Here are 3 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news-  India gold demand seen rising

World Gold Council

1. The World Gold Council is the market development organisation for the gold industry. It works across all parts of the industry, from gold mining to investment, and their aim is to stimulate and sustain demand for gold
2. They frequently publish research that demonstrates gold’s strength as a preserver of wealth – both for investors and countries
3. They also provide analysis of the industry, offering insights into the drivers of gold demand. They have also launched various products such as SPDR GLD and gold accumulation plans in India and China
4. The World Gold Council is an association whose members comprise the world’s leading gold mining companies
5. It helps to support its members to mine in a responsible way and developed the Conflict Free Gold Standard
6. Headquartered in London United Kingdom, they have offices in India, China, Singapore, Japan and the United States

B2B #2: From news- What Railways hope to learn from German Rail

Linke Hoffman Busche (LHB) coaches

1. LHB coaches are the passenger coaches of Indian Railways that have been developed by Linke-Hofmann-Busch of Germany
2. These coaches are produced by Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, Punjab
3. The coaches are designed for an operating speed up to 160 km/h and could go up to 200 km/h
4. During derailment or collision, these coaches do not climb over each and crash because of a special type of CBC (center buffer coupler)

B2B #3: From news- [op-ed snap] Acting against a judge

Impeachment of a Supreme Court Judge

1. Article 124(4) of the Constitution of India states: “A Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be removed from his office except by an order of the President passed after an address by each House of Parliament supported by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting has been presented to the President in the same session for such removal on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity”
2. 100 Lok Sabha MPs or 50 Rajya Sabha MPs is the minimum number of signatories required to issue the notice
3. The notice has to be handed over either to the Speaker if it is from Lok Sabha MPs or to the Chairman if it is Rajya Sabha MPs
4. If and when the motion is admitted, the Speaker or the Chairman will have to constitute a three-member committee to investigate the charges leveled against the Supreme Court judge
5. This committee will consist of a senior Supreme Court judge, a High Court judge, and a ‘distinguished jurist’ — who is a highly qualified law professor who has been appointed as a Supreme Court judge by the President of India

As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Key words related to History : Rajsuya

Dynasty/era : Vedic period

Meaning : – basically a ceremony for the consecration of a kind. It lasted for a day of prayers and sacrifices and extracting soma, but preceded by a long period, extending to maybe a year, during which time various preliminary rites were observed. During this ritual, the king received a bow and an arrow (or other weapons as the priest was advised) and declares himself the king. He performed various acts symbolising his conquests and was finally anointed by a priest, a kshatriya and a vaishya.