Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

OpenAI has launched dots, an always-on personal AI assistant designed to manage tasks ranging from restaurant bookings to website design. The service is intended to work autonomously on users’ goals, with each assistant able to operate around the clock. OpenAI said dots could help people pursue projects and ideas they had not previously had the time or support to develop. The launch places OpenAI in an increasingly competitive virtual assistant market, following Meta’s release of Muse earlier this month and Google’s unveiling of Gemini Spark in May. OpenAI said dots was “built to handle everything”, and described the service as…

UK economic output grew by 0.5% in the second quarter of 2026, after figures were revised upwards to show stronger growth, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The revised data provides an updated measure of the UK economy’s performance between April and June.

Lucien Laviscount and Taylour Paige will lead the cast of Tyler Perry’s upcoming Netflix thriller, Tyler Perry’s Confabulation. The film will also feature Shamier Anderson in a key role, alongside Nadine Ellis, Peter Parros, Najah Bradley, Mikeal Dwayne Griggs, Jenna Nolen, Michelle Nunez, Colin McCalla and Shelley Robertson. Tyler Perry’s Confabulation follows a firefighter haunted by his past and struggling with reality. He risks everything to rescue his high-school sweetheart from her powerful husband, but the truth begins to unravel in a twist that questions what is real and what is confabulation. Perry is writing, directing and producing the project.…

Clear conditions are expected across inland valleys and bayside communities in the San Francisco Bay Area overnight, although coastal routes may experience sudden drops in visibility as localised dense fog develops before sunrise. A Coastal Flood Advisory remains in force along the San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay and Monterey Bay, with the National Weather Service warning that low-lying areas could see up to 1.2ft of inundation above ground level. The advisory is due to remain active until 5pm on Thursday, October 1. ([forecast.weather.gov](https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?firewxzone=CAZ530&lat=36.6165&local_place1=3+Miles+E+Seaside+CA&lon=-121.757&product1=Coastal+Flood+Advisory&warncounty=CAC053&warnzone=CAZ530&utm_source=openai)) Wednesday’s high tide is expected at 2.10pm at the San Francisco gauge, reaching about 1.2ft above…

Police are searching for a gun after a shooting in Moonyoonooka, in Western Australia’s Mid West, left a 32-year-old man seriously injured and prompted a nine-hour manhunt. The man was found on Allen Road, east of Geraldton, shortly before 1am on Wednesday. He was alone when officers arrived and was taken to Geraldton Regional Hospital, where his injuries were described as serious but not life-threatening. Five people were taken into custody on Hart Street in the Geraldton suburb of Utakarra at about 10.30am. Some have since been released while inquiries continue. Acting Superintendent Ben Huggett said police believed at least…

Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart has returned to Coogee Beach for the first time since a great white mauled her, overcoming months of flashbacks and fear. The 35-year-old was left in a coma for 10 days after the attack in June and had part of her left arm amputated below the elbow. She returned to the Sydney beach with her young daughter, August, holding her hand as they walked towards the water. In a video shared by Ms Stewart, the primary school teacher can be seen smiling as Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten plays in the background. She said it had taken…

Lauren Jauregui has spoken about embracing her body and dismissing online criticism while attending the 2026 MTV VMAs. The 30-year-old singer discussed body confidence with E! News correspondent Keltie Knight on the red carpet, saying she was proud not to conform to expectations about women’s bodies. “Honestly, I feel like it’s punk as f*** to not be a twig right now, and that’s kind of where I’m at,” Jauregui said. “I am a woman. I fluctuate like all women do.” Jauregui also revealed that she lives with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition she said was not often discussed. “I…

The Los Angeles mayoral race has been sharply divided over the use of the word “genocide” to describe Israel’s war in Gaza, after Karen Bass and Nithya Raman gave opposing answers at a forum hosted by Jewish organisations. The two Democrats faced questions on antisemitism, homelessness, the cost of living and preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games at the Skirball Cultural Center on Tuesday night, with the Gaza conflict becoming the most contentious issue of the evening. Raman was asked about her previous description of Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. She said she had used the term after consulting…

Hello Please has been named a standout among Brisbane’s overlooked restaurants after a review praised the South Brisbane venue’s refined take on East and South-east Asian street food. The Fish Lane restaurant, which has marked its 10th anniversary, received a score of 14.5 out of 20 and a Critics’ Pick. Its menu was described as technically accomplished, combining established dishes with newer creations from chef Jesse Stevens. Hello Please’s signature dishes remain a draw Among the strongest offerings was the restaurant’s fried chicken, made with overnight-brined thigh and coated in a notably crisp crumb. Pickled daikon and dried betel leaf…

Calls have been made for the deportation of Abu Wadee, a Palestinian small-boat migrant accused of posting threats against Jewish people, after he was housed in Corby under the Home Office asylum dispersal scheme. Wadee, 34, served nine months in prison after being convicted of illegally entering the UK by dinghy last year. He is now living in a shared property with three other people while his asylum claim is considered. The Home Office is understood to be seeking his deportation, although the timescale for any action remains unclear. His accommodation is estimated to cost the taxpayer £23.25 a night…