Science and technology

The flat Earth theory, a belief that the Earth is a flat disc rather than a sphere, has seen a resurgence in recent years, sparking curiosity and debate. This article delves into the core tenets of this theory, its prominent proponents, and the maps they use to support their claims. The flat Earth theory posits that the Earth is a flat disc surrounded by an impassable wall of ice, often referred to as the “Ice Wall.” Proponents believe that gravity is a myth and that the Earth’s curvature is an illusion created by perspective. They argue that photographs from space are fabricated, and that the vastness of the oceans is due to the Earth’s disc-like shape. It has been around for centuries, with notable proponents throughout history. One of the most influential figures in the 19th century was Samuel Birley Rowbotham, an English inventor and writer who published a book titled “Zetetic Astronomy: Earth Not a Globe” in 1881. Rowbotham’s book presented a detailed argument for a flat Earth

Nintendo is reportedly looking to release the hotly-anticipated Switch 2 in early 2025 as rumours intensified following leaked images of the device. Ruben Mercado, CEO of Blade, a company believed to be involved in the development of the console, has said that Switch 2 is ‘ready,’ Metro reported. During a recent interview, Mercado claimed that his company has access to an almost final version of the gaming console, set to be launched in March or April 2025. However, he maintained that the release date for Switch 2 will depend on Nintendo’s earnings for the current fiscal year. According to Mercado, the Kyoto-based gaming company could launch the console in March if its sales are below expectations. Nintendo would look to release the device in April if the company’s financial figures return strong, he said. Ruben Mercado, however, revealed that Nintendo is planning a simultaneous worldwide launch for the console, similar to the release plan of the original Switch in March 2017.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said that the second and final solar eclipse of 2024, occurring on the night of October 2-3, will not be visible from Pakistan. The annular solar eclipse, also known as a “ring of fire,” will commence at 8:45 pm local time. The solar eclipse will be observable in regions of North and South America, as well as Antarctica, primarily visible over parts of southern Chile and Argentina. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly over the sun’s disk but is farther from Earth, resulting in a bright ring visible around the edges. The path of annularity will be limited, running through specific southern regions of Chile and Argentina. Key viewing locations: Perito Moreno National Park, Puerto Deseado, and Puerto San Julián in Argentina Town of Cochrane in Chile Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Partial Solar Eclipse: A partial solar eclipse will accompany the annular event, visible approximately 85 minutes before and after the

Rockstar Games is reportedly set to release the second trailer for its hotly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 in the coming week. Rumours of the likely release of the second trailer intensified after the developer posted a job opening for a Screenshot Capture Artist, a gaming website reported. It is worth noting here that fans have been speculating October 4 to be the release date for the second trailer after noticing what they suggested was a clue in GTA Online. Several pointed to the license plate of the pizza delivery scooter in GTA Online. Which read, “PIZZ4”, while in the upper left corner of the plate, three letters can be seen: “OCT.” Putting the ‘OCT’ and ‘4’ together, Grand Theft Auto fans suggested that the publisher will drop the second trailer for GTA 6 on October 4. Now, fans speculate that the new trailer might arrive as early as next Friday, October 4 as Rockstar Games intensifies its marketing efforts for GTA 6 with Rockstar Dundee, based in Scotland, seeking

Meta has made artificial intelligence (AI) a part of various apps such as WhatsApp and Instagram. With an assistant called MetaAI, you can get answers to questions and create images. Now this AI assistant has been further improved by the company. Users will now also be able to use MetaAI through voice commands. This AI assistant will chat with you by mimicking the voice of various famous personalities like John Cena, the company said at the Yetta Connect conference. Along with voice chat support, a new image feature is also making its way to WhatsApp and Instagram. With this feature, users will be able to edit and change photos using Meta AI in Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. Similarly, Meta AI will be able to remove or add objects from images. All of these will not require written instructions but will be possible through voice commands. Meta AI is being updated by the company from Lama 3.2 model for new features. These new changes to MetaAI will be available to users in

In a major climbdown, Elon Musk’s X told Brazil’s Supreme Court it had complied with orders to stop the spread of misinformation and asked a judge to lift a ban on the platform, according to a document seen by Reuters. The billionaire had held out for more than five months against what he called “censorship” in a feud with a judge in one of X’s largest and most coveted markets. The court shut Brazilians’ access to the platform in late August. A decision from the court on X’s return is still pending, but people close to Musk in Brazil believe service could be restored in a matter of days. Late on Thurday, X said access to the site in Brazil “is essential for a thriving democracy” and that it respects the sovereignty of the countries in which it operates. “We will continue to defend freedom of expression and due process of law through legal processes,” the company’s global affairs team added in a post on the platform. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has spearheaded a local crusade

vivo, the leading global smartphone brand, is thrilled to announce the highly acclaimed on-screen duo Bilal Abbas and Durefishan Saleem as the official brand ambassadors for the upcoming vivo V40 Series. Known for their immense popularity and exceptional talent, both actors embody the vibrant and innovative spirit of vivo’s V Series, while Bilal joins the vivo family for the first time, Durefishan continues her journey with vivo, transitioning from the Y Series to now represent the cutting-edge V Series, reflecting her alignment with the brand’s evolution making them the perfect choice to represent the brand. The vivo V40 5G is all set to launch on October 1, 2024, as a groundbreaking addition to the Pakistani market. With cutting-edge technology and revolutionary features, this smartphone will elevate mobile photography and videography to new heights, thanks to a collaboration with ZEISS, the internationally renowned optical technology brand. ZEISS has a long history of delivering

In a major climbdown, Elon Musk’s X told Brazil’s Supreme Court it had complied with orders to stop the spread of misinformation and asked a judge to lift a ban on the platform, according to a document seen by Reuters. The billionaire had held out for more than five months against what he called “censorship” in a feud with a judge in one of X’s largest and most coveted markets. The court shut Brazilians’ access to the platform in late August. A decision from the court on X’s return is still pending, but people close to Musk in Brazil believe service could be restored in a matter of days. Late on Thurday, X said access to the site in Brazil “is essential for a thriving democracy” and that it respects the sovereignty of the countries in which it operates. “We will continue to defend freedom of expression and due process of law through legal processes,” the company’s global affairs team added in a post on the platform. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has spearheaded a local crusade

Top Indian insurer Star Health has sued Telegram and a self-styled hacker after Reuters reported that the hacker was using chatbots on the messaging app to leak personal data and medical reports of policy holders. The lawsuit comes amid growing scrutiny of Telegram globally and the arrest of its founder Pavel Durov in France last month, with the app’s content moderation and features allegedly abused for illegal activities. Durov and Telegram denied wrongdoing and are addressing the criticism. Star has received a temporary injunction from a court in its home state of Tamil Nadu ordering Telegram and the hacker to block any chatbots or websites in India that make available the data online, according to a copy of the order. Star has also sued U.S.-listed software firm Cloudflare Inc in the lawsuit, saying the leaked data on websites were hosted using its services. “Confidential and personal data of … customers and of the plaintiff’s business activities in general has been hacked and

Sucker Punch Productions has announced working on a sequel video game to PlayStation‘s popular title Ghost of Tsushima. The developer has said that the game titled Ghost of Yōtei, will arrive in 2025 with a new protagonist, Atsu, and a new storyline. As per Sucker Punch, “Atsu’s journey takes place in 1603, more than 300 years after the events of ‘Ghost of Tsushima,’” and “is set in the lands surrounding Mount Yōtei, a towering peak in the heart of Ezo, an area of Japan known as Hokkaido in present day. In 1603, this area was outside the rule of Japan, and filled with sprawling grasslands, snowy tundras, and unexpected dangers. It’s a far cry from the organized samurai clans who lived in Tsushima, and it’s the setting for an original story we can’t wait to tell.” Sucker Punch Productions communications manager Andrew Goldfarb said in a PlayStation blog, “When we set out to make a new ‘Ghost’ game, we wanted to maintain the core pillars established in ‘Ghost of Tsushima’: playing as

Meta’s messaging platform WhatsApp has begun rolling out an augmented reality feature for video call effects and filters. The latest WhatsApp Android 2.24.20.20 update will allow users to personalise their interactions with new visual tools, according to WABetaInfo . Users will now be able to integrate these visual effects into the camera while a new filter button has been introduced to the camera interface. The button will allow users to apply filters with just a tap to enhance photos and videos. It is to be noted that WhatsApp previously allowed these effects during video calls. With the latest feature, users will be able to quickly check out and go through filters, allowing for real-time adjustments before they snap their photos or record videos. WhatsApp users will also have the opportunity to minimise blemishes or uneven skin tones through the skin-smoothing options. Read more: How to clear WhatsApp storage space: A step-by-step guide Additionally, the messaging platform h

Nintendo has submitted a ‘mysterious’ device for approval with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ahead of the Switch 2 reveal. While the Kyoto-based gaming company is expected to release the Nintendo Switch 2 in April next year, it has been working on a device, the features and specifications of which remain a mystery, according to a report by Metro UK . However, reports said that Nintendo has listed it as a ‘wireless device,’ making it clear that it is not a console or controller. According to reports, the wireless device is square-shaped with curved corners while it is powered by a USB-C connection and lacks a battery. The device’s model number (CLO-001) suggests that it is a new product and has no relation with any other hardware of the company. Meanwhile, its documentation revealed that the device has a 24GHz mmWave sensor, used in smart devices to detect human presence or movement in a room. Reports said that the sensor could suggest providing gesture control for

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, developed by Ubisoft, is reportedly facing a delay after the publisher cancelled its press previews of the game. Reports said that the studio had planned to release the previews at the Tokyo Game Show where it was scheduled to appear. “We regret to inform you that due to various circumstances, we have decided to cancel our online participation in Tokyo Game Show 2024 which was scheduled to start at 3:00PM on September 26th,” Ubisoft stated in a statement. “We apologise for the short notice. We sincerely apologise to everyone who was looking forward to the broadcast,” the studio added. While the publisher has not revealed the reason driving its decision to pull out of the show, several reports said Assassin’s Creed Shadows press previews were scheduled to take place next week. Reports said that the press previews would have given the press the chance to play a snippet of the full game to get an idea of its story, open-world exploration, and different game

The World Health Organization warned Wednesday of a “sharp rise in problematic social media use” among Europe’s teens that it said is harming their mental health. The health body’s European branch also warned that over one in 10 adolescents were at “risk of problematic gaming.” Problematic use is defined as when young people present “addiction-like symptoms,” the WHO Europe said. “It’s clear we need immediate and sustained action to help adolescents turn the tide on potentially damaging social media use, which has been shown to lead to depression, bullying, anxiety, and poor academic performance,” WHO Europe director Hans Kluge said in a statement. Addiction-like symptoms include an inability to control use, neglecting other activities in favour of social media, or seeing negative consequences in everyday life as a result of excessive use. WHO’s European region comprises 53 countries and includes Central Asia. In 2022, 11 percent of adolescents (13 percent of girls and nine perc

Rockstar Games is likely to drop a major update for the last time in GTA Online as it gears up for the release of Grand Theft Auto 6. Released in 2013 after Grand Theft Auto 5 arrived on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the online iteration has been a popular stage for gamers amid the long wait for the sixth instalment. Rockstar Games has been dropping continuous updates for GTA Online over the years, including a fan favourite event during Christmas time. In the Christmas event, Los Santos is replaced with snow blizzards as players abandon gunfights and take up light-hearted snowball fights. However, Liam, a GTA 5 modder, has claimed that it might be the last time players enjoy the update in GTA Online. “This year will be the last Christmas in GTA Online,” he wrote in a post on X, as GTA 6 is set to arrive next year. Meanwhile, the sixth instalment in the Grand Theft Auto series is set to arrive in the Fall of 2025, as per official announcement Rockstar Games’s parent company Take-

Police officers and officials in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) on Tuesday were barred from expressing any opinions or sharing content on social media platforms without prior permission. According to an office memorandum issued by the Inspector General (IG) Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, officers were restrained from speaking at public forums in their official capacity, publishing articles in print media, or giving opinions or official statements across all social media platforms without prior permission. The directive prohibited making videos or taking pictures in police uniform within government premises, buildings, vehicles, or private places for personal publicity and glorification. “No officer or official shall upload any kind of secret or official documents, pictures, or content of such documents on social media,” the memorandum stated, further barring the sharing of personal, political, or religious views on any media platform. The IG said in the memorandum that official c

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) reprimanded Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) lawyer during a hearing of a plea against the ban on social media platform X. At the outset of the hearing, Chief Justice of Sindh High Court posed a critical question to the PTA’s lawyer: “Who instructed you to make a statement about lifting the ban on Twitter?” The PTA lawyer responded by stating that an affidavit had been submitted in court. However, the Chief Justice further inquired, “Who gave the directive to withdraw the notification regarding X’s ban?” The lawyer for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) explained that the instructions were issued due to a misunderstanding. The SHC, visibly surprised, questioned, “What was the misunderstanding? After hearing Moiz Jafri’s arguments, the notification was suddenly withdrawn.” Read more: X banned over failure to adhere to Pakistan’s ‘lawful directives’, IHC told The court reprimanded the PTA counsel, stating, “You are a lawyer;

Tech giant Apple is planning to unveil a revamped AI-powered Siri with its upcoming iOS 18.3 update in early 2025 months after launching the iPhone 16 series. Soon after the release of the new iPhone lineup, Apple is likely to debut its iOS 18.1 in October this year. The update will bring the first wave of Apple Intelligence, including a light Siri refresh, Writing Tools, Photos Clean Up, and Notification Summaries. The iOS 18.2 is expected to introduce Image Playground, Genmoji, as well as ChatGPT integration. However, iPhone users will have to wait till January 2025 when Apple is expected to roll out the iOS 18.3 update that will allow users to experience the AI-powered Siri. Announced during its Worldwide Developers’ Conference 2024 in June, Apple did not reveal the timeline for the rollout of the new version of Siri. However, reports have now emerged that the company is planning to integrate the new AI features into iOS 18.3 as early as January. With the update, the tech co

Rockstar Games is likely to bring back nostalgic content from the previous titles in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6. Prominent YouTuber @LegacyKillaHD, who regularly posts on the game, shared exciting news for fans who have played 2004’s San Andreas game. In a post on X, the YouTuber said that Rockstar Games is working to include the Basketball minigame in GTA 6. However, he said that the story mode of the game will be shorter than Red Dead Redemption 2. “Think I’m about done reporting GTA 6 stuff on here that I’ve heard or providing insight. One game I wish I didnt know so much about,” the YouTuber wrote in the post. According to LegacyKillaHD, Grand Theft Auto 6’s main story mode will be “shorter than Red Dead 2” and will include “the usual insanity in missions” while some will be inspired by the “Fast & Furious” movies. “Basketball minigame was worked on at the Toronto studio. It was on the chopping block at the end of 2023. Always the difficulty talking about a ga

In a move aimed at modernising the provincial administration, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has directed all departments to transition to a digital system. The decision was made during a session on e-governance, which the CM chaired recently. The IT secretary informed that a comprehensive e-system would be designed and presented to the CM for approval. This digital framework will also integrate the DC offices of various districts, streamlining administrative processes and improving service delivery. Notably, the Sukkur DC office has already been digitised, and its success is being closely monitored. CM Murad Ali Shah stressed that harnessing technology is crucial for good governance, ensuring transparency and accountability in administrative processes. This initiative aligns with the CM’s vision to transform Sindh into a digitally empowered province. By leveraging technology, the provincial government aims to enhance public services, reduce bureaucratic red tape, and prom

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan earned US $286.395 million by exporting different Information Technology (IT) services in various countries during the first month of the current fiscal year 2024-25, ARY News reported quoting PBS. This shows a growth of 33.84 per cent as compared with the US $ 213.980 million earned through the provision of services during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year 2023-24, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. During the month under review, the computer services grew by 44.14 per cent as it surged from US $172.680 million last year to US $248.899 million during July 2024. Among the computer services, the exports of software consultancy services witnessed an increase of 47.38 per cent, from US $58.425 million to US $86.103 million this year while the export of hardware consultancy services, however, decreased by 30.68 per cent, from US $0.440 million to US $0.350 million. The export of repair and maintenance services surged by 1302.14 per cen

Qualcomm has in recent days approached Intel to explore a potential acquisition of the troubled chipmaker, a source familiar with the situation said on Friday, in what could be a transformational deal in the sector but faces many hurdles. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon is personally involved in the negotiations to acquire five-decade-old Intel, according to the source who was briefed on the matter. Another person familiar with the situation said Amon has been actively examining various options for a deal for the company. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Qualcomm explored the possibility of acquiring portions of Intel’s design business and that its PC design unit was of particular interest. Qualcomm executives were examining Intel’s entire portfolio of businesses. The conversations with Intel are at an early stage. The San Diego-based company has not made a formal offer for Intel, according to third person familiar with the matter. The sources requested anonymity as the discu

Rockstar Games’ highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 has achieved an unwanted milestone even before its release in 2025. With Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of the publisher, announcing earlier this year that the upcoming title will arrive in the Fall of 2025, fans have been waiting for new media on the sixth title. Rockstar Games dropped the GTA 6 reveal trailer on December 4, 2023, and has since gone into silent mode regarding the development of the game. The studio or its parent company has released no new screenshots, trailers, or details on the sixth title of Grand Theft Auto. While rumours of a delay have been circulating in recent weeks, Take-Two Interactive reaffirmed the release window during an earnings call days earlier. Liam, a GTA 5 modder, claimed that Rockstar Games has decided on the early to mid-2026 release window based on the information provided by multiple developers working in the studio. According to Liam, PC gamers would get the game ar

Apple has officially launched the pre-order service for the highly anticipated iPhone 16 Pro and its other variants for customers. iPhone 16 Pro features a grade 5 titanium design with refined micro-blasted finish, 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR displays with thinner borders, splash, water, and dust resistant with Ceramic Shield material, Private Cloud Compute and Apple Intelligence for enhanced privacy, 48MP Fusion camera with second-generation quad-pixel sensor, and Powered by A18 Pro chip with faster Neural Engine, improved CPU and GPU. The iPhone 16 Pro is available in four storage variants: 128GB ($999), 256GB ($1,099), 512GB ($1,299), and 1TB ($1,499). Two year installment plans Apple offers flexible 24-month installment plans for all variants: iPhone 16 Pro 128GB: $41.62/month; iPhone 16 Pro 256GB: $45.79/month; iPhone 16 Pro 512GB: $54.12/month; iPhone 16 Pro 1TB: $62.45/month. Apple intelligence  Apple and technology companies around the world are racing to add

Features and specifications of Sony’s PlayStation 6 reportedly leaked online days after the company revealed the PS5 Pro. While Sony has only announced the PS5 Pro, its plans for its next-generation consoles have been extensively discussed in the gaming community. Now, an insider has claimed that Sony is planning to launch PS6 in two separate consoles, with one likely to be a handheld. According to insider Kepler, who previously leaked PS5 Pro specifications, Sony is developing two SoCs (systems on a chip) for PS6. His claim indicates that the next generation console will involve two different consoles. Read more: PlayStation 5 vs. PlayStation 5 Pro While Kepler did not confirm if the two consoles will be in a similar situation to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S or a ‘home console and handheld’, he suggested that ‘probably one of them will be affordable at least’. Ps6 has 2 SoCs in development according to Kepler by u/Hot-Cause-481 in GamingLeaksAndRumours Earlier, P

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature in its beta version for Mac, allowing users to access and follow channels directly from the desktop app. According to WABetaInfo, the update, available on TestFlight, rebrands the Status tab as “Updates,” integrating both status updates and channels. Previously, Mac users could only view limited channel updates through notifications due to lack of full support. With this update, users can now: View channels in the Updates tab Follow favorite channels Discover new content aligned with their interests The feature is part of WhatsApp’s transition from the Mac Electron app to the Mac Catalyst app, which is expected to be completed next month. However, users may encounter temporary issues, including: Channels followed on mobile not syncing with desktop Channel owners facing difficulties sharing updates from mobile devices These bugs are expected in the beta version and will be addressed in future updates. The channel feature on WhatsApp

WhatsApp, a messaging platform owned by Meta, has introduced a feature that will tell the user which chat is consuming more memory. Many users get worried or worried about WhatsApp memory being full, but now WhatsApp has made this problem easy for them. A large number of users are unaware of the hidden WhatsApp hacks that must be known. An easy way is to know who you have interacted with the most. The following lines describe the method of the new feature through which you can easily know who you have sent the most messages to on WhatsApp and which chats are using up the most of your phone’s memory. For this follow the following simple steps: 1. Open WhatsApp on your mobile phone. 2. Click on the three dots (Menu) in the upper right corner. 3. Go to “Settings”. 4. Select “Storage and Data”. 5. Then click on “Manage Storage”. Recently, Meta also announced its plans to roll out a feature to support third-party video and voice calls in 2027. Meanwhile, the tech giant has m

Apple has finally added native call recording and transcript features to iPhones with the iOS 18 update. Now, iPhone users can record calls directly on their phones, just like Android users.  The feature is backed right within the Phone app and users can start, pause and stop recording instantly during an ongoing call. If you are wondering how to record calls on iPhone, here’s a simple step-by-step guide for you. Step 1:  Just simply call someone on your iPhone. Step 2:  Once the call connects, tap the “Record” button on the top left corner of the call screen. Step 3:  A prompt will notify both parties, stating, “This call will be recorded.” Step 4:  You cannot skip the notification. If you do that then the recording will automatically stop. Read more: New iPhone 16 unveiled in Russia Step 5:  To stop recording, tap the “Stop” button. Step 6:  The transcript of the recording will be saved in the Notes app. Simply go to the Notes app. Then find a dedicated folder for “Call Rec