Author: admin@primenews

China’s population shrank for the second year in a row in 2023, marking a deepening of a demographic challenge set to have significant implications on the world’s second largest economy. The population fell in 2023 to 1.409 billion, down some 2.08 million people from the previous year, China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced Wednesday. The NBS confirmed that China’s economy grew by 5.2% last year, compared to a government target of around 5%. While this expansion marks a significant pick-up over 2022, when China’s economy grew by just 3%, it is still one of the country’s worst economic performances in…

Japanese brand Uniqlo is suing Shein over claims the Chinese fast-fashion retailer is selling copycats of its viral shoulder bag. Fast Retailing, the Japanese giant that owns both Uniqlo and Theory, said in a statement that the form of the “imitation products” that Shein is selling “closely resembles” Uniqlo’s Round Mini Shoulder Bag, which went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms in 2022 and 2023, to the point of selling out multiple times. The crescent-shaped bag, worn across the torso and priced at just $20, was so popular it made headlines across global media and was given the top spot on fashion tech firm Lyst’s rankings of…

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Tuesday that he is “hopeful” and “optimistic” about the future of artificial intelligence, but that countries should be on the same page when it comes to embracing a set of industry standards. In a conversation with Klaus Schwab, chairperson of the World Economic Forum, Nadella discussed where he believes the AI industry is headed and how global safety guardrails needed. He also highlighted some of Microsoft’s most recent developments in the space. “As a digital technology industry, the biggest lesson learned perhaps for us is that we…

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has criticised a deepfake video in which he seems to be promoting an online gaming app. The video shows him praising the app as a quick way to make money. “These videos are fake. It is disturbing to see rampant misuse of technology,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). Tendulkar is the latest Indian celebrity to speak up against deepfake videos. A few months ago, actress Rashmika Mandanna urged people not to share such material after a deepfake video of hers went viral. The video, which had Mandanna’s face morphed onto an Instagram video posted by a…

Mauritius has raised a cyclone warning alert to maximum after Cyclone Belal brought torrential rain and flooding to the Indian Ocean island nation. The country’s meteorological service said the storm was now moving away eastwards, but warned that “other environmental risks” still existed. At least one person has died in Mauritius, and another in neighbouring Réunion, from the storm. It has left thousands without power, as well as heavily flooded streets. The Mauritius Meteorological Service (MMS) said that the level 4 warning, the maximum level, was in place after the storm hit close to the country’s southern coast on Tuesday…

India’s aviation regulator has issued an advisory to airlines after dozens of people took to social media to complain about flight delays and cancellations. The regulator has asked airlines to cancel flights “sufficiently in advance” and inform passengers about delays in real time. Airlines have blamed the cascading effect of fog in Delhi for the chaos. But furious passengers have accused airlines and airports of inadequate communication. A man was arrested and later released on bail after he was accused of assaulting a co-pilot of IndiGo airlines. The man’s flight on Sunday had been delayed for more than 10 hours.…

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has dropped out of the presidential race after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses and endorsed Donald Trump. “There is no path for me to be the next president absent things that we don’t want to see happen in this country,” he told supporters in Iowa on Monday. He added that he had spoken to Mr Trump and planned to campaign for him. His departure further narrows down the field dominated by the ex-president. On Monday night, Donald Trump finished with an overwhelming lead in Iowa, followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in second and former…

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday vowed to remove a massive monument to the possible reunification of the Korean Peninsula that his father constructed in Pyongyang, calling it an “eyesore.” Kim’s call during a speech at a Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) meeting in Pyongyang was the latest in a string of recent bellicose statements from the North Korean leader, including a New Year’s declaration that the North was ending a policy of seeking reconciliation with South Korea. North Korea has also been active militarily in recent weeks, firing hundreds of artillery rounds into waters near a disputed border between North and South and testing…

Flight cancellations across the country continue to cause headaches for thousands of travelers, and Southwest is topping the list of most-affected airlines for the second consecutive day. But the source and scope of these disruptions are different from the meltdown the airline endured a year ago. As of Monday afternoon, the airline had canceled more than 700 flights, about 18% of its schedule, setting off alarm bells that the nightmarish travel weekend could be the start of another operational fiasco for the company. But, according to the airline, this isn’t a technology issue like the 10-day service meltdown that left more than 2…

Imagine a future where you can do just about anything simply by waving your hand: making purchases, taking the subway or letting yourself in at the office. In China, Tencent is already doing it. The Shenzhen-based tech giant has rolled out a palm scanning service in China that’s designed to let users leave most of their essentials at home: their house keys, wallets or phones. While the technology itself is not new — companies such as Amazon (AMZN) have had their own offerings for years — Tencent wants to be the company that finally makes it mainstream, according to Guo…