( MENAFN - IANS) Seoul, Dec 13 (IANS) South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics said on Friday it will launch an "extended reality" (XR) headset jointly developed with Alphabet's google and Qualcomm in global markets next year. The extended reality headset is part of wearable devices to be powered by the new version of Google's Android software -- called Android XR -- developed in tandem with Samsung. "The XR headset product will arrive in global markets sometime next year. No further details are available about the product for now," a company spokesperson said over the phone, reports Yonhap news agency. Extended Reality is a blanket term that refers to a range of virtual-, augmented- and mixed-reality technologies. The new headset, code-named Project Moohan, taken from the Korean word for "infinity," will have Google's Gemini chatbot built into its core, allowing users to control their apps with conversational commands and physical gestures. The Samsung headset is equipped with Qualcomm's XR2 Gen 2 chip for mixed-reality devices. Shahram Izadi, Google's vice president of XR, said Android XR has been developed as an open and integrated platform for headsets and smart glasses with screens embedded in their lenses. Google's smart glasses, built on Android XR, are also set to be launched, though the exact timeframe has yet to be decided. Google's new operating system and the Samsung-built headset are expected to challenge Apple's Vision Pro headset and Meta Platforms' smart glasses and virtual reality headsets. Meanwhile, Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong expressed his commitment to joining the international community's efforts for safe, innovative and inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) technology at a global summit, the company said. "Beyond impacting industrial innovation and economic growth, AI is fundamentally changing the way we live, work and interact with the world," Lee said in a video conference during the leaders' session of the AI Seoul Summit the previous day, according to Samsung. -IANS na/ MENAFN12122024000231011071ID1108988682 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Pakistani police have arrested more than 4,000 supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan ahead of a planned rally in the capital, Islamabad, to demand his release, a security official said Sunday (November 24). Khan, who has been imprisoned for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases, remains a popular figure in Pakistan. His political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claims the charges are politically motivated. Shahid Nawaz, a security officer in Punjab province, confirmed the arrests, which include five parliamentarians. Authorities have sealed off Islamabad with shipping containers and closed major roads linking the city to PTI strongholds in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Clashes erupted Sunday between police and PTI supporters along the Punjab-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border, with reports of tit-for-tat tear gas exchanges. In a bid to disrupt communications, Pakistan suspended mobile data services in “security-sensitive areas.” The Interior Ministry announced the suspension on X, the social media platform banned in the country, but did not specify the affected areas or the duration of the shutdown. Telecom company Nayatel encouraged customers to use landline services as a workaround. PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, was en route to Islamabad in a convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur. “She cannot leave the party workers on their own,” Akram said. In Peshawar, a festive atmosphere prevailed as PTI supporters danced, played drums, and displayed Khan’s pictures while caravans headed toward the capital. Internet advocacy group NetBlocks reported issues with messaging app WhatsApp, widely used by Khan’s supporters for event coordination and information sharing. The government has previously used similar tactics, including last month’s cellphone shutdown in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, to thwart pro-Khan rallies. The move disrupted banking, ride-hailing, and food delivery services, drawing public criticism. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said Islamabad’s Red Zone, which houses key government buildings, has been sealed off. “Anyone reaching it will be arrested,” Naqvi told reporters, blaming PTI for disrupting public life and businesses. According to Geo News, protests by Imran Khan’s PTI party have incurred over PKR 2.7 billion from government coffers over the past 18 months. This includes the cost of destruction of public and private property. With inputs from AP

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Health Secretary Wes Streeting has admitted that a fateful Labour decision helped Bashar Al-Assad maintain power and go on to kill hundreds of thousands of his own people. Streeting made the admission on BBC ’s Question Time in response to criticism by Piers Morgan of the country’s failure to commit to military intervention in 2013 after the coalition government led by David Cameron sought the support of the House of Commons to do so. The motion was strongly opposed by Labour, led by Ed Miliband , and Streeting admitted: “With hindsight, I think we can say, looking back on the events of 2013, that the hesitation of this country and the United States created a vacuum that Russia moved into and kept Assad in power for much longer.” The west had been spurred into taking military action after the Syrian dictator used chemical weapons on his own people, something that US president Barack Obama had previously warned would be a red line that would force him to commit troops. Prime Minister David Cameron sought the support of the house to partner with the US in taking action against Assad but lost the vote 285-272 after significant opposition from the Labour party led by Ed Miliband. Speaking at the time, Miliband expressed his desire for the UK to learn from the lessons of intervention in Iraq. He said: “People are deeply concerned about the chemical weapons attacks in Syria, but they want us to learn the lessons of Iraq. “They don't want a rush to war. They want things done in the right way, working with the international community.” He added: “Britain doesn't need reckless and impulsive leadership, it needs calm and measured leadership.” Many believe that action could have removed Assad from power 11 years earlier than the rebels who forced him from Damascus this weekend. Britain’s failure to act led to impotence amongst western allies, with neither the US or France going through with their intention to take military action. Instead, supported by Russian airstrikes and Iranian backed fighters , Assad was able to maintain his iron grip on the country which saw thousands locked up without charge and hundreds of thousands killed as a result of action by his forces. The war led to a refugee crisis across Europe as thousands sought refuge from the country placing significant burden on many countries with an already stressed asylum system. The influx of refugees escaping war and persecution caused a political reckoning in the years to come, with over a million Syrians arriving in Europe in 2015, causing a migration crisis which saw division domestically and between EU allies. Russia ’s prolonged involvement in Ukraine and Iran’s proxy-conflict with Israel saw the support Assad relied upon drain away. Rebel advances, helped in large part by Turkey, saw the capitulation of the Syrian army in recent weeks culminating in the fall of Damascus, forcing Assad and his family to flee to Moscow.

Lucknow, Dec 23 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that at a time when many countries are at war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is binding the world in the thread of peace, harmony and unity through the message of Lord Buddha. Welcoming a delegation led by Governor of Japan’s Yamanashi Province Kotaro Nagasaki at his official residence here, Adityanath described UP as a state of “Unlimited Potential”. An MoU was signed between the Uttar Pradesh government and Yamanashi Prefecture (Japan) for industrial cooperation, tourism and vocational education in the presence. “The roots of strategic, cultural and global cooperation have been connected between the two countries for more than a millennium. Today, when many countries of the world are at war, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is binding the world in the thread of peace, harmony and unity through the message of Lord Buddha,” Adityanath said. “The strong relations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister of Japan, late Shinzo Abe, have also taken the political, economic and business relations of India-Japan to new heights,” he said. “The state government is keen to cooperate with Japanese companies. Japan also provided great support as a partner country for the Global Investors Summit-2023,” Adityanath said. On behalf of the state government, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Director General of the Governor’s Policy Planning Bureau of Yamanashi Province Junichi Ishidera exchanged the MoU, the UP government said in a statement. Adityanath said the MoU is a result of the prime minister’s commitment to work together with the Quad countries for humanity on the basis of shared democratic values. Currently, more than 1,400 Japanese companies are operating in India, including seven major firms — Mitsui Technologies, Honda Motors, Yamaha Motors, Denso, Toyodrunk, Nissin ABC Logistics, Sekisui DLJM Molding — operating in Uttar Pradesh. Economic co-operation between India and Japan is very rich, he said, and added that bilateral trade between the two countries has been USD 22.854 billion in the financial year 2023-24. During this period, USD 17.69 billion was exported from Japan to India and USD 5.15 billion was imported. Adityanath told the Japanese delegation that Uttar Pradesh is getting a new identity as an ‘expressway state’. After the construction of the Ganga Expressway, Uttar Pradesh will have 55 per cent share in the total expressways of the country. At present, five expressways of a total length of 1,130 km are operational, he said. The UP CM said that in the electronics and IT/ITES sector, Uttar Pradesh has the distinction of contributing about 45 per cent of India’s total mobile manufacturing. About 55 per cent of India’s mobile components are manufactured here. About 26 per cent of India’s mobile manufacturers are active in Uttar Pradesh and more than 200 ESDM companies are located in the state. The state government is developing clusters for semi-conductor manufacturing and fab-units. Apart from this, Uttar Pradesh is rapidly emerging as the main hub of data centers in India, he said. On this occasion, Governor Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan, Kotaro Nagasaki said there have been spiritual and historical relations between Yamanashi Prefecture and Uttar Pradesh. Expressing happiness over the MoU, he said that Japan will provide mutual cooperation in labour skilled development, renewable energy, hydro power, exchange of knowledge and technology. He told the chief minister that “Japan is your second home”, the statement said, adding Adityanath also spoke a few lines in Japanese. Later, in a post on X, Adityanath said, “Had a productive meeting and fruitful discussion with Mr. Kotaro Nagasaki, Hon. Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, and his delegation at my official residence in Lucknow today.” “An MoU was signed between Uttar Pradesh and Yamanashi to promote collaboration in industrial cooperation, tourism, and the vocational education sector. Looking forward to exploring new opportunities for economic and cultural exchange together,” he said. PTI NAV/MAN TIR TIR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

In response to an ultimatum from the Pinellas County (Fla.) Commission last week, Tampa Bay Rays ownership said in a letter Monday that its deal to build a new $1.3 billion ballpark is still "in effect." The letter was the latest salvo in a verbal back-and-forth between the MLB franchise and the county. Rays presidents Brian Auld and Matt Silverman wrote to the County Commission on Nov. 19 and suggested the team would not agree to a deal for a new stadium. The Rays claimed they had spent more than $50 million toward building that new stadium, but the county had allegedly "suspended work on the entire project," making its targeted 2028 opening unfeasible. Last Monday, Pinellas County Court Commission Chairperson Kathleen Peters replied in a letter to Auld and Silverman requesting they declare by Dec. 1 whether they are in or out. "In response to your question regarding the status of the various agreements, they are in effect until a party terminates or outside dates are reached," Silverman responded Monday, with Dec. 1 now past. "The Rays have fulfilled its obligations to date and continue to wait for decisions and actions by the City of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County." "We would not have gone forward with the project if a future Pinellas County Commission had the ability to revoke the approval we all celebrated in July or to unilaterally delay the project's completion into 2029." Silverman also fired back at Peters for bringing up a conversation Auld had with Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott last month, prompting the county to allege that Auld was not committed to following through on the project. "The conversation primarily concerned the near-term challenges to our business given the damage to Tropicana Field as well as the dynamics related to the location of our home games in 2025," Silverman wrote Monday. "Brian Auld did not waver from our commitment to the new ballpark project." It is unclear how the county will proceed. The Pinellas County Commission already voted 6-1 last month to put off its final decision on whether to approve bonds until Dec. 17. Regardless of what happens in the Rays' long-term planning, the club will not play its 2025 home games in St. Petersburg after Tropicana Field was heavily damaged by Hurricane Milton in early October. The team will instead welcome opponents to Tampa's George M. Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. --Field Level Media

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NoneAs should be expected of the participation-trophy crowd, when the going got tough on social media platform X, the left fled with its tail tucked between its legs. To offer the left a shred of fairness, sure, things did get tough for them following President-elect Donald Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory — especially on X. And in response to the well-deserved gloating from conservatives, Republicans and MAGA alike, many members of the left have ditched the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, who is co-head of Trump’s newly minted . While the general surely saw them migrating to your Instagrams or your TikToks, no other social media platform appeared to benefit from the X exodus more than neophyte platform Bluesky — a Twitter/X clone in just about every way imaginable. Look at the way crowed about this. “#Xodus: Bluesky Hits 20M Users as People Continue to Flee X,” the left-leaning entertainment outlet extolled. Indeed, according to the Reporter, the numbers are undeniable. Bluesky has hit 20 million users, even gaining a million users a day during its peak growth period. The platform saw just six million users as recently as August, 11 million in late October, and 15 million as of Nov. 15. (For comparison’s sake, in early September, Elon Musk that X had 907 million unique visitors and 4.3 billion total visits to the platform the previous month.) Bluesky truly appears to be a haven for blue donkeys, and the numbers attest to that. But there are other numbers that are undeniable, as well, courtesy of Bluesky itself. In the past 24 hours, we have received more than 42,000 reports (an all-time high for one day). We’re receiving about 3,000 reports/hour. To put that into context, in all of 2023, we received 360k reports. We’re triaging this large queue so the most harmful content such as CSAM is removed quickly. — Bluesky Safety ( ) “In the past 24 hours, we have received more than 42,000 reports (an all-time high for one day),” the Bluesky Safety team posted to its platform on Nov. 15. “We’re receiving about 3,000 reports/hour. “To put that into context, in all of 2023, we received 360k reports.” Of particularly notable concern, the safety team added: “We’re triaging this large queue so the most harmful content such as [child sexual abuse material] is removed quickly.” To say nothing of the CSAM content, that whole post is a bit telling, no? A public square is flooded by whiny leftists, and complaints exponentially skyrocket? That should tell you everything you need to know about the modern left in a nutshell. Leftism, at its core, is about division, and that’s why it just doesn’t work. Oh sure, it pretends to be all-inclusive, but inclusivity is the antithesis of intersectionality, and the latter is the primary currency of the left. You’re not black enough, you’re not the right sort of Asian, whatever “LatinX” was ... there’s going to be some aggrieved party within leftist ideology. The entire scam crumbles on itself the instant two parties are treated like true equals. This obviously isn’t to say X doesn’t have content moderation issues of its own (the platform is inundated with porn bots and dubious advertising), but at least it treats its users like adults on a level playing field. Community Notes are an equalizer, not a hall monitor, and add just enough law to an otherwise wild-west social media platform. If you can’t compete with your ideas in that forum, that says far more about you than the platform. Look, Bluesky may very well end up as the premiere social media platform one day. It’s just not going to happen anytime soon, if the best thing the space is known for is that it’s where all the leftist Karens hang out. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. .

To lure Juan Soto, Mets created a video of his statue outside Citi Field next to Tom Seaver'sHigh-rolling investors have positioned themselves bullish on Pfizer PFE , and it's important for retail traders to take note.\This activity came to our attention today through Benzinga's tracking of publicly available options data. The identities of these investors are uncertain, but such a significant move in PFE often signals that someone has privileged information. Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 9 options trades for Pfizer. This is not a typical pattern. The sentiment among these major traders is split, with 55% bullish and 44% bearish. Among all the options we identified, there was one put, amounting to $28,350, and 8 calls, totaling $607,915. Projected Price Targets Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $15.0 to $27.5 for Pfizer over the last 3 months. Volume & Open Interest Trends Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Pfizer's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Pfizer's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $15.0 to $27.5 over the preceding 30 days. Pfizer Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days Biggest Options Spotted: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume PFE CALL SWEEP BULLISH 02/21/25 $0.77 $0.74 $0.77 $27.00 $226.0K 18.6K 3.0K PFE CALL TRADE BULLISH 07/18/25 $4.85 $4.85 $4.85 $22.00 $96.9K 4 300 PFE CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/17/25 $6.5 $6.4 $6.47 $20.00 $64.7K 3.5K 100 PFE CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/15/27 $11.55 $11.2 $11.43 $15.00 $57.1K 338 50 PFE CALL SWEEP BULLISH 01/17/25 $1.67 $1.64 $1.67 $25.00 $49.9K 44.0K 372 About Pfizer Pfizer is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical firms, with annual sales close to $50 billion (excluding covid-19-related product sales). While it historically sold many types of healthcare products and chemicals, now prescription drugs and vaccines account for the majority of sales. Top sellers include pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar 13, cancer drug Ibrance, and cardiovascular treatment Eliquis. Pfizer sells these products globally, with international sales representing close to 50% of total sales. Within international sales, emerging markets are a major contributor. After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Pfizer, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance. Present Market Standing of Pfizer Currently trading with a volume of 15,591,857, the PFE's price is up by 0.74%, now at $26.55. RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching overbought. Anticipated earnings release is in 43 days. Expert Opinions on Pfizer 3 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $31.333333333333332. Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days? 20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. Click here for access .* Reflecting concerns, an analyst from B of A Securities lowers its rating to Neutral with a new price target of $29.* An analyst from Guggenheim has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Pfizer, which currently sits at a price target of $33. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Truist Securities keeps a Buy rating on Pfizer with a target price of $32. Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Pfizer with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The United Nations raised the death toll of a recent massacre in which dozens of older people and Vodou religious leaders were killed by a gang in Haiti, and called on officials to bring the perpetrators to justice. The U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti said in a report published on Monday that between Dec. 6 and 11 more than 207 people were killed by the Wharf Jeremie gang. The gang took people from their homes and from a place of worship, interrogated them and then executed them with bullets and machetes. Earlier this month, human rights groups in Haiti had estimated that more than 100 people were killed in the massacre, but the new U.N. investigation doubles the number of victims. “We cannot pretend that nothing happened” said María Isabel Salvador, the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative in Haiti. “I call on the Haitian justice system to thoroughly investigate these horrific crimes and arrest and punish the perpetrators, as well as those who support them," she said in a statement. Human rights groups in Haiti said the massacre began after the son of Micanor Altès, the leader of the Wharf Jeremie gang, died from an illness. The Cooperative for Peace and Development, a human rights group, said that according to information circulating in the community, Altès accused people in the neighborhood of causing his son’s illness. “He decided to cruelly punish all elderly people and (Vodou) practitioners who, in his imagination, would be capable of casting a bad spell on his son,” the group said in a statement released shortly after news of the massacre emerged. In Monday's report, the United Nations said that people were tracked down in their homes and in a place of worship by Altès’ gang, where they were first interrogated and then taken to an execution site. The United Nations said that the gang tried to erase evidence of the killings by burning bodies, or by dismembering them and throwing them into the sea. The massacre is the latest humanitarian tragedy in Haiti, where gang violence has intensified since the nation’s president was killed in a 2021 coup attempt . Haiti has struggled to organize an election that will fill the power vacuum and restore democratic rule. The Caribbean nation is currently governed by a transitional council that includes representatives from the business community, civil society and political parties, but its government has no control over many areas of the capital city, and gangs are constantly fighting over ports, highways and neighborhoods. According to the United Nations, more than 5,350 people have been killed in Haiti’s gang wars this year. The Haitian government acknowledged the massacre against older people in a statement issued earlier this month, and promised to persecute those responsible for this act of “unspeakable carnage.”