Beijing – China’s new visa programme, aimed at attracting foreign tech talent, is set to kick off this week. The move is viewed as a strategic maneuver to boost Beijing’s competitive standing against Washington, particularly as a new US visa policy prompts prospective applicants to scramble for alternatives globally. While China has abundant skilled local engineers, the new programme is part of a broader effort by Beijing to present itself as a country welcoming foreign investment and talent, counteracting the economic headwinds created by rising trade tensions and US tariffs. “The symbolism is powerful: while the US raises barriers, China…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Grand Blanc – A man crashed his vehicle through the front doors of a Michigan church before opening fire with an assault rifle and setting the building ablaze, resulting in the deaths of at least four people and wounding at least eight others. The perpetrator was killed in a subsequent shootout with police, officials confirmed. Police identified the shooter as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, a former US Marine from the nearby town of Burton. Sanford deliberately set fire to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was quickly engulfed in flames and billowing smoke. Initial reports confirmed two…
Washington – US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he plans to address a rare gathering of senior American generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia, telling Reuters he would relay that they are “cherished leaders” who need to be “strong and tough.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned the senior US military leaders from around the world for the meeting in Quantico on Tuesday—an unusual concentration of the country’s top military brass in a single location. “I want to tell the generals that we love them, they’re cherished leaders, to be strong, be tough and be smart and be compassionate,”…
Hanoi – Typhoon Bualoi tore through Vietnam’s central coast on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 people and injuries to 46, the government reported. The accompanying strong winds and torrential rains severely damaged tens of thousands of homes, severed power links, and flooded major roads, causing widespread chaos. The national weather agency stated that Bualoi weakened into a depression as it headed for Laos after making landfall early Monday. Before weakening, it whipped up waves as high as eight metres (26 ft) as it moved along the northern central coast. The government’s disaster management agency confirmed that…
New Delhi – Social media platform X announced Monday that it was “deeply concerned” by an Indian court’s ruling that dismissed its challenge to New Delhi’s content removal mechanisms. The Elon Musk-owned company declared it would appeal the decision, framing the legal battle as a necessary step to defend freedom of expression in the country. The confrontation between X and Indian authorities has escalated over recent months, with the platform consistently equating the government’s new content removal system with censorship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has countered by arguing that the new framework is essential to tackle the proliferation of…
Washington, DC – US President Donald Trump on Friday publicly demanded that Microsoft immediately dismiss Lisa Monaco, the company’s recently appointed President of Global Affairs. The demand targets a key executive whose portfolio includes oversight of Microsoft’s cybersecurity policy and its engagement with governments worldwide. Writing on his platform, Truth Social, President Trump argued that Monaco’s role provides access to “Highly Sensitive Information,” which he described as “unacceptable,” according to a report by TechCrunch. He launched a scathing personal attack, referring to Monaco as “a senior National Security aide under Barack Hussein Obama, and a Lawfare and Weaponization obsessed Deputy…
Doha – Ever walked into a corner of your home only to find your phone or laptop abruptly refuses to connect to Wi-Fi? This frustrating signal void is technically known as a Wi-Fi dead spot. These “no-signal zones” are more than just an inconvenience; they directly impact productivity and leisure in the very areas of your house where you need reliable connectivity most. With rising internet costs making every dollar count, ensuring you get full value from your service is essential. The good news, according to experts, is that most dead spots are fixable with a few strategic adjustments. “Dead…
San Francisco – Apple’s highly anticipated Apple Intelligence rollout is facing fresh turbulence as a segment of iPhone 17 users report that the core AI features are simply non-functional. The glitch leaves them unable to access the cornerstone of Apple’s evolving digital strategy. Early adopters across the new lineup say the software appears to be installed on their devices but refuses to launch, leaving them stuck in a loop where the phone repeatedly prompts the user to download the Apple Intelligence package without ever completing the activation process. The Details of the User Frustration Reports indicate that the…
San Francisco – OpenAI is grappling with mounting criticism from its paying ChatGPT subscribers following reports that users are being covertly switched to more conservative models without explicit consent during sensitive conversations. Subscribers argue that this practice undermines the premium service they are paying for. Over the past week, online forums like Reddit have been flooded with complaints from ChatGPT users. The frustration stems from new safety guardrails introduced this month, which automatically reroute conversations away from the chosen model—such as GPT-4o or GPT-5—whenever emotionally charged or legally sensitive topics are introduced. Paying subscribers argue that this lack of transparency…
Seoul – A fire at South Korea’s National Information Resources Service (NIRS) data centre in Daejeon has knocked hundreds of government services offline, starkly highlighting critical gaps in the country’s digital backup systems. The widespread service disruption has raised fresh concerns about infrastructure resilience in one of the world’s most hyper-connected nations. The blaze, which erupted during routine maintenance on Friday, immediately disrupted approximately 647 government services, including those managed by essential agencies such as Korea Customs, the National Police Agency, and the National Fire Agency. By Monday, authorities confirmed only 62 systems had been restored, with many key portals,…
