VAID’S ICS LUCKNOW B-36, Sector-C, Aliganj, Lucknow Cont.9415011892/93

MAY, 2016

Vaid’s ICS Lucknow B-36, Sector –C, Aliganj, Lucknow Ph: 0522-2326249/ Mob: 9415011892/93 website: www.vaidicslucknow.com

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VAID’S ICS LUCKNOW B-36, Sector-C, Aliganj, Lucknow Cont.9415011892/93

Content

Pages

1. National Events 3

2. International Events 7

3. Science & Technology 11

4. Economy 14

5. Environment 17

6. Sports 20

7. Awards 24

8. Appointments 27

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NATIONAL EVENTS Dial 112 for any Emergency throughout India from 1 January 2017 112, the single emergency number that will Prime Minister launched Pradhan help people to reach immediate services of Mantri Ujjwala Yojana at Ballia police, ambulance and fire department will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 1 May 2016 operational throughout India from 1 January launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 2017. (PMUY) at Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. It will benefit Single emergency number 112 of India will be the poor, especially the women. similar to the '911' all-in-one emergency service The scheme aims to provide cooking gas in the United States. connections to five crore below-poverty-line Highlights of its Usability- beneficiaries over the next three years. • The service will also be accessible even Salient features of PMUY- through those SIMs and landlines whose • Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs outgoing call facility has been stopped or (CCEA) approved 8000 crore rupees for the temporarily suspended. next 3 years starting from financial year • A person in distress will need to call only 112, 2016-17. which will direct the call to concerned • PM Ujjwala Yojana will provide 5 crore LPG departments immediately for help. connections to BPL Families. • All existing emergency numbers will be • FM had announced about the scheme in his phased out within a year of rolling out 112, 2016-17.Budget Speech with a budgetary depending upon the awareness about this new provision of 2000 crore rupees. facility. Need for the PMUY- The provision of a single number for various • LPG spread predominantly in Urban and Semi emergency services was approved by Union Urban Areas whereas the rural poor have limited Telecom Minister Prasad. access to Clean fuel (LPG). • Use of fossil fuels and conventional fuel like Union Cabinet approves National cow dung are having serious health implications for women and Children. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) • According to WHO, 5 Lakhs die every year Policy due to heart disease, pulmonary diseases etc. The Union Cabinet on 12 May 2016 approved • Indoor air pollution is also responsible for the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) significant number of acute respiratory diseases Policy that will lay the future roadmap for in young children. intellectual property in India. Operational details of PMUY- The Policy recognises the abundance of • 5 crore LPG connections will be provided to creative and innovative energies that flow in BPL families with a support of 1600 rupees. India, and the need to tap into and channelise • Connections will be given in the name of these energies towards a better and brighter Women beneficiaries. future for all. • Identification of BPL families will be made in The National Intellectual Property Rights consultation with State Governments and Union (IPR) Policy will endeavor for a “Creative India; territories. Innovative India: रचना配मक भारत; अभभनव • EMI Facility for meeting the cost of Stove and ”. Refill cost. भारत About the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy- • The National IPR Policy is a vision document that aims to create and exploit synergies

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between all forms of intellectual property (IP), • Administration and Management - To concerned statutes and agencies. modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR • It sets in place an institutional mechanism for administration. implementation, monitoring and review. • Commercialization of IPRs - Get value for • It aims to incorporate and adapt global best IPRs through commercialization. practices to the Indian scenario. • Enforcement and Adjudication - To • This policy shall weave in the strengths of the strengthen the enforcement and adjudicatory Government, research and development mechanisms for combating IPR infringements. organizations, educational institutions, corporate • Human Capital Development - To strengthen entities including MSMEs, start-ups and other and expand human resources, institutions and stakeholders in the creation of an innovation- capacities for teaching, training, research and conducive environment. This will help in skill building in IPRs. stimulating creativity and innovation across These objectives are sought to be achieved sectors. It also facilitates a stable, transparent through detailed action points. The action by and service-oriented IPR administration in the different Ministries/Departments shall be country. monitored by DIPP which shall be the nodal • The Policy recognizes that India has a well- department to coordinate, guide and oversee established TRIPS-compliant legislative, implementation and future development of IPRs administrative and judicial framework to in India. safeguard IPRs. These meets international obligations while utilizing the flexibilities NITI Aayog to prepare 15-year vision provided in the international regime to address documents by replacing 5-year plans its developmental concerns. It also reiterates The Union Government in the second week of India’s commitment to the Doha Development May 2016 decided to replace 5-year plans with Agenda and the TRIPS agreement. 15-year vision documents. The mission aims at stimulating a dynamic, The long-term perspective plans will be vibrant and balanced intellectual property prepared by the National Institution for rights system in India to: Transforming India (NITI) Aayog beginning • Foster creativity and innovation and thereby, from 2017-18 financial year. promote entrepreneurship and enhance socio- Features of 15-year vision document- economic and cultural development • Unlike the earlier 5-year plans, the new • Focus on enhancing access to healthcare, food document will also cover subjects like internal security and environmental protection, among security and defence. other sectors of vital social, economic and • The previous twelve 5-year plan documents, technological importance. for the period between 1951 and 2017, focused The Policy lays down the following seven on social and economic infrastructure like objectives: health, connectivity and education. • IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion - To • The decision to bring internal security and create public awareness about the economic, defence in the ambit of the vision document is in social and cultural benefits of IPRs among all tune with the government’s announcement to sections of society. done away with plan and non-plan expenditure • Generation of IPRs - To stimulate the from 2017-18. generation of IPRs. • The initial vision document will be co- • Legal and Legislative Framework - To have terminus with the United Nations Sustainable strong and effective IPR laws, which balance the Development Agenda (2016-2030) to which interests of rights owners with larger public India is a signatory. interest. • To convert the long term vision into an implementable policy, a 7-year strategy will be 4

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prepared by the NITI Aayog as part of the Priority Areas- National Developmental Agenda. • Health including food security and • The strategy will be for 2017-18 to 2023-24. nutrition: Focus on recognizing women’s There will also be a mid-term review of the reproductive rights, shift of family planning strategy in the year ending March 2020. focus also to males, expansion of health • Besides, a 3-year action Plan for 2017-18 to insurance schemes and addressing the 2019-20 will be prepared to align the National intergenerational cycle of under-nutrition. Development Agenda with the 14th Finance • Education: Improve access to pre-primary Commission award period (2015-20). education, enrolment and retention of adolescent girls, and address disparities with regard to Draft National Policy for Women, 2016 ICTs. unveiled • Economy: Raising visibility, engendering Union Women and Child Development macro-economic policies, generate gender- Minister Maneka Gandhi on 17 May 2016 disaggregated land ownership database, skill unveiled 2016 Draft National Policy for Women development and equal employment for comments and consultation. opportunities with appropriate benefits related to It will replace National Policy for maternity and child care services. Empowerment of Women, 2001. It will also • Governance and Decision guide Government action on Women’s issues Making: Increasing women’s participation in over the next 15-20 years. the political arena, administration, civil services The drafted policy shifts the focus from and corporate boardrooms. entitlements to rights and from empowerment to • Violence Against Women: Address all forms creating an enabling environment. of violence against women through a life cycle The Salient features of the policy are as approach, Improve Child Sex Ratio (CSR), and follows: prevention of trafficking at source, transit and • It seeks to create a society in which women destination areas for effective monitoring of the attain their full potential and participate as equal networks. partners in all spheres of life. • Enabling Environment: Gender perspective • It also emphasises the role of an effective in housing and infrastructure, gender parity in framework to enable the process of developing the mass media & sports, and support services policies, programmes and practices which will for all women especially the vulnerable, ensure equal rights and opportunities for marginalized, migrant and single women. women. • Environment and Climate Change: • It seeks to create conducive socio-cultural, Addressing gender concerns during distress economic and political environment to enable migration and displacement in times of natural women enjoy de jure and de facto fundamental calamities due to climate change and rights and realize their full potential. environmental degradation. Promotion of • It describes emerging issues such as making environmental friendly, renewable, non– cyber space safe place for women, redistribution conventional energy, green energy sources for of gender roles, for reducing unpaid care work, women in rural households. review of personal and customary laws in Operational strategies- accordance with the Constitutional provisions • Enabling safety and security of and many more. women: With initiatives such as One Stop • It wants to review of criminalization of marital Centres, Women Helpline, Mahila Police rape within the framework women’s human Volunteers, Reservation of women in police rights etc. relevant in the developmental force, creating immediate response mechanism paradigms. through panic buttons in mobiles, public and

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private transport, surveillance mechanisms in List of 13 smart cities- public places. • Creating eco-systems to encourage Rank City State entrepreneurship amongst women: Through 1 Lucknow Uttar Pradesh platforms like Mahila E-Haat, dedicated theme based exhibitions, focussed skill training, 2 Warangal Telanagana mentoring through Women Entrepreneurship 3 Shimla Himachal Pradesh Council, availability of easy & affordable credit 4 Chandigarh Chandigarh and financial inclusion. • Training and capacity building of all 5 Raipur Chattisgarh stakeholders: Through Gender Champion 6 New Town Kolkata West Bengal initiative, frontline workers, women sarpanches 7 Bhagalpur Bihar and all officials dealing with policy and delivery 8 Panaji Goa systems impacting women. • Facilitating women in workplace: Through 9 Port Blair Andaman & Nicobar gender friendly work place, flexi timings, Islands increased maternity leave, provision of child 10 Imphal Manipur care/creches at workplace, life cycle health care 11 Ranchi Jharkhand facilities. 12 Agartala Tripura

Union Government announced 2nd 13 Faridabad Haryana batch of 13 Smart Cities

The Union Government on 24 May 2016 announced the 2nd batch of 13 smart cities that will be developed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Smart City Mission. Lucknow topped the list of winners of the Fast Track competition conducted for 23 cities from as many States and Union Territories. With the selection of these 13 cities, 25 States/Union Territories are now covered under Smart City Mission. The first batch of 20 smart cities was announced on 28 January 2016. Details related to 13 smart cities • The 13 cities were selected based on the marks scored by them in the Fast Track competition and the bench marks set by the top performers in the first round of Smart City Challenge competition. • The 13 cities have substantially improved their smart city plans by addressing the deficiencies identified in the first round of competition. • These cities ensured better profiling in terms of infrastructure gaps and baseline service levels. They also ensured consistency between citizens’ aspirations and action plans and more feasible resource mobilization plans. 6

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without support. This means that Kenny will INTERNATIONAL lead a minority Fine Gael government.

EVENTS Taoiseach Enda Kenny- India, New Zealand signed Air • He held the role of acting Irish Prime Minister Services Agreement over the past 10 weeks as talks took place India and New Zealand on 1 May 2016 signed between parties and independents on how to an Air Services Agreement paving the way for form a new government. introduction of direct flights between the two • The 65-year-old has made history in the Irish countries. Parliament by becoming the first Fine Gael Irish The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister to be re-elected to the office. the President and the New • His re-election followed a deal with a number Zealand Prime Minister John Key. Mukherjee of independent elected members and the was on an official tour to Papua New Guinea Republic of Ireland's second largest party, (April 28-29, 2016) and New Zealand (April 30 Fianna Fail. to May 2, 2016). • Fianna Fail has agreed to support Fine Gael's The agreement was signed under the programme for government over "three budget Convention of International Civil Aviation cycles" while some independents are expected to opened for signature at Chicago on 7 December become government ministers. 1944. It was opened with an aim to promote However, it was the fourth attempt to appoint a international air services between their new Prime Minister since the general election of respective territories. 26 February 2016 returned a hung Irish The agreement will lead to easier connectivity Parliament, in which no party won enough seats that has inhibited both business travel and to govern without support from rivals. people-to-people contact in the past. 2016 Irish Election Results- Business, Education and Tourism have grown • Fine Gale – 50 Seats exponentially between India and New Zealand • Fianna Fail – 44 Seats in the recent years. There are nearly 175000 • Sinn Fein – 23 Seats persons of Indian origin in New Zealand of • Labour – 7 Seats which about 15000 are Indian students. The • Others – 34 two-way trade between the two countries has doubled in the last few years. The two-way Kenya to close Dadaab, world's biggest tourist traffic has also witnessed sharp rise, refugee camp partly due to the exotic and pristine locales of The Kenyan Government on 11 May 2016 New Zealand shown in Indian movies. announced that it will close Dadaab refugee camp. The camp, which is home to 330000 Enda Kenny re-elected as Prime Somali refugees, is often referred to as the Minister of Ireland world's largest camp. Taoiseach Enda Kenny was re-elected as The government cited reasons of pressing Prime Minister of Ireland on 6 May 2016. national security for the decision. The Kenny, leader of Fine Gael party, was elected government also stated that the camp has for the post 70 days after a general election become safe haven for terrorist organizations which had produced no outright winner. like al-Shabaab, a Somali-based Islamist group. He was re-appointed with 59 votes in favour About Dadaab Refugee Camps- and 49 votes against. • According to the United Nations High His Gael party won the most seats in the Commissioner for Refugees, the camp was election but fell short of the quota needed to rule 7

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established in 1991 to receive Somalis fleeing undertaken. civil war. • The Dadaab camps Dagahaley, Hagadera and When was the Dialogue constituted? Ifo were constructed in 1992. • The dialogue was one of the several new • The more recent Ifo II and Kambioos camps initiatives agreed between Indian Defence were opened in 2011 after 130000 new refugees, Minister Manohar Parrikar and his US who fled Somalia due to severe drought, arrived. counterpart Ashton Carter during the latter’s • As of August 2015, Hagadera was the largest visit to India in April 2016. of the camps, containing just over 100000 • It was created as a part of the maritime security individuals and 25000 households. On the other objectives under the India-US Joint Strategic hand, Kambioos is the smallest camp with fewer Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean than 20000 refugees. Region. • As the population of the Dadaab camps expanded, UNHCR contacted German architect Comment- Werner Shellenberg who drew the original The newly constituted Maritime Security design for Dagahaley Camp and Swedish Dialogue between India and US is a sign of the architect Per Iwansson who designed and growing relations between our two countries. initiated the creation of Hagadera camp. The dialogue comes as India and the US are cautiously eyeing the rise of China. The US India, US held first Maritime Security wants its regional allies to adopt a more united Dialogue stance against China over the South China Sea, India and the United States (US) on 16 May where tension has spiked since China's 2016 held the first round of discussions under construction of artificial islands with facilities the recently-constituted Maritime Security for military use. Dialogue. The dialogue was held between the Even though US wants it, India had flatly officials of Defence and External Affairs refused to conduct joint naval patrols in areas ministries and their US counterparts. including the South China Sea where Beijing The Indian side was represented by Shambhu has maritime disputes with several neighbours. Kumaran, Joint Secretary in-charge of Planning and International Cooperation (PIC) and Munu Tsai Ing-wen sworn-in as first women Mahawar, Ministry of External Affairs Joint President of Taiwan Secretary, Americas (AMS). Tsai Ing-wen was sworn-in as the President of While, David Shear, Assistant Secretary of Taiwan on 20 May 2016. With this, she became Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs; the first woman to hold the post in Taiwan. Manpreet Anand, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Before being presented the official seal, 59- State for South and Central Asian Affairs and year-old, Tsai swore the presidential oath in Vice Admiral Aucoin, Commander, US Seventh front of national flag. She succeeded outgoing Fleet, were the officials from the American side. President Ma Ying-jeou. Highlights of the Maritime Security Tsai has said she will preserve the status quo Dialogue- in relations with China, but that Beijing must • Both the sides discussed various issues respect Taiwan's democracy. including Asia-Pacific maritime challenges, Earlier in January 2016, Tsai led the naval cooperation, and multilateral engagement. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to a • They also agreed for the white shipping landslide win in parliamentary and presidential technical arrangement to improve data sharing elections. on commercial shipping traffic. This is the only second time that DPP has won • Navy-to-Navy discussion on submarine safety an election in Taiwan. The Kuomintang (KMT) and anti-submarine warfare was also has been in power for most of the past 70 years. 8

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The DPP has traditionally leaned towards • Implementation Protocol (IP) on independence from China, and its victory has Cooperation in the Fields of Science and led to a cooling of cross-straits relations. China Technology: it should be maintained between sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, which it Department of Science and Technology, has threatened to take back by force if Ministry of S&T and Iran’s Ministry of Science, necessary. Research and Technology. The IP fleshes out the specific cooperation between the two sides India and Iran sign 12 Bilateral pursuant to the 2003 MoU and covers areas like Agreements in various areas including exchange of experiences, seminars, conferences etc. Chabahar Port Development • MoU for cooperation between ICCR and India and Iran on 23 May 2016 signed 12 ICRO: The MoU signed between Indian memorandum of understandings (MoUs) and Council for Cultural Relations and Islamic agreements in various areas including building Culture and Relations Organizations of the IR and operating the Chabahar port by India. Iran provides for institutional mechanisms for The MoUs and agreements were inked after cooperation between ICCR and ICRO and lays delegation level talks between Prime Minister down the modalities for the cooperation. Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan • Bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for Rouhani. Modi is on a two day (from 22 May – port development and operations between 23 May 2016) visit to Iran. IPGPL [India Ports Global Private Limited] Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit and Arya Banader of Iran: The contract Iran in last 15 years. On his arrival to the envisages development and operation for 10 country he was received by Iran’s Finance and years of two terminals and 5 berths with cargo Economic Affairs Minister Ali Tayyebnia at the handling [multipurpose and general] capacities. Mehrabad International Airport. • MoU between EXIM Bank and Iran’s Ports The 12 Agreements/MOUs signed include- and Maritime Organization [PMO] on • India-Iran Cultural Exchange current specific terms for the Chabahar Port Programme: The objective is to extend the project: This MoU is intended for the purpose CEP for the period 2016-2019 covering the of credit of 150 US dollar million for Chabahar areas of culture and art; radio, TV, mass media port. and cinema; and relevant general and financial • Confirmation Statement between EXIM terms. Bank and Central Bank of Iran: This • MoU on Policy Dialogue between confirms the availability of credit up to 3000 Governments and Interaction between Think crore rupees for the import of steel rails and Tanks: The MoU was signed between the implementation of Chabahar port. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India and • MoU to establish a framework of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Iran. cooperation between ECGC and EGFI: it was It seeks to create a Joint Secretary/Director inked between ECGC [Export Credit Guarantee General policy dialogue as well as encouraging Corporation] Limited of India and the Export new institutional mechanisms between think Guarantee Fund of Iran (EGFI) to in support and tanks on both sides. There is also a provision for encourage foreign trade and foreign investment a conference on contemporary issues of regional between India and Iran and, where appropriate, and global significance. the supply of goods and services from their • MoU for training of diplomats and respective countries as part of a project to a third exchange of eminent speakers:It was inked country. between Foreign Service Institute (MEA) and • MoU to jointly explore the possibility of the School of International Relations (Iran’s manufacturing aluminium metal: the MoU MoFA) under which the two bodies will was signed between National Aluminium enhance cooperation. 9

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Company Limited (NALCO) and the Iranian threats of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking Mines and Mining Industries Development and and cyber crime among others. Renovation Organization (IMIDRO). The objective is for the two parties to jointly explore the possibility of manufacturing aluminium metal by setting up of a smelter on joint venture basis in Iran and/or entering into tolling arrangements with smelters in Iran or any other form of business collaboration including sale of alumina etc. • MoU to enable IRCON to provide requisite services for the construction of Chabahar- Zahedan railway line: It was inked between IRCON and Construction, Development of Transport and Infrastructure Company (CDTIC) of Iran. Under its IRCON will provide requisite services for the construction of Chabahar- Zahedan railway line which forms part of transit and transportation corridor in trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan. Services to be provided by IRCON include all superstructure work and financing the project (around 1.6 billion US dollar). • MoU for cooperation between the National Archives of India and the National Library and Archives Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran: This MoU aims at facilitation of exchange of information and knowledge in the field of archival matters through exchange of manuals, guidelines, rules, publications and other special literature on archival topics. Comment- The agreements signed between two countries open a new chapter in the history of India-Iran bilateral relationship. Out of these 12 agreements, the most important is signing of agreement to develop strategic Chabahar port and related infrastructure. It is an important milestone with potential strategic advantage to India. It is strategically important because it will enable India to bypass Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan with which India has close security ties and economic interests. Besides, both the countries also agreed to consult closely and regularly on combating

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The discovery was published in the Journal SCIENCE & Nature on 2 May 2016. Michael Gillon-led team of astronomers of the TECHNOLOGY University of Liege in Belgium used the TRAPPIST telescope to observe the ultra-cool Scientists developed world's smallest dwarf star 2MASS J23062928-0502285, now engine also known as TRAPPIST-1. A group of researchers from University of They found that the dim and cool star faded Cambridge researchers have built the world's slightly at regular intervals which indicated that smallest working engine. The research was several objects were passing between the star published in the journal Proceedings of the and the Earth. National Academy of Sciences of the United On the detailed analysis, it showed that three States of America (PNAS) on 2 May 2016. planets are present around the star. The engine is just a few billionths of a metre An ultra-cool dwarf star-TRAPPIST-1 in size and uses light to power itself. • It is much cooler and redder than the Sun and The nanoscale engine could form the basis of barely larger than Jupiter. future nano-machines that can navigate in water, • Despite being so close to the Earth, the star is sense the environment around them, or even too dim and too red to be seen with the naked enter living cells to fight disease. eye or even visually with a large amateur Professor Jeremy Baumberg from the telescope. Cavendish Laboratory, who led the research, has • It lies in the constellation of Aquarius (The named the devices ANTs, or Actuating Nano- Water Carrier). Transducers. • After crossing checking with larger telescopes Key highlights of the nanoscale engine- like the HAWK-I instrument on ESO’s 8-metre • The prototype device is made of tiny charged Very Large Telescope in Chile, the three planets particles of gold, bound together with showed to have sizes very similar to that of temperature-responsive polymers in the form of Earth. a gel. • Two of the planets have orbital periods of • When the engine is heated to a certain about 1.5 days and 2.4 days respectively, and temperature with a laser, it stores large amounts the third planet has a less well-determined of elastic energy in a fraction of a second, as the orbital period in the range 4.5 to 73 days. polymer coatings expel all the water from the gel and collapse. Flying Observatory SOFIA detects • This has the effect of forcing the gold Atomic Oxygen in Martian nanoparticles to bind together into tight clusters. Atmosphere • However, when the device is cooled, the Atomic Oxygen was detected in the upper polymers take on water and expand, and the layers of the Martian atmosphere known as gold nanoparticles are strongly and quickly Mesosphere. This presence of Atomic Oxygen pushed apart. for the first time since the last observation 40

years ago was detected by an instrument Astronomers discovered 3 Earth like onboard theStratospheric Observatory for planets using TRAPPIST telescope Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Astronomers discovered three planets which Atomic oxygen affects how other gases escape have similar sizes and temperatures those of Mars and therefore has a significant impact on Venus and Earth, using the TRAPPIST the planet’s atmosphere. telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory. They The research was published in the have been found orbiting an ultra-cool dwarf journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. star just 40 light-years from Earth. 11

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Findings of the detection- Features of Yaogan-30 satellite- • Scientists detected only about half the amount • It will be used for scientific experiments, land of oxygen expected, which may be due to survey, crop yield assessment and disaster variations in the Martian atmosphere. monitoring. • To better understand these variations in the • It has high resolution optical sensors that have atmosphere of the Red Planet, scientists will a resolution of between one to three meters. continue to use SOFIA. • The satellite was placed in the SSO so that it • These more recent observations were possible provides favorable illumination for the imaging due to SOFIA’s airborne location, flying missions. between 37000-45000 feet, above most of the • It has two deployable solar arrays along with infrared-blocking moisture in Earth’s batteries. It uses the CAST-2000 platform, atmosphere. which has a dry mass of about one metric ton. The advanced detectors on one of the • The first satellite in the Yaogan series, observatory’s instruments, the German Receiver Yaogan-1, was launched in 2006. for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies Features of Long March 2-D rocket- (GREAT), enabled astronomers to distinguish • It was the 227th mission for the Long March the oxygen in the Martian atmosphere from rocket family. oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere. • Long March 2-D is a two-stage rocket The last measurement of the atomic oxygen in developed by the Shanghai Academy of Martian atmosphere was diagnosed by Viking Spaceflight Technology. and Mariner missions of the 1970s. • The rocket is mainly used for launching Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and SSO. Astronomy (SOFIA) It can launch up to 1300 kg cargo in a 645 km • SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to SSO. carry a 100-inch diameter telescope. • It is characterized by high reliability, wide • It is a joint project of NASA and the German application and mature technology. Aerospace Center. • NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett India successfully test fires Field, California, manages the SOFIA program, indigenously developed Prithvi- science and mission operations in cooperation II missile with the Universities Space Research India successfully test fired its indigenously Association headquartered in Columbia, developed Prithvi-II missile from Chandipur, off Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute Odisha coast on Wednesday, 18 May, 2016. (DSI) at the University of Stuttgart. The medium range missile is capable of • The aircraft is based at NASA’s Armstrong carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and is Flight Research Center's hangar 703 in thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines. Palmdale, California. As part of a user trial, the 4,600 kilogram

missile with a strike range of 350 kilometer, the China launches Yaogan-30 remote surface-to-surface Prithvi-II test was carried out sensing satellite from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 China on 15 May 2016 launched the Yagoan- of the Integrated Test Range at around 9:40 hrs. 30 remote sensing satellite. It was placed in the The battlefield missile has flight duration of sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) by using the Long 483 seconds and a peak altitude of 43.5 March 2-D rocket. kilometres. The launch activities were carried The satellite was launched from Jiuquan out by the Strategic Force Command and Satellite Launch Center located in Gobi desert in monitored by the DRDO scientists. northwest China’s Gansu Province. The first missile to be developed by DRDO under India's Integrated Guided Missile 12

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Development Program, Prithvi-II was inducted that used such spacecrafts were USA and into India's armed forces in 2003. Russia. The US retired such shuttles in 2011, The last user trial of Prithvi-II was while Russia flew such plane only in 1989. successfully conducted on February 16, 2016 In fact, RLV will be competing against two from the same test range in Odisha. private companies namely SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Blue Origin's New Shephard rocket, which India's first reusable space shuttle, have already partially tested re-usable space RLV-TD launched from Sriharikota shuttles. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 23 May 2016 successfully launched its maiden indigenous winged Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. It was carried up on a solid rocket motor (SRM). The nine-ton SRM was designed to burn slowly to accommodate the vertical lifting of winged body. After launch from the Sriharikota spaceport, it glided back onto a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal. The vehicle re-entered the atmosphere after reaching a height of over 70 km. The mission, known as the hypersonic flight experiment, lasted about 10 minutes. About Reusable Launch Vehicle- • The Re-Usable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is considered as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully reusable vehicle. That is, it can put satellites into orbit around earth and then re- enter atmosphere. • The 6.5 meter long RLV-TD has aeroplane like structure which weighs about 1.75 tons. • The cost of this project is 95 crore rupees. • It is very similar to the US space shuttle. • The double delta-winged RLV-TD being experimented is a scale model which is almost 6 times smaller than the final version. • Before moving on to the final version of the RLV will take off around 2030, ISRO has planned to test two more such prototypes. • It has been designed with an aim to bring down the cost of making infrastructure in space. • It was built at the Space Centre in by a team of 600 scientists over five years. Comment- At present, there is no country that flies a winged spacecraft into space. The two countries 13

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employees, with over 1.376 million employees ECONOMY as of last published figures in 2013.

Indian Railways creates Non-Fare RBI to issue 1000 Rupees Banknotes Revenue Directorate to explore with inset letter 'R' advertising in train coaches The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 9 May Indian Railways (IR) on 4 May 2016 2016 announced that it will shortly issue 1000 announced the creation of Non-Fare Revenue rupees denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Directorate to carry out advertisements in rail Gandhi Series – 2005 with the inset letter 'R' in coaches, along the track and near stations. both the number panels. The decision to create a directorate was taken About the Banknotes- to increase the revenue substantially from non- • The banknotes will also have on the obverse, tariff sources. all the other security features, including Key highlights of Non-Fare Revenue ascending size of numerals, bleed lines and Directorate- enlarged identification mark • It will explore getting advertisements on • It will carry the signature of Dr. Raghuram G. coaches, wagons, locomotives and at stations Rajan, Governor, Reserve Bank of India on the and commercial exploitation of vacant rail land obverse. among others. • These banknotes will also have the year of • It will be headed by a senior-level railway printing 2016 printed on the reverse. official. • The design of these banknotes notes is similar • It will focus on various ways to enhance in all respects to the 1000 rupees banknotes in revenues by 10 per cent to 20 per cent from the Mahatma Gandhi Series - 2005 issued earlier. current 5 per cent from the non-tariff sources. Details of New Features- • It will enter into new areas like commercial Ascending size of numerals in numbering farming alongside railway tracks, sponsorship of panels- uniforms for railway personnel and also • Numerals in both the numbering panels of sponsorship of activities and events at stations to banknotes will be in ascending size from left to enhance non-tariff revenue. right, while the first three alpha-numeric About Indian Railways- characters will remain constant in size. • Railways were first introduced to India in the Bleed lines- year 1853 from Mumbai to Thane. • The banknotes of 1000 rupees banknotes will • Indian Railways is an Indian state-owned have six angular bleed lines in four sets of 1-2- enterprise, owned and operated by the 2-1 lines on the obverse in both, the upper left Government of India through the Ministry of and right hand edge of the banknotes. These will Railways. facilitate identification of these notes by visually • It is one of the world's largest railway impaired persons. networks comprising 115000 km of track over a Enlarged Identification Mark- route of 65808 km and 7112 stations. • The existing identification mark (diamond • In 2014-15, IR carried 8.397 billion passengers shape in 1000 rupees) near the left edge of the annually or more than 23 million passengers a banknote has been enlarged. day. It also carried 1058.81 million tons of • The RBI is committed to continually bring freight in the year. about modifications in the design of banknotes • In 2014–2015, Indian Railways had revenues with changing times. of 1634.50 billion rupees. All the banknotes in the denomination of 1000 • Indian Railways is the world's seventh largest rupees issued by the Reserve Bank in the past, commercial or utility employer, by number of including 1000 rupees denomination banknotes with ascending size of numerals in the number 14

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panels but without bleed lines and enlarged Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd identification mark, will continue to be legal (NHIDCL). tender. Key points of these initiatives- ePACE- It stands for Projects Appraisal & Continuing Enhancements and it is an online NTPC tied-up with Coal India Limited integrated Management Information System. to foray into Fertilizer Sector • It brings projects from all wings of the Ministry under a common platform, ensuring State-run power producer NTPC Limited on their effective and real time tracking. 16 May 2016 signed a Joint Venture Agreement • More than 2000 projects being executed by (JVA) with state-run miner Coal India limited to multiple agencies are currently listed on the foray into the Fertilizer Sector and revive plants portal. of the Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited • The portal can be freely accessed by (FCIL). anybody, and information regarding projects in The JVA was signed by NTPC's General any particular state can be found at the click of a Manager (BD) Arun Kumar Gupta and Coal button. India's General Manager (Coal Videsh) T • The portal also allows for validation checks Bandopadhyay. to prevent wrongful entries, making it difficult

to fudge figures. Highlights of the Joint Venture between • It has provision to obtain reports in multiple NTPC and Coal India Limited- formats with graphical interface for round the • The JV company would initially be clock monitoring. incorporated with 50:50 equity participation • It has also been provided with GIS interface from both. to enable easy geo-tracking of the projects. • It will also contain the provision of inducting • The architecture of the application is scalable strategic partners at a later date depending upon and customizable. business requirement of JV company. • ePACE as a platform is amenable to be used • The joint venture company will take up the for monitoring projects pertaining to any revival of FCIL plants at Sindri in Bihar and ministry in the country and can improve Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. governance of such projects. • It will set up an ammonia urea plant at each INFRACON- It is the National Portal for location. Infrastructure Consultancy Firms and Key

Personnel. Union Government launches ePACE, • It acts as a kind of bridge between INFRACON and up-Scaled INAM consultancy firms working in the road PRO for Road Transport Sector engineering and construction sector and domain Union Minister of Road Transport & experts and key personnel Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on 16 • It has linkages to Aadhar and Digi-locker for May 2016 launched three initiatives for best data validation and purity. practices in road transport sector. These three • 474 consultancy firms and 2387 key innovative IT initiatives are: INFRACON, personnel under various categories are already ePACE and up-Scaled INAM PRO. registered with the portal. These initiatives are aimed at making the road • It will lead to a significant reduction of building procedure faster, more transparent and paper work during bid submissions and also more efficient. brings in a lot of transparency and speed since These innovative IT initiatives are developed the evaluation of technical bids can be done at in house by National Highways and the click of a button.

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INAM PRO- It has been developed as a web- based application (www.inampro.nic.in) for Infrastructure and Material Providers. • It is a kind of a web based market place that brings together the material providers and the prospective buyers on a common platform. • It was launched in March 2015 to facilitate contractors and cement buyers engaged in executing projects in road transport sector to place cement orders online with the registered cement companies. • With the help of INAM Pro, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is able to track and monitor the activities of buyers and suppliers, and remove impediments of both the parties • Given the success of INAM-PRO, other materials like steel and steel slag have also been brought on this platform so as to make this as a comprehensive e-market place for infrastructure providers. Besides, these Nitin Gadkari also released the IT Task Force Report, which has suggested many innovative ways in which IT can be used to make the working of the transport sector more efficient and transparent.

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2008. One of its specimen is on display in ENVIRONMENT London’s Natural History Museum.

WWF released report titled Protecting About Chan's megastick- People through Nature • Phobaeticus chani or Chan's megastick is World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released a report species of stick insects. titled ‘Protecting people through nature’ with • The bug is named after amateur Malaysian the subtitle ‘Natural world heritage sites as naturalist, Datuk Chan Chew Lun. Drivers of sustainable development.’ The report • Very little is known about its biology. was launched in April 2016. However, it is speculated that it may live in the The report says that nearly half of the iconic canopy of the rainforest, making it especially 229 natural and mixed World Heritage sites in hard to find. 96 countries around the world, including • It was selected as one of The Top 10 New Western Ghats, face significant threats. Species described in 2008 by the International Further, the iconic symbols of conservation are Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona facing threats to their unique values, putting the State University and an international committee livelihoods and well-being of people who of taxonomists. depend on them at risk. • The species was also listed as one of the top 10 Main Highlights- discoveries of the decade in the BBC television • Almost half of all natural World Heritage sites, documentary Decade of Discovery. and their outstanding universal value, are threatened by harmful industrial activities. Uma Bharti launched Rural Sanitation • Eleven million people, equivalent to the Initiatives for Ganga Rejuvenation in population of Portugal, depend on these sites, Jharkhand and could be affected negatively by the impacts Union Minister for Water Resources, River of harmful industrial activities. Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma • Avoiding these harmful industrial activities Bharti on 9 May 2016 launched nine projects for and focusing on sustainable, carefully managed rural sanitation initiatives for conservation of alternatives will enhance World Heritage sites River Ganga in Sahibganj, Jharkhand. and the benefits they provide. The initiatives were launched under Namami • As the World Heritage Committee has Gange Programme of the Ministry. recognized the potential for World Heritage sites Aims- to support sustainable development, it should be • The main aim of these projects is to improve incorporated into the management of sites going the health and quality of life of around 45000 forward. households located in 78 villages of the Ganga River basin in Jharkhand through improved China bug Chan's Megastick declared sanitation practices. world's longest insect • It also seeks to improve the quality of waste The Insect Museum of West China on 5 May water and storm water runoff flowing from the 2016 announced that a stick insect measuring villages into the river Ganga. 62.4 centimeters has broken the record for Highlights of the projects- length among the world’s 807625 known • The projects will cover the entire 83 kilometer insects. stretch of Ganga in Jharkhand. The insect, named Phobaeticus chani or Chan's • It will focus on three significant megastick was discovered two years ago in the interventions and they are southern province of Guangxi, China. a) Promotion of safe, individual hygiene The previous record-holder was a Malaysian practices to ensure open defecation free status of 56.7-centimeter-long stick insect discovered in all 78 villages along the river Ganga. 17

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b) Promotion of cost-effective, appropriate contamination in the Ganga from rural sources local, low cost, easy to manage technologies to including agriculture. ensure improved access, sustained use and • UNDP will provide technical and maintenance of infrastructure created for implementation support. effective management of solid and liquid waste. c) Strengthening of local institutions including Delhi no longer most polluted in the panchayats, village level sanitation committees world; Iran’s Zabol most polluted: and self-help groups to effectively manage, WHO enhance and maintain facilities established for The World Health Organisation (WHO) on 12 improved sanitation in the villages and an May 2016 in a survey announced that New integrated and a holistic livelihood approach. Delhi is no longer the worst polluted city in the • 78 units will be established in project villages world in terms of air quality. for collection, storage and composting of However, India is home to four of the five degradable solid waste and for setting up small cities in the world with the worst air pollution. enterprises for non-biodegradable material. As per the report, in terms of PM2.5 • 5460 households will be supported for measurement, New Delhi ranked as the 11th adoption of composting facilities using vermin worst city in the survey. The national capital had composting for productive use of animal and an annual average PM2.5 measurement of 122. agro-waste. Key highlights of the survey- • 1860 households will be supported for • The dirtiest air was recorded at Zabol in Iran, adoption of biogas plants to facilitate safe which suffers from months of dust storms in the disposal of animal waste. summer. Zabol clocked PM2.5 measure of 217. • Eight village level crematoriums and 32 • The next four cities in the list were Gwalior, bathing Ghats will be constructed along with 40 Allahabad, Patna and Raipur. community toilets. • New Delhi was the survey's 11th worst city, • More than 10000 soak pits will be constructed measured by the amount of particulate matter through community participation to safely under 2.5 micrograms found in every cubic contain and dispose surplus and waste water metre of air. Delhi had an annual average PM2.5 emerging from households and community measurement of 122. managed hand pumps. Key highlights of WHO’s urban air quality • Community-led construction of 152000 meters database- of open channel drains in project villages to • More than 80% of people living in urban areas ensure speedy and safe disposal of domestic that monitor air pollution are exposed to air waste and storm water runoff quality levels that exceed WHO limits. • Construction and refurbishment of 92 • Populations in low-income cities are the most community ponds to enable bio-treatment and impacted. safe disposal of domestic waste and storm water • 98% of cities in low- and middle income runoff will also be taken up. countries with more than 100000 inhabitants do Projects will be carried by not meet WHO air quality guidelines. However, • The entire project will be carried out under the in high-income countries, that percentage overall guidance of the Ministry of Water decreases to 56%. Resources, River Development and Ganga

Rejuvenation with the support from UNDP, community organizations and NGOs. UNEP releases report titled Actions on • Project initiatives will contribute to improved, Air Quality sustainable solid and liquid waste management The United Nations Environment Programme in the identified villages and will reduce (UNEP) on 24 May 2016 released the report titled Actions on Air Quality. The report was

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released during the second United Nations • Only a quarter of countries have advanced Environment Assembly (UNEA-2). fuels and vehicles standards, which can As per the report, with the decline of the significantly reduce small particulate matter global air quality, action in some air quality pollution, especially in cities. areas points to political will to tackle this global • Electric cars have been on the increase, with public health emergency although current efforts strategies being developed in many countries still fall short. around the world. One-third of all cars bought in Highlights of the report- Norway are now electric. • According to the World Health Organization • Some countries and cities have been able to (WHO), global urban air pollution levels increase waste recycling, reducing the need to increased by 8 percent between 2008 and 2013. burn waste. • More than 80 percent of people living in urban • The majority of countries around the world areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to have now put in place national air quality air quality levels that exceed WHO limits, standards. India, with major air quality threatening lives, productivity and economies. challenges in many cities, has established air • The report found improvements in some areas quality laws and regulation. such as access to cleaner cooking fuels and • Coal use fell from a peak of 9 million tonnes in stoves, renewables, fuel sulphur content and 2005 to 6.44 million tonnes in 2013, while the public transport - pointing to a growing 2013 levels of carbon monoxide dropped by 76 momentum for change. percent compared to 1998. • However, action in other areas is less About UNEA- impressive and will not halt the increase in air • The United Nations Environment Assembly pollution that is threatening to claim many more (UNEA) is the world's most powerful decision- lives. making body on the environment, and • While policies and standards on clean fuels responsible for tackling some of the most and vehicles could reduce emissions by 90 critical issues of our time. percent, only 29 percent of countries worldwide • The assembly holds the power to dramatically have adopted Euro 4 vehicles emissions change the fate of the planet and improve the standards or above. lives of everyone, impacting everything from • Less than 20 percent of countries regulate open health to national security. waste burning, which is a leading cause of air pollution. • On the positive side, 97 countries have increased the percentage of households that have access to cleaner burning fuels to more than 85 percent.

• At least 82 countries out of 193 have incentives that promote investment in renewable energy production, cleaner production, energy efficiency and pollution control equipment. • The report, which looks at attempts to control Beijing's air pollution over a 15-year period, finds that steady improvements are being made. • More than three billion people still use solid fuels and inefficient cook stoves, but the Seychelles was able to improve indoor air quality by transitioning the whole country from solid fuels to LPG. 19

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fancied Koreans 5-4 in a nerve wracking shoot- SPORTS off to end with another bronze.

Iraq Thomas made fastest ever century won World Snooker in cricket history Championship Tobago batsman Iraq Thomas on 24 April 's world number one Mark Selby on 2 2016 created a record by scoring 21-ball century May 2016 won World Championship title of in the Tobago Cricket Association’s T20 Snooker. In the final match played in Sheffield, tournament at Louis D'or. Selby from Leicester defeated China’s Ding The 23-year-old Thomas represented Junhui 18-14. Scraborough/Mason Hall and remained not out With this win, Selby also ended Ding’s chance on 131 runs off just 31 balls. He helped his side of being the first Asian player to win the world to chase down Speyside's target of 152 runs in title. just eight overs. This was Selby’s second trophy of the year, He slammed 15 sixes and five boundaries earlier he had won minor Gdynia Open event in during his knock. During his innings he cleared Poland. the park thrice and the umpires were forced to This was Selby’s second World Snooker title, bring new balls. the first was won against Ronnie O'Sullivan in West Indies’ destructive batsman Chris Gayle 2014. This win also added his name in the list of holds the record for the hitting the fastest T20 Steve Davis, Hendry, John Higgins, Mark ton. Gayle achieved the feat of just 30 balls Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan, the stars who against Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier have won at least two world titles since the League. event rocked up in Sheffield in 1977. In one-day internationals, AB de Villiers of Titles of Selby- South Africa owns the record for the fastest ODI • 2008: Beats Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-8 to win century that he scored of a mere 31 balls. Welsh Open • 2011: Beats Mark Williams 10-9 in Shanghai Indian team won one silver, two Masters final bronze in Archery World Cup • 2012: Wins UK Championship with 10-6 win Indian team on 1 May 2016 bagged one silver over and two bronze medals at Archery World Cup at • 2014: Wins World Championship 18-14 the Yuanshen Stadium in Shanghai. against Ronnie O'Sullivan The silver medal was secured by Indian • 2015: Wins German Masters and China Open women's team who lost to Chinese Taipei in the • 2016: Clinches second World Championship final. Women's team comprising Deepika • He also won the Masters, an invitation event, Kumari, Bombayla Devi Laishram and in 2008, 2010 and 2013 Laxmirani Majhi lost to the lower-ranked Chinese Taipei 2-6 in the recurve team final. Shashank Manohar unanimously On the other hand, men's trio and mixed pair elected as Independent ICC Chairman won their respective bronze playoffs in the first Shashank Manohar on 12 May 2016 was stage of Archery World Cup. The third seeded elected unanimously and unopposed as the Indian men's recurve team of Atanu Das, Chairman of the International Cricket Council Jayanta Talukdar and Mangal Singh Champia (ICC) by the Board. thrashed the ninth seed British team 6-0 to bag Manohar is the first elected independent the bronze medal. Chairman of the Cricket governing body and The mixed pair of Deepika and Atanu ended will serve for two-year term with immediate India's campaign, getting the better of much effect.

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Before his election, the ICC Full Council eligibility check will be conducted as per Article approved constitutional amendments to 37 of the FIFA Statutes. accommodate the new position of The announcement was made by FIFA an independent ICC Chairman. President Gianni Infantino at the 66th FIFA The amendments also included the Congress in Mexico City. abolishment of the President’s post with effect About Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura- from the 2016 ICC Annual Conference in • Samoura is a 21-year veteran of United Edinburgh. Nations programmes who is currently the UN’s How Manohar was elected unanimously? Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP • ICC directors were each allowed to nominate Resident Representative in Nigeria. one candidate till 23 May 2016; the candidate • Fatma is a woman with international should be either a present or past ICC director. experience and vision who has worked on some • Nominees will be eligible to contest election if of the most challenging issues of our time. they have support of at least two or more full • Since starting her UN career as a senior member directors. logistics officer with the World Food • Manohar was the sole nominee for the position Programme in Rome in 1995, Samoura has and the Board has unanimously supported his served as country representative or director in appointment. six countries, namely Djibouti, Cameroon, • The independent Audit Committee Chairman, Chad, Guinea, Madagascar and Nigeria. Adnan Zaidi presided the election process and • She speaks French (her mother tongue), declared Manohar as the successful candidate. English, Spanish and Italian. About ICC’s Full Council- • Prior to joining the UN, Samoura spent eight • It comprises 10 full members, 38 associate years in the private sector, working in the members and 57 affiliate members who are fertiliser trading sector for Senchim, a collectively represented by five regional affiliate subsidiary of Industries Chimiques du Senegal. member representatives. • The role of Chairman is an honorary one. Women Archers Deepika, Bombayla, About Shashank Manohar- Laxmirani named for 2016 Rio He is a prominent Indian lawyer who served Olympics his first stint as the BCCI President from 2008- A three-member Indian women's archery team 2011. Following the passing of comprising Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi Dalmiya, he was re-elected as the BCCI and Laxmirani Majhi was on 16 May 2016 President in October 2015 and, by virtue of that named for the Rio Olympics. position, has held the role of ICC Chairman The women's trio will compete in the since then. individual events as well as team event at the

Rio Games in August 2016. Fatma Samoura named first female India's women archers earned three individual secretary general of FIFA berths and a team quota by virtue of the team's FIFA (International Federation of Association performance at the World Championships in Football) Council on 13 May 2016 named a Copenhagen in 2015. Senegalese UN diplomat Fatma Samba Diouf Process of selection for Rio Olympics- Samoura as its first female Secretary General • Archery Association of India (AAI) selected (SG). Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi and Laxmirani Samoura, 54-year-old, will assume the role of Majhi to represent India in the games. FIFA Secretary General before mid-June after • During a series of selection trails, they undergoing an eligibility check administered by underwent rigorous six stages of selection trials an independent review committee. This and training.

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• The selection process was started in January Denmark on 22 May 2016 won the 2016 2016 in Jamshedpur, then at Delhi and finally in Thomas Cup badminton tournament. In the final Bengaluru. match played at Kunshan, China, the Danish Apart from this, the AAI also announced a team defeated Indonesia 3-2. three-member men’s team consisting Jayanta In the fifth and final set, Danish Hans-Kristian Talukdar, Atanu Das, Mangal Singh Champia Vittinghus defeated Indonesian Ihsan Maulana for the third stage World Cup in Antalya, Mustofa in two straight games 21-16 and 21-7. Turkey, to be held from 12 June to 19 June Ending a 67-year wait, this was Denmark’s 2016. This selection was done in order to have a first ever win in the international tournament. shot at Olympic berths. India has earned one Earlier, it had finished runner-up at the men’s individual spot for the Olympics in men's international team tournament. archery during the World Championships in Denmark is also the first European nation to 2015. win the Thomas Cup. Denmark’s victory also erased Indonesia’s hopes of winning its first Anurag Thakur unanimously elected Thomas Cup title in 14 years. Last time BCCI president Indonesia won the title in 2002. Anurag Thakur was on 22 May 2016 Thomas Cup- unanimously elected as 34th BCCI President at The Thomas Cup also known as Men’s World the board’s special general meeting (SGM) in Team Championships is an international Mumbai. He will serve as President until badminton competition. September 2017. It was first staged in 1948-49, and the Uber Thakur, who is a BJP MP in Lok Sabha from Cup or Women’s World Team Championships Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district, is the was added for the first time in 1956-7. second youngest BCCI chief. Fatehsinghrao Thomas Cup, taking place every three years, Gaekwad in 1963 became the youngest BCCI was the BWF’s first major international President at the age of 33. tournament. Thakur succeeds Shashank Manohar who The idea for the competition and the donation stepped down from the position to take up the of the trophy was by the first President of the ICC chief's job. Manohar was elected the ICC's World body, Sir George Thomas, legendary first independent chairman on 12 May 2016. player (21 All England titles) and administrator Before being appointed as President, Thakur of the Sport. resigned as BCCI Secretary. Thakur, 41, will also represent the BCCI on the ICC executive China wins Uber Cup Badminton board and the Asian Cricket Council. tournament for 14th time Anurag Singh Thakur- Chinese women badminton team showing its • He is the son of Prem Kumar Dhumal, the supremacy on 21 May 2016 won the Uber Cup former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. title. In the final played at the Kunshan Sports • He was elected as the Honorary Secretary of Centre Gymnasium in Beijing, the host country the BCCI in January 2015. defeated South Korea 3-1. Apart from this, after taking the office of It was the host country’s third triumph in a row President, Thankur named Ajay Shirke as his since 2012 and overall it won the title for 14th successor as secretary. Shrike will represent the time since it first started competing in the Uber BCCI at the chief executives committee Cup in 1984. meetings of the ICC. However, South Korean team was unable to end their six-year drought at the Uber Cup. Denmark wins first Thomas Cup badminton tournament

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About Uber Cup- list of award winners- • The Uber Cup is the World Team Orange Cap (Most runs)- 973 runs (16 Championships for Women and it was first held innings) - Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers in 1956-7. It is held once in every three years. ) Since 1984, the Cup is held bi-ennially. Purple Cap (Most wickets)- 23 wickets (17 • It was named after a former British women's innings) - Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Sunrisers badminton player, Betty Uber. She gave the idea Hyderabad) of hosting a women's event similar to that of the Most Valuable Player- Kohli (356.5 points) men (Thomas Cup). Most Sixes- Kohli (38) • China has won the cup for maximum number Fairplay Award– SRH of times. It has won the cup 13 times followed List of IPL winners by Japan which has won it for five times.  2008 : Rajasthan Royals Indonesia and United States have won the cup  2009 : Deccan Chargers for three times each.  2010 : Chennai Super Kings  2011 : Chennai Super Kings Sunrisers Hyderabad win maiden IPL  2012 : Kolkata Knight Riders title  2013 : Mumbai Indians Snrisers Hyderabad bowlers put up an  2014 : Kolkata Knight Riders incredible performance to ruin Virat Kohli's  2015 : Mumbai fairytale season beating Royal Challengers  2016 : Sunrisers Hyderabad Bangalore by 8 runs in a high-octane summit clash and walk away with their maiden Indian Premier League trophy, here on Sunday, 29th May, 2016. In a battle between IPL's best batting and bowling line-ups, the Orange Army came up trumps despite initial blitzkrieg from Chris Gayle and Kohli, defending their total of 208 for seven by restricting the home team to 200 for seven. It was David Warner's batting and astute captaincy complemented by some inspirational death overs bowling by Mustafizur Rahaman (1/37 in 4 overs) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/25 in 4 overs) that clinched the issue. Brilliant Bhuvi- Stuart Binny hit Mustafizur down the ground for a six as the equation came down to 37 from 3 overs. But Bhuvneshwar bowled a brilliant 18th over keeping everything in the blockhole as only 7 came off the over. RCB needed 300 off last two overs as Binny (9) was run-out off the first delivery of the 19th over bowled by Mustafizur. Sachin Baby hit six off the last ball as RCB's requirement of final over was 18 runs but Bhuvneshwar kept his cool to win the match for Sunrisers. 23

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AWARDS Best Child Artist Gaurav Menon for Ben Best Male Playback Mahesh Kale for Katyar Kaljat Singer Ghusali President Pranab Mukherjee Best Female Monali Thakur for Moh Moh Ke conferred 63rd National Film Awards Playback Singer Dhaag (Dum Laga Ke Haisha) President Pranab Mukherjee on 3 May 2016 Best Cinematography Sudeep Chatterjee for Bajirao conferred National film awards for the year Mastani 2015 in various categories at the 63rd National Best Screenplay Juhi Chaturvedi for Piku and Film Awards Function held at Vigyan Bhawan, (Screenplay Writer Himanshu Sharma for Tanu Weds New Delhi. Original) Manu Returns The President also conferred 2015 Dada Best Screenplay Vishal Bhardwaj for Talvar Saheb Phalke Award toManoj Kumar. (Screenplay Writer received the Best Actor Adapted) honour for his role of a hypochondriac father in Best Screenplay Juhi Chaturvedi for Piku and Piku. While Kangana Ranaut received the Best (Dialogues) Himanshu Sharma for Tanu Weds Actress Award for Tanu Weds Manu Returns. Manu Returns Complete list of winners- Best Editing Kishore Te for Visaranai Award Winner Best Music Direction M. Jayachandran for Kathirunnu Best Feature Film Baahubali: The Beginning (Songs) (Ennu Ninte Moideen) Indira Gandhi Award Neeraj Ghaywan for Masaan Best Music Direction for Tharai Thappattai for Best Debut Film (Background Score) Of A Director Best Lyrics Varun Grover for Moh Moh Ke Best Popular Film Bajrangi Bhaijaan Dhaag (Dum Laga Ke Haisha) Providing Wholesome Special Jury Award Kalki Koechlin for Margarita with Entertainment a Straw Best Children's Film Duronto Best Special Effects Baahubali : The Beginning Best Direction Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Bajirao Best Choreography Remo D'Souza for Deewani Mastani Mastani (Bajirao Mastani) Nargis Dutt Award Nanak Shah Fakir Best Animated Film Fisherwoman for Best Feature Film Tuktuk on National Best Art Direction Shriram Iyengar, Saloni Dhatrak Integration and Sujeet Sawant for Bajirao Best Film on Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal Mastani Environment / Best Costume Design Payal Saluja for Nanak Shah Conservation / Fakir Preservation Best Make-up Artist Preetisheel G. Singh and Clover Best Film on Social Niranayakam Wootton for Nanak Shah Fakir Issue Special Mention Ritika Singh for Irudhi Suttru Best Actor Amitabh Bachchan for Piku Best Hindi Film Dum Laga Ke Haisha Best Actress Kangana Ranaut for Tanu Weds Manu Returns Best Tamil Film Visaaranai Best Supporting Samuthirakani for Visaranai Best Telugu Film Kanche Actor Best Sanskrit Film Priyamanasam Best Supporting Tanvi Azmi for Bajirao Mastani Best Kannada Film Thithi Actress Best Marathi Film Ringan

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Best Maithili Film Mithila Makhaan • It was proclaimed first by then President of US Dwight D. Eisenhower. Best Punjabi Film Chauthi Koot • It was first celebrated by the International Best Bengali Film Sankhachil Council of Nurses (ICN) in the year 1965. Best Konkani Film Enemy • May 12 was declared to be celebrated as the Best Assamese Film Kothanodi birthday anniversary of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale in January in Best Haryanvi Film Satrangi 1974. Best Khasi Film Onaatah Best Manipuri Film Eibusu Yaohanbiyu South Korean author Han Kang wins Best Mizo Film Kima’s Lode Beyond the Class 2016 Man Booker International Prize Best Odiya Film Pahada Ra Luha for 'The Vegetarian South Korean author, Han Kang, on 16 May Best Malayalam Film Pathemari 2016 won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize for her novel 'The Vegetarian'. President Pranab Mukherjee confers The prize ceremony was held at the Victoria & Florence Nightingale Awards to 35 Albert Museum in London Han is the first South Nurses Korean to win the prize. The writer and her President Pranab Mukherjee on 12 May 2016 British translator will share the 72000 Dollar conferred the Florence Nightingale Awards to prize money. The book was translated by 35 nurses from across the country on the Deborah Smith. occasion of International Nurses Day at the About the novel 'The Vegetarian'- Rashrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. • The novel tells a story of a wife who decides to These awards are given by Union Ministry of become a vegetarian. Health and Family Welfare, as a mark of • Her decision provokes cruelty from her recognition for the meritorious services rendered husband and her father. by the nurses and nursing professionals in India. • She also faces obsession from her sister’s The day is celebrated worldwide on May 12 husband, as the woman, Yeong-hye, dreams every year to commemorate the birth day of obsessively about becoming a tree. Florence Nightingale and to mark the nurses’ Han Kang- contributions towards public health. • Han Kang was born in Gwangju, South Korea, About Florence Nightingale awards- and moved to Seoul at the age of ten. • These awards are given to the outstanding • She studied Korean literature at Yonsei nursing personnel employed in Union, University. State/Union Territories. • Her writing has won the Yi Sang Literary • Nurses working in government, voluntary Prize, the Today's Young Artist Award, and the organizations, mission institutions and the Korean Literature Novel Award. private institutions can apply with the due The Man Booker Prize- recommendation of concerned State • The Man Booker Prize was established in Government. 1969. • The awards carry 50000 rupees cash prize, a • The Man Booker Prize is the leading literary certificate, a citation certificate and a Medal. award in the English speaking world. International Nurses Day- • The winner receives 50000 pound as well as • Nurses Day was first proposed by the Dorothy the 2500 pound awarded to each of the Sutherland (an officer from the U.S. Department shortlisted authors. of Health, Education and Welfare) in the year • Both the winner and the shortlisted authors are 1953. guaranteed a worldwide readership plus an increase in book sales. 25

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• It has brought recognition, reward and readership to outstanding fiction for over four decades.

UR Rao becomes first Indian to be given IAF Hall of Fame Award Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on 14 May 2016 that noted space scientist , popularly known as U. R. Rao, will be honoured with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Hall of Fame Award for 2016. Rao will be honoured in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the progress of astronautics within the framework of the IAF's activities. The scientist will be presented with the certificate at the 67th International Astronautical Congress, which will be held in Guadalajara in Mexico on 30 September 2016. Who is Udupi Ramachandra Rao? • U. R. Rao is the former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation. • At present, he is the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Physical Research Laboratory at . • He is also the chancellor of Indian Institute for Space Science and Technology (IIST) at Thiruvananthapuram. About International Astronautical Federation- • The International Astronautical Federation is an international space advocacy organisation based in Paris. • It was founded in 1951 as a non-governmental organization to establish a dialogue between scientists around the world. • It has over 300 members from 66 countries across the world. • It is linked with the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) with whom the IAF organises the annual International Astronautical Congress. • The IAF Hall of Fame consists of a permanent gallery of honoured personalities, a citation, biographical information and a picture on the IAF website. 26

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At present, Sharma is working as APPOINTMENTS Distinguished Scientist and Director (Operations) in NPCIL. Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba appointed About Nuclear Power Corporation of India as Chief of the Naval Staff Limited Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, presently Flag • The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) Limited is a government-owned corporation of Western Naval Command, was appointed as the India based in Mumbai in the state of next Chief of the Naval Staff on 5 May 2016. Maharashtra. He will assume the charge on 31 May 2016 as • It is wholly owned by the Central Government the 23rd chief of Indian Navy and 21st as an and is responsible for the generation of nuclear Indian. power for electricity. The first two Navy Chiefs were British, • It is administered by the Department of Atomic namely Admiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Energy, Govt. of India (DAE). Pizey and Vice-Admiral Sir Stephen Hope • It was created in September 1987 under the Carlill. Companies Act 1956. He will succeed present Navy Chief Admiral • All nuclear power plants operated by the Robin K. Dhowan, who will superannuate from company are certified for ISO-14001 the post on 31 May 2016. Lanba, 58, will have a (Environment Management System). full three-year-term in office till 31 May 2019. • It was the sole body responsible for Sunil Lanba- constructing and operating India's commercial • He was commissioned into the Executive nuclear power plants till setting up of Bharatiya Branch of Indian Navy on 1 January 1978. Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI) in • During his long and distinguished service October 2003. spanning nearly 38 years, he has served in a variety of Command, operational and staff Kumar Rajesh Chandra appointed appointments. Chief of Bureau of Civil Aviation • Vice Admiral Lanba’s Sea Command includes Security commanding the minesweeper INS Kakinada, Senior IPS officer Kumar Rajesh Chandra on frigate INS Himgiri and Executive Officer of 5 May 2016 was appointed the Chief of Bureau INS Viraat, the aircraft carrier. of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). • Before taking over as FOC-in-C, Western The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet Naval Command, he was FOC-in-C, Southern has approved the name of Chandra for Naval Command, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff appointment to the post of Director General and Commandant, National Defence College. (formerly known as Commissioner of Security • He is a qualified specialist in navigation and (Civil Aviation) in the Bureau of Civil Aviation direction course. Security. Chandra has been appointed in place of IPS S K Sharma appointed CMD of officer G S Malhi. Malhi had completed his Nuclear Power Corporation of India tenure as BCAS Chief in November 2012. The Renowned scientist S K Sharma on 23 May crucial post was lying vacant since then. 2016 was appointed the Chairman and Who is Kumar Rajesh Chandra? Managing Director (CMD) of Nuclear Power • Chandra is a 1985 batch IPS officer of Bihar Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). cadre. Sharma will be responsible for design, • He is currently working as Additional Director construction, commissioning and operation of General (Modernisation), Bihar Police. nuclear power reactors. He has been appointed to the new post for a period of five years. 27

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About Bureau of Civil Aviation Security- • Brigadier Thakur Mahadeo Singh, DSO, was • BCAS acts as regulatory authority for civil appointed the first Indian Commandant of the aviation security. academy. • After the hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight • Brigadier M.M. Khanna, MVC was the first in September 1976, the Pande Committee IMA alumni to be appointed Commandant of recommended establishing an aviation security the IMA. department. • In January 1978, the BCAS was established as *** a department of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. As a result of the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, the BCAS became an independent agency of the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 1 April 1987. • The main responsibility of BCAS is to lay down standards and measures in respect of security of civil flights at international and domestic airports in India.

Lieutenant General SK Saini takes over as 46th Commandant of Indian Military Academy Lieutenant General SK Saini in third week of May 2016 took over as the 46th Commandant of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. Who is Lieutenant General SK Saini? • Lt Gen Saini is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA). • He was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of the Jat Regiment in June 1981. • He has held various staff, instructional and command appointments. • He has commanded his battalion, a mountain brigade and a counter insurgency force in Jammu & Kashmir. • His staff experience includes appointment of Brigade Major of an About Indian Military Academy- • The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun is the officer training Academy of the Indian Army. • It was established in 1932. • The academy is located in the foothills of the Himalayas, about 8 km west of Dehradun in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. • Brigadier L.P. Collins was the first Commandant of IMA.

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