Russia’s Vladimir Putin held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday in Turkmenistan, where the two leaders hailed their countries growing economic ties and similar views on world affairs, an entente viewed with concern by the United States.

At odds with Washington and the European Union over Russia’s war in Ukraine, something he casts as part of a wider existential struggle against an arrogant and self-interested West – Putin is keen to deepen ties with what he calls the Global East and Global South.

Putin, whose country is hosting a summit of the BRICS nations in Kazan on October 22-24, invited Pezeshkian to come to Russia on an official visit, a proposal the Iranian leader accepted according to Russia’s state RIA news agency.

“Economically and culturally, our communications are being strengthened day by day and becoming more robust,” Pezeshkian was cited as telling Putin by Iran’s official IRNA news agency.

“The growing trend of cooperation between Iran and Russia, considering the will of the top leaders of both countries, must be accelerated to strengthen these ties,” he said.

In a later report from Dubai, Russia’s TASS news agency quoted the Iranian president, in a video issued by his office, as saying the two sides had agreed to boost cooperation in a number of areas.

“Our talks with the Russian president lasted about an hour. And we talked again about agreements that we have concluded,” the report quoted him as saying.

“We have constructive interaction. We agreed to speed up the completion of projects in the gas sectors, in road and rail construction, desalination and other projects linked to energy, petrochemicals and electricity.”

Pezeshkian last month committed his country to deeper ties with Russia to counter Western sanctions. The two countries say they are close to signing a strategic partnership agreement, something Pezeshkian said on Friday he hoped could be finalised at the BRICS summit in Russia later this month.

The United States regards Moscow’s growing relationship with Tehran with concern. It has accused Iran of supplying Russia with ballistic missiles for use in the conflict in Ukraine, something Tehran has denied.

NEW WORLD ORDER EMERGING, SAYS PUTIN

Russia says cooperation with Iran is expanding in all areas.

“We actively work together in the international arena, and our assessments of current events in the world are often very close,” TASS cited Putin as telling Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the conference in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat.

Pezeshkian, according to IRNA, noted that Iran and Russia had significant complementary capacities and could assist each other. “Our positions in the world are much closer to each other than to others,” he was quoted as telling the Russian leader.

Pezeshkian said earlier that Israel should “stop killing innocent people”, and its actions in the Middle East were backed by the U.S. and EU. Russia has also criticised Israel, which says it is protecting its own security, for bombing civilian areas.

Putin was cited by TASS as telling Pezeshkian that economic ties between Moscow and Tehran were on the up.

In comments released by the Kremlin earlier on Friday, Putin told the conference in the Central Asian country that a new world order was being formed and that new centres of economic growth and financial and political influence were emerging.

Russia supported “the broadest possible international discussion” on the emerging multipolar world and was open to discussing it within various fora, including the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and BRICS, said Putin.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
| Photo Credit: ANI

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will lead a parliamentary delegation to the 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly being held in Geneva next week.

Besides Mr. Birla, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chair Harivansh and some members from both Houses of Parliament are attending the event.

Mr. Birla will address the Assembly on the theme “harnessing science, technology and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future.” The Lok Sabha Speaker will also participate in the meetings of IPU’s Governing Council, the highest decision-making body of the organisation.

An official statement said the members of Indian delegation will take part in the meetings of its Executive Committee, the four Standing Committees and working sessions during the conference.

Mr. Birla will also address the members of Indian diaspora in Geneva on Monday (October 14, 2024).

The IPU has 180 member parliaments and 15 associate members. The members include parliaments from countries like China, India, and Indonesia, Cabo Verde, San Marino, and Palau.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday expressed “deep concern” after two UN peacekeepers were injured by an Israeli strike in Lebanon, and said the peacekeepers were injured by Israeli fire as it was engaging Hezbollah, as reported by The Times of Israel.

“Earlier today (Friday), IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon identified an immediate threat against them. The soldiers responded with fire toward the threat. An initial examination indicates that during the incident, a hit was identified on a@UNIFIL_post, located approximately 50 meters from the source of the threat, resulting in the injury of two UNIFIL personnel,” the IDF said in a post on X.

Earlier today (Friday), IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon identified an immediate threat against them. The soldiers responded with fire toward the threat.

An initial examination indicates that during the incident, a hit was identified on a @UNIFIL_ post, located…

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 11, 2024

“Hours before the incident, the IDF instructed UNIFIL personnel to enter into protected spaces and remain there. This instruction was in place at the time of the incident,” it added.

Earlier in a post on X, the IDF said, “The IDF has been notified that two@UNpeacekeepers were inadvertently hurt during IDF combat against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.”

“The IDF expresses deep concern over incidents of this kind and is currently conducting a thorough review at the highest levels of command to determine the details,” the IDF international spokesperson wrote.

“It is crucial to note that the IDF is operating in southern Lebanon as part of an ongoing conflict with Hezbollah whose terrorists and infrastructure are in close proximity to@UNIFIL_positions posing a significant risk to the safety of peacekeepers,” the IDF said.

The IDF has been notified that two @UN peacekeepers were inadvertently hurt during IDF combat against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The IDF expresses deep concern over incidents of this kind and is currently conducting a thorough review at the highest levels of command to…

— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) October 11, 2024

“The IDF takes every precaution to minimize harm to civilians and peacekeepers alike. Given the complex and challenging operational environment in which Hezbollah uses civilian and UNIFIL facilities as shields, the IDF will continue making efforts to mitigate the risk of such unfortunate incidents happening again,” it added.

“It is unfortunate that since 2006, UN Security Council Resolution 1701 has not been fully enforced and that Hezbollah violated it by establishing an extensive militarized presence in southern Lebanon requiring the IDF to operate against Hezbollah’s weapons, assets and personnel in the area,” the IDF said.

“The IDF remains committed to protecting Israeli communities along the border and will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the safety of civilians and peacekeepers in this volatile region. We are committed to a careful examination of these incidents and to engaging in ongoing dialogue with UNIFIL and the nation states that participate in the peacekeeping mission,” it added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A view shows residential buildings and cars damaged by a Russian air strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine October 12, 2024.
| Photo Credit: STRINGER

Russia said on Saturday (October 12, 2024) it had downed 47 Ukrainian drones, while Kyiv reported neutralising 24 drones fired by Moscow.

The Ukrainian air force said many missiles were fired from the Russian border region of Belgorod without specifying the number or the type.

It said Russia had fired 28 drones at Ukraine, of which 24 were destroyed in the Sumy, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Mikolayev and Kherson regions.

The Ukrainian chief of staff also said Kyiv’s forces had struck a fuel depot overnight in the eastern Russian-occupied Lugansk region, setting it on fire. It did not give any details.

Moscow did not confirm the attack. But the Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had downed 47 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 17 in the southeastern Krasnodar region, 16 over the Azov Sea and 12 over the border region of Kursk.

The Krasnodar Governor said on Telegram that Ukrainian drone attacks had damaged three homes and set a vehicle on fire.

Russian forces have made advances across the eastern front line and targeted Ukraine’s power grid as the country faces its toughest winter since the full-scale Russian invasion started in February 2022.

Tesla’s Optimus, a humanoid robot stole the show at the ‘We, Robot’ event held in California, United States of America, on Thursday. Optimus robot was seen dancing, serving drinks, chatting with guests and even posing for a selfie. But what has now gone viral on social media is the interaction between Optimus and one of the guests.

In a one-minute-long video posted by the user @cb_doge on X (formerly Twitter), the guest says, “It’s insane. It is even talking.” After exchanging greetings, he says, “It is crazy, I am talking to a robot.”

During the casual conversation, the guest asks Optimus, “What is the hardest thing about being a robot?” And it said: “Trying to learn how to be as human as you guys are,” leaving the guest in splits.

“And that is something I try harder every day and hope that will help us become better,” it added.

Watch the conversation here:

A conversation between Tesla Optimus bot and a human is the best thing you’ll see on the internet today.

pic.twitter.com/2M9UJPTTLX

— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) October 11, 2024

Another video shows Optimus knows how to have fun. Emmanuel Huna, X user and an architect and coder as per his bio, shared a video where he is seen playing “Rock, paper and scissors” with Optimus.

I just asked @Tesla Optimus to play rock, paper, scissors, and it did – check it out! pic.twitter.com/NrmEEA9R4M

— Emmanuel Huna (@ehuna) October 11, 2024

“It will basically do anything you want,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk while introducing Optimus at the ‘We, Robot’ event. “It can be a teacher. It can babysit your kids, walk your dog, mow your lawn, get the groceries, just be your friend, and serve drinks. Whatever you can think of, it will do and it’s going to be awesome,” he added.

In a demo video displayed at the event, Optimus was seen picking up packages and doing household chores like watering plants, cleaning the kitchen top, unloading groceries, and playing with children.

pic.twitter.com/VK9vlGF0Ms

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 11, 2024

He can serve. He can dance. He can take selfies. He can talk. He can do anything “you want”. That is Tesla’s Optimus robot, who can be your humanoid friend. Several humanoid Optimus robots were seen walking the ramp and serving drinks to the attendees at Tesla’s ‘We, Robot’ event held in California, United States of America, on Thursday.

Optimus just poured a drink and didn’t ask for a 25% tip on an iPad.

Just put $10M more into Tesla stock

pic.twitter.com/KgapFUDFti

— Chris Bakke (@ChrisJBakke) October 11, 2024

“It will basically do anything you want. It can be a teacher. It can babysit your kids, walk your dog, mow your lawn, get the groceries, just be your friend, and serve drinks. Whatever you can think of, it will do and it’s going to be awesome,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk while introducing the latest launch.

In a demo video displayed at the event, Optimus was seen picking up packages and doing household chores like watering plants, cleaning the kitchen top, unloading groceries, and playing with children.

NEW: Elon Musk introduces an army of Optimus robots, says people will be able to buy them to complete tasks.

Epic.

Musk then said attendees could walk up to the Optimus robots who would do things like serve drinks.

“At scale, you should be able to buy an Optimus robot for… pic.twitter.com/zsGF4zzhaR

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 11, 2024

Proving his claims, Musk brought along a bunch of Optimus robots to the party and requested people to be nice to them. “You will be able to walk right up to them and they will serve drinks at the bar. It’s a wild experience just to have humanoid robots. They are there, just in front of you.”

Optimus will cost $20,000 to $30,000 in the long term, Musk said.

Internet is amazed by Optimus.

An X user shared a video of Optimus greeting people, chatting with them and taking orders. Take a look:

Man Robert, didn’t it feel like you were in some time travel trip to be there? This event made history for sure.

— Giovanni P. (@voidtarget) October 11, 2024

A user commented, “Didn’t it feel like you were in some time travel trip to be there? This event made history for sure.”

Some users raised eyebrows at Optimus’s interacting skill. An X user wrote, “Is it really optimus talking? Kinda feeling there’s a human behind it.”

Another said, “The ones mingling and serving drinks were remotely operated but still really impressive.”

“When the hand dexterity of Optimus is equal to that of a human being, I would be interested in buying one. Particularly if it can access information on various subjects and learn. I could use the help working on our rental properties and around our place in Arizona,” said another, showing interest in the innovation.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alongside Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson. File
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer marks 100 days in office Saturday (October 12, 2024) with little cause for celebration.

Mr. Starmer’s center-left Labour Party was elected by a landslide on July 4, sweeping back to power after 14 years. But after weeks of stories about feuding, freebies and fiscal gloom, polls suggest Mr. Starmer’s personal approval rating has plummeted, and Labour is only slightly more popular than a Conservative Party that was rejected by voters after years of infighting and scandal.

“You couldn’t really have imagined a worse start,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. ”First impressions count, and it’s going to be difficult to turn those around.” Mr. Starmer won the election on promises to banish years of turmoil and scandal under Conservative governments, get Britain’s sluggish economy growing and restore frayed public services such as the state-funded National Health Service.

His government argues it has made a strong start: It has ended long-running strikes by doctors and railway workers, set up a publicly owned green energy firm, scrapped the Conservatives’ contentious plan to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda and introduced bills to strengthen rights for workers and renters.

Mr. Starmer has traveled to Washington, the United Nations and European capitals as he seeks to show that “ Britain is back ” after years of inward-looking wrangling over Brexit. But the United Kingdom, like its allies, has struggled to have much impact on spiraling conflicts in the Middle East and the grinding war in Ukraine.

The new government also has faced crises at home, including days of far-right fueled anti-immigrant violence that erupted in towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland in the summer. Mr. Starmer condemned the rioters as “mindless thugs” and vowed to jail those responsible. So far, more than 800 people have appeared in court and almost 400 have gone to prison.

Mr. Starmer’s most intractable problem is Britain’s sluggish economy, hobbled by rising public debt and low growth of just 0.2% in August, according to official figures.

Mr. Starmer has warned that things will be “tough in the short term” before they get better. He says public spending will be constrained by a 22-billion-pound ($29 billion) “black hole” in the public finances left by the Conservatives.

One of the government’s first acts was to strip millions of retirees of a payment intended to help heat their homes in winter. It was intended to signal determination to take tough economic decisions, but it spawned a sharp backlash from Labour members and sections of the public.

It also sat awkwardly with news that Mr. Starmer had accepted thousands of pounds’ worth of clothes and designer eyeglasses from a wealthy Labour donor. Mr. Starmer insisted the gifts were within the rules, but after days of negative headlines agreed to pay back 6,000 pounds’ (almost $8,000) worth of gifts and hospitality, including tickets to see Taylor Swift.

Government officials and advisers have traded blame for the faltering start, with the focus on Downing Street Chief of Staff Sue Gray, and her reported tensions with Labour campaign strategist Morgan McSweeney.

Amid intense media scrutiny — which produced the revelation that Gray earned more than the prime minister — she resigned, saying stories about her “risked becoming a distraction.” McSweeney is replacing her as Mr. Starmer’s Chief of Staff.

Anand Menon, director of the political think tank U.K. in a Changing Europe, wrote on its website that the government made “avoidable mistakes” that allowed a “perception of incompetence and dysfunction” to take hold.

The government’s focus is now on Oct. 30, when Treasury chief Rachel Reeves will set out her first budget. She has ruled out increasing income tax, sales tax or corporation tax, but also says there will be no “return to austerity” — a hard circle to square. She is thought to be considering hiking levies on wealth such as capital gains or inheritance tax.

The government is hoping it can take painful decisions early and then turn things around by showing a growing economy and improving living standards. And it has time — there does not have to be another election until 2029.

Mr. Starmer will be working from 10 Downing St. on his 100th day in office, and aides insist he is not musing on whether his first weeks have been a success.

“It’s for the public to judge that,” spokesperson Camilla Marshall said. “The government is focused on delivery.” Bale said the government can rebuild trust with voters, if it shows “not only that it’s had a pretty dire inheritance, but that it has a plan to improve the country.” “What’s been lacking in some ways is the vision thing,” he said. “I don’t think people have that much of a sense of what Keir Starmer or indeed Labour is about. And that’s something they need to put right very quickly.”