There was a shift in her that many of us could relate to, a feeling that the events of Oct. 7 had flipped a switch within, prioritizing Jewish identity in ways that hadn’t been fully realized before.

Donald Trump winning the election is a game-changer not just for America, but for Jews worldwide.

In her Instagram post, Argamani shared her frustration that 101 hostages have not yet been rescued from Hamas.

"The lack of protective structures and the disparity between Arab and Jewish localities...forces Arab residents to live in a state of constant peril," said IDI's Lital Piller

The students, who unfurled a flag of the Palestinian territories from the roof of Leonardo's offices, said the company was supporting Israel.

The Israeli military "intends to continue its tireless efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the Strip during the ongoing conflict," a statement said.

Hezbollah’s drones were “ultimately,” the terrorist organization’s “trump card,” despite rockets being employed as their “main weapons.”

The members of the House debated the role of lack of integration, antisemitism within the Muslim population, and failure of authority in a discussion about the attacks.

Numerous security forces surrounded Dayr Qadis and are currently searching the area for the terrorist, the military announced. 

Mojtaba Amani, the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to Lebanon, himself badly injured by the pager incident, justified the purchase by quoting the ‘weakness of the Lebanese state’.

CIA official Asif W. Rahman held top-secret security clearance and had access to sensitive information, the New York Times reported.

Grossi highlighted that the Islamic Republic continues to increase its 20% and 60% enriched uranium stock as well as the number of cascades it has for enriching uranium in violation of the 2015 deal.

The navy has, numerous times in the past, acknowledged that it carries out surveillance of Israel’s enemies, sometimes at a great distance.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has again approached the federal government, seeking update on its earlier letter showing intent to buy the national flag carrier.

Earlier on Nov 1, KP had formally conveyed to the federal government that it was ready to offer a bid for Pakistan International Airlines, which would surpass the highest offer of Rs10 billion by the Blue World Consortium.

In a letter addressed to the federal minister for privatisation Abdul Aleem Khan, KP Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT) vice-chairman Hassan Masood Kunwar stated that 10 days had now passed since the correspondence expressing the board’s intent to participate in the privatisation of PIA was made.

“Given the strategic importance of the process and the strong support for this initiative from the chief minister and the investment board, we kindly seek an update on the status of KP-BOIT proposal,” the letter said.

It said that BOIT was fully committed to preserving and revitalising PIA, ensuring its legacy as the national flag carrier. It said that in line with this commitment, the chief minister and the KP-BOIT team were dedicated to support PIA’s return to prominence and securing its future aligned with Pakistan’s national interest.

The letter also noted that KP leadership was prepared to offer substantial backing and resources to accomplish these objectives.

It said that KP-BOIT would appreciate any indication of when it might expect to discuss this matter further. “The province’s trade and investment body remains ready to engage at your earliest convenience, prepared to elaborate on our strategic vision and our readiness to present a competitive and compelling bid that reflects our commitment to Pakistan’s aviation sector and the fact that the KP is one of the stakeholders in PIA, being part of the federation,” the letter added.

Mr Masood Kunwar told Dawn that they had written this letter as the federal government did not respond to the earlier one. He said that the federal government did respond to the offer in a press conference, but the province had not received a written response so far.

He said that KP was not doing politics and was genuinely interested in buying the national carrier, therefore, it wanted to engage the federal government on this issue.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2024

• Govt objects to repeal of prison rules for PTI founder
• Imran booked in 54 cases across Punjab, LHC told

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday disposed of pre-arrest bail petitions of eight PTI activists in the case regarding an attack on the Lahore corps commander’s residence after police declared them innocent in the investigation.

ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill was hearing the bail petitions of 32 activists when a prosecutor stated that a joint investigation team (JIT), formed to probe the May 9 incidents, had exonerated eight of the petitioners for lack of evidence.

At this, the lawyer for the activists sought the court permission to withdraw their bail petitions.

The judge adjourned the bail petitions of other activists till Dec 11 and 13, asking them to join the JIT investigation.

The judge allowed the request and disposed of the petitions of Tanzila Imran, Ri­­zwana Ghazanfar, Makiya Saeed, Shah­baz Amir Ali, Farooq Ahmad, Usman Naveed, Zirk Khan and Mian Ahmad Rehman.

Sarwar Road police of Lahore had registered a case against PTI leaders and workers for attacking the Lahore corps commander house, also known as Jinnah House, on May 9 last year.

Separately, ATC-III Judge Arshad Javed adjourned the hearing of post-arrest bail petitions by the PTI leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, in May 9 cases.

The judge directed the petitioners’ lawyers to conclude their arguments on the next hearing; otherwise, the petitions would be decided on the basis of police record.

The judge postponed the pleas of Rasheed till Nov 12, Dr Yasmin till Nov 13 & 16, and Qureshi till Nov 19.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, issued a notice to Advocate Sher Afzal Marwat on whose petition the section was set aside, seeking his response.

Prison rules

Meanwhile, a two-member division bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) took up the petition of the chief commissioner Islamabad against setting aside of Section 265 of the Punjab Prison Rules that prohibits political discussion during prisoner meetings with visitors.

The plea contested Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan’s verdict, which had struck down Section 265.

Advocate General Islamabad Ayaz Shaukat argued that the IHC lacked jurisdiction to intervene in Punjab’s laws and maintained that the single bench did not have the authority to nullify provisions in the Punjab Prison Rules.

Chief Justice Farooq asked, “So, you are saying that the Islamabad High Court cannot interfere in any provincial law?”

Justice Imtiaz noted that the Punjab Prison Rules are also applicable to prisoners in Isla­mabad, suggesting an overlap in jurisdiction.

The CJ inquired whether a formal notice under Section 27A was issued to the attorney general or the advocate general by the single bench, a requirement before declaring any law invalid.

While the advocate general said he had been summoned, he acknowledged that a formal notice was not issued.

Advocate General Shaukat requested the immediate suspension of the single bench’s decision, but Chief Justice Farooq scheduled a formal hearing for the next week.

Justice Farooq Haider was hearing a petition filed by Imran’s sister, Noreen Niazi, challenging the non-disclosure of the cases’ details against her brother.

Cases against Imran

Also on Tuesday, Punjab Police told the La­­­hore High Court that 54 criminal cases, in­­cluding those related to May 9, had been registered against PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in different cities of the province.

An additional advocate general presented a report on behalf of the inspector general of police, revealing that 21 cases were registered in Lahore, 19 in Rawalpindi, seven in Sheikhupura, five in Faisalabad and one each in Gujranwala and Mianwali.

The cases include attacks on the Jinnah House, Askari Tower at Liberty Roundabout, General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and office of an intelligence agency in Faisalabad. A law officer for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) sought additional time to provide details of the cases, if any, against Imran Khan.

The judge allowed the request and adjourned further hearing till Nov 20.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2024

US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named Elon Musk to a role aimed at creating a more efficient government, handing even more influence to the world’s richest man who donated millions of dollars to helping Trump get elected.

Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will co-lead a newly created Department of Government Efficiency, an entity Trump indicated will operate outside the confines of government.

Trump said in a statement that Musk and Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies”.

Trump said the new department will realise long-held Republican dreams and “provide advice and guidance from outside of government,” signalling the Musk and Ramaswamy roles would be informal, without requiring Senate approval and allowing Musk to remain the head of electric car company Tesla, social media platform X and rocket company SpaceX.

The new department would work with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach” to government never seen before, Trump said.

The work would conclude by July 4, 2026 — the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Musk, ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world, already stood to benefit from Trump’s victory, with the billionaire entrepreneur expected to wield extraordinary influence to help his companies and secure favorable government treatment.

With many links to Washington, Musk gave millions of dollars to support Trump’s presidential campaign and made public appearances with him.

Adding a government portfolio to Musk’s plate could benefit the market value of his companies and favoured businesses such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency.

“It’s clear that Musk will have a massive role in the Trump White House with his increasing reach clearly across many federal agencies,” equities analyst Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities said in a research note.

“We believe the major benefits for Musk and Tesla far outweigh any negatives as this continues to be a ‘poker move for the ages’ by Musk betting on Trump,” Ives said.

The move was criticised by Public Citizen, a progressive consumer rights NGO that challenged several of Trump’s first-term policies.

“Musk not only knows nothing about government efficiency and regulation, his own businesses have regularly run afoul of the very rules he will be in position to attack in his new ‘czar’ position,” Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, said in a statement. “This is the ultimate corporate corruption.”

Maximum transparency promised

Trump likened the efficiency effort to the Manhattan Project, the US undertaking to build the atomic bomb that helped end World War Two, while Musk promised transparency.

“All actions of the Department of Government Efficiency will be posted online for maximum transparency,” Musk said on X, inviting the public to provide tips.

“We will also have a leaderboard for most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars. This will be both extremely tragic and extremely entertaining,” Musk said.

Musk said at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in October that the federal budget could be reduced by “at least” $2 trillion. Discretionary spending, including defence spending, is estimated to total $1.9tr out of $6.75tr in total federal outlays for fiscal 2024, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

“Your money is being wasted and the Department of Government Efficiency is going to fix that. We’re going to get the government off your back and out of your pocketbook,” Musk said at the rally.

The acronym of the new department — Doge — also references the name of the cryptocurrency dogecoin that Musk promotes.

In August, Musk and Tesla won the dismissal of a federal lawsuit accusing them of defrauding investors by hyping dogecoin and conducting insider trading, causing billions of dollars of losses.

Dogecoin has more than doubled since Election Day, tracking a surge in cryptocurrency markets on expectations of a softer regulatory ride under a Trump administration.

Shares in Tesla fell on Wall Street ahead of the announcement but are up about 30 per cent since the election.

Ramaswamy is the founder of a pharmaceutical company who ran for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump and then threw his support behind the former president after dropping out.

In his 2021 bestseller Woke, Inc., Ramaswamy decried decisions by some big companies to base business strategy around social justice and climate change concerns.

Ramaswamy said the appointment means he is withdrawing from consideration for the pending US Senate appointment in Ohio, where Governor Mike DeWine will appoint a replacement for JD Vance, who will become Trump’s vice president when they are inaugurated on Jan. 20.

Residents of India’s capital New Delhi choked in a blanketing toxic smog Wednesday as worsening air pollution surged past 50 times the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily maximum.

Many in the city cannot afford air filters, nor do they have homes they can effectively seal from the misery of foul-smelling air blamed for thousands of premature deaths.

Cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds trap deadly pollutants each winter, stretching from mid-October until at least January.

At dawn on Wednesday, “hazardous” pollutant levels in parts of the sprawling urban area of more than 30 million people topped 806 micrograms per cubic metre, according to monitoring firm IQAir.

That is more than 53 times the WHO-recommended daily maximum of fine particulate matter — dangerous cancer-causing microparticles known as PM2.5 pollutants that enter the bloodstream through the lungs.

By midday, when air usually is at its best, it eased to about 25-35 times above danger levels, depending on different districts.

The city is blanketed in acrid smog each year, primarily blamed on stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring regions to clear their fields for ploughing, as well as factories and traffic fumes.

‘Alarming’

But a report by The New York Times this month, based on air and soil samples it collected over five years, revealed the dangerous fumes also spewing from a power plant incinerating the city’s landfill garbage mountains.

Experts the newspaper spoke to said that the levels of heavy metals found were “alarming”.

Swirling white clouds of smog also delayed several flights across northern India.

The India Meteorological Department said that at least 18 regional airports had a visibility lower than 1,000 metres (1,093 yards) — dropping below 500m in Delhi.

India’s Supreme Court last month ruled that clean air was a fundamental human right, ordering both the central government and state-level authorities to take action.

But critics say arguments between rival politicians heading neighbouring states — as well as between central and state-level authorities — have compounded the problem.

Politicians are accused of not wanting to anger key figures in their constituencies, particularly powerful farming groups.

City authorities have launched several initiatives to tackle pollution, which have done little in practice.

Government trucks are regularly used to spray water to briefly dampen the pollution.

A new scheme unveiled earlier this month to use three small drones to spray water mist was derided by critics as another “band-aid” solution to a public health crisis.

The WHO says that air pollution can trigger strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases.

It is particularly punishing for babies, children and the elderly.

A study in The Lancet medical journal attributed 1.67m premature deaths to air pollution in the world’s most populous country in 2019.

Parts of Spain are bracing for more dangerous flooding on Wednesday as a fresh storm system is set to release huge amounts of rainfall.

The torrential downpours come just 15 days after a storm system triggered catastrophic flooding, killing at least 223 people and devastating the province of Valencia.

Once again, the affected area is under orange alert for heavy rainfall.

In Valencia, dozens of municipalities have cancelled classes.

While the meteorological agency does not predict Valencia will get the worst of this storm, sewage systems are still full of mud from the last floods, which could complicate drainage.

This time, the areas under red alert are around the Malaga and Tarragona regions.

In Malaga, around 3,000 people have been evacuated from their homes on the banks of the Guadalhorce River. The same area also experienced flooding two weeks ago.

Residents of the province of Malaga received cell phone alerts on Tuesday night, warning of an “extreme risk of rainfall” and advising them to avoid travel.

Schools will not open on Wednesday across all of Malaga and the Granada coast. Meanwhile, some roads are being blocked, schools are closing, and rail lines are being cancelled in Tarragona, in the south of Catalonia.

The preventative measures on Wednesday stand in contrast to the lack of an early warning in Valencia two weeks ago.

There, despite being on red alert for rainfall, residents were generally not advised to stay home or seek higher ground until the flooding had already reached catastrophic levels.

Both storm systems were caused by a weather phenomenon known as a Dana in Spain or a “cut-off low.” These occur when low-pressure areas get cut off from the westerly winds of the jet stream. Since they are isolated from the jet stream, they can move slowly and erratically, releasing huge amounts of rain over small areas.

This storm system began affecting Spain on Tuesday and is expected to last until at least Friday, according to Spain’s meteorological agency.

Speaking at COP29 on Tuesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez linked the intensity of these weather events to climate change. “Climate change kills,” he said, urging more action to reduce greenhouse gases to prevent future natural disasters.

Last week, hundreds of residents of a Valencia suburb particularly badly hit by last week’s deadly floods protested during a visit by Spanish King Felipe and Prime Minister Sanchez, with some throwing mud at them.

Chanting “Murderers, murderers!” they vented pent-up anger over what has been widely perceived by local residents as tardy alerts from the authorities about the dangers of the storm and flooding in the Valencia region, and then a late response by the emergency services when disaster struck.

“It was known and nobody did anything to avoid it,” a young man told the king, who insisted on staying on to talk to the people despite the turmoil, while the prime minister had withdrawn.

Airlines cancelled flights to and from the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Wednesday, leaving travellers stranded after a nearby volcano catapulted an ash tower miles into the sky.

At least 16 international routes were affected after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores island spewed a nine-kilometre tower a day earlier, the general manager of Bali’s international airport said in a statement.

Flights from Singapore, Hong Kong, Qatar, India, Australia, Malaysia, China’s Pudong and South Korea’s Incheon were all either delayed or grounded, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab said Wednesday.

Animal clinic worker Samsudin, 52, from Indonesia’s main island was transiting in Bali to Malaysia and forced to spend the night at the airport.

“I’m sleeping here rather than going back to Java. It is far,” he told AFP.

“I’m waiting here, until tomorrow,” he added, saying he bought a new flight after his AirAsia ticket was refunded.

Australia’s Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia all grounded flights, while Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, India’s IndiGo and Singapore’s Scoot also listed flights as cancelled on Wednesday, an AFP journalist at Bali’s airport said.

“Volcanic ash poses a significant threat to safe operations of the aircraft in the vicinity of volcanic clouds,” said AirAsia as it announced several cancellations.

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific also listed its flights as cancelled, rescheduling routes to and from Bali until Thursday.

Multiple eruptions from the 1,703-metre twin-peaked volcano in recent weeks have killed nine people, with 31 injured and more than 11,000 evacuated, Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said on Tuesday.

Eruptions can pose serious risks to flights, disgorging fine ash that can damage jet engines and scour a plane’s windscreen to the point of invisibility.

The island’s tourism head called for calm after the cancellations, saying the island was “very safe” because the volcano is far away.

“Bali’s tourism activity is still running normally,” Tjok Bagus Pemayun said in a statement on Wednesday.

But airlines said the situation was too dangerous to keep their planes in the sky.

Jetstar said all flights to and from Bali would be halted until noon on Thursday as it was “currently not safe to operate flights”.

Malaysia Airlines said it had cancelled six flights on Wednesday in a statement on its website, while Scoot said it scrapped two flights and rescheduled four more.

The airlines said they would monitor the volcano’s status and provide updates.

Singapore Airlines was still listing its flights as running on Wednesday.

‘Refunds, rescheduling, re-routing’

Bali airport’s Shahab said 26 domestic and 64 international flights had been affected by recent eruptions as of Wednesday afternoon.

“Due to this natural event impacting flight operations, airlines are offering affected passengers the options of refunds, rescheduling, or re-routing,” he added in a statement.

But some said they were set to be stranded for days, with little help forthcoming.

“There’s nobody helping us, nobody is providing us accommodation or food, we are kind of stranded,” said IT consultant Arsh Khurana, 39, from Delhi whose Air India flight was rescheduled to Saturday.

“There is nothing from Air India, there is absolutely no support,” he told AFP, adding that he and his wife were set to lose money as the airline’s travel insurance did not cover disruptions caused by volcanic eruptions.

Local media reported thousands of passengers were affected but Balinese officials gave no estimate.

Bali’s international airport operator PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia said on Wednesday it had conducted tests in its airspace and no volcanic ash was detected, saying the airport was “operating as normal”.

But the airport in the tourist hotspot of Labuan Bajo on Flores island was shuttered on Wednesday until 8pm local time (1200 GMT) because of the volcanic ash from Lewotobi, according to the airport’s Instagram.

Lewotobi erupted again from midnight Wednesday until early morning, and a large ash column could be seen pouring from its crater, an AFP journalist nearby said.

Laki-Laki, which means “man” in Indonesian, is twinned with a calmer volcano named after the Indonesian word for “woman”.

The island’s economy is heavily reliant on tourism but Indonesia is one of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth, straddling the Pacific Ring of Fire where tectonic plates collide.

The Japanese government on Wednesday approved a grant worth $18.5 million for the construction of three embankments on the Indus River in Haripur district and rain metres at 45 sites along the river in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab for effective flood management.

In 2022, Pakistan witnessed the worst floods in its history, which claimed 1,700 lives, destroyed homes and livestock, washed away swathes of agricultural land, affected 33 million people, and incurred losses worth $30 billion, according to government estimates.

“The Government of Japan has approved a grant amounting to JPY 2.831 billion (US$ 18.5 million) for a Grant-in-Aid project titled ‘Flood Management Enhancement in the Indus Basin’ to the Government of Pakistan through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),” a statement from the Ministry of Economic Affairs said on Wednesday.

“The project aims to improve the accuracy of flood forecasts and flood control functions, accumulate basic data that contribute to disaster risk reduction measures, and reduce the risk of loss to humans and the economy, including infrastructure.”

The three embankments constructed under the project grant will protect local communities from potential human and economic losses including infrastructure. The data from the water and rain metres, managed by the Federal Flood Commission and Water and Power Development Authority, will be shared with various agencies to help predict and manage potential floods.

“The scope of the project is to develop a hydrological and hydraulic observation network besides rehabilitating the river structures damaged by the 2022 floods in the Indus River and its tributaries,” the statement added.

Economic Affairs Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz and Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Wada Mitsuhiro signed the agreement in Islamabad today.

Ambassador Wada, while speaking at the signing ceremony, expressed the hope that the project would provide reassurance to the people of Pakistan regarding possible future floods.

“Japan remains committed to providing assistance that will directly benefit vulnerable people of Pakistan,” the envoy said.

In Oct, Pakistan and Japan had finalised an agreement for the procurement and installation of 45 telemetry stations and five automatic weather stations for improved flood forecasting and weather monitoring systems.

The project was part of the larger Rs200bn worth of Flood Protection Programme being jointly financed by the federal and provincial governments with the support of international lenders.

Britain’s The Guardian newspaper announced Wednesday it would no longer post content from its official accounts on Elon Musk’s X, branding it a “toxic media platform” home to “often disturbing content”.

“We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives,” the left-leaning newspaper, which has nearly 11 million followers on X, said on its website. It added that its “resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere”.

“This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism,” the statement noted.

“The US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.”

The paper’s main X handle was still accessible Wednesday but a message on it advised “this account has been archived” while redirecting visitors to its website.

The Guardian noted that X users would still be able to share its articles and that it would still “occasionally embed content from X” within its articles given “the nature of live news reporting”.

It also said its reporters would still be able to use the site and other social networks on which the paper does not have an account.

“Social media can be an important tool for news organisations and help us to reach new audiences but, at this point, X now plays a diminished role in promoting our work,” The Guardian added.

Musk purchased X, formerly known as Twitter, for $44 billion in 2022 and has consistently courted controversy with his use of the platform, particularly during the recent US presidential election.

Musk endorsed Donald Trump and used his personal account boasting nearly 205 million followers to sway voters in favour of the Republican, with a slew of incendiary, misleading posts criticised for cranking up the political temperature.

Trump on Tuesday announced that the Tesla and SpaceX billionaire would lead a so-called Department of Government Efficiency in his incoming administration, alongside the entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Dutch parliamentarians clashed on Wednesday in a heated debate to discuss the attacks on Israeli fans after a football match last week, with some lawmakers pointing fingers and others urging unity.

The Netherlands is still dealing with the political fallout from last week’s violence in Amsterdam, when fans of Tel Aviv Maccabi were assaulted by men on scooters in several parts of the capital.

Five Macabi fans were briefly hospitalised after being beaten up following a match with the local Ajax team last Thursday, in what Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof termed an incident of “unadulterated anti-Semitism”.

After the match, groups of men on scooters engaged in “hit-and-run” attacks on Maccabi fans in areas of the city.

Police said the attackers were mobilised by calls on social media to target Jewish people.

Far-right MP Geert Wilders, leader of the biggest party in the coalition government, said the perpetrators of the violence against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were “all Muslims” and “for the most part Moroccans”.

The anti-Islam Wilders called for the attackers to be prosecuted “for terrorism.”

“For the first time since the Second World War there was a hunt on Jews,” Wilders said, adding “I am sick of being criticised when I tell the truth.”

But the firebrand MP drew the ire of opposition parties, who accused him of “adding fuel to fire”.

‘Dividing the country’

While unanimously condemning the violence, left-wing parties have called for dialogue with the Muslim community instead of “dividing the country”.

“I share the condemnation of the violence in Amsterdam and yes, there was indeed anti-Semitic violence,” left-wing opposition leader Frans Timmermans said.

“You are simply stoking the fires while this country has a need for politicians to unite people and find solutions,” Timmermans told Wilders.

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema on Tuesday called the attacks a “poisonous cocktail” of anti-Semitism and hooliganism.

Events ahead of the match heightened tensions, including anti-Arab chants by Maccabi fans, who also set fire to a Palestinian flag on the city’s central square and vandalising a taxi.

After the match, which passed off peacefully, reports emerged of social media calls to attack Jews, Amsterdam police said.

The violence took place against the backdrop of an increasingly polarised Europe, with heightened tensions following a rise in antisemitic, anti-Israeli and Islamophobic attacks since the start of the Gaza conflict.

The Dutch PM indicated that the government would present concrete steps to tackle antisemitism on Friday.

Eight people remained in custody over the violence.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted on Wednesday that financial pledges made at the previous two United Nations’ annual climate summits — COP27 and COP28 — were yet to materialise.

He made the remarks during the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP29, that is being held in Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku. The premier presented Pakistan’s case on the second and final day of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit.

Pakistan is ranked among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countries, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. It has faced increasingly frequent and severe weather events, such as unprecedented floods, intense monsoon rains, devastating heat waves, rapid glacial melting and glacial lake outburst floods.

Addressing the summit, PM Shehbaz asserted that COP29 should “make this understanding loud and clear that we will have to fulfil those financial pledges” committed at COP27 and COP28.

“And yet, I think, those huge financial commitments have to be materialised.”

The prime minister said the event was aimed at understanding the “calamities which, unfortunately, some of the countries have already faced and some will if we do not act”.

At COP27 in 2022, which was also attended by PM Shehbaz, countries had adopted a hard-fought final agreement to set up a “loss and damage fund” to help poor countries battered by climate disasters.

At COP28 last year, then-caretaker premier Anwaarul Haq Kakar had called for immediately executing the $100 billion in commitments for climate finance.

According to the UN, around $700 million have been pledged so far for the loss and damage fund, with France, Italy, Germany and the UAE being the biggest contributors.

At COP29 today, PM Shehbaz also spoke about the devastating monsoon floods of 2022, highlighting they had resulted in 1,700 deaths, massive displacement, destruction of houses and crops, and $30 billion loss to the country’s economy.

He called on the international community “to take measures which are so important at this point in time to have a conducive environment” to combat climate change.

The prime minister stressed that Pakistan was one of the countries that “hardly contribute” to global emissions, yet it was vulnerable to climate change and listed as one of the “10 countries which can, God forbid, face this kind of devastation again”.

“My memories are still fresh,” he said, recalling a meeting with flood affectees in Balochistan, including a boy named Ikramullah who had “lost everything”.

“His entire village was erased from the face of the earth, his home was completely demolished, and his school was also submerged. And we had arranged his education [in] another part of Pakistan,” he said.

PM Shehbaz stated he would not want “other countries to face the plight Pakistan faced back in 2022”.

Describing Pakistan as a “resilient, hard-working and responsible nation”, the premier affirmed his country was “fully committed to being part of the global climate solutions”.

Concluding his speech, the prime minister expressed the hope that under Azerbaijan’s leadership, COP29 can transform into a “finance COP by restoring confidence in the pledging process and scaling up climate finance”.

“I strongly feel that climate finance must be grant-based and not add to the debt burden of vulnerable developing countries,” he said, reiterating his remarks from yesterday on the sidelines of the summit.

“Two years ago, I warned, and I warned at the top of my voice, that the future would never forgive our inaction. Today, I echo the same warning with greater urgency,” PM Shehbaz asserted.

‘We shouldn’t brave impact of emissions by others’

Referring to the 2015 Paris Agreement, PM Shehbaz said: “Ten years ago in Paris, we had failed to stop the rise in emissions and catastrophic global warming, and those pledges in Paris 10 years ago, which were made have yet to see the light of the day.”

“As the minus-one emitters, we should not brave the impact of emissions realised by others without even the tools to finance resilience,” he emphasised.

“Without climate justice, there can be no real resilience,” the prime minister asserted.

The premier further said Pakistan would “go through a renewable energy revolution”, noting that the country last year presented a “comprehensive National Adaptation Plan”.

He continued: “This year, we have developed our National Carbon Market Framework. But we cannot do it alone. Pakistan needs international support to deliver on its climate ambitions.”

“My government has taken concrete actions to deliver on its commitment of producing 60 per cent of all energy from green sources and shifting 30pc of our vehicles to EVs (electric vehicles) by the end of this decade,” he told the summit.

PM Shehbaz stated that developing countries would need an estimated $6.2 trillion by 2030 to implement less than half of their current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

“The same goes for adaption and loss and damage,” he added, recalling the efforts at COP27 led by then-climate change minister Sherry Rehman.

Early warning systems for all

Addressing the COP29 summit, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar highlighted the utility of early warning systems for climate-induced disasters and extended his gratitude to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for launching the ‘Early Warning for All’ initiative.

“Today, the threat is not limited to floods, we are facing rising temperatures, more intense and frequent heatwaves, and erratic rainfall patterns,” Dar said. “Early warning systems for various climate-induced hazards including floods, glacial lake outbursts, droughts and extreme heat are essential for resilience, not just for Pakistan but for all vulnerable nations worldwide,” he added.

The deputy PM thanked the UN Secretary-General for the early warning initiative, which “aims to protect every person on earth with an early warning system by 2027”.

Dar added that the threat of extreme heat emphasises the necessity of multi-hazard early warning systems, which he said were “critical to saving lives and supporting sustainable development in the face of climate adversity”.

“Despite our limited resources, Pakistan is committed to climate action and has set very ambitious goals,” the deputy PM said. “Our pledge to reduce projected greenhouse gas emissions by 50pc by 2030 comprises a 15pc reduction through national efforts and an additional 35pc contingent on international support.”

Dar named the Green Pakistan Project, an “electric vehicle policy”, a large-scale project to rehabilitate mangroves and implement Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) mass transit systems in Pakistan’s major cities.

“These efforts aim to fulfil our nationally determined contributions and to balance our global mitigation role with local adaptation needs,” Dar said. “However, we must acknowledge that national efforts alone are insufficient.”

The deputy PM highlighted that accessible climate finance is essential for Pakistan to meet these targets. “We urgently call on developed nations to honour their $100bn climate finance annual pledge and establish a new collective quantitative goal that reflects today’s needs with funding reaching the trillions,” he stated.

He added that this funding must be “accessible, grant-based and reflective of the historical responsibilities of industrialised nations”, adding that the burden “cannot rest solely on developing countries”.

“While Pakistan is ready to do its part, we look to the international community for support, particularly in accessing climate finance for early warning systems and climate resilience projects,” he said. “We need mechanisms that ensure easy, direct access to funds that can bolster national programmes rather than piloting isolated projects.”

Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to “being part of the solution” to the shared climate crisis and stressed that through shared partnerships and support from global allies, “we can bridge the early warning gap, enhance resilience and build a safer, more sustainable future for generations to come”.

‘Debt cannot be new normal’

Speaking at a Pakistan-organised conference at COP29 yesterday, PM Shehbaz had said debt cannot become the “acceptable new normal” in climate financing.

He had explained that finan­c­ing in the form of loans pushes developing nations towards “mounting debt traps”, which he ref­erred to as “death traps”.

Speaking at Glaciers 2025: Actions for Glaciers, the prime minister had also linked humanity’s survival with the health of glaciers, saying Pakistan was ready to work with the world on the matter.

PM Shehbaz also met with various world leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including UAE President Sheikh Moha­m­med bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UK PM Sir Keir Starmer and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as those from South and Central Asia.

Dozens of world leaders convened in Azerbaijan for COP29 but many big names skipped the UN climate talks where the impact of Donald Trump’s election victory was keenly felt.

US President Joe Biden, China’s President Xi Jinping, India’s PM Narendra Modi and France’s President Emmanuel Macron were among the G20 leaders missing the event.

Pakistan witnessed devastating floods during the 2022 monsoon season, induced by climate change, resulting in the loss of at least 1,700 lives.

With 33m people affected and swathes of agricultural land washed away, the damage incurred losses worth $30bn, according to government estimates.

In June 2024, a heat wave brought record-high temperatures, severely impacting public health and agriculture.

PTI founder Imran Khan has issued a “final call” for a protest in Islamabad on November 24, denouncing what he described as the “stolen mandate”, the “unjust arrests” of people, and the government’s push to pass the 26th constitutional amendment bill last month, it emerged on Wednesday.

Since his arrest in August 2023 on several counts, Imran’s party has been holding protests across the country for his release, and against the alleged “rigging” of the 2024 elections on February 8.

Since the events of May 9, 2023, PTI leaders have faced arrests and detentions from time to time, mostly for leading protests in the country. A day ago, some top PTI leaders were taken into custody from outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for violating Section 144 but were released shortly afterwards after being issued a warning.

Last month, police arrested several PTI leaders and activists across multiple districts of Punjab for holding protests. In September, the party’s top leadership, along with 11 MNAs, were apprehended but released later.

Similarly, his sisters Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, together with a dozen party workers, were arrested for allegedly leading a protest in Islamabad last month. Both were released after obtaining bail from a court.

Speaking to journalists after meeting Imran in Adiala Jail on Wednesday, Aleema said that the final call for protest was for everyone, including PTI ticket holders, members of parliament, and workers and supporters of the party.

“This is the moment when you will have to decide [whether] you want to live under martial law or live with freedom,” she quoted Imran as saying.

“You used your right [to vote] on February 8…. but the next day, the foundation you had laid for democracy was stolen,” she further quoted Imran as saying.

Aleema went on to say that Imran has addressed his call to four categories of people —farmers, lawyers, civil society and students— who should come out to protest for their rights.

Speaking on the 26th Amendment being enacted as law, she quoted Imran as saying, “All of your rights have been taken away; the Supreme Court has been occupied, and the current conditions are even worse than previous martial laws.”

This call for protest comes after a series of protests by PTI nationwide throughout October.

During the last protest called for Islamabad on October 4, hundreds of PTI activists, including senior leaders, gathered at multiple locations in the capital after defying heavy police blockades and road closures.

Authorities had dug trenches and placed iron nails on a stretch of the Islamabad-Peshawar motorway to prevent protesters from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from reaching the capital. Despite these hurdles, PTI workers had managed to reach D-chowk amid heavy rain.

PTI had claimed KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who was part of the protest caravan, was arrested by Rangers from KP House before retracting their claims.

After a mysterious day-long disappearance, he resurfaced in Peshawar as he arrived at the KP Assembly in the evening to address the lawmakers there.

PTI called off its announced D-Chowk protest for October 15 on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit after assurances of a medical check-up for Imran.

On November 8, 14 people, inc­l­u­­ding eight cops, were injured when clashes erupted between the police and PTI supporters in Quetta.

The clashes occurred after the administration cancelled permission for the party to hold a rally at Railway Hockey Ground to demand the release of Imran, citing security threats.

‘Call for chaos and provocation’

Reacting to Imran’s call for protest, PPP Vice-President Senator Sherry Rehman condemned the move, terming it “a call for chaos and provocation” rather than a protest.

“We have also held peaceful protests but never told workers to kill or die,” Rehman said in a statement on Wednesday.

She asked for an explanation regarding the purpose behind the “so-called final and decisive protest.”

“Those who ordered workers to go out with a shroud on their heads should fear God,” she said, adding that despite PPP leaders being hanged and murdered, they never issued calls for violent protests.

Rehman concluded by saying that Imran wants chaos and is using workers as “political fuel for his release”.

‘PTI trying to start armed struggle’

PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah accused Imran of planning to start an “armed struggle” against the government.

Speaking on a private news channel yesterday, Sanaullah said: “It can be ascertained from the statements of the PTI founder that run in the media and newspapers ….. that they are planning to start a struggle, an armed struggle against the government.”

When asked who were the people trying to start the “armed struggle”, Sanaullah said, “All of you are seeing the people who go and meet him every day and then come out and give statements on this.”

He also referred to KP CM Gandapur’s speech at the Swabi jalsa earlier this week, saying that the rhetoric used there “indicated that they are planning an armed struggle”.

A US government employee has been indicted for leaking classified national defence information, according to federal court records unsealed on Wednesday.

The indictment, charging Asif William Rahman with two counts of willfully transmitting classified information, does not provide details about the nature of the leak.

However, it says the leak occurred on or about October 17.

That was around the time that a pro-Iranian Telegram account called “Middle East Spectator” published what appeared to be a pair of documents produced by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency which shared information about Israel’s preparations for an attack on Iran.

The intelligence in the documents was based on satellite imagery from Oct 15 to 16.

In a previous statement, the Middle East Spectator said it had received the documents through an anonymous source, and that it had no connection to the original leaker nor could it verify the authenticity of the documents.

The FBI in October confirmed it was investigating who had leaked the documents.

According to the indictment, which is dated November 7, investigators believe the leak took place in Cambodia.

Rahman was arrested in Cambodia on Nov 12, and is expected to make an initial court appearance in a federal court in Guam on Nov 14 before he is transferred to stand trial in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Security forces killed four terrorists, including a “high-value target”, during an exchange of fire in Balochistan’s Kech district, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday.

According to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the general Balgatar area of Kech District on the “reported presence of terrorists”.

“During [the] conduct of the operation, after an intense fire exchange between own troops and the terrorists, four terrorists including a high-value target, terrorist ring leader Sana [alias] Baru were killed,” the statement said.

It added that the killed terrorist was a focal recruitment agent, “especially suicide bombers, for the so-called Majeed Brigade in District Kech and was highly wanted by the law enforcement agencies.”

A sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

Pakistan’s security forces “remain determined to thwart attempts of sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan,” the statement said.

The country has lately witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in Balochistan and KP.

Attacks escalated after the TTP broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces.

Last Sunday, security forces killed 10 terrorists and injured eight others during three different engagements in North Waziristan.

On Nov 7, security forces killed five terrorists during an exchange of fire in South Waziristan, while four soldiers were martyred in the operation.

In another incident on Nov 4, security forces killed seven terrorists in separate operations, with one terrorist killed in Balochistan and the other six killed during two operations in KP.

Likewise, on November 2, four terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation in KP’s South Waziristan region.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Tuesday hosted a consultation session on its virtual private networks (VPNs) registration framework, which aimed to foster a “secure environment for the IT and e-commerce sectors in Pakistan”, a press statement said.

VPNs are widely used around the world to access content that may be inaccessible or blocked for internet users in their home country. In the case of Pakistanis, VPNs are used to access X, among other restricted websites.

The move comes days after multiple internet users from across the country reported they were experiencing “restricted access” to VPNs, alongside poor internet connectivity.

Digital rights activists termed the disruption the government’s attempt to “enforce strict censorship and surveillance over citizens”. The PTA, however, dismissed users’ claim that it was “throttling” VPNs and said the disruptions were caused by a “technical glitch”. It also urged users to register their VPNs.

According to the statement, today’s meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication (MoIT&T), the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA).

“The PTA introduced a streamlined VPN registration process, allowing legitimate users to register their VPNs through a new online portal at ipregistration.pta.gov.pk,” the statement said.

The authority claimed that this simplified framework “supports uninterrupted access for IT companies, freelancers, and other stakeholders, reinforcing PTA’s commitment to Pakistan’s expanding digital economy”.

Participants also addressed concerns about the potential use of VPNs for “illegal activities.”

“As a proactive measure, companies and freelancers will be encouraged to register their VPNs to ensure smooth operations and mitigate disruptions,” it added.

“This consultation process underscores PTA’s dedication to creating a safe, accessible, and compliant digital landscape, empowering the country’s IT sector while safeguarding national security,” the statement concluded.

In August, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was clamping down on VPN usage, aiming to prevent access to the already banned social media platform X.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in September that X had been banned due to national security issues, not to curb freedom of expression. He added that “separatists and terrorists” were using the platform against Pakistan, which could not be allowed.

In the same month, the PTA dispelled rumours and clarified that VPNs in the country were not being blocked.

1. India To Play Intra Squad Match At WACA Ahead Of Australia Tests, Public Not Allowed: Report  News18
2. Black veil of secrecy: India begin training in privacy in Perth  ESPNcricinfo
3. 'No request' from BCCI but Australian media report claims India wanted...  The Times of India
4. Of Coffee Date And Fam-Jam: Anushka Sharma And Virat Kohli's Perth Diaries  NDTV Movies
5. Batting time: India begin preparations in lockdown mode  Hindustan Times

1. Actor John Krasinski Named 'Sexiest Man Alive' Of 2024 By People Magazine  NDTV
2. Celebs crowned Sexiest Man Alive in last ten years: John Krasinski, Patrick Dempsey, Paul Rudd, to Idris Elba  Hindustan Times
3. Is Jim from The Office really the sexiest man in the world?  The Guardian
4. John Krasinski Is PEOPLE's 2024 Sexiest Man Alive!  PEOPLE
5. John Krasinski chosen as Sexiest Man Alive but fans have declared these stars as Sexiest Musician and Sexi  The Economic Times

1. ₹50000 for 1 night in Ahmedabad? Fans claim Coldplay’s upcoming concert skyrocketed hotel prices  Hindustan Times
2. Coldplay announces 4th India show in Ahmedabad: Check out ticket sale details  Hindustan Times
3. Everything You Need to Know About The World's Largest Cricket Stadium In Ahmedabad, Which Will Hold Coldplay's Gujarat Concert  NDTV
4. Coldplay Announces New Concert in Ahmedabad: Know The Date and How To Book Tickets  News18
5. Coldplay announces fourth show in Ahmedabad after Mumbai due to unprecedented demand  Moneycontrol

1. Wedding Invitation Scams at rise: A single click may put you in grave danger  India TV News
2. Police warns: Wedding invites on WhatsApp are taking control of smartphones; stealing money, photos and m  The Times of India
3. All about the 'wedding invitation' scam on WhatsApp that can get your phone hacked  Moneycontrol
4. WhatsApp wedding invitations are the new cyber trap — here's how scammers are stealing your data  CNBCTV18
5. WhatsApp wedding invite scam: What to know about this and how to be alert  India Today

1. NTPC Green Energy's ₹10,000 crore IPO: Date, details, projects, things to know  Hindustan Times
2. NTPC Green Energy fixes dates, price band for ₹10,000 crore IPO — More details here  CNBCTV18
3. Aim for 60-40 ratio, where 40% is green, rest is fossil by 2032: NTPC CMD  Business Standard
4. NTPC Green Energy IPO: Here’s how to apply under the shareholders’ quota and increase chances of allotment  Upstox
5. NTPC Green Energy IPO GMP declines amid buzz of firm preparing to file RHP  Moneycontrol

1. 'Toxic media platform': Why 'The Guardian' quit X after US election results  The Times of India
2. Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X  The Guardian
3. ‘Toxic’: Leading UK media house decides to stop posting on Elon Musk-led X  Hindustan Times
4. A 200-year-old British media giant stops posting on X. Here's why  India Today
5. UK's 'The Guardian' Quits X Citing "Disturbing Content" On Platform  NDTV

1. 'Stand On Your Own Legs' : Supreme Court Asks NCP(Ajit Pawar) To Not Use Photos & Videos Of Sharad Pawar...  Live Law - Indian Legal News
2. "Find Your Own Identity": Team Ajit Pawar Can't Use Sharad Pawar Pics  NDTV
3. 'Stand up on your legs': SC snubs Ajit Pawar's NCP over use of Sharad Pawar's photos in poll campaign  The Times of India
4. Stand on your own legs; why use Sharad Pawar's name? Supreme Court to Ajit Pawar NCP faction  Bar & Bench - Indian Legal News
5. Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | Supreme Court bars Ajit-led NCP from using photos, videos of Sharad Pawar for campaigning  Deccan Herald

1. Officers Carrying Out Illegal Demolitions Liable To Restore Properties At Personal Cost & Pay Damages:...  Live Law - Indian Legal News
2. How the Supreme Court clamped down on ‘bulldozer’ demolition drives | Explained  The Hindu
3. Akhilsh Yadav`s `Parked In Garage` Jab At Yogi Govt After SC`s Bulldozer Verdict  Zee News
4. SC parked bulldozer in garage forever: Akhilesh Yadav  Hindustan Times
5. What's the message from Supreme Court's order on bulldozer action? Experts debate  India Today

1. Oncologist stabbed at Chennai govt hospital ‘by 26-year-old whose mother is undergoing cancer treatment’  The Indian Express
2. Video: Chennai man calmly walks away after stabbing doctor, wipes knife  India Today
3. Indian Medical Association condemns brutal attack on doctor in Chennai  The New Indian Express
4. Daylight assault on doctor inside Chennai hospital leaves medical fraternity in shock  The Hindu
5. 'No law and order': BJP, AIADMK attack ruling DMK after government doctor stabbed in Chennai  The Times of India

1. Evening brief: BJP asks Delhi govt to close schools amid rising AQI; IMA condemns attack on doctor in Chennai; and more  Hindustan Times
2. Smog Blanket Over North India, Air Quality Drops To "Severe" Level  NDTV
3. BJP targets govt on pollution, AAP says don’t play politics  The Times of India
4. Delhi overtakes Lahore to become world's most polluted city  The Economic Times
5. City In Greyscale: Season’s First Fog, ‘Severe’ Air Day  The Times of India

Air pollution is one of the leading causes of early deaths worldwide, with particulate matter (PM) as an emerging factor contributing to this trend. PM is classified based on its physical size, which ranges from PM₁₀ (diameter ≤10 μm) to PM_2.5 (≤2.5 μm) and PM_0.5 (≤0.5 μm). Smaller-sized PM can move freely through the air and readily infiltrate deep into the lungs, intensifying existing health issues and exacerbating complications. Lung complications are the most common issues arising from PM exposure due to the primary site of deposition in the respiratory system. Conditions such as asthma, COPD, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer and various lung infections are all susceptible to worsening due to PM exposure. PM can epigenetically modify specific target sites, further complicating its impact on these conditions. Understanding these epigenetic mechanisms holds promise for addressing these complications in cases of PM exposure. This involves studying the effect of PM on different gene expressions and regulation through epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and microRNAs. Targeting and manipulating these epigenetic modifications and their mechanisms could be promising strategies for future treatments of lung complications. This review mainly focuses on different epigenetic modifications due to PM_2.5 exposure in the various lung complications mentioned above.

Advance care planning (ACP) is a complex and iterative communication process between patients, surrogates and clinicians that defines goals of care that may include, but is not limited to, documentation of advance directives. The aim of ACP is to promote patient-centred care tailored to the patient's clinical situation through informed preparation for the future and improved communication between patient, clinicians and surrogates, if the latter need to make decisions on patient's behalf.

The aim of this article is to review research related to ACP in acute and chronic respiratory failure, regarding the process, communication, shared decision-making, implementation and outcomes.

Research has produced controversial results on ACP interventions due to the heterogeneity of measures and outcomes, but positive outcomes have been described regarding the quality of patient–physician communication, preference for comfort care, decisional conflict and patient–caregiver congruence of preferences and improved documentation of ACP or advance directives.

The main barriers to ACP in chronic respiratory failure are the uncertainty of prognosis (particularly in the organ failure trajectory), the choice of the best timing for initiation and the lack of training of healthcare workers. In acute respiratory failure, the ACP process can be very short, should include the patient whenever possible, and is based on a discussion of treatments appropriate to the patient's functional status prior to the event (e.g. assessment of frailty) and clear communication of the likely consequences of possible options.

All healthcare worker dealing with patients with serious illnesses should have training in communication skills to promote engagement in ACP discussions.

Background

Asthma exacerbations in children pose a significant burden on healthcare systems and families. While traditional risk assessment tools exist, artificial intelligence (AI) offers the potential for enhanced prediction models.

The main monogenic causes of pulmonary fibrosis in adults are mutations in telomere-related genes. These mutations may be associated with extrapulmonary signs (hepatic, haematological and dermatological) and typically present radiologically as usual interstitial pneumonia or unclassifiable fibrosis. In children, the monogenic causes of pulmonary fibrosis are dominated by mutations in surfactant-related genes. These mutations are not associated with extrapulmonary signs and often manifest radiologically as unclassifiable fibrosis with cysts that can lead to chest wall deformities in adults. This review discusses these mutations, along with most of the monogenic causes of interstitial lung disease, including interferon-related genes, mutations in genes causing cystic lung disease, Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, lysinuric protein intolerance and lysosomal storage disorders, and their pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations.

Background

Lung cancer ranks as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. There is evidence that second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure is a risk factor for the development of lung cancer in never-smokers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide the most accurate quantification of the association between SHS exposure and lung cancer risk in never-smokers.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by various cells play crucial roles in intercellular communication within the respiratory system. This review explores the historical context and significance of research into extracellular vesicles. Categorised into exosomes (sized 30–150 nm), microvesicles (sized 50–1000 nm) and apoptotic bodies (sized 500–2000nm), based on their generation mechanisms, extracellular vesicles carry diverse cargoes of biomolecules, including proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Respiratory ailments are the primary contributors to both mortality and morbidity across various populations globally, significantly impacting public health. Recent studies have underscored the pivotal role of extracellular vesicles, particularly their cargo content, in mediating intercellular communication between lung cells in respiratory diseases. This comprehensive review provides insights into extracellular vesicle mechanisms and emphasises their significance in major respiratory conditions, including acute lung injury, COPD, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma and lung cancer.

Developer Dragami Games announced Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP will launch for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on December 2 for $44.99.

The game first released for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam in September.

The PS4 and Xbox One versions run in 1080p at 30 frames per second or higher. The Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One versions support Smart Delivery, however, the PS5 and PS4 versions do not support cross-buy.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463051/lollipop-chainsaw-repop-headed-to-ps4-and-xbox-one-on-december-2/

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer speaking with Bloomberg revealed Xbox is still open to acquiring more publishers and developers.

"We definitely want to be in the market, and when we can find teams and technology and capability that add to what we're trying to do in gaming at Microsoft, absolutely we will keep our heads up," said Spencer.

Spencer added no deals were "imminent" and any that might happen won't be on the scale of Activision Blizzard.

China is a potential area for acquisitions, according to Spencer. 

"It’s been a good area for us to learn from creative teams that have real unique capability," he said. "The real opportunity is to partner with creative teams in China for global."

Xbox in recent years has acquired Activision Blizzard, Bethesda parent company ZeniMax, and over a dozen other studios.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463054/xbox-is-still-open-to-acquiring-more-publishers-and-developers/

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer speaking with Bloomberg said Xbox won't rule out releasing any game on other platforms like PlayStation and Nintendo.

"I do not see sort of red lines in our portfolio that say 'thou must not,'" said Spencer. He added it is too early to make a decision on the next version of Halo.

Spencer did say he was pleased with the sales of the first wave of Xbox games that released on other platforms.

Xbox announced in February it would be releasing four its game on other platforms like the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. The four games were Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves. Pentiment and Grounded released for the PS5, PS4, and Switch, while Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves released for the PS5.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463055/phil-spencer-xbox-wont-rule-out-any-games-for-playstation-or-nintendo/

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer speaking with Bloomberg confirmed Xbox is working on prototypes for a handheld Xbox, however, any device is at least a few years away from release.

Spencer wants the Xbox hardware team to analyze the handheld market, which includes the Nintendo Switch, the Steam Deck, and more. He wants the team to "develop its vision based on what it learns."

In the short term, Spencer wants Xbox to focus on making its app work better on current portable devices and to partner with hardware manufacturers to ensure Xbox products sync.

"Longer term, I love us building devices," he said. "And I think our team could do some real innovative work, but we want to be informed by learning and what’s happening now."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463056/spencer-xbox-working-on-prototype-handhelds-any-device-is-a-few-years-out/

The VGChartz sales comparison series of articles are updated monthly and each one focuses on a different sales comparison using our estimated video game hardware figures. The charts include comparisons between the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, as well as with older platforms. There are articles based on our worldwide estimates, as well as the US, Europe, and Japan.

This monthly series compares the aligned sales of the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox 360 in Japan, as well as looking at lifetime original Xbox sales and Xbox One sales.

The Xbox Series X|S launched in Japan in November 2020, while the Xbox 360 launched in Japan in December 2005. The original Xbox launched in Japan in February 2002 and the Xbox One in September 2014.

XSX|S Vs. X360 Japan:

Gap change in latest month: 9,729 - X360

Gap change over last 12 months: 260,451 - X360

Total Lead: 557,867 - X360

Xbox Series X|S Total Sales: 636,764

Xbox 360 Total Sales: 1,194,631

October 2024 is the 48th month the Xbox Series X|S has been available for in Japan. In the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the Xbox 360 when compared to the aligned launch of the Xbox Series X|S by 9,729 units.

In the last 12 months, the Xbox 360 has outsold the Xbox Series X|S by 0.26 million units. The Xbox 360 is currently ahead by 0.56 million units.

The Xbox Series X|S has sold 0.64 million units in 48 months, while the Xbox 360 sold 1.19 million units. Month 48 for the Xbox Series X|S is October 2024 and for the Xbox 360 is November 2009.

The Xbox 360 crossed 1.2 million units in month 49 and 1.5 million units in month 67. The Xbox 360 sold 1.66 million units lifetime. The Xbox Series X|S is 1.02 million units behind lifetime Xbox 360 sales.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463010/xbox-series-xs-vs-xbox-360-sales-comparison-in-japan-october-2024/

A well-preserved section of the 2,000-year-old road, known as Watling Street, was unearthed under Old Kent Road in Southwark

The fluffy chick’s chunky form is slimming down as he starts to fledge