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Chinese children, teenagers to have smartphone usage restricted

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BEIJING: Chinese authorities have decided to deal with the excessive use of smartphones and internet addiction among children and teenagers.

Under the expected regulations, those below the age of 18 will have limited access to the internet and their smartphones from 10pm to 6am from September 2 this year.

The authorities will implement a tiered system to manage mobile usage time, with 40 minutes per day as the maximum for children, while those aged 16 and 17 years will be allowed usage for up to two hours.

Proposed by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the new rules are among the strictest in the world, as they aim to control and regulate the exposure of young people to smartphones as well as the internet during certain hours.

Parents, however, will be able to bypass them if they wish.

The CAC said the rules would “improve the positive role of the internet, create a favourable network environment, prevent and intervene in minors’ internet addiction problems, and guide minors to form good internet use habits”.

The measures would build upon existing efforts to strengthen the online protection of minors, it added, including by “enriching age-appropriate content” and reducing “the influence of bad information”.

Beijing authorities have pursued expansive regulation of the domestic tech sector in recent years, due in part to concerns over the risk posed to young people by digital technology.

In 2021, China capped the amount of gaming time for children with the stated aim of fighting addiction, and froze approvals of new games for nine months, hammering the bottom lines of many companies including sector titan Tencent.

And Wednesday’s decision suggests Beijing´s regulatory clampdown on domestic tech giants continues.

Stocks of many leading Chinese internet firms fell Wednesday following the CAC’s announcement, with Tencent’s Hong Kong-listed shares down 3.0 percent.

Meanwhile, web search, AI, and online services giant Baidu saw its shares fall 3.75% during trading in Hong Kong.

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Balochistani Graduates Selected for NUTECH Islamabad’s Mining Program

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For 18 graduates of the Reko Diq Mining Project, the National University of Technology, Islamabad, has started a training program. These graduates will complete an 18-month on-the-job training program at Barrick’s International Mining Sites after completing a two-month course at NUTECH.

The graduates will acquire proficiency in mining and associated technical domains during the training program. The chosen graduates will also get specific instruction on environmental protection, safety, exploration, and geology.

Along with the development of communication skills, the curriculum will also emphasise the most recent advancements in the mining industry. Barrick’s International Graduate Development Program for 2024 includes the Balochistani graduates.

Additionally, nine Baloch graduates were selected in 2023 and transported to Barrick’s facility in Argentina for on-the-job training.

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WhatsApp will improve the updates tab by introducing new shortcuts and a revamped interface.

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WhatsApp is implementing a new upgrade to refine the Updates tab interface, hence boosting accessibility for status and channel updates.

WABetaInfo reports that the upgrade introduces expedited shortcuts that streamline the updating of statuses and channels. Users can now select and upload photos and videos directly from the interface, reducing the steps involved in choosing media from the gallery.

The Meta-owned messaging application has also revamped the button for generating text-based status updates and introduced a feature for recording and sharing voice status updates. This offers customers a more expedient method to disseminate text and speech updates without depending on the floating action button.

The revisions correspond with recent modifications to other tabs, ensuring a modernised interface that improves navigation and update creation. WhatsApp is modifying the floating action button to facilitate content sharing within channels.

When selecting the floating action button, users will see several options, including creating status updates, starting new channels, or sharing photos, videos, voice, and text in existing channels. This revamp integrates all content-generating options into a singular section.

The new shortcuts are anticipated to be accessible to a broader user base in the forthcoming weeks. Beta testers can currently access them in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android, version 2.24.26.13, available on the Google Play Store.

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China and Pakistan Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Launch AI-Powered Agricultural Equipment

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Through Chinese expertise, the arrangement, which was made possible by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), intends to increase Pakistan’s agricultural output.

The Punjab government and China’s “AI Force Tech” company have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to introduce advanced agricultural machinery during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s visit to China.

Through the use of advanced robotic technology, the MoU seeks to transform Pakistan’s agricultural industry, guarantee economic growth, and boost farmers’ wealth with China’s assistance.

Through the partnership, Pakistan would also have the chance to absorb knowledge about China’s sophisticated farming methods.

In the meantime, plans have been revealed by the Federal Minister of Planning to send 1,000 agricultural experts to China to study contemporary farming methods.

A Chinese business and the Punjab government previously inked an agreement to introduce cutting-edge cancer treatment technologies to Punjab.

Maryam Nawaz signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hygea Medical Technologies while she was in China in order to introduce cutting-edge cancer treatment equipment and techniques to Punjab.

This equipment will make it feasible to treat cancer without the need for chemotherapy or surgery.

Following a meeting with Hygea Medical Technologies President Dr. Luo Fuliang, Maryam Nawaz said the organization has promised expert assistance for the establishment of the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital.

She went on to say that the hospital will work with China to treat cancer patients utilizing the newest equipment and techniques following the agreement.

Maryam Nawaz and a high-level delegation are present. From December 8 to December 15, the chief minister will go to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou.

CM Maryam Nawaz is expected to attend a number of conferences, events, and meetings with the goal of enhancing bilateral relations and looking into potential joint ventures in the areas of infrastructure development, technology, agriculture, and governance.

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