International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

Notes:
The book “Narendra Modi: The Making of a Legend” has been authored by Bindeshwar Pathak, the Sulabh International founder and a Padma Bhushan recipient. The book is recently launched by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat in New Delhi. The coffee table book is all about PM Modi and the inspiring journey of his life. It has images and text depicting Modi’s journey, his struggles and several initiatives taken by him since he took oath as country’s prime minister in 2014.

Notes:
The headquarters of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is loacated in Geneva, Switzerland. IUCN has observer and consultative status at the United Nations and plays a role in the implementation of several international conventions on nature conservation and biodiversity.

Notes:
The correct answer is “Single Euro Payment Area” (SEPA). SEPA is an initiative by the European Union aimed at simplifying bank transfers denominated in euros. It allows for seamless electronic payments across member states, treating them as domestic transactions. Established in 2008, SEPA enhances efficiency and reduces costs for consumers and businesses, promoting financial integration within the Eurozone.

Notes:
Oslo Accords or Oslo Process refers to two agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. First is the Oslo I Accord, signed in Washington in 1993 and second is Oslo II Accord, signed in Taba, Egypt in 1995. It resulted in recognition of Israel by the PLO and the recognition by Israel of the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and as a partner in bilateral negotiations.

Notes:
Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) ended the Bosnian War, which was part of the Yugoslav Wars. The DPA was signed on December 1995 after months of negotiations. The war lasted three and a half years and was known for its violence and atrocities. The war resulted in about 100,000 deaths and displaced two million people. The DPA also outlined a constitutional framework for peace in Bosnia.  The DPA was reached by the presidents of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia. The agreement was brokered by American diplomat Richard Holbrooke. The negotiations began in the Balkans and ended in Dayton, Ohio.

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The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement instructs governments on food safety and animal and plant health measures implementation, in addition to offering instructions on most-favoured-nation treatment and the general elimination of quantitative restrictions under the WTO framework. Commonly known as the SPS Agreement, it was established during the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and came into force with the creation of the WTO in early 1995.

Notes:
AFSPA became a law on September 11, 1958. Initially, it was applicable to the seven Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. This was so because in all these states there were movements of ethnic groups demanding separation from India. The government felt that such insurgencies could be checked through deployment of the armed forces, and they would need special powers to carry out their responsibilities. AFSPA was extended to J&K in 1990, on similar considerations.

Notes:
The BIS was formed in 1930. The main actors in its establishment were the then-Governor of The Bank of England, Montagu Norman, and his German counterpart Hjalmar Schacht, later Adolf Hitler’s finance minister. The Bank was originally intended to facilitate reparation payments imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War. The need for the bank was suggested in 1929 by the Young Committee, and was agreed to in August of that year at a conference at the Hague. A charter for the bank was drafted at the International Bankers Conference at Baden Baden in November. The charter was adopted at a second Hague Conference on January 20, 1930

Notes:
M. Visvesvaraya, a noted engineer and politician, in 1934 authored the book, ‘Planned Economy for India’. The book has a brief of the Indian situation in its economic aspects and to urge, in respect of the problems before the country, the adoption of certain courageous solutions based on recent world experience.

Notes:
22 May is celebrated as the International Day for Biological Diversity.