 A very good evening aspirants, I welcome you all to the Hindu Daily News Analysis brought to you by Shankar Ayes academy. Aspirants due to cyclone and its effects in Chennai, we did not able to publish the news analysis video for the past three days, but do not worry we will cover the important news articles from those days newspaper in the upcoming news analysis video. With this information, let us get into the daily news analysis. Today I am going to cover important news articles from the Hindu news papers dated 3rd and 6th of December 2023. Displayed here is a list of topics that we will be discussing today. At the end of the video we will also have prelims practice question discussions. So try to watch the entire video and 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 content based videos. Now let us get into our first news article discussion. Look at this news article, this article is taken from 3rd December newspaper. This article talks about world malaria report 2023 that was released recently. This report was released by World Health Organization that is WHO. According to the report in 2022, India contributed to 66% of malaria cases in Southeast Asia. The report further says that nearly 46% of all cases in the Southeast Asia region were caused by the parasite called Plasmodium y-wax. This is the crux of the news article given here. Now in this context, let us understand the basics about malaria disease and then we will see the important data mentioned in the World Malaria Report 2023. Now first let us take malaria. The malaria is a mosquito-borne blood disease caused by the Plasmodium Parasites. See there are several types of Plasmodium Parasites which causes malaria. The most severe type of malaria is caused by Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium y-wax. Okay, now how malaria is transmitted? The Plasmodium Parasites that cause malaria are transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female anopheles mosquitoes. So malaria is basically transmitted through the bite of female anopheles mosquitoes. See these mosquitoes bite primarily between dusk and dawn. The transmission can also occur through blood transfusion, organ transplant or the shared use of needles or syringes contaminated with infected blood. Okay, this is how malaria transmits. Now what are the symptoms of malaria? See the symptoms of malaria usually appear 10 to 15 days after the mosquito bite. The symptoms include fever, headache, chills and vomiting. Here note that without effective treatment the malaria can progress to severe illness and often lead to death. Okay, so this is all about the symptoms. Now moving on to say about the geographical distribution of malaria disease. See malaria occurs mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest share of global malaria burden. However, the malaria also exists in parts of Asia, Latin America and some parts of the Middle East. Okay, now moving on to say about the preventive measures available to prevent malaria. See till now no malaria vaccine has met the WHO's efficacy benchmark of 75% efficiency. What a vaccine named RTSS got WHO's approval despite its lower efficacy of around 32-40%. Here note that RTSS is the first malaria vaccine developed by collaboration of GlaxoSmithKline and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Sigana and Nigeria have given approval for the use of RTSS vaccine in their countries. Apart from this RTSS vaccine, Oxford University has developed a vaccine called R21 which is awaiting WHO approval. This vaccine is also similar to RTSS vaccine. Okay, now coming to India, see Bharat Biotech has received a license to produce the RTSS vaccine in India. Apart from this, the CRM Institute of India is involved in manufacturing of R21 vaccine. Okay, so this is all about the vaccines available to treat malaria. Now moving on to say about global efforts to eliminate malaria. The first important effort is Global Malaria Program. This program was launched by the World Health Organization and it is responsible for coordinating global efforts to control and eliminate malaria. The work of the Global Malaria Program is guided by the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030. Okay, so this is the first important effort. The second important effort is E-2025 Initiative. In 2021, the World Health Organization launched the E-2025 Initiative. This initiative aims to halt the transmission of malaria in 25 identified countries by the year of 2025. Okay, and the third important effort is Malaria Elimination Initiative. It was launched by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This initiative focuses on eliminating malaria by increasing access to effective treatments. This initiative also aims in reducing the mosquito population and developing new tools and technologies to combat malaria disease. Okay, so these are all some of the global efforts to eliminate malaria. Now we shall see the efforts taken in India to prevent malaria. The first important step is National Malaria Control Program. This program was launched in 1953 and it was built around three key activities. They include insecticidal residual spray with DTD, monitoring and surveillance of cases and treatment of patients. See, this program is continuously working to eliminate malaria. The second important effort is National Vector-Bone Disease Control Program. See, this is an umbrella program for prevention and control of vector-borne diseases like malaria, Japanese encephalitis, dengue, chicken gunia, kala azar and lymphatic philaresis. So this program also prevents the spread of malaria. The third important stuff is National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016-2030. See, this framework is created based on the WHO's Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030. The main goals of the National Framework for Malaria Elimination include elimination of indigenous cases of malaria throughout India by 2030, then maintaining malaria-free status in areas where malaria transmission has been interrupted and preventing reintroduction of malaria. So these are the main goals that India aims to achieve through National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016-2030. So this is all about India's efforts in preventing malaria. Now finally, let us see the important highlights from the World Malaria Report 2023. And note that this report was released by the World Health Organization. Now first, we shall look at the global data. The report reveals that there was an increase in global malaria cases with an estimated 249 million cases in 2022 surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The report says that some of the reasons such as COVID-19 disruptions, drug resistance, humanitarian crisis and climate change, they pose threats to the global malaria response. And according to the report, four countries such as Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Mozambique accounts for almost half of all malaria cases globally. Okay, this is all about the global data. Now we shall see the data that is specific to India. According to the report, in 2022, India accounted for 66% of malaria cases in Southeast Asia region. Plasmodium Iwax, a protozoal parasite, contributed to almost 46% of cases in India. The report notes that despite a 55% reduction in cases since 2015, India remains a significant contributor to the global malaria burden. Also, the report says that India and Indonesia accounted for about 94% of all malaria deaths in the Southeast Asia region. Okay, so these are all some of the important highlights mentioned in the World Malaria Report 2023. So you can use these points while writing the main censor. This will definitely enrich your main censor. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw about the basics about malaria disease and then we saw some findings from the World Malaria Report 2023. Now with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article. It says that the severe cyclonic storm, Mig Jong made a landfall close to the south of Andhra Pradesh. The landfall was made with a maximum sustained wind speed of about 9,200 km per hour. The cyclonic storm has created a widespread destruction in both Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Okay, this is all about the news. Now in this context, let us understand some important points about tropical cyclone from exam perspective. The tropical cyclones are violent storms that originate over oceans or seas in the tropical areas. The tropical cyclones are intense, low pressure areas that are confined only between 30 degree north and 30 degree south latitudes of the world. Know that the tropical cyclones are called by various names in various parts of the world. They are called cyclones in the Indian Ocean. Then hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. Then typhoons in the western Pacific and South China Sea. And it is called willy-villies in the western Australia. Okay, this is all about the basics of cyclone. Now coming to the conditions for the formation of tropical cyclones. See there are five major conditions that are favorable for the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones. Now we will see them one by one. Firstly, large sea surface with temperature higher than 27 degree Celsius is needed for the formation of tropical cyclones. Secondly, the presence of Coriolis force is essential for the formation of tropical cyclones. Now what is this Coriolis force? See the Coriolis force is an apparent force caused by earth's rotation. To put it simply, the rotation of the earth about its axis affects the direction of the wind. Here the force which is responsible for affecting the direction of wind is called Coriolis force. Note that the Coriolis force has a great impact on the direction of wind movement. That is why it is one of the major conditions favorable for the cyclone formation. Okay, this is the second condition. The third condition is small variations in the vertical wind speed in the ocean areas. This means that there won't be any high variations in the vertical wind speed. And fourthly, a pre-existing weak low pressure area or low level cyclonic circulation is essential for the formation of tropical cyclones. And finally, upper divergence above the sea level system is needed for the formation of tropical cyclones. Okay, so these are the five conditions that are favorable for the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones. Now let us see the stages of tropical cyclones. See there are generally three stages associated with tropical cyclones. Now let us see them one by one. Now first let us take the formation stage. Basically the cyclone is formed due to the condensation process. The condensation is the process through which water vapor in the air is converted into liquid water. This condensation process only helps in cloud formation. So the condensation process along with the five conditions which we saw just now encourages the formation of vertical cumulonimbus clouds surrounding the center of the storm. This led to the formation of cyclones. See with the continuous supply of moisture from the sea, the storm is further strengthened. This is all about the formation stage. Now coming to the mature stage, a mature tropical cyclone is carried by the strong spirally circulating wind around the center of the cyclone. Know that the center of the cyclone is called the eye. The eye is a region of calm with subsiding air. Around the eye region, there is the eye wall. In the regions of the eye wall, there is a strong spiraling ascent of air to a greater height which can reach up to the tropopause. See the wind reaches maximum velocity in the eye wall region reaching as high as 250 kilometers per hour. Then from the eye wall, the rain bands will radiate and clouds may drift into the outer region of the storm. This makes the cyclone very stronger. Okay, this is what happens in the mature stage of tropical cyclone. Then comes the final dissipation stage. As we saw earlier, the cyclones that formed in oceans or seas will tend to move over the coastal areas or land. So, after the maturation, the cyclonic system moves slowly about 300 to 500 kilometer per day over the coastal areas. And while reaching the coastal areas, the cyclones no longer get sufficient energy from warm ocean waters. Therefore, the moisture supplied to the cyclone storm is cut off and finally, the cyclonic storm dissipates. Know that the place where a tropical cyclone crosses the coast is called the landfill of the cyclone. Okay, so this is all about the cyclone. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw about the conditions that are favorable for the formation of tropical cyclones. And we saw the stages involved in tropical cyclones. Now with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article. This news article talks about a report titled the global climate 2011 to 2020, a decade of acceleration. This report was recently released by the World Meteorological Organization, that is WMO. The report shows that the decade of 2011 to 2020 is the warmest ever decade, which was recorded in history. At the same time, the report notes that 2011 to 2020 decade saw the lowest number of deaths from extreme heat events. Okay, this is the crux of the news article given here. Now in this discussion, let us see the important findings from the WMO report. And we will see the basics about world meteorological organization. Now first, let us take the findings of the report. Firstly, the report says that 2011 to 2020 decade was the first decade since 1950, where there was no single extreme event with 10,000 deaths or more. The WMO says that this improvement was due to the early warning system, better forecasting and better disaster management by the countries. Secondly, the report shows that this was the first decade that the depleted ozone hole has showed some recovery. But at the same time, the report warned that the glaciers around the world were thinned by approximately one meter per year on an average between 2011 and 2020. The report gives a shocking fact that the Greenland and Antarctica lost 38% of more ice during the 2011 to 2020 period than during the 2001 to 2010 period. Okay, this is the second important findings of the report. Thirdly, the report shows that human cost, climate change, significantly increased the risks from extreme heat events. Now that the report shows that the heat waves are responsible for the highest number of human deaths while tropical cyclones were responsible for the most economic damage. And finally, the report talked about the climate finance. The report shows that the public and private climate finance almost doubled during the 2011 to 2020 period. However, the report highlighted that the funds should be increased at least seven times by the end of this decade to achieve limiting the global temperature from rising beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this 21st century. Okay, this all about the important findings of the report. Now, before concluding our discussion, let us see some basics about World Meteorological Organization, which is shortly called as WMO. See, WMO is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations. It was established in 1950. This organization got originated from the International Meteorological Organization. WMO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WMO performs various functions like coordinating the meteorological activities of various member countries, then publishing statistics on meteorology, then predicting the event of locust swamps, etc. Here note that the World Meteorological Organization currently has 187 member countries. From the exam point of view, note that WMO releases two reports. They are greenhouse gas, bulletin and status of the world climate. Okay, and that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw the important findings of the recently released WMO report titled the Global Climate 2011 to 2020 a Decade of Acceleration. And then we saw some points regarding the World Meteorological Organization. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this editorial article. This editorial article talks about the super cyclonic storm, Mig Jong and its effect on Chennai city. See, raining due to Mig Jong cyclone started on December 3rd. And by the next morning, most areas in Chennai had recorded more than 120 millimeter of rainfall. And few areas have recorded more than 250 millimeter of rainfall. See, this natural calamity exposed the other side of poor administration in Chennai. This article highlights that the power in the city was shut down for almost two days. Then water stagnated on almost all roads in Chennai. And storm water drains were choked with plastic trash. See, all these problems highlight the menace of urban flooding and the poor investment in infrastructure in Chennai. So this editorial article tries to say that the cyclone Mig Jong alone was not responsible for the Chennai's trouble, but also the poor administration. Okay, this is the crux of the editorial given here. In this background, let us understand some points about urban flooding, its causes and some steps to prevent urban flooding. We will understand this topic using mains answerating approach. The question is urban flooding is one of the inevitable disasters in the cities of India. In this slide, discuss the causes of urban floods in India. And suggest some practical solutions to tackle urban flooding. 150 words, 10 marks. See, this question can be asked in general studies paper 3 under the syllabus Disaster Management. Now coming to the question, see, this is a very straightforward question. We have to write the causes of urban flooding. And then we have to suggest some steps to prevent urban flooding. Now we'll straight away get into the introduction part. Since the question is about urban flooding, we can write the definition of urban floods in the intro part. We can also write the definition given by some familiar agencies. Now let us see the definition given by National Disaster Management Authority, that is NDMA. According to NDMA, urban flooding is the indentation of land or property in a built environment, particularly in most densely populated areas like cities. The flooding is caused by excessive rainfall overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems in urban areas. Okay, see this is the NDMA definition of urban flooding. To say it in other words, urban flooding is defined as the overflow of water in more densely populated areas or in the developed areas. As we all know in urban or developed areas, the properties are closely packed. So the excess water during rainfall doesn't find huge way or drainage to drain. This in turn causes floods in urban areas. Note that the urban floodings are not only caused by higher precipitation but also due to unplanned urbanization. Okay, see this is the alternative and common definition of urban flooding. You can use either of these definitions in your answer. Okay, this all about the intro part. Coming to the body part, in the main body of the answer, first we have to discuss the causes of urban floods. Second, we have to suggest some practical solutions to tackle urban flooding. Now, first let us see the causes of urban floods. Now, first let us take natural causes. As we all know, India is a tropical country. So it witnesses very heavy rainfall throughout the monsoon season. Apart from this, the coastal areas of India, particularly the eastern coasts, experiences storm surges due to cyclones. Here storm surges are nothing but the abnormal rises in sea level caused by the cyclonic winds. See this storm surges along with high tides can inundate low-lying coastal areas. This causing flood in urban zones present along the coasts. So this is the first cause. That is the heavy rainfall and storm surges. Secondly, India is prone to frequent thunderstorms. These thunderstorms can produce intense and short duration rainfall which lead to sudden floods called flash floods. The flash floods in turn can lead to urban floods. Okay, this is the second cause. That is the frequent thunderstorms. Thirdly, hydrological reasons like overbank flows can lead to urban floods. See, overbank flows typically occurs when there is an excessive amount of rainfall over a watershed. If the rainfall is intense or prolonged, rivers and streams can exceed their capacity. This leads to overflow of water from river banks and causes flooding in adjacent urban areas. Okay, so these are all some of the natural causes of urban flooding. Now, coming to the man-made causes, the first main causes encroachments on drainage channels. See, due to increased land prices and less availability of land in urban areas, new developments have come up in low-lying areas of cities like encroachments over lakes, wetlands or riverbeds. These activities narrows down natural drains available to drain excess rainwater in cities during heavy rainfall times. This in turn results in urban flooding. The second important cause is poor urban planning. See, urban areas with inadequate or poorly maintained drainage systems can cause significant challenges during cyclonic storms. For example, due to poor maintenance of drainage system, some of the debris like leaves, garbage and sediment can lead to blockage of drains. These factors prevent proper water flow and cause urban flooding. Okay, then the third important cause is climate change. See, the human-induced climate change has increased the frequency of short-duration heavy rainfall across the world. Sometimes this leads to high water runoff in urban areas and causes urban flooding. Fourthly, unplanned and sudden release of water from dams and lakes lead to floods in an urban area. For example, the 2015 Chennai floods was caused due to unplanned release of water from Chembarambakkam Lake situated near Chennai. And finally, illegal mining also causes urban flooding. See, illegal mining of rivers and for use in building construction deplete the natural bed of rivers and lakes. It causes soil erosion and reduces the water retention capacity of the water body. This phenomenon increases the speed and scale of water flow and causes urban flooding. Okay, so these are all some of the causes of increased urban floods in India. Now, moving on to the second part. The second part will suggest some practical solutions to tackle urban flooding. Firstly, the government should maintain a proper record of all the water bodies and wetlands at cities. This helps to identify illegal encroachments in cities and helps to prevent urban flooding. Secondly, catchment areas of rivers, lakes and other water channels should be brought under the protected areas. And these areas should also be included in the city development rules. This helps to prevent encroachments and urban flooding. Thirdly, in the case of newer developments, urban water problems can be studied in broader aspects to mitigate future floods in the city. Fourthly, flood vulnerability mapping also helps to reduce urban flooding. Flood vulnerability mapping involves the identification of vulnerable areas by analyzing topography and historical data of inundations. So, these activities can help to reduce floods. Fifthly, watershed management should also be encouraged. It includes desilting, timely cleaning and deepening of drainage channels. See, these activities have to be done along the whole river basin instead of just the urban areas. Apart from this, the catchment areas of water bodies need to be maintained well and they should be free from encroachment and pollution. So, these activities keep the course of water free from obstructions and prevents urban flooding. And finally, the existing green cover should be protected. Reforestation and removal of debris from catchment areas can help to prevent soil erosion. This symptom reduces the urban flooding. So, these are all some of the possible steps that can be taken to address urban floods. Now, that's all about the body part of the answer. Now, coming to the conclusion. See, we can conclude the answer with way forwards. The conclusion can be like urban areas are important centers of economic activities due to the presence of vital infrastructure. So, damages to vital infrastructure threatens the overall growth of the country and even have global implications. Therefore, management of urban flooding should be accorded top priority by the central and state governments. Some of the sustainable urban planning practices like prioritizing green spaces, creating retention ponds and establishing permeable surfaces to absorb and manage strong water can be carried out to prevent urban flooding. In addition to this, avoiding constructions in the flood prone areas and preserving natural drainage systems can also help to prevent urban flooding. Okay, so this way you can conclude the answer. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, through the main answer rating approach, we saw the causes of urban flooding and we also saw some steps to prevent urban flooding. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article. This article is taken from 3rd December newspaper. As we all know, the United Nations Climate Change Conference that is the COP28 is happening in Dubai. In this meeting, a group of countries termed the basic countries had stressed to include the failures of the developed nations in the global stock taking exercise. This is the crux of the news article given here. Now, in this discussion, let us learn some points about global stock take and about basic countries. Now, first, let us see what is global stock take. See global stock take is nothing but an assessment of climate change action carried out by the world countries. Basically, the global stock take evaluates the progress made on climate action at the global level. Note that the global stock take is mandated by Article 14 of the Paris Agreement 2015. As we all know, through the Paris Agreement, the world nations agreed to limit the global temperature from rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of this 21st century. Apart from this, the countries also agreed that they will try to limit the increase in global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius as far as possible. See, these goals are only ensured in the Paris Agreement. So, to track the progress of these goals, the world countries have agreed to periodically review their efforts in containing greenhouse gas emissions. This reviewing mechanism is what is called as global stock take. So, the global stock take evaluates the progress made on climate action at the global level. By doing this, the global stock take helps the world countries to identify overall gaps in achieving the Paris Agreement goals. Note that the first global stock take is taking place in the current year and it will be conducted once every five years hereafter. As friends, we will cover the important points from the current stock take in the upcoming discussions. As I mentioned just now, the first global stock take is taking place in the current year. So, in this slide, discussions on global stock take were made on the COP28 summit. In such discussions, the basic countries said that the global stock take should also account for the failures of developed nations in containing greenhouse gas emissions. Apart from this, Kenya also confirmed demand of basic nations. So, this is all about the global stock take. Now, before concluding our discussion, let us see in brief about basic grouping. Basic is a grouping that consists of four newly industrialized countries namely, Brazil, South Africa, India and China. It was formed by an agreement in November 2009. The main aim of the group is to work together in order to fight against climate change. The group also has common goals on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and raising the fund to combat climate change. Okay, so this is all about basic grouping and that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw some points about what is global stock take and then we saw some points about the basic grouping. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article. This article is taken from 3rd December newspaper. This article talks about the global initiative of academic networks that is GAAN. See, this particular initiative was discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, the Union Human Resources Ministry has decided to restart the fourth phase of GAAN. This is the crux of the news article given here. Now, in this discussion, let us understand some important points about global initiative of academic networks that is GAAN. The GAAN was launched in 2015. It is a program of Ministry of Human Resources and Development, Government of India. The primary objective of the GAAN scheme is to provide an opportunity for Indian students and faculty to interact with the best academic and industry exports from all over the world. By doing this, the scheme aims to enhance the quality of education and research in Indian academic institutions. Now, let us understand the key components of GAAN scheme. Under the scheme, the international exports or faculties are invited to provide guest lecture or training in select Indian institutions. Sometimes, they are also invited to conduct short-term courses in select Indian institutions. The duration of such course may vary from one week to three weeks. Here, note that apart from the students of hosting institutions, the students from other institutions are also encouraged to participate in the lectures or courses. By carrying out these activities, the GAAN scheme enables the international exports to share their expertise and experience to the Indian students. This motivates the Indian students to work on specific problems and to arrive at significant solutions. This sometimes strengthens the scientific and technological capabilities of India. Here, note that the foreign exports participating in the GAAN scheme will receive an honorarium to cover their travel and other expenses. So, to sum it up, the GAAN is a scheme that aims to improve higher education in India by enabling Indian students to interact with best international academicians or scientists or experts. And that's all regarding this discussion. And this discussion is all about the global initiative of academic network scheme that is the GAAN scheme. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next part of the video that is to discuss preliminary practice questions. Asperance, 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 World Meteorological Organization, that is WMO. Here, three statements are given. We have to find how many of these statements are correct. Look at the first statement. It does not form part of the United Nations System. See, this statement is incorrect. The WMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations. Now, come to the second statement. It is said quite that Nairobi Kenya. See, this statement is also incorrect. As you saw in the discussion, the WMO is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland. Now, come to the third statement. It releases the status of the world climate report. See, this statement is correct. As you saw in the discussion, the WMO releases two reports namely greenhouse gas bulletin and status of the world climate report. Here, only one statement is correct. So, the coordination for the question is option A, only one. Moving on, let's take up the second question. This question is regarding basic group. Here, two statements are given. We have to find which of the statements are correct. Look at the fourth statement. It consists of five members namely Brazil, India, China, South Africa and Australia. See, this statement is incorrect. The basic group consists of four countries namely Brazil, India, South Africa and China. It does not include Australia. Come to the second statement. It aims to improve trade and strategic relationship between the members. See, this statement is incorrect. The main aim of the group is to work together in order to fight against climate change and not to improve trade and strategic relations. Here, both the statements are incorrect. So, the short answer for the question is option D, neither one nor two. This is a good question for you today. I will post this question in a 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.