Author: News Desk

Lahore: In response to severe air pollution, the Punjab province of Pakistan has established a “smog war room” to combat the environmental crisis. The move comes as Lahore, the provincial capital, was ranked as the world’s most polluted city, with a pollution index score of 1165, according to live data from Swiss-based IQAir. The Indian capital, New Delhi, followed with a much lower score of 299. The war room will meet daily to review air quality and weather forecasts while overseeing the efforts of field officers. The committee will monitor performance and actions, from controlling farm waste burning to managing…

Jerusalem: Protests have erupted across Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the dismissal of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, citing a “crisis of trust.” Netanyahu stated that his confidence in Gallant had “eroded” over recent months and appointed Foreign Minister Israel Katz as Gallant’s replacement. The decision, Netanyahu explained, was due to Gallant’s stance on key security issues, including his advocacy for making “painful concessions” to secure the release of remaining hostages from Gaza. Gallant, who had previously clashed with Netanyahu on various policy issues, released a statement saying his removal stemmed from disagreements on three major points: hostages, military…

Kyoto: Japanese researchers have successfully launched the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, in a groundbreaking initiative aimed at exploring the potential of timber in lunar and Martian exploration. The satellite was sent into space as part of a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station, from where it will later be released into orbit approximately 400 kilometres (250 miles) above Earth. Developed by Kyoto University in collaboration with Sumitomo Forestry, LignoSat is designed to test the viability of wood as a renewable material for future space habitats. The satellite, named after the Latin word for “wood,” measures just a palm-sized…

London: According to figures from the College of Policing, a record 593 police officers were dismissed in England and Wales, with bans on returning to duty. Covering 43 police forces, this total marked an over 50% increase from the prior year. Among those dismissed, 74 officers were let go due to sexual misconduct or related offenses, while 18 faced dismissals over possession of child exploitation material. The most frequent causes for termination included dishonesty and discriminatory behaviour, with 125 and 71 cases, respectively. This rise in dismissals follows efforts by UK police chiefs to restore public confidence after the 2021…

Washington DC: Elon Musk’s political organization, America PAC, can continue its practice of awarding $1 million (£722,000) to voters in swing states ruled a Pennsylvania Judge. The giveaway is scheduled to conclude on November 5th, with the final recipient already identified, according to a lawyer representing Musk. In an unexpected revelation during a court hearing, the lawyer disclosed that the recipients of the funds were not selected randomly through a lottery, as previously thought, but rather chosen by the group itself. Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner had sued to stop what he called an “an illegal lottery” after Musk announced…

Seattle: Boeing workers have voted to accept the company’s latest pay offer, effectively ending a damaging seven-week strike that began on September 13. The decision allows striking workers to return to their jobs as early as Wednesday, with the latest possible return date set for November 12, according to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union. The newly ratified contract grants workers a significant 38 percent pay increase over the next four years, along with a one-time bonus of $12,000 (£9,300) and modifications to retirement plans. The IAM union reported that 59 percent of the striking workers…

Flores Island, Indonesia: At least 10 individuals have died following a series of volcanic eruptions in eastern Indonesia, which unleashed fireballs and ash on nearby villages, resulting in the destruction of several homes. The eruptions occurred at Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a twin volcano that rises 1,703 meters (5,587 feet) on the popular tourist island of Flores, just after midnight. In response to the increasing activity, authorities evacuated multiple villages and raised the volcano’s alert status to the highest level, expanding the exclusion zone to a radius of 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) due to the frequency of the eruptions. Abdul Muhari,…

London: The UK has launched its first official pilot program for a four-day work week, involving 1,000 employees from different industries. This initiative, part of the ongoing efforts by the 4 Day Week Campaign, is being carried out under the Labour government. Its purpose is to assess the effects of shorter working hours while maintaining the same level of pay. Trial Objectives The UK’s inaugural pilot program for a four-day work week includes businesses like the British Society for Immunology and Crate Brewery, located in Hackney, East London. Launched on Monday, the pilot aims to collect data and insights for…

Jerusalem: In a significant move, Israel has officially informed the United Nations of its decision to cancel the agreement that has governed its relationship with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) since 1967. As announced by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the decision follows recent legislation passed by the Israeli parliament, which prohibits UNRWA from operating within Israel and halts cooperation between Israeli authorities and the agency. UNRWA plays a crucial role in providing aid and educational services to millions of Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Israel has…

Cali/ Colombia: The wealthy nations appear to have reached a limit on their contributions to global nature conservation, shifting the focus of discussions toward private funding solutions to fill significant financing gaps at the UN biodiversity summit (COP16). During the negotiations, countries struggled to agree on how to mobilise the targeted $200 billion annually for conservation efforts by 2030, including a commitment of $30 billion from developed nations. The funding was pledged two years ago as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreement, intended to support initiatives like sustainable agriculture and wildlife reserve management. Human activities such as farming,…