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☆ Pakistan sectarian violence: Death toll rises to 130 in northwest, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-01 | by ( Story The Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Peshawar, Pakistan AP —Sectarian violence has killed at least 130 people and wounded 200 others in Pakistan’s northwest in the last 10 days, officials said Sunday. Violence flared in Kurram district on November 21 when gunmen ambushed a vehicle convoy and killed 52 people, mostly Shiite Muslims. Nobody claimed responsibility for the assault, which triggered retaliatory firing and arson by rival groups in several areas. But dozens from both sides have been killed in Kurram since July, when a land dispute turned into general sectarian violence. Kurram is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where armed groups like the Pakistani Taliban operate.

Persons: Nobody, Javed Ullah Mehsud, Mehsud, Mir Afzal Khan Organizations: Pakistan AP, Government Locations: Peshawar, Pakistan, Kurram district, Kurram, Parachinar, Afghanistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

☆ Women are playing key roles in protests across South Asia. The backlash they face is often heavily gendered
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-30 | by ( Jerome Taylor | Esha Mitra | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

The event was part of a wave of increasing participation and leadership from women in protests across South Asia, activists and organizers say. But just as notable is a gendered backlash to that wave, involving tactics seemingly intended to subdue female dissent. Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP/Getty ImagesBangladeshi women protesters hold candles during a protest against rape in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on August 17, 2024. Nazifa JannatIn Bangladesh, women deal with daily harassment, says Nazifa Jannat, a student and political activist. According to student-protester Jannat, while women have previously participated in protests in Bangladesh, this time many women, including her, played a leadership role.

Persons: ” Meghamala Ghosh, It’s, it’s, ’ ”, leering, Ghosh, Meghamala Ghosh, ” Heather Barr, Dibyangshu Sarkar, Zabed Hasnain Chowdhury, afflict women’s, Nazifa Jannat, Nazifa, Deanne, Sammi Deen Baloch, Baloch, ”, Barr, Mola Bakshsh, ” Akbar Nasir Khan, “, ” Baloch, Uyangoda, Imran Khan, Sabir Mazhar, Khadijah Shah, Khan, Bushra Bibi, Shah, ” Shah, ” Barr, Sheikh Hasina's, K M Asad, Sheikh Hasina, Jannat, ” Jannat, ” Uyangoda, ” Ghosh, they’re Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN —, Human, Getty, Defenders, Human Rights, Baloch, CNN, Interior Ministry, Former, Anadolu Agency, Dhaka University Locations: New Delhi, West Bengal, South Asia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kolkata, AFP, Dhaka, Afghanistan, Kabul, Nazifa Jannat, ”, Asia Pacific, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan’s, Islamabad, Faisal, Karachi

☆ Supporters of Pakistan’s Imran Khan call off protest, local media says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party suspended street protests demanding his release from jail after a sweeping midnight raid by security forces in the capital, Islamabad, in which hundreds of people were arrested, local media reported Wednesday. On Wednesday morning, city workers were cleaning up debris and clearing some of the shipping containers that had blocked roads around the capital. PTI had planned on staging a sit-in in the red zone until the release of Khan, who has been in jail since August last year. PTI’s president for the city of Peshawar in the party’s northern stronghold of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said the party had called off the protest. He said that Bushra Bibi as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, a key Khan ally, had returned “safely” to the province from the capital.

Persons: Imran Khan’s, Khan’s, Bushra Bibi, Khan, ” Mohammad Asim, Ali Amin Gandapur, “ Organizations: Former Pakistani, Geo, PTI, Geo News, Reuters Locations: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Islamabad, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

☆ Pakistan’s Capital Is Turned Upside Down by Unending Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Zia Ur-Rehman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Another anti-government protest had come and gone in Pakistan’s once peaceful capital, and Saira Bano was ready to get her city back. For four days, Islamabad had been a tense battleground after supporters of a jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, marched into the city. The capital, home to 2.4 million people, became a “container city” as the authorities stacked more than 700 shipping containers to block key routes and maintain order. Schools and shops closed, internet service was cut, and roads teemed with thousands of police officers scrutinizing passers-by. “This is not the Islamabad I grew up in,” said Ms. Bano, a schoolteacher who had to cancel her classes for three consecutive days.

Persons: Saira Bano, Imran Khan, ”, Bano Locations: Pakistan’s, Islamabad

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Four members of Pakistan’s security services were killed as thousands of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's supporters broke through government barricades and clashed with law enforcement in the country's capital Islamabad Tuesday. It is extremism,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a separate statement issued by his office. The protests were sparked by demands for Khan’s release from jail and the resignation of the federal government over what they call rigged general elections this year. Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said Khan’s party rejected a government offer to rally on the outskirts of the city. Authorities say that only the courts can order Khan's release, who was ousted from government in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in parliament.

Persons: Imran Khan's, Shehbaz Sharif, Farooq Khan, ”, Khan, Imran Khan’s, Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur, Bibi, Muhammad Reza, AAMIR QURESHI, Mohsin Naqvi, Khan’s, Mushtaq Yusufzai, Freddie Clayton Organizations: Pakistan —, Islamabad Tuesday, ”, Authorities, NBC News, Shipping, PTI, Anadolu, Getty, AFP, . Locations: PESHAWAR, Pakistan, country's, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khan, Peshawar, London

☆ Imran Khan supporter protests: Why Pakistan’s capital is on lockdown, with internet shutdowns and thousands marching
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-26 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Thousands of supporters of Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan broke through barricades around the capital Tuesday and marched into Islamabad, clashing with security forces and demanding his release. The latest protests came as Islamabad bolstered security for an official visit by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who arrived in the capital on Monday for three days of talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Policemen fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party during a protest to demand the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, in Islamabad on November 26. In recent days, thousands of Khan supporters have been arrested in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces as authorities tried to prevent the protest march. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's supporters shout slogans as they protest to demand the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, in Hasan Abdal, on November 25.

Persons: Pakistan’s, Imran Khan, Khan, Mohsin Naqvi, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Shehbaz Sharif, Aamir Qureshi, Khan’s, Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur, Naqvi, Hasan, Imran Khan's, ” Naqvi, “, ”, Kamran Bangash, party's, Hasan Abdal, ” Khan, Sharif, – Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Pakistan’s, Pakistan, Getty, Protesters, Reuters, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Paramilitary, “ Rangers, PTI Locations: Islamabad, Belarus, Pakistan, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, –, Punjab province, Hasan Abdal, Imran Khan's Pakistan, Punjab, Rawalpindi, Hasan

☆ Fury Unfolds in Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-26 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Through Imran Khan’s evolution from global sports star to anti-corruption crusader and to prime minister of Pakistan — and then to outsider after his ouster in 2022 — his ability to mobilize huge street protests through social media has been a potent tool to pressure his opponents. But few protests have reached the intensity of the clashes of the past few days as his supporters marched to the capital, Islamabad, and demanded his release from prison. On Tuesday, government officials called out the army and gave it free rein to fire on protesters after six members of the security forces were killed. Again, Pakistan’s capital has become a battleground.

Persons: Imran, Pakistan — Locations: Pakistan, Islamabad

☆ Pakistan Deploys Army as Deadly Clashes Erupt with Imran Khan Supporters
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-26 | by ( Salman Masood | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Pakistan deployed its army within the nation’s capital on Tuesday with orders to shoot protesters if necessary, as deadly clashes escalated between the police and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The government said that at least six members of the security force had been killed in the violence, as thousands of protesters marched to Islamabad to demand his release from prison. Patriotic songs blared from vehicles, and supporters of Mr. Khan danced in front of the slow-moving convoy, some chanting, “Revolution! Revolution!”Mr. Khan, an enormously popular politician and former cricket star who has been jailed since August of last year, called for the demonstration over the weekend. Pakistan’s military-backed civilian government put the capital on lockdown, blocking major highways and suspending cellular and internet services in several areas.

Persons: Imran Khan, Mr, Khan Locations: Pakistan, Islamabad

“In this time, it’s extremely important that we bring the voices of Afghan women forward,” Yousafzai said in a Zoom interview with NBC News. (The militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, is a separate organization from the Taliban in Afghanistan, but a close ally.) “The Taliban are attempting to make women invisible, in a way,” said Yousafzai, who graduated from Oxford University in 2020. Mani, who also serves as a producer, said she was working on a different documentary in Afghanistan when the Taliban takeover happened. “We need women’s demands and rights to be on the agenda where the future of Afghanistan is being discussed and decided.

Persons: ’ eduction, ”, Sahra Mani, Sharifa Mowahedzada, Zahra Mohammadi, Taranom Seyedi, ” Yousafzai, “, Yousafzai, Malala, Bryan Bedder, Laden, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, Mani, Jennifer Lawrence, Lawrence, Justine Ciarrocchi, ” Lawrence, coldheartedness, ” Mowahedzada, Zabihullah Mujahid, ” Fereshta Abbasi Organizations: Apple, NBC News, Oxford University, Al, U.S, United, Associated Press, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights, Malala Locations: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Swat, Taliban Pakistan, American, Al Qaeda, United Nations, Qatar, Western

☆ Analysis: Russia’s nuclear-capable missile is a clear departure from the Cold War doctrine of deterrence
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-22 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Russia’s use of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile on Thursday is the latest escalation in the Ukraine war. The use of what Vladimir Putin said was a ballistic missile with multiple warheads in offensive combat is a clear departure from decades of the Cold War doctrine of deterrence. Ballistic missiles with multiple warheads, known as “multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles,” or MIRVs, have never been used to strike an enemy, experts say. Aftermath of Russian missile strike in Dnipro, Ukraine, on November 21, 2024. Pakistan reportedly tested a missile with multiple warheads in 2017, and earlier this year India said it had successfully tested a MIRVed ICBM.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, MIRV, ” Hans Kristensen, Kristensen, Matt Korda, ”, Manish Swarup, Korda, ” Kristensen Organizations: CNN, West, Federation of American, Russian, Ballistic, Federation of American Scientists, Union of Concerned Scientists, Center for Arms Control, AP Locations: Ukraine, Dnipro, That’s, US, Ukrainian, Russia, United States, Europe, China, United Kingdom, France, Pakistan, India, New Delhi, North Korea

☆ At least 42 killed as gunmen open fire on vehicles carrying Shiites in northwest Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Story Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The attack happened in Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where sectarian clashes between majority Sunni Muslims and minority Shiites have killed dozens of people in recent months. “I think other people were also firing at the convoy of vehicles from nearby open farm field,” he said. Ibne Ali Bangash, a relative of one of the victims, described the convoy attack as the saddest day in Kurram’s history. Dozens of people from both sides have been killed since July when a land dispute erupted in Kurram that later turned into general sectarian violence. Pakistan is tackling violence in the northwest and southwest, where militants and separatists often target police, troops and civilians.

Persons: Azmat Ali, Aftab Alam, Mohsin Naqvi, Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Sharif, Mir Hussain, ”, “, Ibne Ali Bangash, Dilawar Hussain Organizations: Pakistan AP — Gunmen, Local, ”, Shop, Parachinar, Taliban, Baloch Liberation Army Locations: Peshawar, Pakistan, Pakistan’s restive, Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Parachinar, Kurram district, Pakistan's, Balochistan

☆ LGBTQ Afghans say they face abuse in detention as Taliban crackdown intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Billy Stockwell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

“He grabbed me from behind, tore my clothes apart and raped me,” Sohrab – whose name has been changed for security reasons – told CNN in October. Transgender and gender non-conforming people are being “consistently” targeted at Taliban checkpoints due to their choice of clothing, human rights groups said. “I will never forget when the Taliban came to our house,” Samiar Nazari, a 22-year-old transgender man, told CNN. Other human rights groups have documented instances of extrajudicial detention, conducted out of the public eye. With little sign that the Taliban will improve their record on human rights, many in the country feel abandoned by the international community.

Persons: Sohrab, “, ” Sohrab –, –, ” Sohrab, Wakil Kohsar, Roshaniya, ”, Neela Ghoshal, Artemis Akbary, Ghoshal, ” Samiar, ” Nazari, Akbary, Abdul, ” Abdul, David Osborn, Osborn, It’s, Sano –, Sano, ” Sano, He’s, Rosemary DiCarlo, DiCarlo, Yuki Iwamura, UNAMA Organizations: CNN, “, Taliban, Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Afghan LGBT Organization, Getty, ” CNN, US Department of State, Facebook, Afghan, UK’s, Information Resilience, Afghan Witness, ”, UN, Political, Peacebuilding, United Nations Locations: Afghanistan, Czech Republic, Pul, Kabul, AFP, –, ‘ Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Herat, Afghanistan’s, Jalalabad, Qatar

☆ Afghan girl who encouraged others to sing wins children’s peace prize
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Nila Ibrahimi won the International Children’s Peace Prize on Tuesday, an award that has recognized luminaries including climate activist Greta Thunberg and girls’ education campaigner Malala Yousafzai. Afghan women prepare almonds at a factory on the outskirts of Aybak in Samangan Province on September 9, 2024. She co-founded “Her Story,” which encourages Afghan girls to share their stories, spotlighting the voices of those still in Afghanistan. Teenage girls and women are not allowed to study or work and can only leave the house with a male relative. “Human rights are protected in Afghanistan and no one is discriminated,” said spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat Fitrat.

Persons: Nila Ibrahimi, Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Ibrahimi, ”, Canada Ibrahimi, ” Ibrahimi, Richard Bennett, ” Bennett, Afghanistan’s, Hamdullah Fitrat Organizations: CNN, Getty, Foundation, Geneva, Human Rights, United Nations, UN, Women, Taliban Locations: ”, Afghanistan, Kabul, Aybak, Samangan Province, AFP, Canada, Pakistan, Germany, Australia, Netherlands

☆ Uzbekistan targets growth with expansion to its capital
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Amy Gunia | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —About five million people live and work in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, making it the largest city in the country, and one of the most populous cities in Central Asia. The capital expansion, dubbed New Tashkent, could play an important role in helping the country create new jobs, draw investment and boost its economy. Growth through urbanizationIn 2017, Uzbekistan’s new president Shavkat Mirziyoyev launched an ambitious economic and social reform program. Sunset over Amir Temur Square in the center of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, September 15, 2016. Purpose-built innovation clusters are intended to catalyze the growth of target industries, while tourism areas aim to attract visitors.

Persons: ” Christine P, Chan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, it’s, Amir Temur, ” Chan, Zaha Hadid, Hakan Agca, Agca, ” Organizations: CNN, Urban, Asian Development Bank, ADB, Getty, Economist Intelligence, Scientific Research, Amsterdam, London Locations: Tashkent, Central Asia, New Tashkent, Amir, Uzbekistan, “, ”, Tashkent Twin

BYBLOS, Lebanon — The anguish in Lebanese archaeologist Nader Siklaoui’s voice is clear as he films Israeli missiles slamming down near ancient Roman columns he has spent much of his life protecting. But the conflict is also taking a devastating toll on Lebanon’s unique and ancient heritage, with airstrikes wiping out centuries-old villages and endangering fragile, millenia-old archaeological sites, like the celebrated Roman ruins of Baalbek, a United Nations world heritage site. First responders evacuate an injured person following an Israeli airstrike near Tyre, Lebanon, on Oct. 30. What can we do?” said Siklaoui, who oversees heritage sites in southern Lebanon, speaking to NBC News at the national museum in the capital Beirut. Israel’s military says it only targets Hezbollah, but accuses the group of embedding itself in and near civilian infrastructure, including heritage sites.

Persons: Nader Siklaoui’s, ”, Kawnat Haju, Umm Kulthumm, Nina Simone, Placido Domingo, Mo Abbas, Najat Saliba, Israel ’, Carthage, King Hiram of Tyre, “, Siklaoui, Nader Siqlaoui, Troy, Achilles, Tania Zaven, it’s, Zaven Organizations: Lebanese, Hezbollah, United, NBC News, United Nations, Getty, NBC, Islamic, Islamic State Locations: BYBLOS, Lebanon, Tyre, Israel, Baalbek, United Nations, Mhaibib, Nabatiyah, Ottoman, AFP, Beirut, Cadiz, Spain, Tunisia, Temple, Jerusalem, Lebanese, Iraq, Syria, Mosul, Byblos

☆ NASA’s only visit to Uranus happened during a rare cosmic occurrence
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-16 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

This week, researchers shared fascinating new findings on Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun, and the far side of the moon. Other worldsIllustrations depict how Uranus' magnetosphere, or protective bubble, was behaving before Voyager 2's arrival (left) and during the spacecraft's flyby (right). An unusual cosmic occurrence during the Voyager 2 spacecraft’s 1986 flyby might have skewed how scientists characterized the ice giant, new research suggests. In particular, the spacecraft’s observations of Uranus’ protective magnetosphere were wildly different from astronomers’ expectations. Fortunately, sending a dedicated mission to study Uranus in the future is a priority for NASA, according to a 2022 report.

Persons: Jamie Jasinski, paleoanthropologist Don Johanson, what’s, Lucy, Johanson, ”, afarensis, doesn’t, Bathydevius, Bruce Robison, —, Marvel, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt, Jackie Wattles Organizations: CNN, NASA, JPL, Caltech, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Nature Reserve, WWF Tigers, Fund, Nature, Aquarium Research, CNN Space, Science Locations: Pasadena , California, Afar, Central Asia, Turkey, Russia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Caspian, Netherlands, Kuma, Kazakhstan’s Ile, California, Mt, Everest, Monterey, what’s, Iraq

☆ India’s capital introduces stricter anti-pollution measures as toxic smog hides Taj Mahal
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Views of the famed Taj Mahal in Agra, India, have been obscured by smog. New Delhi has a severe air quality level of 424, according to live rankings kept by Swiss group IQAir, the worst among global capitals. The city battles smog — a toxic mix of smoke and fog — every winter as cold air traps dust, emissions and smoke from illegal farm fires. Delhi flights faced delays, with tracking website Flightradar24 showing 88% of departures and 54% of arrivals were delayed as of Thursday afternoon due to smog. Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s eastern province of Punjab, was rated the world’s most polluted city on Friday, in IQAir’s rankings.

Persons: Atishi, Taj, Pawan Sharma, stubble, Manish Swarup, ” Sahab Ram Organizations: DELHI, Delhi, Getty Locations: New Delhi, Agra, India, Amritsar . New Delhi, Swiss, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab’s Fazilka, Lahore, Pakistan’s

☆ Legends of Uzbekistan: The man who measured the world
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But a period of immense discovery is beginning, in which every scholar hopes their theories could change our understanding of the world. One of the greatest of these and one of the most revered in Islam is Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni. Born in 973 CE in Khwarazm in northwest Uzbekistan, Al-Biruni was a man of such prodigious knowledge and scholarship that the modern city is now an ode to his name, Beruniy. Al-Biruni is considered the "father of Indian studies" GettyThe early ages of space discoveryAlongside cultural studies, Al-Biruni had a passion for astronomy, devoting 95 of his 146 books to the cosmos. The first award ceremony is scheduled in November 2025, in Samarkand during the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference.

Persons: Abu Rayhan Al, Biruni, Mahmud Ghaznav, Al, Getty, Galileo Galilei, Sir Isaac Newton, Richard Dunthorne Organizations: Nations, UNESCO Executive, UNESCO, Intelligence, UNESCO General Conference Locations: Islam, Khwarazm, Uzbekistan, Al, Tehran, Lahore, India, Samarkand

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban will attend a U.N. climate conference for the first time since their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the country’s national environment agency said Sunday. Matiul Haq Khalis, the agency’s head, said the delegation would use the conference to strengthen cooperation with the international community on environmental protection and climate change, share Afghanistan’s needs regarding access to existing financial mechanisms related to climate change, and discuss adaptation and mitigation efforts. Experts told The Associated Press that climate change has led to numerous and negative impacts on Afghanistan, creating serious challenges because of the country’s geographical location and weak climate policies. Professor Abid Arabzai, from Kabul University, said the climate conference would help to secure international assistance and funding to address Afghanistan’s climate challenges. “Afghanistan can clarify its climate actions and commitments to the global community, enhancing its international reputation,” Arabzai said.

Persons: Matiul Haq Khalis, ”, Hayatullah Mashwani, Abid Arabzai, ” Arabzai Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, Associated Press, Kabul University Locations: KABUL, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Baku, Kabul

☆ Toxic smog in Pakistan is so bad you can see it from space
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Helen Regan | Sophia Saifi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Record-breaking levels of thick, toxic smog that have shrouded eastern Pakistan and northern India since last month can be seen in striking satellite imagery. Air quality worsens in the winter because colder and drier air traps pollution, rather than lifting it away, as warm air does when it rises. Satellite imagery from NASA Worldview shows Pakistan’s Punjab province and parts of northwest India on August 31, 2024. NASA Worldview/CNN Satellite imagery from NASA Worldview shows heavy smog over Pakistan’s Punjab province and parts of northwest India on November 10, 2024. Meanwhile, WHO says 6.7 million people die annually from the combined effects of ambient and household air pollution.

Persons: Arif Ali, Sajid Bashir, Khuram, Raja Jahangir Anwar Organizations: CNN, NASA, World Health, Associated Press, Getty, Traders, Protection Agency, ”, EPA, Environment, WHO Locations: Pakistan, India, Punjab, New Delhi, Lahore, Multan, Pakistan’s, AFP, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, “

☆ Death toll rises to 24 in powerful suicide bombing at rail station in southwestern Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-09 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a train station in restive southwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing at least 24 people, including security officers, and wounding about 50 others, some critically, officials said. A separatist group, the Balochistan Liberation Army, claimed the attack in a statement, saying a suicide bomber targeted troops present at the railway station. Police said about a dozen security forces are also among the dead. The group often demands the halt of all Chinese-funded projects and for workers to leave Pakistan to avoid further attacks. Last month, BLA claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that targeted a convoy with Chinese nationals outside the Karachi airport, killing two.

Persons: Hamza Shafqaat, Ayesha Faiz, Shahid Rind, Shehbaz Sharif, BLA Organizations: Balochistan Liberation Army, Islamabad . Police, Baloch, Initiative Locations: restive, Pakistan, Rawalpindi, Quetta, restive Balochistan, Balochistan, Islamabad, Beijing’s, Karachi, Beijing

☆ Young Chinese are ditching planes to travel long distances by train and bus. Meet the ‘iron butt’ travelers
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Chris Lau | Joyce Jiang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A growing group of Chinese travelers are now turning to extreme forms of transportation for their vacations. They call themselves “iron butt” travelers – inspired by the amount of time they spend traveling on uncomfortable seats that make flesh start to feel like metal. Iron butt travel lets me visit more places for less money,” another self-identified “iron butt” traveler, 27-year-old Peng Fei, told CNN. But that doesn’t mean he and his fellow “iron butt” travelers have to compromise the fun. Now, though, iron butt travelers are redefining – or perhaps gentrifying – this form of travel.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Lin En, Lin, isn’t, Lin En, Peng Fei, ‘, ”, I’d, “, Lin En's, Lin En, Peng, “ I’ve, They’re Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, Tibet Autonomous, United Arab Emirates Locations: Hong Kong, Xinjiang, China’s, Astana, Kazakhstan’s, China, Kazakhstan, Laos, Kunming, Huay, Thailand, Myanmar, megacities, Beijing, Shanghai, Lhasa, Tibet, Tibet Autonomous Region, Guangzhou, Central Asia, Europe, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Tibet Autonomous, Egypt

☆ Almaty, Kazakhstan: How a drab Soviet metropolis became Central Asia’s capital of cool
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Joe Yogerst | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Almaty, Kazakhstan CNN —Several cities around the globe have reinvented themselves in recent years, but none more successfully than Almaty. Since the collapse of the USSR, Kazakhstan’s largest city (population 2.2 million and growing) has evolved from a drab, run-of-the-mill Soviet metropolis into the urban star of Central Asia. “It’s an incredibly livable city,” says long-time American resident Dennis Keen, a historic preservation advocate and founder of Walking Almaty. Over and underground artThe Abilkhan Kasteev State Art Museum is filled with more than 20,000 works of art. Other good collections include the Ihlas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments (in a Russian-style wooden mansion built in 1908) and the ethnographic artifacts of the Almaty Museum.

Persons: It’s, “, ”, Dennis Keen, ” Keen, “ It’s, Jama Nurkalieva, Charles O, Cecil, Alamy, Auyl, James Talalay, Lukas Bischoff, Keen, Roshcha Organizations: Kazakhstan CNN, Walking, Central, Cathedral, Astana, Tselinny Center of Contemporary, Dynamo, Prix Versailles, Park, Art, Louvre, Art Museum, Ihlas Museum, Folk, Almaty Museum, Eiffel, of Contemporary, Academy of Science, Turkish Airlines, Air Astana, Ritz, Carlton Locations: Almaty, Kazakhstan, USSR, Kazakhstan’s, Central Asia, Walking Almaty, “, Central Asian, China, Europe, Russian, Soviet Union, Shan, Lower Kolsai Lake, There’s, Soviet, Zholy, Almaty Metro, Almaly, Auezov, Istanbul, Beijing, Seoul , New Delhi, Bangkok, Arasan, Otrar, Lanzhou, Novotel, Darejani, Ascension

☆ Lahore air pollution hits historic high, forcing school closures
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

KARACHI, Pakistan — Unprecedented air pollution levels in Pakistan’s second-largest city of Lahore prompted authorities to take emergency measures on Sunday, including issuing work-from-home mandates and closing primary schools. To reduce vehicle pollution, 50% of office employees would work from home, Aurangzeb said. The government has also imposed a ban on three-wheelers known as rickshaws and halted construction in certain areas to reduce the pollution levels. Aurangzeb described the situation as “unexpected” and attributed the deterioration in air quality to winds carrying pollution from neighboring India. The smog crisis in Lahore, similar to the situation in India’s capital, Delhi, tends to worsen during cooler months due to temperature inversion trapping pollution closer to the ground.

Persons: Punjab Marriyum Aurangzeb, Aurangzeb, ” Organizations: Citizens Locations: KARACHI, Pakistan, Lahore, India, Swiss, Punjab, Delhi

☆ Pakistan province calls for ‘climate diplomacy’ with India as record smog chokes major city
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Lex Harvey | Sophia Saifi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN —A smog-choked province in eastern Pakistan has issued a rare plea for cross-border collaboration with India, as major cities in both countries endure severe air pollution that risks the health of millions. “We are suffering in Lahore in a way due to the eastern wind corridor coming from India,” he said. Lahore, home to more than 14 million people, saw its air quality index surpass a record 1,900 in one part of the city on Saturday, according to IQAir, which tracks global air quality. Experts say India’s air pollution is so bad that smog could take years off the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Both India and Pakistan have tried to clamp down on the practice, but it is still widespread.

Persons: Raja Jahangir Anwar, ” Anwar, Punjab’s, ”, Arif Ali, Sakib Ali, Maryam Nawaz, Parveen Kumar Organizations: Pakistan CNN, Environment, CNN, Getty, Hindustan Times, World Health Organization, Experts, India’s Locations: Islamabad, Pakistan, India, Punjab, Pakistan’s, Lahore, AFP, Delhi Meerut, Ghaziabad, Delhi –, Gurgaon, India’s Punjab, Haryana, Pakistan’s Punjab

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