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:
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 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964. It was meant for the integrated treatment of trade and development and related issues in the areas of investment, finance, technology, enterprise development and sustainable development.

Notes:
The Bretton Woods system is commonly refers to the international monetary regime that prevailed from the end of World War II until the early 1970s. Taking its name from the site of the 1944 conference that created the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, the Bretton Woods system was history’s first example of a fully negotiated monetary order intended to govern currency relations among sovereign states.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly established October 2nd as the International Day of Non-Violence in 2007 to honor Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. Gandhi is renowned for his philosophy of non-violent resistance, which influenced civil rights movements worldwide. The day promotes the principles of non-violence through education and public awareness.

Notes:
Balika Diwas, or National Girl Child Day, is celebrated in India on January 24 each year. However, the date mentioned in the options is incorrect. The day aims to promote the rights of girls and highlight issues they face. It was first observed in 2008 and is part of the government’s efforts to improve the status of girls in society.

Notes:
Mercosur is a sub-regional bloc of South American countries. Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency. It was established in 1991 and its headquarters are located at Montevideo (Uruguay). It calls itself the common market of the South America At present, it is a full customs union and a trading bloc. Its full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay

Notes:
The Special Service Bureau (now Sashastra Seema Bal) was conceived in November 1962 and eventually created in March 1963 with the sole objective of achieving ‘Total security preparedness’ in the remote border areas for performing a ‘stay-behind’ role in the event of a war. SSB was started in North Assam, North Bengal, hill districts of Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand), Himachal Pradesh, part of Punjab and Ladakh area of J&K.

Notes:
The correct answer is G-20. Established in 1999, the G-20 includes major economies that represent about 85% of global GDP. Its role expanded importantly during the 2008 financial crisis, positioning it as a key forum for international economic cooperation. Unlike the G-7, which consists of advanced economies, the G-20 includes emerging markets, enhancing its influence in global economic governance and crisis management, sometimes challenging the traditional dominance of the World Bank and IMF.

Notes:
International Bill of Human Rights consists of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted in 1948),
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) with its two Optional Protocols and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966).
The two covenants entered into force in 1976, after a sufficient number of countries had ratified them.