International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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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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The first Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was Josip Broz Tito, the leader of Yugoslavia. The NAM was established in 1961 during the Cold War to promote cooperation among countries that did not want to align with either the Western or Eastern blocs. Tito played a crucial role in its formation, alongside leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Gamal Abdul Nasser. The movement aimed to provide a platform for countries seeking independence from colonialism and to advocate for peace and mutual respect among nations.

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The 40+9 Recommendations are related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The FATF is an intergovernmental body that sets international standards to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. The 40+9 Recommendations are the international standards for combating these illegal activities.
The FATF first issued its Forty Recommendations in 1990. In 2004, the FATF published the Ninth Special Recommendations (SR). These recommendations further strengthened the international standards. In February 2012, the FATF revised the 40 and IX Recommendations. The revised recommendations integrated the SR on terrorist financing with measures against money laundering. The revised recommendations covered issues such as the financing of weapons of mass destruction.
The FATF Recommendations are not binding in the way a law or contract would be.

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World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 3 each year. Established by the United Nations in 1993, this day highlights the importance of press freedom and the role of journalism in promoting democracy and human rights. The date commemorates the Windhoek Declaration, which advocates for a free, independent, and pluralistic press.

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The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries. It has 7 ASEAN countries. It was established in 1989.

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Saint Jnandeva of Maharashtra wrote the Marathi commentary on the Bhagavad Gita known as Jnaneswari. He belonged to the Bhakti kal of 13th century .

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Rajatarangini (or River of Kings) wrote by Kashmiri Brahman Kalhaṇa in Sanskrit between 1148 and 1149. The book is an account of the history of Kashmir, particularly the kings of Kashmir.

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Bhanu-Chandra Charita written by Siddhichandra Upadhayaya (a Jain ascetic) in Sanskrit language, which gives an account of the Jain mission to Akbar’s court. Like Hirvijayasuri ji, Shanti Chandra Upadhayaya, he was one of the most popular Jain saint in the court of Mughal emperor Akbar, who gave the title of Khus-faham (a man of sharp intellect) to Siddhichandra Upadhayaya.

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The 16-member bloc RCEP comprises 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their six FTA partners – India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

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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.