 A very good evening aspirants, I welcome you all to the Hindu Daily News Analysis brought to you by Shankar Ajay Academy. A kind request to you all aspirants, those who have not, subscribe our YouTube channel, do subscribe and hit the bell icon button, so that you will get regular updates about our current review videos. Today, I am going to cover important news articles from the Hindus paper dated 17th of October 2023. Displayed here is a list of news articles that we will be discussing today. At the end of the video, we will also have preliminary practice discussion discussions. So try to watch the entire video. Now let us get into our first news article discussion. Look at this news article, recently the chief of Arab League has demanded a ceasefire to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. He accused Israel for its blockade of Gaza Strip. Know that Israel has blocked air, sea and land access to the Gaza Strip after the Hamas attack. So this blockade is depriving the people of Gaza from assessing necessary things like food, fuel and electricity. And this is why the Arab League accused Israel. Apart from this, Arab League also demanded to immediately end the war. It also asked both the Hamas and Israel to open safe corridors to bring aid to the people. This is the crux of this news article. Now in this discussion, we will understand about Arab League from Pulum's perspective. See, Arab League which is also called as the League of Arab States is an intergovernmental regional organization. It primarily consists of Arab countries from the Middle East and parts of Africa. And Arab League was formed in Cairo, Egypt on 22nd March 1945. It was created after the adoption of Alexandria Protocol in 1944. Know that headquarters of Arab League is in Cairo, Egypt. Now talking about the members, see the founding members of Arab League include Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. And over the time, the member of Arab League has grown. And currently, the Arab League consists of 22 Arab countries. See the member countries are displayed here, pass the video and just go through it. Know that Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2011. This was because the Syrian government at that time violently brought down the anti-government protests. So, the Syria was suspended from Arab League. However, Syria was re-admitted to the Arab League in May 2023. Okay, this is all about the members. Now we will see about the objectives of Arab League. Firstly, the Arab League aims to coordinate the political, cultural and socio-economic programs of its member countries. Secondly, the Arab League will mediate disputes among the members or between its members and the third parties. And finally, the Arab League aims to bring coordination in the military defense measures of the member countries. See the Arab League signed an agreement on Joint Defense and Economic Cooperation on April 30, 1950. Based on this agreement only, it is working to bring coordination in the military defense measures. Okay, this is all about the objectives. Now moving on to see about the structure of the Arab League. See the Arab League consists of three main structures such as Arab League Council, Special Ministerial Committees and General Secretaryate. Now let us see in brief about these structures. Of course, let us take the Arab League Council. The Arab League Council is the principal political organ of the Arab League. It consists of foreign ministers of all member states. The Arab League Council sets guidelines for cooperation with other international organizations in various spheres like cultural, political, economical and so on. Apart from this, the Arab League Council also mediates the disputes between Arab League members or between a member of the League and an outside country. Note that the decisions in the Arab League Council are taken in the form of majority through voting process. Each member has one vote in the council. Note that the decisions are binding only on those states that have voted for decisions. The council meets twice a year to supervise the agreements between the member states. Okay, this is all about the Arab League Council. Now coming to the Special Ministerial Committees. See the Special Ministerial Committees are attached to the Arab League Council. There are various Special Ministerial Committees for various fields. They frame common policies for increasing the cooperation in their respective fields like information, internal affairs, justice, etc. Okay, this is all about Special Ministerial Committees. Now finally let us see about General Secretaryate. See the General Secretaryate is headed by a Secretary General. Usually he is elected by the Arab League Council for a fire term. The General Secretaryate executes the decisions of the Arab League Council. It is largely responsible for internal administration of the Arab League. Okay, this is all about General Secretaryate. And that's all regarding this discussion. This discussion is all about the formation of the Arab League. Then it's all about the member states of the Arab League. Then it's all about the objectives of the Arab League. And finally we saw some points about the structural aspect of the Arab League. Now with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this editorial article. This article talks about the importance of environmental impact assessment that is EIA. The recent natural disasters in Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh shows that our development model is harming the environment especially in mountain regions. See it is important to assess how development projects impact the environment. And that is why the Indian government brought the mechanism of EIA. But here the other complains that there is no separate EIA process for Himalayan region. The author says that Himalayan region is highly ecologically sensitive region. So it should be treated differently from the rest of the country. The author also notes that EIA process in India does not have a national regulator which was recommended by the Supreme Court in 2011. Okay, so these are all some of the issues highlighted by the author about EIA process. Now in this discussion, we will look at the significance of environmental impact assessment and the challenges in its implementation. As usual, we will approach this topic with Mainz answer-writing come interactive approach. Now before getting into discussion, let us look into the syllabus. In prilims, this topic will come under general issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change. And in Mainz it comes under GS paper 3 under the topic of conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Okay, this is all about the syllabus. Now first we will look at the question. The question is, environmental impact assessment plays a pivotal role in modern environmental management yet it faces notable challenges. Discuss. 10 marks, 150 words. Now first let us understand the question. Here the keyword is discuss. It means we have to cover broadly about the topic by mentioning positives and negatives. The question is about environmental impact assessment. So in the intro part, you have to write what is environmental impact assessment. You can also mention a brief history of its creation in the introduction part. The question says that environmental impact assessment is a pivotal tool, but it also has challenges. So the body part of the answer can be divided into two parts. The first part, we should write the significance of EIA. And in the second part, we should write the challenges faced by EIA. And in the conclusion, we can provide a balanced view about EIA process. Okay, this is how we are going to approach this question. Now let us start with introduction. Since the question is about environmental impact assessment, we can write what is environmental impact assessment and its creation in the introduction part. The introduction can be like environmental impact assessment is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project by taking into account socio-economic, cultural and human health impacts. In simple words, EIA is the study conducted to evaluate and identify the environmental consequences of a proposed project. Okay, see in India, the EIA notification is issued under the Environment Protection Act 1986. This act outlines the process and requirements for conducting an environment impact assessment for various categories of projects. In 1994, the government of India issued first EIA notification. And know that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities are responsible for implementing the EIA process in India, okay? In this way, you can write an introduction for your answer. Now coming to the body part of the answer, as we saw earlier, body of the answer can be divided into two parts. In the first part, we should write the significance of environmental impact assessment and in the second part, we will write the challenges associated with environmental impact assessment. Since this is a ten-mark question, you can write some four to five points under each subheading, okay? Now first, we'll take up the significance of EIA. The first significance is environmental protection. See, EIA is a critical tool for assessing the potential environmental consequences of proposed projects or activities. So EIA helps in identifying and mitigating adverse effects on the environment. Apart from this, the EIA also helps in safeguarding ecosystems and preserving biodiversity. Okay, this is the first significance. The second significance is public participation. See, EIA process involved the participation of local communities, indigenous groups and environmental organizations in the conservation of environment. EIA allows affected communities and stakeholders to voice their concerns and contribute to the decision-making process. This enhances public trust and accountability in development projects. Therefore, environmental impact assessment promotes inclusive and participatory decision-making process. Then the third significance is sustainable development. The EIA promotes sustainable development by assessing the balance between development and conservation. It ensures that economic growth is achieved without compromising the long-term health of the environment. In this way, the environmental impact assessment promotes sustainable development goal eight. That is promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, okay? Then the fourth significance is reduction of pollution. See, the EIA is made necessary for mining projects and it assesses potential impacts of mining on soil, water, air quality and ecosystems. Environmental impact assessment makes it compulsory for developers and industries to follow environmental laws and regulations. In this way, the environmental impact assessment process helps to identify potential environmental impacts at an early stage. Therefore, appropriate measures can be taken to prevent or minimize adverse effects of pollution caused by mining, okay? This way, the environmental impact assessment reduces the pollution. And the last significance is biodiversity conservation. See, the EIA analyzes the potential harm to local biodiversity because of development project. It recommends conservation measures, habitat restoration or the creation of wildlife corridors to minimize the impact on local flora and fauna. So EIA helps in conservation of biodiversity in ecologically sensitive areas, okay? So these are all some of the important significance of environmental impact assessment in relation to conservation of environment. Now moving on to the second part of the body of the answer. In this part, we are going to write the challenges involved in EIA process. Now we'll see the challenges one by one. The first challenge is regarding data accuracy. Since EIA process heavily relates on accurate data, sometimes the availability and accuracy of data can be a challenge. See, inaccurate data can lead to flawed assessments and decisions, okay? This is the first challenge. Secondly, EIA overlooks the cumulative effects. See, mostly EIA assesses the impacts of individual projects. But the problem here is that the EIA often overlooks the cumulative impacts from multiple projects. And this can lead to underestimated environmental consequences. Okay, this is the second challenge. Then the third challenge is regarding enforcement and monitoring. Even if EIA process recommended the necessary measures that should be taken, sometimes the developers of projects will not follow the measures due to lack of monitoring authority or poor enforcement. In some cases, political and economic pressures can influence the outcome of EIA process. Also, EIA process is often seen as a mere formality. This leads to the approval of projects that may not meet environmental standards. Okay, this is the third challenge. Then the fourth challenge is regarding lack of expertise and resources. See, effective implementation of EIA requires a high level of expertise and resources. In many regions, there may be a shortage of qualified personnel and lack of funding for comprehensive environmental impact assessments. Okay, this is the fourth challenge. And lastly, balancing economic growth with environmental production is very tough. The critics argue that the EIA process may prioritize economic interests over environmental concerns. And this leads to inadequate mitigation measures or project approvals despite significant environmental risks. Okay, so these are also some of the challenges in implementing environmental impact assessment in India. Okay, this is all about the body part of the answer. Now, coming to the conclusion, see we can conclude this answer by giving a balanced view on the environmental impact assessment. The conclusion can be like overall environmental impact assessment is an essential tool that not only protects the environment, but also advances sustainable development goals. It helps in responsible development, community well-being and a balanced approach to economic growth. The 2020 Visakhapatnam Gas League and the ongoing Azadaz project in the western Ghats and unsustainable hydroelectric projects in Himalayan region highlights the critical importance of environmental impact assessment. So in this way, we can end the answer with a comprehensive conclusion. And that's all regarding this discussion through Maine's answer-writing-come-interactive approach. We saw the significance of environmental impact assessment and then we saw about the challenges in implementing environmental impact assessment in India. Since the topic is very much important for Maine's, so revise all the points that we discussed. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this article. Recently, a writ of co-varranto was filed in the Madras High Court against the election of the leader of opposition of Tamil Nadu. The writ was filed on account of various alleged corrupt practices that are said to be done by the leader of opposition. And this is the crux of the article. In this discussion, let us see some points about the writ of co-varranto. Before that, let us see the basics of writ. See, the writ jurisdiction is a fundamental right of the citizens. The writ jurisdiction is provided under Article 30 of the Indian Constitution. This provision has been described as the heart and soul of the Constitution by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. This jurisdiction allows the higher court that is the both Supreme Court and High Court to issue orders or rites to prevent the violation of fundamental rights of the citizens. Note that Article 32 provides writ jurisdiction to the Supreme Court while Article 226 deals with writ jurisdiction of High Courts. Note that the writ jurisdiction of High Courts is wider than the tough Supreme Court. This is because the Supreme Court has the power to issue rites for the enforcement of fundamental rights only, while the High Courts can issue rites for the enforcement of both fundamental rights and legal rights. Also note that the Supreme Court cannot refuse to entertain the rites, but High Courts can refuse it. Okay. See, there are three types of rites available in India. They are hay-based coppers, mandamus, prohibition, setriory and co-varranto. Okay. This is all about the basics of rites. Now, we will see in particular about co-varranto. The word co-varranto literally means under what authority? The writ of co-varranto is issued to ensure that whether the holder of a public office is legally entitled to it or not. In other words, the writ of co-varranto is used to prevent illegal assumption of any public office. For example, let us assume that a person of 62 years has been appointed to fill a public office. But we know that the retirement age is 60 years. So it is an illegal assumption of public office. Therefore, the court can issue a writ of co-varranto against the person and declare the office as vacant. Okay. And note an important point here. The writ of co-varranto does not have a principle of locustandy. It means that any interested person can approach the court for the enforcement of co-varranto. And it is not mandatory that only the affected person can approach the court for the enforcement of co-varranto. Okay. See, the writ can be issued only for the substantiative public office of a permanent character. The office should have been created by the constitution or by the any law or statute. And note that the writ of co-varranto cannot be issued in case of ministerial office or private office or against the individuals. Okay. This is all about the writ of co-varranto. And that's all regarding this discussion. And this discussion is all about the various aspects of the writ of co-varranto. And we also saw some basics about that it's due restriction. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article. Recently, Indian government has decided to maintain the minimum export price for the export of basmati rice. Earlier in August, the government has set a minimum export price of $1200 for a ton of basmati rice. And now the government has decided to maintain this price. See, this decision was opposed by the farmers and exporters of basmati rice. This is because the current export price leads to reduction in the exports of basmati rice. So, the farmers and exporters demanded a reduction in the minimum export price. Okay. This is the crux of this news article. Now, in this discussion, let us see important facts about basmati rice. See basmati is a variety of long grained rice. It has rich aroma or smell. It is grown for many centuries in the Himalayan foothills of India. And it is also grown in some parts of Pakistan. Okay. Now, come to the features of basmati rice. See the basmati rice has extra long cylinder grains. Upon cooking, these grains can elongate at least twice their original size. The basmati is having a soft and fluffy texture upon cooking. Now that the unique fragrance and flavor of basmati rice is due to the presence of a chemical called two acetyl-1 pyroline. And it is believed that the agro-climatic conditions of the growing area, then the unique method of harvesting and processing and the aging factor gives the above set features to the basmati rice. Now, we will see the climate and soil requirements for the growth of basmati rice. An optimum temperature between 22 to 32 degrees Celsius is required for the growth of basmati rice. Apart from this, high humidity is also needed for the growth. Then a rainfall of around 152-300 centimeter is required for the basmati crop. Okay. Now, talking about the soil type, see the basmati rice can grow well in deep clayey and loamy soil. Okay. Now, finally, let us see the cultivation areas of the basmati rice. As I said earlier, basmati rice is cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of India. It is cultivated mainly in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and in the union territories of Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. Know that the basmati rice grown in these states or union territories were provided with GI tag in May 2010. And also note that India is the leading exporter of basmati rice in the world. India supplies over two-thirds of global supply of basmati rice. The major export destinations of basmati rice from India are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Okay. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw about the unique features of basmati rice. Then we saw about climate and soil requirements for the growth of basmati rice. And finally, let us see some points about the cultivation areas of the basmati rice. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this editorial article. This article is speaking about the risks associated with artificial intelligence. That is the AI. The author of the editorial mentioned about a film named X Mishina. This movie demonstrated that what artificial intelligence could really mean for the future of humanity. By quoting this movie, the author has discussed various short-term and long-term risks associated with artificial intelligence. This is the essence of this editorial. In this discussion, let us understand about artificial intelligence and their advantages and disadvantages. Now, before getting into discussion, take a look at the syllabus regarding this discussion which is highlighted here. Now, first, let us start with artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence, which is in short known as AI refers to the ability of machines to perform cognitive tasks like thinking, perceiving, learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. To say it in other words, artificial intelligence refers to the ability of a computer or a robot or any other machines to do tasks that are usually done by humans. The artificial intelligence generally comprises of a variety of technologies. This enables the AI machines to act with high levels of intelligence and it also enables them to reproduce the human capabilities of sense, comprehend, and action. Remember, data is very crucial for the functioning of AI. See, when we use more AI, more data is generated. This abundant data in turn helps AI to perform smarter and better. Okay, so because of all these applications, the AI is used in many fields. For example, AI is used in speech recognition, then voice assistants like Siri and Alexa. Apart from this, it is also used in image recognition, real-time recommendations, automated stock trading, rideshare services, household robots, autopilot technology, and so on. Okay, this is the basics of artificial intelligence. Now, talking about the advantages of artificial intelligence, firstly, AI is used to automate repetitive and labor-intensive tasks across various industries like manufacturing and logistics industries. This can lead to increased productivity and cost savings. Secondly, AI systems can process and analyze vast amounts of data quickly and it can also identify patterns and insights that are often beyond human capacity. This is valuable for business intelligence, research, and nation-making. Thirdly, artificial intelligence empowers recommendation systems in the internet. This will enhance user experiences on platforms like Netflix and Amazon by providing personalized content and product suggestions based on user preferences. Okay, fourthly, AI assistant diagnosing medical conditions, then interpreting medical images like X-rays and MRAs and predicting disease outcomes. So this aids healthcare professionals in making more accurate diagnosis and treatment plans. Finally, natural language processing technology in AI enables machines to understand and generate human language. This application is used in chat boards, virtual assistants, and language translation. So AI helps in improving customer service and breaking down language barriers. Okay, apart from this, AI has varied applications across various sectors like agriculture, smart mobility including transport and logistics, then retail and manufacturing sectors, energy, smart cities, education and skilling, etc. Okay, this is all about the advantages of artificial intelligence. Now we'll see the disadvantages of artificial intelligence. Firstly, as AI has the capability to automate various tasks, there is a huge risk of job displacement. This potentially leads to unemployment in certain industries and also leads to workforce risk-killing. Secondly, the AI systems can be influenced by the biased training data. This leads to discriminated decisions in the areas like hiring, lending and law enforcement. This in turn raises concerns about fairness and equity. Thirdly, the collection and analysis of personal data by AI systems can raise privacy issues. This is because there is no control in the hands of individuals over how their data is used or protected by the AI systems. Fourthly, the opaqueness of the AI decision-making processes can sometimes create problems. See whenever an error or unethical decisions occur, assigning responsibility becomes a challenge. This means that there will arise a question like who is responsible for errors, whether the AI machine or the one who manufactured or controls it. Particularly, this can be problematic in critical applications like autonomous vehicles or healthcare. Okay, and finally, AI can be exploited for malicious purposes including creating deep fake videos, automating cyber attacks and hacking. And this poses security threats to individuals and organizations. Okay, this is all about the disadvantages associated with AI. Now how can we prevent the risks associated with AI? See the only way to prevent the risks is to regulate how artificial intelligence is developed and used. Firstly, developing artificial intelligence that are being compatible with fundamental rights and non-discriminatory policies will help to avoid privacy risks. Secondly, maintaining the quality and security in the AI systems will help to avoid disasters. And finally, providing clear information about the AI systems to the users will help the users to control their choices. Okay, so these can be some of the steps that can be taken to prevent the risks associated with artificial intelligence. And that's all regarding this discussion. This discussion is all about what is artificial intelligence? Then it's all about the applications of artificial intelligence. Then we saw some points about the advantages and disadvantages associated with artificial intelligence. With these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article. Recently, the Indian government has lifted the suspension of K.S. James, who was the director of the International Institute for Population Sciences. The suspension was initially imposed on K.S. James in July, due to alleged irregularities in recruitment to the institute. Recently, he made a resignation letter to the government, and the government accepted his resignation. And that's why the government has lifted the suspension of K.S. James. This is all about the news. Now in this context, let us learn some points about International Institute for Population Sciences, that is IAPS. The International Institute for Population Sciences is a premier institute that conducts training and research activities in population studies. It is doing such activities for developing countries in the Asia and Pacific region. Know that IAPS was established in July 1956, and it is currently located in Mumbai. See initially, the IAPS was known as the Demographic Training and Research Center, that is DTRC. But later, the name got changed to International Institute for Population Sciences. Note that the IAPS was created by the joint sponsorship of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Government of India and United Nations. Okay. Now who is currently administering this institute? Note that the International Institute for Population Sciences comes under the control of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. This institute was declared a DUM2P University in August 1985. This recognition was granted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956. Okay. This is the basics about International Institute for Population Sciences. Now talking about the objectives of IAPS. The main goal of IAPS is to collect, organize and publish demographic information about the population of India and other countries of the world. It also undertakes scientific research on population problems in India and other countries in the Asia and Pacific region. Okay. These are all the main objectives of IAPS. Now finally, let us see the important functions performed by International Institute for Population Sciences. The IAPS involves in teaching and research activities regarding population studies. In addition to this, the institute also provides consultancy to the government and non-governmental organizations and other academic institutions. Note that students from over 40 to different countries of Asia and the Pacific region have been trained at the institute. The institute trains such persons in demography and related fields, including demographic aspects of family planning. Apart from this, the institute also publishes journals and research papers and books related to population sciences. And it also maintains libraries and information service regarding population sciences. Okay. This is all about important functions performed by the International Institute for Population Sciences. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, you saw the basics about International Institute for Population Sciences. Then you saw about the objectives of IAPS. And finally, we saw some points about the functions performed by IAPS. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next part of the video. That is to discuss preliminary practice questions. As friends, today we are having three questions. I will solve two of them and one will be a quiz question for you. Look at the first question. This question is regarding League of Arab States. That is the Arab League. Here, three statements are given. You have to find how many of the statements are correct. Look at the first statement. It comprises of all the countries in the Middle East and Africa. See, this statement is incorrect. As you saw in the discussion, the Arab League consists of 22 members from the Middle East and Africa and not all the countries from such areas. So, the first statement is incorrect. Now, come to the second statement. Syria was recently expelled from the group. See, this statement is incorrect. As you saw in the discussion, the Syria was expelled in 2011, but it was re-admitted in May 2023. So, the second statement is also incorrect. Now, come to the third statement. India was an observer in the Arab League. See, this statement is correct. India is currently an observer to the Arab League. So, here only one statement is correct. So, the correct answer for the question is option A, only one. Moving on, let's take up the second question. This question is regarding right to constitutional remedies. Here also, three statements are given. You have to find how many of the statements are correct. Look at the first statement. The Supreme Court can enforce both fundamental and legal rights under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution. See, this statement is incorrect. As you saw in the discussion, the Supreme Court can enforce only fundamental rights and not legal rights under the writ jurisdiction. So, the first statement is incorrect. Now, come to the second statement. Parliament can empower any courts to issue rights and orders to enforce fundamental rights. See, this statement is correct. The parliament can empower any other court in the country to issue rights of all kinds. So, the second statement is correct. Now, come to the third statement. All of the rights should possess a local standing principle. See, this statement is incorrect. As you saw in the discussion, the co-parent doesn't need local standing. So, third statement is incorrect. Here also, only one statement is correct. So, the correct answer for the question is option A, only one. This is a quiz question for you today. I will post this quiz question in the community section. Try to answer it. And displayed here is the main question for your practice. Go through the question, write your answer and post it in the comment section. With this, we have come to the end of the video. If you found our video to be useful, do like, comment and share it with your friends. And don't forget to subscribe Shankarai's Academy YouTube channel. Thank you for listening.