Suspension of 78 Opposition MPs

The suspension of 78 Opposition MPs in a single day is a significant event in the Indian Parliament, and it highlights the ongoing challenges in maintaining order and decorum during legislative sessions.

Why were the MPs suspended?

• The MPs were suspended for disrupting Parliamentary proceedings during protests related to a security breach in the Parliament.
• In the Lok Sabha, the Opposition demanded a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah, waved placards, and some even climbed onto the Speaker’s podium.
• In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition raised slogans on the security breach, leading to disruptions.

Disruptions in Parliament can be attributed to various reasons:

• Lack of time: MPs may feel they have insufficient time to address important matters.
• Unresponsive government: When the government is perceived as unresponsive, MPs may resort to disruptive tactics.
• Political or publicity purposes: Some disruptions are deliberate and driven by parties seeking political or publicity gains.
• Absence of prompt action: If there''s a perception that disruptive MPs face no consequences, it can encourage such behaviour.

Who can suspend MPs? How?

• The Presiding Officer (Speaker in Lok Sabha, Chairman in Rajya Sabha) plays a crucial role in meting out suspensions.
• The process involves directing the MP to withdraw, naming the legislator if disruptions persist, and then moving a motion to suspend the MP until the end of the session.
• In 2001, the Lok Sabha empowered the Speaker to automatically suspend an MP for five days or the remaining part of the session without the need for a separate motion. However, this provision is not present in the Rajya Sabha.

How long can MPs be suspended for?

• MPs can be suspended for the remainder of the session, with a maximum period of five days (in Lok Sabha). The House can reinstate a suspended member at any point by passing a motion.

Is suspending MPs common practice?

• While it is not uncommon, the number of suspensions has increased in recent years. Since 2019, at least 149 suspensions have occurred, compared to 81 in 2014-19 and 36 in 2009-14.
• Disruptions in Parliament have been a long-standing issue, and efforts have been made to address the root causes.

Challenges in maintaining order

• Maintaining a balance between enforcing order and respecting democratic values is a challenge for Presiding Officers.
• Disruptions arising from frustration or planned parliamentary offences require different approaches, and finding long-term solutions is crucial for the smooth functioning of Parliament.

The suspension of MPs is a measure taken to address disruptions, but it also reflects broader challenges in the functioning of the Indian Parliament, including issues related to representation, responsiveness, and the need for procedural reforms.

National Geoscience Data Repository Portal

The Union Ministry of Mines is to launch the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) Portal on 19th December 2023 in a ceremony in New Delhi.

National Geoscience Data Repository Portal

• It is an extensive web-based tool for geospatial data access, sharing, and analysis in India.
• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N) led the NGDR effort.
• It is a major step towards democratising important geoscience data, giving academics and industry stakeholder’s unparalleled access to priceless resources.

Key Facts about Geological Survey of India

• The primary goal of the Geological Survey of India (GSI), founded in 1851, was to locate coal reserves for the railways.
• As time has gone on, GSI has not only expanded into a national repository for geoscience data needed in a variety of sectors, but it has also gained recognition as a reputable geoscientific organisation worldwide.
• Its primary responsibilities include mineral resource evaluation and the creation and upgrading of national geoscientific data.
• The main responsibility of GSI is to provide current, unbiased, and objective geological expertise as well as geoscientific information of all types, with an emphasis on the demands of business, society, and policymakers.
• The GSI also places a strong emphasis on the methodical recording of all surface and subsurface geological processes in India and its offshore regions. The firm uses the newest and most economical tools and approaches to carry out this task through geological, geophysical, and geochemical studies.
• The Ministry of Mines'' affiliated office is called GSI.
• Head Office: Kolkata
• Its state unit offices are dispersed throughout nearly every state in the nation, and its six regional offices are situated in Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong, and Kolkata.

BISAG-N

• Ministry: MeitY, Government of India. (Indian Bureau of Mines)
• At present, BISAG is a state agency of the Department of Science and Technology Government of Gujarat, located at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics [BISAG (N)] is an Autonomous Scientific Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, of 1860.
• Objective: to undertake technology development & and management, research & and development, facilitate National and international cooperation, capacity building and support technology transfer & and entrepreneurship development in the area of geo-spatial technology.
• BISAG has implemented GIS and geospatial technologies for major Ministries and almost all States.
• For this purpose, geo-spatial science (GIS Remote Sensing, Image Processing, Photogrammetry, GPS, Cell Phone etc.), Information Science Systems (MIS, Database, ERP, Project Management, Web, Artificial Intelligence etc.) and Mathematics Science Systems (Geometry, Fluid, Mechanics, Trigonometry, Algebra etc.) have been integrated in-house by BISAG.

Bab al-Mandab Strait

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone discussion on the escalating threats to maritime security in the Red Sea because of the actions of Houthi militants of Yemen.
• The conversation came soon after the Pentagon announced an international mission to counter the growing number of attacks against Israel-bound international traffic.

Bab al-Mandab Strait

• It is a strait that connects the Red Sea (northwest) with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean (southeast).
• It is located between Arabia (northeast) and Africa (southwest).
• It is an important strategic connection in the marine commerce route connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
• It is one of the world''s most important seaborne commodity shipping routes, primarily for crude oil and petroleum.
• Yemen borders it on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea border it on the African coast.

The following are the most important facts regarding the Red Sea:

• It is a semi-enclosed inlet (or extension) of the Indian Ocean located between the African and Asian continents. It has one of the hottest waters on the planet.
• The Sinai Peninsula divides the northern Red Sea into the Gulfs of Aqaba and Suez, where it connects to the Mediterranean Sea via the famed Suez Canal.
• Yemen and Saudi Arabia share a border with the Red Sea to the east.
• Egypt borders it to the north and west, and Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti border it to the west.

Straits

• A strait is a naturally created, narrow, and usually navigable stream that joins two bodies of water.
• It is most typically a body of water that connects two geographical masses.
• Some straits are impassable because they are too shallow, or because of an impassable reef or archipelago.
• Straits are feasible as a result of the narrow-shaped isthmus fracture.
• It connects many bodies of water. Straits, according to folklore, form as a result of plate tectonic action. For example, tectonic action in Africa generated the Strait of Gibraltar.
• It''s a breakdown of the Gibraltar Isthmus. Human action, on the other hand, generates straits known as canals.
• It directs water flow for home and commercial purposes. Suez Canal, completed in 1869, is one such strait.
• It acts as a watershed between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
• Originally built for commerce, it now functions as a waterway connecting Europe and Asia.
• Without a watershed, one would have to cross into Africa to deliver products, which lengthens the voyage time.
• As a result, specific straits are built to boost commercial activity.
• Straits can also form when bodies of water flood.
• Straits can also emerge as a result of erosion and landslides.
• The Bosporus is a waterway that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea.
• Bosporus formed naturally as a result of weathering and erosion.
• The Bosporus is important to geologists because it is the only physical barrier between Europe and Asia.

Significance of straits

• Straits play a vital part in commercial shipping''s seaborne trade.
• They are very essential in
• For millennia, the straits have been vital to human culture.
• They are crucial in economic and military affairs.
• Commercial shipping uses the world''s major straits to go from one exclusive zone or sea to another.
• The Straits of Hormuz are very significant both commercially and strategically. Many ships use the straits as passable routes.
• The Strait of Hormuz, for example, is critical because it transports one-third of the world''s oil commerce.
• Straits are also used to generate tidal power using turbines. Cook''s Strait in New Zealand, for example, generates 5.6 GW of energy.
• The Strait has an important function in serving as a route through which ocean currents move, aiding in the mortification of the climate in that area.
• As a result, straits play an important role in both physical and human geography.

Gulf

• The gulf is a sea portion that penetrates within the land.
• It connects both land and sea.
• The gulf is usually formed naturally.
• The Gulf is very helpful for harbouring ships.
• Sometimes, it is also considered a large bay.
• eg: Gulf of Mannar, Persian Gulf

Distinctions between the Gulf and the Strait

• Gulfs and Straits are regarded as geographical features on the earth''s surface. The aquatic body includes both gulfs and straits.
• The term "gulf" refers to a deep inlet within the sea with a limited opening.
• The term "gulf" refers to the portion of the ocean that penetrates the land. It can differ in shape, depth, and size.
• A strait is a narrow canal that connects to a larger body of water. Because the connector connects two watersheds, it is formed by an isthmus fracture. Generally, straits form as a result of tectonic movements.
• The gulf and Straits of Hormuz are both man-made and natural; they serve economic purposes.
• The Gulf of Mexico and Oman have served as economic hubs for transportation and trade.
• The Gulf of Mexico is the largest gulf and is used for recreational, commercial, and sporting purposes.
• The Suez Canal is the world''s greatest man-made strait for trade and transit.

Summing up

• The Gulf and straits are important geological structures formed by biological activity.
• However, the differences can be detected by their size, shape, and depth, among other things.
• The gulf is a sea section that penetrates the mainland, whereas straits are enclosed on all sides by water.
• The Gulf of Mexico has a tiny mouth, and the strait as a whole is narrow. Both are used in business and commerce.

Yogmaya Temple in Mehrauli

From a Mughal-sponsored structure to a concrete building, the Yogmaya Temple in Mehrauli is a historically important monument believed to be standing at the site of an ancient temple that is said to have come up during the period of the Mahabharata but of which no trace exists anymore.

• The Yogmaya Temple, also known as Jogmaya Temple or Jogmaya Mandir, holds significant historical and religious importance in India.
• Dedicated to the goddess Yogmaya, believed to be the sister of Lord Krishna and an incarnation of Durga, the temple''s history is intertwined with ancient mythology and has witnessed phases of destruction and reconstruction by various rulers.

Historical Significance

• Ancient Roots: The temple''s origins are traced back to the Mahabharata era, believed to have been built by the Pandavas after the end of the epic war.
• Historical Destruction: The temple was among the 27 temples reportedly destroyed by Mamluk rulers. However, it stands as the sole surviving temple from the pre-sultanate period and is still actively used for worship.
• Reconstruction: Hindu king Samrat Vikramaditya Hemu is credited with restoring the temple after its destruction by Islamic rulers.

Architectural Description

• Structural Evolution: The present temple, reconstructed in the 19th century, is a contemporary structure comprising an entrance hall, a sanctum sanctorum housing the main idol of Yogmaya, and a dome and truncated shikara (tower).
• Idol and Worship: The main idol, made of black stone and adorned with sequins and cloth, represents Yogmaya. Devotees offer flowers and sweetmeats without the tolling of bells during worship.

Folklore and Cultural Events

• Folk Legends: The temple is associated with folklore related to Yogmaya''s incarnation as Krishna''s sister and her pivotal role in predicting Kansa''s demise.
• Phool Walon Ki Sair Festival: An integral part of an inter-faith festival in Delhi, the temple is central to this annual event where floral punkahs are offered to the deity.

Historical References and Affiliations

• Mughal Connection: Records suggest Emperor Akbar II''s association with the temple, with legends of his wife praying for her son''s safe return, invoking Yogmaya''s blessings.
• Geographical Association: The temple lies within the Lal Kot walls, part of the historic fortress citadel of Delhi, and holds a significant place near the Qutb Complex.

Continuing Tradition and Care

• Community''s Role: The local community, consisting of over 200 people tracing their ancestry to a common forefather, actively participate in temple maintenance and rituals, following age-old customs.
• Cultural Expansion: Similar temples dedicated to Yogmaya exist across India in places like Rajasthan, Vrindavan, Dehradun, among others.

• Jogmaya Temple, Barmer Rajasthan
• Jogmaya Temple, Multan
• Jogmaya Temple, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
• Yogmaya Temple, Vrindavan
• Yogmaya Temple, Naya Bans Khari Baoli, Old Delhi
• Yogmaya Temple, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
• Jogmaya Tripura Sundari Temple

The Yogmaya Temple in Mehrauli stands not only as a place of worship but also as a testament to Delhi''s syncretic heritage, reflecting architectural, religious, and cultural influences from different periods in history. Despite undergoing various reconstructions and facing periods of destruction, its resilience and continued significance in contemporary religious practices highlight its enduring legacy.

Swarved Mahamandir - world’s largest meditation centre

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Swarved Mahamandir, a magnificent seven-floor temple located in Varanasi''s Umaraha area which is the world’s largest meditation centre.

• The visit marked the centenary celebration of Vihangam Yoga and the establishment of Vihangam Yog Sansthan by Sadguru Sadafal Deoji Maharaj, a renowned 19th-century spiritual leader.

Architectural Marvels

• Design: The temple features an impressive design, including 125-petal lotus domes and can accommodate 20,000 individuals for meditation.
• Location: Situated in the Umaraha area, it covers an expansive area of 3,00,000 square feet, approximately 12 km from Varanasi''s city center.
• Foundation and Construction: Laid in 2004, the temple''s construction involved collaborative efforts from 600 workers and 15 engineers.

Distinctive Features

• Intricate Details: The temple boasts teakwood ceilings and doors adorned with intricate carvings, along with 101 fountains enhancing its aesthetic appeal.
• Spiritual Emphasis: Verses from the Swarveda, a spiritual text by Sadguru Shri Sadafal Deoji Maharaj, adorn the walls of the seven-floor superstructure.
• Materials and Garden: Pink sandstone embellishes the walls, and a medicinal herb garden adds to the temple''s beauty.

Spiritual Significance

• Swarved Mahamandir: Named after the Swarveda, the temple aims to promote the teachings of this spiritual text.
• Purpose: It aims to radiate a spiritual aura, spreading a state of peaceful awareness worldwide.
• Teachings: The temple advocates Brahm Vidya from the Swarveda, promoting spiritual wisdom and unwavering peace.
• Teachings'' Focus: Swarved Mahamandir focuses on propagating Brahm Vidya from the Swarveda, aiming to enlighten seekers spiritually.
• Worldwide Influence: The temple''s vision is to illuminate humanity and inspire a state of serene consciousness globally.

Meditation in India

Historical Significance:

• Ancient Origins: The practice of meditation finds its origins in ancient Indian scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita, dating back thousands of years.
• Vedic Period: Early references to meditative practices were primarily linked to Vedic rituals, focused on mental concentration and spiritual contemplation.
• Spiritual Heritage: Meditation flourished within the teachings of great spiritual leaders like Buddha, Mahavira, Adi Shankaracharya, and others.

Meditation Traditions:

• Yoga and Meditation: Yoga, a comprehensive system that includes physical postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), and meditation, originated in India. Patanjali''s Yoga Sutras, dating back to around 200 BCE, outline meditation practices as part of the eight-fold path to enlightenment.
• Vipassana and Mindfulness: The practice of Vipassana, popularized by Gautama Buddha, focuses on mindfulness and insight, observing sensations and thoughts to achieve self-awareness and liberation from suffering.
• Jain Meditation: Jainism emphasizes deep contemplation, focusing on self-realization, shedding karmic bondage, and achieving spiritual purity through meditation.
• Transcendental Meditation (TM): TM, introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the mid-20th century, is a technique involving silent repetition of a mantra, aiming for inner peace and transcendence.

Influence on Culture and Society:

• Religious Practices: Meditation is integral to various religious practices in India, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, forming a core aspect of spiritual rituals and daily routines.
• Ashrams and Spiritual Centers: Across India, numerous ashrams, monasteries, and spiritual centers serve as hubs for meditation retreats, teachings, and spiritual guidance.
• Cultural Integration: Meditation has transcended religious boundaries, becoming an integral part of India''s cultural fabric, influencing art, literature, music, and traditional healing practices.

The Swarved Mahamandir, inspired by the Swarveda, stands as a testament to spiritual enlightenment and peacefulness. With its architectural brilliance and focus on propagating profound spiritual teachings, it strives to illuminate humankind with a divine spiritual aura, emphasizing inner peace and spiritual wisdom.

TEMPO SATELLITES

• NASA''s new satellite to hourly measure air pollution hourly has shown significant progress and now the space agency officials are already thinking about ways to extend its life.
• TEMPO is NASA’s first Earth-observation satellite in geostationary orbit and has developed further from previous polar-orbiting satellites provided daily observations to provide 10 to 12 daily scans.

Mission and Objectives

• Purpose: TEMPO is a space-based ultraviolet–visible spectrometer designed to monitor air pollution across greater North America.
• Measurements: It provides high-resolution, hourly data on atmospheric pollutants like ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and formaldehyde.

Instrumentation and Operation

• Spectrometer Design: TEMPO''s ultraviolet–visible spectrometer measures reflected sunlight from the Earth''s atmosphere and dissects it into 2,000 component wavelengths.
• Geostationary Host: Hosted as a payload on a commercial geostationary communication satellite, TEMPO maintains a constant view of North America.
• Coverage Area: Scans the region from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Alberta oil sands to Mexico City.

Constellation and Collaborations

• Geostationary Constellation: TEMPO contributes to a constellation of pollution-monitoring assets, including ESA''s planned Sentinel-4 and South Korea''s Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS).
• Partnerships: Developed as a collaboration between NASA and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

Integration and Launch

• Host Satellite: TEMPO resides on the Intelsat 40e satellite, built by Maxar Technologies, responsible for payload integration.
• Launch Date: It was sent aloft in April and built by Ball Aerospace.

Program

• Earth Venture-Instrument Program: TEMPO is NASA''s inaugural Earth Venture-Instrument (EVI) mission.
• EVI''s Role: Part of NASA''s Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program office, supporting innovative, low-cost missions driven by scientific research and applications.
• Competitive Selection: Selected through competitive solicitations, EVI missions address various areas of Earth science.

Other Earth Venture Missions

• Nature of Missions: EVI missions are characterized as small-sized, competitively selected orbital missions or instrument missions of opportunity.
• Examples: Include missions like NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT), ICESat-2, and others like Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow On (GRACE-FO), Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS), and Ecosystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS), among others.

Future Prospects

• Extended Lifespan Goals: While initially planned for a 20-month operation, NASA and Intelsat are aiming for an extended functionality of 10-15 years for TEMPO.
• Precursor for Future Missions: TEMPO''s success sets the stage for NOAA''s enhanced Atmospheric Composition Instrument, slated for a mid-2030s launch.

TEMPO''s role as part of the EVI program showcases NASA''s commitment to innovative, cost-effective missions focusing on Earth science research and applications, particularly in monitoring and understanding air pollution over North America.

World Bank’s latest Migration and Development Brief

Recently, the World Bank’s latest Migration and Development Brief was released.

Findings of the Brief

• Remittances to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) grew an estimated 3.8% in 2023, a moderation from the high gains of the previous two years.
• In 2023, remittance flows to LMICs are estimated to have reached $669 billion as resilient labor markets in advanced economies and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries continue supporting migrants’ ability to send money home.
• By region, remittance inflows grew for Latin America and the Caribbean (8%), South Asia (7.2%), East Asia and the Pacific (3%), and Sub-Saharan Africa (1.9%).
• Flows to the Middle East and North Africa fell for the second year, declining by 5.3% mainly due to a sharp drop in flows to Egypt. Remittances to Europe and Central Asia also fell by 1.4% after gaining more than 18% in 2022.
• The United States continued to be the largest source of remittances. The top five remittance recipient countries in 2023 are India ($125 billion), Mexico ($67 billion), China ($50 billion), the Philippines ($40 billion), and Egypt ($24 billion).
• Economies where remittance inflows represent substantial shares of gross domestic product (GDP) – highlighting the importance of remittances for funding current account and fiscal shortfalls – are Tajikistan (48%), Tonga (41%), Samoa (32%), Lebanon (28%), and Nicaragua (27%).
• Based on the trajectory of weaker global economic activity, growth of remittances to LMICs is expected to soften further to 3.1% in 2024. Driving the moderated forecast are a slowing economic growth and the prospect of weaker job markets in several high-income countries.
• Additional downside risks include volatile oil prices and currency exchange rates, and a deeper-than-expected economic downturn in high-income countries.
• During crises, migrants have weathered risks and shown resilience to support families back home. But high inflation and subdued global growth is affecting how much money they can send.
• Labor markets and social protection policies in host countries should be inclusive of migrants, whose remittances serve as a vital lifeline for developing countries.”
• According to the Bank’s Remittances Prices Worldwide Database, remittance costs remain persistently high, costing 6.2% on average to send $200 as of the second quarter of 2023. Compared to a year ago, sending money to all regions was more expensive, with the Middle East and North Africa being the exception.
• Banks continue to be the costliest channel for sending remittances (with an average cost of 12.1%), followed by post offices (7%), money transfer operators (5.3%), and mobile operators (4.1%).
• “Remittances are one of the few sources of private external finance that are expected to continue to grow in the coming decade. They must be leveraged for private capital mobilization to support development finance, especially via diaspora bonds.
• Remittance flows to developing countries have surpassed the sum of foreign direct investment and official development assistance in recent years, and the gap is increasing.
• A special section of the Brief describes how diaspora finances can be mobilized for development and strengthening a country’s debt position. Diaspora bonds can be structured to directly tap diaspora savings held in foreign destinations.
• Many countries provide for non-resident deposits to attract diaspora savings. However, unlike diaspora bonds, such savings tend to be short-term and volatile.
• Future inflows of remittances can be used as collateral to lower the costs of international borrowings by developing countries.
• Due to their large size relative to other sources of foreign exchange, counter-cyclical nature and indirect contribution to public finances, remittances can also help improve a country’s sovereign ratings and its ability to repay debt.

Regional Remittance Trends

• Remittances to East Asia and the Pacific increased by an estimated 3% to reach $133 billion in 2023. Excluding China, remittances to the region grew an estimated 7% to $83 billion in 2023, supported by the sustained growth in remittance flows to the Philippines, which has migrants in a well-diversified set of host destinations across the world. The average cost of sending $200 to the region was 5.9% in the second quarter of 2023. In 2024, remittance growth to the region is estimated to be 2.4%.
• Remittance flows to Europe and Central Asia are estimated to have declined by 1.4% to $78 billion in 2023. The subdued growth in 2023 is due mainly to an unusually high base level posted in 2022, driven by huge amounts of money transfers from Russia, and a lingering weakness in flows to Russia and Ukraine. Depreciation of the Russian ruble against the U.S. dollar has also decreased the value of money transfers from Russia. The average cost of sending $200 to the region was 6.9% in the second quarter of 2023 (excluding Russia). In 2024, remittances are projected to post a decline of 1.2%.
• Remittance flows to Latin America and the Caribbean are expected to increase by 8% to reach $156 billion in 2023. The strong labor market in the United States positively impacted remittance flows. Remittances to Mexico, the region’s biggest recipient, are projected to increase by 9.7%. The growth of remittances is expected to be 45% in Nicaragua, 9% in Guatemala, and 7.5% in Colombia. The average cost of sending $200 to the region was 6.1% in the second quarter of 2023. Growth in remittances to the region is expected to slow to 4.4% in 2024.
• Remittances to the Middle East and North Africa are expected to decline again in 2023, falling by about 5.3% to $61 billion in 2023, driven mainly by a sharp drop in flows to Egypt. For Egypt, a significant gap between the official exchange rate and the parallel market likely caused a large part of remittances to be unrecorded. Meanwhile, remittance flows to the Maghreb countries experienced a gain, offsetting some of the decline. Sending $200 to the region cost 5.9% on average in the second quarter of 2023. In 2024, remittance flows are projected to recover to a 2.1% gain based on an expected turnaround in flows to Egypt.
• Remittance flows to South Asia are estimated to have grown 7.2% in 2023 to reach $189 billion, tapering off from the over 12% increase in 2022. The increase is attributable entirely to remittance flows to India, which are expected to beat previous forecasts by $14 billion and reach $125 billion in 2023. The key drivers of remittance growth in 2023 are a historically tight labor market in the United States, high employment growth in Europe reflecting extensive leveraging of worker retention programs, and a dampening of inflation in high-income countries. Sending $200 to the region cost 4.3% on average in the second quarter of 2023. In 2024, growth in remittance flows is expected to fall to 5% due to projected weaker economic growth in the United States, the Euro Area, and GCC countries, major hosts of migrant workers from the region.
• Remittance flows to Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to have increased by about 1.9% in 2023 to $54 billion, driven by strong remittance growth in Mozambique (48.5%), Rwanda (16.8%), and Ethiopia (16%). Remittances to Nigeria, accounting for 38% of remittance flows to the region, grew by about 2%, while two other major recipients, Ghana and Kenya, posted estimated gains of 5.6% and 3.8%, respectively. Fixed exchange rates and capital controls are diverting remittances to the region from official to unofficial channels. In 2024, remittance flows to the region are projected to increase by 2.5%. Sending $200 to the region cost 7.9% on average in the second quarter of 2023.

Houthis

• Yemen’s Houthis have waded into the ongoing conflict in Palestine.

• The Houthis are a large clan belonging to the Zaidi Shia sect, with roots in Yemen’s northwestern Saada province.
• The Houthi movement, officially called Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), began in the 1990s against the dictatorship of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
• Today, the Houthis are one faction in a bloody civil war that has raged in Yemen since 2014.
• They currently control territory in the west and northwest of Yemen, including the capital Sana’a.
• The Houthis, backed by Iran, are a part of what Iran calls, “The Axis of Resistance” — an informal anti-Israel and anti-West political and military coalition that it leads.
• Other notable groups in the Axis include Hezbollah and Hamas.
• In Yemen, the Houthis are fighting against the Sunni-led internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
• Experts see the civil war in Yemen as a proxy war between Iran and Saudi, the two foremost Islamic powers in the world

Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve

 Despite millions spent on conservation efforts, only one purebred wild buffalo, the state animal of Chhattisgarh, remains within the boundaries of Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in the Gariaband district of the state.

• Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Dhamtari District, Chhattisgarh.
• The wildlife sanctuary was established in 1974 under Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• It is named after Sitanadi River which originates from this sanctuary and joins Mahanadi River near Deokhut.
• Teak and bamboo predominate among the vegetation. Animals include Tigers, Leopards, Flying Squirrels, Jackals, Four-horned Antelopes, Chinkara, Black Buck, Jungle Cat, Barking Deer, Porcupine, Monkey, Bison, Striped Hyena, Sloth Bear, Wild Dogs, Chital, Sambar, Nilgai , Gaur, Muntjac, Wild Boar, Cobra, Python among many others.

Chum salmon

 Chum salmon, a species of anadromous salmonid fish, have found a new location to spawn—the Arctic waters, and the scientists are alarmed.

• The chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), also known as dog salmon or keta salmon, is a species of anadromous salmonid fish from the genus Oncorhynchus (Pacific salmon)
• It is native to the coastal rivers of the North Pacific and the Beringian Arctic, and is often marketed under the trade name silverbrite salmon in North America.
• The term ''Dog Salmon'' is most commonly used in Alaska and refers to the Salmon whose flesh Alaskans use to feed their dogs.
• They are found throughout the North Pacific Ocean and range from the Arctic coast of Canada and throughout the northern coastal regions of North America and Asia.
• Chum Salmon are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.