PRELIMS DATA & FACTS

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

The ongoing Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meetings in Paris are focused on deliberating the issue of state sponsorship of terrorism, particularly regarding how certain states may be involved in financing banned terrorist outfits and their proxies. The discussions are expected to highlight the financing of terrorism and the role of Pakistan in supporting such groups through state sponsorsh

Sevilla Forum

The Sevilla Forum on Debt was recently launched at the 16th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD16) in Geneva as part of global efforts to address the challenges of sovereign debt and ensure debt sustainability for developing countries. This new initiative is expected to foster collaborative dialogue and action on sovereign debt reform. About the Sevilla Forum on Debt:

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

India and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently celebrated 80 years of partnership on World Food Day 2025. About the FAO The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in October 1945. It is the oldest permanent specialized agency of the UN and plays a crucial role in coordinating international e

New Development Bank (NDB)

Pakistan has approached China, which it regards as an "iron friend," to assist in securing a membership for Pakistan in the New Development Bank (NDB). About New Development Bank (NDB) The New Development Bank (formerly known as the BRICS Development Bank) is a multilateral development bank founded by the BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

Recently, US President Donald Trump expressed his outrage over the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) plan to vote on imposing a carbon emissions price on global shipping. He criticized the move, calling it a “Global Green New Scam Tax.” This has sparked a debate about the potential impacts of environmental regulations on the international shipping industry. About t

Steadfast Noon 2025

Steadfast Noon is NATO's annual nuclear deterrence exercise, and for 2025, it will be hosted by the Netherlands. Key Details of Steadfast Noon 2025: Location and Hosts: The main site for the exercise will be Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands. Additional bases will be involved in the exercise, including those in Kleine Brogel (Belgium), Lakenheath (UK), a

Wassenaar Arrangement

The recent protests against Microsoft over allegations that its Azure cloud services were used to support Israeli military operations, and the concerns about the Wassenaar Arrangement’s export control framework, highlight the growing ethical, legal, and security challenges in regulating dual-use technologies. What is the Wassenaar Arrangement? The Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) is a multil

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

The AI for Good Summit at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 marks an important step in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) for global development and technological collaboration. The summit, hosted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is an excellent platform to discuss the evolving role of AI in shaping the futu

Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement

The Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) is a significant arms control deal aimed at reducing the risk of nuclear proliferation and securing the disposal of excess weapons-grade plutonium, which both Russia and the United States accumulated during the Cold War. Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) Background and Purpose: The PMDA was signed in 2

UNESCO

UNESCO's executive board has recently nominated Khaled el-Anani, the former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, to be the next Director-General of the organization. About UNESCO: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, founded in 1945. Its mission is to foster global peace and security by

International Seabed Authority (ISA)

India recently hosted the 8th Annual Contractors' Meeting of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) at the CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography in Goa. This significant event brought together global experts to discuss the latest developments in deep-sea exploration, with a focus on sustainable resource management and India’s leadership role in ocean exploration. The meeting h

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) 2025 Summit

The 2025 SCO Heads of State Summit was held in Tianjin, China, marking a significant moment for the organization’s expanding role on the global stage. Key Highlights: Terrorism: The SCO strongly condemned all acts of terrorism, including the Pahalgam incident in India and other attacks in Pakistan. A unified call was made for countries to stop cross-bo

UNICEF Report on Childhood Obesity

  The UNICEF report, titled "Feeding Profit: How Food Environments Are Failing Children", highlights the alarming rise in childhood obesity and overweight worldwide, particularly in children aged 5-19 years. The report stresses that unhealthy food environments are a major driver of this global crisis, contributing to long-term health risks and escalating healthcare costs. Key

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 2025

India has been selected to host the 89th General Meeting (GM) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) from 15th to 19th September 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This marks the fourth time India will host the prestigious event, following earlier meetings in 1960, 1997, and 2013. About the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) The IEC is a nonprofit orga

Warm vaccine for COVID-19

Context: A team of scientists from IISc has completed pre-clinical trials and is now gearing up for human testing of the heat-tolerant Covid-19 vaccine About: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has developed a heat-tolerant vaccine called RS2 against COVID-19, which can be stored at high temperatures for extended periods of time, making it easier to transport and distribute to re

New Members of BRICS

Context: The five new candidates of BRICS formally became members on January 1, 2024. Introduction of New Members to BRICS: Expansion of BRICS: The inclusion of five new members, namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, marks a significant enlargement of the BRICS alliance. Argentina's Withdrawal: Argentina has opted to retract its initia

Argentina Withdraws From BRICS

Context: The newly elected far-right President of Argentina, Javier Milei, pulled out of plans to join the BRICS bloc. Argentina was set to join on January 1, 2024. Reasons for withdrawal: The decision to join BRICS had been taken by the previous administration, and the new dispensation was reviewing such policies. Milei cited China's communist ideology as a p

Sweden moves a step closer to NATO membership after Turkey's parliamentary committee gives approval

Context: Sweden’s NATO bid had been stalled amid opposition from Turkiye and Hungary A crucial committee in the Turkish Parliament, on December 26, granted approval for Sweden's NATO membership bid after facing delays. The approval comes amid obstacles posed by Turkey and Hungary against Sweden's NATO accession. The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee gav

OIML Certificates

OIML Certificates     India (Legal Metrology Division, Department of Consumer Affairs) has become one among the 13 countries in the world to become an OIML certificate-issuing authority. OIML stands for International Organisation of Legal Metrology, established in 1955 with headquartered in Paris. OIML is an international standard-setting body that develops m

International Criminal Court (ICC)

International Criminal Court (ICC)   ICC is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal having headquarters at The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute  individuals for the international crimes of genocide crimes ag

OIML Certificates

OIML Certificates     India (Legal Metrology Division, Department of Consumer Affairs) has become one among the 13 countries in the world to become an OIML certificate-issuing authority. OIML stands for International Organisation of Legal Metrology, established in 1955 with headquartered in Paris. OIML is an international standard-setting body that develops m

B20 Summit

B20 Summit     The Business 20 (B20) is an event which is part of the G20 Summit which is meant to express common views from the international business community. The main purpose is to develop recommendations and issue relevant commitments from the business leaders and business organizations to deal with present issues. B20 are gathered in 12 working groups which

G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group

G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group   The Action Plan is guided by the political declaration of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS) against corruption. The ACWG focuses on promotion of international cooperation in the areas of Asset recovery Law enforcement cooperation Information-sharing Technology Denial of safe haven/entry The ACWG also seeks to

Economic Community of West African Nations (ECOWAS)

A regional political and Economic union of 15 West African nations established in 1975 with the signing of Treaty of Lagos. The goal of ECOWAS is to achieve  "collective self-sufficiency" " for its member states by creating a single large trade bloc by building a full economic and trading union. It also serves as a Peacekeeping force in the region includin