The Hindu Editorial Newspaper Analysis Free PDF Download

Table of Contents

Chance for peace

 U.S.should grab North Korea’s offer of talks, and enable an environment of trust
 Visit by a South Korean delegation to Pyongyang and subsequent North Korean offer to hold talks with U.S. mark perhaps most serious attempt in a decade to reduce tensions
 South Korean officials who met the North‟s leader, Kim Jong-un, said Pyongyang is willing to denuclearise if the military threat to the North is eliminated and its security guaranteed
 As Pyongyang continued its weapons programme Washington kept up economic pressure
 South Korean President Moon Jae-in kept open the diplomatic channels after assuming office
 North •first sent KimYo-jong, Mr. Kim’s influential sister, to the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics-Which was followed by the meeting
 Both Koreas have now agreed to hold a summit between Mr. Kim and Mr. Moon,
 While the North has promised to suspend nuclear and ballistic missile tests if talks with the U.S.are initiated.
 Marked shift from the aggressive foreign policy
 Still, the path ahead will not be smooth, given the lack of trust between the U.S. and North Korea and the bitter experience of the past engagement.
 If a clear and realistic plan for negotiation comes directly from Pyongyang, the U.S.should enable a conducive environment for such talks
 By delaying the next military exercises with South Korea, scheduled to take place in April

Friends with benefits

Special status for A.P. is important, but Mr. Naiduis also looking at the next election
Telugu Desam Party was under pressure to break off•ties with the BJP
Union Finance MinisterArun Jaitley clarified that it was no longer possible to confer “special category”
Difficult terrain, low population, strategic location,economic backwardness and non-viable •finances
Centre accepted the recommendation of the 14th FC
Mr. Jaitley promised to give A.P. the monetar equivalent of the special status, this was not good enough for theTDP- Such as Bihar

Protecting couples from mobs

 Supreme Court is expected to frame guidelines
 Prohibition of Unlawful Assembly (Interference with the Freedom of Matrimonial Alliances) Bill has been doing the rounds among States for the past seven years.
 Proposed law, drafted by Law Commission of India, is meant to penalise honour killings
 23 States have responded to the Bill with suggestions; the other six have not responded yet
 Maximum punishment in case of actual harm or injury caused shall extend to seven years
of imprisonment.

A new NAM for the new norm

India must seek nonaligned partnerships which can work together outside the influence of the U.S., China and Russia
Cold War is breaking out again.
United States has identified both China and Russia as adversaries
“Axis of evil” has emerged once again under Iran‟s leadership.
 If the ColdWar is here in a new form,can a reincarnation of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) be far behind?
Essence of nonalignment was freedom of thought and action
NAM umbrella to promote our national strategies when it suited us
An effort was made in 2012 to craft „Nonalignment 2.0‟ in the context of the new a global situation,
India‟s growing importance and the rivalry between the U.S. and China.
 India’s legitimacy in the world will come from its ability to stand for the highest human and universal values and at the global level,
“India must remain true to its aspiration of creating a new and alternative universality.
India should not take sides in the rivalry between China and the U.S.The report emphasised that for its strategic and foreign policy to be successful, India must sustain domestic economic growth, social inclusion and democracy.
Where we stand today
Into the2nd half of his term, Mr. Modi‟s balance sheet shows an altogether different scenario-As a close defence partner of the U.S. and a member of the “Quadrilateral”, India is right in the U.S.camp
 China and Russia, which have been identified as adversaries in the U.S
 Doklam and the Maldives have shown that China is in no mood for a compromise.
 In fact, China has attributed the increase of its defence budget
An obvious way is to revive NAM by breathing new life into it and making it •t to deal with the new norm

Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis

 Page-1- Supreme Court restores Hadiya’s marriage
Page-5- Karnataka govt. unveils State •flag
Now, the Centre has to approve it
The Siddaramaiah government onThursday unveiled the State •flag (nada dhwaja) for Karnataka.
If approved by the Centre, Karnataka will be the second State to have a •flag after Jammu and Kashmir.
 Page-5- No country for old tribal women
 Events such as ‘International Women’s Day’ may have become a ritual in India but justice can prove an elusive good for marginalised women, as attested by the story of an old tribal widow’s struggle to get back two acres of land that rightfully belongs to her.
Page-7- ‘1 in 3 women has been harassed via phone’
‘50% of such calls and texts were anonymous’
According to a survey by Truecaller, one out of every three women in India has received o•ensive calls or messages.
Of the women who have been harassed, 78% said they had to deal with such calls at least once a week, while 82% said they received unsolicited videos and pictures with inappropriate content at least once a week.