The Hindu PDF 14 October 2023 Analysis

The Hindu PDF Newspaper is considered an important source of news and information for UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) aspirants in India. This The Hindu Epaper PDF newspaper covers a wide range of topics that are relevant to the UPSC exam, including politics, economics, international relations, governance, and social issues.

The Hindu PDF Analysis 14 October 2023 for UPSC

Israel tells Palestinians to leave northern Gaza: Page 1

• Israel issues an evacuation order for 1 million people in northern Gaza.
• UN warns of the calamitous impact of this mass exodus.
• Hamas dismisses the evacuation order, calling it a ploy and urges people to stay.
• Gaza City is included in the evacuation order, causing widespread panic.
• Israel has cut off essential supplies and caused a territory-wide blackout in Gaza.
• The conflict has resulted in over 3,000 casualties on both sides.
• Israel claims Hamas attacked and killed hundreds in southern Israel.
• Hamas reports that 13 hostages, including foreigners, were killed in Israeli airstrikes.
• Israel demands the release of hostages before allowing supplies into Gaza.

Goods exports dipped, but August tally lifts outlook: Page 1

• Goods exports declined in September, marking the seventh drop in eight months.
• Exports fell by 2.6% to $34.47 billion, hitting a three-month low.
• Imports decreased more significantly by 15% to $53.84 billion in September.
• August’s export figures were revised upward by $4 billion to $38.45 billion, showing a 3.88% growth over the previous August.
• This was the first increase after six months of contraction in exports.
• Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal is hopeful for sustained growth in goods exports in the second half of 2023-24.
• The revised goods trade deficit for August was $21.65 billion, lower than the earlier reported $24.2 billion.
• In September, the goods trade deficit eased further to $19.37 billion.
• The overall goods deficit for the second quarter of 2023-24 is $59.4 billion, just 5.6% over the first quarter.
• Year-on-year, September’s goods trade deficit was 31% lower.
• The first-half tally for the year is $115.9 billion, 17.7% lower than the previous year.
• Oil exports have declined by 17.5% so far this year, while non-oil exports dropped by 6.3%.
• Non-oil and non-gold imports, a proxy for domestic demand, decreased by 10% over the last year.
• Imports remained stable in volume, despite a decline in commodity prices, especially in petroleum and edible oils.
• Exports of gems and jewellery were down by 24.3% in 2023-24, with chemicals and textiles also seeing declines.
• Imports of gold, which rose in price by 8% this year, increased by 9.8%.

Balancing policy: Page 6

• PM Modi expressed solidarity with Israel after a Hamas attack.
• India has faced terrorism and sympathizes with Israel’s victims.
• Concern for the safety of Indian citizens in Israel.
• MEA chartered flights to bring Indians home.
• India supports the Palestinian cause while maintaining strong ties with Israel.
• Shift towards closer bilateral relations with Israel.
• India abhors terrorism but cautions against indiscriminate reprisals.
• India’s challenge in balancing its policy amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Triangular contest: Page 6

• Mizoram’s Assembly elections to be held in November with a three-cornered battle.
• Mizoram’s politics less influenced by money and muscle power, more by social service and support of religious and social organizations.
• Mizo National Front (MNF) faces challenges from Indian National Congress and Zoram Peoples’ Movement (ZPM).
• Chief Minister Zoramthanga of MNF plays the ethnic card by supporting the Kuki-Zo people and refusing to collect biometric data of Myanmar refugees.
• ZPM focuses on MNF’s development record and gains urban support.
• Congress leads rural opposition, concerned about inflation.
• Mizoram is a small but strategically important border State with economic potential.
• Need for development and ethnic solidarity are key election issues.

A war that ends the Saudi-Israel ‘normalisation’ process: Page 6

• Hamas launched lethal attacks on Israel on October 7, disrupting Israeli efforts to normalize relations with Arab states.
• Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, showcased maps at the UN depicting Israel’s isolation in 1948 and peace agreements with Arab neighbors.
• Normalization efforts with Saudi Arabia were actively pursued under U.S. auspices.
• Saudi Arabia had three conditions for normalization: approval for a civilian nuclear program, a U.S. security guarantee, and sales of advanced weapons.
• Obstacles included concerns about Saudi nuclear proliferation, human rights issues, and technology transfer.
• Palestinian interests were not considered in the normalization discussions.
• The Gaza war has placed the Palestinian issue at the center of West Asian politics.
• Some writers blame Iran for instigating Hamas attacks to block Saudi-Israel normalization, but Saudi-Iran ties have normalized under Chinese mediation.
• Saudi Arabia now recognizes the importance of addressing Palestinian interests for regional peace and stability.
• Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledges to stand by the Palestinian people and achieve just and lasting peace.
• Concrete action to serve Palestinian interests is sought.
• Saudi Arabia has pursued its foreign policy independently of U.S. interests, rejecting anti-China and anti-Iran alignments.
• Promoting the Palestinian cause becomes a significant part of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy approach.

Govt. mulls partnerships to make semiconductor chips: Page 10

• Six working groups advise Indian government on AI roadmap.
• Recommendations from the report:
• Public-private partnerships for making semiconductors for AI.
• Leveraging the PPP model to build GPU clusters for Indian startups and researchers.
• AI use cases to cover agriculture, healthcare, education, fintech, security, and governance.
• India Dataset Platform planned for diverse anonymized datasets.
• Draft National Strategy on Robotics circulated for public input.
• Emphasis on robotics for competitiveness, cost-efficiency, and computer vision.
• Fiscal interventions, demonstration facilities, and capacity building recommended for robotics sector.
• Job losses due to automation seen as a misconception; quality assessment and efficiency benefits highlighted.

Biden awards $7 bn for clean energy hubs: Page 11

• Seven states chosen for clean-energy projects
• $7 billion program for hydrogen fuel development
• Part of President Biden’s climate change agenda
• Aims to establish seven regional hydrogen hubs
• Replace fossil fuels with hydrogen for energy
• Expected official announcement in Philadelphia
• Clean hydrogen essential for clean energy economy
• $40 billion private investment and job creation
• Aligns with reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Supports clean energy and sustainability goals

‘West Asia conflict will not affect IMEC’: Page 12

• West Asia conflict won’t affect India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
• India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, mentioned that the Israel-Palestine conflict was not a significant topic during G20 FMs meeting in Marrakech.
• The conflict has raised concerns about fuel prices, food security, and supply chain disruptions.
• High interest rates may impact investment flows in emerging markets, but these economies are global growth engines and shouldn’t be solely influenced by high interest rates.

ImmunoACT’s cell therapy to treat blood cancer gets CDSCO nod: Page 12

ImmunoACT’s cell therapy to treat blood cancer gets CDSCO nod

• ImmunoACT’s NexCAR19, a CAR-T cell therapy for blood cancer, receives CDSCO marketing authorization.
• The therapy targets CD19 in relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphomas and leukemia.
• Laurus Labs, with a 34% stake in ImmunoACT, has been a key supporter with over $18 million in investment.
• NexCAR19 is a collaborative effort between IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre, putting India on the map for advanced cell and gene therapies.
• The therapy will be made available in partner hospitals soon, marking a significant development in cancer treatment.

Palm oil imports rose 29% in Nov.-Sept., says SEA: Page 12

• Palm oil imports in India increased by 29.2% in the first 11 months of the 2022–23 oil year.
• Total vegetable oil imports in the same period rose by 20%.
• In September, vegetable oil imports declined by 5% compared to the previous year.
• The increase in palm oil imports is attributed to price parity.
• The share of palm oil in total imports rose to 59%.

Source: The Hindu Epaper

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