ZHUHAI, China — Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai removed wreaths, candles and even bottles of Chinese alcohol laid at the scene of the deadliest mass killing in the country in a decade, as the government scrambled to respond and censor the outrage online. On Monday, a male driver angry at his divorce settlement rammed his car into a crowd at a sports center in the city of 2.5 million, killing 35 people and injuring 43, but the government took almost a day to announce the death toll. This prompted an outrage on Chinese social media, where posts complaining about the government's slow response and raising questions about the mental health of a nation shaken by a recent spate of similar killings, were being quickly removed. Despite the efforts to clear the site in Zhuhai, which is near Macau, delivery drivers on motorbikes kept dropping off fresh flowers on Wednesday morning, even as authorities erected temporary barriers around the makeshift vigil area and deployed security personnel. “The authorities hadn’t released any information - some colleagues mentioned it and I couldn’t believe it at first, but it was confirmed later,” said a 50-year-old man who identified himself as Zheng who brought flowers to the site. “It’s just a spontaneous feeling I had. Even though I don’t know them personally, I had family members who passed away in the past, so I understand that feeling," said Zheng. Some wreaths carried handwritten notes: "Strangers travel well. May there be no demons in heaven,” read one. On another: “May there be no thugs in heaven. Good will triumph over evil. Rest in peace.” After initially allowing journalists to briefly speak to the people laying the flowers, a handful of security personnel sporting light blue uniforms and caps told reporters not to talk to the people or to film specific messages on the bouquets. The attack happened as Zhuhai captured China's attention with the People's Liberation Army's largest annual airshow, where a new stealth jet fighter is on display for the first time. China’s state broadcaster CCTV did not mention the attack in its 30-minute midday news bulletin. Instead, the program led with President Xi Jinping's departure for the APEC summit in Peru and devoted a portion of the airtime to the airshow. Other state media, such as China Daily's Chinese language website, also prominently displayed the news of Xi's upcoming visit to Peru. The current affairs part of China Daily's website and the local area page did not mention the incident either. Hundreds of rescue personnel were deployed to provide emergency treatment, and more than 300 healthcare workers from five hospitals worked around the clock to save lives, state media's Beijing Daily reported on Tuesday. There was no indication that the attack was related to the airshow. But it was the second such incident to occur during the Zhuhai airshow: in 2008, at least four people were killed and 20 injured when a man drove a truck into a crowded schoolyard during the airshow. Police said that attacker had been seeking revenge over a traffic dispute. Xi, cited by CCTV on Tuesday, ordered all-out efforts to treat the injured and demanded severe punishment for the perpetrator. The central government has dispatched a team to provide guidance on handling of the case, CCTV said. Violent crime is rare in China due to tight security and strict gun laws. However, a rise in reports of knife attacks in large cities has drawn public attention to safety in public spaces. The deadliest attack Reuters was able to identify in recent years in China took place in Urumqi, in China's western Xinjiang region, in 2014, in which suicide bombers killed 39 people and four of the five attackers also died.

Amid the anticipated increase in revenues this coming Christmas season, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued a warning to online marketplaces to pay the right taxes, saying that they are closely monitoring them this Yuletide season. “If retail or physical stores are registered and paying their taxes, online stores should do the same. In the coming months, we are expecting an increase in revenue of online businesses due to the holiday spending spree,” BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said in a statement. The government’s tax agency said that they can block website access, similar to their “oplan kandado program” […]...

Keep on reading: BIR reminds e-commerce platforms to pay right taxes this holiday season

Known for its distinct animation style and worldbuilding, Studio Ghibli films offer important lessons that still hold up to this day     Watching “Spirited Away” on Disney Channel was my earliest memory of being introduced to the world of Studio Ghibli, a Japanese animation studio known for its animated feature films. It was an experience I didn’t completely understand until later in my teenage years when I would revisit the film with my family.  There is such nuance in the stories of Studio Ghibli films that you have to rewatch them to fully understand them. Most of the time, […]...

Keep on reading: Beyond fantasy and nostalgia: 5 life lessons from Studio Ghibli films

As the dust settles after one of the most contentious election seasons in modern history, TV host and online personality James Deakin reflects on the shifting power dynamics in the world of journalism, censorship, and the impact of political endorsements in his new commentary uploaded on the Peanut Gallery Media Network’s online platforms. According to Deakin, the media landscape has been forever altered, and it’s clear: “The (American) mainstream media are officially dead.” Watch the full episode on the PGMN YouTube channel here: Deakin’s sharp critique points out that US-based mainstream outlets have lost the trust of the public. “People […]...

Keep on reading: As Trump reclaims the Presidency, James Deakin says 'people have had enough' of celebrity endorsements

new york — A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday threw out a $1.68 billion judgment against Iran's central bank that had been won by family members of troops killed and injured in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut.  The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said a lower court judge should have addressed questions of state law before ruling against Bank Markazi and Luxembourg intermediary Clearstream Banking, a unit of Deutsche Boerse.  In a 3-0 decision, the panel also rejected a claim that a 2019 federal law designed to make it easier to seize Iranian assets held outside the United States waived Bank Markazi's sovereign immunity.  That law "neither abrogates Bank Markazi's jurisdictional immunity nor provides an independent grant of subject matter jurisdiction," Circuit Judge Robert Sack wrote.    The court returned the case to U.S. District Loretta Preska, in Manhattan to address state law questions in the 11-year-old case, and whether the case can proceed in Bank Markazi's absence.  Bombing victims sought to hold Iran liable for providing material support for the October 23, 1983, suicide attack that killed 241 U.S. service members, by seizing bond proceeds held by Clearstream in a blocked account on Bank Markazi's behalf.  Bank Markazi claimed immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which generally shields foreign governments from liability in U.S. courts.  Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bank Markazi's and Clearstream's lawyers did not immediately respond to similar requests.  Iran, other U.S.-designated sponsors of terrorism, and banks accused of providing services to terrorists face thousands of claims in U.S. courts by victims and their families. It is often difficult for these claimants to collect judgments.  In the Bank Markazi case, the plaintiffs sued in 2013 to partially satisfy a $2.65 billion default judgment they had won against Iran in 2007.  Another judge dismissed the case in 2015, but the 2nd Circuit Court revived it in 2017.  Then in 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a fresh review in light of the 2019 law, which then-President Donald Trump signed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.  The plaintiffs have said they hold more than $4 billion of judgments against Iran and have been unable to collect for decades.  The case is Peterson et al v. Bank Markazi et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 15-690. 

washington — A hack of U.S. telecommunications systems linked to China that initially appeared to focus on the American presidential campaigns goes much deeper, according to investigators, and is likely part of a vast effort by Beijing to spy on the United States. The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned on Wednesday that the breach first detected late last month has now “revealed a broad and significant cyber espionage campaign.” The two agencies said in a statement that their investigation has confirmed Chinese-linked hackers compromised the networks of multiple U.S. telecommunication companies, gaining access to a potential treasure trove of information. Specifically, they said the hackers would have been able to access customer call records and infiltrate the private communications of a select number of government officials and politicians. Additionally, the hackers appear to have been able to copy information requested by U.S. law enforcement as a result of court orders. “We expect our understanding of these compromises to grow as the investigation continues,” the FBI and CISA said. “We encourage any organization that believes it might be a victim to engage its local FBI field office or CISA,” they added. The two agencies first announced they were investigating a breach of U.S. telecommunications systems in late October, less than two weeks before U.S. voters cast their ballots in nationwide elections. Word of the breach followed a report by The New York Times that Chinese hackers were thought to have broken into telecommunications networks to target the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump — including phones used by Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. The Trump campaign confirmed the breach in a statement to VOA. Separately, a person familiar with the investigation told VOA that people affiliated with the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris were also targeted. The Chinese Embassy in Washington at the time dismissed the U.S. hacking allegations as disinformation, calling the U.S. "the origin and the biggest perpetrator of cyberattacks." The embassy has yet to respond to the latest FBI and CISA allegations. U.S. intelligence agencies warned for months that foreign adversaries were using a combination of cyberattacks and influence operations to meddle with the November 5 U.S. presidential election. In addition, reports issued by private cybersecurity firms indicated a significant uptick in activity by actors linked to Russia, China and Iran. All three nations have repeatedly denied accusations of election meddling. U.S. agencies, led by CISA and the FBI, have long warned that China-linked hackers have burrowed into U.S. computer systems and networks, in some cases hiding for years. The China-linked group, known as Volt Typhoon, has been "positioning itself to launch destructive cyberattacks that would jeopardize the physical safety of Americans," according to an advisory issued in February. "What we've found to date is likely the tip of the iceberg," CISA Director Jen Easterly said in a statement at the time.

AI is not just a race to the top in terms of innovation—it’s also about who sets the rules of the game. In this sense, Europe may not need to ‘win’ the AI war in the traditional sense but could instead reshape the battlefield entirely

Dozens of demonstrators, some with Palestinian flags, chanted, "Amsterdam is saying no to genocide" and "Free Palestine."

Yisrael Hasson also condemned the decision to prioritize safeguarding the Prime Minister's son's reputation over national security.

Rosenda Lemita and Liezel Asuncion filed a case at the United Nations Human Rights Committee against the murder of their loved ones. The decision to file a case was not made lightly – it took three years of delays and disappointment from the justice system to push them to seek an international avenue.

1. Kanguva Twitter Review: Netizens LAUDS Suriya's Performance But Call Film's Execution 'Clumsy'  Times Now
2. Kanguva Movie Review: An earnest Suriya gives his all for a Siva film that doesn’t give him enough  The Indian Express
3. Kanguva Movie Review: Suriya's Visually Superlative Film Has Grand Vision But Fails To Realise It  News18
4. Kanguva first reviews: Suriya ‘shed his blood and sweat’ but the movie ‘is tiring’, say fans  Hindustan Times
5. Kanguva: Here's how much Suriya, Bobby Deol and Disha Patani got paid for Siva's directorial  TOI Etimes

1. Best camera phones under ₹20,000: Samsung Galaxy A16, Moto G85 and more | Mint  Mint
2. Best smartphones under 20,000 with good cameras: Redmi Note 13 Pro, Vivo T3 5G and others  Hindustan Times
3. 5 Affordable Camera Phones To Consider For Vlogging  Times Now
4. Vivo T3 to Redmi Note 13 Pro: Top 5 budget camera smartphones under Rs 20,000  Asianet Newsable

Draped in the vibrant red of his Maasai shuka, 52-year-old Rumosiroi Ole Mpoke sits cross-legged on a worn cowhide mat outside his hut, his face etched with a sorrow deeper than the lines of age. His once-sharp eyes, now clouded by trachoma, can barely make out the shadows of the cattle he once tended with […]

[New Times] Achieving rapid private sector growth in Rwanda is unlikely without far-reaching reforms to economic policies, a new report released on November 13, by the World Bank has shown.

[ENA] Addis Ababa -- President Taye Atske Selassie, at COP29, has reaffirmed Ethiopia's commitment to the Paris Agreement and proactive disaster preparedness.

[VOA] Nairobi -- As African farmers struggle with unpredictability caused by climate change, some are looking into contract farming, which involves growing a certain crop for a price set in advance.

Robbie Williams reflects on Liam Payne's deathRobbie Williams is reflecting on Liam Payne's death almost a month after the singer tragically passed away.The former One Direction singer plunged to death from the third-floor balcony of his hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16.The Argentinian...

Gabriel Macht reveals his brother believed he was just like his character from 'Suits'Gabriel Macht, American actor, wanted to be as far away as possible from his beloved fictional persona, Harvey Specter. The actor revealed the reason why he holds no interest in living the life the way...

John Krasinski on Emily Blunt and 'A Quiet Place' John Krasinski reflected on how working with wife Emily Blunt in the The Quiet Place films made the franchise a success.“It turned out to be incredible,” Krasinski recalled of the “thrilling” experience on the...

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Intern­ational Airlines (PIA) will transport 35,000 Haj pilgrims to the holy land under a government scheme in 2025.

A spokesman for PIA said the Ministry of Religious Affairs and PIA have signed an agreement, under which the national flag carrier will operate special flights from six cities — Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Multan and Sukkur — to transport 35,000 Haj pilgrims to the holy land in 2025.

The agreement was signed by PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Aamir Hayat and additional religious affairs secretary Dr Syed Ata-ur-Rehman.

The PIA CEO reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to provide best possible services to the Haj pilgrims.

The federal cabinet recently approved the Haj Policy for 2025, setting the cost for pilgrimage between Rs1,075,000 and Rs1,175,000. The sacrifice amount of Rs55,000 will be in addition to Haj expenses. This year’s Haj quota for Pakistan is 179,210, divided equally between government and private sector. Children under the age of 12 will not be allowed to travel for Haj.

The “Road to Makkah” facility will be available at Islamabad and Karachi airports. Haj group organisers will sign service provider agreements with the ministry of religious affairs, and these organisers will be closely monitored for provision of services.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

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A recent photo of Williams aboard the ISS sparked rumors about her health, restoring the media's habit of prying into the appearance of women astronauts.

Democrats who are in a state of shock and grief over Donald Trump's (and his party's) return to power are understandably acting as though the political world has been transformed forever. They've lost the Blue Wall!

As Americans voted decisively for a candidate who explicitly rejects nearly everything that Bernie Sanders advocates, Vermont's senior senator insists that the Democratic Party just wasn't liberal enough. The mindset of the far left seems to be that the working class just needs more of what they just voted against. For Bernie, the answer is always, "more cowbell."

EXCLUSIVE: World of Warcraft will finally add player housing next year, and we got to speak to Executive Producer Holly Longdale about how long fans have been asking for it

The 22nd Amendment already states that presidents can only be elected twice, but that's not enough for Rep. Dan Goldman, New York Democrat, who plans to file the resolution Thursday.

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The Chicago Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, and, according to a new report, some veterans want Caleb Williams benched.

Sydney Sweeney blasted Hollywood's "women empowering other women" mantra as "fake" and a "front." The actress said that "none of it's happening."

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre bristled when FOX Business correspondent Edward Lawrence asked her if President Biden apologized to President-elect Trump.

A similar hearing last year brought extraordinary moments, including a retired intelligence officer alleging that the U.S. government has recovered nonhuman "biologics" from crash sites.

Adapted from Ariana Harwicz’s 2017 novel, ‘Die, My Love’ is set in rural America and follows the unraveling of a woman’s psyche, with Lawrence portraying a woman caught between her husband and lover

1. Gold price today: MCX gold rate falls below ₹74,000 per 10 grams; silver price drops by ₹1,100 | Stock Market News  Mint
2. Gold prices fall for 4th straight day, silver remains steady; check the latest prices in your city  Upstox
3. Gold Price Today: Yellow metal prices continue their fall, tumble by Rs 2,000/10g this week  The Economic Times
4. Today Gold Rate 14-11-2024: Check latest prices in your city  Hindustan Times
5. Gold off Rs 4,775 per 10 gm from all-time highs; trade at Rs 75,000/10 gm  Zee Business

1. SC bans ‘bulldozer justice’, calls it unconstitutional, drafts norms  The Times of India
2. Poetry To UK Precedent: What Went Into Landmark 'Bulldozer Justice' Verdict  NDTV
3. Right To Shelter A Facet Of Article 21; State Must Satisfy Why Entire Property Needs To Be Demolished :...  Live Law - Indian Legal News
4. Supreme Court verdict on bulldozer demolitions: Jamiat hails verdict, victims seek compensation  The Hindu
5. SC lays down path, timeline that bulldozers must follow  The Times of India

Electronic Arts has incorporated the Professional Women's Hockey League into its NHL 25 video game with six teams represented in "play now," "online versus," "shootout" and "season" modes, plus a championship Walter Cup.

The Federal Trade Commission will get a chance to argue its case for Meta’s breakup in court. On Wednesday, US District Judge James Boasberg allowed the FTC’s lawsuit against the social media giant to move forward (PDF link). The FTC first sued Meta in 2020 in an attempt to force the company, then known as Facebook, to divest itself of Instagram and WhatsApp. Alongside dozens of attorneys general, the agency alleged Meta acquired the platforms in 2012 and 2014 to stifle growing competition in the social media market.

This past April, Meta asked Judge Boasberg to dismiss the case. In addition to noting that the FTC had previously approved both acquisitions, Meta argued that the agency had failed to show that the company held monopoly power in the social networking services market, and that, in buying Instagram and WhatsApp, it had harmed consumers. Additionally, the company claimed that it had invested billions of dollars in both platforms and made them better as a result, to the benefit of social media users everywhere.

While he did not entirely dismiss the lawsuit, Boasberg did force the FTC to narrow its case, dismissing an allegation that Facebook had provided preferential access to developers who agreed not to compete with it.

“We are confident that the evidence at trial will show that the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp have been good for competition and consumers. More than 10 years after the FTC reviewed and cleared these deals, and despite the overwhelming evidence that our services compete with YouTube, TikTok, X, Apple’s iMessage, and many others, the Commission is wrongly continuing to assert that no deal is ever truly final, and businesses can be punished for innovating,” a Meta spokesperson told Engadget. “We will review the opinion when it’s filed.”

Judge Boasberg will meet with the two sides on November 25 to schedule the trial. The FTC lawsuit, it should be noted, was filed under the previous Trump administration, though whether it moves forward and in what form will depend on who President-elect Trump appoints to lead the agency.

The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has informed all students who have qualified through Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT), a National Level Entrance Examination for entry into M. Pharma Programme, that

Parliament voted in favour of an amended version of a motion put forth by Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency MPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa on Wednesday (Nov 13) after a debate that lasted five-and-a-half hours. This motion called for the Government to "review its policies relating to hawkers and the management of hawker centres to provide better support for hawkers to sustain and grow Singapore hawker culture, so that Singaporeans can continue to enjoy good and affordable hawker food". During his speech, Leong highlighted that high operational costs, harsh working conditions, and the expectation to provide cheap food are pressing issues faced by hawkers here. The PSP secretary-general then proposed that social enterprise hawker centres be phased out as contracts expire, replacing them with centralised management under a new government agency called Hawker Singapore. This new agency would oversee the management of all hawker centres in Singapore and the promotion of hawker culture domestically and internationally, working together with other relevant agencies, he added.

This post explores the challenges UK IT and security teams face due to legacy tech and the rise of generative AI. Results reveal a surge in security incidents and burno…

Try Google Maps new explore feature, which finds hidden gems along your journey.

In preparation for the January 2025 CA Intermediate Examinations, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) Board of Studies has announced two rounds of mock test papers, scheduled to begin on November 18, 2024. ...

Invoice Management System (IMS) has been made available on the GST Portal from 14th October, 2024 wherein the recipient taxpayer can accept, reject or keep the invoices pending which are saved/filed by their suppliers in their respective GSTR-1/1A/IFF. ...

The Board of Studies is commencing Mock Test Papers Series - I & Series II from for Students appearing in CA Foundation Course for January 2025 Examinations....

Tickets now available for one-night screening on December 12