Mobilink Bank Joins Forces with NymCard and Dellson Associates to Revolutionize Digital Financial Services:
Mobilink Bank, Pakistan’s leading digital microfinance institution, has entered into a strategic partnership with leading fintech innovator NymCard and technology consultancy, Dellson Associates to accelerate digital financial services and cross-border enablement. The collaboration marks a significant step toward reshaping the future of financial inclusion in Pakistan. Under this alliance, NymCard will integrate its cutting-edge technology platform to facilitate seamless digital lending solutions, including Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), Send Now, Pay Later (SNPL), and Instant Card Issuance. Meanwhile, Dellson Associates will spearhead the bank’s technology enablement and digital transformation initiatives, reinforcing Mobilink Bank’s mission to provide scalable, innovative, and future-ready financial solutions.
Adaptive Electric and Puma Energy Partner to Revolutionize Pakistan’s EV Charging Infrastructure:
Adaptive electric recently announced its aggressive plans to deploy 5000 EV charging stations across Pakistan. It intends to cover installations in a diversity of sectors in its ambition to transition Pakistan towards E-Mobility which will not only be cost effective but more environmentally friendly as well. Having secured back to back contracts with multiple off-takers of the technology and to show its commitment towards delivering in line with its roadmap and strategy an agreement was signed between Puma Energy and Adaptive Electric. It was announced that 624 Fuel Stations of Puma Energy across Pakistan will be accomodated with fast EV charging capability by Adaptive Electric. Both entities come together as they have a mandate towards reduction in the carbon footprint through the E-Mobility platform.
Samsung Z Fold Killer Oppo Find N5 Arrives As Slimmest Foldable Ever:
Oppo’s latest book-style foldable has arrived globally after a series of leaks and teasers. It is not only a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 killer, but also the thinnest foldable to date, beating the current title holder, Honor Magic V3. The Find N5 is a direct successor to the Find N3 and has improved in several aspects, including design. Let’s have a look. The Find N5 is nearly as thin as a USB C port in its unfolded state, measuring only 4.21mm unfolded and 8.93mm once it’s folded. This was made possible by the new Titanium Flexion Hinge, which is smaller in size compared to the Find N3’s hinge. This phone also boasts the world’s first IPX9 rating on a foldable, being able to withstand water jets and submersion.
Shocking Percentage of Parents Give Smartphones to Kids to Keep Them Away:
A recent survey has shown that 89% of parents rely on gadgets to keep their children occupied while traveling or to grab some personal time. According to a press release on Thursday from Kaspersky, a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, 53% of children in the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa (META) region receive their first smartphone or tablet between the ages of three and seven. However, 22% of parents admitted they haven’t discussed internet safety with their children. This raises concerns, as many kids are left unsupervised with their devices and may be unaware of safe online behavior.
PTA, MCMC Successfully Conclude 5G Enablement Masterclass:
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), successfully concluded a four-day Masterclass, “5G and Beyond: Shaping the Future of Connectivity,” held in Islamabad from February 17–20, 2025. The Masterclasses attended by over 60 industry leaders, policymakers, and academics, the event focused on 5G deployment strategies, spectrum management, and emerging applications. The MCMC team led by experts from the MCMC Academy, the Masterclass featured technical sessions, panel discussions, and knowledge-sharing activities.
Zindigi & Commissioner Office Quetta Partner to Build a Smarter, Digitally Connected Balochistan:
In a landmark move to accelerate digital governance and enhance public service efficiency, the Commissioner Office and Metropolitan Corporation Quetta Division have entered into a strategic partnership with Zindigi, powered by JS Bank, under a Memorandum of Understanding. This partnership aims to digitize essential administrative functions in key departments across Quetta, Balochistan, utilizing Zindigi’s advanced digital platform to foster transparency, efficiency, and innovation.
Instagram Launches Several Upgrades for DMs, Available in Pakistan Already:
Instagram unveiled a comprehensive update to its Direct Messages (DMs) that positions the feature to directly rival established messaging services like Apple’s iMessage and other services.The main update revolves around enhanced music integration, allowing users to share songs within their conversations. The feature, accessible through stickers, enables music sharing in both private and group chats, though with limitations: the songs must be part of Instagram’s existing audio catalog and are restricted to 30-second previews.
HG Telecommunication and One Network Ink Agreement for Dark Fiber – IRU Leasing:
In a significant step toward enhancing Pakistan’s digital infrastructure, HG Telecommunication and One Network have signed an agreement for Dark Fiber on IRU Leasing. This partnership aims to extend One Network’s dark fiber connectivity to HG Telecommunication along key national highways and motorways, enabling data connectivity in previously underserved areas of the country. The agreement signing ceremony took place at the Nine Tree Luxury Hotel & Suites in Lahore. Representing their respective organizations, Muhammad Usman H., CEO of HG Telecom, and Naveed Chattha, CBO of One Network, formalized the collaboration, marking a milestone in the country’s telecommunications landscape.
PTCL Group and Pink Collar Hold Exclusive Career Fair to Connect Skilled Women with Opportunities:
Pakistan’s largest telecom and ICT service provider, PTCL Group (PTCL and Ufone 4G), in collaboration with Pink Collar, the country’s pioneering women-centric executive job placement platform led by Zara Sika Ali, a successful entrepreneur and a leading recruiter in Pakistan. The aim was to successfully host the Pink Collar Women Career Fair in Lahore to bridge the persistent gaps between talent and opportunities for Pakistani women. This marks a significant milestone in fostering inclusivity and inspiring women to contribute to Pakistan’s growing digital economy.
AI Coding Startup Codeium Raises New Funding, Reaching Nearly $3 Billion Valuation:
AI-powered coding startup Codeium is raising a new round of funding, pushing its valuation to $2.85 billion, according to sources familiar with the deal. Kleiner Perkins, a returning investor, is leading the round. This fresh funding comes just six months after Codeium closed a $150 million Series C, which had valued the company at $1.25 billion post-money. Although the exact amount of the new funding remains unclear, the increase in valuation is a clear sign of strong investor confidence.
Apple Discontinues iPhone 14 and iPhone SE Right After 16e Launch:
Apple unveiled the iPhone 16e today, marking the end of an era as it replaces the third-generation iPhone SE in the company’s budget segment and a few other changes in its lineup we’ve never seen before.This move eliminates several legacy features from Apple’s current offerings, including small-screen devices that once served a dedicated customer base. The transition also marks a complete departure from Lightning ports, Touch ID, and LCD panels as it fully embraces OLED tech.
DCODE Cygnal 4 Pro – Pakistan’s First Locally Designed Smartphone – Leading Innovation, Powering Global Ambitions!:
In a groundbreaking leap for Pakistan’s tech industry, DCODE proudly unveils Cygnal 4 Pro—the first-ever smartphone fully designed and developed in Pakistan. This bold initiative marks a defining moment in the country’s technological evolution, positioning Pakistan as a serious contender in the global smartphone industry. By integrating local intellectual property, indigenous craftsmanship, and advanced R&D, DCODE is setting a new precedent for innovation, self-reliance, and economic progress.The Cygnal 4 Pro is more than just a smartphone; it’s a symbol of Pakistan’s rising technological prowess. Unlike conventional designs that rely on foreign blueprints, this device embodies a fusion of culture and cutting-edge engineering, with both hardware and software innovations tailored for local and international markets. At its core lies a deep commitment to localization, skill development, and paving the way for Pakistani exports, ensuring that homegrown technology is recognized on a global scale.
TikTok uncertainty leaves influencers feeling nervy:
For many people, TikTok is a fun escape – a place to share viral trends, discover new recipes, music, books, or learn clever life hacks. But for others, it’s their full-time job. Leila Nikea is a beauty content creator from Derby. She left her job as a make-up artist three years ago to focus solely on TikTok. The platform has become her main source of income – in fact, her earnings have tripled since joining the app. “It was difficult making that initial jump to quit… but it’s the best thing I ever did,” she says. “If it wasn’t for TikTok, I wouldn’t be here now. TikTok really enabled me to be seen, I’ve had so many opportunities.
How a computer that ‘drunk dials’ videos is exposing YouTube’s secrets:
YouTube is about to turn 20. An unusual research method is unveiling statistics about the platform that Google would rather keep hidden. YouTube may not seem secretive. It’s public facing. You can watch an endless stream of content from now until your dying breath. There’s been a mountain of research about the platform, unpacking everything from the commodified economy that surrounds it to the radicalising effects of its algorithm. But the picture goes blurry when you start asking simple questions. For example: how much YouTube do we all watch? Google, which owns YouTube, is quiet about that and many other details. In February, the company revealed that people who access YouTube on their TVs collectively watch one billion hours a day, but total numbers for the platform are an enigma. Estimates say YouTube has around 2.5 billion monthly users – almost one in three people on Earth – and the average mobile app user watches something like 29 hours a month.
AI cracks superbug problem in two days that took scientists years:
A complex problem that took microbiologists a decade to get to the bottom of has been solved in just two days by a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool. Professor José R Penadés and his team at Imperial College London had spent years working out and proving why some superbugs are immune to antibiotics. He gave “co-scientist” – a tool made by Google – a short prompt asking it about the core problem he had been investigating and it reached the same conclusion in 48 hours. He told the Media of his shock when he found what it had done, given his research was not published so could not have been found by the AI system in the public domain. “I was shopping with somebody, I said, ‘please leave me alone for an hour, I need to digest this thing,'” he told the Today programme, The Media . “I wrote an email to Google to say, ‘you have access to my computer, is that right?'”, he added. The tech giant confirmed it had not. The full decade spent by the scientists also includes the time it took to prove the research, which itself was multiple years.
Apple gambles on new iPhone with AI features at lower cost:
Apple has announced a new iPhone which brings artificial intelligence (AI) features at a lower cost than its flagship handsets. The iPhone 16e has the same processor as the more expensive iPhone 16, Apple said, with similar storage options, though a lower spec elsewhere, including fewer cameras. Apple has been struggling to find a new product that excites consumers – sales of iPhones dropped at the end of last year. It will be hoping that bringing enhanced AI functionality to a less expensive phone will address that – however analysts have been cautious about the sales boost such tools bring.
TikTok air fryer ‘hack’ blamed for fire:
Firefighters have been called to a blaze caused by an air fryer after its owner set it alight trying a cleaning hack they saw on TikTok. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said “multiple appliances” were sent to a property in Bournemouth after fire alarms had been set off. It added that the air fryer’s drawers had been filled with soap and water and the appliance switched onto steam clean. It said the fire had already been extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system when they arrived. The service warned air fryers should always been cleaned as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Powerful quantum computers in years not decades, says Microsoft:
Microsoft has unveiled a new chip called Majorana 1 that it says will enable the creation of quantum computers able to solve “meaningful, industrial-scale problems in years, not decades”. It is the latest development in quantum computing – tech which uses principles of particle physics to create a new type of computer able to solve problems ordinary computers cannot. Creating quantum computers powerful enough to solve important real-world problems is very challenging – and some experts believe them to be decades away. Microsoft says this timetable can now be sped up because of the “transformative” progress it has made in developing the new chip involving a “topological conductor”, based on a new material it has produced.
What is Doge and why is Musk cutting so many jobs?:
A new advisory body created by US President Donald Trump and led by the world’s richest man has been tasked with cutting US government jobs and other spending. Elon Musk is leading this effort to drastically reduce the federal workforce and weed out what he sees as taxpayers’ money being wasted. But his Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has encountered legal obstacles, allegations of conflicts of interest, and fears that it will wreak serious damage. Explaining his actions to reporters in the Oval Office, Musk defended his plans and denied the assertion of rival Democrats that he embodied a “hostile takeover” of government.
What is AI, and how do programmes like ChatGPT and DeepSeek work?:
Artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly become part of everyday life over the past decade. It is used for everything from personalising social media feeds to powering medical breakthroughs. But as big tech firms and governments vie to be at the forefront of AI’s development, critics have expressed caution over its potential misuse, ethical complexities and environmental impact. AI allows computers to learn and solve problems in ways that can seem human. Computers cannot think, empathise or reason. However, scientists have developed systems that can perform tasks which usually require human intelligence, trying to replicate how people acquire and use knowledge. AI programmes can process large amounts of data, identify patterns and follow detailed instructions about what to do with that information.
Argentina’s President Milei denies crypto fraud allegations:
Argentine President Javier Milei has denied promoting a newly launched cryptocurrency which collapsed shortly after he mentioned it in a social media post on Friday. The cryptocoin $Libra quickly rose in value before nosediving, causing severe losses for the majority of people who had invested in it. A judge will now determine if the president should face fraud charges over the incident. On Monday, Milei said he had acted “in good faith” and dismissed investors’ complaints, comparing their actions to people who gamble: “If you go to a casino and lose money, what’s there to complain about when you knew the risks?”