International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations for coordinating economic, social and environmental issues, as well as for implementing internationally agreed development goals.

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“A Brief History of Time” is a book written by physicist Stephen Hawking. It was first published in 1988, and it covers a wide range of topics in cosmology and theoretical physics. The book became a bestseller and has been translated into over 40 languages.

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Since 1997, UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is given to a person, organization or institution that makes outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world. This USD 45,000 Award is given on World Press Freedom Day on 3 May

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The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Its headquarters is at Kathmandu, Nepal.

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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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Bioversity International, a non-profit research organization for development, was established in 1974. The motto of the organization is “Agricultural biodiversity nourishes and sustains the planet”. It is headquatered at Rome, Italy.

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The famous Sufi poet, Amir Khusrau wrote a historic masnavi (or poem) “Tughlaq Nama (Book of the Tughlaqs)” about the reign of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq and other Tughlaq rulers. Excerpts of the works done by him are Wast-ul-Hayat, Nuh Sipihr, Khamsa, Baqia-Naqia, etc.

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The Persian historian, Minhaj-i-Siraj composed Tabaqat-i-Nasiri, which accounts the historical events of the Islamic world from the days Adam to the year 1260 AD (when it was completed). This political history is written in Persian language for Sultan  Nasir ud din Mahmud (1246–1266 AD), the slave dynasty ruler.

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Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, wrote Hasanaat ul-Aarifin (virtues of the saints). Some of the famous works done by him are Safinat ul- Awliya, Sakinat ul-Awliya, Risaala-i Haq Numa, Iksir-i ‘Azam (Diwan-e-Dara Shukoh), etc.

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In the given figure of Europe the ‘c’ marked city is Brussels, where historic treaty between NATO and warsaw pact was signed in 1998.
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium.