Kuki Tribe Latest News

An armoured vehicle of the central security forces came under heavy attacks by protesters from the Kuki tribes in Manipur on the first day of the Centre's order to ensure free movement of people in the crisis-hit state

About Kuki Tribe

• The Kukis are an ethnic group including multiple tribes originally inhabiting the Northeastern States of India, including Manipur, Mizoram and Assam; parts of Burma (now Myanmar), and Sylhet district and Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh.
• The Chin people of Myanmar and the Mizo people of Mizoram are kindred tribes of the Kukis and are collectively known as the Zo people.
• Notably, Kuki is not a term coined by the ethnic group itself, the tribes associated with it came to be generically called Kuki under the colonial rule, and were further divided by the British into ‘old Kukis’ and ‘new Kukis’.
• The Kukis have a rich cultural heritage, with institutions like Sawm and Lawm playing significant roles in their society. 
  • Sawm is a community center for boys where they learn under the guidance of elders, while Lawm is a youth club that fosters social activities and practical skills
• The Kukis traditionally engaged in shifting or Jhum cultivation in the forested hills, which allowed them to expand their settlements through the wooded areas over generations.
• Their expansionist land ownership patterns due to Jhum cultivation put them at odds with the Nagas, who practised territorial agriculture, and the Meiteis, who lived in the cultivated valley areas.

Kuki Rebellion of 1917-19

• The first resistance to British hegemony by the Kuki people was the Kuki Rebellion of 1917-19, after which their territory was subjugated by the British and divided between the administrations of British India and British Burma. 
• Up until their defeat in 1919, the Kukis had been an independent people ruled by their chieftains.

Kuki Tribe FAQs

Q1. What is the religion of Kukis?

Ans. Most Kukis follow Christianity, introduced by British missionaries in the 19th century, influencing their culture and traditions significantly.

Q2. Where did the Kuki tribe originate?

Ans. The Kuki tribe is believed to have originated from the Tibeto-Burman ethnic group, migrating from Myanmar and surrounding regions.

Q3. Why do Naga and Kuki fight?

Ans. Conflicts arise over land ownership, territorial expansion, and political dominance in Manipur’s hills, fueling ethnic tensions and violence.

Source: NDTV

INS Imphal Latest News

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Imphal arrived at Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, recently for its maiden port call ahead of the country’s 57th National Day celebrations on March 12.

About INS Imphal

• Commissioned in December 2023, INS Imphal is the third of the four Project 15B Visakhapatnam-class stealth-guided missile destroyers.
  • The other destroyers in the Visakhapatnam class are INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao, and INS Surat.
• INS Imphal is a potent platform capable of undertaking a variety of tasks and missions, spanning the full spectrum of maritime warfare.
• The Navy’s Warship Design Bureau designed the ship in-house, and Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL) was responsible for its construction.
• It is the first warship to be named after a city in the Northeast, Imphal -- the capital of Manipur.
• It was the first naval warship commissioned with accommodation for women officers and sailors.

INS Imphal Features

• It is among the largest destroyers constructed in India, with an overall length of 164 metres and a displacement of over 7500 tonnes.
• Speed: It can achieve a maximum speed of 56 km/hr.
• INS Imphal is capable of undertaking anti-submarine warfare operations. 
• The made-in-India destroyer has a 75 percent high indigenous content, including, medium-range surface-to-surface missile, the BrahMos missile, torpedo tube launchers, and a 76mm super rapid gun mount. 
• It has modern surveillance radar, which provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems.
• It has a total atmospheric control system (TACS) that offers protection to the crew from chemical, biological, and nuclear threats.
• The crest design depicts the Kangla Palace on the left and ‘Kangla-Sa’ on the right.
  • The Kangla Palace is an important historical and archaeological site of Manipur, and was the traditional seat of the past kingdom.
  • With a dragon’s head and lion’s body, the ‘Kangla-Sa’ is a mythical being from Manipur history, and is symbolic as the guardian/protector of its people. ‘Kangla-Sa’ is also the state emblem of Manipur.

INS Imphal FAQs

Q1. What are the four ships of Project 15B?

Ans. INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao, INS Imphal, and INS Surat.

Q2. Who designed the INS Imphal?

Ans. It was designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau.

Q3. Who built INS Imphal?

Ans. It was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai.

Source: DD

Pratibimb Module Latest News

The Pratibimb Module has led to the arrest of 6,046 accused, 17,185 linkages, and 36,296 cyber investigation assistance requests, the Lok Sabha was informed recently.

About Pratibimb Module

• It is a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based software launched by the Union Home Ministry's Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
• Objective: To help enforcement agencies, including state police forces, to map cybercriminals in real time and destroy their network.
• Pratibimb’ offers a unique advantage of projecting mobile numbers used in cybercrimes across the entire country into a GIS map.
• The software also provides a map view to personnel of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and service providers to ascertain the actual locations of mobile numbers active in criminal activities.

Samanvaya Platform

• It was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs as a coordination platform for LEAs for cybercrime data sharing and analytics.
• It provides analytics based on interstate linkages of crimes and criminals involved in cybercrime complaints across various States/UTs.

Key Facts about Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre

• I4C has been established under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deal with cybercrime in the country in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. 
• The I4C focuses on tackling issues related to cybercrime for citizens, including improving coordination between various Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and stakeholders.
• The centre is located in New Delhi.
• Functions:
  • To act as a nodal point in the fight against cybercrime.
  • Identify the research problems and needs of LEAs and take up R&D activities in developing new technologies and forensic tools in collaboration with academia/research institutes within India and abroad.
  • To prevent misuse of cyberspace for furthering the cause of extremist and terrorist groups.
  • Suggest amendments, if required, in cyber laws to keep pace with fast changing technologies and international cooperation.
  • To coordinate all activities related to the implementation of Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) with other countries related to cybercrimes in consultation with the concerned nodal authority in MHA.
• I4C brings together academia, industry, public and government in the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes.
• I4C has envisaged the Cyber Crime Volunteers Program to bring together citizens with a passion to serve the nation on a single platform and contribute in the fight against cybercrime in the country.

Pratibimb Module FAQs

Q1. What is the Geographic Information System (GIS)?

Ans. GIS is a computer system that analyzes and displays geographically referenced information.

Q2. What are Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT)?

Ans. A MLAT is an agreement between two or more countries for the exchange of information and cooperation in criminal investigations and legal proceedings. .

Q3. Where is the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre located?

Ans. New Delhi

Source: BS

World Air Quality Report Latest News

With an average PM 2.5 concentration of 91.8 μg/m3, Delhi continues to be the most polluted Capital city in the world, according to the 2024 World Air Quality Report.

About World Air Quality Report 2024

• World Air Quality Report is published by the Swiss organisation IQAir every year. The 2024 World Air Quality Report evaluates the global state of air quality for the year 2024. 
• This comprehensive report presents PM2.5 air quality data collected from 8,954 cities across 138 countries, regions, and territories.

India Specific Findings

• According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report, with an average PM 2.5 concentration of 91.8 μg/m3, Delhi continues to be the most polluted Capital city in the world.
• According to the report, 13 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India, with Byrnihat on the Assam-Meghalaya border being the most polluted. 
• The other cities include Faridabad, Loni (Ghaziabad), Gurgaon, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Noida, Muzaffarnagar, New Delhi (Central Delhi) and Delhi (taking the average from the rest of the city).
• India is the fifth most polluted country in the world, with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 50.6 μg/m3 – 10 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual PM2.5 guideline value of 5 μg/m3. In 2023, it was the third most polluted country.

World Air Quality Report 2024 FAQs

Q1. What is the rank of India in the world air quality report 2024?

Ans. India ranks fifth in global air pollution in 2024, following Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Congo.

Q2. Who published the World air quality Report 2024?

Ans. The World Air Quality Report 2024 was published by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company.

Q3. Which is the most polluted city in the world in 2024?

Ans. Byrnihat, on the Assam-Meghalaya border, is the most polluted city globally in 2024.

Q4. What is the Global air Report 2024?

Ans. The Global Air Report 2024 is IQAir's analysis of global air quality, highlighting pollution trends and challenges worldwide.

Source: IE

Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary Latest News

A wildfire has engulfed about 50 hectares of area of Sajjangarh Sanctuary of Udaipur recently. 

About Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located on the outskirts of Udaipur city in Rajasthan.
• It is nestled in the Aravalli hill range, covering an area of approximately 5.19 sq.km.
• The Sanctuary lies around the Sajjangarh Fort, built by the erstwhile Maharana Sajjan Singh of Mewar in 1874 on Bansdara Hill.
• Bari Lake, popularly known as Tiger Lake, is situated on the western slope of the Sanctuary. This lake was built by Maharana Raj Singh of the Mewar dynasty.
• Vegetation: It encompasses a blend of deciduous and semi-evergreen forests.
• Flora: 
  • It boasts a lush environment dominated by trees like teak, mango, neem, jamun, khair, and ber. 
  • The presence of abundant bamboo groves further enhances the habitat.
• Fauna: It is home to animals like panthers, hyenas, wild boars, jackals, sloth bears, sambar deer, spotted deer, and four-horned antelopes.

Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary FAQs

Q1. Where is Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary located?

Ans. It is located on the outskirts of Udaipur city in Rajasthan.

Q2. What is the vegetation in Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary?

Ans. It encompasses a blend of deciduous and semi-evergreen forests.

Q3. Who built the Sajjangarh Fort?

Ans. It was built by the erstwhile Maharana Sajjan Singh of Mewar in 1874 on Bansdara Hill.

Source: FPJ

Fuego Volcano Latest News

A powerful eruption of the Volcan de Fuego in Guatemala recently has sent shockwaves through the region, with strong explosions, incandescent material, and pyroclastic flows threatening nearby communities. 

About Fuego Volcano

• Volcan de Fuego, which translates to "Volcano of Fire" in Spanish, is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala's former capital, Antigua.
• Guatemala lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
• Fuego is one of Central America's most active volcanoes.
• It has a long history of violent eruptions, with records dating back to the 16th century.
• A deadly eruption in 2018 claimed 194 lives and left 234 people missing.
• The volcano's eruptive style is characterised by explosive events, lava flows, and pyroclastic flows, which pose major threats to nearby populations.

What is a Stratovolcano?

• It is a tall, steep, and cone-shaped type of volcano.
• Unlike flat shield volcanoes, they have higher peaks.At the peak, stratovolcanoes usually have a small crater.
• They are usually about half-half lava and pyroclastic material, and the layering of these products gives them their other common name of composite volcanoes.
• They are typically found above subduction zones, and they are often part of large volcanically active regions, such as the Ring of Fire that frames much of the Pacific Ocean.
• Stratovolcanoes comprise the largest percentage (~60%) of the Earth's individual volcanoes.
• Most are characterized by eruptions of andesite and dacite, lavas that are cooler and more viscous than basalt.
• These more viscous lavas allow gas pressures to build up to high levels. Therefore, these volcanoes often suffer explosive eruptions. 

Fuego Volcano FAQs

Q1. Which country is the Fuego volcano in?

Ans. Guatemala

Q2. Is Fuego Volcano still active?

Ans. Fuego is one of Central America's most active volcanoes.

Q3. How many times has Fuego erupted?

Ans. Fuego has erupted more than 60 times since 1524.

Source: REPW

POLG Disease Latest News

A 22-year-old young prince of Luxembourg, Prince Frederik, recently died from a rare genetic disease called POLG.

About POLG Disease

• It is a genetic mitochondrial disorder that prevents the body’s cells from producing adequate energy, which in turn can cause multiple organ dysfunctions and failures.
• The disease affects multiple organs of the body, primarily the brain, nerves, muscles, and liver.
• It could also affect a person’s vision due to the involvement of affected brain structures.
• People with POLG “likely end up bedridden and unable to function in so many of those activities of daily living.

POLG Disease Causes

• The condition affects mitochondria, the “powerhouse" of the cell, which converts food into ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), the primary source of energy in living cells of a body.
• Mitochondria contain their own DNA, which requires a specific enzyme to replicate, found in the host cell’s POLG and POLG2 genes. 
• Mutations in these genes therefore impact the ability for mitochondria to replicate.

POLG Disease Symptoms

• A person can see symptoms, from mild to severe, starting from early childhood to adulthood.
• The most frequent symptoms include muscle weakness, ophthalmoplegia (weakness or paralysis of the eye), epilepsy, and liver failure.
• POLG also affects neurological function and impacts a person’s ability to balance, talk, and walk, and it causes seizures and more.

POLG Disease Treatment

• There is currently no cure for POLG. 
• Available treatment for the POLG focuses on managing the symptoms and quality of life.

POLG Disease FAQs

Q1. What causes POLG disease?

Ans. It is caused by inherited mutations in the POLG gene.

Q2. What are the symptoms of a POLG carrier?

Ans. The most frequent symptoms include muscle weakness, ophthalmoplegia (weakness or paralysis of the eye), epilepsy, and liver failure.

Q3. Is POLG disease curable?

Ans. There is currently no cure for POLG. 

Source: N18

Immigration and Foreigners Bill Latest News

With an aim to enhance national security, the government on Tuesday introduced the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 in Parliament.

About Immigration and Foreigners Bill

• The Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025 aims to streamline immigration laws, strengthen national security, and impose stricter penalties for violations. 
• The bill proposes to replace four colonial-era laws, including the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, to create a single, modern legal framework.

Immigration and Foreigners Bill Key features

• National Secuirty: The bill prioritises national security and sovereignty, stating that any foreigner posing a threat to India's integrity will be denied entry or permission to stay.
• Powers of Immigration Officers: Immigration officers can arrest without a warrant if they suspect a foreigner of violating immigration laws. They can also restrict movements and name changes.
• Registration and Reporting Requirements: Foreigners must register upon arrival and report any changes in movement or identity. Institutions like hospitals and schools must notify authorities about foreigners under their care.
• Strict Entry and Stay Regulations: All foreigners need a valid passport and visa to enter or leave India. Carriers are responsible for ensuring passengers have proper documents or face fines and transport seizure.
• Penalties for Violations:
  • No valid documents – Up to 5 years jail, ₹5 lakh fine
  • Forged documents – 2 to 7 years jail, ₹1–10 lakh fine
  • Overstaying – Up to 3 years jail, ₹3 lakh fine
  • Transporting foreigners without papers – ₹5 lakh fine and vehicle seizure
• Handling of Dual Citizenship: Foreigners with dual citizenship will be treated as citizens of the country whose passport they used to enter India.

Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 FAQs

Q1. What is the purpose of the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025?

Ans. The bill aims to streamline immigration laws, enhance national security, and impose stricter penalties for violations to modernise the legal framework.

Q2. What are the key penalties under the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025?

Ans. Penalties include up to 5 years in jail and ₹5 lakh fine for no valid documents, and vehicle seizure for transporting foreigners without papers.

Q3. How will the bill affect foreigners with dual citizenship?

Ans. Foreigners with dual citizenship will be treated as citizens of the country whose passport they used to enter India.

Source: BT

Gulf of Oman Latest News

Iran, Russia and China have begun joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, marking the fifth year the three countries have conducted military drills together.

About Gulf of Oman

• The Gulf of Oman, also called the Gulf of Makran, is the western extension of the Arabian Sea in the Middle East, forming the only entrance to the Persian Gulf from the Indian Ocean. 
• It connects the Arabian Sea to the Strait of Hormuz, which leads into the Persian Gulf.
• It borders Iran and Pakistan on the north, Oman on the south, and the United Arab Emirates on the west.
• The small ports along the gulf include Ṣuḥār, al-Khābūrah, Muscat, and Ṣūr, in Oman, and Jāsk and Chāh Bahār, in Iran.
• Some of the significant islands that are located in the Gulf of Oman include Sheytan Island, Al Fahal Island, Dimaniyat Islands, and the Sawadi Islands.
• Some fishing is carried on, but the Gulf’s main importance is as a shipping route for the oil-producing area around the Persian Gulf. 
• The Gulf of Oman offers the only entrance from the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean into the Persian Gulf. 
• The world’s major oil exporters and importers have a joint interest in its security. Roughly one-third of the world's oil is exported via the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. 

Marine Security Belt 2025

• The Marine Security Belt 2025 is a joint naval exercise involving China, Russia, and Iran. Conducted in the Gulf of Oman, it aims to enhance maritime security, counter piracy, and terrorism in the northern Indian Ocean. 
• The drills include simulated attacks, search and rescue operations, and damage control exercises

Gulf of Oman FAQs

Q1. Which country is the Gulf of Oman in?

Ans. The Gulf of Oman borders Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, and Pakistan, making it a vital maritime region.

Q2. Why is the Gulf of Oman a dead zone?

Ans. The Gulf of Oman experiences a dead zone due to low oxygen levels caused by pollution, climate change, and overfishing.

Q3. Is the Gulf of Oman saltwater or freshwater?

Ans. The Gulf of Oman is saltwater as it forms part of the Arabian Sea, connected to the Indian Ocean.

Q4. What is the name of the sea between Oman and India?

Ans. The sea between Oman and India is called the Arabian Sea, part of the northern Indian Ocean.

Source: AJ