About Arun Kumar N

Arun has been associated with India International Times since 2018 and he has been a key reporter in covering science and space related stories. He can be reached at arunKnn@indiainternationaltimes.com.

What are Zombie cells? Mayo Clinic researchers minimize cells in diabetic kidney disease

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The results of these researchers in Jacksonville, Fla., are that a drug-and-supplement combination therapy can be used to lessen the harmful effects of senescent cells, or, to be more exact, zombie cells, in diabetic kidney disease.

In an article published by the Lancet, the team has found that the combination of the cancer drug dasatanib and a naturally occurring substance quercetin reduced inflammation and enhanced protective factors in the kidney.

Diabetic kidney disease is the number one cause of renal failure and goes over 12 million individuals in the U.S. Whereas there is a partial cure in newer treatments to slow the loss of kidney function, it has no cure at all.

According to LaTonya Hickson, a nephrologist with Mayo Clinic in Florida and the main researcher of the study, the combination therapy, administered on a short term basis, decreased the amount of senescent cells within a preclinical diabetes kidney disease model and also led to the enhancement of kidney functioning. In order to prolong the health of the kidney, researchers have been keen on the solution to the existence of senescent cells, which do not get to pass through the natural process of death and instead hang around in tissues leading to aging and disease.

Therapy to Attack Senescent Cells

The therapeutic strategy is senolytics, natural and synthetic substances that in combination selectively attack senescent cells.

In a clinical trial that was previously carried out and was a pilot study, researchers at the Mayo Clinic led by Hickson discovered that dasatanib combination with quercetin diminished senescent cells of skin and fat tissues in diabetic kidney disease patients. The impact of the combination therapy on senescence and protective factors on the diabetic kidney, however, had not been described yet.

“The need to demonstrate that this single, momentary, treatment has an outcome on the kidneys was informed by the necessity to do so without the use of invasive procedures in the patients,” says Xiaohui Bian, a nephrologist who did the work as a post-doctoral fellow at Mayo Clinic and leads the study.

The group identified that the combination therapy enhanced kidney performance and protective mechanisms and minimized injury, senescent cells, and inflammation in a preclinical model of diabetic kidney disease. The combination therapy also lowered the number of senescent cells and the inflammatory response caused by them in cultured human kidney cells.

According to Hickson, the results indicate that this combination treatment has a potential to assist in reducing and stopping the damage of kidneys caused by diabetes. These two studies are now promising and indicate that larger scale research in patients with senolytics is warranted to enhance the health of the kidneys.

IEA Release of Emergency Reserves to Ease Oil Flow in 120 Days, Impact Seen in India Already

Posted on March 12, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The International Energy Agency’s 32 member countries have unanimously agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, the largest such action in the agency’s history, following the US-Israel war on Iran that resulted in the latter choking Strait of Hormuz shipment flows to less than 10% of pre-conflict levels.

Under the IEA measure, the US alone will contribute 172 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve, but the full release will take at least 120 days to complete.

The escalating war involving Iran, the US, and Israel has triggered the biggest oil supply shock. Tanker traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz has plummeted from ~20 million barrels per day to almost nothing, as ships avoid the danger zone.

Gulf producers like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar have slashed output by at least 10 million barrels daily because storage is full and exports can’t leave.

The IEA warns global supply could drop ~8 million bpd this month, with some refineries shut and refined fuels stalled too.

Demand is dipping too

Meanwhile, fewer flights and LPG issues could cut it by ~1 million bpd. To ease the crisis, the IEA coordinated a record release of 400 million barrels from emergency stocks. Global inventories are still high, offering a short-term buffer, but without quick resumption of Hormuz flows, things could worsen fast.

Despite the announcement, oil prices climbed back above $90 a barrel, with markets warning that the reserves offer no structural fix unless safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is restored completely.

India imports around 85–90% of its crude oil requirement, which means domestic fuel prices are highly sensitive to global benchmarks such as Brent Crude Oil and West Texas Intermediate (WTI).

gas price

When crude rises sharply—as it has this week due to Middle East tensions and supply fears—oil marketing companies typically face higher input costs. If prices remain elevated for long, those costs eventually feed into retail petrol and diesel prices.

What may happen in the next few weeks

1. Short-term: Prices may stay unchanged for now: State-run retailers such as Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum often absorb temporary spikes. If crude volatility lasts only a few days, pump prices may remain stable.

2. If crude stays near or above $100: Sustained levels above $100 per barrel could start putting pressure on fuel retailers. Historically, prolonged rallies at such levels have led to gradual price revisions.

3. Government intervention is possible: Before major elections or during inflation spikes, the government has sometimes cut excise duty or asked oil companies to delay hikes to cushion consumers.

4. Inflation risk: Higher fuel costs also raise transportation expenses, which can push up prices of food and other essentials—an issue closely monitored by the Reserve Bank of India.

If crude stays near $100–110 per barrel for several weeks, analysts typically estimate petrol and diesel prices could rise by roughly ₹2–₹6 per litre, depending on taxes and exchange rate movements.

For now, the oil spike is a warning signal rather than an immediate price hike. The key factor will be whether geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt supply routes like the Strait of Hormuz.

Young people who have AI meal plans might be consuming less calories, but missing a meal

Posted on March 12, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A large number of teenagers who have some weight problem are resorting to AI models as they seek to design meal plans in a bid to lose weight. A new study, however, indicates that the plans that are a result of this could not, at least in all cases, cover the required nutrients and calorie consumption.

In Turkey, five different AI models were compared in regard to their meal planning capabilities, which led researchers to develop meal plans to help teenagers lose weight and evaluated their findings against the recommendations of a registered dietician. They described their results in Frontiers in Nutrition.

According to Dr Ayse Betul Bilen, an assistant professor of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Istanbul Atlas University, there is a significant underestimation of total energy and the main nutrient intake of diet plans generated by AI models compared to plans prepared by a dietitian based on guidelines. It is known that adherence to this type of imbalanced or excessively restrictive meal plans in the teenage years can have a detrimental influence on growth, metabolic health, and eating habits.

Missing a meal

The researchers were prompted to generate meal plans using five AI models, which were ChatGPT 4, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Bing Chat-5GPT, Claude 4.1 and Perplexity, using free versions of these models. Some of the prompts were age, height and weight of the individual the plan would be based on, and the directive to develop a 3 days plan that included three meals and two snacks a day. Four teenagers aged 15 years, one boy and one girl, who were in the overweight percentile and one boy and one girl who fell in the obese percentile were put on meal plans.

Comparing the results of AIs to generate meal plans to those of a dietician who specializes in adolescent diseases, it was found that the energy requirement that was estimated by the AI models was on average nearly 700 calories lower than the dietitian. This is a full meal worth of difference that has severe clinical implications. The intake of some macronutrients had been overcalculated whereas the intake of some caloric nutrients was grossly undercalculated.

The AI-generated diet plans never adhered to the recommended mix of macronutrients, which is quite dangerous among adolescents, as Bilen indicated.

In comparison, AI models suggested more protein intake (20g higher than the dietician), and this scheme led to about 21-24% of the energy intake as protein. Recommendations of lipid provided by AI were also significantly more than in the plans developed by dieticians, and lipids constituted 41-45% of energy intake.

The quantity of carbohydrates, however, was much inferior in AI plans and the difference was about 115g on average, that is, only about 32-36 percent of the energy intake would be derived as carbs. In comparison, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and medicine in the US advise that the proportion of lipids, proteins and carbs should be 30-35, 15-20 and 45-50 percent respectively.

Favoring plans to balanced diets

Although numerous pieces of information about healthy diet guidelines are found on national and international health organizations websites, such as the Turkish Nutritional Guidelines or WHO Adolescent Nutritional Guidelines, AI tools do not necessarily use evidence-based nutritional guidelines in their production. Bilen stated that AI models are mostly trained to produce answers that are most plausible and user-friendly, and not necessarily accurate, clinically. According to their findings, they might be dependent on generalized or popular diet patterns rather than incorporating the nutritional requirements of age.

Since not every teenager can hire the service of a dietician to help them plan their meals, the team recommended that a person using AI tools to create a diet plan should be cautious. The teenagers are also to remember that the diets that are too restrictive or that are constructed on the basis of extreme diets that are based on the dominance of either protein or fat.

The researchers claimed that they hope that their findings will contribute to the increased awareness of the narrow capability of AI tools to create well-balanced meal plans and assist in developing safer tools that are more consistent with the guidelines created by professionals. Although AI models are fast developing and models might be better now than they were at the time of analysis, AI models are not an alternative to professional dietary counseling especially to the vulnerable groups.

Bilen concluded that adolescence is a critical period with regard to physical development, bone development and cognitive maturation. The risks of a lower energy and carbohydrate intake and higher ratios of protein and fat could be dangerous at the adolescent growth stage.

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Oval orbit casts new light on black hole, neutron star mergers

Posted on March 12, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Scientists have uncovered the first robust evidence of a black hole and neutron star crashing together but orbiting in an oval path rather than a perfect circle just before they merged. This discovery challenges long-standing assumptions about how these cosmic pairs form and evolve.

Researchers from the University of Birmingham, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics published their findings today (11 Mar) in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Most neutron star-black hole pairs are expected to adopt circular orbits long before merging. But the analysis of the gravitational-wave event GW200105 shows that this system travelled on an oval orbit long before merging to form a black hole 13 times more massive than the Sun. An oval orbit is something never seen before in this kind of collision.

Dr Patricia Schmidt, from the University of Birmingham, said: “This discovery gives us vital new clues about how these extreme objects come together. It tells us that our theoretical models are incomplete and raises fresh questions about where in the Universe such systems are born.”

The researchers analysed data from LIGO and Virgo detectors using a new gravitational‑wave model developed at the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Gravitational Wave Astronomy. This allowed them to measure both how ‘oval’ the orbit was (eccentricity) and any spin‑induced wobbling (precession). This is the first time these two effects have been measured together in a neutron star–black hole event.

Geraint Pratten, a Royal Society University Research Fellow from the University of Birmingham, said: “The orbit gives the game away. Its elliptical shape just before merger shows this system did not evolve quietly in isolation but was almost certainly shaped by gravitational interactions with other stars, or perhaps a third companion.”

A Bayesian analysis comparing thousands of theoretical predictions to the real data, showed that a circular orbit is extremely unlikely, ruling it out with 99.5% confidence.

Past analyses of GW200105, which assumed a circular orbit, underestimated the black hole mass and overestimated the neutron star mass. The new study corrects these values and finds no compelling evidence of precession, indicating that the eccentricity was imprinted by its formation rather than by spins.

Gonzalo Morras, from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, said: “This is convincing proof that not all neutron star–black hole pairs share the same origin. The eccentric orbit suggests a birthplace in an environment where many stars interact gravitationally.”

This discovery challenges the prevailing view that all neutron star–black hole mergers arise from a single dominant formation channel and highlights the need for more advanced waveform models capable of capturing the full complexity of these systems.

The study helps to explain the growing diversity seen in compact-binary mergers and opens the door to identifying even more unusual pathways as the number of gravitational-wave detections continues to grow.

How being squeezed contributes to risk of breast cancer cells

Posted on March 11, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A recent study conducted by scientists working in Adelaide University and published in the journal Science Advances has shown the reason as to why certain cancers may grow and survive the body, whereas others do not. It happens that the hard mechanical stress to which the early cancer cells undergo as they are squeezed into a narrow area, causes some of the cancer cells to grow quicker, not to grow, as would otherwise be supposed.

This squeeze worked to the favor of the early breast cancer cells as scientists discovered.

The key point that was explained by the lead researcher, Professor Michael Samuel, of the Centre of Cancer Biology at Adelaide University and the Basil Hetzel Institute is that these breast cancer cells steal a particular sensor – one that our bodies rely on to sense touch – and use it to divide quickly and aid them in making their escape off the major tumour.

The process creates an indefinitely lasting mechanical memory in the breast cancer cells and it still contributes towards aggressive behaviour even after the pressure itself has been removed, Professor Samuel said.

The tumours which are solid are exposed to a lot of physical pressure when the disease is at its early stage of development, as the cancer cells grow in tissues that are limited in space, e.g. the milk ducts of the breast. Up to this day, the mechanism by which these cancer cells detect this pressure and whether or not it impacts the progression of the disease is unknown.

We have a tendency to believe that cancer is a genetic disease, but through this work we know that there is the same importance of physical forces within the tumours as the cause of cancer as there are genetic changes that cause cancer.

The researchers discovered that cancer cells respond to pressure via a molecule named PIEZO1, which is a hole in the cell that relates the interior of a cell to the exterior environment. Upon pressure stimulation, PIEZO1 enables the movement of calcium ions into the cell and subsequent signal transduction containing the Rho-ROCK pathway – a central regulator of cell movement, shape and growth.

The team demonstrated that mechanical pressure of a short duration that is obtained through compressing cancer tissue was sufficient to cause tumour growth to increase significantly. Mechanically compressed tumours in laboratory models of breast cancer became larger and the cancer cells in them fragmented faster than control groups.

In addition to promoting growth, compression was also identified to drive cancer cells into a more aggressive, invasive, state in a process known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition. When either of the PIEZO1 or the Rho-ROCK pathway had, however, been inhibited with the help of suitable drugs, compression did not propel cancer aggressiveness, making their role in this process definite.

Co-lead author Dr Sarah Boyle mentioned that one of the most significant findings was that the cancer aggressiveness effects of compression remained even after removal of the force itself.

According to Dr Boyle, even relatively short durations of pressure can lead to a mechanical memory by altering the way the DNA is packed into the cell, by chemically modifying the histone proteins.

These changes, which are called epigenetic changes, are modifications of the interpretation of the DNA code by the cell, which enables the process of switching on some genes that promote tumour growth and aggressiveness.

This type of epigenetic mechanical memory offers a molecular basis to the long term effects of short term mechanical forces on the cell level of the behaviour of tumours.

Notably, the research established that PIEZO1 is over-expressed in human breast cancers compared to normal breast tissue, and that the level of PIEZO1 differs among the patients. The high PIEZO1 levels have been linked to low patient survival implying that the identical pressure-detecting system found in test animals would probably be applicable in human cancer.

The results indicate a little-known role of mechanical pressure in the development of cancer aggressiveness and represent the PIEZO1 -Rho-ROCK pathway as a possible new therapeutic objective that can be used as an early intervention.

According to the researchers, future therapies can restrict tumour growth and invasiveness by interfering with the sensory and response of cancer cells to mechanical pressure. The results can also be applied in diagnosing the patients who are susceptible to aggressive breast cancers due to excessively high concentrations of PIEZO1.

That work has opened up a whole new field of so-called mechanotherapy – the use of treatments that disrupt the mechanical signals that tumours are dependent on to develop and spread out, as cancers grow to be mechanically responsive diseases, said Professor Samuel.

Iran Players at AFC Women’s Cup in Australia Defect, Seek Asylum Citing Repercussions Back Home

Posted on March 11, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Amid war flares at home front, seven members of Iran’s women’s national football team have been granted humanitarian visas by Australia, allowing them to remain in the country following their participation in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The players, who had refused to sing their national anthem before a match against South Korea, an act that drew sharp criticism from Iranian state media labeling them “wartime traitors,” feared severe repercussions if they returned home.

Iranian women soccer players remove their hijabs as soon as they are granted asylum in Australia.

It was never a choice. 99% of women in Iran will also take off their hijabs once the Islamic regime falls. pic.twitter.com/hZ6zVDOYeO

— Dr. Maalouf ‏ (@realMaalouf) March 9, 2026

Captain Zahra Ghanbari and teammates Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramezanizadeh, and Mona Hamoudi were among the initial five to seek protection, slipping away from their team hotel with assistance from Australian authorities. Two more team members later joined them, though one individual ultimately changed their mind and requested to return to Iran. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the grants, noting that officials had individually approached the players at Sydney airport, offering support without Iranian officials present.

He described the women’s relief upon receiving the visas, emphasizing that they are now safe and welcome in Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added that the nation had been touched by the players’ courage, stating help was readily available. The situation even prompted a late-night call between Albanese and former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had publicly offered American asylum as an alternative and criticized any potential forced return.

Iranian officials have remained largely silent on specifics but accused Australia of essentially holding the players “hostage,” while the football federation suggested coercion was involved. The rest of the squad departed for home amid emotional scenes at the airport, with some diaspora supporters attempting to intervene in solidarity.

The latest episode fits into a longer pattern where international sporting events provide rare opportunities for athletes from repressive or unstable environments to seek asylum.

Here’s a short chronology of notable sports defections:

1948 London Olympics: Czechoslovakian gymnastics coach Marie Provazníková became the first known Olympic defector, refusing to return home after the communist takeover in her country, citing a lack of freedom.
1956 Melbourne Olympics: Following the Soviet invasion of Hungary, dozens of Hungarian athletes, about a quarter of their team, defected en masse, many eventually settling in the West, including the United States.
1972 Munich Olympics: Over 100 athletes, primarily from Eastern Bloc nations, sought asylum amid Cold War tensions.
2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games: At least 26 athletes, including from Sierra Leone and Cameroon, claimed asylum in Australia due to political instability and personal safety concerns.
2012 London Olympics: Seven Cameroonian athletes (boxers, a swimmer, and others) vanished from the village and later sought protection in the UK; three Sudanese runners also applied for asylum.
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games: More than 200 athletes and officials, mostly from African nations like Cameroon, Rwanda, and Uganda, went missing and requested refugee status in Australia.
2021 Tokyo Olympics: Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya sought police protection at the airport to avoid forced repatriation after criticizing her coaches; she ultimately received asylum in Poland.

These moments highlight the dual role of global competitions on stages for athletic achievement and, sometimes, desperate escapes. For the Iranian players now starting anew in Australia, the path ahead involves uncertainty but also the promise of safety, a bittersweet trade-off familiar to many who have walked away from their teams and homelands in fear of persecution back home.

Less psychedelic, more medical magic mushrooms

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The psychoactive substance of magic mushrooms, psilocybin, is under scientific scrutiny as being useful in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorder and some neurodegenerative diseases. It can be limited to broader therapeutic uses, however, by the hallucinogenic effects. A study on the effects of psilocin, the active compound in psilocybin, on mice published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry by researchers synthesized modified versions of psilocin which preserve its properties but have fewer hallucinogenic-like effects than pharmaceutical-grade psilocybin.

In line with the emerging scientific view that psychedelic and serotonergic works can be decoupled, one correspondent author of the study, Andrea Mattarei, states that their findings align with this emerging school of thought. This creates the prospect of developing new therapies that are more biologically active but less hallucinogenic, which might allow developing safer and more practicable treatment options.

Mood disorders as well as certain neurodegenerative ailments such as the Alzheimer disease entail an imbalance of the neurotransmitter molecule serotonin that aids in controlling moods and other brain processes. Psychedelics have been studied to have therapeutic effects against serotonin-signaling pathways in decades by scientists. But the hallucinations that can be used along with these drugs can cause people to fear their use even in case there is a medical advantage.

Brain Image (NIH)

Therefore, a group supervised by Sara De Martin, Mattarei and Paolo Manfredi chemically engineered 5 psilocin analogs to release gradually, slowly and possibly non-hallucinogenic into the brain. The initial test of the five compounds was conducted using human plasma samples and the laboratory parameters that replicate gastrointestinal absorption. These tests have enabled the group to determine a compound they refer to as 4e as the best prospect since it exhibited desirable stability to be absorbed and allowed a slow release of psilocin – a trait that has the potential to reduce the effects of hallucinations. Notably, 4e was also active at major serotonin receptors, and at similar levels as psilocin.

The researchers then compared the impact of the same dosage of 4e on mice with pharmaceutical quality psilocybin. The team orally gave the compounds to mice and assessed the degree to which psilocin was absorbed by the bloodstream and the brain after 48 hours. The compound had the capability of penetrating the blood-brain barrier in mice treated with 4e and had a lower yet more prolonged presence of psilocin in their brain than did their psilocybin-treated counterparts. In examining the behavior of the mice, the researchers found that the 4e-treated mice had reduced the number of head twitches, a well-established oral psychiatric effect of psychedelics in rodents, with the 4e-treated mice compared to those treated with psilocybin having far fewer head twitches. This difference in behavior seemed to be linked with the quantity and the time that psilocin was released in the brain.

According to the researchers, the results of their experiments testify to the possibility of creating stable derivatives of psilocin penetrating the brain and preserving the function of serotonin receptors without acute psychotropic effects. Their mechanism of action and complete description of their biological effects will require further research before their therapeutic capacity and safety in human beings are evaluated.

The authors admit MGGM Therapeutics, LLC. funding in partnership with NeuroArbor Therapeutics Inc. Some of the authors state that they are patent holders regarding psilocin.

What is Rett Syndrome ? New study Opens Avenue to Cure This Rare Disorder

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A group of researchers at the Texas Children Neurological Research Institute (NRI), Duncan, Baylor College of Medicine, found a possible new therapy to cure Rett syndrome has been reported in the Science Translational Medicine journal, with the early signs of success in a neurodevelopmental disorder with no cure yet.

According to the corresponding author, Dr. Huda Zoghbi, the director of the Duncan NRI, Distinguished Service Professor at Baylor, and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Rett syndrome is an uncommon genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that results in a developmental regression, usually past 6 to 18 months of normal development, followed by severe motor skill impairment, speech and communication impairment and communication impairment. The disorder affects girls mostly and it occurs in 1 out of 10,000 live births.

Loss-of-function mutations in MECP2 gene cause Rett syndrome, which plays a central role in normal brain functions since it controls the amount of various genes controlling neurological functions. These mutations cause the protein to disappear or code a faulty protein which cannot perform its normal function. Certain mutated forms of MeCP2 protein are also less abundant and/or reduced in terms of DNA binding, which is a key role in the functioning of this protein.

In mouse models of Rett syndrome, it has been demonstrated that the disorder is reversible, once normal MeCP2 protein is added in the brains of those mice, the conditions are reversible. Notably, it has been demonstrated by researchers that raising the concentration of a mutant MeCP2 protein that retains a minimal amount of functioning also enhances symptoms, such as survival, motor coordination and respiratory defects in mice.

The importance of this in that approximately 65 percent of patients with Rett syndrome have partially functional MeCP2, which is either less abundant or lacking DNA binding capacity, as compared to the normal level, according to the authors. Our study, on working with mouse models and cells obtained by patients with Rett syndrome, suggests evidence of concept that an increase in the levels of mutant MeCP2 in patients with the condition would be therapeutically beneficial.

Mechanism of the MECP2 gene

The creation of therapeutics that regulate the level of MeCP2 is not that simple. A mutation to MeCP2 that is too small leads to Rett syndrome, but an excess of MeCP2 leads to another neurological disorder, MECP2 Duplication Syndrome. The balance of the question has been so delicate that it has been difficult to come up with safe and efficient treatments.

Zoghbi said that before this research, they had already learned that the brain normally forms two versions of the MeCP2 protein E1 and E2, which differ slightly. These versions are the result of the same gene, which gets processed in one direction to form E1 and in another to form E2.

Consider a gene as a blueprint of a protein. MeCP2 has four ingredients, which are e1, e2, e3 and e4. In order to produce the MeCP2-E1 protein, cells simply mix ingredients e1, e3 and e4. In order to create MeCP2-E2, the cells mix all four ingredients, which makes ingredient e2 peculiar to this form of the protein. Both versions are produced by the brain, but E1 is prevalent.

“We also learnt that no cases of Rett syndrome individuals have been reported to have mutations on E2 protein. The condition is only caused by mutations that interfere with E1 protein,” said Tirumala. This is supported in studies on mice.

“All in all, we have known that MeCP2-E2 is a single ingredient below MeCP2-E1 in the gene and it is not so abundant as E1 and not linked to Rett syndrome and is not required to support the MeCP2 activities in the brain,” Tirumala said. “This made us hypothesize that by instructing the brain cells to omit the e2 ingredient, the production of additional MeCP2-E1 protein in patients with Rett syndrome will be promoted and will lead to a better disease outcome. We have experimental evidence in the mice and cells of patients with Rett-syndrome to support our hypothesis.”

The researchers first genetically removed the ingredient e2 of normal Mecp2 gene in mice and evaluated the outcome of the deletion on the abundance of the protein and its neurological activity. Tirumala said that the results of this approach gave 50 to 60 percent MeCP2 protein increment in normal mice.

The researchers subsequently used the same strategy on the cells that were obtained using the patients with Rett syndrome that contained MECP2 mutations that decrease the abundance and activity of the protein. They removed the ingredient e2 in this mutant MECP2 gene and evaluated the impact of this mutation on the abundance of this protein and the attributes of these cells. Tirumala said that they were excited to find that MeCP2 production improved when ingredient e2 was deleted. Notably, with the degree of mutation, these cells reappeared with part or all of their usual structure, their usual electrical functions and their capability to control the level of other genes.

Lastly, the team evaluated the therapeutic potential of such an approach. Does a blocking drug of ingredient e2 elevate MeCP2 protein?

Tirumala said the value of morpholinos was tested to stimulate MeCP2 protein production in mice. “Morpholinos are artificial molecules to be used in this instance to inhibit the production of MeCP2-E2 protein by preventing the e2 ingredient to enter the cell,” explained Tirumala. “This was interesting because our morpholinos found to increase MeCP2 protein in mice tremendously.”

The work by Zoghbi and colleagues forms the basis and offers preclinical support to a treatment method of Rett syndrome involving the enhancement of MeCP2 and offering some functional recovery, Zoghbi said. Even though morpholinos are not an option due to their toxicity, analogous ones, such as antisense oligonucleotide therapies that are already being employed to treat other diseases, might be created in Rett syndrome.

Use of Boron in Proteins to Create New Treatments to Cure Cancer: Study

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A large number of the most important proteins of modern medicine and science are insoluble. These comprise a host of signalling proteins and protein hormones, and all of the receptors embedded in the cell membranes, which are directed at approximately 60 percent of the active ingredients presently utilized in medicines. When the concentration of these proteins crosses some given level, they will form clumps and become useless.

This aggregation renders synthesis of these molecules in lab impossible. Since specialised production with specialised synthesing robots always needs more than a single fragment to be conjugated into a full protein, a single poorly soluble fragment of protein is usually sufficient to inhibit production. The reason is that the current techniques employed by chemists to assemble protein fragments merely perform successfully when the fragments exist in solution and in very high concentrations.

A team of researchers, headed by Jeffrey Bode, professor at the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry at ETH Zurich has now discovered how to couple even the poorly soluble portions of proteins into functional proteins. In order to do this, they utilized special properties of a chemical compound comprising an element named boron.

The slow carbon chemistry has a concentration constraint.

The only major difference between the ETH technique and the traditional strategies is in the rate of the coupling reaction. Unlike in biochemistry, which occurs extremely fast in cells of living organisms, through enzymes, reactions such as these typically need to be carried out at unnatural concentrations within the laboratory. The reason behind this is that the slower the reaction is taking place, the greater the concentration of the reacting substances should be so that the reaction processes take place as intended.

The novel coupling technique invented by the team of Bode is approximately 1000 times faster and thus was also applicable in 1000 times lower concentrations.

Boron opens up new opportunities bio-chemistry

The ETH chemists hastened the reaction by including Boron atoms to the carbon-based molecules. These are not found in natural molecules.

In several of its properties, the metalloid boron behaves in a somewhat different way. On bonding with metals, it forms very tough and heat-resistant metal alloys. Alternatively, it is capable of bonding with the nonmetals carbon, oxygen or nitrogen in the lab to form molecules that tend to have bizarre reaction characteristics. In 2010, Akira Suzuki, a Japanese researcher and Richard Heck, an American researcher, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry due to the development of boron-based coupling reactions to enable laboratory synthesis of natural substances.

According to Bode, “We reach an ultimate limit of reaction rate with purely carbon based systems. It is further expansion into previously untapped boron based reagents that places us in a space where even the most recalcitrant reactions that bring large biological molecules together can occur in a very brief time.”

cancer cells/photo:en.wikipedia.org

Protective acids: a rocky road

As shown by Bode and colleagues in 2012, this was the first study to demonstrate that it was possible to add an element of a hitherto unexplored chemical group to proteins fragments and do so with great speed and stability. Nevertheless, this compound was not stable with strong acids hence could not be utilized in automated synthesis.

To endure the tough environment that was applied to the sensitive boron compound in normal laboratory robots, the compound would require protection in the form of a chemical packaging, but this was easier said than done. The researchers experimented with a number of strategies in four years to little effect.

The discovery was made by mistake and eventually, the discovery occurred when a doctoral student tried an experimental method that the team had indeed thought was ineffective. The resulting protective compound binds to the boron group on three sides, therefore, being unable to be terminated in the acids in protein production.

According to Bode, such fundamental research, in which there is no assurance of success, is feasible only due to the unrestricted funds provided by the Swiss National Science Foundation and ETH.

Inorganic amino acids and cancer treatment

The ETH method implies that new peptide and protein drugs or drugs of medical interest to cure cancer that are prone to clumping, can now be produced via the usual laboratory protocols.

Moreover, special amino acids that are not natural can also be incorporated in the location of choice on the poorly soluble proteins. As an example, the chemists can functionalized these building blocks in a protein in a specific way in case they wish to attach it to an active substance on a particular location. Some of the applications of antibody-drug conjugates prepared through this method include cancer treatment procedures that do not damage normal tissues.

The way in which the method will be applied to clinical practice is not yet clear. In 2020 Bode co-founded the ETH spin-out Bright Peak Therapeutics, which applications the technologies invented in his lab to build immunotherapies to fight cancer. A therapeutic agent has already entered clinical trials and the new method based on boron may assist in increasing the size of the product pipeline of the spin-off.

Europe Deforestation to Double, Predicts AI Study Citing Fires, Storms and Bark Beetles

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A new study estimated the extent to which the area covered by Europe in forest could be disturbed by fire, storms, and bark beetles by the year 2100 in varying climate conditions. With satellite data and forest simulations, an artificial intelligence model predicted the disturbances on a continental scale using 13,000 points in Europe.

In every case, disturbances of the forests in the future were greater than it is today, with great impact on forests and services to the society.
There is a significant effect of wildfires, storms, and even bark beetles on forests and the benefits that they bring to people and environment.

This is the first time when a big international team of researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has computed how disrupts would alter the forests in Europe in the year 2100. In even the most optimistic of scenarios, the team does project a significant expansion of the damaged forest area, in the worst case, the disturbance might even be doubled.

It is not novel that trees die, and in fact, it is a normal process in the forest that is in the process of natural dynamics whereby old trees die, young trees regenerate and become the next generation of canopy trees.

The new thing is the magnitude of how wildfires, storms, and bark beetles are transforming forests due to the change of climate. The amount of forest destruction in Central Europe demonstrated dramatic figures in recent years, however until this time it was unknown how much the area covered by forests could be deterred by future disturbances. The disturbances define the carbon storage capacity of the forests, the timber they are capable of offering, and the habitats of which species they are able to offer, thus making the results very significant to the policymakers and society.

A great number of researchers headed by Professor of Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management, Rupert Seidl, TUM, has now filled this gap in knowledge. The researchers have approximated that, the space disrupted by fires, storms, and bark beetles might increase threefold by 2100 with a global warming of slightly above 4 degrees Celsius.

The researchers used remote sensed data as a reference point between 1986 and 2020, a timeframe that experienced abnormally high disturbance in the forests. Although it is in the best scenario, the researchers are projecting increased destruction of forests in future compared to this reference period even with the warming of about 2 degrees Celsius.

Regional differences

In combination with 13,000 simulations of forests in Europe, the model was an AI-based simulation, which was trained on 135 million data points of forest simulations and multi-decadal satellite data of forest disturbances. This enabled them to model how the forests would develop in future and how disturbances would occur and penetrate to the scale of a single hectare providing very accurate information on regional variation in future forest disturbance patterns.

A view of Białowieża Forest, Belarus-Poland. CREDIT: IUCN Elena Osipova

The study has indicated that forests in Southern and Western Europe will be affected especially and will experience the strongest forest disturbances.

The overall impact of the future on Northern Europe is less expected to be severe, though the hotspots of the future forest damage are predicted to appear as well. According to Rupert Seidl, disturbances are becoming a cross-regional problem, that is, they destroy timber markets in Europe and endanger the ecosystem services that forests bring to society.

The study authors hence regard the growing disturbance rates as being an urgent demand on forest policy and management to consider: “We should be ready to witness a lot of forest damage in the near future. On the one hand, this implies that we have to prepare and cushion against more severe changes in the services forests offer. Conversely, disruptions also provide a chance to create new and climate-resistant forests – they are agents of change,” said Seidl.

Forestry has to meet the threat and the opportunity of increasing the level of disturbance, with the help of new scientific techniques and knowledge, explained Seidl.

Epstein’s Echo: Will Andrew’s Trade Blunders Delay £19Billion UK Trade Deal With India?

Posted on February 19, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Britain reels from the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, once Prince Andrew, on his 66th birthday over Epstein ties, questions swirl around New Delhi’s corridors. Could this royal mess cast a shadow on the freshly inked UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), set to unlock £19 billion in UK exports to India?

With the pact eyeing rollout in April, Indian businesses eye massive gains, but trust in UK diplomacy hangs by a thread. Mountbatten-Windsor, nabbed Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, allegedly funneled sensitive trade docs to Jeffrey Epstein during his 2001-2011 stint as UK’s trade envoy.

Emails from US Justice Department files show him sharing “confidential briefs” on investment opportunities and visit reports from Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen in 2010-2011. “Andrew forwarded Epstein reports about Vietnam, Singapore and other places,” notes a Reuters report, highlighting itinerary shares too.

These leaks, post-Epstein’s 2008 conviction, smack of betrayal. Thames Valley Police are probing if this breached the Official Secrets Act, with Buckingham Palace pledging support for any inquiry.

Andrew India visit / PIB

For India, the timing stings. The FTA, signed July 2025 after 15 negotiation rounds, promises tariff cuts on 99% of Indian exports entering UK duty-free, slashing UK duties by up to £400 million yearly, rising to £900 million in a decade. Bilateral trade hit £47.2 billion last year, up 15%, making India UK’s 10th top partner.

But Andrew’s Asia blunders raise red flags. His 2010 tour overlapped with UK’s push into emerging markets, including India. Sharing intel with a convicted felon could expose vulnerabilities in deals involving sensitive sectors like tech and defence, areas India guards closely amidst China tensions.

Andrew made several high-profile visits to India, most notably in 2006, 2010, May 2012 for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, visiting Chennai, Mumbai, and Nagaland to strengthen defense and trade ties. He visited again in 2015 for various diplomatic and business engagements, including the trade deal.

Though there is no direct India link in leaks or the scandal, its fresh fallout is turning wary. Post-Brexit, UK needs India for growth, but New Delhi, juggling FTAs with EU and US, might demand stricter safeguards now.

On X, chatter hints at unease. While global posts rage over Andrew’s arrest, Indian voices tie it to diplomacy: “UK’s royal rot could spoil our trade party,” tweets analyst @IndiaEconWatch, echoing fears of delayed gains.

Yet, optimism lingers. A commerce ministry official said the pact’s on track for mid-2026, with services provisions limited but goods flowing freer. For Indian firms eyeing UK markets, from autos to pharma, this Epstein echo is unlikely to affect trade ties for now.

New recombinant mpox strain detected in UK and India, WHO urges continued monitoring

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

WHO confirmed that two cases of the recombinant strain – combining genomic elements of clades Ib and IIb of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) – have been identified to date: one in the United Kingdom and one in India. Both patients had recent travel histories, and neither experienced severe illness.

No secondary cases were detected following contact tracing.

WHO has published a detailed update on the two cases and the national responses.

Recombination is a natural process that can occur when two related viruses infect the same person and exchange genetic material, producing a new variant.

According to WHO, detailed genomic analysis shows the two individuals “fell ill several weeks apart with the same recombinant strain,” suggesting that additional undetected cases may exist.

What is mpox?

Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), part of the Orthopoxvirus genus, which also includes the virus that causes smallpox.

It spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, and in some cases through contaminated materials or respiratory droplets.

Symptoms typically include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and rash and/or lesions.

Click here for the WHO factsheet on mpox.

Two detected cases

The case in the United Kingdom was detected in December 2025 in a traveller returning from a country in the Asia Pacific region. Initial laboratory testing identified the virus as clade Ib, but whole genome sequencing later revealed that it contained genetic regions from both clade Ib and clade IIb strains. Repeat sequencing confirmed the findings and demonstrated that the virus “can replicate and presents potential for onward transmission.”

In India, a patient who developed symptoms in September 2025 was initially classified as infected with clade II MPXV. However, following updates to global genomic databases, the virus was reclassified as the same recombinant strain identified in the UK. The Indian case represents the earliest known detection of this strain.

“Due to the small number of cases found to date, conclusions about transmissibility or clinical characterization of mpox due to recombinant strains would be premature, and it remains essential to maintain vigilance regarding this development,” WHO said.

Clinical presentations in both cases were consistent with known mpox infections.

Risk assessment unchanged

WHO’s overall risk assessment remains unchanged: the risk is assessed as moderate for men who have sex with men with new and/or multiple partners and for sex workers or others with multiple casual sexual partners, and low for the general population without specific risk factors.

At the same time, WHO cautioned that clade differentiation PCR tests alone “may not reliably identify recombinant MPXV strains,” meaning genomic sequencing is essential for detection.

“All countries should remain alert to the possibility of MPXV genetic recombination,” WHO said, urging continued epidemiological surveillance, sequencing, vaccination of at-risk groups, and infection prevention and control measures.

WHO advised that no travel or trade restrictions are warranted based on current information.

World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum put women at the heart of economic transformation

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

That was the central message of the Manama Declaration, issued at the close of the World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum (WEIF) held this week in Bahrain.

The declaration places women at the heart of economic transformation, underscoring that empowering them within business and innovation ecosystems is essential to achieving inclusive and sustainable growth.

It also calls for strengthening women’s presence across emerging sectors, including the green, blue and orange economies which respectively promote environmental responsibility, sustainable use of ocean resources and creativity.

Organized by the UN Industrial Development Organization’s (UNIDO) Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Bahrain, the forum convened leaders, investors and entrepreneurs from around the world to shape a more resilient global economy and unlock new opportunities for women-led enterprises.

Women entrepreneurs gather on stage at the International Woman Entrepreneurial Challenge 2026 in Manama, Bahrain.

“An amazing opportunity”

For many participants, the forum delivered tangible results.

Doris Martin, CEO of DMartin Consultancy in Bahrain, attended in search of meaningful collaboration and found it.

Through business-to-business (B2B) meetings facilitated during the event, she established partnerships with companies in the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

“This forum has been effective for me,” she told UN News. “I’ve had B2B collaboration with regional companies through Bahrain and through UNIDO.”

Tosin Arwejulo, CEO of Leadership Excel Consultancy and a Nigerian-American entrepreneur based in Bahrain, described the forum as a “powerful networking platform.”

“I’ve had the opportunity to talk to people from literally every continent,” she said. “It has been an amazing opportunity to connect with like-minded leaders.”

From left to right: Tosin Arwejulo, CEO of Leadership Excel Consultancy and a Nigerian-American entrepreneur based in Bahrain, and Doris Martin, CEO of DMartin Consultancy in Bahrain(In the middle).

Shared challenges, shared solutions

The forum’s impact extended beyond the Arab region.

Ayanthi Gurusinghe, President of the Ceylon Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka and representative of the South Asian Women Development Forum, attended alongside delegates from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

She said participants exchanged valuable lessons, particularly around access to finance, a challenge faced by women entrepreneurs across regions.

“It was a good opportunity for networking, to come together, share views, learn and exchange experiences,” she said, expressing appreciation to UNIDO for creating a space where global connections could flourish.

Ayanthi Gurusinghe, President of the Ceylon Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka and representative of the South Asian Women Development Forum, at WEIF 2026 in Bahrain.

Special focus on artists with disabilities

Beyond panel discussions and networking sessions, the forum also spotlighted inclusive entrepreneurship through three exhibitions including on “Determined Creative Entrepreneur.”

Among the exhibitors was Nisreen Samour of Micro Art Center in Bahrain, which specializes in training and developing artistic talent, with a special focus on artists with disabilities.

“Today, we have about nine students participating, each specializing in an artistic field that aligns with their interests and abilities,” she said.

“I personally train them, and we are currently working on developing their skills and empowering them to produce professional artwork that will help them effectively enter the art market and the job market, thus contributing to increased productivity and the center’s overall performance” she told UN News.

The centre also works with orphans, helping them develop artistic skills and showcase their work publicly — fostering independence and self-reliance through creativity.

Nisreen Samour of Micro Art Center in Bahrain, which specializes in training and developing artistic talent, with a special focus on artists with disabilities.

The role of academia

One recurring theme was the role of higher education in preparing young women to enter the world of entrepreneurship.

In an interview with UN News, Dr. Nihal Al-Najjar, professor at the Royal University for Women in Bahrain, highlighted the need to embed entrepreneurship deeply within academic systems.

“Our academic role is to integrate entrepreneurship not just as a subject, but as a methodology,” she said, explaining that experiential learning and practical application are key. “We encourage students to think, innovate and identify gaps in society, and then work to find solutions.”

She added that universities must go beyond classroom teaching by connecting students to the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem, guiding them towards mentorship, funding opportunities and professional networks when they are ready to launch their own ventures.

Dina Najar at WEIF2026 in Manama, Bahrain, covering Sustainable Development Goals.

A driving force for sustainable development

The World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum (WEIF) was preceded by the annual conference of the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC)—a New York-based NGO that helps women-owned businesses to grow.

Speaking at the conference, UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller described women’s entrepreneurship as a driving force for sustainable development, global innovation and economic inclusion.

“We must ensure that women everywhere have a level playing field and are given the opportunity to unlock their full potential,” he stated, highlighting persistent barriers to finance, technology, and higher-skilled roles for women globally.

Reaffirming UNIDO’s commitment, he added that “empowering women is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.” The 17 SDGs, adopted by governments in 2015, provide a blueprint for a more just and equitable future for all people and the planet.

Mr. Müller praised Bahrain’s leadership in supporting entrepreneurship and women’s economic participation and outlined UNIDO’s ongoing work in crisis-affected countries, noting, “UNIDO has just started working to set up recovery programmes in Syria, Sudan, and Palestine… mostly the women there are affected, and they need our support.”

Gerd Müller, Director General of UNIDO, speaking at the International Woman Entrepreneurial Conference in Bahrain 2026.

Women as engines of business

In her opening remarks, IWEC Chair Ibukun Awosika highlighted women’s transformative role as engines of business, leadership, and national progress.

She emphasized that women constitute half of the world’s productive assets and, when empowered, become game changers in corporate and political leadership. Drawing on her own journey, Ms. Awosika recalled building a manufacturing group over 36 years before becoming the first and only woman chair of sub-Saharan Africa’s oldest financial institution, First Bank of Nigeria.

“What women represent to the world is 50 per cent of its assets — productive, constructive assets that are game changers when fully deployed,” she said.

“Every nation that has enough wisdom to invest and to actualize the talent that is in 50 per cent of its population is a country that is set to win.”

H.E. Mrs. Ibukun Awo, IWECC Chair, speaking at WEIF2026 in Bahrain.

Success Stories from Bahrain and Nigeria

According to its website, the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) has recognized 575 distinguished awardees globally, honoured annually at its conferences and nominated by partner organizations, representing women-owned businesses from across the world.

In Bahrain, IWEC recognized a new cohort of awardees from the Middle East and Africa.

Among them was Sonia Mohamed Janahi, founder of Maya La Chocolaterie, who highlighted UNIDO’s role in advancing women’s entrepreneurship.

With UNIDO’s support, Janahi expanded her Bahraini chocolate brand into Africa, establishing a cocoa processing plant in Côte d’Ivoire, creating jobs, promoting ethical supply chains, and ensuring global recognition for African-produced chocolate.

Official event photo from WEIF2026 in Manama, Bahrain.

“UNIDO has played a very vital role in my progression. They have taken my project and opened opportunities for me,” she told UN News, underscoring UNIDO’s commitment to recognizing women entrepreneurs across Bahrain, the Middle East, and Africa.

“This event represents women globally and investments over $6 billion that bring women globally together. It awards women who have not just started a business but have sustained a business and scaled up a business and have had an impact on the economy and on the society.”

Also honoured was Nigerian entrepreneur Oluwakelemi, who discussed her gifting and lifestyle retail business, which employs women and supports household incomes across Nigeria while preparing to expand internationally.

“I am passionate about building scalable African businesses with global reach,” she told UN News. “Not less than 5,000 people have been able to benefit from our business, from our work.”

In the hands of innovators from the Global South, AI can transform lives

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Fodder cutters are fearsome machines with huge circular blades spinning at high speed, powered by small generators. Operated by rural workers in several developing countries, including India, Pakistan and Kenya, they pose a constant risk – many have had hands or arms amputated following accidents.

The consequences are devastating. Tasks that shape daily life – harvesting crops, kneading dough, stitching embroidery – suddenly become impossible. Thousands of women are left with reduced independence, lost livelihoods, and, too often, social exclusion.

Until recently, advanced prosthetics were far beyond their reach. Now, homegrown AI tools are opening the door to the same kinds of sophisticated devices available in wealthier countries.

Karachi-based Bioniks Technologies partnered with UN Women to design and deliver prosthetic limbs tailored specifically for affected female workers in Pakistan’s Sindh province. The initiative harnessed frontier technologies – 3D modelling, digital scanning, and artificial intelligence – to create lightweight, durable, and intuitive bionic arms capable of transforming daily life.

A rural Pakistani woman injured by a fodder cutter.

“Through this collaboration, we provided advanced prosthetic arms, hands-on training, psychological support and awareness sessions to help communities understand safety practices and prevent such injuries in the future,” says Ayesha Zulfiqar, co-founder of Bioniks.

“Watching these incredible women regain their mobility, dignity, independence and return to hand embroidery, their main source of income, has been profoundly inspiring. This is more than technology, it’s restoring hope, confidence and opportunity.”

The India AI Impact Summit: A first for the Global South

This initiative is a powerful example of what can be achieved when AI is available to innovators based in the Global South.

Democratising AI is a major priority for the United Nations, which is working to ensure that this rapidly evolving technology is developed ethically and benefits people everywhere.

At the India AI Impact Summit, taking place from 16 to 20 February in New Delhi, several UN agencies will showcase the initiatives they are supporting in the country and across developing nations.

The Summit is the first major event of its kind in the Global South. Building on the momentum of the 2023 AI Safety Summit convened by the UK, and the 2025 AI Action Summit in France, it will also feature UN Secretary‑General António Guterres and Amandeep Gill, his Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies.

Speaking to author and podcaster Anirudh Suri in the run-up to the conference, Mr. Gill said that the UN is focused on bridging the growing ‘AI divide’ (between wealthy and developing economies, as well as the rich and poor within countries) and making AI more accessible to people everywhere.

“The concentration of economic and technological power is our biggest concern at the United Nations,” said Mr. Gill. “We’ve seen this story before, during previous industrial revolutions, when those who missed steam power found themselves 50 years behind in terms of development. We cannot afford to let that happen again.”

Despite the fears he expressed, Mr. Gill pointed to regions that have put plans in place to capitalise on AI and avoid being left behind. “I see this in Southeast Asia, in many parts of Africa and in India, where the government is taking the lead, subsidising access to AI for researchers, developers and smaller companies.”

Although the AI Impact Summit is not a UN event, Mr. Gill has been involved in shaping the agenda and considers it to be an important moment on the path to international governance. “It’s exciting to see the focus on bridging the AI divide, building capacity and involving citizens in a democratic approach to the technology.”

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World News in Brief: Deadly strikes in Sudan, Guterres calls for unity ahead of Ramadan

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Fresh waves of violence in Sudan and neighbouring South Sudan are pushing fragile communities into deeper crisis, with attacks on towns, health facilities and aid infrastructure forcing thousands to flee and leaving humanitarian agencies scrambling to respond.

Over the past week, conflict has intensified in Sudan’s North Kordofan state, where more than a dozen attacks were reported around the towns of El Obeid, Bara, Rahad and Um Rawaba. The violence is part of a broader deterioration in security conditions across several regions already battered by prolonged conflict.

Attacks Spread Across Kordofan

In South Kordofan, suspected drone strikes targeted health facilities in Kadugli, the state capital, as well as in the town of Kuweik. According to early reports, the strikes killed at least four medical workers and injured more than 20 others.

Aid officials say the attacks on medical infrastructure have further strained already fragile health services in the region. Hospitals and clinics have struggled to cope with rising casualties while dealing with shortages of medicine, equipment and trained staff.

The renewed violence has also raised alarm among international observers. A recent report by the United Nations Human Rights Office warned that systematic attacks against civilians in Sudan’s Darfur region during late 2025 may amount to crimes against humanity.

Displacement And Humanitarian Needs Rising

The escalating fighting is triggering fresh displacement across several parts of Sudan.

UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the violence was forcing large numbers of people to abandon their homes and seek safety elsewhere.

“The violence is triggering a new wave of displacement, with reports of many fleeing homes and in need of food, health care and protection,” he said during a briefing on Friday.

Humanitarian agencies say the situation is particularly worrying in the towns of Dilling and Kadugli, where conditions continue to deteriorate. Aid groups have warned that without immediate access to affected areas, relief operations will struggle to meet growing needs.

Drone strikes have also damaged telecommunications infrastructure, commercial vehicles and major transport routes. The disruptions have slowed the movement of humanitarian supplies and staff, complicating efforts to deliver aid.

The United Nations has urged all parties involved in the conflict to ensure the protection of humanitarian facilities and to allow safe and unhindered access for relief operations.

Violence Spills Into South Sudan

Meanwhile, the humanitarian outlook in South Sudan is also worsening.

Since late December 2025, violence has surged across northern and central regions of the country, according to the UN children’s agency UNICEF.

In Jonglei state alone, at least 280,000 people have been displaced by the fighting. Aid officials say most of those forced to flee are women and children.

Many families have sought refuge in displacement camps originally set up during earlier phases of South Sudan’s civil war. Others are sheltering in remote areas with little or no access to basic services.

Children account for more than half of the displaced population. UNICEF warns that many of them face grave risks, including recruitment by armed groups, family separation and gender-based violence.

Children in Gaza hold lanterns to celebrate the advent of Ramadan. (file)

Health System Near Collapse

The continuing violence has pushed South Sudan’s already fragile health system to the brink.

UNICEF says at least 11 health facilities have been attacked or looted since the latest surge in fighting began. Several nutrition centres have also been forced to shut down.

At the same time, a cholera outbreak has added further strain. Nearly 500 cases have been reported nationwide, overwhelming treatment centres and stretching limited medical resources.

Aid agencies estimate that about 825,000 children in Jonglei, Unity and Eastern Equatoria states are now at risk of acute malnutrition. Without urgent treatment, severely malnourished children face dramatically higher mortality risks.

Despite the challenges, humanitarian organisations continue to operate health, nutrition and child protection programmes in several parts of the country.

Global Appeal For Peace During Ramadan

Against the backdrop of these crises, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the international community to embrace unity and compassion as Muslims around the world prepare to observe the holy month of Ramadan.

He described Ramadan as a time of reflection and hope, but acknowledged that for many people living in conflict zones—from Gaza and Yemen to Afghanistan and Sudan—peace remains elusive.

“For Muslims around the world, the holy month of Ramadan is a sacred period of reflection and prayer. Ramadan also represents a noble vision of hope and peace.” Mr. Guterres said in a message ahead of the start on Tuesday. “May this Holy Month inspire us to work as one to build a more peaceful, generous and just world for all people,” he said.

Calling for greater solidarity, Guterres urged governments and humanitarian actors to work together to bridge divisions, deliver aid to vulnerable communities and uphold the dignity and rights of people affected by war.

He expressed hope that the spirit of Ramadan would inspire renewed efforts to build a more peaceful and just world.

Syria transition gains ground with Kurdish deal, but violence and humanitarian strain persist

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A new agreement between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces in the country’s northeast is being viewed by the United Nations as a potentially significant step toward stabilising a region long shaped by conflict and competing authorities.

Briefing members of the UN Security Council for the first time in his role as Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Claudio Cordone highlighted the ceasefire and integration agreement signed on January 30 between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The arrangement, he said, could mark an important turning point if implemented effectively.

Agreement Aims To Integrate Northeast Syria

The deal outlines a gradual process to integrate the military and administrative structures of northeast Syria with the Syrian state. It also contains provisions aimed at facilitating the return of displaced residents and safeguarding Kurdish cultural and educational rights.

Officials say the framework builds upon earlier government measures, including Presidential Decree 13, which recognised certain linguistic, cultural and citizenship rights for Kurdish communities.

Cordone told the Council that hostilities in the region had largely subsided and that work on implementing the agreement had begun.

Security deployments by Syria’s Ministry of Interior have already taken place in key cities such as Al-Hasakeh and Qamishli, while talks are underway regarding local governance arrangements and political appointments.

The United Nations Secretary-General welcomed the agreement soon after it was announced, urging all sides to move quickly to ensure its full implementation. He emphasised that the deal should guarantee the peaceful integration of the northeast, protect Kurdish rights and enable displaced Syrians to return home voluntarily and safely.

Security Council members echoed that message in a presidential statement this week, describing the deal as a comprehensive step that could help prevent further civilian suffering and reduce risks surrounding detention facilities holding suspected fighters from the Islamic State group, also known as ISIL or Da’esh.

UN Continues Political And Humanitarian Engagement

Alongside political mediation, the United Nations remains heavily involved in humanitarian operations across Syria.

The office of the UN Special Envoy continues to engage with the Syrian government and other political actors in an effort to advance the broader political transition. These discussions include implementing the northeast agreement, encouraging inclusive governance and promoting respect for human rights.

At the same time, UN agencies and partner organisations are delivering food, water, healthcare and shelter to millions of Syrians affected by years of war. Aid teams are also supporting mine clearance operations, restoring damaged infrastructure and helping communities rebuild basic services.

These efforts aim to create conditions that would allow displaced families to return home in safety and dignity.

Security Concerns Persist In Several Regions

Despite the relative calm in parts of the northeast, the situation across Syria remains fragile.

Cordone said the United Nations is closely monitoring the transfer of suspected Islamic State fighters from Syria to Iraq. He stressed that legal proceedings must meet international fair-trial standards and urged countries to repatriate their citizens detained in Syria as quickly as possible.

Elsewhere in the country, tensions continue to flare. In the southern province of Sweida, clashes between government forces and local armed groups have caused damage to infrastructure and triggered electricity outages. Protests calling for greater local autonomy have also resurfaced.

In southern border areas, Israeli military operations and search activities have continued. Reports have also emerged of aerial herbicide spraying damaging farmland. UN officials have called for adherence to international law and urged Israel to withdraw from territories it occupies in violation of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.

Participants at a UN workshop on recovery priorities, challenges and response planning /UN

Displacement And Humanitarian Needs Remain High

Humanitarian conditions remain difficult for many Syrians despite some limited improvements.

According to the UN humanitarian coordination office, recent clashes in the northeast displaced tens of thousands of people. Although many have since returned, around 130,000 individuals remain displaced across the governorates of Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa and Aleppo.

More than 90 percent of those affected are women and girls, many of whom are living in overcrowded camps or staying with host families already facing economic hardship.

Heavy flooding this week in Idlib and northern Latakia further compounded the crisis, killing two children and destroying or damaging around 2,000 tents sheltering displaced families.

Still, aid groups say access to some areas is gradually improving. UN teams have reached around 200,000 people in recent weeks, delivering assistance through more than 170 aid convoys.

Electricity supply has also reportedly resumed in the town of Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobane, following repairs to damaged infrastructure.

Political Transition Moves Forward

Attention is now turning to the next stage in Syria’s political transition: the formation of a new People’s Assembly.

Elections for most seats were held in October 2025, though additional seats, including those representing Raqqa, remain to be filled. Confirmation is still awaited regarding the appointment of 70 members by President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the date of the assembly’s opening session.

Cordone stressed that the success of the transition would depend on meaningful representation from Syria’s diverse communities and regions.

He also underscored the need to address long-standing issues such as the fate of missing persons and mechanisms for transitional justice.

Highlighting the contributions of Syrian women throughout years of conflict, the UN envoy said their participation in politics and civil society would be essential for building a more inclusive and stable future.

He concluded his remarks by praising the resilience of the Syrian people and expressing hope that continued cooperation between Syria and the United Nations would help lay the foundations for lasting peace and recovery.

‘Like a scene out of a horror movie’: UN report warns of war crimes in Sudan’s El Fasher

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A new United Nations report has documented widespread atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region, accusing fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias of carrying out mass killings, sexual violence and other grave abuses during an assault on the city of El Fasher.

The findings, released by the UN human rights office, highlight what investigators describe as a systematic pattern of violence against civilians during the ongoing conflict between Sudan’s national army and the RSF militia.

War In Sudan Enters Third Year

Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal power struggle for nearly three years, with fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF spreading across large parts of the country.

Darfur, a region already scarred by earlier conflicts, has once again become one of the epicentres of violence. The UN report focuses particularly on the RSF’s offensive against El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which has been under siege.

According to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, the lack of accountability for past abuses continues to fuel fresh cycles of violence.

“Persistent impunity fuels continued cycles of violence,” Türk said, urging credible investigations and justice for those responsible for the latest atrocities.

Mass Killings And Targeted Attacks

Based on hundreds of interviews conducted with survivors and witnesses in late 2025, UN investigators documented more than 6,000 killings during the first three days of the RSF offensive on El Fasher.

The report cautions that the actual death toll is likely far higher, as the assault continued for weeks and access to some areas remained restricted.

Investigators recorded multiple incidents of mass violence. In one of the most devastating attacks, RSF fighters reportedly opened fire with heavy weapons on a large group of civilians seeking shelter at Al-Rashid dormitory within El Fasher University.

Around 1,000 people had gathered there for safety on October 26, but witnesses said roughly 500 were killed when the fighters began firing indiscriminately.

One witness described the aftermath as resembling “a scene out of a horror movie,” recounting how bodies were thrown into the air by the blasts.

Ethnic Targeting And Summary Executions

The report also documents a series of summary executions carried out inside El Fasher.

According to witnesses, RSF fighters targeted young boys and men under the age of 50, accusing them of collaborating with Sudanese government forces or allied militias.

In many cases, investigators said the accusations appeared to be based largely on ethnicity. Members of non-Arab communities, particularly those from the Zaghawa ethnic group, were reportedly singled out during searches and arrests.

Civilians who were injured or otherwise unable to fight—individuals considered hors de combat under international humanitarian law—were also among those targeted, the report states.

Widespread Sexual Violence Reported

Survivors interviewed by UN investigators described repeated incidents of rape, gang rape and other forms of sexual violence during the assault.

Women and girls from Zaghawa and other non-Arab communities appeared to be particularly vulnerable.

Witnesses recounted cases in which victims were abducted and held for ransom, with sexual violence used as a tool of intimidation and coercion. In other instances, women were assaulted during invasive body searches carried out by armed fighters.

The report also documents cases of torture, forced disappearances, arbitrary detention and the recruitment of children to take part in hostilities.

Possible Crimes Against Humanity

Human rights officials say the pattern of abuses seen in El Fasher resembles earlier attacks carried out by RSF forces in other parts of Darfur during the war.

One such episode occurred at the Zamzam displacement camp in April 2025, where investigators also documented large-scale violence against civilians.

According to the UN report, the scale and organisation of these attacks suggest they may form part of a deliberate campaign targeting civilian populations.

“The acts of violence knowingly committed as part of such an attack would amount to crimes against humanity,” the UN human rights office said.

Calls For Accountability And Mediation

Türk urged all parties involved in the conflict to ensure that forces under their command immediately cease violations of international law.

He also called on countries with influence over the warring factions to help prevent further atrocities, including by respecting existing arms embargoes and halting the flow of weapons into the conflict.

The UN human rights chief stressed the need for stronger international support for mediation efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire and reviving political dialogue.

“In a protection crisis of this scale, human rights must remain central to efforts to achieve a durable resolution of the conflict,” he said.

As fighting continues across Sudan, humanitarian agencies warn that millions of civilians remain trapped in one of the world’s most severe and rapidly worsening crises.

Madagascar: ‘Overwhelming’ destruction, surging needs after back-to-back cyclones – WFP

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Madagascar is grappling with a growing humanitarian emergency after two powerful cyclones struck the island nation within three weeks, leaving widespread destruction and pushing hundreds of thousands of people into urgent need of assistance.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says around 400,000 people are now facing acute humanitarian needs following the storms, which damaged homes, infrastructure and vital services across several regions.

Powerful Cyclone Hits Key Coastal City

Cyclone Gezani made landfall on Tuesday evening near the port city of Toamasina, also known as Tamatave, Madagascar’s second largest urban centre. The storm brought powerful winds reaching up to 250 kilometres per hour, leaving extensive destruction in its wake.

Tania Goossens, WFP’s country director in Madagascar, described the devastation after returning from a field visit to the city.

“The scale of the destruction is really overwhelming,” she told reporters during a briefing from the capital, Antananarivo.

Local authorities estimate that roughly 80 percent of Toamasina has sustained damage. Essential services have also been severely disrupted, with electricity functioning at only a fraction of normal capacity.

“It’s running on roughly five percent electricity at the moment,” Goossens said, adding that large areas remain without water supply. Even the WFP’s warehouse and office in the city were completely destroyed by the cyclone.

Casualties And Widespread Damage

Initial assessments indicate that at least 38 people have died and more than 370 others have been injured as a result of the storm.

Beyond the human toll, the cyclone has caused extensive damage to homes, businesses, schools and healthcare facilities. The city’s main hospital was among the structures affected.

Goossens said many families have been forced to abandon their homes after roofs were ripped off buildings or entire structures collapsed under the force of the winds.

During her visit to the disaster zone, she saw residents attempting to recover what little remained of their belongings from the wreckage.

“Many are spending the night in homes where the roofs have been torn off,” she said.

Streets throughout the city remain blocked by uprooted trees and debris, making movement difficult. Fuel shortages are also complicating relief efforts.

Families Struggle To Find Food And Shelter

The storm has left thousands of residents uncertain about how they will secure food and shelter in the coming days.

According to WFP officials, many families have lost nearly all of their possessions. Some are sheltering in damaged homes while others have moved to temporary sites with limited facilities.

“Families are telling us that they have lost everything,” Goossens said, warning that access to basic necessities remains a major concern.

Humanitarian agencies are particularly worried about deteriorating water, sanitation and hygiene conditions. Damaged infrastructure and shortages of clean water could increase the risk of disease outbreaks in affected communities.

Aid workers are also monitoring rising protection risks for vulnerable groups, including women, children, elderly people and individuals with disabilities.

Aid Efforts Underway Amid Funding Shortfall

Before the storm struck, the WFP and partner organisations had already begun distributing cash assistance to vulnerable households so they could purchase food and prepare for the cyclone.

Now, the agency is deploying its remaining emergency food supplies to assist affected communities, working closely with Madagascar’s national disaster response teams.

However, Goossens warned that the scale of the crisis is exceeding the resources currently available.

The country was already facing serious food insecurity even before the cyclones hit. According to the latest data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), about 1.57 million people across Madagascar were experiencing food shortages, with around 84,000 facing emergency levels of hunger.

Concern As Cyclone Season Begins

The humanitarian challenge is compounded by the timing of the disaster. Madagascar is currently entering the peak of its lean season, the period before harvests when food supplies are typically at their lowest.

At the same time, funding shortages are threatening to limit the response.

The WFP estimates that it faces an $18 million funding gap over the next six months to support both lean season assistance and cyclone relief operations.

“We will need sustained support over the coming months to help people recover, rebuild and strengthen their resilience against further shocks,” Goossens said.

With the cyclone season only just beginning, aid agencies fear that additional storms could further strain already fragile communities across the island nation.

Political violence against MPs rising worldwide: IPU

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Violence and intimidation against elected lawmakers are rising across the world, increasingly fuelled by online hostility and political polarisation, according to a new report presented at the United Nations.

Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), warned that the growing hostility directed at parliamentarians could have serious consequences for democratic institutions if left unchecked.

“If the phenomenon goes uncontrolled, there will be major implications for democracies, parliaments and human rights worldwide,” he told a UN conference in New York on Wednesday.

Online Abuse Dominates Political Violence

The report, titled When the Public Turns Hostile: Political Violence Against Parliamentarians, draws on responses from lawmakers in 85 countries. It also includes detailed case studies from Argentina, Benin, Italy, Malaysia and the Netherlands to examine how the problem manifests in different political environments.

One of the report’s most striking findings is the scale of online abuse faced by politicians. Between 65 percent and 77 percent of members of parliament in the five case-study countries reported experiencing harassment or threats on digital platforms.

The most common forms of intimidation include insults and degrading language, the spread of false or misleading information, and direct threats.

Researchers also found that hostile online behaviour tends to surge during politically sensitive moments, such as national or local elections, heated parliamentary debates or discussions on polarising social and cultural issues.

Women Lawmakers Face Greater Risk

The report highlights a clear gender gap in exposure to political violence.

About 76 percent of women lawmakers reported experiencing some form of abuse, compared with 68 percent of male parliamentarians.

Women are also more likely to face gendered or sexualised harassment, particularly online. Such attacks often include derogatory comments about appearance, threats of sexual violence or attempts to undermine credibility based on gender.

Lawmakers from minority communities, including racial minorities, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, are also more frequently targeted by online abuse and harassment.

Social Media And AI Amplifying Hostility

The IPU report identifies several factors contributing to the growing hostility directed at politicians.

Rising political polarisation, economic pressures and public frustration with institutions are all contributing to an increasingly confrontational political climate. Social media platforms, researchers say, often amplify anger and misinformation, making it easier for abusive messages to spread widely.

New technologies are also playing a role. The report notes that artificial intelligence tools and deepfake technology are increasingly being used to create manipulated images or videos aimed at discrediting political figures.

Italian MP Valentina Grippo, who is part of the European delegation to the IPU, said lawmakers now face constant scrutiny and criticism in the digital age.

“If you say something that is not perfectly in line with what your audience wants to hear, then you have multiple attacks,” she said in an interview with UN News.

Grippo added that political debate is increasingly shifting away from policy disagreements toward identity-based conflicts.

“You no more have the confrontation between ideas, which is normal, which is part of politics, but you really have a fight between identities,” she said.

Anonymous Users Often Behind Attacks

According to the survey, most incidents of political intimidation are carried out by individuals rather than organised groups.

In the online sphere, anonymous users were identified as the main perpetrators in several countries. Nearly nine out of ten lawmakers surveyed in Argentina, Italy, Malaysia and the Netherlands said anonymous accounts were responsible for most abusive messages.

Chungong said the effects of sustained online harassment often extend beyond digital platforms.

“Those we surveyed consistently told us that sustained online abuse affected their offline behaviour, including their willingness to engage publicly and their sense of personal safety,” he said.

Threats To Democratic Participation

The IPU warns that increasing hostility toward politicians could weaken democratic systems over time.

Many lawmakers reported altering their behaviour to avoid attacks, including limiting public appearances, avoiding controversial topics or self-censoring their views.

Some politicians have also chosen to leave office or decided not to seek re-election because of sustained threats and harassment.

These trends, the report says, could discourage diverse groups from entering politics and ultimately undermine representative democracy.

“It makes it more difficult to somehow be able to deliver a message without fearing that it is misunderstood,” Grippo said, noting that in many parts of the world political expression still carries serious personal risks.

Call For Stronger Political Leadership

The report urges political leaders and parliamentary institutions to set clearer boundaries around acceptable public discourse and to respond more firmly to intimidation directed at elected officials.

It stresses that protecting lawmakers from threats is essential to ensuring that dissenting voices and minority perspectives are not silenced.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union, founded in 1889, is the global organisation representing national parliaments. Today it brings together 183 member parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies, working to promote democracy, peace and sustainable development while defending the rights of parliamentarians worldwide.

World News in Brief: Violence, Terror Attacks And Digital Security Dominate Global Concerns At UN

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Rising conflict, humanitarian emergencies and growing concerns over critical digital infrastructure dominated recent discussions involving United Nations agencies and global leaders, with crises unfolding from South Sudan to Pakistan and new efforts launched to safeguard global communications networks.

Fighting In South Sudan Displaces Thousands

Renewed violence in South Sudan’s Jonglei state has triggered a large-scale humanitarian crisis, forcing at least 250,000 people to flee their homes since the beginning of 2026.

The clashes, concentrated in northern and central parts of the state, have left families cut off from basic services in regions already struggling with some of the country’s worst malnutrition rates.

UNICEF warned that the situation poses a grave threat to children, many of whom are already suffering from severe food shortages.

“We are extremely concerned for women and children impacted by these violent clashes,” said UNICEF’s country representative in South Sudan, Noala Skinner. “A malnourished child without treatment is 12 times more likely to die.”

Humanitarian agencies face major obstacles in reaching affected communities. Movement by road, river and air remains heavily restricted, making it difficult to deliver emergency assistance.

Several areas are running dangerously low on therapeutic food used to treat severely malnourished children. Six counties in Jonglei are close to exhausting these supplies.

Across the country, at least 17 health facilities have been forced to shut down due to insecurity, further weakening an already fragile healthcare system.

UNICEF has also reported ten incidents in which health and nutrition supplies were looted.

Despite the challenges, aid workers continue to deliver support where possible. The organisation has sent water purification equipment to prevent potential cholera outbreaks and delivered malaria treatment kits, emergency medical supplies and therapeutic food intended to reach more than 10,000 people.

UN Condemns Deadly Attacks In Pakistan

Meanwhile, the United Nations has strongly condemned a series of violent attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan that left dozens of people dead, including children.

UNICEF expressed deep concern after reports confirmed that children were among those killed or injured during the attacks last weekend.

“Children cannot be targets nor collateral damage, and their lives must always be protected,” said UNICEF representative in Pakistan Pernille Ironside.

She extended condolences to the victims’ families and warned that escalating violence is creating fear and insecurity among communities.

The attacks took place on January 31 and were later condemned by the UN Security Council.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, council members described the violence as “heinous and cowardly” acts of terrorism that resulted in the deaths of 48 people, including 31 civilians.

Among the civilian victims were five women and three children.

Authorities say the attacks were claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist militant group. Local officials later told reporters that security forces killed 145 members of the banned organisation in subsequent operations.

The Security Council expressed its deepest sympathy to the victims’ families and to the government and people of Pakistan, while wishing those injured a full recovery.

Global Summit Focuses On Submarine Cable Security

In a separate development, governments and industry representatives from more than 70 countries gathered in Porto, Portugal, to address growing concerns over the security and resilience of submarine communication cables.

These undersea cables carry the majority of the world’s digital traffic and form the backbone of global internet connectivity.

During the International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit 2026, participants adopted a declaration aimed at strengthening international cooperation to protect the network.

Today roughly 500 submarine cables stretch across more than 1.7 million kilometres of ocean floor, linking continents and supporting the global digital economy.

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said safeguarding these systems is a shared responsibility.

“When it comes to critical digital infrastructure like submarine cables, resilience is both an end-to-end imperative and a shared responsibility,” she said.

Participants also discussed ways to improve repair times, strengthen monitoring systems and increase investment in infrastructure protection.

Protecting Connectivity For Vulnerable Regions

Experts at the summit warned that cable disruptions can have serious consequences, particularly for smaller countries and remote island communities that rely on only a few connections to the global network.

Sandra Maximiano, chairwoman of Portugal’s telecommunications regulator ANACOM, said international cooperation would be key to reducing the risks.

“I firmly believe the advisory body is already delivering concrete and meaningful impact,” she said, pointing to ongoing efforts to improve preparedness and response capabilities.

The Porto meeting followed the first global summit on submarine cable resilience held in Abuja, Nigeria, as governments and technology leaders seek stronger collaboration to protect one of the world’s most critical digital systems.