20 Jun 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 20 June 2023:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
C. GS 3 Related
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Phonons on the chopping block: Are ‘sound particles’ quantum too?
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. A Rising India, in waltz dance steps with the US
2. Summit with substance
SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. Refugees as assets to their new countries
F. Prelims Facts
1. Archaeologist finds Mesolithic-era rock painting in Guntur
2. INS Kirpan
G. Tidbits
1. ‘Europe is world’s fastest warming continent’
2. UN adopts agreement to protect marine life in the high seas
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

2. Summit with substance

Syllabus: GS-2, Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting  India’s interests.

Prelims: What is the new Global financing pact

Mains: Details and objectives of Global financing pact and its significance for Global South

Context: New global financing pact summit taking place in Paris. 

What is the new Global Financing Pact? 

  • The aim of the Summit is to lay the groundwork for a new financial system suited to the common challenges of the 21st century, such as fighting inequalities and climate change and protecting biodiversity. The Summit is co-organized by France and India.
  • In other words, the aim of this Summit is to concurrently tackle the challenges of climate change, biodiversity protection, and the fight against inequality in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • Four major objectives for this Summit have been announced and will be followed up by four working groups:
    • Restoring fiscal space to countries facing short-term difficulties, especially the most indebted countries
    • Promoting private sector development in low-income countries
    • Encouraging investment in  green infrastructure for the energy transition in emerging and developing countries
    • Mobilising innovative financing for countries vulnerable to climate change

Strengthen solidarity with the Global South:

  • The Summit will focus on discussing various ways to enhance financial solidarity with countries in the Global South. Its main objectives include creating fiscal space, promoting private sector development, fostering green infrastructure investment, and generating innovative financing for countries vulnerable to climate change.
  • This Summit is one among numerous international events scheduled throughout the year, such as the G20, the SDG Summit, and COP28. These events are all designed to drive the achievement of tangible, impactful results.

Difference between the global south and the global north: 

  • ‘Global North’ refers loosely to countries like the US, Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand, while ‘Global South’ includes countries in Asia, Africa and South America. 
  • The commonality between the South countries is that most have a history of colonisation, largely at the hands of European powers. 
  • The countries in this region have been historically excluded from prominent international organisations – such as from the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. 
  • As bodies like the UN and the IMF are involved in major decision-making that affect the world in terms of politics, economy and society, the exclusion is seen by these countries as contributing to their slower growth.

Nut graf: A summit for a New Global Financing Pact is being held at a crucial juncture amidst discussions around reforms of the World Bank, India’s G20 presidency, the UN’s SDG Summit, the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit, and COP28. The Summit also throws the much-needed focus on the Global South from where the bulk of global growth is expected.

Category: SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. Refugees as assets to their new countries

Syllabus: GS-2, Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Prelims: Principle of Non-refoulement

Mains: Dealing with the refugee crisis

Context: June 20th is celebrated as International Refugee Day.

Why have there been rising incidences of refugee crises across the world? 

  • The ongoing crises in countries like Myanmar, Sudan and war-ridden Ukraine have led to a rise in the number of refugees across the world. 
  • These refugees are migrating to different parts of the world seeking a peaceful place to live and survive. 
  • There are nearly 2,50,000 refugees in India and half of them are women and children. 
  • Ethnic cleansing is one of the prime reasons for the rise in refugee crises across the world. 
  • War crimes are another reason for the rise in the number of refugees. 

Challenges faced by refugees: 

  • Many countries are not willing to accept refugees as they perceive them to be a threat to their national security. 
  • They face multiple problems ranging from legal recognition, having government-backed documents, and threats to their survival. 
  • Various social benefits are denied to them like schools, hospital facilities and livelihood opportunities. 
  • Moreover, they face challenges from the native population that believes that refugees would eat up the opportunities meant for them. 

Better management of refugees: 

  • It’s essential that wealthy countries work together to share the responsibility for protecting refugees. Currently, a small number of countries take responsibility for most of the world’s refugees. Most countries – including some of the world’s largest economies – scarcely take in any refugees at all. As outlined in the preamble of the Refugee Convention, all countries should share responsibility.
  • Wealthy nations must also increase the support and funding they provide to people in conflict-stricken countries. Humanitarian appeals around the world are severely underfunded and the gap between funds and needs is growing.
  • “Non-refoulement” is a fundamental principle of international law that forbids a country from returning asylum seekers to a country where they would be at risk of persecution or harm. It’s vital that wealthy countries protect asylum seekers by not returning them to dangerous situations.

Nut graf: The refugee crisis can be better managed with collective efforts of countries across the world, considering it a humanitarian crisis and working together to address the refugee crises in various parts of the world.

F. Prelims Facts

1. Archaeologist finds Mesolithic-era rock painting in Guntur

Syllabus: GS-1; Art and Culture; Rock paintings

Prelims: Mesolithic-era rock painting in Guntur

Details

  • A Mesolithic period rock painting has been found by Archaeologists of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Orvakallu village of the Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Archaeologists while surveying the lower River Krishna Valley to analyse the architectural features of shrines, identified a new prehistoric rock painting on the walls and ceiling of natural rock shelters on a hillock at Orvakallu.
  • According to the report, these paintings were made using natural white kaolin and red ochre pigments. 
    • Kaolinite is a soft, earthy, and white mineral made during the chemical weathering of aluminium silicate minerals such as feldspar.
    • Red ochre is a pigment made of clay, sand, and ferric oxide. 
  • These paintings shed light on the social and cultural life of the people who then lived in these areas.
  • This recently found rock painting belonging to the Mesolithic period (from about 5000 BC) depicts an individual tilling a piece of land indicating a “semi-settled life pattern” wherein members belonging to this community cultivated crops.
    • Another painting depicted a man catching a wild goat with his left hand while wielding a hook-like implement to control it. 
    • Another painting showed two couples standing with their hands raised while a child stood behind them.

Know more – Prehistoric Rock Paintings

2. INS Kirpan

Syllabus: GS-3; Security; Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate. 

Prelims: About INS Kirpan and India-Vietnam relations

Context:

India gifted INS Kirpan to Vietnam to strengthen that country’s naval capabilities.

INS Kirpan

  • INS Kirpan is an indigenously-built in-service missile corvette.
  • INS Kirpan is a Khukri-class missile corvette that was commissioned into the Indian Navy in January 1991. 
  • INS Kirpan was built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata.
  • The missile corvette is 91 metres in length, has a beam of 11 metres, is capable of reaching speed in excess of 25 knots and has a displacement of close to 1,400 tonnes, 
  • INS Kirpan is equipped with a medium-range gun, 30 mm close-range guns, chaff launchers, and surface-to-surface missiles.
  • INS Kirpan can be deployed to undertake a wide variety of roles such as coastal and offshore patrol, coastal security, surface warfare, anti-piracy, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.

India-Vietnam relations

  • India and Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual logistics support in June 2022.
  • The Defence Ministers of the two countries signed the “Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam defence partnership towards 2030” with an aim to enhance the scope and scale of existing defence cooperation.
  • Vietnam has procured 12 high-speed patrol boats for the Vietnamese border guard force under a $100 million Line of Credit (LoC) extended in September 2014. 
  • Further, India extended another $500 million defence LoC in 2016 and discussions are underway to identify the equipment.
  • India has also announced gifting two simulators and a monetary grant towards the setting up of a Language and IT Lab at the Air Force Officers Training School.
  • The two countries have shared a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2016.
  • Vietnam has been a crucial partner in India’s “Act East policy” and the “Indo-Pacific vision”.

G. Tidbits

1. ‘Europe is world’s fastest warming continent’

  • A joint report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has noted that Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent.
  • The report says that Europe would need to brace itself for more deadly climate change-triggered heat waves with its temperature rising by 2.3°C in 2022 compared to that in pre-industrial times.
    • Countries such as Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and the UK witnessed their warmest year on record in 2022.
  • Europe is currently experiencing increased pressure on its energy, transport infrastructure and healthcare systems due to extreme weather that has been aggravated by climate change.
  • The report also noted that the sea surface temperatures reached record highs and there was also “unprecedented” glacier melting.
  • Furthermore, overall climate and weather hazards resulted in about 16,365 deaths, mainly due to heat waves, and caused $2 billion in damage, largely connected with floods and storms.

2. UN adopts agreement to protect marine life in the high seas

  • The United Nations has adopted a historic agreement and the first-ever treaty to protect marine life on the high seas. 
  • The agreement is known as the “Treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction” and it comes under the ambit of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
  • The latest agreement aims to protect biodiversity in waters outside national boundaries, known as the high seas and establishes principles for sharing the benefits of “marine genetic resources” (MGR).
  • The new treaty will be opened for signatures on September 20, during the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly, and it will come into effect after it is ratified by 60 countries.

Also read – UN High Seas Treaty

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements with respect to contempt of court: 
(Level – Moderate)
  1. The Attorney General’s (AG) consent is mandatory when a private citizen wants to initiate a case of contempt of court against a person.
  2. The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, has a limitation period of two years for bringing in action against an individual.
  3. The Supreme Court has the power to initiate contempt cases on its own, independent of the motion brought before it by the AG or with the consent of the AG.

How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The Attorney General’s (AG) consent is mandatory when a private citizen wants to initiate a case of contempt of court against a person. 
    • Before such a plea can be filed, the AG must sign off on the complaint, determining if it requires the attention of the court at all.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, has a limitation period of one year for bringing in action against an individual.
    • According to Section 20 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, “No court shall initiate any proceedings of contempt, either on its own motion or otherwise, after the expiry of a period of one year from the date on which the contempt is alleged to have been committed”.
  • Statement 3 is correct, Article 129 of the Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to initiate contempt cases on its own, independent of the motion brought before it by the AG or with the consent of the AG.
Q2. Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to the Chambal 
River? (Level – Difficult)
  1. It is a tributary of the Yamuna River.
  2. It originates at Janapav, south of Mhow town, near Manpur, Indore, on the south slope of the Vindhya Range in Madhya Pradesh.
  3. It flows through three Indian states.
  4. Banas, Mej and Parbati are the left bank tributaries of Chambal.
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The Chambal River is a tributary of the Yamuna River in Central and Northern India.
  • Statement 2 is correct, The Chambal River originates at Janapav, south of Mhow town, near Manpur, Indore, on the south slope of the Vindhya Range in Madhya Pradesh.
  • Statement 3 is correct, The Chambal River flows through three Indian states namely Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
  • Statement 4 is not correct, The main left bank tributaries of Chambal include the Banas and Mej rivers on the left 
    • The Parbati, Kali Sindh and Shipra Rivers are the main right-bank tributaries of the Chambal River.
Q3. Consider the following statements with respect to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy 
Code, 2016: (Level – Difficult)
  1. The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs has regulatory oversight over Insolvency Professionals.
  2. A competitor of the corporate debtor is prohibited to submit a resolution plan in a corporate insolvency resolution process.
  3. A creditor can initiate a pre-packaged insolvency resolution process when the debtor company has defaulted at least Rupees one crore.

How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is not correct, The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has regulatory oversight over Insolvency Professionals, Insolvency Professional Agencies, Insolvency Professional Entities and Information Utilities.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, A competitor of the corporate debtor along with a promoter of the corporate debtor and a creditor of the corporate debtor are allowed to submit a resolution plan in a corporate insolvency resolution process.
    • A wilful defaulter is prohibited to submit a resolution plan in a corporate insolvency resolution process.
  • Statement 3 is not correct, A pre-pack envisages the resolution of the debt of a distressed company through a direct agreement between secured creditors and the existing owners or outside investors, instead of a public bidding process.
    • A corporate debtor with a minimum default of INR 10 lakhs can initiate a pre-packaged insolvency resolution process.
Q4. With respect to the Cornwallis Code, which of the following statements is/are 
correct? (Level – Moderate)
  1. It established the Permanent Settlement system.
  2. Collectors were given only the power of the revenue administration.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The Cornwallis Code of 1793 contained provisions for governing the civil, policing and judiciary administration in British India.
    • Cornwallis Code of 1793 established the Permanent Settlement system.
  • Statement 2 is correct, Cornwallis wanted Separation of Power and the Cornwallis Code divested the collector of all the judicial and the magisterial powers.
    • Thus the Collectors were given only the power of the revenue administration according to the Cornwallis Code.
Q5. What is "Virtual Private Network"? (Level – Easy) PYQ (2011)
  1. It is a private computer network of an organization where the remote users can transmit encrypted information through the server of the organization
  2. It is a computer network across a public internet that provides users access to their organization’s network while maintaining the security of the information transmitted
  3. It is a computer network in which users can access a shared pool of computing resources through a service provider
  4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is a correct description of Virtual Private Network
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • Virtual Private Network (VPN) corresponds to an encrypted & secure network that enables you to securely use network resources. 
  • VPN allows users to work from home in a secure manner to connect to remote corporate servers with the help of routing infrastructure given by the public internetwork. 
  • VPNs allow employees to securely access their company’s intranet while travelling outside the office.

CNA 20 June 2023:- Download PDF Here

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