 Welcome to the Hindu News Analysis by Shankar Iyer's Academy. These are the list of news articles chosen for today's discussion. We are given along with the page numbers of different editions. The link for the handwritten notes in PDF format and the time stamping for the discussed articles are provided in the description box as well as in the comment section for the benefit of mobile phone viewers. Let us now move on to the analysis of the first news article. Now let us take up this news article which talks about a plea in the Supreme Court seeking a direction from it to repeal the provisions which criminalizes begging in the nation. And the plea claimed that the sections of the statute that criminalizes begging were found to be violative of the constitutional rights and it also referred to the August 2018 verdict of the Delhi High Court which had decriminalized begging in the national capital. So in this regard the Supreme Court is asked the centre and four states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana to file their response within three weeks and even though a notice was issued to these four states and also Bihar on the plea only Bihar has so far filed its response. So in this context let us have a brief understanding about legislation on begging in India. See we should know that there is no national legislation dealing with beggary in India. After independence in 1947 many Indian states have a beggary loss. Of all the state enactments the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act of 1959 has been in the limelight. Now this is especially because of its application in the metropolis of Mumbai and the subsequent extension to the Union Territory of Delhi in 1960. But the Delhi High Court in a landmark judgement titled Harsh Mandar vesses the Union of India and Karnik Saune vesses the Union of India held the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act of 1959 as unconstitutional and it was held unconstitutional on the grounds that it violates the Article 14 and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. See we should know that criminalising begging violates the fundamental rights of the most vulnerable people in our society and also it ignores the reality that the poorest of the poor are forced to beg not as a choice but as a last resort owing to various socio-economic conditions. And as a recent plea has noted it is a government which is mandated to provide social security to everyone and to ensure that all had basic facilities as embedded in the DPSP or the Directive Principles of State Policy of our Constitution. However the presence of beggars is the evidence that the state has failed to provide these basic facilities to all its citizens. So in this regard know that the provisions of the Railway Act of 1989 also criminalises begging and now the Ministry of Railways is proposed to amend the provisions of the Act in order to decriminalise or to rationalise the penalties for begging. Here section 144 subsection 2 of the Railway Act says that if any person begs in any railway carriage or at a railway station then he or she shall be liable for punishment which is imprisonment for a term that may extend to one year or with a fine that may extend to rupees 2000 or with both. But now the proposed amendment to the subsection 2 of this section states that no person shall be permitted to beg in any railway carriage or upon any part of the railway. So this means at present the severity of the punishment is considerably reduced so we can say that there will be no punishment for begging in railway. With this we have come to the end of this news discussion. Look at this news article. The article talks about the new discovery of Quezas. First let's understand about Quezas. See the term Queza derives from how these objects were originally discovered in the earliest radio surveys of the sky back in 1950s. They were dubbed quasi-stellar radio sources because of the bright star-like appearance and they were rechristened by 1964 to be Queza. Know that perhaps one of the most perplexing mysteries in current astrophysics is the science behind these Quezas. See Quezas are the brightest and most distant star-like objects that is found in the known universe. In fact they are so bright and they emit so much energy that some of them are believed to be producing around 10 to 100 times more energy than the entire Milky Way Galaxy. So from this you can get a picture of how large amount of energies are being emitted by them. So what is this Queza exactly? See until recently the purpose of these energetic objects was a subject of controversy. Now it's generally agreed upon that Quezas are produced by super massive black holes consuming matter. See in 1963 the first measurement of the distance to a Queza that is a radio source that looks like a star invisible light showed it to be an enormously powerful beacon lying billions of light years away. Now let me get to the basics to explain this. We know black holes are massive structures of gravity that even light doesn't travel past it. When an object nears a black hole under the influence of the black hole it is drawn towards it faster and faster in that process. The objects that are drawn are set off for a spin around the black hole with increasing velocity as they spiral towards the center that is the black hole and as the matter spins faster and faster it gets heated up thus giving off massive amounts of light and other forms of radiation such as x-rays, light rays, gamma rays and radio waves. Since lights cannot escape the supermassive black holes that are at the center of Quezas the escaping energy is actually generated outside the event horizon. See an event horizon is nothing but the boundary that is defining the region of space around a black hole from which nothing not even light can escape. Quezas are observed so far away and in relatively young galaxies and it is believed that they could be the first step in the evolutionary process of a galaxy and perhaps the supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy once hosted a Quezar. Now coming to the article the article talks about the newly discovered Quezas and this rare discovery increases the number of known Quezas or Quads by about 25% and also they can help determine the expansion rate of the universe in addition to addressing other mysteries like dark matter. Remember these Quezas are also called Quads due to the formation structure in the sky. So with this information let's move on to the next article. Now let us take up this news article from the science and tech column. This article talks about the Hinders and Ganges River dolphins and the article says that both are different species. So first let us know about the two dolphins and then let us discuss this article. The syllabus relevant for this news article is highlighted below for your reference. First I'm talking about Indus River dolphins. They are believed to have originated in the ancient Tethys Sea. What happened is when the sea dried up approximately 50 million years ago the dolphins were forced to adapt to its only remaining habitat that is rivers and today they can be found in the lower parts of the Indus River in Pakistan and the river Bias which is a tributary of the Indus River in Punjab in India. It is to be noted that in Pakistan their numbers declined dramatically after the construction of an irrigation system and hence in that country most dolphins are confined to a 750 mile stretch of the river and they are divided into isolated populations by six barrages. The total population of the Indus River dolphins is estimated to be around 2000 and each of them weigh about 70 to 110 kilograms. Remember they have adapted to life in the muddy river and the eyes are so small that scientists believe that they are functionally blind. Also they rely on echolocation to navigate, communicate and hunt the prey which includes prawns, catfish and carp. Now on talking about the threats posed to them more Indus dolphins are dying as a result of accidentally being caught in the fishing nets which is also known as bycatch. Also some communities would rely heavily on fishing they think of the Indus River dolphin as a competition for fish and so poaching still occurs despite a ban on hunting and apart from these untreated sewage, industrial pollution, pesticides from sugarcane and cotton crops etc also pollute the river which causes destruction to their habitats. Note that the Indus River dolphins are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List and they are included in Appendix 1 of Sites and importantly they are also included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Now on talking about the Gangetic River dolphin it was officially discovered in the year 1801. Earlier these dolphins were spotted in the Ganges Brahmabutra Meghna and Karnapurli Sangu River Systems of Nepal, India and Bangladesh. However at present the species is extinct from a major part of its early distribution ranges and it is to be noted that in 2009 they were declared as a national animal by the Government of India. Their total population is estimated at several thousand individuals spread across the rivers of Bangladesh, India and Nepal and they weigh about 150 to 170 kilograms. Know that the Ganges River dolphin can only live in fresh water and it is essentially blind. So being blind they catch the prey in the same manner like that of the Indus dolphin that is by emitting an ultrasonic sound which reaches the prey and the dolphin then registers this image in its mind and it subsequently catches hold of its prey. It is to be noted that they are frequently found alone or in small groups and generally a mother and a calf travel together. These calves are chocolate brown at birth and then have gray brown smooth airless canas adults. Remember the females are larger than males and they give birth once in every two to three years, that to only one calf. Now when we talk about the threats to these dolphins many dolphins die as a result of bycatch and then the Ganges River dolphins are also hunted for meat and oil which are both used medicinally. Their oil is also used to attract the catfishing net fishery. Apart from this industrial agricultural and human pollution is also another serious cause of habitat degradation because each year around 9000 tons of pesticides and 6 million tons of fertilizers are used in the vicinity of the river. So we know that high levels of pollution can directly kill prey species and dolphins and they have the potential to completely destroy their habitat. Know that being the top predator these river dolphins have been known to have high levels of persistent toxic chemicals in their bodies which is likely to cause adverse effects on their health and remember they are also listed as endangered on the IUCN red list and they are included in appendix one of sites and also in schedule one of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Now let us talk about the recent research. See it is to be noted that currently both Indus and Ganges River dolphins are classified as two subspecies under Latinist Ganges. But as per a recent study that was conducted by a team from the University of St Andrews UK found out that the dolphins in the Indus River and those in the Ganges Brahmaputra rivers are sufficiently distinct to be classified as species in their own right and it estimates that Indus and Ganges River dolphins may have diverged around 550,000 years ago and the difference in their species was established with the help of the DNA. Further the research also showed that the two river dolphin species have different numbers of teeth, coloration, growth patterns and skull shapes as well as clear genetic differences. For your additional information other than Indus dolphin and Ganges River dolphin, the following river dolphins remain worldwide and they include the Irawadi dolphins, the Yangtze finless porpoise, the Amazon River dolphin and the Tukusi. Now let us take up this news article titled paying extortion money is not terror funding. See this article is regarding a supreme court judgment it said that extortion money paid to a terrorist organization in order to protect one's business is not terror funding. So in this regard the apex court released a ranchie-based cold businessman who was booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. So in this context let us discuss in brief about the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and also some of its provision. The syllabus covered by this article is highlighted below. First of all let us understand the issue as we know the communist party of India or Maoist in short is the largest and the most lethal naxalite or left-wing extremist group in India. To run its war missionary of huge size they require huge amount of finance as per a 2013 report Maoist raised around 142-250 crore a year through extortion, protection rackets etc. Now let us see the major sources of finance for the Maoist. See money is collected from individuals as well as businesses ranging from petty to big industries. The public work department contractors the mining industry illegal mining of minerals big industries then businessmen timber contractions bamboo contractors etc form the sources of finances for these Maoist and the rebels also levy taxes in their strongholds. In fact it is said that a jacket is the treasury of the Maoist and there is a symbiotic relationship between the Maoist and illegal mining as well as forest produce. See the PWD contractors are an important target for extortion by these Maoist and the amount extorted is determined by the nature of the work and its cost. Know that extortion is a crime of obtaining something from someone especially money by using force or threats. Now let us see the darker side of extortion as all the actors involved get a share of the pie everyone is happy and this refers to the contractors the Maoist and the public servants and eventually due to the poor quality of the works completed it is the people who suffer at the end and also in the affected areas because of these extortion and corruption the projects have been falling into the vicious cycle of time and cost escalation and today's article is also one such case wherein a coal businessman and jakin was forced to pay extortion money to the Tritiya Prashtiti committee which is a splinter group of the communist party of India and so he was charged with funding of terror and now the supreme court has freedom. Now let us understand in brief about this unlawful activities prevention act of 1967. See this act provides for more effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of individuals and associations and for dealing with terrorist activities. Know that chapter four of the act deals with the punishment for terrorist activities and under this section 17 deals with the punishment for raising funds for terrorist act. This section says that whoever in India or in a foreign country directly or indirectly races or provides funds whether from a legitimate or illegitimate source from any person or even if the attempts to provide or collect cash for any person knowing that such funds are likely to be used by a terrorist organization to commit a terrorist act will be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and also know that the first schedule of this act has banned many terrorist organization. It includes the communist party of India all its formations and front organization and further it also includes Maoist communist center all its formations and front organization. Under this comes the Tritiya Prashtiti committee which is a splinter Maoist group which is also banned. So with this we have come to the end of the discussion of this topic let's move on to the next news article. See this article this article says that the population of dolphins in Chilika lake and along the coast of Odisha has doubled this year in comparison with the previous year and during the population estimation exercise three species of dolphins were recorded and they include the Irrawaddy bottle nose and humpback dolphins. Now when coming to the news article the good news is that there is a sizable growth in the population of endangered Irrawaddy dolphins. So we know that Irrawaddy dolphins are found in the coastal areas in the south and southeast part of Asia and they are mainly found in three rivers which includes the Ayurvedi in Myanmar the Mahakam in Indonesian Borneo and the Mekong. This Irrawaddy dolphin is not a true river dolphin but an oceanic one that lives in the brackish water near coasts river mouths and estuaries and when you take in India they are mainly found along the Odisha coast in Chilika and Gahirmata. Have a look at the map to understand its habitat in a better way. See the main threat to the Irrawaddy dolphin is the entanglement in gillnets, habitat loss and degradation from pollution, dam construction, sedimentation and vessel traffic are additional concerns. Also these dolphins are revered in many parts of Asia. On moving further this Irrawaddy dolphin is legally protected from deliberate capture in most of its range and specially protected areas have been designated in several areas in this regard. Also the restrictions on the use of gillnets are necessary to reduce entanglement morality and the use of non-entangling and more selective gear is to be encouraged. Now let us discuss about this Chilika lake. See this Chilika lake is a brackish water lake and a shallow lagoon with an estuarine character that is spread across the districts of Puri, Gurda and Ganja in Odisha. This lake is fed by around 52 rivers and rivulets and the most prominent among them are Daya, Bargabi and the Luna rivers. Know that the Chilika lagoon has been designated as a Ramsar site a wetland of international importance since 1991 and the Nalaban island within the lake is notified as a bird sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. And further this Chilika lagoon is a hotspot of rich biodiversity because it is very rich in both invertebrate and vertebrate fauna and also it is the habitat for the largest congregation of water fowls in India and presently this Chilika lake is threatened by siltation, neutrophication and also the change in salinity regime etc. In addition to these there is also a threat from proliferation of freshwater weed, increased aqua culture activities, changes in species composition, depletion of bio-resources and decrease in fish population etc. With this let us now move on to the practice question discussion with reference to the Ayurvedic dolphins. Consider the following statements statement one it is an oceanic dolphin that lives in brackish water near coasts river mouths and in estuaries statement two in India they are mainly found along the Arabian coast so we need to find the correct statement see when you look at statement one which says that it is an oceanic dolphin that lives in brackish water is correct but when you look at statement two it is incorrect this is because in India they are mainly found along the Odisha coast in Chilika and Gahirmata and not in the western coast so therefore the right option is option A that is one only. Consider the following statements currently there is no national legislation dealing with beggar in India statement two the supreme court of India had recently repealed the Bombay prevention of beggar act of 1959 as unconstitutional and asked the state governments to repeal their laws which criminalize begging which of the above given statements is our correct see the first statement is correct as we have discussed currently there is no national legislation dealing with beggar in India but after independence in 1947 many Indian states have beggary laws and most of them have used the Bombay prevention of beggar act of 1959 as the basis for their own loss when you look at the second statement it is incorrect this is because it is a Delhi high court in a landmark judgment in Harsh Mandar versus the union of India and Karnika Saune versus the union of India which held the Bombay prevention of begging act of 1959 as unconstitutional and that too only in the national capital and now has today's news says the supreme court is hearing a plea seeking a direction from it to repeal the act which criminalizes begging in the nation and it is yet to pronounce a verdict in this regard so therefore the right statement is option A that is one only. With reference to Khazars consider the following statements statement one they emit only radio waves so they are low energy entities of space statement two discovery of khazars can give insights into dark matter of space and you need to find the right option see khazars are high energy phenomenon that emit light radio waves x rays etc so based on this we can infer that statement one is wrong coming to statement two as seen in the discussion khazars help in understanding space better including the dark matter so therefore this statement is correct since the question wants us to find the correct statements the right option is option B that is two only. Now look at the supreme's question consider the following statements with reference to India's freshwater dolphins statement one dolphins in the Indus river and those in the Ganges Brahmaputra rivers are fishes of different species statement two both Indus river dolphins and Ganges Brahmaputra river dolphins are listed as endangered in the high ocean red list and you need to find the correct statement see when you look at the first statement it is incorrect see in the first statement one part is correct that is as found out by the recent research both are of different species but read the question carefully it mentions the term fishes so know that dolphins are not fishes but they are mammals and unlike fish who breathe through gills the dolphins they breathe air using lungs and also know that dolphins are capable of complex problem solving and social interactions in fact they are one of the smartest animal in the world the research into the behavior of dolphins both in wild as well as in captivity has yielded incredible data on the intelligence of these marine mammals now coming to the second statement which says that they are listed as endangered in the high ocean red list is correct so since you need to find the right option the correct option is option b that is two only the list of mains practice question is displayed here you can write your answers and post them in the comment section below with this we have come to the end of today's hinder news analysis if you like the video don't forget to like comment and share and do subscribe to Shankar Aya's academy youtube channel for more updates regarding UPSC civil services preparation