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Washington: Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, introduced two new subscription plans on Friday (local time), including a Premium+ tier for users willing to pay for an ad-free experience, according to a page detailing the features of the subscription.

Premium+ tier that costs $16 per month and offers the ‘largest reply boost’ and removes ads from the For You and Following feeds.

The second tier launching is called ‘Basic’ and costs $3 per month. The tier doesn’t come with a blue checkmark, but includes basic features like the ability to edit posts and post longer text and videos. It also offers a ‘small reply boost’.

“We’re also launching a new Basic tier for $3/month (when signing up via Web) that gives you access to the most essential Premium features,” posted X.

Since taking over last year, owner Elon Musk has begun searching for ways to monetize the platform and even started making users in New Zealand and the Philippines pay $1 per year to access X.

The latest move by Musk intends to bring in additional revenue. Premium+ tier comes with revenue-sharing, along with access to other creator tools.

Premium Plus builds on the perks that come with X's standard Premium plan (formerly Twitter Blue), which includes a blue checkmark, the ability to edit tweets, longer posts, longer video uploads, encrypted direct messages, and more, reported The Verge.

Meanwhile, ‘Basic’ option plan doesn’t let you pay your way to verification—it doesn’t include a checkmark—and subscribers will only receive a ‘small boost’ to their replies. It also doesn’t include reduced ads or access to X’s media studio.

X is also planning to bundle video and audio calling for some users, in a push to turn the platform into an everything app, reported New York Post.

Musk has been exploring several options to extensively monetize the social media platform, which he acquired for $44bn in Oct 2022.

He added a series of new features to X, including live streaming, video and audio calls, and even plans to incorporate banking. 

ANI

Islamabad: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is on the verge of a shutdown as it canceled over 500 flights in the past 11 days due to the unavailability of fuel, ARY News reported.

PIA is facing its worst crisis in history as Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has cut its fuel supply over unpaid dues. The move forced the airline to cancel 537 flights since Oct 13.

On Thursday, as many as 49 domestic and international flights were canceled from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Multan, Peshawar and other cities after the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) slashed its fuel supply to the PIA, sources said.

The flights include Karachi to Islamabad and Karachi to Turbat, all of which have to be called off.

Meanwhile, PIA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amir Hayat has written a ‘motivation letter’ to the employees amid the financial crisis, closure of the flight operations and the ongoing privatization process, as per ARY News.

Hayat asked all employees to maintain a concerted focus on ensuring organizational compliance through closely-knit teamwork ahead of the airline’s privatization.

PIA recently paid PKR 220m (approximately $789,000) to Pakistan State Oil (PSO) for a two-day fuel supply, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The PIA spokesperson said that the airline has paid PKR 500m so far to the PSO for the provision of fuel, adding that the national flag carrier is making payments to PSO daily.

PIA is currently acquiring fuel for profitable routes including Saudi Arabia, Canada, China, Kuala Lumpur and others. 

ANI

Tanahun: The Anbukhareni Rural Municipality in Tanahun district has opted for commercial avocado farming as an intervention to grow more agricultural produces for better livelihood options for the locals.

As part of 'One Ward, One Production', the rural municipality distributed a total of 1,840 avocado plants in its ward no 2 by offering 75 percent in subsidy to the farmers, chief administrative officer of the rural municipality Bishnu Prasad Sharma said. 

The farmers were provided with the avocado plants as it starts yielding in three to five years and is profitable in terms of productions and market as well.       

Likewise, the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in the district said that avocado farming is kept in priority in the district under the fruits areas development programme.

The Centre has also grown avocado saplings from last year.  

The avocado farming could be done from 200 metres to 1,600 metres above the sea level and the district's climate and land's altitude is appropriate for growing avocado. 

Chairman of Anbukhareni Rural Municipality Shukra Chuman said that avocado farming was started in the rural municipality by utilizing the barren land to ensure income of local beneficiaries and grow local productions.

The farmers get competitive price of avocado in the local market and also its demand is still high in the hospitality sector.

Washington: The United States announced a latest $150m for arms and equipment military aid package to bolster Kyiv to fight and succeed against Russia.

The US government in a latest package announces arms and equipment which includes air defense, artillery, anti-tank, and other capabilities, said a press statement from US Department of State.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said in a statement on Thursday, “This new package of arms and equipment includes air defense, artillery, anti-tank, and other capabilities which will further enhance Ukraine’s capacity to defend its territory against Russian offensives while continuing its counter-offensive against Russia’s forces. Ukraine’s forces are fighting bravely to reclaim territory seized by Russia's forces, and this additional support will help them continue making progress. This package provides $150m of arms and equipment authorized under previously directed drawdowns for Ukraine.”

US while reiterating its support for the war torn Ukraine noted that the US and its ally partners will continue to support Ukraine until Russia withdraws its forces from the country.

Quoting the statement, “Russia started this war and could end it at any time by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and stopping its brutal attacks, which continue to take the lives of innocent people. Until it does, the United States and the coalition we have built of more than 50 nations will continue to stand with Ukraine, and we will continue to work with Congress to help Ukraine secure its future—a future in which its people rebuild and live safely in a resilient and thriving democracy.”

On Aug 14, the United States government announced security assistance of $200m for Ukraine which continues to defend its territory and protect its people.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a US State Department statement that the package, which is valued at $200m, includes air defense munitions, artillery rounds, anti-armour capabilities, and additional mine-clearing equipment.

Moreover, In July this year, the US government announced a $1.3bn military aid package for Ukraine—during its ongoing conflict with Russia—including air defense systems and attack drones.

According to the US Department of Defence, the package includes four more National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), medium-range air defense batteries that have helped Ukraine withstand ongoing Russian barrages of missiles and drones.Notably, it is the same system that is used to protect Washington DC and the area around the US capital.

The package will give Kyiv a total of 12 NASAMS. The US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said last November that the NASAMS had a 100 percent success rate in intercepting Russian attacks, CNN reported.

Lloyd Austin, United States Secretary of Defense on July 18 said following an international meeting of countries providing aid to Ukraine “Make no mistake: We are determined to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom for as long as it takes.”

ANI