SEPTEMBER 23 WORLD EVENTS 

INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATE BISEXUALITY DAY: BI+AWARENWSS WEEK OR #BIWEEK -16 TO 23 SEPTEMBER

[Article Related Keywords: bisexual rights, bisexual community, bisexual visibility, International Celebrate Bisexuality Day, LGBT community, marginalization, discrimination, celebration, culture, history, norms, awareness, challenges]

Introduction: International Celebrate Bisexuality Day is an annual observance celebrated on September 22nd throughout the world. It was created in the US by three bisexual rights activists to give social recognition, social acceptance and basic rights to the bisexual community that was often devalued, discriminated and marginalised in mainstream society. The aim of Bisexuality Day is to impart social inclusion, history and cultural acceptance, and reduce stereotypes associated with them. They used to face many challenges in their day-to-day life apart from social division and inequalities due to their bisexual identity.

Definition of Bisexual: The term “bisexual” is used to describe an individual who experiences or engages in emotional, romantic and sexual attractions or relationships with more than one sex or gender, at some times and not others.

Background: The International Celebrate Bisexuality Day or Bi Visibility Day was created in 1999 by three bisexual rights activists viz. Wendy Curry, Michael Page, and Gigi Raven Wilbur in the USA in 1999. The bisexual community's flag comprises purple, blue, and pink colours. The psychology of Monosexism and Biphobia is the root cause of their discrimination and social rejection and deprives them of their social, economic and political rights. In the US various steps were taken for the betterment of the Bisexual Community by the Judiciary and Legislative and they are also admitted to the defence sector.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SIGN AND LANGUAGES:

Introduction: The day of 23 September marks the annual observance of the International Day Of Sign and Languages which was first observed in 2018 to promote and support sign languages and acknowledge the identity, social inclusion and acceptance of deaf individuals in our society. This day facilitates sign language as a chief mode of communication for those who suffer from hearing impairs and to enhance their interaction in society. The theme for 2023 - International Day Of Sign and Languages: A World Where Deaf People Can Sign Anywhere. In India, the deaf and other disabled individuals are now termed Divyanga (दिव्याङ्ग) which refers to a “divine body.”

Definition of Sign Languages: The languages of signs are speechless gestures of an individual's body parts or expressions for communication. It includes facial gestures, lip movement, and body language.

Background: The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), is a global organization that was established in Rome, Italy with the aim to fight for the deaf community's human rights and the preservation of sign languages and deaf cultures. WFD proposed the UN to mark its foundation day, 23 September 1951, as the International Day Of Sign and Languages. The International Day of Sign Languages was first celebrated in 2018 as part of the International Week of the Deaf after the acceptance of its proposal by UNGA in 2017.

US NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS: 23 SEPTEMBER

[Article Related Keywords: National Public Lands Day, volunteer, public lands, environment, stewardship, recreation, education]

National Public Lands Day is an annual event celebrated on the fourth Saturday of September in the US. It was the largest single-day volunteer event for public lands in 2022.

National Public Lands Day is an opportunity to get involved in the community and help protect US public lands. Volunteers participate in a variety of projects to help care for public lands, such as planting trees, cleaning up trails, removing invasive species, and restoring habitat.

JABALIA CAMP INCIDENT DURING ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT: 23 SEPTEMBER 2005

The Jabalia Camp incident was a controversial event that occurred on September 23, 2005, during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A group of Hamas militants were holding a rally in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip to celebrate the recent Israeli disengagement from Gaza. During the rally, there was an explosion that killed at least 19 Palestinians, including both militants and civilians.

DISCOVERY OF NEPTUNE: NEPTUNE DAY: 22 SEP. 1846

Neptune, the eighth and outermost planet in our solar system, was discovered on September 23, 1846, by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle at Berlin Observatory. Galle's discovery was the culmination of a decade of work by astronomers around the world, who had observed irregularities in the orbit of Uranus that suggested the existence of an unseen planet beyond it.

The most significant contribution to the discovery of Neptune was made by French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier, who used Newton's laws of gravity to calculate the position of the unseen planet. Le Verrier's calculations were so accurate that Galle was able to find Neptune within one degree of its predicted position on the first night of his search.

AMERICAN NAVAL VICTORY IN BATTLE OF FLAMBOROUGH HEAD: 23 SEPTEMBER 1779

The Battle of Flamborough Head was a naval battle that occurred on September 23, 1779, in the North Sea between the French-American joint naval force and the British navy in which the former head was a Navy officer John Paul Jones became victorious.

VOLKSWAGEN EMISSIONS SCANDAL: 23 SEPT 2015

On 18 September 2015, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice to Volkswagen that it had cheated on emissions tests. Volkswagen had programmed its cars to turn on pollution controls only during testing. In real-world driving, the cars emitted up to 40 times more pollution than allowed by law. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn resigns on 23 September 2015. The Volkswagen Emission Scandal is also known as Dieselgate or Emissionsgate.

CASCADE MALL SHOOTING: 23 SEPTEMBER 2016

The Cascade Mall shooting was a senseless tragedy that claimed the lives of five innocent people. It was also a wake-up call to the Burlington community, and to the US as a whole, about the dangers of gun violence and mental illness. The shooter, Arcan Cetin, was a young man with a troubled past. He had a history of mental illness. On the day of the shooting, Cetin entered the Cascade Mall, Burlington, Washington, armed with an assault rifle and a handgun. He opened fire in the mall's food court, killing five and injuring many.

SAUDI NATIONAL DAY: 23rd SEPTEMBER

[Article Related Keywords: Saudi National Day, September 23rd, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unification, festivities, parades, fireworks, cultural performances, tradition, history, culture, achievements]

 

Geographical Location: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is situated in West Africa and covers most part of the Arabian Peninsula. This country's capital is Riyadh and is the birthplace of the Muslim Religion, famous for the Mecca and Medina Pilgrimage.

Event Description: 

Saudi Arabi National Day is an annual celebration on 23rd September in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to commemorate the unification of the Kingdom and its foundation by King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud in 1932. 

THE CURRENT TRENDING NEWS:

DISEASE X: Scientists across the world are issuing warnings about a new potential pandemic called 'Disease X'. They say this disease could be 20 times deadlier than the Wuhan Virus.  Disease X is an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious international epidemic. The experts will recommend a list of priority pathogens that need further research and investment. The process will include both scientific and public health criteria, as well as criteria related to socioeconomic impact, access, and equity. The current list includes COVID-19, Crimean-Cong haemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Nipah and henipaviral diseases, Rift Valley fever, Zika and Disease X. It may have a similar impact as the Spanish Flu.

The WHO dubbed the potential next pandemic as Disease X and said that it may already be on its way. According to health expert Dame Kate Bingham - who chaired the UK's vaccine taskforce in 2020, Disease X may have the capacity to result in 20 times more fatalities (approximately 50 million fatalities) as compared to Covid-19. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Bingham said, “The world will have to prepare for mass vaccination drives and deliver the doses in record time…Imagine Disease X is as infectious as measles with the fatality rate of Ebola (67 per cent). Somewhere in the world, it's replicating, and sooner or later, somebody will start feeling sick.” Currently, there is no approved vaccine available for ‘Disease X’. Stressing on the importance of scientists developing a collection of different prototype vaccines for every threatening virus family, Bingham said that just a head start on vaccines for the deadly virus may help target its specific features.

OUTBREAK OF NIPAH VIRUS IN KERALA

The Nipah virus is a rare but deadly zoonotic virus that can cause severe respiratory illness in humans. It is transmitted from fruit bats to humans, and can also be spread through direct contact with infected people or animals. The Nipah virus has a high fatality rate, ranging from 40-75%.

On August 30, 2023, a 49-year-old man died in Kozhikode district of Kerala, India, after testing positive for the Nipah virus. This was the first confirmed case of Nipah in Kerala since 2021. As of September 26, 2023, there have been two deaths and six confirmed cases of the Nipah virus in Kerala. Kozhikode: The government has withdrawn the Nipah containment zones in Vadakara taluk. However, the general restrictions on public gatherings would continue. People are asked to avoid unnecessary gatherings until October 1. Face masks and hand hygiene are strictly enforced.

The Kerala government has taken a number of steps to control the outbreak, including:

Contact tracing and quarantine of all high-risk contacts

Surveillance and testing of suspected cases

Public education and awareness campaigns

Closure of schools and other public places in the affected area

The World Health Organization (WHO) is also providing technical support to the Kerala government.

Symptoms of Nipah virus infection

The symptoms of Nipah virus infection typically appear within 4-14 days of exposure. The early symptoms of Nipah virus infection are similar to those of other respiratory illnesses, such as fever, headache, muscle pain, and cough. However, the virus can progress to more severe symptoms, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), seizures, and coma.

Prevention of Nipah virus infection

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for Nipah virus infection. However, there are a number of things that people can do to reduce their risk of exposure to the virus, including:

Avoiding contact with fruit bats and their urine or droppings

Washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them

Cooking meat and eggs thoroughly

Avoiding close contact with people who are sick with Nipah virus