 A very good evening aspirants, I welcome you all to the daily hindi newspaper analysis brought you by Shankar A.S academy for the date of 10th July 2023. Displayed here are the list of articles that we are going to discuss today. Now without wasting any time let us get into our discussion. Take a look at this news article. Yesterday the South African president Cyril Ramposa said that the Russian president Vladimir Putin has been invited to attend BRIC summit which is going to be held in South Africa next month. Mr. Putin has been invited to South Africa despite an arrest warrant issued on him by the international criminal court. See South Africa is a member of international criminal court so it would be expected that the South Africa will arrest Putin if he sets foot in the country. This is all about the news. In this discussion we will understand about the international criminal court. The international criminal court was established in 2002 based on the provisions of roman statute. Basically the ICC is an international tribunal which has jurisdiction to prosecute the guilt person for committing the most serious crimes of international concern. The jurisdiction and functioning of the ICC shall be governed by the provisions of roman statute. The ICC has its headquarters in the Hague, Netherlands. The idea for the establishment of an international tribunal was first mooted during the First World War. Subsequently many discussions and actions have been taken place to establish ICC. Finally on December 2000 the UN General Assembly voted to endorse the ICC. And following the ratification of 16 nations the international criminal court was formally established in 1st July 2002. Now talking about the jurisdiction of international criminal court the jurisdiction of the ICC shall be limited to the most serious crimes that affects the international community as a whole. The crimes include the crime of genocide, crime against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Now talking about the members currently there are 123 countries that are party to roman statute. These countries in turn are members to the ICC as well. The map of the member countries is displayed here you can go through it. Some 40 countries never signed the treaty including China, India, Indonesia, Iraq, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. And several others signed the statute but not ratified it. They include Egypt, Iran, Israel, Russia, Sudan, Syria and the United States. Now talking about the composition of ICC it has 18 judges and they are elected by the member states of the ICC. While electing judges the member state should maintain a gender balanced bench and the judges should be elected from a different member country. Also the judiciary must include representative of each United Nations five regions. In addition to this international criminal court also has the president and two vice presidents. They are elected from among the judges. The main role of the president and the vice presidents is to handle the administration of the court. Now how this ICC functions? ICC carries out its investigative work through the office of prosecutor. The court can open an investigation into possible crimes in any one of the following Firstly when a member country refers a situation within its own territory to the court. Secondly when UN Security Council refers a situation and finally the prosecutor can launch an investigation into a member state on one's own initiative. Based on these three ways the ICC can open an investigation. Apart from this the court can investigate individuals from non-number states if the alleged offenses took place in a member state's territory. This can be done only if the non-number states accepts the court's jurisdiction or with the Security Council's authorization. Now finally let us look into the funding pattern. The majority of the funding of ICC comes from the member states. The contributions are determined by the same method as done by the United Nations. The funding roughly corresponds to the size of each member's economy. Apart from this UN General Assembly can approve additional funding for cases referred to the court by UN Security Council. In addition to this some governments and transnational organizations also offer voluntary contributions. That's all regarding this topic now let us move on to our next article. Take a look at this science page article as the title itself means this news article talks about the Global Tropical Primary Forest Cover. See according to the new research done by the World Resources Institute tropical area has lost 4.1 million hectares of forest cover in 2022 alone. The name of the research is Global Forest Watch and the land lost is actually equivalent to losing an area of 11 football fields per minute. This forest loss produced by 2.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions which is around the same as India's annual emissions due to the combustion of fossil fuels. This is about the news article given here. In this context let us quickly go through what are this primary forest why they are lost and what can be done to address this issue. Before that the syllabus. So what are the primary forest? See primary forest are nothing but a mature natural forest that have remained undisturbed in recent history. They usually store more carbon than other forests and are rich resources of biodiversity. Primary forest loss is almost irreversible in nature meaning if the green cover regrows still it will be a secondary forest it cannot match the extent of biodiversity and carbon sequestering capabilities of a primary forest. That is why primary forests are irreversible in nature and that is also the reason for why we should not destroy them. Primary forest account for roughly 50% of all forest in tropics. Brazil, the democratic republic of Congo and Indonesia have the most primary forest in absolute terms whereas the territory of France, Guiana, Gabon and Suriname have the largest proportion of their total land area covered by primary forest. Primary forest have not been mapped comprehensively outside the tropics. In this map you can see the extent of primary forest. See the rate of loss of this primary forest has continued to increase in recent years. As the population of the country grows there is more demand for food which in turn leading to an expansion of area and agriculture and encroachment of land hosting primary forest. Primary forest are burned for short term cultivation and then left fallow for regeneration of soil nutrients. This type of cultivation is called shifting agriculture and it is very common in areas near tropical forest. However increased demand for food has shortened the fallow periods. This is currently destroying more forest. This is the major challenge faced by the primary forest. Secondly forest loss in the Amazon basin not only affects the carbon but also regional rainfall. If the deforestation continues at the current rate it may eventually lead to a tipping point that if cross could convert most of the ecosystem into a savanna. This is a major concern apart from deforestation, illegal logging, fragmentation, climate change, invasive species, infrastructure development and lack of protection and governance are some of the important challenges faced by the primary forest. Now let us quickly go through the finding of the report and what can be done to reverse the consequences. See the World Resources Institute measures progress on the forest related commitments using two goals. First one is ending deforestation by 2030 and the second one is restoring 350 million hectares of lost and degraded forest by 2030. The primary forest cover loss in tropical areas in 2022 was 10 percent more than in 2021. This means that the world off track to meet the 2030 goal and we need to reduce the global deforestation by at least 10 percent every year to meet the 2030 target. And to meet the target of restoring 350 million hectares of forest globally by 2030 the world need to increase tree cover by 22 million hectare per year between 2021 and 2030. Despite registering some gains, the overall change in tree cover in the past 20 years was a net loss of 100 million hectares. This means that we are still losing forests and not restoring them at required rate. For example, Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo with the most tropical forest cover has registered losses of this resource in 2022. Ghana and Bolivia also rapidly losing their primary forest cover. On the other hand, Indonesia and Malaysia managed to keep their primary forest cover loss to record low levels in 2022. Coming to India's specific findings, according to Global Forest Watch, India lost 43.9 thousand hectares of humid primary forest between 2021 and 2022, which accounts for 17 percent of country's total tree cover loss in the period. The total tree cover loss in India between 2021 and 2022 was 25,000 hectares. In conclusion, addressing all these challenges, a combination of conservation efforts, sustainable land use practices, improved governance and international cooperation to protect and restore primary forest. This will ensure their long-term ecological, social and economic benefits. That's all regarding this topic. Now let us move on to our next article. Look at this news article. It basically discusses the current state of world trade organizations dispute settlement system that is DSS and the challenges it faces, particularly due to United States opposition. In this discussion, we will try to understand the points provided in the article in detail. Before that, the syllabus. Before getting into the article, it's important for you to understand some basics about the WTO and its dispute settlement system. See the World Trade Organization is an intergovernmental organization that was established in 1995. It was established to regulate and facilitate international trade among its member countries. It serves as a platform for negotiating trade agreements, resolving disputes and promoting global economic cooperation. Now talking about the dispute settlement system of WTO, see the DSS is an important pillar of WTO. It ensures the effective enforcement of trade rules. So basically the dispute settlement system is designed to provide a fair and impartial mechanism for resolving trade disputes among member countries. It aims to ensure that trade rules and agreements are followed and that countries do not engage in unfair trade practices. Know that dispute settlement system operates in two-tired structure. Listen this carefully. This will be the basis of the discussion later on. See the first day consists of panels. These panels are composed of trade experts. They hear the initial arguments and the evidence presented by the disputing parties. The panel examines the case, evaluates the argument and issues the ruling on the matter. Now if either party is dissatisfied with the panel's ruling, they can appeal to the second tier known as appellate body. The appellate body is composed of seven members. These members review the legal aspects of the panel decision and determine whether it is consistent with WTO rules and principles. So the appellate body ensures that the dispute settlement process is transparent, objective and fair. Now with this understanding, let us see what the article says. See in June 2022, the member countries of WTO reached an important agreement at Geneva Ministerial Conference. This agreement aimed to restore WTO's dispute settlement system by 2024. This is because since 2019, the dispute settlement system remained paralyzed and non-functional. This is because the United States has blocked the appointment of members to the appellate body. We just saw that the appellate body is the second tier of dispute settlement system that is responsible for hearing appeals from WTO panels. The appellate body has played a significant role in upholding international law. It has even held powerful countries accountable for breaching trade agreements. However, in recent times the United States has turned into a strongest critic of this body. The US accuses the appellate body of the judicial overreach and exceeding its mandate. One major point of contention is the creation of binding precedents through its decisions. Now what does this mean? Let me explain. See if the WTO's appellate body makes a decision in a trade dispute case, that decision becomes a rule or standard. This standard will be followed in similar future cases. It is like setting an example for how similar situation should be handled in future. For example, consider the appellate decision body decides a certain trade practices against WTO rules and should be prohibited. Now this decision becomes a president. It means that in future cases, when a similar trade practice is challenged, the appellate body is expected to apply the same ruling based on the earlier decision. But take the dispute settlement understanding of WTO. It explicitly states in article 3.2 that rulings of the appellate body should not add or diminish the rights and obligations of member countries. This provision reflects the principle that there is no rule of stair basis or president in international law. Despite this explicit provision, the appellate body has been accused of creating binding precedents through its decision. So the United States argues that the creation of binding precedent by the appellate body goes against the WTO's dispute settlement understanding. Now what is the argument of the appellate body? See the appellate body of the WTO has said that it is possible to make exceptions or changes to the previous rulings. If there are good and convincing reasons the appellate body can make changes. For instance, yesterday you called a cat as a cat, today again it is a cat only. Just because you called a cat as a cat yesterday, you cannot call it a dog today, right? So the appellate body argues that only if sufficient reasons are there, changes can be made. But the problem is that people still think that the appellate body has created a system of binding precedent. A system where its previous decision are seen as important rules to be followed in future cases. Now if you see other international courts such as the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for Law of the Sea, they also follow past decisions. They deviate from the previous ruling only if there are valid reasons to do so. The appellate body has given an explanation but the US is still not convinced. So what is the intention of the US? The author explains it here. He says that the larger goal of the United States seems to be dejudicization of trade multilateralism. In other words, the US wants to decrease the role of courts in making decisions about trade rules and disputes. So basically the United States seeks to weaken the international courts and regain the decision making power over its trade policies. This is particularly in light of emerging challenges posed by a rise in China. The author says this because the United States has not provided any constructive suggestions in that regard. Here we should also note that dispute settlement understanding of WTO recognize that the dispute settlement is crucial for providing security and predictability to the multilateral trading system. Therefore the appellate body should aim to strike a balance. It should ensure consistency in the interpretation but should not create binding precedence. One option proposed by Henry Gavo is for countries to elect appellate body members through voting at WTO's general council meeting. According to the author, this approach is likely to further provoke the United States. It also remains uncertain whether the countries are willing to take this path. These are the important points from the article. So in this discussion we have seen about the WTO, about its dispute settlement system and about the objection of US regarding this dispute settlement system and finally the important points provided in this article are discussed. That is all regarding this article. Now let us move on to our next topic. Look at this article. It talks about LMV3 rocket. See Israel is set to launch its Chandra N3 mission on July 14 using the powerful LMV3 that is Launch Vehicle Mach 3. LMV3 is early known as GSLV Mach 3. In this context let us learn about LMV3. First let us begin by exploring the key specifications of the LMV3. It stands at a height of 43.5 meters with a diameter of 4 meters. It consists of three stages. Its lift of mass is 640 tons which demonstrate its remarkable power and capacity. Now let us talk about the three stages of LMV3. See the first stage consists of two solid rocket boosters known as S200. These boosters play a crucial role in lifting the rocket off the ground and provide an enormous amount of initial thrust. Moving on to the second stage we have the liquid core stage called L110. This stage operates using two WCAG engines. We know WCAG engines are liquid engines developed by ISRO. These engines burn a combination of UDMH that is unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and H2O as fuel. So it generates the necessary thrust to propel the rocket further into space. Lastly we have the third stage known as the cryogenic upper stage or C25. This stage is powered by a cryogenic engine called CE20. This is the largest cryogenic engine developed by ISRO. Cryogenic engines operate by combining liquefied hydrogen with liquefied oxygen as propellants. In terms of payload capacity the LMV3 can carry satellites weighing up to 4000 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit that is GTO. This orbit is commonly used for communication satellites. Additionally it has the capability to transport payloads weighing up to 8000 kilograms to low earth orbit. That's all regarding this topic. Now let us move on to our next article. Take a look at this news article. As we all know currently violence is going on between two groups in the state of Manipur. The police and armed forces are struggling hard to curb the violence. Recently the armed sources said that operating without legal cover provided by the armed forces special power act that is AFSPA is a major limitation that security forces are facing in Manipur. Last March the union government had removed the AFSPA in certain areas of Manipur. So the armed forces are saying that removal of AFSPA in certain areas acts as a hindrance to curb the violence in Manipur. This is all about the news. In the discussion we will understand some points about the armed forces special powers act. The armed forces special power act was enacted in 1958. AFSPA is a special legislation created to maintain peace in the disturbed areas. The act grants special powers to the Indian armed forces to maintain law and order in the disturbed areas. Apart from this the act also allows the armed forces to aid the civilian administration in the peace disturbed areas. Now where is AFSPA currently applicable? See the AFSPA is currently applicable to various areas in four northeastern states of India. The states include Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagalan and Manipur. Apart from such northeastern states the AFSPA is also currently applicable in union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. However it was administrated by a separate act called armed forces Jammu and Kashmir special powers act 1990 which was enacted in wake of growing insurgency in the valley. Now we will look at some of the important provisions of the act. According to the act the term armed forces means the armed forces of the union government and it does not include the state police forces. Then section 2b of the act provides for the ground to declare an area to be disturbed area. According to the act a whole or part of state can be declared as a disturbed area. Now who can declare disturbed areas? It is provided under section 3 of the act. As per this act section 3 the union government or governor of a state or administrator in case of union territory can declare an area as disturbed areas. Now what are all the special powers granted to the armed forces under AFSPA? The act even allows a non-commissioned officer to fire or to use force against persons who act against law and orders. It also confers special powers to the armed forces to search the place and to arrest persons based on mere suspicion. Apart from this the act also protects the armed officers against civilian litigation in case of performing duty based on AFSPA. So in this discussion we have seen what is AFSPA, where it is applicable and about the special powers granted to armed forces under the AFSPA. That is all regarding this article. Now let us move on to our next topic. Look at this article here. As we all know the central government and state governments have been undertaking large-scale human efforts to clean the polluted Ganga river under the Namami Ganga program. In these rejuvenating efforts, Marine lake especially turtles has been playing a key role. Now in this discussion we will understand how the turtles help to clean the Ganga river. First of all know that in 2014 the Wildlife Institute of India and the Ministry of Forest have joined hands with the National Mission for Clean Ganga to rejuvenate the Ganga river. The National Mission for Clean Ganga is a registered society under the Societies Registration Act 1860. It is the implementing wing of the Namami Ganga program. Since 2017 the National Mission for Clean Ganga and some of the bodies have been running the Turtle breeding and rehabilitation center in Varanasi. At the center turtle eggs brought from various regions gets hatched and hatchlings are monitored in an artificial pond for two years. After that they would be released in Ganga river. As of now roughly 5000 turtles have been released into the Ganges river from Varanasi breeding center. Now how does turtle help to clean Ganga river? As we all know daily many human dead bodies and flowers are thrown into the Ganga river. This in turn pollutes the river and it also affects the quality of water. Some of the turtle species in India are both herbivorous and carnivorous. They consume both meat and plant parts. These kinds of turtles help to maintain clean water by consuming rotten or half-burnt human bodies as well as flowers dumped into river Ganges. Some officials said that the quality of water in Ganga has improved since the introduction of the turtles. Apart from this there is also improvements in biochemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen levels. This is how turtles help to clean the Ganga river. That's all regarding this topic. With this let us move on to our next part of discussion that is prelims practice questions discussion. Today we will be having four questions. I will solve three of them and one question will be a quiz question. Now let us take up our first question. This question was asked by UPSC in the year 2018 civil service prelims. Three statements are given and we have to find the correct ones. First statement says that PSLV launched the satellites useful for earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites. This statement is correct. PSLVs primarily used to launch earth observation or remote sensing satellites. These satellites are designed to monitor and gather information about the earth's resources and GSLVs designed for launching heavier payloads such as communication satellites into space. Second statement says that satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky as viewed from a particular location on earth. This statement is incorrect. PSLVs used to place satellites into sunsynchronous circular polar orbits. In this type of orbit the satellite passes over the earth's pull and maintains a constant angle between its orbital plane and the sun. This means that the satellite will pass over any given point on earth at the same local solar time during each orbit. In other words the satellite will always be in sunlight or shadow at the same time of the day. Second statement says that GSLV Mach 3 is a four-stage launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. The third statement is also incorrect. GSLV Mach 3 is a three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO. It consists of two solid strap-on boosters, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage. So the correct answer here is option A. Now let us move on to our next question. This is a statement based question about international criminal code. Four statements are given and we have to find the correct ones. First statement says that it is one of the organs of the United Nations. This statement is wrong. International criminal code does not forms a part of the UN. The international code of justice is the judicial organ of the United Nations. The second statement says that India is a member to ICC. No, this statement is also wrong. India is not a member to ICC. Third statement says that it can carry out investigations into possible crimes when UN Security Council refers to it. Yes, third statement is correct. And the fourth statement says that it can investigate the individuals from non-member states. Yes, the fourth statement is also correct. The correct answer here is option B, only two. Now let us move on to our next question. This is a statement based question about AFSPACT of 1958. Three statements are given and we have to find the correct ones. First statement says that it grants special power to the Indian armed forces to maintain law and order in peace disturbed areas. Yes, from our discussion we know that this first statement is correct. Second statement says that it is currently applicable in some areas of six northeastern states. No, this statement is wrong. Why? Because AFSPAC is currently applicable only in four northeastern states. Those states are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagalan and Manipur. Third statement says that as per the act, the chief minister of a particular state can also declare an area as disturbed area. No, this particular statement is wrong. As per section three of the act, the union government or a governor of a state or administrator in case of union territory only can declare an area as disturbed areas. The chief minister is not empowered to declare an area as disturbed areas under the act. So the correct answer is option A, only one. This is your quiz question for the day. Think well and post the correct answer in the comment section. These are the main practice questions for the day. Interested aspirants can write the answer and post them on comment section as well. With this we have come to end of our discussion. You can share your thoughts in comment section. 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