International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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The book “Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl” has been penned by author-columnist Ram Kamal Mukherjee. It’s about actress achievement as a politician apart from her sojourn as an actor, danseuse and filmmaker. It will offer a new perspective on Bollywood’s first female superstar.

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International Biodiversity Day is celebrated on 22nd May every year to raise awareness about biodiversity issues. This day commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. 192 countries are party to this convention to promote sustainable development.

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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters are located at Boulevard Leopold III in Brussels, Belgium. The 41-hectare campus is located on the outskirts of Brussels. The design of the campus is meant to symbolize unity, with fingers interlaced in a clasp.
NATO was established in 1949 when 28 countries signed the North Atlantic Treaty. The organization’s purpose is to protect the freedom and security of its member nations. NATO’s military headquarters are located near Mons, Belgium.

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The Booker Prize is awarded annually to the best original novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Republic of Ireland, or Zimbabwe. It contributes greatly to promoting and acknowledging the literary work in English language and provides the authors a platform to showcase their talent to a larger audience.

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The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental policymaking body that has a ministerial mandate to establish international standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.  India joined the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as its 34th member in June 2010.

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The Brasilia Declaration is related to the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) Dialogue Forum. Established in 2003, IBSA aims to promote South-South cooperation and enhance collaboration among these three emerging economies. The Brasilia Declaration, signed in 2006, emphasizes political dialogue, economic cooperation, and cultural exchange among member countries. IBSA is notable for its focus on issues like poverty alleviation, sustainable development, and reforming global governance structures.

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The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by by Japan on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu on December 7, 1941. Till that date, United States was neutral but entered into Second World War after this.

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Centre William Rappard is known as the first building in Geneva designed to house an international organization and was originally occupied by International labour Organization. ILO`s office was shifted to Grand Saconnex. Later it was occupied by GATT which was replaces by World Trade Organization in 1995.

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The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) is a multi-stakeholder initiative to measure the commitment of countries to cybersecurity. It is released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). India is ranked a high 23rd out of 165 nations in the index. India has secured a score of .683. The list has been topped by Singapore with a score with a score of .925. India has been listed in the “maturing” category, which refers to 77 countries that have developed complex commitments to cybersecurity and engage in cybersecurity programmes and initiatives.

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Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) – With 57 member countries, it is the world’s largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization working on conflict prevention, human rights, and military transparency. Formed in 1975.