News In Short: 09 September 2024

Parliamentary Standing Committee

About Parliamentary Committees:

• A Parliamentary committee is a committee of Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected or appointed from amongst the members of the house or nominated by the Speaker or Chairman. 
  • Rooted in the British parliamentary tradition, India’s parliamentary committees derive their authority from the Indian Constitution under Article 105 (powers and privileges) and Article 118 (regulation of business). 
• These committees are classified into two types: 
  • Standing Committees and 
  • Ad Hoc Committees. 
• Standing Committees are permanent bodies tasked with handling specific areas of public policy or administration, while Ad Hoc Committees are temporary, formed for particular purposes or to review specific bills, and are dissolved once their objectives are fulfilled.
  • The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), responsible for overseeing government expenditure, 
  • The Estimates Committee, tasked with reviewing government spending to ensure efficiency, and 
  • The Public Undertakings Committee, which evaluates the performance of public sector enterprises. 
  • Additionally, there are specialised committees focused on the welfare of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
• Some of the power and functions of the Parliamentary committees:
  • Reviewing and scrutinising the work of the government
  • Power to summon ministers and officials
  • Examination of bills
  • To make recommendations

Biden to host Quad Summit 

More about the news

• The Quad Summit, initially planned for India, will now be hosted by the U.S, with India set to host the event in 2025.

About the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue): 

• The QUAD is a strategic forum comprising India, United States, Japan, and Australia aimed at promoting a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. 
• Established in 2007 and revitalised in 2017 
• QUAD focuses on regional security, economic cooperation, infrastructure development, maritime security, and disaster relief. 
• Quad also aims to counterbalance the growing influence of China in the Indo-Pacific

Significance of the swap:

• Strengthening Quad Alliances: The U.S. hosting the summit emphasises the growing importance of Quad cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Diplomatic Flexibility: Swapping years for hosting demonstrates global diplomacy’s adaptability while ensuring key summits continue.
• Political Transitions: The 2024 summit serves as a farewell for Biden and Kishida, adding historical significance due to impending leadership changes.
• Economic and Strategic Focus: The summit remains a platform for discussing regional security, technology, and economic strategies.
• India’s Diplomatic Role: India’s hosting in 2025 will elevate its global diplomatic standing and showcase its leadership in international affairs.

WHO Unveils Global Framework for Pathogen Origin Investigation 

More About the News:

• The framework has been developed by the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) to streamline the investigation of pathogen origins and address gaps in outbreak investigation methods.

About the Framework:

• This framework provides detailed guidance for conducting pathogen origin studies, particularly addressing key areas such as:
  • Early Investigation of Outbreaks: Focusing on identifying the first cases and clusters, collecting samples, and defining the characteristics of the novel pathogen involved for diagnostic purposes.
  • Human and Animal Interface: The framework includes studies to identify potential animal reservoirs and intermediate hosts, as well as reverse zoonoses, where pathogens may spread from humans back to animals.
  • Use of Advanced Technologies: It emphasises genomic and phylogenetic studies to trace the evolution of pathogens and investigate environmental and vector sources of infections​
• Significance:
  • Strengthening Global Health Security
  • Promoting Scientific Collaboration
  • Boosting Transparency in Investigations
  • Enhancing Early Detection Systems
  • India’s Role in Global Health Leadership

Swiss Peace Process

About Swiss Peace Process for Ukraine: 

• It refers to diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine by utilising Switzerland’s neutral status as a platform for dialogue and negotiation.
•  Objective: To facilitate dialogue and negotiations aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 2022.
• Key Summits and Declarations: A significant event was the Bürgenstock Summit (June , 2024), which followed a series of four earlier international meetings.
• Focus Areas: The Swiss Peace Process has concentrated on several critical areas such as Nuclear Safety, Food security, Humanitarian issues etc.
• Participants: The summit brings together representatives from around 80 countries, international organisations, and peace advocacy groups.
• India’s position: After the Swiss Peace Summit in June, India had disassociated itself from its outcome as it did not involve Russia at the table.

Venezuela

About Venezuela:

• Location and Boundary: Northern coast of South America, covering 916,445 sq.km (353,841 sq mi). 
  • The country is bounded by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the North, Guyana in the East, Brazil in South and Colombia in the west.
• Capital: Caracas
• Geography: Geographical features include the northern Andean Mountain ranges, Orinoco River basin with expansive Llanos plains, Lake Maracaibo (South America’s largest lake), and Angel Falls (world’s highest waterfall).
• Major Rivers:
  • Rio Negro (2,250 km): A tributary of the Amazon, shared with Colombia and Brazil.
  • Orinoco (2,101 km): South America’s third-longest river, shared with Colombia
• Resources: Holds the world’s largest oil reserves, along with significant deposits of coal, iron ore, bauxite, and gold.
• Languages: Official language is Spanish (98.2%)