PKD MilitaryPedia - Worldwide Defense Forums

Lulldapull · Dec 26, 2024

Starting this thread to document all the Shahi Memorabilia and Royalty possessions:

Taj Pahlavi:

The Shah at his coronation:

Saif · Dec 25, 2024

Pakistan air strikes kill 46 in Afghanistan: Kabul
AFP
Kabul, Afghanistan
Published: 25 Dec 2024, 17: 53

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid speaks during a press conference in Kabul on 30 June, 2022AFP file photo

Pakistan air strikes in an eastern border region of Afghanistan killed 46 civilians, the Taliban government said Wednesday, whilst a Pakistan security official said the bombardment had targeted "terrorist hideouts".

The strikes were the latest spike in hostilities on the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with tensions escalating since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP that late on Tuesday Pakistan bombarded four areas in the Barmal district of eastern Paktika province.

"The total number of dead is 46, most of whom were children and women," he said, adding that six more people were wounded, mostly children.

Neither Pakistan's foreign ministry nor its military have responded to a request for comment.

But a senior Pakistan security official said the strikes were on "terrorist hideouts" using jets and drones and that they killed at least 20 militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the country's homegrown Taliban group.

"Arguments from Afghan officials claiming civilians are being harmed are baseless and misleading," he added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A Taliban defence ministry statement late Tuesday condemned the strikes, calling them "barbaric" and a "clear aggression".

"The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered, but rather considers the defence of its territory and sovereignty to be its inalienable right," the statement said, using the Taliban authorities' name for the government.

Skirmishes on the frontier followed deadly air strikes in March by Pakistan's military in the border regions of Afghanistan, which Taliban authorities said killed eight civilians.

A Barmal resident, Maleel, told AFP Tuesday's strikes killed 18 members of one family.

"The bombardment hit two or three houses, in one house, 18 people were killed, the whole family lost their lives," he said.

He said a strike killed three people in another house and wounded several others, who were taken to hospital.

'Strikes will continue'

Taliban officials said the dead were local residents and people who had fled over the Pakistan border from the Waziristan region.

North Waziristan, which borders Paktika, has historically been a hive of militancy and was the target of a long-running Pakistani military offensive and US drone strikes during the post-9/11 occupation of Afghanistan that saw many people flee over the border.

The TTP in a statement on the strike claimed Pakistan "deliberately targeted refugee residences".

The strike comes after the TTP -- who share a common ideology with their Afghan counterparts -- last week claimed a raid on an army outpost near the border with Afghanistan, which Pakistan said killed 16 soldiers.

The Pakistani security official said the recent attack "was a significant trigger" for Tuesday's strikes, "but not the only one".

"The interim Taliban regime has been repeatedly urged to take action against the TTP, but their response has been lukewarm," he said. "Such strikes will continue as necessary."

Pakistan has been battling a resurgence of militant violence in its western border regions since the Taliban's 2021 return to power in Afghanistan.

Islamabad has accused Kabul's Taliban authorities of harbouring militant fighters, allowing them to strike on Pakistani soil with impunity.

Kabul has denied the allegations and pledged to evict foreign militant groups from Afghan soil.

But a UN Security Council report in July estimated up to 6,500 TTP fighters are based there -- and said "the Taliban do not conceive of TTP as a terrorist group".

The spike in attacks has soured Islamabad-Kabul relations. Security was cited as one reason for Pakistan's campaign last year to evict hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghan migrants.

Earlier Tuesday, high-level Taliban officials were meeting with Pakistan's special envoy for Afghanistan who was on a visit to Kabul.

ThunderCat · Dec 25, 2024

Bilal9 · Dec 25, 2024

syringe inserted into small vile extracting liquid content. Vaccine, vaccination concept

Sean Cate

December 24, 2024

This Nation Plans to Offer Free Custom Cancer Vaccines to Everyone in 2025

In a groundbreaking announcement, Russia has declared that it will begin offering free, personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccines to its citizens starting in 2025. The news, shared by Andrey Kaprin, General Director of the Radiology Medical Research Center under the Russian Ministry of Health, was initially reported by state-owned news agency TASS. This bold initiative could mark a significant milestone in the fight against cancer, a disease that claims millions of lives each year.

How mRNA Vaccines Work Against Cancer

Credit: Unsplash

mRNA vaccines have gained prominence since their successful application during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike traditional vaccines, mRNA vaccines work by introducing a synthetic strand of messenger RNA into the body. This strand instructs cells to produce a protein that triggers an immune response. In the case of cancer, the process is tailored to help the immune system identify and eliminate cancerous cells.

According to Alexander Gintsburg, Director of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, pre-clinical trials of Russia’s new cancer vaccine have shown promising results, including the suppression of tumor development and prevention of metastases.

Personalized Vaccines

black and white photo of a woman receiving a vaccine

Credit: Unsplash

What sets this vaccine apart is its focus on personalization. Each patient’s vaccine will be custom-made based on their unique tumor profile, a process that traditionally requires lengthy computation. However, Russian scientists claim that integrating artificial neural networks into the development process will reduce the computation time to less than an hour.

“Now it takes quite long to build personalized vaccines because computing how a vaccine, or customized mRNA, should look uses matrix methods. Neural network computing will cut this time significantly,” Gintsburg stated in a recent interview.

Collaboration and Innovation

Credit: Unsplash
The development of this vaccine is the result of a collaborative effort among Russia’s leading research institutions, including the Gamaleya National Research Center, Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute, and Blokhin Cancer Research Center. The project is state-funded, underscoring the Russian government’s commitment to advancing cancer treatment technology.

Despite the enthusiasm surrounding this announcement, specifics about the vaccine, such as its name, targeted cancer types, efficacy rates, and dosage, remain undisclosed. This lack of transparency has led to skepticism within the scientific community.

Scientific Community’s Response

Credit: Pexels

While the development of personalized cancer vaccines is scientifically plausible, experts urge caution. Professor Kingston Mills, a prominent immunologist, expressed concerns about the absence of peer-reviewed evidence. “There’s nothing in scientific journals that I can see about it. That’s where you usually would start reading, as a scientist, about a breakthrough,” Mills told Newsweek.

The skepticism is compounded by the limited track record of similar breakthroughs in Russia making it to global clinical application. Nevertheless, the promise of free access to potentially life-saving treatment is an inspiring development.

A Global Perspective on Cancer Vaccines

researchers at the National Cancer Institute

Credit: Unsplash

Russia is not the only nation exploring the potential of mRNA technology for cancer treatment. Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany are also developing personalized cancer vaccines. Pharmaceutical giants such as Moderna and Merck are working on a skin cancer vaccine, while the University of Florida and MIT have ongoing projects targeting brain cancer and other types of malignancies.

Existing vaccines like the HPV vaccine have already demonstrated how immunization can prevent certain cancers, offering hope for broader advancements in this field.

Read More: In World First, Stem Cell Therapy Reveres Type 1 Diabetes in Patient

Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

Credit: Unsplash

The idea of free cancer vaccines for all patients represents a bold commitment, but challenges remain. The integration of artificial intelligence for faster vaccine customization, reliance on experimental data, and the sheer logistics of large-scale vaccine production are daunting tasks.

Moreover, the lack of publicly available data raises questions about the vaccine’s readiness for widespread application. For the initiative to succeed, transparency and international collaboration will be essential.

Hope for Millions

Credit: Unsplash

If successful, Russia’s initiative could redefine cancer treatment and serve as a model for other nations. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and offering the vaccine free of charge, Russia aims to provide a beacon of hope to millions of cancer patients worldwide.

As the world watches closely, the year 2025 may bring a new chapter in the fight against one of humanity’s deadliest diseases.

Bilal9 · Dec 25, 2024

Krishna with Flute said:
Modi has stand strong against them without openly opposing them He bought oil and weapons inspite of caatsa He mocked caatsa infact.

I suspect Modi does not have the wherewithal to stand against the US, they are already targeting his main financier Adani. Fact. How long can he last - realistically?

All the US needs to start doing (Biden and Trump are all in the same boat on this) is deport Indian visa overstayers en masse and start cancelling IT Backoffice contracts, then you will see a change in tune in India.

Krishna with Flute said:
BD regime change was orchestrated deep state to curve out a Christian nation.

The word here is "carve out"...

And I am confused - on the one hand Indian media (and BJP leaders/diplomats) accuses Dr. Yunus of siding with Islamists (and presumably - Jihadists) but you are saying there will be a Christian nation.

Where exactly?

Dogun18 · Dec 25, 2024

Russia's top general has issued a stark warning, claiming the U.S. Deep State is turning Africa into a massive testing ground for medical experiments, including drugs. He further accuses the United States of "spreading pandemics" through a network of secret biolabs.

Bagheera0084 · Dec 25, 2024

For all the rhetoric of 'It isn't the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog that counts.', what do people using that quote suggest to the weak for fighting the strong? Gun or any object as a weapon shouldn't be used because use of weapon has it's consequences. Bodybuilding/martial arts has it's limitations and many people don't have time for it. Since a single picture/video is worth thousand words of explanation, the below video should drive home the point.

Dogun18 · Dec 25, 2024

Major media outlets, predominantly in India, reported this week that many students in Canada have been asked to resubmit their study permits, visas, and even educational records, including marks and attendance.

According to the Times of India, the email caused panic among students, many of whom held valid visas for up to two years.

“I was a bit shocked when I received the email. My visa is valid until 2026, yet I was asked to submit all my documents again. They even want proof of attendance, marks, where we are working part-time, etc,” a student told the publication,

The reports also suggested that students from the North-Indian state of Punjab, which comprises most Canada-bound Indian students, were asked to visit IRCC offices in person to verify their credentials.

IRCC clarified that these emails are not targeted towards Indian students.

“Students from any country could receive these letters. Since India is the top source of international students in Canada, it is reasonably likely that a higher number were sent to Indian nationals,” an IRCC spokesperson told The PIE News.

“IRCC officers may ask individuals to provide additional information or documentation to confirm their enrolment status,” they continued.

“This may include current or past transcripts to ensure they continue to meet student requirements. This process is not new and is generally carried out through random selection.”

Despite diplomatic tensions between India and Canada and the introduction of policies aimed at curbing international students in the latter, Indian students remain the biggest international student cohort in Canada.

According to recent IRCC data, nearly 160,000 Indian students have been granted study permits in 2024 so far.

According to the IRCC spokesperson, IRCC analyses the documents shared by the students to make sure they meet the latest study permit conditions.

“Upon receipt of the requested documents, if the student continues to meet the conditions of their permit, they will be able to pursue their course or program of study in Canada,” stated the spokesperson.

The latest study permit conditions require students to be enrolled at a designated learning institution, actively pursue their studies by being enrolled full-time or part-time during each academic semester (excluding scheduled breaks), and make progress toward completing their program.

Additionally, students must not take authorised leaves longer than 150 days, apply to extend their permit if changing post-secondary schools, end their studies if they no longer meet student requirements, and leave Canada when their permit expires.

According to a Canadian university representative, the resubmission of documents is a measure that is potentially being taken in response to the fake admission letter scam that rocked Canada last year.

“The verification of documents has become important as many ex-international students were found with fake admission offers last year during their PR process,” the university representative, who did not wish to be named, told The PIE News.

“The presentation of it looks like and is perceived as Canada targeting Indian students but that’s not the case.”

Hundreds of international students, mainly from India, participated in protests across Canada over receiving deportation notices for entering the country on fake admission letters, which they maintained they did not know of.

The IRCC eventually halted the deportations for an interim period until every case was reviewed by a joint task force comprising officials from the IRCC and Canada Border Services Agency.

Brijesh Mishra, the scam agent behind these fake admission letters, has been sentenced to three years in jail in Canada.

According to a statement by IRCC to the Business Standard, the Canadian government has required most post-secondary Designated Learning Institutions, since 2015, to report twice yearly on the enrolment status of their international students through the international student compliance regime.

The recent resubmission of documents gains significance in light of more than 10,000 international student acceptance letters being flagged as potentially fraudulent this year.

According to IRCC, this sort of identification has only been possible because of the new Letter of Acceptance verification process, which requires DLIs to verify the authenticity of all LOAs.

“IRCC has received nearly 529,000 LOAs for verification, confirmed approximately 492,000 as valid directly with DLIs, and identified over 17,000 LOAs that either did not match any issued by a DLI or were canceled by the DLI before the individual applied for a study permit,” said the IRCC spokesperson.

“When the DLI provides a ‘no match’ response, an officer will review and assess the next steps to determine whether there is fraud.”

This measure, according to IRCC helps ‘deter bad actors, protect prospective students from document fraud, and ensure that study permits are issued based only on genuine letters of acceptance.’

Fraudulent documents, such as altered letters or those no longer valid, are added to an individual’s file and can impact future immigration applications, potentially leading to inadmissibility to Canada.

“If a review determines that the individual in question is a genuine student, they can be granted a temporary resident permit, and the finding of misrepresentation related to the fraudulent letter of acceptance will not be considered on future applications,” stated the spokesperson.

Saif · Dec 24, 2024

India’s push for home-grown satellite constellation gets 30 aspirants
REUTERS
Published :
Dec 24, 2024 21:39
Updated :
Dec 24, 2024 21:39

A satellite model is placed on a picture of Earth in this illustration taken November 25, 2024. Photo : REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Files

Thirty Indian companies have answered the space regulator’s call to build and operate constellations of Earth observation (EO) satellites in a groundbreaking private-public partnership to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign data for defense, infrastructure management and other critical mapping needs.

“We have received 9 applications ... Each applicant represents a consortium, involving a total of 30 companies,” said Pawan Goenka, chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, or IN-SPACe.

The regulator had sought “expressions of interest” (EoI) in July to build home-grown satellite constellations as part of a broader strategy to monetize the sector and ensure data sovereignty.

India is doubling down on its small satellite and data services market to carve out a leading role in the global commercialization of space. The market for such services, increasingly key for industries ranging from telecoms to climate monitoring, is projected to reach $45 billion by 2030, opens new tab.

The applicants for IN-SPACe’s latest effort in this regard include startups such as Google-backed Pixxel and Baring Private Equity-backed SatSure, as well as larger entities like Tata Group’s Tata Advanced Systems. The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Goenka said he expects technical evaluations to be completed by the end of January, after which a tender will be floated to determine the winning bidder.

IN-SPACe’s eligibility criteria include applicants raising or investing at least 850 million rupees ($10 million) in space-related activities, having a valuation of 8.5 billion rupees, or a turnover of 2 billion rupees in the past three years.

They must also set up spacecraft control centres in India or partner with ground station service providers for operational needs.

The government plans to loan up to 3.5 billion to the winner, with private companies expected to cover the remaining costs, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Since opening the sector to private players in February, India has established a 10-billion-rupee venture fund to support space startups.

The country has also unveiled ambitious plans for crewed space exploration and a mission to Venus, but the primary focus remains on fostering commercial ventures and scaling up private sector participation.

India currently sources much of its EO data from foreign companies and agencies like the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

IIFCL Projects Ltd, an advisory arm under the Ministry of Finance, is overseeing the bidding process.

Dogun18 · Dec 24, 2024

@Lulldapull @ThunderCat @VCheng

More than a year after being sentenced in multiple case.

Islamabad —

Richard Grenell, a close confidant of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, has garnered substantial media and political attention in Pakistan due to his persistent social media posts advocating for the release of the country’s former prime minister, Imran Khan.

The situation escalated on November 26 when the Pakistani government unleashed a violent crackdown in Islamabad to disperse opposition protesters who were demanding Khan’s release. This prompted Grenell to express his support on the social media platform X, tweeting, “Free Imran Khan!”

Although his initial post received limited attention, it was amplified by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI, party and its supporters on December 15, when Trump appointed Grenell as his special envoy for global missions in the incoming administration.

Egyptian · Dec 24, 2024

Mass protests erupted inside Egypt calling for the downfall of the regime and the resignation of President Sisi. @LegionnairE @PakistanProud @Bilal9 @Israel Person @Aryobarzan @Saif @Krishna with Flute @Vsdoc @VCheng

PKD MilitaryPedia - Worldwide Defense Forums

[🇮🇷] Persian Royalty Crown Jewels and Artifacts

[🇵🇰] Pakistan vs Afghanistan

[🇫🇮] Merry Christmas from the police of Finland

World Cancer Vaccine invented in Russia