International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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The World Meteorological Day (WMD) is observed every year on 23rd March to mark establishment of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on this day in 1950.

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ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

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Apartheid was a system of racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. The National Party governed South Africa from 1948 until 1994. During this time, South Africa was a partial democracy because non-white people were barred from voting after 1958.
The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) was a British organization that opposed the South African apartheid system. The AAM supported South Africa’s non-white population who were persecuted by the policies of apartheid.
Nelson Mandela was sworn in as President of South Africa in 1994. He was known for his internal resistance to apartheid.

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Admiral Vishnu Baghwat is the first and only Chief of Naval Staff of India to be dismissed while in service. He was removed in 1998 due to differences with the government over various issues, including the handling of the Kargil War. This incident marked a important moment in Indian military history, which indicates the tensions between military leadership and political authority.

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Indra Exercise is a joint military exercise that takes place between India and Russia. It is a bilateral exercise that involves the armed forces of both countries, including the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy, as well as the Russian Armed Forces. The exercise typically focuses on a variety of military drills and training activities, including air defense, maritime security, and counter-terrorism operations. The first Indra Exercise was held in 2003, and it has been conducted annually ever since. The exercise is part of the growing military cooperation between India and Russia, and it is aimed at enhancing the interoperability and coordination of their armed forces.

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The Tuluva dynasty ruler, Krishna Dev Raya (1509-1529 AD) composed a drama “Jambavati Kalyanam” (in Sanskrit) i.e based on the Jambavati, one of the eight principal queen-consorts of Lord Krishna. She was the only daughter of Jambavan, the bear king who assisted Lord Ram in the battle against Ravana.

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Around 44 African countries are entering into an agreement to set up AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) to remove barriers to trade, like tariffs and import quotas, allowing the free flow of goods and services between its members. The agreement will still have to be ratified at a national level, and is only due to come into force in 180 days. This is touted to be biggest free trade agreement since establishment of WTO.

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The Telangana state government is planning to set up India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) for defence. It aims to develop the ecosystem in the state in order to increase the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Boeing and Airbus, & others. The state government is in talks with several interested parties for setting up manufacturing centres in the state.

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The Enola Gay is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb. The bomb, code-named “Little Boy”, was targeted at the city of Hiroshima.

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The North-South Dialogue refers to the process through which the developing and newly independent nations of the “third world,” predominantly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, engaged the industrialized countries of North America and Western Europe in negotiations over changes to the international economic system.