as

Best Places to Work Winner Podcast: Cordial

The CEO and cofounder defines adaptive messaging and shares the number one mistake marketers make when it comes to thinking about this concept. Plus, hear how Mary Poppins inspired his company's name






as

Modi regime sees five-fold jump in ITR filers with income above Rs 50 lakh; middle class tax burden falls - The Economic Times

  1. Modi regime sees five-fold jump in ITR filers with income above Rs 50 lakh; middle class tax burden falls  The Economic Times
  2. Modi regime sees five-fold jump in ITR filers with income above Rs 50 lakh  Deccan Herald
  3. Tax burden shifting to super-rich, but middle class barely growing  The Financial Express
  4. Taxpayers with annual income of over ₹1 crore rose 323% to 350,000 in 10 yrs  Hindustan Times
  5. More than 8 cr ITRs filed for FY 24, 74 pc in new tax regime  The Economic Times





as

Holidays in 9 areas declared

Malacañang has issued proclamations declaring local holidays in nine areas in the country.




as

38,000 Makati Blu Card holders get cash incentives

Over 50,000 senior citizens continue to benefit from Makati’s Blu Card program, which offers perks to enhance their quality of life, Mayor Abby Binay announced on Tuesday.




as

Villa Rosa developers say Church criticism based on discarded designs

“The Commission continues to criticise previous designs, despite our clarification that these have been discarded and will be redesigned based on the outcomes of the local plan review”




as

Nurses to man 1400 emergency number that assesses urgency of health call-ins

A centralised hotline on number 1400 will be taknig calls for the Emergency Call Centre for healthcare professionals to direct callers to the best available emergency facility by assessing the degree of urgency of call-ins




as

Court lifts €20 million freezing order on DF Advocates in Vitals case

Court removes temporary freezing order on DF Advocates after decreeing that the law firm could not be found criminally guilty




as

Cruise liner passengers fall by 7% in third quarter of 2024, but cruise liner calls increase

Figures published by the National Statistics Office show that Malta has welcomed 672,276 cruise passengers in 2024




as

Italian Court fully acquits Palumbo Shipyards of waste dumping conviction

Antonio Palumbo, owner of Palumbo Shipyards, fully acquitted by Messina Court of Appeal, which ruled his actions in alleged illegal dumping did not constitute a crime




as

Government to mark 50 years as a Republic with L-Istorja, Int’ celebrations in Valletta

'L-Istorja, Int' (History, You), will be the theme for the 50th anniversary celebrations for Malta's Republic Day




as

No public practice this time for Gilas before Fiba qualifiers

MANILA, Philippines—Unlike in previous Gilas Pilipinas’ preparations under coach Tim Cone, the squad won’t be holding open practices to the public this time. Cone said the national team is pressed for time in its preparations for the second window of 2025 Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers, so opening the doors to fans is out of the question. “I don’t know if we’ll have the time to do something like we have in the past in Philsports in front of the fans because we only have five days of preparation this time,” said Cone in a presser on Wednesday. READ: Kouame back […]...

Keep on reading: No public practice this time for Gilas before Fiba qualifiers




as

Pagasa explains why recent typhoons tend to only hit Northern Luzon

MANILA, Philippines — A specialist from the state weather bureau pointed to the ridge of a high pressure area located north of the country as a factor behind the recent string of tropical cyclones to strike Northern Luzon. The region saw Severe Tropical Kristine (International name: Trami) make landfall in Isabela on Oct. 24, Typhoon Marce (Yinxing) in Cagayan on Nov. 7, and Typhoon Nika (Toraji) in Aurora on Nov. 11. Further, while Super Typhoon Leon (Kong-rey) made landfall in Taiwan, the cyclone brought inclement weather over Northern Luzon until it exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Nov. […]...

Keep on reading: Pagasa explains why recent typhoons tend to only hit Northern Luzon




as

Tarlac woman nabbed for posing as niece in online love scam

MANILA, Philippines — Central Luzon cops arrested a woman with the alias “Tita” for posing as her niece to lure a victim into giving her gifts, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) said. According to the PNP ACG’s report released on Wednesday, “Tita” created a Facebook account using her then 17-year-old niece’s name and began messaging a 70-year-old meat vendor in San Manuel town in Tarlac province. The suspect lured the victim into a secret relationship, which lasted for more than a year, getting him to send money and gifts said to be worth a total of nearly […]...

Keep on reading: Tarlac woman nabbed for posing as niece in online love scam




as

EASL: Meralco rallies past KBL's Busan behind new import

New import Akil Mitchell knocked down the marginal free throw with six seconds left and Meralco completed its comeback to defeat South Korea’s Busan KCC Egis, 81-80, Wednesday in the East Asia Super League at Philsports Arena in Pasig City. The reinforcement tapped for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup came through after being fouled in a looseball situation and the visiting Egis in penalty as the Bolts improved to 2-1 in Group B of the regional competition. Mitchell finished with 33 points and 22 rebounds, providing a glimpse of what to expect for the PBA’s midseason tournament slated to start later […]...

Keep on reading: EASL: Meralco rallies past KBL's Busan behind new import




as

QC cops nab suspect for grave threat, assault; seize hand grenade

MANILA, Philippines — A 27-year-old individual was arrested for threatening a victim at gunpoint, assaulting officers during his arrest and possessing a hand grenade, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) announced on Wednesday. According to the QCPD’s report, the victim was walking along Villareal Street in Barangay Gulod in Novaliches at 3 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, when the suspect appeared and threatened him with a handgun. The victim escaped and ran to the Novaliches Police Station. Officers at the station proceeded to arrest the suspect, but he resisted by kicking the cops until he was subdued. The Novaliches Police […]...

Keep on reading: QC cops nab suspect for grave threat, assault; seize hand grenade




as

DOST-FNRI washes hands off Neda’s poverty threshold: PSA did the math

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) played no role in deciding on the National Economic and Development Authority’s controversial poverty threshold. At the Senate’s marathon plenary debates on the proposed 2025 funding of the DOST past midnight on Thursday, Sen. Minority Leader Koko Pimentel asked FNRI whether it was the source of the figure that Neda issued. He was referring to Neda’s earlier disclosure that a Filipino only needs to spend P64 per day for meals to not be considered food poor. READ: You’re not food poor if you spend at […]...

Keep on reading: DOST-FNRI washes hands off Neda’s poverty threshold: PSA did the math




as

NPC to probe loss of funds in GCash accounts

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) will launch an investigation into the widespread unauthorized transfers involving several users of the country’s leading mobile wallet GCash. In a statement, the NPC said that GCash informed it about the incident on Nov. 11. However, the digital payment giant maintained that it recorded “no data leakage or personal data […]...

Keep on reading: NPC to probe loss of funds in GCash accounts




as

Bill to revoke tax-exempt status of terror-supporting NGOs fails to pass US House


Opponents of the bill claimed it would have targeted pro-Palestinian organizations that facilitate aid to Gaza.




as

Despite war, we are leading the fight against climate change, says Israel’s Climate Ambassador


“Climate change continues to happen, and it is important that Israel remains part of the efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change,” Behar said.




as

British police officer arrested on suspicion of Hamas support


The alleged support for Hamas related to online activity, Gloucestershire Police said.




as

Israel visits Paris amid tight security for Nations League soccer clash


"I’m more concerned about France’s attack on the pitch than anything that might happen off it" Ben Shimon said, regarding possible threats to the upcoming game.




as

Bill to weaken Israel Bar Association passes preliminary Knesset vote


The bill would give the Justice Minister the authority to set the amount of the annual membership fee instead of IBA's national council.




as

Bill enabling police use of spyware passes preliminary vote in Knesset


The bill's goal is to enable the use of spyware to combat organized crime, according to the proposal's explanatory section.




as

Israel questions ICC judge's impartiality in Netanyahu arrest case


The request requires the approval of ICC judges, but their decision has been delayed, partly because of several rounds of legal filings by Israel that have challenged the court's jurisdiction.




as

US not limiting military assistance to Israel, but may act later


Washington warned Israel last month that military aid could be limited until progress was made. It did so based on Memorandum 20, which links such aid to humanitarian actions.




as

Expert urges Israel to target civilian infrastructure in Lebanon's 'Hezbollah state'


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




as

PIJ releases video of Gaza hostage Alexander Troufanov


The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, published the video in multiple groups on Telegram.




as

‘Exploding pagers were purchased by Hezbollah,’ injured Iranian ambassador admits


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’.




as

Meet Donald Trump's new Middle East team, with new faces and old


The incoming Trump team will be in contrast to some of those currently serving and those who served previously in key roles in the region.




as

CIA official arrested in Cambodia for classified doc. leak on Israel retaliation on Iran - report


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




as

Katz: 'We won’t agree to just any ceasefire, Hezbollah must withdraw beyond Litani River'


The United States is now seeking an enforcement mechanism that would ensure that the only armed body in that area would be the Lebanese Army.




as

Bilawal, Khawaja Asif ‘make light’ of smog issue

THE build-up of smog hanging over Punjab is seen from space in these satellite images — taken on Sept 12, Nov 5 and Nov 12, respectively.—Courtesy NASA Earthviewer

KARACHI: At a time when cities across Punjab are facing the worst air pollution in their history, two members of the ruling coalition on Tuesday made “insensitive” jibes over the issue in their posts on social media.

In his post on X, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari shared a chart of the air quality index readings of Pakistan’s major cities on November 10 at 9pm.

The chart showed Peshawar as the most polluted city with an AQI of 591, followed by Multan 573 and Lahore 479. Karachi was 7th with AQI of 78.

“Dear Pakistan, move to Karachi,” wrote Mr Bhutto-Zardari in his post.

Late at night, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said crop burning was unreasonably blamed for the smog when vehicles were the biggest polluters.

He shared a chart showing that total emissions from transport were 127 gigagrams, while that from stubble burning was 5.97gg.

The minister’s post did not mention the chart’s source or when the readings were taken.

He said the chart shows the “real culprits” contributing to the smog, but the people are being misled into believing that stubble burning, which has been going on “since the time of Mohenjo Daro”, was causing the pollution.

In another post, he referred to an order by Lahore High Court Justice Shahid Karim to close markets at 8pm, which was “yet to be implemented”.

According to the minister, the markets in Lahore remained open from 2pm to 2am and blamed the traders for being “intransigent” on this issue.

He also called out political leaders who are not ready to address this issue due to “political expediency”.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2024




as

Eight PTI men ‘exonerated’ in Lahore corps commander house attack case

• 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




as

Toxic smog smothering India’s capital smashes WHO limit

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.

Commuters drive amid dense smog in New Delhi on Nov 13, 2024. — Arun Sankar / AFP

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.




as

Schools shut, thousands evacuated as Spain braces for fresh floods

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.




as

SC releases cause list for cases to be heard by constitutional bench

The Supreme Court on Wednesday released the cause list of cases which will be heard by the recently established constitutional bench on November 14 and 15.

Earlier, the SC constituted a three-judge committee to fix cases, issue court rosters, form benches, and decide weekly caseload for its recently established constitutional bench.

SC on Tuesday announced that the constitutional bench will start hearing cases on November 14 and 15.

According to the cause list, available on the SC’s website, a six-member bench headed by Justice Aminud Din Khan will hear a total of 34 cases, including 18 cases on Nov 14 and 16 cases on November 15.

On Nov 5, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), in its maiden session, had picked Justice Amin as head of the constitutional bench by a seven-to-five majority.

Chaired by Chief Jus­tice of Pakistan (CJP) Jus­tice Yahya Afridi, the reconstituted JCP for­m­ed a seven-member con­stitutional bench, inc­­luding Justices Ami­nud Din Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muha­m­mad Ali Mazhar, Ayesha A Malik, Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali and Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

Cases related to environmental pollution from 1993, 2003, and 2018 have been scheduled for hearing.

The scheduled cases also include a revision petition against the dismissal of the petition regarding the appointment of Qazi Faez Isa as the chief jus­tice of the Balochistan High Court.

A request for rescheduling the 2024 general elections has also been fixed for hearing where the petition sought to shift the elections from Feb to the first week of March.

According to the cause list, cases related to harassment of women in offices have been fixed. The Ali Zafar and Meesha Shafi harassment case has also been fixed for hearing.

A suo motu notice case on private use of the Islamabad Convention Centre will also be heard by the bench. The convention centre suo motu was taken on the note of former judge Qazi Faiz Isa.

An application filed for the disqualification of the members of the assembly having business and assets abroad has also been scheduled.

Other scheduled cases include a petition for banning the marriage of government officials with foreign nationals, a petition to declare the legislation passed by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government as null and void and a suo motu notice case on overseas bank accounts of Pakistanis.

A petition filed by Mohammad Ali Durrani to bring back laundered money from other countries will also be heard.

Moreover, cases related to the jurisdiction of Gilgit-Baltistan courts in Pakistan and various applications of Khawaja Asif regarding energy projects have also been scheduled.




as

Turkiye has given strongest response to Israel’s atrocities: President Erdogan

Without doubt, Turkiye gave the strongest response to Israel’s atrocities in Palestine through such steps as halting trade, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

Ankara suspended all trade with Israel in May, citing a worsening humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 43,000 Palestinians since last October.

“As long as arms shipments continue, Israel will be more aggressive, as every day that Israel is not stopped, the situation in Palestine and Lebanon worsens,” Erdogan told reporters on his return flight from visits to Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan.

One of the concrete steps that can be taken against Israel’s attacks is to work for recognition of the state of Palestine, he underscored, adding: “Without a two-state solution, peace and stability will not come to the region.”

“Trade restrictions and sanctions on Israel are another form of struggle. Active diplomacy to corner Israel in all areas and boost diplomatic pressure is also crucial. We’re in the middle of a great test of humanity,” the president said.

“Passing this test is only possible by being part of the humanitarian alliance. Otherwise, history will judge both those who stood by Israel and those who remained silent in the face of oppression.”

Erdogan also said Ankara’s initiative at the UN to prevent the shipment of weapons and ammunition to Israel has been supported by 52 countries and two international organizations.

“We recently sent a letter on this initiative to the president of the UN General Assembly, the president of the Security Council, and the UN secretary-general. At the (joint Arab-Muslim) summit in Riyadh, a decision was made to invite all organizations and Arab League members to sign our letter. Our country’s steps to halt the massacre and its humanitarian aid efforts were praised,” he added.

The Turkish president also highlighted that he had the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings during the summit, including with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, adding that they had a fruitful meeting.

Emphasizing that he also held bilateral meetings in Baku, Azerbaijan, during the COP29 UN Climate Change Conference, Erdogan said that these meetings included discussions of bilateral ties and regional developments.

‘Climate is one of the most critical issues facing world’

On Turkiye’s zero emissions target for 2053, Erdogan said: “The climate issue is one of the most critical issues facing the world. Just as we care about wars, conflicts, and migration, we approach this issue with the same seriousness.”

“Turkiye is persistently discussing what measures we can take with the relevant ministries. We have taken, are taking, and will continue to take measures to use the world’s limited resources most efficiently and to elevate the civilization we have developed over centuries to a much higher level.

“Turkiye cares about this issue and is making every effort to do our part. However, finding a fundamental and lasting solution to this issue is not possible with the efforts of just us or a few countries together.”

He called for collective action to shoulder the burden of climate-related efforts.

“If some countries fully engage in the fight against climate change while others, driven by greed, ignore necessary measures or even increase pollution, we cannot overcome this problem,” warned Erdogan.

President Erdogan added that the importance of the Zero Waste initiative, spearheaded by Turkiye, is gaining more recognition every day and that efforts are being made to spread it and turn it into a way of life.

The initiative, which started in 2017 under First Lady Emine Erdogan’s leadership, aims to raise awareness of the importance of waste elimination in addressing climate change.

Hope ties with US move to different track under Trump

On the US’ incoming administration, Erdogan voiced hope that Donald Trump’s taking office in January will start to put ties between Ankara and Washington on a different track.

“Undoubtedly, there are always opportunities between the two countries. Our basic expectation is to assess these opportunities and take steps that will benefit both countries,” he said.

“The Trump administration views the economy as one of its main priorities. Turkiye, with its strategic geographical location and young population, is a country that offers investment opportunities.

“We can create new opportunities to boost the trade volume and encourage investments between the two countries. Particularly in energy, infrastructure, and technology, we can develop new collaborations,” he underlined.

Erdogan also expressed hope that President-elect Trump would take different steps for the region.

Asked about potential future meetings with US billionaire Elon Musk, one of Trump’s biggest supporters, Erdogan said: “The technological strides Turkiye is making are drawing attention worldwide. Technology is not an area where you can advance alone; you need collaboration. If cooperation opportunities arise in this field, steps can be taken with Musk.”

Possible normalization between Turkiye, Syria

Speaking of a possible reconciliation with Syria, Erdogan said Turkiye has reached out for normalization, expressing its belief that it would open the door to peace and stability in Syrian territories.

Cross-border operations are always in the cards for the country’s security, he said, expressing readiness to launch them anytime the country feels threatened.

Turkiye has launched several cross-border operations in recent years, in both northern Syria and northern Iraq, targeting terrorists who hide out there and destabilize the border or plot attacks on Turkish soil.

Reiterating Turkiye’s commitment to fighting terrorism while respecting Syria’s territorial integrity, Erdogan said that the presence of terrorist groups in northern Syria, notably the PKK, the PYD and the YPG, also poses a threat to its territorial integrity, adding that the Syrian government, well aware of this, must take steps to create a new climate in the country.

Erdogan also said the “threat of Israel,” right next to Syria, is no fairy tale, warning that the fire in the surrounding areas can quickly spread in the unstable lands.

In its 40-year terror campaign against Turkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US, and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

In northern Syria, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations since 2016 to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).




as

US govt employee indicted for leaking classified documents on Israel’s plans to strike Iran

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.




as

Longleng District Observes World Pneumonia Day - Eastern Mirror

  1. Longleng District Observes World Pneumonia Day  Eastern Mirror
  2. Govt to equip dist hosps to cut child pneumonia deaths  The Times of India
  3. World Pneumonia Day: 7 natural ways to keep your lungs healthy  Health shots
  4. World Pneumonia Day: 9 foods to fight pneumonia  Firstpost
  5. World Pneumonia Day: Three young lives lost daily in Gujarat  Gujarat Samachar






as

Evening brief: BJP asks Delhi govt to close schools amid rising AQI; IMA condemns attack on doctor in Chennai; and more - Hindustan Times

  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




as

Predicting paediatric asthma exacerbations with machine learning: a systematic review with meta-analysis

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.

Objective

This study aims to systematically evaluate and quantify the performance of machine learning (ML) algorithms in predicting the risk of hospitalisation and emergency department (ED) admission for acute asthma exacerbations in children.

Methods

We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The risk of bias and applicability for eligible studies was assessed according to the prediction model study risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST). The protocol of our systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.

Results

Our meta-analysis included seven articles encompassing a total of 17 ML-based prediction models. We found a pooled area under the curve (AUC) of 0.67 (95% CI 0.61–0.73; I2=99%; p<0.0001 for heterogeneity) for models predicting ED admission, indicating moderate accuracy. Notably, models predicting child hospitalisation demonstrated a higher pooled AUC of 0.79 (95% CI 0.76–0.82; I2=95%; p<0.0001 for heterogeneity), suggesting good discriminatory power.

Conclusion

This study provides the most comprehensive assessment of AI-based algorithms in predicting paediatric asthma exacerbations to date. While these models show promise and ML-based hospitalisation prediction models, in particular, demonstrate good accuracy, further external validation is needed before these models can be reliably implemented in real-life clinical practice.




as

Rare genetic interstitial lung diseases: a pictorial essay

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.




as

Association between second-hand smoke exposure and lung cancer risk in never-smokers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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.

Materials and methods

Through the use of an innovative method to identify original publications, we conducted a systematic review of the literature, with corresponding meta-analysis, of all epidemiological studies evaluating the association between SHS exposure and lung cancer risk among never-smokers, published up to May 2023. Pooled relative risks were obtained using random-effects models. Dose–response relationships were derived using log-linear functions or cubic splines.

Results

Out of 126 identified eligible studies, 97 original articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled relative risk for lung cancer for overall exposure to SHS was 1.24 (95% CI 1.16–1.32, number of articles, n=82). Setting-specific relative risks were 1.20 (95% CI 1.12–1.28, n=67) for SHS exposure at home, 1.38 (95% CI 1.28–1.62, n=30) at a workplace, 1.37 (95% CI 1.22–1.53, n=28) at home or a workplace and 1.27 (95% CI 1.11–1.44, n=24) in nonspecified settings. The risk of lung cancer significantly increased with the duration, intensity and pack-years of SHS exposure.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis shows that exposure to SHS increases by more than 20% the risk of lung cancer among never-smokers, providing definitive evidence of the association between SHS exposure and lung cancer risk.




as

Loco Motive Releases November 21 for Switch and PC

Publisher Chucklefish and developer Robust Games announced the point-and-click puzzle game, Loco Motive, will launch for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam and GOG n November 21 for $17.99 / £14.99 / €17.99.

"Were thrilled to get Loco Motive into the hands of players!” said Robust Games creative director and co-founder Adam Riches. "From the humble origins of a simple game jam to a fully fledged adventure in its own right, the last few years have been a whirlwind."

Robust Games technical director and co-founder Joseph Riches added, "My brother and I always wanted to create something together, and we’re very grateful to have had that opportunity. There was an unrelenting drive to make Loco Motive happen, and it’s our hope that players will see our passion and love for the genre reflected in this game."

View the release date trailer below:

Read details on the game below:

Welcome aboard the Reuss Express, a journey of a life-time derailed by an unexpected assassination.

On the eve of a landmark speech by the wealthy heiress Lady Unterwald, a straight-laced lawyer, a crime novelist-turned rookie detective, and an undercover spy find themselves embroiled in a murder, a mystery, and worst of all… an adventure! Now stuck onboard a luxurious steam train, within stabbing distance of a cold-blooded killer, the race is on to prove their innocence once and for all!

Play as Diana, Arthur and Herman to unwrap the mystery and put your point and click puzzle-solving skills to the test...

Features:

  • A comedy adventure that hits like smooth jazz, set onboard a 1930s express train
  • Take control of three playable characters, in an interlinking comedic adventure
  • Uncover a deadly mystery, full of twists, turns and slapstick humour
  • Meet a train-full of quirky and somewhat suspicious fellow passengers
  • Stop at nothing to solve item-based puzzles, that won’t leave you head-scratching for hours
  • Choose how you play - take direct interactive character control, or opt for a classic point and click experience
  • Beautifully detailed pixel art animations
  • Need a little nudge in the right direction? Telephone for assistance with an in-game hint call-line!
  • With the slinky sounds of composer Paul Zimmermann (Wildfrost, Space Haven)
  • Voice Acting!

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/463050/loco-motive-releases-november-21-for-switch-and-pc/




as

HEAVEN SEEKER: The Savior of This Cruel World Releases December 5 for PS5, PS4, and Switch

SUCCESS Corporation announced the twin-stick roguelite shooter, HEAVEN SEEKER: The Savior of This Cruel World, will launch for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on December 5.

Read details on the game below:

HEAVEN SEEKER: The Savior of This Cruel World is a twin-stick roguelite shooter where you take your own shot at the castle in the sky! A dungeon with a different structure each time you enter, a variety of magic bullets—and a formidable barrage of bullets—await you.

Story

In this world, Pentagaia, there were five countries that had been transferred from five different worlds.

Magi Province, the land of wizards, where magical technology flourished. A land of priestesses and samurai, a land of warriors and the four seasons. A land of elves, with the blessings of the World Tree. A land of mechanical ingenuity, where super-science rules the world. A land of wilderness and dust, ruled by demons.

The rulers of each nation sent explorers to the Castle of Heaven, where the secrets of Pentagaia were said to lie. They did so with the longing to return to the original world. These explorers were called Heaven Seekers.

Explore a Dungeon That Changes Each Time You Enter

In this title, you move with the left stick and aim with the right stick. This is a bullet hell shooting game where you freely control your character and explore random dungeons. When your HP reaches 0, you will lose all the items you have gained during this exploration. The player gains experience by exploring many times and learning the patterns of the rooms and the nature of the enemies.

Create Your Own Magic Shot!

The shot fired by the player character can be modified by freely combining over 20 customizable items to change its properties. Since items are randomly acquired during each quest, players will fight with a different personalized shot each time they dive into a dungeon.

Dot Art Style Game Visuals

All in-game elements in this title, including player characters, enemies, and dungeons, are rendered in high-quality dot art.

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/463057/heaven-seeker-the-savior-of-this-cruel-world-releases-december-5-for-ps5-ps4-and-switch/