Leaked Pak Suzuki Data Allegedly Up For Sale On Dark Web:
A threat actor has allegedly auctioned off corporate data belonging to Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSX: PSMC) for sale on the dark web. The entire amount of data is allegedly 447.5 GB (without compression) and includes finance, accounting, HR/employee, IT, compliance, and administrative documents. “On April 9, 2024, we came to know that our corporate data has been leaked due to a cyber-attack. Initial investigations suggest that data related to HR, Financials, etc., from the server, has been ported out to public IP,” PSMC told the Pakistan Stock Exchange earlier today.
Samsung Confirms Galaxy AI Features for Older Phones and Tablets:
After debuting with the S24 series, Galaxy AI expanded its reach when Samsung extended it to the 2023 flagship lineup, benefiting approximately 100 million users with its AI capabilities. Now, Samsung has officially announced plans to provide updates to its 2022 flagship devices, including phones, foldables, and tablets. As part of the One UI 6.1 update, Galaxy AI is set to make its debut on these devices, offering a comprehensive array of features: Circle to Search with Google, Chat Assist, Interpreter, Live Translate, Note Assist, Transcript Assist, Browsing Assist, Generative Edit, Edit Suggestion, and AI-Generated Wallpaper.
Realme’s New P Series Becomes Official With P1 and P1 Pro:
Realme’s first phones in its P series have become official starting with the P1 and P1 Pro, both of which share similar specifications. This includes 120Hz AMOLED screens, 50MP primary cameras, and 5,000 mAh batteries with 45W fast charging. But while the vanilla P1 has a flat 6.7-inch panel, the P1 Pro opts for a curved screen with smaller bezels. Both phones can hit a maximum HDR brightness of 2000 nits and have a 16MP selfie camera. The two phones are also different in terms of chipset choice. The Realme P1 has a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC and the P1 Pro features a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB/256 GB storage. The regular P1 has the same storage options but offers a cheaper 6 GB RAM variant alongside the 8 GB option.
Huawei Mate 70 Could Launch in October With Faster Kirin Chip, Better Camera, and More:
Huawei has officially rebranded its P series of flagships to “Pura” and its first phones are expected to be called Pura 70. Alongside Pura phones, Huawei is also working on its next Mate series handsets which are rumored to launch in October. Huawei Mate 70 is expected to bring improvements across the board including a faster in-house Kirin SoC, better cameras, and more. Although details about this upcoming Kirin chipset are unknown, we can expect it to be the best Huawei has to offer given the company’s recent efforts to bring back its high-end hardware.
Leak: Motorola Razr 2024 is Launching Soon:
While Motorola is working on releasing its Edge 50 series of smartphones around the globe, it also has other smartphones in its pipeline including its next foldable, the Moto Razr Plus 2024, as seen in recent certifications. The next Motorola foldable has bagged China’s Radio Certification with the model number XT2453-2. It does not reveal much information about the phone, but at least we know it is ready to launch soon in China. Since it is a Moto Razr “Plus”, it means there is also going to be a cheaper version of the foldable featuring a lower price tag. There is currently no information on this affordable version for now.
Vivo to Launch The Slimmest Big Battery Phone on April 17:
Vivo has been busy teasing a new budget phone for the Indian market called the T3x 5G. Knowing Vivo, the phone will likely break cover under multiple confusing names in different markets after India. The Vivo T3x 5G is going to have a massive 6,000 mAh battery cell, but it is also going to be the slimmest phone with that big of a battery, with a mere thickness of 7.99mm. Other than that, Vivo has so far revealed the phone’s design, memory options, color variants, chipset, and even the price. The T3x is going to land in India for less than $180, which puts it in the same category as the Galaxy M15 as well as the Galaxy F15 5G, which are the only two phones in India with 6,000 mAh batteries.
Samsung Becomes The Biggest Smartphone Seller Again Beating Apple in Q1 2024:
Apple briefly took the top spot from Samsung in terms of smartphone shipments in Q4 2023, but Samsung has been quick to reclaim its crown in the first quarter of 2024 with an uptick, according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC). In the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24), global smartphone shipments surged by 7.8% year over year, reaching a staggering 289.4 million units, as per preliminary insights from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
National Incubation Centre Islamabad Announces New Partner Network
National Incubation Centre (NIC) Islamabad is thrilled to unveil its new partner network. This announcement marks a pivotal moment for startups looking at NIC Islamabad as their entrepreneurial launchpad. Supported by the Ignite Fund and operating under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MOITT), NIC Islamabad has emerged as a dynamic force propelling startups to success and driving innovation in local and global markets. As they embark on a journey of growth and transformation, NIC Islamabad proudly presents its consortium of partners, ushering in an era of unmatched entrepreneurial opportunities and breakthroughs.
Ministry of IT Initiates Process for Hiring New PSEB CEO:
The Ministry of IT and Telecom has initiated the search for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB). The move comes after the previous CEO, Ali Raza, stepped down in October 2023, leaving the position vacant for several months. The official announcement formally invites applications for the coveted role. The MoITT has outlined criteria, the applicants must have a relevant degree in computer science, IT engineering, business administration, or a related field.
Club owner had to explain football to billionaires:
The owner of a non-league football club has said he had to explain the English game to a pair of American cryptocurrency investors who have injected $4.5m (about £3.6m) into the club. Podcaster Peter McCormack met Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in 2021 and told them about his plan to buy Real Bedford FC, his local team. He recalled: “Tyler and Cameron didn’t know the difference between the Football League and the Premier League “Tyler’s first question back was, ‘How do you get a team into the Premier League?’ I went away and came up with a plan and presented it back to them after two years of running the club.”
Tesla lays off more than 10% of its workforce:
Tesla will lay off more than 10% of its global electric vehicle workforce. In a memo, first reported by news website Electrek, billionaire owner Elon Musk told staff there was nothing he hated more, “but it must be done”. The world’s largest vehicle-maker by market value had 140,473 employees globally as of December, according to its latest annual report. Tesla has not responded to the Media’s request for comment. “We have done a thorough review of the organisation and made the difficult decision to reduce our headcount by more than 10% globally,” said the email from Mr Musk.
Stonehenge research explores possible Moon connection:
Researchers are investigating whether Stonehenge aligns with the positions of the Moon, as well as the Sun. English Heritage and experts from other organisations are studying the connection between the ancient monument and a major lunar standstill, which happens every 18.6 years. The term refers to the point when moonrise and moonset are furthest apart along the horizon, and next takes place in 2024-25. The theory is that these lunar movements might have been noticed in the early phase of Stonehenge and gone on to influence its later design.
Mercury: The Solar System’s smallest planet may once have been as large as Earth:
From its “absurd” core to the baffling chemical composition of its surface, Mercury is full of surprises – not least the planet’s origins. But some answers could be held in rocks found in Cyprus. Curiosity has killed many an explorer, and Nicola Mari feared he was to be the next. Driving around Cyprus’s remotest mountains, Mari had relied on his cell phone for directions. But as the light of the day faded, so did his phone battery – and he found himself stuck in the middle of nowhere with little idea of the way back to his lodgings. “I’d travelled for more than 50km (31 miles) without seeing another vehicle,” he says. He thought he could remember the way to an inn, where he might refill his stomach, engine, and phone battery – but having arrived there, he found it was deserted. A lucky turn eventually led him to another establishment, but he admits to fearing for his life on those lonely mountain roads. “I made some bad calculations,” he says.
Sweden has long opposed nuclear weapons – but it once tried to build them:
In the years after World War Two, neutral, peace-loving Sweden embarked on an ambitious plan – build its own atomic bomb. Sweden hasn’t fought a war since 1814. But for more than 20 years after the end of World War Two, this formerly neutral northern European country pursued a plan to equip its military with the ultimate weapon, the atomic bomb. The government finally shut the programme down in 1968 after a long public debate. Sweden thereby joined a unique club of nations – which includes Switzerland, Ukraine and South Africa – who gave up their nuclear weapons programmes and showed the world that nuclear disarmament was possible. The extent of Sweden’s nuclear programme was “uncomfortable” for politicians keen to burnish the country’s new anti-nuclear credentials, until journalist Christer Larsson discovered the truth in 1985 and forced the nation to confront its secret nuclear history. The veil of secrecy around the history of the programme fuelled speculation that Sweden still had a top-secret plan to build its own nuclear weapons.
Billionaire twins invest in ninth-tier football club:
A non-league football club has received an injection of $4.5m (about £3.6m) from a pair of cryptocurrency investors. Real Bedford FC (RBFC) received the Bitcoin investment from Winklevoss Capital, an investment firm owned by Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. Podcaster Peter McCormack bought the side, currently in the ninth tier of English football, in 2021 with the goal of turning it into a Premier League club. Following the investment the twins will assume the role of co-owners of the club alongside the cryptocurrency podcaster.
Why some animals get agitated during a solar eclipse:
Humans experience awe in the face of solar eclipses – but how do the other members of the animal kingdom feel when the day briefly turns to night?
On very special occasions, when the conditions perfectly align, the Moon conceals the Sun and blackness sweeps across the sky. Although total solar eclipses only last for a few fleeting moments, they can have profound effects on humans, inspiring feelings of awe and wonder. But it’s harder to predict how animals will respond when they are plunged into darkness in the daytime. Animals rely on a 24-hour biological clock, known as their circadian rhythms, to control daily behaviours such as sleeping, foraging and hunting. The way eclipses disrupt these ingrained routines is relatively unexplored, as cosmic events are such rare phenomena – occurring in any given place roughly once every 400 years – and also, because not all animals react the same. “[Light] is such a huge cue that affects everything from plants to animals. As biologists we can’t turn off the Sun but every now and then, nature turns it off for us,” says Cecilia Nilsson, a behavioural ecologist at Lund University in Sweden.
My battle with Tesla: I want to clear my name before I die:
A Tesla whistleblower who has battled Elon Musk and his company through the courts for a decade tells Media News she is still seeking a public apology. No other interview about a tech giant has made me cry. But towards the end of our Zoom call, when former Tesla engineer Cristina Balan dramatically removes her wig and tearfully tells me she has just finished breast-cancer treatment – and is now fighting, as a single mother, for both her life and her reputation, it’s impossible not to feel her emotion. “I want to clear my name. I wish Elon Musk had the decency to apologise,” is her message to the company’s billionaire boss. Ms Balan has been waiting a long time. Until 2014, she was a rising star within the electric-car company in the US. In tribute to her engineering expertise, Ms Balan’s initials were engraved into all early Tesla Model S batteries. And she proudly shows off a battery shell on camera. Ms Balan recalls chatting to Mr Musk in the lunch queue at the staff canteen and says she was happy and successful – living her dream, after growing up in Romania with a lifelong passion for cars.
UK competition watchdog has ‘real concerns’ over big tech AI dominance:
Big tech’s dominance of the rapidly developing artificial intelligence (AI) market is a matter of “real concern”, the competition regulator has warned. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is looking into the new breed of powerful AI tools – foundation models. They include text and image generators, such as ChatGPT. The CMA found an “interconnected web” of AI partnerships involving the same firms: Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and chip-maker Nvidia. “When we started this work, we were curious. Now, with a deeper understanding and having watched developments very closely, we have real concerns,” Sarah Cardell, the chief executive of the CMA said. “The essential challenge we face is how to harness this immensely exciting technology for the benefit of all, while safeguarding against potential exploitation of market power and unintended consequences.” Ms Cardell delivered the warning in a speech on Thursday in Washington.
Instagram to test new tools to fight so-called sextortion:
Instagram will start testing new tools within weeks to fight “sextortion”, a form of blackmail involving intimate pictures sent online. The tools include “nudity protection”, which blurs naked images in direct messages. It will be turned on by default for under-18s. Pop-ups directing potential victims to support will also be trialled. Governments around the world have warned of the increasing threat to young people from sextortion. It often involves victims being sent a nude picture, before being invited to send their own in return – only to then be threatened that the image will be shared publicly unless they give in to the blackmailer’s demands, On Wednesday, two Nigerian men pleaded guilty to sexually extorting teenage boys and young men in the US, including one who took his own life. The offence has also recently been linked to the suicide of a teenager in Australia. There are also harrowing cases of paedophiles using sextortion to coerce and abuse children.
Apple sparks Palestinian flag emoji controversy:
Apple has been criticised after the Palestinian flag emoji was automatically suggested to iPhone users who type “Jerusalem.” Both Israel and the Palestinians hold competing claims to the ancient city. TV presenter Rachel Riley, who is Jewish, noted on social media that national flags were not suggested for other capitals. Apple has told the Media that the change – which followed a recent software update – was not intentional. The issue will be remedied in a future software update, Apple says, but it is not known how rapidly this will happen. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Ms Riley demanded that Apple explain what had happened. “Showing double standards with respect to Israel is a form of antisemitism”, she argued.