Current Affairs 2023

The Nobel Peace Prize 2023 [06 Oct 2023]

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize 2023 to Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.

This year's peace prize also recognises the hundreds of thousands of people who, in the preceding year, have demonstrated against Iran's theocratic regime's policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women. The mottoadopted by the demonstrators - "Woman - Life - Freedom" - suitably expresses the dedication and work of NargesMohammadi.

Narges Mohammadi is a woman, a human rights advocate, and a freedom fighter. Her brave struggle for freedom of expression and the right of independence has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime in Iran has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes. Narges Mohammadi is still in prison.

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2023 [05 Oct 2023]

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2023 was awarded to Jon Fosse, "for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable".

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 [04 Oct 2023]

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 was awarded to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexei I. Ekimov "for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots".

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2023 [03 Oct 2023]

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2023 was awarded jointly to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz, and Anne L’Huillier "for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in the matter".

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023 [02 Oct 2023]

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded jointly to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman "for their discoveries concerning base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19".

India wins bid to host 17th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement [21 Sep 2023]

India has won the bid to host the prestigious International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement (ICCC) in New Delhi in 2027. India’s leading research and academic institutes, the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) along with IIT Delhi successfully presented India’s bid before the Steering Committee members of the Conference during the ongoing 16th ICCC in Bangkok, Thailand. Besides India, other bidders were from Switzerland and the UAE. The decision was announced on 20 September 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand during the 16th ICCC. The Indian bid was presented by Dr. L P Singh, Director General, NCCBM, Dr. S K Chaturvedi, Joint Director, NCCBM, and Dr. Shashank Bishnoi, Professor (Civil Engg.), IIT Delhi. The International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement is the largest and most prestigious event of its kind which reviews the progress of research in the area of Cement and Concrete. The congresses have been held generally at intervals of four to six years since 1918, providing a strong and fruitful link between the academic world and the cement industry. The 9th Congress was organized in New Delhi in 1992 by NCCBM and the present 16th ICCC is being held in Bangkok, Thailand from 18-22 September 2023.

Bharat becomes the 13th country in world that can issue Internationally Accepted OIML Certificates [14 Sep 2023]

OIML is an Intergovernmental organization which was established in 1955. Bharat became its member in 1956. It has 63 Member States and 64 Corresponding Members. Bharat has now become an authority for issuing internationally accepted OIML certificates for selling weights & measures anywhere in the world. To sell a weight or measure in the International market an OIML Pattern Approval certificate is mandatory, which the Department of Consumer Affairs can issue now.

Bharat follows OIML recommendations and procedures for testing and calibration of weights and measures. The reports prepared by the Legal Metrology’s Regional Reference Standards Laboratories are now acceptable to the OIML issuing authorities. Now, Bharat is an authority for issuing OIML pattern approval certificates and can act as a support system for indigenous manufacturers. Domestic manufacturers can now export their weighing and measuring instruments worldwide without incurring additional testing fees, resulting in significant cost savings.

Bharat can also support foreign manufacturers by issuing OIML pattern approval certificates from our certified RRSLs. By issuing the OIML approval certificates of weighing & measuring instruments to the foreign manufacturers Bharat will also generate forex in terms of fees etc.

Bharat may now influence the OIML's policies and provide input to the OIML Strategy. This system allows OIML Certificates issued by OIML Issuing Authorities in OIML Member States to be accepted by other participants as the basis for issuing national or regional type approvals for measuring instruments. The other OIML Members can thus issue national-type approval certificates without the need for expensive test facilities by relying on these certificates.

SAP Labs India MD Sindhu Gangadharan appointed as Nasscom Vice-Chairperson [12 Sep 2023]

IT industry body Nasscom has appointed Sindhu Gangadharan, SAP Labs India’s Managing Director, as its vice-chairperson. Gangadharan’s appointment comes after Cognizant India MD Rajesh Nambiar, who was the vice-chair, was appointed as the Chairperson earlier this month following Anant Maheshwari’s exit.

Smt Droupadi Murmu Inaugurates ‘First Global Symposium on Farmers' Rights’ in New Delhi [12 Sep 2023]

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated first 'Global Symposium on Farmers' Rights' (GSFR) today, in a ceremony held at ICAR Convention Centre, National Agricultural Science Centre, New Delhi. President Murmu conferred the ‘Plant Genome Saviour Communities’ Award (6) and ‘Plant Genome Saviour Farmers Reward’ (16) and ‘Plant Genome Saviour Farmers Recognition’ (4) awards to the invited Indian farmers. These awards are instituted by the PPVFR Authority as per the provisions of the PPVFR Act, 2001. She also inaugurated the newly constructed ‘Plant Authority Bhawan’, the office of the PPVFR Authority, and an online plant variety ‘Registration Portal’.

21st edition of Varuna (Varuna-23) bilateral exercise between Indian and French Navy was conducted in the Arabian Sea [08 Sep 2023]

Phase II of the 21st edition of Varuna (Varuna-23) bilateral exercise between Indian and French Navy was conducted in the Arabian Sea. The exercise witnessed participation of guided missile frigates, tanker, Maritime Patrol Aircraft and integral helicopters from the two sides. The exercise was conducted over three days and witnessed joint operations, underway replenishment and various tactical manoeuvres. Units of both navies endeavoured to enhance and hone their war fighting skills, improve interoperability and demonstrate their ability to promote, peace, security and stability in the region. The first phase of 'Varuna-2023' was conducted off India's Western Seaboard from 16 to 20 Jan 23.

Indian & French Navy bilateral naval exercise was initiated in 1993. The exercise was later christened as 'Varuna' in 2001 and has since become a hallmark of robust India-France strategic bilateral relationship. Having grown in scope and complexity over the years, this exercise provides an opportunity to learn from each other's best practices and procedures. The exercise also facilitates operational level interaction between the two Navies to foster mutual cooperation for good order at sea, underscoring the shared commitment to ensuring security, safety and freedom of the global maritime commons.