Brazil: Scientists Reject Prestigious Medals in Row with Bolsonaro
Twenty-one scientists awarded one of Brazil's highest honors, the National Order of Scientific Merit, rejected their medals after President Jair Bolsonaro withdrew two colleagues whose work apparently discomfited his government from the list of honorees.
The far-right President had named 25 people to receive the honor, which Brazil created in 1992 to recognize the most important contributions to science and technology.
However, two days later, he withdrew the names of two prominent scientists from the list.
One was Dr. Marcus Lacerda, who published one of the first studies finding the drug chloroquine is ineffective against Covid-19 -- rebutting Bolsonaro's pet strategy for fighting the pandemic.
The other was Dr. Adele Benzaken, who was fired as director of the Brazilian health ministry's HIV/AIDS department when Bolsonaro took office in 2019 after her department published a pamphlet aimed at transgender men.
In protest, all 20 of the other scientists and one of the three "national personalities" named by Bolsonaro to receive the honor rejected their medals in an open letter.
Mountaineer Mohite Gets Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award
Maharashtra-based mountaineer Priyanka Mohite was bestowed with the prestigious 'Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020' for her outstanding contribution in the field of land adventure.
Mohite, who hails from Satara district, received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind at a function in the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.
Mohite, who started out by trekking in Sahyadri ranges in western Maharashtra and rock-climbing, began summiting mountains from 2010.
Nov 07, 2021
Ayodhya's 'Deepotsav' Enters Guinness World Records
Uttar Pradesh's Department of Tourism and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University jointly entered in Guinness World Records for the largest display of oil lamps during Deepotsava at Ram ki Paidi ghats in Ayodhya.
"Today we have lit up 9 lakh earthen lamps. I want to extend my greetings to everyone on this Deepotsav program," Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said at an event of Deepotsava celebrations in Ayodhya.
The 'Deepotsav' celebrations in Ayodhya last year had set the Guinness World records for 'the largest display of oil lamps' after 5,84,572 earthen lamps were lit on the banks of River Saryu.
Nov 06, 2021
South African Author Damon Galgut Wins Booker Prize
South African playwright and novelist, Damon Galgut won the 2021 Booker Prize for "The Promise", his third shortlisted novel which chronicles a family in his homeland from the late apartheid era through to Jacob Zuma's presidency. Spanning several decades, the book shows the family's growing disintegration as the country emerges into democracy.
Mr. Galgut took the prize on his third time as a finalist, for a book the judges called a "tour de force." He was previously shortlisted for "The Good Doctor" in 2003 and "In a Strange Room" in 2010, but lost both times.
Nov 05, 2021
New Zealand's Annual Bird of The Year Award
An independent conservation organisation in New Zealand, Forest & Bird, organised its annual Bird of The Year Award.
In the year 2021, the annual bird of the year award was won by Pekapeka-tou-roa, which is a native bat species of New Zealand.
The species was made the winner in competition, despite not being a bird.
Pekapeka-tou-roa is also known as long-tailed bat. It is one among New Zealand's two land mammals. This species of bat was added to the Bird of the Year list by Forest and Bird as these species of bat as well as native birds are threatened by the same problems like habitat loss, predators and climate change. Thus, the first time in 2021, the organisation has let a native mammal to enter the competition.
Nov 04, 2021
National Sports Awards
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award winners: Neeraj Chopra: Athletics, Ravi Kumar: Wrestling, Lovlina Borgohain: Boxing, Sreejesh P.R: Hockey, Avani Lekhara: Para Shooting, Pramod Bhagat: Para Badminton, Krishna Nagar: Para Badminton, Manish Narwal: Para Shooting, Mithali Raj: Cricket, Sunil Chhetri: Football, Manpreet Singh: Hockey
Arjuna Award winners include Arpinder Singh: Athletics and Simranjit Kaur: Boxing
Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches winners include T. P. Ouseph: Athletics and Sarkar Talwar: Cricket in Life-Time Category. In Regular Category, winners include Radhakrishnan Nair P: Athletics and Sandhya Gurung: Boxing.
Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement winners include Lekha K.C.: Boxing and Abhijeet Kunte: Chess.
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