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Russian mother Yekaterina Filimonova is one of many mothers across the country who face a new burden of raising children alone. Her husband now lives in Belgrade, Serbia, a hub for exiled IT workers. The software engineer fled after President Vladimir Putin announced in September that Russian men were being drafted …
Hong Kong scrapped the use of its “Leave Home Safe” app and removed most of its Covid restrictions for incoming travellers, starting on December 14, 2022. Previously, all arriving passengers had been subject to pandemic curbs, which prevented them from entering venues like restaurants, gyms and beauty parlours durin…
Hong Kong will scrap the use of its controversial “Leave Home Safe” app from December 14, 2022, and remove most restrictions on incoming travellers. Previously, all arriving passengers have been subject to pandemic curbs, which prevent them from entering venues including restaurants, gyms and beauty parlours during …
A Japanese robotics start-up has developed spider-like robots to inspect and maintain the country’s sewer pipes as the country grapples with a labour shortage in the industry. Tmsuk created the SPD1 with eight legs resembling a spider, enabling it to crawl across sediments commonly found in sewer pipes. Tmsuk plans …
Bank for International Settlements (BIS) chief Agustin Carstens said the world needs different remittance settlement systems to "complement" each other to serve different user needs. The general manager who oversees the Basel, Switzerland-based institution often dubbed the "central banks' central bank" made his rema…
Modern technology is breathing new life into the rural village of Gangzhong in eastern China. Its residents, who are mostly elderly, are benefiting from the conveniences of broadband internet service and 5G networks. These so-called digital villages are part of China’s rural rejuvenation plan to create a robust agri…
Hirotsu Bio Science, a Japanese biotech firm, says it has developed the world’s first early screening test for pancreatic cancer using roundworms. In November 2022, it launched the “N-NOSE plus Pancreas” test, which uses the worm’s highly sensitive sense of smell. The company edits the worms’ genetic code so that th…
Foxconn Technology Group is offering new incentives to lure back workers who fled its major iPhone factory in the central Chinese province of Henan between October 1 and November 10, 2022. The company usually hires about 300,000 workers during the holiday season. But the factory’s labour shortage was due to two roun…
A tech start-up has developed a system that it says can help save energy by using human heat collected at entertainment venues. BodyHeat, which has been installed in a Glasgow nightclub in Scotland, harvests heat generated by partygoers and stores it in rocks underground for later use, reducing carbon emissions and …
Taiwan displayed its latest self-developed combat drones on November 15, 2022, as the island looked to bolster its fleet of uncrewed aerial vehicles. The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), Taiwan’s top weapons maker, predicted that Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) would become a…
New air-conditioning technology will be used to cool World Cup football players and thousands of fans in Qatar’s desert climates. Saud Ghani, a professor at Qatar University nicknamed “Dr Cool”, developed the air circulation system that will keep a cool ‘bubble’ of air in the stadium.
A drone air taxi has successfully completed its first test flight in conventional air traffic. The pilot manoeuvre, which took place on November 10, 2022 just outside Paris, marks an important step forward in drone aviation. The German company behind the technology hopes to debut the aircraft at the 2024 Summer Olym…
Japan’s second-hand market for iPhones has reportedly grown because of a sharp decline in the value of the yen. The depreciation of the Japanese currency has made Apple’s flagship gadget costlier, particularly since the company raised the prices of iPhone models in some of its biggest global markets, including Japan.
These African giant pouched rats are trained for search and rescue at Apopo, a Belgian non-profit centre, in Morogoro, Tanzania. The rats wear hi-tech backpacks equipped with a location device, video camera and two-way radio for communicating with potential disaster victims. The rodents can also use a switch to let …
Renowned researcher says access to mainland Chinese data of 10 million Alzheimer’s disease patients a big boost for research. University presidents also calls for girls to break ‘gender myth’ by taking up science and technology studies.
Workers were seen fleeing the world’s largest iPhone assembly factory in China after a Covid-19 outbreak was reported at the facility operated by Foxconn Technology Group. The company issued three notices about cases in the facility on October 30, 2022, and pledged to arrange safe passage for workers wishing to leav…
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was convicted of fraud on October 25, 2022, in connection with an office lease case. Lai was found guilty of concealing a private consultancy firm that was operating from the Apple Daily headquarters without the proper licences from April 1988 to May 2020. Next Digital’s fo…
Thousands of trainers have been walking around a park in Taipei to hunt for Pokémon characters, after Taiwan fully reopened to international travellers since lifting Covid-19 restrictions. The three-day Pokémon Go event on October 21-23, 2022, in Taipei was expected to attract up to half a million fans of the animat…
Helicopter paramedics in Britain have been trained to conduct mountain or sea rescues using Iron Man-style jet suits, even in strong wind and rain conditions. Developed by Gravity Industries, the jet suit is equipped with two micro-jet engines in each arm and three in a backpack, allowing rescuers to reach speeds of…
Qatar inaugurated its first solar power plant on October 18, 2022. The 800-megawatt facility, located in the desert area of Al Kharsaah, has nearly two million solar panels all sourced from the Chinese solar giant LONGi.
Sadaf Khadem became the first Iranian woman to compete in an official boxing match three years ago in France. But she cancelled her return home after rumours of an arrest warrant swirled around her taking part without a hijab. The 27-year-old has since spoken out in support of global demonstrations, which started af…
Spanish police said on October 14, 2022, that it had dismantled a criminal group believed to be Europe’s largest money launderer behind international drug trafficking gangs from more than 20 countries. In total, police seized nearly 3 million euros (US$2.9 million), including 11 luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency accou…
A robot artist Ai-da spoke and answered questions in Britain’s House of Lords on October 11, 2022, to address the effects of technology on creative industries. Developed by scientists at the University of Oxford in 2019, Ai-da is the world’s first ultra-realistic AI humanoid robot artist. She can create drawings, pa…
Israeli 3D printed meat company Redefine Meat revealed a new large-scale meat printer, called ‘Angus’, which can produce different kinds of meats made from plant-based ingredients. The machine can customise a steak’s cut and fat content, using ingredients like soy and pea proteins, chickpeas, beetroot, and coconut f…
A new study published on October 12, 2022 shows promise for an exoskeleton boot that can help people suffering from mobility issues.
A new sensor-packed firefighting helmet uses artificial intelligence to allow firefighters to “see” through smoke and rescue victims faster. Thermal cameras, radar and inertial sensors are mounted on a standard firefighter helmet to collect data. AI then interprets the data to provide wearers with real-time informat…
The US Department of Defence added China-based DJI Technology, the world’s largest maker of consumer drones, and a dozen other hi-tech firms to its blacklist under the National Defence Authorisation Act on October 5, 2022. The initial list, which included Huawei and Hikvision, was released in 2021. The Pentagon cons…
Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased his company's latest humanoid robot in its annual event in Palo Alto, California on September 30, 2022. The world’s richest man, who once warned of artificial intelligence being a threat to humanity, said that Tesla wants to ensure robots safely enter society to avoid ‘Terminator’-style vi…
Taipei metro has partnered with a local technology firm to grow organic vegetables in an underground railway station. Located at Taipei metro’s Nanjing-Fuxing station, the “Metro Fresh” hydroponic farm is 40 square metres (431 square ft) and uses LED lights to grow lettuce in a vertical indoor farming environment.
Rumeysa Gelgi, who holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest living woman, boarded her first flight on September 28, 2022. Born with Weaver syndrome, a rare genetic mutation that causes abnormal bone growth, Gelgi stands at 2.15 metres (7ft) and usually gets around by wheelchair. To accommodate her need…
The Israeli military has installed an artificial intelligence-powered weapon at a busy checkpoint in the West Bank, over a gate Palestinians use to cross to the Old City of Hebron. Israel’s military said the weapon system is designed to fire non-lethal projectiles to “disperse riots”.
Nasa’s “DART” spacecraft successfully crashed into an asteroid on September 26, 2022, as part of a test of “the world planetary defence system”. The asteroid was around 11 million kilometres from Earth. The first phase of the crash was successful, but the team will spend the next couple of months analysing data to a…
A “new generation” of guerrilla warfare has emerged for young Ukrainian geeks near the Donbas front line. In a dimly lit basement, men and women in their 20s assemble drones while artillery fire rings out in the background.
A new ride-hailing app, launched in Nigeria in August 2022, provides a safe and comfortable experience for female customers. HerRyde only uses women drivers, giving its female customers peace of mind.
The southeastern Chinese city of Shenzhen has logged more than 80,000 food orders delivered by drone, according to a Chinese state media report on September 21, 2022. Industry experts predict the utilisation of drones to become even more ubiquitous after the city, in Guangdong province, received approval from the Ci…
People were seen travelling on boats and tractors through the streets of Bangalore on September 6, 2022, after flash floods hit the city often described as India’s Silicon Valley. Heavy rains were predicted until September 9 as IT parks and roads remained flooded in the capital of the southern state of Karnataka.
Shyam Chaurasia, a man from India’s Uttar Pradesh state, came up with a creative idea to help women feel safer: a smart self-defence kit that includes a purse, sandals and earrings. The “anti-rape sandals” and “smart purse gun” can fire blank shots to scare a potential attacker and attract attention from people near…
After struggling to hire enough staff, some restaurants in New York have started using robots to serve their customers. The feline-themed mechanical waiters are made in China and not exactly cheap, but the US$16,000 BellaBot can reliably deliver food orders from the kitchen to the table. WowRobee, the company that h…
China’s southern technology hub of Shenzhen shut down Huaqiangbei district, home to the world’s largest electronics wholesale market, as local authorities strengthened measures to contain a fresh Covid-19 outbreak, causing new disruptions to local supply chains. The four-day closure is expected to last until Septemb…
Shellios Technolabs, an electronics company in India, has developed a special helmet that can protect motorcyclists from the polluted air on the street. Fitted with a replaceable membrane and a fan powered by a rechargeable battery, the helmet is hailed by India's science and technology ministry as offering “a breat…
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid a visit to the southeastern city of Shenzhen from August 16-17, 2022, ahead of a key Politburo meeting at the end of the month, vowing support for new-energy vehicles and technology industries. The soon-to-retire Chinese official delivered a speech at Lotus Hill Park in the southern C…
Record low water levels are being recorded in China’s Yangtze River and its two biggest freshwater lakes as parts of the country endure historic heatwaves and drought. Hankou, part of the central city of Wuhan and a key location for monitoring Asia’s largest river, reported a water level drop to 17.54 metres on Augu…
Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said that the city’s property market will remain stable despite rising interest rates. In an exclusive interview with the Post, Chan revealed that the government will announce details of the Strategic Tech Fund in August 2022. The finance chief said the new investment fu…
The future of fighter jet technology could be an AI-assisted, autonomous “wingman” drone that flies alongside next-generation aircraft, according to aerospace insiders said at the recent Farnborough International Airshow, in the United Kingdom. The second largest air show in the world, the event is a place for aeron…
Chinese search engine giant and AI leader Baidu has unveiled its sixth-generation fully autonomous vehicle. The Apollo RT6 is an all-electric vehicle that comes with a detachable steering wheel. The new interior design allows for the installation of extra seating, vending machines, desks or gaming consoles. Baidu sa…
A tech company in Hong Kong says it has developed the world’s first artificially intelligent laser skin treatment, which scans and detects the heat, sensitivity and shape of a customer’s face. Rods Technology spent over five years developing the technology to help reduce the number of injuries caused by manual treat…
China’s Shilongba hydropower plant has been operating in Yunnan province for 110 years. It began operations on May 28, 1912, and was the country’s first hydropower plant, marking a nationwide transition to clean energy. Following seven expansions over the past century, the plant now has four workshops, with a total …
A French biotechnology firm has discovered and developed a product that is currently being tested for use in human transplants. The product, called “Hemo to Life”, is created from a sea worm, scientifically known as Arenicola marina. The organism is some 450 million years old and can survive for several hours withou…
China’s southern tech manufacturing powerhouse Shenzhen closed wholesale markets, cinemas and gyms for three days starting on June 25, 2022, after Covid-19 cases were found in the city. Nearly a dozen local cases were found on June 24 and 25 in a central district of the city near Hong Kong. The Shenzhen municipal he…
With the launch of the Fujian on June 17, 2022, China unveiled its first home-designed aircraft carrier – a hi-tech vessel meant to counter the new Gerald R Ford-class of American aircraft carriers currently in operations. Much of this new Chinese ship’s combat systems remain a state secret, but analysts have uncove…
