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OM Europe steps out to reach youth

European youth more than ever need good relationships with adults, says OM Europe’s Empowering Kids&Youth team, who focus on positively impacting Europe’s next generation.




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Bus4Life travels on grace

As the Bus4Life begins its seventh tour, former driver Tuukka Linkopuu reflects on his two-year ministry while Esa Tuuri prepares to take the wheel.




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Soccer, snacks and a Bible lesson

OM Ecuador recently began a sport clinic and league. The outreach is designed to connect with children in the poor San Francisco district of Guayaquil, Ecuador.




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By the grace of God

Over a thousand people visited the medical clinic that OM Ecuador recently installed in the small town of Cadeate. Many also came to faith.




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Impacting survivours of trafficking one climb at a time

“I climb in the name of the young women we serve,” said Boris Salinas, who will participate in a Freedom Climb event on 26 April.




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Impacting lives, changing a community

OM Ecuador's annual mission school (ECTM) impacts 13 lives, while changing one community.




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Impacting youth in Cañar

“Jesus really died for me?” asks one child during a recent outreach in Cañar, where OM witnesses God impact many through sports and Bible study.




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Impact from near and far

Manta, Ecuador :: Logos Hope's volunteers visit an area affected by the 2016 earthquake and share hope with children there.




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Tracking who Trump has named to serve in his Cabinet, administration

President-elect Donald Trump is rolling out names for top jobs in his administration.




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God reaches the heart of Cartagena

A group of Guatemalan volunteers join OM Colombia's leader in ministering to prisoners, students, women and children in Cartagena, Colombia.




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Our actions leave their mark on society

The Gospel is primarily about relationships that impact, influence and are relevant, states Pastor Hugo Echeverri, a representative of OM in Colombia.




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Shared vision, reaching others

Barranquilla, Colombia :: Mission organisations come together on board Logos Hope to inspire Latinos to serve God around the world.




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Blessed are the peacemakers

In a nation filled with tribal tension, OM works toward reconciliation through youth conferences, relief outreaches and a bookshop filled with Bibles.




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Community outreach leads to new church

A new church in Tienen begins as a result of an OM outreach done in partnership with a church in Leuven.




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fACTOR: mentoring volunteers in Belgium

Relationships, mentoring, fun, practical work, spiritual growth and learning to love others are all part of OM Belgium's fACTOR programme.




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Ready to reach Europe

OM field leader Martin believes Belgium has a strategic part to play, with OM, in helping grow a church planting movement in Europe.




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Khawaja Backs McSweeney As Opening Partner In Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Australia batter Usman Khawaja has laughed off the subject of Nathan McSweeney's strike rate of 41.92 being lower than his in Tests 48.3.




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Ex RCB, CSK, MI Star Joins Gujarat Titans As Batting Coach

Gujarat Titans have entrusted former India keeper-batter Parthiv Patel with the dual responsibility of serving as their assistant and batting coach in the upcoming IPL




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3rd T20I Live: India Keep SA In Check Despite Miller-Klaasen Fightback

India vs South Africa 3rd T20I LIVE Updates: Varun Chakaravarthy has picked two wickets as South Africa are four down in their chase of 220 runs against India




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R Ashwin Confident He Has "Figured Out" Smith, Shares Tactical Insight

Ravichandran Ashwin and Steve Smith will face off during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting November 22 in Perth.




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Bizarre: Flying Ants 'Attack' Stops Ind vs SA T20I. Internet Reacts - Watch

After India had set hosts South Africa a target of 220,Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks scored seven in one over when play had to be stopped as insects caused the play to stop




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Givewith Aims To Improve Social Impact Through Digital Advertising

CBS EcoMedia CEO Paul Polizzotto's latest company wants to make donating to nonprofits easier




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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





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Ex-FDA chief cleared over Tarlac pharmacy closure

The Sandiganbayan has acquitted former Food and Drug Administration chief Nela Charade Puno of graft, which stemmed from a raid and closure by the FDA of a pharmacy and wellness center in Tarlac.




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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




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CESAFI: CIT-U Junior Wildcats claw back USPF in come-from-behind win

CEBU CITY, Philippines —The Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Junior Wildcats mounted a dramatic second-half comeback to edge out the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers, 53-50. The game was part of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 24 High School Basketball Tournament, held on Wednesday, November 13, at the Cebu Coliseum. With the victory, the Junior Wildcats improved to a 6-4 record, securing the No. 6 spot in the standings, while USPF slipped to 4-5, dropping to No. 7. CIT-U forward Daniel Mapula was a key contributor throughout the game, dominating the paint with 10 […]...

Keep on reading: CESAFI: CIT-U Junior Wildcats claw back USPF in come-from-behind win




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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




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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




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BingoPlus’ newest Mega Jackpot winner bags ₱154 million

BingoPlus, the country’s comprehensive entertainment platform, announced its newest Bingo Mega Jackpot winner on November 13, 2024 with a grand total of 154,148,662 Pesos winning prize. The Bingo Mega Jackpot winner of 154 million Pesos is the highest prize ever won so far in the BingoPlus platform. With only 5 Pesos worth of cards, the BingoPlus user purchased 20 random green cards for only 100 Pesos, and amazingly, hit the biggest jackpot in BingoPlus history. BingoMega is among many games in BingoPlus that allows you to both enjoy and win prizes while playing. For just 5 Pesos, you can have […]...

Keep on reading: BingoPlus’ newest Mega Jackpot winner bags ₱154 million




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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




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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.




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New recordings of Yitzhak Rabin on Arab-Israeli peace talks, role of reservists


Yitzhak Rabin spoke of the importance of manpower and mobilizing reservists following the Yom Kippur War, echoing modern sentiments.




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Fingers pointing in all directions: Dutch politicians debate Amsterdam attacks, antisemitism


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




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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.




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KP approaches Centre again for buying PIA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2024




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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




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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.




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India To Play Intra Squad Match At WACA Ahead Of Australia Tests, Public Not Allowed: Report - News18

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





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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




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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.




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Harmonising cellular conversations: decoding the vital roles of extracellular vesicles in respiratory system intercellular communications

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




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Xbox is Still Open to Acquiring More Publishers and Developers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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