International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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The Human Rights Day (HRD) is observed every year on December 10 to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration was adopted and proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948 as the shared standard benchmark to protect human rights across the world.

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The Dag Hammarskjöld Library is a library on the grounds of the headquarters of the United Nations. It located in the Turtle Bay/East Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan, in New York City.

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World Bank is one of five institutions created at Breton Woods Conference in 1944. It is part of the United Nations system, but its governance structure is different. Its headquarter are situated at Washington DC, US. World Bank provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.
 It comprises only two institutions viz. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and International Development Association (IDA). In contrast World Bank Group comprises three more viz. International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)

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ADB is multilateral lending agency based in Manila, Philippines. It is dedicated to reduce poverty in Asia and the Pacific region through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
ADB has 67 members – 48 from the Asia-Pacific region including India and is collectively owned by these 67 members. The non Asia pacific region members are only developed countries.

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Treaty of Portsmouth ended the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. The treaty was signed on September 5, 1905 at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The treaty was signed by Japanese and Russian diplomats after negotiations from August 6 to August 30. The treaty ended the war that began in 1904. The war was caused by Russian and Japanese expansionism in the Far East. The war contributed to domestic unrest in both countries, which led to the Russian revolution of 1905. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was instrumental in the negotiations and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

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One of the most famous speeches of the Cold War period in which former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill condemns the Soviet Union’s policies in Europe is also called as Iron Curtain Speech.

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“Nomadic Elephant” is a joint military exercise focusing on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations between India and Mongolia. This exercise is part of a series of military cooperation activities undertaken by the Indian Army with various countries and is aimed at enhancing military cooperation and interoperability, particularly in areas related to counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism.

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The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) is related to the World Trade Organization (WTO). It was established in 1995 to ensure that countries do not use food safety and animal/plant health regulations as unjustified trade barriers. The SPS Agreement allows countries to set their own standards but requires them to base these on scientific principles and international standards where applicable. This agreement is crucial for facilitating safe international trade while protecting human, animal, and plant life.

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Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) is a joint venture between India and Russia. The plant is located in the coastal state of Tamil Nadu. Construction began in March 2002.
The reactors were built by India’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd and Russia’s Atomstroyexport company, a subsidiary of Rosatom. The reactors are based on Russian technology and are pressurised water reactors (PWR).
The plant has two 1,000 megawatt (MW) PWR units. An additional four units are under construction.
Russia is supplying all the enriched fuel for the plant. India will reprocess the fuel and keep the plutonium for civil use.

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The book ‘Savarkar: Echoes from a forgotten past 1883-1924’ has been authored by Bengaluru-based historian Vikram Sampath. It describes the life of freedom fighter and Philosopher Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Veer Savarkar) from his birth in 1883 to his conditional release to Ratnagiri in 1924.