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:
World leprosy day is annually observed around the world on the last Sunday of January. It was initiated in 1954 by French philanthropist and writer, Raoul Follereau. The day was chosen to coincide with the death anniversary of Indian freedom fighter and Father of nation Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on January 30 1948.
Leprosy (also known as Hansen’s disease) is one of the oldest diseases known to humankind. It is caused by a slow-growing type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). It is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT)

Notes:
The headquarters of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is loacated in Geneva, Switzerland. IUCN has observer and consultative status at the United Nations and plays a role in the implementation of several international conventions on nature conservation and biodiversity.

Notes:
SIMBEX is a naval exercise that takes place between the navies of Singapore and India. It is an acronym for “Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise”. The exercise typically involves a variety of naval drills and training activities designed to improve the interoperability and cooperation between the participating navies. The first SIMBEX exercise was held in 1994, and it has been conducted annually ever since.

Notes:
The correct answer is: “The US backed South Vietnam side and USSR backed North Vietnam side.” During the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the United States supported the anti-communist government of South Vietnam, while the Soviet Union provided military and economic support to the communist North Vietnam. This conflict was a important aspect of the Cold War, illustrating the global struggle between capitalism (led by the US) and communism (led by the USSR). The war resulted in millions of casualties and important geopolitical changes in Southeast Asia.

Notes:
The name of the upper house of the European union is Council of the European Union. It is composed of twenty-eight national ministers (one per state).

Notes:
Sagarmal Gopa was a freedom fighter and patriot from Rajasthan, India. He took active part in the non-cooperation movement in 1921. He was the author of Jaisalmer ka Gundaraj.

Notes:
Gold Coast was a region in West Africa that is now known as the country Ghana. The region was named the Gold Coast because of its large supplies of gold and the market for it during the transatlantic slave trade. The Gold Coast was also a trade hub for slaves.
The Portuguese named the area Mina, which means “mine”, after finding so much gold between the Ankobra and Volta rivers in the 15th century. The English colonists later adopted the name Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast was a British colony. In 1957, the Gold Coast gained independence from Britain and became the country Ghana. Kwame Nkrumah led the independence movement and became Ghana’s first prime minister and president.

Notes:
The Varuna naval exercise is a biennial military exercise between India and France, focusing on enhancing interoperability and maritime security. The first Varuna exercise took place in 2001, and it has since evolved to include various naval operations, showcasing advanced naval capabilities. France is a key strategic partner for India, particularly in defense and maritime cooperation.

Notes:
In the 9th century, a Digambara Jain monk, Jinasena composed a Sanskrit poem “Adipurana” that deals with the story of the first Jain Tirthankar Rishabha Deva and his sons Bharata and Bahubali. It consists of 12 thousand shlokas and divided into 12 parvas.