The variable refrigerant flow is starting to gain popularity in the U.S.

“Union members and non-union members have a strong interest in seeing our economy grow," said Rusty Hicks, the new head of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, which represents over 300 unions.; Credit: Ben Bergman/KPCC

Ben Bergman

Labor unions have led the fight to raise the minimum wage in several American cities, including Los Angeles, where the City Council is considering two proposals right now that would give raises to hundreds of thousands of workers (to $13.25 an hour by 2017 and $15.25 an hour by 2019).

But few of the unions' members have benefited directly from the initiatives. So why do unions care about a $15 wage for non-union workers? 

It’s part of a long-term strategy to protect the interests of their members, labor leaders say. They also see an opportunity to raise the profile of unions after years of falling membership.

"We can’t be the movement that’s just about us," said David Rolf, an international vice-president of SEIU, who led the first successful $15 minimum wage campaign in SeaTac, the town in Washington that is home to the region's similarly named airport. 

“We have to be the movement that’s about justice for all," Rolf added. "The labor movement that people flocked to by the tens of millions in the 1930s wasn’t known for fighting for 500-page contracts. They were known for fighting for the eight-hour day, fighting to end child labor.”

The idea that workers should earn $15 dollars an hour first came to the public’s attention during a series of fast food strikes that started in New York City in late 2012. Those workers didn’t just walk off the job by themselves. They were part of a campaign organized by unions, led by SEIU, which is made up mostly of public sector and health care workers.

$10 million fast-food strikes

The Service Employees International Union spent $10 million dollars on the fast food strikes, according to The New York Times. But none of those restaurants have unionized, and because it’s been so hard to form private sector union these days, they probably never will, said labor historian Nelson Lichtenstein.

“In effect what you have now is the SEIU – its hospital membership or its members working at the Department of Motor Vehicles – helping to raise the wages of fast food workers, but not their own wages,” Lichtenstein said.

That's because unionized workers earn far more than the current or proposed new minimum wages, in L.A. an average of more than $27 an hour, according to UCLA's Center for Research on Employment and Labor. 

The spread of the $15 minimum wage from SeaTac to Seattle to San Francisco — and now possibly Los Angeles — is a huge victory for labor unions, but it’s unlikely most of the people getting raises will ever be part of organized labor.

Still, the rank and file seem to support their unions' efforts.

“I personally support using our organization as a way to advocate for those who don’t have a voice," said Rafael Sanchez III, a teacher's assistant at Bell High School who's a member of SEIU Local 99. 

A challenging time for the labor movement

In the 1950’s, about one in three American workers belonged to a union. Last year, just 11 percent did – or 6 percent of private sector workers – the lowest numbers in nearly a century.

Rolf says the minimum wage campaigns mark a change in tactics for organized labor; Rather than the shop floor, the focus is on the ballot box and city hall.

“Since at least the 1980s, winning unions in the private sector has been a Herculean task," Rolf said. "The political process provides an alternative vehicle.”

And an increasingly successful one. It was voters who approved the first $15 wage, in Washington state in 2013, and another one in San Francisco last year.  

In Los Angeles, the issue is before the city council. Mayor Eric Garcetti opened the bidding, proposing a raise of $13.25 on Labor Day before six council members countered with $15.25.

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor – lead by Rusty Hicks — is pushing for the higher option.

“Union members and non-union members have an interest in seeing our economy grow," said Hicks. "You can’t continue to have a strong, vibrant economy if in fact folks don’t have money in their pockets.”

Other benefits for unions: A safety net and a higher floor

Some union members see a higher minimum wage as a safety net.

Robert Matsuda is a studio violinist represented by the American Federation of Musicians, part of the AFL-CIO. Even though he’s not working for the minimum wage now, he worries that may not last: He’s getting fewer and fewer gigs as more film and TV scoring is outsourced overseas.

“I might have to take a minimum wage job in the near future, so it might directly affect me,” said Matsuda.

There’s also a more tangible benefit for unions, says Nelson Lichtenstein, the labor historian: A higher minimum wage means a higher wage floor to negotiate with in future contracts.

“It’s one labor market, and if you can raise the wages in those sectors that have been pulling down the general wage level – i.e: fast food and retail – then it makes it easier for unions to create a higher standard and go on and get more stuff,” said Lichtenstein.

On Friday morning, union members will rally in front of Los Angeles City Hall, calling on the council to enact a $15.25 an hour minimum wage as soon as possible.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

John Rabe

There are still a couple dozen tickets left for one of the most interestingly-cast performances of H.G. Wells, Orson Welles and Howard Koch's "War of the Worlds." On Saturday, Jan. 17,  generations of Star Trek actors will take on the world's most famous radio show.

The cast — directed by Jim Fall — features: René Auberjonois (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”), Michael Dorn (“Star Trek: TNG”), Dean Haglund (“The X-Files”), Walter Koenig ("Star Trek"), Linda Park ("Star Trek: Enterprise"), Jason Ritter (“The Event”), Tim Russ (“Star Trek: Voyager”), Armin Shimerman (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) and Wil Wheaton, playing... Orson Welles.

The performance is a fundraiser for Sci-Fest LA, the new annual science fiction play festival, so tickets aren't cheap — but they're scarce, and this looks like a memorable night.

KPCC and "Off-Ramp" celebrated the 75th anniversary of the broadcast last year by distributing the original 1938 performance, and a new documentary, internationally... introduced by George Takei, another original Trek actor you might have heard of.

War of the Worlds: Sat., Jan. 17,  8 PM; The Acme Theatre, 135 North La Brea Ave. LA CA 90036

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

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Mia Lausevic

A campaign highlighting the benefits of composting household waste, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, was launched on 1 July 2016 in Pljevlja, by the Montenegrin Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry, the Municipality of Pljevlja and the Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO.

Some 40 participants - representatives of the Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry; the municipal authorities of Berane, Bijelo Polje and Pljevlja; local public utility companies from Pljevlja and Kotor; and NGOs as well as citizens, attended the campaign launch.

“Composting household waste is just an element of broader waste management, one of the most current issues facing Montenegrin authorities in their efforts to bring the relevant policy, strategy and legislative frameworks in line with the international standards and requirements of the advancing integration processes,” said Programme Manager at the OSCE Mission Vladimir Ragozin.

President of the Municipality of Pljevlja Mirko Đačić said: “Our municipality is actively involved in enhancing the local environment, especially regarding air quality improvements.”

State Secretary at the Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry Daliborka Pejović stated that the primary waste separation is unquestionable and the educational campaigns are crucial bearing in mind the State’s plan of 50-70% of waste to be primary separated d until 2020.

“The waste should be perceived as a resource that can be further used through development of recycling and composting industry,” said Director of Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO Ljilja Radunović. “It is recommended, under the EU Directive on Landfills, to consider the policy of the closure of landfills starting from 2020 because they proved to be unsustainable.” 

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Pues hora feliz como en todo el mundo...

One really great thing to do every day of the week by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 11/13  

Secret SIFF Staff Benefit Screening!

(FILM/FUNDRAISER) Days after getting our souls ripped out and stomped on by more than 75 million Americans on November 5, SIFF had to break even more bad news: SIFF Cinema Egyptian will be closed for the foreseeable future due to a “significant pipe leak.” It happened Tuesday evening. I blame Trump for this, somehow. This sucks for moviegoers, of course, but it’s an even bigger blow to the workers whose future employment has been put into upheaval. Tonight, SIFF supporters have organized a super secret screening and fundraiser at Northwest Film Forum to raise funds for the staffers impacted by the closure. What movie? It’s a surprise! They promise it is “VERY good.” It’s free, but hopefully, you can kick at least a few bucks into the SIFF Cinema Workers Union Fundraiser on GoFundMe. And if you show your proof of donation at the concession stand, you get a free small popcorn! (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 7 pm, free) MEGAN SELING

THURSDAY 11/14  

The Blood Brothers

(MUSIC) Like any fan of Seattle hardcore band the Blood Brothers, I have found myself at a show, pressed up against a wall of people, shouting the wrong lyrics to their songs. For instance, on their hit "USA NAILS," there's a hook where you think you're singing a cheer-style "one, one, and two!" but the lyrics are actually: "These pigs locked me up to see what color I'd rot into!" When I sat down to talk to Johnny Whitney, who fronts the band with fellow singer/screamer/guttural whisperer Jordan Blilie, he noted that plenty of lyrics websites list incorrect verses for Blood Brothers songs. "It's hilarious how wrong some of them are," Whitney said. "The lyrics on Spotify are not even close to what I'm actually saying. Just buy the fucking CD, and look it up. Come on, people." Read the full interview here. (The Showbox, 1426 First Ave, Nov 14-15, 8 pm, Thurs is all ages, Fri is 21+) SUZETTE SMITH

FRIDAY 11/15  

Babe Fest 2

(PARTY) During a time that feels both politically glum and literally glum outside, join your fellow babes to let loose in a sparkly sea of positive energy. DJ Wax Witch (the mastermind behind Seattle's girl-powered DJ series Babe Night) will host the second annual Babe Fest, featuring a therapeutic blend of '90s pop, Y2K dance, and Euro house bops. Fellow spinderellas SofiiaK, Abbie, Reverend Dollars, and Ten Billion Jules will join the fun in addition to live sets from friendship-focused bands Who Is She? and THEM (full disclosure: my sister is in this band, but I’d think they’re great even without blood relation, I promise!). Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Rain City Rock Camp, a local nonprofit that empowers creativity in femmes and gender-nonconforming individuals through music with sliding-scale rock camps and education. (Baba Yaga, 124 S Washington St, 7 pm, $15-$20, 21+) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 11/16  

World Toilet Day

World Toilet Day is Saturday, November 16. (THERE ARE TOILET GAMES!) Hiroshi Higuchi/Getty

(COMMUNITY) In honor of the United Nations' World Toilet Day on November 19, the Gates Discovery Center invites toilet users of all stripes for a day of activities and exhibits highlighting the importance of the porcelain throne. You can make your own "pooparium," a terrarium filled with biosolid compost, or stop by the water bar to see if you can taste the difference between tap, bottled, and filtered water. I think even the most stoic of us won't be able to resist giggling while playing poop-into-toilet-themed corn hole—and who doesn't need a laugh right now? (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, 11 am-3 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 11/17  

STÖR

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A post shared by Base Camp Studios (@base.camp.studios)

(VISUAL ART) If you assume STÖR is a parody of a certain meatball-serving Swedish mega-retailer, you'd be right—but it's more than that, too. The labyrinthine Base Camp Studios project was imagined as an "immersive rebrand of how we experience, consume, and purchase art." That means you can explore and shop the STÖR space while contemplating the confluence of commerce and artistic production. Mary Anne Carter, Lilia Deering, and over 25 other participating artists have outfitted the installation with "surreal reinterpretations" of mass-produced home goods and decor. (Base Camp Studios, 1901 Third Ave, through Jan 10, $15 suggested donation) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 11/18  

Katie Gavin

(MUSIC) As a devoted stan of queer indie pop icons, Gayotic podcasters, and self-proclaimed "greatest band in the world" MUNA, I've enjoyed watching member Katie Gavin step into her solo side project. She cites Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, Tracy Chapman, Tori Amos, and Sarah McLachlan as influences on her debut album What a Relief, which was largely written on acoustic guitar over the course of seven years, and their raw honesty shines through on nostalgic '90s-tinged singles like "Aftertaste" (a sweet, woozy ode to the vulnerability of a nascent crush) and "Casual Drug Use" (a compassionate affirmation in the face of substance abuse issues, penned in the wake of a breakup in 2016). (Neumos, 925 E Pike St, 7 pm, $39-$45, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 11/19  

Matty Matheson

See Matty Matheson at Town Hall Seattle Tuesday, November 19. COURTESY OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

(FOOD/BOOKS) You might already know the boisterous, tattooed, foul-mouthed Canadian chef Matty Matheson for his role as handyman Neil Fak on FX's The Bear (which he also executive produces) or for his joyfully chaotic cooking channel on YouTube. His latest cookbook Soups, Salads, Sandwiches involves all three of the holy comfort food triad, with recipes like crab congee, "Everyone's Mom's Macaroni and Tuna Salad," and Cubanos. Best of all, the book's commentary stays true to his signature raucous, jovial voice. He'll chat with Little Fat Boy food writer and photographer Frankie Gaw about the release. (Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Ave, 7:30 pm, $7-$139, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

Apple's new Mac mini and MacBook Pro models powered by M4 Pro and M4 Max chips introduce Thunderbolt 5 connectivity to the Mac lineup for the first time, bringing the first major bandwidth increase since Thunderbolt 3 debuted in 2015. While this next-generation standard promises significant improvements, understanding its specific benefits can help you decide whether it's really essential for your needs.


Let's take a closer look at Thunderbolt 5 – what it does, whether it's necessary, and which accessories leverage the latest standard.

Thunderbolt 5: What It Does

Thunderbolt 5 doubles the standard data transfer speed to 80 Gbps in both directions, with a special "Bandwidth Boost" mode reaching up to 120 Gbps for video-intensive tasks. This asymmetrical mode allocates 120 Gbps to display data while maintaining 40 Gbps for other data transfers, effectively tripling the bandwidth compared to Thunderbolt 4. The standard also increases maximum power delivery to 240W, up from Thunderbolt 4's 100W limit, enabling faster charging for power-hungry devices like the 16-inch MacBook Pro.


The increased bandwidth supports more demanding display configurations for M4 Pro and M4 Max-powered Macs. Thunderbolt 5 also incorporates DisplayPort 2.1, enabling features like 4K displays at 240Hz refresh rates, for smoother motion during gaming and video playback. Like previous versions, the standard maintains backward compatibility with older Thunderbolt standards and USB devices, including the latest USB4 2.0 specification.

Latest Macs With Thunderbolt 5

Apple's latest Mac models featuring Thunderbolt 5 offer enhanced external display support, varying by specific chip configuration. Both the Mac mini with M4 Pro chip and MacBook Pro with M4 Pro or M4 Max chip provide three Thunderbolt 5 ports. Here's a detailed breakdown of what's capable in terms of display configurations:

MacBook Pro Models

• MacBook Pro with M4 Pro Chip:




• Supports up to two external displays:




• Two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt.


• One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI.




• Alternatively, supports one external display:




• One display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz over HDMI.


• One display with up to 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.







• MacBook Pro with M4 Max Chip:




• Supports up to four external displays:




• Three displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI.




• Alternatively, supports up to three external displays:




• Two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one display with up to 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

Mac mini Models

• Mac mini with M4 Pro Chip:




• Supports up to three external displays:




• Three displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt.




• Alternatively, supports one external display:




• One display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one display with up to 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

Note that the Mac mini with the standard M4 chip features Thunderbolt 4 ports and supports up to three external displays, with specific configurations as detailed in Apple's technical specifications.

Do I Need Thunderbolt 5?

For most users performing everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, or even photo editing, Thunderbolt 4's 40 Gbps bandwidth remains more than adequate. Even 4K video editing and working with large file sizes works smoothly with Thunderbolt 4 connections, as many professionals will attest. The new Mac mini and base 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 chip includes Thunderbolt 4 ports that should serve most of these users.


It's worth considering Thunderbolt 5 if you work with 8K video, require multiple high-resolution displays, or regularly transfer extremely large files. The technology will be particularly beneficial if you work with virtual reality, 3D rendering, or high-end video production where every bit of bandwidth matters. However, remember that taking full advantage of Thunderbolt 5 requires compatible peripherals, which are just beginning to enter the market and typically command premium prices.

For most users, the presence of Thunderbolt 5 shouldn't be the deciding factor when choosing between M4 and M4 Pro/Max Macs. The standard M4 models with Thunderbolt 4 will continue to serve the majority of users well, making Thunderbolt 5 a "nice-to-have" rather than a necessity for typical Mac buyers. The technology's true benefits will likely become more apparent as compatible peripherals become more available and affordable over time.

• 14-Inch vs. 16-Inch MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide 2024


• M4 vs. M4 Pro vs. M4 Max Chip Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?


• M1 vs. M2 vs. M3 vs. M4 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared

Thunderbolt 5 Accessories

The first wave of Thunderbolt 5 peripherals is beginning to arrive. Apple's Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable ($69) features a braided black design, supports the full 120 Gbps bandwidth and 240W power delivery, while maintaining backward compatibility with Thunderbolt 3/4 and USB standards.


For storage, OWC's Envoy Ultra external SSD achieves speeds over 6GB per second – double that of previous Thunderbolt drives – and comes in 2TB ($399.99) and 4TB ($599.99) configurations with a built-in Thunderbolt cable.


Lastly, OWC's Thunderbolt 5 Hub ($189.99) expands a single port into three Thunderbolt 5 ports and one USB-A port, supporting up to 140W power delivery – enough to charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro. The hub enables three separate device daisy chains and can drive up to three 8K displays at 60Hz with Display Stream Compression. Its aluminum enclosure uses passive cooling for silent operation, making it suitable for noise-sensitive environments like recording studios.
This article, "Thunderbolt 5 in New Macs: Features, Benefits, and Is It Needed?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that parent company Unilever has silenced its attempts to express support for Palestinian refugees, and threatened to dismantle its board and sue its members over the issue.

By Jessica DiNapoli NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that parent company Unilever has silenced its attempts to express support for Palestinian refugees, and threatened to dismantle its board and sue its members over the issue. The lawsuit is the…

Nvidia, Oracle, Google, Dell and 13 other companies reported how long it takes their computers to train the key neural networks in use today. Among those results were the first glimpse of Nvidia’s next generation GPU, the B200, and Google’s upcoming accelerator, called Trillium. The B200 posted a…

Leading AI systems are solving less than 2% of problems in a new advanced mathematics benchmark, revealing significant limitations in their reasoning capabilities, research group Epoch AI reported this week. The benchmark, called FrontierMath, consists of hundreds of original research-level mathematics problems developed in collaboration with over 60 mathematicians, including Fields Medalists Terence Tao and Timothy Gowers. While top AI models like GPT-4 and Gemini 1.5 Pro achieve over 90% accuracy on traditional math tests, they struggle with FrontierMath's problems, which span computational number theory to algebraic geometry and require complex reasoning. "These are extremely challenging. [...] The only way to solve them is by a combination of a semi-expert like a graduate student in a related field, maybe paired with some combination of a modern AI and lots of other algebra packages," Tao said. The problems are designed to be "guessproof," with large numerical answers or complex mathematical objects as solutions, making it nearly impossible to solve without proper mathematical reasoning. Further reading: New secret math benchmark stumps AI models and PhDs alike.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A Canadian man bench-pressed his body weight and unofficially broke a Guinness World Record with 38 repetitions in 30 seconds.

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For the first time in four years, Democrats are leaderless. But chaos is a ladder, as the saying goes, and the party is packed with climbers.

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Bonhomie was on display at an event in Darbhanga on Wednesday when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar bent down to touch the feet of Narendra Modi, only to be stopped by the Prime Minister, who shook his hands instead.

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  United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Africa’s global bank, has partnered with Mastercard to launch a commemorative debit card in celebration of UBA’s 75th anniversary. This collaboration, according to a statement, aims to honor UBA’s long-standing customer relationships and enhance their banking experience with a range of offers and discounts across multiple platforms. UBA’s […]

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Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong says the team can expect a difficult duel against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic. The Super Eagles will be up against their neighbours in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matchday five encounter at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan on Thursday (today). Benin Republic claimed a famous 2-1 […]

AFCON 2026Q: Benin Republic will be difficult, Super Eagles will conquer – Troost-Ekong

Cheetahs of Benin Republic head coach, Gernot Rohr says his side must be well organised to beat the Super Eagles. Rohr’s side will host the Super Eagles at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, on Thursday (today). The Cheetahs defeated their neighbours 2-1 when they met at the ground in June. The Super Eagles missed […]

AFCON 2025Q: How Benin Republic can beat Super Eagles – Rohr

Benin Republic captain, Steve Mounie has sent a strong warning to the Super Eagles ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie, DAILY POST reports. The big forward will lead his teammates out against their fellow West Africans at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan on Thursday night (today) hoping for a repeat […]

AFCON 2025Q: Mounie upbeat Benin Republic can beat Super Eagles again

The pair tied the knot in 2018 and share two children togetherLaura Prepon and Ben Foster’s marriage has reached its end after five years together.Court documents obtained by People magazine reveal that Foster, 44, recently filed for divorce from the That ’70s Show alum, also 44,...

• Matters include review of Justice Isa’s appointment as BHC CJ, pollution caused by industries in Islamabad
• SCBA says 26th amendment has rendered ‘fundamental rights a mere farce’, executive can’t pick and choose judges

ISLAMABAD: Amidst the backdrop of deteriorating air quality, the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench will take up on Thursday (Nov 14) as many as 18 human rights cases, including one related to air pollution as well as a review petition against the 2018 judgement on the appointment of Justice Qazi Faez Isa as Balochistan High Court chief justice.

Likewise, a six-judge constitutional bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, will resume hearing around 10 cases, including suo motu cases such as lady health workers programme, harassment case of singer Meesha Shafi and similar other harassment case.

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan will be part of the bench.

The six-judge bench was formed in view of unavailability of the seventh judge, Justice Ayesha A Malik, on Nov 14 and Nov 15.

The cause list was issued after a meeting of the three-judge committee constituted as per Article 191A (4) under the chairmanship of Justice Aminuddin Khan to discuss matters related to the composition of the constitutional bench. The committee had resolved that priority should be accorded to the oldest cases.

The SC had constituted a three-judge committee to determine fixation, issuance of court roster, sitting of benches and number of cases to be heard in a week by the constitutional benches, which the top court had formed recently.

On Thursday, the constitutional bench will also resume the 2007 hearing of a public petition against pollution caused by industrial units in Islamabad’s Sectors I-9 and I-10. The petitions were filed by one Nazir Ahmed and other residents of I-9 and I-10 about environmental degradation causing asthma, respiratory infections, allergies and heart ailments since the establishment of industrial units, especially steel furnaces and marble units, in the Federal Capital Industrial Estate.

In 1993, the CDA had developed a negative list of undesirable industrial plants working in the industrial estate. It encouraged them, especially the steel furnaces, to switch to some other trade and offered not to charge the normal fee.

According to earlier reports, 1,500 tonnes of effluents generated by the pharmaceutical industry, flour mills, oil and ghee mills, marble factories and plastic extrusion mills are thrown into the Leh nullah every day, heavily polluting underground water. Around 500 factories in the I-9 and I-10 industrial estates were causing water and air pollution in the area like the steel melting furnaces, re-rolling mills, flour mills, oil and ghee mills, marble cutting and polishing units and metal working and engineering units, GI pipes, soap, chemical, plastic, marble, spices and printing, a report had suggested.

A number of applications by different industrial units in the affected sectors were also pending before the court against the decision to de-seal these steel and casting units. Overall air pollution in the country was also on the table of the constitutional bench.

Some cases concern the restoration of the trial court under the control of narcotic substance act, or appointment of certain officers, though most of the cases have become infructuous.

One of the review petitions relates to the appointment of Justice Isa as BHC chief justice. The review petition was filed by Advocate Riaz Hanif Rahi against the July 7, 2018, SC judgement in which the court, while rejecting the petition, had held that the appointment was done in view of the extraordinary circumstances when all the judges, including the then chief justice, had resigned and the high court had become vacant. As such the initiation of the name of Justice Isa as BHC CJ was made in an exigency and thus not hit by any illegality, former CJP Mian Saqib Nisar had held in a seven-page verdict.

Earlier on April 5, a three-judge SC bench rejected the petition of Advocate Rahi challenging the appointment and later elevation of Justice Isa to the Supreme Court.

The detailed judgement had observed that the appointment of Justice Isa directly as BHC CJ was legal because it was made by the President and the then-Balochistan governor conferred it, thus meeting the requirement of Article 193.

SCBA sees threat to democracy

Meanwhile, in a statement, the recently elected secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Salman Mansoor categorically condemned the 26th Amendment as being against ordinary citizens and a direct threat to democracy and freedom in Pakistan.

The 26th Amendment was in violation of the principle of separation of powers and independence of judiciary, which “now stand altered, repealed and abrogated”, he said, adding those principles were guardians of fundamental rights of ordinary citizens and ensure a free, fair and democratic society and state.

The executive is the strongest adversary of ordinary citizens and their daily opponent in courts, he said, adding that the executive, enjoying majority in parliament, could not be allowed to select judges of its choice in all litigation where challenges are made to constitutional authority of executive and parliament.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

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