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  • Federal govt considering premature dissolution of National Assembly

    Federal govt considering premature dissolution of National Assembly

    The federal collation government is considering a premature dissolution of the National Assembly, Samaa has reported.

    According to Samaa’s sources, the federal government has considered dissolving the National Assembly a week before the end of the constitutional term.

    According to the report, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also take advice from his elder brother, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif in this matter.

    The first week of November 2023 is the suggested time for general elections, but the date will be finally decided after a summit of government and its allies

  • Toyota is working on fake manual transmission to add excitement to electric cars

    Toyota is working on fake manual transmission to add excitement to electric cars

    Toyota engineers have taken a unique approach to attract consumers who find electric cars lacking excitement by working on a realistic-feeling fake manual transmission as a potential feature.

    Although a manual transmission in an electric vehicle would serve no functional purpose, it would cater to enthusiasts who enjoy the experience of shifting gears in their conventional gasoline-powered cars.

    Toyota, a brand historically skeptical of electric vehicles, has been planning a more aggressive foray into the sector. Acknowledging the need to appeal to a diverse range of consumers, the development of features such as a fake manual transmission aims to entice individuals who are not captivated by the typical smoothness and simplicity associated with electric vehicles.

    It is worth noting that the majority of gasoline-powered cars sold in the United States today are equipped with automatic transmissions that require no driver input for shifting gears.

    Manual transmissions, which require the driver to operate a clutch pedal and maneuver a gear stick, are often offered as options for performance cars or inexpensive models. However, manual transmissions are more prevalent in other parts of the world, including Europe.

    In the case of Toyota’s innovation, as revealed in a recent patent application filed in the United States in late May, the electric car would not possess an actual multi-speed transmission. Instead, a shifter would be connected to sensors and a central computer programmed to replicate the sensation of driving a car with a manual transmission.

    Since manual transmission cars vary in terms of engines, transmissions, and gear ratios, the central computer would be programmed to emulate a specific type of manual transmission car. In addition to the conventional brake and accelerator pedals, the driver would also have a clutch pedal to complete the simulated experience.

    Furthermore, drivers will have the ability to “downshift” or engage in engine braking. This process involves selecting a lower gear and releasing the clutch pedal without pressing the accelerator, allowing the friction of the unpowered engine to slow the car without the need for brakes.

    Toyota’s virtual manual transmission incorporates programming that enables drivers to experience the sensation of operating it poorly, to a certain extent.

    If the driver fails to provide sufficient acceleration or selects an incorrect gear, the car will simulate the shaking and bucking experienced in a gas-powered vehicle with a manual transmission. However, the car’s computer will limit the intensity of these effects to prevent undue strain on the battery.

    Importantly, if drivers prefer not to use the fake manual transmission, the car will offer two driving modes: a regular electric vehicle mode and the faux-manual mode.

    While some reports suggest the inclusion of fake engine sounds to accompany the shifting and accelerating actions, the patent application does not explicitly mention it. The availability, timing, and target markets for the electric vehicle equipped with the simulated manual transmission remain uncertain at this point.

    Toyota’s innovative endeavor showcases the company’s commitment to diversifying its electric vehicle offerings and catering to a wider range of consumer preferences.

    By blending the familiarity of manual transmissions with the benefits of electric vehicles, Toyota aims to capture the attention of enthusiasts while providing an engaging driving experience in an increasingly electrified automotive landscape.

  • Grammy’s ban AI recordings for nominations, says only human creators are eligible

    Grammy’s ban AI recordings for nominations, says only human creators are eligible

    Aritifical Intelligence (AI) has now crept its way into the music industry, allowing users to manipulate voice and re-create songs with it. The Beatles have announced that they are recording a decades old song with the help of the technology, featuring the late lead singer John Lennon’s voice.

    The Recording Academy has announced new guidelines that state that AI in music will not be considered eligible for nomination.

    “Only human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration for, nominated for, or win a GRAMMY Award. A work that contains no human authorship is not eligible in any Category,” the Academy says.

    The Grammys also introduced some additional changes to be eligible for the ‘Album of the Year’ nomination, announcing that a music creator has to feature on at least 20% of the album to be able to become a part of the nomination. Previously, any producer or song writer who had participated in making the album, could earn a nomination.

  • AI, robot alter-egos: fans hail ‘Black Mirror’s new season as its best ever

    AI, robot alter-egos: fans hail ‘Black Mirror’s new season as its best ever

    Warning: spoilers

    Netflix’s thriller series ‘Black Mirror’ set hearts racing with the trailer for its latest season, revealing that the dystopian series was about to provide an even more grim experience. Popular actors like Annie Murphy, Salma Hayek and Aaron Paul star in the episodes.

    The show had been on a break since 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, as series creator Charlie Brooker explained to Entertainment Weekly that in dystopian times, humanity could do with a break.

    The show previously broken records with critically acclaimed episodes like ‘The Entire History Of You’, ‘San Junipero” and even “White Bear” all of them discussed the dangers of depending on tech, and how it breeds the corrupt nature of humans. This time, fans were wondering if the show would be able to surpass its own expectations and deliver an outstanding season after three long years of waiting.

    And it was worth the wait.

    This season delved into the rise of AI generated images and videos, which would soon make deep-fake videos of other people without their consent, how the obsession with murder documentaries leads to a man exploiting his own family, and another episode starring Aaron Paul exploring a new invention in the 1960s that makes robot replicas of two astronauts who are completing a six year mission up in space.

    And twitter users ate them all up.

  • President, Speaker NA, Chairman Senate decide to perform Hajj together

    President Dr Arif Alvi, Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani have decided to perform Hajj together, Urdu News has reported.

    The absence of the three key officials could create a constitutional crisis in the country.

    According to the constitution, when the president is not present in the country, the chairman of the senate performs the duties of the acting president. The oath of the Senate Chairman also includes the oath of the Acting President.

    If both the President and the Senate Chairman are out of the country, the Speaker of the National Assembly takes over the position of Acting President.

  • Javed Akhtar wrote ‘Tum ko dekha’ in nine minutes while drunk

    Javed Akhtar wrote ‘Tum ko dekha’ in nine minutes while drunk

    The iconic Bollywood song ‘Tum Ko Dekha’ was the anthem for lovers for an entire generation. Our lives were never the same after the song debuted, ghum hour was coined and now Javed Akhtar, who wrote the song, has revealed that he wrote the lyrics in under nine freaking minutes.

    Scoop Whoop revealed that while speaking at a recent FFCI event in Kolkata, Akhtar disclosed that he had been drinking a lot the night he received a phone call from late director Yash Chopra’s assistant, who forwarded the request to the lyricist to write a song for his upcoming film:

    “Every evening, we’d drink and chit-chat and by 2 am, we’d decided that we would finish the song tomorrow. I kept delaying it, then one day, the poor guy asked again. This was past midnight, after the eighth or ninth peg, I asked for a piece of paper and a pen, and decided to get it over with. Jagjit Singh sang the song, it was ‘Tum Ko Dekha To Yeh Khayal Aaya’. It was written at perhaps 12:30 in the night, after eight or nine pegs, in nine minutes…”

    Can you re-call a popular song that was only written in less than 10 minutes?

  • There are better things in life to talk about than Naimal Khawar’s alleged nose job

    There are better things in life to talk about than Naimal Khawar’s alleged nose job

    Social media can be a blessing because of how it is able to bring people together regardless of their background. It provides people with an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. But we have to admit that the downside of social media -particularly in regard to how women on the internet are openly criticised and trolled- is something that cannot be overlooked. Mahira Khan was attacked online for not wearing a dupatta, and now Naimal Khawar is getting trolled after people assumed the actress had gotten a nose job.

    Pakistani women exist in an invisible cage that follows them to their graves. They are a vessel of opinions other people have about them, and have no say in how they choose to live their own lives. Men tend to perceive Pakistani women as their personal nannies, therapists and full time mothers. In the particular case of Naimal Khawar, its amazing how entitled babus on the internet have so much to say about a woman who is financially independent and has a caring and attentive husband and family.

    What had led to such a vicious response? The actress had merely posted pictures of herself next to some flowers, which led to some trolls making heinous comments about how her alleged nose job made her face look different.

    Like seriously, the comments section really proves how as Pakistanis, misery is the flag we love to wave. We cannot remain happy, therefore we cannot see other people happy.

    I’m sorry but did Naimal Khawar personally reach out to you for money even if she had gotten a surgery? Why would you feel so entitled to make such negative comments about a woman’s face? Why do Pakistanis feel that making hideous remarks about women’s bodies passes is acceptable? Naimal Khawar has not survived so many years in a competitive industry solely because of her looks, but because she is a talented person. She owes no one an explanation about how she chooses to live.

    Trying to justify your body shaming by using the religion card? Didn’t Islam also tell us to keep our opinions to ourself, and to never open our mouth if we have to make a mean comment about someone? In a country like Pakistan where already 75 per cent people suffer from mental illnesses like depression, could we try to understand that, now more than ever, women need to stop pilling on hate on each other, and help by being a little kind and compassionate?

    By the end of the day, we simply have to say that take your rules and restrictions away from the bodies of Pakistani women. Naimal Khawar is her own person. She can decide by herself what she wants with her life, whether she chooses to go under the knife or not. It’s all about what makes her feel more secure in her body. For the rest of us, there are more things to worry about while living in Pakistan rather than taking it out on a woman who has nothing to do with it.

    If you’re still having a problem in undestanding how to possibly mind your business and manage not to tear down a happy person, then take a note from Mathira, who manages to keep a classy and cool persona by uplifting people when they need it the most.

  • No special treatment: Russia denies exclusive discounts on oil export deal with Pakistan

    No special treatment: Russia denies exclusive discounts on oil export deal with Pakistan

    In a recent statement, Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov clarified that his country is not providing Pakistan with oil at a special discount. The announcement came during an international economic conference in St Petersburg, where Shulginov confirmed that Russia had begun exporting oil to Pakistan.

    Contrary to earlier reports, the Russian minister emphasised that the oil deliveries to Pakistan were being conducted on standard terms without any exclusive discounts. Citing Russian state media, Voice of America (VoA) reported Shulginov’s remarks, which aimed to dispel speculations about preferential treatment in the oil deal.

    According to Geo, Shulginov further revealed that both countries had agreed to accept Chinese currency as payment, highlighting the importance of conducting transactions in the currencies of friendly nations. However, he denied claims that Pakistan had received any special advantages or discounts within the agreement.

    During the conference, the topic of barter trade between Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Russia was also addressed. Pakistan had recently passed a special order allowing barter trade for various commodities, including petroleum, liquefied natural gas (LNG), coal, minerals, metals, wheat, pulses, and other food items.

    Regarding this specific trade arrangement, Minister Shulginov clarified that discussions had taken place, but no final decisions had been reached. In particular, the two countries have yet to establish mutually agreeable prices for the export of liquefied natural gas to Pakistan. Shulginov explained that the current focus was on spot supplies, and since spot gas prices were high at the moment, the negotiations were primarily centered around long-term contracts.

    As Russia commences oil deliveries to Pakistan, both nations are working to ensure fair and transparent trade practices while exploring potential opportunities for collaboration in the energy sector. The recent developments underscore the significance of bilateral cooperation and economic ties between Russia and Pakistan.

    While the exact details of the ongoing negotiations remain undisclosed, Minister Shulginov’s statements emphasise the commitment of both countries to maintaining a level playing field in their trade relations. The international community will be closely monitoring future developments in this energy partnership, particularly as Pakistan continues to diversify its energy sources and explore avenues for economic growth.

    As the discussions progress, it is expected that Russia and Pakistan will strive to reach mutually beneficial agreements that foster stability and prosperity in their bilateral trade relations, creating opportunities for sustained cooperation in the energy sector and beyond.

  • 10 dead in motorway bus accident near Salt Range

    10 dead in motorway bus accident near Salt Range

    TRIGGER WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT

    A Shalimar Express bus, en route to Lahore from Islamabad, via M2 motorway, overturned near the Salt Range on Saturday.

    At least ten people have been declared dead while the rescue operation is still underway. Injured people have been admitted to the trauma centre at Kallar Kahar, women and children among them.

    The cause for the accident was overspeeding, as reported by PNN News. According to a witness, the bus was overspeeding at a turn when it broke through the barrier separating the highway. The bus flipped over onto the side of the hill, near Kallar Kahar.

    According to another witness, there were up to 20 passengers in the bus with rescue operations underway to retrieve those still stuck inside.

  • May 9 riots: Not in favour of vandalism, I stand where I was, says Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    May 9 riots: Not in favour of vandalism, I stand where I was, says Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    Vice Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi has stressed that he was not part of the vandalism that took place on May 9, adding that he is not in favour of violence.

    However, I stand where I was, said that PTI leader in a media talk. He said that there are five false cases registered against him in Multan, adding that he was not even in the city at that time.

    He has also said that he got arrested and went to Adiala Jail even though the cases are registered in Multan. These false charges adversely affected the administration’s credibility, he opined. The former Foreign Minister also stated that the court has granted him pre-arrest bail, his conscience is satisfied, and his hands are clean.

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that as a Foreign Minister, he defended national institutions all over the world and he is not in favour of vandalism and even was not part of any violent protest. He said he did politics of patriotism for 40 years. “I stand where I was,” he stated.

    He questioned that how one can damage state property while in solitary confinement.