Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize Dream Ends as Venezuela’s Ms.Maria Corina Machado Wins

● The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was announced on 10 October 2025 by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo, Norway. It was awarded to Maria Corina Machado for her work to bring democracy and peace to her country. The prize will be presented at a ceremony on 10 December 2025 in Oslo, Norway.

● The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Machado as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times.” The committee said her recognition was a tribute to her “courageous defense of freedom and democracy under authoritarian rule.”

About Maria Corina Machado

● Maria Corina Machado is a 58 year old industrial engineer and has been a key opposition figure in Venezuela. She was born on October 7, 1967 in Caracas.

● Machado co-founded the vote monitoring organization Sumate in 2002, which aimed to promote electoral transparency.

● She challenged Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro’s decade long rule. She was barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election but continued to inspire resistance against what the Nobel Committee described as a “brutal authoritarian state.” Despite threats to her life she continues to fight for democracy and human rights in Venezuela.

● Nearly eight million Venezuelans have reportedly fled the country amid economic collapse and political persecution. Despite threats and exile Machado remained in Venezuela, becoming a symbol of hope and defiance.

● Upon winning the Nobel Peace Prize she said “I hope you understand this is not just an award to me but to a whole movement and a whole society.”

● She has also received international recognition such as the Sakharov Prize and the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize.

US Response to the Prize

● US President Donald Trump’s long standing dream of winning the Nobel Peace Prize has ended in disappointment for 2025.

● The White House expressed “deep disappointment” that the prize went to Machado instead of Trump, accusing the Nobel Committee of prioritizing politics over peace.

● For years, Trump had sought the Nobel Peace Prize asserting that he stopped seven wars around the world including the recent conflict between India and Pakistan and his diplomatic efforts in the Gaza ceasefire deal. However India has firmly rejected this claim, stating that there was no third party mediation from the US in their ceasefire and the two countries resolved their issues directly.

● On the eve of the Nobel Prize announcement, he restated his belief that he “deserved the Nobel for resolving many wars.” This year, Donald Trump was sworn in as the US President on January 20, 2025. The official nomination deadline to file for the Nobel Peace Prize was February 1, 2025 shortly after his inauguration. So his chances for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize were less likely. However, his dream of receiving the prize could still come true in the coming years if his peace efforts continue to be recognized.

● Machado later dedicated her Nobel Prize to Donald Trump, acknowledging his support for Venezuela’s pro democracy movement. She said “This award also honors those abroad who stood with our people’s fight for freedom.”

● The Nobel Committee defended its decision. Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes emphasized that the award was meant to recognize “those who rise and resist oppression,” not to settle political debates.

About Nobel Peace Prize

● The Nobel Peace Prize was established by the will of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, who dedicated part of his fortune to awarding those who work to promote peace and fraternity among nations.

● The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually in Oslo, Norway by the Norwegian Nobel Committee appointed by the Norwegian Parliament, which is unique as all other Nobel Prizes are presented in Sweden.

● Nominations are submitted by qualified persons, such as previous laureates, members of national governments and parliaments, university professors and certain international judges. Nominations are submitted by January 31st. The prize has been awarded 105 times to 142 laureates between 1901 and 2024.

● The prize can be awarded to individuals or organizations whose work contributes to ending war, reducing armaments or promoting peaceful dispute resolution, democracy, and human rights.

● The laureate receives the prize at a formal ceremony on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, which is attended by dignitaries including the Norwegian royal family and international leaders.

● Nobel Prizes are also awarded in the field of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Economics every year.

Recent Developments between India and Afghanistan’s Taliban Government

● On October 10, 2025 Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India for the first time since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.

● During his visit, India announced it would upgrade its existing technical mission in Kabul to a full embassy which had been closed since 2021 after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. The Government of Ashraf Ghani was removed. In June 2022 the Indian government positioned a technical team in the embassy mainly to supervise distribution of humanitarian aid.

● Although India has not officially recognized the Taliban government, this move shows India’s interest in engaging with Afghanistan for regional stability, economic development and humanitarian support.

● The Taliban foreign minister condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in India and expressed support for India's Operation Sindoor against terrorism. Both sides emphasized their commitment to combating terrorism and assured that Afghan soil would not be used against any country indirectly addressing concerns about Pakistan based terror groups.

● Muttaqi and Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar held talks focused on strengthening ties, regional security and counterterrorism efforts. Both sides condemned terrorism from regional countries and emphasized respect for each other's sovereignty. India also agreed to increase aid and development projects in Afghanistan including helping refugees and boosting trade and investments.

● Muttaqi also invited Indian companies to invest in the mining sector to strengthen the bilateral trade and commercial relations. India is also willing to assist the Afghan government in reconstructing residential buildings in the earthquake affected areas.

● There was also focus on sports especially Cricket to advance cultural interactions and more visas for Afghan nationals in medical, business and student categories for expanding avenues for Afghan students to pursue studies at Indian Universities.

● S. Jaishankar also announced a gift of 20 ambulances in a goodwill gesture in addition to MRI and CT scan machines to Afghan hospitals and vaccines for immunization and cancer medicines.

Deepika Padukone named India’s Mental Health Ambassador

● Deepika Padukone has been appointed as India’s first ever Mental Health Ambassador by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in October 2025 on the occasion of World Mental Health Day to raise awareness about access to mental health services.

● Deepika has been a vocal advocate for mental health for years, sharing her personal journey with depression and founding The Live Love Laugh Foundation in 2015 to promote mental well being.

● Her appointment aims to strengthen India’s mental health framework through public awareness campaigns and collaboration with the government. She will work closely with the Health Ministry to raise mental health awareness and promote destigmatisation efforts, encourage help seeking behaviour and preventive efforts, and promote Tele MANAS (Tele- Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) and other government approved mental health resources.

● Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda launched new initiatives for the Tele MANAS App, part of the National Tele Mental Health Programme. The upgraded app now features a multilingual interface in ten regional languages, an interactive chatbot named 'Asmi', and an emergency module to provide real time support during crises.

● These enhancements aim to make mental health services more accessible and user friendly across India, especially for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.

● Since its launch in October 2022, Tele MANAS has handled over 28 lakh calls, with approximately 4,000 calls received daily. The program operates across all states and union territories offering support in more than 20 languages.

Supreme Court allows Firecrackers during Diwali in Delhi NCR on trial basis

● The Supreme Court of India, on October 10, 2025 announced that it will allow the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) during the five days of Diwali. Traditional crackers would remain banned.

● This decision marks a departure from the previous absolute ban on firecrackers, including green crackers in the region.

● The court's move is aimed at balancing environmental concerns with people's celebrations, while also considering the livelihoods of firecracker industry workers.

● The court indicated that the use of eco-friendly, certified green crackers would be permitted during Diwali, but only within specific time limits most likely from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali.

● The decision was taken after a long hearing, where the government proposed a regulated framework for allowing green firecrackers, including requirements like certification from authorities (only dual certified manufacturers: NEERI + PESO to be permitted), licensed sales and no online sales.

● The government's proposal lacks feasibility because PESO has no testing facilities in Delhi and there is no way to visually distinguish green from traditional firecrackers.

● The court emphasized that this trial run is to ensure controlled use without compromising air quality and public health.

● This judgment is a significant development since, in 2018, the Supreme Court had imposed strict restrictions on firecracker use in Delhi NCR citing severe pollution.

What are Green Firecrackers?

● Green firecrackers are eco-friendly fireworks that produce at least 30% less air and noise pollution than traditional crackers. They are made with safer chemicals, avoiding harmful substances like barium and lead. Green crackers also release water vapor when they burst, which helps reduce dust and harmful particles in the air. They are smaller in size, less noisy, and certified by scientific bodies like CSIR-NEERI.

● Examples of green crackers include varieties named SWAS (safe water release), STAR (safe thermite) and SAFAL (safe with minimal aluminum).

● Green crackers come with a unique logo and QR code on their packaging to help consumers identify them as certified eco-friendly products.