2 Sep | UPSC Current Affairs: Munich Agreement, Laos, World Gold Council, Acetanilide, and More

UPSC GS 1

Munich Agreement

• News: World War II is generally considered to have begun on 1 September 1939, when Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland.
• Sudetenland:
  • • The northern part of Czechoslovakia (in Europe) was known as the Sudetenland.
    •  Sudetenland contained ethnic German majority. 
• Munich Agreement: 
  • • The Munich Agreement was signed on September 30, 1938.
    • It was a settlement reached by Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy that permitted German annexation of the Sudetenland.
    • The German occupation was to be done in four stages from October 1-10, 1938. 
    • The cessation in some places was subject to a plebiscite.
    • Czechoslovakia, the country whose region was about to be annexed, was not officially party to the Agreement. It was forced to agree to the deal under pressure from Great Britain and France, which had a military alliance with the country.
• Cause:
  • • Hitler had threatened to unleash a European war unless the Sudetenland containing an ethnic German majority was surrendered to Germany. 
    • It was part of Hitler’s plan to create a “Greater Germany”. 
    • The leaders of Britain, France, and Italy agreed to the German annexation of the Sudetenland in exchange for a pledge of peace from Hitler.
• WW II (1939–45): International conflict principally between the Axis powers and the Allied powers.
  • • The Allies: France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union and China.
    • Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, and Japan 

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Laos

• News: 47 Indians were rescued from cyber scam centres in the Golden Triangle SEZ of Laos.
• Location and Geography:
  • • Laos is located in the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia and is the only landlocked country in the region.
    •  It extends about 650 miles (1,050 km) from northwest to southeast and covers a total area of 236,800 square kilometers. 
    • The country is bordered by China to the north, Vietnam to the northeast and east, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west, and Myanmar (Burma) to the northwest.
    •  The highest point in Laos is Phu Bia, which stands at 2,817 meters.

• Drainage and Rivers:
  • • Laos is characterized by a network of major rivers, all of which are tributaries of the Mekong River, the most significant river in Southeast Asia. 
    • The Mekong River flows generally southeast and south, forming the boundary with Myanmar and most of the border with Thailand.
    •  Important tributaries include the Tha, Beng, Ou, Ngum, Kading, Bangfai, Banghiang, and Kong rivers.
• Climate and Vegetation:
  • • Laos experiences a typical tropical monsoon (wet-dry) climate. The country’s vegetation varies by region, with tropical rainforests of broad-leaved evergreens in the north and monsoon forests of mixed evergreens and deciduous trees in the south.
• History and Political System:
  • • Laos, officially known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, was colonized by the French from the late 19th to the mid-20th century.
    •  This period of colonization, followed by involvement in World War II, the Indochina wars, and a civil war, infused Laos with European cultural elements.
    •  In 1975, guided by Marxist-Leninist ideology, Laos emerged as a communist country. 
    • Today, it remains one of the world’s few openly communist states, governed as a one-party state where the general secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party holds ultimate power.
• Cultural and Linguistic Diversity: 
  • • The official language of Laos is Lao, but French, English, and various ethnic languages are also spoken. 
    • The predominant religion is Theravada Buddhism, which plays a significant role in the cultural and spiritual life of the people.
• Capital, Currency, and Government: 
  • • The capital city of Laos is Vientiane. 
    • The national currency is the Kip. As a one-party communist state, Laos is governed by the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, with the general secretary holding supreme authority over the state and government.

UPSC GS 2

World Gold Council

• News:  The World Gold Council (WGC) has raised its projection for India’s gold consumption in 2024 to 850 tonnes from 750 tonnes.
• Overview of the World Gold Council (WGC):
  • • The World Gold Council (WGC) is the market development organization for the gold industry. Established in 1987, it is a nonprofit association whose members consist of the world’s leading and most forward-thinking gold mining companies.
• Mission and Activities: 
  • • The WGC was created to promote the use and demand for gold through various initiatives such as marketing, research, and lobbying.
    •  It serves as the global authority on gold, offering comprehensive analyses of the industry. 
    • The WGC aims to maximize the potential growth of the gold industry by monitoring and defending existing gold consumption, setting up gold standards, proposing policies, and ensuring fairness and sustainability in the gold mining industry.
    • These markets collectively account for about three-quarters of the world’s annual gold consumption.
• Contributions and Innovations: 
  • • The WGC plays a significant role in co-sponsoring research to develop new uses for gold and products containing gold. 
    • It was also the creator of the first gold exchange-traded fund (ETF), further promoting the investment and use of gold on a global scale.
• Global Presence: 
  • • Headquartered in London, the World Gold Council operates in key markets including India, China, Singapore, and the USA. 

UPSC GS 3

Anti-Dumping Duty

• News: The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended imposition of provisional anti-dumping duties on aluminium foil originating from China on the basis of a complaint by domestic producers led by Hindalco.
• Definition:
  • • Anti-dumping duty is a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign imports believed to be priced below fair market value. 
    • This measure aims to protect local industries from unfair competition.

• Understanding Dumping:
  • • Dumping occurs when a company exports a product at a price significantly lower than the price it typically charges in its home market. 
    • This practice can distort fair trade and harm the importing country’s economy.
• Purpose and Calculation of Anti-Dumping Duty: 
  • • The anti-dumping duty is calculated to match the difference between the normal costs of the products in the importing country and the market value of similar goods in the exporting country or other countries producing similar products. This duty is imposed to re-establish fair trade by neutralizing the distortive effects of dumping.
• Role of the World Trade Organization (WTO):
  • • The use of anti-dumping measures as a tool for fair competition is permitted by the World Trade Organization (WTO). 
    • The WTO allows the government of the affected country to take legal action against the dumping country, provided there is evidence of genuine material injury to domestic industries.
• Legal Requirements for Imposing Anti-Dumping Duty:
  • • For a government to impose anti-dumping duties, it must demonstrate that dumping has occurred, quantify the extent of the dumping in terms of costs, and show evidence of injury or potential injury to the domestic market.
• Impact on Domestic Consumers:
  • • While anti-dumping duties are intended to protect local businesses and markets, they can also result in higher prices for domestic consumers, as the tariffs increase the cost of imported goods.
• Anti-Dumping Duty in India:
  • • In India, the Ministry of Finance is responsible for making the final decision on whether to impose anti-dumping duties, based on the evidence and recommendations provided.

Acetanilide

• News: Five persons fell unconscious and were hospitalised when they were engaged in shifting acetanilide bags (a crystalline powder) in Andhra Pradesh.
• Definition:
  • • Acetanilide is a synthetic organic compound with the molecular formula C8H9NO. 
    • It is also known by other names, including N-phenylacetamide, acetanil, and acetanilid. 
    • Acetanilide appears as a white, odorless solid and is functionally related to acetic acid.

• Historical Use in Medicine:
  • • Introduced in 1886, acetanilide was initially used as a fever-reducing drug. 
    • Its effectiveness in relieving pain was soon recognized, leading to its use as an alternative to aspirin for treating common ailments such as headaches, menstrual cramps, and rheumatism.
    •  However, excessive or prolonged use of acetanilide was found to cause toxic side effects, particularly by interfering with the function of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment in the blood.
• Metabolism and Replacement:
  • • In the body, acetanilide is primarily converted to acetaminophen (paracetamol), a drug that eventually replaced acetanilide in therapy due to its lower risk of inducing blood disorders.
• Industrial Applications: 
  • • Beyond its historical medical use, acetanilide is also utilized as an intermediate in the production of dyes, rubber, and various other chemicals.

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Poba Reserve Forest

• News: The Poba Reserve Forest, a rainforest located in the northeastern part of Assam, will soon be notified as a wildlife sanctuary.
• Definition:
  • • Poba Reserve Forest is a rainforest located in the northeastern part of Assam, India. 
    • Established in 1924, it covers an area of 10,221 hectares and is one of the richest rainforests in Northeast India in terms of biodiversity.
• Geographic Boundaries: The forest is bordered by several significant geographical features:
  • • North: The foothills of the Himalayan range in Arunachal Pradesh.
    • East and South: The confluence of the Siang, Dibang, and Lohit rivers into the Brahmaputra, along with the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.
    • West: The revenue villages of the Jonai Sub-division in Dhemaji district, Assam.

• Ethnic Inhabitants: 
  • • The peripheral areas of the Poba Reserve Forest are inhabited by various ethnic groups, including the Mising, Bodo, Sonowal Kachari, and Hajong (Rabha) communities.
• Flora and Fauna: 
  • • Poba Reserve Forest is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna. 
    • It supports various arboreal species, such as the slow loris and capped langur, and is inhabited by common mammal species like the wild boar. 
    • The forest also provides habitat for around 45 species of birds and reptiles.
    •  The confluence of the Siang and Lohit rivers within the forest supports a rich variety of fish species. Additionally, the forest is renowned for its abundance of orchids.
• Importance as a Wildlife Corridor: 
  • • Poba Reserve Forest serves as a crucial migratory route for various animals, particularly elephants. 
    • It connects the D’ Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, Kabu Chapri Proposed Reserve Forest, and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in Assam. 
    • This corridor is the second significant elephant migration route across the Brahmaputra River, the other being the Panpur-Kaziranga route.