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1. Scientists have mapped the entire brain of an adult fruit fly, revealing over 50 million neural connections among more than 139,000 neurons. This breakthrough aims to enhance understanding of brain wiring and the signals that support healthy brain functions. The research expands on previous studies of simpler organisms, creating a detailed connectome for the fruit fly, a common model in neurobiology. Fruit flies exhibit behaviors such as learning, memory, and social interaction, making them relevant for studying human brain functions. Part of the Drosophilidae family, these flies have been vital in biological research for over a century, with a fully sequenced genome that provides extensive insights into their biochemistry, physiology, and behavior.
2. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the Emissions Gap Report 2024 ahead of COP 29, highlighting critical climate challenges. If current policies persist, global temperatures could rise by 3.1°C, with full implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) leading to a 2.6°C increase. To limit warming to 1.5°C, emissions must peak before 2025 and decline by 43% by 2030. Global greenhouse gas emissions reached a record 57.1 gigatons in 2023, with India’s emissions growing by 6.1%. G20 countries contributed 77% of global emissions, with six major emitters responsible for 63%. India's per capita emissions were 2.9 tCO₂e, significantly lower than those of China and the US. Achieving net-zero by 2050 requires annual investments of $900 billion to $2.1 trillion. Strategies like scaling solar and wind energy and forest conservation could provide substantial emissions reductions.
3. On the occasion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Raising Day, the Prime Minister extended greetings to ITBP personnel and their families. Established on October 24, 1962, during the India-China War, the ITBP is a Central Armed Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, specializing in high-altitude operations. Following the "One Border One Force" policy in 2004, the ITBP was assigned to guard the entire 3,488 km India-China border, taking over duties from the Assam Rifles in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The ITBP's motto is “Shaurya-Dridhata-Karma Nishtha.” Currently, its operations span Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. In addition to border security, the ITBP serves as 'First Responders' for disaster relief and rescue operations in the Himalayan region.
4. The Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) is set to discuss State Contingent Debt Instruments (SCDIs) to address challenges in debt restructuring. SCDIs are innovative financial tools that accelerate debt restructuring by linking bond payouts to specific economic or fiscal targets, such as GDP growth. For example, Ukraine has issued GDP-linked bonds that adjust based on its economic performance. Unlike traditional bonds, SCDIs do not have a fixed interest rate; their payout structure varies with economic growth, natural resource revenues, or tax receipts. This flexibility makes SCDIs effective "deal accelerators," particularly in situations where there are significant disagreements regarding a country's economic outlook. Established in 2023 and co-chaired by the IMF, World Bank, and G20 Presidency (currently Brazil), the GSDR includes official bilateral creditors, private creditors, and borrowing countries, aiming to support nations facing financial difficulties, particularly through collaboration among members of the Paris Club.
5. India and Pakistan have extended the Kartarpur Corridor agreement until 2029, facilitating visa-free access for Indian pilgrims to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan for an additional five years. This corridor links the Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in Narowal district, Pakistan, with the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district, India, situated about 1 km from the Indo-Pakistan border along the Ravi River. It was inaugurated to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on November 12, 2019. The founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh gurus, Guru Nanak Dev was born in 1469 in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. He promoted the 'Nirguna' form of bhakti, rejecting rituals, sacrifices, and the scriptures of both Hinduism and Islam.