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  • Will China’s new chromosome editing tool unlock new wave of genetic advances?

    Will China’s new chromosome editing tool unlock new wave of genetic advances?

    A group of Chinese scientists has overcome a challenge that stumped biologists for decades by developing a new gene-editing tool that can precisely manipulate millions of base pairs – the building blocks of DNA.
    The innovation has been hailed as “very significant progress” by Professor Yin Hao, a gene editing specialist at Wuhan University’s medical research institute, who was not involved in the study. He added that it would help lay the foundation for future advances in genetic engineering in biomedicine and agriculture.
    A single human cell contains around 3 billion base pairs. Well-known technologies such as Crispr are widely used for the precise editing of specific genes and nucleic acid bases. However, biologists have struggled to scale up the process to precisely manipulate thousands or even millions of bases.

    Now, a team led by Gao Caixia – a principal investigator at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing – has solved the riddle by making the decade-old gene editing tool much easier to use and more efficient. The study was published by the peer-reviewed journal Cell on Monday.

    The new genome editing technologies, collectively known as programmable chromosome engineering (PCE) systems, can edit large DNA fragments with precision by “handling bases ranging from the thousands to the millions in higher organisms, especially plants”, according to the institute.

    The toolset holds promise for transforming the way scientists conduct research in emerging fields such as agricultural seed cultivation and synthetic biology.

    According to a CAS branch institute in Beijing, by manipulating genomic structural variation, the technology will “open up new avenues for crop trait improvement and genetic disease treatment”.

    The advance could also accelerate the development of artificial chromosomes, which have promising applications in emerging fields such as synthetic biology.

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  • Hania Aamir’s motorcycle dance video sets internet ablaze

    Hania Aamir’s motorcycle dance video sets internet ablaze

    This collage shows Hania Aamir enjoying bike ride in Karachi. — Screengrab via Instagram/haniaheheofficial

    A video of famed Pakistani actor Hania Aamir dancing while enjoying a ride on a motorcycle through the streets of Karachi has gone viral on social media.

    The 28-year-old actor, known for her energetic and light-hearted personality, shared the video on her official Instagram account.

    In the video, Hania is seen enjoying a motorcycle ride around the city, while cheerfully dancing to background music.

    This latest video comes shortly after her appearance at singer Asim Azhar’s concert, which has also generated buzz online.

    At the concert, Hania, dressed in a white outfit and glasses, was spotted in the front row dancing with her close friend Yashma Gul as Asim performed his viral hit Trasti Hain Nighayin.

    In addition, Hania also posted several photos from recent outings with friends, showing her enjoying various activities, including horse riding.

    “Make space for a chill girl, kids… also don’t lie, you like his music too,” she wrote in her Instagram post.

    The Parde Mein Rehne Do actor continues to attract attention with her candid and playful presence on social media, maintaining a strong connection with her fan base across platforms.


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  • Tens of thousands protest in Israel over plan to escalate war on Gaza – latest updates | Middle East and north Africa

    Tens of thousands protest in Israel over plan to escalate war on Gaza – latest updates | Middle East and north Africa

    Key events

    The request for the UN security council was reportedly endorsed by all members of the security council except Panama, which is its current chair, and the US, Israel’s most powerful ally and biggest arms supplier.

    The security council is the UN’s most powerful body; it has the authority to issue legally binding resolutions that can be backed up by sanctions and peacekeepers.

    There are five permanent members of the council (China, the Russian Federation, France, the UK and the US). They can vote against, and effectively veto, any proposal put forward by the council.

    The ten non-permanent members are currently Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia.

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    UN security council to meet over Israel’s Gaza City takeover plan

    The UN security council will shortly hold an emergency session to discuss Israel’s plan to capture and occupy Gaza City, which if carried out would give Israel control of about 85% of the strip (the Israeli military currently controls about 75% of the territory).

    The meeting, requested by Denmark, France, Greece, the UK and Slovenia, is scheduled to start at 10am (14:00 GMT) in New York and will see UN rapporteurs outline the likely disastrous consequences of seizing Gaza’s main city.

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was among foreign leaders urging Israel to reconsider its decision to advance into Gaza City.

    Buildings destroyed in Israeli airstrikes surround makeshift shelters for displaced Palestinian people in Gaza City. Photograph: Bashar Taleb/AFP/Getty Images

    Regional power Saudi Arabia, which has said it could not normalise ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, condemned any move to occupy Gaza.

    Germany, Israel’s second-biggest arms supplier and strongest backer in Europe, on Friday suspended the delivery of weaponry that could be used in Gaza.

    Foreign ministers from the UK, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and Australia released a joint statement rejecting the plan on the same day, saying it would “aggravate” the already “catastrophic” situation in Gaza.

    “Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law,” they added.

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    Tens of thousands protest in Israel over plan to escalate war on Gaza

    Welcome to our live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza.

    Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to oppose Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to escalate his war on Gaza.

    The plan lists five so-called “principles” for ending the war: disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, demilitarising the Gaza Strip, taking security control of Gaza, and setting up “an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority”.

    The demonstration against the plan, estimated to have attracted more than 100,000 protesters by organisers, saw calls for an immediate end to the military assault and for the release of hostages.

    Authorities did not provide an official estimate for the size of the crowd, though it dwarfed other recent anti-war rallies.

    Public opinion polls show an overwhelming majority of Israelis favour an immediate end to the war to secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages held by militants in Gaza. Israeli officials believe about 20 hostages are still alive.

    Families of hostages lead a march around the Kirya complex in Tel Aviv during an anti-government protest and rally against an expansion to the war on Gaza. Photograph: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images

    In other developments:

    • The Israeli government has faced sharp criticism at home and abroad, including from some of its closest European allies, over the announcement that the military would expand the war to seize Gaza City. The full cabinet is expected to give its approval as soon as Sunday.

    • The Palestinian Authority on Saturday lambasted the Israeli government’s decision to expand its assault in Gaza, as it called on the international community to push for the entry of aid into the strip. According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the PA’s presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the Israeli government’s moves were “an unprecedented challenge and provocation to the international will to achieve peace and stability”.

    • Several Arab and Muslim countries on Saturday condemned as a “dangerous escalation” Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City. About 20 countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, said the plan constituted “a flagrant violation of international law, and an attempt to entrench the illegal occupation and impose a fait accompli… in contravention of international legitimacy”. Muslim nations must work in total unison and work to mobilise the international community against Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday after talks in Egypt. Speaking at a joint press conference in El Alamein with his Egyptian counterpart after meeting Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Fidan also said the Organisation of Islamic cooperation had been called to an emergency meeting.

    • More than 450 people were arrested in central London on Saturday at the largest demonstration relating to Palestine Action since the group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation. On Saturday night, police said that as of 9pm, 466 people had been arrested for showing support for Palestine Action. There were a further eight arrests for other offences including five assaults on officers. Police said the total of 474 was the most arrests it had made related to a single operation in at least the past decade.

    • The UK announced another £8.5m for UN aid to Gaza after Israel unveiled plans to expand its military operations in the territory. Development minister Baroness Jenny Chapman said the money would “help address urgent need” in Gaza, but only if Israel allowed the region to be “flooded with aid”.

    • Five Lebanese soldiers were killed in a blast on Saturday while removing munitions from a Hezbollah military facility in south Lebanon, a military source told AFP.

    • Iran’s judiciary said Saturday it was investigating the cases of 20 people arrested over their suspected links with Israel after the 12-day war between the two arch-foes.

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  • Prince Harry hits back in bullying row as he plots major new course | Royal | News

    Prince Harry hits back in bullying row as he plots major new course | Royal | News

    As reported by the Mail on Sunday, an insider has said: “‘The Duke [of Sussex] is anxious that the fight against poverty and Aids in Lesotho and Botswana carries on.

    “He and Prince Seeiso are keen to work together on a new venture. They are talking about setting up a new charity or clubbing together to support other existing charities doing similar work in the region.”

    Last week, a Charity Commission probe found “no evidence” to support Dr Sophie Chandauka’s allegations of bullying, harassment, misogyny and misogynoir – discrimination against black women.

    Following last week’s findings, Harry broke his silence by accusing the Charity Commission of “sitting on the fence” after it published a report that “criticised all parties” at his charity for weaknesses that “risked undermining public trust in charities more generally”.

    As reported by the Times, a source close to Harry then criticised the report. They have said that the royal was “devastated that the chair has been allowed to succeed with a hostile takeover”.

    Sentebale was founded to help young people and children in southern Africa, particularly those living with HIV and Aids.

    Just days after his departure in March, Prince Harry said in a statement: “From the inception of Sentebale nearly 20 years ago, Prince Seeiso and I have had a clear goal: to support the children and young people in Southern Africa in memory of our mothers. What has transpired over the last week has been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal. No one suffers more than the beneficiaries of Sentebale itself.”

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  • Proton Launches Free Cross-Platform 2FA Authenticator App with Enhanced Privacy Features

    Proton Launches Free Cross-Platform 2FA Authenticator App with Enhanced Privacy Features

    FaceTec’s patented, industry-leading 3D Face Verification and Reverification software anchors digital identity, creating a chain of trust from user onboarding to ongoing authentication on all modern smart devices and webcams. FaceTec’s 3D FaceMaps™ finally make trusted, remote identity verification possible. As the only technology backed by a persistent spoof bounty program and NIST/iBeta Certified Liveness Detection, FaceTec is the global standard for 3D Liveness and Face Matching with millions of users on six continents in financial services, border, transportation, blockchain, e-voting, social networks, online dating and more. www.facetec.com

    Oz Forensics Logo

    Oz Forensics is the independent private vendor of robust, technology-based, and AI-powered liveness detection and face-matching solutions founded in 2017 and headquartered in Dubai, UAE. We confirm the security level of our solution by certifying the ISO-30107 Level 1 and 2 standards. https://ozforensics.com/

    Keyless logo - a white 'K' on a black background.

    Keyless is the leader in privacy-preserving biometric authentication, trusted by banks, fintechs, crypto platforms, and gaming companies to reduce account takeovers, secure high-risk actions, and improve operational efficiency. Available via app and web, its unique Zero-Knowledge Biometrics™ technology delivers multi-factor authentication in one glance in 300 milliseconds without storing biometric data anywhere. Keyless is ISO 27001 and ISO 30107 accredited and is the only company to hold both FIDO Biometrics and FIDO2 certifications. Find out more

    AuthenticID provides 100% automated identity verification and fraud detection solutions that are leveraged by companies worldwide, including 2 of the top 3 U.S. Banks, 8 out the top 10 wireless providers in North America, and 2 of the 3 credit bureaus. Using proprietary computer vision and machine learning technology, these solutions help companies accurately verify the identity of their users across retail, digital and call center environments for onboarding and ongoing re-authentication events; KYC, IAM, and more. The solutions are easy to integrate and provide customers a large ROI by stopping fraud losses, increasing customer conversion at onboarding, reducing operational costs and allowing quick and cost-effective operational scalability, all while ensuring global privacy regulations are complied with. https://www.authenticid.com/ 

    Founded in 2007, Lakota Software Solutions is an American company with a world-renowned reputation for developing robust biometric software and systems. Our vendor-agnostic products are tailored to ensure compliance with ANSI/NIST-ITL standards and EBTS specifications, facilitate seamless integration with other biometric systems, and optimize accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. https://lakotasoftware.com/

    Identity Week logo

    Identity Week aims to be a significant identity industry catalyst. It’s our mission is to help accelerate the move towards a world where trusted identity solutions enable governments and commercial organisations to provide citizens, employees, customers and consumers with a multitude of opportunities to transact in a seamless, yet secure manner. All the while preventing the efforts of those intent on doing harm. https://identityweek.net/

    The Prism Project logo

    The Biometric Digital Identity Prism is a market landscape framework designed to help influencers and decision makers understand, innovate, and implement digital identity technologies and solutions. This innovative framework for understanding and evaluating the rapidly evolving biometric digital identity marketplace is the only market model that is truly biometric-centric based on the foundational conviction that in the age of digital transformation the only true, reliable link between humans and their digital data is biometrics. https://www.the-prism-project.com


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  • Major economic package expected as PM Shehbaz Sharif to visit Japan

    Major economic package expected as PM Shehbaz Sharif to visit Japan




    ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Japan in the first week of October.

    This visit is being made at the special invitation of the Japanese government and will be the first visit by a Pakistani prime minister to Japan in 20 years.

    According to reports, during this visit, Japan is expected to announce a major economic and trade package for Pakistan, which will include projects related to investment, industrial development, technology exchange, and the promotion of exports.

    Several important agreements and memoranda of understanding will also be signed, which are being regarded as a milestone in the relations between the two countries.

    Previously, in 2005, then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz visited Japan.

    Japan’s ambassador, Akamatsu Shuichi, described this visit as exceptionally important, stating that Japan is a longstanding friend of Pakistan and this visit will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the relationship.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will meet with the Japanese prime minister and other senior leadership. He hopes this visit will open new doors of cooperation not only at the government level but also in public, business, and educational sectors.

    Also, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif will visit Japan on August 17 for a five-day official trip, where she will address an investment conference and meet with senior Japanese government officials and business leaders.

    Her aim is to introduce investment opportunities in Punjab and enhance cooperation in trade, technology, education, and agriculture sectors.

     


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  • China wants US to relax AI chip-export controls for trade deal: report – World

    China wants US to relax AI chip-export controls for trade deal: report – World

    China wants the United States to ease export controls on chips critical for artificial intelligence as part of a trade deal before a possible summit between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

    Chinese officials have told experts in Washington that Beijing wants the Trump administration to relax export restrictions on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

    The White House, State Department, and China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report.

    HBM chips, which help perform data-intensive AI tasks quickly, are closely watched by investors due to their use alongside AI graphic processors, particularly Nvidia’s NVDA.O.

    The FT said China is concerned because the US HBM controls hamper the ability of Chinese companies such as Huawei to develop their own AI chips.

    Successive US administrations have curbed exports of advanced chips to China, looking to stymie Beijing’s AI and defence development.

    While this has impacted US firms’ ability to fully address booming demand from China, one of the world’s largest semiconductor markets, it still remains an important revenue driver for American chipmakers.

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  • Did Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet break up? Playlist sparks questions

    Did Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet break up? Playlist sparks questions

    Kylie Jenner has prompted speculation about her relationship with Timothée Chalamet after sharing two breakup-themed songs on Instagram.

    The 27-year-old, who turns 28 on Sunday, posted screenshots of Jeff Buckley’s 1994 track “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over and Labi Siffre’s 1972 single Crying “Laughing Loving Lying on Friday. Both songs deal with themes of lost love and emotional longing.

    She captioned the song posts to clarify they were playing via her CarPlay speakers, perhaps to assure followers she was actually listening to them.

    Jenner has not been photographed with Chalamet in around a month, with their last public sighting being a yacht trip in St Tropez. Chalamet is currently in Prague filming Dune: Part 3.

    The pair began dating in April 2023 and have largely kept their relationship off social media, though Jenner has introduced Chalamet to her close circle. His mother has publicly described Jenner as “lovely” and “very nice to me.”

    Jenner’s posts have fuelled online speculation about whether the couple remain together or are simply apart due to work commitments. For now, neither has commented publicly, leaving fans to debate whether the song choices were simply a playlist preference or a hint at deeper personal changes.

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  • Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan has words about Parwarish. The drama has started many debates amongst youngsters and parents. Tackling issues like bullying, unrealistic expectations of both parents and children, romance in teenage and career expectations, this drama has become talk of the town. Nadia is also impressed by the show largely but she has some words to express.

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan was speaking about Parwarish. She shared that her daughter Alizeh is also an avid watcher of the show. When she is taking notes for review, she notices what her young daughter is relating to. She added that Alizeh shared peculiar details about Nauman Ijaz’s acting and asked her what was happening. In a very important scene, Nauman Ijaz was speaking to his brother and he was chewing gum. He seemed to be stammering a bit which Alizeh pointed out to her mom what uncle Nauman was doing.

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nauman Ijaz aka JB was discussing parenting with his brother Suleman in the scene.

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    This was the scene:

    Here is what Nadia Khan thinks:

    The internet is reacting to the whole review and they seem divided. One user said, “The scene was perfectly executed. JB had to look confused thus he gave these expressions.” Another added, “She is right. He looked drugged in those scenes.” One said, “Nadia criticizing Nauman Ijaz’s acting. What a time to be alive.” This is what people thought:

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

    Nadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In ParwarishNadia Khan Criticizes Nauman Ijaz’s Performance In Parwarish

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  • A Joan Gamper Trophy with familiar faces

    A Joan Gamper Trophy with familiar faces

    It’s time for the Joan Gamper Trophy. Sunday 10 August is the date for the traditional event to present the squad before FC Barcelona take on a Como side with Cesc Fàbregas as coach and Sergi Roberto in its ranks. Two familiar faces who are returning to FC Barcelona, with the match serving as the final friendly before the competitive action commences.

    There is no reason to miss out on this blaugrana party ahead of the 2025/26 Barça season as the entire event can be watched free to air live via the FC Barcelona YouTube channel. The squad will be presented from 8.05pm CEST before the match against the Italian side kicks off at 9.00pm CEST. 

    Final match before LaLiga begins

    Joan Garcia, Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji will be the focus of attention in this fourth preseason friendly game. Hansi Flick and the squad have won every match so far, conquering Vissel Kobe (1-3), FC Seoul (3-7) and Daegu (0-5). Good preparations for the blaugranes to build on as they welcome old friends and a team also on a positive trajectory. 

    Sergi Roberto to face Barça for first time

    A revamped Como 1907 are the visitors for the traditional FC Barcelona celebration. The side from Lombardy are back in the big time in Italy under the stewardship of former blaugrana Cesc Fàbregas. The La Masia graduate joined as a player on 1 August 2022 when the club were in Serie B. A season later, he switched to coach and took the team up to the top flight, ending last season in 10th place.

    With an attractive and purposeful playing style, and a blend of young and experienced players, there are other players in the squad with a blaugrana past, namely Sergi Roberto and Àlex Valle. The former represented La Masia superbly, going on to play 373 games for the first team, and this would be his first match against FC Barcelona since he left on 11 August 2024. So, it will be a special return for some for a match between two teams who will meet for the first time in their long histories. 

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