Today's Brief 5-7/07/2025

1 .BRICS Summit:

General Studies Paper-II (250 Marks) – Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations

The 17th BRICS Summit is currently underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6-7, 2025. 

This marks a significant milestone as it's the first summit where Indonesia participates as a full member. 

The summit's central theme, "Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,"

 underscores BRICS's commitment to fostering greater collaboration among developing nations and advocating for reforms in the global governance landscape.

2 .The Phenome India "National Biobank" at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB)

(General Studies-III (250 marks)Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management)

 in New Delhi is a cutting-edge facility recently inaugurated

 This biobank marks a significant step towards building India's own comprehensive longitudinal health database, ultimately enabling personalized treatment regimens in the future.

Inspired by models like the UK Biobank, the Indian version is specifically tailored to capture the country's immense diversity across geography, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds.

 It will serve as the foundation for a nationwide cohort study, collecting extensive genomic, lifestyle, and clinical data from 10,000 individuals across India.

The primary goal of the National Biobank is to aid in the early diagnosis, improve therapeutic targeting, and bolster the fight against complex diseases prevalent in India, such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular ailments, and rare genetic disorders.

By tracking the health trajectories of individuals over several years, the "Phenome India Project," under which the biobank has been launched, will help scientists uncover disease patterns, gene-environment interactions, and responses to therapies within the specific Indian context.

This initiative is expected to generate high-resolution data that can power AI-driven diagnostics and gene-guided therapies, significantly contributing to India's self-reliance in healthcare data and advancing precision medicine.

3 .The pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar

General Studies Paper-II (250 Marks) – Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations

The yatra in Tibet is one of the most sacred and physically demanding spiritual journeys, revered by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and followers of the Bon faith.

Hindus believe Mount Kailash to be the divine abode of Lord Shiva, while Lake Mansarovar, said to have been created from the mind of Lord Brahma, is worshipped for its spiritually purifying waters.

The pilgrimage traditionally includes the Kailash Kora (Parikrama), a 52-kilometer circumambulation of the mountain that takes about three days and reaches its highest point at the Dolma La Pass (5,630 meters). Many devotees also undertake the Mansarovar Kora, a longer trek around the sacred lake.

For Indian pilgrims, the Ministry of External Affairs facilitates the journey through two main routes: the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, a 22-day trekking route, and the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim, a 21-day journey with more vehicle travel, making it less strenuous.

Private tours from Nepal, sometimes including helicopter services, offer an alternative for those seeking convenience.

Due to the high-altitude terrain, the pilgrimage requires excellent physical and mental fitness, with age restrictions typically between 18 and 70 years, along with mandatory medical clearances.

4 . ASEAN:

General Studies Paper-II (250 Marks) – Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations

Malaysia, currently serving as the ASEAN Chair for 2025, is hosting a significant series of meetings in Kuala Lumpur from July 8-11, 2025, under the overarching theme of "Inclusivity and Sustainability."

This theme is deeply rooted in Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's domestic vision, "Malaysia Madani," which emphasizes principles like sustainability, prosperity, innovation, respect, trust, and compassion.

 These meetings are crucial as they mark the tenth anniversary of the formal establishment of the ASEAN Community and will lay the groundwork for the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, aiming to create a more resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centered ASEAN

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