DAILY PRELIMS CA — 21 SEPT

1. SLINEX-26 — Misc

• Context: The thirteenth edition of the bilateral maritime exercise between India and Sri Lanka commenced at Visakhapatnam.
• Nature: Annual bilateral maritime exercise between India and Sri Lanka.
• Location: Hosted at Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command.
• Origin: First conceptualised and initiated in the year 2005.
• Structure: Divided into a Harbour Phase + a high-intensity Sea Phase with anti-submarine drills.
• Alignment: Tied to India's MAHASAGAR initiative and the SAGAR framework.

2. Houthis (Ansar Allah) — IR

• Context: Captured Mayun (Perim) Island and Mokha port along Yemen's Red Sea coast.
• Origin: Armed political movement from the Zaidi Shia minority of northern Yemen.
• Official Name: Ansar Allah | Formed as al-Shabab al-Mu’min in 1992.
• Historical Events: Fought Saada Wars (2004–2010) + Captured capital Sanaa in September 2014.
• Alliance: Pivotal non-state combatant in Iran-backed Axis of Resistance.
• Geography: Controls Mayun (Perim) Island in Bab el-Mandeb Strait + Port of Mokha.
• Strategic Impact: Controls maritime bottleneck linking Indian Ocean to the Suez Canal.

3. Tulu Language — History

• Context: Karnataka State Cabinet approved according additional official language status to Tulu in coastal districts.
• Linguistic Family: Branch of Southern Dravidian language family | spoken predominantly in Tulu Nadu region.
• Official Status: Classified as an independent non-scheduled language by Census of India.
• Script: Historical script is Tigalari (derived from Grantha) | modern printed literature uses Kannada script.
• Oral Tradition: Anchors folk traditions including Paddanas (sung epics), Bhoota Kola (spirit worship), and Yakshagana.
• Constitutional Provision: Article 345 empowers State Legislature to adopt languages for official state purposes.
• Statutory Requirement: Requires formal legislative amendment to Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963.

4. East Sea (Sea of Japan) — Geography

• Context: North Korea launched an unidentified projectile into the East Sea off its eastern coast.
• Location: Semi-enclosed marginal sea of Northwestern Pacific | Situated between latitudes 35 degrees N and 52 degrees N.
• Bordering Nations: Bounded by four countries: Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and Russia.
• Connecting Straits: Connected to outer seas via Korea/Tsushima, Tsugaru, La Pérouse, and Tatar straits.
• Ocean Currents: Convergence zone of warm Tsushima Current and cold Liman and North Korea currents.
• Basins: Contains three major deep basins: Japan, Yamato, and Tsushima basins.
• Water Mass: Possesses a unique, oxygen-rich water mass called East Sea Proper Water.
• Disputed Territory: Home to the Dokdo/Takeshima islands, disputed between South Korea and Japan.