A look at the challenges ahead for China's digital yuan, as e-CNY total transaction volume reached $12.3B in May and ~4.6M merchants across China now accept it (Nikkei Asia)

Nikkei Asia:
A look at the challenges ahead for China's digital yuan, as e-CNY total transaction volume reached $12.3B in May and ~4.6M merchants across China now accept it  —  Expansion will require new rules and huge investment in datacenters and other infrastructure  —  In three years of experiments …

Australia targets vehicle emissions to boost electric car supply

Just 2 percent of cars sold in Australia are electric, compared with 15 percent in Britain and 17 percent in Europe, and the country risks becoming a dumping ground for vehicles that can't be sold elsewhere, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said. https://ift.tt/ndMtkHq

How to update the address on your passport online: A step-by-step guide

A certain fee has to be paid to apply for the reissuing of the passport. It may vary depending on the applicant's age and the reason for re-issue, among others. You can visit the Passport Seva portal to check the exact amount of the fee you have to pay. https://ift.tt/PMcKBGf

Report: TikTok's in-app browser injects JavaScript that can track users' keystrokes and taps into websites; TikTok confirms the code but says it's for debugging (Richard Nieva/Forbes)

Richard Nieva / Forbes:
Report: TikTok's in-app browser injects JavaScript that can track users' keystrokes and taps into websites; TikTok confirms the code but says it's for debugging  —  When TikTok users enter a website through a link on the app, TikTok inserts code that can monitor much of their activity …

How to disable nudges in Gmail, Google Messages on your Android device

These nudges from Google apps can be helpful for some people who forget to reply or follow up on important emails and messages. However, they can be annoying, on the other hand, if you frequently receive them. Fortunately, you can disable these nudges as needed in Gmail and Google Messages. Here’s how to do it. https://ift.tt/JKGP0Fq

Why Timex is not taking a dig at just Apple Watch

Timex, which has been making watches for more than 150 years now, is promoting its new $140 timepiece in collaboration with the US clothing brand AdSum. The watch has gone out of stock but Timex’s creative jibe at smartwatches has taken the internet by storm. https://ift.tt/4Lu61pm

TechCrunch debuts a tool to check if an Android device is one of hundreds of thousands hacked by one of several spyware apps, after its probe into TheTruthSpy (Zack Whittaker/TechCrunch)

Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch:
TechCrunch debuts a tool to check if an Android device is one of hundreds of thousands hacked by one of several spyware apps, after its probe into TheTruthSpy  —  TechCrunch today launched a spyware lookup tool that allows anyone to check if their Android device was compromised by a fleet …

Vivo V25 5G may launch on August 25

Vivo recently expanded its V series smartphone lineup with the launch of the Vivo V25 Pro in the Indian market. The company is now gearing up to launch the 5G variant of the smartphone. The same has been reflected on the company’s official website. https://ift.tt/h7Pubk9

A researcher says iOS devices do not fully route all network traffic through VPNs, leading to data leaks; ProtonVPN first publicized the issue in March 2020 (Michael Horowitz)

Michael Horowitz:
A researcher says iOS devices do not fully route all network traffic through VPNs, leading to data leaks; ProtonVPN first publicized the issue in March 2020  —  VPNs on iOS are broken.  At first, they appear to work fine.  The iOS device gets a new public IP address and new DNS servers.

Flipkart Ventures to invest in 6 early-stage tech startups

Flipkart Ventures, the $100 milion venture fund set up by Flipkart, announced to invest in six early-stage tech startups as part of its accelerator programme. https://ift.tt/wmKs54N

Abu Dhabi-based AI company G42 and the Abu Dhabi Growth Fund announce a $10B fund to invest in late-stage tech companies in emerging markets (Adveith Nair/Bloomberg)

Adveith Nair / Bloomberg:
Abu Dhabi-based AI company G42 and the Abu Dhabi Growth Fund announce a $10B fund to invest in late-stage tech companies in emerging markets  —  Sign up for our Middle East newsletter and follow us @middleeast for news on the region.  —  Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence firm G42 …

Swedish gaming group Embracer Group reports Q1 sales rose 107% YoY to ~$681M and announces six acquisitions, including IP for The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit (Anna Gross/Financial Times)

Anna Gross / Financial Times:
Swedish gaming group Embracer Group reports Q1 sales rose 107% YoY to ~$681M and announces six acquisitions, including IP for The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit  —  Swedish company announces six acquisitions and posts a rise in first-quarter sales and profits

After Mark Zuckerberg shared a screenshot from Horizon Worlds for an announcement, people criticize the graphics and Meta's $10B investment in the metaverse (Paul Tassi/Forbes)

Paul Tassi / Forbes:
After Mark Zuckerberg shared a screenshot from Horizon Worlds for an announcement, people criticize the graphics and Meta's $10B investment in the metaverse  —  Mark Zuckerberg has once again been roasted on Twitter, not over barbecue sauce or surfing this time.

Tencent sees first-ever decline in revenue, sacks 5500 employees

Chinese conglomerate Tencent has fired 5,500 employees, after posting a revenue of $19.8 billion in the June quarter, down 3 per cent which is the first decline since going public. https://ift.tt/2G3Rcz5

Galaxy Buds 2 Pro launched: Buyers guide into Samsung's most-expensive earbuds yet that take on Apple AirPods

https://ift.tt/u2Dz8pf