International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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The book “Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl” has been penned by author-columnist Ram Kamal Mukherjee. It’s about actress achievement as a politician apart from her sojourn as an actor, danseuse and filmmaker. It will offer a new perspective on Bollywood’s first female superstar.

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Kalidasa was one of the gems of the court of Gupta king Chandragupta II (375–415 CE). The poems he wrote were usually of epic proportions and were written in classical Sanskrit. He wrote two epic poems called Kumara sambhava, which means birth of Kumara and the Raghuvamsha, which means dynasty of Raghu. There are also two lyric poems written by Kalidasa known as Meghadutta that stands for cloud messenger and the Ritusamhara that means description of the seasons. Meghadutta is one of the finest works of Kalidasa in terms of world literature. The beauty of the continuity in flawless Sanskrit is unmatched till date. The most famous and beautiful work of Kalidasa is the Shakuntalam. It is the second play of Kalidasa after he wrote Malavikagnimitra. The Shakuntalam tells the story of king Dushyant who falls in love with a beautiful girl Shakuntala, who happens to be the daughter of a saint.

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The International Organization for Standardization is an international standard-setting body. It comprises of representatives from various national standards organizations. Its headquarters is located in Geneva.

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Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) was a series of treaties between the United States and the Soviet Union (and later Russia). The treaties aimed to reduce the number of nuclear warheads and missiles and bombers capable of delivering such weapons. The treaties were signed after the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT). The treaties were: START I, START II, START III, New START. The treaties were the first significant reduction in the number of strategic nuclear weapons in both the U.S. and the Soviet stockpiles. The treaties were signed in 1991 and entered into force in 1994. The treaties are the last remaining nuclear arms control pact between Russia and the U.S. The term “strategic arms” refers to nuclear weapons with strategic range. These weapons are mated to delivery systems that can reach targets across intercontinental distances.

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The Shatt al-Arab waterway was the main factor in the Iran-Iraq War. The Shatt al-Arab is formed by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The southern end of the river forms the border between Iran and Iraq. The Shatt al-Arab was an important channel for oil exports for both countries. The dispute over the Shatt al-Arab lasted from 1936 until 1975. Iran rejected the demarcation line established in the Anglo-Ottoman Convention of Constantinople of November 1913. Iran wanted the border to run along the thalweg, the deepest point of the navigable channel. The Iran-Iraq War lasted from September 1980 until August 1988. The war was also called the First Persian Gulf War or the Imposed War in Iran.

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Bharat Dynamics Limited specializes in missile and torpedo design and production. Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) in India that is primarily involved in the manufacture of ammunition and missile systems. It plays a key role in the country’s defense sector, particularly in the development and production of advanced weapons like missiles and torpedoes.

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South-South Cooperation refers to the collaboration among developing countries in the Global South, focusing on sharing resources, technology, and knowledge. This concept emerged in the 1950s and gained prominence in the 1970s, particularly during the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It aims to enhance self-reliance and foster sustainable development. Notable examples include the India-Africa Forum Summit, which promotes trade and investment between India and African nations.

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UNFPA supports programs in140 countries in four areas, the Arab States and Europe, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the sub-Saharan Africa

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Veto power is held with five permanent members, which are also called as P5 or Big 5. They are China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States.

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The famous Sufi poet, Amir Khusrau wrote a masnavi on the Tughlaq dynasty ruler, Mubarak Shah as “Nuh Sipihr” (Nine Skies), relating the events of Mubarak Shah’s rule. Excerpts of the works done by him are Tughluq Nama, Wast-ul-Hayat, Ashiqa, Khamsa, Baqia-Naqia, etc. He was the court poet of Alauddin Khilji and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya, Delhi.