International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

Notes:
The book “Lincoln in the Bardo” has been authored by George Saunders, the Folio prize-winning author. The novel is a tale of death and beyond that captures the grief of Abraham Lincoln over the death of his 11-year-old son Willie while the Civil War raged on in the United States of America (USA). The book draws a parallel line between the lives of Willie’s ghost and a similar uncertain state of Lincoln, after the boy’s death. In simple words, the novel is a confrontation with the mysterious beyond the inevitable death, a question that has haunted humankind, and the way death can bring even the head of a nation to his knees.

Notes:
Indian National Defence University set up in Gurgaon in Haryana.

Notes:
In India, April 24th is celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Diwas every year. This day marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993

Notes:
The National Technology Day (NTD) is celebrated every year on May 11 by the Union Ministry of Science & Technology to mark the historic feat of test-firing its very first nuclear-capable missile back in 1998 and to commemorate achievements of Innovation and Technology in India. 

Notes:
The North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) was signed by 12 countries on April 4, 1949 at the Departmental Auditorium in Washington, D.C.. The countries that signed the treaty were:  Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, The United Kingdom, The United States.  The treaty established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a mutual defense treaty between the 12 nations. The purpose of NATO was to deter the Soviet Union from invading Western Europe. The treaty committed each member to share the risks, responsibilities, and benefits of collective defense.  NATO is now an alliance of 31 nations from Europe and North America. The main purpose of NATO is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members by political and military means.

Notes:
The correct answer is “All matched correctly.” – International Migrants Day is indeed observed on December 18 to promote awareness of the rights of migrants. – International Volunteer Day is celebrated on December 5 to recognize the contributions of volunteers. – International Day of Older Persons is observed on October 1 to raise awareness about issues affecting the elderly. Since all the dates are accurately matched with their respective observances, the statement “All matched correctly” is true.

Notes:
United Nations (UN) emblem was designed by a team of designers led by Oliver Lincoln Lundquist during the United Nations Conference on International Organization in 1945. The emblem is a map of the world centered on the North Pole, surrounded by two olive branches. The design was modified and approved by the Assembly in 1946. The blue color in the flag represents peace.
The UN flag was adopted in October 1947. It has a light blue background with a white image in the center that looks like a globe. The image is the UN emblem, which is a polar world map surrounded by two olive branches. The olive branch is a symbol of peace.

Notes:
The name of the upper house of the European union is Council of the European Union. It is composed of twenty-eight national ministers (one per state).

Notes:
UN Mission named MONUSCO is located in Congo. It is acronym based on its French name (French: Mission de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République démocratique du Congo). It is a United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo.

Notes:
The correct answer is “5 Permanent & 4 Non-Permanent Members.” In the United Nations Security Council, a decision requires the affirmative votes of at least 9 out of 15 members, which includes all 5 permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and 4 non-permanent members. This structure ensures that both permanent and non-permanent members have a important role in decision-making. Notably, any of the permanent members can veto a substantive resolution, which is a unique feature of the Security Council.