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Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Friday showed off a prototype of the humanoid robot ‘Optimus’, predicting the electric vehicle maker would be able to produce millions of them and sell them for under $20,000 – less than a third of the price of a Model Y. “There’s still a lot of work to be done to refine Optimus and prove it,” Musk told the electric vehicle maker’s “AI Day” event being held at a Tesla office in Palo Alto, California, where the robot was showcased. A prototype model that Tesla said was developed in February walked out to wave at the crowd on Friday, and Tesla showed a video of it doing simple tasks, such as watering plants, carrying boxes and lifting metal bars at a production station at the company’s California plant. The team rolled out the more streamlined current generation bot on a cart and Musk said he hoped it would be able to walk itself soon. He said existing humanoid robots are “missing a brain” – and the ability to solve problems on their own. By contrast, he said,

WASHINGTON: Comedian Trevor Noah, host of “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, said he was going to leave the program after hosting it for seven years, indicating he wanted to dedicate more time to stand-up comedy. The 38-year-old comedian – who moved to the United States in 2011 and was born in Johannesburg, South Africa – had big shoes to fill when he took over in 2015 after the exit of longtime host Jon Stewart. He quickly established himself with his own brand, suited for an era where online influence was often greater than that of content on cable. His reign on The Daily Show required him to delicately cover some crucial moments in American history, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2021 attacks on the US Capitol. “I spent two years in my apartment (during COVID-19), not on the road. Stand-up was done, and when I got back out there again, I realized that there’s another part of my life that I want to carry on exploring,” Noah told his studi

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday annexed four parts of Ukraine occupied by his army, staging a grand ceremony in Moscow as Kyiv vowed to battle on and pushed for expedited NATO membership. The event at the Kremlin — a turning point in recent post-Soviet history — came hours after shelling killed 30 people in Ukraine’s southern region of Zaporizhzhia in one of the worst attacks against civilians in months. Putin was defiant during his address to Russia’s political elite, telling the West that the internationally condemned manoeuvre was irreversible and urging Ukraine’s emboldened army to negotiate a surrender. “I want to say this to the Kyiv regime and its masters in the West: People living in Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are becoming our citizens forever,” Putin said. “We call on the Kyiv regime to immediately stop fighting and stop all hostilities… and return to the negotiating table,” the Russian leader added. The packed hall erupted into chants of “Russ

A Moroccan appeals court has beefed up prison terms against 15 African migrants involved in a June border tragedy in which two dozen migrants died, a rights group said Friday. The migrants, from Sudan and Chad, had been arrested after some 2,000 people, stormed the frontier with the Spanish enclave of Melilla on June 24 in a bid to reach European Union territory. Rights groups have accused border guards on both sides of responding with excessive force, leaving at least 23 migrants dead — the worst toll in years of such attempted crossings. The 15 migrants had been found guilty of illegally entering Morocco, violence against the police, armed assembly and resisting arrest. On Thursday, an appeals court in the border town of Nador “decided to increase the initial sentences of 11 months in prison to three years” against 15 migrants arrested after the tragedy, said Omar Naji of the AMDH rights group. “It’s a very severe ruling — we had expected the sentences to be reduced,” Naji told

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday hailed the successes of Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the east, as Kyiv’s forces appear to be edging closer to retaking the key town of Lyman, which Moscow captured in the spring. “We have significant results in the east of our country. There is already enough public information about this. Everyone has heard what is happening in Lyman, Donetsk region. These steps mean a lot to us,” Zelensky said in his daily address to the nation. His remarks come after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday formally annexed four Moscow-held regions of Ukraine — including Donetsk — in a lavish ceremony in the Kremlin, following hastily organised referendums condemned by the West. “We must liberate our entire land and this will be the best proof that international law and human values cannot be broken by any terrorist state, even one as insolent as Russia,” Zelensky said. He said that Ukraine’s path is “difficult”, but it is one of “independence

Armenia said Friday it would hold talks on a peace treaty with Azerbaijan in Geneva on Sunday, after recent deadly border clashes jeopardised the arch-foes’ nascent normalisation process. Last month, at least 286 people were killed from both sides before a US-brokered truce ended the worst clashes since the Caucasus neighbours’ 2020 war. Baku and Yerevan fought two wars — in 2020 and in the 1990s — over the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-populated enclave of Azerbaijan. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Friday that Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov “will meet on Sunday in Geneva to begin substantive talks regarding the text of the peace agreement.” “So far, there wasn’t a single document on the negotiating table, which we could sign or reject,” he said in televised remarks. The two foreign ministers last met for talks mediated by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on September 20 in New York. Arme

LAHORE: Pakistan’s right-handed batter Haider Ali has been taken to a local hospital after the conclusion of the sixth T20I against England. According to the details, the right-handed batter was taken to the hospital due to unwellness and will stay there tonight as the doctors will do a complete check-up. In the recently-concluded sixth T20I, Haider scored 18 off 14 deliveries and put on an anchoring 47-run partnership with Babar Azam for the third wicket. It is pertinent to mention here England thrashed Pakistan in the sixth T20I to level the seven-match series 3-3. The two sides will meet in the decider on Sunday at the Gaddafi Stadium here. READ: Salt’s heroics power England chase down 170 in 15th over to level series The post Haider Ali admitted to local hospital after sixth T20I appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/kcCYtlX

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has blamed the federal government for attempting to divert from audio leaks by missing cypher claims, ARY News reported on Friday. While talking to ARY News, Shah Mahmood Qureshi alleged that the federal government was involved in leaking audio clips of Imran Khan. He added, “The government wants to divert attention from its audio leaks and security lapse of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).” The PTI vice-chairman said, “I am worried how classified documents went missing from PMO. If the classified document [cypher or diplomatic cable] went missing from PMO then it is a big security lapse.” READ:  CYPHER ISSUE: ANOTHER ALLEGED AUDIO LEAK OF IMRAN KHAN SURFACES He further said that the audio leaks have not disturbed Imran Khan. “We love Pakistan and there is nothing to worry about anything. It is our duty to defend our motherland when it comes to the national interests.” Cypher ‘stolen’ from PMO The cyp

Fort MYERS, Fla: Emergency crews tried on Thursday to reach stranded Florida residents as a resurgent Hurricane Ian veered toward the Carolinas after cutting a path of destruction across Florida, leaving behind deadly floodwaters, downed power lines and widespread damage. Ian, one of the strongest storms ever to hit the U.S. mainland, flooded Gulf Coast communities and knocked out power to millions before plowing across the peninsula to the Atlantic Ocean, where it regained strength ahead of another anticipated landfall in South Carolina on Friday afternoon. Florida’s death toll remained uncertain amid scattered reports of casualties. At an evening news briefing, Governor Ron DeSantis acknowledged some people had perished but warned against speculating before official confirmation. “We fully expect to have mortality from this hurricane,” he said. President Joe Biden, speaking earlier at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, said Ian could prove to

ISLAMABAD: The protest of farmers in Islamabad who have gathered under the umbrella of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad on Friday entered the third day, ARY News reported. The farmers are demanding the restoration of the previous tubewell electricity tariff of Rs5.3 per unit and abolishing all taxes and adjustments. The administration has summoned heavy contingents of police as the protesting farmers tried to march towards D-Chowk. Several rounds of talks were held with the protesting farmers but remained unsuccessful. The demonstrators demanded an end to the black marketing of fertilisers and reduction of the urea rate. They also demanded that agriculture should be given the status of industry. The Kissan Ittehad has vowed to continue the protest till the fulfillment of demands, warning of staging a sit-in at D-Chowk. Earlier, farmers led by Pakistan Kissan Ittehad staged a sit-in at Blue Area  in Islamabad after the authorities barred them from protesting before the Parliament House. A

New York advanced a plan Thursday to require that all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035 be zero emissions, state Governor Kathy Hochul said. After signing legislation last year, Hochul announced officials were putting their “foot down on the accelerator” after having been required due to a federal law to wait for California to pass its own legislation. California ruled in August that an ever-increasing percentage of new cars sold to the state’s 40 million inhabitants must produce no tailpipe pollutants, until their total ban in 2035. Following that decision, Hochul directed New York authorities to move on regulatory steps to ensure all new passenger cars, pickup trucks and SUVs sold in the state are zero emissions by 2035. The directive sets interim targets of 35 percent of sales by 2026 and 68 percent by 2030. “We actually have benchmarks to achieve to show we’re on the path to get there,” Hochul said in a speech in the city of White Plains. The regulations will also gradu

ISLAMABAD: Kissan Ittehad head Khalid Hussain has confirmed that the protesting farmers’ held a meeting with interior minister Rana Sanaullah during the second round of talks, ARY News reported on Thursday. While talking to journalists today, Khalid Hussain said that the first round of talks between the protesting farmers and the federal government had failed, whereas, a meeting was held with the interior minister Rana Sanaullah during the second round of talks today. “We have apprised him about our demands. We have discussed the rate of electricity unit and Sanaullah sent a notification to the energy ministry to stop receiving bills from the farmers till October 10.” READ: FARMERS WARN OF COUNTRY-WIDE BLOCKADE, GIVE 2-HOUR ULTIMATUM The Kissan Ittehad head said that they are thankful to Sanaullah for initiating talks with the farmers. He added that the farmers will stay in the federal capital until the fulfilment of their demands. He urged the federal government to make an annou

ISLAMABAD: The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has forecast 18 per cent of water shortage during the forthcoming Rabi cropping season, ARY News reported on Thursday. The session of the advisory committee of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) was held today. During the session, the officials predicted 18 per cent of water shortage to be faced by the country during the Rabi cropping season. According to the declaration, 30.2 million acre-feet of water will be available for crops. 16.23 million acre-feet of water will be available for Punjab crops, 12.24 million acre-feet for Sindh, 0.7 million acre-feet of water for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and one million acre-feet of water for Balochistan crops. Due to flood devastation in Balochistan, the advisory board approved 0.149 million acre-feet of water for the crops in the province. During the session, the Met officials said that the country will receive lesser rains in the next three months. Moreover, the authority approved the

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq has demanded to launch a judicial inquiry of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) audio leaks, ARY News reported on Wednesday. The JI chief Sirajul Haq said in a statement that back-to-back audio leaks were creating confusion amongst the masses that the national politics are running on the basis of conspiracy. He said that Islamabad turned into a circus and the current rulers were damaging the reputation of the country globally through their actions. He added that the accused in corruption cases should not be allowed to assume public offices. READ: ‘AUDIO LEAKS PROVE PM HOUSE NO LONGER A SAFE PLACE’ Sirajul Haq said that the rulers are responsible for the deteriorated economic, political and social situations of the country. He criticised that the rulers have made the country scapegoat for their interests instead of transforming it into an Islamic state. NSC greenlights probe The National Security Committee (NSC) approved the constitution

ISLAMABAD: After Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haque has urged Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to establish its office in Pakistan. In a series of tweets, the Ministry of IT & Telecom shared that the minister met a high-level delegation from Meta in Romania. Some 186 ministerial delegations have gathered in Bucharest, Romania for the Ministerial Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU PP-22). During the dialogue, Haq once again urged Meta to open a local office in Pakistan to which the platform’s representatives assured to visit the country soon. The meeting was attended by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Geneva Office Khalil Hashmi, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Romania Dr Zafar Iqbal. While Chief Executive Universal Service Fund Haris Mahmood Chaudhry briefed the delegation about the broadband services projects in Pakistan. سید امین

Amazon on Wednesday announced a host of new capabilities for Alexa, including a handful of new smart home features. According to a report , Amazon has rolled out these features to make Alexa more proactive and predictive, including things like its automated Alexa Routines, smart home suggestions known as Alexa Hunches, and its home security features from Alexa Guard. At its Alexa event today, Amazon introduced a feature that will let you turn on or off smart home devices at some specific point in the future. For example, you can ask Alexa to turn off the lights at 9 pm or in 10 minutes, allowing you to schedule these sorts of smart home interactions. Alexa will also now gain support for remote switches instead of only wired smart switches. This allows users to push a button to trigger certain Alexa actions — like reading the news or turning off the lights — without having to use their voice. Furthermore, Amazon says Echo Show device owners will be able to view multiple smart home

BANGKOK: Pakistani star boxer and Asian Champion Usman Wazeer outclassed his Thai opponent Somphot Seesa to win the WBO World Welterweight Youth title on Wednesday in the Highland Boxing Show in Bangkok. Wazeer emerged triumphant after knocking out Seesa in a tough encounter that saw the two boxers go hard at one other for six rounds. Following his remarkable title victory, the 22-year-old boxer has become the first Pakistani boxer to win the WBO World Youth title. “Alhumdulillah, we finally made history and I am now the First Ever WBO World Youth Champion out of Pakistan,” Wazeer wrote on Twitter following his title victory . “I would like to thank everyone for your never-ending support and love. Pakistan Zindabad.” Alhumdulillah, we finally made history and I am now the First Ever WBO World Youth Champion out of Pakistan . I would like to thank everyone for your never ending support and love. Pakistan Zindaabad! #usmanwazeer #worldchampion #andnew #pakistan #History pic.t

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has stayed the action against former director-general (DG) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore, Shahzad Saleem, ARY News reported on Wednesday. The LHC stayed action against Shahzad Saleem who was holding an inquiry into harassment allegations against NAB chairman Justice Retd Javed Iqbal levelled by Tayyaba Gul. The LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti heard the petition against the call-up notice to ex-NAB DG before the inquiry commission who had challenged the order via Safdar Shaheen Pirzada. The high court sought a reply from the government lawyer. An inquiry commission had summoned Shahzad Saleem on September 28 in connection with Tayyaba Gul case. The petitioner’s lawyer apprised the LHC CJ that the court had already issued stay orders in three more relevant pleas but the NAB officers were being harassed. The court also strictly directed to implement the court orders otherwise a contempt petition will be filed. Later,

Norway will deploy its military to protect its oil and gas installations against possible sabotage after several countries said two Russian pipelines to Europe spewing gas into the Baltic had been attacked, the prime minister said on Wednesday. Gas leaks as a result of suspected sabotage discovered on the Nord Stream pipelines on Tuesday have roiled energy markets and heightened security concerns. Norway is now Europe’s largest gas supplier and a leading global oil supplier. It has over 90 offshore oil and gas fields, most of which are connected to a network of gas pipelines stretching some 9,000 km (5,590 miles). “The military will be more visible at Norwegian oil and gas installations,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference. Attack would be “handled jointly with our allies,” he said. Norway is a NATO member. At sea, the Navy would be deployed to protect offshore installations, while on land, police could increase presence at facilities, he said. NATO and the

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has sealed the Red Zone ahead of the possible protest of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI), ARY News reported on Wednesday.  According to details, all routes leading to the Red Zone except that Margalla Road have been sealed. Ayub Chowk, Express Chowk and Nadra Chowk are closed, the traffic said and added that one lane is open from Serena Chowk for entry in Red Zone. The police said that no one will be allowed to enter the Red Zone. Officials have been ordered to take strict action against anyone who tries to enter the Red Zone. The government has ordered the deployment of the Anti-Riots Force to ensure the security of the Red Zone. Read more: Power tariff: Protesting farmers threaten to march towards D-Chowk The protesting farmers have been demanding to reduce the power tariff, regretting that the government had raised the electricity to Rs36 per unit. The demonstrators have also demanded subsidies on fertilizers and diesel, while taxes on agricult

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday defended military sales to Pakistan after withering criticism from India, terming it important in dealing with the terrorism threats. Addressing a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart, Antony Blinken said: “There are clear terrorism threats that continue to emanate from Pakistan itself as well as from neighboring countries. The top US diplomat defended a $450 million F-16 deal for Pakistan approved earlier in September, saying the package was for the maintenance of Pakistan’s existing fleet, Blinken replied to a question raised by an Indian journalist. “We have a responsibility and an obligation to whomever we provide military equipment to make sure that it’s maintained and sustained.  That’s our obligation.  Pakistan’s program bolsters its capability to deal with terrorist threats emanating from Pakistan or from the region.  It’s in no one’s interest that those threats be able to go forward with impunity, a

KARACHI: 254 new cases of dengue virus were reported in Karachi as the provincial capital remained in grip of the mosquito-borne disease, ARY News reported on Monday. According to the provincial health department, the majority number of cases in Karachi have been reported in district Korangi, where 112 patients have been infected by the virus during the past 24 hours. District East reported 34 cases, Central 53, Malir 20, South 10, Keamari 7 and District West reported 15 cases. A total of 5,425 cases of dengue fever cases were reported in Karachi this month. Islamabad According to District Health Officer (DHO) Islamabad, as many as 81 dengue cases were reported in the federal capital during the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infections to 2,072 in the current season. While six people have lost their lives to dengue in Islamabad, he added. According to a report issued by KP Directorate General Health Services, the death toll due to dengue fever in the province stands

Europe was investigating on Tuesday what Germany and Denmark said were attacks which had caused major leaks into the Baltic Sea from two Russian pipelines at the centre of an energy standoff. But it remained far from clear who might be behind the leaks that were  first reported  on Monday or any foul play, if proven, on the Nord Stream pipelines that Russia and European partners spent billions of dollars building. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck told business leaders that the leaks were due to targeted attacks on the infrastructure and Berlin now knew for sure “that they were not caused by natural occurrences or events or material fatigue”. Poland’s prime minister blamed sabotage, without citing evidence,  Denmark’s premier  said the leaks were clearly caused by deliberate actions and Swedish police said they had begun an investigation into potential “gross sabotage”. Russia, which slashed gas deliveries to Europe after the West imposed sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on September 28 (Wednesday) to discuss matters related to national security, including audio leaks featuring candid conversations between key government figures, ARY News reported citing sources. Sources privy to the matter told ARY News that the PM has convened the NSC meeting in the PM House on Wednesday at 4:00 pm, which would be attended by the defence minister, interior minister, foreign minister and finance minister as well as the military chiefs. The NSC huddle would be briefed regarding the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) audio leaks that surfaced on social media, said sources, adding that the overall flood-related situation in the country would also be discussed in the meeting. PM to form high-level committee on audio leaks Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday termed the surfacing of audio leaks of conversations between key government figures a “serious security laps

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairperson and former president Asif Ali Zardari was admitted to a private hospital in Karachi after his health deteriorated, ARY News reported on Tuesday. A medical team, led by Dr Asim Hussain, is examining the former president, said sources, adding that a “procedure” will be performed on Zardari’s lungs. The medical team will conduct further tests of the former president after the “procedure” is completed, they say. This is the second time that Zardari has been admitted to a hospital this year. A similar situation developed in February this year when former president Asif Ali Zardari had been admitted to a private hospital in Karachi after his health deteriorated . from Latest Pakistan News Breaking News from All over Pakistan - ARY News https://ift.tt/KhHvRum

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman issued Tuesday a royal decree appointing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, according to a Saudi Gazette report. In another royal decree, the King restructured the Council of Ministers, headed by the Crown Prince. #BREAKING : King Salman orders to restructure the Council of Ministers headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pic.twitter.com/idAMYSLZBj — Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) September 27, 2022 King Salman also issued a decree appointing Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman as Minister of Defense. The crown prince was earlier the deputy premier and minister of defense of the kingdom. from International News Today - Breaking News, US News, World News https://ift.tt/lhZW35z

Ankara on Monday summoned the Greek ambassador and protested to Washington after accusing Greece of deploying US armoured vehicles on two Aegean islands near the Turkish coast. Greece branded the move as “completely unfounded and incompatible with international law”, and accused Ankara of aggressive behaviour. Greece and Turkey, which are both part of the US-led NATO defence alliance, have feuded for years over maritime borders and energy exploration rights in the Aegean and east Mediterranean seas. The latest escalation started when Turkish security sources shared aerial images over the weekend purportedly showing ships loaded with US armoured vehicles docking at two Greek islands, Lesbos and Samos. The Turkish foreign ministry told the Greek envoy that Athens should “stop violations” and respect the non-military status the islands were assigned by international law, the Anadolu state news agency reported. In a note to the US embassy in Ankara, Turkey told Washington that its “w

South Korea and the United States began their first combined naval exercise near the peninsula in five years on Monday, leading to a warning by North Korea that the allies risked triggering war. South Korea’s hawkish President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, has vowed to beef up joint military drills with the United States, after years of failed diplomacy with North Korea under his predecessor. “This exercise was prepared to demonstrate the strong will of the South Korea-US alliance to respond to North Korean provocations,” the South’s navy said in a statement. At the United Nations, North Korea’s ambassador, Kim Song, said that the exercises draw “serious concern.” “Obviously, this is an extremely dangerous act of igniting the fuse to drive the situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of war,” he told the General Assembly. The drills come a day after nuclear-armed Pyongyang conducted another ballistic missile launch, the latest in its record-breaking blitz of weapon

UK airline EasyJet outlined Monday its plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 via new technology, saying it would use carbon capture to address just under a quarter of its emissions. Chief Executive Johan Lundgren, unveiling EasyJet’s update at its headquarters in Luton north of London, said “exponential” growth in “state-of-the-art” technology will help meet the goal. EasyJet announced the 2050 aim last year but like all energy-intensive firms faced deep scepticism from environmental campaigners. The strategy hinges on technologies that are still emerging like carbon capture, or in the pipeline like cleaner hydrogen engines. The latter are set to become operational by 2035 at best. The no-frills carrier will deploy more fuel-efficient Airbus A320neo aircraft in a multi-billion-dollar refit under its “roadmap” to slash carbon. EasyJet forecast Monday that this will enable it to cut emissions per passenger per kilometre by 78 percent by 2050, from 2019 levels. The carrier wil