Friday, 30 June 2023

2nd Test Day 3 Highlights: Australia Take 221-Run Lead vs England

ENG vs AUS, 2nd Ashes Test, Day 3 Live: Australia are firmly in control of the proceedings against England on Day 3 of the ongoing 2nd Ashes Test at Lord's. Rain forced early Stumps to Day 3 but by then Australia's lead had already gone past the 220-mark. The visitors bundled out the hosts on 325 to take a 91-run first innings lead. On Day 2, Ben Duckett fell agonisingly close of scoring his third Test century after he was dismissed on 98 by Josh Hazlewood. Earlier, Steve Smith scored his 32nd century to power Australia to 416. Smith hit 110 while Travis Head continued his red hot form with a quickfire 77. ( Scorecard)

Here are the Highlights of Day 3 of the 2nd Ashes Test between England and Australia from Lord's



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Zbyfch7
via

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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/oEGmMz0
via

HDFC Bank-HDFC Merger Today Biggest Transaction In History Of India Inc

Housing finance major HDFC will merge with its subsidiary HDFC Bank on Saturday as their respective boards have cleared the proposal on Friday.

Following the reverse merger, the 44-year-old institution HDFC Ltd would cease to exist from July 1 onwards. HDFC Ltd, the country's first home finance company, will lose its identity on Saturday.

"Saturday, July 1, 2023, to be the 'Effective Date' of the composite scheme of amalgamation, on which date the certified order of the NCLT sanctioning the Scheme will be filed by HDFC Investments, HDFC Holdings, HDFC Limited and HDFC Bank with the RoC," HDFC Bank said in a regulatory filing.

The board of directors of HDFC Bank in consultation with the board of directors of HDFC Limited has fixed July 13, 2023, for determining the shareholders of HDFC Ltd who would be issued and allotted the shares of HDFC Bank, it added.

Besides, July 13 has been fixed for the continuation of warrants of HDFC Limited in the name of HDFC Bank.

The board has fixed July 12, 2023, for the transfer of non-convertible debentures while July 7 for the transfer of commercial papers of HDFC Ltd in the name of HDFC Bank.

Termed as the biggest transaction in the history of India Inc, HDFC Bank on April 4, 2022, agreed to take over its parent, which is the largest pure-play mortgage lender, in a $40-billion all-stock deal, creating a financial services titan with a combined asset of over Rs 18 lakh crore.

The total business of the merged entity stood at Rs 41 lakh crore at the end of March 2023. With the merger, the net worth of the entity would be over Rs 4.14 lakh crore.

The combined profit of both entities was to the tune of about Rs 60,000 crore at the end of March 2023.

The combined shares of the HDFC twins will have the highest weighting on the indices at close to 14 per cent, much higher than the present index heavyweight Reliance Industries with a 10.4 per cent weightage.

The merger of HDFC Bank and HDFC creates a lender that ranks fourth in equity market capitalisation, behind JP Morgan Chase & Co, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) and Bank of America Corp, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It's valued at about $172 billion.

With the deal getting effective, HDFC Bank will be 100 per cent owned by public shareholders, and existing shareholders of HDFC will own 41 per cent of the bank. Every HDFC shareholder will get 42 shares of HDFC Bank for every 25 shares they hold.

The merged entity brings together significant complementarities that exist between both entities and is poised to create meaningful value for various stakeholders, including respective customers, employees and shareholders of both entities from increased scale, comprehensive product offering, balance sheet resiliency and ability to drive synergies across revenue opportunities, operating efficiencies and underwriting efficiencies, a statement said.

Speaking on the completion of the merger, HDFC Bank CEO and Managing Director Sashi Jagdishan said the combined strength will enable to create a holistic ecosystem of financial services.

"We're truly happy to welcome the talented team of HDFC Ltd into the HDFC Bank family. I believe our journey will be defined by agility, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. As we navigate the path ahead, we will embrace challenges as opportunities, learn from our experiences, and strive to be the benchmark of success and integrity in the financial services industry," he said.

It also marks the transformation of HDFC Bank into a financial services conglomerate that offers a full suite of financial services, from banking to insurance, and mutual funds through its subsidiaries, the bank said.

So far, the bank was a distributor for these products.

The merger of India's largest housing finance company HDFC Ltd with the largest private sector bank in India combines the strengths of a trusted home loan brand with an institution that enjoys a lower cost of funds.

The larger net worth would allow a greater flow of credit into the economy, it said, adding it will also enable the underwriting of larger ticket loans, including infrastructure loans and contribute further to nation-building and employment generation.

All employees of HDFC Ltd as of the effective date become HDFC Bank employees.

Over the past months, the bank has been preparing for smooth integration not only of systems and processes but also of all aspects that will make HDFC Bank a welcoming place of work for the employees from HDFC Ltd.

Post-merger, the key HDFC Bank subsidiaries include HDFC Securities Ltd, HDB Financial Services Ltd, HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co Ltd, HDFC Capital Advisors Ltd and HDFC Life Insurance Co Ltd.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/WO0HTcp
via

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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/jc6fJbd
via

Diamond League Live: Murali's Long Jump Event Coming Up Chopra To Follow

Lausanne Diamond League 2023 Live: India's ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who was a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, will be returning to action after a one-month injury lay-off. He is seeking a second straight podium finish of the season at the Lausanne leg of the Diamond League in a star-studded field on Friday. The 25-year-old Indian superstar had made a perfect start to the Diamond League season with a top podium finish in Doha, Qatar, on May 5 with a fourth career-best throw of 88.67m but suffered a muscle strain while training later that month. Murali Sreeshankar will also be competing in the long jump event.

Here are the Live Updates of Lausanne Diamond League 2023, Javelin Throw event: 



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Vaxy2Id
via

iPhone Supplier Foxconn to Invest $250 Million for EV Components Unit in Vietnam

Foxconn is set to invest about $250 million (nearly Rs. 20,500 crore) in two new projects in Vietnam, including for the production of components for electric vehicles (EVs), the world's largest contract electronics assembler and local authorities said on Friday.

The move confirms Foxconn's global plans to become a player in the EV industry, after having focused for years on assembling electronic products for Apple and other major brands.

The Taiwanese giant, through its unit Foxconn Singapore, is set to invest approximately $250 million in an industrial park in northern Vietnam, "focusing on the production of electric vehicle components, controllers and other products to meet future development needs," it said in a statement to Reuters.

The new projects would take its total investment in the southeast Asian manufacturing hub to about $3 billion (nearly Rs. 24,600 crore) in nearly two decades since it built its first plant there, confirming its wider plans to expand outside of China amid continuous tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Local authorities confirmed they had authorised Foxconn's new investment. The largest chunk of the new funding, about $200 million, will go into a factory to produce EV chargers and components, which is scheduled to start production from January 2025 with a workforce of 1,200 people, authorities said.

The remaining $46 million (nearly Rs. 375 crore) is for a plant to produce electronics and telecommunication components, with production set to begin in October 2024.

Both facilities will in the province's Song Khoai Industrial Park, 138 km (86 miles) east of Hanoi.

"With roots that go back more than 15 years, Foxconn's base in Vietnam is one of the key locations in our global footprint," the company said in the statement to Reuters.

Foxconn also plans to set up a new factory in Vietnam's central province of Nghe An with an initial investment of $100 million (nearly Rs. 820 crore), the provincial local authority said last month.

© Thomson Reuters 2023


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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/GeXuFZM
via

Meta Now Allows Secure Chat Transfer Between Devices on WhatsApp Using QR Code

Meta chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg on Friday announced a new feature on the platform's instant messaging app, WhatsApp. According to the Meta CEO, users will now be allowed to transfer their chat history between devices conveniently and in a secure way. Currently, both the devices need to work on the same OS (operating system) for the transfer to take place. The new feature makes the process easier and faster to transfer messages as well as larger attachments from one device to another.

In a post shared by Meta CEO on his official Facebook handle, Zuckerberg wrote, "If you want to move your WhatsApp chats to a new phone, you can now do it more privately without your chats ever leaving your devices." Apparently, now the users will be able to share the chat history with the help of QR code authentication. He also shared a demonstration video to explain the new process. 

While WhatsApp already allowed users to transfer their chat history from one phone to another, the new method of chat transfer using QR code makes the process more safe. Currently, users can transfer their chat history by either using third party apps, or by updating the backup on cloud services. 

However, with the new process, users do not need to exit their app on one device to transfer the data on the other phone. The data remains only between two devices, without any third party apps or clod services in between, and stays safe.

Users will therefore not be required to take a backup of the data for the purpose of transferring that chat history or media files. In order to transfer using QR code, both devices should be physically connected to Wi-Fi and location enabled. One can transfer chats and media from an old phone by going to Settings > Chats > Chats Transfer > Scan the QR code using the new device. 


Apple's annual developer conference is just around the corner. From the company's first mixed reality headset to new software updates, we discuss all the things we're looking forward to seeing 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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/s5Kq3Mo
via

Thursday, 29 June 2023

Full House At The Night Manager 2 Screening: Vidya-Siddharth And Others

It was a star-studded night in Mumbai as some of the biggest names in Bollywood attended the screening of the second season of The Night Manager. The star cast of the show arrived for the big night in their festive best. Sobhita Dhulipala slipped into a pink dress for the occasion. She also posed candidly with her co-star Tillotama Shome, who opted for a simple white dress for the screening. Anil Kapoor arrived for the screening, looking ageless as usual in a black attire. Aditya Roy Kapur flashed his widest smile as he walked the red carpet of the screening.

Take a look at the star cast's OOTN:

9d4rkvr
i54np1f8
ra4fbfkg
1rvjfkro

Other attendees to the screening included The Dirty Picture star Vidya Balan. She attended the event with her husband Siddharth Roy Kapur. The husband-wife duo was also seen posing adorably for the cameras. For the unversed, Siddharth Roy Kapur is the older brother of Aditya Roy Kapur.

Take a look at the cute couple:

lnvkml7o

Disha Patani and Fatima Sana Shaikh added the glam quotient to the event in their festive finery.

8j7b0nj8
1fs0227

Jim Sarbh, Gully star Amruta Subhash and Anil Kapoor's sister-in-law Maheep Kapoor were other guests who makred their presence for the screening. Here are some picture from last night:

tgssqi8o
1pf5bku8
c411k78o

Ahead of the show's release Anil Kapoor was seen hosting the cast of the show at his home. Anil Kapoor has shared a lovely set of pictures with the cast including Sobhita Dhulipala, Aditya Roy Kapur, Tillotama Shome, Ravi Behl, and director Sandeep Modi. He also added a geotag pointing to Anil Kapoor's House, Juhu, Mumbai. In the caption, the veteran actor wrote, “The Night Manager 2, never off duty!” In response to the post, Tillotama Shome wrote, “Thank you for the delicious poha and bhel and nimbu paaani,” with heart emojis.

Sandeep Modi also replied to the post saying, “What a fab time always at AKs!” Ravi Behl wrote, “Rock and roll [fire emoji].”

Check out the post here:

Anil Kapoor also dropped a few pictures with Sobhita Dhulipala. In the caption, the actor wrote, “Kaveri has also got Shelly's back, or does she?” referring to their characters in The Night Manager. In response, Sobhita Dhulipala wrote, “Second pic I look like a chudail [ghost]. Love it.” Rhea Kapoor, Anil Kapoor's daughter, replied with heart emojis.

In its review for the first season of The Night Manager, NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee wrote, "On the acting front, Anil Kapoor steals the show without breaking a sweat. Tillotama Shome and Saswata Chatterjee make full use of the room they have to convey a range of shades. Shobita Dhulipala eases quite effortlessly into the role of a svelte seductress."



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Tw6SAK7
via

Second Only To Don Bradman: Steve Smith Scripts History With Ashes Ton

Australian batter Steve Smith has now become the player with the second-highest number of centuries for his country. He accomplished this feat in his side's Ashes second Test against England at Lord's. Smith continued with his rich run of form in English territory, scoring his 32nd Test hundred. The former Australia skipper produced a delightful 110 runs off 184 balls, studded with 15 boundaries.

Ponting holds the record for the most Test centuries for Australia, with 41 tons. Steve Waugh also has 32 tons like Smith. Notably, Smith is the fastest player to get to the 32-century mark, doing so in the 174th innings of his 99th Test, as per cricket.com.au. This was Smith's eighth Test hundred in England, the second-most by any foreign player in the country, behind only Sir Donald Bradman's eleven tons. Also, now Smith has 12 tons in the Ashes. Only Bradman, with 19 tons, has more triple figure mark in the Ashes, according to a ESPN Cricinfo report.

Smith has also become the fourth Australian player to etch his name on the honour's board at the Home of Cricket, Lord's. He joined an elite company featuring the likes of Warren Bardsley (1912, 1926), Sir Don Bradman (1930, 1938) and Bill Brown (1934, 1938) to score multiple Test hundreds at Lord's.

Smith now has 12 Ashes hundreds and now he is only second to the legendary Don Bradman, who has scored 19 centuries in the series.

Smith has a lot of history at the Lord's, a ground where he made his Test debut back in 2010. He smashed a mammoth 215 at the venue during the 2015 Ashes. It was here that England pacer Jofra Archer concussed him in 2019, which is one of the most brutal moments of this rivalry's history.

It further adds to Smith's unique history at Lord's, a ground where he made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2010, where he blazed a mammoth 215 during the 2015 Ashes and where Jofra Archer concussed him in 2019 in one of the Ashes' most brutally memorable moments.

After a rare double failure at Birmingham, perhaps Smith gave England a hope that they could avoid the carnage he unleashed back in the 2019 Ashes, in which he smashed 774 runs in four Test matches. But his attacking, but yet careful strokeplay helped him get another hundred.

In his knock, he also surpassed the total of 9,000 Test runs, with only Kumar Sangakkara being faster to reach the milestone in 172 innings.

Coming to the match, England's first innings is in progress.

In their first innings, Australia was bundled out for 416 runs. Smith (110), Travis Head (77 in 73 balls) and David Warner (66 in 88 balls) played standout innings for Australia.

Josh Tongue (3/98) and Ollie Robinson (3/100) took three-fers. Joe Root took two wickets while the veteran pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad managed a wicket each.



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Kh0p4gm
via

Wednesday, 28 June 2023

Activision Blizzard to Set Up Shop in Barcelona Following EU's Approval for Microsoft Acquisition

Activision Blizzard said its studio that developed Call of Duty would set up shop in Barcelona, putting into action its pledge to invest in Europe after Brussels approved Microsoft's $69 billion (nearly Rs. 5,66,000 crore) acquisition of the company in May.

The US company said on Wednesday its game developer Infinity Ward, which created the blockbuster first-person shooter game, would join its Digital Legends mobile games unit in the Spanish city.

The decision comes after Britain blocked the Microsoft takeover, prompting Activision, which has studios in Guildford and Warrington in England, to say it would "reassess" its growth plans in the country.

In contrast, it said it would "meaningfully expand" its investment and workforce in the European Union after the deal received the green light there.

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard are battling antitrust regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to clinch the deal, the biggest ever in video gaming.

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and his Microsoft counterpart Satya Nadella are due to testify in a court in San Francisco on Wednesday to urge a judge to allow the merger.

The Federal Trade Commission, which is seeking to block the deal, wants the transaction temporarily stopped in order to allow the agency's in-house judge to decide the case.

Microsoft is appealing the British veto with the "aggressive" support of Activision.

The games company, which also owns the Candy Crush Saga and World of Warcraft franchises, said in April that Britain was "clearly closed for business" after the deal was blocked.

It said on Wednesday it was looking closely at the EU to enlarge its studio footprint.

"For good reason: Europe has played a key role in the evolution of gaming — particularly mobile gaming — across the globe and it's not unreasonable to expect developers on the continent to maintain that momentum thanks to ample skills, ambition, and government support," it said in a blog post.

© 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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/IgmWqzy
via

Shocking Video Shows A Girl Being Badly Thrashed By Two Women In A UK Park

Security officers have launched an investigation into a distressing video that depicts two women punching and kicking a teenage girl repeatedly in a park in Leicestershire.

The video, which was uploaded to Twitter yesterday by Deano (@Deanceejay13), depicts two other females pushing a girl down in a park in Station Road, Ashby, on Saturday.

The Twitter user claimed in the caption that the girl was his younger step sister.

"This happened to my younger step sister this weekend... wouldn't say boo to a ghost, yet pissed-up girls in the park jumped her? Everyone, share this, please," he tweeted.

Watch the video here:

The user mentioned Ashby-de-la-Zouch as the location of the incident in the comment area.

"Officers from the Leicestershire Police are aware of this video, are carrying out further inquiries into the incident, and will speak to those involved. We would ask anyone with information about the incident to contact us, quoting reference 23*392390," tweeted the Police department.

The video has received a very critical reaction from social media users. They all criticised it and demanded strict action against it.

"Why are the police not involved? I hope your step sister was checked out at the hospital. She took a lot of blows there, wish her well," commented a user.



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/6LPAN5Z
via

Born x Raised Co-founder Chris Printup Dies In Car Crash

Born x Raised co-founder Chris Printup, aka Spanto, died in a tragic car accident on Tuesday, June 27, Fox 11 reported. Printup, alongside partner Alex “2Tone” Erdmann, launched Born x Raised in 2013. 

As a co-founder of Born x Raised, Chris Printup played a pivotal role in shaping the brand's identity and establishing its reputation within the streetwear realm. 

Notably, Born x Raised has collaborated with brands such as New Era, Converse, and Babylon, and has also partnered with prominent Los Angeles sports franchises including the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Rams, and LAFC. The brand has 300K followers on Instagram.

Last month, Born x Raised teamed up with Levi's to pay homage to Spanto's late father Butch, who died earlier this year.

Many of his close friends, and fans paid heartfelt tributes to the designer on social media. 

Photographer Atiba Jefferson wrote, ''Spanto I was waiting to make this post because of how much a fighter you are, you beat cancer and the streets, you lived life like everyday was your last, you glowed when you talked about you family. Working with you was so great, you connected me with so many new friends that I love. You will always be with us my heart goes out to family and friends. I love you and will see you again.''

Rap executive icon Dante Ross wrote on Instagram, ''A testament to a man's being is how much he is universally loved and respected. Spanto was loved by all. Watching his evolution was a gift, hearing his laugh an honor. He walked the walk with grace and then some. We will talk you up until the wheels fall off, we love you Chris.''

Notably, Mr. Printup was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2013, a month after he started Born x Raised. By 2018, reports confirmed he was free of cancer. At the end of 2022, he reflected on how far he has come on Instagram in a gratitude post.

He was also renowned for his altruism and commitment to his native Los Angeles in addition to his creative endeavors. 

Meanwhile, the brand has yet to reveal an official announcement on their social media.



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/eOIKQ5T
via

Activison Blizzard CEO Urges Federal Judge to Allow Takeover by Microsoft

The chief executive of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, went before a federal judge on Wednesday to urge her to allow his company to be bought by Microsoft for $69 billion (nearly Rs. 5,66,300 crore).

Kotick said that any effort to make Call of Duty exclusive to one platform, as Microsoft critics have said might happen, would alienate some 100 million people who play the game each month.

"You would have a revolt if you were to remove the game from one platform," said Kotick.

He said that removing Call of Duty from PlayStation, which is made by Sony Group, would be "very detrimental" to Activision's business.

The Federal Trade Commission has asked a judge to stop the Microsoft acquisition temporarily in order to allow the agency's in-house judge to decide the case. In the past, the side that lost in federal court often conceded and the in-house process was scrapped.

Much of the testimony in the trial has focused on Activision's Call of Duty, one of the best-selling videogames of all time. It is available today on smartphones, multiple consoles and on desktop computers.

Kotick said he had considered making Call of Duty available on Nintendo Switch but decided against it because he felt the console would not be a big seller. "I made a bad judgment," he said.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is scheduled to testify on Wednesday afternoon before Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in federal court.

The FTC, which enforces antitrust law, has taken a harder line on mergers during the Biden administration. The agency says the transaction would give Microsoft, which makes the Xbox console, exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo and Sony Group out in the cold.

To address antitrust concerns, Microsoft has offered to license Call of Duty to rivals. It has also argued that it is better off financially by licensing the games to all comers.

The deal has won approval from many jurisdictions but has been opposed by the FTC in the United States and Britain's Competition and Markets Authority.

© Thomson Reuters 2023


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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/w4F03Wi
via

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


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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/56pTUn8
via

Titanic Sub Debris Brought Ashore in Canada

A Canadian-flagged ship on Wednesday brought ashore debris from the Titan submersible that imploded while on a voyage to the century-old wreck of the Titanic earlier this month, killing all five people on board.

thg3i5fo

Shattered fragments wrapped in white tarp pulled up by a crane off the Horizon Arctic vessel.

Video from the Canadian Broadcast Corporation showed what appeared to be the nose of the submersible and other shattered fragments wrapped in white tarp pulled up by a crane off the Horizon Arctic vessel at the St. John's harbor in Newfoundland on Wednesday morning.

The debris is expected to shed more light on the cause of the catastrophic implosion that killed everyone on board - OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush; British billionaire Hamish Harding; Pakistani-born businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman; and French oceanographer Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

It was not immediately clear where the debris was headed.

Canadian and US authorities have in the past week announced investigations into the incident, which has raised questions about the unregulated nature of such expeditions.

The deep-sea submersible operated by OceanGate Expeditions was discovered in pieces on the seabed some 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic by a robotic diving vehicle last week, ending a multinational five-day search for survivors.

"Our team has successfully completed off-shore operations, but is still on mission and will be in the process of demobilization from the Horizon Arctic this morning," Pelagic Research, which operates the robotic vehicle, said in a statement. It declined to comment further, citing confidentiality reasons.

Footage also showed a shattered part of the hull and machinery with dangling wires being taken off the ship at St. John's, where the expedition to the Titanic had set off from.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/3VrhTsd
via

Tuesday, 27 June 2023

Oppo Reno 10 5G Series India Variant Key Camera Specifications Revealed Ahead of Launch

Oppo Reno 10 series was launched in China earlier this year in May. The lineup, including the base Oppo Reno 10 5G, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G, and the Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ 5G, is expected to launch globally as well as in India soon. The global variants of the models were recently spotted on the Geekbench website. Reportedly, the Indian variant of the base and pro models are expected to launch with different camera designs than its Chinese counterparts, while the pro plus model is likely to retain the same design. The company on Tuesday revealed some key camera specifications of the Indian variants of the Reno 10 series ahead of their launch in the country.

The Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ will be equipped with a 64-megapixel primary 1/2-inch sensor paired with a periscope telephoto lens which supports 3x optical zoom, 120x hybrid zoom and optical image stabilisation (OIS). The company claims that because the stacked lenses and sensor are arranged sideways, instead of on top of each other, the periscope camera unit on this handset is 0.96mm thinner than what is offered on other phones. 

Meanwhile, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro is also confirmed to share similar camera specifications as that of the Oppo Reno 10 Pro+. Alongside the primary sensor, the models will feature a 50-megapixel 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX890 sensor, and an 8-megapixel 1/4-inch Sony IMX355 sensor paired with an ultra-wide angle lens. The front camera unit of the Pro models is said to be equipped with a 32-megapixel Sony IMX709 sensor with an auto-focus feature.

The Indian variant of the Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ is also confirmed to be powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. The company has not yet revealed any further details about the models' India launch.

In China, the base 16GB RAM + 256GB variant of the Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ 5G is marked at CNY 3,899 (roughly Rs. 45,000). On the other hand, the Oppo Reno 10 Pro 5G starts at CNY 3,499 (roughly Rs. 41,000) for its 16GB + 128GB option. The 8GB + 128GB option of the Oppo Reno 10 5G is listed at CNY 2,499 (roughly Rs. 29,000). 


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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/tdYKc6F
via

US House Panel Critical of Twitter Privacy Investigation to Question FTC Chair at Hearing

US Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan is set to testify on July 13 before the House Judiciary Committee led by Republicans who have sharply criticized her leadership of the antitrust enforcement agency, the committee, and commission confirmed on Friday.

This will be her first appearance before the committee since Republicans assumed control.

Republicans have been especially critical of the FTC's privacy investigation into Twitter since it was purchased by billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

In March, the FTC confirmed it was conducting an investigation into Twitter's privacy practices. The agency has been concerned whether Twitter had the staffing to abide by a May 2022 settlement with the FTC in which it agreed to improve its privacy practices.

In April, the committee subpoenaed Khan for documents related to the Twitter privacy probe following Musk's $44 billion (roughly Rs. 3,61,687 crore) purchase of the social media company in October.

House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan suggested in a June 8 letter "there is an unjustified approximate one-year gap in the FTC's actions with respect to Twitter" and added it was reasonable to conclude neither the prior chair nor Khan "seriously planned to take action against Twitter "until political pressure arose given Mr. Musk's impending acquisition."

Jordan in February also questioned the FTC's plans to adopt a new rule to ban noncompete clauses for workers and its approach to the merger of Illumina and Grail.

San Diego-based Illumina, which specializes in gene sequencing, is appealing an FTC order that said the company's $7.1 billion (roughly Rs. 58,200,830 crore) acquisition of Grail will curb competition in the cancer-testing market. Illumina has denied the allegations.

The FTC, which typically has five commissions including two from the minority party, currently has just three Democratic commissioners after Christine Wilson stepped down at the end of March.

Khan, an antitrust researcher focused on Big Tech's immense market power, vowed to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement after she joined the FTC in June 2021 and was named chair.

This week the FTC sued Amazon.com accusing it of enrolling millions of consumers into its paid subscription Amazon Prime service without their consent and making it hard for them to cancel.

Politico first reported the plans for the hearing. 

© 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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/BnLdXDP
via

Monday, 26 June 2023

Apple-Broadcom Challenge to Caltech Patents Declined by US Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a bid by Apple and Broadcom to revive their challenges to Caltech data-transmission patents in a patent infringement case in which the university's earlier $1.1 billion (nearly Rs. 9,000 crore) jury verdict against the companies was thrown out.

The justices turned away an appeal by Apple and Broadcom of a lower court's ruling affirming a trial judge's decision to prevent the companies from contesting the validity of the patents as they defended against the California Institute of Technology's lawsuit.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which specializes in patent cases, ruled against the companies' arguments because they failed to bring them up during earlier proceedings at the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Apple and Broadcom have argued that they should have been allowed to raise the patent challenges during the trial.

A jury found that the companies infringed Caltech's patents, ordering Apple to pay $837.8 million (nearly Rs. 6.900 crore) and Broadcom to pay $270.2 million (nearly Rs. 2,200 crore). The Federal Circuit took issue with the amount of the award, and sent the case back for a new trial on damages.

Caltech, located in Pasadena, California, sued Cupertino-based Apple and San Jose-based Broadcom in 2016 in federal court in Los Angeles, alleging that millions of iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and other devices using Broadcom Wi-Fi chips infringed its data-transmission patents.

Apple is a major purchaser of Broadcom chips, and in January 2020 reached a supply agreement that ends in 2023. Broadcom has estimated that 20 percent of its revenue comes from Apple.

The Federal Circuit also upheld the trial judge's decision to block the companies from arguing that the patents were invalid because they could have made the arguments in their petitions for USPTO review of the patents.

Apple and Broadcom told the Supreme Court that the Federal Circuit misread the law, which they said only blocks arguments that could have been raised during the review itself.

President Joe Biden's administration urged the justices in May to reject the case and argued that the Federal Circuit had interpreted the law correctly.

Caltech has also sued Microsoft, Samsung Electronics, Dell Technologies and HP, accusing them of infringing the same patents in separate cases that are still pending.

© Thomson Reuters 2023


 



from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/V6btjUQ
via

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


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.


from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/C2xFLRM
via

Netflix Slammed Over Insensitive New Show Tweet After Submersible Tragedy

Streaming giant Netflix has been slammed by the netizens for dropping the trailer of its new documentary, The Deepest Breath on Twitter, just days after the Titan Submersible imploded, killing all five onboard.

Netflix's latest documentary is about Alessia Zecchini, who holds a world record in freediving. The trailer did not go down well with the netizens and they criticised the OTT giant's move to release the trailer at the wrong time.

A Twitter user wrote, "I'm not sure this is the best show to advertise during the Titanic submarine thing."

Another user wrote, "Probably not the best-timed tweet you've ever done."

A third added: "Wow epic timing, and not in a good way. Who decided this was going up?"

Watch the trailer here:


Meanwhile, a "catastrophic implosion," such as that believed to have destroyed the Titan submersible, would have happened with incredible force and speed gave the crushing water pressure on the floor of the ocean.

The remains of the Titanic rest on the seabed in the North Atlantic at a depth of some 3,800 meters (12,400 feet).

At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi).

The Titan, built by OceanGate Inc. of Everett, Washington, was designed to sustain the extreme water pressure at the depth of the Titanic and had made previous dives to the wreck.



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/C9tGzpD
via

Jeff Bezos Denies Report Of $600 Million Lavish Wedding: "Completely False"

Jeff Bezos has categorically denied media reports that his upcoming wedding to fiancee Lauren Sanchez will cost a staggering $600 million. T...