Summits & Conferences
1. Sixth edition of the Indian Ocean Conference starts in Dhaka, Bangladesh
- The sixth edition of the two-day International Indian Ocean Conference has been started in Dhaka, Bangladesh on May 12, 2023.
- Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the conference.
- The conference is being organized by the India Foundation in association with the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- 2023 theme for this conference is 'Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership for a Resilient Future'.
- The event is being attended by about 150 delegates.
Honours & Awards
2. ASI awarded lifetime achievement award to Jayant Narlikar
- An eminent astronomer, Prof Jayant V. Narlikar was awarded the first-ever Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award by the Astronomical Society of India (ASI).
- He was also a founder director of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune.
- The ASI instituted the award in 2022 to recognize eminent Indian astronomers for their contributions to the field of astronomy and astrophysics.
- Prof Narlikar is known for his study of the Universe.
Agreement
3. ICMR, AYUSH Ministry sign MoU for health research in Integrated Medicine
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the AYUSH Ministry have signed an MoU for collaborative and cooperative momentum on health research in the field of Integrated Medicine.
- Significance: Contribution to the development and reach of Integrated Medicine
- This MoU will boost Ayurveda to further build its identity on the basis of scientific evidence
- It will also promote high-impact integrative research to generate healthcare utilizing modern scientific methods
Science & Technology
4. LIGO-India: Expanding Horizons in Gravitational Wave Research
- PM Modi laid the foundation stone of scientific projects worth more than Rs 5800 crore on May 11.
- One of the most significant projects is the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).
- The LIGO-India will be developed in Hingoli, Maharashtra.
- It is an extremely sensitive interferometer of 4 km arm length and act as 'antennae' to detect gravitational waves.
- It will work in synchronization with two observatories operating in the US.
Important Dates
5. International Nurses Day 2023: 12th May
- International Nurses Day is observed every year on 12th May to recognize the efforts of nurses for their dedication, compassion, and expertise in delivering quality healthcare services.
- 2023 Theme: Our Nurses. Our Future.
- This day commemorates the birth of Florence Nightingale (founder of modern nursing), who was born on May 12, 1820, in Italy.
- She was a nurse, statistician, and social reformer.
- She gained prominence during the Crimean War in the 1850s.
Honours & Awards
6. CDS awards unit citations to 3 Tri-service units for exemplary performance
- Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan has conferred CDS Unit Citations award to the Strategic Forces Command, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and 2 PARA (Special Forces).
- Reason: For their exemplary performance for the Year 2021-22
- The CDS unit citations award was constituted after the establishment of the Office of Chief of Defence Staff in 2019.
- Aim: To boost jointness and integration in the Armed Forces
Arts & Culture
7. Ladakh annual festival 'Monlam Chenmo' begins
- Ladakh celebrated annual five-day-long Great Prayer Festival, "Ladakh Monlam Chenmo," in Leh on May 11.
- The event is being organized by the All Ladakh Gonpa Association.
- Smonlam Chenmo is a major annual prayer of the Sangha Community of Ladakh gathered at one platform.
- On the sidelines of the event, Ladakh MP, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal is organizing a special camp for Sangha Community, which is named "Seva for Sangha’, in collaboration with district administration Leh.
Science & Technology
8. ISRO successfully commences testing of semi-cryogenic engine
- ISRO has successfully commenced testing of its semi-cryogenic engines, that would power future launch vehicles.
- The very first integrated test on an intermediate configuration of the 2000 kN semi-cryogenic engine was carried out at the newly-commissioned Semicryogenic Integrated Engine & Stage Test facility at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
- The test is a step towards developing a 2000 kN thrust engine, which works on Liquid Oxygen (LOX)-Kerosene propellant combination.
Obituaries
9. Former AIFF vice-president A.R. Khaleel passes away
- The former All India Football Federation (AIFF) Vice-President, AR Khaleel passed away at the age of 91 due to illness.
- He had also served as the president of the Karnataka State Football Association (KSFA) for 28 years till 2018.
- He was a footballer, who ran Jawahar Union FC, one of Bengaluru’s traditional clubs.
- He also donned managerial roles for the Indian National Teams in various age groups.
National Affairs
10. India extends $1bn credit line for Sri Lanka by a year
- India has extended a $ 1 billion credit line for Sri Lanka by one year, a backup infusion of dollars for essential imports
- Post-negotiations, the credit line was extended til March 2024
- The credit line, part of about $ 4 billion in emergency assistance extended by India during the peak of Sri Lanka’s financial crisis early last year, which was scheduled to end in March
- The situation has improved with Sri Lanka finalizing a nearly USD 3 billion bailout package from IMF
International Affairs
11. WHO declares end of mpox global health emergency
- WHO has declared mpox outbreak is no longer a global health emergency.
- In July 2022, WHO declared mpox, previously known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
- This move indicates that the crisis due to mpox has come under control.
- Mpox spreads through direct contact with body fluids and causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions.
- The WHO recently also declared an end of public health emergency status for COVID-19.
National Affairs
12. Commerce ministry recommends anti-dumping duty on optical fibre
- The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) division of the commerce ministry has recommended imposing anti-dumping duties on imports of a specific type of optical fibre from China, Korea, and Indonesia.
- Reason: To protect the domestic industry from cheap inbound shipments
- The DGTR has recommended the duty after conducting an investigation on the dumped imports of 'Dispersion Unshifted Single-mode Optical Fiber' from these countries.
State Affairs
13. Varanasi’s LBSI airport gets India’s first reading lounge
- The Lal Bahadur Shastri International (LBSI) Airport has become the first in India to have a reading lounge
- Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's advisor Awanish Awasthi has inaugurated the lounge.
- Apart from books on Kashi, the lounge's library has a collection of literature and books in many international languages besides books of youth authors published under Prime Minister Yuva Yojana.
- The lounge has been established with the assistance of National Book Trust (NBT).
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