06 Mar 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Putin warns against imposing any no-fly zone over Ukraine
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Mission creep: on NATO expansionism
2. Commodity crunch
EDUCATION
1. Why do Indians go abroad for medical studies?
F. Prelims Facts
1. FATF retains Pak. on its terror funding ‘grey list’
2. Deepak Dhar, John J. Hopfield chosen for Boltzmann medal
G. Tidbits
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

A. GS 1 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

B. GS 2 Related

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Putin warns against imposing any no-fly zone over Ukraine

Syllabus: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Prelims: No-fly Zone(NFZ)

Mains: Critical evaluation of No-fly Zone(NFZ) over Ukraine

Context:

Russia warned that it would consider any third-party declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine as participation in the war there.

What is a ‘no-fly zone’?

• A no-fly zone is also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ).
• It is a region or area where a military power has halted the operations of certain aircraft.
• This can be just passenger vehicles or all types of aircraft including military aircraft.
• This exclusion is coercively carried out by the militarist execution of any violations in most situations.

Why does Ukraine want an NFZ over its airspace?

• The country has been facing brutal missile strikes, most of which, despite Russian claims, are attacking civilian areas.
• The Ukrainian government has been calling for the imposition of an NFZ over its airspace by NATO forces.
• These attacks are resulting in heavy civilian losses and massive damage to civilian infrastructure in the country.
• An NFZ over the country would lead to a barrage of missiles, thermobaric bombs, cluster bombs, and more to stop hitting Ukrainian civilians and military infrastructure.

Why won’t NATO establish a NFZ?

• While NATO was responsible for establishing the NFZs seen in the past, it is unlikely it will impose one in Ukraine.
• The reason behind the move is simple – Iran, Libya, Bosnia-Herzegovina did not involve any nuclear states, but Russia has its own nuclear weapons.
• Imposing a NFZ would mean NATO jets directly engaging in combat with Russian airplanes.

C. GS 3 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

E. Editorials

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Mission creep: on NATO expansionism

Syllabus: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries

Prelims: Facts about NATO and Warsaw Pact

Mains: NATO’s eastward expansion and Russia’s concerns and response to the expansion

Context

Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.

Overview

• Russia launched a full scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
• Russia stated that the reason behind this aggression was the eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
• Russia feels that Ukraine becoming a member in the future would threaten its interests by bringing a formidable security coalition into the neighbourhood of Russia.

To read more about Enlargement of NATO and Russia’s Demands

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

• NATO was signed in April 1949, with three objectives:
  • Deterring Soviet expansionism,
  • Forbidding the revival of nationalist militarism in Europe through a strong North American presence on the continent
  • Encouraging European political integration.
• The history of the Nazi troubles and World War II were the main reasons for its creation.
• NATO claims that its creation was to check the threats from the then Soviet Union.
• There is a strong emphasis on military cooperation and collective defence in its mandate.
  • For example, Article 5 says that “an armed attack against one or more of them, shall be considered an attack against them all” and that following such an attack, each member would take “such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force” in response.

To read more about- NATO

Warsaw Pact

• In 1955, when the Cold War was getting stronger, the Soviet Union signed up socialist republics of Central and Eastern Europe to the Warsaw Pact.
• The pact included Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania.
• The Pact, was mainly a political-military alliance aimed at countering NATO and its focus was on East Germany which was still a part of the Soviet occupied-territory of Germany,
• The Federal Republic of Germany partnered with NATO in 1955, and Russia started to worry about the consequences of a strong and rearmed West Germany at its border.
• As a unified, multilateral, political and military alliance, the Warsaw Pact was aimed at connecting Eastern European capitals to Russia, which it succeeded for many decades despite the Cold War.
• The Pact allowed the Soviet Union to suppress civil uprisings across the European satellite states, including in Hungary (1956), Czechoslovakia (1968), and Poland (1980)
• The pact started to weaken in the late 1980s, due to the pressure of economic slowdown in most of the European allies, which reduced the potential for military cooperation.
• In September 1990 that East Germany quit the Pact to be reunified with West Germany, and soon Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland withdrew from the Warsaw Pact.
• The Pact was dissolved in early 1991, post the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

Read more about Cold War

Expansion by the NATO

• As the Soviet Union was disintegrated, NATO started to expand its presence.
• NATO successfully negotiated and expanded to include former Warsaw Pact states as its members.
• Germany continued to be a member of NATO after its reunification.
• The Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland joined the alliance in 1999.
• In 2004, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia joined NATO
• Again, in 2009 Albania and Croatia signed up.
• In 2017, Montenegro joined the organization along with North Macedonia’s in 2020.

Russia’s concerns on the Expansion of NATO

• In 2008, NATO allies offered membership to Ukraine and Georgia
• NATO announced measures to engage with both countries at a high political level to address their issues regarding their Membership Action Plan.
• This concerned Russia, because Ukraine is a country that was considered to have strong historic ties first to the Soviet Union and then Russia.
• This development prompted Russia to warn the NATO led by the U.S. and stated that “no Russian leader could stand idly by in the face of steps toward NATO membership for Ukraine. That would be a hostile act toward Russia.”
• This is considered the main reason for the recent Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Analysing of Russia’s actions

• In early 1990 with the Two Plus Four meeting that included East and West Germany plus the United States, France, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom; a decision was made on whether a unified Germany would be part of NATO.
  • In this meeting, a U.S. leader in 1990 had stated that “there would be no extension of NATO’s jurisdiction for forces of NATO one inch to the east.”
• It was a difficult time in Russian politics, domestically, because in the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s disintegration, there was a failure to institutionalise democratic practices, a stable market economy, and a robust law and order system.
• In this time of crisis the then Russian President interpreted the Two Plus Four Treaty as a ban on NATO expansion east of Germany.
  • Russia uses this statement to justify its outrage against NATO’s expansion towards its rim lands.
• Even in the 2000s, Russia continued this stance with increasing alarm and anger at NATO’s steady expansion into Eastern Europe.
• In 2008, following NATO’s offer of membership to Georgia and Ukraine,
  • Russia invaded Georgia and took control of several of its territorial regions.
  • In 2014, with Ukraine moving much closer towards an economic alliance with the European Union, Russia entered into Ukraine and annexed Crimea.

F. Prelims Facts

1. FATF retains Pak. on its terror funding ‘grey list’

Syllabus: GS2: International Relations: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Prelims: FATF; Grey list

Context:

FATF has retained Pakistan on its terrorism financing “grey list” and asked it to address at the earliest the remaining deficiencies in its financial system.

Background:

• Pakistan has been on the gray list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) since June 2018 for failing to check money laundering.
• Since then, the country continues to be on that list due to its failure to comply with the FATF mandates.

Know more about Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and Pakistan on FATF Grey List

G. Tidbits

Nothing here for today!!!

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Which of the following statements with respect to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 
is/are incorrect?

1. It was established in 1989 on the initiative of the Group of Twenty (G20) to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering.
2. The FATF Secretariat is located at the OECD Headquarters in Paris.
3. The FATF currently comprises 37 member jurisdictions and 2 regional organizations, representing most major financial centers in all parts of the globe.

Options:

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental organization established to set standards measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. 
• It was formed in 1989 by the G7 Summit which was held in Paris. Hence Statement 1 is not correct 
• The FATF is really a policy-making body that works with governments to bring about national legislation and regulatory reforms in these areas. Hence Statement 2 is correct 
• The FATF currently comprises 37 member jurisdictions and 2 regional organisations, representing most major financial centres in all parts of the globe. Hence Statement 3 is correct 

Q2. With respect to Northern River Terrapin, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. They are one of the largest sea turtle species and also one of the most migratory, crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
2. It is listed on the IUCN Red List as a Critically Endangered species

Options:

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None 

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

• Leatherback turtles  are the largest sea turtle species and also one of the most migratory, crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Hence Statement 1 is not correct 
• The northern river terrapin (Batagur baska) is a species of riverine turtle native to Southeast Asia. It is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and considered extinct in much of its former range. Hence Statement 2 is correct 

Q3. Consider the following statements:

1. It is a carbohydrate-enriched coating that covers the outside of many eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells, particularly bacteria . 
2. It helps the pathogen to evade the immune system

The above statements best describe:

1. Pili
2. Flagella
3. Glycocalyx
4. Endospore

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

• Glycocalyx is a highly charged layer of membrane-bound biological macromolecules attached to a cell membrane. This layer functions as a barrier between a cell and its surrounding.
• The glycocalyx is a carbohydrate-enriched coating that covers the outside of many eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells, particularly bacteria . 
•  The presence of a glycocalyx increases the effective diameter of a bacterium and also covers up components of the bacterium that the immune system would detect and be stimulated by. It also helps the pathogen to evade the immune system.
• Hence Option C is correct

Q4. Which of the following are correctly matched?

1. AH-64E Apache attack helicopter: USA
2. CH-47 Chinook Helicopters: France
3. Ml-35 helicopters: Russia
4. Pole Star: UK

Options:

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 4 only
4. 1, 3 and 4 only

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

• The Boeing AH-64 Apache is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. Hence Pair 1 is correct
• The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters.  Hence Pair 2 is not correct
• The Mi-35M is a multi-role combat helicopter manufactured by Rostvertol, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters. It is an export variant of the Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter. Hence Pair 3 is correct
• The ALH (Dhruv) (“Pole Star”) is a multi-role helicopter developed and manufactured by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Military versions inducted into the ARMY are for transport, utility, reconnaissance and Casualty -Evacuation roles. Hence Pair 4 is not correct

Q5. With reference to the Indian economy, demand-pull inflation can be caused/increased by 
which of the following?

1. Expansionary policies
2. Fiscal stimulus
3. Inflation-indexing wages
4. Higher purchasing power
5. Rising interest rates

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 1, 2 and 4 only
2. 3, 4 and 5 only
3. 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

• The rising pressure on prices that accompanies a supply shortage, which economists define as “too many dollars chasing too few things,” is known as demand-pull inflation.
• Expansionary policies: Money in the market rises when the government spends more freely. Demand for goods rises resulting in demand-pull inflation.
• Fiscal Stimulus: Also raises the amount of money in circulation, which stimulates demand for products and fuels demand-pull inflation.
• Higher Purchasing Power: Consumers who make more money are more confident and spend more. As a result, there is an increase in demand, hence inflation is caused by consumer demand
• Wages that are inflation-indexed and interest rates that are growing do not raise or produce demand-pull inflation.
• Hence Option A is correct

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. Can Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning put judiciary on the fast track? Analyse. (250 words; 15 marks)[GS-2, Polity & GS-3, Science & Technology]
2. Will sanctions against Russia lead to a global commodity crunch? Examine its impact on long-term supply of wheat, oil, metals and other goods. (250 words; 15 marks)[GS-2, International Relations]