Here are Back2Basics collections from today’s news items
B2B #1: From news- [op-ed snap] Rhetoric and reality: on the UNHRC and human rights
United Nations Human Rights Commission
- The UNHRC was established in 2006, as part of the UN’s reform process, replacing the Commission on Human Rights.
- Council members are elected by the General Assembly with three-year terms, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
- The headquarters of UNHRC is in Geneva, Switzerland
- The members of the General Assembly elect the members who occupy the UNHRC’s 47 seats. The term of each seat is three years, and no member may occupy a seat for more than two consecutive terms
- The General Assembly can suspend the rights and privileges of any Council member that it decides has persistently committed gross and systematic violations of human rights during its term of membership
- The UNHRC investigates allegations of breaches of human rights in UN member states and addresses important thematic human rights issues such as freedom of association and assembly, freedom of expression, freedom of belief and religion, women’s rights, LGBT rights, and the rights of racial and ethnic minorities
B2B #2: From news- India, South Korea agree on framework to improve trade
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
- The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is a free trade agreement between India and South Korea
- The agreement was signed on August 7, 2009
- The agreement was aimed at easing restrictions on foreign direct investments and provide better access for the Indian service industry in South Korea
B2B #3: From news- [op-ed snap] Rhetoric and reality: on the UNHRC and human rights
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- It is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
- The FSSAI has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which is a consolidating statute related to food safety and regulation in India.
- FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.
- The FSSAI is headed by a non-executive Chairperson, appointed by the Central Government, either holding or has held the position of not below the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.
B2B #4: From news- Rajya Sabha members can use all 22 scheduled languages
Eighth Schedule of the Constitution
- The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists the official languages of the Republic of India
- The Government of India is under an obligation to take measures for the development of these languages, such that “they grow rapidly in richness and become effective means of communicating modern knowledge”
- In addition, a candidate appearing in an examination conducted for public service is entitled to use any of these languages as the medium in which he or she answers the paper
- The 22 languages which are listed in the Eighth Schedule are Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu
Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts
Name : Advance Area Defence (AAD) interceptor missile
Defence Forces : Army
Module Type : Missiles
Brief Intro : 1.Advanced Air Defence (AAD) is an anti-ballistic missile designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in the endo-atmosphere at an altitude of 30 km (19 mi). 2.AAD is a single-stage, solid-fuelled missile. 3.Guidance is similar to that of Prithvi Air Defence (PAD): it has an inertial navigation system, midcourse updates from ground based radar and active radar homing in the terminal phase