The world's longest nonstop commercial flights are getting a major upgrade. Singapore Airlines (SIA) recently announced a multi-year program worth 1.1 billion Singapore dollars (about $821 million).

Several airlines resumed flights to Bali on Thursday, after cancelling trips to and from the Indonesian resort island due to huge eruptions at a nearby volcano.

Red Hook, a neighbourhood in southwestern Brooklyn famous for its diverse community and unique geography today, was once among the most stigmatised places for its crime and extreme violence, according to a new book.

Countries are negotiating a higher target for payments starting next year, but some have been reluctant to confirm its size until it is clear which countries will contribute.

Our latest annual stocktake shows the world is on track to reach a new record: 37.4 billion tonnes of CO emitted from fossil fuels in 2024. This is an increase of 0.8% from the previous year.

World Diabetes Day 2024: Altering night-time routines can be an effective strategy in managing diabetes, here's how.

Donald Trump has tasked Elon Musk with setting up a panel to streamline the US government. Although the president-elect has said little about how this group would operate, Musk has previously set an ambitious goal of cutting $2 trillion of spending.

Bitcoin struck a record high above $93,000 Wednesday as the world's biggest cryptocurrency benefits from president-elect Donald Trump's pledge to ease regulation around digital tokens.

Officials in southern China ramped up security on Wednesday at the site of the country's deadliest attack in a decade, snuffing out makeshift memorials to the 35 people killed when a man drove a car into a crowd at a sports complex.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's daughter Anjali got married at a function here on Tuesday night. His son-in-law Aneesh hails from a noted business family in Kota.

A federal jury on Tuesday found US defense contractor CACI International liable for its role in torture at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad during the Iraq war.

The viral video features young Vivek Ramaswamy, then an 18-year-old student at St Xavier High School, reflecting on his journey through high school.

The world's longest nonstop commercial flights are getting a major upgrade. Singapore Airlines (SIA) recently announced a multi-year program worth 1.1 billion Singapore dollars (about $821 million).

Rajasthan Candidate Naresh Meena Who Slapped Poll Official Arrested Amid High Drama

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's daughter Anjali got married at a function here on Tuesday night. His son-in-law Aneesh hails from a noted business family in Kota.

1. 'Singham Again' becomes Ajay Devgn’s biggest hit in North America as it crosses Rs 35 crore mark  TOI Etimes
2. Singham Again box office collection: Ajay Devgn film zooms past 200 crore in India, set to cross 300 crore worldwide  Hindustan Times
3. This Bollywood Filmmaker Has 10 Films In Rs 100 Cr Club, And No He's NOT Karan Johar Or Sanjay Leela Bhansali - Guess Who?  Zee News
4. Singham Again Leaves Behind This Movie To Become 2nd Highest-Grossing Bollywood Film In 2024  News18
5. Singham Again box office Day 12: Ajay Devgn film declines as Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 grows  India Today

[GroundUp] The City of Johannesburg says the land occupation is stopping a housing development

The 2025 Polestar 2 lineup shrinks to just one configuration, dropping the less-expensive, higher-range models. First spotted by Car and Driver, the 2025 Polestar 2 will only be available in Performance Pack spec. That means the base single-motor version, as well as the non-Performance dual-motor version, are history. The single-motor version...

Edo Queens on Wednesday battled FC Masar of Egypt to a goalless draw in their second Group B match of the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco, leaving their chances of progressing to the semifinals in the balance, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The Nigerian and West African champions still maintain their pole position on

Saddex nin oo Ciraaqi ah ayaa magdhaw u helay $42 milyan dhaawacyadii ka soo gaaray gacanta…

The post Ciraaqiyiintii lagu xadgudbay Abu Ghraib waxay heleen magdhow $42 milyan ah appeared first on Horseed Media.

Today, Somaliland took a significant step in its democratic journey, holding simultaneous presidential and political party…

The post Somaliland Elections Officially Begin Amid High Turnout and Minor Delays appeared first on Horseed Media.

Madaxweynaha la doortay ee dalka Maraykanka Donald Trump ayaa u magacaabay xoghayaha gaashaandhiga Pete Hegseth, oo…

The post Trump oo weriye ka tirsan Fox News u magacaabey xoghayaha gaashaandhigga appeared first on Horseed Media.

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The light haze detected in Cebu City on Thursday, Nov. 14 may prevail until Friday, the state weather bureau said. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in Mactan (Pagasa-Mactan) said that the city may still experience poor visibility on Friday, Nov.15. According to Romeo Aguirre, weather specialist at Pagasa-Mactan, […]...

Keep on reading: Light haze in Cebu City may prevail until Friday

JAKARTA — Several airlines resumed flights to Bali on Thursday, after cancelling trips to and from the Indonesian resort island due to huge eruptions at a nearby volcano. Eighty-three international routes were cancelled on Wednesday, the general manager of Bali’s international airport said in a statement, after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spewed a nine-kilometre (5.6-mile) tower of ash into the sky. The volcano has erupted more than a dozen times over the last two weeks, killing at least nine people and forcing the evacuation of thousands. READ: Airlines around Asia ground Bali flights after volcano erupts Qantas and Jetstar are resuming […]...

Keep on reading: Flights to Bali resume following volcanic eruption

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

mexico city — Legislators from Mexico's ruling party reelected the head of the National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday despite widespread opposition and her failure to call out the government for abuses.  The reelection of Rosario Piedra Ibarra in a party-line Senate vote appeared to be another example of the ruling Morena party's attempts to weaken independent oversight bodies. Morena has proposed eliminating a host of other oversight, transparency and freedom-of-information agencies, claiming they cost too much to run.  Mexico's civic and nonprofit rights groups have been almost unanimous in their criticism of Piedra's reelection.  "This is an undeserved prize for a career marked by inaction, the loss of independence and the weakening of the institution," the Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez human rights center wrote on social media.  Piedra is a committed supporter of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who left office on September 30. She once affirmed that none of the deaths caused by the armed forces under his administration were illegal or unjustified, and she shared the former president's delight in attacking and criticizing other independent human rights groups.  Commission issues few recommendations Since her first election in 2019, Piedra has done little to investigate allegations of massacres or extrajudicial killings by soldiers and members of the militarized National Guard, to whom Lopez Obrador gave sweeping powers.  Despite receiving over 1,800 citizen complaints against the armed forces between 2020 and 2023, her commission issued only 39 recommendations, and most of the few military cases her commission did follow up on involved abuses committed under previous administrations.  The rights commission has the power to make non-binding recommendations to government agencies. If they do not agree to follow the recommendations, they are at least required by law to explain why.  Piedra has almost exclusively focused the commission's work on issuing recommendations in cases where people have not received proper health care at government-run hospitals. Those recommendations accomplish little, because they don't address the underlying problem of underfunded, poorly equipped hospitals forced to handle too many patients.  At times Piedra acted as if human rights violations no longer existed under Lopez Obrador. In 2019, she expressed disbelief when asked about the killing of journalists, despite the fact that almost a dozen were killed in Lopez Obrador's first year in office.  "Are they killing journalists?" she said with an expression of disbelief.  'Her actions appear to support impunity ' Piedra comes from a well-known activist family: Her mother founded one of Mexico's first groups to demand answers for families whose relatives had been abducted and disappeared by the government in the 1960s and '70s. But even her mother's group, the Eureka Committee, did not support Piedra's reelection.  "Her actions appear to support impunity for the perpetrators of governmental terrorism, and the government's line of obedience and forgetting" rights abuses, the committee wrote in a statement.  Piedra broke with two important traditions: she was a member of the ruling party up until she was elected to her first term in 2019. The job has usually gone to nonpartisan human rights experts.  And she has openly endorsed and supported government policies and actions. Previous heads of the commission had a more critical relationship with the government.  Piedra also failed to make the final cut for candidates for the post this year in a congressional examination of their qualifications, but was put on the ballot anyway.  That's important because similar evaluation committees will decide who gets on the ballot in judicial reforms that make federal judges stand for election next year. Activists worry that the same kind of favoritism will come into play in the election of judges.  "This decision comes after a selection process in which she (Piedra) wasn't found to be the most qualified," a coalition of rights groups said in a statement. "That reveals the political, partisan considerations that put her onto the ballot."  She also apparently falsified a letter of recommendation; a bishop and human rights activist said a letter she presented to support her reelection had not been signed by him.  Piedra will serve under new President Claudia Sheinbaum, another devoted follower of Lopez Obrador, who took office October 1. On Sheinbaum's first day in office, the army killed six migrants near the Guatemalan border; 10 days later, soldiers and National Guard killed three bystanders in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo while chasing suspects.  Sheinbaum's third week in office was capped by the killing of a crusading Catholic priest who had been threatened by gangs, and a lopsided encounter in northern Sinaloa state in which soldiers killed 19 drug cartel suspects, but suffered not a scratch themselves. That awakened memories of past human rights abuses, like a 2014 incident in which soldiers killed about a dozen cartel suspects after they had surrendered.  The purportedly leftist government has been quick to criticize human rights groups and activists who expose abuses.  In June, an outspoken volunteer advocate for missing people found an apparent body dumping ground with human remains in Mexico City, embarrassing ruling party officials who had done little to look for such clandestine grave sites. City prosecutors lashed out at her, claiming "the chain of custody" of the evidence had been manipulated, which could lead to charges. 

taipei, taiwan — China showcased its second fifth-generation stealth fighter jet this week, the J-35A, at the country’s premier aviation exhibition in the southern province of Guangdong, an achievement state media said puts Beijing on par with the United States. Military analysts say China’s ability to field two different types of stealth fighter jets marks an important milestone in Beijing’s development of military technology, but it still has a way to go to catch up with the U.S. With its J-20 and J-35A stealth fighter jets, China claims it is the first country to operate two types of stealth fighter jets after the U.S., which has its F-22 and F-35. Russia currently has one stealth fighter in operation, the Su-57, with another, the Su-75 Checkmate, still in development. The J-35A made its debut on the opening day of the air show in Zhuhai, performing aerobatic displays. In addition to the J-35A and J-20, two of Russia’s Su-57s were on exhibit for the first time at the biennial air show, which lasts until Sunday. Higher profile as supplier Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based defense expert, said China's possession of both the J-35 series and the J-20 stealth fighters brings with it benefits for Beijing in combat scenarios and raises its profile as a supplier of advanced military hardware. "China is now one of the few countries worldwide with the capability to field two types of stealth fighters simultaneously,” Song told VOA. “The advanced arms market should not be dominated solely by the U.S., Russia and Europe. China must also have a place, which will enhance China's defense industry strength on the global stage." Song said that the J-35 has incorporated numerous new technologies that significantly improve its stealth capabilities compared with the United States’ F-35. In a post on China’s X-like social media platform Weibo, Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of the party-backed Global Times, called the display of the new fighter jet a “strong and decisive response” to “Washington’s overreach to stifle China’s military achievements.” "China now has its own versions of the most attractive American equipment,” Hu said in the post. “The U.S. has the F-22 and F-35; China now has the J-20 and J-35. The U.S. has THAAD [an anti-missile system], and China has the HQ-19 [surface-to-air missile system].” Analysts say Russia’s participation this year, showcasing its Su-57 alongside China’s J-35 and J-20 at Zhuhai, not only highlights how Moscow and Beijing are working together in the global arms market but their closeness in the wake of Russia's war in Ukraine. Yang Tai-yuan, a researcher at the Centre for Advanced Technology at Taiwan’s Tamkang University, said that while China’s technology is improving, its pilots lack real combat experience. “The J-35 looks very similar to the American F-35. Was there copying involved? I think it’s inevitable. To surpass the U.S. may not be possible,” Yang said. “While the equipment may match the U.S. in many aspects, China's operational experience is not as robust.” Yang said other challenges remain, including getting more pilots trained and helping them transition from Beijing’s third-generation J-7 and J-8 fighter jets to the highly digital systems of fifth-generation jets. He also noted that while it takes at least 1,000 flight hours for a pilot to become experienced, People's Liberation Army pilots have fewer training hours compared with U.S. and NATO pilots, which makes it harder to develop situational handling experience. Yang said China’s role for its “dual stealth fighters” remains unclear. While the J-20 primarily focuses on air superiority, the operational roles for the J-35 are not yet defined. Significant impacts Timothy R. Heath, a senior international defense researcher at the RAND Corporation, believes stealth fighters may enhance the survivability of Chinese naval aviation. In a written response to VOA, Heath said China’s "dual stealth fighters" approach will have significant geopolitical and military impacts, prompting some Asia-Pacific nations to consider military cooperation with China. “Operationally, the main impact will be perhaps most for countries in Southeast Asia and along the Indian Ocean, as this PLA Navy’s carrier is likely to operate primarily along that route, as well the aviation,” he wrote.  Heath added that the J-35’s political impact is significant but unlikely to drastically affect the situation in the Taiwan Strait, as China already has substantial air power over Taiwan. Beijing considers self-ruled Taiwan a breakaway province that must one day reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary. In a Taiwan war, Heath wrote, “China’s carrier probably would not last long if it attempted to operate away from the protection of China’s counterintervention capabilities on the mainland.”  However, he added, deploying the J-35 from land-based air force units could enhance its effectiveness in operations over Taiwan.  Samuel Hui contributed to this report.

1. India has the highest number of diabetic people in the world, even more than China: Report  The Economic Times
2. Why Lancet study on diabetes is a red flag: A quarter of diabetics globally are Indians  The Indian Express
3. 800 million diabetics worldwide and most aren't getting treatment, finds study  The Times of India
4. Indians account for quarter of world’s adult diabetes patients: Lancet study  Hindustan Times
5. Why have diabetes rates doubled over the past 30 years – and what can be done about it?  The Guardian

[Shabelle] Mogadishu, Somalia -- The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said it has made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of three businessmen in Mogadishu's Darusalam neighborhood last month.

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 […]

The Paris prosecutor on Wednesday requested a five-year prison sentence and a five-year ban from public office against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, at a trial where she and 24 others are accused of embezzling European Union funds. The trial, which comes almost a decade after initial investigations started, threatens to undermine her party’s efforts […]

British shoppers faced renewed pressure on their budgets in October after grocery price inflation edged higher for the second month in a row, industry data showed this week. Market researcher Kantar said annual grocery price inflation was 2.3 per cent in the four weeks to Nov. 3, having been 2.0 per cent in the previous […]

John Krasinski knew Emily Blunt was the right one for him “the second” he met her.In an interview with People for his Sexiest Man Alive cover story, he recalled the spark he felt in him when he met her Blunt.“I don't know what happened, but I remember someone introduced us, and...

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...

PESHAWAR: Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday said that efforts were underway to highlight the issues of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially of southern districts, in Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) regarding trade and business.

He expressed these views during a meeting with a delegation of Kohat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, led by its president and vice-president of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Rashid Ahmad Pracha.

During the discussion, the governor emphasised the importance of business community in fostering trade and industrial growth in the region.

He said that federal government allocated funds for establishment of an expo centre by Trade Development Authority in Peshawar, which was expected to be completed soon.

He said federal minister for information also approved establishment of a hall for cultural activities. He also mentioned his efforts to strengthen ties between traders from Saudi Arabia and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as explore opportunities for business growth with Tajikistan.

Mr Kundi said that there were seven trade routes between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Central Asia.

“If these routes are restored, they can significantly change the province’s economic outlook,” he added.

The delegation also highlighted the increasing interest in setting up factories in Kohat and other southern districts of the province.

However, it raised concerns over lack of institutional support, inadequate facilities and poor connectivity, which remained main obstacles for investors.

The delegation requested the governor to forward to relevant authorities its recommendations for establishment of a Smeda office in Kohat, reduction in electricity tariffs and provision of other facilities and incentives.

In response, Mr Kundi assured the delegation of his full support and commitment to resolving the issues. He said that federal government was also serious about promoting trade and industry.

He said that international institutions acknowledged the improving economic situation in Pakistan.

The meeting concluded with the delegation thanking the governor for his assurances of cooperation and expressing the hope that the discussion would yield positive results for the province’s industrial and commercial development.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

• 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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