Current Affairs Question - 03 September 2020

Explanation :

• Channapatna toys are a particular form of wooden toys that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna, Ramanagara district of Karnataka.
• As a result of the popularity of these toys, Channapatna is known as Gombegala Ooru (toy-town) of Karnataka.
• The origin of these toys can be traced to the reign of Tipu Sultan who invited artisans from Persia to train the local artisans in the making of wooden toys.
• The major raw material used for the manufacturing of toys is the wood of the Wrightiatinctoria tree,colloquially called Aalemara (ivory-wood).
• However, the craft has diversified over time; in addition to the traditional ivory-wood, other woods—including rubber, sycamore, cedar, pine and teak—are now used as well.
• This traditional craft is protected as a geographical indication (GI)(2006) under the World Trade Organization, administered by the Government of Karnataka

Explanation :

• The Baltic Nations, also known as the Baltic countries, Baltic republics, Baltic kingdom, or simply the Baltics, is a geopolitical term, typically used to group the three sovereign states in Northern Europe on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
• The term is not used in the context of cultural areas, national identity, or language, because while the majority of people in Latvia and Lithuania are Baltic people, the majority in Estonia are Finnic.
• The three countries do not form an official union, but engage in intergovernmental and parliamentary cooperation.
• The most important areas of cooperation between the three countries are foreign and security policy, defence, energy, and transportation.
• All three countries are members of NATO, the Eurozone, the OECD, and the European Union.
• All three are classified as high-income economies by the World Bank and maintain a very high Human Development Index.
• For 2020-21, Estonia has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.