International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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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 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights is awarded by South Korea. Established in 2000, it honors individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the promotion of human rights, particularly in the context of the Gwangju Uprising of 1980, where citizens protested against authoritarian rule. The prize aims to raise awareness of human rights issues globally.

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In India, the Home Guard is a voluntary organization that works to assist the police in maintaining law and order and providing community services. The organization was established in the 1960s and is made up of individuals who are not regular members of the police force but who are willing to serve their communities in a voluntary capacity. Home Guard members are trained in various skills, such as traffic control, disaster management, and first aid, and they often assist the police in a variety of tasks, such as crowd control, traffic management, and disaster relief.

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The International Development Association (IDA) was established in 1960 as part of the World Bank Group. IDA offers highly concessional loans and grants to the world’s poorest countries. As of fiscal year 2025, IDA has provided $600 billion to 116 countries. Its concessional loans typically have repayment periods of up to 40 years with long grace periods and low or zero interest.

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The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement instructs governments on food safety and animal and plant health measures implementation, in addition to offering instructions on most-favoured-nation treatment and the general elimination of quantitative restrictions under the WTO framework. Commonly known as the SPS Agreement, it was established during the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and came into force with the creation of the WTO in early 1995.

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The Tunisian Revolution is also called the Jasmine Revolution. It was an intensive 28-day campaign of civil resistance. It led to the ousting of longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011.

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Flag Day of India is celebrated on December 7. This day honors the contributions of the armed forces and raises awareness about the welfare of soldiers and their families. The tradition began in 1949, and the Indian government promotes the sale of flags to support various military charities.

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Rakhi Ki Chunauti is a famous composition from Subhadra Kumari Chauhan other compositions of her are Veero ka kaisa ho basant,Jhansi ki Rani etc.

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All given features are of Prithvi-I. Prithvi I was one of the first missiles developed under Government of India’s IGMDP. Launched in February 1988, Prithvi I is a single-stage, liquid-fuelled missile. A surface-to-surface missile, it has a range of 150 km and a mounting capability of 1000 kg. It was inducted into the Indian Army in 1994. The Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme was conceived under the leadership of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and has proved to be one of India’s most successful defence research projects. The missiles developed successfully for Indian armed forces under the project are Prithvi, Akash, Trishul, Nag, and Agni. The IGMDP was conceived in 1982-83 and completed in 2008.

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The President’s Bodyguard (PBG), as it is known today, was raised in 1773 at Benares, by then Governor General Warren Hastings, with a strength of 50 picked troopers and horses. This nucleus of the Bodyguard was later augmented by another 50, provided by Raja Chet Singh of Benares, bringing the overall strength of the Bodyguard up to 100 horses and men by the end of that year.