Algorithmic moderation and the shadow-ban dilemma

By: Asma Qayyum With the rapid pace of modern life, productivity and time management have become vital skills for students, professionals, and individuals alike. With increasing responsibilities and constant distractions, managing time effectively is the key to achieving success. Productivity refers to the ability to complete tasks effectively by making the best use of time, energy, and resources. On the other hand, time management is the process of planning and organizing how time is spent on different activities to accomplish goals efficiently. The greatest benefit of effective time management is increased efficiency. People who plan their day and prioritize their most important tasks are more likely to meet deadlines, stay productive, and produce higher-quality work. It also helps reduce stress by preventing last-minute pressure and allowing people to complete their tasks in a calm and organized manner. For example, students who follow a regular study schedule usually perform better in examinations than those who rely on last-minute preparation. Despite these benefits, several factors reduce productivity, including procrastination, excessive use of social media, poor planning, and a lack of clear goals. These habits waste precious time and make it difficult to focus on essential responsibilities. However, with the right approach, these challenges can be overcome through self-discipline and proper planning. There are several ways to improve productivity, such as creating a daily to-do list, avoiding unnecessary distractions, setting realistic goals, completing the most important tasks first, taking short breaks, following a regular routine, and managing time effectively. Research highlights the importance of effective time management. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), planning tasks and managing time can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Similarly, educational research by Pan et al. (2011) found that strong time management skills are directly associated with higher study engagement and greater achievement of academic goals. In conclusion, productivity and time management are not just useful skills but essential habits for success. By managing time wisely and staying focused on priorities, individuals can accomplish more, reduce stress, and create opportunities for personal and professional growth. Every second is valuable, and learning to manage time effectively is one of the best investments anyone can make in their future.

 August 17, 2026 marked the 100th birth anniversary of Jiang Zemin, one of the most consequential leaders of modern China. A grand commemorative gathering at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, presided over by President Xi Jinping, reflected the enduring importance of Jiang’s political and economic legacy. Jiang Zemin’s life was remarkable because he was, at his core, an engineer who later became a statesman. Born in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, on August 17, 1926, he studied electrical engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and graduated in 1947. His technical training shaped a practical approach to leadership: understand the problem, assess the available resources and build a solution capable of lasting. His rise coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in modern history. After serving as mayor of Shanghai and later as secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, Jiang played an important role in the city’s reform and modernization. He supported the transformation of Pudong into a major international and modern urban district, helping establish the foundations for Shanghai’s emergence as a global economic center. When Jiang assumed China’s top leadership in 1989, the international environment was changing rapidly. The political transformation of Eastern Europe, the collapse of the Soviet Union and major domestic challenges created enormous uncertainty. Yet China maintained political stability and continued its programme of reform and opening up. One of the defining features of the Jiang era was the consolidation of the socialist market economy, following the strategic direction established by Deng Xiaoping and formally advanced after Deng’s southern tour in 1992. Jiang helped translate this vision into institutional and economic transformation. The result was a period in which China accelerated market-oriented reforms, expanded its engagement with the global economy and strengthened the foundations for the extraordinary growth that followed. China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001 was among the most significant milestones of this period. It opened a new chapter in China’s integration with international trade and investment and contributed to the rapid expansion of Chinese exports and global economic engagement. Jiang’s leadership was also associated with deeper regional cooperation, including the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in 2001. For Pakistan, however, Jiang Zemin was more than a distant Chinese leader. His connection with Pakistan began long before he entered China’s highest office. In 1976, as a professional engineer and leader of a Chinese technical delegation, he spent time at Taxila and was involved in important technical and administrative decisions connected with the commissioning of the Foundry and Forge Works of the Heavy Mechanical Complex. This cooperation formed part of China’s broader contribution to Pakistan’s industrial and engineering capacity. The story of Jiang and Taxila carries special significance. It represents a relationship built not only through diplomatic statements but also through factories, machines, engineers and skilled workers. The Heavy Mechanical Complex became an important symbol of Pakistan-China industrial cooperation, and Jiang’s personal association with it gave Pakistan a unique connection with a man who would later lead the world’s most populous country. During his state visit to Pakistan in 1996, Jiang reportedly maintained contact with former Pakistani colleagues from his earlier days at Taxila, demonstrating that he had not forgotten the professional relationships and human connections formed decades earlier. It would therefore be fair to describe Jiang Zemin as a leader who helped strengthen the modern foundations of China-Pakistan friendship. He was not the founder of the relationship, whose roots go back to earlier generations of leaders, but he was a major bridge-builder who gave that friendship a distinctive personal and industrial dimension. At 100, Jiang Zemin’s legacy remains substantial. He was bold during uncertainty, pragmatic during transition and confident in China’s capacity to reform without abandoning its strategic direction. He understood Deng Xiaoping’s vision and helped carry the reform and opening-up process into a new era. For China, Jiang will be remembered as a major reform-era leader. For Pakistan, he will also be remembered as an engineer who once worked at Taxila, a statesman who valued friendship, and a leader whose life connected the development journeys of two nations. His legacy is not confined to history; it remains visible in the enduring strength of China-Pakistan cooperation. Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Sinologist – Diplomat – Advisor – Consultant, Founding Chair, Global Silk Route research Alliance.

Looking directly at the Sun is impossible and capturing a clear image of it is even more difficult. However, new images of the star at the center of our solar system have been released showing its surface in extraordinary detail. The images were captured by the Inouye Solar Telescope located in the US state of Hawaii. It is considered the world’s most powerful solar telescope and is capable of observing the Sun in unprecedented detail. The telescope has captured images of the Sun before but these new photographs provide the most detailed views yet of the surface of our solar system’s star. A unique wing-like pattern can be seen across the Sun’s surface in the images. According to scientists, this pattern is associated with the Sun’s magnetic field which is moving in a wave-like manner due to hot gases. Closer look at Sun’s surface The images reveal processes occurring on the Sun’s surface that may help explain a decades-old mystery: why the Sun’s outer atmosphere known as the corona is millions of times hotter than its visible surface. Experts say these are the highest-resolution images of the Sun’s surface ever captured. In earlier observations, the telescope detected sand-like structures on the Sun’s surface making it appear as though grains of sand were being viewed under a microscope. Each of these structures was roughly the size of France in terms of area but the new images reveal much greater detail. The new photographs show a distinctive pattern on the Sun’s surface associated with rapidly moving plasma. Scientists have identified this pattern as Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities (KHIs). Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities have been observed on Earth during the formation of patterns in lakes, oceans and clouds. They have also been detected on Jupiter and Saturn but their presence on the Sun had not previously been confirmed. Why Sun’s magnetic activity matters? Solar activity particularly changes in the Sun’s magnetic fields can affect power grids, satellites, GPS positioning and global communications on Earth. These magnetic fields are generated by the Sun’s extremely hot plasma but scientists have not yet fully understood how they work. Experts know that these magnetic fields can trigger sudden releases of enormous amounts of heat but exactly why this happens remains unclear. The new images, however, provide clues that could help explain why the Sun’s visible surface has a temperature of around 6,000°C while its outer atmosphere can reach temperatures of millions of degrees Celsius.