1. Luis A. Caffarelli awarded the 2023 Abel Prize
Tags: Awards
Luis Caffarelli of Argentina has been awarded the 2023 Abel Prize.
An overview of the news
The 74-year-old Caffarelli has been awarded the prize for his contributions to the field of nonlinear partial equations and free-boundary problems in mathematics.
Caffarelli was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, making him the first Abel Prize laureate from South America.
Currently, he is a professor at the University of Texas, Austin.
About Abel Prize
First awarded in 2003, the Abel prize “recognises pioneering scientific achievements in mathematics”.
It is named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802-29), who in his short life made pioneering contributions in a multitude of fields.
It is often considered to be an equivalent of the Nobel prize.
The award carries a monetary prize of 7.5 million kronor (about $720,000) and a glass plaque designed by Norwegian artist Henrik Haugen.
The prize is awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters on behalf of the Ministry of Education.
2. Ukrainian Rights Group Truth Hounds wins Norwegian prize
Tags: Awards
Ukrainian rights group Truth Hounds, which documents war crimes in the Ukraine conflict, was on 9 March awarded Norway's Sakharov Freedom Award.
An overview of the news
The Sakharov Freedom Award was established in 1980 with the support of Soviet scientist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov.
- The prize has been awarded to the Norwegian Helsinki Committee human rights organization Truth Hounds for "documenting war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
Truth Hounds is a Ukrainian rights group founded during the Maidan Revolution that led to the fall of pro-Russian former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
The award is regularly awarded to human rights defenders from the former Soviet Union.
3. Belarus court jails Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski for 10 years
Tags: Person in news International News
A court in Belarus on March 3 sentenced 2022 Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist Ales Bialiatski to 10 years in prison for financing protests and other crimes.
An overview of the news
He has been given this sentence in the case of activities disturbing public order, financing and smuggling.
A fine of 65 thousand US dollars has also been imposed on 60-year-old Bialiatsky.
He is co-founder of the Viasna human rights group.
In October 2022, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on human rights and democracy.
Along with Bialyatsky, representatives of the Vesna Human Rights Center, Valentin Stefanovich and Vladimir Labkovich, were also sentenced to 9 years and 7 years, respectively.
Investigation revealed that Ales Bialiatsky and other members received funds from various organizations in Lithuania during April 2016 to July 2021.
After this these funds were sent outside the Eurasian Economic Union with the help of many people.
According to the law of Belarus, this is a crime and the maximum punishment for this crime is 12 years.
Baliatsky, a Belarusian litterateur, school teacher and museum director, has been involved in pro-democracy protests since the 1980s.
He was an avid supporter of Belarus' independence from the Soviet Union in the early 1980s, organizing anti-Soviet protests across the country.
4. National Science Day: 28 February
Tags: Important Days
National Science Day is celebrated every year on 28 February in honour of India's great physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman.
An overview of the news
Theme of the National Science Day:
The main theme of National Science Day for the year 2023 has been declared by the Department of Science and Technology, Union Ministry of Science and Technology as 'Global Science for Global Wellbeing'.
The theme reflects India's emerging global role and growing reach in the international arena.
Objective:
To create a positive scientific research culture by promoting scientific consciousness among people with scientific temper.
Beginning of National Science Day:
Celebration of National Science Day started from 28 February 1987.
The discovery of the popular 'Raman Effect' by CV Raman, one of the country's physicists, was confirmed on 28 February 1928, after which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930, two years later.
To celebrate this achievement, the Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), Government of India, had advised to celebrate February 28 as National Science Day.
World Science Day is observed on 10 November; Theme of World Science Day 2022: Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development.
5. 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 ''.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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
10. 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.
