Foreign news
COVID-19 May Have Been Around For Years-Oxford Scientist
The COVID-19 virus may have been circulating for years and so trying to identify its geographic origins could be a waste of time, according to a leading scientist.
Tom Jefferson, an honorary senior research fellow at the Oxford, England-based Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, told CGTN it was important to depoliticize the discussion and focus on how the virus behaves and spreads.
“People have tried to pinpoint: ‘It comes from Russia; it comes from China; it comes from there; comes from there.’ Maybe it comes from nowhere,” he told CGTN’s Emma Keeling. “I am not sure that pointing to the exact geographic location is very helpful, unless we have a clear idea of some particular animal/mankind interaction, which happened in a particular situation and could shed light on this situation.”
Recent testing of sewage in Barcelona has suggested the virus may have been present in the Spanish city in March last year, many months before China identified the pathogen in the city of Wuhan in December 2019.
Jefferson said that, while the Barcelona results still require confirmation, other research in France and Italy also suggests the disease may have been circulating much earlier than previously believed.
Many viruses, he noted, are known to lie dormant in the environment for long periods before suddenly becoming capable of causing dangerous outbreaks.
“If the Barcelona results are confirmed, it would certainly suggest that kind of thing,” he said.
“The question is, what wakes them up and what makes them aggressive?” Climatic conditions such as wind, humidity and levels of ultraviolet radiation are factors that scientists have considered may activate deadly viruses, but more research is required to understand them better, he added.
Foreign news
Pakistan Accuses India of Provocation, Condemns Missile Strike and Drone Incursions
Joel Ajayi
The High Commissioner of Pakistan to Nigeria, Rt. Maj.-Gen. Sohail Khan, has strongly condemned the Indian missile attack on the night of May 7, which struck nine locations across Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of 37 civilians, including women and children.
In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, the High Commission described India’s allegations as baseless, devoid of truth, and filled with propaganda.
High Commissioner emphasized that Pakistan’s commitment to peace should not be misconstrued as a sign of weakness.
According to the statement, the High Commission categorically rejected the “irresponsible and unfounded” accusations propagated by Indian media, which claimed that Pakistan was responsible for attacks on Pathankot, Jaisalmer, and Srinagar.
“The statement labeled these claims as politically motivated and part of a reckless propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Pakistan.”
It further stated that the repeated pattern of making accusations against Pakistan without credible investigation reflects a deliberate strategy to manufacture a pretext for aggression and destabilize the region. Such behavior, the Commission warned, not only threatens regional peace but also exposes a troubling tendency to exploit misinformation for political and military gains.
“We urge the international community to take serious note of this dangerous behavior and to advise India to act with restraint and responsibility,” the statement read.
It concluded by affirming that “any escalation based on false pretenses will be met with full resolve and determination to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The Commission reiterated that while Pakistan remains vigilant and committed to peace, it will not be provoked, intimidated, or misled, and reserves the right to respond to any acts of aggression. The allegations were rejected in the strongest possible terms.
It is worth recalling that on Thursday, India accused Pakistan of launching drone and missile attacks on three military bases in Indian territory and Indian-administered Kashmir—an allegation Islamabad promptly denied.
Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed it had shot down 25 Indian drones in recent hours, while New Delhi has remained publicly silent on the matter
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