Chemical Market Reports

Samuel Roan

Ingenuity Helicopter Completes Eighth Flight On Mars, Travels 160 Meters To Land At New Location

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The Ingenuity helicopter has completed another flight on Mars. This was the eighth flight since its arrival in February. NASA said that the flight was successful. The helicopter flew for 77.4 seconds. It covered a distance of 160 meters to land at a new spot on the Martian surface. The new site is nearly 133 meters from the Perseverance rover. Ingenuity arrived on Mars attached to the belly of Perseverance. The rover landed at the Jezero Crater. NASA’s Ingenuity is the first of its kind instrument to fly on any other planet. NASA is the only space agency to craft powered and controlled flight on another planet. NASA wants to demonstrate the technology through the helicopter as it prepares for a manned mission to the Red Planet. The agency is conducting planned test flights.

Ingenuity was built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It also manages the helicopter’s technology demonstration project. The helicopter had in May developed a navigational glitch. This was the first problem since its arrival. Ingenuity encountered the problem during its sixth flight since April 19. It even went on an excursion of 20 degrees. But it maintained flight and managed to land safely at the designated site. According to NASA, Ingenuity had developed a glitch in the navigation camera. It reported a loss of an image. The issue was reported in all later navigation images. NASA said that Ingenuity’s sensors indicated a spike in power consumption moments before the landing. The helicopter landed safely because of its certain design features.

Ingenuity is designed to fly from one place to another. The helicopter has so far delivered promising results. It could redefine the approach of scientists towards Mars as they plan a crewed mission to explore Earth’s neighbor. The mini helicopter during its fifth flight completed a one-way trip. NASA said that Ingenuity’s flights are a great achievement. It said that Ingenuity brings both strength and skill to create aircraft to fly on another planet in the future. The agency had earlier released a recording of audio and video of Ingenuity. The helicopter weighs 1.8 kg. NASA said that Ingenuity’s controlled flight adds a new chapter to humans’ efforts to search for life beyond Earth.

NASA Is Best Place To Work In The US Government, Retains Position For Nine Year In a Row

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American space agency NASA has been named as the best place to work in the country. This is the ninth consecutive year when the agency has retained the top rank. The ranking was released by Partnership for Public Service and Boston Consulting Group. They said that NASA is the best place to work in the government in the United States. Besides, the agency has also invited praise for its response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is among the large agencies that fought against the pandemic and maintained the pace of work. The latest ranking shows how NASA is focused and dedicated when it comes to pursuing missions which includes developing a technology to send humans deep into space for exploration and on Mars.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that the latest ranking is a testament to the agency’s world-class workforce that is committed to taking space science to a new level. He added that NASA staff performed through the most difficult circumstances to execute and further advance the projects. Earlier in 2020, NASA reported the highest satisfaction results among its employees. The ranking is based on feedback received during the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The survey involved nearly 6,24,800 employees at 482 offices. The ranking was first published in 2003. An independent US government agency, it was established in 1958 and has its headquarters based in Washington. The agency is responsible for launching space missions.

NASA has led the world in space exploration for more than six decades of the journey. The agency is now working on an Artemis program that will see America’s return to the Moon. It is also working on a mission for human exploration of Mars. Meanwhile, NASA has given a new name to a manikin headed to the Moon under the Artemis mission. The agency has named the manikin as Commander Moonikin Campos. The name honors Arturo Campos. He was an electrical engineer. Arturo was a key man in successfully bringing Apollo 13 back to Earth after the spacecraft’s service module oxygen tank ruptured. The manikin is set to fly aboard the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis 1 mission later this year.

World’s Largest Radio Telescope Set to Begin Construction in 2021

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After over 3 decades of planning, the installation of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) observatory is finally set to begin this year. Upon completion, it will become the biggest radio telescope ever made. In February, the nations that are backing the project created the telescope’s governing body, SKAO. Construction on the locations in South Africa and Australia, where the two distinct sections of this telescope network are being built, is expected to commence in July. The members of SKA Organization (SKAO) announced the plan at the European Astronomical Society (EAS) annual conference on 29th of June.  The telescope’s $1.55 billion (€1.3 billion) development and the $0.83 billion (€0.7 billion) necessary for the first decade of operations are jointly funded by SKAO’s 16 member nations.

The telescopes will have a combined collecting area of a square kilometer and will monitor radio signals at frequencies ranging from 70 MHz to at least 25 GHz. Rather than depending on one large dish, it will be comprised of a carefully planned network of antennas and dishes dispersed between both its locations. The SKA-Mid array, which will be situated in South Africa’s Karoo desert, will utilize 197 dishes, each one 50 feet in diameter, to monitor middle-frequency bands. The SKA-Low array comprises 131,072 antennas positioned in the north of Perth, monitoring to lower frequency bands.

The SKAO Council officially authorized the development last week. Philip Diamond, SKAO director-general, expressed his excitement regarding this project. The telescope will be capable of detecting objects so far away that radio waves will take 13 billion years to reach telescope. The facility will offer insights into the early steps of the Universe’s emergence. It is ideally positioned to solve certain lingering issues regarding the development of galaxies. The telescope will provide a chance to begin investigating the raw material behind the evolution and genesis of luminous bodies from the cosmological beginning to the present.

According to their website, SKAO was initially suggested by the International Union of Radio Science in 1993. It is intended to deliver photos of greater resolution than those captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. This telescope will capture around 13 TBs of data every second, which is comparable to downloading three hundred 4k films per second. The information will be far more complex than previously recorded radio pictures and radio data, as the telescopes can view deeper in space compared to existing radio telescopes could. As a result, the pictures will be very crowded, with galaxies overlaying one another. This observatory is set to begin making initial research observations in 2024, when the first two sub-arrays are completed, according to a schedule provided with the announcement. SKAO aims to eventually upgrade this telescope to encompass hundreds of thousands of antennas and hundreds of dishes.

Uber’s Chinese Competitor ‘DiDi’ Raises $4.4 Billion in Its US IPO

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DiDi Global Inc., a Chinese ride-hailing startup, raised $4.4 billion in its US IPO on Tuesday. DiDi issued 317 million American Depository Shares (ADS) at $14 each. Considering absolute share dilution, DiDi would receive a valuation of almost $73 billion; on a non-diluted basis, it will be valued at around $67.5 billion. On June 30, DiDi made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange.  Owing to factors such as an increase in the number of potential investors as well as the existing number of shares, DiDi has been forced to revise its existing guidelines that presently govern its IPO offering. This is the largest U.S. share sale by a Chinese firm since Alibaba raised $25 billion in 2014. The offering comes during an annual surge in IPO activity as organizations compete to convince investors that are based in the U.S. stock market.  However, investors have been reportedly informed that their orders are to be scaled-back, after allocations were completed on Wednesday, the 30th of June.

According to Reuters, Didi’s IPO is considered to be relatively conservative in comparison to its original market capitalization target of up to $100 billion. The size of this transaction was reduced during investor briefings before DiDi’s IPO debut, owing to investor concerns regarding a probable anti-trust crackdown being initiated by the Chinese government, as well as those concerns related to unpredictable international IPO landscapes in 2021. Didi’s IPO was completed early on the first day of the book-build last week, and investor books were closed on Monday, a day sooner than expected. There is also an existence of an over-allotment option, often known as a greenshoe, in which an extra 43.2 million shares could be made available for sale to increase the size of this deal.

Didi was co-founded in 2012 by former Alibaba employee Will Wei Cheng, who currently serves as its chief executive officer. Cheng was accompanied by Jean Qing Liu, the current president of the ride-sharing service and a former Goldman Sachs banker. Softbank, Uber Technologies Inc., and Tencent are among the company’s major stakeholders. Didi is also famous for effectively evicting Uber from the Chinese market. The American firm lost a pricing battle and wound up selling its Chinese assets to Didi in exchange for a percentage. Didi had previously remained unprofitable prior to it recording a $30 million turnover in the first quarter of 2021. According to a regulatory filing, DiDi recorded a $1.6 billion deficit last year, and an 8% decline in revenues to $21.63 billion as business prospects plummeted during the recent pandemic. Its shares are set to begin trading under the ticker “DIDI.”

Amazon Follows Footsteps Of Google & Apple, Introduces Appstore Small Business Accelerator Program

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Amazon is following the footsteps of tech giants Google and Apple to attract more developers to its Android and Fire OS app store. For this, it has introduced Amazon Appstore Small Business Accelerator Program. Under this new program, it will charge less money from app developers that are new or whose net income is less than USD 1 million from apps on the Amazon Appstore. So the app that will qualify for the smaller businesses will have to pay 20 percent of total revenue in a calendar year. Earlier, Amazon used to charge 30 percent of the total revenue from these apps, including that from in-app purchases. Developers who are earning more than USD 1 million will continue to pay at the original rate. The new program launched by Amazon will additionally offer AWS credits. While it is a good deal for some developers, for others it is not better than what being offered by Google and Apple. Apple had announced App Store Small Business Program last year. Under the program, the tech giant announced that it has reduced its cut to 15 percent for all the developers who are earning less than USD 1 million in a given year. For those earning more than this threshold, the cut will be at a standard rate 30 percent.

Google too reduced the rate recently but in a slightly different way. The search engine giant said that it has lowered the commission to 15 percent from 30 per cent on the first USD 1 million revenue made by developers through the Play billing system each year. When compared to other platforms, Amazon is taking a larger cut at 20 percent. But the e-commerce giant is providing developers on its platforms Amazon Web Services credits in form of perks. The company said that all the developers that are making less than USD 1 million from Amazon Appstore will get promotional credit from AWS services. The credit will be 10 percent of the revenue in a calendar year. The credit will include infrastructure and technology support like artificial intelligence and others. Amazon said that the total combined benefits of the program will be equivalent to 90 percent of revenue. In case the revenue of the developer crosses the threshold of USD 1 million during the current year, the benefits provided under the AWS credits will cease with immediate effect for the rest of the year. The charges for such apps will revert to the standard royalty rate.

If the revenue of developers drops below USD 1 million in the future, they will by default become eligible for the Small Business Accelerator Program in the next calendar year. Amazon Appstore Director Palanidaran Chidambaram said that the company is making it easier for new and small businesses to grow through AWS credits. “Amazon is helping small businesses to build and grow their app. We are giving them access to a broad range of AWS technologies that can help them innovate and develop an app like they imagined,” Palanidaran noted in an announcement. Amazon said that the program will be launched in Q4. It said that more details about the program and how to get benefitted from it will be provided at that time. The changes in the commission have been announced at a time when tech giants are being accused of an anti-competitive approach. These companies are also increasingly under pressure from regulatory authorities. Recently, Epic Games sued Apple over its app store fees.

Vertical Aerospace Gets Pre-Orders For Up To 1,000 Electric Vertical Takeoff And Landing Aircraft

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Vertical Aerospace has announced that it has received pre-orders for up to 1,000 VA-X4 vertical takeoff aircraft. The Bristol-based electric aircraft manufacturer said that among those who have given pre-orders are American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. These companies have placed pre-orders with the intention of making urban air travel a reality. The startup is developing aircraft that are capable of electric vertical takeoff and landing. Also termed as eVTOL, these vehicles will play an important role in reducing carbon emissions. Though the main focus of the company is to improve the journey of passengers. The company said that combine pre-orders of it zero-emission aircraft are worth around USD 4 billion. The zero-carbon aircraft VA-X4 being developed by the company would be capable of carrying four passengers at a time. The company said that the aircraft will be capable of covering a distance of 100 miles.

While covering the distance, VA-X4 can achieve a speed of over 200 miles per hour. Also, the flight would be ‘near silent’. A prototype of the aircraft is under production. The company said it is hopeful of conducting the first test flight later this year. But getting all the required certifications may take some time. It could be completed by 2024. The helicopter-like electric aircraft can be a possible alternative to driving in the near future. It could also be a better way of intracity transpiration. The company also said that it is planning to go public in New York. It will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange via a merger with a blank check firm Broadstone Acquisition Corp.

In terms of pre-orders, American Airlines has announced that pre-order up to 250 aircraft. It can increase the order to up to 350. The pre-order by American Airlines alone would be worth around USD 1 billion. Apart from this, the airline is planning to make an investment of up to USD 25 million in the startup through private investment in a public equity transaction. Virgin Atlantic has pre-ordered up to 150 air taxis. However, these pre-orders are subject to certain conditions and agreed upon terms and milestones. Microsoft venture capital subsidiary and Rocket Internet too has shown keen interest in the startup. Commenting on it, Vertical Aerospace CEO and co-founder Stephen Fitzpatrick said that the aviation industry is witnessing of the most exciting times in a century. Fitzpatrick also said that electrification will certainly transform the way people see flying. Sustainability is also a focus for companies who have decided to invest in Vertical Aerospace. Several airlines have been taking measures in this direction. Experts believe that more and more airlines will invest in eVTOL space.

The Rate Of Death In The US Sees The Biggest Raise In The Last Two Decades Due To Diabetes And Heart Disease

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In 2020, amid the devastating COVID19 pandemic, the death rate in the US due to heart disease and diabetes has seen its highest increase in the last two decades. A report has shown that the rate of death due to heart disease that has been reducing for a long time has shot up by more than 3 percent in the US during the pandemic. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that the average death rate has been nearly 161.5 deaths per 100000 people in 2019. Now it has increased to 167 deaths per 100000 people in the US. As per the data, 32000 more people have lost their lives due to heart disease in 2020 in the United States as compared to 2019. The new report has shown that the rate of death due to diabetes has seen a 14 percent increase in the US during the pandemic. Experts have said that the death rate has increased from 21.6 deaths per 100000 people in 2019 to 24.6 deaths in the same population people in last year. They have claimed that the increase is equivalent to 13000 more deaths due to diabetes in 2020 as compared to before the pandemic.

The new report has also mentioned that the death rates linked to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, chronic liver disease, stroke, and high blood pressure as well have seen a major increase during the pandemic. The new report has noted that the rate of death due to Alzheimer’s disease has shot up by 8 percent last year. The death rate for Parkinson’s disease has seen an increase of 11 percent during the pandemic in 2020. The rate of mortality has shot up by 12 percent for high blood pressure amid the COVID19 pandemic. While the rate of death linked to stroke has increased by 4 percent in 2020 when the US has been struggling with the brunt of the pandemic. Health experts have said that the increase in the rates of death linked to non-COVID19 issues might be attributed to people who have been afraid to visit hospitals during the pandemic despite having severe symptoms of the specific disease. Experts have said that people have not been able to take care of them properly during lockdowns that have been put in place to stop the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. People have been living a sedentary lifestyle during lockdown that has led them to gain more weight. Many people have skipped their blood pressure medications during the nationwide lockdowns.

The new statistics support the belief that the actual number of death during the pandemic directly or indirectly that is attributed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus might be far higher than what has been reported by the authorities. As per the CDC record, around 595000 people have lost their lives due to the COVID19 disease. On the other hand, the rate of mortality due to cancer has reduced during the pandemic. The rate of death due to cancer has reduced by 2 percent approximately last year, even though cancer screening and care have been disrupted due to the pandemic in 2020. This decline has been similar to the declines that have been reported from 2018 to 2019.

GameStop Appoints Amazon Veterans As New CEO, CFO Soon After Ryan Cohen Name Chairman

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Video game retailer GameStop has appointed a new chief executive and chief financial officer. Both the top executives are Amazon veterans. While Matt Furlong has been appointed as chief executive, Mike Recupero will work as chief financial officer. The announcement comes hours after Chewy co-founder Ryan Cohen was voted the chairman of the board of GameStop. Cohen has asked shareholders to ‘buckle up’. Meanwhile, the company said that Furlong would lead the company from June 21. Furlong has joined the company after spending almost a decade with the e-commerce giant. Recupero will start working with the video game retailer on July 12. Recupero spent 17 years with Amazon announcing his resignation. The names of top executives of the company have been announced at a time when GameStop has become one of the most recognizable names among meme stocks. It must be noted that GameStop has been working hard to pull itself into the digital sales era.

Furlong was the one responsible for overseeing the Australia business of Amazon and was also looking after the responsibility of the e-commerce company’s North America consumer business as a technical advisor. Earlier in April, the Texas-based retailer had announced that current CEO George Sherman would step down from the post by the end of July. The announcement was part of the larger shake-up to reverse the decline in sales for almost a year and also to accelerate its push into e-commerce. The election of Ryan Cohen as the chairman of the company is also part of the shake-up. Cohen has been the largest shareholder of GameStop. For those who are unaware, GameStop is the second meme stock to the market by surprise. But it posted a quarterly loss of USD 66.8 million.

The news about Cohen associating with the company as the chairman stoked enthusiasm among traders. This pushed the stocks of the company to all-time highs. GameStop has appointed some other executives who have earlier worked with Amazon. It recently hired Jenna Owens as the chief operating officer. Apart from working with Amazon, Owens was associated as an executive with Google too. It also brought Matt Francis as the chief technology officer of the company. This is the first time when GameStop has hired someone for this position. Also, Elliott Wilke joined the company as chief growth officer. Meanwhile, GameStop has received a request for documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Tesla President Of Heavy Trucking Jerome Guillen Leaves Company After A Decade

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Tesla executive Jerome Guillen has decided to part with the company. After spending more than a decade with the company, Guillen left the company on June 3. He was among the top four executives who were working closely with Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk. Guillen recently served as president of heavy trucking. He was given the responsibility on March 11, 2020. “We thank Guillen for all his contributions to the company and wish him well in his future career,” the company said in an SEC filing. But the document hardly talks anything about why he left the company. According to people familiar with the development, Guillen was the brain behind the ramp-up of Model 3 production three years ago. Apart from being the top lieutenant of Musk, Guillen also served as the president of Tesla’s automotive business.

Analysts feel that it is a huge and unexpected loss for the company. Analyst Pierre Ferragu said that the departure is part of a pattern of departure of top-level executives of the company. “Guillen has contributed a lot to the company. However, Tesla will continue to attract other top executives.” The development had a visible impact on the shares of Tesla as it fell as much 0.8 percent in postmarket trading. Guillen joined Tesla in 2010 as program director for the Model S. The model has been a breakthrough electric vehicle that created the ground for the crossover Model X and extremely popular Model 3. According to Tesla’s latest annual reports, Guillen – who is French – was 48 years old. He went on long leave in the year 2015 but returned to lead the Semi truck program of the company. Two years later, he was promoted as the head of the automotive operations. But the sudden departure took almost everyone by surprise. Guillen has so far not reacted to the development.

Tesla has been facing the departure of top executives for years. The departures come as the company is looking to ramp up the production of electric vehicles. Most recently, Kevin Kassekert left Tesla after working with the company for almost seven years. Kassekert was the man behind the construction of Gigafactories. Earlier to his, Dane Butswinkas, the general counsel of Tesla left the company and returned to his practice in Washington, D.C. Earlier in 2018, Jeff Jones – head of global security, left Tesla after working for just 11 months on the job. Several others, including Gilbert Passin and Gabrielle Toledano, left the company the same year.

Twitter Launch Much Awaited Paid Subscription Service ‘Twitter Blue’ In Canada, Australia

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Twitter has finally launched its highly anticipated paid subscription service in Canada and Australia. Termed as ‘Twitter Blue’, the service will give users of the microblogging site the ability to undo tweets. Apart from this, Twitter users will be able to judge their bookmark and can even change the colour of their app icon without paying anything for it. For using the subscription service in Canada, users will have to pay CA$ 3.49 while those in Australia will have to pay AU$ 4.4 per month. So those who want to use the premium feature will have to pay a price for it. The paid subscription feature comes as pressure is growing for app-based advertising. Twitter is the first leading social media platform to come forward with such a service.

Those using the paid subscription service will be able to edit the tweet if they find any mistakes or typos after tweeting it. However, this will be allowed only within few seconds of posting the tweet. This will be similar to the Gmail service that allows users to undo the sent mail within few seconds of sending it. Apart from this, the feature will give users access to extra tools. These tools will let them manage the bookmark feature of Twitter. The bookmark feature will let users move saved tweets in a folder. With the use of this service, users will be able to see long threads in a reader mode.

Those opting for the ‘Twitter Blue’ services will also have access to “dedicated subscription customer support”. But this will in no way going to be extended for moderation issues related to harassment and abuse. Sara Beykpour and Smita Mittal Gupta, product managers, said in a statement that they often heard people saying that Twitter never built power features to suit their needs. “Will things are now going to change. We took the feedback seriously and developed features that will fulfill the need of those who use Twitter the most. These features will take their experience to next level,” they said in a statement. They also clarified that a free Twitter is going to stay and will never go away. This paid subscription service will simply enhance the experience for those who want it, they said. Tough people were expecting that Twitter Blue will help them get rid of advertising entirely, it has been confirmed that Twitter will display promoted tweets to subscribers as well.

Researchers To Use Cryopreservation Process To Culture Living Heart Cells For Study In Microgravity At ISS

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The International Space Station is home to many discoveries. It has helped scientists in decoding many space mysteries. The revolving laboratory is now set for another milestone. Researchers have decided to culture living heart cells on the ISS. They have explored new ways to culture cells in zero gravity. Researchers said that cells can be transported to the ISS via a process called cryopreservation. It makes it much easier to transport cells. The process involves storing living cells at minus 80 degrees Celsius. This method provides more flexibility in research schedules. Scientists said that cryopreservation can contribute to other biological studies too. This could unravel many space and Earth mysteries.

The study will help in understanding the increased growth rate of cardiomyocyte cells in a microgravity condition. These precursor cells are crucial for multiple purposes. These calls have the potential to be used in drug development and disease modeling. The cultured cells can also replenish damaged or lost cells due to heart-related diseases. Several studies in past said suggested that culturing such cells can increase the efficiency of production in microgravity. But culture living heart cells on the ISS are unique. Researchers said that this is something that has never been done before. They said that the MVP Cell-03 experiment has some challenges. The experiment needs to be conducted in a specific timeframe.

Living heart cells must be at the right stage when the experiment is done. Any decision regarding the change in flight and availability crew can delay the research and outcomes. Researchers said that they will prepare batches of cells that will be transported to the ISS. They will also ready batches of backup cells in case of adversity. Results have shown that the cryopreservation process does affect the cells. The process protects these cells from excess gravity that the spacecraft experiences at the time of launch. Researchers noted that they have made any modifications to improve the cryopreservation process. Previously, the cryopreserved cells had in March 2020 flew to ISS. Astronauts successfully cultured them. They generated beating heart cells and returned after three weeks.

SpaceX Falcon Heavy’s Next Launch Delayed By Several Months To ‘Accommodate Payload Readiness’

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The next scheduled launch of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy has been delayed by several months. The launch has been delayed as the US military delayed two upcoming missions because of issues unrelated to the rocket. US Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) has said that the launch has been pushed to October 2021. Earlier, the launch of Space Force’s first SpaceX Falcon Heavy was scheduled for July 2021. The mission has been named USSF-44. It was delayed to accommodate payload readiness. There are indications that significant delays in the main geostationary satellite payload of the mission last year may have been responsible for an earlier launch delay.

US SMC Colonel Robert Bongiovi also said that the USSF-52 mission has also been pushed back. Both the missions were supposed to carry the highest-priority national security payloads of the US Military. With this, there is only a scheduled launch of the Falcon Heavy this year. Deputy director of SMC’s launch enterprise Colonel Douglas Pentecost said that the USSF-52 mission was scheduled for October launch but has now been pushed to 2022. Pentecost said that the decision to move the launch to next year has been taken on the basis of ‘launch manifest priorities.’ This mission was earlier scheduled for launch in October this year.

Both the missions are planned to take off from pad 39A of Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Multiple military payloads will be launched by the Falcon Heavy into a high-altitude geosynchronous orbit during the USSF-44 mission. These satellites will be positioned at a height of over 22,000 miles above the equator. The USSF-44 mission of SpaceX would be the most demanding launch yet as the upper stage flight profile will last for more than five hours. SpaceX has now at least five Falcon Heavy launches scheduled for the next year. USSF-52 mission is expected to be the first in the lineup for next year. This will be followed by the launch of ViaSat-3.

AT&T Announces Deal To Merge WarnerMedia With Discovery To Create New Streaming Giant

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AT&T spent USD 85 billion three years ago to purchase Time Warner. The deal turned the US telecom giant into one of the world’s biggest media houses. WarnerMedia has been growing ever since. The success of HBO Max helped it to thrive even better. It must be noted that AT&T owns CNN, HBO, and Warner Bros as it spent USD 108 billion in the acquisition in 2018. But AT&T is apparently regretting its decision. This is because the company is in deep debt. In a bid to reduce the burden of debt, the telecommunication company has decided to spun off the WarnerMedia division and merge it with rival Discovery to create a new streaming giant. This will help the company to compete with rivals like Disney and Netflix. They have a considerable presence in the area of streaming services.

According to AT&T, it would receive around USD 43 billion. This will be in combination with cash, debt, and retention of certain debt of WarnerMedia. Under the agreement, shareholders of AT&T would own 71 percent of stocks and Discovery would get the remaining 29 percent. The final deal is expected to be announced as early as within a week. Once announced, the deal would need approval from regulators. Once done, this would be a reversal of the telecommunication giant’s plan to club distribution and content in a vertically integrated company. But the deal would create an entirely separate company, separate from AT&T. The new streaming company could be valued at around USD 150 billion, including debt.

AT&T CEO John Stankey said that the deal would bring together two of the biggest entertainment leaders. “This will unite two of the biggest leaders of the entertainment industry. The good part is that they will have added strengths of content. This will help the new company to become one of the biggest global direct-to-consumer streaming platforms. Shareholders of AT&T will continue to retain their stakes in the company and will also get some stakes in the new company,” Stankey said in a statement. According to AT&T, the new company will be headed by Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav. Initially, there will be 13 board members. Out of them, seven – including the chairman – will be appointed by AT&T. Remaining six members, including Zaslav, would be chosen by Discovery. Commenting on the announcement, Zaslav said that he is excited about the deal that would combine such historic brands.

Mattel Launches PlayBack Program To Recycle Your Old Barbies, Matchbox Cars

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Most of the manufacturers are aiming to go green and adopting ways to become more sustainable. Even the companies making toys are taking this seriously. This is apparently when Mattel has launched a program wherein it will take all the old toys and recycle them. The company has named the recycling program ‘Mattel PlayBack’. Under this program, Mattel is taking back Mega toys, Barbie, and Matchbox for free and then will reuse the parts to make future products. This is the latest step adopted by Mattel to reach the goal of having 100 per cent recycled, bio-based plastic or recyclable materials for all its products by 2020. The company wants to implement the same for even packaging.

So once you are done, make sure your Barbies don’t end up in the landfill. There is something better that they deserve. Moreover, Mattel is giving a free shipping label for all their qualifying toys. This can be collected from the official website of the company. Visit the official website of Mattel and then click on the ‘get started’ button. Mattel will take one hour after you submit the request to email the label. In order to supply the toys, you will need your own box. But you need not to clean the toys before mailing them. The only thing that the company has requested is to remove the batteries from toys. Mattel will separate all the toys collected on the basis of material type and then have them processed. The company said that those materials that can’t be repurposed will either be converted into other plastic products or used for making energy from waste.

Mattel is already working on making more eco-friendly toys. It used plant-based plastics to make three Mega Bloks sets last year. There is already a fully recyclable Uno deck that is called “Nothing’ But Paper.” Matchbox too showed its own tiny Tesla Roadster which was made from 99 per cent recycled materials and certified CarbonNeutral. It will be available to buy next year. And the most important thing is that the packaging will be done with recyclable and compostable material. It must be noted that there are other toymakers that are aiming to go green. Lego has already launched a program Replay under which it donates used bricks to non-profit organisations of children in the United States. Similarly, Hasbro has joined hands with TerraCycle to give a free shipping label to its consumer so that they can responsibly dispose of Hasbro toys and games.

Discord To Stay Independent As Company Ends Talks To Sell Itself To Microsoft

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Discord has reportedly decided not to sell itself to Microsoft or any other company for now. The hot voice chat app was apparently in talks with the tech giant to sell itself. The talks that started in March had valued Discord for around USD 10 billion. The company was negotiating with at least three other companies besides Microsoft. Other potential buyers reportedly included both Epic Games and Amazon. Despite all the big names on the list of buyers, Discord has reportedly decided to stay independent. People privy to the development also said that the chat app is considering a potential public listing to build on the reputation.

The chat app already has over 140 million monthly users. But the only worry for the company is that it is not profit making. This despite the fact that it earned about USD 130 million in revenue last year. Microsoft was interested in the deal because of Discord’s role as a home for online communities. Creators who look for cultivating their own forums go for the Discord app. Also, homegrown groups that are at the centre of the video and tabletop roleplaying games are using the app. Microsoft is desperately looking for a way to be a part of the day-to-day lives of a large number of consumers.

The company is lagging behind in this and it was hoping a solution through the deal. This is the reason Microsoft has launched Teams for personal use. But is Discord is better placed and has built-in familiarity with consumers. Users of Discord don’t get the feeling of enterprise software. While some reports suggest that Microsoft is still looking for a way forward, Discord has decided to go in its own way. This decision makes sense as the company is looking to keep its unique identity intact. This wouldn’t be possible by getting merged with a big company. Also, the valuation of the company has doubled recently and the prospects are looking bright in 2021. Discord was even well ahead of the latest apps like Clubhouse.

Lancet Assessment Says SARS-CoV-2 Virus Predominantly Transmitted Through Air

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The silent transmission of Covid-19 has made the situation worse. The virus is wreaking havoc globally. According to a new assessment carried in the popular medical journal The Lancet, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is predominantly transmitted through the air. The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes Covid-19 disease. It said that strong evidence and data are available that show that the virus is transmitted through the air. Several past studies suggested that Covid-19 infection may spread through the air. However, it could not be confirmed as studies were inconclusive. The latest claim is based on an analysis made by six experts from the US, Canada, and Britain. They said that measures failing to treat the infection are only leaving people unprotected and allowing the virus to spread.

Back in July 2020, more than 200 scientists from 32 nations had written to the World Health Organization that there is evidence available suggesting Covid-19 is airborne. They submitted that smaller particles too pose a serious threat and can infect people. It noted that WHO and other world agencies should urgently take note of scientific evidence and focus on mitigation. It called for tough measures to reduce airborne transmission. The assessment added that transmission of virus multiplies indoors than outdoors. It said that transmission from people not showing symptoms like sneezing and coughing accounts for 40 percent of all transmission. This makes the infection a serious threat for healthy people and affects mass.

Researchers find no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 spreads easily through large droplets. They said that large droplets fall through the air quickly and make the surface contaminated. They cited long-range transmission between people in adjacent rooms in hotels. They said that the virus even affects people who were never in touch. Researchers said that robust measures should be implemented without any delay to check the airborne transmission. They said that hand hygiene and surface cleaning are important but the emphasis should be on airborne measures because inhalation of the virus will only give a rise to infection. They added that covering the face with a mask can prevent droplets from traveling through air, but not all masks are effective.

Univision Communications, Grupo Televisa Unveils USD 4.8 Million Merger Plan

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Two of the biggest Spanish-language media companies have announced a merger plan. Univision Communications and Grupo Televisa are said to combine their media, production, and content. The new company will be called Televisa-Univision, the companies jointly announced the decision. The process had started last year with the ownership change at Univision and it has now been formalized. After the merger, the new entity will become the largest Spanish language company in the world. According to a person familiar with the development, the new entity will be managed by Univision Chief Executive Wade Davis. The person also said that the deal is likely to be closed later this year.

Davis said that there has never been a Spanish-language media company that was truly global. “Even Univision and Televisa were relegated to their own geographic regions. And this makes the move breathtaking. Especially considering the sizeable audience of the global Spanish language and its marketplace,” Davis was quoted as saying in a report. The new service of Univision also provides live streaming to Univision and UniMas. They are over the air broadcast TV networks of the company. Univision is looking to give a push to its streaming services by using the worldwide recognition of Televisa. Also, the company has a huge vault of Spanish-language programme that Univision can use in the Mexican market and even in the US and abroad.

Univision and Televisa have borrowed a page from the playbook of the Walt Disney Co. It is one of the world’s largest producers and providers of entertainment and information. The company had acquired Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox entertainment two years ago. The deal was worth USD 71 billion. The company was betting on the bulk up on programming. It wanted to take on Netflix by acquiring a majority stake in the Hulu streaming service. Televisa and Univision are now looking to help each other by announcing this multi-billion deal. But Televisa is struggling to adapt to the streaming culture. Despite creating over 86,000 hours of content, it failed to connect with the young audience. The company is now hoping to change things as it already has valuable rights to sports and special events.

Experts Claim Increased Exposure To Sunlight Is Linked To Reduced Risk Of Death Due To COVID19

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A new study has revealed that people who reside in sunnier areas might be at a lower risk of death due to COVID19. The study has been conducted in the US and has been repeated in Italy and England as well. Scientists have compared deaths related to COVID19 with ultraviolet levels of different areas. They have found that areas that are sunnier are linked to fewer deaths due to COVID19. The new study has found that the ratio between the risk of death in a certain group of people and the risk of mortality for all other groups of people has reduced in the US by 29 percent for every 100 kilojoules per square meter increase in average daily ultraviolet light. Experts have said that there has been a combined decline of 32 percent in the risk of mortality due to COVID19 in Italy and England. At present, health experts are trying to find out a correlation between sunlight and reduced risk of death due to COVID19. As per the experts, nitrate oxide is secreted from the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Some studies have revealed that nitrate oxide reduces the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to multiply further. The findings of the study have been released in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Experts have said that other studies have revealed that elevated exposure to sunlight is linked to a low risk of heart attack and lower blood pressure. Both these aspects might be able to reduce the risk of mortality due to COVID19. Experts who have been involved with the new study have said that the reduced risk of death linked to COVID19 cannot be explained by vitamin D levels in the local population. The study has been based in regions where UVB (type B ultraviolet) levels are too less to produce major vitamin D levels in the body.  The study has accounted for other known risk parameters linked to exposure and an elevated risk of death due to COVID19 including age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, rate of infection in the area, air pollution, and temperature. As the study has been observational, it has not been able to show cause and effect.

Health experts have said that there is a need for further studies to find out the cause and effect and if cause and effect are established, sunlight can act as an effortless public health intervention. The corresponding author of the study, Dr. Richard Weller, who is also a consultant dermatologist and reader at the University of Edinburgh, has said that the findings of the study show sunlight exposure as one of the effective ways of reducing the risk of death due to COVID19. Health experts have said that the results of the study might be quite relevant to Israel. Israel is a sunny nation with high levels of the UV index.

Start-up Airline Avelo Unveils 11 Routes, Offering Introductory Rate Of USD 19

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With ease in coronavirus-induced lockdown, start-up airline thinks it is the right time to begin flying. The budget carrier has announced 11 new routes and it will commence flight services from April 28. The airline is in limelight because of the introductory rates it is offering. Avelo has announced that it will launch its service with one-way fares beginning at USD 19. The airline said that it will fly passengers in a 189-seat Boeing 737-800 plane. It said that initially, the focus will be on smaller airports in California. Other destinations that Avelo will be covering include Colorado, Oregon, and Montana.

The airline said that the ticket price is part of the introductory offer that is temporary. Avelo is the first new major airline in the United States in the past 15 years. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Levy said the routes have been decided considering the fact that there is little if any, direct competition. “We have a lot of hopes and we are in a great place to launch flight services. Considering that we will be running during the summer peak season, we are expecting good footfall,” Levy said in Burbank, California. Levy understands that if properly executed, the small airport strategy can be highly profitable.

Avelo was planned to launch last year but it was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. As per the information shared by International Air Travel Association, the COVID-19 pandemic has cost the industry around USD 380 billion. Levy and his team then spent all the time to make sure that the airline would be ready to offer services when the travel industry showed signs of recovery. The airline has adopted the strategy of offering services to those airports that have little airline services. Local tourism and business leaders are excited about the new airline and are of the view that the routes picked by it will make the life of lots of travelers easy.

Jeff Bezos Says Prime Has 200 Million Subscribes Globally, Writes Letter Ahead Of Stepping Down

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Amazon Prime has reached a new milestone. Amazon Prime is an online video-on-demand service. It has reached a user base of 200 million worldwide. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said that the platform saw a massive jump in users during the pandemic, almost a rise of 50 million. Several OTT platforms saw new users subscribing to their subscriptions during the pandemic. Bezos made the revelation in his final annual letter to the company shareholders. Bezos’s letter comes days ahead of him stepping down from the post. He will now serve as executive chairman after leaving the CEO’s chair. He will be replaced by Andy Jassy. Jassy’s current role is at Amazon Web Series where he serves as the CEO.

As an executive chairman, Bezos will work on the company’s side projects. According to Bezos’ letter, the company hired 500,000 employees last year. Amazon currently provides direct employment to 1.3 million people globally. He added that Amazon Prime has now more than 200 million subscribers. He said that Web Services has millions of customers. The year 2020 ended with over USD 50 billion annualized run rate. As many as 1.9 million businesses sell their products in the Amazon store. These small and medium businesses comprise approximately 60 percent of Amazon’s total retail sales. More than 100 million customers have connected smart devices to its virtual assistant service Alexa.

Bezos in the latter underlined that he has created a wealth of USD 1.6 trillion for those who own Amazon’s share. He is the biggest shareholder of Amazon. He founded Amazon 27 years ago as an online bookstore. He later expanded its reach by making building it into a shopping and entertainment behemoth. Bezos is holding the CEO’s chair since he founded the company. Bezos said as he vacates the CEO’s office, he will continue to have a broad influence over the company’s businesses and functioning. Bezos also owns Blue Origin which is a space exploration firm. The company is bidding for NASA’s vehicle that will take humans to Moon. Besides, Bezos has a handsome stake in Washington Post.

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