India and China opted out of the renewable power pledge at the UN climate summit (COP28) in contrast to the 118 other nations.

The collective commitment aimed to triple the global renewable energy generation capacity to at least 11,000 GW and double the average annual energy rate efficiency by 2030.

This aligns with the Paris Agreement Goals to meet the 2°C warming limit.

It also highlights the role of energy efficiency in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 for “affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”.

India refrains from making any commitments until 2030 to avoid hindering development, despite plans to boost non-fossil energy capacity.

India, heavily reliant on coal for electricity generation, was cautious about commitments, particularly amid increasing energy demands.

Substance use disorder negatively impacts society, affecting overall well-being. 

The National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), is a broad scheme that aids financially, with training and capacity building helping the states/UTs and various NGOs in managing- drug demand, dependency, and rehabilitation in the community using various small programs and interventions. 

The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA), a nationwide initiative, aims to raise awareness about substance abuse, among youth in educational institutions and communities. 

The NMBA collaborates with religious/spiritual organizations, such as ISKCON, to spread its message. 

The MoU signing ceremony between the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and ISKON took place at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on November 23, 2023. 

ISKCON Chairman, Shri Sundar Gopal Das, talked role of a supportive environment in preventing substance use. 

The collaboration aims to illuminate lives, prevent addiction, and contribute to building a holistically strong society.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported that the outbreak has struck seven states in the last few days.

H5N1 first turned up in US poultry in early 2022 and has led to the loss of 68.4 million poultry across 47 states.

There have been outbreaks in 24 states in the last month alone.

Affected premises include commercial farms in Arkansas, Ohio, Minnesota, Dakota, California, and Colorado.

The virus also affected backyard poultry in seven states: Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, and South Dakota.

Zambian authorities notified WHO about an Anthrax outbreak in humans on 1st November 2023.

The first human cases were reported from the Sinazongwe District on 5 May 2023.

In June 2023, human and animal cases were reported elsewhere in the same district.

By 20th November 2023, there were 684 suspected human cases, including four deaths.

A case fatality ratio (CFR) of 0.6% was reported in 44 out of 116 districts in 9 out of 10 Zambian provinces affected, with the Sinazongwe district as the epicenter.

The last large-scale outbreak in Zambia was in 2011 with 511 suspected cases.

Response to the outbreak is being done from both the human and animal side.

The risk of the event spreading within Zambia is assessed to be high due to unrestricted animal and carcass movement there.

The regional risk is also considered high due to the frequent movement of animals and people between Zambia and neighboring nations.

US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine released the report.

6.2 million kilograms (kg) of medically important antibiotics were sold in 2022, up from 5.9 million kg in 2021.

Swine accounted for the highest percentage of sales (43%), followed by cattle (41%).

Almost two thirds of sales were of tetracyclines (65%), with penicillins accounting for 10% of sales.

According to the biomass-adjusted sales chart, presented for the first time in the new report, all antibiotic classes except for fluoroquinolones saw increases in biomass-adjusted sales, and most of them saw double-digit increases.

The concern about overuse of medically important antibiotics in food-producing animals is that it contributes to a reservoir of resistant bacteria that could reduce the effectiveness of those antibiotics, both in animals and humans.

The WHO monitoring Chinese surveillance data since mid-October 2023, notes a rise in respiratory illnesses in northern China's children, attributed by the National Health Commission to lifted COVID-19 restrictions, cold season, and the presence of multiple pathogens.

WHO, utilizing the International Health Regulations, formally requested China to provide detailed epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data on the escalating respiratory cases.

During a teleconference, Chinese health authorities disclosed a rise in pediatric respiratory cases since May, involving Mycoplasma pneumoniae, RSV, adenovirus, and influenza.

Chinese officials clarified that no unusual or novel pathogens or clinical presentations were detected, attributing the increase to multiple known pathogens.

Since mid-October, China has intensified surveillance, tracking trends in Influenza, ILI, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, Pneumonia, and SARI.

In China, WHO recommends minimizing respiratory illness risk by adhering to measures like receiving recommended vaccines, distancing from the sick, undergoing testing and seeking medical attention, wearing masks, and consistently practising handwashing.

Violence against women and girls is a widespread human rights violation, with approximately 736 million women globally—almost one in three experiencing physical or sexual intimate partner violence. Underreporting persists due to impunity, silence, and stigma. 

Violence against women obstructs equality, development, peace, and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): leaving no one behind   

The intensifying issue of violence against women, exacerbated by post-pandemic effects and global challenges requires robust responses and preventive investments. 

However, there is a lack of data on nations' commitment, as only 5% of government aid addresses the issue. 

To increase investment in women's initiatives, stronger legislation, perpetrator prosecution, survivor services, and law enforcement training, UNiTE's 16-day (Nov 25- Dec 10) global campaign urges action for violence prevention. #NoExcuse seeks urgent investments.

The FDA is recalling peaches, plums, and nectarines available at various retailers due to possible listeria contamination. 

The recall encompasses both individually sold nonorganic fruits and those packaged between May 1 and November 15 in 2022 and 2023, prompting consumers to exercise caution regarding the affected products within this timeframe. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listeria epidemic associated with the recalled fruits has caused 11 infections, 10 hospitalizations, and one fatality in seven states in US.  

The CDC strongly advises people to look through their freezers and refrigerators for any recalled fruit and to return or discard it right away. Consuming the recalled products is not advised.

Listeria infections, posing a significant risk to vulnerable groups, exhibit symptoms like fever, muscle aches, and nausea, often emerging within two weeks of consuming contaminated food. 

Awareness of symptoms is crucial, as onset can range from the same day to ten weeks post-exposure. 

The CDC advised seeking medical assistance if any signs of a listeria infection are observed.

Geopolitics and foreign events have already had an impact on Malawi in recent years. 

Cyclone Freddy killed hundreds of people and displaced over 650,000 in the country. It also influenced Malawi's agriculture industry, which accounts for roughly 30% of the country's GDP and 80% of national export profits. 

The Ukrainian war has already had a significant impact on the economy, as its agricultural industry relies on fertilizer imports, which is one item harmed by the conflict. 

Nancy Tembo, Malawi's Foreign Affairs Minister noted that one approach to further support nations like Malawi at the climate conference will be the realisation of the long-awaited loss and damage fund, a financial mechanism to ameliorate climate emergencies established at COP 27 but currently lacking in execution. 

She is also asking for assistance in gaining a greater understanding and clarity on the carbon market, a trading system in which carbon credits are sold and bought to recompense firms or individuals for their greenhouse gas emissions. 

Malawi is likewise promoting debt forgiveness through a debt-for-nature concept. 

Debt-for-nature swaps are financial arrangements that allow for the forgiveness of portions of a developing country's foreign debt in exchange for commitments to spend in biodiversity conservation and environmental policy measures.

Previous research has demonstrated that prone positioning (laying face down) successfully reduces the risk of death in patients with moderate to severe hypoxemia, as well as aiding in oxygenation and protecting lung tissue during mechanical ventilation. 

Participants were 170 patients (110 men and 60 women) from 14 French intensive care units (ICUs), with 94% suffering from COVID-19-related ARDS. The research was conducted from March 3, 2021, to December 7, 2021. 

The main result was a successful 60-day weaning off of ECMO. 

The authors discovered no statistical difference in ECMO weaning success, with 44% of prone patients (38 of 86) successfully weaned versus 44% of supine patients (37 of 84), for a risk difference of 0.1% (95% CI, -14.9% to 15.2%). 

By day 90, there was no significant difference in ECMO duration, 28 days in the prone group and 32 days in the supine group (difference, 4.9 days; 95% CI, 11.2 to 1.5). 

However, whether the current trial findings apply to patients with severe non-COVID-19-related ARDS is still unclear.