22-09-2020

22-SEPTEMBER-2020
© Shankar IAS Academy

The Hindu News Analysis – 22nd September 2020 – Shankar IAS Academy

S. Page Number*
News Articles
No.
C B D H T

1 Beginning of the end? (OPED) 7 7 7 7 7

2 IIT-M researchers use nano-coated magnesium alloy to mend fractures 2 - - - -

3 Pak. action on 26/11 under the scanner 10 10 10 10 10

4 ‘World faces a surplus of multilateral challenges’ 11 11 13 11 11

5 UN faces crisis without reforms: Modi 10 10 10 10 10

6 Dilution without adequate deliberation (OPED) 7 7 7 7 7

7 Prelims Practice Questions

@ end of the video
8 Mains Practice Question
© Shankar IAS Academy *C – Chennai; B – Bengaluru; D – Delhi; H – Hyderabad; T – Thiruvananthapuram

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Pg: 7 – C, B, D, H, T;
© Shankar IAS Academy

Belarus Belarus and Russia

• European country - last remaining true • Belarus was a part of USSR until the 1990’s.
dictatorship in the heart of Europe.
• Russia is Belarus’s most dominant neighbor
 1994 to today – President is Alexander
 Belarus referred as “Junior Partner of
Lukashenko.
Russia”.
 August 2020 election - He won 80% of the
• Author - Mr. Lukashenko gained Mr. Putin’s
vote.
support by portraying the unrest in Belarus, as
• Protests - allegations of vote-rigging a test run for overthrowing Mr. Putin in the
future.
 Main rival Ms. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya
refused to accept the results.  Mr. Putin pledged a $1.5 billion loan to Mr.
Lukashenko and promised to conduct security
 Demonstrators want Mr.Lukashenko to resign.
and joint military exercises every month
 Belarusian govt. is brutally suppressing the for a year.
peaceful marches - led to deaths and
 Mr. Putin’s moves - vision of closely
injuries.
integrating Belarus to Russia.
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 Important treaties for integrating Belarus

and Russia
Belarus and European Union
 Treaty on the Union of Belarus and the
Russian Federation, 1997. • Belarus is not a member of EU

 Charter of the Union of Belarus and • EU supports the demonstrators and has voiced
Russia, 1997 against their suppression by Belarusian govt.

 Declaration on further unification • EU threatened to impose sanctions on the people

between Belarus and Russia, 1998 who are responsible for the rigging of the ballot
and the repression
 Treaty on the establishment of the Union
State, 1999.  Cyprus has been continuing to block the
sanctions on Belarus.
 November 2019 - states came up with
31 roadmaps for the vision of the union  EU leaders are determined to impose the
state - 21 were agreed. sanctions - credibility of EU is at stake.

• Intergration with Russia threatens Mr.

Lukashenko’s assertion and ideology of
Belarusian national sovereignty. © Shankar IAS Academy

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Pg: 2 – C; © Shankar IAS Academy

• Essential mineral for human nutrition.

News  Naturally present in many foods.

• IIT-Madras researchers have developed a  Added to food products, available as a dietary

nano-coated magnesium alloy to repair bone supplement, and present in some medicines.
fractures in rabbits.
 Therapeutic uses.
• Researchers are exploring to use the same
 Cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems
method to repair bones in humans also.
that regulate diverse biochemical reactions
Magnesium in the body.

• One of the abundant alkaline earth metals in  Helps in protein synthesis, muscle and nerve
the earth’s crust. function, blood glucose control, and blood

• Fourth abundant metal in the body. pressure regulation

 An adult body contains approximately 25 g  Required for the synthesis of DNA and RNA.

magnesium - 50% to 60% present in the  Contributes to the structural development of

bones. bone - known to accelerate healing of
bones.
© Shankar IAS Academy

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• Difficult to use Magnesium in bone repair -

degrades fast.

 News - to slow down degradation and

match it to the growth of the new bone,
the researchers coated it with a slowly
degrading polymer - nano-coated
magnesium alloy

© Shankar IAS Academy

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

• Established in 1989 by Group of Seven (G-7) -
to examine and develop measures to combat
money laundering.
• In 2001, - to combat terrorist financing.
• In 2012 - to counter the financing of
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
• A global money laundering and terrorist
financing watchdog.
• An inter-governmental body - Sets international
standards to prevent the illegal activities and
the harm they cause to society.
• Developed FATF standards or FATF
Recommendations
• To prevent organised crime, corruption and
terrorism.
Pg: 10 – C, B, D, H, T; © Shankar IAS Academy

• Currently FATF has 39 members.

• Reviews money laundering and terrorist

financing techniques

• Strengthens its standards to address new

risks - virtual assets, cryptocurrencies.

• Monitors countries to ensure they implement

the FATF standards fully and effectively.

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)
 Current events of national and international
importance.
 Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution,
Polity, Social Justice and International relations
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and
agreements involving India and/or affecting
India’s interests.
• Important International institutions, agencies and
fora- their structure, mandate.
Pg: 11 – C, B, H, T; Pg: 13 – D;

Pg: 10 – C, B, D, H, T; © Shankar IAS Academy

Key findings of the report of UN75 office,

2020:

• Immediate priority -> improved access to • Priorities for the future - > ensuring greater
basic services like healthcare, safe water and respect for human rights, settling conflicts,
sanitation, and education. tackling poverty and reducing corruption.

• Greater international solidarity and increased • 87% of those surveyed believe international
support to the places hardest hit by the cooperation is vital to deal with today ’s
pandemic. challenges.

• Most respondents were hopeful that health, • UN should be more inclusive of the diversity of
access to education, and women rights will actors in the 21st century
improve in future. • UN should have stronger leadership and more
• Most participants worried about the future consistency, increased accountability,
impact of climate change. transparency and impartiality, better
engagement with communities, strengthening
implementation of programmes.
© Shankar IAS Academy

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Five Eyes Alliance (UKUSA Agreement): Commitments made under the UN Declaration on the
commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of
• A multilateral agreement for signal intelligence the United Nations:
cooperation. 1. We will leave no one behind,

• An intelligence alliance between Australia, 2. We will protect our planet,

Canada, New Zealand, UK and the US. 3. We will promote peace and prevent conflicts,

• Signed in 1943 by the United States and the
United Kingdom to continue sharing
intelligence inputs between them.
• Was known as the British-U.S. Communication
Agreement(BRUSA); Later renamed as the UK-
USA Agreement(UKUSA).
• Purpose: to streamline the intelligence-sharing
process in order to handle global threats from
4. We will abide by international law and ensure
justice,
the
5. We will place women and girls at the centre,
6. We will build trust,
7. We will improve digital cooperation,
8. We will upgrade the United Nations,
9. We will ensure sustainable financing,
10. We will boost partnerships,

the Soviet Union, China and other communist 11. We will listen to and work with youth,
nations. 12. We will be prepared.

© Shankar IAS Academy

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)

 Current events of national and international importance.

 Economic and Social Development-Sustainable

Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social
Sector Initiatives, etc.

Part B—Main Examination

PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social
Justice and International relations
• Government policies and interventions for development in
various sectors and issues arising out of their design and
implementation.
PAPER-IV
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development,
Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster
Management
• Indian Economy and issues relating to planning,
mobilization, of resources, growth, development and
employment.

Pg: 7 – C, B, D, H, T; © Shankar IAS Academy

1. 2020 Bills raise several thresholds

i. Factories Act - Defines any manufacturing unit as a

factory if it employs 10 workers and uses electricity
‘4’ Labour Codes or 20 workers without using electric power.
1. Codes on Wages,  2020 bill - Being raised to 20 and 40 workers
2. Code on Industrial relations, respectively.

3. Code on Occupational safety, health and ii. Industrial Disputes Act - Any establishment employing
working conditions, over 100 workers to seek government permission
before any retrenchment.
4. Code on Social Security.
 2020 bill - Raised this threshold to 300. Govt is
• Govt introduced new bills replacing empowered to raise it further through notification.
2019 bills.
iii. Industrial Employment Act - Employers to formally
• Many changes in 2020 bills compared define conditions of employment under them if they
to 2019 bills. have at least 100 workers.

 2020 Bill - increased this threshold to 300

workers.
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3. Contract Labour
2. Government - Power to exempt establishments
• 2019 Bill - Applicable to establishments
from any or all provisions
which employed at least 20 contract
i. Code on Industrial Relations - Working workers and to contractors supplying at
conditions, trade unions, retrenchment and least 20 workers.
layoffs etc.
• Raised to 50 workers.
Government - In public interest, exempt
• 2020 Code prohibits the employment of
any new industrial establishment from the
contract workers in any core activity
provisions of this Code.
4. Ban on employing women in dangerous
ii. Code on Occupational Safety, Health and
conditions
Working Conditions - leave and maximum
work hours, requires health and safety • 2019 Bill on Occupational Safety -
norms. Government to prohibit employment of
women in operations that could be
State government - Exempt any new
dangerous to their health and safety.
factory from its provisions in the interest
of increased economic activity and • 2020 Bill - Allows the government to
employment generation. require employers to provide adequate
© Shankar IAS Academy safeguards.

Major shift in approach

• Many essential features of the law are

delegated to the government.

• Lok Sabha - Allocated 3 hours for these bills

to be discussed and passed this week.

 Bills contain more than 400 clauses and

300 pages.

• Need much scrutiny and discussed and

deliberated in depth.

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q1.Consider the following Pairs.
Terms often seen in news In the affairs of
1. Power of Siberia - China
2. Isthmus of Kra - Thailand
3. Druzhba Pipeline - Russia
Which of the above pairs is/are matched
correctly?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

© Shankar IAS Academy

© Shankar IAS Academy

Source: gazprom.com

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Courtesy: https://nationandstate.com/

© Shankar IAS Academy

Practice Question – Prelims

Practice Question – Prelims
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding
Q3.Which of the following countries borders
the Financial Action Task Force: with Black Sea?
1. It was established by the G-7 Summit that 1. Greece
was held in Paris in 1989. 2. Belarus
2. Currently, it has more than 100 members 3. Turkey
across the world.
4. Russia
3. It works to stop funding for weapons of
mass destruction. 5. Ukraine
Which of the statements given above is/are Select the correct answer from the code
correct? given below.
(a) 1 only (a)1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 2 only (b)2, 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(c) 3, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(d)1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
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Source: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org

© Shankar IAS Academy

Practice Question – Prelims

Practice Question – Prelims Q5.Magnesium and its alloys have applications
in which of the following?
Q4.Consider the following statements with reference
to ‘Five Eyes Alliance’ recently seen in news. 1. Aeroplane and car construction.

1. It is a multilateral agreement for signal 2. Fireworks industry.

intelligence cooperation. 3. Cattle feed and fertilisers.
2. Its members include India, USA, Japan,
4. Therapeutic applications.
Australia and Canada.
Which of the statements given above is/are
5. Incendiary bombs preparation.
incorrect? Select the correct answer from the code
(a) 1 only given below.
(b) 2 only a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
b) 2, 4 and 5 only
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
c) 1, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

© Shankar IAS Academy

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Practice Questions – Prelims

Practice Question – Mains
Answers
GS-III
22nd September 2020
Q. The Government is required to maintain a
tight balance between labour reforms to Q1. Option – d
boost economic activity and to safeguard the
Q2. Option – c
interests of labour from exploitation. Discuss
the above statement in the context of new Q3. Option – c
codes on labour and industrial reforms.
Q4. Option – b
[15 Marks, 250 Words.]
Q5. Option – d

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