the speculations on how quantum mechanics works for particles that are free to move in only two of the three dimensions of space, can be realised with light.
5. India, Iran sign 12 bilateral agreements
(i) During Indian PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Iran, the two countries finalised and signed the historic Chabahar Port agreement, which would prove to be India’s gateway to Afghanistan, Central Asia and Europe.
(ii) The two nations have also agreed to cooperate on various other areas, including “intelligence-sharing” to combat “terrorism”, “drug trafficking” and “cyber crime”. Further, it was agreed upon to sign pacts in diverse fields like trade credit, culture, science and technology and railways.
(iii) MoU for training of diplomats and exchange of eminent speakers, MoU on Policy Dialogue between Governments and Interaction between Think Tanks, Confirmation Statement between EXIM Bank and Central Bank of Iran, etc. are some of the other agreements signed.
6. Ruskin Bond’s My Favourite Nature Stories released
a) ‘My Favourite Nature Stories’ and ‘The World Outside My Window’ authored by Ruskin Bond were recently released on the author’s 82nd birthday.
b) In the book, Bond details various encounters with the natural world.
c) Ruskin Bond has been writing for over sixty years and has now over 120 titles in print novels, collections of stories, poetry, essays, anthologies and books for children.
d) His first novel The Room on the Roof, received the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys award in 1957. He has also received the Padma Shri (1999), the Padma Bhushan (2014) and two awards from the Sahitya Akademi; one for his short stories and another for his writings for children.
e) In 2012, the Delhi government conferred on him the Lifetime Achievement award.
7. Mohun Bagan lifts 14th Federation Cup title
(i) Mohun Bagan FC has bagged the Federation Cup title for the 14th time defeating Aizawl FC 5-0 in the finals played at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.
(ii) While Mizoram striker Jeje Lalpekhlua scored two goals, Haitian Sony Norde, Dhanachandra Singh and Bikramjit Singh scored one each.
(iii) Mohun Bagan’s 14th title, the most by any club in the tournament, will enable them to play in the AFC Cup after they missed out on this year’s I-League title.
(iv) The Federation Cup is a yearly knockout style club football tournament, which started in 1977. Presently, it is the most important club tournament after the I-League.
8. International Day to End Obstetric Fistula observed
a) To raise awareness about obstetric fistula, International Day to End Obstetric Fistula is observed on 23rd May annually. This day was first observed in 2013.
b) The theme for this year is End fistula within a generation.
c) The UN General Assembly calls on the international community to use this day to significantly raise awareness and intensify actions toward ending obstetric fistula.
d) Obstetric fistula is a hole in the birth canal caused by prolonged labour without prompt medical intervention, usually a Caesarean section.
9. China beats South Korea to lift Uber Cup
(i) China has defeated South Korea 3-1 to win title at the Uber Cup championship for the 14th time.
(ii) Olympic champion Li Xuerui and former world number one Wang Shixian won their singles matches before Cheng Qingchen collaborated Tang Yuanting to bag the second doubles and secure China’s third successive triumph at the biennial women’s badminton team championship.
10. India, Oman sign 4 agreements on defence cooperation
(i) During India’s defence minister Manohar Parrikar’s recent visit to Oman, the two countries signed agreements on defence cooperation.
(ii) Further, an MoU was signed between the Royal Oman Police (Coast Guard) and the Indian Coast Guard for marine crime prevention at sea, another between the two governments on maritime issues; and a protocol between Royal Air Force of Oman and Indian Air Force on flight safety information exchange.
(iii) Both nations agreed that defence cooperation is crucial to bolster their bilateral strategic partnership
11. Himachal propagating Golden Mahseer fish for conservation
a) A hatchery worth Rs.6 crore has been set at Joginder Nagar town in Mandi district to rear the Golden Mahseer, a fish of the carp family.
b) Also known as tiger of Indian rivers, its first breeding is likely to come up in July and August 2016. It will be a major breakthrough in evolving the breeding technology of the fish.
c) The hatchery-reared juveniles would be released into the rivers and reservoirs.
d) Himachal Pradesh is aptly called the storehouse of aquatic biodiversity as its water bodies are home to 85 fish species, including rohu, catla and mrigal and trout, both brown and rainbow.