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Japanese chip venture Rapidus needs $54bn to begin production, says chairman

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Japanese chip venture Rapidus needs $54bn to begin production, says chairman

Japan’s state-backed chip venture Rapidus will need about 7 trillion yen ($54 billion) of mostly taxpayer money to begin mass producing advanced logic chips in around 2027, its chairman, Tetsuro Higashi, told Reuters on Thursday.

That plan may be Japan’s last best chance to revive its ageing semiconductor industry as Japan and the United States set aside old industrial rivalries to take on China amid growing geopolitical tension.

“In the past, the United States hindered Japan’s chip industry growth. Now we have America’s support,” Higashi said in an interview.

Japan and the United States worry that friction with China will result in semiconductor shortages that could threaten economic growth.

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That concern has escalated as China has increased pressure on global chip hub Taiwan, with nearby military exercises after Chinese anger over visits by U.S. politicians to the self-ruled island.

TWO NANOMETRES

Following an agreement by Japan and the United States to cooperate in semiconductor technology, Rapidus in December announced a tie-up with IBM Corp (IBM.N) to develop and produce two-nanometre chips.

A nanometer is one-billionth of a metre and the smaller the number, the more cutting-edge the chip is. Japan’s most advanced semiconductor factory is a 40-nanometre plant owned by Renesas Electronics (6723.T).

Rapidus will announce the location of its first factory in March, Higashi said.

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The former boss of chip machinery maker Tokyo Electron (8035.T) declined to say where, but said it would not be near the site on Kyushu island that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd (TSMC) (2330.TW) recently picked for its first Japan factory.

To pay for the factory and buy production equipment, Rapidus will need sustained investment from Japan’s government, which in December announced 70 billion yen ($544 million) of initial funding.

Eight corporations that have small stakes in Rapidus, including Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Sony Group Corp (6758.T), are unlikely to stump up any money soon, Higashi said.

“They are future customers. For them, the decision to invest will be taken when they are able to assess our technology and production plans.”

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Plea seeking restoration of ‘X’ adjourned till April 2

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Plea seeking restoration of 'X' adjourned till April 2

 Lahore High Court has adjourned the hearing of miscellaneous application seeking restoration of X (formerly Twitter) till April 21

LHC’s Justice Asim Hafeez heard the petition of Advocate Huzaifa Naeem filed for restoration of social media app X.

During the hearing Justice Asim Hafeez inquired about the petition and the petitioner stated that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has made impossible for public to access the micro-blogging site X.

The court suggested a solution referring to a minister who has suggested to access the platform with VPN.

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The petitioner stressed for a long-term effective solution, replied that “if police say to avoid a certain route as dacoit rule there, it is not a solution.”

The petition requested to court to declare the X outage as illegal and direct opposition to ensure the public access of X. Court has adjourned the petition for hearing till April 2.

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Samsung Galaxy to launch AI features in other devices as well on March 28

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Samsung Galaxy to launch AI features in other devices as well on March 28

Samsung Galaxy AI features will be introduced into other devices as well after on the acclaimed Galaxy S24 series.

Starting March 28, One UI 6.1 will begin rolling out across the Galaxy S23 series, S23 FE, Z Fold5, Z Flip55, and Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, Tab S9+ and Tab S9 WiFi versions beginning this week.

In the US, Samsung Galaxy S24 users are embracing several innovative features that have revolutionized their smartphone experience.

One standout feature is Circle to Search with Google, which has become immensely popular among users. This feature allows users to search for information quickly by simply circling items on their screens, eliminating the need to switch between apps.

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Live Translate has been a game-changer for users, facilitating seamless communication by providing real-time voice and live caption translations during phone calls. This feature helps users overcome language barriers, ensuring smooth and effective communication.

Samsung’s Generative Edit tool has also garnered significant attention, offering users powerful AI-driven photo editing capabilities. This tool allows users to easily adjust and enhance their favorite pictures by resizing or filling in backgrounds after removing unwanted objects from the frame.

Another highly utilized feature is Chat Assist, integrated into the Samsung Keyboard. This feature provides users with translation, writing style suggestions, and spelling and grammar corrections, enhancing their communication experience across various apps.

These innovative AI features are enhancing the functionality and usability of Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphones, providing users with convenient and efficient ways to interact with their devices and communicate with others. 

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Amazon loses court fight to suspend EU tech rules’ ad clause

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Amazon loses court fight to suspend EU tech rules' ad clause

Amazon (AMZN.O) on Wednesday lost its fight to suspend a requirement regarding its online advertising under EU tech rules after Europe’s top court backed EU regulators, saying EU interests outweigh the U.S. online retailer’s material interests.

Under the Digital Services Act (DSA) which kicked in last year, Amazon was designated as a very large online platform subject to tough rules to tackle illegal and harmful content on its platform.

The company subsequently challenged a DSA requirement to make publicly available a repository containing detailed information on its online advertising and also asked for an interim measure until the court rules on the case.

A lower tribunal in September agreed to its request for an interim measure to suspend the contested obligation, which prompted the European Commission to turn to Europe’s top court.

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The Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) set aside the suspension order and dismissed Aamzon’s application for an interim measure.

The judge said that Amazon’s argument that the obligation unlawfully limits its fundamental rights to respect for private life and the freedom to conduct a business was not irrelevant.

He also said that without a suspension, it was likely that Amazon would suffer serious and irreparable harm before any judgment annulling the Commission’s decision.

However, he said a suspension could have a detrimental impact on the objectives of the DSA.

“Suspension would lead to a delay, potentially for several years, in the full achievement of the objectives of the Regulation on a Single Market for Digital Services and therefore potentially allow an online environment threatening fundamental rights to persist or develop,” the judge said.

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“The interests defended by the EU legislature prevail, in the present case, over Amazon’s material interests, with the result that the balancing of interests weighs in favour of rejecting the request for suspension.”

Amazon said: “We are disappointed with this decision, and maintain that Amazon doesn’t fit the description of a ‘Very Large Online Platform’ (VLOP) under the DSA, and should not be designated as such.”

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