 Welcome to the Hindu News Analysis by Shankar IA's Academy, displayed at the list of news articles taken up for today's analysis along with the page numbers of Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Trivandrum editions. The handwritten notes in PDF format and the timestamping of all the news articles taken up for today's analysis is available in the description section and also in the comment section for the benefit of the smartphone users. Let us now start our discussion. This news article states that India's campaign or movement for the expansion of the United Nations Security Council has slowed down. This is even after repeated assertions by India on its right to have a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council or in short UNSC. Now, this slow pace is visible in the fact that India's campaign did not prompt or remind the United Nations General Assembly to move towards a resolution. The resolution is for the expansion of the United Nations Security Council. Now, resolution is important because the United Nations resolutions are formal expressions of the opinion or the will of the United Nations organs. So, until a resolution is undertaken, whatever decision that is taken in the meetings are not the formal decisions of the United Nations organs. And we are calling it slow pace because four years ago, if you see the United Nations General Assembly had declared plans for reform of United Nations Security Council in its landmark decision which was taken in the year 2015 and this also included expanding the United Nations Security Council. So, on 14 September 2015, the 69th General Assembly adopted a text without a vote. This text would be the basis for future negotiations on reform of the Security Council. This was adopted after several rounds of discussion. Currently, the main coalitions or the partnership on the issue of reform in the United Nations are the L69, the G4 and the African group. In this know that L69 is a group of developing countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, then the Asia and also the Pacific. It currently has 42 members, then the G4 consists of four nations namely Brazil, Germany, India and Japan. Here know that India is a leading country in the L69 grouping and also the G4 grouping. Then we have the African group which consists of 54 African countries from the five regions of Africa. Now, after this 2015 decision of the United Nations General Assembly, the Ministry of External Affairs of India had stated that the negotiations for a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly would begin from the year 2016. But if you see, it has not yet started. It is already 2019 now. The news article states that India seems to have depended on the argument that it is entitled to a seat at the United Nations Security Council. This dependency is because of multiple factors such as population, growing economic stature, then growing global responsibilities like peacekeeping. But the diplomat suggests that a more aggressive campaign within the organs of the United Nations is required. This is to push for United Nations General Assembly resolution to expand the United Nations Security Council. One of the key historic reasons for India's quest for a permanent seat at the United Security Nation is to ensure the protection of national interest. And this protection is needed especially in crucial diplomatic moments like when the United Nations Security Council takes up some controversial issues in India like the Kashmir issue. We know that when last week the United Nations Security Council members met for a closed meeting on Kashmir, India stood outside the meeting. That is, India was not allowed to attend the meeting. But if India had a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, this scenario could have been avoided. Therefore, the permanent seat for India becomes more important now. But if you have seen the recent years, India has insisted on getting bilateral assurance from the heads of states and governments who visit India for the expansion of United Nations Security Council. But even though the permanent member countries such as United Kingdom, the United States, Russia and France have expressed the support bilaterally, they have not actively collaborated with India in the United Nations for expanding the Council. So, now other than these reasons, why the expansion of United Nations Security Council is more important to India? India believes that the United Nations, especially the United Nations Security Council must reflect the contemporary or the current global realities. For this purpose, the reform of the United Nations including the expansion of the United Nations Security Council in both the permanent and the non-permanent categories is very much necessary and the reform is also necessary for the following reasons. Firstly, the United Nations Security Council still reflects the geopolitical architecture of the Second World War. This is because the victors or the winners from the Second World War, that is the countries like United States, France, the then Soviet Union, then England, then China all gave themselves a permanent membership on the Security Council. It was just to ensure that the world peace and security were in good hands, but if you see the world has changed drastically since the end of the Second World War, so a change in United Nations Security Council is very much needed. Secondly, the United Nations Security Council was last expanded only once in the year 1963. This expansion added four non-permanent members. Thirdly, if you see the membership of United Nations has increased over the years, but the United Nations Security Council is still without any change in membership having only just 15 members. Fourthly, there is no permanent member from Africa in the United Nations Security Council, but if you see actually 75% of the work of the United Nations Security Council is focused on Africa. Now, some of the diplomats have blamed China for this slow pace of why the United Nations Security Council is not getting expanded. They say that China has quietly carried out a campaign or a movement to stop the speeding process of the draft resolution. Even some veteran diplomats have said that the latest United Nations Security Council meeting on Kashmir, where India was not allowed to participate, was convened following an initiative from China. So, this shows that India will have to show more stamina or strength to stop China from using the United Nations Security Council against India's interests. The news article also states that the issue of expanding the United Nations Security Council and the text-based negotiation is expected to be discussed in the next United Nations General Assembly session, which is to be held in the month of September. So, let us now see what is United Nations Security Council in brief. The United Nations Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council. The United Nations Charter gives primary responsibility to the Security Council for maintaining international peace and security. So, the United Nations Security Council will meet whenever it thinks that the peace is threatened in any part of the world. All the members of the United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council. Actually, if you see other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to the member states, but only the Security Council has the power to make decisions, which the member states are obligated to implement under the Charter. And if you see the United Nations Security Council is composed of 15 members, where 5 are permanent members and 10 are non-permanent members. The permanent members are the countries of China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States. And if you see the 10 non-permanent members, they are elected for two year terms by the United Nations General Assembly. Currently, if you see the non-permanent members are the countries of Belgium, Côte d'Avore, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Indonesia, Kuwait, Peru, Poland and South Africa. Also know that India was a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for seven times in the following years. That is from 1950 to 51, then 1967 to 68, then 1972 to 73, then 1977 to 78, then 1984 to 1985, then 1991 to 1992, and lastly in the years 2011 to 2012. And also know that India is likely to get this non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council again in the years 2021 to 2022. So, when India will be celebrating its 75th year of independence, India is likely to be a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Now, have a look at the practice question. Let us move on to the next news article. This news article discusses about paddy cultivation in Kuttanath region of Kerala. The syllabus relevant to the analysis of this news article is given here for your reference. This news article tells that the paddy cultivation has been destroyed in about 3,000 hectares of land in Kuttanath region. They were destroyed due to breaching of bunts and also because of flooding. The news also tells that the outer bunts of some of the paddy polders have breached. So, this has destroyed paddy cultivation. This news article also mentions Bhadasekara Samithis. So, let us see about the speciality of the agricultural practice in the area of Kuttanath. Know that Kuttanath is a region which is located in the central region of the state of Kerala. Kuttanath is known for its below sea level farming system. So, it is a only farming system in India that has been a practicing rice cultivation below sea level since the past two centuries. If you see the entire area of Kuttanath is a fragmented landscape. When we tell fragmented landscape, there are different types of landscape in small small portions like the coastal backwaters of the Vemannad lake, then reverse lake Chenankari river, then you have vast stretches of paddy fields, then marshes, ponds, garden lands and well-built canals. In this picture, the canal is running midway and here you can see the garden lands which are located above the mean sea level and then you can see the paddy fields which are located below the mean sea level on the Aether sites. So, this is the mean sea level. So, there are three major structures. One is the wetlands which are used for paddy activities and fish catching, then the garden lands which are used for coconut tubers and food crops, plantation and then the water areas which are used for inland fishing. Historically, the lands have been reclaimed from the Vemannad lake for practicing agriculture, then the bunts have been created to prevent the water from entering the paddy fields. These paddy fields are called as Padashekaram in Malayalam. So, such a piece of land which is located below mean sea level and which has been reclaimed from any water bodies like a lake or a river is called as a polder. The term is polder. If you see, flooding is an annual problem which happens in this agricultural system. The bunts breach and the floodwater enter the low-lying paddy fields. The bunts are repaired and strengthened whenever required. We can find this type of agriculture in India only in this Kuttanad area. So, know this area. It is for this reason Kuttanad below sea level farming system is a GIAHS site. Now, what is this GIAHS? GIAHS is the acronym for globally important agriculture heritage systems. Know that GIAHS was launched by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in the year 2002. It happened during the World Summit on Sustainable Development which was held at Johannesburg in South Africa. Now, the overall goal of this GIAHS program is to identify and safeguard globally important agricultural heritage systems that is the eco-friendly traditional farm practices and their associated landscapes, agricultural biodiversity, then the knowledge systems of the local communities and also their culture which is associated to that agricultural system. One example is the Padasekara Samithis or the Field Committees which is a social organization. Now, the main responsibility of these Padasekara Samithis are the maintenance of the bunts. Know that in India there are three GIAHS sites. The first GIAHS site that was declared from India was the saffron heritage of Kashmir in the year 2011. The second site was Koraput Traditional Agriculture which was declared in the year 2012. The third site is the one which we saw Kutanath below sea level farming system which was declared as a GIAHS site in the year 2013. Now, have a look at the practice question. Let us move on to the next news article. This news article states that the Indian Prime Minister will attend the outreach session of the G7 Summit or G7 Meet. The G7 Meet is held at Beirut city of France from 24th to 26th of August 2019 and know that India has a special invite to this meeting. The visit to Beirut is a part of the multinational tour that the Prime Minister of India will undertake from 23rd of August. First he will visit the United Arab Emirates then he will go to Bahrain and finally he will go to France and the invitation to visit France was extended by the French President after Mr Modi was re-elected. Moreover, a Prime Minister will visit the G7 summit as Beirut's partner. We will see what is this Beirut's partner later in this discussion. Then during the summit the Prime Minister is expected to speak in sessions on environment, climate, oceans and digital transformation. He will also be having bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries. Prior to the G7 Summit, a Prime Minister will be on an official visit to France on 22nd and 23rd of August 2019 where he will hold bilateral meetings with the President of the French Republic. If you see, India and France are strategic partners since year 1998. They share a comprehensive, dynamic and multifaceted relationship. The two countries have strong cooperation in the fields of defence, maritime security, space, cyber, counter-terrorism and civil nuclear energy. We also have a robust and strong trade and investment relations with France. So this bilateral visit of a Prime Minister to France and the invitation to G7 summit are to maintain the tradition of strong and close partnership. Not only this, the meetings are also to maintain high-level political contacts between India and France. So, let us first understand in brief about the G7 Summit. The group of seven or G7 is an informal group of seven countries where the heads of state and government meet at an annual summit. So, the members of the G7 are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Initially, the group started as the G6 in the year 1975. It became G7 when Canada joined in the year 1976. The European Union was gradually involved in G7 from the year 1977. It now takes part in all the discussions. It is represented jointly by the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. Remember that G7 has no legal existence, no permanent secretariat and it has no official members. It is the presidency that provides the resources that are required for the group's work. If you see the presidencies held in turn by one of the seven countries every year, it means that every year the presidency is held by one of the member countries in the same order that is given here. First is France, it is followed by the United States, then the United Kingdom, then Germany, then Japan, then Italy and then Canada. The presidency is now with France. The G7 was created on France's initiative during the crisis following the first oil crisis in the year 1973. It was conceived as an informal forum. It is for the dialogue between the leading economic powers. It has the primary aim of acting as a forum to coordinate economic and financial policies which are free of any specific protocol. So, there is no protocol, but they will just discuss about the economic and the financial policies and try to coordinate amongst them. Also, know that currently the G7 members represent about 40% of global GDP and also 10% of the world's population. More importantly, all the G7 members are the members of the G20 grouping as well. In 2018, the President of the French Republic stressed one fact in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly. He said that the time when a club of rich countries could alone define the world's balances is long gone. So, as this year's presidency is with France, it has been decided to change the group's format. Throughout the year, several French ministers have therefore organized working meetings with their G7 counterparts and they have also invited certain partner countries to take part. In this way, four partner countries who are involved in protecting and promoting the democratic freedoms and who are with a major regional influence are also invited to the meeting. The four countries are Australia, Chile, India and South Africa. So, all these four countries are from four different continents. These partner countries are referred to as the Barrett's partners. So, India is also invited as a Barrett's partner. Now, after this, you can clearly say that India is not a member of G7. So, apart from the G7 members, the non-member countries also take part in the G7 meetings. This depends on the key themes that are chosen by the presidency. Based on the theme, the non-member countries and international organizations are invited to take part in the ministerial meetings and in certain summit sessions as well. This also includes an expanded meeting which is traditionally called the outreach session. Our Indian Prime Minister will attend this outreach session only. Now, you may think what is the actual benefit or outcome of G7 summits. The G7 has been behind very concrete or specific achievements. This includes the creation of the financial action task force, then the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, then the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, etc. The G7 also supports the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. Then the news article also mentions that the Joint Secretary of the Western Europe Division in the External Affairs Ministry has told that India remains politically committed to the completion of the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project. He told this because this project is being built by India in partnership with France. Know that a landmark agreement on civil nuclear cooperation was signed between India and France on 30th of September 2008. This happened during the visit of the then Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, to France. After this, during the visit of the French President to India in December 2010, the General Framework Agreement and the Early Works Agreement between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. that is NPCIL and a French corporate company named as AREVA. AREVA was signed. This agreement was for the implementation of European Pressurized Reactors or EPR for the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project. The Jaitapur site is situated in the western part of India along the Arabian Sea in the Ratnagiri district of the Maharashtra state. The environmental clearance and coastal regulatory zone clearance were obtained for this JNPP from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the year 2010. But the corporate company, AREVA, the French corporate company was restructured. So, a French utility named Electricity des France or EDF has been designated as the lead agency from the French site for negotiations and implementation of the JNPP. The EDF and the NPCIL has signed the revised memorandum of understanding in the year 2016 for the construction of 6 EPR units at Jaitapur. Then, in 2018, during the visit of French President to India, the NPCIL and EDF concluded an Industrial Way Forward Agreement. Now, this agreement prescribes a way forward for the implementation of the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project. That is why the Joint Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry has told that India remains politically committed to the completion of the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project. So, this is all about the discussion of this news analysis. Now, have a look at the practice question. Let us move on to the next news article. This news article speaks about the government's plan to reduce corporate tax gradually. The syllabus relevant to the analysis of this news article is given here for your reference. Before going into the news article, let us first understand what is corporate tax and its existing rates in India. Corporate tax is a tax that is imposed on the net income of the company. There are two types of companies, private companies and the public companies. So, both these private and public companies which are registered in India under the Companies Act of 1956 are liable to pay the corporate tax. Also know that both the domestic as well as the foreign companies are liable to pay the corporate tax. Well, a foreign company is taxed only on the income that is earned in India. The domestic companies are taxed on its universal income or the income earned within the country and also the income that is earned abroad. So, here a foreign company is a company which is not registered under the Companies Act of 1956 and which has control and management located outside India. Whereas a domestic company is a company which is registered under the Companies Act of 1956 and its control and management is entirely situated in India. So, this is the difference between the domestic company and the foreign company. Now, the tax rate varies for domestic and foreign companies. If you see the tax rate is 25 percentage for the domestic companies which has turnover of less than 250 crores. And for those companies whose turnover is exceeding 250 crores which is more than 250 crores, it is 30 percentage. And for the foreign companies, the tax rate is 50 percentage for the royalty that is received or the fees for the technical services from or any Indian concern under an agreement that was made before 1st of April 1976 and that agreement which has been approved by the central government. And for any other income apart from this, the tax rate is 40 percentage for the foreign companies. Now, the finance minister has said that the corporate tax rate for companies with over 400 crore rupees turnover would be gradually cut to 25 percentage. If you see in the 2019-20 budget speech, the finance minister had cut the corporate tax for companies with an annual turnover of up to 400 crore to 25 percentage which was 30 percentage earlier. And if you see this covers almost 99.3 percentage of all the companies that is registered in India. But the remaining 0.7 percentage of companies contribute the maximum in terms of economic output and also in terms of tax revenue to the government. In the year 2018, the then finance minister had cut the corporate income tax rate to 25 percentage for those companies with a turnover of up to 250 crore. So, if you see a cut in the corporate tax has usually been gradual. The finance minister has said that the corporate tax reduction for the rest of the corporates whose annual turnover is more than 400 crore would be gradual. But if you see there was no time frame that was given for the reduction. The finance minister also said that the government will give all kind of support to the wealth creator entrepreneurs that is those business people who create more wealth. Now, let us analyze the global trend in corporate tax. According to a report released by Tax Foundation which is a US based non-profit organization the corporate tax across the countries of the world has been reducing. The average global corporate tax if you see it stands at 23.03 percentage and the average corporate tax for the Asian countries is 20.65 percentage. So, whatever corporate tax that India has along with the surcharge then the health and the educational says is the largest among the brick nations and also among the Asia Pacific. The central government has said in the year 2015 that it has recognized the need for reducing the corporate tax. So, now let us discuss the implications of reducing the corporate tax. Now, there are both positive and negative implications. So, let us see all the implications one by one. If you see the corporate tax forms almost one by third of the total tax revenue in India. So, the tax revenue reduction will reduce the total tax revenue. So, if the revenues decrease then even the government's expenditure is likely to decrease in certain sectors. So, this is one implication. The next thing to see is that the corporate representatives have long been asking for reduction in the corporate tax and now the taxes have been reduced. So, the present reduction will increase the amount of surplus that is with the companies and now with this money they can use it for further capacity expansion or for adding on some other businesses to their companies. The next point to note is that it is believed that a decrease in the corporate tax would improve the tax compliance. So, more efficient scrutiny by the tax authorities can reduce tax evasion and increase tax collection. Next, a reduction on the corporate tax is expected to increase the investment inflow in India. So, if the taxes are reduced automatically the investors will be interested to invest in the companies in India. So, the investments will increase. Here inflows means the investment that is coming from the foreign countries to India. The next implication is that more investment will happen in capacity augmentation that is increasing the capacity of the businesses or we can tell that expansion of the businesses. So, this will make the Indian companies more competitive and increase in the capacity will increase the economic output as well and it will also generate more employment. So, this can be one another implication of the reduction in the corporate tax. Let us move on to the next news article. This discussion is based on this picture which depicts the bioluminescence. Know that this event happened in the Eliott's beach or the Besanagar beach that is situated at Chennai city in the state of Tamil Nadu. The beach sported a blue glow as you can see in this picture. The bioluminescence is also known as sea tinkle. The word bioluminescence comes from bio which means life and lumen which means light which typically means that it gives a glow which looks like as if the sea is tinkling or sparkling. This may be a beautiful scene to witness but actually it is harmful for the marine biodiversity. It is because the bioluminescence phenomenon occurs when Noctiluca algae emit light. The Noctiluca algae emit light when they are disturbed. Know that Noctiluca is a kind of micro algae or tiny plant like organism. This Noctiluca algae is known as Noctiluca scintillants which is a species of one-cell phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is the one-cell algae. It forms a base of the ocean's food chain if you see. Then you have larger phytoplanktons like diatoms and dinoflagellates which photosynthesize. They feed on the nutrients that float nearby. These phytoplanktons are gobbled or eaten up by small sea animals or we can call them as zooplanktons and these in turn are eaten by larger fish and sea creatures. But unlike most phytoplankton, the Noctiluca are not capable of photosynthesis. They survive by trapping smaller phytoplankton. Though its size is much smaller, it plays a very bigger role because these phytoplanktons produce half of Earth's oxygen and they also suck the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequester it into the ocean depths when they die and sink. Sequester means to hide it. The experts say that annually the phytoplankton absorbs 20% more carbon than the world's forests. So a small change in the phytoplankton growth can affect the global carbon cycle. But if you see the scientists, they are particularly interested in phytoplankton blooms that grow out of control. Here bloom means the rapid growth of the algae. The scientists are interested in this because some harmful blooms produce toxins and these toxins can kill marine animals and it can also poison humans when they venture or enter into these toxin containing water bodies. Now according to some experts in the last decade that is in the last 10 years, the Noctiluca had totally replaced the diatoms of the Arabian Sea. If you see these diatoms where the base of the marine food chain in Arabian Sea, the zooplanktons do not have any trouble eating the diatoms but they cannot eat Noctiluca because they are too big. So if zooplankton starve and die then the larger creatures which are present up in the food chain are compromised. Some experiments even confirm that Noctiluca were out competing or displacing the diatoms. Also only jellyfish, sea salts and turtles can feed on Noctiluca. So if this trend continues then it would turn the condition of Arabian Sea's fishing industries because other bigger fish cannot survive. So this is how Noctiluca affects the entire marine biodiversity. Let us move on to the next news article. This editorial speaks about the importance of the chief of the defense staff. The syllabus relevant to the analysis of this editorial is given here for your reference. Now let us see the editorial. We have been seeing in news continuously that in the Independence Day address the prime minister of India said that India will soon have a chief of the defense staff. The author of this editorial is telling that this announcement by the prime minister will fulfill a long felt need to strengthen India's defense. So this has been a long pending demand for decades. The author is also telling that once the chief of the defense staff is appointed he or she would act as a single point advisory to the ministry of defense. The author has also mentioned that the concept of the chief of defense staff was first suggested by the Kargil review committee after the Kargil war which happened in 1999. But once it was proposed it faced severe opposition from a section of the armed forces then from the bureaucracy circles and also from the political parties. But now again the appointment of chief of defense staff has been reconsidered by the present government because the present strategic environment has pushed it. Here by the term strategic the author means the important recent developments that has happened within and outside India. The first reason is the Pulwama attack then following this Pulwama attack Balakot strike happened during the starting of this year. If you see this surgical strike required a coordination between the armed forces and the intelligence agencies. So the first reason is the recent attacks that happened in India. The second reason is the repeated offers that has been made by the United States president for a mediation to solve the Kashmir dispute. So this mediation offer by the United States president would have internationalized the Kashmir issue. But we have been seeing that India has always insisted that Kashmir dispute is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. Now the third reason which has been given in the editorial is the pullout of the US troops from the country of Afghanistan. Now if US troops pull out from Afghanistan then this would leave Pakistan and its proxies such as the Taliban as the dominant players in that particular region that is in Afghanistan and Pakistan. So this will have serious issues or implications on Kashmir as it had happened in the past when Pakistan used proxy groups to carry out terrorist attacks in India. Now the last reason which is mentioned in this editorial is India's decision to modify article 370 and to remove the special and the temporary provisions with respect to Jammu and Kashmir that is article 35a. So all these factors have kept the strategic environment quite tense. So the author believes that all this has necessitated or it has made the situation compulsory to appoint a chief of defense staff who will be the soldier number one. Now the title of the editorial is soldier number one. It indirectly means the chief of defense staff. Now if you see the ambit of this office that is the scope of this office then the tenure and who will hold the post is all yet to be declared. Nothing has been finalized till now. The author is suggesting that the chief of defense staff should fill the existing dangerous gaps in the defense and reduce response time in case of an emergency. Now how it reduces the response time? To this author is given one example which happened during the 1999 Kargil war because during the 1999 Kargil war there were some differences of opinion between Indian army and Indian air force because of which there was a poor sharing of intelligence. So this led to an inadequate understanding of the ground situation. So the initial response during the 1999 Kargil war by India was very weak. So if there is a post of chief of defense staff then it is expected to solve these gaps. The author of this editorial is telling that the chief of the defense staff is expected to continuously update and advise the defense minister. And the author also suggests that the chief of the defense staff could be a member of the cabinet committee on security. So this would enhance the quality of the deliberations that is the discussions that happen in the committee meetings. So this will help to make efficient and quicker decisions. Then the author is telling that the chief of the defense staff can link all the three services that is Indian army, Indian navy and Indian air force in terms of planning, coordination and execution. So whenever there is a problem all these three services can be coordinated by the chief of the defense staff. And as a one point solution he or she will execute the actions. So this will result in the three service chiefs running their forces more efficiently as will. So the author is concluding this editorial by telling that the government should use this opportunity to revive the intelligence apparatus that is to bring back the intelligence apparatus since it works in tandem with the armed forces which means both work together. With this we have come to the end of the discussion of this editorial. Now let us move on to the practice questions discussion session. Consider the following statements with reference to the United Nations Security Council. And they have given three statements and I have asked you to choose the correct answer. The first statement tells that it has 10 permanent and 10 non-permanent members. During our discussion we saw that the United Nations Security Council has five permanent members not 10 permanent members and it has 10 non-permanent members. So the council is composed of 15 members. The five permanent members are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States. So this statement is only partially correct or we can tell the first statement is wrong. Now let us see the second statement. The second statement tells that the 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis in which there are five seats for African and Asian states. This statement is correct. The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis as follows. Five seats for the African and Asian states. Then one seat for the Eastern European states. Then two seats for the Latin American and Caribbean states. And two for Western European and other states. Now let us see the third statement. It tells that India is a non-permanent member. The third statement is wrong because the statement just says India is a non-permanent member. It does not mention a time period. So that means we have to take that as the current time period. But we know that India is not a permanent member as of now. Currently if you see the non-permanent members in the United Nations Security Council are the countries of Belgium, Côte d'Avore, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Indonesia, Kuwait, Peru, Poland and South Africa. Also know that India was a non-permanent member in the United Nations Security Council for seven times. Lastly it was a non-permanent member in 2011-2012. So the correct answer to this question is option C2 only since only the second statement is correct. Moving on to the next question. The question is which among the following sites are designated as globally important agricultural heritage systems. We saw during our discussion that there are three globally important agricultural heritage system sites in India. They are saffron heritage of Kashmir, then Kaurapur traditional agriculture from the state of Odisha, then Kuttanat below sea level farming system from the state of Kerala. So the correct answer to this question is option C 1, 3 and 4. Now just know that the Grand Anikot and associated farming system in Cauvery Delta zone of Tamil Nadu was a proposed GIAH site but it has not yet been approved. And there is no such below level sea farming system which exists in Ansupa lake. Know that Ansupa lake is a freshwater lake. Yesterday we discussed about Ansupa lake in one of our discussion. It is located in the state of Odisha and in our today's discussion we saw that only Kuttanat agriculture system is being practiced below sea level in India. So it is the only below sea level farming system in India. So the correct answer to this question is option C 1, 3 and 4. Moving on to the next question. The question is consider the following statements with reference to G7 summit. They have given two statements and have asked you to choose the correct answer. The first statement tells that the European Union is a part of G7. This statement is correct. The members of G7 are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Also the European Union was gradually involved in G7 from 1977. The European Union is represented jointly by the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. So you can remember like 7 countries plus EU in G7. Now the second statement tells that it is formally known as summit on financial markets and the world economy. Now this statement is incorrect because G20 only is formally known as summit on financial markets and the world economy and it is not G7. Here the question is asked you to choose the correct statement. The correct answer is option A 1, 1 only. Moving on to the next question. Consider the following statements. The first statement tells that all the G7 members are the members of G20. The statement is correct. All the G7 members are members of G20. G20 consists of 19 countries in the European Union. The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America. And just known the last question we saw that the members of G7 are the countries of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States plus the European Union. This means G7 members are the members of G20. Here you have to remember one thing. G7 is 7 countries plus EU and G20 is 19 countries plus EU. After including EU only it becomes a group of 20 or G20. Now from this you can easily say that India is a member of G20 and not a member of G7. So the statement 2 is incorrect. The question is asked for the wrong statements. The correct answer to this question is option B 2 only. With this we come to the end of the analysis of today's news articles and also the practice questions discussion session. Do like, comment and share the video and do subscribe to Shankar IA's Academy YouTube channel for latest videos and updates. Stay focused and motivated friends. Thank you.