Hacking for biginner: June 2023

Friday, June 30, 2023

Uorfi Javed On Fame Hate And More: "People Don't Want To Work With Me"

Uorfi Javed has quite a bit of a reputation for experimenting with her sartorial choices but has her online popularity translated into work? Uorfi, during an interview with BBC World Service, opened up on how she struggles to find work despite her popularity online. "I have achieved popularity - yes, fame - yes, work - no," she said. Uorfi added, "People don't respect me. People don't want to work with me." Describing her fashion choices, the social media star said, "I would describe my fashion sense as bold and I scream attention. I want attention so I dress like that. I was fascinated by, of course the film industry, what I was seeing on the television and I always wanted to be an actor. I just wanted to be famous." Uorfi, who appeared in the first season of TV reality show Bigg Boss OTT, added, "I was the first contestant to be eliminated. I got popular after that show because of my fashion choices."

With fame, also comes hate. The actor shared her approach of dealing with trolls and hate and she said, "I am human so I get upset but then me being upset lasts for like 5-10 minutes and I tell myself that they are just probably very ugly and you're just too pretty." When asked if she would change her sense of style to cater to a brand, Uorfi said, "Then go take someone else. If you don't want Uorfi Javed then why are you coming to Uorfi Javed."

Things changed and for better when Uorfi Javed became Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla's muse. She wrote in a post, "I am thrilled to be dressed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. They are masters of what they do and have made me feel all the more empowered with their acceptance of who I am. No designers would give me clothes which is why I started making my own. Abu Sandeep have changed that for me."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Uorfi (@urf7i)

Uorfi Javed is known for participating in TV reality shows such as Bigg Boss OTT and MTVSplitsvillaX4. She started trending big time for her unconventional outfit choices and piecing together her viral-worthy DIY looks. Earlier this year, she trended a great deal after she modelled for designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/AwdgMRp

Spotify Planning to Test Full-Length Music Videos in App

Spotify Technology is considering adding full-length music videos to its app, which could help the streaming service better compete with Alphabet's YouTube and ByteDance's TikTok.

The service has already begun talking to partners about the product, according to people familiar with the plan who asked not to be identified because they weren't authorized to speak about it publicly.

Spotify declined to comment.

The feature would add to Spotify's growing efforts to establish video — which in the streaming media era has tended to be more lucrative than audio — as a core part of its app. Spotify already allows musicians to upload “canvases,” or looping GIFs under 10 seconds long, that populate the screen while music plays. Earlier this year, it debuted a feature called “clips,” which are videos shorter than 30 seconds designed to give artists a storytelling tool to communicate about their music, similar to how they might use TikTok.

The company also launched a new, TikTok-esque music home screen in March that allows users to preview and swipe through surfacing videos before committing to listen to a full track. Earlier this week, Spotify announced that the platform has surpassed more than 100,000 podcasts with video.

Spotify is responding to growing competition for the Gen Z audience by YouTube and TikTok. YouTube operates a streaming music service and appeals to fans with full-length music videos, as well as the more concise Shorts. It has also added podcasts to YouTube Music. ByteDance has reportedly looked to expand its music streaming service Resso, which already operates in countries where Spotify is offered, and TikTok has become an important discovery platform for musical artists.

Spotify previously set its sights on video by creating its own original series and working with media companies, including Paramount Global and Vice Media, to place TV content in the app, such as clips from the Comedy Central show Broad City. Those deals eventually lapsed.

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/toxurMK

Alan Arkin Star Of Little Miss Sunshine Dies At 89

Alan Arkin, the Oscar-winning Little Miss Sunshine and Argo actor known for his wry wit and improvisation skills, has died at the age of 89, according to his sons. Adam, Matthew and Anthony - who all followed their father into the entertainment industry - said he was "a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man."

"A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed," they said in a statement Friday, without citing a cause of death.

Born in Brooklyn on March 26, 1934 to Russian-German Jewish immigrant parents, Arkin began taking acting classes from a young age.

His family relocated to Los Angeles in the 1950s, and Arkin won scholarships to various Los Angeles drama colleges before dropping out to form a folk music band, The Tarriers, in 1955.

The group had a hit with 1956's The Banana Boat Song and he continued to pursue a music career as well as acting for the next decade.

He was a member of Chicago's storied Second City improvisational troupe, and appeared on the big screen for the first time with The Tarriers in 1957's Calypso Heat Wave.

He made his Broadway debut in From the Second City, which led to a role in acclaimed comedy Enter Laughing, for which he won a Tony Award.

'Indelible mark' -

In a rare feat, Arkin earned a best actor Oscar nomination for his first feature acting role, playing the Soviet sailor Rozanov, who is mistaken for a spy, in the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.

That was followed by appearances in 1967's Wait Until Dark opposite Audrey Hepburn, and 1968's "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," for which he received a second Oscar nomination, for playing a deaf-mute.

Many critics believe Arkin's best performance came in 1970's "Catch 22," the film adaptation of Joseph Heller's best-selling tragicomic war novel.

Arkin appeared regularly on stage, television and the big screen from the 1970s to the 1990s, with notable roles in Edward Scissorhands (1990), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) and Grosse Pointe Blank (1997).

He took it on himself to create his Little Miss Sunshine character's backstory, deciding that Grandpa Hoover should be a washed-up former saxophonist with a penchant for strip clubs and drugs. It would win him his only Oscar.

"I love completely disreputable characters who spout philosophy," Arkin said. "He's completely out there, wide open and nuts."

He earned another Oscar nomination for 2013's best picture winner "Argo," in which he played a curmudgeonly Hollywood producer who brought comic relief to the tense Iran hostage thriller.

He later starred in the acclaimed Netflix series The Kominsky Method, which premiered in 2018. He played the agent and friend to an aging acting coach, portrayed by Michael Douglas.

On Friday, Douglas called Arkin "a wonderful actor whose intelligence, sense of comedy and consummate professionalism over the past 70 years has left an indelible mark on our industry."

Arkin credited his early days as an improv performer with teaching him many lessons -- but one of the key ones, he said, was failure.

"The audience came in knowing a lot of what they saw was going to fail, and it was okay," he told the Los Angeles Times in 2008. "Now if you fail, it's a moral issue, bad for the numbers crunchers."

"But one of the things I learned from improvising is that all of life is an improvisation, whether you like it or not."

"Some of the greatest scientific discoveries of the 20th century came out of people dropping things."

Along with his three sons, Arkin is survived by his wife Suzanne as well as four grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/mu0YojU

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/yQh0AEt

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/KCcNfRs

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

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/Ap6J2UE

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/drGwsmM

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Supermodel Naomi Campbell Welcomes Baby Boy At 53: "It's Never Too Late To Become A Mother"

Supermodel Naomi Campbell, 53, just welcomed a baby boy. She shared a picture of her newly born son on her Instagram profile on Wednesday night and she captioned the post, "My little darling, know that you are cherished beyond measure and surrounded by love from the moment you graced us with your presence. A true gift from God, blessed ! Welcome baby boy. #mumoftwo. It's never too late to become a mother." The comments section of Naomi Campbell's post was filled up congratulatory messages from her industry friends and fans. Donatella Versace commented "Congratulations Omi." Zoe Saldana added, "Oh my goodness! Welcome! Blessings upon blessings." Supermodel Ashley Graham wrote, "Congratulations Mama! Welcome baby boy." OG supermodel Cindy Crawford commented, "Congrats! Can't wait to meet him." Marc Jacobs' comment read, "Oh my! Already? I can't believe a second blessing. How amazing."

Take a look at Naomi Campbell's post:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr Naomi Campbell (@naomi)

Naomi Campbell welcomed her first child, a daughter, in 2021. Her mother Valerie Morris had announced the news in an Instagram post back in 2021. "Congratulations to my daughter Naomi on the birth of her daughter, I'm beyond thrilled as I've waited a longtime to be grandmother. #proud #mother #grandmother #love #family," read her post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Valerie Morris-Campbell (@valeriemorriscampbell)

Naomi Campbell, who appeared on the British Vogue alongside her daughter, 2, in February this year, said this about motherhood, "I always knew that one day I would be a mother, but it's the biggest joy I could ever imagine. I'm lucky to have her and I know that." She added that she is encouraging all of her friends to have babies and said, I'm telling them all, do it! Don't hesitate."

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/EyuKWlU

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.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/xKINvgH

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.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2jpyN4x

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.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/Fz9tifW

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Binance's European Banking Partner to Withdraw Support From September: Report

Binance's European banking partner Paysafe Payment Solutions will stop supporting the US cryptocurrency exchange from September 25, CoinDesk reported on Wednesday.

The crypto exchange will be changing the provider for euro deposits and withdrawals through the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), while the current partner — Paysafe — will no longer be providing these services to Binance users, the report said, citing Binance's spokesperson.

Binance typically accesses SEPA via payment intermediaries.

Paysafe and Binance did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The report comes as Binance faces scrutiny from regulators keen to clamp down on money laundering.

Earlier this month, Binance and its US affiliate had entered an agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to ensure US customer assets remain within the country until a sweeping lawsuit filed by the regulatory agency is resolved.

Binance had tied up with Paysafe last year so that its users could deposit sterling via Faster Payments, a network that oversees payments and bank account transfers in Britain.

Binance is under preliminary investigation by the Paris prosecutors office for both illegal canvassing of clients and aggravated money laundering. Last week, the company said it was leaving the Dutch market because it had been unable to meet registration requirements to operate as a virtual asset service provider.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/IhKVCX6

Ram Charan Jr NTR Karan Johar And Others On Oscars' Academy List Of 398 New Members

This is not a drill. RRR stars Ram Charan and Jr NTR, veteran filmmaker Mani Ratnam are among the new list of invitees to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Karan Johar is listed as one of the members in the producers category. Oscar-winning composer MM Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose, who won for RRR song Naatu Naatu, have also received invitations from the Academy. Filmmaker Shaunak Sen, whose documentary All That Breathes was nominated at this year's Academy Awards, is also one of the members. In the cinematographer category, KK Senthil Kumar, who worked on SS Rajamouli's RRR, is also among one of the members.

Per the Academy, the criterion for the membership selection is based on "professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity."

"The Academy is proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership. They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines, and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide," said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang.

The list of invitees also includes other prominent names including Austin Butler, Stephanie Hsu, Taylor Swift. See the full list here.

Coming back to the global hit RRR, it ruled the international award season and how. At the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles this year,RRR won two awards - Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu. Naatu Naatu also won the Best Song at the 80th Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles this year. It also won 4 big awards at the Hollywood Critics Association Awards, including one for the Oscar winning Naatu Naatu.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/mzonBAX

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

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/1J9NWxM

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.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/NLTj3cv

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.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/RtTysrO

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.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/s9FROZy

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Someone Please Explain To Twinkle Khanna What Mom Dimple Kapadia Is Doing Here

Twinkle Khanna has given a shout out to her cousin, actor Karan Kapadia. She has shared a video on Instagram celebrating Karan's latest song Tere Bina. She has also declared that it is “already my favourite song of the year.” In the video, Twinkle Khanna's mother, veteran actress Dimple Kapadia is seen vibing to the latest song. She looks so cool. A few seconds later, she is joined by Karan. Appreciating the track and Karan's efforts, Twinkle Khanna said, “This is all things amazing! Karan Kapadia just dropped a new song called Tere Bina which is out now on all platforms and I can safely say it is already my favourite song of the year.” She also dropped a note for her mother. It read, “P.S: And, I am not quite sure what mom is doing in the background but then her actions fox me on a daily basis.” The video became an instant hit on social media. Karan Kapadia, who made his Bollywood debut with Blank, dropped a “love you” note for Twinkle Khanna.

Actress Gauhaur Khan spoke on everyone's behalf when she said, “I absolutely love your mom. Dimple [Kapadia] ma'am is the coolest.” Actress Tisca Chopra said, “DK[Dimple Kapadia]ayyyyyy killing it!” Fashion designer Anaita Shroff Adajania dropped red hearts under the post. Singer Rimi Nique, who has lent her voice to Tere Bin, wrote a thank you note for Twinkle Khanna. “Aww, I love this. Thank you for the support!”

Here is the video we are talking about:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna)

Tere Bina was released on June 25. It has been sung by Karan Kapadia, Rimi Nique and Sushil Bawa. Adam Jai Malvi composed the music. You can listen to the song here:

Dimple Kapadia was last seen in the web series Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo. The series also starred Angira Dhar, Radhika Madan, Isha Talwar and Deepak Dobriyal.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/TLN7eJn

Monday, June 26, 2023

Leo First Look: Thalapathy Vijay Shares Glimpse From New Film

Superstar Vijay is celebrating his 49th birthday today [June 22] and fans of the actor are flooding social media with celebratory messages. However, in true Thalapathy Vijay style, the actor treated fans to a gift on the occasion. We are talking about the poster of the actor's next project, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, titled Leo. If the first look poster of Leo is anything to go by, it appears that Vijay is not unafraid of unleashing his violent side in the much-awaited movie. In the poster, Vijay is seen wielding a bloody sledgehammer with an angry expression on his face. Seen alongside him is an equally ferocious hyena. Also, do not miss the snow-capped mountains in the background This may not come as a surprise for most fans as the film is reportedly set in Kashmir. Sharing the poster, Vijay simply wrote, “#LeoFirstLook.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vijay (@actorvijay)

Sharing the poster, director Lokesh Kanagaraj wished the superstar and wrote, “Leo first look is here! Happy Birthday @actorvijay anna (brother)! Elated to join hands with you again na! Have a blast!"

This is Vijay and Lokesh Kanagaraj's second collaboration after Master.

#LeoFirstLook is here! Happy Birthday @actorvijay anna!
Elated to join hands with you again na! Have a blast! ????????❤️#HBDThalapathyVIJAY #Leo ???????? pic.twitter.com/wvsWAHbGb7
— Lokesh Kanagaraj (@Dir_Lokesh) June 21, 2023

In addition to Vijay, Leo boasts of a star-studded cast including Trisha, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun, Priya Anand, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Mansoor Ali Khan, Sandy and Mysskin. Needless to say, fans are excited to see Trisha and Vijay on-screen together after a gap of 15 years.

Leo has been produced by SS Lalit Kumar from Seven Screen Studio and co-produced by Jagadish Palanisamy. It features cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa, editing by Philomin Raj, and dance choreography by Dinesh. The music for the film has been composed by Anirudh Ravichander. This is Anirudh Ravichander's third collaboration with Lokesh after Master and Vikram. Leo also marks Anirudh Ravichander's third collaboration with Vijay after Kaththi and Master.

Vijay was last seen in the Vamshi Paidipally family entertainer Varisu, in which he was seen opposite Rashmika Mandanna.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/ueCN8cR

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.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/y2TW6dL