 A very good evening aspirants, welcome to the Hindu newspaper analysis brought to you by Shankar IAS Academy. Today's date is 1st of July 2023. Displayed here are the list of news articles that we are going to discuss today. So without much delay, let us get into the news article discussion. Now take a look at this news article. Yesterday, our Prime Minister Mr. Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin through phone. During such conversation, many matters were discussed by the two leaders. They discussed Russian-Ukraine conflict. While discussing the conflict, Mr. Modi reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy to end the Ukraine conflict. PM Modi also spoke about upcoming contacts between the two leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the SCO virtual summit, the BRICS and G20 summits. Apart from this, Mr. Modi also informed Mr. Putin about his recent visit to the USA. In response to these talks, many political experts say that India is balancing the USA on one hand and Russia on the other hand. See, this is an act example of soft power diplomacy of India. So in this news article discussion, let us learn about soft power diplomacy of India and some of the challenges associated with it. Firstly, what is soft power? See, the term soft power was first coined by the American political scientist Joseph Ney. Ney defined soft power as the ability to alter the behavior of others to get what you want, preferably through attraction rather than compulsion. To put it in simple words, soft power refers to the ability to achieve goals by attraction through political, economic and moral or cultural influence. Or we can say that soft power is the country's ability to influence others without resorting to aggressive pressure. I hope you got it. Now coming to India's soft power diplomacy. See, India is an enthusiastic proponent of soft power diplomacy. India is known for its rich cultural traditions, including Bollywood movies, yoga, Ayurvedic medicine, heritage tourism and spice rich cosine. India is using these factors to exercise its soft power diplomacy worldwide. In addition to this, the civil society of India has offered religious freedom to Jews, Parsis, Christians and Muslims. This also help India to admire its soft power. Apart from this, India is also providing economic aid to less developed countries to exercise its soft power diplomacy. Now moving on to see about the importance of soft power diplomacy to India. See, globally we Indians are recognized for a strong nation brand and democratic principles. So, the positive soft power allows India to promote itself as a place for tourism, investment, education and so on. So, apart from bringing foreign direct investment into India, the soft power can also bring in strategic investments to India in the fields of defense, space and science and technology. Secondly, the soft power helps in creating goodwill. See, Indian culture and practices have a wide range of respect all over the world. So, projecting our culture worldwide through soft power will create goodwill to India. Thirdly, soft power helps to maintain peace. See, the projection of soft power can help India to establish communication with other countries through peaceful methods. So, the soft power will help us to maintain fruitful relationships with other countries as well. Fourthly, the soft power helps India to build a brand for itself. See, by promoting the non-aligned commitments, democratic values, morals and so on through soft power means, India can create a brand for itself. This in turn yields huge respect to India. And finally, the soft power helps India to project its values and commitments globally. See, the world is now facing multiple problems like climate change, global warming, terrorism, sea level rise and etc. Using its soft power, India can reach out to the global audience to collectively mitigate these multi-fold problems. So, this is about the importance of soft power diplomacy to India. Now, moving on to see about the challenges that exist in the soft power diplomacy to India. See, firstly, India lacks an institutional ecosystem to harness soft power and to represent its national interest in the international sphere. Secondly, there have been major problems in India like corruption, poverty, violence against women, hostility to business, pollution in urban areas, caste discrimination and gender equality. These problems in India also act as a hindrance to exercise its soft power in the global arena. These are the two major challenges for India in exercising its soft power diplomacy. So, that's all you have to make note of from this news article discussion. With these learnt points, now let us move on to the next news article discussion. Take a look at this editorial article. It talks about the steps that can be taken to unleash the full potential of the India-Africa relationship. See, recently the Vivehananda International Foundation established a 20-member Africa Expert Group, AEG. This group published the India-Africa Partnership, Achievements, Challenges and Roadmap 2023. The editorial here highlights the major points from the report as it is written by the head of the Africa Expert Group, AEG. So, in our discussion today, we'll see the points highlighted in the editorial article. Before that, the syllabus relevant to this news article is highlighted here for your reference. You can go through it. See, we all know India is working on raising us a global player, right? This dream of India of becoming a global player depends on the kind of relationship it enjoys with Africa. There are three areas of interest India has in relation to Africa. The first one is trade. The African continent accounts for nearly 17% of the world's population today and will reach 25% in 2050. In addition to this, Africa has a large working-age population and has a growing middle class. All these are signs of a good market. So, if India has a good relationship with Africa, then there is a huge potential for trade. The next one is geopolitics. See, Africa is strategically located in the Indian Ocean, which is a vital shipping route for India. So, by maintaining good relations with African countries, India can secure its maritime interest in the Indian Ocean. The last one is resources. We all know how rich Africa is in mineral resources, especially it has rich mineral resources like gold from South Africa, diamonds from Botswana, uranium from Niger, oil from Niger and Angola, natural gas from Algeria, iron ore from South Africa and cobalt from Democratic Republic of Congo. I hope aspirants who gave 2023 problems will not forget the cobalt and Democratic Republic of Congo. So, India has a huge appetite for all these resources. If a stable relationship with Africa is ensured, then India can have a steady supply of these resources that will aid in its growth path. See, all these make a good relationship with Africa a necessary precursor for India to make it a global player. Lot of other countries have recognized the importance of Africa and started taking necessary steps. Even there is a competition among countries like China, Russia, the United States, the European Union, Japan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for strengthening their relations with parts of Africa. They are doing this to ensure market access, gain energy and mineral security and increase political and economic influence. Among them, China is the front runner here. See, China has a policy for Africa and has plans to become the biggest trade partner of Africa. For example, since 2007, Chinese leaders have visited the continent 123 times while 251 African leaders have visited China. In addition to this, China has invested enormously in Africa in terms of money, materials and diplomatic push. All these are lessons for India. So, now what are the steps that India can take to continue improving its relationship with Africa? See, the first step is the strengthening of political and diplomatic cooperation. The editorial suggests four steps that can be taken to strengthen the political and diplomatic cooperation between India and the continent of Africa. Number one, the India Africa Forum Summit must be revived and the frequency at which this summit is conducted can be increased. Number two, a new annual strategic dialogue between the chairperson of the African Union, AU and India's external affairs minister should be launched in 2023. Number three, India must take steps to ensure the entry of the African Union into the G20 as a full member. Number four, the ministry of external affairs must have a secretary exclusively for Africa relations to ensure the full implementation of India's Africa policy. The second is defence and security cooperation. See, to enhance the defence and security cooperation also, the editorial provides a number of steps. Firstly, India and Africa must expand dialogues on defence issues. Secondly, collaborations must be made in the area of maritime cooperation. Thirdly, India must also expand its line of credit to Africa to enhance its defence exports to Africa. And finally, India can provide training for African security personnel in the area of counterterrorism, cybersecurity and emerging technologies. These steps can ensure defence and security cooperation between India and Africa. Now, in the area of economic and development cooperation, the editorial provides three suggestions. Number one is the creation of an Africa Growth Fund, AGF. The Fund will ensure access to finance. Secondly, a special package for cooperation in shipping will earn great dividends for both the stakeholders. Number three, steps must be taken to deepen cooperation in science and technology. See, these will ensure economic and developmental cooperation between India and Africa. Lastly, there is socio-cultural cooperation. To enhance socio-cultural cooperation, a lot can be done. Firstly, interactions between universities, think tanks, civil society and media organisations in India and select African countries can be encouraged. Secondly, the National Centre for African Studies can be set up in India. Thirdly, Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation, ITEC and Indian Council for Cultural Relations. ICCR scholarships, which are awarded to Africans, could be named after famous African figures. Fourthly, visa procedure of African students who are planning to take up higher education in India can be liberalised and they can be provided with a short-term work visa. So, if all these suggestions are fully implemented, India can unleash the full potential of India-Africa relationship. See, make note of all these points, very, very important points. To make it easy for you, we have structured it like a main's answer. Whenever they ask about Africa, you can write all these points. It will be relevant at any point of time. Okay? So, with these learnt points, now let us move on to the next news article discussion. Now, look at this article from editorial page. The headline reads, The Governor's Move is Dangerous and Constitutional. See, recently, the Tamil Nadu Governor dismissed Minister Sendhil Balaji without the advice of the Chief Minister, but later the Governor backtracked on his decision. Despite that, this dismissal order has raised concerns because this is going to set a dangerous precedent. Also, it has the potential to destabilize the constitutional system and the federal structure of our country. So, in our discussion, we'll try to understand this important constitutional issue. Before that, the syllabus relevant to this news article is highlighted here for your reference. You can go through it. First, we'll try to understand the issue at hand. But to understand this issue, we need to look at the relevant articles of the Indian Constitution and get some clarity. Take article 164 of the Constitution. This article says, The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor. Let me explain this article for you. See, according to this article, the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor without any advice from anyone. However, when it comes to appointing individual Ministers, the Governor can do it only on the advice of the Chief Minister. This implies that the Governor does not have the discretion to appoint Ministers independently. The reason is simple. The Chief Minister alone has the discretion to choose his Ministers. He decides who the Ministers of his Council will be. Therefore, by logic, the Governor can dismiss a Minister only on the advice of the Chief Minister. Now let's take a step back and examine the historical context. See, the Government of India Act 1935, which was enforced during the colonial rule, section 51 clause 1 of this Act says that, The Governor's Ministers shall be chosen and summoned by him. They shall be sworn as members of the Council and shall hold office during his pleasure. See, this section makes it clear that the Ministers shall be chosen by the Governor. So, they hold office during his pleasure. Further, subsection 5 of section 51 says, The functions of the Governor under this section with respect to the choosing and summoning and dismissal of Ministers. Make note here, dismissal of Ministers. And with respect to determination of their salaries, shall be exercised by him in his discretion. See, two things are clear from section 51 clause 1 and section 51 clause 5 of the Government of India Act 1935. One, the Ministers are chosen by the Governor. Two, they are dismissed by him at his discretion. Thus, the Governor during the colonial rule had absolute discretion to choose a Minister and dismiss him. This is the higher and fire approach. However, after India gained independence, our constitution established a different constitutional system. The Governor became a mere constitutional head. He or she has to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister. Also, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar made it clear in the Constituent Assembly that there is no executive function that a Governor can perform independently under the constitution. The power to choose and dismiss Ministers lies with the Chief Minister because the Chief Minister is the one who has the discretion to form the Council of Ministers and recommend their removal. Now, you may ask, then ma'am, what do the words, the pleasure of Governor mentioned in article 164 imply? See here, the words refer to only the formal act of issuing the order of dismissal. This should be done by the Governor only on the advice of the Chief Minister. See, we just now saw that section 51 of the Government of India Act 1935 confers on the Governor the discretion to choose as well as dismiss the Ministers. Now, it is important to note one thing here. When the Constitution was drafted, the words chosen, dismissal and discretion present in the Government of India Act 1935 were intentionally omitted. This omission made it very clear that the Constitution did not confer any discretion on the Governor to choose or dismiss an individual Minister. Also, the Supreme Court has provided judicial clarification in various cases to clarify the position of the Governor in India's constitutional setup. For example, see the Samshir Singh case of 1974. Here, a seven-judge constitution bench declared that the President and Governor should exercise their formal constitutional powers only in accordance with the advice of their Ministers, except in well-known exceptional situations. Then, in Nabam-Rabbi versus Deputy Speaker, a Constitution bench of five judges reaffirmed the principles laid down in the earlier Samshir Singh case. The Court clarified that the discretionary power of the Governor are limited to the postulates of Article 163 Clause 1 of the Indian Constitution. We know Article 163 Clause 1 states that the Governor shall exercise their power and functions with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. Now, finally, the author concludes by saying that, the dismissal of Ministers by the Governor of Tamil Nadu without the advice of Chief Minister is constitutionally incorrect. The Supreme Court has consistently held that the discretionary powers of the Governor are limited. They must act on the advice of the Council of Ministers. Newspaper reports suggest that the Governor later held back his order of dismissal. But the author says that the issue of dismissal of a Minister without the advice of the Chief Minister is one which clearly destabilizes the constitutional system. So, that is all you have to note from this news article discussion. In this news article discussion, we saw in detail about Article 164 of the Constitution. We also saw about its historical context with respect to Government of India Act 1935. Then we understood about the role of the Governor with respect to the dismissal of a Minister. So, with these learnt points, now let us move on to the next news article discussion. This news article says that Pakistan is getting a new IMF bailout amounting to 3 billion dollars. This bailout will help Pakistan to avoid defaults. Before this, in 2019 itself, Pakistan has received a 6 billion dollar bailout package from the IMF. This is about the news article given here. In this context, let us look at the lending instruments of the IMF. See, unlike development banks like the World Bank or Asian Development Bank, the IMF does not lend for specific projects. Instead, the IMF provides financial support to countries that are facing crisis, mainly balance of payment problems. The financial support is provided to create breathing room as crisis affected countries implement policies that restore economic stability and growth. It also provides precautionary financing to help prevent crisis. Moving on, let us see the various lending instruments of the IMF. See, the first one is the standby arrangement SBA. The standby arrangement SBA provides short-term financial assistance to countries facing balance of payment problems. Historically, it has been the IMF's lending instrument most used by advanced and emerging market countries. So, when a country receives fund through standby arrangement SBA, then that country must take measures to address the problems that led the country to seek funding in the first place. The SBA is provided in tranches and before each tranche is provided, the IMF reviews the country's policies. The current bailout package of Pakistan is provided under the SBA facility. The second one is the standby credit facility SCB. See, the standby credit facility SCB provides financial assistance to low-income countries with short-term balance of payment needs. The SCF is one of the facilities under the poverty reduction and growth trust that is BRGT. Here note that both SBA and SCF are provided to avoid present prospective or potential balance of payment crisis. Now, when the BOP crisis extends for a protracted period, then the IMF provides support through the extended fund facility and the extended credit facility. Both these facilities provide financial assistance to countries facing serious medium-term balance of payments problems because of structural weaknesses that require time to address. To help countries implement medium-term structural reforms, these facilities offer longer program engagement and a longer repayment period. The advanced and emerging economies are offered EFF and the low-income countries are offered ECF. In 2019, Pakistan used the EFF to get financial support from the IMF. Apart from this, for urgent balance of payment needs, the IMF has the rapid financing instrument RFI and the rapid credit facility RCF. See, both are designed to provide financing to countries that are experiencing a sudden and unexpected balance of payment needs. Here the RFI is mainly used by the advanced and emerging countries and the RCF is used by low-income countries. The next one is the short-term liquidity line SLL. The SLL is provided for IMF members with very strong policy frameworks and fundamentals who face potential moderate short-term liquidity needs. These countries with strong policy frameworks fall into BOP shocks due to external shocks. The SLL aims to minimize the risk of shocks developing into deeper crisis and spreading to other countries. Now the next one is the flexible credit line FCL. See, the FCL is provided to countries with very strong policy frameworks and track records in economic performance. Financial support received under this facility is used to prevent crisis from happening. Then the precautionary and liquidity line PLL is designed to meet the liquidity needs of member countries with sound economic fundamentals but with some remaining vulnerabilities that preclude them from using the flexible credit line FCL. So basically countries with good economic fundamentals but not good enough to receive funds through the FCL use this PLL. Finally there is the resilience and sustainability fund RSF. The resilience and sustainability funds RSF provides affordable long-term financing to countries undertaking reforms to reduce risk to prospective balance of payments stability including those related to climate change and pandemic preparedness. So these are all some of the lending instruments of the IMF. Initially it might be a little bit of confusing but when you revise it more than twice you can get it. It is a very potential area to ask a problem's question. So make note of all these static part and whenever a news appears regarding lending mechanism of IMF you can recheck and revise the notes. So that's all regarding this news article. With these learned points now let us move on to the next news article discussion. Now take a look at this news article. It says that Mr. Tushar Mehta has been reappointed as the Solicitor General of India by the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet. Six additional Solicitor Generals of India were also reappointed. So in this context let us quickly learn about Solicitor General of India. See the Solicitor General of India holds the second highest legal office in India just after the Attorney General of India. So you can imagine the Solicitor General as the right hand of the Attorney General. They basically work together to provide legal counsel to the government and they also represent the Union of India in legal matters. Also note that the Solicitor General is supported by several additional Solicitors General who assist him in his duties. Now very briefly let us understand the hierarchy of these legal positions. See the Attorney General of India is the highest law officer in India. He holds a constitutional post under article 76 of the Constitution of India. On the other hand the position of Solicitor General is merely statutory meaning it was created by an Act of Parliament. Now let us see the appointment process. See the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet ACC recommends the appointment of the Solicitor General. This committee is chaired by the Prime Minister. After receiving recommendation from the committee the President officially appoints the Solicitor General. But know that the proposal for the appointment starts from the Department of Legal Affairs. It moves through various levels of approval before reaching the ACC and then the President. Now let us talk about the tenure of Solicitor General. See generally the Solicitor General is appointed for a term of three years. However they hold office during the pleasure of the President which means they can be removed at any time on the advice of the Prime Minister and Union Cabinet. The Solicitor General can also resign from the position by submitting their resignation to the President. Here you should note that they are eligible for reappointment after they cease to hold office. Now moving on to the functions of Solicitor General. See they have certain responsibilities outlined in the law officers condition of service rules 1987. The Solicitor General performs legal tasks and offers advice on legal matters delegated or assigned to them by the Government of India. They also represent the Indian Government in cases brought before the Supreme Court by the President under Article 143 of the constitution. Additionally the Solicitor General appears on behalf of the Government of India in cases where the Government is a party either in the Supreme Court or any High Court. They carry out any additional responsibilities entrusted to them by existing laws. Now remember this there are certain limitations to the role of the Solicitor General. See they cannot defend an accused individual in a criminal prosecution without the consent of the Indian Government. Also the Solicitor General is restricted from holding briefs for any party in any court except for the Government of India, the Government of a State or any entity where the Government has a significant interest. In simple words they are not allowed to take on cases and represent any other than the Government of India, the Government of a State or any entity where the Government has a big stake or interest. See we know that the Attorney General is a member of Parliament right? He can take part in debates and discussions that happen in both the Houses of the Parliament. They can voice their opinion, present legal perspectives and contribute to the legislative processes. But on the other hand the Solicitor General does not have the same rights concerning their participation in Parliament. They cannot counsel any party against the Government of India. The Solicitor General is also prohibited from accepting appointments to positions within businesses or entities without the permission of the Government of India. Also they cannot advise any ministry, department, statutory organization or public sector undertaking unless the references received through the Ministry of Law and Justice. So that's all regarding Solicitor General of India. Make note of all these points and revise it whenever you get time. So with these learnt points now let us move on to the next news article discussion. Now look at this front page it is about Amarnath Yadra. The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from Bahavati Nakhur in Jammu. So this is what the news is about. So in this context let us learn some of the basic facts about Amarnath Yadra. See people take this Amarnath Yadra to visit the Amarnathji Cave which has a Sivalinga made of ice. This Amarnathji Cave is situated in the Mount Amarnath which is in Anantnag district of Gemma 1, Kashmir. This pilgrimage site is at an altitude of about 13,000 feet from the sea level. Since it is located in high altitude the cave is covered by snow for most of the year. The entrance of this cave is accessible only during the summer. This year 3488 pilgrims are taking this Yadra from two bases of Pahalgam and Sonamarh. The Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and CRPF takes care of the security issues. See one of the astonishing fact about the Sivalinga in Amarnath Cave is that it is basically a stalagmite covered with ice. See the ice linga is formed by a trickle of water from a cleft in the cave's roof. The Sivalinga gets its full shape in May after which it begins to melt by August. The water freezes as it drips forming over time a tall smooth ice stalagmite. So in this context we shall see about what is a stalagmite and a stalaxite. See both stalagmites and stalaxites are found in limestone caves. How are they formed? See whenever rainwater enters into crack in the rock it passes through organic material and it picks up carbon dioxide gas. This results in the formation of carbonic acid. Carbonic acid is a weak acid and it passes through joints and cracks in limestone. This carbonic acid reacts with the limestone rocks and dissolves the rock and forms calcite. When this water which holds the dissolved rock is exposed to the air in the cave the carbon dioxide is released and calcite is precipitated on cave walls ceilings and flows. This calcite deposits results in the formation of stalaxite and stalagmites. Remember when the calcite happens in the ceiling of the cave it forms stalaxite. So the stalaxite hangs from the ceiling of the cave. The stalaxite or downward dripping. So when the calcite happens on the floor of the cave it forms stalagmites. So a stalagmite is an upward growing mount of limestone deposits on the floor of a cave. In case of Amanath cave the melted ice just drips above the stalagmite below and this stalagmite is covered in ice over time and it appears like a shivalinga. Since the shivalinga gets its full shape in May and begins to melt by August the month of July becomes the perfect month to visit the site. That is why the Amanath Yatra also happens during this month. Hope you can understand how a stalaxite and the stalagmite forms with these learnt points and now let us move on to the next news article discussion. Take a look at this news article. Our Neolithic era Kelt was discovered at an archaeological excavation at Boothi Natham in Dharamapuri district. See here Kelt refers to prehistoric stone or metal tools. So in this news article discussion let us learn about the Neolithic culture in Prulam's perspective. See as the name itself hinders Neolithic culture refers to new stone age. It is actually the last stage of the stone age. In India early evidence for Neolithic culture is found in the Indus region and Gajetic valley. The time period of Neolithic culture dates back to 6000 BC to 1000 BC. Now let us quickly go through some of the characteristics of Neolithic period. See Neolithic period for the first time plants and animals were domesticated. Wheat and barley or commonly cultivated crops sheep goat and cattle were commonly domesticated animals of that time. The tools used were made of stones and they were polished. Stone axes were used in Neolithic age so this means that for the first time agricultural activities were carried out in the fertile soil deposited by the rivers. For the first time pottery was also developed in this period then permanent residents were made using mud bricks. So as a result of all these developments the hunters and gatherers began to settle in a particular place. One important point to note here is that people of this age don't have knowledge about metals. Now let's quickly go through some of the important Neolithic sites in India. See Neolithic sites in India are classified on a regional basis. First we'll look at the Neolithic culture of northwestern India. These sites have the earliest evidence of plant and animal domestication in India. Some of the important sites of this region include Mehargarh, Rani Kundai, Sarai Kala and Jallilpur. Now coming to the Neolithic culture of cashmere see it was contemporary to the Indus valley civilization. Burza home is the important site of this culture. In this site one particular feature is that domestic dogs were buried with their master. They used handmade pottery as well. Now moving on we'll see about Neolithic culture of Ganges valley and central India. Important sites of this region include the people of this region used pottery with cored impressions on the surfaces. Next we shall focus on Neolithic culture of south India. See the Neolithic centers of south India are concentrated in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and northwestern part of Tamil Nadu. Some of the important sites of this region are Vatkal, Hemek and Hellur in Karnataka, Naharjuna Konda, Ramapuram and Veera Puram in Andhra Pradesh and Payampalli in Tamil Nadu. One unique feature of this region is that ash mounds are found in the center of the settlements. Now finally we shall see about the Neolithic culture of north east in India. See in this region Neolithic culture appeared very late as much as 2500 to 1500 BC. Some of the important sites of this region include this region has the evidence for shifting cultivation. Stone and wooden memorials are built for the dead in this region as well. That's all regarding this news article. In this news article we learnt briefly about Neolithic culture of India. So with these learnt points now let us move on to the next news article discussion. Now take a look at this news article. This news article talks about the issues around the South China Sea and India's stand regarding the issue. See know that the Asian countries and China are currently negotiating to develop a code of conduct in the South China Sea. Recently Mr Manalo the visiting secretary of foreign affairs of Philippines visited India. Our external affairs minister S J Shankar met with his Philippines counterpart Mr Manalo. India has called for the parties involved in the issue to follow the decision of 2016 arbitration. The two leaders highlighted the need for resolving the issue in a peaceful manner and following the international laws especially the U1 clause. That is United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Now let's see about the decision of 2016 arbitration that the news article mentions here. See due to the developing conflict between Philippines and China with respect to the South China Sea on January 22nd 2013 Philippines approached the permanent court of arbitration under the provisions of U1 clause. The court had given its verdict in favor of the Philippines on July 2022 but China outrightedly rejected this judgment. China claims that it has the rights over the South China Sea up to the nine dash line. So here our India has stated that the parties involved in the issue should follow the decision of this 2016 arbitration. Now moving on the news article mentioned that the Asian countries and China are currently negotiating to develop a code of conduct in the South China Sea. Now let's see what are the issues in developing this code of conduct. See the first issue is that Asian countries they stand on a single side but they don't have a common stand on all issues. They have different opinions on matters like what to do when collusion happens such as how to deal with third parties whether the outcome of this negotiation is legally binding or not if it is legally binding then who will enforce it and if it is not legally binding then what will be its status. Likewise in many places Asian countries don't have a common stand which is an issue. So the countries are negotiating right now we have to wait and see in what direction this progresses. On the other hand while China is building artificial islands in South China Sea Philippines is trying to send as many assets as possible to South China Sea to assert its rights and protect its fishermen. So this is what is given in this news article since UN clause is an very important article you should be aware of the development in UN clause especially regarding South China Sea that is why I chose this news article. So these learnt points now let us move on to the next part of the news article discussion which is the preliminary practice question discussion. Now look at this first question three statements are given and you have to find how many statements given here is or are correct. Now look at the first statement stand by arrangement and stand by credit facility are provided to avoid present prospective or potential balance of payment crisis. Now look at the second statement extender fund facility and extender credit facility are provided when the BOP crisis extends for a significant period. See here these two statements are actually correct we saw that in the discussion right. Now look at this third statement India has received packages from IMF through both SBA and EFF. See this statement is actually correct India has received packages from IMF through both SBA and EFF. In 1981 India received funding through EFF and six times between 1957 and 1991 India received funding through SBA. So the correct answer for the question here is option C all the three. Moving on look at this second question four places are given and you have to find how many places are part of Chota Chardham pilgrimage. See here the correct answer for the question is option C only three actually Chota Chardham pilgrimage consists of four sites they are Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Know that Amarnath is not a part of Chota Chardham. See if these four places are Chota Chardham if the question asks about Chardham alone then it refers to four important pilgrimage sites in India which includes Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameshwaram. So the correct answer for this question is option C only three. Now moving on see here four positions are given you have to find how many positions are constitutional post in India. Here the correct answer for the question is option C only three. Here Solicitor General is not a constitutional post. We saw in the discussion right so if you eliminate that you can easily arrive at the answer. Now moving on this is a statement type question two statements are given statement one people from being nomadic began to settle and build houses. Statement two the agricultural practices got developed during this period. See here the correct answer for the question is option A. See here both the statements are actually correct and statement two is the correct explanation for statement one. I am saying this because people began to settle and build houses because they started growing their food on own due to the development of agricultural practices. Domestication of food crops changed the people from being nomadic hunting and gathering community into a settled agriculture based community. That is why statement two explains the statement one. The questions displayed here are the main practice questions for you today. Just go through the question try to write an answer and post it in the comment section. With this we came to the end of the news article discussion. If you like the video hit like do comment and do not forget to subscribe to Shankar AIS Academy YouTube channel. Now thank you for listening