14 Mar 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 14 March 2023:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Understanding the Saudi-Iran detente
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. A chance for India to shape a data governance regime
EDUCATION
1. A reality check for foreign universities
F. Prelims Facts
1. Superconductors
2. Oscars 2023
G. Tidbits
1. India remains world’s largest importer of arms: SIPRI report
2. 246 vultures spotted in synchronised survey in T.N., Kerala and Karnataka
3. In Cambodia, a battle for democracy, inclusiveness
4. Cyclone Freddy
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

2. Oscars 2023

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Prelims: Oscar Awards 2023

Context

The 95th Academy Awards ceremony was held on March 12, 2023.

Oscar Awards 2023

  • Indian documentary β€œThe Elephant Whisperers” won the Academy Award for “Best Documentary Short”.
    • This is the first time that an Indian production won an award under the category.
  • The song β€œNaatu Naatu” from the film RRR won the Academy Award for β€œBest Original Song”.
    • Naatu Naatu is the fourth non-English song to win an Oscar in the category and the first song in a foreign language since β€œJai Ho” in 2009 to bag the prize.Β 
  • This is the first time two India-made productions have bagged the cinema world’s biggest prize.

About Oscar Awards

  • The Academy Awards or the Oscars Awards are given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), USA.
  • The first Academy Award ceremony was held in 1929.
  • The Oscar awards are presented for artistic talent and technical excellence in the international film industry.
  • Bhanu Athaiya was the first Indian to win an Oscar Award.
    • Bhanu Athaiya won the Best Costume Design Oscar at the 55th Academy Awards in 1983.
  • The list of other winners from India includes Satyajit Ray, A R Rahman, Resul Pookotty, and Gulzar.

G. Tidbits

1. India remains world’s largest importer of arms: SIPRI report

  • As per the report by the Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India has remained the world’s largest arms importer between 2018 and 2022 despite there being a drop in imports by around 11% between 2013-2017 and 2018-2022.
    • According to the report, Russia was the largest arms supplier to India from 2013 to 2022. However, the percentage of total imports from Russia has fallen from 64% to 45%.Β 
    • France has displaced the US (11%) to become the second-largest supplier of arms to India, accounting for close to 30% of its defence imports.
  • The latest report has also revealed that:
    • Among the top 10 arms exporters for the period 2018 to 2022, India was the biggest arms export market to Russia, France and Israel.Β 
    • India has been the second-largest export market to South Korea and the third-largest market for South Africa.
  • Saudi Arabia is the second largest arms importer after India.
  • While India’s tensions with its neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and China have been the major drivers in the arms imports and the decrease in the share of imports compared to the 2013-2017 period is mainly on account of India’s slow and complex arms procurement process, efforts to diversify arms suppliers, and the attempts by the government to achieve self-reliance in the defence sector.

2. 246 vultures spotted in synchronised survey in T.N., Kerala and Karnataka

  • About 246 vultures were spotted in the first-ever synchronised survey conducted along the borders of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka in February 2023.
  • The Forest and Wildlife Departments of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka organised the first synchronised vulture survey in various regions of the Western Ghats such as the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) in Tamil Nadu, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) in Kerala, the Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) and the Nagerhole Tiger Reserve (NTR) in Karnataka.
  • During the survey, volunteers sighted White-rumped vultures (183), Long-billed vultures (30), Red-headed vultures (28), Egyptian vultures (3), a Himalayan Griffon (1), and a Cinereous vulture (1).
  • Vultures are witnessing a catastrophic decline from the 2000s as these species are being exposed to diclofenac drug which is mainly used as a painkiller for cattle and experts believe that increasing wild carcass availability was one of the major steps needed to help vultures thrive.

Read about – Vultures of Tamil Nadu

3. In Cambodia, a battle for democracy, inclusiveness

  • The imprisonment of Opposition leader Kem Sokha who was found guilty of treason by a municipal court in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh has attracted criticism from the international community and human rights groups.
  • Due to the impact of Pol Pot’s dictatorship and the continuous cycles of war which officially ended in 1991, Cambodia is struggling to elevate its economy from a lower-income status. Further, there have been growing concerns about democratic freedoms and inclusive development in the southeast Asian country.
  • Additionally, there have also been concerns over the growing Chinese investment in Cambodia.
    • A 187-km-long expressway that connects the Sihanoukville port town with the capital Phnom Penh has been built with a Chinese investment of $2 billion which is now a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
  • India is currently involved in restoring the 12th-century sites at the Angkor Wat temple in the city of Siem Reap in Cambodia.
  • India is also engaged in extending technical training, livelihood support, and supporting local entrepreneurship. However, the locals opine that India should help promote democracy within Cambodia as without democratic freedoms, the development initiatives fail to reach people.

4. Cyclone Freddy

  • Cyclone Freddy has caused powerful winds and torrential rain in Malawi and Mozambique on its return to southern Africa after a first hit in February 2023.Β 
  • According to NASA, Cyclone Freddy has set the record for having the highest accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) of any southern hemisphere storm in history.Β 
    • Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) is an index used to measure the total amount of wind energy associated with a tropical cyclone over its lifetime.
  • Freddy is set to become the longest-lasting storm and has impacted large areas of Northeast Zimbabwe, Southeast Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
  • Globally, the rising mean sea levels have contributed to higher extreme sea levels associated with tropical cyclones and experts predict an increase in the average intensity, the magnitude of storm surge and precipitation rates associated with tropical cyclones in the coming days.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. How many of the following statements are true regarding β€œDragon Fruit” or 
Kamalam? (Level – Difficult)
  1. It is a native fruit of Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia.
  2. It is a perennial cactus species.
  3. India does not produce this fruit, and it is entirely imported from South East Asia.

Options:

  1. Only 1 statement
  2. Only 2 statements
  3. All 3 statements
  4. None of the statements
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is not correct, Dragon Fruit is native to the deserts of Mexico, the countries of Central America and South America.
    • The plant is also grown in other countries in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.
  • Statement 2 is correct, Dragon Fruit is a climbing, fast-growing perennial vine cactus species.
  • Statement 3 is not correct, The Dragon Fruit production in India began in the early 1990s and is gaining popularity as a crop of choice for India’s fruit farmers.
Q2. Which of the following statements are true regarding the β€œNagar Van Yojana”? 
(Level – Moderate)
  1. It is being implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
  2. It utilizes the CAMPA funds for the development of β€œNagar Vans” and β€œNagar Vatikas”.
  3. It plans to increase the green cover in not just urban, but also peri-urban areas.

Options:

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is not correct, The Nagar Van Yojana has been implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
  • Statement 2 is correct, The scheme utilises National Funds under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for the development of β€œNagar Vans” and β€œNagar Vatikas”.
  • Statement 3 is correct, The key objectives of the scheme are to enhance the tree outside forests and green cover, enhancement of biodiversity and ecological benefits to the urban and peri-urban areas apart from improving the quality of life of city dwellers.Β 
Q3. Which of the following countries are included in the basin of the Malacca 
Strait?Β (Level – Easy)
  1. Malaysia
  2. Indonesia
  3. Brunei
  4. Singapore
  5. Thailand

Options:

  1. 1, 2 and 4
  2. 2, 3, 4 and 5
  3. 1, 2, 4 and 5
  4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

Strait of Malacca

Image Source: IILSS – INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LAW OF THE SEA STUDIES

Q4. Identify the correct statements: (Level – Moderate)
  1. The Archeological Survey of India takes part in both domestic and overseas heritage restoration on behalf of GoI.
  2. The Water Heritage sites are declared by the ASI under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

Options:

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

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country.
    • ASI also takes part in overseas heritage restoration on the behalf of the Government of India.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, There is no provision under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 to declare a site as a β€œWater Heritage Site” under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
    • The Ministry of Jal Shakti had set up a Committee to identify 75 Water Heritage Structure (WHS) in reference to 75 years of India’s Independence.
Q5. With reference to communication technologies, what is/are the difference/differences 
between LTE (Long Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution)? 
(Level – Easy) [PYQ 2020]
  1. LTE is commonly marketed as 3G, and VoLTE is commonly marketed as advanced 3G.
  2. LTE is data-only technology and VoLTE is voice-only technology.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is not correct, LTE stands for Long Term Evolution. It is a model for high-speed data communication systems, also called 4G.Β 
    • VoLTE stands for Voice over Long Term Evolution and similar to LTE, it also holds 4G networks that helps provide high-speed internet servicesΒ 
  • Statement 2 is not correct, LTE is data-only technology but VoLTE is both data and voice technology.
    • Basically, VoLTE systems convert voice into the data stream, which is then transmitted using the data connection.

CNA 14 March 2023:- Download PDF Here

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