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- Why in News?
- A total of 33 countries, including China, have signed the Convention to establish the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), which will be headquartered in Hong Kong.
- Key Provisions:-
- This marks a significant step, as no dedicated intergovernmental body previously existed solely for mediation in international disputes.
- According to Article 33 of the UN Charter, international disputes should be resolved through peaceful means such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and judicial settlement.
- While institutions like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Permanent Court of Arbitration exist for other dispute resolution mechanisms, mediation lacked a permanent institutional framework until now.
- The ICJ, created in 1945, is the UN’s main judicial body and is based in the Peace Palace, The Hague.
- It settles legal disputes between states and provides advisory opinions.
- The Permanent Court of Arbitration, also based in The Hague, was established in 1899 and offers arbitration and related services to resolve international conflicts.
- Why in News?
- The Department of Posts (DoP) has unveiled a detailed policy framework for DHRUVA, a national-level Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) aimed at transforming address systems in India.
- Key Provisions:-
- DHRUVA seeks to assign every household a unique digital address, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in location identification. Built on a geo-coded foundation, it enables secure sharing of precise address data. The initiative recognizes address management as a critical component of public infrastructure, essential for good governance, inclusive service access, and improved citizen experience.
- DHRUVA comprises two main components:
- Digital Postal Index Number (DIGIPIN): A unique 10-character alphanumeric code that represents geographic coordinates, created by mapping India into uniform 4x4 meter grids.
- Digital Address Layer: A consent-based system that lets users generate personalized labels linked to their DIGIPINs and detailed addresses.
- Key attributes of DHRUVA include data privacy, interoperability, scalability, openness, and innovation readiness, ensuring a robust, citizen-friendly system.
- Why in News?
- According to a study by AIIMS, nearly 41% of urban adolescents in government schools across North India are deficient in vitamin B9, also known as folate. This highlights a significant nutritional concern among teenagers.
- About Vitamin B9 (Folate/Folic Acid):
- Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin naturally present in foods like dark leafy greens, beans, and peanuts. It plays a vital role in DNA and RNA synthesis, protein metabolism, and the formation of healthy red blood cells. Folate is especially crucial during periods of rapid growth, such as pregnancy. Deficiency can impair DNA production and lead to megaloblastic anemia.