Hey,
These are the summaries of the Hindu Editorials for today, 3rd November 2022. You can get access to the full Hindu E paper here and it's recommended that you go through the full article for an indepth review. Let's hope you find these useful =)
1. The most dangerous moment since 1962
In October 1962, the United States discovered that the Soviet Union had moved nuclear missiles to Cuba. This caused President John F. Kennedy to call for a naval quarantine of Cuba, which would block access for Soviet ships. He did this because he saw the presence of the missiles as a security threat to the US. However, at the same time, he opened a back channel to Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in order to avoid a nuclear war. Khrushchev reciprocated to Kennedy’s message, and both leaders were able to pull their countries back from the brink of nuclear war.
The world has seen several military conflicts since the Cuban missile crisis. However, a 1962-like scenario, where two nuclear superpowers came close to nuclear war, has not happened again— until now. The Ukraine crisis is similar to the Cuban missile crisis in that both originate from one country's perceived threat to another's security. In the case of the Cuban missile crisis, the US saw the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba as a threat. In the case of the Ukraine crisis, Russia sees NATO's expansion into former Soviet territory as a threat.
The current phase of the Ukraine war is a textbook example of what international relations theorists call a spiral model, where parties treat each other with matching hostility, sharply escalating an existing conflict. This spiral could be dangerous, and if left unchecked, could take its own course. The only way to break the spiral is for the leaders to first look beyond their personalist view of the conflict and try to understand the structural conditions which their rivals operate from. This would allow the leaders to empathise with their rivals, and take difficult decisions to make peace.
Keywords
Cuban missile crisis, nuclear war, security threat, United States, Soviet Union, President John F. Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev
2. Seeds of Hope
The general idea is that there is a new type of mustard seed that has been developed using genetic engineering techniques. This new seed is more vigorous and produces more oil, and the hope is that it will help to solve the problem of India's edible oil crisis. However, there is still some uncertainty about whether or not this new seed will be available for farmers to use, because of the politics involved in deciding whether or not to allow it to be grown commercially.
Keywords
India, edible oil crisis, farmers, mustard seed, genetic engineering
3. A chance to expand the world's biosphere footprint
The International Day for Biosphere Reserves is a day to celebrate places around the world that are working to conserve ecosystems and help people live in harmony with nature.
The article discusses the importance of biosphere reserves and the opportunities for expanding them in South Asia. It highlights the advantages of the reserves, such as the sharing of knowledge and best practices, and the importance of living in harmony with nature. The article also discusses the potential for expanding biosphere reserves in India, Bhutan, and Nepal.
Keywords
International Day for Biosphere Reserves, South Asia, conservation, ecosystems, nature
4. Lone Exception
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen secured the best performance for the Social Democrats in two decades with 27.5% votes in the country's parliamentary elections. The left-wing bloc she leads has won 87 seats in mainland Denmark, and one in Faroe island and two in Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory, taking its strength to 90, the majority needed in the 179-member assembly.
The elections took place amid criticism of Ms. Frederiksen’s decision to cull millions of minks during the COVID-19 pandemic and pollsters had expected Ms. Frederiksen to suffer a setback. However, most Danish voters stood firmly behind the Social Democrats, the Green Left and the Social Liberals. Before the elections, Ms. Frederiksen had said she would form a government with moderate centrist parties transcending the traditional right-left divisions of Danish politics.
However, government formation would be the least of her worries. Like most European countries, Denmark is also struggling with a cost-of-living crisis — at 11.1%, Denmark’s inflation is higher than the EU average. There are worries about disruptions to gas supplies as the energy situation remains tense in the wake of Russia’
Keywords
Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, Social Democrats, parliamentary elections, minks, COVID-19, cost-of-living crisis, inflation, gas, Russia