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Tesla and others begin record vehicle recall in China <br> Tesla and 10 other automakers launched software updates on Friday and said they would recall nearly 4.3 million vehicles over concerns it may be difficult to open doors in an emergency, in China&#39;s largest automotive recall to date. Beijing has this year increased oversight of the EV industry and introduced tougher safety requirements, as automakers, locked in a fierce price war, roll out technologies in the world&#39;s largest vehicle market. It has also said it will ban concealed door handles from 2027, making it the first country to phase out a design popularised by Tesla and widely adopted by domestic Chinese EV makers. Most of the actions, classified as product recalls under Chinese regulations, address concerns that emergency mechanical door release handles may be difficult to locate or operate during emergencies. Warning labels and software fixes Nine of the 11 automakers, including Tesla and ...

UK cinemas restricting Meta AI and other smart glasses over piracy concerns <br> Cinema operators in Britain are introducing policies to prohibit ​or restrict camera-enabled smart glasses, including &zwnj;Meta&#39;s&nbsp;AI-powered eyewear, the UK Cinema Association said on Thursday, citing privacy and ​film piracy concerns. The move follows ​growing scrutiny of smart glasses over ⁠their recording capabilities, with courts ​in England and Wales this month ​prohibiting Meta smart glasses because of restrictions on taking images and videos in courts. Policies ​vary by venue, with operators ​introducing prohibitions and/or restrictions rather than a single &zwnj;industry-wide ⁠rule. The UK Cinema Association said operators recognise smart glasses can provide benefits to those with specific access ​requirements. The association ​said it ⁠would continue working with members to ensure their ​approach &quot;remains relevant and proportionate.&quot; Else...

Satellite proliferation imperils astronomical observations, study finds <br> &nbsp;As thousands more satellites enter orbit, astronomers may face mounting difficulties in observing the cosmos, according to a study by the European Southern ​Observatory, which operates telescopes in northern Chile. The ESO study found that &zwnj;existing proposals to launch more than 1.7 million satellites into orbit, including some very bright ones, would substantially degrade astronomical observations. There currently are roughly 15,000 satellites in orbit. Bright ​streaks of light left by satellites can interfere with observatories and ​the quality of night-sky photography. &quot;Each of these satellites, when it crosses ⁠a telescope&#39;s field of view, leaves a bright line,&quot; said ESO astronomer ​Olivier Hainaut, author of the study published in the journal&nbsp;Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics, opens new tab. A single streak ​of light may be a minor nuisan...

PTA, Google sign agreement to make digital platforms safer for children <br> The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Google on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen child online safety and promote safer use of digital platforms, according to a press release issued by PTA. The MoU comes days after Google opened its first office in Pakistan, with the company saying the move reflected its confidence in the country&rsquo;s digital future and talent. Google has also partnered with the government on digital-skilling programmes and other initiatives supporting developers, startups, gaming, hardware manufacturing and online safety. Under the agreement, the two organisations agreed to collaborate on a child safety programme focused on &ldquo;awareness, education and capacity-building&rdquo;, the PTA said in a press release. The programme would equip parents and teachers with practical tools and resources to help children navigate ...

China lands reusable rocket breakthrough <br> China&rsquo;s commercial space industry took another important step towards making rocket launches cheaper, more frequent and more commercially viable after the successful recovery of the first stage of a Zhuque-3 reusable rocket on land. The Zhuque-3 Y2, developed by Beijing-based private aerospace company LandSpace, lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone in northwest China on Wednesday morning. It successfully deployed the Honghu-03 satellite into its designated orbit before its first stage returned to Earth and made a controlled landing at a designated recovery site in Gansu province. The landing, completed less than 10 minutes after liftoff, marked China&rsquo;s first successful land-based controlled recovery of an orbital-class launch vehicle&rsquo;s first stage using deployable landing legs. The achievement represents a major advance in the country&rsquo;s effort to move reusab...

China readies robotic lunar mission in search for water ice <br> China is preparing to launch its next lunar exploration mission, Chang&rsquo;e 7, aimed at investigating the Moon&rsquo;s south polar region for traces of water ice, state-run China Daily reported Wednesday. The Chang&rsquo;e 7 spacecraft and its Long March-5 Y14 carrier rocket were vertically transferred to the launch area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in southern Hainan province early Wednesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Over the coming days, space engineers at the coastal spaceport will conduct final functional checks, joint testing and propellant filling ahead of the launch. Chang&rsquo;e 7 represents China&rsquo;s most complex robotic lunar mission to date. The four-part spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander, a surface rover and a specialised hopping mini-probe. The mission aims to achieve technological breakthroughs in high-precision soft lan...