UPDATENEWS: June 2023

Friday, 30 June 2023

In Pics: Top 5 women contenders at Wimbledon 2023

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In Pics: Australia add to England's agony on Day 3

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US SEC Said to Have Raised Concerns About Bitcoin ETF to Asset Managers

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said recent applications by asset managers to launch spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were not sufficiently clear and comprehensive, a source familiar with the matter said.

The SEC has communicated its concerns to the exchanges Nasdaq and Cboe Global Markets which filed the applications on behalf of asset managers including BlackRock and Fidelity, the source added on Friday.

Bitcoin, which has jumped since BlackRock filed its application on June 15, fell after the Wall Street Journal first reported the SEC rejection on Friday. The world's largest cryptocurrency was last down 1 percent at $30.142 (nearly Rs. 2,500).

The SEC, Fidelity, BlackRock and Nasdaq declined to comment on the report, while Cboe was not immediately available.

The ETF filings by such major firms had sparked renewed investor hopes that a bitcoin ETF would finally be approved by the SEC, and revived interest in cyptocurrencies, which have been hit by a series of crypto company meltdowns including the sudden collapse of exchange FTX late last year.

The SEC has rejected dozens of spot bitcoin ETF applications in recent years, including one from Fidelity in January 2022.

In all the cases, it said the filings did not meet the standards designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative practices and protect investors and the public interest.

In a bid to address these concerns, the BlackRock and Fidelity filings proposed a surveillance mechanism aimed at preventing manipulation, but the applicants did not name which bitcoin exchange would be involved.

Blockchain-related stocks fell following the SEC's decision, with Coinbase, Riot Platforms and Marathon Digital between 3 percent and 3.7 percent lower.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

Will crypto tax hurt the industry in India? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Meta Google Advised in Vietnam to Use AI to Detect Toxic Content on Social Media: Report

Vietnam has told cross-border social platforms to use artificial intelligence (AI) models that can detect and remove "toxic" content automatically, the latest requirement in its stringent regime for social media firms, state media reported on Friday.

Vietnam has repeatedly asked companies like Meta's Facebook, Google's YouTube and TikTok to coordinate with authorities to stamp out content deemed "toxic", such as offensive, false and anti-state content.

"This is the first time Vietnam has announced such an order," state-run broadcaster Vietnam Television (VTV) reported from the information ministry's mid-year review event, which was opened to selected newspaper.

The report did not give details on when and how cross-border platforms had to abide by the new requirement.

During the first half of this year, in accordance with government requests, Facebook removed 2,549 posts, the ministry said in a statement. YouTube removed 6,101 videos while TikTok took down 415 links, the info ministry said in a statement.

The announcement came as Southeast Asian countries are drawing up governance and ethics guidelines for AI that will impose "guardrails" on the booming technology, Reuters reported this month.

Vietnam in recent years has issued several regulations together with a cybersecurity law that target foreign social media platforms in a bid to battle disinformation in news and force foreign tech firms to establish representative offices in Vietnam and store data in the country.

The country last month undertook a comprehensive inspection on short videos platform TikTok's local operations and preliminary results showed "various" TikTok violations, the info ministry has said.

VTV reported the info ministry saying at Friday's event that US streaming giant Netflix had submitted documents needed to open a local office in Vietnam.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Thursday, 29 June 2023

BCCI to decide on Asian Games participation in July 7 meeting

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will decide whether it will field it's men's and women's teams at the upcoming Asian Games, where the sport will be played in the T20 format, at its Apex Council meeting on July 7.

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Google to End News Access in Canada Over Law on Paying Publishers

Google said on Thursday it plans to block Canadian news on its platform in Canada, joining Facebook in escalating a campaign against a new law requiring payments to local news publishers.

Alphabet-owned Google will remove links to Canadian news from search results and other products in Canada when the law takes effect in about six months.

Facebook-owner Meta Platforms made a similar announcement last week after the passage of Bill C-18, or the Online News Act.

Canada's media industry has called for tighter regulation of Internet giants to allow news businesses to recoup financial losses suffered in the years that Facebook and Google gained a greater share of the online advertising market.

The independent budgetary watchdog in Canada estimated last year that news businesses could receive about CAD 330 million (roughly Rs. 20,436 crore) per year from deals mandated under the legislation.

Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who introduced the bill last year, has said the platforms have no obligations under the act immediately and that the government was open to consulting with them on the regulatory and implementation process.

Facebook and Google said the proposals were unsustainable for their businesses and for months signalled possibly ending news availability in Canada unless the act was amended.

Canada's federal government has pushed back against suggestions to make changes, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in June accused the companies of using "bullying tactics."

"Big tech would rather spend money to change their platforms to block Canadians from accessing good quality and local news instead of paying their fair share to news organizations," Rodriguez said in a statement on Thursday.

"This shows how deeply irresponsible and out of touch they are, especially when they make billions of dollars off of Canadian users."

Google's president of global affairs, Kent Walker, said in a blog post that the law remains unworkable and that the company did not believe regulatory process would be able to resolve "structural issues with the legislation."

"We have now informed the government that when the law takes effect, we unfortunately will have to remove links to Canadian news from our Search, News and Discover products in Canada," Walker said.

The news outlets affected by Google's decision would be based on the government's definition of "eligible news businesses" when rules are finalised for implementation.

Google will also end its News Showcase programme in Canada, under which the company has agreements with 150 news publications across the country. Reuters has a contract with Google to produce News Showcase panels, including in Canada.

The law forces online platforms to negotiate with news publishers and pay for their content. A similar law passed in Australia in 2021 prompted threats from Google and Facebook to curtail their services. Both struck deals with Australian media companies after the legislation was amended.

Google has argued Canada's law is broader than those in Australia and Europe, saying it puts a price on news story links displayed in search results and can apply to outlets that do not produce news.

The search engine giant had proposed that the displaying of news content, rather than links, be a basis for payment and that only businesses that produce news according to journalistic standards are eligible.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

Google I/O 2023 saw the search giant repeatedly tell us that it cares about AI, alongside the launch of its first foldable phone and Pixel-branded tablet. This year, the company is going to supercharge its apps, services, and Android operating system with AI technology. We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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In Pics: Hook-happy England give away wickets to Australia

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Microsofts Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Likely to Lessen Competition Says Canadian Justice Department

Canada's Department of Justice has concluded that Microsoft's deal to buy Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard "is likely to" lead to less competition in some aspects of gaming, according to a court filing on Thursday.

In a letter dated Wednesday to Microsoft's US lawyers, the department said it had communicated to Microsoft's and Activision's lawyers in Canada that the deal would likely lead to less competition in "gaming consoles and multigame subscription services (as well as cloud gaming)."

On Thursday, the letter was put on the docket of a US federal court proceeding in which the US Federal Trade Commission is asking a judge to temporarily stop the proposed transaction so that an FTC judge will have time to assess it. Closing arguments in the proceeding are set for later on Thursday.

Microsoft has pressed for a decision in the court fight before the July 18 termination date for the deal. A ruling could come as early as next week.

In a statement, Microsoft said it was working with antitrust enforcers to address concerns.

"We received notice from the Canada Competition Bureau that it would continue to monitor our acquisition of Activision Blizzard after the formal waiting period preventing the deal to close expired," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

Microsoft's bid to acquire the Call of Duty videogame maker also faces opposition from British competition authorities. Microsoft's appeal to Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal is scheduled for July 28.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

What are the most exciting titles that gamers can look forward to in 2023? We discuss some of our favourites on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Inflection AI Raises $1.3 Billion Investment From Microsoft and Nvidia

Inflection AI, a startup backed by several Silicon Valley heavyweights, said on Thursday it had raised $1.3 billion (nearly Rs. 10,670 crore) from investors including Microsoft and Nvidia, amid a boom in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.

The investment, a mix of cash and cloud credit, valued the one-year-old company at $4 billion (nearly Rs. 32,840 crore), a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Inflection released its chatbot Pi last month. Founded by Google DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, it focused on building consumer-faced AI products and is considered a top rival of OpenAI.

Pi uses generative AI technology, similar to ChatGPT, to interact with users through dialogues, allowing people to ask questions and share feedback. Inflection said it wants to build a personal AI that will help people plan, schedule, gather information and perform other tasks.

Palo Alto, California-based Inflection AI has about 35 employees. It raised $225 million (nearly Rs. 1,850 crore) in a first round of funding in early 2022 from Greylock, Microsoft and Reid Hoffman.

Last week, it released a report on its model Inflection-1, which powers Pi, and claims it has outperformed most models available.

Most of the funding will be used to build computing power to develop a more powerful foundation model, according to Suleyman, chief executive at Inflection.

"We'll be building a cluster of around 22,000 H100s. This is approximately three times more compute than what was used to train all of GPT4. Speed and scale are what's going to really enable us to build a differentiated product," Suleyman said at Collision Conference on Thursday.

The AI space has been hailed as the next frontier for technology after OpenAI's bot ChatGPT became a viral sensation late last year.

The industry has drawn several investors in the past few months as corporates examine ways to integrate the technology into their businesses, while regulators have been mulling over how to tackle the technology.

Microsoft, an existing investor and also backer of rival OpenAI, participated in Inflection's latest fundraise.

Nvidia, which has stepped up its AI investments recently, Hoffman, Bill Gates and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt also participated in the latest round, Inflection said.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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Byju'sClose to Achieving Profitability at the Group Level Claims CEO

Edtech major Byju's is growing slowly but sustainably and is close to achieving profitability at the group level, the company's CEO Byju Raveendran said on Thursday.

The company organised a town hall with Raveendran to allay apprehensions about the uncertainty around the company's growth and its future.

According to sources, who attended the town hall, Raveendran said that issues with $1.2 billion (nearly Rs. 9,852 crore) Term Loan B lenders are being resolved through discussion and hopeful of a positive outcome in the next few weeks without the court's intervention.

"Byju shared that Byju's is close to achieving profitability at the group level, demonstrating the company's commitment to financial management and optimization of operations," a source said.

He said that despite the challenges faced by tech companies globally, Byju's has made substantial progress towards this significant milestone.

Byju's had set a timeline to achieve profitability by March 2023.

"He said that Byju's is now growing slowly but sustainably and most of its business verticals are in good shape, relatively speaking," the source said.

Several reports have emerged around Byju's financial performance, debt burden, delay in filing financial results and the latest being investor in the firm Prosus lowering valuation in the firm for 9.6 percent stake.

Prosus' 9.6 percent stake value pegs the edtech firm's valuation at around $6 billion (nearly Rs. 49,260 crore) instead of $22 billion (nearly Rs. 1,80,600 crore) claimed by Byju's.

Amid all the controversies, a Delaware Court recently passed an order in favour of Byju's giving the company a significant boost in its fight against various controversies.

"Byju shared an important update that the TLB dispute is being resolved through constructive discussions, and the company is confident about achieving a positive outcome in the next few weeks without court intervention," another source said.

Raveendran said that constructive discussion with lenders signifies the company's ability to navigate challenges and find solutions through proactive engagement.

The CEO clarified to employees about the director's and auditor Deloitte's resignation.

"Byju highlighted the strategic decision to appoint BDO as Byju's statutory auditors for the next five years which led to Deloitte's exit. He said that a mutually agreed-upon decision has been taken to focus on efficient and timely audits going forward," the source said.

Raveendran during the town hall said that the company is now actively expanding and diversifying its board to reflect the scale, scope, and reach of operations, which is a routine practice for large companies.

He touched upon concerns around the viability of edtech as an industry.

He said that edtech is not a 'pandemic phenomenon' but a permanent fixture in education.

"Byju reassured that Byju's has weathered storms before and emerged stronger. He exhorted his team to “rise above the noise” and work with the resilience and determination that is found in the DNA of BYJU'S," the source said.

Another source claimed that employees did not ask any questions about lay-offs and provident fund deposits.

"Raveendran said that the company has been under crisis multiple times and has come out stronger. So they will come out stronger this time too," the source said.

An email query sent to Byju's elicited no reply.

Is the Xiaomi Pad 6 the best Android tablet you can buy under Rs. 30,000 in India? We discuss the company's latest mid-range tablet on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Wednesday, 28 June 2023

Twitter's New Chief Working on Measures to Bring Back Advertisers Back to Platform: Report

Twitter's new chief executive, Linda Yaccarino, is working on a slew of measures to bring back advertisers who left the platform under Elon Musk's ownership, including introducing a video ads service, pursuing more celebrities and raising headcount, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Wednesday.

Yaccarino, who started as CEO on June 5, is planning to launch full-screen, sound-on video ads that will be shown to users scrolling through Twitter's new short-video feed, the newspaper reported, citing three people familiar with the situation.

She is in talks about a broader partnership with Alphabet-owned Google that would include advertising and access to some of Twitter's data, the report said, citing someone familiar with the matter.

Twitter also hopes to renegotiate multiple contracts with tech companies such as Amazon.com, Salesforce and IBM into single broader partnerships, according to the newspaper.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.

Reuters earlier this month reported that Twitter plans to focus on video, creator and commerce partnerships to revitalize the social media company's business beyond digital advertising.

After Musk acquired Twitter in October, the social media firm faced months of chaos, including layoffs of thousands of employees, criticism over lax content moderation, and an exodus of many advertisers who did not want their ads appearing next to inappropriate content.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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Warner Bros Discovery Said to Be Planning to Add CNN Live Programming to Max Later This Year

Warner Bros. Discovery is planning to add live programming from CNN to the Max streaming service later this year, according to people familiar with the matter, betting that news can help attract subscribers.

CNN's owner has already decided to add live news to the service outside the US, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing nonpublic information.

Putting news on Max in the US could be complicated. Pay-TV providers like Comcast and DirecTV typically pay for the right to offer cable channels to their subscribers and are sensitive about efforts by media companies to offer the same programming online.

Warner Bros. Discovery executives are weighing different approaches to offering live CNN programming on Max in the US, including some that don't require renegotiating deals with TV providers, one person said.

In recent weeks, the team at Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming operation has started work on technical issues related to airing live news on Max, the people said.

Warner Bros. Discovery introduced Max last month and has pitched the service to consumers as a combination of reality programming from Discovery and scripted shows and blockbuster movies from HBO Max. Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav has said he'll have more to say about news and sports in the fall.

News and sports don't currently play a big role on Max, nor did they feature prominently on HBO Max, the prior version of the service. CNN has a few programs on Max, including shows hosted by Chris Wallace and Anderson Cooper. But those aren't live.

While sports have been a major part of the programming lineup at Paramount+ and Peacock, two rival streaming services, it's less clear what role news will play in the competition. Netflix funds hundreds of documentaries, but has said it isn't in the news business. Amazon.com and Apple don't operate large video news services, while Paramount Global, Comcast and Walt Disney Co. have largely kept their news programming separate from their entertainment streaming services.

CNN, one of the largest news organizations in the world, has struggled to find its footing in the streaming era. Last year, the company shut down the CNN+ streaming service just a few weeks after its launch. The network is also seeking leadership stability. Earlier this month, CEO Chris Licht stepped down after a brief and tumultuous tenure at the network.

While CNN is widely distributed on satellite and cable-TV systems globally, having its live programming appear on Max could provide a significant boost to the network's audience.

CNN's subscribers have fallen to 70 million this year from 85 million in 2020, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. At the end of March, Warner Bros. Discovery had about 100 million streaming subscribers between HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+.

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Indian Government Met Foxconn Samsung Electronics Others to Discuss PLI Scheme

The Indian government met large global firms such as Foxconn, Samsung Electronics and Reliance Industries to find ways to boost manufacturing in the country with its production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.

The meeting, addressed by India's Trade Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday, comes amid concerns that some of the businesses were facing delays in availing the incentives from New Delhi amid complicated procedures.

The discussions included ways to improve local manufacturing at competitive costs, higher domestic value-adds in production, and quick grievance redressal, the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

The meeting was also attended by executives from iPhone maker Wistron, laptop maker Dell, telecommunications firm Nokia Solutions and others that benefited from the scheme's incentive payouts.

The PLI scheme, introduced in late 2020, is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's main industrial policy to boost manufacturing.

The government has so far announced incentives for 14 sectors including electronics and technology products, pharmaceutical drugs, and drones, among others, drawing investments totalling Rs. 625 billion until March 2023, per the statement.

Investments under the PLI scheme are expected to rise further to Rs. 2.74 trillion as it runs its course, according to government estimates.

With more than Rs. 1.97 trillion earmarked for incentives, payouts totalled Rs. 29 billion until fiscal 2023 across eight industries.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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Nvidia AMD Other US Chipmakers Face Fall in Shares as US Plans Curbs on Export to China

Shares of US chipmakers fell on Wednesday following a report that the Biden administration was planning new curbs on export of computing chips for artificial intelligence to China as early as July.

Companies such as Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices and Intel, which rely on the world's second largest economy for at least a fifth of their revenue, fell between 0.8 percent and 1.8 percent, caught in the US-China crossfire.

The Philadelphia chip index dropped 0.9 percent.

Last year, US officials had ordered Nvidia to stop exporting its top two AI chips to China to limit the country's technological capability.

Months later, Nvidia launched a new advanced chip called A800 in China to meet export control rules.

The new restrictions being considered by the Commerce Department would also include a ban on the sale of Nvidia's A800 chip without a special US export license, the Wall Street Journal report said.

Curbs on sales of datacenter graphics processing units to China would impact future financial results, Nvidia's finance chief Colette Kress said on Wednesday. However, the company does not expect the additional restrictions to have an immediate material impact on its results.

"With an update on export controls now expected, investors will assess just how limiting the new rules will be for chip makers' sales," said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets, Hargreaves Lansdown.

"A handful of tech companies pack a huge punch on Wall Street due to their sheer size, so any wobble in confidence reverberates on indices."

Rising expectations over the advancements in AI have helped Wall Street climb this year, with Nvidia at the pole position on the S&P 500 index, gaining 187 percent so far this year.

But the sharp rise in shares has also sparked doubts over lofty valuations.

Nvidia is trading at 47 times its expected 12-months earnings, while AMD is at a 31.2 multiple and Intel at 31.8, way above the S&P 500's multiple at 19, according to Refinitiv data.

The Philadelphia chip index has surged more than 44 percent so far this year, far ahead of the benchmark index's 14 percent rise.

Across the Atlantic, Nordic Semiconductor, Dutch chipmaker ASML, Milan-listed STMicroelectronics, however, closed between 2.3 percent and 6.4 percent higher.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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2nd Ashes Test: Smith's 85 takes Australia to 339/5 on Day 1

Steve Smith played a brilliant unbeaten innings of 85, leading Australia to a formidable total of 339-5 against England on the first day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's in London on Wednesday.

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Tuesday, 27 June 2023

Apple Releases visionOS Developer Tools to Create Apple Vision Pro Applications: Details

Apple on Wednesday released the visionOS SDK, a set of tools that will enable developers to build apps for the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset. The Cupertino company's first spatial computer will go on sale in the US next year and Apple is providing app developers with the tools required to build apps for the device. Unlike other Apple products, the company's upcoming mixed reality headset will use a combination of three different modes of interaction using a person's eyes, hands, and voice. The visionOS SDK will allow developers to tailor their apps around this functionality while making use of the specialised hardware on the device.

The company announced on the Apple Developer website that the visionOS SDK is now available to developers. In order to create spatial computing apps for the Apple Vision Pro, developers will have to download Xcode 15 Beta 2 that includes the latest visionOS SDK along with a tool to visualise and preview 3D content for the headset called Reality Composer Pro.

Developers will be able to use a simulator for visionOS, which will let them interact with their apps as they are built, while also testing how they will appear in different lighting conditions or in a variety of room layouts, according to Apple. The SDK will let users port an existing app project for the headset, or allow them to create a new application from the ground up.

apple vision pro visionos sdk apple apple vision pro

Apple's visionOS will allow developers to display apps on a large canvas
Photo Credit: Apple

Apple also stated that it will open labs where developers can test their apps on the Apple Vision Pro, starting in July. These developer labs will be set up in Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo. The company's engineers will also be available to provide support to developers looking to create applications for the Vision Pro headset.

Meanwhile, the company will also open up applications for Apple Vision Pro developer kits. Instead of testing at the company's developer labs, these kits will allow app creators to build their apps and test them at a faster rate on the mixed reality headset. However, there's no word from Apple on whether these developer kits will only be available to developers in the US, or the criteria for applying to receive these kits.

Announced by Apple at WWDC 2023 earlier this month, the Apple Vision Pro is the firm's first mixed reality headset that supports both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies. It is controlled with a user's hands, voice, and eyes. The device also features Apple's EyeSight technology allowing a user to be aware of their surroundings. Apple's Vision Pro will also feature support for optical inserts for users who require vision correction, and the prescription lenses will be available when the headset goes on sale in the US next year.

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Wimbledon braced for Ukraine and Russian cold front

The sporting fallout from the Russia-Ukraine conflict will likely be reflected in the tranquil surroundings of the All England Club in leafy south-west London when Wimbledon gets underway on Monday.

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India Preparing Multi-Billion-Dollar Subsidy Scheme for Domestic Battery Manufacturing: Report

The Indian government is preparing a new multibillion-dollar subsidy scheme for companies making electricity grid batteries as part of its transition to clean energy, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing a power ministry proposal.

The draft proposal for a production-linked incentive subsidy scheme would offer Rs. 216 billion ($2.63 billion) from this year through to 2030 for companies to set up manufacturing capacity for battery cells in India, the FT reported.

The draft plan seen by the FT acknowledged there was a limit to how much more coal power India could build.

"International opinion" and "environmental concerns . . . make expansion of coal-based thermal generation beyond a limit, an infeasible option," according to the draft plan.

India's power ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apart from energy transition, domestic battery cell manufacturing is also essential to reducing the country's dependence on rival China for battery imports, the draft plan said.

"If India does not take urgent steps to set up local manufacturing capacity of battery energy storage systems, imperatives of our energy transition would lead to huge imports from China," the proposal document seen by FT said.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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Ahmedabad to host India-Pak WC tie PCB says itll need govt nod

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — one of the world’s biggest, seating 1.32 lakh spectators — will stage the big-ticket India Pakistan group match in the 2023 ODI World Cup, hosted by India, on October 15. The Cup schedule was announced by the International Cricket Council here on Tuesday.

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Monday, 26 June 2023

iOS 17 Beta 2 Released for Developers; Introduces Key Siri Command Update Cross Fade in Apple Music More

iOS 17 beta 2 was released by Cupertino-based tech giant Apple on Wednesday for developers alongside the iPadOS 17 beta 2. The iOS 17 update was released earlier this month at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023. The updated operating system introduced a StandBy mode, a Journal app, and an AirDrop feature called NameDrop for easily sharing contacts with other iPhone users. The new iOS beta release also carries several important updates including a changed Software Update interface within the Settings application.

As spotted in a 9to5Mac report, the newly-launched developer's beta version carries a small but important update for the Siri command. Users can now easily choose the app that they want to use to message using the virtual assistant, without additional commands.

Previously, up until iOS 16, when users used the 'send a message' command, Siri would send it through Apple's own Messages app. With the iOS 17 beta 2 update, users can now easily select any messaging applications, including third-party ones to send the message. They no longer have to give out a longer 'send message via WhatsApp' or 'send message via Telegram' command.

This updated feature is compatible with any Siri-compatible third-party applications, like WhatsApp and Telegram. This update also enables users to change the contact information of the receiver or edit the concerned message, with a single tap within the virtual assistant interface.

Apple also updated the user interface of the Software Update sub-section with a new design in the Settings application. The iOS 17 beta 2 also enables the tapping of two iPhone together for a quick AirDrop feature, which was announced at the WWDC 2023.

With iOS 17 beta 2, users can control the data and settings of the Fitness application through a dedicated section. The cross-fade effect in Apple Music using a slider control is also available in this beta version, that allows users to transition between two songs seamlessly.

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Apple Releases visionOS Developer Tools to Create Apple Vision Pro Applications: Details

apple vision pro visionos sdk apple apple vision pro

Apple's visionOS will allow developers to display apps on a large canvas
Photo Credit: Apple

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Explained: Why Are Facebook Instagram Cutting News Access in Canada

Meta Platforms plans to cut off access to news on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada once a new law requiring internet giants to pay news publishers takes effect, arguing news has no economic value to the company and that its users do not use the platform for news.

Canada drafted new rules after legacy media companies complained about internet companies elbowing news businesses out of the online advertising market.

Why are technology companies against the law?

The Canadian parliament passed "Bill C-18" into law, requiring internet giants to pay news publishers.

The Online News Act forces platforms like Facebook and Alphabet's Google to negotiate commercial deals and pay news publishers for their content.

Both Meta and Google had warned they would withdraw access to news articles on their platforms in Canada if the legislation is passed into law without amendments. Facebook says links to news articles make up less than 3 percent of the content on its users' feed, and that journalists benefit from posting their work on the social media platform.

Google has argued Canada's law is broader than those enacted in Australia and Europe, and puts a price on news story links displayed in search results and can apply to outlets that do not produce news.

Google proposed that the bill be revised to make the displaying of news content, rather than links, as the basis for payment and to specify that only businesses that produce news and adhere to journalistic standards are eligible to receive payments.

What happened when similar rules were passed in Australia?

Google and Facebook had also threatened to curtail their services after Australia became the first nation to enact similar laws in 2021. Eventually both struck deals with Australian media companies after amendments were made to the legislation.

During the fight, Facebook blacked out Australian news pages and only restored them once the government granted concessions.

Yet in the year following the law taking effect, Meta and Google have paid some AUD 200 million (nearly Rs. 1,100 crore) annually to Australian news outlets, according to a report from the former chair of Australia's competition regulator.

What could the global impact be?

Lawmakers are pushing for similar rules in Meta's home state of California and in the US Congress. Meta says it makes 40 percent of its revenue in the US and lists Australia and Canada among its most significant markets. If Meta fails to secure exemptions or get the rules changed in Canada, the tech giant may face a similar fate in the United States.

In 2022, US lawmakers released a revised version of a bill aimed at making it easier for news organizations to negotiate collectively with platforms like Google and Facebook.

The New Zealand government said in 2022 it would introduce a law requiring big online digital companies to pay New Zealand media companies for the local news content that appears on their feeds.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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Meta Launches Subscription-Based Service Meta Quest for VR Headsets

Meta Platforms on Monday launched Meta Quest+, a subscription-based service for its virtual reality (VR) headsets to shape a nascent but high-investment market.

Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, in a broadcast channel on social media app Instagram, said the Meta Quest+ subscription will be available from Monday at $7.99 (nearly Rs. 655) per month, or $59.99 (nearly Rs. 4,920) annually, for its Quest 2, Pro and soon for Quest 3.

Apple has entered the market dominated by Meta, showcasing its $3,499 (nearly Rs. 2,86,900) augmented reality headset called the Vision Pro. Still, Apple's headset is three times the cost of the priciest headset from Meta.

Meta in March had cut the prices of its headsets as its bold bets on the metaverse failed to make a big splash.

The social media company's flagship VR headset Meta Quest Pro is currently priced at $999.99 (nearly Rs. 82,000), down from its launch price of $1,499.99 (nearly Rs. 1,23,000), and Quest 2 is being sold for $299.99 (nearly Rs. 24,600), according to Meta's website.

Termed as the next big thing, the adoption of virtual reality headsets has been limited to the gaming community despite the devices now having more advanced features.

The Meta Quest+ subscription service will provide users access to two hand-picked VR titles every month. Additionally, Meta is offering a limited-time deal of providing first month at just $1 (Rs. 82) for those who sign up before July 31. The offer is only valid for new subscribers.

Meta said in an official statement, "At a monthly value of up to $60, Meta Quest+ combines affordability with the convenience of a curated experience. We're excited to give gamers on Meta Quest a new way to explore all their headsets have to offer."

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Google Said to Have Urged Supreme Court to Quash Android Antitrust Directives

Google has urged India's Supreme Court to quash antitrust directives against it for abuse of the Android market, two sources said, as its presses its legal battle against the competition watchdog in one of its most important markets.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) said in October that Google, whose Android mobile operating system powers 97 percent of the 600 million smartphones in India, had exploited its dominant position.

It ordered Google to remove restrictions imposed on device makers, including those related to the pre-installation of apps, and fined the US firm $163 million (nearly Rs. 1,300 crore), which it paid.

In March, an Indian tribunal gave partial relief to the Alphabet unit by setting aside four of the 10 directives in the case.

The tribunal said CCI's findings of Google's anti-competitive conduct were correct, but gave Google some relief by quashing some of the directives that forced it to alter its business model.

Google is now asking the Supreme Court to quash the remainder of the directives, the first source with direct knowledge said.

Google is also arguing in its filing made on Monday that it has not abused its market position and should not be liable to pay a penalty, the source added.

Google in a statement confirmed the Supreme Court filing, saying that it looked forward to presenting its case and demonstrating how Android benefited users and developers.

The Indian tribunal had ruled authorities must prove harm caused by anti-competitive behaviour "but did not apply this requirement" to several of CCI's Android directives, Google said, explaining the rationale of its latest challenge.

Google's Supreme Court challenge has not been previously reported.

The CCI too has approached the Supreme Court, seeking to reverse the tribunal's decision to give Google partial relief, according to a third source. The CCI did not respond to a request for comment.

Google has been particularly concerned about India's Android decision as the directives were seen as more sweeping than those imposed in the European Commission's landmark 2018 ruling against the operating system.

Google had made sweeping changes to Android in India in recent months following the directive, including allowing device makers to license individual apps for pre-installation.

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Sunday, 25 June 2023

Apple's Back to University Sale Brings Discounts to iPad Pro MacBook Pro Models: Details

Apple has come up with a promotional deal for university students in India. Under the new "Back to University" 2023 campaign, the Cupertino tech giant is providing discounts on the purchase of iPad, MacBooks, and desktop computers. Apple's iPad Pro 11-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch, and iMac 24-inch can be grabbed at discounted rates during the sale. Apple is offering free AirPods with select products as well. Further, students can avail of 20 percent discount on AppleCare+ plans. These offers are available across both online and offline channels.

As part of the Back to University sale, university students as well as teachers and staff can purchase Apple products at discounted prices. The offers are valid from June 22 to October 2 across the company's channels — Apple BKC, Apple Saket as well as Apple Store Online.

In the ongoing sale, as detailed on the company website, eligible customers can grab the iPad Pro 11-inch at a starting price of Rs. 76,900, down from the original price of Rs. 96,900. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro's price starts at Rs. 1,02,900, down from the original price of Rs. 1,12,900. The price of the iPad Air, on the other hand, starts at Rs. 54,900, instead of Rs. 59,900. Apple is providing free Apple Pencil (2nd generation) with these three iPad models.

The M1-powered MacBook Air 13-inch is available at a starting price of Rs. 89,900, down from the original launch price of Rs. 99,900. The MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) price starts at Rs. 1,04,900, instead of Rs. 1,29,900 while the MacBook Air 15-inch (M2) can be purchased at a starting price of Rs. 1,24,900, down from the actual price of Rs. 1,34,900.

With Apple's education discount, the MacBook Pro 13-inch price starts at Rs. 1,19,900, instead of Rs. 1,29,900. The MacBook Pro 14-inch is listed with a starting price of Rs. 1,84,900, down from the launch price of Rs. 1,99,900, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro's price starts at Rs. 2,29,900, instead of Rs. 2,49,900.

Besides iPad and Macbook, Apple is offering the iMac starting from Rs. 1,24,900, instead of the actual price of Rs. 1,29,900, as a part of the Back to University discount. The Mac mini's price starts at Rs. 49,900, instead of Rs. 59,900. Apple is offering free AirPods (3rd generation) for customers purchasing the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac 24 units. The company is also bundling the AirPods (2nd generation) with the Mac mini.

Apple is also offering students 20 percent off AppleCare+ plans. Besides, students can get three months free of Apple Music and Apple TV+ subscriptions. After the free period, these plans can be availed at a special student rate of Rs. 59 per month.

The latest offers are limited to verified buyers. University students, teachers, and staff at all levels can verify their eligibility by heading to the official website.

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Xiaomi Pad 6: Is This the Best Mid-Range Android Tablet Under Rs. 30000?

Xiaomi Pad 6 was recently launched in India as the successor to the Xiaomi Pad 5 that made its debut in 2022. Just like last year's model, Xiaomi has attempted to equip its latest tablet with a range of features and a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, while keeping the price of the device under Rs. 30,000. The Xiaomi Pad 6 sports a 11-inch LCD display, runs on Android 13 out-of-the-box, and Xiaomi claims it can offer up to two days of battery backup. It is equipped with a 13-megapixel primary camera and an 8-megapixel selfie camera.

This week on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, resident device expert Pranav Hegde, who has spent some time with Xiaomi's latest tablet, talks to guest host Sheldon Pinto about the device. Pinto reviewed the Xiaomi Pad 5 last year, and the duo discuss some of the changes and upgrades that have made their way to this year's model and how it fares against the competition.

The Xiaomi Pad 6 isn't exactly a new device — it was launched in China earlier this year and only made its way to India last week. It runs on an Android 13-based MIUI 14 for Pad. The tablet sports a 11-inch LCD display with Dolby Vision up to 144Hz refresh rate, and supports up to 550 nits of peak brightness.

Equipped with a slightly older Snapdragon 870 chip that is paired with 8GB of RAM, the Xiaomi Pad 6 should be more than capable of handling daily tasks and a few games — you can read more details about the tablet's performance in our review. The processor is a slight upgrade over last year's Snapdragon 860 chip, which was an upgrade over Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855+ SoC.

You can also pick up a few accessories that are compatible with the tablet and were announced by the company when it launched the Xiaomi Pad 6 in India last week. This includes the Xiaomi Pad 6 keyboard, cover, and the Xiaomi Smart Pen (2nd Gen). Hopefully, Xiaomi will be able to ensure that these accessories remain available while the product can be purchased in the country.

Xiaomi's latest tablet has a 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel selfie camera, and like most tablet devices, one might find themselves using the camera to click images of documents and similar materials, while relying on one's smartphone camera for regular photography. You can view the camera samples and details of how it performs in different scenarios in our review.

The recently launched Xiaomi Pad 6 packs a large 8,840mAh battery with support for 33W wired charging. With that charging rate, Xiaomi says that going from an empty battery to a full charge will take about 100 minutes. The tablet is also claimed to last up to two days on a single charge, according to Xiaomi.

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Saturday, 24 June 2023

Motorola Razr 40 Razr 40 Ultra India Launch Scheduled for July 3: Expected Specifications Features

Motorola Razr 40 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra India launch date was announced by the company on Thursday. As per a teaser on Amazon India, the foldable flip phones will launch on next month. Both handsets were launched in China on June 1 and sport 6.9-inch pOLED displays. The Razr 40 Ultra is equipped with a large 3.6-inch outer display with a 144Hz refresh rate, while the Razr 40 has a smaller 1.5-inch cover screen. The Motorola Razr 40 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chips, respectively.

Unveiled in China earlier this month, the Motorola Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra are set to debut in India on July 3, a Motorola spokesperson confirmed to Gadgets 360. The listings for the handsets do not reveal details such as pricing or availability, which are expected to be announced on the launch date. Pricing for the handsets in China starts at CNY 3,999 (roughly Rs. 46,000) for the Motorola Razr 40 and CNY 5,699 (roughly Rs. 66,000) for the Razr 40 Ultra.

Motorola Razr 40, Motorola Razr 40 Ultra specifications

The Motorola Razr 40 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra that were launched in China sport 6.9-inch (1,080x2,640 pixels) foldable pOLED displays with a refresh rate of 165Hz and up to 1,200 nits of peak brightness. The Ultra model is equipped with a 3.6-inch (1,056x1,066 pixels) pOLED outer screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, while the Razr 40 has a smaller 1.5-inch cover display. The Motorola Razr 40 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra are powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chips, respectively.

For photos and videos, the Motorola Razr 40 is equipped with a 64-megapixel primary sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, while the Razr 40 Ultra has a 12-megapixel primary sensor with OIS support, and a 13-megapixel secondary ultra-wide-angle camera. Both handsets feature a 32-megapixel camera at the front for selfies and video calls.

The handsets are equipped with up to 512GB of storage. The Motorola Razr 40 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra are equipped with 3,800mAh and 4,200mAh batteries, respectively. The former charges at 33W, while the latter can be charged at 30W and also supports 8W wireless charging, According to the company.

Is 2023 the year when you should finally buy a foldable phone? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Friday, 23 June 2023

CONCACAF suspends four players after USA-Mexico brawl

In the aftermath of the intense Champions League clash between the United States and Mexico, CONCACAF has issued suspensions to Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest from the United States, as well as Cesar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga from Mexico.

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Inter Miami to sign Barcelona midfielder Busquets as free agent

Barcelona's former Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets is joining Inter Miami as a free agent and will be reunited with his friend Lionel Messi, the Major League Soccer club announced on Friday.

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For EV Batteries Lithium Iron Phosphate Becoming Material of Choice

As the auto industry scrambles to produce more affordable electric vehicles, whose most expensive components are the batteries, lithium iron phosphate is gaining traction as the EV battery material of choice.

The popularity of the chemical compound known as LFP is due partly to environmental and geopolitical concerns. But technological advances have also reduced the performance gap with more widely used materials such as nickel and cobalt.

LFP, embraced by EV industry leader Tesla two years ago, has sparked new interest especially in the US, where a clutch of domestic and overseas manufacturers has pledged more than $11 billion (nearly Rs. 90,200 crore) in new production facilities.

Overseas, two of the world's largest automakers, Toyota Motor and Hyundai Motor, have both announced plans in the past week to equip their future vehicles with LFP batteries, but have not disclosed plans for the US.

“LFP is less expensive than cobalt and nickel, and all the minerals can be obtained here in North America (which means) much lower transportation costs and a more secure supply chain,” said Stanley Whittingham, professor at Binghamton University in New York and a 2019 Nobel laureate for his work on lithium ion batteries.

The addition of manganese, a staple ingredient in rival nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) battery cells, has enabled lithium iron phosphate cells to hold more energy than previously, providing EVs with more range — up to 450 miles (724 km) on a single charge, Toyota said recently.

Michigan-based Our Next Energy, which is building a $1.6 billion (nearly Rs. 13,100 crore) battery manufacturing complex in Van Buren Township, is a proponent of LFP, according to founder and chief executive Mujeeb Ijaz, because “the materials are more abundant and sustainable, with far less risk” of fire.

“We've also demonstrated that you can match the range of cobalt cells with no compromise,” he said.

Tesla is among the automakers leading the quest in markets outside of China to provide lower-priced EVs — in Tesla's case, targeting a base price of around $25,000 (nearly Rs. 20 lakh). The use of LFP batteries should help Tesla and rivals to achieve that goal, experts say.

Ford Motor aims to open a $3.5 billion (nearly Rs. 28,700 crore) LFP cell manufacturing plant in western Michigan, leveraging technology licensed from China's CATL, the world's largest EV battery maker. The goal, Ford CEO Jim Farley said in February, is to lower the automaker's cell costs to less than $70 (nearly Rs. 5,800 crore) a kilowatt-hour, from more than $100 (nearly Rs. 8,000)/kWh for current NCM cells.

More than 90 percent of LFP materials and components still come from China, said battery expert Shirley Meng, a University of Chicago professor and head of Argonne National Laboratory's Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science.

The rapidly increasing adoption of LFP by EV manufacturers including Tesla and Hyundai suggests those companies “are not ready to decouple from China," Meng said.

'Attractive proposition'

Battery expert Lukasz Bednarski, author of the 2021 book “Lithium: The Global Race for Battery Dominance and the New Energy Revolution,” believes automakers' interest in building lower-priced EVs could be one of the drivers behind LFP's rising popularity.

“LFP provides good enough performance at a lower cost, which makes it an attractive proposition for EVs for the middle class,” he said.

Bednarski added that the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides incentives “for the development of the whole battery chain (with no) preference for LFP chemistry.”

Rising investment in LFP manufacturing facilities in the United States is coming not just from domestic companies like Ford and ONE.

Battery makers from Norway, Israel, South Korea and even China have committed to building US facilities to produce LFP materials, components and batteries, some of which will be used not in vehicles, but in large energy storage systems.

“LFP was invented in the US and first commercialised here,” said Whittingham. He said this happened before Chinese companies such as BYD and CATL “moved fast” to improve and deploy the technology, mainly in EVs.

Now, given its continued cost advantage over NCM, he added, LFP “should be used in all grid storage systems and lower-cost cars.”

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Thursday, 22 June 2023

Realme Narzo 60 Series Design Teased Ahead of Launch Will Feature a Curved Display With Thin Bezels

Realme Narzo 60 series is confirmed to launch in India soon, the Chinese smartphone company has confirmed via Amazon. The e-commerce website is teasing the design of the smartphones without confirming the exact launch date. The Realme Narzo 60 series is shown to have a curved display with narrow bezels. The upcoming lineup is expected to include the Realme Narzo 60 and Realme Narzo 60 Pro models. The former was recently spotted on Geekbench with a MediaTek Dimensity 6020 SoC and 8GB RAM.

Amazon India's dedicated landing page for the upcoming Realme Narzo 60 series is now teasing the phone's design. The page has three slides so far. They give us a glimpse of the device's shape and features. The lineup is teased to come with a 61-degree curved display with narrow bezels. Further, the upcoming models are confirmed to have a memory capacity to store over 250,000 photos on the phone, suggesting 1TB of storage support via microSD card.

Realme has also created a microsite for the latest Narzo-series smartphones on the company's India website. However, the monikers of the devices and exact launch date or specifications are unknown at this moment. The company will reveal more details on the Narzo 60 series on June 26.

Recently, the Realme Narzo 60 5G appeared on Geekbench benchmarking website with model number RMX3750. It scored 714 points in single-core testing and 1,868 points in multi-core tests. The listing suggested MediaTek Dimensity 6020 SoC and 8GB RAM on the handset. It could run on Android 13 with the company's customised Realme UI 4.0 skin on top.

The Realme Narzo 60 5G is speculated to come as a rebadged version of the Realme 11 5G. In that instance, we can expect Realme Narzo 60 5G to come with a 6.43-inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a 64-megapixel dual rear camera setup, an 8-megapixel selfie camera, and a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.

The Motorola Edge 40 recently made its debut in the country as the successor to the Edge 30 that was launched last year. Should you buy this phone instead of the Nothing Phone 1 or the Realme Pro+? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Facebook Asked to Evaluate Political Violence Promotion on Platform by Parent Metas Oversight Board

Meta Platforms' Oversight Board has asked the social media firm to evaluate efforts to prevent promotion of political violence on its platforms, after it allowed a video calling for violence post the 2022 Brazilian election to stay online.

The board said on Thursday that Meta's original decision to leave up the Facebook video, which featured a Brazilian general calling people to "hit the streets," raised concerns about the effectiveness of the company's election integrity efforts.

"In this case, the speaker's intent, the content of the speech and its reach, as well as the likelihood of imminent harm ... all justified removing the post," said the Oversight Board, whose recommendations are not binding on Meta.

After initially letting the video stay up, Meta took it down on January 20, after the board selected the case.

The company's election preparedness efforts are in focus as the United States prepares for the presidential elections next year.

Meta's Facebook and Instagram, two of the most popular social media sites in the world, have been in the past used to spread misinformation and incite violence on the ground.

In 2020, the company said that its platforms were used by certain Russian groups to influence U.S. voters during the 2016 elections, where Republican Donald Trump emerged victorious.

The company was also among the social media platforms that suspended Trump in 2021 after the deadly January 6 Capitol Hill riot, determining he had incited violence. The former U.S. president was reinstated earlier this year.

Meta, in a response to the board, said that it does not currently have metrics for measuring the success of its election integrity efforts generally.

The Oversight Board was created in late 2020 to review Facebook and Instagram's decisions on taking down or leaving up certain content and make rulings on whether to uphold or overturn the social media company's actions.

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Major League Cricket 2023: Meet the owners of the six teams

As the inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC) is set to kick off, six teams are prepared to embark on a thrilling journey. The participating teams, namely Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom, will contend for the prestigious championship title.

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Amazon's Acquisition of iRobot Faces EU Antitrust Investigation Sources Say

Amazon's $1.7 billion (roughly Rs. 13,500 crore) acquisition of robot vacuum cleaner maker iRobot faces a full-scale EU antitrust investigation, people familiar with the matter said, weeks after the US online retail giant won UK approval for the deal.

Amazon announced the takeover in August last year to expand its portfolio of smart devices, which include the Alexa voice assistant, smart thermostats, security devices and wall-mounted smart displays. IRobot made its first Roomba robot vacuum in 2002.

IRobot shares fell about 10 percent, their largest percentage drop since February last year, while Amazon shares trimmed gains after the Reuters story was published.

The European Commission is scheduled to launch a four-month investigation following the end of its preliminary review of the deal on July 6, the people said.

Amazon is unlikely to offer remedies during this initial phase, one of the people said. It has a final shot in the next few days at convincing the EU competition watchdog that the deal is pro-competitive, although the odds against it are high.

The Commission and Amazon declined to comment. Amazon has previously said the vacuum cleaner market is very competitive, with lots of Chinese players.

The UK competition agency in its decision last week backed the argument and said it did not see Amazon using its market power to disadvantage rival robot vacuum cleaner makers.

It blocked Microsoft's Activision deal while the Commission cleared the deal conditional on Microsoft's licensing deals with rival streaming platforms.

Antitrust enforcers worldwide have become more wary of Big Tech acquiring smaller rivals, concerned about the accumulation of troves of data by a few companies, and big companies leveraging their dominance into newer markets.

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Motorola Razr 40, Motorola Razr 40 Ultra specifications

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