International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) is an international financial institution founded in 1991. Its headquarters are located in London, England.

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Every year June 20 is observed as World Refugee Day to raise awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. The observance of the day seeks to draw attention to the plight of refugees and also to celebrate their courage and resilience and renew commitment to solve refugee problems

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The Maastricht Treaty is responsible for the establishment of the European Union in 1993, and it introduced the concept of European citizenship.

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[A] Border Security Force (BSF): Established on December 1, 1965.
[B] Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF): Established on July 27, 1939.
[C] Assam Rifles: Formed in 1835 as the Cachar Levy, it was later renamed as the Assam Rifles in 1917.
[D] National Security Guards (NSG): Established in 1984.
So, the Assam Rifles is the oldest among these organizations, with its origins dating back to the 19th century.

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Mustafa Kemal Atatürk also known as Mustafa Kemal Pasha (died 1938) was a Turkish leader and founder of Republic of Turkey. He is known for numerous progressive reforms that modernized Turkey into a secular, industrializing nation.

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The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property was signed on March 20, 1883 in Paris, France.   It was one of the first intellectual property treaties. The convention established a Union for the protection of industrial property.   It still applies today, and has 177 member countries.  The convention’s provisions fall into three main categories:

1. National treatment
2. Right of priority
3. Common rules

The convention applies to:  Patents, Trademarks, Industrial designs, Utility models, Service marks, Trade names, Geographical indications, Repression of unfair competition.  The convention’s provisions include a 12-month priority period. This period begins on the date of filing the first application to the first country.

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The ADMM-Plus (ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus) conference involves defense ministers from ASEAN and eight partner countries, focusing on regional security and defense cooperation. Established in 2010, it aims to enhance dialogue and collaboration on defense and security issues, addressing challenges like terrorism and maritime security. The “Plus” includes countries like the U.S., China, and India, emphasizing multilateral defense strategies.

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The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) is related to the World Trade Organization (WTO). It was established in 1995 to ensure that countries do not use food safety and animal/plant health regulations as unjustified trade barriers. The SPS Agreement allows countries to set their own standards but requires them to base these on scientific principles and international standards where applicable. This agreement is crucial for facilitating safe international trade while protecting human, animal, and plant life.

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SLINEX is a bilateral naval exercise that takes place between the navies of India and Sri Lanka. It is an acronym for “Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise”. The exercise typically involves a variety of naval drills and training activities, including surface warfare, anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue operations. The first SLINEX exercise was held in 2005, and it has been conducted regularly ever since. The exercise is aimed at improving the interoperability and cooperation between the navies of India and Sri Lanka, and at enhancing the security and stability of the Indian Ocean region.

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he Akash missile is considered the Indian Patriot. The Akash is India’s first indigenously produced medium-range surface-to-air missile. It can target aircraft up to 30 km (19 mi) away. The Akash can neutralize aerial targets such as fighter jets, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and ballistic missiles. It is in operational service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
The Akash was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The Akash’s technology is close to the system of American patriot missiles.
The Patriot is an American missile system that was used successfully in neutralising the Iraqi Skud missiles during the first Gulf War in the 90s.