International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

Notes:
The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on 15 June 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries signatories of the “Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Countries” issued at the end of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva.

Notes:
U Thant was from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. He served as the third Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971, becoming the first Asian to hold the position. His tenure was marked by important events, including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. U Thant was known for his efforts in peacekeeping and promoting decolonization.

Notes:
The Tunisian Revolution is also called the Jasmine Revolution. It was an intensive 28-day campaign of civil resistance. It led to the ousting of longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011.

Notes:
The correct answer is the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Established in 1992, the CSTO is a military alliance of several former Soviet republics, aimed at mutual defense and security cooperation. Its headquarters are indeed located in Moscow, Russia. In contrast, the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was formed in 1954 and dissolved in 1977, while the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was founded in 2001 with its headquarters in Beijing, China.

Notes:
World Conference on Disaster Reduction is a United Nations conference bringing together government officials, non-governmental experts and other specialists from around the world to discuss the growing trend of people affected by natural disasters. The first WCDR conference was held in Kobe, Japan January 10- 22, 2005. The outcome of this conference was Hyogo Framework for Action. The HFA suggests five specific priorities for action:

1. Making disaster risk reduction a priority;
2. Improving risk information and early warning;
3. Building a culture of safety and resilience;
4. Reducing the risks in key sectors;
5. Strengthening preparedness for response.

Notes:
An INTERPOL notice or International Notice is issued by INTERPOL to share critical crime-related information between its member countries. There are eight types, seven of which are known by their colour codes. Based on requests from National Central Bureaus (NCBs), the General Secretariat produces notices in all of the organization’s official languages: Arabic, English, French and Spanish. Besides these notices are used by the International Criminal Tribunals and the International Criminal Court to seek persons wanted for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Notes:
All given features are of Prithvi-I. Prithvi I was one of the first missiles developed under Government of India’s IGMDP. Launched in February 1988, Prithvi I is a single-stage, liquid-fuelled missile. A surface-to-surface missile, it has a range of 150 km and a mounting capability of 1000 kg. It was inducted into the Indian Army in 1994. The Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme was conceived under the leadership of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and has proved to be one of India’s most successful defence research projects. The missiles developed successfully for Indian armed forces under the project are Prithvi, Akash, Trishul, Nag, and Agni. The IGMDP was conceived in 1982-83 and completed in 2008.

Notes:
The Igniter Complex at High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) was inaugurated in Pashan area of Pune in Maharashtra. The new complex is equipped with sieve shaker, granulating machine, planetary mixer, pelleting machine, etc. A design, modelling, simulation laboratory are a part of the complex. The complex also has an assembly centre and a testing centre.
HEMRL is a premier laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).It is primarily engaged in developing rocket and gun propellants, pyrotechnic devices, high-explosive systems and synthesis of high-energy molecules.

Notes:
Bipin Chandra Pal wrote The Soul of India. The book was published in 1911. Pal was a leader of the nationalist movement in India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The book is written as four letters to a young English friend. It reflects Pal’s belief that writing could inspire people in the struggle for independence.

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.