07 May 2021: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 7th May 2021:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. China halts economic dialogue with Australia
C. GS 3 Related
ECONOMY
1. RBI move to help firms with weaker credit profiles: CRISIL
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Intellectual property waiver for Covid-19 vaccines
ECONOMY
1. A lending hand
F. Prelims Facts
1. Taliban captures key dam in Afghanistan
2. Down Syndrome
G. Tidbits
1. EU to discuss U.S. vaccine patent plan at summit
2. What’s Facebook’s Oversight Board
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

Category: ECONOMY

1. A lending hand

This issue has been previously covered in the following article:

Comprehensive News Analysis of 6th May 2021: RBI steps in to ease Covid-19 burden

F. Prelims Facts

1. Taliban captures key dam in Afghanistan

What’s in News?

The Taliban has captured Dahla Dam.

  • Dahla Dam is Afghanistan’s second-biggest dam.

The dam’s capture comes amidst clashes, shortly after the U.S. military formally began withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan.

Read more on this topic covered in the 15th April 2021 Comprehensive News Analysis.

2. Down Syndrome

  • Down syndrome is a common congenital chromosomal anomaly.
  • The condition occurs when there is one extra copy of chromosome 21 in cells in the body.
  • The extra chromosome 21 material may affect the physical development and learning abilities of people with Down syndrome.
  • Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of learning disability. It often causes various degrees of cognitive impairment.
  • It is not a disease or an illness that can be cured.

G. Tidbits

1. EU to discuss U.S. vaccine patent plan at summit

What’s in News?

In view of the global health crisis and the need to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, India and South Africa proposed a relaxation in the norms of the agreement on TRIPS in WTO, to ensure quick and affordable access to vaccines and medicines for developing countries.

  • The proposal has received the support of more than 120 countries.
  • France also has joined the United States in supporting an easing of patent and other protections on COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Russia has also expressed its support for the idea of a waiver on patent protections for coronavirus vaccines.
  • The relaxation could help poorer countries get more doses and speed up the end of the pandemic.
  • The EU Commission President has also expressed willingness to discuss the proposal.
  • The GAVI vaccine alliance, which co-leads the COVAX dose-sharing programme with the WHO welcomed Mr. Biden’s support for waiving intellectual property rights.

Drug makers’ concerns:

  • The drug makers opine that the proposal if adopted by the WTO would invite new manufacturers that lack essential know-how and oversight from the inventors to crowd out established contractors.

2. What’s Facebook’s Oversight Board

What’s in News?

Facebook’s Oversight Board upheld Facebook’s January decision to block the then-U.S. President Donald Trump from its platform.

  • Trump was blocked for “inciting violent insurrection against a democratically elected government”.
  • Facebook then referred the case to its Oversight Board.

Facebook’s Oversight Board:

  • The Oversight Board has been set up as an independent body that will help Facebook figure out what content can be allowed on the platform and what ought to be removed.
  • It was said to have emerged out of the tensions around the often-conflicting goals of maintaining Facebook as a platform for free speech and effectively filtering out problematic speech.
  • The board is autonomous in the exercise of independent judgment.
  • Facebook as well as its users can refer cases to the board. The decisions of the board are binding on Facebook.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. With reference to Uranium, which of the following statements is/are correct?
  1. It is weakly radioactive because all isotopes of uranium are unstable.
  2. In India, only public sector companies under the Government of India are allowed to explore and mine atomic minerals like Uranium.
  3. The largest deposits are found in China, South Africa, and Argentina.

Options:

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

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Uranium is weakly radioactive because all isotopes of uranium are unstable.
  • Fissionable isotopes, especially U-235, are used in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons.
  • In India, only public sector companies under the Government of India are allowed to explore and mine atomic minerals like Uranium.
  • Australia, Kazakhstan, Canada, Namibia and South Africa have the largest deposits of Uranium in the world.

Major uranium deposits

Q2. Consider the following Pairs:

           Tiger Reserve                                                                    State

  1. Anamalai Tiger Reserve                                                        Tamil Nadu
  2. Satkosia Tiger Reserve                                                             Odisha
  3. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve                                                           West Bengal

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

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

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • Anamalai Tiger Reserve – Tamil Nadu
  • Satkosia Tiger Reserve – Odisha
  • Pilibhit Tiger Reserve – Uttar Pradesh
Q3. Which of the following statements about Darwin Port is/are correct?
  1. It is a port located on the South Western coast of Australia.
  2. The US-owned Landbridge Group had won the bid for a lease of Port Darwin and the port hosts the annual naval exercise between the USA and Australia.

Options:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Port Darwin is a port in northern Australia.
  • Landbridge Group, a Chinese firm won a bidding process in September 2015 to operate Darwin Port on a 99-year lease in a deal.
  • Naval exercises between the USA and Australia have not been conducted in Port Darwin.
Q4. Dahla Dam recently seen in news is in 
  1. Iran
  2. Pakistan
  3. Tajikistan
  4. Afghanistan
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Dahla Dam is Afghanistan’s second-biggest dam.
  • The Taliban has captured Dahla Dam amidst clashes, shortly after the U.S. military formally began withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan.
Q5. With reference to National Legal Services Authority, consider the following statements: 
(UPSC 2013)
  1. Its objective is to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society on the basis of equal opportunity.
  2. It issues guidelines for the State Legal Services Authorities to implement the legal programmes and schemes throughout the country.

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:

  • National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) was formed in 1995 under the authority of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987.
  • Its objective is to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society on the basis of equal opportunity.
  • It organizes Lok Adalats for speedy resolution of cases.
  • It issues guidelines for the State Legal Services Authorities to implement the legal programmes and schemes throughout the country.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

  1. Discuss the measures taken by the RBI to reduce the burden on healthcare providers during the pandemic. (250 words; 15 marks) [GS-3, Economy]
  2. What lessons do the communal tensions in Ireland offer to India? (250 words; 15 marks) [GS-1, Social Issues]

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 7th May 2021:- Download PDF Here

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  1. Please let us know How to check the answers?
    Thanks a lot