ISLAMABAD: The government's new social media policy came under criticism in the Senate on Friday, with lawmakers accusing the government of having bypassed the parliament in drafting the rules. PPP Senator Rubina Khalid while raising the matter in the House said, "We had been assured that the new rules [regarding digital media] would be brought before the Senate committee but...
Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor, through his personal Twitter account, on Sunday said that Pakistani authorities have taken up with Twitter and Facebook the alleged suspension of Pakistani social media accounts posting in support of Kashmir. He also invited social media users to share information about accounts that have been suspended. https://twitter.com/peaceforchange/status/1162859253683695617 Maj Gen...
Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled its own operating system on Friday, as it faces the threat of losing access to Android systems amid escalating US-China trade tensions. Richard Yu, the head of Huawei's consumer business, told a press conference in the southern city of Dongguan that the new system, called HarmonyOS or HongMeng in Chinese, would "bring more harmony and...
WASHINGTON: There might be life on the Moon after all: thousands of virtually indestructible creatures that can withstand extreme radiation, sizzling heat, the coldest temperatures of the universe, and decades without food. These terrifying-sounding beings aren’t aliens but instead microscopic Earthlings known as tardigrades, who likely made it out alive following a crash landing on the lunar surface by Israel’s...
Democratic US senators Edward Markey and Richard Blumenthal have written to Facebook Inc questioning whether there was a “worrying pattern” of poor privacy protection for children using its Messenger Kids app. The senators were "disturbed" to learn that the application allowed thousands of children to join group chats in which not all members of the group were approved by their...
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman retired Maj Gen Amir Azeem Bajwa on Friday told a Senate panel that the government should either increase the body's "technical capabilities" or block social media websites in the country in order to stop the circulation of "blasphemous content". While briefing the Senate Special Committee to examine purported grievances, Bajwa said: "[Dealing with] blasphemous content...
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will send its first citizen into space by 2022 with the selection process to find the right astronaut set to begin next year. In a tweet, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday the election process to send the first Pakistani into space will begin from February 2020. https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1154293483504619520 “Fifty people will be shortlisted —...
DUBAI: United Arab Emirates telecoms company du has discussed US restrictions on Huawei with the Chinese company and believes they will not hamper its 5G network, its chief executive said on Wednesday. American companies were banned in May from selling most US parts and components to Huawei without special licences, raising concerns about the company’s supply chain. Du uses Huawei...
A Viral app named 'FaceApp' has been giving people the ability to change their facial expressions, looks, and now age for several years. But at the same time, people have been giving FaceApp the authority to use their pictures — and names — for any purpose it wishes, for as long as it wishes. The app has been downloaded by...
SYDNEY: Instagram started hiding "likes" on its platform in Australia, Brazil and several other major markets Thursday, saying it wanted to ease pressure on users, following criticism about its impacts on mental health. The Facebook-owned social media giant's trial changes mean users in the six countries will no longer be able to see the number of likes other people's posts...
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: US lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are set to grill Facebook Inc on its cryptocurrency plans on Tuesday, as the project continues to draw intense scrutiny from financial regulators and politicians across the globe. Facebook is fighting a rearguard action to get Washington onside after it shocked regulators and lawmakers with an announcement on June 18...
BENGALURU: India’s space agency said it delayed the launch of its second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, in the early hours of Monday due to a “technical snag” which was observed less than an hour before the scheduled liftoff. “A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at T-56 minute,” the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), said in a tweet. “As...
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump welcomed prominent conservative social media provocateurs to the White House on Thursday and said that along with himself, they are being treated unfairly by big tech firms, which he says suppress conservative voices. Trump said he has told his administration to look for regulations and legislation that could protect free speech - though he did not...
Twelve American men walked on the Moon between 1969 and 1972, with most describing in great detail their experiences on the dusty, low-gravity world lit by the blinding light of the Sun. Here are their impressions, collected from a series of oral history interviews by Nasa during the 1990s and 2000s, unless otherwise stated. Right after landing "That's where you...
WASHINGTON: Facebook Inc said on Monday that it had not been invited to a White House summit on social media being held later this week. The White House has repeatedly declined to say who will attend the July 11 event. White House spokesman Judd Deere said last month the meeting would “bring together digital leaders for a robust conversation on...
SYDNEY: Australia’s consumer watchdog has sued Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s Australian unit for allegedly misleading consumers by promoting water-resistant Galaxy smartphones as suitable to use in swimming pools and the surf. The world’s largest smartphone maker did not know or sufficiently test the effects of pool or saltwater exposure on its phones when ads showed them fully submerged, the Australian...
WASHINGTON: A senior US official told the Commerce Department’s enforcement staff this week that China’s Huawei should still be treated as blacklisted, days after US President Donald Trump sowed confusion with a vow to ease a ban on sales to the firm. Trump surprised markets on Saturday by promising Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit...
