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The highest mountain peak in the world is Mount Everest, in the Himalayas, with a height of 8848 metres. The Himalayas lie to the north of India from Kashmir to the north-eastern states. Most of the Himalayan ranges are in Nepal and so is Mount Everest. It is always covered with ice and snow.

Everest is a very dangerous mountain to climb because of sheer rocks faces and storms. Many Mountaineers failed to climb the peak. But a New Zealand mountaineer, Edmond Hillary along with his guide Tenzin Nargay, became the first person to scale summit of the world on May 29, 1953.

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The first woman to sail around the world single-handed was a 28-year old New Zealander, Naomi James. In September 1977, she set sail from Dartmouth on the south coast of England. Her 16-metre yacht, named Express Crusador, was fitted with all modern navigation aids and steering gear. Her 48,000-kilometer journey was full of adventure.

At sea, after four weeks, her radio broke and after another five weeks, the self-steering gear was smashed in a storm. By putting into port for sometime, Naomi had to get it repaired. In June 1978 she successfully completed the sail and was made Dame Commander of the British Empire. She set another record becoming the first woman to cross Atlantic single-handed in 1980.

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A prince of North Indian Kingdom Kapilvastu, Siddhartha Gautama was given the title, Buddha, who founded the Buddhist religion. Siddhartha turned into Buddha after he came across two truths of life. One day he saw an old man with bent back moving with the help of a stick. Second time he saw a dead man being taken for cremation. He felt very sad by seeing this. Why this happens in life is what he wanted to know.

Siddhartha left home when he was young to look for an answer to life's problems. He found enlightenment while sitting under a Bodhi tree in Gaya. He realized that Nirvana, a state of absolute peace and happiness, could bring release from the pressures of life. Only by giving up all desires for worldly things, this state could be reached.

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Aristotle was a Greek thinker, educator and Scientist. Than those of almost any other person, his ideas have had more influence on the thinking of the Western World. For 20 years, he was a pupil of the Philosopher Plato and these two men are regarded as the most important of the Ancient Greek thinkers. Aristotle was the tutor of Alexander the Great. He founded lyceum, a school in Athens. He deeply taught and wrote on many subjects, including Science, Politics, Astronomy, Religion and Logic. Aristotle's philosopher is characterized by its emphasis on reason and practicality. He was accused by the people of Athens for not worshiping their gods properly and so he left Athens to avoid a sentence of death.

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Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Negro who led the fight for fair treatment for his fellow Negroes. In 1955, King first gained national attention, when he organized a boycott of segregated buses in Montgomery, Alabama. He used non-violent methods like Gandhi. During a massive demonstration in Washington, he made an inspired speech. In his struggle for the social rights for Negroes, this was a turning point. To give Negroes equal rights with whites, laws were passed soon. For his efforts he received the Noble Peace Prize. Like Gandhi, King was killed by some fanatic who opposed his ideas.

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In Holland, a group of statesmen met to discuss ways of stopping wars and solving disagreements between nations in 1899. To set up the International Court of Justice, this was one of the ways they found. Countries who quarrel should go to the international court where fifteen judges from different countries decide who is in the right. Decisions are based on a majority of judges present. The countries in dispute have to agree to accept the decision before they go to court. Disputes are very often about where exactly frontiers between countries are drawn.

The European Court of Justice is another international court that sits in Luxembourg. This was set up by the countries of the European Community. It makes sure that all the countries of the common market obey the rules and it can fine countries, who disobey, very heavily. Every member country appoints a judge.

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The World War which started in August 1914 went on for 4 years to end November 1918. On one side were the two empires of Germany and Austria-Hungary, later joined by Bulgaria and Turkey. They were called the Central Powers. Against them were Allies-the Russian Empire to the east, the French to the west, the British and the Belgium. Later the Italy, the Japan, United States, and many smaller nations joined the Allies. Because so many countries were involved, it later came to be called a World War.

After four years, these nations that had started the war were weary and exhausted. More than ten million soldiers had been killed. By coming fresh into the struggle, the United States tipped the scale, and the Central powers collapsed in defeat.

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When Adolf Hitler, the German dictator sent his soldiers to attack two small neighbouring countries, Austria and Czechoslovakia, nobody stopped him. This was the time, the second world war began. But on 1st September, 1939, when Hitler attacked Poland, the polish fought back. To help them, the British and the French stepped in. Over-running Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium and France, he conquered Poland and then launched a surprise attack in the west.

He then tried to break the spirit of the British but in 1941 lost the battle of Britain against the R.A.F. Meanwhile, the Italian dictator Musolini an ally of Hitler along with Japan had come in the war. The American, British and other forces landed on the Normady beaches and forced the Germans out of France. They swept across Germany to meet their Russian allies in 1945. In May 1945, Germany surrendered to the allied forces. A few months later i.e in August 1945 the first atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In September 1945, Japan surrendered and the war ended.