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Epic Games Files Complaint against Google

Fortnite developer Epic Games has renewed its fight against the app store restrictions, filing a new complaint against Google in its anti-trust lawsuit.

The company last year sued Google over the removal of Fortnite game from Play Store.

The new complaint “adds mostly redacted details about Google’s alleged monopolistic behavior on Android, including banning Epic’s game Fortnite from the Google Play Store last year”, reports The Verge.

Google has denied the claims made by Epic Games.

“While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies. We will continue to defend ourselves against these meritless claims,” a Google spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report on Thursday.

Epic plans to launch Fortnite on the Samsung Galaxy Store.

“Google was determined not to let this happen,” so it offered Epic a “special deal” to launch on Google Play.

“When Epic rejected the deal, Google allegedly took other anti-competitive action, but the details of that action aren’t available,” the report mentioned, quoting the new complaint.

A new multi-state antitrust lawsuit in the US this month claimed that Google allegedly used anti-competitive practices to “preemptively quash” Samsung’s Galaxy Store in order to prevent it from becoming a viable competitor to its own Play Store.

Epic is also involved in a legal battle with Apple.

Apple’s main trial with Epic finished in May, with both sides now awaiting a decision from Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on the matter.

The much-reported trial between Apple and Epic Games began on May 5, as the companies got involved in a legal battle over the use of an in-game payment system.

While Epic Games argues about Apple’s monopoly over the app market and treats 30 per cent standard fee amount to anti-competitive behaviour that must be regulated by antitrust law, Apple contends that “the whole antitrust allegation and associated dust-kicking is little more than a PR stunt”.

The Fortnite game was removed from App Store in August last year after the company allegedly violated rules by adding an in-game payment system aimed at depriving Apple of its commission on in-app purchases from App Store.

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-Top News Technology

EU fines 5 car manufacturers $1bn over emission collusion

An official release said that the European Commission has found that Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen group breached EU antitrust rules by colluding on technical development in the area of nitrogen oxide cleaning…reports Asian Lite News.

The European Union (EU) has fined five-car manufactures, including BMW and Volkswagen, USD 1 billion for breaking antitrust rules on emissions.

“Today, the commission took a decision against five car manufacturers: Daimler, BMW, as well as Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche, which are part of the Volkswagen group. The commission imposed a total fine of 875 million euros. These car manufacturers illegally colluded to restrict competition in the area of emission-cleaning technologies for diesel cars,” Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president of the European Commission told a press briefing on Thursday.

An official release said that the European Commission has found that Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen group breached EU antitrust rules by colluding on technical development in the area of nitrogen oxide cleaning.

All parties acknowledged their involvement in the cartel and agreed to settle the case, the release added.

Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said the five car manufacturers possessed the technology to reduce harmful emissions beyond what was legally required under EU emission standards. “But they avoided to compete on using this technology’s full potential to clean better than what is required by law.”

“So today’s decision is about how legitimate technical cooperation went wrong. And we do not tolerate it when companies collude. It is illegal under EU Antitrust rules. Competition and innovation on managing car pollution are essential for Europe to meet our ambitious Green Deal objectives,” she added. (ANI)

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Tesla boosts EV sales in UK

According to a recent report, despite many challenges, Tesla has produced and delivered over 200,000 vehicles in Q2 2021…reports Asian Lite News.

Elon Musk-owned Tesla has delivered a lot of vehicles in the UK in June and that resulted in record electric vehicle sales in the market with an 11 per cent market share of the overall auto market.

The UK has become a very important market for Tesla. In Q1 2021, Tesla delivered 7,304 electric cars in the UK — more than any other European market.

Last quarter, the automaker topped that off with 7,767 vehicles delivered in the country based on registration data.

But due to Tesla’s distribution model, most of those vehicles were delivered in June.

It resulted in an interesting automotive market in the UK in June with 11 per cent of all sales being all-electric.

According to a recent report, despite many challenges, Tesla has produced and delivered over 200,000 vehicles in Q2 2021.

In the second quarter, the electric vehicle company produced 206,421 vehicles and delivered 201,250 vehicles.

“Our teams have done an outstanding job navigating through the global supply chain and logistics challenges,” the company said in a statement earlier.

“Congrats Tesla Team on over 200,000 cars built & delivered in Q2, despite many challenges!!” the CEO tweeted.

Last quarter, Tesla had 185,000 deliveries globally, which was a new record.

Model 3-based police car

Tesla has reportedly built its police car based on the Model 3 electric sedan in the UK and it plans to use it to test the UK emergency vehicle market.

Tesla UK has revealed police liveried Model 3 saloon fitted with blues-and-twos, which the company said will be available to emergency services across the UK for trial and assessment.

The automaker did not reveal any specs for the new vehicle, but it looks like it could be a Model 3 Performance, Electrek reported.

With over 300 miles of range, a top speed of 162 mph, and an acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds, it should more than fit the needs of a patrol car.

In recent years, the Model 3 has become the best-selling electric car in the UK and at times, even the best-selling car, period.

However, there have not been any reported Model 3s used as police vehicles.

Many police departments have done the math and figured out that they could save a lot of money by upgrading their fleets to Tesla vehicles, especially the Model 3, the report said.

Bargersville Police Department in Indiana, which purchased several Tesla Model 3 vehicles. It found after the first full year of using the Tesla Model 3, they had already saved over $6,000, it added.

Fremont Police and the Spokane Police Department have both also recently acquired Tesla Model Y vehicles to use as police patrol vehicles.

But with these projects, the police departments buy the vehicles from Tesla and have them modified to fit their needs as patrol cars.

In this case, Tesla has built the police vehicle itself and plans to offer it for testing to emergency services across the UK.

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READ MORE-‘Tesla claims don’t meet reality’

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-Top News Technology UAE News

M-E’s first autonomous port truck system in Abu Dhabi

It is the first greenfield project of COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited (CSP) operating within Abu Dhabi Ports’ flagship deep-water port Khalifa Port….reports Asian Lite News

CSP Abu Dhabi container terminal has announced its terminal will be the first in the Middle East to implement an autonomous port truck system.

It is the first greenfield project of COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited (CSP) operating within Abu Dhabi Ports’ flagship deep-water port Khalifa Port.

Following a two-month trial period, a total of six electric Q-Trucks will be commissioned by CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal and tasked with supporting mother vessel loading and unloading activities within the facility’s container yard.

Produced by Qomolo, a sub-brand of ShangHai Westwell-Lab Technology Company, the L5 Autonomous Freight Trucks are equipped with an advanced 360-degree sensory system with traffic monitoring and driving guidance system which enables operators to direct vehicles’ navigation and transportation of general and reefer containers with ease.

“We are proud to be the first terminal in the Middle East to implement an autonomous port truck system following the addition of six of Qomolo Q-trucks to our container handling fleet,” said Naser Al Busaeedi, Deputy CEO of CSP Abu Dhabi.

“As well as being extremely efficient and cost-effective, the new vehicles enable us to sustain our container handling operations for longer periods and enable us to continue operating in cases where business continuity becomes an operational challenge.”

Featuring a highly stable, efficient, and environmentally friendly platform, the electric Q-Trucks are powered by a 281 kWh battery, carry a maximum load of 80 tonnes, and have an operating range of 200km.

Capable of operating for up to 44 hours continuously, the vehicle’s electrical systems are further enhanced by a temperature control system that aids in extending battery life in extreme weather.

The new Q-Trucks are expected to deliver reduced transformation and operating costs, a significant reduction in Co2 emissions as compared to traditional trucks and serve as a viable business continuity solution in the event of any manpower crisis.

“The addition of CSP Abu Dhabi’s Q-Trucks has not only accelerated Khalifa Port’s position as the Middle East’s leading maritime facility but also serves as a prime example of how innovative technologies can transform the maritime and logistics industries,” said Saif Al Mazrouei, Head of Ports Cluster at Abu Dhabi Ports.

“Employing solutions powered by ultra-modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence, Internet-of-Things, and electrification can enable businesses to achieve a higher level of efficiency, while simultaneously transforming their respective operations to be more sustainable and cost-efficient.”

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Technology UAE News

Hope Probe releases global images of Mars’ aurora

@HopeMarsMission

The images have revolutionary implications for our understanding of the interactions between solar radiation, Mars’ magnetic fields and the planetary atmosphere….reports Asian Lite News

The Emirates Mars Mission, the first interplanetary exploration undertaken by an Arab nation, has released the first global images of Mars in the far-ultraviolet, providing new insights into the discrete aurora phenomenon in Mars’ nightside atmosphere.

The images have revolutionary implications for our understanding of the interactions between solar radiation, Mars’ magnetic fields and the planetary atmosphere.

“These unique global snapshots of the discrete aurora of Mars are the first time such detailed and clear observations have been made globally, as well as across previously unobservable wavelengths. The implications for our understanding of Mars’ atmospheric and magnetospheric science are tremendous and provide new support to the theory that solar storms are not necessary to drive Mars’ aurora,’ commented Emirates Mars Mission Science Lead, Hessa Al Matroushi.

The images, taken by the Hope Probe’s EMUS (Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer) instrument, show a ghostly glow known as the discrete aurora. Its intricate patterns trace out the regions where Mars’ enigmatic crustal magnetic fields act like a funnel to guide fast electrons from space down into the atmosphere, causing it to shimmer in a manner similar to Earth’s aurora.

This influence of localised magnetic fields is a unique feature of the Red Planet as Mars, unlike Earth, does not have a global magnetic field generated by the planet’s core. The most sensitive ultraviolet instrument yet to orbit Mars, EMUS is able to image these dynamic auroral events globally at high resolution and across a wide range of wavelengths, providing an unprecedented window upon the interaction of the atmosphere with solar particles.

@HopeMarsMission

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While previous studies had theorised the discrete aurora is tied to Mars’ magnetic fields and existing observations had been consistent with that theory, prior images of this phenomenon at this quality had only been available as artist’s impressions.

“We have totally blown out ten years of study of Mars’ auroras with ten minutes of observations,” said EMM Deputy Science Lead Justin Deighan.

“The data we are capturing confirms the tremendous potential we now have of exploring Mars’ aurora and the interactions between Mars’ magnetic fields, atmosphere and solar particles with a coverage and sensitivity we could only previously dream of. These exciting observations go above and beyond the original science goals of the Emirates Mars Mission.”

One of three instruments on board the Mars Hope Probe, EMUS’ principal science goal is the measurement of oxygen and carbon monoxide in Mars’ thermosphere and the variability of hydrogen and oxygen in the exosphere. Members of the science team who had previously worked on the MAVEN Mission had recognised the potential for the more sensitive EMUS instrument to capture new aspects of Mars’ auroral phenomena, but the results of early observations have exceeded their wildest expectations.

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-Top News Technology UAE News

UAE vows to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities

The UAE noted that it is developing a comprehensive national cybersecurity strategy and a national cyber incident response plan…reports Asian Lite News

 The UAE emphasised its commitment to creating the necessary infrastructure and mechanisms to enhance its cybersecurity capabilities, both to protect itself against cyber threats and to better work with others to address shared challenges.

“The Middle East is not immune to the risk posed by malicious cyber activity – it is often the target of major cyber operations and espionage,” the UAE said in a written statement to the UN Security Council’s open debate on cyber security, the first debate held by the body on this subject.

“In the last few years, our region has witnessed severe incidents affecting the telecommunications, banking, and public sectors. Oil and natural gas installations have also been targeted, causing hundreds of millions in damages. Such malicious cyber activity on the region’s critical infrastructure has the potential to spark a conflict in an already tense environment and pose a threat to international peace and security.”

The UAE noted that it is developing a comprehensive national cybersecurity strategy and a national cyber incident response plan through the UAE Cybersecurity Council.

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The UAE highlighted that it hosts the world’s largest cybersecurity and digital transformation conferences, including GITEX, GISEC, and Cybertech to build domestic capacity, and that it has developed a platform for public-private partnership to facilitate information sharing.

Additionally, it outlined the collaboration with states, international organisations, and private sector entities to share information at the policy and technical levels.

In its statement, the UAE recommended that member states of the UN provide training and capacity at the bilateral, regional, and international levels, including through training programs and the development of guidance for responsible state behaviour.

In this regard, the UAE noted that these actions can act as confidence-building measures in response to mistrust and misunderstandings in cyberspace that can pose a risk to international peace and security.

The UAE also recommended that Member States continue to share their views and assessments with the UN Secretary-General and that they actively participate in cyber-related international fora and cross-regional formats to share best practices.

“All states have a responsibility of promoting international peace and security, both online and offline,” the UAE said. “Abiding by norms of responsible state behavior in tandem with obligations under international law is the best place to start.”

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-Top News Technology UAE News

Etisalat announces 6G plans

While Etisalat has not spelt out any timeline, a report earlier this year by ABI Research forecasts 2028-29 as the early commercial deployment years for 6G….reports Joy Chakravarty

While the world seems to be consumed by the potential of 5G, the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) leading telecom operator Etisalat revealed that it has already started working towards the transition to 6G, a mobile network that is expected to be 100 times faster than 5G.

Haitham Abdulazzak, Etisalat’s Chief Technology Officer, revealed that the UAE is “conducting research and developing international standards that are the main building blocks for the 6G ecosystem”.

He was speaking at the ongoing 2021 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, as part of a panel discussing ‘Setting the Roadmap to 6G’.

“Etisalat is upgrading tools and capabilities of its R&D centre to enhance the contribution towards 6G global standardisation within the international fora and alliances,” Abdulazzak said.

Pic credits @etisalat

“Advancement and development of new mobile technologies has become much more rapid than ever. Introduction of new features, capabilities and use of millimetre frequencies seen in 5G is a result of this advancement, which is expected to be complemented with terahertz (THz) spectrum in 6G.

“Etisalat is one of the ambitious players making steps towards the sixth generation of the network.

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“As part of our vision and future technology planning, 6G is going beyond earth networks into space to enable a new era of services and usage scenarios with terabyte data traffic resulting in extraordinary human to machine interaction,” he added.

While Etisalat has not spelt out any timeline, a report earlier this year by ABI Research forecasts 2028-29 as the early commercial deployment years for 6G.

The report also said that the Star Trek-like holographic communication and X Reality (XR, which is a combination of AR, VR, and Mixed Reality) are some of the applications that are very much possible with the speeds that 6G could provide.

5G is designed to provide a peak data rate of 20 Gigabytes per second (Gbps), and an average user experience rate of 120 Megabytes per second (Mbps). These numbers will be closer to 1,000 Gbps and 1 Gbps, respectively, in 6G.

The Global System of Mobile Communication Association (GSMA) has forecast 5G subscriptions, which started rolling out in 2019 in select countries, to reach 1.7 billion.

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Technology

Watchdog Raises Alarm on Face Recognition Technology

The chief data protection regulator in the UK has expressed grave concerns over the inappropriate use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology in public places.

Unlike CCTV, LFR and its algorithms can automatically identify who you are and infer sensitive details about you.

It can be used to instantly profile people to serve up personalised adverts or match their images against known shoplifters as they do their weekly grocery shop.

“I am deeply concerned about the potential for live facial recognition (LFR) technology to be used inappropriately, excessively or even recklessly. When sensitive personal data is collected on a mass scale without people’s knowledge, choice or control, the impacts could be significant,” Elizabeth Denham, UK Information Commissioner, said in a statement.

In future, there’s the potential to overlay CCTV cameras with LFR, and even to combine it with social media data or other “big data” systems — LFR is supercharged CCTV.

The UK Information Commissioner has also published a detailed opinion on the use of LFR in public places by private companies and public organisations.

It explains how data protection and people’s privacy must be at the heart of any decisions to deploy LFR.

“And it explains how the law sets a high bar to justify the use of LFR and its algorithms in places where we shop, socialise or gather,” Denham said.

In the US, people did not trust the facial recognition technology. Some cities banned its use in certain contexts and some major companies (like Microsoft and Amazon) have paused facial recognition services until there are clearer rules.

“Organisations will need to demonstrate high standards of governance and accountability from the outset, including being able to justify that the use of LFR is fair, necessary and proportionate in each specific context in which it is deployed,” the UK watchdog emphasised.

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India refutes UN concerns on IT rules

The Rapporteurs from the Special Procedures Branch of the Human Rights Council had said that the new IT rules do not conform to human rights norms…reports Asian Lite News.

Highlighting that India’s democratic credentials are well recognised, India’s Permanent Mission to United Nations in Geneva on Sunday strongly refuted concerns raised by UN Special Rapporteurs on India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Noting that the right to freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution, the Indian Mission said that an independent judiciary and a robust media are part of India’s democratic structure.

The mission was responding to a joint communication from the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.

The Rapporteurs from the Special Procedures Branch of the Human Rights Council had said that the new IT rules do not conform to human rights norms.

According an official Indian statement quoting a letter from the Indian Permanent Mission to UN in Geneva, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders.

This included individuals, civil society, industry association and organizations and invited public comments to prepare the draft Rules, the Indian Mission told the UN Council.

Thereafter an inter-ministerial meeting had discussed in detail the comments received in detail and, accordingly, the Rules were finalized, it added.

Discussing the salient features of India’s IT Rules, 2021, Indian Mission said the rules are designed to empower ordinary users of social media.

The victims of abuse at social media platforms shall have a forum for redressal of their grievances, it said drawing attention of the concerned special rapporteurs.

The Indian Permanent Mission to UN in Geneva recalled the enactment of new IT Rules had become necessary due to widespread concerns about issues relating to increased instances of abuse of social media and digital platforms.

Such abuse included inducement for recruitment of terrorists, circulation of obscene content, spread of disharmony, financial frauds, incitement of violence, public order etc. it added.

The Indian Mission to UN in Geneva called the concerns alleging potential implications for freedom of expression that the new IT Rules will entail as highly misplaced.

On the traceability of the first originator of the information, it may be noted that the new IT Rules seeks only limited information, it explained.

Criticise us but don’t lecture us on democracy: Ravi Shankar Prasad on Twitter’s non-compliance with new IT Rules. (ANI)

Only when a message already in public circulation is giving rise to violence, impinging on the unity and integrity of India, depicting a woman in a bad light, or sexual abuse of a child and when no other intrusive options are working, only then the significant social media intermediary will be required to disclose as to who started the message, clarified the Indian Mission.

The concern that the Rules may be misused deliberately to make a large number of complaints so as to overwhelm the grievance redressal mechanisms created by social media platforms is also misplaced, exaggerated and disingenuous and shows lack of willingness to address the grievances of the users of these media platforms while using their data to earn revenues, it added.

The Government of India fully recognises and respects the right of privacy, as pronounced by the Supreme Court of India in K.S. Puttusamy case, India’s Permanent Mission informed in the letter.

Privacy is the core element of an individual’s existence and, in light of this, the new IT Rules seeks information only on a message that is already in circulation that resulted in an offence, it added.

The Rules have framed in exercise of the statutory powers of the IT Act, fully taking into account the principles of reasonableness and proportionality, the Indian High Commission said in the letter.

It may be recalled that the UN Special Rapporteurs had written to Indian government saying that the IT Rules, 2021 notified by India do not confirm to the human rights norms.

In the Mandates of the Special Rapporteurs, they also “recalled” in a report that restrictions to freedom of expression must never be invoked as a justification for the muzzling of any advocacy of multi-party democracy, democratic tenets and human rights. (INN)

ALSO READ-Govt refuses to exempt mainstream media from new IT Rules

READ MORE-UN experts voice concern over new IT rules

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Dubai Technology UAE News

Dubai firm uses solar power to make water out of air

The new technology uses solar energy to power a fan that draws in air, which then goes through a sponge-like material where water molecules are absorbed….reports Asian Lite News

A Dubai-based company is using solar energy to produce water out of air. Source Global, which was established in Dubai in 2017, recently introduced sun-powered hydro-panels to make clean drinking water.

It is aiming to get 75 percent of its energy use from clean sources by 2050, CNN reported.

“These hydro panels are effectively producing high quality drinking water day in, day out without requiring any infrastructure, any power or any type of grid,” the company’s Vice President Vahid Fotuhi told CNN in an interview.

The new technology uses solar energy to power a fan that draws in air, which then goes through a sponge-like material where water molecules are absorbed.

Source Global, which operates in 48 countries, chose Dubai to develop its biggest water farm because of the emirate’s keenness to invest in innovation, Fotuhi said.

“First of all, the fact that it is a hub for the Middle East Africa region, it also is a center for new innovations for key sectors, such as agriculture and water,” he explained.

Technologies that turn air into water are not new, but Fotuhi said they want to make it more sustainable by adopting a clean energy strategy.

Experts said the challenge with these technologies is distribution, but Source Global thinks getting people on board harder.

People here are accustomed to a staple solution for water generation and what we’re proposing is kind of diversified menu effectively,” he said. “As with most disruptive technologies, initially people are hesitant to change.”

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