Prelims Focus 26th August 2024

Shompen Tribe

In News: The Union Environment Minister, in his recent statement, said that construction of a port and airport in the Nicobar Island will in no way displace any of the Shompen people, indigenous to that region.

• The Shompen is yet another tribe that is native to the Great Nicobar Island which is located in the Bay of Bengal, south of Andaman Island and part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory of India.
• The Shompen are PVTG inhabitants of the Great Nicobar Island who are perhaps one of the most isolated tribal populations in the world. In the initial stage of development, there exist those aboriginal communities who were depending for their livelihood on hunting, gathering, fishing; simple techniques of agriculture with major dependency on fruits, especially on pandanus fruit.
• They live in nuclear families and they have different diction within the same language of their own. Shompen huts were either on or slightly above the ground and simple hand tools were used and are still used.
• While most of them are yet to be reached, trends such as a large-scale project on their island are real threats to their physical environment and health. But in 2024 the Shompen triumphed a historic step by moving into the election process.

A1 & A2 Milk

In News: The FSSAI has warned dairy firms against using A1 and A2 tags saying they contravene the law on nutrition labelling. This decision is taken so that consumers are not misled by unscientific information and that milk products have correct labeling information.

• A1 and A2 milk originates from different beta-casein; A1 beta-casein originates from Nor European cows while the A2 beta-casein originates from Channel Island and southern France cows.
• This particular difference in their characteristics is caused by the genetic mutation between the two at position 67 in beta-casein gene. A couple of researches also point to the fact that A2 milk is less problematic to consume for people with milk intolerance since A1 milk produces BCM-7 which causes digestive upset and might be bad for your health.
• Despite A1 milk being blamed for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and autism, there is not enough evidence to support this.
• A1 milk contains more saturated fat and energy than A2 milk and the latter is marketed as being more nutritional. 

Marsyangdi River

In News: 

Recently, an Indian vacationer bus, carrying around 40 passengers, veered off the dual carriageway and plunged into the short-flowing Marsyangdi River in Nepal’s Tanahun district ensuing within the several lack of lives, and injuries.

• It originates at an altitude of 3,600 metres northwest of the Annapurna massif in Nepal, wherein the Khangsar Khola and Jharsang Khola mountain rivers meet. 
• It flows eastward through Manang District, then southward through Lamjung District, and eventually joins the Trishuli River close to Mugling as a tributary. 
• It is a part of the Gandaki River system, which is likewise called Narayani. 
• Its tributaries are Nagdi Khola, Dordi Khola, Chepe Khola, Chundi Khola, and Daraudi etc

Philadelphi( Salaheddin ) Corridor

In News: A thin stretch of land along the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt has emerged as the main stumbling block in negotiations.

• It is a 14-km stretch along Gaza’s border with Egypt, and is vital to ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
• It was constructed by the Israeli military when Gaza was under its direct occupation between 1967 and 2005.
• The U.S.-brokered 1979 settlement was the primary peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country.
• Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu insists on permanent Israeli control of the corridor to save you Hamas from rearming.
• Hamas needs a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including the corridor.
• A 2005 settlement between Israel and Egypt installed the corridor as a buffer zone to control Gaza’s motion and smuggling.
• After Israel’s 2005 withdrawal, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority controlled the vicinity, however Hamas took control in 2007.
• The corridor has been used for smuggling, consisting of fingers and items, through numerous tunnels.
• Egypt has destroyed many tunnels and views Israeli control as a contravention of agreements.

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