1. US President Biden nominates Julie Turner as North Korea human rights envoy
Tags: Person in news International News
US President Joe Biden has nominated Julie Turner as special envoy for human rights in North Korea on 24 January.
An overview of the news
The move to fill the post, which has been vacant since 2017, comes amid debate over human rights issues as well as efforts to counter Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.
Julie Turner is currently the director for East Asia and the Pacific in the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
Turner has served in the office for East Asia and the Pacific for more than 16 years, primarily focusing on initiatives related to the promotion of human rights in North Korea.
The post of special envoy had become controversial in South Korea as the previous administration tried to bring North Korea to the negotiating table.
Some activists said that human rights had been sidelined due to national security priorities.
North Korea has repeatedly denied allegations of human rights abuses and blamed the sanctions for the dire humanitarian situation.
A landmark 2014 United Nations report on North Korean human rights concluded that North Korean security chief and leader Kim Jong Un should face justice for Nazi-style atrocities.
2. Ministry of AYUSH ties up with ITDC to promote Medical Value Travel in India
Tags: National News
The Ministry of AYUSH has signed an MoU with India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Ministry of Tourism, to promote Medical Value Travel in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.
An overview of the news
The MoU was signed by Dr. Shashi Ranjan Vidyarthi, Director, Ministry of AYUSH and Shri Piyush Tiwari, Director (Commercial & Marketing), ITDC.
Under the MoU, the Ministry of AYUSH will provide training to ITDC officials to sensitise them about the medical value of travel in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.
The implementation and progress of the MoU will be monitored by a Joint Working Group (JWG), which will be co-chaired by representatives of the Ministry of AYUSH and ITDC.
JWG will also identify best practices adopted by Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand etc. to promote themselves as preferred destinations for medical value travel.
The opportunities and challenges to promote Medical Value Travel in India were discussed by the G20 delegates at the recently concluded first G20 Health Working Group meeting under the chairmanship of India in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Medical Value Travel
Medical Value Travel is created to promote itself as a quality healthcare destination for patients around the world.
According to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) report 'The Global Wellness Economy: Looking Beyond Covid', the global wellness economy will grow at a rate of 9.9 percent annually.
The AYUSH based healthcare and wellness economy is estimated to grow to $70 billion by 2025.
3. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival
Tags: International News
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The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival will be organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting through the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in Mumbai from January 27 to January 31, 2023.
An overview of the news
The SCO Film Festival is being organised during the Presidency of India in the SCO.
The festival aims to build cinematic partnership, act as a bridge between the cultures of different countries in the SCO and create harmony among the film communities of the SCO members through a collective cinematic experience.
A total of 57 films from SCO countries will be screened at the SCO Film Festival. In which 14 feature films will be screened in the competition section and 43 films will be screened in the non-competition section.
Marathi film Godavari directed by Nikhil Mahajan and Gujarati film 'The Last Film Show' directed by Pan Nalin have been nominated from India.
Shoojit Sircar's Sardar Udham, SS Rajamouli's period film RRR SCO focus are included in the country.
About SCO
SCO is a multilateral organisation, which was established on 15 June 2001.
Headquarters - Beijing, China
Member Country
Eight member countries - China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
three observer states - Belarus, Iran and Mongolia
4. 'Moidams' nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has selected the 'Pyramids of Assam' as the country's sole nomination for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site out of 52 heritage sites.
An overview of the news
The Ahom-era 'Moidams' (cemetery of the royal family) in Assam's Charaideo district will be India's only nomination for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The 'Moidams' of the Ahom dynasty at Charaideo were first included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in April 2014.
'Moidems' will be nominated in the category of cultural sites.
India currently has 40 World Heritage Sites – 32 of them cultural sites, seven natural sites and one mixed site.
Currently, Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park in Assam in the Northeast are among the seven natural sites while there is no World Heritage Site in the cultural heritage category.
About UNESCO:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN).
It is also a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UN SDG), a coalition of United Nations agencies and organisations that aims to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Headquarters:- Paris, France
Director General: -Audrey Azoulay
Founded:- 16 November 1945 in London, United Kingdom
The organisation has -193 members and 11 associate members.
5. PM Modi named 21 islands of Andaman and Nicobar after Paramveer Chakra awardees
Tags: National News
Modi named 21 islands of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees on the auspicious occasion of Parakram Divas organised to mark the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on 23 January.
An overview of the news
The Prime Minister also unveiled the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island.
PM and Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the program organised in Andaman-Nicobar through video conference.
In 2019, the museum related to Netaji was inaugurated at the Red Fort in Delhi.
The eldest Anam Island was named after the first Paramveer Chakra Award winner, the second largest Anam Island was named after the second Paramveer Chakra Award winner.
This step will be an everlasting tribute to our heroes, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.
The Ross Islands were renamed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Islands in 2018 to honor Netaji's sacrifices.
Islands to be named after the following Param Vir Chakra winners
Major Somnath Sharma, Subedar and Honorary Captain (then Lance Naik) Karam Singh, MM 2nd Lt. Rama Raghoba Rane, Naik Jadunath Singh, Havildar Major Piru Singh Capt GS Salaria, Lt. Col. (then Major) Dhan Singh Thapa, Subedar Joginder Singh, Maj. Shaitan Singh, Abdul Hameed, Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burjorji Tarapore, Lance Naik Albert Ekka, Major Hoshiar Singh, Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal, Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran, Naib Subedar Bana Singh, Captain Vikram Batra, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, Subedar Major (then Rifleman) Sanjay Kumar and Subedar Major Retd Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav
6. Aska police station of Odisha's Ganjam district became the country's number one police station
Tags: Reports National News
Aska police station in Ganjam district of Odisha was awarded as number one police station by Home Minister Amit Shah during the DGSP/IGSP conference 2022 held at National Agricultural Science Complex, New Delhi.
An overview of the news
Aska police station got this title in the annual ranking of police stations for the year 2022.
On this occasion, Aska police station in-charge Inspector Prashant Kumar Sahu was awarded the prestigious award along with a citation by the Home Minister.
Gangapur police station in Odisha's Ganjam district has been awarded the second best police station award.
Banbasa police station in Champawat district of Uttarakhand has been selected as the third best station.
Sadar Bazar police station was adjudged the best police station in the year 2021 while Gangapur police station was awarded the second best police station award.
The ranking of police stations across the country is an annual exercise by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The rank is decided on the basis of 165 different parameters such as crime rate, investigation and disposal of cases, infrastructure and public service delivery.
7. Brazilian government declares medical emergency in Yanomami
Tags: International News
Recently in Brazil, the government has declared a medical-emergency in the Yanomami region amid reports of child deaths from diseases caused by illegal gold mining and malnutrition-related conditions.
An overview of the news
The purpose of the state of emergency declaration is to restore health services for the Yanomami people that had come to a standstill during the previous government's tenure.
In the four years of Bolsonaro's presidency, 570 Yanomami children died from preventable diseases, mainly from malnutrition as well as malaria, diarrhoea, and mercury used by wildcat gold miners.
The government announced food packages to the Yanomami, where about 26,000 Yanomami live in an area of rainforest and tropical savanna.
The Yonomami area has been a victim of illegal gold mining gangs for decades.
About Yanomami tribes
They are also called South American Indians.
They live in the remote forests of the Orinoco River Basin in southern Venezuela and the northernmost part of the Amazon River Basin in northern Brazil.
They live in small, scattered, semi-permanent villages, speak the Ziriana language, and hunt.
Their population is about 26,000.
Davi Copenava, a Brazilian leader who secured the land rights of the Yanomami people, has been awarded the Right Livelihood Award-2019, also known as Sweden's alternative Nobel Prize.
8. International Trade Fair on Millets and Organic Products held in Bengaluru
Tags: Festivals National News
The 4th International Trade Fair of Millets and Organics Products began on 20 January 2023 at Tripuravasini, Bengaluru.
An overview of the news
India is leading among countries to celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
This three-day fair is organised by the Department of Agriculture and the Government of Karnataka.
The three day event is divided into multiple segments including Exhibition, Pavilion, B2B Networking and much more.
Promotion of millet and organic market
The trade fair is a platform for farmers, farmer groups, domestic and international companies, central and state institutions to explore opportunities in agriculture, horticulture, processing, machinery and agro-technology.
The fair includes more than 250 stalls, millet and organic food court, cooking, drawing and quiz competitions, display of millet recipes, etc.
The budget allocation for farmers has been increased six times.
The country is focused on developing 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and assisting farmers in setting up sorting and grading units along with producing value-added products ready for export.
Consumption of millets is a solution to malnutrition, which will also benefit farmers for better livelihood and increased income.
India as the Global Hub for Millets
In India, millet is primarily a kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs.
Millets are important because of their potential to generate livelihoods, enhance farmers' income and ensure food and nutritional security.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, global millet production in 2020 was 30.464 million metric tonnes (MMT), of which India accounted for 12.49 MMT or 41 per cent of the total millet production.
Karnataka pioneer for millet promotion
The Government of Karnataka has been a pioneer in the promotion of millets.
The first millets and organic fair was held in 2017, the second and third editions were held in Bengaluru in 2018 and 2019.
Karnataka is distributing millet grain through the PDS system and organising district-wise Kisan Melas.
9. International seminar on knowledge sharing on conservation of natural and cultural heritage in Kathmandu
Tags: International News
On the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, an International seminar on Knowledge sharing of conservation of Natural and cultural heritage was organised by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in Kathmandu.
An overview of the news
It was organised in coordination with the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.
Ambassador of India, Naveen Shrivastav informed about the Indian government’s contribution to conserving cultural heritage.
The Government of India provided USD 50 million in aid for the reconstruction of two UNESCO heritage sites—Pashupatinath Temple and Bhandarkhal of Patan Durbar Square after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.
The guest of honour of the event, Nepal's Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati appreciated the efforts of the Indian Embassy in bringing together conservation experts from India and Nepal for the reconstruction and restoration of the natural and cultural heritage.
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)
It was established in 1984 in New Delhi with the objective of heritage awareness and conservation in India.
Currently INTACH is recognized as one of the largest heritage organisations in the world with more than 190 chapters across the country.
Over the last 31 years, INTACH has pioneered the conservation of intangible heritage along with natural and built heritage.
10. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to be Chief Guest at India's Republic Day celebrations
Tags: Person in news National News
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Egypt President Abdel Fattah El Sisi will be the chief guest at the 74th Republic Day celebrations.
An overview of the news
He will pay a state visit to India from the 24th to the 26th of this month.
This is the first time that the President of Egypt has been invited as the chief guest on the Republic Day 2023 of India.
A 180-member strong contingent of the Egyptian Army will also participate in the Republic Day parade.
The President of Egypt had earlier visited India in October 2015 to attend the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit, followed by a state visit in September 2016.
President Sisi will have a bilateral meeting and delegation-level talks with PM Modi on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Abdel Fattah Sisi is a former Army officer who was elected as the president of Egypt t in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018.
About Republic Day Celebration
Every year Republic day is observed on 26 January. It was on this day the constitution of India was promulgated in 1950 and India became a republic.
The President of India presides over the Republic day functions. It is customary to invite a foreign country leader as an honoured guest at the Republic day function.
In 1955 Rajpath (Now Kartavya Path) became the permanent place for the Republic day parade.
The Chief Guest was the Governor-General of Pakistan Malik Ghulam Muhammad.
President of Indonesia, Sukarno was the first guest at 1950 Republic day parade.
