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DR Congo Ebola outbreak exceeds 4,000 confirmed cases

ByJustpaste.in

The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record, with official data confirming that total infections have surpassed 4,000 cases.

According to the national public health institute, recorded infections have reached 4,053, alongside 1,850 deaths across five provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo.

Research published in the journal Science indicates that the virus was circulating in Ituri as early as January 2026, months before the epidemic was officially declared on 15 May, with over 500 suspected cases occurring during that initial period.

Containment efforts continue to be severely hampered by delayed detection, overwhelmed healthcare surveillance, active military conflict, and an absence of vaccines or targeted treatments tailored for the specific viral species involved.

Ranking as the world’s second-largest Ebola outbreak in history, the epidemic is surpassed only by the 2014–2016 West African outbreak.

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    India’s chief justice clarifies ‘Cockroach’ remark, days comments were misquoted

    ByJustpaste.in

      India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant has clarified his controversial remarks involving the term “cockroach,” saying that his comments made during a Supreme Court hearing were misquoted and subsequently presented out of context. In a recent interview, Chief Justice Surya Kant addressed the controversy surrounding his remarks and alleged that the statement had been deliberately misrepresented. He said that his comments were presented in a misleading manner, creating confusion and misunderstanding, particularly among young people. The Chief Justice said that what he had actually stated during the court proceedings was different from the version that was circulated publicly. According to him, his remarks were taken out of context and presented in a way that misled the public and India’s youth. Surya Kant also expressed concern over the growing practice of sharing short video clips of court proceedings on social media without providing the necessary background or context. He said that isolated clips can create an inaccurate impression of what was actually said during judicial proceedings. The Chief Justice appealed to the media as well as citizens to recognize that constitutional rights come with corresponding responsibilities and duties. He stressed that while people have the right to express their views and access information, they must also understand their responsibility toward society. “When we talk about rights, we must also have the ability to perform our duties,” Surya Kant said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining social harmony. He added that society must make continuous efforts to promote harmony and responsible public discourse. The controversy dates back to May, when the Chief Justice reportedly compared holders of fake degrees and people allegedly misusing the Right to Information (RTI) system or social media to “cockroaches.” The remarks triggered a strong public reaction and generated widespread discussion on social media. Following the controversy, a satirical public political movement called the “Cockroach Janta Party” was reportedly established. The group used the Chief Justice’s controversial remarks as a basis for its political satire and public activities. The movement has also attracted attention through its recent protest over the alleged NET-UG paper leak issue in Delhi. Demonstrators reportedly gathered at Jantar Mantar one of the capital’s prominent locations for political protests and public demonstrations. The protest over the examination paper leak reportedly ended with calls for the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, highlighting the growing political and public anger surrounding the issue. The latest comments by Chief Justice Surya Kant appear aimed at clarifying his position and explaining the context in which the original “cockroach” remarks were made. His criticism of social media clips also reflects broader concerns within the judiciary about court proceedings being circulated online without the complete context. The controversy has sparked a wider debate in India over judicial language, freedom of expression, responsible use of social media and the responsibilities that accompany constitutional rights. By clarifying his remarks, the Chief Justice has urged the public and media to consider the complete context of judicial observations rather than relying solely on short clips or selectively quoted statements circulating on social media. He also emphasized the need for citizens to balance their rights with their responsibilities and work toward maintaining social harmony.

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    Javed Akhtar says internet discourages originality

    ByJustpaste.in

    Javed Akhtar has been writing words that endure for more than five decades, and in a candid conversation with Vogue India, he turned his gaze toward what he believes is happening to creativity in the digital age. What he found does not reassure him. The veteran lyricist and screenwriter argued that the internet and its algorithms have created a culture of creative fear, one in which people are no longer willing to take the risk of doing something that has not already been done before. “The echo chambers created by the internet have made most people afraid to do something for the first time,” he said. “Once someone else does it, they’re fine to follow in their footsteps.” He extended that observation into a broader concern about how people engage with ideas and the world around them. “People no longer want to pause, think, analyse or sit with an idea. They are living happily, so why would they bother to think about this universe or the vastness of nature? For them, it is a waste of time.” For Akhtar, this impatience is incompatible with the kind of work that lasts. “Meaningful creation requires time, discomfort and reflection,” he said, adding that his own willingness to question dominant voices and widely accepted ideologies has always come from exactly that kind of sustained engagement with ideas. He was particularly pointed about the music industry and the way commercial priorities have pushed the role of lyrics to the margins. “Today, words have become less important because the marketing team has decided that slow music won’t trend,” he said. The result, in his view, is an industry that remixes old material with inferior new writing rather than producing something genuinely fresh. “But then they take those same songs, edit the mukhras and remix them with some inferiorly written antaras. There was a time when writers had more space. Today, other forces dictate what music gets made. And yet, songs that are decades old still endure, while many recent ones have a short shelf life.” His advice to young writers was direct and unglamorous. Read more. Not only classical literature and celebrated authors, but light reading too. “The real loss is not in reading something trivial but in not reading at all,” he said. On the creative process itself, Akhtar drew a distinction that cuts to the heart of what separates craft from genuine art. “All arts can be divided into two parts. On one hand, there’s imagination, passion, fantasy and romance, and on the other, there is craft. You can learn the craft in a crash course. But imagining, fantasising and romanticising cannot be learned. There are no courses for yearning.” He closed with a lesson passed down from his father that has stayed with him throughout his career. “It is very easy to write in difficult language, but very difficult to write in easy language. When you write simply, there is no space for your idea to hide behind big words. Only if you are totally convinced of what you are writing can you afford to use transparent language.” It is a principle that has shaped some of Hindi cinema’s most enduring words, and one that no algorithm is likely to teach.

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    2 arrested at Multan Airport over Umrah visa traff…

    ByJustpaste.in

    MULTAN: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested two passengers, including a woman, at Multan International Airport for their alleged involvement in a human trafficking network linked to sexual exploitation in Saudi Arabia. According to an FIA spokesperson, the passengers were intercepted during immigration clearance after officials noticed suspicious behavior. Both had reportedly travelled to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas. During the subsequent examination of their mobile phones and digital communications, investigators allegedly found material indicating their possible involvement in a scheme involving commercial sexual exploitation. The FIA said its preliminary investigation revealed that an agent had arranged the passengers’ travel to Saudi Arabia under the pretext of performing Umrah. Investigators suspect that the actual purpose was to subject them to commercial sexual exploitation after their arrival in the country. The agency seized the passengers’ mobile phones and other relevant material for further investigation. The two suspects, along with the recovered evidence, were subsequently transferred to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Multan. The FIA has expanded its investigation to trace the alleged agent and identify other individuals connected to the suspected trafficking network. Officials said legal action would be taken against all those found involved in the organized operation.

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    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa likely to get new police chief

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    PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hamid is likely to be replaced, according to official sources. The provincial government has reportedly initiated the process of appointing a new police chief. Three names have been forwarded to the federal government for consideration. The federal government will review the proposed names before making a final decision. Sources said the appointment of the new IG is expected within the next few days. The change, if approved, would bring a new leadership at the top of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police. The provincial police chief is responsible for overseeing law enforcement operations across the province. The federal government has the authority to make the final appointment after considering the names forwarded by the provincial government. Officials have not yet publicly announced the names of the three candidates. No formal notification regarding the replacement of Zulfiqar Hamid has been issued so far. The development comes amid continued security and law-and-order challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The new police chief, once appointed, will be responsible for strengthening policing, improving security measures and coordinating operations across the province.

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    Canada’s pushback against Trump tests bounda…

    ByJustpaste.in

    Two days before trade negotiations between the United States and Canada collapsed dramatically over the weekend, Vice President JD Vance told an audience at a private fundraiser that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was, in his words, a very sweet guy. According to a private audio recording obtained by a Canadian news outlet, Vance went on to describe Carney as someone who talks tough and claims he can out tough Donald Trump, before ultimately backing down on major issues, a pattern Vance called hilarious. Those remarks, which drew significant attention across Canada, may not have directly caused Carney’s negotiating team to walk away from the table, but they certainly did not help matters. Carney’s decision abruptly ended talks over a new trade agreement and triggered a fresh round of tariffs between two countries that conduct more than 872 billion dollars in annual bilateral trade. The deepening rift, paired with Vance’s comments, offers the latest example of an American administration willing to apply pressure against both allies and adversaries alike, underscoring how such tactics can produce unpredictable consequences on the world stage. If Trump anticipated that Canada would eventually yield to American pressure, following a pattern seen among other US allies over the past year and a half, that assumption may prove mistaken, and the fallout could shape the remainder of his presidency. Tension between Washington and Ottawa did not begin this weekend. It traces back to the first Trump administration and the negotiations that produced the USMCA, the agreement that replaced the original 1990s era North American Free Trade Agreement. Personal friction between Trump and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau complicated those earlier talks. As Trump prepared to return to office in late 2024, he mockingly referred to Trudeau as governor and to Canada as America’s 51st state. Behind those remarks sat a broader worldview in which the United States positions itself as the dominant power within its own hemisphere, entitled to shape political, military and economic outcomes across the region, Canada included. Administration officials have argued that Canada contributes too little to regional defense spending while benefiting disproportionately from trade with its southern neighbor. Within Trump’s framework, where economic and national security are treated as inseparable, Canada and Mexico, two of America’s largest trading partners, emerged as early targets. Drew DeLong, head of corporate statecraft at the Kearney Foresight think tank, said officials across the State, Treasury and Commerce departments frequently repeat the phrase that economic security equals national security. By early this year, as North American trade talks moved forward unevenly, Trump’s focus shifted away from Canada toward military interventions in Venezuela and later the Middle East. Even so, the central thread running through Trump’s foreign policy approach has remained consistent, treating the United States as a dominant power capable of imposing its will for national advantage. That power has limits, however, and Trump’s second term has repeatedly tested where those limits lie. Despite the obvious differences between an active conflict with Iran and a trade dispute with Canada, the underlying dynamics share similarities. In both cases, the United States confronts a counterpart with far less overall power but still capable of retaliation. Iran has leaned on its ability to threaten US allies and disrupt global commerce through chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz. Canada, meanwhile, has begun testing its own capacity to inflict economic pressure, with this week’s targeted tariffs marking an initial step. Future Canadian measures could include limiting American access to Canadian energy and critical minerals, alongside consumer boycotts targeting US products. DeLong said that as the broader global landscape shifts toward economic security concerns, countries increasingly search for chokepoints and leverage across global supply chains, adding that such opportunities exist for nations willing to look for them. For now, clear paths toward resolution remain limited. Trump has escalated his public rhetoric, repeatedly accusing Canada of ripping off the United States, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded sharply, telling the American president to kiss his ass. Imran Bayoumi, deputy director of the GeoStrategy Initiative at the Atlantic Council, said that pushing allies and partners away tends to incentivize them to seek new relationships rather than comply with American demands. Room still exists for tensions to ease. Canada’s new tariffs take effect in two weeks, while the most significant American countermeasure, a 50 percent tariff on Canadian built vehicles and auto parts, will not take effect until early 2027. Escalation cycles in economic or military conflicts can be difficult to reverse, but the several month gap before the next round of US tariffs gives both sides room to potentially resume negotiations, which had shown signs of progress before talks collapsed Friday night. A more immediate deadline looms in November’s US midterm elections. Democratic gains in Congress could limit Trump’s authority significantly, while unexpected Republican success could strengthen his position further. Ottawa currently appears to be betting on the former scenario, calculating that concern over midterm losses in industrial swing states like Michigan and Ohio will pressure Trump to soften his stance before voters head to the polls. Bayoumi said he does not see the kind of internal political division within Canada that the Trump administration may have anticipated, adding that Carney has considerable political room to negotiate a favorable outcome for Canada rather than settle for less. Carney has also raised another possibility publicly since Trump returned to office, suggesting Canada may continue drifting away from the United States altogether and deliberately widen the distance between the two nations. Carney has said Canada cannot depend on traditional alliances now that the rules of engagement have fundamentally shifted. While geographic proximity guarantees the two countries will remain connected in some form, the deeply integrated economic relationship built over recent decades may be approaching its end. This stands in contrast to Mexico, which appears to be pursuing closer economic integration with the United States rather than distancing itself. Meanwhile, other global trading partners, including US allies across Europe and Asia, are closely watching Canada’s assertive stance

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    ML-1 railway modernisation project moves closer to…

    ByJustpaste.in

    LAHORE: Pakistan’s long-delayed Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway modernisation project has entered a crucial stage, with the government setting October 30, 2026, as the deadline for completing the ongoing review process and announcing plans to begin the second round of market consultations next month. The latest developments are expected to help resolve outstanding technical, financial and procedural matters and move the country’s largest railway infrastructure initiative towards formal implementation. The second round of market consultation is scheduled to commence on September 8. International experts, prospective investors and other relevant stakeholders will be consulted during the process to seek their views on project preparation, implementation arrangements, financing and the future course of the scheme. The consultations are considered an important step before the government proceeds towards the execution stage of the project, which has faced repeated delays over the years because of financing, technical and procedural challenges. Weekly reviews ordered Pakistan Railways Chairman Syed Mazhar Ali Shah chaired a high-level meeting at the railway headquarters on Saturday to review progress on ML-1. During the meeting, the chairman directed international design consultants, review consultants and senior railway officials to maintain close coordination and ensure that work on the project continues without unnecessary interruptions. He also ordered weekly progress reviews, instructing officials to identify unresolved matters at an early stage and take immediate steps to remove bottlenecks. The Karachi-Rohri segment received particular attention during the meeting as it has been identified as the first section to be developed under the revised ML-1 plan. Karachi-Rohri section According to official documents presented before the National Assembly, the Karachi-Rohri portion covers approximately 480 kilometres and has an estimated cost of $2.04 billion. Construction of the section is expected to take around three years once the project moves into the implementation phase. The government has engaged the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to arrange financing for this segment. Pakistan has also secured a $10 million Project Readiness Financing loan to support preparatory work required before full-scale implementation. The Karachi-Rohri corridor is strategically significant because it handles a substantial volume of both passenger and freight traffic. Its modernisation is therefore expected to provide an immediate improvement to the efficiency of the national railway network while creating a foundation for upgrades on the remaining sections. Government optimistic about launch Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi has expressed optimism that the flagship project could finally enter the implementation phase during the current year. The minister said progress on ML-1 had improved and that the government was working to ensure that the remaining requirements were completed within the agreed timelines. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was closely monitoring the project and had directed the relevant authorities to ensure its completion according to schedule. According to the minister, ML-1 represents the foundation of Pakistan Railways’ long-term modernisation strategy. He said upgrading the railway corridor would help increase train speeds, improve passenger services and enhance the overall operational efficiency of the rail network. The minister also stressed that transparency, merit and competitive procedures would be followed during the project. He added that recommendations from international experts, market participants and technical consultants would be considered while finalising the implementation strategy. 1,726-km railway corridor The ML-1 project covers the modernisation of the 1,726-kilometre Karachi-Peshawar railway corridor, which serves as the backbone of Pakistan’s railway system. Under the rationalised plan, the corridor has been divided into five major sections:  Karachi-Rohri  Rohri-Multan Multan-Lahore Lahore-Rawalpindi Rawalpindi-Peshawar The government has estimated the total cost of the rationalised ML-1 project at approximately $6.66 billion. The scheme is intended to transform the existing railway infrastructure by improving track quality, signalling systems, operational capacity and train speeds. Higher speeds and improved capacity Earlier official plans for ML-1 envisaged allowing passenger trains to operate at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour on upgraded portions of the corridor. The project also includes improvements in axle-load capacity, rehabilitation and strengthening of railway tracks, modern signalling and communications systems, as well as doubling of single-track sections wherever necessary. These improvements are expected to reduce journey times and increase the number of trains that can operate on the corridor. For Pakistan Railways, the project is also viewed as an opportunity to strengthen freight operations and improve the movement of goods between the country’s major commercial centres and ports. Financing remains crucial Despite the renewed momentum, financing remains one of the most important requirements for taking ML-1 into full-scale construction. The government has been working with international development partners to secure funding for different components of the project, while the completion of technical studies, project documentation and financial arrangements remains essential before construction can begin. The ADB-backed Karachi-Rohri section is expected to serve as the starting point for the wider modernisation programme. Officials have previously indicated that preparatory work for the section could begin in 2026, provided the remaining financial and documentation requirements are completed. A long-awaited railway overhaul ML-1 has been discussed for years as a transformative project for Pakistan’s railway sector, but its implementation has repeatedly been delayed because of the scale of investment involved and disagreements over financing and project structure. The government’s decision to set a firm deadline for completing the review phase and hold another round of market consultations signals an effort to bring the project back on track. Regular monitoring by Pakistan Railways, engagement with international consultants and consultation with potential stakeholders are now expected to play a central role in finalising the project. If the remaining technical and financial hurdles are addressed according to the new schedule, the Karachi-Rohri section could become the first major construction phase of the broader ML-1 programme. The government believes that successful implementation of ML-1 would not only modernise the country’s ageing railway infrastructure but also improve passenger connectivity, strengthen freight transportation, reduce travel times and enhance the competitiveness of Pakistan Railways.

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