As India attempts to redefine its role in BRICS as a health leader, an expert asks whether the country will make measurable progress instead of reaffirming known goals
Executive Summary:
In the absence of an official explanation on India's quiet withdrawal from hosting the earlier wished UN climate summit in 2028, it's anybody's guess now.
This commentary examines what recent Hantavirus and Ebolavirus outbreaks reveal about weaknesses in international health preparedness. The Andes virus cluster linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship showed that even a rare rodent-borne disease can become a cross-border concern when passengers and crew travel. The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa highlighted how high-fatality outbreaks become harder to control when health systems are fragile. Together, the two outbreaks show that global health security cannot be built on pandemic planning alone.
On October 8, 2025, Maulana Masood Azhar—leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pakistan and a UN-designated terrorist—announced the creation of a women’s wing called Jamaat-ul-Muminat (JuM), or “Organization of Female Believers.” The announcement was made from the group’s headquarters at Masjid Usman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.