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As the government plans to revise the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for IT hardware, the companies which are currently availing the scheme want the investments – made so far by them – to be secured, so that when the transition happens, they don’t suffer in any manner. The selected companies have been in regular discussions with the ministry of electronics and IT (MeitY) regarding the modalities for the rollover from the existing scheme to the new one. “How people transfer their investments from PLI 1 to PLI 2 is under discussion by the industry and individual companies. We have to make sure that people, who have supported the initiative should not suffer when the revision happens,” said an executive with one of the selected companies for the scheme. To make the scheme more attractive, MeitY is working on a revised incentive structure, that may be announced in a few months. The government is hopeful that with higher incentives, more firms like Samsung and Apple, which have not participated in the scheme, come forward with manufacturing plans in India. As part of the scheme, which became effective on April 1 last year, 14 companies (4 global and 10 local) have been selected. To avail incentives, the global firms need to invest Rs 50 crore in the first year and have incremental production worth Rs 1,000 crore. For local firms, the investment amount is Rs 4 crore and incremental production should be worth Rs 50 crore. The scheme offers incentives for manufacturing laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers (PCs) and servers in the country. The IT hardware scheme has not been that successful because of the low incentive structure. Companies like Dell, HP, Acer and others are participating in the scheme, but it is primarily because these firms have been present in India for a while and had some existing production. The scheme failed to attract new companies to start manufacturing. There were problems right from the start with the IT hardware scheme. When the government announced the scheme on February 24, 2021, the outlay was fixed at Rs 7,350 crore over four years. During this period, the government had estimated production of up to Rs 3.26 lakh crore, of which exports were expected to be of the order of Rs 2.45 lakh crore. Later that year on May 4, when the Centre announced the names of the companies which had applied for the scheme, the production target was slashed to Rs 1.60 lakh crore of which exports would be of the order of Rs 60,000 crore. Since the incentive structure is based on achieving a minimum threshold of incremental sales over the base year going up to a maximum limit, with companies committing lower production target the outlay of Rs 7,350 crore automatically got pruned by half. IT hardware manufacturers blamed this on the low incentive structure which works out to an average of 2-2.5% over a four-year period which does not justify relocating units from China or Vietnam, especially for hardware products where import duties are nil as they fall under Information Technology – I products. The incentive structure for mobile phones PLI, which got operationalised in August 2020 and saw companies committing up to the maximum limit, works out to around 4.5% over five years. Industry executives feel that the ideal incentive structure for IT hardware should be in the range of 7% to 8%. https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/news/changes-to-it-hardware-pli-firms-want-to-secure-investments-already-made/ar-AAVd5vI?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Russia Today has been stripped of its licence to broadcast in the UK after an investigation by the media regulator concluded that the Russian state-backed television network was not a “responsible broadcaster”. Ofcom said on Friday that it no longer considered RT’s licence holder, ANO TV Novosti, to be “fit and proper” after it had launched 29 investigations into impartiality breaches regarding the broadcaster’s news and current affairs coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “We consider the volume and potentially serious nature of the issues raised within such a short period to be of great concern especially given RT’s compliance history, which has seen the channel fined £200,000 for previous due impartiality breaches,” the watchdog said. Ofcom’s move is the latest in an escalating information war between Russia and western allies of Ukraine. Moscow has restricted access to several foreign news sites and passed legislation that bans “fake news” and forbids insulting official institutions online. The push to ban RT gathered pace last month when Nadine Dorries, the UK culture secretary, asked Ofcom to look at the operation of the network in Britain over concerns that it could “look to spread harmful disinformation” about the war in Ukraine. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also called for a ban, calling Russia Today the “personal propaganda tool” of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary, told reporters Ofcom’s decision was “continuing the anti-Russian madness that is happening in America and Europe”. Ofcom on Friday said its investigation had also taken into account “RT’s relationship with the Russian Federation” and recognised that “RT is funded by the Russian state, which has recently invaded a neighbouring sovereign country”. RT was pulled off air in the UK earlier this month because of sanctions. YouTube and Meta, the owner of Facebook, have also blocked the network from broadcasting to Europeans on its platforms, cutting one of its main routes of access to the western public. There have been concerns that banning RT in the UK could be self-defeating because it could lead to retaliatory measures against the BBC in Russia. Lord Peter Ricketts, former chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee, said Ofcom’s decision was right given Russia had been trying to block and interfere with coverage by the UK’s public service broadcaster BBC. BBC World News was blocked in Russia earlier this month, as were the broadcaster’s news sites in English and Russian, but digital restrictions can often be circumvented using a VPN, or virtual private network, that masks internet browsing. RT’s website can still be accessed in the UK, as Ofcom’s mandate only extends to traditional broadcasts over television and radio. Anna Belinka, RT’s deputy editor-in-chief, said Ofcom was “ignoring RT’s completely clean record of four consecutive years”, dismissing the fine it was handed in 2019 after the regulator found it had aired partial reporting on the Salisbury poisonings, the war in Syria and the Ukrainian government’s treatment of Roma people. Highlight text “Ofcom has falsely judged RT to not be ‘fit and proper’ and in doing so robbed the UK public of access to information,” Belinka said, arguing that Ofcom was “stating purely political reasons tied directly to the situation in Ukraine and yet completely unassociated to RT’s operations, structure, management or editorial output”. James Heappey, UK defence minister, told the BBC the decision was “welcome”, adding that it was right that the decision had been taken by the regulator, not the government. Damian Collins, chair of the Commons’ digital, culture, media and sport committee, called Ofcom’s decision “right” as “RT are under the control of the Russian state and prevented under Russian law from reporting the truth about Putin’s brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine”. https://www.ft.com/content/51bc4e11-6dd6-45e5-97c9-8874addd6626

The evacuations from Ukraine continue. A group of former British military members is working in Ukraine to rescue animals from the war. According to a member of the group, they're also attempting to reunite refugees who may have been forced to abandon their pets when fleeing the violence. While many evacuees are bringing their pets with them, many others have also been forced to leave their pets behind. This may have been due to the difficulty of traveling with certain animals or the challenges that bringing animals across borders can present. Breaking Chains is a group of former British military members who have seen combat that are in Ukraine, Fox 10 reports. According to a member of the group, they first arrived in the country when the bombings began. "We are driving a thousand miles a day some days to get these animals," Tom, who only gave the news outlet his first name, said. "We are reuniting people with animals that have lost their husbands, lost their children, lost their houses, lost their country, lost their jobs," he continued, "they have nothing left apart from the love they have for this dog." Earlier this week, the group saved 120 animals from a shelter that had been hit by airstrikes multiple times. Tom explained that reuniting pets with their owners could take anywhere from a few weeks to multiple years. Fox News previously reported that multiple countries have relaxed their rules for bringing pets across their borders to make it easier for Ukrainian refugees. Still, many have been forced to leave animals behind. Many Ukrainians have been forced to abandon their pets due to the difficulties of traveling with animals. https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/animal-rescue-group-evacuate-pets-ukraine-reunite-owners

After years of activists fighting against natural hair discrimination, on Friday March 18, the United States House of Representatives passed the CROWN Act. The act, which stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," is legislation that prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles, like braids, twists, locs, and knots. It was first introduced to Congress in January 2019, but this is the first step on a federal level needed to officially get the bill signed into law. Previously, only 12 states had passed the CROWN Act, but stories about hair discrimination in the workplace remained throughout the country. For years, Black people - especially Black women - in the corporate sector have had to grapple with the implications of wearing their natural hair or protective styles to the office. Actors like Gabrielle Union shared how they have lost roles because of their hair, Black women in politics like Ayanna Pressely have discussed how much their hair impacted how they are perceived, and Black children have been suspended from school because of their natural hairstyles. Needless to say, this legislation is long overdue. While the passing of the act is a step in the right direction, there is still much more to be done in order to truly advance in the fight against natural hair discrimination. The CROWN Research Study for Girls - the most recent study by Dove and the CROWN Coalition - found that 53 percent of Black mothers reported that their daughters have experienced race-based hair discrimination as early as 5 years old, and approximately 86 percent of Black teens who experience discrimination have endured it by the age of 12. There is clearly a need for this bill to be passed into law, and we will wait to see how the act fares in the Senate. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/monumental-news-house-representatives-passes-173018495.html

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This St. Patrick’s Day, you’re certainly in luck that is, if you’re on the market for an affordable pair of noise-canceling earbuds. That’s because Anker is currently selling the excellent Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro for $129.99 on Amazon today, which is a $40 discount and the best price we’ve seen on the true wireless earbuds this year. These platform-agnostic earbuds deliver a lot of features and value for the price. We were impressed by their powerful sound quality as well as the fact they support LDAC (Sony’s higher-bitrate wireless streaming protocol) and multipoint Bluetooth, which allows you to connect them to two devices at once. That’s a feature not even Sony’s flagship 1000XM4 earbuds, which is our top pick for best noise-canceling earbuds, offer. However, while they do a decent job of silencing your surroundings, they don’t completely mute them, which is why although they’re good they’re not the best pair of noise-canceling earbuds on the market. Read our review. If you’re looking to modernize your home security, the Level Lock is currently on sale at an all-time low. Compatible with most standard US deadbolts, the Level Lock is a smart lock that you can open and close with your smartphone, yet, unlike others, it hides all of its electronics and mechanics, so it looks like a standard deadbolt. Right now, Amazon is selling the Level Lock in the chrome finish for $196.10 ($53 off). It’s a good deal on a smart lock that’s easy to install and boasts long battery life, but note that it only works with Apple’s HomeKit as well as Amazon’s Ring platform via Amazon Sidewalk. Read our review. A demo of how the Level Lock works once installed in a deadbolt. We considered the DJI Mavic Air 2 one of the best drones under $1,000 when we reviewed it back in 2020, and it’s even cheaper today. Right now, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo are selling the DJI Mavic Air 2 Fly More Combo for $789 instead of $989. That’s an all-time low at Amazon and a standout deal, given we typically only see discounts on refurbished models of the DJI Mavic Air 2, not new ones. Even better, the bundle includes several accessories, such as an AC power cable, a pair of extra control sticks, a shoulder bag, six low-noise propellers, a battery-to-power bank adapter, a gimbal protector, and more. In our review, we noted how much we like that the midrange drone offers 34 minutes of flight time — which is longer than its predecessor’s, the Mavic Air — along with a superior, 48MP camera. We also praised the improved connectivity between the controller and the drone, as well as its more advanced controls and good video quality. Samsung’s new Galaxy Book 2 Pro lineup is only available for preorder right now; however, we’re already seeing some good deals on the forthcoming laptops. Right now, Samsung is throwing in a 32-inch Odyssey G35T Gaming Monitor that normally retails for $329.99 when you preorder the clamshell Galaxy Book 2 Pro (which starts at $1,049.99) or the high-end Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 2-in-1 (which starts at $1,249.99) via Samsung. You can also get a 24-inch CRG5 Gaming Monitor (valued at $259.99) when you preorder the Galaxy Book 2 360, which is a convertible version of the regular Galaxy Book that starts at $899.99. No matter which model you purchase, Samsung will also take 30 percent off of Samsung Care Plus, a warranty package similar to AppleCare. Note, however, these models will not be available until April 1st. All of the new Pro devices come with a 1080p webcam as well as a new Auto Framing tool, which is designed to keep you centered as you move around during video calls. Both Pro models also offer support for Samsung-specific connectivity features, including Smart Switch, so you can easily transfer data between PCs. You can also, thanks to the new Multi-Control feature, use a Galaxy Tab S8 as a second screen while using the Galaxy Book 2 Pro. While we haven’t yet reviewed the new lineup, we gave its predecessors an 8.5/10, which we praised for their lightweight design and great OLED displays. However, we did wish they were brighter, which each OLED panel in the new Pro lineup corrects. Read our hands-on impressions. If you haven’t been able to get your hands on the Xbox Series X — which is still in stock for Walmart Plus subscribers — or you just prefer an Xbox console that’s nearly half the cost, BuyDig is currently offering a solid discount on a bundle containing the next-gen console. For a limited time, the retailer is selling the Xbox Series S bundle for $299 instead of $349. It includes an extra Xbox Wireless Controller, and you can get the deal when you use the code GJD25 at checkout. The Xbox Series S plays the same games as the Xbox Series X and, unlike the next-gen console, is small enough that you could easily fit it at your desk beside a gaming monitor. However, it does lack a disc drive, comes with only 512GB SSD of storage, and offers a lower QHD 2560 x 1440 resolution as opposed to the Series X, which renders games in 4K. Read our Xbox Series S review. For those in the Apple ecosystem, you can now transform your new 11-inch iPad Pro into something more akin to a traditional laptop for a little less today. Normally $299, Apple’s Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro is on sale at Amazon in the white configuration for $239.19, its lowest price ever. Apple’s Magic Keyboard comes with a trackpad as well as a backlit keyboard and is compatible with the 2021 iPad Pro as well as the first and second-gen models. It’s also compatible with the latest iPad Air, as well as its 2020 predecessor. While we haven’t reviewed this particular model, it’s very similar to Apple’s 2020 Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which we praised for offering an excellent keyboard and typing experience. https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/shopping/anker-e2-80-99s-noise-canceling-soundcore-liberty-3-pro-are-on-sale-for-2440-off-today/ar-AAVcFGr?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Social-media platforms and news sites have all but disappeared from the Russian internet. The Kremlin banned platforms, including Facebook, while others left due to a "fake news" law. VPN software downloads skyrocketed, but advocates remain concerned about "isolation." In just under a month, the internet in Russia has become nearly unrecognizable after hundreds of news outlets and social media platforms have vanished from the web, while global tech companies like Netflix and Apple have restricted their services. The Kremlin earlier this month banned Twitter and Facebook from the Russian internet, and on Monday it blocked access to Instagram. Russian Instagram influencers posted tearful goodbye videos, urging followers to move to platforms they could still access. Russia has rapidly and drastically entered into a type of digital isolation, cutting off millions of citizens from access to accurate information and online spaces to express opinions. As Moscow seeks to stifle dissent and control the narrative over its invasion of Ukraine, digital and human rights groups are worried about the future of Russia's internet. In addition to the Kremlin blocking access to numerous online platforms and news sites, several companies and outlets have been forced to suspend their operations after the country passed a law that makes it a serious crime to publish information the government deems as "fake." The law also came as the Kremlin sought to spread a mountain of misinformation and disinformation about the war in Ukraine, leading to major platforms — like YouTube to remove or label state-controlled Russian media. TikTok early in March announced it would block Russian users from live streaming or uploading new videos, citing the "fake news" law. But the company went even further in restricting content for Russian users, according to a Tuesday report from the non-profit tech transparency group Tracking Exposed. TikTok appeared to block 95% of the content on the platform from Russian users, including the accounts of French President Emmanuel Macron and the United Nations, as well as from the platform's most po[CENSORED]r stars like Charli D'Amelio. "It is the first time a global social media platform has restricted access to content at this scale," Tracking Exposed said in a tweet. Major international news organizations, including the BBC, CNN, and Bloomberg, also suspended service in Russia, citing the "fake news" law. "It's a very bad situation right now, and we're trying to make sure that the human rights of people are respected," said Natalia Krapiva, the tech-legal counsel at the non-profit Access Now, which works to protect digital access globally. Tech companies pulling out of Russia or platforms vastly restricting services could hurt average Russians, Krapiva said, as well as Ukrainians who are in occupied territories who can only access the Russian internet. "While obviously there's legitimate concerns and the need to impose sanctions on Russia, some of the actions are now basically isolating and disconnecting people who are in fact opposing the war," Krapiva told Insider. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/russias-internet-censorship-is-forcing-citizens-to-turn-to-the-dark-web-and-vpns-for-news-and-social-media/ar-AAVbMip?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Norway’s Telenor Group said today that it is selling its Myanmar business because it did not want to install surveillance equipment that would be used to spy on its customers by the junta. Spokesperson Gry Rohde Nordhus told the Democratic Voice of Burma today that installing the hardware would violate Norwegian and EU sanctions on Myanmar meant to prevent the military from carrying out serious human rights abuses. Nordhus said Telenor Myanmar has not yet installed the devices and would not do so voluntarily. Doing so would give the military leadership access to data on millions of users. His comments came a week after a rights organization accused Telenor Group of installing and maintaining the internet eavesdropping hardware, which would violate sanctions if it was sold and transferred to a military-linked company. Telenor says it’s first priority is the safety of its employees. The junta has prevented at least one of those employees, Telenor Myanmar CEO Jon Omund Revhaug, from leaving the country. Justice for Myanmar reported that Telenor bought hardware that allows the government to spy on users from a German company, based on leaked information revealed by the group. It called on the German and Norwegian governments to intervene urgently, as Telenor was believed to be preparing to transfer the technology as part of its divestment in the country. According to Justice for Myanmar, Chinese tech giant Huawei helped acquire the hardware, a Utimaco LIG, via its Singapore office and shipped it to Myanmar in 2018. Unimaco provided technical support through Huawei and also had an indirect relationship with Telenor Myanmar. In May 2018, it was integrated into Telenor’s telecommunications system and by mid-2020 had been connected to a monitoring center. With it in place, the junta would have the capability to simultaneously monitor multiple phone calls and messages on the Telenor network through the Ministry of Home Affairs. Yadanar Aung of Justice for Myanmar told Coconuts on Wednesday that such interception technology should only be provided to legitimate governments for lawful purposes, saying Myanmar’s junta is a terrorist organization with no authority to use Utimaco’s technology. “If Utimaco technology is made available to the junta, Telenor and Utimaco will be directly complicit in the abuses that will result. We call on the German and Norwegian governments to urgently act to stop Telenor’s sale of the lawful interception gateway, which will further violate the EU arms embargo,” she said. A year later, junta won’t let Telenor Myanmar head go home Justice for Myanmar said that Telenor made clear its priority was to its employees in a statement saying it “has to leave in a way that does not increase the danger to its employees, and that remains our top priority for now.” According to Myanmar Now, once Lebanese investment firm M1 Group has completed its purchase of the company, it is expected to hand control over to the military-allied Shwe Byine Phyu, which will acquire 80% of its shares, giving it the power to hand over any customer data demanded by the regime. The junta has “engaged in systematic and widespread human rights violations and abuses – some of which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a report out Tuesday. Its special rapporteur on the situation, Thomas H. Andrews, said the junta has waged a “devastating” war against the people of Myanmar. “Junta forces have killed at least 1,600 civilians and displaced over 500,000. Half of the po[CENSORED]tion has fallen into poverty. The World Health Organization is now projecting that there will be over 47,000 preventable deaths in Myanmar this year.” https://coconuts.co/yangon/news/telenor-denies-installing-internet-surveillance-hardware/

Aston Martin has unveiled a new V12 Vantage and confirmed it as the last Vantage to be fitted with a V-12 engine. The car packs 690 hp and is limited to just 333 examples, all of which have been sold. British motorsport and engineering company Prodrive has unveiled a road-going version of its BRX Hunter rally car. Incredibly, the road-going version has 50% more power than its racing counterpart for improved performance, and it also boasts a few other changes aimed at improving comfort. BMW will unveil its redesigned 7-Series next month, in both regular and electric i7 guises. The latter is estimated to deliver an EPA-rated range of 305 miles, which isn't bad for a full-size luxury sedan. You'll find these stories and more in today's car news, right here at Motor Authority. Final Aston Martin V12 Vantage revealed with 690 hp, 333-car production run Prodrive's BRX Hunter Dakar Rally racer spawns 600-hp road version 2023 BMW 7-Series teased ahead of Auto China 2022 debut Tesla increases prices again, marking a 23% spike for the Model 3 since 2021 Self-driving VW ID.Buzz vans to start testing on US roads in 2023 GM developed the GMC Hummer EV in record time: Here’s the backstory Porsche racer Vic Elford passes dead at 86 A tale of two 2022 trucks: Why buying a new Chevy Silverado is confusing 2023 Mercedes-Benz B-Class spy shots: Mid-cycle update planned Sono Sion solar hatchback on track for 2023 production, company says https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1134310_aston-martin-v12-vantage-prodrive-hunter-2023-bmw-7-series-car-news-headlines

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): Modenik Lifestyle, today, announced a new brand identity for its men's essential clothing (innerwear, thermals and casual wear) brand Dixcy Scott. The new identity is complemented by innovations in both product and packaging that aim to capture a new age consumer across the value chain of economy, mainstream and premium segments. The new brand identity and innovations come shortly after the launch of Modenik Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd., formed with the merger of Dixcy Textiles Pvt. Ltd. and Gokaldas Intimatewear Pvt. Ltd., the parent company of brand Enamor. The announcement today reinforces Modenik's vision of 'Being the most preferred company for comfortable and fashionable essential clothing' and represents the integrated way in which Modenik is working to achieve its vision. The consumer-insight led brand transformation is a response to the evolving Indian male consumer who is seeking to express himself in a time where new definitions of masculinity are taking shape and the choice of innerwear is becoming an important statement of their personal identity. Dixcy Scott now features three distinct sub-brands - Dixcy Scott Maximus, Dixcy Scott Originals and Josh by Dixcy Scott that are positioned for the Premium, Mainstream Premium and Economy segment respectively. Catering to the modern-day consumer, the Dixcy Scott Maximus range has pushed boundaries integrating high-end fashion and heightened-consumer experience through comfi-fit, cleantech, and maxi-dry features The Dixcy Scott Originals range establishes improved product performance focusing on the fit, finish, comfort, and quality with comfi-fit, duratech, and softech features The enhanced product range in the Josh by Dixcy Scott line captures and upgrades the unorganised consumer segment into choosing a brand as a lifestyle choice "Our new brand identity, product innovations and expansion are well timed to build on the 30+ year legacy of the Dixcy Scott brand. With our well-established distribution strength, we intend to be the preferred choice of essential clothing for the new Indian male across income-classes. Dixcy Scott's new brand identity will be amplified through a communication campaign aimed at establishing its role as a catalyst in the evolution journey of Indian men by providing comfortable and fashionable essential clothing. The TVCs showcase the product features and superior product performance of the new and diverse range of Dixcy Scott innerwear for men. The tagline - 'Body Language Jo Chha Jaaye' connotes a feeling of confidence that a man would experience by selecting Dixcy Scott innerwear, which reflects in his positive body language," said Sunil Sethi, Executive Chairman of Modenik Lifestyle. On the campaign, Shekhar Tewari, Chief Category and Operations Officer of Modenik Lifestyle adds, "With the launch of the 3-part TVC, we have attempted to bring forth a fresh first-of-its-kind narrative in the innerwear endorsement segment. Drawing inspiration from consumer-insights and best-in-class integration of design and technology, the TVCs reiterate the brand's principle of staying true to the consumer. We aimed at showcasing our varied product range, the interwoven benefits of comfortable innerwear on a person's confidence levels and body language, and our transformed approach in brand positioning. While we are consistently working towards understanding and catering to our ever-evolving consumer needs, we are maintaining a seamless balance and precedence of both functional and emotional pay-offs." Dixcy Scott has a strong network of 850+ distributors that supplies products to 1,20,000+ retail outlets across the length and breadth of the country. Modenik Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd. is the post-merger entity of Advent International's (a global private equity firm) portfolio companies Dixcy Textiles Pvt. Ltd. and Gokaldas Intimatewear Pvt. Ltd.; the parent company of brand Enamor. The company is headquartered out of Bengaluru. https://www.business-standard.com/content/press-releases-ani/modenik-lifestyle-unveils-a-new-identity-for-dixcy-scott-along-with-innovations-in-product-and-packaging-122031700769_1.html

BOSTON -- The music is back. For the first time since the pandemic began, the Boston Pops is holding a spring season with live performances, the orchestra announced Thursday. “The musicians of the Boston Pops Orchestra join me in expressing our sheer joy in presenting the upcoming Spring Pops season and welcoming back a live audience at Symphony Hall in 2022,” conductor Keith Lockhart said in a statement. Reviving in-person concerts will return “the power and meaning of the live concert experience,” he said. It's the Pops' first spring season since 2019, rekindling a tradition that dates to 1885. This spring's lineup will pay tribute to Pops conductor laureate John Williams, who turned 90 last month, including performances of Williams' theme for the 1980 classic, “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.” It opens on May 19 with works by composer Alan Menken, best known for “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast.” In June, concerts will highlight the music of jazz legend Duke Ellington, and the season will close with a night devoted to gospel. Live performances were canceled for 2020 and most of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, though the Pops ventured briefly back to Symphony Hall in December for a holiday concert series. https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/noteworthy-musical-news-boston-pops-spring-season-returns-83506173

Music Title: Stromae Vu Par… / Stromae Seen By Signer: Stromae Release Date: 2/03/2022 Official Youtune link: Informations About The Signer: Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): A Masterpiece

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It's been a long time coming but developer Andrew Shouldice's fox-themed action-adventure Tunic finally arrives on Xbox, Mac, and PC today, 16th March - and publisher Finji has now confirmed it'll be a launch day addition to Xbox Games Pass too. Originally known as Secret Legend before getting a name change to Tunic at E3 2017, the Zelda-inspired isometric adventure was initially expected to arrive in 2018. Cleary, it did not meet that target, but its long-awaited launch is now upon us, and available to purchase digitally on your platform of choice for £24.99/€29.99/$29.99 USD. Alternatively, Xbox Game Pass members will have the option to play it on both Xbox and PC as part of their subscription. A PlayStation version of Tunic, incidentally, is yet to be confirmed, so players looking for a foxy little adventure on their Sonyboxes will likely need a bit of patience while they await some good news. Help make Eurogamer better Take our 1 minute survey Alongside Tunic's game release, Finji is also making its full, 60-song soundtrack - written by composer Lifeformed, who previously scored Dust - available to purchase from today. If your ears are eager, you can pick it up for $13 USD on Bandcamp. Eurogamer's Tom Phillips, who is very excited about Tunic's arrival, chatted to developer Andrew Shouldice last summer, so if you're curious to know a little more about the project's journey to release, you might also consider having a read. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-03-16-foxy-action-adventure-tunic-is-heading-to-game-pass-today

The Shark Lab at California University State Long Beach created a solar-power buoy that tracks sharks in real-time. The Shark Lab calls their creation a “live buoy.” They make their buoys with cell receivers and solar panels. The buoys could also help us learn more about our environment and weather. Dr. Chris Lowe, who is the Director of the Shark Lab, told Spectrum Networks the buoys could have many uses besides studying marine life. “We get environmental data. We get sea temperature, we get sea floor water temperature, we get wave activity, we get air temperature and we can equip them with all sorts of other ocean sensors.” Drone technology After innovating this new technology, the Shark Lab is partnering with California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, to use drones and a new algorithm to enhance their tracking of sharks. Computer Science and Software Engineering students at Cal Poly developed a machine-learning algorithm that could go through thousands of hours of drone footage. They hope to identify sharks and people and distinguish them between surfers, swimmers and others. “By using this tool we can figure out when sharks are mostly likely to be close to people and water user their going to be close to… and does that vary depending on environmental conditions.” Before it would take the Shark Lab hours and hours to go through the footage and spot the sharks. Now, that process takes minutes. https://www.coastalnewstoday.com/post/ca-how-shark-tracking-gadgets-could-expand-the-weather-forecast

Outsourcing for software development at start-ups is expected to increase by 70% between 2022 and 2023, according to new research from Commit, the leading global tech services company focused on custom software and IoT solutions. Furthermore, 99% of senior technology and HR leaders today recognize the benefits of remote teams, with 3 of every 4 (75%) seeing an increase in productivity from their remote staff, a clear indication that concerns about remote teams are all but gone. "The increasing gap between supply and demand for developer talent, along with emerging trends like the growing gig economy, more remote work and the great resignation are driving a need and opportunity to rapidly outsource skilled talent," said Max Nirenberg, Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Director of Commit USA. "This is especially true for startups, who now face enormous growth potential but struggle to scale quickly and efficiently." These are just acouple of the findings that surfaced from Commit's '2022 State of Tech Staffing' report, an in-depth research survey of 200 US senior leaders in hi-tech start-ups. The report addresses the many critical challenges and opportunities faced by tech start-ups today when staffing for success - from talent supply and demand issues to the benefits of remote work, talent sourcing and much more. The True Cost of Staffing The time required to recruit quality talent - as well as the seemingly inevitable turnover - carries significant hidden costs which many organizations are not prepared for, per Commit's study. More than 68% of companies spend one month or more to recruit a single developer. At the same time, one in five (20%) new recruits must be replaced. To avoid these hidden costs, organizations need a better solution to quickly onboard quality developers. "While finding the right skillsets is essential, it is also vital to consider the hidden costs of lengthy recruitment processes, as well as inevitable challenges like rapid turnover or new hires not working out," said Arik Faingold, President and Chairman of Commit. "To address these obstacles, organizations need new strategies for outsourcing and tech team building that enable rapid onboarding of quality talent with reduced risk and insurance if new recruits aren't the right fit. This applies not only to attaining developers but also tech leads and project managers as well." Senior Managers Diverge on The Benefits of Outsourcing Outsourcing tech talent is becoming an essential ingredient for success, but the benefits are perceived differently across roles and organizations. Commit found that while HR leaders see the top benefit of outsourcing as cost savings (48%), CTOs perceive outsourcing as a key to quickly scaling (42%). However, regardless of the role, the greatest concern over outsourcing talent is the quality of work (56%). Founded in Israel in 2005, Commit has solved the challenges of work quality when outsourcing. As a global top tech R&D and software development firm, Commit offers a comprehensive range of engineering capabilities and resources to design and deliver any project on time, on budget and with superior quality. The company supports clients in a range of advanced technologies and applications for multiple industries including Fintech, Medtech, Martech, IoT, consumer goods and more. Leveraging more than 600 multi-disciplinary experts from around the world, Commit has successfully led software development projects for more than 1,000 organizations globally. Its customers range from early-stage start-ups to international brands including IBM, Pentera, Maytronics, JFrog, Sapiens and Cisco. The '2022 State of Tech Staffing' survey polled start-ups who had received a Seed, Round A, or Round B investment round of $1M or more over the past six months and included CTOs, CEOs and leadership in HR, Recruitment or Talent, as well as VPs in R&D, Engineering or Technology. To download the full research report, please visit: https://www.commit.us/survey About Commit USA Commit is a global tech services company with offices in New York, Israel and Eastern Europe. The company was founded in 2005 and has over 600 multi-disciplinary innovation experts who serve a broad range of companies from small startups to large enterprises in multiple business sectors. Commit specializes in advanced technologies and applications with dedicated practices in Software, IoT, Big Data, Cloud, Cyber and more. Commit offers innovative, end-to-end technology solutions by developing custom software and IoT platforms for clients looking to build their next gen product. Commit's complete and comprehensive engineering powerhouse of resources and proprietary Flexible R&D methodology helps transform its clients' technology visions into high-quality products while reducing costs and improving time-to-market. https://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2022/03/16/9565031.htm

Distant galaxies come into focus as Webb is on track to meet or exceed expectations. Today, NASA announced that it has successfully completed two further steps to align the mirrors of the Webb telescope. The resulting performance indicates that Webb will meet or exceed its design goals. "So far, we're finding that the performance is as good [as] or better than our most optimistic projections," said Lee Feinberg, the Webb optical telescope element manager. The announcement was accompanied by a spectacular image that showed a sharp focus on the target star and included many in-focus galaxies in the backdrop. Get in line The Webb telescope's primary mirror is made up of an array of 18 individual segments that, once properly aligned, will act as a single large mirror. The initial steps of mirror alignment involved identifying the images from each segment and bringing those images together at a single point. That work was completed back in February. At this point, the light was all gathered in one place, but it wasn't necessarily taking an equal path from each segment, meaning the segments weren't acting as a single mirror. Marshall Perrin, the Webb optical telescope element manager, said that the individual segments were microns away from being properly aligned. The final alignment would take the segments to a precision on the nanometer scale—"a few hundred atomic diameters is the level of precision we need here," Perrin said. And we apparently have it. "We have now achieved what's called the diffraction limited alignment of the telescope," Perrin said. "The images are focused together as finely as the laws of physics allow. This is as sharp an image as you can get from a telescope this large." "At no point in that process did we have any technical issues with the telescope the biggest [surprise] is just how closely it matched the models and predictions from the ground," Perrin said. "Honestly, the team was giddy at times looking at this data." More to come At this point, the mirror is aligned to the telescope's primary instrument, the Near-Infrared Camera. The telescope, however, has three additional instruments, and the next few steps will see alignment with each of the remaining instruments so that the mirrors are positioned to perform well with all the hardware. In addition to NASA's ability to tweak the positioning, shape, and [CENSORED]ture of the segments, the secondary mirror and the instruments themselves can be shifted to ensure an alignment. Final tweaking may take place after this process is complete, but after that, nothing will be left other than the ongoing calibration needed to keep everything aligned. According to NASA, the alignment process is expected to be complete by early May at the latest. From there, the science can begin—Jane Rigby of Webb operations said that a full year of science observations has already been planned out. Everyone involved with Webb will admit that a few high-priority science targets that are expected to produce aesthetically beautiful images have been chosen, but nobody has said what those are yet. For now, everyone is focused on the galaxies that have come into view behind the star being used for alignment. And researchers are hugely relieved that the process has gone well. As Rigby put it, "There are days on this project where, if things didn't work, we would have gone home." Instead, the whole process has gone forward smoothly. Tom Zurbuchen, the administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said, "All the worries I had, they're all behind us now." https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/03/nasa-releases-first-image-from-an-in-focus-webb-telescope/

CLEVELAND, Ohio The Browns made their offer to Deshaun Watson, hoping he’ll choose them over the three other teams he’s talking to. Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield wrote a heartfelt letter to Cleveland fans. We’re talking about why the Browns are courting a player with 22 civil suits pending on Today in Ohio. Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with editor Leila Atassi, editorial board member Lisa Garvin and content director Laura Johnston. You’ve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom text account, in which he shares what we’re thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802. Here are the questions we’re answering today: How does a report coming from the hands of U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio show the federal government failed to track millions of dollars given to an anti-human trafficking group? How is Tim Ryan, the Democratic congressman running for the U.S. Senate in Ohio, working to build a statewide Democratic ticket for lots of statewide officers? What is swatting, and how are some legislators seeking to stop it? How is Sherwin Williams’ building plans in Brecksville contributing to a threat against the last registered heritage farm in Cuyahoga County, meaning the last farm in the county where the same family has owned it for more than 100 years. Capitol Letter, our weekday newsletter about all things politics and the Statehouse in Ohio, has unveiled a new weekly feature showing how much money candidates are spending in Ohio on advertising. What’s the goal here, and what does it show? We don’t know what the lines are for the Congressional or Legislative districts, but the May 3rd election fast approaches. How is the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections staff trying to be ready? Do they think they can pull it off? We talk a lot about the long wait for justice in the Ohio Statehouse corruption scandal, but little noticed is another corruption trial taking place this week, involving a Brecksville council member. What’s it about, and what has been revealed in the trial thus far? Is an Ohio Congressman part of a move to end the mandate for masks on airplanes? What’s the latest experience available in Cleveland for people who like to spend the night in historic buildings? More Info: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/why-are-dee-and-jimmy-haslam-humiliating-baker-mayfield-with-their-deshaun-watson-flirtation-today-in-ohio/ar-AAV8H1P?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Animal shelter organizations can freely download the Rescue, Rescue music video to help fundraising as part of The Pet Acoustics Rescue Initiative's national campaign to support adoption. The joy of adoption is the theme of the title song, Rescue, Rescue composed and sung by recording artist, William Johnson, founder of Beats By Make in collaboration with Pet Acoustics founder, Janet Marlow, who wrote the lyrics and video production. The video can be viewed and downloaded from the Pet Acoustics Youtube Channel. Rescue, Rescue is the story of one person's search for a beloved companion to give them a forever home. Then I brought you home, Every day you lift my soul You're life is warm and safe, You make mine truly whole You're no longer abandoned, Your safe from head to tail Adopted from the shelter, You rescued me as well "The sentiment of rescuing an animal begins with a burning desire that one's heart is called to do. I know so many stories of people who, once they decide to adopt, will search and search until they find their beloved companion, myself included. It's a journey of goodness and love. This is especially depicted by the Ukrainian people choosing to carry their pets in place of luggage has been completely heart tugging. We hope everyone shares this video to inspire pet rescue and adoption." Janet Marlow, Pet Acoustics. Rescue, Rescue has also been released as a single on all streaming platforms, including, Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Pandora, Amazon, and iHeartRadio. Since 2009, Pet Acoustics Inc. has helped thousands of pets worldwide to overcome behavioral and environmental stress. Their po[CENSORED]r clinically proven products, Pet Tunes Canine and Pet Tunes Feline are used by pet parents, rescue shelters and veterinarians to calm pets. If people want to donate through The Pet Acoustics Rescue Initiative, they offer a special discount code to purchase and give Pet Tunes to help calm pets in rescue shelters. Learn more on the Pet Acoustics Blog. Read more at: https://www.lelezard.com/en/news-20289983.html