Scans of seemingly empty space reveal black holes not far from earth

• Astronomers have discovered a gigantic black hole named Gaia BH3 hiding close to the earth, the third of its kind. All three were discovered by the European Space Agency’s Gaia telescope, which has been constantly monitoring the motions of billions of stars in our galaxy since 2013.
• Black holes are fascinating to non-scientists and astronomers alike. They warp spacetime around them such that anything that gets close enough to the centre, even light, can’t escape back to the universe. Yet black holes are still ‘visible’ because of the unique effects they have on their surroundings. As matter swirls around a black hole, it is compressed, heated up, and emits X-rays.
• In the Milky Way, there are around a thousand black holes accompanied by X-ray emissions. Cygnus X-1 is probably the most well known.

Cosmic geometry

• Of late, the Gaia spacecraft has also been spotting the quiet ones not associated with X-ray emissions.
• If a (light-emitting) star orbits a black hole, it will appear from a distance to be orbiting empty space. Gaia projects the star’s orbit on a plane in the sky.
• Ground-based telescopes meanwhile track how light from the star is shifted by the Doppler effect to reveal its motion along our line of sight, which is perpendicular to the plane of the sky.
• Putting these observations together, astronomers can determine the orientation of the star’s orbit in space and based on that estimate its mass and then the mass inside the ‘blank’ space.
• When a sufficiently massive star dies, a black hole forms. The star’s death may happen as a violent supernova explosion or a more prosaic collapse.
•  Most supernova explosions leave behind neutron stars rather than black holes, but neutron stars can have no more than about three solar masses.
• If Gaia and Kepler’s third law together reveal a luminous star orbiting a dark object whose mass exceeds this threshold, it must be a black hole.

Gaia’s first black hole

• On June 13, 2022, Gaia scientists published the spacecraft’s third data collection comprising more than a billion stars. This dataset revealed a star going around something dark every half earth-year. Its measured velocity matched data collected by the Large Sky Area Multi-object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST)in China.
• The Magellan Clay telescope in Chile observed the star on July 6, 2022, and reported a much greater velocity. These and subsequent measurements, made by other telescopes more than three weeks later, suggested the star was racing around something no one could see.
• The dark object and the yellow star were as far apart as the sun and Mars are. But the star was orbiting the dark region three-times faster. For a given separation, Kepler’s third law says the pair’s total mass is related to the square of the orbital velocity. Because the star was moving three-times faster than Mars, the dark object must have been about nine-times as massive as the sun — which meant it could only have been a black hole.
• Astronomers called the system Gaia BH1. It’s located about 1,560 light years away and is the closest black hole to the earth yet. This distance is 1.4% of the Milky Way’s width. The black hole at the galaxy’s centre is 26,670 light years away.

A third is revealed

• A team of scientists headed by Kareem El-Badry from the California Institute of Technology observed a second black hole with a mass of nine solar masses on August 22, 2022, again by tracking a star rapidly orbiting a seemingly empty volume of space. The team announced the discovery, called Gaia BH2, in early 2023.
• BH1 and BH2 are quite similar but Gaia BH3 — the newest — is completely different.
• It’s the first black hole astronomers have found in the Milky Way galaxy’s outer reaches and the largest known stellar-mass black hole in the galaxy.
• In July 2023, astrophysicist Pasquale Panuzzo at the Paris Observatory was examining unreleased Gaia data. He was looking at what he called “binary fake solutions”: stars that seemed to be orbiting massive dark objects but only because of undetected errors. But one of the fakes turned out to be real. In fact, Panuzzo and his colleagues soon realised they had discovered the largest stellar-mass black hole to date.
• Its 33 solar masses easily surpasses Cygnus X-1, the galaxy’s prevailing heavyweight, by 12 solar masses. A yellow giant star nearby orbited the black hole every 11.6 years. On average, the star and the black hole are slightly closer together than the sun and Uranus are. The team reported the discovery in April 2024.

‘A rare occurrence’

• In the sky, Gaia BH3 is located about 2,000 light years away in the constellation Aquila and appears to be a passive black hole: it isn’t actively pulling material in from its surroundings.
• Scientists have interpreted this to mean it lacks a significant supply of matter in its neighborhood. It doesn’t have associated X-ray emissions either.
• Studies of the composition of the star orbiting it suggested that it was very old. Harvard University astrophysicist suggested in a statement that this means black holes as massive as BH3 “were made early in the universe”
• Black holes of this class were first revealed in 2015 when the LIGO and VIRGO experiments detected gravitational waves emitted by a pair of black holes merging. Each possessed 30 solar masses and were located 1-2 billion light years away from the earth.
• Panuzzo said in a statement, “We finally have an equivalent in our galaxy that we can study because it’s so nearby.”
• “Further data from ground-based telescopes confirmed that it is many times more massive than any black hole previously found in our galaxy. Such a discovery is a rare occurrence in astronomical research

CICs: A need for stronger safeguards

• The fintech and digital revolutions have transformed how Indians transact, transfer money, and access financial products and services. Aadhaar-based KYC (know your customer), centralised credit information databases, United Payments Interface and Unified Lending Interface have enabled seamless money transfers and quick credit disbursals.
• However, as the industry expands, concerns regarding data misuse and identity theft have intensified. Additionally, errors in credit history can often go unnoticed, leading to significant consequences for consumers.

RBI’s direction on credit information reporting

• On January 6, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a master direction on credit information reporting.
• The RBI observed that credit information companies (CICs) have been sharing credit information based on individual consent with entities that are not specified users, through agreements with such entities. Given the sensitivity of the information and the risk of misuse, CICs must implement appropriate mechanisms to ensure responsible data-sharing. Among other measures, the RBI has mandated that:
• CICs must establish robust due diligence and control mechanisms while sharing credit information with non-specified user entities.
• The evaluation of such entities must include comprehensive scrutiny of available data to mitigate risks.
• Currently, four CICs are registered with the RBI: CRIF High Mark; Equifax; Experian; and TransUnion CIBIL

Importance of credit information & CICs’ role

• Credit information plays a crucial role in decision-making for individual and institutional credit data and decisions. Accurate, reliable, and secure credit data is essential for risk assessment, economic planning, and financial stability. CICs aggregate data from diverse sources — including banks, non-banking financial companies, and utility providers — to create detailed credit reports that influence loan approvals, interest rates, and even employment opportunities.
• However, increased reliance on such data also necessitates stringent data privacy measures.
•  Financial reporting bureaus handle vast amounts of sensitive data, including individuals’ loan histories, repayment behaviours, and credit scores. If compromised, this data can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and reputational damage.
• While India has introduced the Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023, its enforcement mechanisms remain unclear compared to global standards like the General Data Protection Regulation.
• This regulatory gap exposes vulnerabilities in financial data handling, making CICs prime targets for cyberattacks. Data breaches not only compromise sensitive financial details but also erode public trust in the financial system.

Parliamentary concerns and regulatory action

• Concerns about the reliability and accountability of credit scores maintained by the CICs have been raised in Parliament. More than 11 crore Indians accessed their credit scores on CIBIL as of August 2024, with a 70% growth in women tracking their scores.
• The RBI has emphasised the need for CICs to safeguard data privacy and reduce the reliance on a limited number of players in the market. The central bank has previously imposed penalties on CICs for non -compliance.
• CICs have very high profit margins, and are held significantly by foreign parent companies. For example, TransUnion CIBIL had revenues of Rs 1,430 crores and a profit after tax of Rs 656 crores in FY23.
• Consequently, CICs must ensure higher accountability, transparency, and data protection in line with Indian regulations to justify their profitability and social responsibility.

Limited redress mechanisms for consumers

• A significant challenge in India’s financial data ecosystem is the lack of an efficient grievance redress mechanism for consumers facing credit report inaccuracies. Errors such as misreported defaults, outdated credit histories, and incorrect loan accounts are not uncommon.
• However, disputing and correcting such errors remains cumbersome, opaque, and time-consuming. Many individuals are unaware of their rights regarding credit data and the procedures for rectifying discrepancies.
• Though the RBI has outlined a framework for compensation to customers for delayed updation/rectification of credit information to address this issue, more can be done as suggested below:
• The RBI must strengthen its oversight of CICs to ensure strict compliance with grievance redress norms.
• Efficient, transparent, and time-bound processes for resolving disputes should be implemented to empower consumers.
• Financial literacy initiatives should educate individuals on credit data rights and how to rectify inaccuracies.
• Ensuring fair and error-free financial data is fundamental to building trust in India’s financial ecosystem, and more importantly in credit information companies that handle sensitive data.
• As digital and financial landscapes evolve, prioritising robust data protection, regulatory oversight, and consumer redressal mechanisms will be crucial in safeguarding individual rights and strengthening the economy.

India extends export ban on de-oiled rice bran till September

• De-oiled rice bran is a major ingredient in the preparation of cattle and poultry feed.
• It was first banned in July 2023 and has been extended from time to time.
• "Export of de-oiled rice bran is prohibited up to September 30, 2025," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has said in a notification.
• According to experts, a rise in the price of feed is one of the major reasons for increasing milk prices in the country and putting a ban on the exports can help increase the availability of the product in the domestic market, thereby containing rates.
• As per estimates, in cattle feed, about 25% rice bran extraction is used.
  In a separate notice, the DGFT has revised the wastage permissible and standard input output norms with regard to the export of jewellery and articles.
  It was earlier revised in November 2024.
• The wastage norms are the permissible amount of gold or silver that can be lost during the manufacturing process of jewellery for export.
  Standard input-output norms (SION) are rules that define the amount of input/inputs required to manufacture a unit of output for export purposes.
• Input-output norms are applicable for products such as electronics, engineering, chemical, and food products, including fish and marine products, handicrafts, plastic and leather products.

Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)

• Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is an attached office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Right from its inception till 1991, when liberalisation in the economic policies of the government took place, DGFT has been essentially involved in the regulation and promotion of foreign trade.
• Keeping in line with policies of liberalisation and globalisation and the overall objective of increasing exports, DGFT has been assigned the role of a “facilitator”. The transition has been from prohibition and control of imports/exports towards promotion and facilitation of exports/imports, keeping in view the interests of the country.
• This Directorate, with headquarters at New Delhi, is headed by the Director General of Foreign Trade. 
• It assists the government in formulation of Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) and is responsible for implementing the Policy and schemes under FTP with the main objective of promoting India’s exports. 
• Further, it is responsible for implementation of Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 and Rules and Regulations notified thereunder. 
• The DGFT also issues authorisations to exporters and monitors their corresponding obligations through a network of 24 regional offices.

Indian Embassy in Congo asks Indian nationals to depart immediately to safer locations

• The Embassy of India in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sunday (February 2, 2025) said it is closely monitoring the security situation in the central African country and asked all the Indian nationals in Bukavu “to immediately depart to safer locations.”
• The Embassy issued three advisories during the day and recommended that everyone prepare an emergency plan. There are about 1,000 Indian nationals in Congo. Rwanda-backed M23 rebels captured the eastern Congolese city of Goma and are looking at expanding their area of control.
• "There are reports of M23 being only around 20-25 kms away from Bukavu. Given the security situation, we once again advise all Indian nationals residing in Bukavu to immediately depart to safer locations by whatever means available while the airports, borders and commercial routes are still open. We strongly recommend against any travel to Bukavu,"
• Rwanda-backed M23 rebels captured the eastern Congolese city of Goma and are looking at expanding their area of control.
• There are reports of M23 being only around 20-25 kms away from Bukavu. 
• The Embassy of India in Kinshasa is closely monitoring the security situation in eastern Congo.

Crisis in DR Congo:

•  The crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), especially in Goma, is worsening. 
• The M23 armed group is capturing towns and villages, leading to more deaths and displacement. 
• The rebel group has taken control of most of Goma since entering the city last week in the biggest escalation of a decades-long conflict springing from the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis, and a continuing struggle for control of rich mineral resources in the region among a plethora of armed groups.
• The UN Security Council has called for immediate and coordinated international action to address the escalating situation.
• Peacekeepers with (MONUSCO) have launched the second phase of an operation called Horizon of Peace in Djugu territory, aiming to contain an escalation of violence by armed groups.
• The region is overwhelmed with displaced people, and humanitarian organisations like the World Food Programme (WFP) are highlighting the dire conditions in the camps. 
•  This crisis reflects a complex mix of local conflicts, regional factors, and the need for global intervention. The international community is urged to act swiftly to help bring peace and stability to the area.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders,) are urgently working to bolster healthcare services, but with supply chains disrupted and facilities at capacity, response efforts are severely strained.
• Additionally, health authorities warn of an increasing risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles and mpox, due to mass displacement, unsafe water sources and inadequate sanitation.
• The UN Security Council convened emergency meetings to address the escalating crisis in Goma – the regional capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• Officials highlighted the dire humanitarian situation and the need for urgent and coordinated international action to stop the fighting between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and Congolese forces, as they battle for control of the city.
• M23 rebels captured Goma, a city of two million people early this week.
• The eight countries of the East African Community held an emergency summit and called for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Congo and for Congo to negotiate with M23. Congo and Rwanda are both members of the East Africa bloc along with Kenya, Tanzania and other countries.
• Armed groups have long vied for control of eastern Congo, which is rich in minerals critical to much of the world’s technology, and has been the scene of proxy battles between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, as well as other powers.
•  Before M23 fighters closed in on Goma, more than seven lakh internally displaced people lived around the provincial capital. But hundreds of thousands fled in anticipation of clashes between the Rwanda-backed rebels and DRC troops, prompting renewed alarm about the further spread of deadly disease.
• The mass influx of IDPs, separation of families, and escape of prisoners from Goma prison have increased the vulnerability of women and children to sexual and gender-based violence.
• The M23 and Rwandan forces’ capture of Goma’s international airport and their advance from multiple directions have heightened the risk of weapons proliferation, as combatants blend into the civilian population.
• Repeated mass displacement in DRC has created ideal conditions for the spread of many endemic diseases in camps and surrounding communities.
• Beyond the health risks, there has been a surge in the number of children separated from their parents, making them vulnerable to kidnapping, recruitment by armed groups, and sexual violence.

Root cause of the conflict

• Armed groups have long vied for control of eastern Congo, which is rich in minerals critical to much of the world’s technology, and has been the scene of proxy battles between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, as well as other powers.
• The chaotic situation has its roots in ethnic conflict. M23 says it is defending ethnic Tutsis in Congo. Rwanda has claimed the Tutsis are being persecuted by Hutus and former militias responsible for the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsis and others in Rwanda. Many Hutus fled into Congo after the genocide.
• Analysts say the real fight is for control over the Congo’s vast mineral deposits, estimated to be worth $24 trillion, and critical to much of the world’s technology.
• While Rwandan leaders, mostly Tutsis, have denied backing the rebels, UN officials say some 4,000 Rwandan troops are in the Congo.

Key facts about Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC):

• Location
• Situated in Central Africa, the second-largest country in Africa by land area.
• Shares borders with nine countries: Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Angola.

Capital

• Kinshasa – the largest city and the economic & administrative center of the country.
• Geographical Features
• Congo River: The second-longest river in Africa, vital for transport, agriculture, and hydroelectric power.

 Mountains: Albertine Rift Mountains in the east, including the Virunga Mountains and Mount Nyiragongo, an active volcano.

• Lakes: Home to large lakes like Lake Kivu, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Edward.

Historical Context

• Independence from Belgium: Gained independence in 1960 but faced persistent political instability.
• First Congo War (1996-1997): Led to the overthrow of Mobutu Sese Seko.
• Second Congo War (1998-2003): One of the deadliest conflicts, involving multiple African nations and leading to millions of deaths.
• Mineral Wealth: Rich in cobalt, copper, coltan, and other minerals, leading to both economic potential and conflict over resource exploitation.

Budget 2025: Women, SC/STs entrepreneurs can now get up to Rs 2 crore loan

• In the 2025-26 Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Saturday a scheme offering Rs 2 crore for first-time women entrepreneurs, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.
• "For 500,000 first-time entrepreneurs, including women, ST and SCs, a new scheme, to be launched, to provide term loans up to Rs 2 crore during the next 5 years,".
• "The Rs 2 crore loan support scheme for women entrepreneurs from SC and ST communities is a commendable initiative aimed at bridging the funding gap faced by marginalized groups. However, to maximize its impact, the government should also consider implementing mentorship programs and skill development initiatives
• India is home to over 10.45 crore Scheduled Tribe (ST) individuals, comprising 8.6 per cent of the total population.
• The Union Budget 2025-26 has introduced a historic boost to the welfare and development of India’s tribal communities. 
• The Budget 2025 signifies a paradigm shift in tribal development, emphasizing inclusive growth through integrated interventions. 
• The government is focusing on tribal empowerment in various sectors, aiming to bring tribal communities into the mainstream of India’s development narrative, enabling them to contribute to and benefit from the country’s progress
• The World Economic Forum finds India slightly improving in gender parity ratio, though it still ranks low in the Global Gender Gap Report, with economic status widening the gap in women''s equality across different spheres. 
• According to an IFC report published in 2022, about 90% of female entrepreneurs in India had not borrowed from a formal financial institution. During the 2020 lockdown, 72% of female-led enterprises lacked financial reserves compared to 53% of male-owned businesses.
• Women in India receive credit equal to just 27% of the deposits they provide, while men receive credit equal to 52% of their deposits. This difference could be linked to financial institutions not granting credit evenly to women

Existing support options for women 

•  Mudra Yojana
• A government initiative to support micro and small enterprises, with a special focus on women entrepreneurs. Loans up to Rs 10 lakh are available with no collateral, and women receive lower interest rates.

Stand-Up India Scheme

• Provides bank loans between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore to at least one SC/ST borrower and one woman per bank branch for setting up a greenfield business. For non-individual firms, a SC/ST or woman entrepreneur must hold at least 51% ownership.
• Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)
• Offers financial assistance for new micro-enterprises and small businesses, promoting self-employment among women.
• Udyam Shakti Portal
• Launched by the Ministry of MSME, this initiative promotes social entrepreneurship by providing business planning assistance, incubation facilities, training programmes, mentorship, and market research. Projects costing up to Rs 25 lakh are eligible, with Rs 10 lakh allocated for service-based ventures.
• Economic Empowerment of Women Enterprises and Start-ups by Women
• A Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship scheme offering incubation and acceleration support for female micro-entrepreneurs. It is currently operational in Assam, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

Budget allocation for for tribal welfare:

1) Significant Budget Increase:

• • The budget allocation for tribal welfare has surged by 45.79 per cent from Rs 10,237.33 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 14,925.81 crore in 2025-26.
• • Over the years, the allocation has increased by an impressive 231.83 per cent from Rs 4,497.96 crore in 2014-15, underscoring the government’s sustained focus on tribal development.

2) Flagship Initiatives:

 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): An allocation of Rs 7,088.60 crore to nearly double last year’s funding, aimed at providing quality education to tribal students in remote regions.

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Jatiya Vikas Mission: A 150 per cent increase to Rs 380.40 crore to create income-generating opportunities for tribal communities.
• PMAAGY (Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana): A 163 per cent increase in allocation to Rs 335.97 crore to improve infrastructure in tribal villages with a focus on education, healthcare, and employment. Under PMAAGY, funds are provided to states and Union Territories with Scheduled Tribe populations to improve education, healthcare, agriculture, skill development and employment opportunities.
• Multi-Purpose Centers (MPC) under PM-JANMAN: Funding has doubled to Rs 300 crore to provide socio-economic support to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). This scheme focuses on improving the socio-economic conditions of particularly vulnerable tribal groups by ensuring access to safe housing, clean drinking water, sanitation, education, healthcare, nutrition, roads and telecom connectivity.
• Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA): It aims to saturate infrastructural gaps in 63,843 villages with a budgetary outlay of Rs 79,156 crore over five years (central share: Rs 56,333 crore, state share: Rs 22,823 crore). This initiative brings together 17 ministries through 25 targeted interventions, ensuring integrated tribal development in key areas such as health, education, livelihoods, and skill development. The funding for DAJGUA has quadrupled from Rs 500 crore to Rs 2,000 crore in 2025-26.
• The Budget emphasizes the importance of education, healthcare, livelihoods, and skill development for tribal communities, ensuring that they not only benefit from but actively contribute to India’s inclusive growth.

Strengthening alliances and building movements to end female genital mutilation

• “Female genital mutilation is a violation of human rights that inflicts deep and lifelong physical, emotional, and psychological scars on girls and women. This harmful practice affects more than 230 million girls and women today. An estimated 27 million more girls could endure this violation of their rights and dignity by 2030 if we do not take action now.
• The UN observes International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on February 6.
• This year’s theme is ‘Stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end female genital mutilation’.
• Female genital mutilation is a violation of human rights that inflicts deep and lifelong physical, emotional, and psychological scars on girls and women. 
•  The UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization reaffirmed that FGM has no health benefits, with lifelong consequences including severe infections, complications in childbirth, chronic pain and psychological trauma.
• This harmful practice affects more than 230 million girls and women today. An estimated 27 million more girls could endure this violation of their rights and dignity by 2030 if we do not take action now.

Female genital mutilation

• Female genital mutilation (FGM) is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as “the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”.
• FGM, a practice that involves altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons, is internationally recognised as a violation of fundamental human rights. 
• It is a global issue, reported in 92 countries across all continents, with over 230 million girls and women having survived it in the world.
• Girls who undergo female genital mutilation face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health.
• It is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights, the health and the integrity of girls and women.
• Many countries have seen a decline in the prevalence of female genital mutilation. 
• Progress is witnessed in countries like Kenya and Uganda, where collaborative action and community-led initiatives are proving that by strengthening alliances and building movements, we can accelerate change.

Progress and challenges

• Since the launch of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation in 2008, and in collaboration with WHO, close to seven million girls and women access prevention and protection services. 
• Additionally, 48 million people have made public declarations to abandon the practice, and 220 million individuals were reached by mass media messaging on the issue. 
• In the last two years, close to 12,000 grassroots organisations and 112,000 community and frontline workers galvanized to effect change at this critical juncture.
• Yet the fragility of progress made has also become starkly evident. 
• Of the 31 countries in which data on prevalence are collected nationally, only seven countries are on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending female genital mutilation by or before 2030. The current rate of progress must accelerate urgently to meet this target.
• In Gambia, for example, attempts to repeal the ban on female genital mutilation persist, even after an initial proposal to do so was rejected by its parliament last year. 
• Such efforts could gravely undermine the rights, health, and dignity of future generations of girls and women, jeopardizing the tireless work over decades to change attitudes and mobilise communities.

The way ahead

• Eliminating female genital mutilation is a critical step towards realising other Sustainable Development Goals, which focus on gender equality, good health and well-being, safe motherhood, quality education, inclusive societies and economic growth.
• There is a need for strengthening alliances among leaders, grassroots organisations, and across sectors spanning health, education, and social protection — as well as sustained advocacy and expanded social movements with girls and survivors at the centre. 
• • It demands greater accountability at all levels to ensure commitments to human rights are upheld and policies and strategies are implemented to protect girls at risk and provide care, including justice, for survivors. 
• • It also requires increased investment in scaling up proven interventions. We are indebted to generous donors and partners who are supporting this life-changing work and call on others to join them.

What is UNFPA?

• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA''s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person''s potential is fulfilled.
• UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.

 Explained: What Does USAID Do And Fund

• The Trump administration''s attempt to fold the USAID humanitarian agency into the State Department calls into question the future of tens of billions of dollars in financial support to some of the world''s poorest countries.
• The United States is the world''s largest provider of official development assistance, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
• Most of its support is channeled through the United States Agency for International Development, an independent government agency established by Congress in 1961.

What does USAID do?

• USAID is by far the largest humanitarian and development arm of the US government, with a workforce of approximately 10,000 people around the world and an annual budget of tens of billions of dollars.
• Congress approves USAID''s funding each year. The humanitarian agency then works with Congress and the White House to set its investment priorities, while the State Department provides it with foreign policy guidance.
• The money is paid out through grants, contracts and "cooperative agreements," according to USAID.
• In the 2023 fiscal year, USAID managed more than $40 billion in combined appropriations, a recent report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) noted.
• That was more than a third of the overall budget approved for the State Department, foreign operations and related programs.
• Nevertheless, it only represented around 0.7 percent of the US government''s $6.1 trillion in spending during that period.

What is USAID?

• The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead international humanitarian and development arm of the US government. 
• It was established in 1961 to implement the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
• It provides assistance to strategically important countries and countries in conflict.
• It leads US efforts to alleviate poverty, disease, and humanitarian need.
• The USAID assists US commercial interests by supporting developing countries’ economic growth and building countries’ capacity to participate in world trade.
•  In FY2023, USAID managed more than $40 billion in combined appropriations, representing more than one-third of the funds provided in the FY2023 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriation and international food aid provided in the agriculture appropriation. 
• USAID’s workforce totals more than 10,000, with approximately two-thirds serving overseas. The reported workforce level does not include institutional support contractors. The agency maintains more than 60 country and regional missions that design and manage a range of projects, most intended to meet specific development objectives as outlined in a Country Development Cooperation Strategy.
• Most projects are implemented through a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract — by one of thousands of foreign and US development partners, including non-profit organisations, for-profit contractors, universities, international organisations, and foreign governments.
•  In FY2023, USAID provided assistance to approximately 130 countries. 
• The top 10 recipients of USAID-managed funds in FY2023 were Ukraine, Ethiopia, Jordan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Syria. 
• Reflecting USAID’s poverty reduction mandate, 70 of the 77 World Bank-determined low and lower-middle income countries received USAID assistance in FY2023.
• USAID programmed 40 per cent of its funds in Europe and Eurasia in FY2023, the majority of which were for Ukraine. 
• From the early 1990s, health was consistently the largest USAID sector by funding, bolstered since 2004 by billions of dollars in transfers from State’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and since 2020 by emergency assistance to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In FY2022, humanitarian assistance surpassed health as the largest sector.

USAID’s contributions to India

• For decades, USAID has partnered with India to address the country’s most pressing health challenges, including maternal and child mortality, and the fight against polio, HIV, and tuberculosis.
• It has provided nearly $3 billion in total assistance to India over the last 20 years.
• USAID has helped India save millions of lives through TB interventions.
• USAID has supported India in achieving its development goals, supporting clean energy and environmental reform, combating climate challenges, improving health, encouraging inclusive economic growth, and bolstering the COVID-19 response.
• It supported the country to advance transition to a green, renewable, energy-secure economy by making clean energy cheaper and more accessible. Between 2015 and 2018, USAID helped improve access to modern, clean energy for more than 1.8 million people across nine states, reducing the amount of toxins in the air.
• With USAID support, India launched Green Bond market, allowing investors to focus their funds in activities linked to clean energy and climate resilience.

Other countries receiving  its support?

• USAID had projects in around 130 countries in 2023, the most recent year for which full data was available, according to CRS.
• The top three recipients of aid are Ukraine, Ethiopia and Jordan respectively.
• The scale of USAID''s funding for Ukraine is significant, with the war-torn European country receiving more than $16 billion in macroeconomic support, according to US government data.
• In 2023, 70 of the 77 countries the World Bank determined to be low- and lower-middle income countries received USAID assistance, the CRS report noted.
• Other top recipients of aid include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Syria.

Reusable rockets, air taxis and ‘autonomous autos’ are the future: WIPO

• Air taxis, “autonomous autos” and reusable rockets are just some of the future transport solutions that inventors all over the world are striving to make a reality, while patents for combustion engines are “flatlining”, the UN intellectual property agency (WIPO) said.
•  “Analysis of patents shows that inventors are working hard to ensure that how we get around tomorrow is cleaner and better than today,” maintained WIPO, which said that patent filings for future transportation solutions have grown by 700 per cent over the last two decades, from 15,000 inventions in 2003 to 120,000 in 2023.
• “Autonomous ships and smart ports are revolutionizing transportation at sea; electric vehicles, high-speed trains and smart traffic management systems are driving change on land,” WIPO insisted.
• “Vertical take-off and landing aircraft are offering new ways to travel by air, while reusable rockets and satellite technology are pushing what is possible beyond the earth’s atmosphere.”
• Driving this trend is the recognition that transportation accounts for more than one-third of CO2 emissions globally, which has encouraged the development of sustainable technologies that reduce the environmental impact of transportation.These include the adoption of electrified propulsion, the shift to renewable energy sources and the promotion of public and shared transport options.
• Digitalization is also revolutionizing the transportation sector, WIPO insists, pointing to the rise of autonomous driving, “which is projected to generate from $300 billion to $400 billion in revenue by 2035”.
• According to the Geneva-based UN agency, intellectual property supports this kind of groundbreaking innovation – such as wireless charging for electric vehicles - by encouraging investment in research and development.
• Competition is fierce as firms jostle for access to rare earth minerals, while AI is also taking centre stage, WIPO says.
• “The report also shows flatlining growth in patenting activity for legacy products like the internal combustion engine and other fossil fuel-based systems” such as catalytic converters, the UN agency noted.
• Its data indicated that more than 1.1 million inventions have reshaped transportation since 2000, introducing the prospect of sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-based systems such as renewable energy cells, air taxis and self-piloting cargo ships.
• In the driver’s seat of this travel transformation are China, Japan, the US, South Korea and Germany, which represent the world’s top inventors. Land transportation patents dominate global filings, at 3.5 times more than for air, sea and space combined. The US, meanwhile, has filed the most international patents.
• The largest area of growth in patenting is related to sustainable propulsion – such as batteries for electric vehicles or hydrogen fuel cells – which represent efforts to ensure that people and goods are moved around in a “cleaner, more climate-friendly fashion”.
• Experts with an eye on imaginative transport solutions for the future say that AI is also poised to play a key role. They point to the rise of autonomous driving, although infrastructure has not adapted swiftly enough for such vehicles to take over, the WIPO report notes.

Drone dilemma

• The scarcity of minerals, meanwhile, will determine whether the world can massively adopt electric cars – vehicles.
• “Having these rare and limited raw earth minerals in an electric vehicle for personal use that’s been utilized only a few per cent of the day is not an effective use of those tools,” .
• In the air sector, drones will continue their sky-high ascension.
• According to WIPO, transport patent growth in China has been strong given its recent dominance of the electric vehicle market. But other countries have also contributed with strong patent filings activity including Sweden, Italy, India and Canada.