WASHINGTON: Struggle with math? A gentle jolt to the brain might help.
A new study published on Tuesday in PLOS Biology suggests that mild electrical stimulation can boost arithmetic performance — and offers fresh insight into the brain mechanisms behind mathematical ability, along with a potential way to optimise learning.
The findings could eventually help narrow cognitive gaps and help build a more intellectually equitable society, the authors argue.
“Different people have different brains, and their brains control a lot in their life,” said Roi Cohen Kadosh, a neuroscientist at the University of Surrey who led the research.
“We think about the environment — if you go to the right school, if you have the right teacher — but it’s also our biology.” Cohen Kadosh and colleagues recruited 72 University of Oxford students, scanning their brains to measure connectivity between three key regions.
Participants then tackled math problems that required either calculating answers or recalling memorised solutions.
They found that stronger connections between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which governs executive function, and the posterior parietal cortex, involved in memory, predicted better calculation performance.
When the researchers applied a painless form of brain stimulation using electrode-fitted caps — a technique known as transcranial random noise stimulation — the low performers saw their scores jump by 25-29 percent.
The team believes the stimulation works by enhancing the excitability of neurons and interacting with GABA, a brain chemical that inhibits excessive activity.
In fact, the stimulation helped underperformers reach or even surpass the scores of peers with naturally stronger brain wiring. But those who already performed well saw no benefit.
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote awareness among voters.
The MoU was signed by ECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan and Vice Chancellor of Fatima Jinnah University, Professor Bushra Mirza.
The partnership aims to promote civic awareness and inclusive electoral processes through education, awareness and research initiatives. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said the MoU represents an alliance focused on civic education.
He said training would be imparted to a network of student ambassadors to lead voter awareness activities under the MoU.
He added that both organisations would also undertake joint research on youth voting, the participation of women in the electoral process, and electoral reforms.
He emphasised the importance of civic education and the role of Fatima Jinnah University in promoting voter awareness among young women.
Secretary Election Commission, Omar Hamid Khan, expressed commitment to working with FJWU on various initiatives. He said these would include voter education and awareness programmes, mock voting exercises, and voter awareness activities on campuses and in communities.
PESHAWAR/SWAT: Two petitions have been filed with Peshawar High Court in Peshawar and Mingora (Darul Qaza), seeking an inquiry into several deaths in the recent flash floods in Swat district and the fixing of responsibility for the alleged negligence.
In Swat, a bench consisting of Justice Sabitullah Khan and Justice Qazi Jawad Ehsanullah issued notices to the respondents, including the provincial government, seeking their response to a petition, which called for the court’s orders for Swat’s district administration and tehsil municipal administration of Mingora to immediately remove illegal structures along the river banks and to halt excavations therein.
The petition is jointly field by two citizens, Fayyaz Zafar and Fazal Khaliq, requesting the high court to direct the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122 to develop a formal framework for the identification, training and equipping of local volunteers, who significantly contributed to the disaster response.
Advocate Shah Faisal Khan appeared for the petitioners and highlighted severe consequences of the recent floods in the Bypass Fizagat area, emphasising alleged administrative negligence and failure in preventive measures.
Meanwhile, a citizen on Tuesday moved the high court in Peshawar for ordering a judicial inquiry into the “circumstances” that led to deaths of multiple people during the recent floods in Swat as well as a probe into the alleged misuse of Rescue 1122 vehicles by the provincial government for “political purposes.”
A resident of Charsadda, Amir Alam, filed a petition seeking directives for the law-enforcement and accountability authorities to look into the alleged misuse of Rescue 1122 vehicles and resources by the provincial executive for political purposes, and to proceed strictly in accordance with law if cognizable offences were committed.
He requested the court to order a high-level judicial or commission-based inquiry to determine the circumstances that led to failure of the disaster response system during the Swat floods of Jun 27, fixing responsibility on the negligent officers and public functionaries.
The petitioner sought the court’s directives for the provincial chief secretary and director general of Rescue 1122 to submit a detailed report regarding the current operational status of all rescue and disaster relief vehicles/ equipment and their lawful utilization.
He also requested directives for the respondents, including the provincial government, to cancel all mining activities, carried out through auction or otherwise, in the River Swat.
The petitioner also sought orders for independent audit and investigation into the recruitment process and resource allocation within Rescue 1122 to ensure transparency, merit and prevent political interference in emergency situations.
The petition, filed through lawyer Babar Khan Yousafzai, includes as respondents the provincial chief minister, its chief secretary, secretaries of mines and mineral, irrigation, relief and rehabilitation, local government and culture and tourism departments, the directors general of Rescue 1122 and Provincial Disaster Management Authority and KP inspector general of police.
The petitioner said that on June 27, flash floods struck Swat district resulting in the death of at least 18 people, including tourists from Punjab.
He added that the failure of Rescue 1122 and provincial authorities to respond timely and effectively caused unnecessary and avoidable loss of lives.
The petitioner alleged that over six months ago, the Rescue 1122 vehicles and other resources were “unlawfully diverted” by the chief minister for use in a political protest in Islamabad.
He added that those vehicles were confiscated by Islamabad’s police, severely hampering disaster preparedness across the province.
The petitioner contended that the PDMA operated under the KP Disaster Management Act, 2010, under which its resources might be used for disaster preparedness and response only.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that the government efficiency department, previously led by billionaire Elon Musk, should be tasked to review the subsidies paid to the Tesla CEO’s companies to save money, reigniting a war of words between the world’s most powerful person and its richest.
In their latest spat, Trump even threatened to deport Musk to his native South Africa.
The remarks came after Musk, a Republican mega donor, renewed his criticism of the sweeping tax-cut and spending bill and vowed to unseat lawmakers who supported it despite campaigning on limiting government spending.
Tesla shares fell more than six per cent before the market opened as the feud could add fresh hurdles for the business empire of Musk, whose main source of wealth, the electric automaker, is betting on the success of robo-taxis being tested in Texas.
Richest man threatens to go after lawmakers who backed the measure; president threatens to deport Tesla CEO to South Africa
The US Transportation Department regulates vehicle design and will play a key role in deciding if Tesla can mass-produce robotaxis without pedals and steering wheels, while Musk’s rocket firm SpaceX has about $22 billion in federal contracts.
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“No more rocket launches, satellites, or electric car production, and our country would save a fortune. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? Big money to be saved!!!”
In response, Musk said on his own social media platform X: “I am literally saying cut it all. Now.”
Trump said Musk was upset because he lost the EV mandate in the recent tax and spending bill and warned the Tesla CEO “could lose a lot more than that”.
Trump had last month threatened to cut Musk’s government contracts when their relationship erupted into an all-out social media brawl over the tax-cut bill, which non-partisan analysts estimate would add about $3 trillion to US debt.
After weeks of relative silence, Musk rejoined the debate on Saturday as the Senate took up the package, calling it “utterly insane and destructive” in a post on X.
On Monday, Musk said lawmakers who campaigned on cutting spending but backed the bill “should hang their heads in shame!” “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” Musk said.
He also called again for a new political party, saying the bill’s massive spending indicated “that we live in a one-party country the Porky Pig Party!!”
The criticism marked a dramatic shift after the billionaire spent nearly $300 million on Trump’s re-election campaign and led the administration’s controversial DOGE initiative.
PESHAWAR/SWAT: Two petitions have been filed with Peshawar High Court in Peshawar and Mingora (Darul Qaza), seeking an inquiry into several deaths in the recent flash floods in Swat district and the fixing of responsibility for the alleged negligence.
In Swat, a bench consisting of Justice Sabitullah Khan and Justice Qazi Jawad Ehsanullah issued notices to the respondents, including the provincial government, seeking their response to a petition, which called for the court’s orders for Swat’s district administration and tehsil municipal administration of Mingora to immediately remove illegal structures along the river banks and to halt excavations therein.
The petition is jointly filed by two citizens, Fayyaz Zafar and Fazal Khaliq, requesting the high court to direct the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122 to develop a formal framework for the identification, training and equipping of local volunteers, who significantly contributed to the disaster response.
Advocate Shah Faisal Khan appeared for the petitioners and highlighted the severe consequences of the recent floods in the Bypass Fizagat area, emphasising alleged administrative negligence and failure in preventive measures.
Meanwhile, a citizen on Tuesday moved the high court in Peshawar for ordering a judicial inquiry into the “circumstances” that led to the deaths of multiple people during the recent floods in Swat, as well as a probe into the alleged misuse of Rescue 1122 vehicles by the provincial government for “political purposes.”
A resident of Charsadda, Amir Alam, filed a petition seeking directives for the law-enforcement and accountability authorities to look into the alleged misuse of Rescue 1122 vehicles and resources by the provincial executive for political purposes, and to proceed strictly in accordance with the law if cognizable offences were committed.
He requested the court to order a high-level judicial or commission-based inquiry to determine the circumstances that led to the failure of the disaster response system during the Swat floods of Jun 27, fixing responsibility on the negligent officers and public functionaries.
The petitioner sought the court’s directives for the provincial chief secretary and director general of Rescue 1122 to submit a detailed report regarding the current operational status of all rescue and disaster relief vehicles/ equipment and their lawful utilisation.
He also requested directives for the respondents, including the provincial government, to cancel all mining activities, carried out through auction or otherwise, in the River Swat.
The petitioner also sought orders for an independent audit and investigation into the recruitment process and resource allocation within Rescue 1122 to ensure transparency, merit and prevent political interference in emergency situations.
The petition, filed through lawyer Babar Khan Yousafzai, includes as respondents the provincial chief minister, its chief secretary, secretaries of mines and mineral, irrigation, relief and rehabilitation, local government and culture and tourism departments, the directors general of Rescue 1122 and Provincial Disaster Management Authority and KP inspector general of police.
The petitioner said that on June 27, flash floods struck Swat district resulting in the death of at least 18 people, including tourists from Punjab.
He added that the failure of Rescue 1122 and provincial authorities to respond timely and effectively caused unnecessary and avoidable loss of lives.
The petitioner alleged that over six months ago, the Rescue 1122 vehicles and other resources were “unlawfully diverted” by the chief minister for use in a political protest in Islamabad.
He added that those vehicles were confiscated by Islamabad’s police, severely hampering disaster preparedness across the province.
The petitioner contended that the PDMA operated under the KP Disaster Management Act, 2010, under which its resources might be used for disaster preparedness and response only.
While ordinary citizens are required to get new Ajrak-designed number plates for their motorcycles and cars to avoid heavy fines, police vehicles and government cars seem exempt from the mandatory replacement of old registration plates with new retro-reflective ones, as it becomes a common sight to see such vehicles roaming on city roads.—Fahim Siddiqi / White Star
• Before applying, first clear motor vehicle tax dues • E-transactions can also save drivers from exhausting visits to excise dept offices • People asked to carry receipt of replacement of number plate while driving • Officials admit backlog at excise and taxation offices yet to be cleared
KARACHI: As traffic police continue to issue eye-watering challans, to drivers and take strict action against vehicles not affixed with new Ajrak-designed registration number plates, people have complained that the Sindh government should have launched an awareness campaign to educate citizens about how to acquire the new retro-reflective number plates.
The awareness campaign is necessary keeping in view the cumbersome process and the limited capacity of the excise and taxation department to deal with hundreds of thousands of owners of commercial and private vehicles applying for new number plates.
Dawn has learnt that due to lack of correct information among the public regarding the required process and documentation for the issuance of new number plates, transfer of ownership, and smart cards, many vehicle owners are either compelled to make multiple visits to government offices or fall prey to “agents” operating near these facilities due to overcrowding at information desks.
“This is my second visit to this branch, but the registration still hasn’t been completed,” a woman told Dawn, who had come at the newly established executive motor registration facility in Clifton, along with her husband to transfer the ownership of her vehicle.
She added that during her last visit, she was not aware of the required Rs1,000 sale deed or e-stamp, along with the original file, claiming that no such information was available on the department’s website.
Dawn spoke to Jamshed Ali Memon, in charge of the facility in Clifton, to get information regarding what documents and steps are required for individuals looking to avail these services.
The official said that people seeking to avail any service related to their vehicle must first clear their tax dues.
“There is no need to visit any facility for this purpose,” he explained. “Car owners can pay their taxes online through the department’s official website or mobile applications,” he added.
Transfer of vehicle
The official said that generally, for the transfer of vehicle ownership — which is mandatory, otherwise the vehicle may be seized or a new number plate would not be issued — the original file must be brought along with the vehicle for physical inspection.
The buyer is also required to be physically present at the facility for biometric verification, he added.
In addition, a Transfer of Ownership (TO) form — which can either be downloaded from the official website or obtained at the facility — must be submitted along with copies of valid CNICs of both buyer and seller, and a Rs1,000 sale deed or e-stamp, which can be acquired from any branch of Sindh Bank.
When asked whether the seller is also required to appear for biometric verification, Mr Memon clarified that right now there is no condition for the seller to visit the facility — only a copy of their valid CNIC is required.
However, he added that in case where an individual is transferring the vehicle to their children (blood relation), the seller must be present for biometric verification to ensure that the transfer is being made with their consent.
Smart card
Now, if someone wishes to obtain a smart card against their old registration book, they are required to submit the original registration book along with the complete original file, with a filled-out form — which can be obtained from the facility — and a copy of their CNIC and required to pay Rs1,600 by using online payment or submitting challan in a bank.
Ajrak number plates
For those who have paid their taxes and have their vehicles registered in their name, there are two options to obtain the new Ajrak-designed number plates. The first option is to apply by visiting any facility nearby and the second is to apply online.
To do so, they need to visit the official website (https://excise.gos.pk) or mobile app, click on the “Quick Online Pay Taxes” option, and enter their mobile number along with the vehicle’s registration number. A new window will then pop up, allowing them to apply for a replacement number plate and selecting the facility to collect the number plate.
For four-wheelers, the fee is approximately Rs2,450, while for two-wheelers, it is around Rs1,850. The payment can be made through online banking or any supported digital payment platform or paying challan in bank.
For those who have already applied for the replacement of a number plate, they can check the current status by visiting the department’s official website and clicking on the “Check Your Number Plate” option.
And if you are lucky enough that your number plate has been delivered to your selected excise branch, you will need to bring the original file and old number plate regardless it was in any condition with you to collect the new Ajrak-designed number plate. However, if you had lost your old number plate then you need to apply for duplicate number.
Mixed signals confuse public
According to the excise ministry, the deadline for mandatory Nadra biometric verification for vehicle owners applicable to sellers has been extended till August 14.
However, many vehicle owners who had applied for replacement number plates months ago complained that they had yet to receive them.
In the meantime, a growing number of vehicle owners have turned to locally made number plates to avoid action by the traffic police, claiming that officers are allowing the use of white-background plates with Ajrak patterns until the originals are issued.
This has further contributed to the confusion and a communication gap between the two government departments, forcing vehicle owners to spend additional money on locally made number plates that resemble the government-issued ones.
Conflicting announcements
The traffic police, through their official social media platforms, have announced that only “government-issued or closely resembling number plates” will be accepted. Otherwise, vehicles will be subject to challans or seizure.
On the other hand, the excise department has maintained that aftermarket number plates will not be accepted under any circumstances, as allowing them would undermine the objectives of the Safe City initiative.
Responding to a question about the backlog at excise facilities in Karachi, Atif Ali Bhatti — in-charge of the motor registration facility at the Civic Centre — said that applicants who submitted requests for the new design number plates in mid-February had already received them or delivered at their selective branch. However, the backlog that developed afterwards had yet to be cleared as of the first week of July, he claimed.
Mr Bhatti also acknowledged a video circulating on social media in which traffic police personnel were seen encouraging people to use “government-issued or closely resembling number plates”.
He clarified that it is incorrect to use aftermarket plates — which lack any security features — as doing so would undermine the very purpose of the Safe City initiative.
He further stated that the newly designed number plates are embedded with multiple security features, enabling surveillance cameras to detect and read them clearly, even at night.
Show the receipt
The excise ministry has advised vehicle owners that if their new number plates have not yet been issued, they should carry the official receipt of the replacement of plates and present it to traffic police or any concerned authority when asked.
“If someone has the official receipt and the original old number plate installed to their vehicle, then morally, the traffic police should not issue a fine,” said ministry spokesperson Shabbir Ali Babar.
Speaking to Dawn, a traffic police spokesperson, Mr Sohail, said that if vehicle owners have been issued the Ajrak-themed number plates, they should install them. However, if the plates have not yet been issued, then owners may use aftermarket plates to avoid using fancy ones.
When asked about the excise department’s statement that until the new plates are issued, vehicle owners can install the original old number plate along with the replacement receipt, he said he was not aware of any such statement issued by the excise department and could not comment at this time.
Dawn attempted to get comments from the DIG Traffic Karachi but did not receive his response.
LAHORE: Incarcerated leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have proposed the party hold talks with the PML-N led government, as opposed to the “inflexible stance” of its patron-in-chief Imran Khan, who has long been calling for dialogue with the “military establishment” only.
In a letter written from the Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore on Tuesday, PTI vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed called for starting ‘meaningful dialogue’ with the political leadership of incumbent government so that the country could be steered out of current severe crises.
However, the PTI leaders made it clear that the talks should kick off among the political leadership and subsequently the same held with the powers that be.
While it was not clear how the various leaders conferred on the issue — as Dr Rashid is kept in separate barracks from the other — the letter proposed that they should also be made part of the dialogue process and the PML-N government give them “regular access” to the former prime minister at Adiala jail for consultation over formation of a dialogue committee.
Move hints at dissent among party ranks with Imran Khan’s ‘inflexible stance’
They also cautioned that the elements in the government should not be allowed to belittle their “dialogue offer to political leadership” as it would be tantamount to sabotaging the entire process.
Mr Khan has a stated position on dialogue with the government. “We will talk only with those who have real power (military establishment). The parties in the government do not have power,” he said, reiterating the stance he had taken since his ouster from power three years ago.
There are reports of rifts among the PTI ranks following the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of Ali Amin Gandapur passing the provincial budget 2025-26 last month without the approval of Mr Khan.
The ex-PM’s sister Aleema Khan had reacted to this saying a “minus Imran” formula was now in effect.
Since groupings have been reported in the PTI, a section in the party wants Mr Khan to soften his stance over holding dialogue only with the military establishment so that a “required political space and relief” could be extracted for the party.
“Khan Sahib needs to soften his stance and give approval to begin a dialogue process with the government. In given circumstances the PTI will have to revisit its politics of resistance (for the time being) and seek political expediency to make it relevant in the current situation which otherwise is quite hostile towards it,” a PTI leader told Dawn.
He also supported the ‘proposal’ of the five incarcerated leaders of the PTI and expressed hope that the party’s patron-in-chief would seriously consider it.
GWADAR: The Ministry of Maritime Affairs has announced an ambitious plan to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipping lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pakistan with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
The announcement was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Tuesday. Senior ministry officials also attended the session.
To launch ferry service connecting Pakistan with GCC countries
“The initiative is part of the government’s strategy to enhance regional connectivity, boost maritime trade and position Gwadar as a major hub in the Arabian Sea,” Mr Chaudhry said. “We aim to transform Gwadar into a strategic transhipment and logistics centre, benefiting Pakistan and the wider region.”
He emphasised that with Gwadar Port now fully operational, it is time to accelerate its integration into international maritime networks. He directed relevant departments to pursue all necessary steps to increase the port’s commercial activity and unlock its full potential.
He said additional shipping lines will be connected to Gwadar to facilitate greater movement of goods, promote transit trade with Central Asia and the Middle East, and support Pakistan’s growing role in the regional logistics landscape.
“The new routes will reduce pressure on existing ports and ensure faster, more efficient cargo handling,” Mr Chaudhry stated.
In addition to enhancing cargo operations, the maritime ministry has also planned to launch a ferry service from Gwadar to GCC countries. The move is expected to provide an affordable, direct maritime link for passengers and cargo, particularly benefiting expatriate communities and cross-border traders.
“The ferry service will strengthen people-to-people ties, boost tourism and provide a new economic lifeline for Balochistan,” the minister said. “It will create local employment, improve supporting infrastructure and attract private sector participation, especially in the areas of ship services, hospitality and transportation.”
• Govt works out power tariff to be Rs31.59/unit compared to Rs32.73/unit last year • Industrialists demand end to peak, off-peak charges; decry denial of promised ‘sizeable relief’ • No change in rates for first two slabs of domestic consumers; relief ranges between 3pc and 10pc depending on usage
ISLAMABAD: As the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) decided on Tuesday to reduce the national average power tariff by Rs1.14 per unit, the move was criticised by industrialists and businesspersons from Karachi as being “too minuscule”.
The decision to reduce the tariff was taken at a public hearing presided over by Nepra members Maqsood Anwar and Rafique Shaikh.
The government team, led by the Power Division additional secretary, Mehfooz Bhatti, said the regulator had determined national average tariff — excluding all taxes, surcharges and duties — at Rs34 for FY2025-26, down Rs1.50 per unit from Rs35.50 per unit last year.
After subsidies and cross-subsidies, the government has worked out the tariff to be Rs31.59 per unit, as compared to Rs32.73 per unit last year, a reduction of Re1.14 per unit.
The official said the same rate would apply to K-Electric consumers under the government’s uniform tariff policy.
A formal notification of the new tariffs will be issued within this week. The new rates will take effect from July 1.
Rushed process
Karachi-based representatives of the FPCCI, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry and Surjani Town businesses criticised the government and the Nepra for rushing through the approval process and not allowing their requests for time to understand and review the government’s petition.
They said the Power Division filed the petition on June 28. It was approved a day later by the federal cabinet and made public on June 30 for a hearing on July 1.
They said the process violated the law that provided at least seven days after the publication of petition to hold a public hearing.
Peak, off-peak billing
The industrialists criticised the government for a nominal reduction of Rs1.14 per unit in the tariff after promising “sizeable relief”.
“Even after the reduction of Rs1.14 per unit, the effective tariff would be about Rs5 per unit higher than last year when the industry paid on average Rs30 per unit”, said one of the businesspersons.
The government team insisted the effective average tariff during the new fiscal year would be around Rs40.43 against Rs47.89 per unit in FY2025 after taking into account all taxes, surcharges, duties and quarterly adjustments and the removal of PTV fee and electricity duty.
They said the government efforts, coupled with improved exchange rate, helped reduce capacity payments by Rs1.27 per unit on average from 30.88 to Rs29.61 per unit when compared to the outgoing year.
The average transmission and distribution losses of Discos, they claimed, had dropped to 11.03pc from 11.43pc.
Industrial consumers also demanded an end to peak and off-peak rates, enabling the industry to operate round-the-clock instead of shutting down during peak hours due to higher rates.
New tariff
The Rs1.15 per unit reduction in tariff would apply to consumers in almost all categories, except lifeline domestic consumers.
There would be no change in electricity rates for first two lifeline slabs of domestic consumers, as they are already over-subsidised.
The per unit rate for lifeline consumers with up to 50 units per month would remain unchanged at Rs3.95, followed by Rs7.74 for those in 50 to 100 unit monthly consumption. They have to maintain their consumption threshold throughout the year.
For all other consumers and categories, the government sought a flat Rs1.15 per unit reduction for FY2025-26.
However, the relief ranges between 3 to 10pc depending on the users’ respective rates at present.
The protected consumers in 1 to 100 units would now be charged at Rs10.54 per unit, instead of Rs11.69 at present, showing a reduction of 9.8pc.
The subsequent slab in the protected category would be charged at Rs13.01 per unit instead of Rs14.16 per unit, down 8pc.
The non-protected consumers in first 100 units would be charged at Rs23.44 per unit instead of Rs23.59 per unit, down by almost 5pc.
The reduction in rates for all other categories including commercial, industrial, agriculture and bulk consumers would vary from three to four percent but flat Rs1.15 per unit. The cheapest rate, in these categories, have been provided to the industry whose average rate would now be Rs33.48 per unit instead of Rs44.32 per unit.
Commercial consumers would be provided electricity at an average Rs45.43 per unit instead of Rs46.58 per unit. The average rate of general services would be Rs43.17 per unit instead of Rs44.32 while tariff for bulk consumers would come down to Rs41.76 per unit from Rs42.92 per unit.
However, agricultural consumers would get an even cheaper rate of Rs30.75 per unit instead of Rs31.90. The average rate would work out to be around Rs31.60 per unit from about Rs32.75 per unit at present.
By sequencing 4,000-year-old genomes, scientists reveal that leprosy was entrenched in South America millennia before Europeans arrived, reshaping our understanding of its origins and spread.
Study: 4,000-year-old Mycobacterium lepromatosis genomes from Chile reveal long establishment of Hansen’s disease in the Americas. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock
In a recent study published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, researchers analyzed Mycobacterium lepromatosis genomes from 4,000-year-old human remains, revealing a long history of leprosy in the Americas.
Leprosy (also known as Hansen’s disease) is caused by Mycobacterium leprae and M. lepromatosis. M. lepromatosis has been regarded as the second causal pathogen for Hansen’s disease and is associated with more severe forms of the disease, including Lucio’s phenomenon and diffuse lepromatous leprosy. Untreated individuals can develop chronic peripheral neuropathy and physical impairment. Many infected subjects remain asymptomatic, impeding diagnostic and control measures.
Ancient M. leprae genome analyses support its infectious potential spanning millennia. Humans are the primary host of Hansen’s disease, but maintenance of the causal bacteria in animals raises concerns about their potential as zoonotic reservoirs. Nine-banded armadillos are known M. leprae sources, while red squirrels can harbor both M. lepromatosis and M. leprae. The recent detection of M. leprae in archeological rodent bone suggests cross-species infectivity in historical periods.
Understanding of the evolutionary history and distribution of M. lepromatosis is limited, as only a few cases of infection have been molecularly confirmed. Studies suggest its presence in Southeast Asia and the Americas. Analyses involving ancient and modern genomic data consistently support the origin of M. leprae outside the Americas. However, the detection of M. lepromatosis has not been reported in archeological contexts.
a, Map of the semi-arid region of Chile showing the location of the two archaeological sites under study. Coordinates follow the universal transverse mercator (UTM) system (Datum WGS 84, Zone 19J); values are given as easting and northing (m). Map created with the MapTiler plugin within QGIS. b, Skeletal elements that yielded the two ancient genomes of M. lepromatosis: left, tibia from ECR001 (scale bar, 5 cm); right, tooth from ECR003 (scale bar, 0.5 cm).
The study and findings
In the present study, researchers analyzed M. lepromatosis genomes from 4,000-year-old human skeletal remains from distinct archeological contexts. First, 19 bones and 35 teeth with pathological lesions suggestive of infection, belonging to 41 individuals, were sampled from five archaeological sites in Chile.
The paper notes that while the bone changes in the two infected individuals were consistent with Hansen’s disease, they were not definitively diagnostic on their own, underscoring the importance of molecular analysis for confirmation. A small quantity of each tissue was extracted, and a DNA library was constructed for sequencing.
Data were screened for various pathogenic viruses and bacteria following a hypothesis-free method. This revealed several thousand DNA fragments with homology to M. lepromatosis in two archeological tissues, a tooth from a male subject referred to as ECR003 at the El Cerrito site and a tibia from another male (ECR001) at the La Herradura site. Radiocarbon dating of these two elements indicated they were contemporaneous from 3,900 to 4,100 years ago.
DNA libraries were enriched using a probe set designed from a modern M. leprae reference panel, a methodological detail that resulted in some uneven coverage but still yielded exceptionally high-quality ancient genomes. These libraries were then sequenced to explore the suitability of genomic reconstruction. Various mycobacterial species were distinguished using a competitive mapping approach. The mean genomic coverage was 74-fold for ECR003 and 45-fold for ECR001 when mapped against a modern M. lepromatosis genome reference isolated from a Mexican patient.
Further, the researchers investigated divergence between M. leprae and M. lepromatosis given the genomic decay and reduction in M. leprae over evolutionary timescales. To this end, a pangenomic analysis revealed a high level of divergence, with about half of the protein-coding regions showing at least 50% sequence homology between the two pathogens. A mapping-based approach showed that the two pathogens shared only ~25% nucleotide identity.
Next, the relationship between M. lepromatosis and other mycobacterial pathogens was investigated by analyzing the 16S ribosomal RNA locus. This indicated that M. leprae is the closest relative, despite their extensive divergence.
Further, a conservative genome-level phylogenetic reconstruction was performed, focusing on the diversity within M. lepromatosis, and was limited to the two ancient genomes, four modern human genomes, and six modern red squirrel genomes.
There was a robust and distinct separation between rodent- and human-associated lineages, where the ancient genomes formed a sister clade to the cluster of all human M. lepromatosis sequences.
The study’s comparative analysis also called into question a previously reported M. lepromatosis genome from India, suggesting through competitive mapping that it showed far greater homology to M. leprae.
Furthermore, time-calibrated phylogenetic trees were generated using the radiocarbon ages of ECR001 and ECR003 skeletal elements, along with the collection year of all modern genomes, to estimate evolutionary rates and divergence times.
The evolutionary rate was estimated at 6.91 x 10-9 substitutions per site per year for M. lepromatosis, aligning with estimates for M. leprae. The median time for the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of M. lepromatosis was estimated to be approximately 26,800 years ago; however, the authors note that the small number of available genomes results in a wide potential date range of 4,206 to 115,340 years ago.
The divergence time for genomes from human hosts was estimated to be around 12,600 years (with a range of 5,304 to 49,659 years ago), while the tMRCA for the red squirrel clade was a much more recent 440 years.
Conclusions
Taken together, the study reveals a distinct evolutionary history for M. lepromatosis. This deep timeline, potentially stretching back to the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, contrasts sharply with other major pathogens, such as M. leprae and Yersinia pestis (the plague bacterium), which are thought to have emerged more recently in the Neolithic era with the rise of agriculture.
The fact that M. lepromatosis infections occurred in South America before the periods of known contact with European or Oceanian populations implies pathogen movement within human groups during an early peopling event or endemicity in the continent in a different reservoir species. The latter suggests that its current distribution originates from a post-colonial dissemination, making it one of the few diseases known to have emerged in the Americas.
The paper frames these findings within a ‘One Health’ perspective, calling for broader surveillance of animal reservoirs to better understand the disease’s ecology and zoonotic potential.
Journal reference:
Ramirez DA, Sitter TL, Översti S, et al. 4,000-year-old Mycobacterium lepromatosis genomes from Chile reveal long establishment of Hansen’s disease in the Americas. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-025-02771-y, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02771-y
