Art and Culture 

Sumi tribe celebrates Ahuna festival - Indian Express 

Ahuna, a post-harvest festival of the Sumi Naga tribe, was celebrated with a spirit of oneness, exuberant exhibition of rich cultural heritage and fusion of modern entities at Zunheboto District Sports Council ground recently.

Geography 

Barak River - The Hindu 

Four days after three children and three women were allegedly abducted by armed militants in Jiribam district during an encounter with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the police, the Manipur police are yet to trace the victims. The police found three bodies, of a woman and two children, floating in the Barak river and are ascertaining their identity.

Barak River

• Origin and Course:
  • Rises in the Manipur hills and enters the plains near Lakhipur, Assam.
  • In Bangladesh, it splits into Surma and Kushiyara, later merging as the Meghna and joining the Ganga and Brahmaputra.
• Tributaries: Jiri, Dhaleswari, Singla, Longai, Sonai, and Katakhal.
• Drainage Area:
  • Covers India, Bangladesh, and Burma.
  • In India, it spans 41,723 sq. km (1.38% of India's total geographical area).
• Boundaries:
  • North: Barail range (Brahmaputra sub-basin).
  • East: Na Lushai hills.
  • South and West: Bangladesh.
• States: Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, and Nagaland.
• Hydropower Potential: 2042 MW at 60% load factor.

Society 

In 'life certificate' month, how Govt's Jeevan Pramaan has been faring - Indian Express 

Since 2014, the government has been issuing Digital Life Certificates (DLCs), or Jeevan Pramaan, so the pensioner does not have to physically appear before the pension-disbursing authorities – which include banks and post offices – or deliver a paper life certificate to them in the prescribed format.

Generation of Digital Life Certificate (DLC)

• Authentication: Aadhaar-based biometric authentication via Jeevan Pramaan portal; face authentication available since 2021.
• Requirements:
  • Aadhaar linked to a mobile number.
  • Aadhaar registered with the pension disbursing authority.
  • Biometric device needed for self-generation via the Jeevan Pramaan app or website.
• Camps:
  • Held in 800 cities/towns in India and at Indian missions abroad.
  • Additional camps organised by post offices and banks.

'Know Your Medicine' App - PIB 

Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports recently launched a nationwide appeal to strengthen the fight against doping in sports, urging athletes, coaches, and the entire sporting community to embrace the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) India's ‘Know Your Medicine (KYM)’ app. 

Polity 

What is the Kerala waqf land dispute, which became a byelection issue? - Indian Express 

As a parliamentary panel deliberates on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, a land row in Kerala has become national news. The Kerala State Waqf Board has long staked claim over 404 acres of land in Ernakulam district’s Munambam coast — land inhabited for generations by some 600 Christian and Hindu families.

World Affairs 

MATES, a new scheme for young Indians to work in Australia - Indian Express 

Australia has come up with a new scheme that allows talented young people from India to work in the country for some time. Here are the details about the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES).

Economy 

SBI, HDFC, ICICI remain Domestic Systemically Important Banks in 2024: RBI - The Hindu 

State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have again been named as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) by the Reserve Bank of India.

Environment 

Plastic-eating insect discovered in Kenya - Indian Express 

There’s been an exciting new discovery in the fight against plastic pollution: Mealworm larvae that are capable of consuming polystyrene. 

Polystyrene

• Composition: Synthetic polymer made from styrene monomers; can be solid or foamed.
• Properties:
  • Transparent, hard, and brittle.
  • Inexpensive, but a poor barrier to air and water vapor.
  • Low melting point and can be colored with additives.
• Usage:
  • Protective packaging (e.g., packing peanuts, optical disc cases).
  • Containers, lids, bottles, trays, tumblers, and disposable cutlery.
  • Used in model-making and as an alternative material for phonograph records.

Mealworm Larvae

• Description: Larval form of the Alphitobius darkling beetle; larval stage lasts 8-10 weeks.
• Habitat: Found in poultry rearing houses, which provide warmth and consistent food supply.
• Distribution: Believed to originate from Africa but now found globally.
• Plastic Consumption:
  • Can consume polystyrene.
  • Gut bacteria produce enzymes that break down complex plastic polymers.

Sci and Tech 

Operation Dronagiri launched - PIB 

An Operation Dronagiri was recently launched along with GDI marking a milestone in the National Geospatial Policy.