News In Short-19-05-2025

New Caledonia

Syllabus: GS1/Places in News

In News

• New Caledonia is facing  deepened political uncertainty ahead of the November 2025 provincial elections.

About 

• It is classified as a French overseas collectivity, enjoying significant autonomy under French sovereignty.
• Colonised in 1853 by France as a penal colony, its history is marked by resistance from the Indigenous Kanak population.
• The 1998 Nouméa Accord granted autonomy and led to three referendums, all rejecting independence, though the 2021 vote was boycotted by pro-independence groups, casting doubt on its legitimacy. 
• The push for independence continues due to unresolved historical grievances and contested political status.

New Caledonia

• New Caledonia is located in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean, approximately 1,500 km east of Australia.
• It lies within a geopolitically sensitive area, surrounded by Australia (west), Vanuatu (north), and Fiji (northeast) — placing it within the Indo-Pacific strategic sphere.
• The Nouméa Accord (1998) granted New Caledonia enhanced autonomy and set the path for independence referendums.
• Under the Noumea Accord signed in 1998, the French State retains sovereignty for defence, foreign affairs, law and order, monetary policy, and tertiary education and research.

Source :TH

PM Modi to Launch Revamped Manuscripts Mission

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• The Prime Minister will launch the revamped National Manuscripts Mission, which was announced in the Union Budget this year.

About

• National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) is aimed to preserve, document, and disseminate India’s rich manuscript heritage. 
• The Mission has been restructured with the nomenclature ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’ as a Central Sector Scheme for the period 2024-31. 
• The key objectives of the Mission include:
  • Survey and Documentation: Conducting a nationwide survey and registration of manuscripts to maintain a comprehensive record.
  • Conservation and Preservation: Scientific conservation and preventive preservation of manuscripts across repositories in India.
  • Digitization: Large-scale digitization of manuscripts to create a National Digital Manuscripts Library for wider accessibility.
  • Publication and Research: Editing, translating, and publishing rare and unpublished manuscripts to promote scholarly research.
  • Capacity Building: Organizing training programs in manuscriptology, paleography, and conservation to build expertise.
  • Collaboration with Institutions: Engaging with academic institutions in India and industry leaders for manuscript research and preservation efforts.

Source: TH

Chabahar port & INSTC

Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations

In News

• National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, in conversation with his Iranian counterpart expressed India’s interest in further expanding cooperation in the development of Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

About Chabahar Port

• Meaning: Chabahar is made of Persian words Chahar meaning four; and bahar meaning spring. 
  • Chabahar city is also home to Iran’s only deep-seaport with direct access to the ocean.
• Location: Off the Gulf of Oman in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan & is the only Iranian port with direct access to the ocean.
  • Only about 170 kilometers west of the Pakistani port of Gwadar.
• Consist of two ports: Chabahar Port consists of two separate ports called Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti. 
• Significance: Chabahar is important for its fishery sector and will act as an important trade center connecting South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
  • The port gives access to the energy-rich Persian Gulf nations’ southern coast & Central Asia and India can bypass Pakistan.
  • Chabahar Port is also quite near the Gwadar Port of Pakistan being developed by China. Help countering CPEC; strengthening maritime power.

About International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)

• It is a 7,200-km-long multi-modal transportation network involving sea, rail, and road routes.
• INSTC was established in the year 2000, with the founding agreement signed in St. Petersburg by India, Iran, and Russia.
• It aims to link the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf with the Caspian Sea via Iran, and then further onward to Northern Europe via Russia’s St. Petersburg.
• The corridor significantly shortens trade routes between India and Europe, offering a faster and cheaper alternative to the Suez Canal route.
• Currently, there are 13 member countries: India, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Oman, and Syria. Additionally, Bulgaria has joined as an Observer State.
• India plays a pivotal role in the INSTC, with the Chabahar Port in Iran serving as a key node, facilitating access to Afghanistan and Central Asia while bypassing Pakistan.

Source: BS

Cyberbullying & Legal Framework in India

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

Context

• Despite the growing prevalence of cyberbullying in India, existing laws remain inadequate in curbing the menace.

What is Cyberbullying?

• Cyberbullying involves the use of digital platforms to harass, threaten, humiliate, or target individuals. It can take many forms such as:
  • Trolling: Repeated online harassment, often by anonymous users.
  • Doxxing: Malicious publication of personal information (e.g., phone numbers, addresses).
  • Online Stalking and Hate Speech: Persistent surveillance and abusive speech targeted at individuals or communities.

Legal Framework for Addressing Cyberbullying in India

• India lacks a dedicated law specifically aimed at tackling online hate speech and trolling. 
• A limited number of provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2003, and the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, cover certain aspects of cyberbullying.
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023:
  • Section 74: Assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty.
  • Section 75: Sexual harassment.
  • Section 196: Promoting enmity between groups.
  • Section 351: Criminal intimidation.
  • Section 356: Defamation.
• Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000: 
  • Section 66C: Identity theft.
  • Section 66D: Impersonation using computer resources.
  • Section 67: Publishing or transmitting obscene material.
  • Section 69A: Blocking public access to online information on specified grounds.
  • Section 79: Safe harbour provision for intermediaries.

Source: TH

Father of India’s Science Museum Movement

Syllabus: GS 3/Science and Technology

In News

• Saroj Ghose, the founding Director-General of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and a pioneer of India’s science museum movement, passed away.

Roles and Contributions of Saroj Ghose

• He was known as the Father of the Science Centre Movement in India
  • He was a Harvard alumnus and received the Padma Shri in 1989 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007.
• He played a key role in founding the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) in 1978, leading to the creation of science centres across India.
  • He  was Director-General of NCSM from 1979 to 1997.
• He served as President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), Paris.
• He contributed to the creation of the Town Hall Museum in Kolkata, Parliament Museum in New Delhi, and Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum in New Delhi.
  • These institutions promote science and technology through non-formal education.

National Council of Science Museums (NCSM)

• It is an autonomous society under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India was formed on April 4, 1978.
  •  Today, it administers 26 Science Centres/Museums spread all over India.
• It aims to promote scientific awareness and a scientific temper among the public by showcasing the growth and applications of science and technology. 
• It works to collect and preserve historical scientific artifacts, design educational exhibits and teaching aids, and organize science-related activities such as exhibitions, camps, and seminars across urban and rural areas.

Source :TH

YouTuber Booked Under Official Secrets Act

Syllabus: GS3/ Security

In News

• Recently, a Haryana-based travel vlogger was charged with official secrets act and section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on charges of espionage for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence agencies.

What is the Official Secrets Act?

• Evolution:
  • The Official Secrets Act, 1923 has its roots in the British colonial era. 
  • The original version was the Indian Official Secrets Act (Act XIV), 1889, brought in with the main objective of muzzling newspapers opposing the British Raj’s policies.
  • It was amended and made more stringent in the form of the Indian Official Secrets Act, 1904, during Lord Curzon’s tenure as Viceroy of India. In 1923, a newer version was notified.
• Provisions: 
  • Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923: Penalises activities that are considered prejudicial to the safety and interests of the state. It includes actions like entering or inspecting prohibited places, or gathering and sharing plans, maps, models, documents, or codes that could aid an enemy.
  • Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923: It targets both intentional and negligent disclosure of classified information to unauthorised individuals or entities.
  • Other Acts like wearing unauthorized uniforms (Section 6) &  attempting or abetting any OSA offence (Section 9) are there. 
• Penalty: 
  • The punishment may extend up to 14 years of imprisonment if the act concerns defence establishments, and up to 3 years otherwise.
• Power of Arrest and Investigation:
  • The Act provides for arrest without a warrant, search of premises, and seizure of documents if there’s reasonable suspicion of a violation.
  • The burden of proof often shifts to the accused, raising due process concerns under Article 21 (Right to Life and Liberty).
  • Prosecutions under OSA can be kept confidential for national interest.

About Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023

• It criminalises any act that promotes secession, armed rebellion, or separatist activities.
• The prescribed punishment is life imprisonment, or imprisonment that may extend up to 7 years, along with a fine.
• Though Peaceful criticism of government actions for lawful reform is not punishable.

Source: IE

Bio-Ink for Coral Reef Restoration

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• Scientists have developed a new bio-ink to enhance coral larva settlement by over 20 times.

Background

• Coral reefs, often termed the “rainforests of the sea,” are vital marine ecosystems that support 25% of all marine life. 
• They are also crucial for fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection. However, reefs have halved globally since the mid-20th century mainly due to:
  • Climate change (warming oceans and acidification)
  • Pollution and overfishing
  • Physical destruction
  • Coral bleaching events.
• Conventional restoration methods, such as planting nursery-grown corals, have shown limited scalability and effectiveness.

About SNAP-X Bio-Ink

• SNAP-X is a transparent, bio-engineered ink, infused with metabolites derived from Crustose Coralline Algae (CCA).
  • CCA is a type of rocky pink algae known to attract coral larvae.
• Crustose Coralline Algae release chemical cues into the seawater which are followed by coral larvae during the settlement phase.
• SNAP-X slowly releases these cues over a month, creating a suitable microhabitat for coral larvae to settle and grow.

Source: Phys.org

Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC)

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• The Tamil Nadu government has decided to reroute its Endangered Species Conservation Fund to the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation (AIWC), to ensure its timely implementation.

Background

• The Endangered Species Conservation Fund was announced in 2024 to protect threatened flora and fauna in Tamil Nadu.
• Initially, it was to be managed by the State Forest Development Agency (SFDA), with oversight from the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Foundation.
  • However, SFDA was inactive and unable to fulfill its role.

Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC)

• The Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation in Vandalur was established in 2017.
• The institute conducts multidisciplinary wildlife research, capacity building in wildlife conservation, training programs and advisories in wildlife research by partnering with leading research institutions in India.
• AIWC is equipped with three forensic labs dedicated to morphometry, DNA sequencing, and histopathological tests.

Source: TH

Live Baiting For Tigers

Syllabus :GS3/Environment 

In News

• Recently, it has been found that artificial food for injured or aging tigers foster human habituation and cause conflicts.

Live baiting 

• It refers to offering prey animals, like buffalo or goats, to predators, often used by British hunters to lure tigers for shooting.
• In post-Independence India, live baiting was used for tiger tourism, with bait placed weekly for visitors to photograph tigers at a kill. 
• While tiger hunting was banned in the 1970s, live baiting continued until it was banned by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1982. 
• However, it is still used in conflict situations, particularly for trapping leopards, and for feeding injured or old tigers in the wild.

Rules and Regulations 

• Live baiting to lure tigers for tourism is prohibited, but offering live food to injured or old tigers is “not advisable” under the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
  • The SOP stresses minimal human intervention in wild tiger management, as artificial feeding disrupts the natural process of “survival of the fittest” and can lead to human-wildlife conflicts. 
  • Experts like Valmik Thapa warn that feeding tigers should only be an emergency measure, lasting no more than three months.

Source :TH

Rare Earth Magnets

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• China has imposed curbs on rare earth magnets.

About

• Rare earth magnets, especially neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, are crucial for Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing, particularly in electric motors. 
• They provide the strong magnetic fields needed for efficient and powerful electric motors, including traction motors that drive EVs.
  • These magnets also play a major role in other EV components like power steering systems, wiper motors, and braking systems. 
• China has a near monopoly over these rare earth magnets.
  • US and India are heavily dependent on Chinese exports of these metals.

Rare Earth Elements 

• Rare earth elements are a series of seventeen substances that are present in the earth’s crust. 
  • Unlike what the name may indicate, rare earths occur plentifully in nature, but the rarity comes from the ability to isolate them chemically and make them usable in industrial applications. 
• Demand for rare earth metals such as neodymium, dysprosium, praseodymium and yttrium is increasing alongside technological advancements.
• Heavy and light rare earths occur naturally in several countries, such as India, China, Myanmar, Japan, Australia and North Korea.
  • China is the world’s largest producer of rare earths followed by the USA.
• Significance:  
  • They are used in everyday technologies like a cellphone, computer and in advanced medical technologies like MRIs, laser scalpels etc.

Source: IE