World Diabetes Day 2024 reminds us of the importance of breaking barriers and bridging gaps to ensure that everyone with diabetes has access to the resources and care they need.

A Penn State University study published in Environmental Science & Technology: Air reveals that airborne microplastics may influence the climate by affecting cloud structures and weather patterns. The study found that microplastics act as ice nucleating agents in clouds, potentially altering precipitation. Professor Miriam Freedman highlights the need for more research into how these particles interact within atmospheric systems to better understand their effects on climate.

Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset was launched by Qualcomm at its Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii last month as a successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The rumour mill now suggests that its successor, the purported Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 SoC, might offer an even bigger jump in single and multi-core performance, despite recent changes suggested in its development plans.

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who has been in space since June, has put an end to swirling "rumours" about her health, saying she weighs the same as she did when she arrived at the International Space Station (ISS).

BAKU, Azerbaijan — When more than two dozen world leaders deliver remarks at the United Nations' annual climate conference on Wednesday, many have detailed their nations' firsthand experience with the catastrophic weather that has come with climate change. “Over the past year, catastrophic floods in Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as well as in southern Croatia have shown the devastating impact of rising temperatures,” said Croatia's prime minister, Andrej Plenkovic. “The Mediterranean, one of the most vulnerable regions, calls for urgent action.” The Greek prime minister said Europe and the world needs to be “more honest” about the trade-offs needed to keep global temperatures down. “We need to ask hard questions about a path that goes very fast, at the expense of our competitiveness, and a path that goes some much slower, but allows our industry to adapt and to thrive,” he said. His nation this summer was hammered by successive heat waves after three years of below-average rainfall. In Greece, the misery included water shortages, dried-up lakes and the death of wild horses. Other speakers on the list include Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose nation has seen deadly flooding this year from monsoon rains that scientists say have become heavier with climate change. Just two years ago, more than 1,700 people died in widespread flooding. Pakistan has also suffered from dangerous heat, with thousands of people hospitalized with heatstroke this spring as temperatures soared to 47 degrees Celsius. Also on the list of speakers Wednesday is Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis. Like many other countries in the Global South, the Bahamas has piled up debt from warming-connected weather disasters it did little to cause, including Hurricanes Dorian in 2019 and Matthew in 2016. Leaders have been seeking help and money from the Global North and oil companies. Early on Wednesday, ministers and officials from African nations called for initiatives to advance green development on the continent and strengthen resilience to extreme weather events — from floods to droughts — across the region. Plenty of big names and powerful countries are noticeably absent from COP29 this year. That includes the 13 largest carbon dioxide-polluting countries — a group responsible for more than than 70% of the heat-trapping gases emitted last year — were missing. The world’s biggest polluters and strongest economies — China and the United States — didn't send their No. 1s. Neither did India and Indonesia. But U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was there, and he announced an 81% emissions reduction target on 1990 levels by 2035, in line with the Paris Agreement goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times. That’s up from the 78% the U.K. had already pledged. The main focus of this year’s talks is climate finance — wealthier nations compensating poor countries for damages from climate change’s weather extremes, helping them pay to transition their economies away from fossil fuels and helping them with adaptation.

Seplat Energy Plc has confirmed that the below currency exchange rate is applicable in determining Q3 2024 interim dividend to shareholders that will receive the dividend payment in Naira (NGN): The exchange rate for the Naira amounts payable is the NAFEM closing rate for November 11, 2024 Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 1,681.42 NGN

The post Seplat Energy announces currency exchange rates for Q3 2024 interim dividend first appeared on Business Hallmark.

Iran hanged a 26-year-old man for a second time Wednesday months after a previous execution was halted half a minute in, an NGO said. Ahmad Alizadeh was arrested in October 2018 on a murder charge, which he denied, and was sentenced to death, Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), which tracks executions in Iran, said in a statement. His death sentence was carried out on April 27 in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj outside Tehran. But just 28 seconds into the hanging he was brought down from the gallows when the victim's family suddenly shouted "forgiveness." His "lifeless" body was successfully resuscitated and the execution was halted, IHR said. Under Iran's sharia law, a victim's family can ask for blood money to spare the life of the perpetrator or also decide to forgive. However, in many cases the family of the condemned person cannot afford the sum set and the execution goes ahead, according to activists. Alizadeh remained under the threat of the death penalty in the absence of any deal with the victim's family for blood money. He was executed again in the Ghezel Hesar prison on Wednesday morning, IHR said. "Ahmad Alizadeh, a talented student, was hanged for the second time on charges of murder, which he denied and claimed he confessed to under torture," said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, denouncing the "execution machine of the Iranian regime." Activists accuse Iran of using the death penalty to instill fear throughout society, particularly in the wake of 2022-2023 nationwide protests which shook the Islamic authorities. According to IHR, 2024 is seeing a new surge in executions, with at least 166 executions recorded in October alone, the highest number recorded in a single month since the group began documenting executions in 2007. Activists including Amnesty International say Iran carries out more annual executions than any country other than China, for which no reliable figures are available.

White House — In what will likely be his farewell appearance on the world stage, President Joe Biden faces a daunting question: what to tell world leaders wondering about potential changes in U.S. policies when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House with his America First agenda. Biden is set to depart for Peru and Brazil Thursday for two major economic summits. Biden is scheduled to spend Friday and Saturday in Lima with leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, made up of 21 member economies that promote free trade in the region.  He will be in Rio de Janeiro on Monday and Tuesday to meet with leaders of the world's 20 largest economies at the Group of 20 summit. On the way to Rio from Lima, Biden will make a brief stop at Manaus for a climate-focused engagement in Brazil's state of Amazonas. In his meetings, Biden must face allies and partners who four years ago may have been skeptical about his "America is back" message and the durability of U.S. global commitments. These leaders saw Trump, during his first term, act to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord and threaten to pull out of NATO. Uncertainties about future U.S. policy will complicate efforts to reach an agenda on issues of global concern such as trade, poverty and debt alleviation, climate change, sustainable development, and green energy. "There will be a lot of combination of lamenting, speculation, guessing about what we'll see coming first in terms of policies out of the campaign and how countries are best able to position themselves," said Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 'America's allies are vital' To these leaders, Biden's message is that "America's allies are vital to America's national security," said national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who previewed the trip to reporters on Wednesday. "They make us stronger. They multiply our capability. They take a burden off of our shoulders. They contribute to our common causes," Sullivan said. He underscored that Biden would be attending the APEC summit when U.S. alliances in the region were at an "all-time high," with bolstered ties with Japan, Korea, Australia and the Philippines. Biden will hold a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of APEC with President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan to "discuss the importance of institutionalizing" the progress made so that it carries forward through the transition to the new administration, Sullivan said. Whatever the questions surrounding the next administration, Biden will emphasize his faith in the "ideals of American engagement around the world," said Josh Lipsky, senior director of the Atlantic Council's GeoEconomics Center. "He believes it is in the best interest of both America and the world for it to continue," Lipsky said. "And not one election or one president can undercut that, from his perspective." Biden's agenda In Rio de Janeiro, Biden will "demonstrate the strong value proposition of the United States to developing countries and lead the G20 to work together to address shared global challenges," the White House said. He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with summit hosts Peruvian President Dina Boluarte and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In Lima, he is set to support Peru's initiative to expand APEC's economic inclusion efforts to empower workers in the informal economy, said Matt Murray, U.S. senior official for APEC. In Rio, he will focus on workers' rights and clean economic growth and attend the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, Lula's initiative aimed at accelerating global efforts to reduce hunger and poverty by 2030. In Manaus, Biden will make history as the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Brazilian Amazon. There, he will deliver remarks on climate conservation and engage Indigenous leaders working to preserve the rainforest. Symbolic and short-lived Many of Biden's efforts will be mostly symbolic and short-lived, as the incoming U.S. administration could bring dramatically different priorities on global welfare programs and climate change. Analysts say that while the world has watched U.S. leadership swing from Republican to Democratic and back again in recent years, Chinese President Xi Jinping will seek to project an image of stability as he exerts his vision of China's increased role on the global stage. In Peru, Xi will inaugurate a $1.3 billion megaport, part of China's infrastructure investment program that has bought him influence in various parts of the world. Beijing has increased diplomatic engagement in the region, with Xi visiting 11 Latin American countries since becoming president, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Summit hosts Peru and Brazil are set to honor him with state visits this month. A meeting between Biden and Xi, likely their last during Biden's term, is scheduled in Lima for Saturday. The meeting comes as Trump appoints ardent China critics in key foreign policy positions, moves that could lead to a more confrontational U.S. posture toward Beijing. Whatever the next administration decides, it's going to need to find ways to manage the "tough, complicated relationship" between the U.S. and China, a senior official said when asked what Biden might tell Xi to expect from the incoming administration.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka began voting in a snap election on Thursday which will determine if the island nation wants to empower its new, leftist President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to push his pro-poor policies as it recovers from a financial meltdown. A little over 17 million Sri Lankans are eligible to elect lawmakers to the 225-member parliament for a five-year term. A record 690 political parties and independent groups are in the fray across 22 electoral districts. Marxist-leaning Dissanayake, 55, was elected president in September but his National People's Power (NPP) coalition had just three of 225 seats in parliament, prompting him to dissolve the legislature almost a year before its term ended and seek a fresh mandate. Over 7,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure free and fair elections at the more than 13,400 polling stations set up across the country, police officers told Reuters. "The military is also on standby to assist the police but we do not expect any incidents," said Police Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa, adding that voting was proceeding smoothly. As polling opened in the early hours of the morning, people began trickling into temples, schools and other public buildings being used as polling stations. Among them was Umeshi Perera, 32, who lined up to cast her ballot at a school in Biyagama, a suburb about 15 km from the South Asian nation's largest city of Colombo. "I think we are seeing the first signs of a positive political change in Sri Lanka after the president was elected and we should give him the chance to continue that change," she said. Analysts say Dissanayake's coalition is expected to draw significant support, while a victory for a rival could lead to a policy logjam the country cannot afford. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya party of opposition leader Sajith Premadasa - who favors a mix of interventionist and free-market economic policies - is NPP's main challenger. The other key contender is the New Democratic Front, backed by previous President Ranil Wickremesinghe. "All arrangements are in place and we appeal to the public to work with us to ensure a free and fair election," Election Commission Chairman RML Rathnayake told reporters at a pre-election briefing on Tuesday. Votes will be counted soon after polling closes on Thursday and results are expected to be announced on Friday. A country of 22 million people just across the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka was crushed by a 2022 economic crisis triggered by a severe shortfall of foreign currency, causing the economy to shrink by 7.3% in 2022 and 2.3% last year. Boosted by a $2.9 billion bailout program from the International Monetary Fund, the economy has begun a tentative recovery, but the high cost of living is still a critical issue for many voters, especially the poor. Dissanayake wants to push anti-poverty policies including bigger welfare schemes and fight corruption as a political outsider in a country dominated by family parties for decades. He also aims to tweak targets set under the IMF program to reduce high income taxes and free up funds to invest in welfare for millions hit hardest by the crisis. The new government must deliver a budget to reach a crucial primary surplus target of 2.3% of GDP in 2025 set under the IMF program, deliver pro-poor policies, and put growth on a sustainable path. But investors worry Dissanayake's desire to revisit the terms of the IMF bailout could delay future disbursements, and make it harder for Sri Lanka to hit that primary surplus target. "In past elections, people did not have confidence in us but in September people gave us victory and proved that we are a winning party and we can form a government," Dissanayake said on Sunday as the campaign neared its conclusion. "The next task is to unite people from the four corners of this country and build a powerful people's movement," he said.

Netanyahu was in Jerusalem rejoicing at the election of Donald Trump with unabashed enthusiasm, while American Jewish leaders considered him too divisive and unpopular.

[Addis Standard] Addis Abeba -- As Somaliland reached a pivotal moment in its democratic journey, citizens are casting their votes today in an election anticipated not only for its outcome but for what it symbolizes. For a self-declared republic, albeit unrecognized internationally, Somaliland has managed to forge a unique and commendable path, consistently holding peaceful elections in a region often defined by turmoil. In today's election, Somalilanders showed their readiness to signal their desire for change, with Wadani, the

Local government reform had been undertaken without preparation, Akel leader Stefanos Stefanou said on Wednesday. The two and a half years which had been granted while elections were postponed had not been used to do what was needed, resulting in playing catch up, he said. The relevant ministries “have not shown the necessary fervour” towards […]

The floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Prometheas, which will form part of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project at he, will set sail for Cyprus from Shanghai at the beginning of December, Energy Minister George Papanastasiou said on Wednesday. Speaking at a meeting of the Nicosia chamber of commerce and industry (Evel), he said […]

Buckingham Palace sets Changing of Guard ceremony to ‘Gladiator’ themeAhead of the Wednesday world premiere of Gladiator II at the Odeon Luxe in London’s Leicester Square, the Buckingham Palace had a special theme set for the Changing of the Guard ceremony.A special recital of...

KARACHI: The government on Wednesday raised Rs778 billion against the treasury bills (T-bills) auction target of Rs800bn, with minor changes in the cut-off yields for different tenors.

The State Bank of Pakistan reported that massive bids of Rs1.844 trillion reflected ample liquidity in the banking sector.

The government slashed the rate for three-month tenor by 20 basis points to 13.69 per cent while the yield on benchmark six-month T-bills was kept unchanged at 13.5pc.

However, the yield on 12-month papers increased by 10bps to 13.19pc.

Compared to the secondary market, the cut-off yields for three-, six- and 12-month T-bills were higher by 47bps, 36bps and 17bps, respectively.

The government is borrowing less than the investors’ expectations mainly because of the higher liquidity available in its accounts.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

The coroner’s inquest into the deaths of five men at the Niagara Detention Centre ended with the jury making 66 recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths. Changes include staffing nurses all day and more closely monitoring patients who have overdosed.

Everything old is new again. Turntable Labs just launched Hangout, a social music platform that’s eerily similar to that champion of 2010s internet, Turntable.fm. The app is available as a web client or via an app for Android and iOS. It allows users to play virtual DJ, with over 100 million songs to choose from.

It not only functions like the old-school Turntable.fm. It even looks the same. There’s a stage, record players and cartoon avatars that sort of look like characters from South Park. I started my own room just to check things out and am pleasantly surprised at the sheer number of songs here that I actually like.

This is because those 100 million songs have been secured through partnerships with Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group. The catalog also pulls from Merlin, which represents a vast array of indie labels and rights holders.

The company likens the experience to “gathering around a jukebox or listening to albums with friends.” It seems that way to me, as someone I don’t know just jumped in my room and started playing their own stuff. To that end, folks take turns playing DJ. There looks to be room for five people at the same time to play a game of round robin with their favorite songs.

The robust catalog is one major difference from Turntable.fm. The platform didn’t have agreements in place with labels, instead relying on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and a partnership with ASCAP. This forced a number of rules on users as to how many people could be in a room at once and how many songs could be played each hour. It looks like those rules are now dunzo.

Turntable.fm originally went dark all the way back in 2013, before showing signs of renewed life in 2021. This could be a fun retro throwback to an age when we actually got our music recommendations from people, and not algorithms.

When former TV actor Zhang Shuifa appeared in a sales livestream with some local celebs in July, it sparked nostalgia among netizens who hadn't seen him on screens for years. The 57-year-old's appearance then led to his gradual return to showbiz. Besides turning up in the occasional sales livestreams, the Malaysian is also currently filming local director Jack Neo's upcoming movie I Want To Be Boss, which is expected to be released during Chinese New Year next year. In an Instagram Reel today (Nov 14), Shuifa, who debuted in 1988 with Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC, now Mediacorp), reminisced about the time he filmed a drama with local actor Collin Chee. "I remembered it was over 30 years ago, though I can't remember the name of the drama now," he said. Collin, 57, shared that it was his first drama in 1993.

Men often face challenges during the transition to fatherhood due to a lack of information and emotional support tailored to their specific needs, suggests

For the first time, the UN Climate Change conference of the parties will welcome Tourism Ministers, placing the sector firmly within the COP29 Action Agenda and providing a high-level platform for dialogue – at the initiative and joint leadership of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).

Sai Deepak Talasila's AI-driven platform represents a transformative leap in healthcare cost transparency, providing patients with personalized cost estimates and facilitating provider comparisons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to providing better healthcare and improving the living conditions of the countrymen.

South Korea's oceans ministry plans to nearly double the size of its marine protected area by 2027 as part of efforts to proactively address climate change.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for multiple projects in Bihar, including an AIIMs in Darbhanga district.

Musk and Ramaswamy have to find ways to cut down on government spending and overall bureaucracy.

I’m sad to say that due to a personal matter, I’ve had to bow out of speaking at this year’s Mobilism conference. You might have seen PPK’s announcement to that effect, and I’m definitely disappointed I’ll miss the event.

Because let’s be honest: my absence isn’t going to do a damned thing to diminish how amazing this conference is going to be. Seriously, look at this lineup. Look at it. Learning from the likes of Scott Jenson, Stephen Hay, Jake Archibald, Lyza Gardner, and Jason Grigsby is too good to be true, and in Amsterdam? And if you haven’t already, watch Jeremy Keith’s epic mobile browser panel from last year, a performance he’s repeating again in May.

Yeah okay I’m officially depressed all over again about missing it.

Seriously though: while I won’t be there, you can be. If you haven’t already, go register for Mobilism 2012 in May. You’ll have one hell of a time.

Breaking down how Trump might impact Apple, semiconductors, and ecommerce should he be elected and implement the tariffs he’s proposed.

Casinos would significantly boost tourism to Thailand, says the chief executive of the online travel agency Agoda, who is confident the country could set a record for foreign arrivals next year.

Yang, C; Xu, H; Yin, R; Wang, L; Wu, C; Grasby, S E; Gao, J. Ore Geology Reviews 158, 105530, 2023 p. 1-9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2023.105530
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20230270.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20230270.jpg" title="Ore Geology Reviews 158, 105530, 2023 p. 1-9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2023.105530" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Jin, X; Tomimatsu, Y; Yin, R; Onoue, T; Franceschi, M; Grasby, S E; Du, Y; Rigo, M. Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol. 607, 118075, 2023 p. 1-10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118075
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20220607.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20220607.jpg" title="Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol. 607, 118075, 2023 p. 1-10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118075" height="150" border="1" /></a>

After 63 years, Deutsche Post is discontinuing its night airmail network in Germany.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has selected Hurricane Commerce’s unique Kona API to help power global trade for postal operators.

After seeking God to change his current course, Hein van der Merwe attends a five-day programme at OM South Africa and finds new direction.

Home to many mountain tribal people, most of whom practice animism, Banaue will host this year’s Go Extra Mile outreach from 9-24 April.

One young Zambian man’s life is transformed when he encounters Christ through an OM football team and a coach’s patient effort.

Foundations for Farming is changing lives in Zambia by reaching out with God's truth and practical training.

Testimony of a Greek woman.

Ten years ago, Lydia* arrived on the field as a single woman. Now married and with two kids, her method of ministry has changed entirely.

By paying rent for a small school run by a partner church, OM provides education and biblical input to children of displaced families.

Since the Syrian war began, OM workers have served alongside locals, including Muslim background believers, to spread hope amongst desperate people.

Sports/English Camp meets community needs and instils biblical values in children and youth in Piedmont, Italy.

Young believers among the indigenous people in the rural areas of Sabah, Malaysia are impacted through discipleship.