UPSC Prelims Facts - 4 June 2025 - Gokulam Seek IAS Academy

Table of Contents

ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)

At ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary; UN and global diplomats hail ECOWAS as Africa’s model for regional integration.

Established: Founded in 1975 through the Lagos Treaty to promote economic integration in West Africa.
Members: 15 countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Ivory Coast; headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.
Objectives: Economic cooperation, single currency plan, and regional peacekeeping through ECOMOG.
India-ECOWAS Relations: India granted observer status in 2004 and extended a $250 million credit line to ECOWAS.

The Kheer Bhawani festival, celebrated annually on the Jyeshta Ashtami, is being held at the Kheer Bhawani temple

Location: Situated in Tulmulla, Ganderbal, Jammu & Kashmir, dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi.
Significance: Revered by Kashmiri Pandits, known for its changing water color, believed to signal future events.
Architecture: Built by Maharaja Pratap Singh (1912) and later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh.
Annual Festival: Mela Kheer Bhawani celebrated on Jyeshta Ashtami, attracting thousands of devotees.

The annual Shangri-La Dialogue is being held in Singapore.

Established: Asia’s premier defense summit, held annually in Singapore since 2002, organized by IISS (UK).
Participants: Defense ministers, military chiefs, and policymakers from 40+ nations, focusing on Indo-Pacific security.
Key Issues: Territorial disputes, military cooperation, cybersecurity, and climate change.
India’s Role: India actively participates, with CDS Gen Anil Chauhan attending Shangri-La Dialogue 2025.

Recently, Mount Etna volcano erupted.

Location: Sicily, Italy, Europe’s largest active volcano, part of the African-Eurasian tectonic boundary.
Type: Stratovolcano, known for frequent eruptions, including Strombolian and Plinian types.
Recent Activity: Erupted in 2025, spewing ash and lava several kilometers high.
UNESCO Status: Declared a World Heritage Site in 2013, with a 500,000-year volcanic history.

Proposals invited to set up District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs) in underserved districts under the NAPDDR

Launched: 2018-2025, under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, targeting drug abuse prevention.
Objectives: Education, de-addiction, rehabilitation, and community-based interventions.
Implementation: Financial aid for rehabilitation centers, outreach programs, and district de-addiction centers.