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Scientists in Austria and China have developed working prototypes of what could become a new generation of ultra-precise nuclear clocks, using the nucleus of thorium-229 instead of electrons to measure time. The two independent teams, based at the Vienna University of Technology and Tsinghua University in Beijing, described their results in separate studies published in the journal Nature this week. Unlike conventional atomic clocks, which measure transitions between energy levels of electrons, nuclear clocks use a laser tuned to a transition between energy states inside an atomic nucleus. How nuclear clocks work Atomic clocks already provide extremely precise timekeeping and…

Samsung has started expanding its October 2026 security update for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series and Galaxy Z Flip 8 to markets outside South Korea. Europe and India are among the first regions to receive the update. Samsung initially released the October security patch for the three foldable models in South Korea earlier this week. Update brings 62 security fixes The update for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is around 537MB and carries firmware version F9763XXS3AZIJ. Updates for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 8 are expected to have similar sizes, with firmware versions ending…

ChatGPT is becoming more visual with the launch of a new interface called Intelligent UI, which OpenAI says will make complex topics easier to understand through interactive visuals. The feature, rolling out alongside the company’s new GPT-6 model, adds elements such as tappable buttons, customised calculators, interactive charts, editable graphs and diagrams directly into conversations. From text to interactive answers OpenAI says the aim is to help users understand complex subjects more easily, while making ChatGPT more accessible and useful for everyday tasks. During a briefing with journalists, OpenAI product manager Aarush Selvan said ChatGPT had “predominantly been a text-based…

The International Monetary Fund has reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan on reviews of some of its lending programmes, potentially unlocking about $1.21 billion in financing pending board approval, the fund said on Wednesday. If the board approves the deal, Pakistan could access about $1 billion under the Extended Fund Facility and $210 million under the climate-focused Resilience and Sustainability Facility, bringing total disbursements under the two programs to around $5.7 billion. An IMF team led by Iva Petrova held discussions with Pakistani authorities in Karachi and Islamabad from September 23 to October 7 under the latest programme reviews as…

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has said that India is providing material and logistical support to the Taliban government in Afghanistan to facilitate terrorist attacks against Pakistan, saying Islamabad is fully aware of the cost of India-sponsored terrorism. Muhammad Jawad Ajmal, counsellor at Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said this while exercising Pakistan’s right of reply to remarks by the Indian representative at the UN on October 7. Ajmal said India’s “newfound love” for the Taliban regime was not accidental, saying that New Delhi was supporting the Afghan authorities under the cover of humanitarian assistance. “Under the garb of humanitarian…

Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar died at around 5:20am on Thursday after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, according to Dr Shekhar Salkar, chief of the oncology department at Manipal Hospital. Dr Salkar said Patekar was brought to Manipal Hospital after being found unconscious. Doctors performed continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for around 45 minutes but were unable to revive him. A medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem examination will be conducted to establish the exact cause of death, the doctor said. A career spanning more than four decades Patekar was one…

Chinese researchers have developed the world’s first three-dimensional spatiotemporal cell atlas that tracks the entire growth lifecycle of rice. The landmark findings, published online Tuesday in the international journal Cell, resolve long-standing bottlenecks in observing and understanding how rice cells grow, divide and coordinate to shape the crop. Illustration of the growth lifecycle of rice. /China Media Group Led by Yazhouwan National Laboratory based in south China’s Hainan Province, a consortium of 12 research institutions, including Chinese biotech firm BGI-Research and Huazhong Agricultural University, built a 3D spatiotemporal cell atlas covering rice’s entire journey, from seed germination to flowering and…

The direct maritime route between Peru’s Chancay port and Shanghai is accelerating trade between Peru and China. Peruvian agricultural exports are reaching China faster, while growing numbers of Chinese vehicles, machinery and electrical equipment are arriving through Chancay.

China’s 16th Arctic expedition has expanded the country’s ability to observe the region year-round. The data is expected to feed into global climate research and sharpen forecasting. Expedition vessels Xuelong and Xuelong 2 have now docked in Shanghai, while the Jidi and Tansuo 3 are due back mid-October. The mission focused on climate change and its global impacts, surveying sea ice, hydrology, biology, ecosystems and atmospheric conditions in key areas of the Arctic Ocean. Work was carried out at 19 ice stations, marking a new stage in China’s Arctic research. Ship-based surveys have expanded what can be covered, while ice-based observations…

China’s inbound tourism market is seeing robust growth during the 2026 National Day holiday. China’s border crossings are expected to handle an average of about 2.15 million passenger trips per day during the holiday, according to the National Immigration Administration. Data from Chinese online travel agency Trip.com showed that inbound tourist trips during the combine holiday posted double digit year-on-year growth for the first time. New trends are emerging in China’s inbound tourism market, as overseas visitors move beyond traditional sightseeing, and increasingly immerse themselves in local life, culture and experiences. Orders for one-day inbound tours surged more than fourfold year on…