1. Dr Peggy Mohan wins 'Mathrubhumi Book of the Year' award
Tags: Awards
Author Dr Peggy Mohan has won the 'Mathrubhumi Book of the Year' award during the 4th edition of Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters (MBIFL 2023).
An overview of the news:
He has been given this award for his book 'Wanderers, Kings and Merchants', which portrays the development of language as a result of migration.
In this award, he was given a statuette and two lakh rupees as a cash prize.
The award was presented to Dr Peggy Mohan by Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah at the closing ceremony of MBIFL 2023.
Dr Peggy Mohan:
She is a Trinidadian-born writer and a linguist.
He holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Michigan, USA.
He worked as Professor of Language Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia University, New Delhi.
Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters (MBIFL):
Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters was started in the year 2018.
MBIFL 2023 was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
This was the 4th edition of MBIFL with the theme "Shadows of History, Light of the Future ''.
2. 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.
3. 10th edition of Dhaka Literary Festival
Tags: Festivals International News
After being cancelled for three consecutive years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest (DLF), Bangladesh's biggest international literary festival, is all set to take place on January 5-8, 2023.
Important facts
The event will be held on the historic grounds of the Bangla Academy in Dhaka.
More than 500 literary personalities across the globe including Nobel Prize Winner Abdulrazak Gurnah will be taking part in the festival.
The four-day event will feature internationally acclaimed authors including Amitav Ghosh, Hanif Qureshi, Alexandra Pringle, Gitanjali Shree, Daisy Rockwell, Esther Freud, Joy Goswami, Kaiser Haque, among others.
It will feature over 175 sessions with discussions on science and technology, activities for children and young adults, film screenings, theatre, music and cultural performances.
The organisers of DLF have termed it as a 'festival of ideas'.
Films, OTT, science and other topics of public interest will also be discussed in this programme.
There will be performances for children as well as for women. The Dhaka Lit Fest will also host discussions on health, food and cooking, among other topics.
About Dhaka Lit Fest
Sadaf Saaz, Ahsan Akbar and Kazi Anis Ahmed are the directors of the Dhaka Lit Fest (DLF).
It began in 2011 with the commitment to promote Dhaka, and Bangladeshi literature and culture to the world.
Dhaka Lit Fest has been a popular annual event in the winter calendar of Bangladesh.
About 30,000 people participated in the ninth Dhaka Lit Fest last held in 2019.
4. UNSC adopts first-ever resolution on Myanmar
Tags: International News
The U.N. The Security Council on 21 December adopted its first ever resolution on Myanmar in 74 years to demand an end to violence and urge the military junta to release all political prisoners, including ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Important facts
The 15-member council has long been split on how to deal with the Myanmar crisis with China and Russia arguing against strong action.
The resolution also demands “an immediate end to all forms of violence” and asks for “all parties to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.”
The motion was adopted with 12 votes in favour. Permanent members China and Russia opted not to use the veto after amending the wording. India also remained absent.
The resolution sent a "strong message" to the world that the junta must "end its violence across the country" and free prisoners.
The only resolution regarding Myanmar was passed by the United Nations in 1948 approving its membership in the UN Security Council.
About Myanmar
Capital - Naypyidaw
Currency - Kyat
Prime Minister - Min Aung Hlaing
Nobel Laureate - Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League of Democracy (NLD) party, was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.
5. Opening Ceremony of International Year of Millets 2023 held in Rome, Italy
Tags: place in news International News
The United Nations agency Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) hosted an opening ceremony of the International Year of Millets – 2023 (IYM2023) in Rome, Italy on 6 December 2022 in a hybrid mode.
An Indian delegation led by Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare along with other senior officials were present at the opening ceremony.
Shobha Karandlaje conveyed PM Modi’s compliments to the United Nations for declaring the Year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. PM, through his message, thanked the global community for supporting India’s proposal to mark the International Year of Millets (IYM).
PM Modi said that “India will steer the IYM2023 celebrations worldwide and organise campaigns to promote the cultivation and consumption of Millets, both in India and abroad during the next year.”
Speaking on the occasion, Director General, FAO Mr. QU Dongyu said the IYM2023 will provide us with a unique opportunity to give visibility to crops that have great potential to strengthen global nutrition, food security.
Millets and India
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), India is the largest producer of millet in the world.
- The total production of millets in India in 2020-21 was 17.96 million tonnes which was nearly 41% of the world production.
- Rajasthan was the largest millet producing state in India.
- Millets are grown in about 21 states in the country including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana.
- India was the 5th largest exporter of millet in the world in 2020 .
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation)
- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
- It was founded in 1945.
- Its headquarters is in Rome (Italy).
- It was conferred with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020
Director General: QU Dongyu
6. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi invited to be the chief guest of the Republic day 2023
Tags: Person in news
The Indian government has invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the chief guest for the Republic day parade 2022. He will be the first Egyptian leader to be hosted by India for the Republic Day celebrations. 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.The last foreign chief guest was the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in 2020.
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.
Some important facts to remember:
Duration of the Republic day celebration
Earlier, the Republic day celebration started on 24 January and ended on 29 January. However from this year (2022) the government has decided to start the Republic day celebration from 23 January and end on 30 January.
23 January is celebrated as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhash Chandra Bose and 30 January is the Martyr's day to mark the assassination of Gandhiji.
Place of the Republic day celebration
Between 1950 and 1954, Republic Day celebrations were organized at different venues like Irwin Stadium, Kingsway, Red Fort and Ramlila Grounds in Delhi.
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.
Chief Guest of the Republic Day parade
The first chief guest of the Republic day parade was the former President of Indonesia Sukarno in 1950.
Only once has an American President been the chief guest at the Republic day parade. The first black President of the United States Barack Obama was the chief guest at the 2015 Republic day parade.
The first women chief guest was Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1961.
Two Nobel Prize winners have been the chief guest of the Republic day parade. The first black President of South Africa, Nelson Mandel was the chief guest at the 1995 Republic day function. He won the Nobel peace prize in 1993.
The other Nobel Prize winner who was a chief guest at Republic day was Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar who won the Nobel peace prize in 1991.
There were no foreign chief guests in the years 1952, 1953, 1966, 2021, 2022 due to various reason.
Which ministry organises the Republic day functions?
The Republic day function is organized by the Union Ministry of Defence.
7. World Food Day
Tags: Important Days
Every year 16 October is observed as World Food Day. This day marks the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).in 1945. The day is observed to draw the attention of the world to the issue of hunger and equitable access to food amongst the poor in the world.
Background to the Day
World Food Day was established at the 20th Session of the Conference of FAO 1979, held in Rome, on the suggestion of the former Hungarian minister of agriculture and food Dr Pal Romany.
It gradually became a way to raise awareness about hunger, malnutrition, sustainability and food production in the world.
Theme of the World Food Day 2022
The theme of the world food day 2022 is: Leave no one Behind
The theme reflects the current global hunger situation in the world due to climate change, covid pandemic and war in Ukraine has led to sharp increase in the prices of food energy and fertilizer prices. This has led to sharp deteriorating global food security crises and all-time high numbers of people at risk of experiencing serious levels of hunger in Asia and Africa.
The recently released Global Hunger Index 2022 has put India into a severe risk category.
The world food day calls upon the leaders of the world and the civil society to take urgent action so that no one is left behind toi face hunger and food insecurity.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
It is a specialised agency of the United Nations.
It was set up on 16 October 1945.
It’s Headquarters: Rome, Italy
It was conferred with the Nobel Peace Prize 2020.
Director-General: QU Dongyu
8. Three American gets Nobel Prize for Economics for their research in preventing bank collapse
Tags: Awards Person in news
The Royal Swedish Academy of Science has awarded three American economists Ben Bernanke, Douglas Diamond and Philip Dybvig, the Nobel Prize in economics 2022 for their pioneering work on “improving our understanding of the role of banks in the economy, particularly during financial crises and why avoiding bank collapses is vital.” The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences for 2022 was announced 10th October 2022.
Ben Bernanke
According to the Nobel committee ““Through statistical analysis and historical source research, Bernanke demonstrated how failing banks played a decisive role in the global depression of the 1930s, the worst economic crisis in modern history. The collapse of the banking system explains why the downturn was not only deep, but also long-lasting. It added the importance of well-functioning bank regulation is also understood thanks to this research.
Ben Bernanke was the chairman of the United States Central Bank, Federal Reserve in 2008 when the failure of Lehman Brothers sparked a worldwide financial crisis.
Douglas W Diamond and Philip H Dybvig
Both Diamond and Dybvig worked together to develop theoretical models explaining why banks exist, how their role in society makes them vulnerable to rumours about their impending collapse, and how society can lessen this vulnerability. These insights “form the foundation of modern bank regulation,” said the Academy.
Nobel Prize in Economics
The economics prize is not one of the original five awards created in the 1895 will of industrialist and dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel.
It was established by Sweden's Central Bank, Sveriges Riksbank in 1968 and the first prize was given in 1969 to Ragnar Frisch of Norway and Jan Tinbergen of Netherlands.
The prize money of 10 million Swedish crown ($885,000) prize money will be distributed between them three.
The prize will be conferred in a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden on 10 December which is the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel.
Nobel Prize Winner 2022
Field | Winner 2021 | Winner 2022 |
Medicine or Physiology | David Julius (American) and Ardem Patapoutian(American) | Svante Paabo of Sweden |
Chemistry | Benjamin List (Germany)and David W.C. MacMillan(United Kingdom) | Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and Barry Sharpless |
Physics | Syukuro Manabe(Japan), Klaus Hasselmann (Germany)and Giorgio Parisi(Italy) | Alain Aspect(France), John Clauser(American) and Anton Zeilinger(Austria) |
Literature | Abdulrazak Gurnah(United Kingdom) | Annie Ernaux of France |
Peace | Maria Ressa(Philippines ) and Dmitry Muratov(Russia) | Ales Byalyatski(Belarus), Memorial Group(Russia) and Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine) |
Economics | David Card, Joshua D. Angrist and Guido W. Imbens (All are Americans) | Ben Bernanke,Douglas Diamond,Philip Dybvig ( All are American) |
9. A Belarussian political dissident and civil rights organisation of Ukraine and Russia wins Nobel Peace Prize 2022
Tags: Awards Person in news
Jailed Belarusian political dissident Ales Byalyatski, banned Russian civil rights organisation Memorial and Ukrainian group Center for Civil Liberties were named the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize 2022 announced on 7 October 2022.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee in a statement said that it “wishes to honour three outstanding champions of human rights, democracy and peaceful co-existence in the neighbour countries Belarus, Russia and Ukraine."
The Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Economics are announced by the Swedish Nobel Committee while the Peace prize is announced by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
The award is seen as a return to the cold war era when the critic and dissident of the Soviet Union were given Nobel Prize by Norwegian committee so as to embarrass the Soviet Union. Russia which is the successor state of the Soviet Union is currently in a conflict with Ukraine and the Belorussian President Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Award Winners 2022
Ales Byalyatski, is a human right activist ,an opponent of Lukashenko and he was detained last year. by the government.
Memorial is a Russian organisation which works for human rights and civil liberties. It was a fierce critic of Vladimir Putin and it has been banned in Russia.
Center for Civil Liberties is an independent Ukrainian human rights organisation, which is also focused on fighting corruption.
2021 Nobel Peace prize winners
In 2021 the Nobel Peace prize was given to Maria Ressa of Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia.
India’s who have won the Nobel Peace Prize
- Mother Teresa (original name; Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu) won the peace prize in 1979.
- Kailash Satyarthi won the prize with Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan in 2014.
The Nobel Peace Prize which is worth 10 million Swedish crowns, or about $900,000, will be presented in Oslo, Norway on 10 December. 10 December is the death anniversary of the Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who founded the awards in his 1895 will.
10. Annie Ernaux becomes the first French women to win Nobel Prize for Literature
Tags: Awards Person in news
82 year old, Annie Ernaux became the first French woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature . The Swedish Academy which announced the Nobel Prize for literature 2022 on 6 October 2022, cited the French author for "the courage and clinical acuity" in her largely autobiographical books examining personal memory and social inequality.
Annie Ernaux's first novel was Les Armoires Vides, published in 1974 but she gained international recognition following the publication of Les Années in 2008, translated into The Years in 2017.
The Nobel prize for literature is normally given to established authors but some prizes have gone to writers from outside mainstream literary genres, including French philosopher Henri Bergson in 1927, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1953 and American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in 2016.
In 2021 the prize was won by Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah.
The prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace were established in the will of Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel, who invented dynamite made and the prize have been awarded since 1901.
The prize is worth 10 million Swedish crowns ($915,000) and it will be conferred on 10 December in the Swedish capital city of Stockholm.
