Government
Cyber Physical Systems: features, Applications, Challenges
Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are smart systems that depend on the synergy of cyber and physical components. They link the physical world (e.g. through sensors, actuators, robotics, and embedded systems) with the virtual world of information processing. Applications of CPS have the tremendous potential of improving convenience, comfort, and safety in our daily life. This paper provides a brief introduction to CPSs and their applications. The term "cyber-physical system" (CPS) was coined in 2006 by Helen Gill of the US National Science Foundation (Henshaw, 2016).
US Kills Al-Qaeda Chief In Kabul Drone Strike
A United States drone strike killed Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri at a hideout in the Afghan capital, President Joe Biden said Monday, adding "justice had been delivered" to the families of the September 11, 2001 attacks. In a somber televised address, Biden said he gave the final go-ahead for the high-precision strike that successfully targeted Zawahiri in the Afghan capital over the weekend. "Justice has been delivered and this terrorist leader is no more," Biden said, adding that he hoped Zawahiri's death would bring "closure" to families of the 3,000 people killed in the United States on 9/11. A senior administration official said Zawahiri was on the balcony of a house in Kabul when he was targeted with two Hellfire missiles, an hour after sunrise on July 31, and that there had been no US boots on the ground in Afghanistan. "We are not aware of him ever leaving the safe house. We identified Zawahiri on multiple occasions for sustained periods of time on the balcony of where he was ultimately struck," the official said.
US killing al-Zawahiri in Kabul a violation of Doha pact: Taliban
The Taliban has condemned the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri by the United States in a "precision" drone strike in the centre of Kabul. The killing of al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian surgeon who had a $25m bounty on his head for the September 11, 2001 attacks, is the biggest blow to the armed group since its founder Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011. In a statement on Tuesday, the group called the strike a "clear violation" of international principles and the Doha Agreement, the 2020 pact signed by the Taliban and the US that facilitated the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. The strike was carried out on a residential house in the Sherpur area of Kabul, a diplomatic enclave where many Taliban leaders live now, Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in the statement. "Such actions are a repetition of the failed experiences of the past 20 years and are against the interests of the US, Afghanistan and the region," Mujahid said.
EXPLAINER: Who was al-Zawahri -- and why did US kill him?
A U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan this weekend killed Ayman al-Zawahri, who helped Osama bin Laden plot the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and ensured al-Qaida survived and spread in the years after. President Joe Biden on Monday announced the killing of al-Zawahri, delivering a significant counterterrorism win just 11 months after American troops left the country. A look at the al-Qaida leader, who evaded U.S. capture for 21 years after the suicide airliner attacks that in many ways changed America and its relations with the rest of the world. Americans who lived through the 9/11 attacks may not remember al-Zawahri's name, but many know his face more than two decades on: a man in glasses, slightly smiling, invariably shown in photos by the side of bin Laden as the two arranged the strike on the United States. An Egyptian, al-Zawahri was born June 19, 1951, to a comfortable family in a leafy, drowsy Cairo suburb.
The Strike That Killed al-Qaida's Ayman al-Zawahiri Is a Bigger Deal Than It Sounds Like
President Joe Biden's surprise announcement Monday night--that a U.S. drone strike over the weekend killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of al-Qaida and co-architect of the 9/11 terrorist attack--is both more and less significant than it might seem at first glance. On the one hand, mainly because of the West's counter-terrorism strategies, al-Qaida is far from the potent global force that it was a decade ago. Its presence has been muted, and Zawahiri himself has hidden so far out of sight that one prominent expert speculated back in November that he might have been killed already. On the other hand, one fact about this drone strike hints at a much larger finding: It took place in Afghanistan. It turns out Zawahiri was living with his family in a large safehouse in downtown Kabul--meaning he had to be there with the Taliban's full blessing. This means that, contrary to the Taliban's assurances, they have been plotting a revival of their alliance with al-Qaida--the alliance that Osama bin Laden formed at the turn of the century and that spawned the attack on the World Trade Center.
The Death of Ayman al-Zawahiri
In 2002, when I profiled Ayman al-Zawahiri for The New Yorker, he was called "the man behind bin Laden." But since bin Laden was killed by American special forces in 2011, Zawahiri has been Al Qaeda's leader. Zawahiri and bin Laden were very different men, not friends but allies, using each other for the skills and resources they could each provide. Al Qaeda would not have survived without the dynamic they created together. Zawahiri, reportedly killed in Afghanistan by a U.S. drone strike over the weekend, was a doctor--a highly-educated professional who chose to devote himself to violent revolution.
Biden Says US Killed Al-Qaeda Chief Al-Zawahiri In Afghanistan
President Joe Biden announced Monday that the United States had killed Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists and suspected mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks. In a televised address, Biden said the strike in Kabul, Afghanistan had been carried out on Saturday. "I gave the final approval to go get him," he said, adding that there had been no civilian casualties. "Justice has been delivered and this terrorist leader is no more," Biden said. A senior administration official said Zawahiri had been killed on the balcony of a house in Kabul in a drone strike, and that there had been no US boots on the ground in Afghanistan.
Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri killed in drone strike: 9/11 families react
A senior administration official confirmed Zawahri's death to Fox News, saying the U.S. conducted a counterterrorism operation against "a significant al Qaeda target in Afghanistan." FILE - Osama bin Laden, left, and Ayman Al Zawahiri. "This is a significant step forward and is particularly meaningful to the 9/11 community as we continue our years-long battle for justice and accountability," 9/11 Justice said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "We urge President Biden to continue to stand with the 9/11 community and all those who seek justice by holding Saudi Arabia accountable for the 9/11 attacks," 9/11 Justice said. This image taken from a video issued by As-Sahab, al Qaeda's media branch, on April 5, 2022, shows al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri speaking.
Waypoint - The official Waymo blog: New Waymo One features inspired by DOT's Inclusive Design Challenge
Accessibility is something we care deeply about at Waymo, as our mission is to help improve road safety and mobility for all. As this topic is such a core part of what we do, we were honored to make it to the semifinals in the U.S. Department of Transportation Design Challenge. DOT's goal was to generate design solutions that enable people with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities to use automated vehicles to access jobs, healthcare, and other critical destinations. The DOT is helping to further creative product thinking around inclusive mobility, and we're proud of the features that we designed and integrated into our Waymo One service. To help build the features, we partnered with many groups affected by lack of mobility options as part of our Let's Talk Autonomous Driving public education initiative, and we sought their input to shape our submission. We're pleased to share some of the features we developed for our Waymo One ride-hailing service, and we'll continue to add more inclusive features for our riders over time.