International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

Notes:
The Battle of Trafalgar was a naval battle fought on October 21, 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars. It was fought between a British fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and a combined French and Spanish fleet off the coast of Spain, near the Cape of Trafalgar. The British fleet emerged victorious, despite being outnumbered by the combined French and Spanish forces. The battle was a significant victory for the British, as it effectively ended the threat of a French invasion of Britain and cemented British naval dominance for the remainder of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle was also notable for the death of Nelson, who was killed during the fighting.

Notes:
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386, adopted in December 2001, authorized the establishment of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. This resolution aimed to assist the Afghan Interim Authority in maintaining security and stability following the U.S.-led invasion that ousted the Taliban regime. ISAF was initially a NATO-led mission, marking the first time NATO took command of a military operation outside Europe.

Notes:
The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary awards in India. The first Jnanpith Award winner was G. Sankara Kurup from Kerala. He won this award in 1965 for his collection of poems in Malayalam titled Odakkuzhal (The Bamboo Flute). Through this, Kerala marked its prominent place in the field of literature from the very beginning of this award journey.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Saint Surdas, revered for his intense devotion to Lord Krishna, is the author of Sahitya Ratna. Blind from birth, he belonged to the Saguna School of the Bhakti Kal. Apart from Sahitya Ratna, Surdas has also composed Sur Sagar (Ocean of Melody), and Sur Saravali. His works, primarily centered around his spiritual affection for Lord Krishna, are celebrated for their melodious and devotional undertone.

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Bhanu-Chandra Charita written by Siddhichandra Upadhayaya (a Jain ascetic) in Sanskrit language, which gives an account of the Jain mission to Akbar’s court. Like Hirvijayasuri ji, Shanti Chandra Upadhayaya, he was one of the most popular Jain saint in the court of Mughal emperor Akbar, who gave the title of Khus-faham (a man of sharp intellect) to Siddhichandra Upadhayaya.

Notes:
India is not a member of ASEAN and APEC. ASEAN is a Southeast Asian regional body and India is a dialogue partner, not a member. APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) also does not include India. India is a member of the G-20, SAARC, and IORA.

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The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is a dynamic inter-governmental organisation aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region through its 22 Member States and 9 Dialogue Partners.

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The 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has officially released the Drought Toolbox, which is a one-stop shop for all actions on drought. The toolbox can be used by countries to assess drought risks in their regions much in advance, and prepare to deal with the water scarcity. It uses 30 parameters such as soil moisture, rainfall data and temperature data of the present and past. The drought –forecasting toolbox can accurately evaluate the vulnerability of different geographic regions to drought.

Notes:
Amartya Sen’s “Poverty and Famines”, an essay by Sen on Entitlement and Deprivation (1981) is both theoretical and applied for work. In the essay, several famines have been studied in the working of a general theoretical framework from an original angle. He examined various meanings of poverty and drew attention to the incidence of absolute and relative deprivation.