Foreign news
Scientists prove natural origin of coronavirus with evolution theory
A new commentary has once again dismissed the COVID-19 lab leak theory by applying a classic evolutionary theory to elaborate why SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, could only come from nature.
The insight piece, titled “On the origin of SARS-CoV-2 – The blind watchmaker argument,” was published on the academic journal Science China Life Sciences on Friday by 22 scientists working in Chinese universities and research institutions.
The argument the authors applied stated that natural selection is a blind, unconscious, automatic process which has no purpose in mind and plays the role as a blind watchmaker.
A perfectly adapted species could not be created at once, but would have to accumulate small, adaptiveness-enhancing changes through random mutations over long periods of time, reported Xinhua citing Wu Chung-I, corresponding author of the commentary and professor of the School of Life Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University in south China’s Guangdong Province.
SARS-CoV-2 is “extremely well adapted to the human populations and its adaptive shift from the animal host to humans must have been even more extensive,” said the commentary, which, according to the blind watchmaker argument, “can only happen prior to the onset of the current pandemic and with the aid of step-by-step selection.”
“In this view, SARS-CoV-2 could not have possibly evolved in an animal market in a big city and even less likely in a laboratory,” it added.
The article also said that researchers have successfully selected SARS-CoV-2 strains that can infect mice, which are otherwise resistant to the infection. However, “the enabling mutations account for such a tiny fraction of mutations that an efficient screening of mutations by natural selection is required.”
The authors inferred that before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus may have experienced some forms of multi-step evolution in human populations, leading to its extraordinary adaptiveness.
They said the claim of non-natural origin of SARS-CoV-2 is “moot,” as no known natural law “prohibits the SARS-CoV-2 genome to evolve to its current state.” They called for focus on the natural processes in relation to the virus’ origin, which would be “more productive.”
Foreign news
Court of Arbitration Declares Indus Waters Treaty Fully Operational Rejects India’s ‘Abeyance’
Cyril Ogar
The Court of Arbitration has unanimously reaffirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains fully in force, ruling that India cannot unilaterally place the 1960 agreement in “abeyance” or suspend its obligations under the treaty.
The decision represents a significant legal development in the longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan over the management and use of the Indus river system.
The Court’s finding addresses a fundamental issue at the heart of the dispute: whether either party can unilaterally suspend the treaty outside the legal framework agreed by both countries.
In its unanimous determination, the Court made clear that the IWT continues to bind both India and Pakistan and that its obligations cannot be set aside through a unilateral political declaration.
The ruling means India remains subject to the treaty provisions governing the use of the Western Rivers, including requirements relating to the design and operation of hydroelectric projects, as well as the dispute-resolution mechanisms established under the agreement.
The Court has also ordered interim measures concerning the Ratle Hydroelectric Plant, restricting specified construction activities while the broader dispute remains under consideration.
The measures are aimed at preserving the effectiveness of the arbitration process and preventing developments that could prejudice the outcome of the proceedings.
For Pakistan, the decision represents significant legal validation of its longstanding position that the IWT is a binding international agreement and contains no provision allowing either party to unilaterally place it in abeyance.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that disagreements over the treaty should be addressed through the institutional mechanisms established by the agreement, rather than through unilateral action.
The IWT provides a structured framework for resolving disputes through mechanisms including the Permanent Indus Commission, Neutral Expert and Court of Arbitration processes.
The latest ruling therefore reinforces the principle that treaty obligations cannot simply be disregarded because of deteriorating political relations between signatories.
The significance of the decision extends beyond the India-Pakistan dispute. It underscores the broader international-law principle that agreements governing shared rivers and other transboundary resources must be respected and disputes resolved through established legal and institutional channels.
The Indus river system supports agriculture, livelihoods, food security and communities across the region, making the stability of the treaty particularly important.
The ruling also highlights the distinction between seeking to amend an international agreement through mutually agreed procedures and attempting to alter its obligations unilaterally.
The IWT has endured wars, prolonged diplomatic tensions and periods of limited bilateral engagement. Its continued operation demonstrates the importance of rules-based mechanisms in managing shared resources when relations between neighbouring states become strained.
For Pakistan, the outcome provides an opportunity to frame the decision not merely as a bilateral legal victory, but as an affirmation of international law, treaty compliance and peaceful dispute resolution.
The central message from the ruling is clear: the Indus Waters Treaty remains in force, its obligations continue to bind both parties, and disputes concerning shared waters must be addressed through the legal mechanisms agreed by India and Pakistan.
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