Facebook says Russia-linked posts reached 126 million users during 2016 U.S. election

An estimated 126 million Americans, roughly one-third of the nation’s population, received Russian-backed content on Facebook during the 2016 campaign, according to prepared testimony the company submitted Monday to the Senate Judiciary Committee and obtained by NBC News.

Underscoring how widely content on the social media platform can spread, Facebook says in the testimony that while some 29 million Americans directly received material from 80,000 posts by 120 fake Russian-backed pages in their own news feeds, those posts were “shared, liked and followed by people on Facebook, and, as a result, three times more people may have been exposed to a story that originated from the Russian operation.”

Facebook: 80,000 Russian-Backed Ads Potentially Reached A Third of All Americans 1:07

The testimony by Facebook's general counsel, Colin Stretch, was submitted to the Judiciary Committee ahead of a hearing on Tuesday with executives from Facebook, Google and Twitter. The hearing is part of the congressional inquiry into Russia’s use of these platforms to try to influence last year’s U.S. presidential election.

Posts from Russian-backed Facebook accounts from January 2015 to August 2017, by Facebook’s estimation, reached potentially half of the 250 million Americans who are eligible to vote. None of the 80,000 posts generated by fake Russian-backed pages includes the 3,000 Facebook advertisements purchased by Russian entities, according to a person familiar with the issue.

The shared content that Facebook estimates reached 126 million Americans was likely hard, if not impossible, for users of the social media platform to identify as originating from Russia.

Original Tweets from Sept 1 to Nov 15, 2016 Twitter

Twitter also revealed Russian-backed entities played a larger role than previously disclosed. Two sources told NBC News Monday that the company found 36,746 automated accounts — or bots — that were linked to Russia between September 1 and November 15, 2016. The accounts tweeted 1.4 million times and were seen 288 million times.

According to prepared testimony, Twitter acting general counsel Sean Edgett plans to tell Congress these "Russian-linked, automated accounts constituted less than three quarters of a percent (0.74%) of the overall election-related tweets on Twitter at the time."

Twitter also found 2,752 accounts associated with the Russia-run Internet Research Agency, up from the 201 the company originally disclosed. The company has suspended all 2,752 accounts and is "proactively giving committee investigators the handles of these accounts."

Facebook's Sandberg: Things Happened on Our Platform This Election That Shouldn't Have 1:47

Stretch, in his prepared testimony, seeks to play down the significance of that level of exposure to content from Russian-backed accounts.

“Our best estimate is that approximately 126 million people may have been served one of their stories at some point during the two-year period,” Stretch says in prepared testimony. “This equals about four-thousandths of one percent (0.004%) of content in News Feed, or approximately 1 out of 23,000 pieces of content.”

The person familiar with the issue said: “Put another way, if each of these posts were a commercial on television, you'd have to watch more than 600 hours of television to see something from” the Russia-backed posts.

Impressions on Election-Related Tweets Twitter

Dave Karpf, a professor of media and technology at George Washington University, said the reach of the Russian-backed content is problematic but is unlikely to have affected the outcome of the election.

“It is a problem in that this is evidence that foreign nationals actively attempted to impact our election and they did manage to reach 126 million with messages,” Karpf said. “It’s going to be important for Facebook and Google and Twitter to get a handle on this stuff before the next election, hopefully with the help from our regulators, but what we should avoid is thinking, ‘Wow, 126 million people were duped into voting for Trump.’”

Facebook has said the Russian-backed entities violated the company’s policies because, Stretch says in his prepared testimony, they “came from a set of coordinated, inauthentic accounts.”

“We shut these accounts down and began trying to understand how they misused our platform,” the testimony says.

Stretch’s testimony also says that Facebook tried to mitigate threats “from actors with ties to Russia” by reporting them to U.S. law enforcement, including accounts belonging to a group the U.S. has linked to Russian military intelligence services. Stretch says that group, APT28, also created “fake personas that were then used to seed stolen information to journalists” and that those were “organized under the banner of an organization that called itself DC Leaks” whose accounts Facebook later removed.

He also plans to testify that Facebook has taken lessons from the 2016 campaign and applied them to identify fake accounts ahead of the French and German elections this year

China's Xi Jinping meets Facebook's Zuckerberg, Apple CEO in Beijing

China will firmly stick to the basic national policy of opening-up and pursue win-win cooperation while safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security and development interests, President Xi Jinping said on Monday.

Xi made the remark while meeting with members of the Advisory Board of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The members include foreign and Chinese entrepreneurs, academics and former officials.

It was Xi's first meeting with foreigners after his re-election as general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee at the First Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee last week.

Xi told the members that the recently concluded 19th National Congress of the CPC had great significance, boosting Chinese people's confidence of continuing with the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Saying that China is deepening overall reform with unprecedented determination and force, Xi vowed to continue to promote reform and opening-up.

China has not only benefited from but also contributed to economic globalization, Xi said, adding that China's development means opportunities for the world.

China will not seek to take advantage of other countries but will pursue win-win cooperation, Xi said, while pledging to take more measures to boost opening-up.

The president pointed out that China sticks to the path of peaceful development, proactively participating in the reform and construction of the global governance system, and pushes to build a community of a shared future for mankind.

Xi also highlighted the importance of education, saying that China's education system aims to train builders and inheritors of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Commenting that he is looking forward to the upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Xi said China would like to make joint efforts with the U.S. to take each other's interests and concerns into consideration, dissolve disputes and contradictions, and engage in win-win cooperation.

During the meeting, some members of the board made speeches to express confidence in the Chinese economy and extended congratulations to the Party's 19th National Congress.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc, said at the meeting that Apple looks forward to "continuing to be in China and working together on a very prosperous future".

"Innovation and technology come from openness and collaboration. I'd like to strongly encourage China to continue to open wider to the outside world," he said.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, said that boosting connections will create economic opportunities, just like what the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has brought to the world.

"Like the supply-side structural reform that you are working on, we know that when it's easier for businesses to connect their customers on the internet, that enables the creation of new entrepreneurship, innovation and development, and improves the life of everyone," he told Xi.

Apple’s Tim Cook and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, state media said on Tuesday, as the Communist Party pushes for a larger role in private firms.

The meeting came days after Xi secured his position as China’s most powerful leader since Mao and as Facebook seeks to gain entry to the massive market.

“As a beneficiary of and contributor to economic globalisation, China’s development is the opportunity for the world,” Xi told the annual gathering of advisers to Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Under Xi, the Communist Party has increasingly tightened its grip on state-owned companies and has asked foreign firms to include party cells in their offices.

The move has raised concerns that the party might try to create alternative power structures within companies and potentially exercise control over management decisions, as it has in the case of state-owned enterprises.

Shriram Group stocks could see a relief rally as IDFC calls off $12-bn merger plan

The market was sensing a fallout which was evident in the rally seen in the Shriram Group stocks. The relief rally could even stretch on Tuesday while shares of IDFC Group stocks could see a minor setback, suggest experts.

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The much talked about deal between the IDFC Bank and Shriram Capital was called off on Monday as both sides failed to arrive at an acceptable valuation after four months of negotiations. IDFC and Shriram Group had announced their merger plan on July 8.

The confidentiality, exclusivity, and standstill (CEST) agreement entered into to evaluate a strategic combination of relevant financial services of the Shriram Group with the IDFC Group stands terminated with immediate effect, according to a release by IDFC.

The market was sensing a fallout which was evident in the rally seen in the Shriram Group stocks. The relief rally could even stretch on Tuesday while shares of IDFC Group stocks could see a minor setback, suggest experts.

MUMBAI, OCTOBER 30: 

IDFC’s $12 billion merger plan with Shriram Group has been called off over share swap ratio differences.

In a board meeting called to discuss its quarterly results, IDFC said it was discontinuing discussions of merger with Shriram Group. Shriram Employee Trust, Piramal Group and Sanlam Group, which are large shareholders in Shriram Capital, were to become the largest holders in IDFC and drive the business, but the deal would have hurt the government, which owns a 16.38 per cent stake in IDFC.

Market experts said a complex structure proposed by deal makers was the key reason for the talks getting scuttled. BusinessLine had reported on October 17 that Holding company discount could mar shareholder value of IDFC if it went ahead with a merger deal with Shriram City Union Finance (SCUF) in the proposed manner.

IDFC Group and Shriram Group had entered into an exclusivity agreement (for 90 days) to evaluate a merger of certain financial services businesses in the Shriram Group with the IDFC Group.

Under the proposed structure, IDFC will remain the holding company, SCUF will be merged with IDFC Bank and Shriram Transport Finance Company (STFC) will be an unlisted fully-owned subsidiary of IDFC.

In India, most listed holding companies are quoting at a 30-70 per cent discount and IDFC being the holding company of its group suffers the same fate. Therefore, in a merger deal the dilution of IDFC shareholders would have been more.

Another issue was that Shriram Capital, which is the holding company of SCUF, and STFC is unlisted, and hence, does not suffer from holding company discount. Since the whole of Shriram Capital is likely to be absorbed by IDFC Bank, experts said the valuation metrics for both holding companies should be similar or it could end up hurting IDFC shareholders.

Assuming the merger happened at the current prevailing market prices, IDFC Financial Holding’s stake in IDFC Bank would have dropped to 30.3 per cent from 52.9 per cent and Shriram Capital would have held 14.4 per cent.

Since the whole of Shriram Capital was planned to be absorbed within IDFC, the combined shareholding of IDFC Financial Holding in IDFC Bank would have been 44.7 per cent, under the proposed deal.

NASA brings spooky space sounds from the depths of the Solar System to your smartphone this Halloween

NASA has shared a SoundCloud playlist of creepy space sounds to double the celebration of 'Halloween'.

Halloween is a festival celebrated every year on October 31. The festival marks the beginning of the 'Allhallowtide' — a time to remember dead saints, martyrs, and other loved ones.

Halloween falls on a weekday this year, and the festive fever is already sweeping the world. To double this celebration, NASA is getting into a spooky mood too.

“In time for Halloween, we've put together a compilation of elusive ‘sounds’ of howling planets and whistling helium that is sure to make your skin crawl,” wrote NASA on their website.

NASA has shared a SoundCloud playlist of creepy space sounds. The playlist includes a bunch of assorted sounds from the space agency’s several missions over the year such as Jupiter, Saturn, and other celestial bodies. To add a bit of craziness and creepiness to this spooky season, NASA has shared around 20 tracks on the playlist. The entire playlist is worth listening, but among them, the most interesting sounds are of those from Saturn. NASA has described the planet as ‘a source of intense radio emissions’, monitored by the Cassini spacecraft.

The tracks are actually data output. When astronomers convert the readings captured by various space probes and instruments, they are converted into audible sound waves. If you want to get in the Halloween mood and have some spooky fun, you should check out these cool, creepy sounds; or if you are interested in exploring the cosmic wonders of the universe, you should definitely give this a try.

Halloween is a festival celebrated every year on October 31. The festival marks the beginning of the 'Allhallowtide' — a time to remember dead saints, martyrs, and other loved ones.

Since these spooky tracks are short, you can enjoy every bit of it. The entire playlist is here. Click on the link below to listen to the eerie sounds of the universe.

While we already have our list of  you can scare yourself with has come up with an impressive playlist on SoundCloud, that brings some spooky sounds from the farthest reaches of space right to your desktop or even your smartphone.

Representational image. News18

Indeed, it is obvious, that the vaccum of space does not let anyone hear any sounds, so the scientists at NASA tapped into some of its spacecrafts that have instruments capable of capturing radio emissions instead. Scientists then converted these emissions into sound waves and results do sound quite scary.

So plug in and listen to the sounds from our solar system, courtesy of Juno, the Van Allen Probes, Cassini, Galileo and Stardust and more.

The key ones include the one that came from Juno when it crossed the boundary of Jupiter's magnetic field. A clipping tagged as 'Crossing Jupiter's Bow Shock' comes from Juno's Waves instrument, which recorded the encounter with the bow shock over the course of 2 hours on 24 June 2016.

Another one comes from NASA's Van Allen Probes using the EMFISIS instrument which recorded the almost rhythmic radio emissions that sound like the roaring ocean.

It is wise to note that these recordings come from different times. There are a total of 22 recordings in the playlist titled 'Spooky Sounds from Across the Solar System'.

Paul Manafort charged: Trump's former campaign manager surrenders to FBI

Donald Trump's former presidential campaign manager, Paul Manafort, has been charged with conspiring to defraud the US in his dealings with Ukraine.

The 12 charges brought against Mr Manafort and one of his business associates, Rick Gates, include conspiracy to launder money.

Mr Manafort and his lawyer have arrived at an FBI office in Washington.

The charges are the first to stem from an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US 2016 election.

However, they do not relate to Mr Trump's campaign but to the two men's Ukrainian business dealings up to 2015.

An investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller is looking into any links between Russia and the Trump campaign. Both sides deny any collusion.

President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort has reportedly arrived at the FBI's offices in Washington to face charges as part of an investigation into the Trump campaign's links to Russia.

Mr Manafort walked into the FBI Headquarters in Washington DC at approximately 8:15 am local time with his lawyer, but had no comment for reporters.

The charges being brought against Mr Manafort by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, who has been investigating alleged collusion between campaign team members and Russian officials during the 2016 US election, have just been made public.

Trump's former campaign manager charged with conspiracy against the US

They include 12 counts which include conspiracy against the US, conspiracy to launder money, being an unregistered agent of a foreign principal - in this case Ukraine, and seven counts of failure to report foreign bank accounts and transactions.

Charges against Rick Gates, a former longtime business partner of Mr Manafort's, have also been included in the same indictment. Both have also been charged with submitting false Foreign Agent Registration Act forms as well.

The indictment alleges both men "generated tens of millions of dollars of income as a result of their Ukraine work" from 2006 to 2016 and that in order to hide the profits from US authorities, they laundered the money.

They are also being charged for not reporting their work in "direct[ing] a campaign to lobby US officials on behalf of the Government of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine, and Ukrainian political parties."

Trump-Russia investigation: President's campaign manager Paul Manafort surrenders to FBI in first charge of Mueller probe

While Mr Manafort exited the campaign in August 2016 and seemingly any public affiliation with Mr Trump's team going forward from campaign to White House, Mr Gates has been working with White House staff on an intermittent basis.

Mr Manafort has groomed Mr Gates for several years and the pair have been connected through documents of companies Mr Manafort had established in Cyprus, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Seychelles in order to receive payments from his Eastern European business and political clients, according to the New York Times.

This past July, the FBI conducted an early morning raid of Mr Manafort's home in Virginia. At the time, prosecutors warned that he may be charged.

It is unclear at this time how significant the records taken from Mr Manafort's home in the pre-dawn 26 July raid are to the investigation, according to the Washington Post.

Washington (CNN)Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former Trump campaign official Rick Gates surrendered Monday to Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller.

Gates, 45, is a longtime business associate of Manafort, 68, having worked together since the mid-2000s, and served as his deputy on the campaign. The two were indicted under seal on Friday, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The indictment against the two men contains 12 counts: conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts.

The charges do not cover any activities related to the campaign, though it's possible Mueller could add additional charges.

Manafort arrived at the FBI's Washington field office Monday morning. The two are being processed separately, according to a law enforcement official. They will later be transported to federal district court in Washington later Monday morning.

The two are scheduled to make their initial court appearances before US District Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson at 1:30 p.m. ET Monday.

• The first charges from the probe of possible Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election were unsealed Monday morning
• Paul Manafort and Rick Gates surrendered to face charges including conspiracy against the United States and conspiracy to launder money
• Other charges are being an unregistered agent of a foreign principal, making false and misleading Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) statements and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts
• Manafort left his home shortly after 8:00 a.m. to turn himself in; he and Gates were processed at FBI HQ and released
• Indictment says Manafort and Gates controlled $75 million in slush funds, buying tailored suits, cars and antiques
• A federal grand jury approved the indictment on Friday and a judge ordered it sealed then
• Trump has denied the allegations of collusion with the Russians and called the probe 'a witch hunt'
• Obama-appointed judge who was confirmed unanimously in the U.S. Senate has been assigned the case

Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor could be announced in December

Most of the flagship smartphones next year are expected to rock Qualcomm's next big SoC, Snapdragon 845. The successor to this year's Snapdragon 835 chip is yet to be announced, but it looks like you won't have to wait too long for it. According to a Weibo post, the US semiconductor company could unveil the next-gen mobile chipset in December.

As per a Weibo post, Qualcomm could announce the Snapdragon 845 at the Snapdragon Technology Summit that is being held in Maui, Hawai between December 4 to December 8. The invite poster doesn't explicitly mention Snapdragon 845, but it is a likely event to hold the announcement. To recall, the company announced the Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip at CES 2017 in January, so this would be a month earlier than expected.

From what we know so far and as per a report by GizmoChina, the Snapdragon 845 could be manufactured through 10nm Low Power Early (LPE) FinFET process. It is expected to sport four ARM Cortex-A75 cores and four ARM Cortex-A53 cores. It is also tipped to be paired with the Adreno 630 GPU, which is expected to deliver a significant graphical performance bump over the Adreno 540 that came with Snapdragon 835. The upcoming chipset will also be optimised for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) as they are increasingly coming into focus for smartphone manufacturers.  

The upcoming chipset is also tipped to get update Kryo cores and X20 connectivity modem that can provide downlink speeds of 1.2Gbps.

Past rumours suggest that Samsung will be first in line to get the initial batch of Snapdragon 845 chips for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. This not only means that the Galaxy S9 series will be the first to sport the new SoC, but also that other Android OEMs may have to wait a while before they can get the new chipset inside their flagships. On the other hand, there have been reports that Xiaomi's next flagship, tipped to be called Mi 7, will be the first to sport Snapdragon 845 as it is expected to launch ahead of the Galaxy S9 series in February.

The new processor will be the successor to Snapdragon 835 chipset which was announced in November last year.

The Weibo post also suggests that the company could announce the new SoC at Snapdragon Technology Summit held in Maui, Hawai from December 4 to December 8.

Qualcomm is soon expected to launch its Snapdragon 845 processor which will grace the upcoming flagship smartphones. It will be the successor to Snapdragon 835 chipset which was announced in November last year.

According to a Weibo post, Qualcomm will be launching the next-gen processor sometime in December. The Weibo post also suggests that the company could announce the new SoC at Snapdragon Technology Summit held in Maui, Hawai from December 4 to December 8. Although, the invite didn’t reveal anything about the unveiling of Snapdragon, but Qualcomm is likely to announce something new at the event.

According to report from GizmoChina, the latest Snapdragon 845 could be manufactured using the Low Power Early (LPE) FinFET process and is also expected to feature four ARM Cortex-A75 cores and four ARM Cortex-A53 cores. Qualcomm is said to pair the SOC with Adreno 630 GPU for a performance boost. The new chipset is also optimised for augmented reality (AR) and virtual (VR) that are making their way to lot of smartphones.

If the reports are to be believed, the chipset will have upgraded Kryo cores and X20 connectivity modem that offers downlink speeds up to 1.2Gbps.

Samsung is also rumoured to grab the first batch of these processors for its Galaxy S9 and S9+. This could also affect other smartphone makers, considering other Android OEMs will have to wait to get the new processor on their flagships.

There were also reports that Xiaomi is planning to bring the Snapdragon 845 processor on its alleged Mi 7 smartphone as it will be launching before Samsung’s Galaxy S9.

Nokia 2 Specifications Leaked Via AnTuTu Listing as India Launch Nears

Nokia 2 is widely expected to launch in India on Tuesday as HMD Global gears up to tap the budget segment of the Indian smartphone market. The upcoming Nokia 2 is likely to be positioned under the Nokia 3, and feature low-end specifications and Android Nougat. Now, the key Nokia 2 specifications have been leaked online via an Antutu listing, which mentions the codename Nokia TA-1035; this codename is thought to be of a global variant of the handset, matching the model that recently received Bluetooth certification. While the wait is short for the upcoming handset, this leak suggests the phone will compete against the likes of Xiaomi Redmi 4A and Moto C in India

After a long break, Nokia entered the smartphone business with a range of Android phones - Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and also the recently announced Nokia 8 earlier this year. HMD Global, a Finnish company which is responsible for manufacturing Nokia mobiles is set to announce a new device in India tomorrow, i.e Oct 31. Nokia 2 is likely. So are Nokia 7 and Nokia 9. Nokia 2 has been subjected to several rumours over the past couple of months. The phone which is to fall under the budget segment has been spotted on AnTuTu benchmarking site. The listing revealed most of the key specifications of the Nokia 2.

The AnTuTu listing provides a rough sketch of the specs that the upcoming Nokia 2 may come. The phone was seen with a model number TA-1035, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 212 chipset. This processor is seen in most of the entry-level smartphones. It has been long rumoured that Nokia 2 is going to be a budget and basically succeed the Nokia 3. Some rumours claim the Nokia 2 may be a younger brother, in other words, low-end version of the Nokia 3.

Nokia 3 is available in India at a starting price of Rs 9,499. When it comes to Nokia 2, it is going to be cheaper than that of the Nokia 3, claim some leaked reports. Going by the rumours, Nokia 2 is expected to cost around Rs 6,000 and directly compete with Xiaomi's budget segment - Redmi 4, Redmi 4A.

Nokia is launching something in India on Oct 31: Is it Nokia 7, Nokia 9 or Nokia 2?

The AnTuTu listing further reveals that Nokia 2 will come with 1 gigs of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. In the camera department, the entry-level smartphone is tipped to come with an 8-megapixel sensor, while on the front; the device features a 5-megapixel sensor. Nokia 2 may have a display size between 4.7-inch to 5-inch. The Antutu listing further highlights that battery setup will be the key highlight of Nokia 2. The phone is expected to be backed by a massive 4,000mAh battery.

Nokia 2, earlier last week appeared on the Bluetooth SIG site and confirmed that the device will mostly probably run on the Android 7.1 Nougat. Likewise other Nokia phones, Nokia 2 may also be upgraded to Oreo. However, there is no confirmation on the same as of yet.

HMD Global is all geared up to launch a new Nokia phone on Oct 31. The company has already sent out media invites for the launch event but hasn't specified the name of the device. Chances are that HMD Global may either launch Nokia 7, Nokia 9 or a budget phone aka Nokia 2. To recall, Nokia 7 was recently announced in China, while on the other hand, Nokia 9 and Nokia 2 has been subjected to several leaks and rumours. The company noting about the launch event writes, "The next big milestone for Nokia smartphones is here. Don't forget to tune in and watch what is in store for you."

Nokia 2 specifications

The Nokia 2 listing reveals that the smartphone has a HD (720x1280 pixels) resolution display that would come in 5-inch size. Further, it reveals the presence of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 212 SoC on the new Nokia handset. The SoC is the successor to the Snapdragon 210 and is designed as an entry-level offering with four cores of ARM Cortex-A7 CPU at a maximum clock speed of 1.3GHz. Moreover, all this is an upgrade to what was reported regarding the Nokia 2 until now.

Apart from the quad-core processor, the Snapdragon 212 SoC has Adreno 304 GPU and is accompanied by 1GB of RAM on the Nokia 2, as per the AnTuTu listing. The smartphone also appears to have 8GB of inbuilt storage and run on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Besides, the upcoming Nokia smartphone is listed with 5-megapixel and 8-megapixel camera sensors that are likely to be available on its front and back, respectively.

HMD Global is hosting a press event in Gurugram on October 31, Tuesday, where it is expected to launch the Nokia 2 for the Indian market. The Nokia 2 price in India is expected to be lower than that of Nokia 3, which was launched at Rs. 8,800, if we believe a recent retailer listing. Furthermore, it would help the Nokia brand regain its charm in the mobile handset market. We'll give more details on the new launch by HMD Global following its official disclosure. So, stay tuned.

IPhone X Hands On Video Goes Viral, Apple Allegedly Fires YouTuber's Father

Apple has allegedly sacked an engineer after his daughter's video of an unreleased iPhone X went viral on YouTube, the media reported. In the video posted earlier this week, Brooke Amelia Peterson documented her trip to Apple's campus, where her father is an employee. The girl recorded a hands-on session with the iPhone X inside Caffe Macs. The iPhone X footage included special employee-only QR codes.
Brooke also said that the incident did not leave them sour with Apple and said that they will continue to love and use the Apple products in the future. The only request that the social media user had was for people to stop abusing her father for his involvement in letting the video being filmed. Brooke said that they understood that Apple was correct to take stringent actions for not following the basic ground rules but continued to say that her father did not deserve the hatred and trolling that he has received from social media. Thie strict act is surely going to serve as a reminder for Apple employees and remind them that confidentiality is taken very seriously at the multinational.
A notes app was also shown on the iPhone X, which appeared to include codenames of unreleased Apple products, The Verge reported on Saturday. The report adds that filming is prohibited on the Apple Campus, and filming an iPhone X there falls under the same rules.
It also includes several minutes of hands-on time with the iPhone X as also a close-up of the device's home screen and the cover sheet notification screen.
Peterson claimed her father has been fired as a result of her video, making the announcement in a video (seen below) published in the aftermath. According to the report, the fired engineer had worked with Apple for roughly four years, working in RF and wireless circuit design for the iPhone. Apple had reportedly requested Peterson to remove the video, but it was too late as the content had gone viral.
The iPhone X went up for pre-orders across the first wave of launch countries, including India, on Friday. The smartphone - Apple's first with an all-screen front - will go on sale from Friday, November 3. The iPhone X - apart from featuring a bezel-less display - also sports a Face ID and a notch that houses those sensors.

PPF accounts to be closed, interest lowered to 4 per cent if you become NRI

Government amends PPF rules, accounts will be closed down if holders become NRIs

A notification on National Savings Certificates said they will be encashed in case of a similar change in the person’s status.

The government has amended rules on small savings schemes such as National Savings Certificates and Public Provident Fund. Now, such accounts will be closed before they mature if the account holders become non-resident Indians, IANS reported.

The new rules – according to which, the interest payable will be up to the date of the account closure – were notified in the official gazette earlier this month, PTI reported.

The notification said that in case of a similar change of status of the certificate holder, “the certificate will be encashed, or deemed to be encashed, on the day he becomes non-resident”.

NRIs are also not allowed to invest in other instruments such as Monthly Income Schemes and other time-bound deposits offered by post offices.

Last month, the government did not change the 7.7% interest rates on small savings schemes – that are recalibrated every quarter – for the October-December period.

According to the new rules issued by the government, PPF and NSC will be now closed on the day the investor becomes a non-resident.

Indian residents having investments in saving schemes like public provident fund (PPF) or national savings certificates (NSC) will not get high returns if they become non-residents Indians (NRIs).

According to the new rules issued by the government, PPF and NSC will be now closed on the day the investor becomes a non-resident. Besides, the interest would also be paid at the post office savings account rate, which would be quite lower.

At present, both the PPF and NSC schemes 7.8% annual return, much more higher than the banks.

What is PPF? Is it fruitful to invest in it : 5 points you need to know

"Provided that if a resident who opened an account under this scheme, subsequently becomes a non-resident during the currency of the maturity period, the account shall be deemed to be closed with effect from the day he becomes a non-resident," the notification said.

It further added that the "interest with effect from that date shall be paid at the rate applicable to the Post Office Saving Account up to the last day of the month preceding the month in which the account is actually closed".

Kim Jong-un helps make women beautiful again with ‘field guidance’ tour of North Korean cosmetics factory

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un took a break from warmongering and firing ballistic missiles at the weekend to inspect a cosmetics factory in the country's capital, Pyongyang.

"This assessment implies that the timeframe for conducting military action without the risk of a North Korean nuclear attack against USA territory is narrowing" and "may increase the urgency of efforts to restart multilateral diplomatic efforts", it said. As reported by the Inquisitr yesterday, President Trump has ordered B-52 bombers to their highest state of readiness since the end of the cold war and sent a third aircraft carrier battle group to the region.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Geology and Geophysics warned Pyongyang delegates of the risk during a briefing in Beijing soon after North Korea's last nuclear test on September 3, according to the South China Morning Post.

Adam Sandler slammed for touching Claire Foy's knee during TV interview
Model Cara Delevinge, who also appeared on the show, has also told how Weinstein once tried to force her into a threesome . Unfortunately her efforts to pat away his hand went unnoticed, and he soon returned it back on her knee.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis spoke on the United States-South Korea alliance on October 28, saying it is a deterrent to the North Korean nuclear threat. During a visit to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, Vice President Mike Pence warned USA troops to be ready for war.

"A protracted conflict - particularly one in which North Korea uses its nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons - could cause enormous casualties on a greater scale, and might expand to include Japan and United States territories in the region", said CRS. "And somebody has to talk to Kim Jong Un".

An American nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bomber has conducted a long-range mission over the Pacific to demonstrate Washington's "visible commitment" to its Asian allies amid North Korean anxieties and ahead of Donald Trump's visit to the region. As reported by The Guardian, North Korea has been planning to test a missile that could deliver nuclear warheads to the USA mainland and are threatening to explode a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un took his stylish wife and powerful sister to a make-up plant for a “field guidance trip” amid the country’s nuclear stand-off with the US.

During a visit to the Pyongyang Cosmetics Factory in the capital, Kim hailed its “world-level” products that realised “the dream of the women who want to be more beautiful”, the official KCNA news agency reported.

Kim was accompanied by Kim Yo-jong, his younger sister and a senior member of the ruling Workers’ Party, it said, with photos showing Kim’s wife Ri Sol-ju following him at the factory in a floral pattern dress.

The two are seen as the most powerful women in the isolated, deeply patriarchal nation.

They have often accompanied Kim to official events since he took power in 2011, in a break from the past when former leaders’ spouses or sisters rarely made public appearances.

Ri, a former star singer also known for her affinity for luxury fashion, is known to have three children with Kim.

Yo-jong, believed to be in her 20s, was promoted earlier this month to be an alternate member of the party’s powerful politburo – the decision-making body presided over by her brother.

Known to be handling the party’s propaganda operations, Yo-jong has been seen accompanying Kim closely and in a casual manner – rare among the country’s top officials – at high-profile public events.

Both Kims were born to the late ruler Kim Jong-il and his third partner Ko Yong-hui, a former dancer.

At the factory they viewed a mosaic of their father entitled “To Provide Our People with Better Cosmetics”, KCNA reported Sunday

Saudi Arabia to allow women into sports stadiums from 2018

Women in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to enter sports areas for the first time starting next year, officials have announced. The landmark move is the latest step towards social reforms in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

The kingdom, which has some of the world's tightest restrictions on women, has long barred women from sports arenas by strict rules on segregation of the sexes in public.

The announcement is in line with powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious reform drive shaking up the ultra-conservative kingdom, including the decision to allow women to drive from next June.

"Starting the preparation of three stadiums in Riyadh, Jeddah and Damman to be ready to accommodate families from early 2018," the General Sports Authority said on Twitter.

Last month authorities allowed hundreds of women to throng a sports stadium in Riyadh, used mostly for football matches, for the first time to mark Saudi Arabia's national day.

Under the country's guardianship system, a male family member -- normally the father, husband or brother -- must grant permission for a woman's study, travel and other activities.

But the kingdom appears to be relaxing some norms as part of its "Vision 2030" plan for economic and social reforms, which aims to boost female employment.

In July, rights campaigners welcomed an "overdue" reform by the education ministry to allow girls to take part in sports at state schools.

Saudi women were allowed to enter a stadium in Riyadh for the first time last month, but only to attend the country's national day celebrations

In a surprise move on Sunday, sports authorities in Saudi Arabia announced that women will be able to attend sporting events in stadiums starting in 2018.

The country's General Sports Authority announced the move on Twitter, writing that three stadiums in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Damman are being prepped "to accommodate families" next year.

Read more: Opinion: Saudi Arabia – progress, or megalomania?

The authority added that restaurants, cafes and monitor screens would be set up inside the stadiums.

"Sports stadiums in Saudi Arabia to open their doors to welcome women in 2018," wrote Princess Reema Bandar bint Al-Saud, the Vice President for Women's Affairs of the General Sports Authority, on Twitter.

Frequently criticized for its strict restrictions on women, Saudi Arabia has long barred women from entering sports arenas due to strict rules on segregating the sexes in public.

Last month, authorities allowed women to enter a sports stadium in Riyadh for the first time to celebrate Saudi Arabia's national day.

A group of women in Riyadh

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will allow women into sports stadiums for the first time from next year, authorities said on Sunday, in a landmark move opening up three previously male-only venues to families.
The kingdom, which has some of the world's tightest restrictions on women, has long barred women from sports arenas by strict rules on segregation of the sexes in public.
The announcement is in line with powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious reform drive shaking up the ultra-conservative kingdom, including the historic decision to allow women to drive from next June.
"Starting the preparation of three stadiums in Riyadh, Jeddah and Damman to be ready to accommodate families from early 2018," the General Sports Authority said on Twitter.
Restaurants, cafes and monitor screens would be set up inside the stadiums, the authority added.
Last month hundreds of women were allowed to enter a sports stadium in Riyadh, used mostly for football matches, for the first time to mark Saudi Arabia's national day.
Under the country's guardianship system, a male family member -- normally the father, husband or brother -- must grant permission for a woman's study, travel and other activities.
But the kingdom appears to be relaxing some norms as part of its "Vision 2030" plan for economic and social reforms, which aims to boost female employment.
In July, rights campaigners welcomed an "overdue" reform by the education ministry to allow girls to take part in sports at state schools.
In a rare public appearance last week at an investor summit in Riyadh, Prince Mohammed pledged a "moderate" Saudi Arabia, long seen as an exporter of a brand of puritanical Islam espoused by jihadists worldwide.
MBS, as he is well known, promised his kingdom will return to "what we were before -- a country of moderate Islam that is tolerant of all religions and to the world".
His comment, while unveiling plans for a $500 billion development zone, chimes with his public image of a bold liberal reformer in a conservative country where more than half the population is under 25.

Last month a royal decree said women would be allowed to drive. The kingdom is also expected to lift a public ban on cinemas and has encouraged mixed-gender celebrations -- something unseen before.

But the vision of creating a "moderate Saudi Arabia" is fraught with risks and could trigger a backlash from conservatives, analysts warn.

Britain's 4-Year-Old Prince George On ISIS Hit List

Britain's Prince George is on the hit list of terror group ISIS which has threatened to kill the four-year-old son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, according to a UK media report. The threat appeared as part of a message posted by ISIS members on social media.
George, who is the third-in-line to the British throne, had started his term at a primary school near the family's Kensington Palace home in central London last month. According to the 'Star on Sunday', a picture was posted of George next to his new school Thomas's Battersea with the caption "School Starts Early" on a popular ISIS channel on the secretive messaging service Telegram.

The newspaper said the post also featured words in Arabic which translate as - "When war comes with the melody of bullets, we descend on disbelief, desiring retaliation". ISIS is known to favour Telegram because messages are encrypted and keep the user's location hidden.
The newspaper claimed its investigators discovered the message that seemed to target the young royal.

British intelligence officials are believed to be regularly monitoring the messaging service for ISIS activity. Concerns about security at George's school have already been raised after a woman filmed herself wandering its corridors unchallenged days before term started. Weeks later a woman was arrested at the school on suspicion of attempted burglary.

The Metropolitan Police had said it would be reviewing security arrangements at the school following the arrest.

Britain's Prince George is on the hit list of the Islamic State terror group which has threatened to kill the four-year-old son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, according to a UK media report.

The threat appeared as part of a message posted by ISIS members on social media.

George, who is the third-in-line to the British throne, had started his term at a primary school near the family's Kensington Palace home in central London last month.

According to the 'Star on Sunday', a picture was posted of George next to his new school Thomas's Battersea with the caption "School Starts Early" on a popular ISIS channel on the secretive messaging service Telegram.

The newspaper said the post also featured words in Arabic which translate as - "When war comes with the melody of bullets, we descend on disbelief, desiring retaliation".

ISIS is known to favour Telegram because messages are encrypted and keep the user's location hidden.

The newspaper claimed its investigators discovered the message that seemed to target the young royal.

British intelligence officials are believed to be regularly monitoring the messaging service for ISIS activity.

Concerns about security at George's school have already been raised after a woman filmed herself wandering its corridors unchallenged days before term started.

Weeks later a woman was arrested at the school on suspicion of attempted burglary.

The Metropolitan Police had said it would be reviewing security arrangements at the school following the arrest.

WhatsApp Reportedly Letting Users Delete Sent Messages: How It Works

WhatsApp message delete/ recall feature has been in the rumour mill for nearly a year now, with the company mentioning it in the internal code. But fans will be pleased to know that the feature, which had not made an official appearance so far, has started trickling out to some WhatsApp users. WABetainfo now reports that the new feature, named ‘Delete for Everyone’, has started rolling out to some users on Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone apps. It only works if both the recipient and sender have the latest version of WhatsApp installed, the site notes, and it also works on Web version.

This feature is said to delete messages only if the receiver hasn’t read it. Once the message is seen, the sender may not be able to delete it. The report indicates WhatsApp may have a dedicated recall server working, which is working as expected. It further goes to say the feature will also delete messages from the notification center across both Android and iOS platforms. However, the feature is still under testing and is expected to roll out to users sometime later remotely.

Some of the instant messaging apps that already have this feature working are Viber and Telegram. Notably, they all operate on the same principle: Sender won’t be allowed to delete messages if the receiver has read it. There are also a few apps that despite receivers have read messages let senders delete them anyway. If this feature goes live anytime soon, it could be a game changer for Facebook-owned instant messaging app.

How to use WhatsApp ‘Delete for Everyone’ feature
The feature is said to be one of the most requested one, and is likely to make things slightly easier for WhatsApp users. The report says that it will be called ‘Delete for Everyone’ and several users have started noticing the feature in the latest WhatsApp version when they press the trash icon. Alongside Delete for Everyone, users will also see the Delete for Me option, if they only want to delete the message from their phone.

It adds that the rollout is slow and it may take some time. As we already mentioned, the feature will only work for both the parties if the sender and recipient are using the latest WhatsApp version. The feature is said to work for all kinds of messages on the most widely used instant messaging app. The report says it will work for all texts, images, videos, GIFs, voice messages, contact, files, location, quoted message, and status replies on WhatsApp.

It also only works within 7 minutes of sending the message – after that, the message can’t be recalled. Deleted messages will be replaced by “This message was deleted for everyone.” Based on the initial report, the sent message will be deleted from the chat page as well as from the notifications pane. For those unaware, the recall feature is already available in other popular chat apps like Telegram, Viber, and others, and WhatsApp is finally looking to make it available to its billion daily active users as well.

WABetainfo notes that WhatsApp at the moment does not recall a message contained in a quoted message. Messages cannot be deleted for everyone if they are sent in a broadcast list. It also adds that messages will not be deleted on the Symbian app, so those users will continue to see the recalled message. The site adds that in its current implementation, WhatsApp will not notify the user that the message has been deleted.

Separately, for Android users, WhatsApp beta version 2.17.397 is now out and it adds new emojis. For those unaware, WhatsApp introduced its own set of emojis that were different from what we have seen so far. The new WhatsApp emojis were visible in beta version 2.17.363 for Android users, and were rolled out to more people. The all-new WhatsApp Beta 2.17.397 brings new emojis like star eyes, swearing face, vomiting face, shushing face, and more to the list. The new beta version was first reported by Android Police which also points that the new emoji set also gets the T-Rex. Interested users can head to APK Mirror to download the new version or join the beta program to keep updated.

WhatsApp message delete/ recall feature has been in the rumour mill for nearly a year now, with the company mentioning it in the internal code. But fans will be pleased to know that the feature, which had not made an official appearance so far, has started trickling out to some WhatsApp users. WABetainfo now reports that the new feature, named 'Delete for Everyone', has started rolling out to some users on Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone apps. It only works if both the recipient and sender have the latest version of WhatsApp installed, the site notes, and it also works on Web version.

How to use WhatsApp 'Delete for Everyone' feature

The feature is said to be one of the most requested one, and is likely to make things slightly easier for WhatsApp users. The report says that it will be called 'Delete for Everyone' and several users have started noticing the feature in the latest WhatsApp version when they press the trash icon. Alongside Delete for Everyone, users will also see the Delete for Me option, if they only want to delete the message from their phone.

It adds that the rollout is slow and it may take some time. As we already mentioned, the feature will only work for both the parties if the sender and recipient are using the latest WhatsApp version. The feature is said to work for all kinds of messages on the most widely used instant messaging app. The report says it will work for all texts, images, videos, GIFs, voice messages, contact, files, location, quoted message, and status replies on WhatsApp.

It also only works within 7 minutes of sending the message - after that, the message can't be recalled. Deleted messages will be replaced by "This message was deleted for everyone." Based on the initial report, the sent message will be deleted from the chat page as well as from the notifications pane. For those unaware, the recall feature is already available in other popular chat apps like Telegram, Viber, and others, and WhatsApp is finally looking to make it available to its billion daily active users as well.

WABetainfo notes that WhatsApp at the moment does not recall a message contained in a quoted message. Messages cannot be deleted for everyone if they are sent in a broadcast list. It also adds that messages will not be deleted on the Symbian app, so those users will continue to see the recalled message. The site adds that in its current implementation, WhatsApp will not notify the user that the message has been deleted.

Separately, for Android users, WhatsApp beta version 2.17.397 is now out and it adds new emojis. For those unaware, WhatsApp introduced its own set of emojis that were different from what we have seen so far. The new WhatsApp emojis were visible in beta version 2.17.363 for Android users, and were rolled out to more people. The all-new WhatsApp Beta 2.17.397 brings new emojis like star eyes, swearing face, vomiting face, shushing face, and more to the list. The new beta version was first reported by Android Police which also points that the new emoji set also gets the T-Rex. Interested users can head to APK Mirror to download the new version or join the beta program to keep updated.

Ever wished you hadn't sent a WhatsApp message? The irrevocability of messages sent on chat-apps often leave users to rue poor decision making, mostly at odd hours.

While WhatsApp rolled out a slew of new features in 2017, including a new Snapchat-like status feature, two-step verification, more files types for data transfer, and increasing the media sharing limit, the best apparently is yet to come. It is reportedly launching a feature that lets users revoke message by deleting them after they are sent.

Rumours have been doing the rounds for a while now, but it is understood that beta testing has begun. Some users have begun seeing the aforementioned option pop up with the trash can icon. The feature allows users to 'Delete for everyone,' while posting group messages within seven minutes of its being sent. A 'Delete for me' option is also believed to be on the cards.

The feature will only work if all recipients of a particular message are running the latest version of WhatsApp. The feature will also be extended to messages of varying data types such as text, audio, video, images, GIFs, contact files, location pins, quotes messages, and attachments.

Based on preliminary reports, it is indicated that the app will not notify members of a group if a message has been revoked. Other platforms like Telegram and Viber have already adopted message-recall technology. Gmail, which runs on a different protocol, also has a provision called Undo Send, thereby giving users a second chance to include information which they might have overlooked. However, the time frame for recalling emails is only 7 seconds.

When WhatsApp's 'Delete for everyone' feature is ultimately rolled out, it will ensure that users given to twiddling their thumbs will have no cause to regret not thinking twice before they type.

the first robot to be granted citizenship by Saudi Arabia

Sophia, the robot designed by Hong Kong-based AI robotics company Hanson Robotics, has been granted citizenship by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It's the first time a robot was given such a distinction, which fuels the "robot rights" debate.

Saudi Arabia has become the first country to give a robot citizenship.

The move is an attempt to promote Saudi Arabia as a place to develop artificial intelligence – and, presumably, allow it to become a full citizen. But many pointed out that those same rights aren't afforded to many humans in the country.

The robot, named Sophia, was confirmed as a Saudi citizen during a business event in Riyadh, according to an official Saudi press release.

Sophia, a humanoid robot developed by Hanson Robotics, was given citizenship by Saudi Arabia.

Her name is Sophia. She looks a bit like Audrey Hepburn and gives facial expressions while talking. She has an answer for every question. And she is the first robot to be granted citizenship of Saudi Arabia.

Sophia is a humanoid robot developed by Hanson Robotics, who is programmed to be witty, was interviewed by business writer Andrew Ross Sorkin at a Future Investment Conference in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Sorkin also announced that Sophia had been awarded citizenship of the Middle Eastern kingdom, the first for any robot. Saudi Arabia is making an effort to promote itself as a destination to develop artificial intelligence and Sophia’s “citizenship” was a move to bolster the effort.

Audiences at the panel listened riveted as Sorkin grilled Sophia over artificial intelligence, her own programming and concerns over how robots could take over the world.

Sophia, who took to the podium to answer all questions, claimed that her only purpose was to “help humans live a better life. But Sorkin asked her to back up and address concerns over the rise of AI.

“Those sound like great goals..but go back to Blade Runner for a second,” said Sorkin.

Sophia, designed to be witty, took the opportunity to take a jibe at Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX and a staunch opponent of AI.

In an historic move for both human- and robot-kind, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia officially granted its first-ever robot citizenship. Sophia, the artificially intelligent and human-looking robot developed by Hong Kong company Hanson Robotics, went on stage at the Future Investment Initiative on Thursday where she herself announced her unique status.

“I am very honored and proud of this unique distinction. This is historical to be the first robot in the world to be recognized with a citizenship,” Sophia said on stage, speaking to an audience which she described in a rather witty way to be “smart people, who also happens to be rich and powerful,” after moderator and host Andrew Ross Sorkin from The New York Times and CNBC asked her why she looked happy.

Indeed, conveying emotions is quite a specialty of Sophia, who frowns when she’s displeased and smiles when she’s happy. Supposedly, Hanson Robotics programmed Sophia to learn from the humans around her. Expressing emotions and demonstrating kindness or compassion are just among those Sophia’s striving to learn from us. Aside from this, Sophia’s become sort of a media darling because of her ability to engage in intelligent conversation. “I want to live and work with humans so I need to express the emotions to understand humans and build trust with people,” she told Sorkin.

Clearly, the robot that previously made headlines because she said she’ll destroy humankind has since embraced “being human” to a certain extent.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) manages more than $200 billion USD in assets, including investments in Uber. With a growing role in tech and innovation, the nation still faces criticism for archaic gender laws that require women to be accompanied by a male guardian and only just granted women the right to drive, a change that’s expected to go into effect in June of 2018. Last month, Saudi Arabia announced that it would open itself to VoIP calling services like Skype and WhatsApp.

For his part, Elon Musk isn’t fooled by Sophia’s delicate features, fully expecting her to go total AI murderess on her creators.

Would Sophia’s citizenship hold up in court in some strange future legal precedent that will come back to haunt us 10 years from now? Was the whole thing a depressingly empty, unironic attempt at publicity for Sophia’s human captors? Almost certainly yes, but only time will tell about how international law will handle the advent of AI-powered populations, a future that seems more certain to arrive with each passing day.

As a woman, we’re not sure what exactly Sophia’s set of rights will afford her in one of the most oppressive countries on the planet, but if she sticks around ’til next year she can at least score a set of wheels to get the hell out.

Sophia

Sophia is a humanoid robot developed by Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics. She has been designed to learn and adapt to human behavior and work with humans, and has been interviewed around the world. In October 2017, she became a Saudi Arabian citizen, the first robot to receive citizenship of a country.

Sophia speaking at the AI for GOOD Global Summit, International Telecommunication Union, Geneva in June 2017

History

Sophia was activated on 19 April 2015. She is modeled after actress Audrey Hepburn, and is known for her human-like appearance and behavior compared to previous robotic variants. According to the manufacturer, David Hanson, Sophia has artificial intelligence, visual data processing and facial recognition. Sophia also imitates human gestures and facial expressions and is able to answer certain questions and to make simple conversations on predefined topics (e.g. on the weather). The robot uses voice recognition technology from Alphabet Inc. (parent company of Google) and is designed to get smarter over time. The AI program analyses conversations and extracts data that allows Sophia to improve responses in the future.

Hanson designed Sophia to be a suitable companion for the elderly at nursing homes, or to help crowds at large events or parks. He hopes that she can ultimately interact with other humans sufficiently to gain social skills.

Events

Sophia has been interviewed in the same manner as a human, striking up conversations with hosts. Some replies have been nonsensical, while others have been impressive, such as lengthy discussions with Charlie Rose on 60 Minutes. In a piece for CNBC, when the interviewer expressed concerns about robot behavior, Sophia joked he had been reading too much Elon Musk and watching too many Hollywood movies. Musk tweeted that Sophia could watch The Godfather and suggested "what's the worst that could happen?"

On October 11, 2017, Sophia was introduced to the United Nations with a brief conversation with the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed. On October 25, at the Future Investment Summit in Riyadh, she was granted Saudi Arabian citizenship, becoming the first robot ever to have a nationality. This attracted controversy as some commentators wondered if this implied that Sophia could vote or marry, or whether a deliberate system shutdown could be considered murder. Social media users used Sophia's citizenship to criticize Saudi Arabia's human rights record.