Six Portuguese young climate activists are taking 32 countries to the European Court of Human Rights for not doing enough to stop global warming. The young activists are aged 11 to 24 years and they decided to take action after seeing the massive wildfires in Portugal in 2017. They claim that the current climate policies are not adequate and that such policies violate their human rights. The hearing was scheduled to take place in Strasbourg, France on September 27.
The countries named in the action are the 27 members of the EU (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden) as well as Norway, Russia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.
October marks the Black History Month in the UK and Ireland. In the UK, Black History Month was established to recognise the history of those with African and Caribbean heritage. Whereas in the US, the Americans exclusively celebrate the African American heritage.
In the US and Canada, the Black History Month is observed in February.
Every October since 1987, the UK has observed the Black History Month to celebrate the heritage, culture, achievements, contributions, and history of black people in the UK. Now Black History Month also focuses on black British history and key black figures from the UK.
This year’s theme for Black History Month is ‘Time for Change: Action Not Words’. The main objective behind this theme is to encourage people to come together and fight racism. The Black History Month in the UK was initiated by Ghanaian born Akyaaba Addai-Sebo in 1987. October was chosen for the following two reasons:
1. October is the start of a new academic year and so would inspire young children who would be back after a long summer holiday.
2. To reconnect with African roots because traditionally, in October African chiefs and leaders gather together to settle their differences.
creativesupport.co.uk
Did You Know?
Black History Month in the UK is inspired by Black History Month celebrated in the US. It was officially recognised in the US in 1976.
It was introduced by Carter G. Woodson in 1926 as ‘Negro History Week’ which later became Black History Month after it became extremely popular.
Researchers may have discovered proof of a new planet similar to Earth.
A team of astronomers in Japan, including those from the country’s National Astronomical Observatory, believe that there is an unknown planet that may be circling the Sun in an orbit past Neptune. As of now, we know for sure that there are eight planets in our solar system. Their order from nearest the Sun to furthest away goes: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Satum, Uranus, Neptune and then a possible Planet Nine.
The published research suggests that this possible Planet Nine, could be hiding in the Kuiper Belt. The researchers found that the way that some of the objects in the Kuiper Belt behave suggests there could be a small planet among them. The astronomers think this new planet could be three times as big as Earth but it would not have life as we know it, because the temperatures would be too cold. The team say finding this new discovery near the Kuiper Belt, could lead to finding more possible planets.
Word Check
According to NASA, the Kuiper Belt is a doughnut shaped region of icy bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune – the eighth and most distant planet in our solar system.
science.nasa.gov
Did You Know?
For more than 70 years, Pluto was considered to be the ninth planet in our solar system. However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union downgraded Pluto to a dwarf planet. A dwarf planet orbits the sun just like other planets, but it is smaller.
Novak Djokovic Wins US Open For Record-Equalling 24th Grand Slam Title
The 36- year-old tennis star from Serbia, Novak Djokovic won the US Open final by defeating Danil Medvedev. He has become the first player to win 24 Grand Slams in the Open Era, which began in 1968. He has won three of the four Grand Slam titles in 2023, becoming the first man to achieve this feat on four occasions. In winning 24 grand slam titles, Djokovic now equals Australian Margaret Court’s record.
American teenager Coco Gauff has won the US Open tournament for the first time. The 19-year-old beat Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka in a nail-biting final. This win makes her the youngest American to win a major tennis championship since 1999. Cori Gauff, who’s nicknamed “Coco”, made headlines when in 2019 she became the youngest player (at 15 years and 122 days) to qualify for the main Wimbledon draw since the professional era began in 1968. The US Open is her first major title win.
bbc.co.ukthehill.com
Word Check
A Grand Slam is a very prestigious tennis tournament. There are four Grand Slam tournaments that take place every year – The US Open, Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.
The Open Era is the current era of professional tennis. It began in 1968 when the Grand Slam tournaments allowed professional players to compete with amateurs, ending the division that had persisted since the dawn of the sport in the 19th century.
Did You Know?
Tennis balls are very hard to recycle and they’re causing a problem for the Earth. Nearly all of the 330 million balls made worldwide each year eventually get wasted, with most ending up in landfill. Tennis balls can take more than 400 years to decompose. Grand Slam events go through nearly 100,000 balls over the course of the tournament and the tennis industry is scrambling for a solution.
India’s Newest UNESCO World Heritage Site, 41 and Counting – Santiniketan, West Bengal
During the 45th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Saudi Arabia, Santinikentan was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Santiniketan is a famous place in West Bengal where well-known Indian poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore, established a world university, called Visva-Bharati in 1921.
He was a poet, playwright, novelist, musician, and painter. In 1913 he won the Nobel Prize for Literature, for the English version of his collection of poetry, Gitaniali. He was the first non European to win a Nobel Prize in literature. He also wrote the national anthem of India. “Jana Gana Mana”.
Did You Know? Santiniketan, originally an ashram established by Rabindranath Tagore’s father, Maharshi Deben-dranath Tagore.
indiantribalheritage.org
India’s 42nd UNESCO World Heritage Site – Hoysala Temples, Karnataka
The Hoysala temples of Karnataka, located in the Belur, Halebidu and Somananthpura regions, have also been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. The temples were built in the 12th to 13th centuries and stand as symbols of the creativity and skill of the artists and architects of the Hoysala era. The Hoysala Empire ruled a large portion of the modern day state of Karnataka between the 10th and 14th centuries. The capital of the empire was initially located at Belur and later moved to Halebidu.
masalabox.co.in
What is UNESCO World Heritage List?
UNESCO has been working with countries around the world since 1972 to identify World Heritage sites and protect them for future generations. There are more than 1,000 sites on the World Heritage List, in three categories -cultural (such as a temple), natural (like a rainforest), and mixed (where both cultural and natural elements exist at the same location).
