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Themed “Boundless Sports, Countless Wonders,” the 12th edition of the World Games officially opened Thursday night in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, welcoming 6,679 athletes and officials from 116 countries and regions. As the highest-level international competition for non-Olympic sports, the Chengdu World Games will feature 34 major events, 60 sub-events and 256 minor events. The Chinese team is participating for the first time in 12 events, including floorball, cheerleading, flying disc and powerboating. As the fifth international multi-sport event hosted in China since 2022, the Chengdu World Games goes beyond athletics, fostering cultural exchange and mutual understanding. “Sports are…

Multiple Chinese authorities have jointly issued guidelines to promote the innovative development of the brain-computer interface (BCI) industry. The country aims to achieve key technological breakthroughs by 2027, alongside establishing advanced technology, industry and standards systems, according to the guidelines released by several state bodies, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission. BCI technology enables interaction between biological and machine intelligence by creating information channels between the human brain and machines, exemplifying the integration of life sciences and information technology. Specifically, the guidelines call for the accelerated adoption of BCI products across…

China’s phased free preschool education policy will cover all children in their final year of kindergarten nationwide, benefiting around 12 million people this fall semester, a Ministry of Finance official said at a press briefing on Thursday. The policy is expected to reduce household spending by about 20 billion yuan (roughly 2.8 billion U.S. dollars) during this fall semester alone, Vice Minister of Finance Guo Tingting stated. Guo said that the exempted fees will be covered jointly by the central and local governments, with the central government taking the largest share. He also added that supporting the central and western…

The federal government has announced a three-phase plan to privatize 24 state-owned enterprises (SOEs), starting with 10 major institutions — including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the Roosevelt Hotel within the next 12 months. According to a written response submitted in the National Assembly, the privatisation plan will be executed as follows: Phase 1 (within 1 year): 10 institutions, including: PIA Roosevelt Hotel (USA) Agricultural Development Bank Three DISCOs, including Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) Phase 2 (1 to 3 years): 13 institutions, including: State Life Insurance Corporation Utility Stores Corporation Four Gencos (Generation Companies) Six more DISCOs, including Lahore Electric…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit ballooned 44% in July 2025 as imports jumped at nearly double the pace of exports, citing official data on Thursday. The development highlights renewed pressure on the country’s external balance at the start of the new fiscal year, Meanwhile, exports climbed 16.9% year-on-year to $2.7 billion in July, up 8.9% from June, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Imports, however, surged 29.3% from a year earlier to $5.4 billion and 12.4% month-on-month, swelling the monthly trade gap to $2.75 billion from $1.91 billion a year earlier and $2.37 billion in June. For the fiscal year…

With Independence Day celebrations nearing, the Islamabad district administration has imposed a citywide ban on the sale and use of bajas (vuvuzelas). According to officials, the move aims to curb public nuisance and maintain order in the federal capital in the lead-up to August 14. Daily operations ordered against baja stalls Deputy Commissioner Islamabad has instructed all field officers to immediately launch an on-ground operation and seize bajas from stalls across the city. The directive stressed daily monitoring and action until Independence Day. Vendors and individuals found selling or using bajas will face strict legal action, with fines and potential confiscation of…

India’s legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar has lavished praise on right-arm pacer Mohammed Siraj, saying the fast bowler “doesn’t get the credit he deserves” for his consistent match-winning spells during the recently concluded five-Test series against England. Despite the series ending in a draw, Siraj emerged as a standout performer, claiming 23 wickets in nine innings at an average of 32.43 – the highest across both teams in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The 30-year-old Hyderabad pacer also outshone India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, and was the only fast bowler to feature in all five Tests, underlining his fitness and determination. “Unbelievable. Superb…

As concerns rise over the impact of AI-generated search results on publishers’ revenues, Google has denied that its AI features are to blame for declining traffic to websites. The tech giant insists that overall click-through rates from its search engine have remained “relatively stable” over the past year, despite a sharp uptick in AI usage and changing user behaviour. Google’s Vice President and Head of Search, pushed back against multiple third-party studies and mounting criticism from media outlets that claim AI-powered search tools — including AI Overviews and chat-style interfaces — are driving fewer users to external sites. “This data…

Ana de Armas is gearing up for what insiders are calling a major collaboration with Tom Cruise, as the two stars prepare to begin shooting for their upcoming thriller Deeper. According to a source quoted by People, the 37-year-old Cuban-Spanish actress and the 63-year-old Mission: Impossible star recently spent time together in Vermont, where Ana owns a home, before heading to England for a short break. “Now, they are still very focused on kicking off their new project together. It’s a very important project for both of them. They’ll have an intense shooting schedule, but they are ready,” the source told People. The insider…

A new study has raised alarms over children’s increasing screen time, linking it to higher risks of heart disease and diabetes. Researchers found that even an hour of extra daily screen exposure could significantly raise the chances of developing serious metabolic conditions. Children and adolescents who spend extended hours on phones, tablets, or in front of TVs may be exposing themselves to long-term health dangers, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on Wednesday. The research, conducted by a team at the University of Copenhagen, analyzed screen time and sleep patterns in more than…