Justice Vinod Chandran takes oath as SC judge

• Justice K. Vinod Chandran will sworn in as a judge of the Supreme Court on Thursday, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna administering the oath of office. Earlier this week, the Centre cleared Justice Chandran’s appointment to the apex court based on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.
• The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended Justice Chandran’s elevation, noting that the Bench of the Supreme Court currently lacks representation from the High Court of Kerala.
• Justice Chandran was appointed as a judge of the Kerala High Court in November 2011 and elevated to the position of Chief Justice of the Patna High Court on March 29, 2023.
• “He has served as a judge of the High Court for more than 11 years and as the Chief Justice of a major High Court for more than a year. During his tenure, Justice Chandran has gained significant experience across diverse fields of law,” the SC Collegium noted in its statement
• With the swearing-in of Justice Chandran, the working strength of the Supreme Court  rise to 33 against the sanctioned 34 judges, including the Chief Justice.
• On January 13, the Centre had cleared the proposal of the Supreme Court collegium recommending Justice Chandran as judge of the Supreme Court.
• The five-judge collegium led by Chief Justice Khanna, in a meeting held on January 7, recommended the name of Justice Chandran. Justice Chandran, 61, began his legal career after earning his law degree from Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram and started practising law in 1991.
• He was elevated as an additional judge of the Kerala High Court in November 2011 and became a permanent judge in June 2013. In March 2023, he was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.

What is the collegium system?

• The collegium system is a forum including the Chief Justice of India and four senior-most judges of the SC, which recommends appointments and transfers of judges. 
• Judges of the higher judiciary are appointed only through the collegium system, and the government has a role only after names have been decided by the collegium.

Appointment of SC judges

•  The CJI and judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution.
• Whenever a vacancy is expected to arise in the office of a judge of the Supreme Court, the CJI will initiate a proposal and forward his recommendation to the law minister to fill up the vacancy.
• The opinion of the CJI for appointment of a judge of the Supreme Court should be formed in consultation with a collegium of the four senior-most judges of the apex court.
• The opinion of members of the collegium in respect of each of the recommendations as well as the senior-most judge in the Supreme Court from the High Court from which a prospective candidate comes, would be made in writing. The CJI must transmit his opinion as also the opinion of all concerned to the government of India as part of record.
• After receipt of the final recommendation of the CJI, the law minister will put up the recommendations to the Prime Minister, who will advise the President in the matter of appointment.

Future Minerals Forum opens in Riyadh

• The Future Minerals Forum (FMF) is the world''s premier platform for minerals. FMF stands at the forefront of global industry connections, bringing together governments, international organizations, and stakeholders to collectively shape the future of minerals.
• The Future Minerals Forum (FMF) 2025 commenced today in Riyadh, bringing together representatives from the mining industry from over 85 countries to address critical challenges in the mineral sector.
• Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, joined ministers and officials from more than 50 nations at the prestigious event being held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.
• The three-day forum, organized under the patronage of King Salman by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, opened with the Ministerial Roundtable. This government-led initiative aims to boost investment in mineral supply and enhance capacity across Africa, Western and Central Asia.
• Union Minister Kishan Reddy participated in the roundtable discussions focused on “Towards a Grand Agreement,” emphasizing the development of strategic frameworks for critical minerals, value-added processing in mineral-producing countries, and the implementation of green technologies.
• The talks highlighted the growing importance of sustainable and transparent supply chains in the mining sector. Key discussions centered on strengthening mineral supply chains and advancing the energy transition.
• The conference highlighted the collective commitment to fostering economic growth while ensuring environmental sustainability and social equity for the greater good of humanity.
• The forum comes at a crucial time for Indo-Saudi relations, with bilateral trade reaching USD 43 billion in 2023-24. While this marks a decrease from the previous year’s USD 53 billion, the relationship remains robust with Saudi Arabia maintaining its position as India’s fourth-largest trading partner. The Kingdom hosts over 2,700 Indian companies, representing approximately USD 2 billion in investments through joint ventures and wholly-owned entities.
• The FMF 2025, scheduled from January 14-16, brings together key stakeholders including government representatives, international organizations, business federations, and investors, underlining the global mining industry’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship while promoting economic growth.
• This comprehensive gathering represents a significant step forward in international mineral co-operation, with particular emphasis on developing sustainable practices and strengthening global supply chains.
•  The forum continues to serve as a vital platform for dialogue between mineral-producing and consuming nations, fostering partnerships crucial for the future of the global mining industry.

India joins UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics

• In a significant milestone, India has joined the prestigious UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN-CEBD), created to further investigate the benefits and challenges of Big Data, including the potential for monitoring and reporting on sustainable development goals.
• “The inclusion in this expert committee comes at a pivotal time, as India recently assumed membership of the United Nations Statistical Council after a significant gap,” according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Statistics on Saturday.
• India’s inclusion in the Committee of Experts represents a significant leap forward for the country’s statistical ecosystem.
• As part of the committee, India will contribute to shaping global standards and practices in harnessing big data and data science for official statistical purposes.
• This milestone underscores India’s growing stature in the global statistical community and highlights its commitment to leveraging data and technology for informed decision-making, the statement added.
• India’s active engagement in the Committee of Experts will highlight its pioneering initiatives, including the establishment of the Data Innovation Lab and the exploration of alternate data sources such as satellite imagery and machine learning for policy making. The opportunity to contribute at this global forum positions India as a major player in this area.
• Membership in the Committee of Experts is a strategic opportunity for India to align its domestic advancements in big data and data science with international goals, showcasing the country’s capability to lead transformative initiatives in the data domain.
• Big data and advanced data science techniques have the potential to revolutionise the production and dissemination of official statistics.
• By integrating non-traditional data sources such as IoT, satellite imagery, and private sector data streams, India aims to modernise its statistical processes, enhance the accuracy of estimates, and enable the timely availability of critical data for policy formulation and governance, the statement said.
• This engagement will also complement India’s ongoing efforts to drive innovation in data collection, processing, and analysis to reduce the time lag in data availability. It will also provide policymakers with real-time insights for evidence-based decisions, addressing key socio-economic challenges.
• Besides, the participation will foster international collaboration as it will enable India to share its expertise while learning from global best practices to create robust, future-ready statistical frameworks, the statement observed.
• India has joined the UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN-CEBD). 
•  The UN-CEBD was created to further investigate the benefits and challenges of Big Data, including the potential for monitoring and reporting on sustainable development goals.

What is Big Data?

• The volume of data in the world is increasing exponentially. In 2020, 64.2 zettabytes of data were created, that is a 314 per cent increase from 2015. 
• A large share of this output is passively collected data deriving from everyday interactions with digital products or services, including mobile phones, credit cards, and social media. 
• Data is growing because it is increasingly being gathered by inexpensive and numerous information‐sensing mobile devices and because the world’s capacity for storing information has roughly doubled every 40 months since the 1980s.
•  Big Data is a term used to describe data sources that are fast-changing, large in both size and breadth of information, and come from sources other than surveys. Examples include retail and payroll transactions, satellite images, and “smart” devices.
• Big Data also includes administrative data from national, state, and local governments, as well as third party providers. Typically, Big Data is “found” or “observed”, in that it is collected passively as the digital exhausts of personal and commercial activities.
• Its scale, diversity, and complexity require new architecture, techniques, algorithms, and analytics to manage it and extract value and hidden knowledge from it.
• In other words, Big Data is characterised by volume, variety (structured and unstructured data), velocity (high rate of changing) and veracity (uncertainty and incompleteness).
• The statistical community has the obligation of exploring the use of new data sources, such as Big Data, to meet the expectation of the society for enhanced products and improved and more efficient ways of working. 
• Data is the lifeblood of decision-making and the raw material for accountability. Today, in the private sector, analysis of Big Data is commonplace, with consumer profiling, personalised services, and predictive analysis being used for marketing, advertising and management. 
• Similar techniques could be adopted to gain real-time insights into people’s wellbeing and to target aid interventions to vulnerable groups. 
• New sources of data, such as satellite data, and new analytical approaches, if applied responsibly, can enable more agile, efficient and evidence-based decision-making and can better measure progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a way that is both inclusive and fair.
• • Big Data is considered as a possible means to support the monitoring of the 2030 Agenda, as it could improve timeliness and relevance of indicators without compromising their impartiality and methodological soundness.

What is UN-CEBD?

• The UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN-CEBD) was created in 2014. 

The mandate of UNCEBD is to: 

• i) Provide a strategic vision, direction and coordination for a global programme on Big Data for official statistics. 
• ii) Promote practical use of Big Data sources, while finding solutions for many challenges (methodological, legal, security.
• iii) Promote capacity-building.
• iv) Advocate the use of Big Data for policy applications.
• v) Build public trust in the use of Big Data for official statistics.

Organisational structure

• Australia was the first Chair of UN-CEBD.
• In 2016, Denmark took over the chairmanship. 
• The UN-CEBD consists of 31 member states and 16 international organisations. A plenary meeting of the full membership will be organised once a year, usually in conjunction with the annual Conference on Big Data for official statistics. With the development of the UN Global Platform at the end of 2017, the UN-CEBD created an additional Chair. At that point, Denmark was leading as co-Chair the task teams and the UK as co-Chair leading the development of the UN Global Platform. 
•  Aside from changes in leadership, the management bodies evolved as well. When the regional hubs were created in 2019 a management board was needed to oversee the UN global platform and the regional hubs. 
• This led to installing the Advisory Board for the global platform chaired by the UK. 
• Having the UN-CEBD Bureau and the Advisory Board as two management bodies of the UN-CEBD led to some confusion about where decisions were taken. 
• Therefore, further changes were made, which have been described in the UN-CEBD report to the Statistical Commission in 2020. 
• The membership of the Advisory Board was expanded, and this board was given the role to provide more strategic direction, whereas the UN-CEBD Bureau was reduced in size and was taking charge of more day-to-day operational issues.
• Overall, the UN-CEBD is now led by one Chair (South Africa) and two vice-Chairs (Denmark and UK). 
• Denmark is coordinating the work of the Task Teams; and the UK is overseeing the developments of the UN Global Platform and the Regional Hubs. 
• The Chair will represent the UN-CEBD in any official function, such as the Statistical Commission, will lead the UN-CEBD plenary meeting and will lead the Advisory Board. The vice-Chairs take turns leading the UN-CEBD Bureau meetings.

Significance of India’s membership in UN-CEBD

• As part of the committee, India will contribute to shaping global standards and practices in harnessing Big Data and data science for official statistical purposes.
• India’s active engagement in the Committee of Experts will highlight its pioneering initiatives, including the establishment of the Data Innovation Lab and exploration of alternate data sources such as satellite imagery and machine learning for policy making.
• This membership is a strategic opportunity for India to align its domestic advancements in Big Data and data science with international goals, showcasing the country’s capability to lead transformative initiatives in the data domain.
• Big Data and advanced data science techniques have the potential to revolutionise the production and dissemination of official statistics.
• By integrating non-traditional data sources such as Internet of Things, satellite imagery, and private sector data streams, India aims to modernise its statistical processes, enhance the accuracy of estimates, and enable the timely availability of critical data for policy formulation and governance.
• This engagement will also complement India’s ongoing efforts to streamline statistical production and drive innovation in data collection, processing, and analysis to reduce the time lag in data availability.
• It will also improve decision-making and provide policymakers with real-time insights for evidence-based decisions, addressing key socio-economic challenges.

 Deadly California wildfires

• Investigators are considering an array of possible ignition sources for the huge fires that have killed at least 11 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in the Los Angeles area in the United States.
• The California state is no stranger to wildfires, though this event is extraordinary in that it is impacting one of the largest cities in the United States.
•  The fires started on January 7 and spread rapidly. At least 11 people were reported dead and more than 10,000 structures were destroyed. More than 175,000 people were under evacuation orders. 
• Last year’s rainy season for the Los Angeles area was above normal, and this allowed vegetation to grow large and strong. This was followed by a very dry spell from the end of the rainy season up until the present time, which meant that the relatively large vegetation got tinder-dry, which provided abundant fuel for fires to consume.
• Together with the strong Santa Ana winds, which are typical for California, this provided the elements for the perfect storm. 
• The Santa Ana winds are high winds from the mountains that cause temperatures to rise and cause very low humidity, drying out the ground and vegetation.
•  The Santa Ana winds occur when there is high pressure to the east, in the Great Basin, and a low-pressure system off the coast.
• Air masses move from high pressure to low pressure, and the more extreme the difference in the pressure, the faster the winds blow.The fires were so fierce that the smoke could be seen by satellites from space. The fires had a major impact on air quality and public health. 
• Climate change, including increased heat, extended drought, and a thirsty atmosphere, has been a key driver in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in the western United States during the last two decades. 

What is wildfire?

•  A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland or prairie. Wildfires are often caused by human activity or a natural phenomenon such as lightning. They often begin unnoticed. They spread quickly and can damage natural resources and destroy homes. It impacts wildlife and biodiversity. 
• The risk of wildfires increases in extremely dry conditions, such as drought, and during high winds. Wildfires can disrupt transportation, communications, power and gas services and water supply. They also lead to a deterioration of the air quality.
• Wildfires or forest fires can have a significant impact on mortality and morbidity depending on the size, speed and proximity to the fire, and whether the population has advanced warning to evacuate.
• The size and frequency of wildfires are growing due to climate change. Hotter and drier conditions are drying out ecosystems and increasing the risk of wildfires.
• It also simultaneously impacts weather and the climate by releasing large quantities of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter into the atmosphere. Resulting air pollution can cause a range of health issues, including respiratory and cardiovascular problems. 
•  Wildfire smoke is a mixture of air pollutants of which particulate matter is the principal public health threat. Infants, young children, women who are pregnant, and older adults are more susceptible to health impacts from smoke and ash, which are important air pollutants. Smoke and ash from wildfires can greatly impact those with pre-existing respiratory diseases or heart disease.
• Forest fires have been an integral part of forest ecosystems, playing a pivotal role in shaping their conservation and management. Despite their benefits in terms of facilitating regeneration and clearing forest floors, the losses associated with fires far outweigh these benefits. 
•  Managed forest fires are utilised as crucial tools for resource management, improving ecological conditions, and reducing excessive fuel accumulation. 
• Forest fires, however, significantly contribute to forest degradation and incur immeasurable losses in terms of floral and faunal biodiversity thus causing environmental decline. 
• Majority of fires, intentional or accidental, are caused by human activities. Whether managed or unmanaged, fires within an ecosystem can result in alterations to the habitat and species composition. 
•  California, particularly Los Angeles, is currently experiencing devastating wildfires, notably the Palisades and Eaton fires. These fires have destroyed tens of thousands of acres and thousands of buildings. Normally, California''s wildfire season occurs during summer, from June to October, but this year''s fires broke out in January, during the coldest winter months.

When is California’s Wildfire Season?

• Wildfires in California usually occur between June and October.
• Due to recurring droughts, California now faces a much longer fire season, with more fire-prone days. In fact, the state now experiences 78 more "fire days" than it did 50 years ago, making wildfires a year-round issue.
• Common causes of wildfires include arson and sparks from power lines.

What Caused These Wildfires?

• The exact cause of the current wildfires has not been determined. Investigators are looking into various potential ignition sources.
• Common Causes: Lightning is the most frequent cause of wildfires in the U.S., but it has been ruled out in this case since there were no lightning strikes in the affected areas.
• Possible Causes: The two likely causes are either intentional fires (arson) or sparks from utility power lines.
• Drought Conditions: Southern California, where the fires are happening, has been experiencing severe drought for months. While 9% of California was drought-free as of December 2024, the rest of the state has been dry, creating the perfect conditions for wildfires.
• Climate Change: Climate change has worsened the frequency and intensity of wildfires, contributing to longer seasons and larger areas being burned.
• Wind and Dry Conditions: The Santa Ana winds, which are dry, hot winds common in the region, have made the situation worse. These winds, which can gust up to 100 mph, dry out vegetation, making it highly flammable. In this dry environment, even a small spark—like from a cigarette, vehicle, or power line—can ignite a fire.
• These winds blow when high pressure builds over the Great Basin — the area between the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada — and pressure is low over California’s coast. The difference in pressure triggers powerful winds that move from the Basin’s inland deserts east and north of Southern California towards the Pacific Ocean.
• As the wind comes down the mountains, it compresses and heats up, and its humidity falls — sometimes to less than 10%. The hot, dry wind dries out forests, and fuels wildfires.
• Santa Ana winds are a natural part of California’s climate pattern, and usually blow from October to January.
• Embers, or firebrands: These winds don''t just fan the flames and push the fires through the natural world. They also carry embers. These embers, or firebrands, are the leading cause of structure loss in wildfires.
• Hills and canyons: The area''s hilly landscape also raises the risk posed by wildfire. 
• Flammable Materials: Los Angeles also has many flammable materials like dry vegetation, low-hanging power lines, and wooden telephone poles that further increase fire risks.
• Previous Incidents: Santa Ana winds were responsible for other significant wildfires, including the 2018 Woolsey fire, which caused three deaths and destroyed 1,600 structures.

Study shows tumour DNA in blood may help predict lung cancer outcomes

• A team of British scientists has found that a blood test to detect circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) may help predict lung cancer outcomes.
• Circulating tumour DNA, which consists of fragments of DNA released into the blood by tumours, is known to play an important role in disease prognosis but is challenging to measure accurately.
• In a study, researchers from the Francis Crick Institute and University College London used a whole-genome sequencing platform called NeXT Personal, which can detect very small amounts—1 part per million—of ctDNA.
• The researchers analyzed blood plasma samples from 171 individuals with early-stage lung cancer using the platform.
• The findings, published on Monday in Nature Medicine, revealed that individuals with a low level of ctDNA before surgery were less likely to experience a relapse and had better overall survival rates compared to those with high levels of ctDNA.
• The high sensitivity of the test enabled the detection of smaller amounts of ctDNA, preventing misclassification of patients with low levels of ctDNA as ctDNA-negative.
• “We’ve shown that the presence or absence of tumour DNA in the blood was strongly predictive of prognosis. ctDNA testing, especially using ultrasensitive platforms, could help clinicians make more informed decisions about treatment and provide patients with a clearer understanding of how their disease might progress.
• Currently, treatment for early-stage lung cancer involves surgical removal of the tumour, often combined with chemotherapy or immunotherapy, depending on the stage of the disease. These approaches aim to maximize the chances of a cure.
• The team noted that the test will next be evaluated on samples from patients who have undergone surgery for the earliest stages of lung cancer. This assessment will help determine whether the presence of post-operative ctDNA in blood can predict the risk of future relapse.
• If successful, the approach could enable doctors to offer additional therapy after surgery, improving patients’ chances of being cured, the scientists added.

Surge in arrival of migratory birds in TN’s Pallikaranai after removal of encroachments

• Following the removal of encroachments, the Pallikaranai marshland in Tamil Nadu’s Mettukuppam has witnessed the arrival of more than 10,000 birds from 100 different species, including 70 migratory ones.
• According to Gopikannan, an avid bird watcher with years of experience, several rare migratory birds have been spotted in the marshland this season. These include the Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, Ruff, and Western Marsh Harrier.
• He attributed their presence to the marshland’s abundant food supply and favourable conditions.
• “The availability of food and a rich habitat makes Pallikaranai the preferred site for migratory birds during the season,” he said.
• Tamil Nadu forest department officials confirmed that 52 encroachments were removed under the supervision of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), and the affected families were relocated to designated areas.
• This intervention allowed the marshland to reclaim its natural state, creating a haven for both migratory and local bird species.
• Officials reported that over 10,000 birds were observed in the Pallikaranai wetland this season. Continuous monitoring efforts by bird watchers and the forest department have significantly enriched their understanding of the ecosystem.
• Heavy rainfall during the monsoon season brought ample water into the marshland, fostering a thriving habitat. As water levels gradually receded, a variety of waders joined the migratory species, further enhancing the marshland’s biodiversity.
• The Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu has also reported a notable increase in migratory bird arrivals this season compared to previous years. Located in the Kollukudipatti and Vettangudipatti villages along the Madurai-Karaikudi Highway, the sanctuary spans 36 hectares.
• Officials revealed that approximately 3,500 to 4,000 migratory birds visited the sanctuary in 2024, a remarkable rise from just 800 recorded in 2023. This surge is attributed to improved conservation measures and favourable weather conditions.
• The Tamil Nadu forest department noted that around 20 species of birds visit the Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary annually, including the Egret, Indian Spot-Billed Duck, Darter, Asian Openbill Stork, and Black-Headed Ibis.
• A senior forest department official explained that many of these birds travel thousands of kilometres from regions such as Australia, Europe, and Southeast Asia to roost and breed in the sanctuary

US removes three Indian nuclear entities from export control list

• The United States has removed three Indian nuclear entities—the Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Center, the Bhabha Atomic Research Center, and Indian Rare Earths—from its export control list, which restricts the export of certain goods from US companies.
• The US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said on Wednesday that the removals aim to “support US foreign policy objectives by reducing barriers to advanced energy cooperation, including joint research and development as well as science and technology collaboration, to address shared energy security needs and goals.”
• “The United States and India share a commitment to advancing peaceful nuclear cooperation and associated research and development activities, with strengthened science and technology cooperation over the past several years benefiting both countries and their global partners.”, the BIS added.
• Matthew Borman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, emphasized that the removal of these three Indian entities would enable closer cooperation between the United States and India in securing resilient critical mineral and clean energy supply chains.
•  He noted that this action aligns with and supports the broader ambition and strategic direction of the US-India partnership.
• The US had initially added these and other Indian organizations to the Entity List following the May 1998 nuclear tests. In 2015, during President Barack Obama’s administration, nine Indian organizations were removed from the list.
• On Wednesday, the BIS also announced the addition of 11 Chinese organizations to the Entity List.
• Ten of these entities were cited for advancing the People’s Republic of China’s military modernization through artificial intelligence research and integration, while one was added for its involvement in developing lithography technology for advanced-node fabrication facilities.
• This technology supports China’s indigenous production of advanced integrated circuits for military application..

Global Economic Conditions to Weaken in 2025, India''s Strong Growth Continues: WEF

• A majority of chief economists worldwide expect weaker global economic conditions in 2025 but India is likely to maintain a strong growth despite signs of some momentum being lost, a new report said on Thursday.
• In its latest Chief Economists Outlook, the World Economic Forum said the global economy is set to face significant challenges in 2025, with 56 per cent of chief economists surveyed expecting conditions to weaken.
• Only 17 per cent foresee an improvement, pointing to heightened uncertainty in key regions and the need for measured policy responses worldwide, it found.
• A majority of chief economists worldwide expect weaker global economic conditions in 2025 but India is likely to maintain a strong growth despite signs of some momentum being lost, a new report said on Thursday.
• In its latest Chief Economists Outlook, the World Economic Forum said the global economy is set to face significant challenges in 2025, with 56 per cent of chief economists surveyed expecting conditions to weaken.
• Only 17 per cent foresee an improvement, pointing to heightened uncertainty in key regions and the need for measured policy responses worldwide, it found.
• The outlook for Europe remains gloomy, with 74 per cent of respondents predicting weak or very weak growth this year.
• The outlook for China also remains weak, and growth is projected to slow gradually in the years ahead, the WEF said in the report prepared on the basis of consultations and surveys with leading chief economists from both the public and private sectors across the globe.
• The report further said South Asia continues to stand out, with 61 per cent of chief economists expecting strong or very strong growth in 2025.
• "This regional performance has been driven largely by robust growth in India, which remains the world''s fastest-growing major economy. However, there are now signs of some momentum being lost," it said.
• The latest national accounts data for India point to year-on-year GDP (gross domestic product) growth of 5.4 per cent in the third quarter of 2024, the slowest rate in nearly two years, prompting a downward revision to the central bank''s annual growth forecast in December.
• China''s economic momentum is projected to slow amid subdued consumer demand and weaker productivity, further illustrating the uneven and uncertain nature of any global recovery.
• On trade outlook, nearly half or 48 per cent of chief economists anticipated an increase in global trade volumes in 2025, underscoring the resilience of global commerce.
• However, a large majority expected intensifying trade tensions, both between major powers and more widely.
• Protectionism was identified as the primary factor that will drive lasting changes to global trade patterns, with other prominent contributors including conflict, sanctions and national security concerns.
• Some 82 per cent of respondents predicted greater regionalisation of trade over the next three years, alongside a continuing gradual shift from goods to services.

2024 was the first year above 1.5C of global warming, scientists say

• The world just experienced the first full year in which global temperatures exceeded 1.5C above pre-industrial times, scientists said on Friday.
• The milestone was confirmed by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which said climate change is pushing the planet’s temperature to levels never before experienced by modern humans.
• “The trajectory is just incredible, describing how every month in 2024 was the warmest or second-warmest for that month since records began.
• The planet’s average temperature in 2024 was 1.6 degrees Celsius higher than in 1850-1900, the “pre-industrial period” before humans began burning CO2-emitting fossil fuels on a large scale, C3S said.
• Last year was the world’s hottest since records began, and each of the past ten years was among the ten warmest on record.
• Britain’s Met Office confirmed 2024’s likely breach of 1.5C, while estimating a slightly lower average temperature of 1.53C for the year. U.S. scientists will also publish their 2024 climate data on Friday.
• Governments promised under the 2015 Paris Agreement to try to prevent average temperatures exceeding 1.5C, to avoid more severe and costly climate disasters.
• The first year above 1.5C does not breach that target, which measures the longer-term average temperature.
• Rising greenhouse gas emissionsmeant the world was on track to soon also blow past the Paris goal – but that it was not too late for countries to rapidly cut emissions to avoid warming rising further to disastrous levels.
• The impacts of climate change are now visible on every continent, affecting people from the richest to the poorest countries on earth.
• Wildfires raging in California this week have killed at least five people and destroyed hundreds of homes.
•  In 2024, Bolivia and Venezuela also suffered disastrous fires, while torrential floods hit Nepal, Sudan and Spain, and heatwaves in Mexico and Saudi Arabia killed thousands.
• Climate change is worsening storms and torrential rainfall, because a hotter atmosphere can hold more water, leading to intense downpours. The amount of water vapour in the planet’s atmosphere reached a record high in 2024.
• But even as the costs of these disasters spiral, political will to invest in curbing emissions has waned in some countries.
• The U.S. experienced 24 climate and weather disasters in 2024 in which the cost of damages exceeded $1 billion, including Hurricanes Milton and Helene, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Chukwumerije Okereke, a professor of global climate governance at Britain’s University of Bristol, said the 1.5C milestone should serve as “a rude awakening to key political actors to get their act together”.
• “Despite all the warnings that scientists have given, nations… are continuing to fail to live up to their responsibilities,”.
• Concentrations in the atmosphere of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, reached a fresh high of 422 parts per million in 2024.
• Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at U.S. non-profit Berkeley Earth, said he expected 2025 to be among the hottest years on record, but likely not top the rankings.
• That’s because while the biggest factor warming the climate is human-caused emissions, temperatures in early 2024 got an extra boost from El Nino, a warming weather pattern which is now trending towards its cooler La Nina counterpart.

Rat Hole Mining: The unsafe practice Continues

• The recent incident in Dima Hasao district of Assam, where several workers were trapped due to flooding in a rat-hole mine, highlights the ongoing dangers of this unregulated mining practice.
• Rat-hole mining, of two types, is so named as it involves digging tunnels 3-4 feet deep, barely allowing workers to crawl in and out. They have to squat while extracting coal with pickaxes.
•  The side-cutting type of mining is usually done on hill slopes by following a coal seam — dark brown or black-banded coal deposited within layers of rock— visible from the outside. The second type called box-cutting entails digging a circular or squarish pit at least 5 sq. metre in width up to a depth of 400 feet.
• Miners who drop down in makeshift cranes or using rope-and-bamboo ladders dig horizontally after finding the coal seam. The tunnels are dug in every direction from the edge of the pit, resembling the tentacles of an octopus.
• Rat-hole mining is a method of coal extraction commonly used in the narrow, horizontal coal seams of Northeast India, particularly in Meghalaya.
• It involves digging narrow pits or tunnels, referred to as "rat holes," that are just large enough for one person to enter. Workers descend into these pits using ropes or bamboo ladders to extract coal manually with basic tools like pickaxes and shovels.
• There are two main types of rat-hole mining:
• Side-Cutting: Narrow tunnels are dug on hill slopes until a coal seam is found, typically less than 2 meters thick.
• Box-Cutting: A rectangular opening is created, and a vertical pit is dug up to 400 feet deep, with horizontal tunnels cut for coal extraction.
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned rat-hole mining in 2014 due to its severe environmental and safety risks. The ban was upheld in 2015 after reports of fatal accidents, particularly during the rainy season when mines were prone to flooding.
• Despite the ban, illegal rat-hole mining persists, especially in areas like Meghalaya, due to a lack of viable alternative livelihoods for the local communities.

Safety and Environmental Concerns:

• Safety Hazards: The mining process is dangerous due to the lack of proper ventilation, structural support, and safety measures. There have been numerous accidents and fatalities, especially when tunnels collapse or are flooded.
• Environmental Impact: Rat-hole mining leads to land degradation, deforestation, and water pollution, as the process disturbs large areas of the landscape without proper waste managem