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Indian police mull firing chilli powder from drones to quell mobs | Police in the cyber crime department of India's Aurangabad city are mulling patenting a system to fire concentrated chilli powder from its new fleet of four drones to quell public uprisings. The drones will carry up to 2 kg of chemically engineered chilli concentrate and be controlled from a command centre. The vehicles will likely be provided by a Chinese manufacturer and used for monitoring and managing unruly gatherings, inspecting crime scenes, capturing live footage and managing traffic.
| https://factordaily.com/india-first-drone-police-squad/ | 2017-11-22 17:02:05.253000 | AURANGABAD — A team of four police constables-turned-drone operators, led by inspector Hemant Todkar, in Aurangabad’s cyber crime department will form India’s first anti-crime dedicated drone squad when it formally launches in few weeks in this Maharashtra city.
Aurangabad police isn’t the first to use drones in policing globally or in India but a unique Indian use case developed by the squad – the proposed sprinkling of concentrated chilli powder through drones to control unruly mobs – is a first. It is perhaps patent-worthy, too, says Yashasvi Yadav, an IIT graduate who is the police commissioner of Aurangabad.
The drone squad will have four drones and will carry up to 2 kg of chilli concentrate. These drones will fly back to the command centre before their batteries drain out or there’s any other emergency, all controlled using software.
”Our officers will fly drones like pros playing video games. We have a back-to-home feature too, whereby drones will come back to the starting point if they run out of battery or there’s an emergency or they run out of chilli powder.” Yadav did not mention the name of the drones manufacturer but it is likely to be of Chinese make and will cost around Rs 15 lakh for four of them.
Yadav, who is betting on drones as the latest crime-fighting tool, says there are three immediate applications to be carried out when the drone squad formally launches in few weeks: monitoring and managing unruly mobs by spraying chilli powder, reaching the crime scene and relaying live imagery for identifying criminals, and traffic management.
“The biggest problem we are trying to solve is disbursal of unlawful assembly (of people). The problem in India is that for every small or big issues, there are agitations and marches and many of them turn violent. They make allegations against police, there are riots, damages done to public property and so on,” Yadav says.
The drones will be a deterrent, the commissioner says. “With drones watching and tracking, the mobsters will think twice before creating trouble.”
The video evidence, further, will be as good as it gets in a court of law, Yadav adds. “In a way, it will be unimpeachable evidence. Right now, we are relying on witnesses who sometimes turn hostile because of threats or even insensitivity.”
There are plans to add a dye solution to the drone payload, too, to identify the rioters. “We are going to be putting dye in chilli powder so that whoever is part of an unlawful assembly gets marked. Later, after arrest, that person cannot claim he was not part of the assembly,” Yadav says.
As reported by Times of India’s Aurangabad crime reporter Mohammed Akhef earlier this year, the drone experiments started in May itself.
Police teams in the US have been using drones for rescue and search operations, traffic management, crime scene analysis, crowd monitoring and so on, according to Dronefly. The instances of drones helping nab criminals in the US has prompted tech-savvy officers such as Yadav to explore newer applications in India.
In India, there have been efforts to track illegal fishing in national reserves and to catch sand mining smugglers.
“Policing in india has become a very herculean, difficult and complex task because of burgeoning population, multiple faiths and their festivals. Whenever we used to discuss these issues with our officers and experts, it was mostly about better infrastructure and the police to public ratio, which effectively means increasing the number of policemen,” says Yadav.
“Now india’s population is so huge that if you go by the western standards, we might have to increase the force by at least ten times from where we are today, which is impossible given the costs involved.”
“There’s also a human factor, which results in mistakes and other complexities; drones negate those issues.”
Aurangabad’s anti-crime drone squad is taking wings after India announced a draft policy framework for use of drones in the country that will encourage the commercial use of drones in areas as diverse as construction to agriculture, industrial monitoring to photography, disaster management to physical deliveries — potentially giving rise to a new industry that could generate millions of dollars in revenues and thousands of jobs.
The chilly drones
Commissioner Yadav’s love for drones goes back to the year 2015 when he was the superintendent of police in Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state. Back then, he used drones as part of a pilot to monitor crowds in festivals such as Muharram. But, the experiment only used mild pepper spray.
Facial recognition and automatic number plate capturing technologies were also deployed in Lucknow along with CCTV cameras resulting in a reduction of prevailing crime rates by over 60%, Yadav claims. “I’ve always thought that technology could be a good force multiplier.”
In August this year, Yadav and his team in Aurangabad piloted drones for monitoring and managing festive crowd during the “Ganesh Chaturthi” festival, during which idols of the Hindu God Ganesha are immersed in water bodies by crowds of devotees.
The chilli powder to be used in the drones is being developed at a chemical lab in Aurangabad.
“We concentrate chilli powder in a chemical lab, where effectiveness of the powder is increased by 3 to 4 times. The drones are going to be fitted with a pump which will spray chilli concentrate on unruly mob. It’s non lethal and no permanent damage is caused,” he says. “We have finished live experiments with drones, included on our own cops.”
During the pilot in August this year in Aurangabad, Todkar and his team used only two drones, primarily for monitoring crowd activity from 10 am to midnight on the day of idol immersion.
“There were no incidents and the drones were helpful in monitoring localised activities,” says Todkar, a mathematics graduate who’s been working in Aurangabad’s cyber crime department for one and half years.
For all the promised benefits in fighting crime using drones by police teams, sceptics are worried about the potential misuse and invasion of privacy by the handlers.
“Even with chilli powder concentrate, these are kind of weaponised drones. Who is going to be accountable, who will ensure their rightful use?” asks a former superintendent of police from Karnataka who had evaluated use of drones couple of years ago. He requested anonymity because he didn’t want to upset his former colleagues.
“Like with many surveillance tools, even drones can be used for visual snooping, perhaps much more effectively and mischievously than anything else,” he added.
For his part, Yadav sees drones as replacing conventional ways of managing unruly mobs in a “non-lethal” way.
“The only alternative for drones right now, is “lathi charge” because tear gas shells are totally ineffective. In fact, the rioters pick up the shells and throw them back at the cops. Also, for “lathi charge” to be effective, police should outnumber the mob, which is generally not the case and the cops get beaten when the crowd is bigger. Another option is to use rubber bullets, but it can be lethal. Third is using real bullets. Drones are a non-lethal replacement for all of them,” argues Yadav.
Aurangabad Police has a workforce of some 4,000 to police a city population of some 1.5 million.
Finally, drones can go where no cops can, at least at the speed at which they can respond. When someone calls the police helpline number, depending on the severity of a crime, the drone squad can be activated.
“A drone can reach fastest to a scene of crime. If there’s a robbery or dacoity complaint, drones can reach the crime scene, lock the target and follow them wherever they go, or escape. It will be on automated locking mode. We will know the exact location, vehicle details, unless there’s a big obstruction in the line of sight,” says Yadav. |
InventoryBase aims to increase transparency for inspection checks | InventoryBase, a provider of cloud-based property inspection software, is supporting the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks' (AIIC) bid for mandatory inventories for all private residential tenancies in the UK. While mandatory tenancy deposit protection was introduced in 2007, legislation hasn't been introduced regarding the recording of inventory. The AIIC hopes to capitalise on an ongoing review into the quality of the sector by a cross-party government committee. “We think it’s great that The AIIC have decided to take a step forward in making such a needed change within the industry", said Steve Rad, managing director of InventoryBase.
| https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2017/11/inventorybase-supporting-mandatory-landlord-inventories | 2017-11-22 16:30:21.993000 | A new petition, which has been created by the AIIC, aims to encourage the government to consider the benefits of mandatory inventory reporting as part of its plans to increase regulation of the Private Rented Sector.
An independent inventory ensures that there is no room for ambiguity during the check-in and check-out procedures, which in turn dramatically reduces the number of deposit disputes, according to InventoryBase, which provides cloud-based property inspection software.
InventoryBase has announced that it is supporting the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) in their bid for mandatory inventories for all private residential tenancies.
Alongside the ongoing high-profile consultation on the leasehold and management sector, there is currently a review into improving the quality of the sector being carried out by an all-party Communities & Local Government Select Committee of MPs.
“It’s clear the government is keen to increase regulation and professionalism in the letting sector and we see no reason why mandatory inventory reporting should not be a part of this movement,” said Danny Zane, joint chair of the AIIC.
Compulsory tenancy deposit protection was introduced in 2007, but there has never been any additional legislation concerning the documentary evidence required to enable adjudicators to adequately arbitrate on disputes.
Steve Rad, managing director of InventoryBase, commented: “We think it’s great that The AIIC have decided to take a step forward in making such a needed change within the industry. We deal with many different providers of lettings and see the importance every day of having reports of a good standard for the benefit of both tenant and landlord.”
You can review and sign the petition by clicking here.
Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future. |
German onshore wind tender sees price drop to €38.2/MWh | Germany’s Federal Network Agency has awarded 1,000 MW of clean energy capacity at an average price of €38.2 ($44.85)/MWh in its latest onshore wind auction, the third this year. The average price in the first auction was €57.1/MWh, falling to €42.9/MWh in the second one. Almost all of the 210 bids came from citizens’ co-operatives and the regulator approved 61 of them. More than half of the successful projects are in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg – 17 and 16, respectively, totalling 270 MW each. | https://renewablesnow.com/news/germanys-3rd-onshore-wind-tender-sees-price-drop-to-eur-382mwh-591994/?utm_source=Renewables+Now_subscribers+and+newsletter&utm_campaign=40c1e284b0-Renewables_Now_The_Daily_Newsletter_15_06_15_2017&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_990771841c-40c1e284b0-259643785 | 2017-11-22 15:49:46.607000 | Germany’s Federal Network Agency announced today it has awarded 1,000.4 MW of capacity in a heavily oversubscribed wind tender that saw the average price decrease to EUR 38.2 (USD 44.85) per MWh.
The network regulator, also known as the Bundesnetzagetur, approved a total of 61 onshore wind projects after receiving 210 bids for a total of 2,591 MW. About 98% of the successful bids came from citizens’ cooperatives.
The states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg got the largest number of successful bids -- 17 and 16, respectively. Each of the two states will see 270 MW of wind turbines be deployed.
This is Germany’s third onshore wind auction this year. The average successful bid in the second tender, held in August, arrived at EUR 42.9/MWh, while that in the first one amounted to EUR 57.1/MWh.
(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.174)
Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free! |
Investigation launched into Uber's $100,000 hack cover-up | The New York State Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, has confirmed an investigation will be launched into the coverup of Uber's 2016 data breach, which affected 57 million users. The ride-hailing company paid $100,000 to silence the hackers. Uber has previously tangled with Schneiderman over the "God View" data abuse scandal, as well as over its failure to reveal a 2014 data breach. Uber is also set to face legal problems over the 2016 breach in California, where such events must be brought to the attention of the attorney general "in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay". | http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2017/11/22/new-york-attorney-general-launches-uber-investigation-over-hacking-cover-up/ | 2017-11-22 15:46:10.077000 | New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has opened an investigation into Uber’s concealment of a data breach in 2016, according to a report.
57 million riders and drivers were affected by a 2016 data breach, which Uber attempted to cover up by paying off the hackers to stay silent.
Usernames, email addresses, and phone numbers were all exposed by the hack.
“The revelation that Uber concealed a major 2016 data breach affecting 57 million users and paid hackers to destroy the evidence is yet another PR nightmare from Uber’s darkest era, but it’s also a major problem when it comes to state laws around data breach disclosure practices,” reported Tech Crunch on Tuesday. “In light of Bloomberg’s report, the office of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman confirmed to TechCrunch that it has opened an investigation into the incident.”
Tech Crunch also added that Uber could face problems in their home state of California for the attempted data breach cover up.
“Given the New York Attorney General’s interest in the latest Uber scandal, it follows that Uber will likely be in the hot seat in its home state of California, where under Civil Code 1798.82 businesses are required to disclose data breaches affecting more than 500 state residents to the Attorney General ‘in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay’,” they explained.
In response to the incident, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi declared, “None of this should have happened, and I will not make excuses for it. We are changing the way we do business.”
“At the time of the incident, we took immediate steps to secure the data and shut down further unauthorized access by the individuals,” he continued, adding, “We also implemented security measures to restrict access to and strengthen controls on our cloud-based storage accounts.”
The investigation is the latest in a string of bad news for Uber. There have been numerous claims of sexual assault and harassment by Uber drivers, and last week, a lawsuit filed against Uber by two women who claim to have been sexually assaulted by Uber drivers claimed “thousands of female passengers have endured unlawful conduct by their Uber drivers.”
Uber has previously attacked Breitbart News, demanding its advertisements be removed from the website and declaring that the ridesharing company wants “nothing to do” with Breitbart News and its readers.
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington and Gab @Nash, or like his page at Facebook. |
Eye-tracking device Senhance approved for surgical robotics | TransEnterix has received approval for a robotically assisted surgical device that tracks the pupils of surgeons who are using it, enabling them to pan all over the surgical field using only eye movements. The Senhance System is the first new product in the abdominal surgical robotics market since 2000, said TransEnterix. The North Carolina firm carried out studies of 195 patients undergoing gynecological and colorectal procedures with the Senhance System in real-world settings. Outcomes were found to be comparable with the da Vinci Si Surgical System and thus met the approval criteria set by the Food and Drug Administration. | https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2664025 | 2017-11-22 15:36:30.307000 | Minimally invasive surgery has gotten a boost with the approval of a new robotically assisted surgical device.
The Senhance System builds on traditional laparoscopic surgery with ergonomic improvements and technological advancements. New eye-sensing technology tracks surgeons’ pupils so they can pan throughout the surgical field using only eye movements. Surgeons also can zoom in or out by moving toward or away from the screen. Force feedback also helps surgeons feel whether the tissue they’re grasping with the robotic arm is stiff or flexible. |
Marketing firm Hypetap poaches talent from Pandora and Unruly | In its first hiring moves in Sydney, the Victoria-based influencer marketing firm Hypetap has secured Nick Robson from Unruly and Nad Fathi from Pandora to come on board as commercial director and sales manager respectively. Robson, who was executive group director at adtech firm Unruly, will set up a team in Sydney and focus on acquiring new clients. Fathi will promote the visibility of the Hypetap brand in Sydney. Hypetap has grown rapidly recently, with revenues up by 416% since 2016.
| http://www.bandt.com.au/marketing/influence-marketer-hypetap-recruit-unruly-pandora-staff | 2017-11-22 15:36:00.817000 | The influencer marketing provider Hypetap has appointed its first Sydney hires with Nick Robson as its commercial director and Naz Fathi as sales manager.
Robson will set up a team in Sydney and head the company’s sales division with a focus on growing Hypetap’s current client portfolio, maintaining relationships with existing clients, as well as identifying partnership opportunities.
Prior to joining Hypetap, Robson was executive group sales director at ad-tech company, Unruly. He was the company’s first employee in Australia and responsible for the post-merger integration of Unruly’s sales teams with News Corp Australia when acquired in 2015. He’s held similar positions at Future Arts Media, a digital agency specialising in the creation of strategic content solutions and spent time on the media agency side, starting out with Dentsu Aegis.
Fathi joins from Pandora, and will be responsible for helping grow the Hypetap brand in the Sydney market.
The appointments follow a period of rapid growth for Hypetap, having doubled its team and it’s influencer network, as well as quadrupling revenue (416 per cent) over the past 12 months (FY 17 from FY 16). The company also recently closed a capital raise with big-name investors including the likes of Amanda Coote (Founder of Forever New), Joe Hanna and a prominent media family out of New York and their local partner.
The move expands Hypetap’s national footprint with a physical presence now in Sydney and Melbourne.
“Nick’s experience creating highly resonant data-driven content, background in growing sales teams and strong network in Sydney, makes him the perfect person to help propel Hypetap’s growth even further,” commented Detch Singh, co-founder and co-CEO, Hypetap.
“More brands are understanding the value of influencer marketing and now looking to implement more sophisticated and long-term campaigns. Having someone on board with Nick’s experience, as well as Naz, will allow us to continue this growth and ensure we’re delivering bigger and better campaigns for our clients.”
Robson said of his appointment, “It’s an exciting time to come on board. The company is growing extremely fast and making waves in the influencer marketing industry. Hypetap’s position as the premium provider, with its strong focus on data and technology is what really drew me to the company. I’m looking forward to growing the Sydney team and client portfolio so we can continue to deliver impactful campaigns for our clients.” |
Air pollution shown to damage sperm quality | Air pollution is linked to poor sperm quality and could be a factor in the significant decline in male fertility, which has seen sperm counts more than halve in 40 years, according to research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The study analysed sperm from almost 6,500 men and identified a “strong association” between high levels of PM2.5 fine particulate air pollution and “abnormal sperm shape”. The report concludes that although the impact is “relatively small in clinical terms” it could still cause infertility for a “significant number of couples” given pollution levels in cities across the globe. | https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/22/air-pollution-linked-to-poor-sperm-quality | 2017-11-22 15:26:56.507000 | High levels of air pollution are associated with poor sperm quality and could be partly responsible for the sharp drop in male fertility, according to a new study.
A team of scientists, led by researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, studied the sperm of nearly 6,500 men and found a “strong association” between high levels of fine particulate air pollution and “abnormal sperm shape.”
The report, published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine, said that although the effect is “relatively small in clinical terms” it might still lead to infertility for a “significant number of couples” given the extent of air pollution in cities around the world.
“We found a robust association between exposure to PM2.5 air pollution and low percentage of sperm normal morphology in reproductive-age men,” the researchers wrote.
“Although the effect estimates are small and the significance might be negligible in a clinical setting, this is an important public health challenge.”
Sperm counts among men have more than halved in the last 40 years although scientists are unsure of the cause. Fertility experts greeted the latest research with caution.
Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield, welcomed the report but said that although the findings “may seem quite interesting” the assessment of “sperm size and shape [sperm morphology] is one of the most difficult tests to carry out on sperm and therefore can be less accurate. Moreover, many doctors and scientists now believe that on its own poor sperm morphology is probably not as clinically relevant as we once thought it was.”
Richard Sharpe, an expert in male reproductive health and professor at the University of Edinburgh, said he was “thoroughly underwhelmed” by the findings.
“Sperm morphology is highly variable, both between men and within the ejaculate of an individual man … So changes of the order of magnitude reported here in association with exposure to fine particulate matter are unlikely to be of any great relevance to likely fertility, as the authors admit.”
Sharpe also questioned whether the study had made enough allowance for other factors such as socioeconomic status and diet.
The study looked at 15 to 49-year-old men in Taiwan between 2001 and 2014. It assessed sperm quality and measured the level of fine particulate pollution, which is caused by cars, dust from construction and wood burning, around participants’ homes.
The scientists found a strong association between PM2.5 exposure and abnormal sperm shape. It was associated with a heightened risk of being in the bottom 10% of normal sperm size and shape, after taking account of potential factors, such as smoking and drinking, age and weight.
The study acknowledged that it was unclear how air pollution, which is known to contribute to millions of deaths around the world each year, could impair sperm development. But researchers said many of the components of fine particulate matter, such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, have been linked to sperm damage in previous experimental studies.
The researchers acknowledged that this was an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and they said they were not privy to information on any previous fertility problems of those involved.
But Pacey said it was an important contribution to developing an understanding of the potential causes of male infertility.
“From this and other studies, I remain of the opinion that air pollution probably does have the potential to negatively influence male reproductive health.
“But the jury is still out about quite how and to what extent this impacts on male fertility, rather than measurable and small interesting changes in semen quality.” |
Air pollution shown to damage sperm quality | Air pollution is linked to poor sperm quality and could be a factor in the significant decline in male fertility, which has seen sperm counts more than halve in 40 years, according to research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The study analysed sperm from almost 6,500 men and identified a “strong association” between high levels of PM2.5 fine particulate air pollution and “abnormal sperm shape”. The report concludes that although the impact is “relatively small in clinical terms” it could still cause infertility for a “significant number of couples” given pollution levels in cities across the globe. | http://oem.bmj.com/content/early/2017/10/21/oemed-2017-104529 | 2017-11-22 15:26:56.507000 | Air pollution has become the world’s largest single environmental health risk. Exposure to ambient air pollution was estimated to cause >3.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012. 7 PM is the most important air pollutant and affects more people than any other pollutants. There has been a large volume of epidemiological studies examining air pollution and its various health outcomes including birth defects. However, only a few studies with small samples have investigated the health effects of ambient PM on semen quality in humans, and the results have been inconsistent. 8–15 In addition, most of these studies focused on the acute or short-term effects, despite the fact that people generally suffer from prolonged exposure. Chronic, low-dose exposure may contribute to significant spermatogenesis impairment. 16 Moreover, previous studies have generally estimated PM exposure using residential proximity to routine ground-level air pollution monitoring stations. The exposure is typically at the community (district, county or city) rather than the individual level, with the same exposure level assigned to all of a community’s. This limitation may mask the variation, or cause misclassification, thus leading to the inconsistent results of possible effects associated with PM air pollution. We therefore investigated the health effects of exposure (including long-term exposure and a spermatogenic cycle exposure) to fine PM— PM with an aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 µm (PM 2.5 )—on semen quality in Taiwanese men from the general population, using a spatiotemporal model based on satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) data to estimate each participant’s PM 2.5 exposure.
Infertility is a global public health concern. It was estimated that 48.5 million couples worldwide were infertile in 2010, 1 with men contributing >50%. 2 Environmental exposure to chemicals, including air pollutants, has been considered as one of the potential factors contributing to deteriorated semen quality, 3 although the biological mechanisms remain uncertain. Many of the components of ambient particulate matter (PM), such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been shown to have toxic effects on semen quality in animal experiments. 4–6 Oxidative stress induced by particles is also of the potential to disturb spermatogenesis.
We further performed subgroup analyses stratified by normal and abnormal semen parameters according to reference values from the WHO guidelines. 22 A total of 1524 participants were categorised into abnormal group because they had at least one of the four semen parameters lower than the following reference limits: 15×10 6 /mL for sperm concentration, 40% for total motility, 32% for progressive motility and 4% for normal morphology. Consequently, the other 4951 participants were categorised into normal group.
We used multivariable linear regression models to evaluate the associations between PM 2.5 exposure and each semen quality parameter. Sperm concentration was log-transformed for data analysis due to its skewed distribution. A crude model without adjustment and three adjusted models were developed with potential confounders added gradually: model 1 was adjusted for age (years), education (high school or lower, college or university and postgraduate), smoking status (never, former and current), alcohol consumption (less than once/week, 1–3 times/week and >3 times/week), exercise (<1 hour/week, 1–2 hours/week and >2 hours/week) and occupational exposure to dust and organic solvents (yes and no); model 2 was further adjusted for BMI (calculated as weight (kg) divided by the square of height (m)), systolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose and total cholesterol (all as continuous variables); model 3 was further adjusted for season (calendar season) and year of the medical examination (categorical variable). Short-term and long-term effects of PM 2.5 exposure were analysed separately for comparison. The effect estimates were calculated for an increment of every 5 µg/m 3 in average PM 2.5 concentrations. The potential effect modifications by age group (<35 years vs ≥35 years), smoking (never vs ever) and overweight (BMI ≥25.0 vs <25.0 kg/m 2 ) were examined by adding multiplicative interactions terms between PM 2.5 and these factors. Each potential modifier was examined in separate models.
Each participant’s address was geo-coded into latitude and longitude, and address-specific monthly and yearly average PM 2.5 concentrations were calculated afterwards. The estimated annual average concentrations in Taiwan and at the participants’ locations are presented in figure 1 . The south-western and middle-eastern areas were generally the most and least heavily polluted, respectively. Most of the participants lived in the western area with apparent gradients of exposure. Because a spermatogenic cycle is around 3 months, we calculated 3-month average concentration (based on the concentrations of the month of the medical examination and the 2 months before the medical examination) to assess the short-term effects. We also calculated 2-year average concentration (based on the concentrations of the year of the medical examination and the year before the medical examination) as an indicator of long-term exposure to ambient PM 2.5 air pollution.
A spatiotemporal model with high resolution (1×1 km) was developed based on satellite AOD data to retrieve ground-level PM 2.5 concentrations. The details have been described elsewhere. 17 This model was validated with ground-measured data from >70 monitoring stations in Taiwan from 2005 to 2014. (PM 2.5 data were only available for three monitoring stations from 2000 to 2004. Thus, validations were not conducted for this period.) The correlation coefficients ranged from 0.72 to 0.83 for yearly average PM 2.5 , and 0.70 to 0.81 for monthly average PM 2.5 in different years (see online supplementary figure 1 ).
All of the participants were required to be sexually abstinent 2–7 days before contributing semen samples. They were then instructed to collect semen samples in sterile containers by masturbation. If the sample was collected at home, the participant was required to mark down the time and send the sample to laboratory immediately. No assessments were conducted if the duration was longer than 2 hours after ejaculation. The semen samples were analysed at the MJ Health Screening Center’s central laboratory using standard protocols based on the WHO guidelines. 21 Sperm concentration, total motility (percentage of motile sperm), progressive motility (percentage of sperm with progressive motility) and morphology (percentage of sperm of normal morphology) were assessed by trained technicians. The assessment began as soon as the ejaculates had liquefied, and were completed within 1 hour of sample collection. An aliquot of the sample was put into a diluent solution and thoroughly mixed for the concentration assessment. A microcell counting chamber was used in six areas at a total microscope magnification of ×400. For the motility assessment, a 10 µL well-mixed sample from another aliquot was placed on a glass slide covered with a coverslip, and then examined at a total microscope magnification of ×400. Two hundred sperm cells were examined and classified into WHO motility categories A, B, C or D. The percentages of total motile sperm (A+B+C) and sperm with progressive motility (A+B) were calculated. Other smears were also prepared and air-dried, and then used for the morphology assessment. The WHO ‘strict’ criteria were used to examine 200 sperm cells and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm was calculated.
There were 1 58 542 male participants of reproductive age (15–49 years) 21 who participated in the programme from 2001 to 2014, when satellite AOD data from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration were available for air pollution exposure estimation. During the study period, 6938 participants voluntarily selected a semen quality examination. Generally, participants receiving semen measurements were comparable with all the 1 58 542 male participants in terms of age, educational level, smoking habits and body mass index (BMI) (see online supplementary table 1 ). Only 211 participants (3.0%) had multiple visits with two or more semen tests, therefore, repeated-measures analysis was not conducted. A total of 463 participants with incomplete information were excluded (1 on anthropometric measures, 3 on blood test results, 174 on educational level, 236 on lifestyle factors and 49 on PM 2.5 exposure estimates due to missing address) and 6475 participants were ultimately included in data analysis. The 463 excluded participants had similar age and semen parameters (all p>0.05).
We studied male participants from a large cohort consisting of Taiwanese residents who participated in a standard medical examination programme run by a private firm (MJ Health Management Institution, Taipei, Taiwan). The details have been documented elsewhere. 17–19 All procedures of the medical examination programme are approved according to ISO9001. Information on the medical examinations and related quality control can be accessed in the Technical Report of the MJ Health Research Foundation. 20 In brief, the participants received a series of medical examinations including general physical examinations, anthropometric measurements and biochemical tests of blood and urine. They also completed a standard self-administered questionnaire survey. The semen quality assessment was voluntarily selected by the male participants. All of the participants gave written informed consent when they joined the programme.
The results of the regression models are summarised in table 3 . Both short-term and long-term exposure had similar effects on sperm concentration and morphology. An increment of 5 µg/m 3 in PM 2.5 was associated with an increase in sperm concentration (1.02×10 6 /mL for short-term exposure and 1.03×10 6 /mL for long-term exposure) and reduced risk of decreased concentration (OR was 0.90 for both short-term and long-term exposure). In contrast, an increment of 5 µg/m 3 in PM 2.5 was associated with a decrease in normal morphology (0.83% for short-term exposure and 1.29% for long-term exposure) and increased risk of decreased normal morphology (ORs were 1.18 for short-term exposure and 1.26 for long-term exposure). There were no associations observed for progressive motility. Regarding the total motility, the association was not significant for short-term exposure in logistic regression analysis.
Distribution of PM 2.5 from 2001 to 2014; 3-month refers to the month of and the 2 months before the visit; 2-year refers to the year of and the year before the visit. Boxes cover the 25–75th percentile (IQR) with a centre line for the median concentration. Whiskers extend to the highest observation within 3 IQR of the box, with more extreme observations shown as circles. PM 2.5 , particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm.
PM 2.5 distribution among the participants is shown by year in figure 2 and locations of the study participants are shown in figure 1 . The PM 2.5 concentrations varied spatially among the participants within each year. The overall mean 3-month and 2-year PM 2.5 concentrations were 25.8 (SD: 8.5) and 26.1 (SD: 7.3) μg/m 3 , with IQRs of 7.9 and 5.9 µg/m 3 , respectively. The 3-month and the 2-year PM 2.5 concentration were highly correlated (correlation coefficient=0.81, p<0.001).
The semen characteristics by year are shown in table 2 . For all of the participants, the mean (SD) values for sperm concentration, total motility, progressive motility and normal morphology were 54.0 (41.3)×10 6 /mL, 65.3 (14.5) %, 46.8 (16.1) % and 67.4 (14.9) %, respectively. Linear regression models were used to investigate the trends in semen parameters over the study period adjusting for age. An increasing trend was observed for progressive motility (p<0.001) and no trends were found for other three parameters (all p>0.05).
Discussion
To our knowledge, this is the largest study investigating the health effects of PM 2.5 air pollution on semen quality. It is also the first study considering the effects of both long-term exposure and short-term exposure (in a spermatogenic cycle). We find it is highly correlated between long-term and short-term exposure in this population. Because air pollution is quite stable over the study period, we speculate the exposure in a spermatogenic cycle is similar to the long-term exposure, and the effects are more likely the reflections of long-term exposure. We find robust associations between PM 2.5 exposure and semen quality. Every increment of 5 µg/m3 in 2-year average PM 2.5 is associated with a decrease of 1.29% in sperm normal morphology and a 26% increased risk of having the bottom 10% of sperm normal morphology, after adjusting for a wide range of potential confounders. In contrast, every increment of 5 µg/m3 in 2-year average PM 2.5 is associated with an increase of 1.03×106/mL in sperm concentration and a 10% decreased risk of having the bottom 10% of sperm concentration. The associations remain robust in the analyses by taking into account a wide range of potential confounders, using different statistical methods (linear and logistic regression) and categorising participants into normal and abnormal groups.
The negative association between air pollution and normal morphology was also reported in the Teplice Program in Czech Republic,11 and in two recent studies in China and Poland.10 13 The average time course in these studies was 3-month concentration. However, long-term exposure was not taken into account. It is not clear it was a short-term exposure or a surrogate of long-term exposure. Three studies in the USA, which the average time ranged from daily to 3-month concentration, did not observe significant associations.8 9 12 Hansen et al attributed the non-association to the relatively low level of air pollution.9
The mechanism of how air pollution adversely affects sperm morphology is not fully understood. Air pollution-induced oxidative stress has been hypothesised to be one of the contributors to sperm dysfunction. A wide range of air pollutants, such as O 3 , NO 2 and particles, can induce increased oxidative stress,23 which is related to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS and their metabolites can damage DNA, lipids and proteins, altering enzymatic systems and cell apoptosis and, ultimately, lead to decreasing semen quality.24 In addition, PM 2.5 may carry multiple trace elements and PAHs. The toxic effects of metals such as lead and cadmium on spermatogenesis have been well documented in animal models5 6 and confirmed in human studies.25 PAHs, a group of compounds that includes several endocrine disruptors, can also cause sperm alterations through its effects on the hypothalamic pituitary axis and testicular spermatogenesis.4
We observed a positive association between exposure and sperm concentration. This finding is not in line with previous studies, most of which have not observed significant associations between air pollution and sperm concentration.8 9 11 Sokol et al reported a negative association between O 3 and sperm concentration.12 A recent study by Zhou et al reported a positive association between sperm concentration and PM 10 ,13 which is similar to our study. Regarding motility, the associations also remain uncertain. Hammoud et al and Selevan et al observed a negative association,8 11 whereas no associations were observed in other studies.10 12 13 The reasons for the positive associations between exposure and sperm concentration in the present study need to be elucidated by further studies. We hypothesise that the slight increases in sperm concentration are a compensatory phenomenon. Numerous studies have demonstrated the hormesis phenomenon on chemical aerosol exposure and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH).26 Low-dose exposure may increase the levels of FSH and LH, which strengthen spermatogenesis, thus increasing sperm concentration. Further studies are warranted to investigate the underlying mechanism.
We did not observe decline trends in semen quality over the study period. Although the trend of progressive motility was statistically significant, the figures fluctuated over time. The reported global downwards trend in semen quality has not been concluded because previous studies exhibit great heterogeneity due to geographical and/or ethnic variations and different study designs and methodological standards.27 In the present study, we adjusted for the year in the data analyses and the adjustment had few effects.
Compared with previous studies, our study has some important strengths. The large sample size enabled us to have sufficient power to detect the small effects by low-dose exposure. Furthermore, our participants were from a general population rather than being men from infertility clinics. The affluent information on a wide range of potential confounders and modifiers enabled us to consider the effects of these factors. Another advantage is that we used accurate, high-resolution satellite-based technology to estimate PM 2.5 exposure at the individual level. All of the previous studies estimated air pollution exposure at the community level, which may mask exposure variation and result in misclassification. This technology also enables us to obtain short-term and long-term exposure for comparison. |
MTV, Telegraph and Evening Standard test video for Amazon Alexa | UK media companies have begun experimenting with Amazon's Echo Show device, which launched in the country last week. Newspaper The Telegraph now produces a daily bulletin for the device, and chief information officer Chris Taylor expects the technology, if it takes off, to substantially increase its audience. MTV UK News has added Echo Show to the several platforms it produces content for, while The London Evening Standard uses it to highlight the Going Out section of its paper. | https://digiday.com/media/mtv-telegraph-evening-standard-using-amazon-echo-show/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171122 | 2017-11-22 15:14:40.750000 | The Amazon Echo Show, the tech giant’s latest Alexa-enabled device complete with a 7-inch screen, launched last week in the U.K., with media companies like the BBC, The Telegraph and MTV adding video content to their audio skills.
Amazon has flooded the market with variations of its Echo products, such as the more compact Echo Dot, the Echo Spot for connected homes and the Echo Look style assistant, and is maintaining market dominance. Forty percent of U.K. households will have an Amazon Echo device by early next year, and 9 percent of households already do, according to research from Global and Radioplayer.
Yet the Echo Show, which retails at £199.99 in the U.K. and $230 in the U.S., is far from becoming a mainstream product, and monetization is mostly limited to sponsorship packages with brands. But that isn’t stopping publishers from experimenting with it.
Here’s what three media companies are creating for the Echo Show.
The Telegraph
The Telegraph’s editorial team picks five stories to run on its Echo Show daily bulletin, which can be updated throughout the day as further details unfold. The videos are a mix of animation, video clips licensed from news agencies and videos created specifically for the bulletin.
As Amazon made its Alexa personal assistant available on home sound system Sonos, the addition of the screen on the Echo Show signals Amazon is nearing further integration with smart TV manufacturers — or so publishers believe. “We were keen to be on it for launch because if it really takes off within smart TVs, it could very rapidly become a very substantial amount of people who have access to our brand,” said Chris Taylor, chief information officer at The Telegraph.
The Telegraph said it has significantly invested time, effort and resources to get video-centric skills ready for launch. It has hired six people dedicated to creating content for the device, who work in shifts throughout the week predominantly on Echo Show content. “We wouldn’t do that if it wasn’t going well,” Taylor said.
In the last few weeks, in anticipation of the Echo Show launch, the publisher stopped using Amazon’s preprogrammed voice to record audio skills, in favor of its staff reading the bulletins. That’s caused a spike in consumption, although Taylor wouldn’t specify exact numbers.
MTV UK News
MTV UK News has a team of seven people creating content tailored to different platforms like Facebook and Snapchat, and since early October, Amazon Echo. The team covers the top pop culture news and highlights, including fashion, music and YouTube stars, in Echo editions, creating a video to accompany the Echo audio for the Echo Show. Each edition is presenter-led with a different personality for each day of the week — Montana Brown from “Love Island” takes the Monday slot, for example — and contain MTV’s trademark colorful animations.
The Echo Show edition is between two and four minutes long. MTV claims MTV UK News has 150 million monthly video views across third-party platforms, a figure the Echo Show will soon contribute to.
“We want to be on every device the audience is. Voice platforms are going to be huge,” said Joanna Wells, vp of digital content for MTV UK. “You have to have a really good script. Having the different personalities of the presenters keeps it new and fresh.”
Evening Standard
The ESI Media news brand the London Evening Standard is using the Echo Show to showcase the “Going Out” section of its newspaper. This includes a daily edition of five of the top things to do in London, whether that’s shows, restaurants or exhibitions that its journalists have reviewed. Often fronted by journalist David Ellis, the video edition runs between 60 and 90 seconds. Most people have watched the entirety of the videos, according to David Tomchak, digital director for editorial at Evening Standard.
A team of journalists focused on the “Going Out” section create each edition for the Echo Show, which usually takes two people, including a presenter, and features stills and video content shot specifically for the device. Covering news was never on the cards for the Evening Standard, as it’s a crowded space.
“I’m not too bothered about the [audience] numbers right now,” Tomchak said. “It’s more about testing the use of voice command.” For the Evening Standard, listeners could eventually interrupt the skill to book tickets to an event, incorporating e-commerce revenue through ticket sales, for example. |
NHS reveals initial innovation centre tools | The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is offering support and mentoring to start-ups developing novel medical technology via its Innovation Accelerator. Among the firms are RespiraSense, which has developed a plaster-shaped sensor to measure breathing rates and help detect sepsis, and HaMpton, which allows pregnant women to test blood pressure and protein levels to detect symptoms of pre-eclampsia at home. In addition, Waitless offers speedy treatment suggestions for minor injuries, while Dip.io is a home urine test that allows users to check for kidney disease and urinary tract infections.
| https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/22/nhs-respirasense-plaster-sepsis-trial/ | 2017-11-22 15:14:15.357000 | The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is backing a slew of apps and wireless sensors that could help save lives and diagnose patients remotely. RespiraSense, for instance, is a small device that sticks to the side of the user's rib cage. A plaster-shaped sensor measures breathing through the chest and abdomen, before processing and transmitting that information through a small plastic capsule. It can help detect a number of life-threatening conditions including sepsis, a blood infection that causes the body to attack its own organs. Doctors can access the data on a tablet and receive alerts when a patient's breathing hits a dangerous threshold.
The NHS is also championing HaMpton, an app for pregnant women who might be at risk of pre-eclampsia. The condition, characterised by high blood pressure and protein in the urine, usually occurs 20 weeks into a pregnancy. HaMPton allows users to carry out their own blood pressure readings and urine tests at home; the results, along with a short survey, are then recorded in the app and processed by a hospital computer. The alternative — twice-weekly tests at a Maternity Assessment Unit — can be stressful for patients and increases the burden on stretched NHS hospitals.
Other highlights include Waitless, an app that tells patients with minor injuries the fastest way to be treated, and Dip.io, a home urine test that allows patients to check for chronic kidney diseases, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and pre-eclampsia. They all fall under the NHS Innovation Accelerator, a programme designed to increase innovation and use of technology in the healthcare sector. Selected projects have access to experts and mentors inside the NHS, workshops and webinars, and, crucially, bursaries to aid their development. They're all in a trial phase, but it's hoped the best will become standard NHS procedure some day. |
Tencent sees UK's first WeChat Pay tills open in Camden Market | Payments technologies provider SafeCharge has updated its point-of-sale software in London's Camden Market to accept Tencent's WeChat Pay. It's the China-based e-commerce giant's first foray into the UK payments sector, and the north London location is a popular destination for Chinese tourists. SafeCharge, which has more than 1,000 customers, is also in talks with department stores and luxury retailers about rolling out WeChat Pay.
| https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/22/tencent-wechat-pay-camden-uk-launch/ | 2017-11-22 15:12:14.157000 | Walk around Camden Market this weekend and you'll notice that many of the stalls now support WeChat Pay. The mobile payment platform — an extension of Tencent's messaging app WeChat — is big in China but almost unheard of in the UK (at least outside of the Chinese community). So why bother? Well, the north London market is popular with Chinese tourists. SafeCharge, a company that helps businesses process payments, took notice and has updated its point-of-sale (POS) software accordingly. Now, stall owners can accept WeChat Pay with a tablet and compatible till.
Camden is the first place in the UK to accept WeChat Pay at the point of sale. It's a small experiment, but one that could prove fruitful as Christmas draws near. SafeCharge has over 1,000 customers — many of which are based in the UK — and is now talking to other businesses, including department stores and luxury retailers, about similar support. That's not to say WeChat Pay will soon rival Google or Apple's platforms in the UK. But it could be a worthy rival for the Alibaba-owned Alipay, which recently launched a fresh marketing campaign on the London Underground. |
Android devices covertly send location data to Google | Mobile devices running Android software track owners' locations without consent, even when the device has no apps running or SIM card inserted. An investigation by Quartz found that devices connected to the internet have been sending addresses of nearby cell towers to Google, even when location services are switched off, since January 2017. The revelations have led to concerns about consumers' privacy, though Google said that the data was never used or stored, and that the practice will soon be terminated. | https://qz.com/1131515/google-collects-android-users-locations-even-when-location-services-are-disabled/ | 2017-11-22 14:45:51.767000 | Many people realize that smartphones track their locations. But what if you actively turn off location services, haven’t used any apps, and haven’t even inserted a carrier SIM card?
Even if you take all of those precautions, phones running Android software gather data about your location and send it back to Google when they’re connected to the internet, a Quartz investigation has revealed.
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Since the beginning of 2017, Android phones have been collecting the addresses of nearby cellular towers—even when location services are disabled—and sending that data back to Google. The result is that Google, the unit of Alphabet behind Android, has access to data about individuals’ locations and their movements that go far beyond a reasonable consumer expectation of privacy.
Quartz observed the data collection occur and contacted Google, which confirmed the practice.
The cell tower addresses have been included in information sent to the system Google uses to manage push notifications and messages on Android phones for the past 11 months, according to a Google spokesperson. They were never used or stored, the spokesperson said, and the company is now taking steps to end the practice after being contacted by Quartz. By the end of November, the company said, Android phones will no longer send cell-tower location data to Google, at least as part of this particular service, which consumers cannot disable.
“In January of this year, we began looking into using Cell ID codes as an additional signal to further improve the speed and performance of message delivery,” the Google spokesperson said in an email. “However, we never incorporated Cell ID into our network sync system, so that data was immediately discarded, and we updated it to no longer request Cell ID.”
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It is not clear how cell-tower addresses, transmitted as a data string that identifies a specific cell tower, could have been used to improve message delivery. But the privacy implications of the covert location-sharing practice are plain. While information about a single cell tower can only offer an approximation of where a mobile device actually is, multiple towers can be used to triangulate its location to within about a quarter-mile radius, or to a more exact pinpoint in urban areas, where cell towers are closer together.
The practice is troubling for people who’d prefer they weren’t tracked, especially for those such as law-enforcement officials or victims of domestic abuse who turn off location services thinking they’re fully concealing their whereabouts. Although the data sent to Google is encrypted, it could potentially be sent to a third party if the phone had been compromised with spyware or other methods of hacking. Each phone has a unique ID number, with which the location data can be associated.
The revelation comes as Google and other internet companies are under fire from lawmakers and regulators, including for the extent to which they vacuum up data about users. Such personal data, ranging from users’ political views to their purchase histories to their locations, are foundational to the business successes of companies like Facebook and Alphabet, built on targeted advertising and personalization and together valued at over $1.2 trillion by investors.
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The location-sharing practice does not appear to be limited to any particular type of Android phone or tablet; Google was apparently collecting cell tower data from all modern Android devices before being contacted by Quartz. A source familiar with the matter said the cell tower addresses were being sent to Google after a change in early 2017 to the Firebase Cloud Messaging service, which is owned by Google and runs on Android phones by default.
Even devices that had been reset to factory default settings and apps, with location services disabled, were observed by Quartz sending nearby cell-tower addresses to Google. Devices with a cellular data or WiFi connection appear to send the data to Google each time they come within range of a new cell tower. When Android devices are connected to a WiFi network, they will send the tower addresses to Google even if they don’t have SIM cards installed.
“It has pretty concerning implications,” said Bill Budington, a software engineer who works for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates for digital privacy. “You can kind of envision any number of circumstances where that could be extremely sensitive information that puts a person at risk.”
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The section of Google’s privacy policy that covers location sharing says the company will collect location information from devices that use its services, but does not indicate whether it will collect data from Android devices when location services are disabled:
When you use Google services, we may collect and process information about your actual location. We use various technologies to determine location, including IP address, GPS, and other sensors that may, for example, provide Google with information on nearby devices, Wi-Fi access points and cell towers.
According to the Google spokesperson, the company’s system that controls its push notifications and messages is “distinctly separate from Location Services, which provide a device’s location to apps.” Android devices never offered consumers a way to opt out of the collection of cell tower data.
“It is really a mystery as to why this is not optional,” said Matthew Hickey, a security expert and researcher at Hacker House, a security firm based in London. “It seems quite intrusive for Google to be collecting such information that is only relevant to carrier networks when there are no SIM card or enabled services.”
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While Google says it doesn’t use the location data it collects using this service, its does allow advertisers to target consumers using location data, an approach that has obvious commercial value. The company can tell using precise location tracking, for example, whether an individual with an Android phone or running Google apps has set foot in a specific store, and use that to target the advertising a user subsequently sees. |
Samsung plans to establish AI research hub | Samsung has followed up on its leadership reshuffle in October with the creation of an artificial intelligence research centre. Led by HS Kim, head of the consumer electronics division, the as-yet-unlocated centre will be positioned between Samsung's mobile and consumer electronics divisions. The South Korean firm said the restructuring would enable it to "quickly respond to market changes". In addition, Samsung said it was strengthening chief strategy officer Young Sohn's position to support him in finding new business areas.
| https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/22/samsung-plans-to-set-up-an-a-i-research-center.html | 2017-11-22 14:40:54.743000 | People walk past an advertisement for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone in Berlin, Germany.
Samsung is planning to set up an artificial intelligence (AI) research center, it announced Wednesday.
The center will be established between the mobile and consumer electronics businesses that form two of three of Samsung's major divisions.
The South Korean electronics giant said it was making these minor organizational changes in order to "quickly respond to market changes."
HS Kim, the head of the consumer electronics division, will head up Samsung Research. Samsung did not say where the AI center will be based.
The company also said that Young Sohn, Samsung's chief strategy officer, will have a "strengthened" role to look for new business areas for all the business groups. This includes mobile, consumer electronics, and device solutions, which contains the fast-growing semiconductor unit.
Sohn led Samsung's $8 billion acquisition of Harman last year.
The latest changes come after Samsung announced a shakeup of its leadership in October, where it replaced its CEO. |
YOPA removes estate agents comparison advert | Yopa, an online estate agency based in the UK, has pulled an advertisement favourably comparing its prices with rivals'. The move comes in response to complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) questioning the legitimacy of the information. The ad compared Yopa’s national statistics with rivals' local figures, presenting a misleading conclusion. The ASA confirmed that the ad had been removed and Yopa, which counts Savills and the Daily Mail general Trust among its investors, would not repeat the error.
| https://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2017/11/online-agency-yopa-removes-performance-comparison-ad-after-complaints | 2017-11-22 14:11:41.037000 | The online agency Yopa has removed an ad comparing its performance against other estate agents after complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority.
The dispute centred on the Yopa website which featured a comparison table of different estate agents including the number of properties they listed and their average listing age.
Two complainants - who noted that the comparison was based on Yopa’s national figures against their competitors’ local figures - challenged whether the comparison was misleading.
A statement from the authority says: “We raised these concerns with the advertiser. Yopa confirmed that the ad had been removed and that they would not compare their national data with competitors’ local data.”
On that basis, the case was judged to be informally resolved.
Yopa - which earlier this month was listed by business media service LinkedIn as one of the top UK start ups of 2017 - has extensive financial investment from Savills, the Daily Mail general Trust and LSL Property Services. |
US estate agents lobby Congress to keep homeowners' tax breaks | US estate agents are urging legislators not to cut mortgage interest deductions for local taxes for fear of prompting a fall in house prices. The Senate version of the Republican tax plan would remove the deduction for local property taxes, while the House version would cap it at $10,000, and both would increase the period of homeownership required before qualifying for capital gains taxes, a move estate agents worry would reduce transaction volumes. According to analysis from Moody's, the most expensive property markets, such as New York or New Jersey, could be the worst hit by the proposed measures.
| https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/business/economy/tax-real-estate.html | 2017-11-22 14:11:41.037000 | For decades, the real estate industry has benefited from generous tax deductions that raise home values by making it cheaper for people to own property and shoulder their local taxes. Now, as the Republican tax plan makes its way through Congress, the industry is worried that the fallout will harm its business by making homeownership less valuable.
Around the country, real estate organizations are calling legislators, warning clients about their future tax bills and staging protests, all in an effort to keep homeowners as a favored class in the tax code. “We don’t consider ourselves to be Republicans or Democrats,” said Linda Jay, chief executive of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors in central California. “We are the Realtor party.”
Last week, Ms. Jay and other agents congregated in front of the local office of Representative Kevin McCarthy, the House majority leader, holding signs and chanting, “Save homeownership.”
“We know he has a tough job to do,” she said. “But we certainly are not going to shy away from letting him know what our feelings are.” |
WeWork said to be looking at offering short-term retail sites | Flexible workspace provider WeWork is looking at branching out into several new business areas, including managed retail spaces, some of which could be in its office space buildings, according to sources. WeWork opened a gym in Manhattan in October and also acquired a coding college, Flatiron School. It has also made initial moves into offering overnight accommodation. | https://therealdeal.com/2017/11/21/wework-is-gearing-up-for-a-big-push-into-retail-sources/ | 2017-11-22 14:11:41.037000 | WeWork is quietly setting the stage for the launch of a brick-and-mortar retail platform as it continues to branch out into new business lines ahead of an expected public offering.
Several sources told The Real Deal that work on retail concepts gained momentum over the past six months and is shaping up to be a priority for the firm. What WeWork’s retail business could look like is still unclear, but sources said extending the firm’s co-working model — furnished spaces on short-term leases — to retailers is a possibility. The firm is also considering the addition of WeWork-managed retail spaces in its buildings as a potential amenity for its office tenants, the sources said.
WeWork declined to comment.
In October, WeWork and its private equity partner Rhone Group announced the $850 million acquisition of the Lord & Taylor building in Midtown from retail giant Hudson’s Bay Company. As part of the deal, Rhone and WeWork’s joint real estate investment vehicle is investing $500 million in preferred shares in HBC. According to the Wall Street Journal, WeWork Property Advisors’ Eric Gross is getting a seat on HBC’s board.
“Retail is changing and the role that real estate has to play in the way that we shop today must change with it,” WeWork’s co-founder Adam Neumann said in a statement at the time. “The opportunity to develop this partnership with HBC to explore this trend was too good to pass up.”
Other signs point to WeWork’s growing interest in retail. Unnamed WeWork principals invested in retail technology startup Outernets, which produces intelligent advertising screens for storefronts, according to Outernets co-founder Omer Golan. Golan said he has been working with WeWork on retail concepts, but was instructed not to share any details.
Over the summer, several employees of the online electronics retailer Sharkk became employees at WeWork, according to their Linkedin profiles, and its founder, Dov Brafman, is now listed on LinkedIn as WeWork’s director of retail (In response to a query from TRD, WeWork said his title on LinkedIn was being changed). In an interview he gave to the K-Factor podcast earlier this month, the show describes him as an entrepreneur who sold his startup to WeWork.
The retail push comes as WeWork increasingly branches out into new business lines. The company opened its first Rise by We gym in Manhattan in October and acquired the coding school Flatiron School. It has also announced plans for an elementary school.
WeWork has plenty of money to fund its new ventures. In August, the company announced a $4.4 billion investment from Japanese conglomerate Softbank, reportedly at a $20 billion valuation, although much of that money is earmarked for the firm’s expansion into East Asia. The infusion made WeWork one of the five most valuable startups in the U.S.
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Hospitality is another potential new business line for WeWork, according to a source familiar with the company, although it has yet to disclose any specific forays into the space.
Neumann is an investor in the Panamanian hospitality company Selina Hostels, which runs hostels and co-working spaces in several Latin American countries, according to the source and a May report in the Mexican news outlet Cancunissimo. The Journal also reported that WeWork bought a stake in Wavegarden, a company that makes wave pools, in 2016.
WeWork has already dabbled in hospitality, renting out some rooms in its WeLive co-living space at 110 Wall Street on a nightly basis. Several high-level WeWork executives have a hospitality background. Michael Gross, the company’s vice chair, used to run Morgans Hotel Group. The firm’s head of co-working, Richard Gomel, is a former Starwood Hotels & Resorts executive. WeWork’s regional manager for Latin America, Pato Fuks, founded the hotel operator Fën Hoteles.
WeWorld
“It’s important to understand that our intent with our business from the beginning was to do multiple We-based businesses, for lack of a better term,” the company’s co-founder Miguel McKelvey said at a Cornell Tech at Bloomberg event this month. “When we made the first proposal for a building after Green Desk, it was a multi-use building that included WeLive, WeWork, a hotel concept, a restaurant concept, a barber shop, fitness concept and there was an education idea there too. So the premise from the beginning was that this is a multi-dimensional support system for people who think differently in the world.” McKelvey took issue with the description of his firm as a co-working company, saying he prefers community company.
WeWork’s expansion into retail, then, should not come as a surprise. It never made a secret out of its aspiration to become the “physical social network,” Facebook’s equivalent in the real world.
But the retail plans may also speak to the limits of scaling WeWork’s two original business lines, co-working and co-living.
Although WeWork continues to add new co-working locations at a rapid clip, competition has become fierce, particularly in its first market, New York. In September, Crain’s reported that WeWork offered tenants at rival flexible office-space provider Knotel 12 months free rent if they switch to one of its spaces — an indicator of how the fight for customers is squeezing revenues. Meanwhile Luxembourg-based IWG, whose Regus brand is a leading global provider of flexible office space, saw its share price plunge by 30 percent in a single day in October in the wake of disappointing earnings. WeWork has also hedged its co-working bets; it is the lead investor in a $32 million Series B round for the Wing, a women-only co-working space. And it’s had success with renting out entire spaces to blue-chip corporate tenants, such as IBM and Amazon.
WeWork’s co-living business has faced headwinds. The company once predicted it would have more than 30 WeLive spaces open by the end of 2017, but it currently has just two, with a third on the way. Industry sources said banks have been squeamish about financing co-living developments. At the Cornell Tech event, McKelvey blamed the complexity of new development.
“The cycle for ground-up development, to do it with partners, is so much longer,” he said. “So there are many projects that are in process but you just don’t hear about them yet.” |
BMW becomes first brand to team up with Snapchat for AR lens | BMW has become the first brand to deploy Snapchat’s "augmented trial" lens as part of the campaign for its new X2 model. The augmented reality tool allows users to view the car from different angles and change the colour, while at the same time watch accompanying vertical ads. In a statement, BMW said it hoped the "playful medium will help it attract a younger audience". Snap, which has 178 million daily users, said its interactive lenses have previously resulted in a six percentage point lift in brand awareness and a 3.4-point boost in action intent.
| http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/11/22/bmw-first-brand-trial-snapchat-s-try-you-buy-ar-lens | 2017-11-22 14:04:01.083000 | BMW is the first brand to use Snapchat’s new AR ‘augmented trial’ Lens which lets customers visualise how products look in the real world before purchase.
BMW said in a statement that it is hoping the playful medium will help it attract a younger audience
The brand is using the technology to promote its new X2 model, allowing Snapchat users to interact with a virtual 3D version of the car as they would in a garage showroom.
BMW said in a statement that it is hoping the playful medium will help it attract a younger audience. Jörg Poggenpohl said the tool allows it to “enrich” users’ digital experience through content they find appealing, with a high recognition value.
“We wanted to insert ourselves in an organic way into the Snapchat environment and its users’ world. That is the most meaningful way to address our fans in a style that fits the channel and the target group,” he added.
As The Drum reveled in July, Snap has been working on the product for a while. In summer the tech firm’s head of consumer, app and gaming Fintan Gillespie actualy hinted that BMW would be a good brand partner, saying: “you can imagine being able to show a new BMW in your driveway, or a Burberry handbag on your desk.”
As part of the push, Snapchatters can 'customise' the AR version of the car; changing the colour and moving it around to view it from different angles. BMW is also running vertical video ads within Snapchat, and when individuals swipe up on these they can play with the Lens.
Brands have already been investing in Snapchat's 3D World Lenses which let users overlay pictures taken using their rear-facing camera with a series of interactive 3D filters, but this is the first time a product has been able to be 'tested' by consumers using the Snap camera before they consider a purchase.
AR previews are something that retailers like Ikea and Gap have already been experimenting with for a while, but Snap's ability to reach 178 million users per-day means it can bring the feature to retailers at scale. It also means Snap can potentially stave off increasing competition from arch rivals Instagram and Facebook by way of a fresh unique feature which brings in revenues to boot.
The company claims its interactive lenses drive a six point lift in brand awareness for advertisers and a 3.4 point lift in action intent. Snap is likely hoping its latest format helps prove its worth to brands by converting online shoppers.
In the US at least, a recent Daymon study indicated that 61% of consumers believed AR was already changing where they decided to shop, with 55% saying they thought AR "made shopping fun". Juniper research, meanwhile, has suggested that dedicated brand AR apps are likely to have limited revenue opportunity and a short shelf-life due to the need for constant innovation, something Snapchat's latest tool could potentially help solve. |
Cybersecurity broker WhiteHawk eyes $3m listing in Australian IPO | US-based cybersecurity company WhiteHawk aims to raise AUD4m ($3m) in an initial public offering (IPO) and listing on the Australian Securities Exchange. WhiteHawk's Exchange platform uses a machine-learning algorithm and artificial intelligence to broker cybersecurity deals between enterprises and vendors such as Symantec, Kaspersky Lab and Juniper Networks.
| https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/630347/us-cyber-security-broker-launches-4m-aussie-ipo/ | 2017-11-22 13:42:03.060000 | United States-headquartered cyber security player, WhiteHawk, has opened up its proposed $4 million public offer to prospective investors in its ongoing effort to list on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
The company, which operates a cyber security software brokerage platform dubbed the “WhiteHawk Exchange”, revealed its Australian initial public offering (IPO) intentions earlier this year and lodged its prospectus with Australia’s corporate regulator on 7 November.
Now, the company is hoping to raise at least $4 million through the issue of 20 million shares, with the option of a further $500,000 worth of shares if the offer is oversubscribed.
WhiteHawk’s ultimate goal is to list publicly on the ASX and use the funds from its IPO for engineering and development of the WhiteHawk Exchange platform, which effectively acts as an automated broker for cyber security solutions.
The funds will also be used for research and development, sales and marketing, and for working capital requirements.
Launched in 2016, WhiteHawk began as a cyber security advisory service with a long-term plan to develop a self-service cyber security marketplace designed to match businesses up with the most appropriate cyber security solutions for their needs.
Specifically, the company has developed a machine learning algorithm and an associated artificial intelligence platform designed to let enterprises seek out advice on their cyber security needs and be matched to vendor products, based on their identified needs, via the WhiteHawk Exchange.
“Today, we help US and Australian companies to connect to content, solutions, and service providers through evolving our rich data and user experience,” WhiteHawk said in a statement.
According to the company’s website, its marketplace currently claims more than 40 different vendors, including Symantec, Trend Micro, Sophos, Micro Focus, Kaspersky Lab, Juniper Networks and Fortinet, among others.
“Since WhiteHawk launched in 2016, we have worked hard to develop an easy-to-use platform that will enable small to midsize companies to better understand their vulnerabilities and protect themselves against the ever-increasing cyber threat,” WhiteHawk CEO, Terry Roberts, said.
“We believe that our technology has an incredible amount of potential given the vast number of businesses across the globe who are simply unaware or ill-equipped to deal with online crime and fraud.
Our Initial Public Offering is a significant step forward for WhiteHawk as well as for the cyber security industry. I am very excited to be bringing this opportunity before investors and am committed to delivering growth for WhiteHawk’s shareholders,” she said.
Given how different WhiteHawk’s business model is compared to those of traditional technology distributors, it remains to be seen just how the company’s brokerage platform will affect local distributors and partners that deal with the solutions offered by the vendors already featured on the WhiteHawk Exchange.
However, in an ASX release issued on 22 November, WhiteHawk said it currently earns revenue largely from lead generation agreements with cyber security vendors in the US market, and has won advisory service contracts with a small and growing number of Government agencies.
Its current advisory service clients include the US Department of Energy and Department of Homeland Security as well as a number of medium to large-sized business customers, domestic and multi-national companies based in the US, all of which provide a steady stream of low-level revenue while WhiteHawk’s online sales business model matures.
The company’s Initial Public Offering closes on 5 December. |
Budget pressures lead brands to try out 'micro-influencers' | Fast-moving consumer goods brand Unilever is turning to "micro-influencers" to help increase audience awareness of its products at a fraction of the cost of using more well-known social media stars. Madeleine Boulton, assistant brand manager at Unilever, said the company treats its micro-influencers like agencies, and applies cost-per-engagement models to ensure they deliver value for money. Boulton said Unilever would still consider using "mega-influencers" for bigger campaigns, while relying on micro-influencers for more frequent, lower-level engagement. She added the firm was "looking across the board at how we can be smarter with our money".
| https://digiday.com/marketing/unilevers-micro-influencers-fit-less-advertising-strategy/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171122 | 2017-11-22 13:39:51.933000 | Bigger doesn’t always mean better for Unilever when it comes to the influencers it works with.
Influencers previously hired by the advertiser had to be as well-known as a finalist on the hit TV show “The Great British Bake Off,” according to Madeleine Boulton, assistant brand manager at Unilever. Now, the business is turning to so-called micro-influencers, people with smaller follower counts than the biggest social media stars, but who can offer better engagement at a fraction of the cost. At least that’s the theory. For Unilever, which is looking for alternatives to costly agencies, these types of influencers increasingly make sense.
Working with influencer network Tribe, the advertiser has been treating influencers like agencies, going to them with briefs and relying less on its agencies in the process. “Previously, we’ve used agencies [to work with influencers], but if you have a middleman like that, then as an advertiser it becomes a bit detached,” Boulton said. “I quite like being in control of the influencers myself.”
Unilever’s most noteworthy use of Tribe’s micro-influencers to date came in the summer when it ran a campaign for its margarine brand Stork. After posting a brief that asked influencers for images of foods they had baked using Stork ingredients, Unilever picked the 21 creator posts it liked best. Those creators then posted their images to their own Instagram accounts, leading to around 436,000 followers seeing the images over five weeks, according to the brand.
The images generated 11,990 likes and comments, while the cost per engagement was 16 pence (21 cents). Anything considered 30 pence (40 cents) or less is considered good value, according to Tribe. Another micro-influencer campaign that ran for Stork around the same time had a CPE of 20 pence (26 cents).
Unilever uses the CPE to benchmark how well its campaigns perform against others within the Tribe network rather than as a metric to pay influencers. Instead, the advertiser pays the influencer a fixed fee per post, which ranges from £50 ($66) to £100 ($132) for influencers who have between 3,000 and 10,000 followers, according to Tribe. “If the influencer had a good number of followers and I really liked the content, but the price they were asking felt too high, then I’d ask if they could lower the price, which most of the time they did,” Boulton said.
Advertisers like Unilever are increasingly applying performance-based pricing models like CPE to their influencer campaigns, viewing the metric as a way to keep campaign costs tied to what influencers deliver such as likes and shares. The problem, however, is influencers could game the CPE model and focus on meeting engagement numbers at the expense of creating quality content. CPE is a step toward more qualitative metrics for influencer campaigns, according to industry observers, but it still poses a philosophical challenge, in which brands measure engagement the same way they would a media buy.
While larger influencers aren’t as “authentic” as their smaller counterparts, Boulton said there’s still a role for them in the advertiser’s plans. The perfect blend between both groups, according to Boulton, would be using the larger influencers for high-impact campaign launches, while having micro-influencers do more of the day-to-day engagement. “That cake posted by a micro-influencer might look a bit battered, but it has that homely edge that you don’t get from an influencer’s polished and pristine content,” she added. “It’s not as accessible for the everyday baker.”
The advertiser is still testing micro-influencers, having done sporadic campaigns with them prior to its work with Tribe. Last year, Unilever worked with influencer platform Mavrck to recruit 1,000 micro-influencers for a three-week campaign for its hair care brand Clear, which captured 2,421 email addresses.
“Brands like us [Unilever] don’t necessarily have the budget now to go and spend on mega-influencers,” Boulton said. “We’re looking across the board at how we can be smarter with our money, and working with micro-influencers is one of them.”
As Unilever gets closer to influencers, it is moving further away from working with traditional agencies. The advertiser is slashing half of the 3,000 agencies it employs worldwide, the savings from which will go toward the €1 billion ($1.2 billion) it hopes to accrue by 2019. Aline Santos, its svp of global marketing, said earlier this year that the traditional agency model is “under huge pressure.” |
Farmshelf gets cash boost for restaurant-based vertical farms | New York food-growing startup Farmshelf has received a $300,000 investment to develop its vertical farming technology for restaurants and shops. The new funding comes from Thai property company Sansiri, which plans to incorporate the system into residential properties as part of the deal.
| http://thespoon.tech/thai-real-estate-developer-sansiri-invests-in-vertical-farming-startup-farmshelf/ | 2017-11-22 13:29:55.127000 | Farmshelf, the New York City startup that brings vertical grow systems into restaurants and food retail spaces, has received an investment from one of Thailand’s biggest real estate development companies, Sansiri.
The investment by Sansiri comes a part of a broader $80 million investment across six companies that include lifestyle magazine Monocle, home sharing app Hostmaker, and Farmshelf. According to the Financial Times, Sansiri invested $300 thousand in Farmshelf, a relatively small amount compared to the other investments disclosed as part of the announcement such as the $58 million stake in US boutique hotel brand Standard International.
According to Crunchbase, Farmshelf received a $150 thousand seed round investment from startup accelerators Urban-X and SOSV in September 2016. The $300 thousand investment from Sansiri marks the second overall funding round for the company.
As detailed in the announcement, Sansiri’s investment plan for Farmshelf includes integrating the vertical farming startups products into select residential properties, as well as possibly scaling the business across Asia.
It’s an interesting investment for a company that has up to this point focused on installations in New York City restaurants and food retail. I visited the company’s installation at Grand Central’s Great Northern Food Hall in June and liked how it fit into the upscale food court. Residential properties seems like a bit of a departure for the company, so I am intrigued to see how these might be rolled out within the Asia market.
Long term, these types of developer deals make a whole lot of sense for a company like Farmshelf. Access to both retail and residential developments is not only a heavy business development lift for a resource constrained startup, but the long term success of these types of installations will require a strong commitment from the property holder and business operator.
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Google tests voice recognition bots to transcribe doctors' notes | Google is trialling the use of voice recognition software in doctors' surgeries in the US. Researchers at Stanford University have partnered with the internet company's artificial intelligence research division, Google Brain, on the project. It used voice recognition systems to transcribe conversations between doctors and volunteer patients during medical consultations, and was intended to test whether such a system could help GPs save time in writing up notes. However, even the best of the systems tested had an error rate of 18.3% and concerns remain over how patient confidentiality would be assured if the technology were adopted.
| https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/22/google-voice-recognition-could-transcribe-doctor-visits/ | 2017-11-22 13:27:33.240000 | Doctors work long hours, and a disturbingly large part of that is documenting patient visits -- one study indicates that they spend 6 hours of an 11-hour day making sure their records are up to snuff. But how do you streamline that work without hiring an army of note takers? Google Brain and Stanford think voice recognition is the answer. They recently partnered on a study that used automatic speech recognition (similar to what you'd find in Google Assistant or Google Translate) to transcribe both doctors and patients during a session.
The approach can not only distinguish the voices in the room, but also the subjects. It's broad enough to both account for a sophisticated medical diagnosis and small talk like the weather. Doctors could have all the vital information they need for follow-ups and a better connection to their patients.
The system is far from perfect. The best voice recognition system in the study still had an error rate of 18.3 percent. That's good enough to be practical, according to the researchers, but it's not flawless. There's also the matter of making sure that any automated transcripts are truly private and secure. Patients in the study volunteered for recordings and will have their identifying information scrubbed out, but this would need to be highly streamlined (both through consent policies and automation) for it to be effective on a large scale.
If voice recognition does find its way into doctors' offices, though, it could dramatically increase the effectiveness of doctors. They could spend more time attending patients and less time with the overhead necessary to account for each visit. Ideally, this will also lead to doctors working more reasonable hours -- they won't burn out and risk affecting their judgment through fatigue. |
Ginger.io changes tack to become app-based mental health service | Healthtech Ginger.io has successfully switched from selling artificial intelligence technology to hospitals to becoming an online mental health service, with 25 businesses now using its services. The San Francisco firm has spent the past 18 months developing its service, which includes an app and 24-hour access to a support team, while care can be escalated to include video consultations with clinicians, who can prescribe medication if needed. All services are rated, with the average score for a clinician being 4.75 out of five. Ginger.io's service is available to individuals as well as via insurers and self-insured employers.
| http://www.mobihealthnews.com/content/gingerio-relaunches-full-stack-online-mental-healthcare-service | 2017-11-22 13:15:10.283000 | San Francisco health startup Ginger.io went public today with a major pivot that the company has been undergoing over the last year and a half. While the startup began life as a passive monitoring company that sold its artificial intelligence technology to hospitals, it has reinvented itself as a healthcare provider in its own right, offering a full service online and app-based mental healthcare service, either direct-to-consumer for a fee or via insurers and self-insured employers.
“The realization for us was that trying to convince that whole industry to change their way of operating and adopt this technology would take a lot of time,” CEO and cofounder Dr. Anmol Madan told MobiHealthNews. “Not that it couldn’t be done. We were making a lot of progress there; we had 40 different hospitals that were using our technology. But it was just a slow process and we felt that … by bringing to bear the clinical components and combining it with the technology, we could work directly with the people who are paying for healthcare — i.e. the employers, the average consumer, the health plans — and we could offer the full service.”
So for the last 18 months, the startup has been reinventing itself as an online medical practice that provides users with an escalating range of options for mental and behavioral healthcare.
“The way Ginger.io works is as soon as you install the app you’re connected to a mental health coach,” Madan said. “You have a dedicated team of three coaches who are available 24 hours a day seven days a week and they provide a starter kit. In addition, they also guide you through a variety of self-care content built on cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness, resiliency, covering a vast range of issues that help you build skills in those areas based on those symptoms and needs. If required, we can escalate you to a video visit with a licensed therapist or a board-certified psychiatrist. And the psychiatrist can also, if appropriate and relevant, prescribe medication to you if that’s what’s required for you to get better.”
The company’s big data roots come into play when it comes to scaling the system, finding efficiencies, and tracking whether patients are really improving.
“We practice a membership-based care model where we measure everything that happens within the system,” cofounder Karan Singh told MobiHealthNews. “Every interaction with a coach or therapist or psychiatrist — it’s similar to how after you take a Lyft ride you rate your driver. After this you rate your coach, therapist, and psychiatrist, and we use that data to improve the kind of care we deliver and improve the quality of the support we’re providing.”
Madan says the average rating for a clinician on the system is 4.75 out of 5. Collecting data has also allowed them to tailor the system to people’s needs — for instance, observing that peak usage of the coaching service happens late at night and adjusting coach availability accordingly.
Ginger.io also measures patient progress in more traditionally clinical ways.
“Really every member who comes through our system we measure their progress on regular rhythms,” Singh said. “So we might use standard clinical assessments like a PHQ-9 or the GAD-7 and we match that against best practice. So I think that’s pretty unique in this space in that we continue to track member progress and if we don’t see symptom responses, reevaluate it and we have our clinical supervision and the rest of our clinical team review those cases and determine if a different course of treatments is required to get them the level of support that’s needed.”
Just 12 months after launching its employer business, the company now has 25 large to mid-sized employer customers over a range of industries.
“We’ve been working in mental health and behavioral health for a number of years now,” Singh said. “I think that experience working on the front lines and really understanding how the business of healthcare actually works, how incentives operate, how workflows might need to change and, frankly, how culture might need to change in order to ultimately integrate technology led us to evolve from offering just the technology solution, to actually becoming a full stack behavioral health provider that integrates that technology and that data at our core, which allows us to deliver great care, and measure that it works.” |
Regus Regus set to open two new business centres in Nairobi | Shared office provider Regus (part of IWG) is opening two new business centres in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The city has in recent years attracted an increasing number of micro and small businesses, a sector that now employs 7.5 million people across the country. The new centres will open in December, with one of them, Vienna Court, having been awarded an environmental award by the US Green Building Council. The development incorporates solar power, rain water harvesting and cycling storage.
| http://www.africanbusinessreview.co.za/leadership/3161/Two-new-Regus-business-centres-to-open-in-Nairobi | 2017-11-22 12:44:23.847000 | If you’ve always dreamed of starting your own business, it’s something you want to get right. If you are confident, you can safely say that you will have goals and desires that you would like to achieve. Some people want to hold onto their passions, and that’s fine. However, some want to follow their dreams and ensure they come true. When this is the case, ensuring that you are actively pushing your business in the right direction is essential.
Indeed, the organization is not the only factor that matters in all aspects. There are many small ways of thinking and even the occasional leap of faith that is important, but when you put in the effort to be organized, it will help you make these things happen. So, you must do whatever it takes to ensure you can manage all aspects of your business and continue with courage. This requires you to keep your eye on the ball and strive to grow the business and reach the desired point. Let’s see how you can achieve this.
Branding Strategy
First, you’ll want to make sure you try to make sure you know your business from the past. It isn’t easy to organize your business or propel yourself forward if you know your brand name. Therefore, the first thing you should be able to achieve is to know your brand. Creating the right branding strategy will allow you to gain confidence in your business and take it to the level you would like.
One important thing you could do to increase your business’s growth is to invest in custom packaging boxes that enable branding. Create a design for your packaging that promotes your company’s image. It is essential to consider your product category and determine the branding strategy most effectively for you.
Knowledge about Customer
The next thing you should be able to do is to spend some time understanding your customer. If you don’t have profiles for your customers and you don’t have an idea in your head about who your customers are, you’re not on the right track. Therefore, ensuring you take the time to build the profiles that will help you increase your sales is crucial.
Make a Proper Plan
When you are sure of the current direction of your business, it is possible to put together an overall business plan that includes all the essential elements of a business plan. Knowing how you will grow your business is vital. This will not be the case if you are not organized. You may have many different ideas about what you want to achieve. It would be best if you recorded everything to start your strategy.
You might consider avoiding the cost of renting office space by opting for a virtual address instead. A virtual office address will allow you to present a stylish brand identity in your favorite city without the price shock.
Gift Boxes
Kraft boxes also come in gift boxes. Kraft boxes also wrap gifts for special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries. The kraft boxes are easy to fold, so you can avoid all the dirt and glue in the package.
Set Your Vision
You’ve made your plan, which will help you feel more organized. However, it would be best if you took action on this. Her goals are a factor. If you have set goals for yourself, you have something to strive for and achieve. This method organizes your ideas and goals and pushes you to the next level.
This is one tip you can discover that will help keep you accountable. Because when you strive for something, it’s much easier to ensure your business is progressing. Setting mini-goals can help here.
Professional Presentation
The second thing that will help is to help you make sure you present yourself as a professional. If you want to stay in tip-top shape, you can have a well-branded website and branded emails and ensure that you look like the organized and proficient company you are.
Efficient System
You’ll probably be asked to make sure you’re using the internet. Even if you’re using an efficient system, there’s much more you can do electronically. There is plenty of digital asset management software you can use to help you organize everything. Finding an efficient system that works for you is essential to ensure you don’t worry about what documents belong and can work on moving your business forward.
Prepare Marketing Strategies
One of the most effective ways to stay organized is to ensure you know exactly what you’re doing in your marketing. If you want to expand, you have to strategize. You need to make sure you have a marketing plan that tells you how you will increase your growth. If you’ve come up with your marketing strategies, you’ll need to include them in an action plan to help your business scale.
Consistency
Next, you will need to make sure you are as consistent as possible. If you want to stay organized and allow your business to grow how you want it to, staying consistent is the best way to do it. Being consistent when trying to gain momentum is critical. This can help you push your business further and get results through social media and marketing.
Share Your Workload
Sometimes you’ll be a little overwhelmed – that’s how things work. You’ll find that you can’t always do it on your own. You’ll need to make sure you can hire freelancers and employees to help with your workload.
Markup Your Schedule
In this way, you will find that it is beneficial to have a calendar that allows you to be better organized. When your business is expanding rapidly, it’s not easy to keep track of things. Whether it’s meetings, financial obligations, or marketing, calendars can help you stay organized. Content calendars will help you plan your social media activities, and synced journal calendars can help you manage your appointments. This could be a massive boost to your overall success.
Feel Organized With Work
You must hold yourself accountable if you’re having trouble making things happen. Feeling more organized with your work and goals is easy and fun. It doesn’t matter if you have someone checking you out or if you’ve created an incentive you want to know; it will help ensure you can complete your tasks.
Monitor
Additionally, you may want to be sure to monitor everything you do. This applies to your goals, marketing strategy, and customers. It would be best if you didn’t keep moving forward. You need to make sure you are working on the right goals. Make sure your customers are happy and get the services they want from you. Make sure you’re in the right place every month. It will allow you to stay organized and clutter-free.
It’s that simple. Sometimes it’s impossible to organize yourself and figure out what you need to do to make progress. However, most of the time, it’s about getting started. Maybe you’re not sure what you could do to make that happen. However, now that you have all the information you can get, you have gathered the only thing you have to choose the right points that are most beneficial for you and start working. |
Facebook still posting discriminatory housing ads | Facebook is still permitting the posting of US housing ads that break the law by discriminating against people in specific ethnic groups or with disabilities, according to investigative journalism non-profit ProPublica. In October 2016, the group revealed that it had been able to purchase an ad on Facebook which excluded Hispanic, African-American and Asian-American people from viewing it. Facebook announced in February that it had installed tools to prevent this. However, ProPublica claims that it recently purchased an ad for rental apartments which excluded groups including African Americans, Jews, Spanish speakers and people interested in wheelchair ramps.
| https://www.propublica.org/article/facebook-advertising-discrimination-housing-race-sex-national-origin | 2017-11-22 12:41:18.980000 | In February, Facebook said it would step up enforcement of its prohibition against discrimination in advertising for housing, employment or credit.
But our tests showed a significant lapse in the company’s monitoring of the rental market.
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Last week, ProPublica bought dozens of rental housing ads on Facebook, but asked that they not be shown to certain categories of users, such as African Americans, mothers of high school kids, people interested in wheelchair ramps, Jews, expats from Argentina and Spanish speakers.
All of these groups are protected under the federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to publish any advertisement “with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.” Violators can face tens of thousands of dollars in fines.
Every single ad was approved within minutes.
The only ad that took longer than three minutes to be approved by Facebook sought to exclude potential renters “interested in Islam, Sunni Islam and Shia Islam.” It was approved after 22 minutes.
Under its own policies, Facebook should have flagged these ads, and prevented the posting of some of them. Its failure to do so revives questions about whether the company is in compliance with federal fair housing rules, as well as about its ability and commitment to police discriminatory advertising on the world’s largest social network.
Facebook’s advertising portal lets users choose their audiences based on specific traits, demographics and behavior profiles. Our ad for an apartment rental excluded African Americans, Asian Americans and Spanish-speaking Hispanic audiences. It was approved in under a minute.
Housing, employment and credit are the three areas in which federal law prohibits discriminatory ads. However, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — the agency responsible for enforcing fair housing laws — told us that it has closed an inquiry into Facebook’s advertising policies, reducing pressure on the company to address the issue. In a 2015 newspaper column, Ben Carson, now HUD secretary, criticized “government-engineered attempts to legislate racial equality” in housing.
Facebook’s failure to police discriminatory rental ads flies in the face of its promises in February that it would no longer approve ads for housing, employment or credit that targeted racial categories. For advertising aimed at audiences not selected by race, Facebook said it would require housing, employment and credit advertisers to “self-certify” that their ads were compliant with anti-discrimination laws.
Based on Facebook’s announcement, the ads purchased by ProPublica that were aimed at racial categories should have been rejected. The others should have prompted a screen to pop up asking for self-certification. We never encountered a self-certification screen, and none of our ads were rejected by Facebook.
“This was a failure in our enforcement and we’re disappointed that we fell short of our commitments,” Ami Vora, vice president of product management at Facebook, said in an emailed statement. “The rental housing ads purchased by ProPublica should have but did not trigger the extra review and certifications we put in place due to a technical failure.”
Vora added that Facebook’s anti-discrimination system had “successfully flagged millions of ads” in the credit, employment and housing categories and that Facebook will now begin requiring self-certification for ads in all categories that choose to exclude an audience segment. “Our systems continue to improve but we can do better,” Vora said.
About 37 percent of U.S. households rented in 2016, representing a 50-year high, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. On average, renters earn about half as much as homeowners, and the percentage of families with children that rent rather than buy has increased sharply in the past decade, the study said. Minority renters have long faced pervasive housing discrimination. A 2013 study by HUD found that real estate agents show more units to whites than to African Americans, Asians and Latinos.
Facebook has long been a popular destination for rental listings, on pages hosted by real estate brokers, property owners and building managers. Earlier this month, Facebook announced that it had added two large providers of rental listings to its Facebook Marketplace service. “Marketplace is a popular place for people to look for a home to rent,” Facebook product manager Bowen Pan said in a press release.
Facebook warns rental advertisers in its Marketplace section that “listings that discriminate against a protected class can be reported and will be removed from Facebook.”
Facebook’s anti-discrimination initiative was prompted by an article published last year by ProPublica. For that story, we bought a Facebook ad targeting house hunters. We were able to use Facebook’s features to block the ad from being shown to anyone with an “affinity” for African American, Asian American or Hispanic people. Our ability to narrow the audience based on race raised the question of whether such ads violated the Fair Housing Act.
After ProPublica’s article appeared in the fall of 2016, HUD, then under the Obama administration, began examining Facebook’s practices. Facebook then said it would build an automated system to spot ads that discriminate illegally. “We take these issues seriously,” Facebook Vice President Erin Egan wrote in a blog post. “Discriminatory advertising has no place on Facebook.”
Read More Facebook Lets Advertisers Exclude Users by Race Facebook’s system allows advertisers to exclude black, Hispanic, and other “ethnic affinities” from seeing ads.
In February, Facebook announced it had built its system and was rolling it out. The press lauded the announcement: “Facebook cracks down on ads that discriminate” was the Washington Post’s headline.
Facebook has been under fire for other aspects of its automated ad buying system as well. Two months ago, the company disclosed that it had discovered $100,000 worth of divisive political ads placed by “inauthentic” Russian accounts. And in September, ProPublica reported that Facebook’s ad targeting system allowed buyers to reach people who identified themselves as “Jew haters” and other anti-Semitic categories. Facebook pledged to remove the offending categories and to hire thousands more employees to enforce its ad policies.
“We’re adding additional layers of review where people use potentially sensitive categories for targeting,” Facebook General Counsel Colin Stretch said during Senate testimony earlier this month.
After Stretch’s public statement, we wondered whether the ability to buy discriminatory housing ads had really been addressed. So we set out to buy an advertisement with the exact same targeting parameters as the ad we bought last year. The ad promoted a fictional apartment for rent and was targeted at people living in New York, ages 18–65, who were house hunting and likely to move. We asked Facebook not to show the ad to people categorized under the “multicultural affinity” of Hispanic, African American or Asian American.
(ProPublica generally forbids impersonation in news gathering. We felt in this instance that the public interest in Facebook’s ad system justified the brief posting of a fake ad for non-existent housing. We deleted each ad as soon as it was approved.)
The only changes from last year that we could identify in Facebook’s ad buying system was that the category called “Ethnic Affinity” had been renamed “Multicultural Affinity” and was no longer part of “Demographics.” It is now designated as part of “Behaviors.”
Our ad was approved within minutes.
Left: A screenshot of ad targeting categories ProPublica submitted and Facebook approved in 2016. Right: Categories ProPublica submitted and were approved in 2017, raising questions about what the social network has done to police discriminatory ads.
Then we decided to test whether we could purchase housing ads that discriminated against other protected categories of people under the Fair Housing Act.
We placed ads that sought to exclude members of as many of the protected categories as we could find in Facebook’s self-service advertising portal. In addition to those mentioned above, we bought ads that were blocked from being shown to “soccer moms,” people interested in American sign language, gay men and Christians.
We also tested whether it was possible to use geography as a way to target racial groups — a practice known as redlining. We bought a housing ad that targeted ZIP codes in Brooklyn whose residents are more than 50 percent non-Hispanic white people, according to the U.S. Census bureau. By definition, that meant the ad was not shown to Facebook users living in Brooklyn neighborhoods where minorities are a majority of the residents.
Facebook drew blue lines around our target neighborhoods and told us our “audience selection is great!” It approved the ad. |
Facebook still posting discriminatory housing ads | Facebook is still permitting the posting of US housing ads that break the law by discriminating against people in specific ethnic groups or with disabilities, according to investigative journalism non-profit ProPublica. In October 2016, the group revealed that it had been able to purchase an ad on Facebook which excluded Hispanic, African-American and Asian-American people from viewing it. Facebook announced in February that it had installed tools to prevent this. However, ProPublica claims that it recently purchased an ad for rental apartments which excluded groups including African Americans, Jews, Spanish speakers and people interested in wheelchair ramps.
| https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/21/facebook-allowed-illegal-housing-ads-propublica.html | 2017-11-22 12:41:18.980000 | Facebook is still allowing people to post housing ads that illegally discriminate against certain ethnic groups or people with disabilities, according to ProPublica.
ProPublica reported in October 2016 it was able to buy an ad in Facebook's housing category and exclude black, Hispanic or Asian-Americans from seeing it. Discriminating against specific races, colors, religions, sex, handicaps, familial status and national origin when it comes to housing ads is against the law under the Fair Housing Act. Facebook said it added new tools in February to prevent the issue.
But a new ProPublica report shows the publication bought housing ads recently -- and was still allowed to block groups including African Americans, people interested in wheelchair ramps, Jews, and Spanish speakers from seeing it. Most ads were approved within three minutes, except for an exclusion for people "interested in Islam, Sunni Islam and Shia Islam" which was also eventually approved.
While the ad bought in October 2016 was about a community meeting about housing, the recent housing ad was about rental apartments, which would make it illegal.
Facebook admitted it allowed the ads, and apologized for the error in a statement. Ami Vora, VP of product management, said the company will add a notification across all categories for anyone who places an ad that excludes certain groups of people. Purchasers will have to acknowledge they are posting in accordance with Facebook's policies and the law.
"This was a failure in our enforcement and we're disappointed that we fell short of our commitments," Vora said in the statement.
"Earlier this year, we added additional safeguards to protect against the abuse of our multicultural affinity tools to facilitate discrimination in housing, credit and employment. The rental housing ads purchased by ProPublica should have but did not trigger the extra review and certifications we put in place due to a technical failure. Our safeguards, including additional human reviewers and machine learning systems have successfully flagged millions of ads and their effectiveness has improved over time. Tens of thousands of advertisers have confirmed compliance with our tighter restrictions, including that they follow all applicable laws. We don't want Facebook to be used for discrimination and will continue to strengthen our policies, hire more ad reviewers, and refine machine learning tools to help detect violations. Our systems continue to improve but we can do better. While we currently require compliance notifications of advertisers that seek to place ads for housing, employment, and credit opportunities, we will extend this requirement to ALL advertisers who choose to exclude some users from seeing their ads on Facebook to also confirm their compliance with our anti-discrimination policies – and the law."
A source close to the situation said there was a coding error which did not prevent discriminatory tactics from being used on rental ads. However housing ads that pertained to purchasing property were properly screened.
Facebook also faced scrutiny over its ad targeting capabilities in September, when another ProPublica report showed the platform allowed ads to be shown to people who identified as "Jew haters" and other anti-semitic terms. The company responded by adding more features to block the use of derogatory terms to target users, as well as hiring more people to look over ads before they post. |
Solar accounts for record 39% of India's new power capacity | Solar energy accounted for a record 39% of energy capacity added to India's grid this year, according to Mercom Capital Group. The 7,100 MW of new capacity was still short of the 10,000 MW target as lacklustre demand, rising solar panel costs and an absence of power transmission infrastructure slowed growth. "Even though the Indian solar market is on pace for a record-breaking year, the momentum has definitely slowed," said Mercom CEO Raj Prabhu. | https://qz.com/1134798/solar-power-accounts-for-nearly-40-of-indias-new-power-generation-capacity/ | 2017-11-22 11:53:08.913000 | The solar energy sector has accounted for the largest capacity addition to the Indian electricity grid so far this year.
It has contributed around 39%—over 7,100 megawatts (MW)—to the overall capacity additions, according to data from Mercom Capital Group, a US-based research and consulting firm. For comparison, solar energy capacity additions stood at only around 4,313 MW in all of 2016.
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In all, the country now has a total solar capacity of around 14.7 gigawatts (GW, 1 GW = 1,000 MW) as of September 2017.
The spurt in solar power capacity comes on the back of the Narendra Modi government’s push for renewable energy, and its target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy (100 GW of this from solar sources) by 2022. “Last year (financial year 2016-17) was a landmark year in the Indian power sector…for the first time, the capacity addition in renewables sector was more than conventional and the same is likely to continue even this year also,” Amit Kumar, a partner at consulting firm PwC, told Quartz.
India’s demand for coal is also likely to peak by 2027, according to an analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a US-based research institute, the Financial Times reported (paywall). It will be replaced by renewables, which the IEEFA predicts will account for 27% by 2027.
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Cloudy future
The last few months, however, have been difficult for the sector. Solar energy developers are battling issues ranging from lack of power transmission infrastructure, increasing costs of solar panels, and lacklustre power demand. “Even though the Indian solar market is on pace for a record-breaking year, the momentum has definitely slowed,” said Raj Prabhu, Mercom Capital Group’s CEO.
For instance, nearly 1,000 MW of large-scale projects that are ready to be connected to the grid haven’t been commissioned yet due to delays by the government, according to the Mercom report. The sector also had to tackle ambiguity around the goods and services tax on solar plant components and various states’ demands to renegotiate older power purchase agreements (PPAs). The sector expects another policy change—an imposition of anti-dumping duties on imported panels—in the next few months.
As a result, capacity addition has only reached 7,100 MW this year in the sector—around 3,000 MW short of the annual target set by the ministry of new and renewable energy. “The fourth quarter of 2017 will be a crucial one for the solar sector in many ways, considering the anti-dumping recommendations due to be released, the uncertain trajectory of module prices, and low power demand,” the Mercom report added. |
Regus Second business centre opened in Phnom Penh | Abstract: Flexible office space provider Regus has opened its second offering in Phnom Penh, a 191-desk business centre with virtual offices and co-working spaces, at the city's Diamond Island development. Five years after Regus launched its first space in the capital, the Casa Meridian site aims to address the needs of Cambodia's growing number of start-ups, according to country manager Lars Wittig.
| http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/regus-opens-its-second-biz-centre | 2017-11-22 11:28:55.553000 | Regus opens its second biz centre
Global workspace provider Regus officially opened its second business centre in Phnom Penh yesterday with the aim of offering flexible office solutions for the growing number of Cambodian and global professionals.
Located in Casa Meridian, a luxury condo development on Phnom Penh’s Diamond Island, the firm offers 191 rentable workstations, co-working spaces, professional address solutions and virtual offices that are bookable by the hour.
Lars Wittig, country manager for Regus Cambodia, said that the demand for short- and long-term rentable office space and meeting rooms has been on the rise. The company first opened a 208 workstation facility in Canadia Tower in 2012.
“As a developing economy, Cambodian enterprises, especially startups, are challenged by a lack of capital, business networks and affordable professional office space,” he said. “By providing opportunities for modern and dynamic businesses to work where and when they want, they can become better connected globally through our network.”
The firm, which is based in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange, claims to be the world’s largest provider of flexible workspace solutions with 2.3 million customers spread across more than a 100 countries with 3,000 locations. The company posted total revenue earnings of nearly $3 billion last year with a net profit of $183 million.
Wittig added that for startups, rentable workstation fees start at $79 per person a month while office space for two or more people begins at $479 per month. |
USAA plans 1,000 tech hires in Phoenix over three years | USAA is planning to hire 1,000 staff focusing on technology by 2020. The staff will be based in the insurer's Phoenix, Arizona office. The firm has made technological developments a key focus, looking to add personnel to oversee the growth of its capabilities in data analytics, innovation, digital experience and design. USAA opened a design centre in Austin, Texas recently, as it looks to enhance their customers' digital experience. The centre employs 120 people. | https://www.dig-in.com/news/usaa-to-add-1-000-tech-jobs-in-phoenix-by-end-of-2020?brief=00000159-faf0-d111-af7d-fbfd9f0a0000 | 2017-11-22 10:25:20.677000 | USAA plans to hire up to 1,000 technology professionals at its Phoenix office by the end of 2020, the company announced.
With the move, USAA will add Phoenix as the fourth city associated with the insurer’s chief technology and digital office initiative, focusing on data analytics, innovation, digital experience and design. Austin, Plano and the military carrier’s hometown of San Antonio, Texas make up the other sites. USAA’s Phoenix location currently employs 4,500 people.
“As our membership grows and their needs change, our workforce must keep pace and evolve,” said Gay Meyer, assistant vice president of HR operations at USAA, in a statement. “Phoenix is a great market for us and with the area’s deep pool of tech talent, adding these roles makes sense.”
Santana, Danni
Growing internal technology capabilities is a focus for USAA. The company recently opened its design studio in Austin in February, responsible for experimenting with ways to improve the customer experience. The new office houses 120 employees.
Also see: Inside USAA’s approach to digital design
“We are constantly working to design, develop and deliver the best possible experiences,” said Michael Pansini, USAA’s VP of applications development, adding the company is predominantly looking to hire software engineers and application developers, in an interview with Phoenix Business Journal. |
Marine sector behind in acquiring cyber coverage | Shipping companies are behind in terms of their adoption of coverage for cyber threats, according to Latitude Brokers founding partner Andrew Brooker. Part of the reason for this is the lack of policies specifically designed for marine clients. Marine insurance policies often excludes cyber coverage, according to a report from Miller Insurance. The insurer added in its report that marine clients searching for this kind of protection often have to do so through dedicated cyber insurance specialists. | http://www.seatrade-maritime.com/news/asia/cyber-risk-insurance-still-behind-the-curve.html | 2017-11-22 10:24:08.787000 | And while insurers have also expressed an interest in creating new products to stop competing for the same traditional lines of business, many have still not done so, noted Latitude Brokers founding partner Andrew Brooker at the 5th Asia Marine Insurance Conference.
There is a need to provide response consultants and more importantly fit-for=purpose policies. "We need a starting point; clear fit-for-purpose base which we're not doing," he said.
Part of the reason for this is a lack of understanding of the issues involved and the ability to provide solutions to them on the part of both insurers and the insureds. Brooker suggested that a way forward for this relatively recent phenomenon might be to take the quick and effective introduction of Kidnap & Ransom (K&R) insurance when the Gulf of Aden piracy situation rose to prominence.
Many of the elements involved there such as unfamiliarity with the situation and confusion about how to react are similar to that being faced by companies with cyber crime now. Similarly the impetus to take more proactive measures onboard ships was also driven by the insurers providing the K&R insurance. This included the hardening of ships, providing of armed guards and so on.
In the same way, Brooker believed that the current inertia on the part of shipping company management in implementing cyber security measures could be overcome by demands from the insurers to step up. |
Ping An plans to spin off, list tech units | China's Ping An is planning to spin off and list its technology and internet-focused divisions. The firm also says it's open to partnering with internet companies entering the insurance space. There is no timeline for when the insurer will list the divisions as separate entities. Ping An's stock is trading in a similar fashion to a technology company, according to Bloomberg. It's reported that the firm's share price has risen 122% in 2017, keeping pace with China's technology behemoth Tencent, which has seen returns of 127%. | http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2017-11/22/content_34839240.htm | 2017-11-22 10:15:33.407000 | A Ping An Bank employee (left) addresses queries from a customer on credit and loan services at a financial expo held in Beijing. [Photo/for China Daily]
Insurance company to invest $7.54b in development of innovative products
Ping An Insurance Group Co of China Ltd is planning to spin off and list its technology and internet units separately and set up more financial services platforms as part of a strategic transformation plan, the company said on Monday.
Jessica Tan, deputy chief executive and the chief operating officer and chief information officer, said Ping An is transforming by applying biometrics, big data, artificial intelligence and blockchain and iCloud technologies to empower four business ecosystems－financial services, healthcare services, automobile services and real estate finance.
Tan said Ping An has invested more than 50 billion yuan ($7.54 billion) internally on research and development to develop innovative projects including financial technology, medical technology, artificial intelligence and externally exported socialized services. Financial technology is expected to lift potential returns on bank earnings by as much as 44 percent.
Ping An said the four ecosystems are estimated to reach a market size of as much as 550 trillion yuan by 2022. Tan said the fifth ecosystem would be on city life but it would take time to establish this new business.
Jason Yao, chief financial officer and chief actuary, said the Chinese mainland's insurance market was far from saturated compared with that in other developed countries.
He pointed out that Ping An will consider spinning off the listing of technology and internet subsidiaries in the near future but gave no timeline.
He also mentioned that Ping An has been doing internet insurance business for 15 years including the launching of Lufax business and has been focusing on technology for seven years.
Ping An now has more than 22,000 technology staff, with 40 percent coming from internet companies and 20 percent possessing masters degrees, 500 big-data scientists and 2,000 global patents. Tan said their team is expected to expand in the future.
Discussing competition from internet companies entering the insurance industry, Yao said insurance technology is a trend and Ping An is open to cooperation with them.
Li Yuan Siong, deputy chief executive and chief insurance business officer, said the company is conducting an asset-light approach, adopting a "finance plus technology" strategy that will consistently improve profit and value, though the company's share price has not fully reflected its value yet.
Ping An's net profit in the first six months of this year rose 6.5 percent year-on-year to 43.43 million yuan. The company's core finance businesses had an overall individual customer base of 143 million, increasing 9.3 percent year-on-year; it has 403 million internet users.
Ping An's shares closed at HK$86.2 ($11) in Hong Kong on Tuesday, up 8.84 percent from Monday's closing price. |
Landmark legal case could affect outsourced UK workers’ rights | A UK legal challenge over the rights of support staff at the University of London could prove a landmark case for outsourced workers. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain and the Good Law Project are leading the case, filed on Tuesday on behalf of 75 staff employed via facilities management firm Cordant Security. The workers are seeking the right to agree pay and conditions directly with the university. The case argues that denial of collective bargaining rights with a “de facto employer” breaches the European convention on human rights. If successful, the case could affect thousands of outsourced workers.
| https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/nov/21/university-london-support-staff-pay-conditions-agency-staff | 2017-11-22 00:00:00 | A union is launching a legal challenge over the rights of 75 university support staff to negotiate their pay and conditions, in a landmark case that could improve rights for outsourced workers.
The receptionists, security officers, postroom staff and porters working at the University of London are employed through the facilities management company Cordant Security, but are seeking the right to agree their pay and conditions directly with the university.
Papers for the case, led by gig economy union the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, and the Good Law Project, devised by the barrister Jolyon Maugham QC, are being filed at the central arbitration committee on Tuesday.
The case argues that denying the workers the right to collectively bargain with their “de facto employer” is a breach of article 11 of the European convention on human rights concerning joining trade unions and having them protect their interests.
If successful, the case could potentially open the door for thousands of outsourced workers across the UK to negotiate with the company that ultimately benefits from their labour. The union said that if it established the precedent of a joint employer for the purposes of collective bargaining, this could potentially be applied to people employed via agencies, such as those working in the Sports Direct warehouse.
The IWGB general secretary, Jason Moyer Lee, said: “When it comes to the most important elements of pay and terms and conditions for the outsourced workers, it is the University of London and not Cordant which calls the shots.
“In order for these workers’ collective bargaining and human rights to mean anything, we need to be able to negotiate directly with the university, not the glorified middleman.”
A University of London spokesperson said: “The university does not employ any of these workers and does not accept that the relevant legislation recognises the concept of joint employment. We have therefore not agreed to the IWGB’s request for recognition.”
The spokesperson added that the university had begun a review of the performance of its contracted facilities management services, which would cover pay, conditions and benefits.The court case is the latest in a series of battles over better employment rights and pay between outsourced workers, particularly cleaning staff, and universities and other big institutions including hospitals.
The TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said the practice of using outsourced workers hit those in the lowest-paid sectors the hardest.
“Outsourcing’s a cheap trick used by bad bosses to dodge their basic responsibilities to workers. They’re trying to hammer down people’s pay and get an unfair advantage,” O’Grady said. “Other European countries have a sensible way of dealing with this. Unions and businesses negotiate fair pay rates for the whole sector, which means outsourcing can’t drive down pay and conditions.”
This article was amended on 21 November 2017. An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to agency workers, rather than outsourced workers. We were also incorrect when we said the case was being launched by the staff; it is being brought by the union.
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HSBC closes account held by Marine Le Pen for 25 years | HSBC has closed a bank account held for 25 years by Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right Front National (FN) party. France’s second-largest bank, Société Générale, asked the FN to close all its accounts, the result of a 30-year banking relationship, earlier this week. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Marine Le Pen claimed that the moves constituted a “banking fatwa” against her party, which has stated that it will sue the banks for discrimination. Neither HSBC nor Société Générale has revealed the reasons for their actions.
| https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/22/hsbc-closes-marine-le-pen-bank-account-banking-fatwa | 2017-11-22 00:00:00 | Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s Front National, has claimed that she and her party are victims of a “banking fatwa” after HSBC closed a bank account she had had for 25 years.
The move by Britain’s biggest bank comes amid heightened scrutiny of political accounts and the day after Société Générale, France’s second-largest bank, asked the far-right party to close all its accounts after a 30-year relationship.
Le Pen told a press conference on Wednesday that HSBC had “driven me out”.
She said the closure of her and the party’s accounts amounted to a “banking fatwa” against the Front National, which has said it will sue both banks for discrimination.
Le Pen said the closures were a political decision designed to “stop the Front National taking part in democratic life and to cause the conditions of its ruin and collapse”.
Banks were trying to “silence the voices” of the almost 11 million people who voted for her in May in the final round of the French presidential election, which she lost to the centrist newcomer Emmanuel Macron.
“Financial oligarchs are trying to stifle the opposition and interfere in the course of French democracy,” she said. “Will the opposition in France be forced into banking exile? What would become of France’s reputation if that happens?”
La persécution bancaire devient personnelle : M. Vandeville, patron de la HSBC, me chasse de la banque dont je suis cliente depuis 25 ans.
Je diffuserai l’enregistrement de la conversation lors de ma conférence de presse à 11h30. MLP — Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) November 22, 2017
HSBC has been criticised for closing the accounts of small business customers and charities. In September, small businesses in the UK – ranging from an avocado importer to marketing and design companies – complained their accounts had been shut by the bank without notice.
The banks have not made public their reasons for closing the Front National and Le Pen accounts.
HSBC said it could not comment on individuals. SocGen issued a statement saying its decisions on opening and closing accounts were based only on banking issues, and a respect of banking rules, “without any political consideration”. |
MIT creates rent indices for India's top cities with Propstack | The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has calculated office rent indices for the six leading cities in India in a collaboration with property data firm Propstack. The partnership comes as India's market in real estate investment trusts is about to open, which is expected to receive significant investment from institutional funds. The indices were calculated with a new methodology and should assist in asset location, performance measurement, transparency, research and investment product development. | https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/personal-finance-news/mit-develops-office-rent-index-for-indias-top-6-cities/articleshow/61720488.cms | 2017-11-21 19:04:09.270000 | MUMBAI: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has created office realty rent indices for India’s top six cities in collaboration with Propstack in the run-up to opening up of India’s Real Estate Investment Trust market that prompted large investments from global institutional funds.The development assumes significance as the maiden index for Indian office real estate market is expected to bring greater transparency into this segment and could trigger higher institutional investments from large sovereign wealth and pension funds.MIT Center of Real Estate has developed these indices, based on data from realty information and analytic firm Propstack, for Mumbai, National Capital Region, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad. These indices have been developed from data of last 12 years related to rent and its growth on quarterly basis in these six key markets.“We introduce new methodology for constructing real estate rent indices. Using unique data on contract rents from six Indian metropolitan markets, we pair subsequent rented units in the same building to create over 12,000 pseudo repeat rent pairs,” said the paper released by MIT’s Sheharyar Bokhari, David Geltner, and Alex van de Minne.Rent indices are an important indicator for tracking the space market and can be used to support asset allocation, performance measurement and attribution, transparency, research and investment product development.“Indian commercial market has been witnessing steady and robust growth in the last few years owing to improving macroeconomic factors leading to business development. This coupled with uptake in office space absorption, rental growth and improving transparency has been attracting global investments. With the upcoming REIT listings, indices tracking rental growth in key markets would help in pushing this further,” said Raja Seetharaman, cofounder, Propstack.Among the six Indian office markets, Bengaluru has seen the biggest increase in rents since 2010 more than 5% annually. Chennai and Pune grew annually at 2.8% and 2.7%, respectively. Hyderabad and the NCR office market rents have increased 1.9% and 1.8% per year, respectively.While Mumbai had the slowest annual growth at 0.4%, it had grown tremendously during in 2005-2008, when rents more than doubled. The growth indicates that important emerging markets such as India need to develop sophisticated commercial realty information analytics. |
Housing market crisis is oversimplified and requires new thinking | There's little consensus on what constitutes the UK's housing crisis or what an ideal housing market would look like, according to an opinion piece in Residential Analysts. As debate swings between competing "rival simplifications" of the cause of the crisis, such as slow progress in housebuilding and low interest rates, it's important to recognise that there is not just one "single housing market". It is a complex, layered entity and if it's to be "fixed" then clarity is needed via a framework of success for each individual layer of the market.
| http://resi-analysts.com/2017/11/20/what-would-success-look-like/ | 2017-11-21 17:51:23.507000 | Recent years have seen growing public and political recognition that there is a crisis in housing. This has led to a widening debate on the causes and potential solutions.
However, within this debate there has been little in the way of a consensus view of what constitutes the current housing crisis and what a “crisis-free” housing system might look like. There seems little clear idea of any measurable goal. The nearest we have as a target to aim at has been a series of aspirational numbers for new-build homes, with limited clarity on what to expect if we were to hit those numbers.
Clarity about what success would look like is essential. Without a framework for what we need and want from housing, our ability to understand and fix it appropriately will be compromised. A lack of clarity also increases the risk of unintended consequences from misguided policy interventions.
The current housing debate is “bedevilled by rival simplifications”. There are several quite often competing explanations for why we have a housing crisis. For many it is our failure to build homes at the same rate as projected household formation. This failure might be assigned to the planning system, the greenbelt, housebuilder business models, the land market, or NIMBYs. For others, the crisis is a result of falling interest rates, rising credit supply, low income growth, wealth and income inequality, tax incentives, or simply our fixation on house price growth. For some, there is no shortage of homes, rather a poor distribution. And for others there isn’t really a housing crisis.
Despite the apparent contradictions in this mix of positions, each of the arguments that support these various views may hold significant elements of truth. Housing is a complex and interconnected system within the economy and society. There is no simple single housing market. There are multiple markets defined by location, property type, tenure, and price. Therefore, there is no simple single housing crisis. Instead we have multiple overlapping issues affecting different parts of the country in different ways and to varying degrees.
There may be factors that influence all housing markets across the UK, indeed across much of the globe. There will be others that impact more locally and within specific housing sectors.
So, for instance, there is growing acceptance by many experts that the cost and availability of credit has been one of the biggest, if not the biggest, drivers of increases in national house prices over the last twenty years. But it is not the only factor. The growth in buy-to-let has contributed to the financialisation of housing, with homes increasingly thought of as an investment rather than a place for people to live. A lack of supply is predominantly an issue for London and its surrounds, but there are localised shortages elsewhere, particularly of specific types or tenure of homes. Planning (including a lack of) and the land market limit the responsiveness of supply to rising demand. Housing is unevenly distributed, mostly across generations but also spatially and within generations. Some areas don’t need a net increase in housing but desperately need existing poor-quality homes improved or replaced. In many areas the biggest issue is low (or negative) income growth and employment insecurity.
All these issues and others play a part in defining “the housing crisis”. Having a framework for what we need and want from housing, combined with an understanding of the complexities and interactions that run through the housing market, is essential to resolving the problems they create.
A misunderstanding of the complexities of housing can be found in one of the most frequently stated explanations for the crisis: a lack of new supply compared with household projections. Unfortunately, this argument is flawed. Household projections are not a measure of housing demand. The effective demand for new housing is determined by the number of people or companies willing and financially able to buy property. Meanwhile new supply only accounts for around 12% of total transactions and probably less of available homes for sale.
Importantly, even if some analysis may suggest there is no shortage of supply, that does not mean there is no need for new supply. Household projections are a statistical construct based on the past, not a direct measure of future housing demand. But they are still important if used appropriately within a framework for what we need and want from housing.
If we are more explicit about the role of household projections in measuring housing need and the assumptions they contain, then the supply versus household projections argument might be recast as a debate on changing household sizes and the consumption of housing (both in terms of space and multiple properties). This then implies that we should be clearer about the minimum acceptable amount of housing people need, while also accounting for what they want. Should younger people still expect to form households at the same rate and size as their parents? The assumptions and projections around future household sizes should be moved from the background, where they are typically only discussed by planners and researchers, to the centre of the debate.
They should be just one part of a framework for success that explicitly states what we need and want from housing (not just in terms of size but also cost, tenure, quality, security, and location) and better defines the minimum we are prepared to accept. That will provide a clearer understanding of where housing is failing to meet those requirements and help set objectives for how to fix it. These could then be applied appropriately across different markets.
If measurement against the framework shows that households are not able to form at an appropriate rate and size relative to what they need, then we probably need to increase supply while possibly encouraging older households to move out of larger homes. If rents are too expensive then we may need to reform the rental sectors and increase supply. If housing quality is poor, then we need to work harder at improving and replacing existing stock. If many areas are struggling due to low (or negative) income growth and employment insecurity, then we probably need to look beyond just housing. It might even question whether we need to rebalance the economy and infrastructure investment away from London and its commuter zone.
Having a framework for success may even highlight which issues we can fix and which we can’t. For example, it looks likely that we are stuck with a low interest rate and hence high house price to income market. Under those conditions, prospective first-time buyers will continue to struggle to raise a deposit and access home-ownership irrespective of how much new supply can be realistically delivered. Rather than trying to return to the relatively short-lived 20th century ideal of mass home-ownership, perhaps we should be focussing our efforts on making renting cheaper, higher quality, and more secure as a long-term home. Increasing new supply would be an important tool in achieving that outcome.
When we have a framework for what success could look like, our ability to understand and fix housing appropriately will be dramatically improved. It would be an important step towards making housing available, affordable, and appropriate for everyone that needs it. It would also be more useful than simply setting a nice round number national target for new homes. |
TalkTalk Handful of customers report the internet service as not working | Technical issues caused hundreds of TalkTalk customers in Nottinghamshire to experience internet connection issues and phone problems, with customers of TalkTalk-owned AOL in the US also seeing the service go down. The telecoms company stated that the issue was localised, and has now resolved all the issues, commenting that a "limited" number of customers were affected.
| https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/882077/TalkTalk-down-internet-not-working-status-red-light | 2017-11-21 17:18:07.030000 | TalkTalk down - Internet not working for hundreds of customers
UPDATE ONE: The issues affecting TalkTalk and AOL today appear to have been resolved.
Down Detector reports of issues with the services have fallen from the hundreds to just a handful.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, a TalkTalk spokesperson said: “Technical issues led to a limited number of customers in Nottinghamshire experiencing difficulty with their services this evening.
"Our engineers have now restored all services. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
ORIGINAL: TalkTalk is down right now in the UK for hundreds of customers who have reported issues with the firm's internet service today.
Independent website Down Detector has received a surge of TalkTalk down reports, with the majority of those affected experiencing issues with their internet connection.
The Down Detector outage map shows users across the UK experiencing issues with TalkTalk today.
Down Detector is an independent website that tracks social mentions around certain topics to detect outages across the globe.
The TalkTalk outage coincided with issues in the US for users of AOL - which is part of the TalkTalk Group.
The official TalkTalk service status page says there are currently issues with the Broadband service in the UK, but added it's a localised issue. |
Uber agrees to buy up to 24,000 self-driving Volvo cars | Uber has agreed to buy up to 24,000 autonomous vehicles from Volvo as it seeks to replace its drivers with self-driving cars. Delivery of the luxury SUV XC90 vehicles is scheduled to start in 2019. With the cars costing around $50,000 each and the addition of self-driving technology, the deal could cost Uber more than $1bn. Uber already uses XC90s for its testing in Arizona and Pittsburgh, although those vehicles have human drivers ready to take control if something goes wrong. Google’s Waymo is already testing vehicles without drivers in Phoenix. | http://bgr.com/2017/11/20/uber-volvo-self-driving-car-vs-waymo/ | 2017-11-21 16:56:22.383000 | Uber’s long term goal has always been to disrupt humans out of existence, and replace its fleet of man-piloted 2010 Mazda 3s with something a little more modern. That plan got an additional boost today with the news that Uber has entered into an agreement with Volvo to buy up to 24,000 self-driving cars from the automobile manufacturer.
With delivery of thousands of cars scheduled to start in 2019, that gives us a firm date for when Uber plans to deploy self-driving cars as a widespread alternative to human-navigated vehicles.
The cars in question will be Volvo’s flagship luxury SUV, the XC90. The retail price of an XC90 is somewhere around $50,000, on top of which Uber will have to supply the self-driving technology. All told, the deal could cost over $1 billion, which is a lot of cash to burn, even by Uber’s standards.
This isn’t the first time Uber and Volvo have worked together. Uber already uses Volvo’s XC90 as the testbed for its self-driving system, which is currently undergoing trials in Arizona and Pittsburgh. Although those cars are self-driving, they still have an engineer present behind the wheel, ready to take control.
Waymo, the Google self-driving car spinoff, recently announced that some of its self-driving minivans are already running around Phoenix without a human inside; within months, the company is planning on using those fully self-driving cars to launch a ride-hailing service in the city. |
A new role for first responders: providing in-home health care | Hospitals and insurers attempting to change the method of delivery for emergency medicine by sending emergency medical technicians to patients’ homes. At present, older adults tend to rely on 911 for assistance, which often leads to unnecessary hospitalization. By taking care of the simple check-ups older adults often need at home, insurers save money and patients risk fewer health complications. Over 100 mobile integrated health programs have been initiated worldwide, with some focusing on the high-needs group of “dual eligible” patients that require both Medicare and Medicaid. This group generally has more than one complex health problem, and accounted for 31 percent of spending for Medicare in 2012, largely due to repeated ER visits. At present, 911 calls are the only option for many senior patients to receive medical attention for their various ailments. However, the pilot mobile health projects sign up patients to a separate number if they have an out-of-hours medical emergency, allowing for triage to the ambulance services or paramedics if necessary. The paramedic carries out vital symptom checks and administers treatment if necessary. A survey of one such project by the nonprofit Commonwealth Care Alliance, of 275 patients that had mobile care treatment throughout July of this year, 84 percent avoided ER visits, saving approximately $800 to $3,600 per patient in terms of ER fees. A full evaluation of the potential success of these programs needs to be made, however, before it can be implemented more widely. Waivers would also have to be put in place to allow emergency medical technicians to perform the same duties as paramedics, and in some states budgets would have to be extended for the programs to gain permanency. | https://www.statnews.com/2017/11/17/mobile-integrated-health-emergency-room/ | 2017-11-21 16:41:58.580000 | CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Dedalo Sousa, an 85-year-old with type 2 diabetes, has seen the inside of a hospital more times than he can remember.
He has a regular doctor. But sometimes, “when he gets scary things, we don’t want to wait for his doctor visit,” said Sousa’s wife, Emilia Torres.
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Once it was a cyst on his back. Another time, Torres said, he had something like heartburn.
Torres admitted that the her husband’s emergency room visits are often for “minor things.” She added, however, “I panic when he gets sick.”
That impulse — combined with the fact that health problems crop up outside of office hours, or that even daytime problems can present a transportation challenge — drive many older patients to turn to 911 for help. And laws in many places, including Massachusetts, are very clear: A 911 call means a trip to the hospital.
But hospitals and insurers have begun trying to change that story by changing how emergency medicine is delivered. The idea is, instead of transporting patients to the hospital, emergency medical technicians respond to their needs in their own home. Many patient needs — for instance, slightly elevated blood pressure, a dip in blood sugar — are simple enough to not need a trip to the hospital. Avoiding hospitals saves insurers money, is easier on patients, and reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infections.
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It’s called mobile integrated health; currently, more than 100 such programs exist nationwide. In Massachusetts, a number of pilot programs in mobile integrated health have sprouted up in recent years. The Department of Public Health has waived certain rules governing EMS providers for two Boston-area pilot programs.
Senior paramedic Joe Hughes works on his computer between visits on the mobile integrated health program. Kayana Szymczak for STAT
One such program was started in 2014 by nonprofit Commonwealth Care Alliance. Its participants are so-called “dual eligible” individuals — residents who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare. This group tends to have multiple complex health issues, often including behavioral health conditions.
They also make up a disproportionate share of health care spending. According to a 2016 MedPAC report, while dual-eligible beneficiaries account for 18 percent of beneficiaries with traditional Medicare coverage, they accounted for 31 percent of spending in 2012. This is due, at least in part, to frequent ER visits.
But avoiding emergency rooms can be trickier than it seems. In evenings when doctors are gone and clinics are closed, a 911 call is some patients’ best bet for medical attention. And Massachusetts law — and similar ones in many other places — dictates that when a person calls 911, the ambulance that responds must transport them to a hospital, regardless of the seriousness of their health needs.
Pilot mobile health projects take a different tack. In the case of the program run by CCA, participants enroll by signing up online or through their doctors. Instead of 911, those participants are given another number on a refrigerator magnet to call if they have a medical emergency between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m., the state rules for their hours of operation.
A nurse practitioner answers the phone and assesses the patient’s condition, and contacts EasCare Ambulance Service, which contracts with the organization.
A patient calling during the program’s hours of operation will usually have a paramedic at the door within an hour. Calls at other times are queued for that evening’s shift.
Once at a patient’s home, the visit proceeds much like a home health care visit — vitals are taken and symptoms are noted. The EMT then relays this information to a doctor over the phone, before beginning treatment such as running an IV, administering medication, or taking tests.
Because the modified ambulances don’t carry stretchers, if the EMTs determine a patient needs to go to the hospital, they call for a regular ambulance.
But generally, that isn’t needed. According to a survey CCA conducted of 275 patients who received mobile care through July 2017, 84 percent avoided any emergency room visits during that time.
According to a CCA-coauthored 2016 report, those avoided visits amount to about $800 to $3,600 in savings per patient, relative to what it would have cost if the patient received the same treatment in a hospital emergency department.
Paramedic Joe Hughes checks on an IV treatment given to patient Sousa during a home visit. Kayana Szymczak for STAT
Still, despite the growing enthusiasm of insurers for mobile integrated health programs, their overall efficacy hasn’t been thoroughly studied.
“We’re able to anecdotally note that there is a benefit, but we need to measure how beneficial these programs really are,” said Dr. Stephen Dorner, an emergency medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital who co-authored a 2016 journal article on mobile integrated health programs. Dorner also serves as a consultant to CCA.
He and his co-authors pointed out that while mobile health programs are sprouting up across the country, “their performance has rarely been rigorously evaluated.”
CCA’s program is a good example, he said.
“We know that it saved money when people avoided going to the hospital,” Dorner added. “But we’re talking about avoiding something that it’s hard to predict in the first place. There hasn’t been a full-scale, retrospective analysis.”
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Currently, CCA’s mobile integrated health service is only available to participants in the Boston area; it hopes to extend its coverage to 28 southeastern Massachusetts cities and towns in the first half of 2018.
But the state would have to change the program’s waiver to allow, among other things, emergency medical technicians to perform some of the duties of paramedics.
“We’re not allowed to do that yet, but we want to, so we can help people more,” said Ron Quaranto, chief operating officer of Cataldo Ambulance Service. Cataldo operates its own mobile health program, called SmartCare Community Paramedics. The program, also created under a DPH waiver, serves Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center patients with severe health problems that put them at high risk for repeated hospitalizations.
“At least we can continue the pilot program,” Quaranto added. “But we’d like the state to extend the special project waiver.”
For now, they’ll have to wait, said Ann Scales, spokesperson for Massachusetts Department of Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel. The current state budget does not provide funding for mobile integrated health pilots to become permanent.
“Until the necessary program startup and operating costs are appropriated, the Department of Public Health cannot promulgate the Mobile Integrated Health regulations and implement the program,” she said.
For his part, Sousa is glad he can be treated in his own home.
“He’s a gentleman who will not go to the hospital,” explained Torres, his wife.
“No, no, no,” laughed Sousa, sitting in his recliner, answering freely, with a smile that said he didn’t entirely disagree. |
AdEx, travel media giant Ink to auction boarding-pass ad space | Blockchain-based ad-serving network AdEx is partnering with Ink, the world's largest travel media firm, to launch a first-of-its-kind auction for ad space on airline boarding passes. Ink CEO Simon Leslie said two million spaces on tickets would be up for grabs in the inaugural auction, with companies including Propy and eToro among those expressing early interest.
| http://bitcoinist.com/blockchain-ad-network-adex-crosses-real-sector-ink-partnership/ | 2017-11-21 16:23:51.103000 | Blockchain-powered global ad exchange AdEx announced today that they have entered into an exclusive partnership with Ink, the world’s leading travel media company.
About Ink
Ink is the world’s biggest travel media company with an audience reach of over 775 million passengers annually. They offer opportunities for advertisers to connect with a global audience through in-flight magazines, mobile devices, and other digital, print, and video media products. They work with some of the world’s most prominent airlines including American Airlines, Norwegian, Qatar Airways, United, and many others.
The world leader in travel media, Ink has won numerous awards including Travel Magazine of the Year, Best Cover, Best Photography, and Best Overall Editorial at industry events throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
For more information about Ink please visit ink-global.com.
About AdEx
AdEx is one of the largest and most popular decentralized ad networks in the world. Using blockchain technology and smart contracts, AdEx solves many of the most significant problems plaguing traditional ad networks today. Advertisers, publishers, and consumers alike will benefit from the advantages that blockchain technology brings to the online advertising market, including increased data security, fraud protection, enhanced audience targeting, and clear and accurate reporting. Previous partnerships have included such renowned blockchain companies and projects as NEO, Wings, and Fintech Blockchain Group.
For more information about AdEx please visit adex.network.
AdEx and Ink to Auction 2 Million Ad Spots
Under the new partnership, AdEx and Ink will hold a blockchain-based auction for ad spaces on airline boarding passes. The auction will be the first of its kind and marks one of the few instances where a blockchain-based company has crossed over and entered the real sector of the economy.
Ink CEO Simon Leslie says:
We are pleased to be working with AdEx to deliver advertisers such a targeted medium, and to be involved in this media first.
For the first auction, 2 million ad spaces on boarding tickets will be offered up for sale. AdEx will oversee the bidding process while Ink and the airline in question will choose the winners.
Ivo Georgiev, CEO of AdEx Network, states:
This is a giant step for us as it bridges travel media, advertising and blockchain to offer advertisers even more opportunities for reaching their desired target audiences.
According to Georgiev, several prominent companies, including eToro and Propy, have expressed their intent to bid for the ad spots in the upcoming auction.
Further details about the auction, including results, are expected to be released next week.
AdEx has already partnered with several prominent cryptocurrency-related companies. After their partnership with digital assets platform NEO was announced in August of this year, the price of the platform’s ADX token rose by over 400% to almost $2 from $0.35 over a matter of days. ADX is currently trading at around $1.
Do you think that this latest AdEx partnership will help pave the way into the “real sector” for other blockchain-based services? Let us know in the comments below.
Images courtesy of AdEx, Ink |
Video header bidding pays off for LittleThings' ad rates | US publisher LittleThings has seen growth of 20% in its programmatic video ad rates over the past 12 months after adopting header bidding via unified auctions. It now receives between 80 million and 120 million video views a month on its home and family-focused website, according to chief digital officer Justin Festa. He said the company sold around 30% of video ads via header bidding, despite the system being more laborious than display auctions, as it requires compatibility between LittleThings' video player and supply-side platforms, and also features complicated ad tags.
| https://digiday.com/media/littlethings-boosted-ad-rates-20-percent-video-header-bidding/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171121 | 2017-11-21 15:50:50.947000 | Although header bidding has a video problem, feel-good publisher LittleThings is getting unified auctions for its video inventory to pay off.
Adopting video header bidding helped LittleThings increase its programmatic video ad rates by about 20 percent over the past 12 months, said Justin Festa, chief digital officer at LittleThings, declining to share raw numbers. LittleThings avoided a slowdown of its ad loads by putting videos at the bottom of its articles and not using autoplay, so webpages are fully loaded by the time users click on the video player to initiate video ad calls, Festa said.
For example, in an article about Thanksgiving side dish recipes, there are six paragraphs about food that precede the overhead hands-in-pans video, which sits at the bottom of the post. LittleThings recently pivoted its video strategy by laying off 13 people and shrinking the number of shows it produces for Facebook Live. It also diversified its video distribution by creating a “postproduction” team of five people that works on publishing LittleThings’ video content across platforms like Amazon, Apple TV, Roku and Tubi TV. LittleThings receives about 80 million to 120 million video views a month on its website, Festa said.
Given that ad buyers are pouring money into video and header bidding has helped publishers increase their display ad rates, it’s logical that publishers would use video header bidding to increase their video ad revenue. But video header bidding has been slow to take off because header bidding’s latency problems are more acute with video, and most publishers continue to sell the bulk of their video inventory direct.
The phrase video header bidding is also a misnomer since there isn’t a header in video. But the idea of header bidding — where publishers simultaneously offer inventory to multiple exchanges before making calls to their ad servers — persists within video, so publishers and vendors that sell video inventory programmatically through unified auctions still use the phrase.
A year ago, LittleThings began testing video header bidding with Index Exchange’s wrapper tag and has since added a handful of supply-side platforms to its wrapper.
LittleThings uses header bidding to sell about 30 percent of its video inventory. For the rest, it uses other selling methods like direct sales and Google’s dynamic allocation. About 40 million people visited LittleThings in October, according to comScore.
Setting up video header bidding is more difficult than setting up header bidding for display, which explains why LittleThings sells a limited amount of its video ad space using header bidding. For one, there’s another middleman with video header bidding.
With display header bidding, a publisher only needs to work with an SSP. For video header bidding, the publisher needs to make sure its video player and SSP are on the same page when it comes to serving video ads. Since adopting video header bidding, Festa and LittleThings’ tech team of eight people have been in frequent contact with the publisher’s SSPs and video player to ensure everything is being implemented correctly.
Another thing that makes video header bidding hard to set up is that video ad tags are much more complicated than display ad tags, said Brian Rifkin, co-founder of video vendor JW Player. For example, advertisers will push Flash-based VPAID or VAST tags through an exchange even if the exchange no longer accepts Flash. When this happens, the ad gets blocked from loading, and the publisher loses potential ad revenue on wasted impressions.
“Video is a totally different auction than display,” Festa said. “No matter what wrapper you use, you can’t just check a box and suddenly have video [header bidding]. It’s its own setup.” |
Iron Ox start-up targets robot-boosted farm production | California-based company Iron Ox is set to develop advanced robots and artificial intelligence to help grow and harvest fresh produce. CEO and former Google engineer Brandon Alexander wants to build a series of greenhouses across the US, beginning in San Francisco, and believes sophisticated robots will eventually do a better job than humans of growing and harvesting produce. Companies such as Agrobot and Abundant Robotics have both developed fruit-picking machines, but challenges remain about damage to fruit and trees during harvesting.
| http://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/former-google-engineer-uses-robots-to-grow-produce | 2017-11-21 15:36:08.093000 | UNITED STATES (REUTERS) - Head of fresh organic lettuce - sold at the same price as one grown in the field with pesticide. That is the goal of the founders of Iron Ox - and it is one they think is possible thanks to its robots.
Iron Ox chief executive officer Brandon Alexander, gave up his job as a Google engineer - and is now getting into farming, just like his grandfather before him, and he is using his tech skills to boost production.
Says Mr Alexander:"Our mission statement isn't just build core robots or just to build great machine learning. It's to make high-quality fresh produce more accessible to everyone and we believe the way to do that is to leverage advanced robots, leverage things like AI but do it in such a way that we can actually supply better produce than they have access to today."
But unlike crops like wheat, corn and soy, that have been cultivated using GPS guided sprayers and automatic combine machines, fresh produce is much more challenging.
This machine by Agrobot can only pick berries grown in a structured way - although the next iteration promises to be one that can handle more chaos in the fields.
Abundant Robotics says its big challenge is to get the robot to pick the apples without bruising them and avoid damaging the trees. It is aiming to be ready for commercial use next year.
And Iron Ox chief technology officer Jon Binney believes - that where his robots will outfarm humans is not out in the fields - but at a greenhouse.
Iron Ox is looking to set up greenhouses across America -starting with the San Francisco Bay Area - and will focus on fast-growing crops like lettuce, basil and any other greens that can go from seed to the table in six weeks. |
Ransomware costs expected to total $11.5bn by 2019 | An uptick in the frequency of ransomware cyber attacks will cost the global economy approximately $11.5bn in 2019. In 2015 such attacks cost $325m. The prediction comes even as fewer victims are agreeing to pay the ransom demands issued by hackers deploying this method of attack. In particular, the healthcare sector is said to be particularly vulnerable. The number of attacks on healthcare firms is slated to increase four-fold by 2020. | https://www.csoonline.com/article/3237674/ransomware/ransomware-damage-costs-predicted-to-hit-115b-by-2019.html | 2017-11-21 15:30:53.840000 | Not many organizations end up paying $67 million in ransomware related costs like United Health Services (UHS) did last year following a September 2020 attack that crippled its network. The organization is, however, an example of the increasingly heavy financial toll that these attacks have begun to exact from victims over the past two years.
Security experts that have been following the trend point to several factors as driving the increased costs associated with ransomware attacks, especially for organizations in the healthcare sector. One of the most obvious is an increase in the average ransoms that attackers have been demanding from victims.
An analysis of claims data from policyholders by cyber insurance firm Coalition last year showed the average ransom demand jumping 47% from just over $230,000 in Q1, 2020 to $338,669 in Q2, 2020. Some, like the operators of the Maze ransomware strain hit victims with an average ransom demand of $420,000. A study by Coveware found actual ransomware payouts skyrocketing too—from just over $84,000 in Q4, 2019 to over $233,817 in Q3, 2020.
However, the ransom itself is only part of the total cost and is often not a factor at all for organizations that refuse to accede to extortion attempts. Even for such organizations, the cost of attacks has increased steadily over the past two years or so. Here, according to security experts, are five of the most common reasons why that has happened.
1. Downtime costs
Downtime has emerged as one of the biggest—if not the biggest—costs associated with a ransomware attack. Ransomware victims can often take days and sometimes even weeks to restore systems following a ransomware attack. During that time normal services can be seriously disrupted resulting in lost business, lost opportunity cost, lost customer goodwill, broken SLAs, brand erosion and a slew of other problems. The bulk of UHS's costs, for instance, was tied to lost income because of its inability to provide patient care services as usual and billing delays.
Such issues could get even worse. In recent months, adversaries have begun targeting operational technology networks to maximize downtime for victims and to increase pressure on them to pay. One example is an attack earlier this year on packaging giant WestRock Company, that impacted operations at some of the company's mills and converting plants. A similar attack on Honda in 2020 temporarily disrupted operations at some of the automaker's plants outside Japan.
Two-thirds of respondents in a survey of nearly 2,700 IT professionals that Veritas commissioned last year estimated it would take their organizations at least five days to recover from a ransomware attack. Another report from Coveware pegged the average downtime substantially higher at an average of 21 days in Q4, 2020.
Ryan Weeks, CISO at Datto, says a survey the company did last year showed that the average cost of downtime related to a ransomware attack in 2020 was a startling 93% higher than it was just one year ago. "Downtime is often immensely more costly than the ransom itself," he says. "The rate at which the cost of downtime is increasing really puts the ransomware epidemic into perspective."
The company's data showed the average downtime from a ransomware attack can cost upwards of $274,200—or much higher than the average ransom demand. This can make it tempting for organizations to simply accede to attacker demands, Weeks says. "For example, in 2018, the city of Atlanta, Georgia, was hit by a ransomware attack that cost the city upwards of $17 million dollars to recover from. However, the ransom payment itself was only $51,000," he says.
Such numbers point to the need for organizations to have a well-considered cyber resilience strategy and business continuity plan, Weeks says. When considering a business continuity plan, organizations need to think about issues like recovery time objective (RTO)—the maximum duration of time within which business operations must be restored—and recovery point objective (RPO)—how far back in time they need to go to retrieve data that is still in usable format. "Calculating your RTO helps determine the maximum time that your business can afford to be operating without access to data before it’s at risk. Alternatively, by specifying the RPO, you know how often you need to perform data backups," he says.
2. Costs associated with double extortion
In an especially troubling development, ransomware operators have begun stealing large volumes of sensitive data from organizations before locking up their systems and then using the stolen data as additional leverage to extract a ransom. When organizations refuse to pay, the attackers leak the data via dark websites set up for that purpose.
A study that Japan's Nikkei conducted in collaboration with Trend Micro found that more than 1,000 organizations worldwide fell victim to this type of a double extortion attack just in the first 10 months of 2020. The practice is believed to have started with the operators of the Maze ransomware family but was quickly adopted by numerous groups including the operators of Sodinokibi, Nemty, Doppelpaymer, Ryuk and Egregor ransomware families. Seven-in-ten of the ransomware incidents that Coveware responded to last quarter involved data theft.
"The fact that many ransomware groups now steal data before they encrypt it increases the risk of a data leak," says Candid Wuest, vice president of cyber protection research at Acronis. "This means that all the related costs such as brand damage, legal fees, regulatory fines and data breach clean up services are more likely to be needed, even if the systems were restored without any major downtime."
The trend has upended the traditional math associated with ransomware attacks. Ransomware victims—even those with the best data backup and recovery process—now must contend with the real possibility of their sensitive data being leaked publicly or sold to rivals. As a result, victims of ransomware attacks will likely have to bear the brunt of financial penalty from regulatory bodies, says Xue Yin Peh, senior cyber threat intelligence analyst at Digital Shadows. The publishing and exposure of data stolen from victims may constitute a breach under regulations such as the EU's GDPR, California's CCPA and HIPAA.
"Victims might also face legal consequences in the form of third-party claims or class action lawsuits," Peh notes. The potential for such trouble increases when the data that is stolen and published by attackers involves other organizations—such as third-party data files or client data. "If consumer data was exposed, a firm could expect costs around breach notification and as well. Cyber insurance premiums could also increase as a result of a ransomware attack.”
3. IT upgrade costs
In the immediate aftermath of a ransomware attack, organizations can sometimes underestimate the costs involved not just in responding to the incident but also in securing the network from further attacks. This is especially true in situations where an organization might assume the best option is to pay the attackers.
"In a scenario where paying a ransom has secured the release of infected machines, victims have no guarantee that the attackers no longer have access to their enterprise," says Migo Kedem, head of SentinelLabs at SentinelOne. They have no assurance that the attackers haven't implanted more malware on their systems or that they haven’t sold or transferred their illicit access to another criminal group. There is no guarantee that once paid, the attackers will disinfect machines, delete pilfered data, or give up their access to the victim network.
To mitigate against further attacks organizations often must upgrade their infrastructure and implement better controls. "The hidden costs that victims fail to take into consideration are the incident response and IT upgrade costs necessary to secure that network from further attack," Kedem says.
4. Increased costs from paying a ransom
Many companies pay a ransom assuming it's cheaper than restoring data from scratch. That's a mistake, say security experts. A survey that Sophos conducted last year showed that more than one-quarter (26%) of ransomware victims paid their attacker a ransom to get data back. Another 1% paid a ransom as well but didn't get their data back anyway.
What Sophos discovered was that those that did pay a ransom ended up paying double in total attack-related costs compared to those that didn’t. The average cost of a ransomware attack—including downtime, device and network repair and recovery costs, people time, opportunity cost and ransom paid—for companies that did pay a ransom was roughly $1.4 million compared to around $733,000 for the non-payers.
The reason is that victims still need to do a lot of work to restore data, Sophos found. According to the company, the costs associated with data recovery and a return to normalcy are roughly the same whether an organization recovers data from backup or with an attacker-provided decryption key. So, paying a ransom only adds to those costs.
5. Cost of reputational damage
Ransomware attacks can erode consumer trust and confidence and result in an organization losing customers and business. A survey of nearly 2,000 consumers from the US, UK, and other countries that Arcserve conducted last year showed 28% saying they would take their business elsewhere if they experienced even a single service disruption or experience where their data was inaccessible. More than nine-in-ten (93%) said they considered an organization's trustworthiness prior to purchasing and 59% said they would avoid doing business with a company that experienced a cyberattack in the past 12 months.
The recent emergence of a group calling itself Distributed Denial of Secrets could soon make it harder for organizations to play down data breaches. The group, which has modeled itself along the lines of WikiLeaks, claims to have collected troves of data that ransomware attackers have leaked online and has said it will publicly publish the data in the name of transparency. The group has already published data belonging to multiple companies that it says it obtained from sites and forums used by ransomware operators to leak stolen data. |
DoJ steps in to block AT&T's merger with Time Warner | The assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice's antitrust division, Makan Delrahim, has begun legal action to prevent AT&T’s $85.4bn acquisition of Time Warner, claiming the deal would lead to higher costs and less choice for US viewers. The proposed merger was first announced in October 2016 and looked set to win approval until Delrahim's appointment. AT&T's general counsel, David McAtee, called the lawsuit "a radical and inexplicable departure from decades of antitrust precedent". | https://www.techspot.com/news/71969-department-justice-suing-block-att-acquiring-time-warner.html | 2017-11-21 15:30:02.620000 | Rumors surfaced earlier this month suggesting the Department of Justice was laying the foundation for an antitrust lawsuit to block AT&T's $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner. On Monday, the litigation came to fruition.
The development serves as a major blow to a deal that's been in the works for more than a year. Bloomberg first reported on the news earlier in the day.
The proposed merger was announced in October 2016. The goal, among other things, is to give AT&T more leverage in the rapidly changing entertainment landscape by allowing them to bundle mobile services with video products. Time Warner, as you may know, owns Turner Broadcasting System, Warner Bros and HBO, thus serving as a significant influencer in the production and broadcasting space.
According to Bloomberg, the deal appeared to be headed toward approval as early as a month ago. That, however, was before new US antitrust Makan Delrahim came into power and took over the investigation. Delrahim apparently encouraged AT&T to sell its Turner broadcasting arm or DirecTV but the company declined.
Delrahim said in a statement today that the merger would greatly harm American consumers, adding that it would mean higher monthly television bills and fewer of the new, emerging innovative options that consumers are beginning to enjoy.
David R. McAtee II, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel, AT&T Inc., responded to the lawsuit:
"Today's DOJ lawsuit is a radical and inexplicable departure from decades of antitrust precedent. Vertical mergers like this one are routinely approved because they benefit consumers without removing any competitor from the market. We see no legitimate reason for our merger to be treated differently." "Our merger combines Time Warner's content and talent with AT&T's TV, wireless and broadband distribution platforms. The result will help make television more affordable, innovative, interactive and mobile. Fortunately, the Department of Justice doesn't have the final say in this matter. Rather, it bears the burden of proving to the U.S. District Court that the transaction violates the law. We are confident that the Court will reject the Government's claims and permit this merger under longstanding legal precedent."
AT&T intended on closing the deal by the end of 2017 but given the DoJ hurdle, that now seems unlikely. |
PayPal invoices functionality added to Facebook Messenger | A month after PayPal launched person-to-person payments within Facebook's Messenger, it has added functionality that enables users to create and send invoices over the social media site's service. Upon receipt of the invoice, transactions can be completed using PayPal One Touch.
| https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/31361/you-can-now-send-paypal-invoices-through-facebook-messenger | 2017-11-21 15:27:26.717000 | PayPal users selling their old Lego bricks can now create and send invoices within Facebook Messenger.
To use the new feature, sellers open the extension tray within Messenger, select PayPal and create the invoice, with the item name, description, price and quantity.
They then send it to the buyer, who can press the Pay with PayPal button and complete the transaction with PayPal One Touch.
The move comes a month after PayPal introduced person-to-person payments within Messenger. The firm also has a Messenger customer service bot. |
NatWest software to offer investment advice to customers | Royal Bank of Scotland-owned NatWest will offer its customers investment advice through robo-advisors, in response to customers' demands for more digital services, according to Phil Northey, managing director of premier banking at NatWest. For a £10 ($13) charge, customers can access the NatWest Invest platform and get advice on investments, as well as receive information about risk and which of the five funds on offer are right for them. This year, RBS said 220 face-to-face adviser roles were cut as a result of automated services.
| http://www.computerweekly.com/news/450430363/NatWest-software-robots-to-advise-customers-on-investments | 2017-11-21 15:16:22.207000 | UK and US move closer to transatlantic data bridge deal The British and American governments have committed, in principle, to a new data bridge agreement that will ease the free flow of personal data across the Atlantic
University of Manchester hit by cyber attack The University of Manchester has been hit by a cyber attack of an undisclosed nature
CDEI publishes portfolio of AI assurance techniques The UK’s Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has published a variety of case studies to show how different assurance techniques can build and maintain trust in artificial intelligence systems
Sweden’s Ikano Bank outsources core banking to TCS Ikano Bank moves to cloud banking platform from Indian IT services giant Tata Consultancy Services
Vulnerability exploitation volumes up over 50% in 2022 Data from Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 threat intel specialists reveals insight into the scale of vulnerability exploitation in the wild
UK gets new rules to regulate crypto sector The Financial Conduct Authority is introducing new rules to regulate the cryptoasset sector, after being handed a government remit to oversee crypto promotions
Clop may have been sitting on MOVEit vulnerability for two years The Clop cyber extortion gang may have been keeping the MOVEit SQL injection vulnerability they used to penetrate the systems of multiple victims secret for two years
Netherlands enables contactless payments on entire public transport network All modes of public transport now accept payments using contactless technology after the completion of major project in the Netherlands
Government and industry figures meet to discuss AI regulation Tech industry figures are broadly supportive of the need for artificial intelligence (AI) to be regulated, but despite growing consensus there is still disagreement over what effective AI regulation looks like
Bishop Fox’s Vinnie Liu talks offensive security skills There is growing demand for offensive security testing, but it needs a multi-layered skillset that can be hard to quantify. Bishop Fox’s CEO and co-founder explains why and some potential mitigation strategies
UKtech50 2023 winner: Michelle Donelan/Chloe Smith, secretary of state, DSIT Computer Weekly looks at the achievements and successes of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, as its secretary of state is recognised as the most influential person in UK technology for 2023
UKtech50 2023: The most influential people in UK technology Computer Weekly has announced the 13th annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK tech sector
NatWest and University of Edinburgh form partnership to research data use in banking sector Scottish university and banking group set up research centre that will aim to improve the use of banking data
Welsh ambulance service upgrades life-saving communications Welsh ambulances going through major communications upgrade as part of wider NHS programme
Researchers in Belgium move towards industrial production of qubits Using existing equipment and know-how, researchers at the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (Imec) in Belgium are finding ways of mass-producing qubits
Open banking regulator sets out next steps Plans for ongoing evolution of the UK open banking sector have been set out by regulator in bid to grow the open banking sector in a ‘safe, scalable and economically sustainable way’
Clop cyber gang claims MOVEit attack and starts harassing victims The Clop cyber extortion and ransomware operation is demanding organisations pay a ransom to avoid data stolen via an exploited vulnerability in a file transfer product being leaked
Payments regulator makes APP fraud reimbursement mandatory UK payments regulator confirms changes to rules around repaying customers who lose money to authorised push payment fraudsters
Government to test rural broadband options with £7m fund Government to fund tests of technologies that could be issued to improve internet connectivity for rural communities
Google launches hacker-backed SME security training scheme Citing research that shows almost half of SMEs are struggling to recruit cyber security specialists, Google is launching a programme designed to upskill more people to fill thousands of vacant roles
Indian IT services giant takes UK teachers’ pensions contract from Capita Tata Consultancy Services bolsters its growing UK public sector customer base with key contract win
Apple's $3,500 headset offers VR at a premium Apple devices have always commanded a premium, but will consumers and business splash out $3,499 on its new Vision Pro headset?
Mercedes Pay turns vehicles into payment devices German car manufacturer add contactless payment feature to enable drivers to find and book parking spaces and pay automatically when they arrive
Victims of MOVEit SQL injection zero-day mount up The BBC, Boots, and British Airways are among the victims of cyber incidents arising from a recently disclosed vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer, exploitation of which is spreading fast
Netherlands makes case for harmonisation of cloud security standards Harmonisation of cyber security standards is necessary to reduce the regulatory burden on Dutch SMEs – and regulators need to cooperate better
ESA uses NetApp as-a-service for space data ‘hot’ archive The European Space Agency collects data from millions of miles away. It must get storage right when there’s no chance of a u-turn to take more photos or re-record data
TechUK publishes ‘UK tech plan’ for next government Technology businesses are calling on UK politicians to devise a ‘comprehensive, forward-thinking strategy’ to realise the benefits of technology ahead of the next general election
Cyber spotlight falls on boardroom ‘privilege’ as incidents soar Three quarters of data breaches now involve a significant human element, and the higher up they get in an organisation, the more risks people seem to take, according to Verizon’s annual Data Breach Investigations Report
Workers ‘deeply uncomfortable’ with digital surveillance at work Employees express discomfort towards employers’ use of various digital surveillance and monitoring techniques, which are often powered by artificial intelligence
Bank of International Settlement sets up channel secure from quantum breach The Bank of International Settlement has worked with two of Europe's central banks to explore preventing the security risks posed by quantum computers
UK has time limit on ensuring cryptocurrency regulatory leadership, says Parliamentary report Parliamentary report makes 53 recommendations to the government's plans to regulate cryptocurrency
Medical regulator drops probe into NHS whistleblower Peter Duffy amid dispute over email evidence The General Medical Council has dropped an investigation into an NHS whistleblower who exposed widespread clinical harm at Morecambe Bay Trust amid questions over disputed email evidence
Sweden is developing its own big language model Artificial Intelligence Sweden is leading an initiative to build a large language model not only for Swedish, but for all the major languages in the Nordic region: Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Faroese
NBN unveils uncapped data plan for remote Australia Following a successful trial to examine delivery of an improved satellite service, including the capability to achieve faster burst speeds of up to 100Mbps, an uncapped usage plan has been launched to address data needs of rural Australia
Qualcomm beefs up Snapdragon Space XR Developer Platform for immersive future Mobile platform technology giant launches immersive technology designed to create a cross-device, extended and augmented reality ecosystem that will enable head-worn experiences from existing smartphone applications
AI interview: Dan McQuillan, critical computing expert Critical computing expert Dan McQuillan speaks to Computer Weekly about the top-down imposition of artificial intelligence on society, and how AI is a fundamentally political technology shaped by humanity’s most reactionary tendencies
Met Police director of intelligence defends facial recognition The Met Police’s director of intelligence has appeared before MPs to make the case for its continuing use of facial-recognition technology, following announcements from the force and the Home Office that they intend to press on with its adoption
CIO interview: Adam Warne, CIO, River Island The privately owned fashion retailer places a premium on its high street presence, but sees digital innovation as key to improving customer service in stores
How India’s DICV is tapping smart manufacturing Daimler India Commercial Vehicles has deployed augmented and virtual reality, advanced sensors, data analytics and other technologies to improve manufacturing processes and customer fleet management |
Google 'Send Money' allows payments via email | Google will launch its peer-to-peer payment service, Send Money, in the UK over the coming weeks. The facility is available only to Gmail users who have Google Wallet accounts, and allows money to be sent via email, even to recipients without Gmail addresses. The service has been available in the US for several years. The move pits Google squarely against rivals PayPal and Snapchat’s Snapcash, while a similar service from Facebook is also reportedly in the works.
| http://www.itpro.co.uk/email-clients/23945/google-starts-send-money-roll-out-to-uk-gmail-users | 2017-11-21 15:12:11.640000 | Coinbase Super Bowl marketing stunt prompts debate over QR code security
News Experts are torn over QR codes and whether the cyber security threat they theoretically present is actually enough to warrant genuine concern in real-world scenarios |
Lightning Network executes first bitcoin-litecoin exchange | The first instant transactional exchange between bitcoin and litecoin has taken place, using technology known as Segregated Witness (SegWit) and the Lightning Network. The system enables billions of transactions through smart contracts, speeding the exchange process. The move will reduce profits for bitcoin miners, who add value through transaction volume, but it proved that SegWit and the Lightning Network code are functional and can increase transactional speed.
| http://bitcoinist.com/first-ever-cross-chain-atomic-swap-between-bitcoin-and-litecoin-has-now-taken-place/ | 2017-11-21 14:43:35.963000 | The Lightning Network brought to Bitcoin with Segwit enables users to instantly exchange Bitcoin for Litecoin and vice versa. The first ever transaction between the two coins has now happened.
Segwit (short for Segregated Witness) brought with it many new exciting features for Bitcoin when it was implemented in August this year, not least of them atomic swaps and the Lightning Network. The Lightning Network is an off chain network, that can, among other things, help reduce the load on the main Bitcoin blockchain.
Billions of transactions can theoretically be made instantly through the application of smart contracts. Transfers are made with other parties with a 10-day lock-in period, allowing the exchange to either occur between the two parties or have them cancel and be refunded. The first swap can be seen taking place on the YouTube video below. it was released yesterday by Lightning Labs who devised the code.
SegWit and Its Progress
Are there downsides to any of this? Not really unless you are a miner, no. Bitcoin miners will not be making as much profit from receiving transaction costs, as there stands to be less of them made. Whether this will prove to be a decent combat to the increasingly centralized nature of the current state of Bitcoin mining remains to be seen, as large corporate controlled operations rather than a collective of truly decentralized users, hold a vast, potential unfair sway over the Bitcoin network.
Marshaling the approval of pool owners and mining operators has been key, however, to bringing the power of SegWit to both Litecoin and Bitcoin, as combined hashing power was needed in order to activate the SegWit changes on the entire blockchain.
Litecoin’s SegWit implementation came first, ahead of Bitcoin, not by design, as infighting prevented agreement for the change happening sooner for Bitcoin. This ultimately meant that Litecoin was able to act as a testbed for both the implementation of SegWit itself and also actually running the Lightning Network code which was originally written for Bitcoin by Lightning Labs but could be implemented on Litecoin as the coin is essentially a fork of Bitcoin.
Litecoin And Bitcoin Highways
Litecoin creator Charlie Lee wrote:
Think of it being two highways: Today, Bitcoin is packed full of cars and Litecoin is empty. Even with Bitcoin packed, the cars are not coming to use the Litecoin highway today because it’s not connected and it’s inconvenient (centralized exchanges and slow on-chain transfers) to go across. LN will build bridges over the highways.
The potential benefits of the two coins working together is well summed up with Charlie Lee’s highway metaphor, users need speed and the Lightning Network would appear to more than deliver on that front while also easing congestion on the blockchain.
The news brought an increase in Litecoin’s price as well, as it rose from $63 to $72 in 3 hours, happening during Bitcoins bull run in the last 24 hours to $8k.
Are you exciting for the upcoming months? Will this help retail adoption of Bitcoin payments with its speed of use? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Images courtesy of the Bitcoinist archives, BigStockPhoto |
Japanese shun new-build tradition for cheaper home renovations | A lack of money is forcing young Japanese to buck tradition and renovate properties instead of build new housing. The nation's housing market has developed a culture of much shorter building lifespans, with houses typically lasting just 20 years to 30 years and having little resale value. The pattern has been reinforced by past poor building standards and a lack of incentives for home improvements. As a result, buyers tend to acquire land and demolish the property on it, building a new house instead.
| https://www.treehugger.com/tiny-houses/renovation-tokyo-creates-house-four-generations.html | 2017-11-21 14:41:24.473000 | From van and bus conversions to trailers and tiny homes, discover the best in small living and find out how to downsize your own living space. |
China to stabilise land prices through stiff regulation | The People's Bank of China and the country's regulators have agreed on a series of measures aimed at ensuring the housing market does not heat up, following President Xi Jinping's recent statement that "housing is for living in, not for speculation". According to Chinese state television, capital flow will be balanced between real estate and other sectors, and the land market would be subject to greater scrutiny to prevent a rise in prices. Province leaders were also warned to enforce regulations governing building and lending restrictions. | https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/21/china-property-rules-to-tighten-up-against-bubble-risk.html | 2017-11-21 14:41:08.310000 | A man walks in front of advertisements for residential property in the glass facade of a real estate agency in Guangzhou, Guangdong province of China.
Chinese authorities have said they will head off the risk of a property market crash by stiffening regulation and preventing high land prices.
Regulators from land and housing ministries, as well as the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC), have agreed plans to curb speculation in bricks and mortar, Reuters reported, citing comments on Chinese state television (CCTV).
The authorities said they would stop funds being illegally funneled into property and that capital flow would be more forcibly balanced between real estate and other industries.
CCTV also reported that there would be greater scrutiny of the land market to prevent the underlying cost from pushing up property prices. |
UK faces food price inflation due to La Niña and Brexit: Rabobank | The La Niña weather event could impede production of key commodities, including cocoa and coffee, leading to further food price inflation in the UK next year, according to Rabobank. The UK is particularly exposed to the impact of the event due to Brexit uncertainty. La Niña results from the cooling of the tropical Pacific Ocean and could affect regions from grain fields in the Americas to Asian palm oil plantations. Rabobank said that weather events pose “significant threats on the horizon to global food prices in 2018”.
| https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/nov/21/uk-food-prices-la-nina-coffee-cocoa-brexit-inflation | 2017-11-21 14:34:50.857000 | UK consumers could be hit by a new bout of food price inflation next year after the return of the La Niña global weather phenomenon, which may hit production of key commodities including coffee and cocoa.
The UK is expected to be particularly exposed to the effect of the event, which tends to prompt dry weather in the US midwest and heavy rainfall in south-east Asia and Australia, because of the uncertainty caused by Brexit.
Stefan Vogel, head of agri commodity markets at Rabobank, predicted a “year of anxiety for UK farmers and consumers”.
Vogel said: “We see significant threats on the horizon to global food prices in 2018, which have been relatively stable or even trending lower for a number of years.
“Chief among them is the potential of La Niña, a weather event caused by the cooling of the tropical Pacific Ocean that could affect areas ranging from grain fields in the Americas to palm oil plantations in Asia.
“Unfortunately, the current high-inflation environment in the UK makes it disproportionately exposed to any significant movement in food prices, while the uncertainty over trade deals when Britain leaves the EU exacerbates the situation further.”
According to the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the chance of La Niña conditions strengthening and lasting over the northern hemisphere winter is currently between 65% and 75%.
The UK’s Met Office has also warned of an “increasing risk” of a La Nina event this winter, bringing a cold snap to the UK.
It says it is unlikely there will be a major La Niña event, as experienced between 2010 and 2012, when severe droughts in key growing areas including the US midwest devastated crops while excessive rains in Columbia led to the spreading of a deadly coffee fungus.
In its outlook report for 2018, Good Buy, Low Prices, Rabobank’s analysts predict that La Niña is likely to prompt volatile prices for commodities – ranging from palm oil in south-east Asia, where above-average rainfall and isolated flooding can take place, to crops in parts of Argentina, Peru, southern Brazil and the US that might be affected by drought or low rainfall.
Jara Zicha, a commodities analyst at Mintec, said the effects of a La Niña and its stronger brother El Niño were hard to predict. A change in the weather could also be beneficial to some crops.
Two years ago, one of the strongest El Niños on record brought rain to drought-stricken California helping fruit and nut farmers in the region, for example. “What is important is how strong La Niña is,” Zicha said.
But he added: “This just adds another level of uncertainty. The UK already has very weak sterling making prices expensive and we are slowly starting to see those now. Going forward, Brexit is another uncertainty and La Nina is another factor the UK has to deal with.”
Rising crude oil prices and global freight costs as well as the potential imposition of new tariffs on the import of goods once the UK leaves the EU, could all add to price rises according to Rabobank.
Further price rises would come on top of increases in the price of fish, fats and vegetables which have driven food price inflation to the highest level in more than four years.
City analysts and some retailers had predicted that the big drop in the value of the pound since the Brexit vote in June 2016 would cease to have a strong upward effect on prices by the end of this year. But Rabobank’s analysts suggest otherwise.
“Alongside weather, the rising cost of global trade and potential currency fluctuations also create upside risks for food prices,” Vogel said. “Our view is these outweigh the downside risks in 2018. Food and agribusinesses must therefore plan ahead to manage these risks proactively and appropriately.” |
UK faces food price inflation due to La Niña and Brexit: Rabobank | The La Niña weather event could impede production of key commodities, including cocoa and coffee, leading to further food price inflation in the UK next year, according to Rabobank. The UK is particularly exposed to the impact of the event due to Brexit uncertainty. La Niña results from the cooling of the tropical Pacific Ocean and could affect regions from grain fields in the Americas to Asian palm oil plantations. Rabobank said that weather events pose “significant threats on the horizon to global food prices in 2018”.
| https://research.rabobank.com/far/en/sectors/agri-commodity-markets/outlook-2018-good-buy-low-prices.html | 2017-11-21 14:34:50.857000 | Rabobank’s outlook for 2018 indicates that, while global agri-commodity stocks are historically well-supplied, balance sheets are tightening. The key risk factor to the current low-price environment is a severe supply shock, driven by potential adverse weather in a major producing region.
Video: Outlook 2018 In some browsers, you may only see a black screen below without a play button. Please click on that black screen to view the video.
Report summary
Prices for agricultural products mainly continued to trend further down in 2017, for both G&O and softs. Ongoing weakness in emerging currencies supported the export competitiveness of producing countries like Brazil and Russia—keeping pressure on commodity prices—as did the absence of major adverse weather events in the main agricultural areas. But what will 2018 bring? A look to the near future is crucial to the business success of F&A companies.
Approaching 2018, the oversupply of G&O remains an ongoing issue, as record-large global stock levels will keep prices under pressure. For producers and buyers, we envisage opportunities—for example, low agricultural prices can provide ample opportunities for consumer hedging strategies, and the steep contango seen in a few agricultural commodities provides farmers with the opportunity to lock in higher prices by selling forward further into the future.
But an adverse weather event, like La Niña, could disrupt crops across key regions and cause food prices to spike trade headwinds. Producers also face trade risks from increasing freight and input costs along with fluctuating currencies.
Rabobank expects strong demand for coffee and cocoa, and a bullish outlook on wheat with rising consumption eating into stocks after US acreage record lows. |
Researchers claim their device makes hydrogen fuel affordable | US scientists have developed a device for producing hydrogen, which they have claimed could make the gas a cheap fuel source. Engineers from the University of California, Los Angeles said the device is a major step forward in producing environmentally friendly fuel efficiently. It makes hydrogen using inexpensive metals such as nickel, iron and cobalt, reducing the cost of manufacturing, and relies on solar energy to power the process. A third electrode allows it to act as a supercapacitor to store energy, as well as splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis.
| https://www.siliconrepublic.com/machines/hydrogen-fuel-device-ucla | 2017-11-21 14:24:35.983000 | A team of engineers has created a device that it claims could not only make hydrogen cars affordable, but could power homes cleanly, too.
Affordable, plentiful and clean hydrogen fuel could offer the greatest way for us to ditch our internal combustion engine cars, but the cost of its production and use of rare minerals in harvesting has kept it as a niche solution.
But now, a new device developed by a team of engineers from UCLA aims to allow people to produce their own hydrogen energy from abundant supplies of water to power their cars as well as their homes.
In a paper published in the journal Energy Storage Materials, the team revealed its device that uses solar energy to convert water into hydrogen energy, which would be particularly helpful in rural areas.
How it works
Unlike typical hydrogen energy production, this method uses the abundant minerals of nickel, iron and cobalt, making it much more affordable.
Also, unlike traditional hydrogen fuel cells and supercapacitors that have two electrodes – one positive and one negative – to create the hydrogen, this new device has a third electrode.
This extra electrode means it can act as both a supercapacitor to store energy, and as a device for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen – a process known as water electrolysis – to create the energy.
All three electrodes connect to a single solar cell that serves as the device’s power source, and the electrical energy harvested can be stored in one of two ways: electrochemically in the supercapacitor, or chemically as hydrogen.
Its creators say the device is a major step forward in hydrogen fuel production because it does so in an environmentally friendly way. Currently, about 95pc of hydrogen production worldwide comes from converting fossil fuels such as natural gas into hydrogen.
A breakthrough moment
Richard Kaner, the study’s senior author, compared the breakthrough to the first time a phone, web browser and camera were combined on a smartphone. He added that its full range of applications may not yet be known to science.
Currently capable of fitting into the palm of your hand, the team believes the device can be expanded, given that its key components are all made from abundant and inexpensive minerals.
Mir Mousavi, a co-author of the paper, said: “For hydrogen cars to be widely used, there remains a need for a technology that safely stores large quantities of hydrogen at normal pressure and temperature, instead of the pressurised cylinders that are currently in use.” |
Locus Robotics secures $25m for warehouse robots | American startup Locus Robotics has raised $25m in a series B funding round. The funds will be used to support the expansion of Locus' fleet of warehouse robots. The company uses a subscription model called "Robots-as-a-Service" (RaaS), allowing customers to hire their technology without making a large capital investment. The company was created to provide an alternative service for former customers of robotics company Kiva Systems, which stopped servicing its existing user base in 2015 after being acquired and renamed by Amazon.
| https://www.therobotreport.com/locus-robotics-raises-25-million/ | 2017-11-21 14:10:29.820000 | Locus Robotics, a Wilmington, MA-based startup, raised $25 million in a Series B funding led by Silicon Valley Scale Venture Partners, with additional participation from existing investors. Locus plans to use the funds to expand into international markets and build up its growing subscription-based robot fleet. Locus business model uses Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) which allows customers to use Locus’ solutions without a large-scale capital investment.
The story of how Locus came to be is almost as interesting as to why their mobile robots and RaaS business mode are getting so much attention and acceptance.
In March 2012, in an effort to make their distribution centers (DCs) as efficient as possible, Amazon acquired Kiva Systems for $775 million and almost immediately took them in-house. There was a year of confusion after the acquisition whether Kiva would continue providing DCs with Kiva robots. It became clear that Amazon was taking all Kiva’s production and that, at some future date, Kiva would stop supporting their existing client base and focus entirely on Amazon – which happened in April 2015 when Amazon renamed Kiva to Amazon Robotics and encouraged prospective users of Kiva technology to let Amazon Robotics and Amazon Services provide fulfillment within Amazon warehouses using Amazon robots.
Locus Robotics came to be because its founders were early adopters of Kiva Systems robotics technology. When they couldn’t expand with Kiva because Kiva had been taken off the market by Amazon, they were inspired to engineer a system they thought better and which empowered human pickers with mobile robots. The Locus mobile robot and related software are their solutions. |
Perlego offers online textbook subscription service | A company offering a Netflix-style subscription service for university textbooks has launched in the UK. Perlego offers users access to 200,000 textbooks for a subscription of £12 ($15.50) per month, or 50,000 public domain books with a free registration. It launched in January with £500,000 of seed funding, and aims to capitalise on the demand for textbooks that are too expensive to buy or have limited availability in university libraries. Academic publishers signing up to the service hope to pull revenue from students who would not otherwise buy new textbooks.
| https://tech.co/perlego-textbooks-subscriptions-2017-09 | 2017-11-21 14:05:30.117000 | The Netflix model is a tricky beast: Offering all-you-can-watch takes immense funding, as Netflix's 7-billion-dollar 2017 content budget proves, and it only pays off once you have a massive user base to match it. Yet companies keep trying to replicate it in different industries. I've written on the Netflix for podcast model, which is currently a major battleground, and I've written on Netflix for books, which I consider a failed venture, given that the two major players, Scribd and Oyster, are both essentially out of the game.
It was that last article that caught the attention of Perlego, a subscription service that is attempting to crack the all-you-can-read model by focusing on a niche: textbooks. After a quick interview, I'm cautiously optimistic about the project.
What's Perlego?
Perlego is a monthly ebook subscription service that offers university students unlimited access to over 200,000 titles for £12 a month (which is about $15.50 U.S., or, more importantly, less than the price of a single print book). Students can sign up for free and read over 50,000 public domain ebooks or can shell out Premium money to read 150,000 ebooks and publications from most of the leading professional and academic publishers across a range of subjects, from Business to Philosophy.
“Premium users can read any title they like, as many times as they want, Perlego's Head of Growth Oliviero Muzi Falconi tells me, “but they currently cannot download the ebook or read it offline.”
Their mission is to make textbooks both more affordable and more accessible, which is a pretty easy mission to get behind: Prices for textbooks have risen 1,041 percent since 1977.
“When we were at university,” Oliviero says, “we would spend £400 each year to buy all of our reading material (in the US the average annual spend is closer to $1,200), we would only read a few chapters of each title, pass the exam and then stack the books in a corner of our room, hoping to sell them back to our friends. If we we're ever lucky enough to find the book in the library – which rarely happens for core textbooks – we'd have to deal with waiting lists and the inevitable late-return fee. Most of us were using Netflix for movies and Spotify for music – so why not have a ‘Spotify for textbooks'?”
How It's Rolling Out
Perlego was founded in August 2016 by Gauthier Van Malderen and Matthew Davis with £500k in Seed funding.
A Beta version was released in the UK in January with 65,000 titles from a few leading publishers such as Wiley and Palgrave to test the product with university students.
“Up to this stage, we have been heavily focussing on acquiring content and most of our energy was spent negotiating distribution deals with the top publishers such as Pearson, Wiley or OUP. Today we have signed over 200,000 titles from most of the leading publishers including those mentioned above and the ebook distribution giant Ingram. We are launching a new version of the platform with thousands of new titles and many new features for the beginning of term (around the end of September). Perlego is sold both directly to student (B2C) and to the University (B2B).”
They are currently focused in the UK, but are planning to expand in the near future. So what sets it apart from the failed Netflix of books models I've ranted against in the past?
Why It Works
Oliviero pitched the service to me by stating it was unlike Scribd or Oyster — and like Spotify — because they paid publishers a fixed amount dependent on how much of the publisher's content was read that month. However, paying publishers more for each view their content gets actually is the model that Scribd used, and it's what hurt them: Voracious genre readers wound up costing Scribd more than they were worth, just as too many gluttons at an all-you-can-eat restaurant can put it out of business.
The reason this model works great for Perlego? Their niche isn't something most people love reading: It's a chore to slog through a textbook, and few people have a textbook-a-day reading habit. And since textbooks tend to be wildly overpriced, there's a huge gap in the market for a startup like Perlego to slip in.
But that's also what seems to be a potential stumbling block for the young streaming service: Why are incumbent publishers bothering to partner with Perlego, who might steal their customers? To complete the analogy, plenty of TV providers out there are wishing they hadn't been so quick to licence to Netflix, which is now eating their lunch.
Why Publishers Are On Board
I asked Oliviero about initial resistance from publishers, and how Perlego won them over.
“Much like record labels have resisted the move to a subscription model for music,” he told me, “most publishers have looked suspiciously to previous ebook subscription models. The two main reservation publishers have about the model are that cheap subscriptions cannibalise their sales and DRM methods are easy to crack and the content will leak on the internet. In reality, professional publishers have been losing business as they have wildly overpriced core-textbooks and students have resorted to finding different solutions to avoid paying for new books altogether.”
Second-hand market sales now account for 30 percent of total textbook sales, according to Oliviero, meaning that publishers don't see a dime of a third of their market. Some chose to rent instead, and pirated copies of the most recent edition are also running rampant. Perlego offers publishers a way to monetize all those students who would never have bought a textbook new in the first place. They even shared data on who's reading what, helping the publishers out more.
And They're Positioned to Expand
If their niche is as profitable as it looks, Perlego could grow fast and earn revenue quickly: The textbook-rental service Chegg IPO'd in 2013 and is worth $1.4 billion now. But for now, they are sticking to what they know: Oliviero tells me they have no plans to go beyond “academic and professional content.”
“We want to be the ‘world's learning library' so in that sense we don't feel limited to the textbook format in particular. We have already added 80,000 publications, white-papers and professional reports from publishers such as The Economist or OECD which are very popular with Business and MBA students. In the next months we will also add thousands of Case Studies to increase our offer to Business students, the largest student segment,” he says.
But if anyone at Perego does have Netflix-sized ambitions, it's easy to see how they'd get there: Strong revenue from a great niche could power the kind of content acquisition that no other Netflix-of-books model has had the chance to try. |
Nano-mapping used for precision DNA imaging and sequencing | US scientists have developed a technique for mapping DNA at a much faster rate than existing methods, and using smaller specimens. The researchers were led by Dr Jason Reed of Virginia Commonwealth University's Cancer Molecular Genetics research programme. Their method speeds up existing atomic force microscopy (AFM) by more than a thousand times, using optical instruments to detect molecular reactions. They then use a new chemical barcoding system to place markers on DNA molecules to identify patterns. The new process has many potential applications, including helping to diagnose and treat genetic mutations that cause diseases such as cancer.
| https://phys.org/news/2017-11-revolutionary-imaging-technique-crispr-dna.html | 2017-11-21 14:03:41.610000 | Jason Reed, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center and an associate professor in the Department of Physics at the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences. Credit: John Wallace at VCU Massey Cancer Center
A team of scientists led by Virginia Commonwealth University physicist Jason Reed, Ph.D., have developed new nanomapping technology that could transform the way disease-causing genetic mutations are diagnosed and discovered. Described in a study published today in the journal Nature Communications, this novel approach uses high-speed atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with a CRISPR-based chemical barcoding technique to map DNA nearly as accurately as DNA sequencing while processing large sections of the genome at a much faster rate. What's more—the technology can be powered by parts found in your run-of-the-mill DVD player.
The human genome is made up of billions of DNA base pairs. Unraveled, it stretches to a length of nearly six feet long. When cells divide, they must make a copy of their DNA for the new cell. However, sometimes various sections of the DNA are copied incorrectly or pasted together at the wrong location, leading to genetic mutations that cause diseases such as cancer. DNA sequencing is so precise that it can analyze individual base pairs of DNA. But in order to analyze large sections of the genome to find genetic mutations, technicians must determine millions of tiny sequences and then piece them together with computer software. In contrast, biomedical imaging techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) can only analyze DNA at a resolution of several hundred thousand base pairs.
Reed's new high-speed AFM method can map DNA to a resolution of tens of base pairs while creating images up to a million base pairs in size. And it does it using a fraction of the amount of specimen required for DNA sequencing.
"DNA sequencing is a powerful tool, but it is still quite expensive and has several technological and functional limitations that make it difficult to map large areas of the genome efficiently and accurately," says Jason Reed, Ph.D., principal investigator on the study. Reed is a member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center and an associate professor in the Department of Physics at the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences. "Our approach bridges the gap between DNA sequencing and other physical mapping techniques that lack resolution. It can be used as a stand-alone method or it can complement DNA sequencing by reducing complexity and error when piecing together the small bits of genome analyzed during the sequencing process."
IBM scientists made headlines in 1989 when they developed AFM technology and used a related technique to rearrange molecules at the atomic level to spell out "IBM." AFM achieves this level of detail by using a microscopic stylus—similar to a needle on a record player— that barely makes contact with the surface of the material being studied. The interaction between the stylus and the molecules creates the image. However, traditional AFM is too slow for medical applications and so it is primarily used by engineers in materials science.
"Our device works in the same fashion as AFM but we move the sample past the stylus at a much greater velocity and use optical instruments to detect the interaction between the stylus and the molecules. We can achieve the same level of detail as traditional AFM but can process material more than a thousand times faster," says Reed, whose team proved the technology can be mainstreamed by using optical equipment found in DVD players. "High-speed AFM is ideally suited for some medical applications as it can process materials quickly and provide hundreds of times more resolution than comparable imaging methods."
Increasing the speed of AFM was just one hurdle Reed and his colleagues had to overcome. In order to actually identify genetic mutations in DNA, they had to develop a way to place markers or labels on the surface of the DNA molecules so they could recognize patterns and irregularities. An ingenious chemical barcoding solution was developed using a form of CRISPR technology.
CRISPR has made a lot of headlines recently in regard to gene editing. CRISPR is an enzyme that scientists have been able to "program" using targeting RNA in order to cut DNA at precise locations that the cell then repairs on its own. Reed's team altered the chemical reaction conditions of the CRISPR enzyme so that it only sticks to the DNA and does not actually cut it.
"Because the CRISPR enzyme is a protein that's physically bigger than the DNA molecule, it's perfect for this barcoding application," says Reed. "We were amazed to discover this method is nearly 90 percent efficient at bonding to the DNA molecules. And because it's easy to see the CRISPR proteins, you can spot genetic mutations among the patterns in DNA."
To demonstrate the technique's effectiveness, the researchers mapped genetic translocations present in lymph node biopsies of lymphoma patients. Translocations occur when one section of the DNA gets copied and pasted to the wrong place in the genome. They are especially prevalent in blood cancers such as lymphoma but occur in other cancers as well.
While there are many potential uses for this technology, Reed and his team are focusing on medical applications. They are currently developing software based on existing algorithms that can analyze patterns in sections of DNA up to and over a million base pairs in size. Once completed, it would not be hard to imagine this shoe-box-sized instrument in pathology labs assisting in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases linked to genetic mutations. |
Al Jazeera moves on from quick-hit clips as YouTube views surge | AJ+, an online current affairs channel run by Al Jazeera, has started to see increased engagement 18 months after choosing YouTube to host its serialised video content. Michael Shagoury, director of audience development for AJ+ said the "real, quality journalism" wasn't working on Facebook, where average video views are 17 seconds, but it had built up a following of more than 370,000 subscribers on Google's video-sharing site, with pieces running between seven and 15 minutes. AJ+ subscriber figures have risen fourfold in the past three months.
| https://digiday.com/media/early-facebook-video-adopter-aj-is-spending-more-time-on-youtube/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=uk&utm_content=171121 | 2017-11-21 13:54:25.790000 | Al Jazeera’s AJ+ was one of the first distributed media brands to quickly build an audience off the back of Facebook with short, text-on-screen news alerts and mini-explainers covering politics, international news and social issues. But as AJ+ looks to evolve beyond the quick-hit clips that work well within news feeds, the publisher is paying more attention to YouTube.
Now, AJ+ is focused on developing episodic franchises, multipart investigative series and explanatory journalism pieces for YouTube. Series include “Direct From With Dena Takruri,” “Chinese Food: An All-American Cuisine” and “Divided America.” Its YouTube series typically have episodes with running times between seven and 15 minutes. The focus on serialized content is meant to drive retention, as people come to expect that certain video series will have new episodes on a certain day.
“YouTube is a search engine, but it’s also the world’s largest video-on-demand platform. The audience is naturally looking for a different style of content, something that’s more in-depth and presented,” said Zainab Khan, social content editor for AJ+. “YouTube pushes this as well in terms of having a publishing schedule; people on the platform want to know when to come back for a new video.”
AJ+’s decision to pivot to YouTube, which began in earnest in the summer of 2016, was driven by a desire to get people to spend more time watching its videos. The publisher was getting hundreds of millions of views per month on Facebook, but people aren’t accustomed to watching videos there for more than a few seconds at a time. (The average time spent on a Facebook news feed video is nearly 17 seconds, according to Facebook.)
“We’re doing well on Facebook, but we were also looking at the retention numbers, and those were not as high as we would like them to be, especially on the content that we were putting a real investment into, which is our in-depth and investigative reporting,” said Michael Shagoury, director of audience development for AJ+. “This is real, quality journalism, and that’s just not flying on Facebook, so we knew we needed to build an audience somewhere that would appreciate this type of content and would consistently come back for it.”
This meant taking a harder look at YouTube and developing a strategy that could lead to consistent audience growth on the platform. Today, AJ+ publishes about 12 to 15 videos per month on YouTube. Prior to the pivot, AJ+ posted up to 200 videos per month on YouTube, treating the platform as an archive of everything the publisher created.
Once AJ+ scaled back how many videos it put on YouTube, the publisher saw no drop-off in subscriber growth, allowing it to focus on the types of videos it saw were performing well on YouTube. AJ+ has more than 370,000 subscribers on YouTube, putting it behind some competitors such as Vox.com, which has nearly 3.2 million subscribers and is also spending more time focusing on YouTube.
AJ+ has 20 staffers within its organization focused on creating the type of content it puts on YouTube. This wasn’t an easy transition for them to make, according to Shagoury.
“We were high on Facebook numbers for a long time, and our producers got used to getting millions of views and that being the metric of success,” Shagoury said. “Slowly, over time, we’ve worked with them to get them to value retention and watch time.”
A year and a half into its YouTube pivot, AJ+ only recently started to see its subscribers spike. In the last three months, AJ+ has added new subscribers at four times the rate of previous months. Average video view duration has increased from 1 minute and 31 seconds to 4 minutes and 6 seconds, the AJ+ execs said. And 68 percent of AJ+’s YouTube traffic is coming from the platform’s suggested videos and browse features, which means AJ+ is getting a boost from the YouTube algorithm.
AJ+ is part of a wave of video publishers — especially in news — paying more attention to YouTube. In addition to Vox.com, The Atlantic has also said it’s devoting more time to YouTube, driven by the desire to get people to watch videos for longer periods of time and for a more consistent form of revenue with YouTube’s more established ad ecosystem.
“Even if we wanted to focus on revenue for YouTube, we really had to build that audience up a lot more than what it was and to get those important metrics up to where they needed to be for us to even properly consider YouTube as a revenue stream,” Shagoury said.
AJ+ remains a core part of Al Jazeera’s digital efforts, especially after a failed attempt earlier this decade in launching a successful cable news channel in the U.S. In 2013, Al Jazeera spent $500 million to buy the cable network Current TV and rebrand it as Al Jazeera America. The cable news channel was shut down in 2016 after the company failed to attract an audience. With AJ+, Al Jazeera has a brand with an established audience on social platforms, which could help it grow both in the U.S. and internationally — AJ+ just launched in France.
Facebook, meanwhile, remains a key part of AJ+’s distribution strategy, but as a top-of-the-funnel platform meant to “expose new people to the AJ+ brand,” Shagoury said. “Facebook is a great growth engine and provides us with the widest brand awareness. YouTube is the platform that’s one level deeper down the funnel, where people can spend more time with us and form a deeper connection.” |
Study finds that product placement doesn't bother UK audiences | More than half of UK TV viewers don't mind product placement in shows, while just 15% dislike it, according to a survey by Marketing Week. The study also showed that 53% of the 1,000 respondents felt levels of product placement had stayed the same over the past 12 months, while 44% thought they had increased, and 3% felt levels had dropped. The main criticism of the advertising device was that it distracted from the programme, according to 37% of respondents, while 36% said it made them question a show's independence.
| https://www.marketingweek.com/2017/11/21/the-evolving-nature-of-product-placement/ | 2017-11-21 13:50:46.450000 | From simple props to bespoke multi-dimensional deals, product placement has evolved into an experience-focused proposition designed to enhance the viewing experience.
Love Island and the Great British Bake Off have been two of 2017’s standout TV shows so far. One a reality dating show, the other a baking competition but both massive ratings winners for their respective channels.
Channel 4 splashed out £75m to poach the Great British Bake Off from the BBC, a risk that has paid off. The show’s final episode on 31 October was watched by 11 million viewers, Channel 4’s largest audience for 32 years.
Now in its third year, Love Island attracted 2.43 million viewers for its final episode on 24 July, the highest number in ITV2’s 19-year history.
Whereas Love Island signed Superdrug as a headline sponsor and included a number of bespoke product placement deals, Channel 4 decided to make the Great British Bake Off entirely product placement free in order to maintain the “integrity” of the series. It did, however, sign up Lyle’s Golden Syrup and Dr. Oetker as headline sponsors.
READ MORE: Great British Bake Off – Will brands rise to the challenge?
Reports in the Guardian suggest Channel 4 decided to give up lucrative product placement deals in order to keep the show “commercially clean” and as close to the BBC original as possible, the implication being that consumers dislike product placement.
But is that necessarily true? Viewers are certainly aware of product placement, with 74% regularly or frequently noticing it in TV programmes, films and music videos, according to a survey of more than 1,000 British consumers conducted exclusively for Marketing Week by audience research platform Lucid.
However, just 15% say they dislike it, while the majority (56%) say they don’t mind it.
We saw Gabby on the show and thought she really epitomised who we feel the Quiz girl is. We knew immediately that we wanted to collaborate with her. Lesley Morton, Quiz
Some 44% of those questioned believe product placement has increased over the past 12 months, while 53% think it has stayed the same. Just 3% feel it has decreased. The majority of product placement is seen on satellite or cable TV (33%) or blockbuster films (33%), followed by reality TV (31%) and terrestrial TV (26%).
The main issues with product placement, however, are that it distracts from the film or TV show (37%) and makes viewers suspicious of the show’s independence (36%).
The research, therefore, suggests that while consumers are clearly aware of product placement, the majority do not mind seeing it in their daily lives.
Evolving opportunities
Product placement is no longer just props used to make drama seem more realistic. It is now more about bespoke deals that mix continuous on-screen exposure with tactical multichannel brand executions.
ITV senior creative manager, Katherine Marlow, thinks a big part of this shift has been driven by producers who are increasingly getting in touch with commercial opportunities.
“What you had in the UK was a long history of prop placement where brands were used to improve the realism of our programmes, so [producers] were a bit unclear about what more we needed to give to a client if they’re now paying for it.” she explains.
“So there was a bit of an education job that we needed to do and a lot of that was us trying to be a little bit brave about what we could offer, as long as it felt natural within the editorial.”
Marlow describes the introduction of the ‘Bush Scrabble’ challenge for Mattel during the 2015 series of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here as a “real turning point” for commercial working with the producers on product placement that became gameplay in the context of the show.
After the episode aired, 41% of viewers were reminded of “how much fun Scrabble was to play”, according to ITV research, while 10% of viewers had their opinion of the game improved. Some 69% of those questioned said the Scrabble game scored “well for fit” in the context of I’m a Celebrity, while 82% thought it scored well “for enjoyment”.
ITV has been running product placement in Coronation Street and Emmerdale for the past six years, which Marlow believes works well due to the scale, heritage and trust the soaps have among the general public.
We initially trialled product placement in the last series of TOWIE on a ‘test and learn’ basis and have now continued this activity into a second series. Suzy Brown, Visa
While reality TV does lend itself to product placement, she explains that each show differs in the way these partnerships work. A structured reality programme like The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE) has to be mindful of the lives and experiences of the cast, whereas a show like The X Factor offers a greater degree of control. Brands like Three, Aer Lingus and Turkish Airlines have all had recent placements in the programme, showing the contestants directly experiencing their products or services.
READ MORE: Just Eat builds on The X Factor sponsorship with biggest ever brand campaign
Marlow explains that the ultimate goal is to enhance the viewing experience, because the last thing the broadcaster wants to do is put any viewers off.
“If you’re already an existing customer does the fact that you’ve then seen that product used in The X Factor make you feel more loyal to that brand? Likewise, if you had never bought that brand, does it make you want to go out and buy it?” Marlow asks.
“It’s a really fine line to tread and we’re trying to, on a very implicit level, elicit a favourable response. It’s just about how subtle we can be.”
Long standing relationships
As TV formats change and brand objectives adapt, the nature of the product placement relationship has to evolve. Visa started working with ITV three and half years ago with a view to increasing the knowledge and adoption of Visa contactless payments outside London.
The product placement started with subtle integrations into two retail locations in Coronation Street and Emmerdale, showing the characters using contactless transactions as a way of normalising the behaviour.
“That was really interesting because we were then placing a behaviour, not a product,” Marlow explains.
“That’s fine when you’ve got characters who then play within that world. What we always need to be careful of is something like The X Factor. It is real people’s lives, so it’s about thinking of the most natural scenarios where they could use those products.”
After two and a half years Visa wanted to evolve the message to show mobile pay being used outside traditional retail environments, targeted specifically at young consumers. At that point Visa moved the deal from the soaps to TOWIE.
Forget rummaging around for cash… stay sleek like @OnlyWayIsEssex @ChloeLewis01 and tap for brunch with Visa using your mobile! ☕️ pic.twitter.com/DHhWF1ehFy — Visa UK (@VisaUK) November 1, 2017
Suzy Brown, Visa marketing director for UK and Ireland, explains that the strategy is less focused on product placement and more on finding ways to drive millennial engagement with the brand. The company also wanted to reinforce the ease and speed of using contactless, as well as the flexibility of paying with Visa while on holiday.
“We initially trialled product placement in the last series of TOWIE on a ‘test and learn’ basis and have now continued this activity into a second series [the last series ending 5 November],” Brown explains.
“TOWIE has been a good partnership as we have been able to integrate a number of our key marketing objectives into the current series including a Visa cross border payment, a Visa Checkout payment and five mobile payments worked into the storyline across different episodes.”
Brown says that TOWIE was selected due to the level of audience engagement it attracts and the fact the typical viewer demographic index highly for shopping.
“We are targeting a new type of viewer, people who dip in and out of TV, watch on catch-up and so forth,” she adds. “What’s more, this is an audience that is multi-screening while watching TV, focusing as much of their attention on social media as what is happening in the programme.”
This means that while the first round of product placement activity in the previous season was entirely in-show, this series Visa used second screen activations and ran competitions across social media to coincide with the placements. The social activity was then amplified by content being shared via the official TOWIE channels and the cast’s personal accounts.
Jumping on a trend
Finding your products featured on one of the biggest shows of the year presents a real opportunity for any brand. This was the situation for clothing label Quiz, which saw its dresses worn by a number of Love Island’s female contestants during the series which ran from 5 June to 24 July.
Contestants Jessica Shears, Olivia Attwood, Camilla Thurlow and Tyla Carr were seen on screen wearing lace dresses and embroidered playsuits from Quiz’s latest collection. The clothing brand worked with Shears after she exited the show for its #LostInSummer blogger event while the remaining contestants were still in the house.
Camilla Thurlow (left) and Tyla Carr (right) wear Quiz on Love Island.
Then in October the brand launched a collaboration collection with Love Island finalist Gabby Allen. “We saw Gabby on the show and thought she really epitomised who we feel the Quiz girl is – she is fun, she doesn’t take herself too seriously, has a cracking sense of humour and of course great style, but she’s also a real girl’s girl, which is something that is really important to us,” says Quiz head of marketing, Lesley Morton.
“We just loved her whole vibe and we knew our customers would love her too. We knew immediately that we wanted to collaborate with her.”
Split in two, the first half of the collection featured a selection of casual items and partywear “designed to give customers a slice of Love Island style”, Morton explains. The second drop, released on 7 November, is focused on party glamour and statement pieces for the festive season.
It all comes down to the show itself and ensuring that it remains as natural as possible. Katherine Marlow, ITV
“From a marketing perspective, we’ve been focusing on creating great content and experiences with Gabby. Of course, social media has been a key channel for us for pushing the collaboration, both on our own channels and Gabby’s,” says Morton.
“This has also been done in conjunction with our wide network of influencers, with more than 100 influencers wearing and posting images and products from the collection.”
While capitalising on the popularity of a show like Love Island has been important for Quiz, the brand has also trialled product placement in the past, albeit on a smaller scale. Morton explains that product placement worked for the brand from an awareness perspective and is likely to form part of the strategy going forward.
The Love Island effect
The standout success of Love Island this summer represented a “revolution” in the way ITV approaches the amount of activation around its product placement deals, says Marlow.
Now on its biggest shows the ITV team are maximising their partners’ exposure on screen via social media and embarking on secondary partnerships that sit alongside the headline sponsor.
“We’ve done 16 product placement deals this year and only about a third of those are relating to a sponsorship, all the rest are new brands,” Marlow says.
“Superdrug is an example of where we’ve done it for a sponsor [on Love Island], but then we have done a deal with Ministry of Sound. We’re crafting a partnership that still has enormous value outside of the sponsor. We are very careful how we go about doing that because there is ultimate respect for the overall sponsor. “
Such was the success of the show that the broadcaster sold more than 100,000 personalised water bottles (designed in the style of those used by the cast) direct to fans through its Love Island app and signed a licensing deal with Primark on Love Island branded merchandise, which sold out nationwide.
Love Island also saw the broadcaster evolve beyond continuous deals. Due to the nature of its products, sponsor Superdrug was guaranteed exposure across the whole series. However it would not have been possible to stage a party every night with a Ministry of Sound DJ, so the team took more of a phased approach.
“Some deals can be continuous and some deals might be tactical. With Ministry of Sound’s new album coming out in the summer we did a live party and DJ Colin Francis went into the villa to do a live set,” Marlow explains.
“Going forward, given the scale of the show, it’s about all of us across the commercial team, the producers and editors thinking, where do we want to take it? What brands do we feel could really enhance that experience? Also, every single brand has to feel like they are getting good value, so you need to have discreet packages where they feel like they’re owning something.”
Marlow acknowledges that there is lots of demand around the show, which returns for a winter edition in the New Year, meaning her team will need to choose the “right brands, on the right terms”.
“This year has been crazy for us in terms of not only the volume, but the ambition for these deals, so we remain really excited and we’ve got some announcement coming out in the New Year where we’re going to take it to a new level,” she adds.
“However, it all comes down to the show itself and ensuring that it remains as natural as possible. That’s still the best way for anyone.” |
UPS eyes expansion of East Midlands Airport freight terminal | Delivery company UPS is planning to build a new airfreight terminal at East Midlands Airport that could generate more than 1,000 new jobs. The company's existing facility at the site is its second-largest in Europe, handling 100 million packages in the past decade and employing 342 people. Plans submitted to the local authorities envisage a £114m ($152m) sorting office providing 450,000 sq ft of floor space, enabling the company to speed up and expand its services.
| http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/business/more-1000-new-jobs-could-803966 | 2017-11-21 13:50:30.453000 | Something went wrong, please try again later.
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More than 1,000 new jobs could be on their way to East Midlands Airport after parcel delivery firm UPS submitted plans to build a new £100 million-plus air freight terminal.
The firm wants to build a huge new sorting and delivery complex on a 28.5-acre site to the east of the Castle Donington airport.
East Midlands is already UPS’s biggest air gateway in Britain and its second biggest in Europe, behind Cologne.
Its current hub covers 86,000 sq ft and employs 342 package handlers, screeners, clerical workers, support staff, team leaders, supervisors and a manager.
Over the past decade it has processed 100 million packages there, serviced by six flights a day.
It is understood the parcel giant could invest up to £114 million in the new site – making it one of the biggest projects it has ever undertaken.
A design and access statement submitted as part of a planning application to North West Leicestershire District Council show the 24-hour operation could employ 936 people within two years and 1,392 within eight years.
The site, between the airport and M1, is next to Pegasus Business Park and is currently used for parking.
Planning documents say the new complex would speed up the operations of UPS at the airport and provide it with room for growth.
The main hub would have more than 450,000sq ft of floor space. A smaller office building to the east of the main hub would have 28,000 sq ft of floor space.
In a statement a UPS spokeswoman said: “UPS is always looking to make strategic investments that provide opportunities to grow our business and to strengthen the services and solutions that we bring to our customers.
“We can confirm that planning permission has been submitted for expansion of our operations at the East Midlands Airport.
“Given that the planning stage is not finalised at this time, we are not able to provide further specifics.”
East Midlands Airport is already the UK’s busiest pure cargo airport, second only to Heathrow – handling more than 320,000 tonnes of flown cargo every year.
The airport hopes to triple freight shipments to one million tonnes a year within the next 10 to 20 years.
It is already a UK hub for UPS, and provides support operations for TNT and Royal Mail.
And, last year DHL, opened a £90 million extension to its huge depot on the site.
Andy Cliffe, managing director at East Midlands Airport, said: “There are still very positive growth conversations at the airport – UPS has recently submitted £100 million plans for a new parcel distribution facility here.
“That’s a significant addition to what they already have at the airport and we take transatlantic flights for those guys and from all over Europe.
“DHL have their extension, while on the passenger side we are still in growth mode.
“I would describe this as a time of enormous opportunities, but at the same time some of the risks (associated with Brexit) are very significant.” |
Chinese solar unit GCL's shares surge as insurer takes a stake | Chinese solar farm GCL New Energy, a unit of solar panel materials manufacturer GCL-Poly Energy, saw its shares rocket after announcing that a unit of China Taiping Insurance is to purchase a major stake in the company. It is hoped this will ease GCL's debt load. Under a non-legally binding “cooperation framework agreement”, Taiping Financial Holdings will lead an HKD8bn ($1bn) fund to make the purchase. Many pension funds and private equity companies are investing in solar and wind farms because of their long-term stable cash flows, according to UBS's head of Asian utilities, Simon Powell.
| http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2120878/chinas-solar-major-gcl-get-us1b-investment-taiping-insurance | 2017-11-21 13:47:39.497000 | Under a non binding agreement signed, Taiping Financial Holdings will lead a US$1 billion fund to buy new shares and convertible bonds |
Large food companies exposed to water scarcity problems | The world's largest food companies are paying attention to the problems caused by inadequate water supply and mismanagement, according to a report by non-profit organisation Ceres. It analysed the practices of 42 firms, and found that 83% carried out a formal risk assessment about water, while three-quarters released public disclosures about water metrics. The study said that Nestlé, Coca Cola, PespiCo and Unilever were the top-performing companies. It also revealed that 85% of the firms mentioned water as a material risk in financial filings, while 12 firms linked water risk to executive pay.
| https://agfundernews.com/food-companies-losing-millions-climate-change-water-risk.html | 2017-11-21 13:46:51.087000 | “Food companies are in the bull’s eye of climate change, and hotter temperatures are making water one of the biggest risks to the $5 trillion industry’s bottom line,” a recent analysis of food companies’ exposure to water risks reveals.
Climate change is causing both extreme rain and extreme droughts, leading to issues not just around water shortages, but increased risk from insufficient water management and inadequate infrastructure. How corporations respond to these threats can vary according to a recent report entitled “Feeding Ourselves Thirsty,”
Ceres, a nonprofit focused on working with investors to encourage sustainable practices at large corporations, analyzes 42 of the world’s largest food companies’ water practices across the packaged foods, beverages, agricultural products and meat industries using data from financial statements, corporate sustainability reports and survey responses. The study is a follow-up from a similar one from 2015, and shows some progress in terms of reporting and transparency, but less in terms of proactive action.
The top scoring companies were Nestle, Unilever, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
Nestle is a controversial player in the world of water, consistently warring with local municipalities for rights to bottle spring water, but the report rewards disclosure of water risk exposure, proactive evaluation of future water risk, and incorporation of water risks into business planning.
In fact, 83% of the companies evaluated make some formal risk assessment regarding water. 75% make some form of public disclosure of water metrics such as water use or wastewater discharge.
The lowest scoring company was Monster Beverage with a score of zero along with Pilgrim’s Pride and Chiquita Brands, each scoring one.
First Losses Roll In
The financial risk of climate change is no longer theoretical. A drought in Brazil in 2016 led Fresh Del Monte to lose $2.5 million and abandon some growing areas in the country. The company is ranked 39 out of 42 companies in the report with a score of eight out of 100.
In 2017, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo lost more than 1 million retailers in Tamil Nadu, India when a drought left a bottling operation competing with the local populations for groundwater. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo received relatively high overall scores in the analyses (72 and 70 respectively).
A recent MSCI analysis of food companies valued the global revenue risk from lack of water availability for irrigation or animal consumption at $459 billion. What’s more, $198 billion is at risk from changing precipitation patterns affecting current crop production areas, according to the same analysis.
With figures like this, it’s no wonder that funds and corporations are hearing more concern about water from investors.
“Even five years ago these issues were more addressed by more specialized investors, but mainstream investors really have jumped into the fray,” said Cambria Allen, corporate governance director for the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, a $59 billion fund and the largest payer of retiree benefits in the US aside from government programs Medicare and Medicaid, at the recent Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Ceres report backs up this claim; “Some 85 percent of the companies scored in this report cited water as a material risk in their financial filings. More than 90 food companies so far this year have highlighted water risks on their earnings calls with investors.”
In another encouraging sign, the study notes that corporate board interference on the issues of climate and water is correlated with a better score in the study. Additionally, 12 of the 42 companies link water efficiency goals and executive pay – the strongest of these links put in place by Dean Foods, J.M. Smucker, Molson Coors and WhiteWave Foods.
The average company score increased by 10 percent since the 2015 study with Nestle and Smithfield making the largest improvements. Packaged food and beverage companies were the best performers overall with agriculture products and the meat industry continuing to lag.
The report concludes that investor pressure from both institutional and individual investors is effective. And increasingly, investors are making sure that large food players are making moves to control their water futures. Shareholder proposals on the topic of water rank at number three behind climate change and deforestation, according to Ceres water program manager Eliza Roberts.
Read the full report here for detailed company rankings. |
Digital pills send alert to doctors once they are swallowed | Researchers from Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women’s Hospital are testing a smart pill that sends doctors an alert when patients take prescription painkillers. The digital pills are equipped with tiny radio transmitters in a gel cap that are triggered by stomach acid, which then emit a radio signal to a patch attached to the patient, which is forwarded on to the patient's doctor. It is hoped that the pills will allow doctors to monitor the medication habits of patients and help them to spot dangerous drug use. The pills are made by a Florida-based company, eTectRx. | https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/20/16683272/digital-pills-opioids-prescription-pain-killers-addiction-overdose-science | 2017-11-21 13:42:42.430000 | The latest weapon in the fight against opioid addiction may be sensors in prescription opioids that alert physicians whenever their patients pop a pill. These digital pills aren’t on the market yet, but a small test run shows that they can help doctors monitor how patients use prescription painkillers at home.
Sensors alert physicians whenever their patients pop a pill
By prescribing opioids equipped with radio transmitters to patients treated for broken bones, researchers tracked patients’ pill use in real time. The research team, led by Peter Chai at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, found that most of the patients started spacing out their doses after a few days, and stopped before their pills ran out, according to the study published in the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia. (The participants turned their remaining pills in to their docs).
Prescribing too many pills might lead patients to take more than they need, the study says — or leave them with extra pills to be sold. So giving researchers a way to track how many pills patients actually use could help doctors write better opioid prescriptions that leave fewer pills left over. Digital pills could also help doctors spot — and stop — dangerous drug use early. This level of detail is a first: typically, doctors have no way to monitor opioid use once a patient goes home with a bottle of pills. “We’re placing the onus of one of the most dangerous medicines we have into the hands of patients,” says Chai, a physician and medical toxicologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
“One of the most dangerous medicines we have.”
Chai wanted to know if there was a way to spot problematic drug use as the behavior emerges. If someone suddenly starts taking their prescribed painkillers more frequently, for example, it could mean they’re suffering from a painful complication. Or it could mean they’re growing tolerant to the drug, and could begin misusing it. “Those are two different conversations,” Chai says — and they’re ones that are only possible if a doctor can track their patients’ pill use.
That’s where the digital pills come in. Made by a Florida-based company called eTectRx, they’re gel capsules that contain both the drug and a radio transmitter “about the size of a sesame seed,” Chai says. (They’re a little different from the digital versions of antipsychotic Abilify, which the Food and Drug Administration just approved.)
Once the pill hits the patient’s stomach, the gel cap dissolves — releasing both the oxycodone tablet and the transmitter. The transmitter powers up when it touches stomach acid, and signals to an iPod-sized device via a patch stuck to the patient’s belly. This device then beams a message to a database in the cloud, telling the doctor that the patient has swallowed a pill. (Patients need to put on the device when they take the pill in order for it to register.) Eventually, the patient poops out the tiny transmitter. Chai says he does not want the transmitters back.
Eventually, the patient poops out the tiny transmitter
The team sent 15 patients who’d been treated for broken bones home with 21 of these pills, along with instructions to take them for a week as needed. The researchers found that most patients started tapering their opioid doses on their own, and stopped after about four days — before the full week was up. None took all 21 pills, and most took many fewer — which means doctors might be sending people with fractures home with too many painkillers that could then be sold or misused.
The researchers also spotted an alarming trend: people were taking painkillers right before going to sleep to pre-empt waking up with pain. But Chai says this could lead to dangerous drops in breathing for some people — and it’s a practice they might not have identified without the digital pills. |
Global storage market to rapidly grow by 2030: Report | The US and China are among eight nations set to lead the global energy storage market in the coming decade. A report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts the market will double in value six times between now and 2030. The study also said the market will reach 125 GW, or 305 GWh, and follow a curve similar to the explosion of solar energy between 2000 and 2015. It added that utility-scale and behind-the-meter storage would be "essential to integrating increasing levels of renewable energy".
| https://about.bnef.com/blog/global-storage-market-double-six-times-2030/ | 2017-11-21 13:42:08.053000 | This article first appeared on the BNEF mobile app and the Bloomberg Terminal.
Forecast shows one-fourth of deployments in the U.S.
$103 billion invested in energy storage over this period
Global cumulative storage deployments
Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance
The global energy storage market will double six times between 2016 and 2030, rising to a total of 125 gigawatts/305 gigawatt-hours. This is a similar trajectory to the remarkable expansion that the solar industry went through from 2000 to 2015, in which the share of photovoltaics as a percentage of total generation doubled seven times. Eight countries will lead the market, with 70 percent of capacity to be installed in the U.S., China, Japan, India, Germany, U.K., Australia and South Korea. Energy storage, both utility-scale and behind-the-meter, will be a crucial source of flexibility throughout this period and will be essential to integrating increasing levels of renewable energy.
See the full research report here.
BNEF Shorts are research excerpts available only on the BNEF mobile app and the Bloomberg Terminal, highlighting key findings from our reports. If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact us. |
Poland could be fined €100,000 per day over deforestation | Poland faces fines of a minimum of €100,000 ($117,000) per day if it does not stop illegal deforestation in the Bialowieza forest, which is protected by Unesco, within two weeks. The ruling by the European court of justice, which establishes a legal precedent, requires Poland to prove that it is acting lawfully or receive a €36.5m annual fine. The Polish government claims that logging in the forest is essential to combat the spruce bark beetle. However, Greenpeace states that it has photographic evidence of breaches of “public safety” conditions for logging.
| https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/21/poland-faces-100000-a-day-fines-over-illegal-logging-in-biaowieza-forest | 2017-11-21 13:41:14.127000 | Poland has been given two weeks to stop illegal deforestation in the Unesco-protected Białowieża forest or face fines of at least €100,000 a day.
In a precedent-setting ruling that will echo across the EU, the European court of justice ordered Poland to show it was acting lawfully in the ancient woodland, or face a €36.5m (£32m) annual penalty.
Agata Szafraniuk, a lawyer for the green law firm ClientEarth, said that the court was acting after Poland’s environment minister, Jan Szyszko, showed “complete contempt” for an earlier emergency ban on logging in the ancient woodland.
“Financial penalties are, unfortunately, an essential tool to ensure that the best-preserved primeval forest in Europe is protected from further harm,” she said. “Trees are still being cut down every day, so the court prescribed this measure to guarantee the full protection of this unique forest, and to avoid irreparable damage.”
The court move will ratchet up pressure on Poland, which is already facing a suspension of its EU Council voting rights over a clampdown on the country’s independent press and judiciary.
Women’s groups have also been targeted for police raids, and rights to protest have been curtailed, adding to concerns about the rule of law in the east European country.
Donald Tusk, the EU Council president, condemned Poland’s nationalist-right Law and Justice party government on Sunday, suggesting it was following the “Kremlin’s plan”.
The Polish government maintains that it always behaves lawfully and that logging in Białowieża is necessary to staunch a spruce bark beetle outbreak.
“In the western media, everything is based on disinformation,” a Polish government spokesman told the Guardian. “We are doing everything right by law. We are using EU law. We are using Polish law, and we are doing nothing against decisions made by the European court of justice.”
Greenpeace says that it has logged photographic evidence of violations to the court’s “public safety” condition for logging in 16 out of 30 areas of Białowieża surveyed .
Szyszko though, has previously accused the EU of “spreading lies” by using photos of extensive logging in Białowieża that he claimed were “manipulated” in a cyber-attack.
While the EU’s case on illegal logging was “without any arguments, ours are based on facts and documents,” the Polish official said. “Białowieża is not the last primeval forest, because it was made by local people, and we have facts and books that show that people were there from the beginning.” |
Cajutel sees blockchain widening internet use in West Africa | Guinea-Bissau internet provider Cajutel will use blockchain technology to help it raise funds for its ambitious aim of bringing the internet to the 98% of West Africans currently lacking a service. The company plans to build a cost-effective broadband and mobile phone network, and has launched an initial coin offering (ICO) to raise between $12m and $30m. CEO Andreas Fink said tokens purchased during the ICO would be automatically turned into company shares, offering a long-term investment.
| https://coinidol.com/african-isp-cajutel-to-use-blockchain-to-increase-internet-access/ | 2017-11-21 13:38:34.243000 | Cajutel believes blockchain technology can help Africa gain better internet access.
November 21, 2017, Bissau, Guinea — Blockchain implementation is a broad subject when applied to matters of innovation and development. Using the Blockchain to achieve developmental goals is a phenomenon that is gaining popularity among the developing countries of the world, where basic infrastructure is still a primary need of citizens.
Two most important elements of technology
In most parts of Africa, infrastructure such as electricity, potable water, access roads, Internet among others are unavailable, not because of a lack of resources, but due to the absence of honest, transparent and secure technical and administrative processes.
Leveraging the Blockchain is enabling a lot of companies to achieve developmental goals, by eliminating the hitherto human and bureaucratic obstacles that have slowed down these regions so far.
Along with electricity, Internet service is one of the most important technological elements needed for any nation to keep up with global advancement, yet many developing countries are still left out of this opportunity of economic advancement.
Blockchain enables global participation
High speed Internet provider, Cajutel, is using Blockchain technology as a tool to raise capital for the development of Internet services in Guinea Bissau and Guinea.
The CEO of Cajutel, Andreas Fink, explains that his company has embraced the Blockchain and ICO methodology of raising capital, in other to open up opportunities for investment to smaller investors.
This has become necessary due to the existing difficulty in getting huge investors and venture capitalists to embrace the project using existing traditional processes.
According to Fink, his company’s ICO is different from most other token sales because in Cajutel’s case, company shares are exchanged for cryptocurrencies.
Unlike other ICOs where tokens bought by investors exist afterwards as independent entities in the cryptocurrencies marketplace, Cajutel’s tokens are tied directly to the project as shares.
This implies that investors are offered the opportunity for long term investment benefits, as purchasing such shares automatically qualifies an investor as a shareholder of the company.
Fink says:
“In our case, we are using the ICO in a more traditional way, which means that we are raising funds against the shares of the company, because at the end of the day you will have investors who put money down and expecting a return, they want to participate in your revenue which you are giving up.”
Giving the nation a whole new outlook
For what it is, Internet service stands out as a platform upon which numerous aspects of human and regional development must rely.
From financial services to other basic processes of data storage and management, the role of the Internet has become very crucial, especially over the last three decades.
As a tool for national development, Cajutel is looking for an investment of $30 mln to cover Guinea-Bissau and Guinea (the big plan), or a minimum of $12 mln for a slower building plan to only cover Guinea-Bissau.
This is a target that the company plans to use in achieving what it describes as a revolutionary nation-building procedure, considering the fact that its present competitors are just two mobile operators MTN and Orange, offering Internet speeds that are limited to 256kbps ($60/month) while business offerings go up to 1Mbps ($1400/month).
Cajutel’s vision is to build the most cost effective broadband access network, and to provide state of the art communications for its customers – thus creating a big boost to the education and economy. The company also plans on delivering affordable, reliable Internet communication to the local market, and is focused on providing the best performing mobile data network for Guinea-Bissau and Guinea.
Another key area where Cajutel plans to improve in serving the nation, is improving the speed of Internet to a level that has never been achieved in the region.
“Catujel will be the fastest Internet provider in the area for the public, outperforming existing operators offering by a factor of 10x to 100x with an at least 30 percent cheaper price. This enables Internet technologies not currently present in West Africa simply due to lack of bandwidth and too high prices. It makes it affordable for the general public to get access to the Internet. That is why only less than 2 percent have access today. So there’s 98 percent available to be grabbed by us”, says Fink.
Africa is making progress
Internet service is a real world project that cuts across all parts of the globe. The globalization phenomenon is essentially lubricated by Internet technology, therefore for purposes of national and regional growth and development, the Internet is an essential tool.
Africa and the rest of the developing world are implementing the Blockchain as a tool to enable them to catch-up with their peers, in terms of infrastructural development. This is largely achieved by reducing the level of human and faulty administrative interference, as the Blockchain guarantees transparent, secure and trustless working processes.
Website — http://www.cajutel.gw/
White paper — https://cajutel.gw/whitepaper.pdf
Cajutel is the source of this content. This press release is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as an endorsement by CoinIdol. We take no responsibility and give no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy. Readers should do their own research before investing funds in any company.
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China recruits leading companies for AI 'national team' | Baidu, Alibaba Group, Tencent Holdings and iFlyTek have been called on by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology to spearhead the development of new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and create open innovation platforms. Specifically, Baidu will focus on self-driving cars, Alibaba's cloud computing unit will explore AI solutions for urban life, Tencent will examine computer vision for medical diagnosis and iFlyTek will focus on voice intelligence. While supporters have underscored the open-source nature of the initiative, some have questioned the elevation of big firms as "national champions", claiming smaller start-ups will be crowded out.
| http://www.scmp.com/tech/china-tech/article/2120913/china-recruits-baidu-alibaba-and-tencent-ai-national-team | 2017-11-21 13:36:10.580000 | Zhang Tong, the head of Tencent’s AI Lab. The company has been selected as one of four members of China’s AI national team. Photo: Handout |
Garmin Pay goes live in US and Australia | Kansas-based tech firm Garmin has rolled out its digital wallet, Garmin Pay, to the US, Australia, and six other countries. Garmin Pay allows users of the Vivoactive 3 smartwatch and other forms of near field communication technology to pay for goods quickly and easily. However, only MasterCards issued by Bank of America, Capital One, First Tech Federal Credit Union, BECU and US Bank can currently be added to the wallet. More institutions are expected to be added to the roster soon.
| https://www.digitaltrends.com/wearables/vivoactive-3-smartwatch-garmin-pay/ | 2017-11-21 13:30:05.840000 | Garmin vívoactive 3: More ways to beat yesterday
The tech company has just announced that Garmin Pay is now live in the United States and seven other countries, including Australia, for the Vivoactive 3. So if you’re out running without your phone and cash, there’s a chance you’ll be able to pay for sustenance with a simple flick of the wrist.
We say “a chance” because at launch you can only add Mastercards issued by a limited number of banks. In the U.S., the list currently includes BECU, Bank of America, Capital One, First Tech Federal Credit Union, and U.S. Bank. Support for more banks is coming “soon,” the company promised, and Vivoactive 3 owners with Visa cards will also be able to use Garmin Pay before long. For updates on compatibility, as well as support information for outside the U.S., check out this page on Garmin’s website.
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Similar to Apple Pay and Android Pay, Garmin’s system, which is powered by the FitPay payment platform, also utilizes NFC (near field communication) technology, allowing users to make a payment without having to reach for their handset or wallet.
Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales, said in a release that Vivoactive 3 wearers “now have the freedom to leave their phone and wallet at home when they go to run or work out, and still be able to make purchases wherever their day takes them.”
The Vivoactive 3, which starts at $300, was announced by Garmin at the IFA tech show in Berlin, Germany in August.
The successor to the Vivoactive HR features a round-faced Chroma color display with a single side-facing button. The GPS-enabled device also incorporates heart sensors for constant monitoring during workouts. Impressively, the battery is said to last for a whole week, though with GPS on this figure is cut dramatically to 13 hours.
An interesting feature on the Vivoactive 3 is Side Swipe. This lets you swipe the side of the watch to scroll through the menus if your don’t want to get your sweaty hands on the display.
To find out more, check out how the Vivoactive 3 fares against the latest Apple Watch and the Fitbit Ionic.
Editors' Recommendations |
State Bank of India to begin testing smart contracts | The BankChain consortium, which has been working on applications for smart contracts in banking and finance, is set to begin beta-testing two solutions next month with India's biggest lender, the State Bank. The trial will also test blockchain-enabled "know your customer" processing at a later date. The consortium consists of a collaboration between almost 30 Indian and Middle Eastern banks and vendor PrimeChain Technologies.
| https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/31357/indias-largest-lender-to-begin-tests-of-smart-contracts | 2017-11-21 13:28:44.783000 | State Bank of India is to begin testing the use of smart contracts next month, with blockchain-enabled know your customer processing to follow.
Speaking to the Economic Times, India's largest lender took the wraps off the work conducted by the BankChain consortium, a coalition of 27 Indian and Middle East banks who have been collaborating with vendor PrimeChain to explore and create new applications for banking and finance.
"By next month, we should have two beta production solutions ready for use by the 27 banks," SBI's head of innovation Sudin Baraoker told the paper. "We will also invite further participation."
Baraoker sees plenty of potential for the use of smart contracts at the bank: "Smart contracts can be used for simple things like non-disclosure agreement... rather than signing forms. A lot of internal processes can be contracted. We do a lot of IT procurement, a lot of it can be implemented using blockchain."
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Shipping container hotel, flats planned for Waterloo Station | London architects Doone Silver Kerr plan to turn stacks of shipping containers into apartment and hotel rooms behind London's Waterloo Station. The firm chose the cargo boxes as they are cheap and easy to dismantle, essential on railway land with covenants that stipulate any construction must be removable within 28 days. The boxes will form a so-called apart-hotel for property developer Stow. The trend is not new: shipping-container hotels are popular in China.
| https://www.treehugger.com/modular-design/does-shipping-container-architecture-make-sense-hotel-london-might.html | 2017-11-21 13:28:40.617000 | Because shipping containers are designed to move and these ones might have to.
TreeHugger emeritus Bonnie sends in a photograph of a pile of shipping containers on Lower Marsh behind London's Waterloo Station, which turns out to be a new "Apart-Hotel" for Stow, a London property developer. Stow-Away is "a new brand of design-led extended stay hotels" offering "a fun, distinctive and eco-friendly stay experience."
© Bonnie Alter
There is nothing new about shipping container hotels; they have become so trendy that in China, they have made fake shipping containers to cash in on the trend. But this one is particularly interesting because of the reason shipping containers are being used.
London SE1/via
The site is, in fact, owned by the railway, and provides access to the viaduct behind. According to conservation documents, it was vacant because of "enemy action during the Second World War."
© Doone Silver Kerr
According to the architects, Doone Silver Kerr, "The proposed development uses 30ft shipping containers as the building system in order to meet the requirements of Network Rails asset protection agreement, which requires the scheme to be dismantled within 28 days."
© Doone Silver Kerr
Shipping containers are a bit narrow for decent hotel rooms; as you can see in the rendering here, there is not really enough room to get around the side of a queen-sized bed. Given the choice, most hotel designers would want a little more width. But if you have to vacate the site on 28 days notice, they make a lot of sense.
The Architects' Journal 26 March 2012/Screen capture
People who rave about the speed of shipping container construction should also remember that the biggest time suck in real estate is not necessarily the construction but also the approvals and financing and all the other stuff that goes into a building; this project was originally approved in 2012 with Will Alsop as architect. The new project is not identical; according to a local London site, "Doone Silver Architects say that plans for a roof terrace have been removed 'due to anti‐terrorism concerns'."
You can have the fastest construction system in the world and it can still take years to make a building. |
Bayer and Bosch target precision herbicide application | Bosch and Bayer have collaborated on the development of a smart spray system that targets weeds but leaves main crops untouched, and it could be on sale as early as 2020. The system, the product of a three-year partnership, has been called a "quantum leap" by Björn Kiepe, head of agronomy at Bayer’s digital farming unit. It uses multiple camera sensors to continuously take images, automatically applying the correct treatment when a weed is identified. The entire process takes less than a second. Technology giant Bosch has generated €1bn ($1.18bn) from its agri-tech arm.
| https://www.farminguk.com/news/State-of-the-art-weed-detection-tech-could-be-available-within-few-years_47942.html | 2017-11-21 13:23:24.923000 | New technology which will apply state-of-the-art weed detection to apply herbicide more accurately could be available for use by 2020.
As part of a three-year research partnership between two German agricultural and tech giants, Bayer and Bosch are developing smart spraying technology.
Using camera sensors, it can differentiate between crops and weeds and target weeds with pesticides – at lightning speed, in a single process. It is hoped the technology will be available by 2020.
“Smart spraying sustainably clears fields of weeds. This safeguard yields while minimising environmental impact,” Dr. Markus Heyn, member of the Robert Bosch GmbH board of management, said.
The rise of such technology is seen as an important step forward as agriculture leaders advance innovations that are climate-friendly, to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.
World hunger is also a growing problem for the industry. According to predictions made by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), farmers will have to sustainably generate around 50% more yield by 2050 in order to feed the global population.
“We want to venture together with Bosch into new territory, combining different technologies to ensure that herbicides are only applied in areas where they are really necessary,” Tobias Menne, head of digital farming at Bayer, said.
'Field manager'
The technology solution will offer a digital “field manager” which assesses the field and recommends the best time to treat weeds.
Weeds can be difficult to identify, but by using camera sensors, the technology can determine what is growing in the field and then adopt a targeted application technique to spray crop protection agents specifically on weeds.
The multiple camera sensors, which are spread across the entire width of the crop sprayer, take a continuous series of pictures, identifying the different weeds and allowing the optimum treatment to be defined.
While the crop sprayer is still crossing the field, the herbicide is sprayed in the required quantity and mixture using the appropriate application parameters.
While the relevant weeds are targeted, weedless areas remain untouched. All this occurs within milliseconds.
'Quantum leap'
“Smart spraying is a quantum leap in the fight against weeds,” said Björn Kiepe, head of agronomy at Bayer’s digital farming unit.
“We are combining modern weed identification technology with the ability to apply different active substances as the situation demands. This process is very precise, with a spatial resolution of well under one meter. This will make it even easier for farmers to practice sustainable crop protection.”
Bosch has been transferring its automotive technology to the agriculture industry, and is already generating sales worth 1 billion euros as a result.
By the middle of the next decade, it plans to double sales of technologies for agriculture. “Bosch can do more than cars and cordless screwdrivers. We are bringing high tech to farms, opening up a market worth billions,” said Dr. Markus Heyn. |
AISense seeks total recall with conversation-transcription bot | California start-up AISense is beta-testing voice-recognition software that can transcribe long conversations. In partnership with videoconferencing service Zoom, AISense is focusing on meeting minutes, with both firms aiming to launch a product next year and, eventually, enable full text records of people's conversational lives. CEO Sam Liang said the system uses conversations on the internet as training data and added that while AISense is always "listening", it will be fully compliant with wiretapping legal requirements. The company recently raised $10m in a series A funding round led by Horizons Ventures.
| https://venturebeat.com/2017/11/20/aisense-wants-to-deliver-total-recall-by-transcribing-all-your-conversations/ | 2017-11-21 13:15:47.817000 | Join top executives in San Francisco on July 11-12, to hear how leaders are integrating and optimizing AI investments for success. Learn More
There’s a new machine learning company on the block, with big ambitions to help people remember every conversation they’ve ever had. Called AISense, the company operates a voice transcription system that’s designed to work through long conversations using machine learning and provide users with a full text record of what was said.
At first, the company is tackling meeting notes through a partnership through videoconferencing service Zoom. The two parties will bring a commercial product to market next year that will allow Zoom customers to get automatic transcriptions of their conversations.
Voice transcription isn’t anything new in the machine learning field, with companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon all providing their own prebuilt systems for recognizing speech and turning that into text. But AISense CEO Sam Liang said in an interview that he believes his company has an edge because of its focus on long-form conversations.
AISense isn’t planning to stop with meeting transcription, however. Liang said that the company’s overall goal is to provide ambient transcription of every moment of users’ lives.
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“Conversations can happen at any time, unplanned and unscheduled,” he said. “If I run into somebody in the hallway and I talk for ten minutes, there’s a huge amount of information there being exchanged. I don’t want to lose that, actually.”
It remains to be seen if that’s something people are actually keen on using, however. One of the key concerns from consumers about smart home speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home — which only record and respond to users’ utterances after the use of a trigger word — is that they’re always listening.
AISense actually wants to be always listening, which raises a host of potential problems when it comes to matters like wiretapping laws that prohibit recording without the consent of all parties involved. Liang said that the company plans to comply with all of the legal obligations related to its work.
Interestingly, AISense doesn’t use the conversations it records to improve the accuracy of its speech system. The company employs other sources of training data, like conversations posted publicly to the web.
The company announced today that it raised a $10 million round of series A funding led by Horizons Ventures. Other participants in the round included Draper Associates, Draper Dragon, David Cheriton, and Bridgewater Associates.
Right now, AISense’s transcription system is in beta with a small number of users, but the company is working towards both its completed integration with Zoom as well as a consumer application that would allow anyone to get conversations transcribed.
While Liang thinks that the company’s future lies with ambient transcription, at the moment it’s focused on more task-oriented use cases like business meetings and classroom lectures. |
MIT starts urban R&D program for China's smart cities | The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is partnering with university, corporate, and governmental bodies to launch urban research programme, the China Future City Lab. It aims to support research, find and back start-ups working on urbanisation in the country, and connect with cities deemed testing sites. China's increased urbanisation offers opportunities for MIT students to learn in several fields, from civil engineering to artificial intelligence, while the China Future City Lab is the latest in a long series of collaborations between the country and MIT. | http://news.mit.edu/2017/mit-launches-china-future-city-lab-1121#.WhQAgMMXsfM.twitter | 2017-11-21 13:15:15.237000 | MIT has launched a unique new urban research and innovation program that looks to advance city life in China through an ambitious range of academic and entrepreneurial activities.
The China Future City Lab, created with university, corporate, and governmental partners, has officially taken flight following a two-day conference, launch event, and signing ceremony late last week.
“We want to be a pioneer,” said Siqi Zheng, the MIT urban studies associate professor who heads the new lab, speaking at the launch event last Friday. The China Future City Lab, she also noted, will have “a clear focus on China’s sustainable urbanization.”
The China Future City Lab consists of three foundational elements. First, the lab will support a wide range of basic research in China, investigating many aspects of urban social and economic life.
Second, the lab will house a program known as the MIT-Tsinghua Future City Innovation Connector (FCIC), which will support startup teams applying ideas to China’s urban areas. The FCIC will also aim to identify innovative concepts and technologies that could be implemented in China.
As a third element of its activities, the China Future City Lab will engage with Chinese cities that will serve as “living labs” or testing sites where MIT researchers will have a unique opportunity to examine their urban-focused ideas and innovations.
The development of the new lab comes at a time when China has been rapidly urbanizing. Over half of the country’s population now lives in urban areas, up from roughly 20 percent in the early 1980s. As Zheng noted in her remarks on Friday, lessons from this rapid change can be applied to other countries and regions, since the global population is also urbanizing markedly, albeit at a slower pace than in China.
“The new knowledge should have implications everywhere,” Zheng said.
Fitting the global strategy
The creation of the China Future City Lab fits closely with a new framework for global activities that MIT released last spring. As detailed in a preliminary report, “A Global Strategy for MIT,” this approach calls for, among other things, enhanced efforts to cultivate collaborative projects in different regions of the world, including China.
“Our intention is to bring the best of MIT to China, and the best of China to MIT, and I know the China Future City Lab will be a key building block of that strategy,” said Richard K. Lester, the associate provost of MIT overseeing the Institute’s international activities, in remarks at the launch on Friday.
China’s urbanization, Lester added, is “of enormous intellectual and practical interest to the MIT community, to our faculty, to our students, across a wide range of disciplines.” The areas of research that figure to be directly involved in the subject, Lester suggested, include urban studies, economics, architecture, management, computer science, artificial intelligence, transportation systems, and civil and environmental engineering.
In turn, he noted, those disciplines will need to tackle a variety of large-scale problems common to China and other societies, including climate change mitigation and the deployment of clean energy technologies, access to clean water, access to affordable health care, and new challenges brought about by aging populations.
A tradition of engagement — and a renewal of it
As Lester detailed in his remarks, MIT also has a lengthy history of engagement with China. The first Chinese student at MIT arrived in 1877, just 16 years after the Institute opened, and, as shown in an ongoing campus exhibit, “China Comes to Tech,” curated by MIT professor of history Emma Teng, over 400 students from China studied at MIT over the next half-century.
More recently, MIT has been building a more extensive network of institutional ties with China, including parterships within academia. One of those agreements is with Tsinghua University, which is MIT’s partner in the Future City Innovation Connector component of the new lab.
The China City Future Lab also builds upon the precedent established by the Beijing Studio, a 30-year partnership the School of Architecture and Planning established with Tsinghua University that enabled hundreds of MIT students to evaluate urban studies issues in China.
The China Future City Lab is also launching with the help of eight corporate founding members, comprising six private companies and two state-run property firms, that have interests spread across China and Hong Kong. They are:
Hongkong Land, founded in 1889, which is one of Asia’s oldest established property groups;
Zall Group, a major developer in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province;
Fosun Property, an international conglomerate and investment company based in Shanghai;
China Resources Land, a state-run property developer with headquarters in Shenzhen;
Tusincere Science City Investment Group Co., Ltd., a firm that builds business parks;
Nash Work, China’s largest operator of co-working spaces, with sites in several major cities;
ChengYu Construction Investment Group, a development firm located in Zhengzhou; and
Tianyi Holding, a property firm with interests in investment, planning, design, development, and management, located in Tianjin.
Executives from the group of founding partners appeared and gave remarks at a launch event on Friday in MIT’s Samberg Conference Center.
A separate symposium for the China Future City Lab, on Thursday, featured talks by several MIT faculty members, as well as remarks from Hashim Sarkis, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning, and Eran Ben-Joseph, head of the school’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP).
Zheng is the Samuel Tak Lee Associate Professor of Real Estate Development and Entrepreneurship in DUSP and the Center for Real Estate.
On Friday, Lester lauded Zheng’s work, as both a researcher and a program-builder at the Institute. Zheng has formally been an MIT faculty member for less than a year, but, as Lester noted, she has quickly assembled the kinds of institutional and international support needed to launch a major new project.
“In that short time, she has established herself as a real force, and a builder of new educational and research programs in the very best tradition of MIT,” Lester said.
In her remarks, Zheng emphasized the open-ended nature of the new lab’s work. Set against an urbanizing population and the rapid economic growth of China this century, the nature of urban studies, she suggested, means that scholars need to be open-minded about the kinds of issues they will study and the methods they will use to examine them.
“I’m sure we can explore more and more opportunities,” Zheng said. |
Leeds construction firm fined for silt pollution of watercourse | A housing construction company in Leeds has been fined for polluting a watercourse. Harron Homes was prosecuted by the Environment Agency for allowing contaminated water to flow from its site at Farriers Croft near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. Silty water was discharged into a tributary that flows into Grimescar Dyke, a local river, over several weeks. The company was fined £120,000 for the offence, which had a significant measurable effect on water quality up to two miles downstream from the site.
| https://www.gov.uk/government/news/harron-homes-fined-120000-over-construction-pollution | 2017-11-21 12:50:43.097000 | A Leeds-based house building company has been fined £120,000 for illegally polluting a watercourse from a Huddersfield construction site.
Harron Homes Limited was sentenced yesterday (20 November) at Leeds Magistrates’ Court after admitting one charge of causing illegal discharges from its Farriers Croft estate in 2015.
The Environment Agency prosecuted the firm after investigating reports of contaminated run-off which was entering a tributary of Grimescar Dyke.
Rosalind Emsley-Smith, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, told the court that an officer visited the site on 20 November 2015 and saw polluted water flowing out of the entrance of the construction site. The company was also pumping silt contaminated water from site excavations which also entered the watercourse.
Following the Environment Agency’s visit, Harron Homes attempted to control the silt run-off by setting up settlement tanks. However, further incidents of pollution were reported in November and December 2015 and subsequent inspections revealed that this system was inadequate. Silty water was found to be discharging, resulting in further pollution.
Samples taken from the discharges showed that they were having a significant impact on the water quality in the watercourse up to three kilometres further downstream. Some samples showed there to be nearly 35,000 milligrams of suspended solids per litre of water, whereas a healthy watercourse is expected to have a concentration lower than 30 milligrams per litre.
The firm's attempt to contain the muddy water was inadequate; silt was seen flowing off the site
Mark West, environment management team leader at the Environment Agency, said:
These pollution incidents had a significant impact on the water environment over a number of weeks, and were entirely avoidable. In West Yorkshire there has been a worrying increase in the number of pollutions incidents reported to us that on investigation are attributable to the construction sector.
Construction companies should consider the potential environmental impact of developments they undertake at the initial planning stage and must adhere to environmental permitting rules and invest in appropriate management systems to prevent their activities from affecting the local environment.
If anyone spots pollution of this kind, they are urged to contact the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 807060 so we can investigate.
In mitigation, Harron Homes told the court that it had now put procedures in place to prevent future pollution incidents.
In addition to the fine, the company was ordered to pay £8,706.71 in legal costs and a £120 victim surcharge. |
WeWork weighs South Korean expansion | Shared workspace provider WeWork is planning to expand into South Korea after opening its first three branches there over the last year. The New York-based company received a $500m investment from Japan's Softbank earlier this year to help grow its business in Southeast Asia. It will open two new offices in Seoul shortly, and plans further branches around the city, as well as in other locations across the country, such as Pangyo, Gyeoggi and Busan. Other co-working providers, including the Dutch company Spaces, have also recently opened offices in Seoul.
| http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/Article.aspx?aid=3040964 | 2017-11-21 12:49:24.320000 |
WeWork eyes massive expansion in Korea
Matthew Shampine, general manager of WeWork Korea, recently ditched his old American phone number for a Korean one and opened a local bank account. As an ethnic Korean adopted to the United States, he has been learning Korean from a tutor three times a week. He loves soju so much that the refrigerator at his new house in Yeouido, western Seoul is packed with the alcoholic beverage.All this happened in a matter of just three months after he was promoted to take full charge of the Korean unit in August. Having joined WeWork in January 2013, he spent two years as head of marketing and revenue for WeWork’s Asia Pacific market before the latest promotion, going back and forth between Korea and other Asia Pacific countries.His new role came after WeWork has actively expanded here since first opening a branch in Gangnam Station, southern Seoul in August last year. In just 15 months, the New York-based company has opened two more locations - Euljiro, central Seoul, the biggest in Asia, with a capacity to house 3,000 people, and Samseong-dong, southern Seoul - and two additional offices will soon open in Yeoksam, southern Seoul and Gwanghwamun, central Seoul.“We are going to aggressive keep expanding throughout Seoul this year and next year and every subsequent year to kind of build all around the city,” he said in a recent interview at WeWork Euljiro, where he keeps his office as well. “In a while it may seem like a cluster of buildings right now in Gangnam, but we do believe in expanding throughout the rest of the city as well for sure because Seoul is such a huge city in terms of distance.”He noted that WeWork is in fact looking at “everywhere” in Korea - be it Pangyo, Gyeonggi, or Busan.“I just personally transitioned my role to focus on Korea, so the first thing is trying to make sure we are adequately staffed for that scale and continuing to look for new locations.”The seven-year-old company, valued at about $20 billion, currently operates across 58 cities in 19 countries. On upbeat prospects for the fast-growing co-working giant, Japan’s SoftBank in August made a $500 million investment to help it expand its operations in Korea, China, Japan and Southeast Asia more broadly. Shampine declined to specify how much of that fund has been allocated to Korea.With the rise of the gig economy, also known as the sharing economy, and ever-increasing land prices, co-working spaces have been sprouting up across the capital recently. A handful of local businesses - such as Hyundai Card, a credit card issuer, Fast Track Asia, a local start-up, and Toz Business Center - have jumped on the bandwagon and most recently, Spaces, a Dutch co-working space operator, opened its first location at Gran Seoul building in Jongno, central Seoul, in September.With regard to the intensified competition for shared offices in the city, Shampine said he believes his company stands out from the others in that it offers a unique value - connecting people through the vast network of members across its offices around the world, from New York to Delhi to Melbourne and Shanghai and its brand value that has empowered it to attract diverse members.“I’ve been to a few [other local co-working spaces] but I don’t see competition that way,” he said. “How to provide value to members is much more important than what someone else is doing.”He went on to say that WeWork can be a good platform for Korean companies that need to go international because the domestic market is relatively small.“We can make it happen much faster by connecting them with the rest of the world.”He also mentioned that one upshot of WeWork is “connecting” members with varied personal and professional backgrounds.“It’s really hard to predict but really cool things happen when you put them all in the same building.”Members are not only entrepreneurs and start-ups but also people trying out the service space for the first time - lawyers and accountants as well as people working in PR, marketing and recruiting - teams from large companies such as Microsoft and Shinsegae and agencies that have recently broken off from larger companies to start on their own.They constantly bump into each other and develop ties through events and parties that take place five to seven times a week with themes ranging from yoga to Halloween to panel discussions and Demo Days. On the day of the interview, an event themed on women in leadership roles was scheduled for the evening.Shampine himself landed a job at WeWork after becoming a member at its initial location in Manhattan. While he was working as a web developer for Mercedes-Benz, he joined forces with four programmers there to launch their own digital agency and they moved into WeWork. There he went on to co-found WeWork Labs, an incubator for early-stage start-ups, with WeWork founders and has climbed the corporate ladder ever since.Asked to assess how competitive Koreans are in the global start-up scene, he mentioned several of their strengths as he is also actively involved in being an angel investor for companies in both the United States and Korea.“Korea has a lot of really smart, intelligent people and there are a lot of great universities. We are hosting the fourth ‘Be the Rocket’ program,” he said.“Be the Rocket” is Seoul National University’s start-up acceleration program and WeWork Korea has been supporting it since 2016 by renting a venue for the event and providing office space to the winners.He also cited other upbeat aspects of the Korean start-up environment.“China is China, but Korea is a great place where people can feel comfortable and meet a lot of people. Korea is a great hub for meeting and connecting people together. You also have an engineering talent for sure and a lot of great companies that are working on expanding themselves abroad.”With regard to the language barrier, the most common weakness cited by Korean entrepreneurs hoping to spread overseas, he said, “I have seen [Koreans’ English proficiency] significantly getting better every day over the last 10 years. Koreans in general are very international in terms of studying abroad and their connections.”Will WeLive, a co-living business launched by WeWork in New York and Washington D.C. last year, ever head to Korea?“From what I know, we will announce the project in the near term. I personally believe it would be very successful here,” he said. “But as of now we are very much focused on making sure we build a great WeWork Korea.”BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]] |
Redrow Blake Tower wins best apartment gong at WhatHouse? Awards | Developer Redrow's Blake Tower project near the Barbican in London won the gold award for Best Apartment Scheme at the WhatHouse? Awards. Redrow also won a bronze award in the Best Large Housebuilder category.
| http://www.showhouse.co.uk/news/housebuilding-industry-celebrates-best-in-business/ | 2017-11-21 12:02:00.097000 | The WhatHouse? Awards 2017, UK housebuilding’s most prestigious event, took place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Friday 17 November, culminating in the Berkeley Group being named WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year in front of over 1,500 industry figures.
Named Large Housebuilder of the Year at last year’s event and retaining the title this year, Berkeley Group also went one better, beating Small Housebuilder of the Year Metis Homes and Medium Housebuilder of the Year Hopkins Homes to the ultimate title. Swan Housing Association was named Housing Association of the Year.
It also won across other categories, picking up Golds for Best Partnership Scheme, Best Mixed-Use Development and Best Regeneration and a Bronze for Best Apartment Scheme. Part of the Berkeley Group, St James, also won two Golds, for Best Exterior Design and Best Public Realm, with another, St Edward, winning Silver for Best Development..
The celebrity host at this year’s Awards Gala Luncheon was comedian Jack Whitehall, joined on stage in the Great Room of the Grosvenor House Hotel by Lawrence Dallaglio, former captain of England’s rugby union team, who presented to winners of 21 Awards categories.
Among the wide range of new homes builders from across the country that won the other awards, there were a few who received more than one: Mount Anvil winning three Golds; Habitat First winning one Gold and two Bronzes; Hill winning three Silvers; Meyer Homes and Crest Nicholson winning one Gold and one Silver each; Redrow winning one Gold and one Bronze; 2014’s Housebuilder of the Year City & Country winning one Silver and one Bronze; and Altin, Countryside and McCarthy & Stone winning two Bronzes each.
Rupert Bates, editorial director of Whathouse.com and leading trade magazine Show House, and head of the judging panel, said, “The industry has many challenges ahead, but for now let us celebrate the best new homes in Britain. We would like to thank all the housebuilders, suppliers and other industry colleagues who have once again supported this great event, with special thanks to the Awards sponsors and judges.”
Here’s the full list of winners from this year’s WhatHouse? Awards, download the Judges’ Report for all the details or look at the summary here:
Housebuilder of the Year: Berkeley Group
Best Large Housebuilder – sponsored by Roca
Gold, Berkeley Group
Silver, CALA Homes
Bronze, Redrow; Countryside
Best Medium Housebuilder – sponsored by N+C
Gold, Hopkins Homes
Silver, Hill
Bronze, Churchill Retirement Living ; Mactaggart & Mickel
Best Small Housebuilder – sponsored by Jablite
Gold, Metis Homes
Silver, Freeman Homes
Bronze, Conservation Builders
Housing Association of the Year – sponsored by WhatHouse?
Gold, Swan Housing Association
Silver, Thames Valley Housing
Bronze, Aster Group
Best Build To Rent Project – sponsored by Thomas Gray
Gold, Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets, The Slate Yard, Salford
Silver, Be Living, be:here, Hayes, Middlesex
Bronze, Folio London, Royal Albert Wharf, London E16
Best Starter Home Scheme – sponsored by Q Assure
Gold, Network Homes, The Crescent, Hertford
Silver, Lovell Homes, Lymington Mews, Dagenham; St Modwen Homes, Locking Parklands, Locking, Somerset
Bronze, Higgins Homes, Clissold Quarter, Stoke Newington, Hackney
Best House – sponsored by Nolte Kitchens
Gold, Habitat First Group, The Habitat House, Lower Mill Estate, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Silver, Meyer Homes, Gabriel Square, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Bronze, Altin Homes, The Place, Sale, Manchester
Best Apartment Scheme – sponsored by Warwick Estates
Gold, Redrow, Blake Tower, London EC2
Silver, City & Country Residential, The Iron Foundry, Bristol
Bronze, Berkeley Central London, Vista, London SW8
Best Luxury House – sponsored by New ID
Gold, Huntsmere, ‘Bewdley’, Alderley Edge, Cheshire ; Werner Capital, ‘Camp End Manor’, St George’s Hill, Weybridge, Surrey
Silver, Aspire Luxury Properties, ‘Kings Lodge’, Oxshott, Surrey
Bronze, Oakeve, ‘Hurlingham’, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
Best Renovation – sponsored by New Homes Law
Gold, Cubitt Greystock, Grange Hall, Stoke Newington
Silver, Hill, Anstey Hill Barns, Cambridge
Bronze, City & Country, St Osyth Priory, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
Best Development – sponsored by Beko
Gold, Crest Nicholson Regeneration, Bath Riverside, Bath, Somerset
Silver, Places For People, Rousillon Park, Chichester, West Sussex ; St Edward, 190 Strand, London WC2
Bronze, Altin Homes, The Place, Sale, Manchester
Best Partnership Scheme – sponsored by Show House Jobs
Gold, Berkeley Homes, Hackney Council, Genesis, WDCO and MHDT, Woodberry Down, London N4; Mount Anvil with Clarion Housing Group, Lexicon, London EC1
Silver, Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes and the RSPB, Oakfield Village
Bronze, Countryside and L&Q, Acton Gardens
Best Luxury Development – sponsored by Laufen
Gold, Mount Anvil, Dollar Bay, Canary Wharf, London E14
Silver, Crest Nicholson Regeneration, Bath Riverside, Bath, Somerset
Bronze, Ama (New Town), The Crescents, Cramond, Edinburgh
Best Mixed-Use Scheme – sponsored by TCL Group
Gold, Berkeley Homes, One Tower Bridge, London
Silver, Quartermile Developments, Quartermile, Edinburgh
Bronze, Crest Nicholson, Harbourside, Bristol
Best Retirement Development – sponsored by Show House Jobs
Gold, Adlington, Adlington House, Otley, West Yorkshire
Silver, Hill, Woodside Square, Muswell Hill, London N10
Bronze, McCarthy & Stone, Bowes Lyon Court, Poundbury, Dorset
Best Sustainable Development – sponsored by Roca
Gold, Lendlease, Elephant Park, Elephant & Castle, London SE17
Silver, Fabrica by A2Dominion, Elmsbrook, Bicester, Oxfordshire
Bronze, Habitat First Group, Silverlake, Warmwell, Dorset
Best Regeneration Scheme – sponsored by Jackson-Stops
Gold, Berkeley Homes East Thames, Royal Arsenal Riverside, London SE18
Silver, Hopkins Homes, Prospect Place, Framlingham, Suffolk ; Notting Hill Housing, Royal Albert Wharf, London E16
Bronze, Bellway South London, Maida at Wellesley, Aldershot, Hampshire ; Churchill Retirement Living, Mount’s Bay Lodge, Penzance, Cornwall
Best Interior Design – sponsored by Green Lighting
Gold, Mount Anvil, Dollar Bay, Canary Wharf, London E14
Silver, Meyer Homes, Gabriel Square, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Bronze, Millgate Homes, Knowle Hill Park, Cobham, Surrey
Best Exterior Design – sponsored by Ibstock Bricks
Gold, St James, Riverlight, London SW11
Silver, Barratt London, Lombard Wharf, London SW11
Bronze, Habitat First Group, ‘The Lighthouse’, Silverlake, Warmwell, Dorset
Best Public Realm – sponsored by TCL
Gold, St James, Heritage Walk/Kew Bridge West, London TW8
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Paris and Amsterdam to succeed London as hosts of key EU agencies | After the UK leaves the EU, Paris will host the European Banking Authority, while Amsterdam hosts European Medical Agency. Both agencies are currently based in London's Canary Wharf district, but cannot remain there after Brexit. Paris narrowly beat Dublin when the chair of the meeting was forced to draw lots, after the cities acquired 13 votes each. Frankfurt, home to the European Central Bank, was "badly beaten" in the second round of voting. The Estonian minister chairing the meeting, Matti Maasikas, said the contests were "a sad reminder of the concrete consequences of Brexit".
| https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/paris-beats-dublin-to-host-eu-banking-agency-after-brexit-1.677452 | 2017-11-21 11:52:11.560000 | Paris has been picked to succeed London as host city of the European Banking Authority once Britain leaves the European Union.
Paris beat out Dublin in the final round of voting Monday among the 28 EU nations minus Britain. Frankfurt, in a surprise, failed to be selected as one of the two finalists.
The European Banking Authority monitors the regulation and supervision of Europe's banking sector. It has a staff of about 180.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the choice of Paris for the banking regulator showed the "attractiveness of France".
Meanwhile, EU President Donald Tusk said on Twitter before the vote that "whatever the outcome, the real winner of today's vote is EU27. Organised and getting ready for Brexit."
Best of luck to all the candidates to host EMA and EBA.
Whatever the outcome, the real winner of today's vote is EU27. Organised and getting ready for #Brexit. — Charles Michel (@eucopresident) November 20, 2017
Earlier on Monday, EU members had tapped Amsterdam as the future home the European Medicines Agency.
The two watchdogs, with a total of 1,000 highly skilled jobs between them, are currently based in London's Canary Wharf district but must leave before Britain quits the EU in March 2019.
Frankfurt, home to the European Central Bank and aiming to be the Union's primary financial centre after Brexit, suffered a blow when it was badly beaten in the second round of EBA voting.
In a third round, Paris overhauled Dublin, which had been just one vote short of a second-round majority. With the scores in the runoff tied again by abstention, Paris won when the Estonian minister chairing the meeting, Matti Maasikas, again had to draw lots.
_______________
Read more:
[ Amsterdam pips Milan to be host city of EU medical agency ]
[ Lobby group urges 'ambitious' Brexit trade deal ]
[ Frankfurt winning race for post-Brexit banking spoils ]
_______________
Mr Maasikas struck a more subdued note, calling the contest "a sad reminder of the concrete consequences of Brexit".
The battle for both agencies has been bitterly contested, with governments jostling to win the backing of other countries with "hot bargaining" behind the scenes, a diplomatic source told AFP.
There were eight bidders for the banking regulator. The agency is perhaps best known for its regular "stress tests" on the EU's financial sector in the wake of the global financial crisis. Meanwhile, a total of 16 candidates had thrown their cap into the ring to be the new home of the EMA.
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, delivered an evaluation of the applications in September based on a range of criteria, from transport links to job prospects for spouses and schools.
But the staff of the agencies in question, already being forced to up sticks from London, had reportedly been nervous about some of the candidates, reportedly including Bratislava, Warsaw, Bucharest and Sofia.
Despite fierce competition, the 27 EU states were keen to avoid any protracted and bruising dispute over the matter as they see preserving unity as essential in facing Brexit, the biggest setback in the post-World War Two history of European integration.
Meanwhile, for Britain, the departure of the two agencies is an economic and political blow.
Labour MP Lyn Brown tweeted that it showed London's "loss of influence" in the wake of Brexit.
Meanwhile, the centre-right European People's Party, which is the largest group in the European Parliament, said: "For the UK, its loss is the first self-inflicted wound of Brexit." |
Bitcoin wallet defaults to bitcoin cash, risking user confusion | The Bitcoin.com wallet is defaulting to bitcoin cash (BCH), sparking concerns users could potentially lose their coins. BCH was created from a fork of bitcoin (BTC) and the change threatens to confuse users who assume the name Bitcoin.com wallet means it is for BTC, rather than BCH, and send their coins to the wrong wallet. The naming confusion also means new investors are more likely to research or buy the "wrong bitcoin".
| http://bitcoinist.com/bait-and-switch-controversial-bitcoin-com-wallet-defaults-to-bitcoin-cash/ | 2017-11-21 11:46:28.833000 | The Bitcoin wallet provided by Bitcoin.com is defaulting to Bitcoin clone Bitcoin Cash (BCH) instead of Bitcoin (BTC). Users sending Bitcoins to a BCH address could potentially lose their coins.
The controversy was brought to light on a posting on Reddit’s /r/Bitcoin, where one user claimed that the Bitcoin.com wallet defaulting to a BCH wallet is a “scam”. The move is certainly confusing, as the Bitcoin.com wallet which defaults to Bitcoin Cash is called a Bitcoin wallet and not a Bitcoin Cash wallet.
Reddit user /u/Renben9 posted:
I share your concern. Lots of people will send BTC to the BCH address. To all the geeks who don’t think this is a problem, view it from the perspective of a newbe: Go to exchange and buy bitcoins
Download bitcoin wallet
Send your bitcoins to your bitcoin wallet
Nothing happens.
Deceptive Name
The controversial Bitcoin fork, Bitcoin Cash – or BCH, is a clone of Bitcoin which has already been described by The Keiser Report host Max Keiser as a “fraud“;
Bitcoin cash is an alt-coin that has its fans just like many alt-coins. I don’t think anyone who uses bitcoin’s name and applies it to an alt-coin like bitcoin cash does is adhering to acceptable business practices. In other words, bitcoin’s brand is being stolen by a competitor that calls itself bitcoin cash and this is outright fraud in my opinion, just like it’s fraudulent to use Coca-Cola and Nike’s name to sell soft drinks or shoes.
The naming confusion expands further with the newly forked Bitcoin Cash using the website Bitcoin.com, and the Bitcoin most are familiar with uses Bitcoin.org. The chance of buying or even reading about the “the wrong bitcoin” is therefore increased, especially to those only just beginning to dabble in cryptocurrency.
How Exactly is BCH different from BTC?
Bitcoin Cash’s main difference from the core Bitcoin code is the adoption of a larger blocksize, which was increased to 8mb in a move deemed as important in trying to help Bitcoin transaction processing speed and bottlenecking issues. The downside of this is that it will make it harder for those running their own nodes such as on Raspberry Pi’s, deemed essential to keeping Bitcoin decentralized, no matter how small their contribution it can make a real difference in poorer countries lacking internet infrastructure.
Bitcoin core’s (The Bitcoin) answer to transaction speed is not increasing blocksize but instead introducing off chain solutions such as those provided by the Lightning Network. While this solves transaction speed and bottlenecking issues, including being able to swap Bitcoin for other currencies such as Litecoin, it does mean that those mining Bitcoin will not make as much money processing lower fee driven transactions.
All can agree that the waters have been muddied, but with traditional investors and the world’s largest trading platform CME Group due to start trading Bitcoin futures, it would appear BCH has a lot of catching up to do which may explain some of it’s potentially dirty and brand confusing tactics.
At press time, the price of Bitcoin Cash currently sits at $1186, compared to Bitcoin’s $8240.
Are Bitcoin.com and Bitcoin Cash abusing users by misusing the Bitcoin name? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Images courtesy of Bloomberg, Reddit, |
Amendment that 'could have kept UK in Customs Union' defeated | Last night, former Shadow Cabinet member Ian Murray tabled an amendment to the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Bill, which would have stopped tax on UK imports from the EU. According to WTO rules, this would have meant the UK would still be part of the Customs Union. However, Labour’s Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner disagreed, saying this would only have stopped the UK from imposing tariffs on all traded goods between the UK and EU. Labour whips ordered MPs to vote down the amendment. It was defeated, with 311 votes against to 76 for.
| https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-labour-backbencher-mps-shadow-cabinet-eu-single-market-customs-union-quit-jeremy-corbyn-a8066806.html | 2017-11-21 11:38:59.177000 | Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the
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Deep Labour divisions over Brexit were exposed in the form of a bizarre three way split last night, after party whips forced MPs to vote with the Conservatives against an amendment that would keep the UK in the customs union.
Former Shadow Cabinet member Ian Murray tabled a surprise amendment to the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Bill, which would have prevented taxes being charged on imports to the UK after it leaves the EU, a move that, owing to WTO rules, would effectively have kept the UK in the customs union.
Labour whips ordered MPs to vote against the amendment, which was defeated by 311 votes to 76, and saw the unusual spectacle of Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell voting with the government.
Mr Murray, having tabled the amendment, voted against his own party whip. Other Labour MPs abstained almost by accident, having been granted permission to leave the Commons.
Prominent Labour backbencher Wes Streeting said this morning: “I would have voted for Ian's amendments, but we were told that we could go home because no important votes (!) and I had a work commitment off the estate. Not happy.”
Ian Murray, who brought the amendment, said: “It is disappointing that this amendment was defeated but the fight for Customs Union membership is far from over.
“The Government’s reckless, ideological decision to pull us out of the Customs Union will damage trade with the EU, our biggest economic partner, and risk chaos at our ports with lorries backing up motorways as they face reams of new red tape. And it will make a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland inevitable.
“Customs Union membership is simply the best economic option for our country. Leaving it for fantasy new trade deals which cannot replicate the trade we do with Europe is no solution.”
After the vote took place, Labour’s Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner said the amendment was impractical and would not have kept the UK in the customs union. “Amendment would have stopped Treasury from applying any tariffs or quotas to goods in or out of EU after Brexit. It did NOT keep us in Customs Union as EU could still impose tariffs on us!” he wrote on Twitter.
Conservative former minister Anna Soubry, and prominent Remainer said: "It can't be right that the overwhelming majority of honourable and right honourable members in this place agree that we should be in the customs union and the single market.
"And the only reason that that isn't even on the table anymore, and it's an uncomfortable truth, is because I fear my party is in hock to 30 to 35 hard, ideologically driven Brexiteers." |
Kepler telescope finds exoplanet with super-short orbit | NASA's K2 Kepler telescope has identified another "super-Earth" exoplanet. The planet is five times bigger than Earth and orbits its parent star in under seven hours. Kepler has discovered over 2,300 planets so far, including super-Earths – planets with higher masses than Earth but lower than that of the solar system's gas giants.
| https://phys.org/news/2017-11-super-earth-planet-short-orbital-period.html | 2017-11-21 11:23:53.507000 | K2 light curve of C12_3474. Stellar activity is seen as the quasi-periodic, long period modulation. Transits are visible as shallow dips. The 5.3-day-long data gap, during which the telescope entered in safe mode, is clearly visible at ∼2/3 of the time series. Credit: Barragán et al., 2017.
(Phys.org)—NASA's prolonged Kepler exoplanet-hunting mission, known as K2, has revealed the presence of another "super-Earth" alien world. The newly found planet, designated EPIC 246393474 b (or C12_3474 b), is more than five times more massive than the Earth and orbits its parent star in less than seven hours. The discovery is reported November 6 in a paper published on the arXiv pre-print repository.
Kepler is so far the most prolific planet-hunting telescope. The spacecraft has discovered more than 2,300 exoplanets to date. After the failure of its two reaction wheels in 2013, the mission was repurposed as K2 to perform high-precision photometry of selected fields in the ecliptic. Since then, the revived Kepler spacecraft has detected nearly 160 extrasolar worlds.
Researchers have used K2 to detect so-called "super-Earths" – planets with masses higher than Earth's but lower than that of the solar system's gas giants. In September, astronomers have confirmed the discovery of three super-Earths orbiting a nearby star, which were first spotted by this spacecraft. Now, an international group of researchers led by Oscar Barragán of the University of Turin in Italyusing K2 has detected one more such planet.
"In this paper we present the discovery of EPIC 246393474 b (hereafter C12_3474 b), an ultra-short-period planet transiting a K7 V star," the astronomers wrote in the paper.
The Kepler spacecraft observed a K-type main sequence star known as EPIC 246393474 from December 2016 to March 2017 during its Campaign 12. The star is about 740 million years old with a radius and mass approximately 33 percent smaller than that of the sun.
As a result of these observations, the researchers identified a transit signal in the light curve of this star. The planetary nature of this signal was later confirmed by follow-up observational campaign using ground-based telescopes, including the WIYN 3.5-Meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona.
According to the study, EPIC 246393474 b has a radius of 1.54 Earth radii and is 5.3 times more massive than our planet, indicating a density of approximately 8.0 g/cm3 and suggesting a rocky-iron composition. The exoplanet has an equilibrium temperature of 2,039 K.
"The planetary density is consistent with a composition made of a mixture of iron and rocks. We estimated that the iron content of C12_3474 b cannot exceed about 70 percent of the total planetary mass," the paper reads.
What is most interesting about EPIC 246393474 b is that it has an ultra-short orbital period. Barragán's team found that it orbits its host every 6.7 hours at a distance of about 0.007 AU. This makes it the shortest-period planet known to date with a precisely determined mass.
The researchers noted that the close distance of EPIC 246393474 b to its parent star suggests that it has lost its entire atmosphere due to stellar irradiation. However, they added that further mass measurements of transiting ultra-short-period planets should be performed in order to confirm this theory.
More information: EPIC 246393474 b: A 5-M⊕ super-Earth transiting a K7 V star every 6.7 hours, arXiv:1711.02097 [astro-ph.EP] arxiv.org/abs/1711.02097 Abstract
We report on the discovery of EPIC 246393474 b, an ultra-short-period super-Earth on a 6.7-hour orbit transiting an active K7 V star based on data from K2 campaign 12. We confirmed the planet's existence and measured its mass with a series of follow-up observations: seeing-limited MuSCAT imaging, NESSI high-resolution speckle observations, and FIES and HARPS high-precision radial-velocity monitoring. EPIC 246393474 b has a mass of 5.31±0.46 M⊕ and radius of 1.54+0.10−0.09 R⊕, yielding a mean density of 8.00+1.83−1.45 gcm−3 and suggesting a rocky-iron composition. Models indicate that iron cannot exceed ∼70 % of the total mass. With an orbital period of only 6.7 hours, EPIC 246393474 b is the shortest-period planet known to date with a precisely determined mass.
© 2017 Phys.org |
Scientists develop cheap solution for Wi-Fi and wireless security | A cheap 3D-printed reflector can improve both Wi-Fi signal and wireless security, according to Dartmouth College researchers. Scientists used 3D printing technology to build a customised reflector to increase wireless efficiency, by directing the Wi-Fi signal and lessening the impact of building materials and interior layouts. Confining signals to limited spaces can also make it more difficult for hackers to interfere in a network, according to the research presented at ACM's BuildSys 2017 conference in Delft, Netherlands. | https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-11/dc-aw110717.php | 2017-11-21 11:23:00.050000 | New 3-D reflectors optimize wireless coverage in the home and the office
HANOVER, N.H. - November 8, 2017- A team of researchers led by Dartmouth College may have finally solved the problem of how to inexpensively improve wireless signal strength for indoor spaces with multiple rooms. The same technology for enhancing office and home Wi-Fi signals can also be used to strengthen wireless security.
The research, to be presented on Wednesday, November 8, at ACM's BuildSys 2017 in Delft, Netherlands, relies on 3-D printing to produce a cheap, customized reflector that directs wireless signals to where users need them most.
"Through this single solution, we address a number of challenges that plague wireless users," said Xia Zhou, an assistant professor of computer science at Dartmouth. "Not only do we strengthen wireless signals, we make those same signals more secure."
Customizing the coverage of wireless networks inside buildings is critical for users to improve signal reception in desired areas while weakening signals in others. By shaping signals, users can increase wireless efficiency through lessening the signal-deadening impact of building materials and interior layouts.
Such a system can also make it more difficult for attackers by adding to existing security measures like encryption through physically confining wireless signals to limited spaces. This also leads to reduced interference.
Achieving the goal of improved wireless performance is particularly challenging indoors because of the complex interactions of radio signals with the environment. Existing approaches to optimizing wireless signals rely on directional antennae to concentrate signals, but this equipment is either difficult to configure or beset by high cost.
Through experiments presented in the research paper, the team improves upon previous studies that placed an aluminum soft-drink can behind a Wi-Fi access point to strengthen signal in one direction. The current research generalizes this idea by presenting a systematic approach to optimizing reflector shapes for enabling a more developed set of signal distributions.
After assessing interior layouts and the target areas to strengthen or weaken signal strength, the Dartmouth research team placed a "computationally optimized" signal reflector around a wireless router. The reflector, composed only of plastic and a thin layer of metal, redirects wireless signals to the desired coverage areas.
After testing the approach in two different interiors for signal strength and speed, the researchers reported that optimized 3-D reflectors provide numerous benefits including: strong physical security, low cost, and ease of use for non-expert users.
The researchers tested the reflector with a variety of off-the-shelf Wi-Fi access points, including those using the latest Wi-Fi protocol 802.11ac.
"With a simple investment of about $35 and specifying coverage requirements, a wireless reflector can be custom-built to outperform antennae that cost thousands of dollars," said Zhou.
To create the technology, the research designed an algorithm that optimizes a reflector's 3-D shape to target wireless coverage. The team also developed an approach to simulating how radio signals spread and interact with objects in their environment.
With information on a specific interior space, locations of wireless access points and the desired target area, the system computes an optimized reflector shape in only 23 minutes. Researchers found that the reflectors can decrease strength by up to 10 dB where the signal is not wanted and increase strength by 6 dB where it is desired. The reflector is also relatively easy to place.
Because the current design is limited by its static shape, the research team will now study reflectors made of different materials so that the device can automatically adapt its shape when the interior layout changes. The team will also examine higher frequency bands such as millimeter waves and visible light.
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The research is a joint effort by researchers from Dartmouth College, University of Washington, Columbia University, and UC Irvine.
A video demonstration of the research can be viewed at: http://www.dartgo.org/3dwifireflector |
NASA's latest space telescope completes pre-launch freeze test | NASA has taken its latest space telescope out of deep freeze -- a key test of the device's resilience to the cold temperatures of space before its launch in 2019. The James Webb Space Telescope was sealed inside Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on July 10 where scientists tested its telescope and science instrument module to ensure they functioned as expected in space-like conditions.
| https://phys.org/news/2017-11-james-webb-space-telescope-cryogenic.html | 2017-11-21 11:21:22.727000 | NASA's James Webb Space Telescope sits inside Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston after having completed its cryogenic testing on Nov. 18, 2017. This marked the telescope's final cryogenic testing, and it ensured the observatory is ready for the frigid, airless environment of space. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
The vault-like, 40-foot diameter, 40-ton door of Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston was unsealed on November 18, signaling the end of cryogenic testing for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
The historic chamber's massive door opening brings to a close about 100 days of testing for Webb, a significant milestone in the telescope's journey to the launch pad. The cryogenic vacuum test began when the chamber was sealed shut on July 10, 2017. Scientists and engineers at Johnson put Webb's optical telescope and integrated science instrument module (OTIS) through a series of tests designed to ensure the telescope functioned as expected in an extremely cold, airless environment akin to that of space.
"After 15 years of planning, chamber refurbishment, hundreds of hours of risk-reduction testing, the dedication of more than 100 individuals through more than 90 days of testing, and surviving Hurricane Harvey, the OTIS cryogenic test has been an outstanding success," said Bill Ochs, project manager for the James Webb Space Telescope at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "The completion of the test is one of the most significant steps in the march to launching Webb."
These tests included an important alignment check of Webb's 18 primary mirror segments, to make sure all of the gold-plated, hexagonal segments acted like a single, monolithic mirror. This was the first time the telescope's optics and its instruments were tested together, though the instruments had previously undergone cryogenic testing in a smaller chamber at Goddard. Engineers from Harris Space and Intelligence Systems, headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, worked alongside NASA personnel for the test at Johnson.
"The Harris team integrated Webb's 18 mirror segments at Goddard and designed, built, and helped operate the advanced ground support and optical test equipment at Johnson," said Rob Mitrevski, vice president and general manager of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance at Harris. "They were a key, enabling part of the successful Webb telescope testing team."
The Webb telescope team persisted with the testing even when Hurricane Harvey slammed into the coast of Texas on Aug. 25 as a category 4 hurricane before stalling over eastern Texas and weakening to a tropical storm, where it dropped as much as 50 inches of rain in and around Houston. Many Webb telescope team members at Johnson endured the historic storm, working tirelessly through overnight shifts to make sure Webb's cryogenic testing was not interrupted. In the wake of the storm, some Webb team members, including team members from Harris, volunteered their time to help clean up and repair homes around the city, and distribute food and water to those in need.
"The individuals and organizations that have led us to this most significant milestone represent the very best of the best. Their knowledge, dedication, and execution to successfully complete the testing as planned, even while enduring Hurricane Harvey, cannot be overstated," said Mark Voyton, James Webb Space Telescope optical telescope element and integrated science instrument manager at Goddard. "Every team member delivered critical knowledge and insight into the strategic and tactical planning and execution required to complete all of the test objectives, and I am honored to have experienced this phase of our testing with every one of them."
Before cooling the chamber, engineers removed the air from it, which took about a week. On July 20, engineers began to bring the chamber, the telescope, and the telescope's science instruments down to cryogenic temperatures—a process that took about 30 days. During cool down, Webb and its instruments transferred their heat to surrounding liquid nitrogen and cold gaseous helium shrouds in Chamber A. Webb remained at "cryo-stable" temperatures for about another 30 days, and on Sept. 27, the engineers began to warm the chamber back to ambient conditions (near room temperature), before pumping the air back into it and unsealing the door.
"With an integrated team from all corners of the country, we were able to create deep space in our chamber and confirm that Webb can perform flawlessly as it observes the coldest corners of the universe," said Jonathan Homan, project manager for Webb's cryogenic testing at Johnson. "I expect [Webb] to be successful, as it journeys to Lagrange point 2 [after launch] and explores the origins of solar systems, galaxies, and has the chance to change our understanding of our universe."
While Webb was inside the chamber, insulated from both outside visible and infrared light, engineers monitored it using thermal sensors and specialized camera systems. The thermal sensors kept tabs on the temperature of the telescope, while the camera systems tracked the physical position of Webb to see how its components very minutely moved during the cooldown process. Monitoring the telescope throughout the testing required the coordinated effort of every Webb team member at Johnson.
"This test team spanned nearly every engineering discipline we have on Webb," said Lee Feinberg, optical telescope element manager for the Webb telescope at Goddard. "In every area there was incredible attention to detail and great teamwork, to make sure we understand everything that happened during the test and to make sure we can confidently say Webb will work as planned in space."
In space, the telescope must be kept extremely cold, in order to be able to detect the infrared light from very faint, distant objects. Webb and its instruments have an operating temperature of about 40 Kelvin (or about minus 387 Fahrenheit / minus 233 Celsius). Because the Webb telescope's mid-infrared instrument (MIRI) must be kept colder than the other research instruments, it relies on a cryocooler to lower its temperature to less than 7 Kelvin (minus 447 degrees Fahrenheit / minus 266 degrees Celsius).
To protect the telescope from external sources of light and heat (like the Sun, Earth and Moon), as well as from heat emitted by the observatory, a five-layer, tennis court-sized sunshield acts like a parasol that provides shade. The sunshield separates the observatory into a warm, sun-facing side (reaching temperatures close to 185 degrees Fahrenheit / 85 degrees Celsius) and a cold side (minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit / minus 240 degrees Celsius). The sunshield blocks sunlight from interfering with the sensitive telescope instruments.
Webb's combined science instruments and optics next journey to Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Redondo Beach, California, where they will be integrated with the spacecraft element, which is the combined sunshield and spacecraft bus. Together, the pieces form the complete James Webb Space Telescope observatory. Once fully integrated, the entire observatory will undergo more tests during what is called "observatory-level testing." This testing is the last exposure to a simulated launch environment before flight and deployment testing on the whole observatory.
Webb is expected to launch from Kourou, French Guiana, in the spring of 2019. |
ProShares launches bearish brick and mortar ETF | ProShares has launched an exchange-traded fund (ETF) hoping to profit from the poor performance of brick and mortar stores. The Decline of the Retail Store ETF offers short exposure to firms in the struggling retail sector. The fund moves conversely to the Solactive-ProShares Bricks and Mortar Index, and includes US firms with at least 50% of revenue from retail operations, 75% of which has to come from in-store sales. | http://www.wealthmanagement.com/etfs/new-etf-bets-decline-brick-and-mortar-stores | 2017-11-21 11:15:55.047000 | A little more than a week before one of the year’s biggest shopping days, ProShares launched an exchange traded fund designed to capitalize on poor performance of brick and mortar stores.
The ProShares Decline of the Retail Store ETF (EMTY) provides short exposure to companies in a sector that has struggled and shows few signs of turning around. While shares of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and Foot Locker, Inc. both leapt to more than 25 percent last week after stronger than expected earnings reported—the future for many companies in the retail sector feels grim.
ProShares points to declining sales and bankruptcies by more than 30 major retailers in the last three years, including Toys “R” Us, RadioShack and Payless.
The apparel segment accounts for more than 28 percent of the index, followed by department stores, at 10.71 percent, and then similar weights across others within the sector. J.C. Penny Co. Inc., Sears Holdings Corp., Barnes & Noble Inc. and others that have made headlines in recent years for poor performance are also in the index. The 56 companies are equally weighted.
The short-only fund moves inversely to the Solactive-ProShares Bricks and Mortar Retail Store Index and includes companies that receive at least 50 percent of their revenue from retail operations and 75 percent of that retail revenue from in-store sales.
Only U.S. companies are included in the index. The firms must have a market cap of at least $500 million and a six-month daily average value traded of at least $1 million, and meet other requirements, according to ProShares. It is rebalanced monthly and reconstituted annually.
“Stories sell, as we all know,” said Rusty Vanneman, the chief investment officer at CLS Investments.
He said thematic ETFs account for only about 3 percent of all ETFs and less than 1 percent of ETF assets. The strategies behind thematic ETFs might not be as effective as others, but their names and issues are typically identifiable and easy to explain—which draws money from retail investors.
Vanneman said the opposite can occur too. A manager might have a highly effective strategy, but if the name isn’t eye-catching or the strategy requires significant unpacking, positive flows might be harder to come by.
Michael Sapir, co‑founder and CEO of ProShare Advisors, said in a statement that investors are “witnessing signs of trouble in the malls and falling stock prices in the markets” and for the first time “can turn these trends into a potential investment opportunity through an ETF.”
ProShares also launched another ETF that tracks an index of both online companies and stores. The ProShares Long Online/Short Stores Index (CLIX) has long positions in retailers and shorts companies that rely principally on in-store retail revenue. |
PayPal inks partnership with micro-investing app Acorns | PayPal has partnered with the micro-investing app Acorns, which helps users invest their spare change. Under the deal, users will be able to link their Acorns account and monitor it via the PayPal app, allowing them to also make investments using their online funds. California-based Acorns works by rounding up payments made by users through the app to the nearest dollar, and investing the difference. These funds can then be topped up with other one-off or recurring payments. | https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/20/paypal-save-invest-money-acorns-app/ | 2017-11-21 11:13:08.817000 | PayPal is funding several new digital services lately. You can send cash to your friends via the money service using Facebook Messenger, Skype and even PayPal's own money cards. The company also makes it easy to pool money for gifts and tip Twitch streamers. Now you can fund your Acorn investment account with PayPal, too, making it easier to take care of your financial future.
Acorns is an app-based service that empowers you to invest your spare change in stocks, similarly to other apps, like Qapital. Once you connect your bank (or PayPal) account to Acorns, you can monitor it within PayPal, either online or in the PayPal app itself. You'll also be able to check the value of your Acorns account, monitor your contributions and see your investment transfers all without having to launch the Acorns app. You can make recurring or one-time investments using PayPal funds, or you can have Acorns "round up" any purchases you make with PayPal and invest that spare change. |
Bank execs fleeing for cryptocurrency firms | A number of bank blockchain specialists are leaving their roles and moving directly into cryptocurrencies. Alex Batlin, formerly of BNY Mellon, Ajit Tripathi, from PwC, and Deutsche Bank's Edward Budd have all recently left their jobs to pursue projects outside the restrictions of their previous organisations. All three are now directly employed by blockchain software company ConsenSys, or on schemes backed by ConsenSys. Batlin, now at Trustology, said he was excited about "being able to take these ideas to production in a time-frame that I want to do it in". | https://qz.com/1133826/consensys-is-attracting-major-blockchain-talent-from-big-banks-and-consulting-firms/ | 2017-11-21 11:11:34.087000 | Executives tasked with exploring blockchain tech for banks and consulting firms are finding it harder and harder to resist going full crypto. Case in point: three executives at BNY Mellon, Deutsche Bank, and PWC well known for leading blockchain work at their firms have left to pursue their own blockchain projects in recent days. Their reason? They want to pursue blockchain ambitions outside the strictures of a corporate innovation lab.
The executives are now either directly employed by blockchain “venture studio” ConsenSys, or will work on their own projects with ConsenSys funding. Among them is Alex Batlin, who formerly led blockchain work at BNY Mellon, and before that at UBS. He’s now working on his own company, Trustology, with backing from ConsenSys. “I am a big believer in cryptoassets being super exciting, so being able to take these ideas to production in a timeframe that I want to do it in, it’s really tricky to do that in a bank,” he says. The other two execs are PWC’s Ajit Tripathi and Deutsche Bank’s Edward Budd.
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It’s not the first time execs at big banks have defected to go all-in on blockchain. One well known example is Blythe Masters, who joined Digital Asset Holdings as chief executive, after leading commodities trading at JPMorgan. Others have turned to blockchain ventures after departing the C-suite, whether as founders or investors. There’s ex-Barclays head Antony Jenkins, the founder of data optimization fintech firm 10x Future Technologies who joined the board of Blockchain in 2016, and former UBS chief information officer Oliver Bussman, who promotes Switzerland’s “Crypto Valley” as a base for blockchain companies in the canton of Zug.
The blockchain specialists are leaving their corporate employers with valuable contacts. Last year three members of a blockchain team at Deloitte in Toronto left to form their own startup, with their ex-employers’ blessing. Batlin, the former BNY Mellon man, says he hopes the bank will be a client of his new project eventually.
Money is flowing into the crypto space. For instance, ConsenSys was started in 2014 by Joseph Lubin, a cofounder of Ethereum, which has gained 2,900% this year alone. “I believe ConsenSys pays a lot better than a bank,” says one executive working on innovation at a global bank who has been involved in the cryptocurrency space for years, who did want to be named.
The executives who are moving say money isn’t the reason. For Batlin, it’s the freedom to move quickly on a technology that he’s been covering for his employers for years. It’s the same story with Tripathi, who was until recently a director at PWC in charge of blockchain and fintech matters. He’s now joining ConsenSys as a partner, and will be in charge of delivering projects to corporate clients. “You can’t turn on a dime in big corporations,” Tripathi says. “There is a bubble right now, and the bubble drives innovation. Does it make it easier for [blockchain startups] to attract talent? Absolutely it does, because there is definitely a lot more runway. But it’s not about the money.”
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Budd, previously the chief digital officer for the global transaction bank at Deutsche, joined ConsenSys to help launch its new UK office, according to efinancialcareers.
For Batlin, a veteran of corporate innovation labs, the flow of talent from big banks and consultancies to blockchain startups is just part of the natural order. “In many ways, this kind of rotation is natural,” he says. “As you experiment in the lab you start getting ideas, but you can’t take stuff to production in a lab. That’s the definition of a lab.”
Correction [Nov. 20]: An earlier version of this post said 10x Future Technologies was a blockchain venture. It is a data optimization fintech startup. |
AI creates a number of risks for insurers: Novarica | The adoption of artificial intelligence within insurance is not without risks to the industry, according to Jeff Goldberg, SVP of research Novarica. Among the risks Goldberg notes is the opacity introduced when AI is utilised. Many AI systems are too complex for humans to get their heads around, which results in the output produced by the technology being rejected, discarded or overlooked. Another risk, according to Goldberg, is AI becoming too smart, potentially creating large pools of uninsurable parties it determines cannot be economically covered.
| https://www.dig-in.com/opinion/ai-machine-learning-offer-great-opportunities-and-major-risks-for-insurers?brief=00000159-faf0-d111-af7d-fbfd9f0a0000 | 2017-11-21 10:58:02.337000 | The promise of artificial intelligence in the insurance industry is threefold:
To help insurers get deeper insights into their business and make better decisions.
To automate insurer processes and decision-making for increased efficiency and reduced cost.
To create a better customer experience that provides more immediate responses and requires less arduous data collection.
Parts for an ESP (electronic stability program) console sit in a premould machine inside the Robert Bosch GmbH manufacturing plant in Hatvan, Hungary, on Tuesday, August 23, 2016. Chief executive officer Volkmar Denner said Bosch has no plans to scale back U.K. capital expenditures and that it was too early to determine the impact of Brexit on the business. Photographer: Akos Stiller/Bloomberg Akos Stiller/Bloomberg
But with that promise comes risk – perhaps greater than the risks inherent with all new technologies – that the insurance industry needs to consider. The Financial Stability Board released a detailed report this month on the potential upsides and downsides of AI, most of which align with Novarica’s research of the technology.
Risk one: Reliance on external players
Many of the risks highlighted in the report stem from the increasing reliance financial services companies will have on outside technology companies for key business components. This results in several problems:
It creates an environment where the regulatory bodies overseeing banking and insurance may not have the same influence or access to those critical tech companies.
Outside players providing technology used for decision-making means limited auditability after something has gone wrong.
A single point of failure creates problems for the whole industry; if one technology player is hacked or goes out of business, it can impact a large percentage of financial institutions at once.
Risk two: Opacity of decision-making
Another source of risk is that the results of AI and machine learning may be too complex for humans to fully understand. As the FSB report puts it, “New trading algorithms based on machine learning may be less predictable than current rule-based applications and may interact in unexpected ways.” The FSB report is focusing mostly on how such opacity might mean volatility or instability in the financial markets due to AI-based trading, but this applies to the insurance industry as well.
Existing regulatory rules in the insurance space make this risk less likely in some areas of the business. Because insurers of admitted lines must file their rates with the state, there’s a limit to how much AI will be able to influence actuarial models. Insurers may use AI behind the scenes to determine new variables and tables, but that information will need to be translated into traditional rate models. Many insurers use predictive analytics in a parallel way, reducing scores into broad pricing categories (e.g., platinum, gold, silver status) for the same reason.
Another example is an insurer that piloted the use of AI for determining direct marketing campaigns. After IT ran its data through a neural network to come up with demographic priorities, the marketing organization ignored the results. That marketing team saw AI as a black box and didn’t understand the prioritization. When IT instead reverted to a simpler model with scores in fewer key factors, it was seen as a success, and the marketing team adjusted its direct marketing approach. Despite the less sophisticated model, the visibility into how the algorithm came to its conclusion meant humans could understand and buy into the results.
A combination of regulations and human resistance will likely slow down the adoption of pure AI-driven decision-making at many insurers. However, that won’t hold it off forever, and insurers will need to carefully watch areas where AI technology means humans no longer fully understand why certain decisions are being made.
Risk three: Implementing bias
An important finding from the report is worth repeating in full. “Even if innovative insurance pricing models are based on large data sets and numerous variables, algorithms can entail biases that can lead to non-desirable discrimination and even reinforce human prejudices.”
Machine learning algorithms utilize historical data to make future decisions. If insurers train AI systems using past decisions made by humans, then any human biases inherent in those previous actions will be part of the training. Without careful review, it’s possible (or likely) that AI systems will learn and unintentionally magnify human bias when making future decisions. Insurers, with their large stores of data – and their impact on human lives – have an obligation to work against such biases. If humans cede responsibility of decision-making to algorithms, it’s important to recognize that it does not absolve the industry of that responsibility.
Risk four: When AI is too smart
One existential threat is that AI and the access to big data may result in insurers getting too good at predicting risk for individual applicants. The insurance industry works because of the nature of a risk pool, where overall premiums cover the percentage of people and businesses that file claims. But when predictive abilities reach a certain level, the risk pool breaks down. Will AI become so intelligent that it creates entire classes of uninsurable people?
This is already a problem in the health insurance space, especially in terms of pre-existing conditions, which is why the government is involved. Insurers need to be wary of other lines going the same way, where suddenly state or federal regulators have to step in to make sure certain drivers aren’t excluded from auto insurance or certain businesses from liability coverage.
Insurers have a responsibility to do the best job they can in determining risk and setting rates. As such, it’s unlikely that the industry will hold off on applying new risk-predictive technologies when they become available. But more than any other industry, insurers hold their overall mission to help people and businesses above pure profit, and this threat is one they will eventually need to grapple with as AI technology matures.
This blog entry has been reprinted with permission from Novarica. |
Enormous demand from businesses to offer Lemonade's coverage | After launching a public API in October, insurtech Lemonade received more than 400 applications from businesses looking to offer its coverage as an add-on service with 24 hours. The majority of these firms were property management firms or real estate companies - the firm largely offers renters insurance. Financial service firms and e-commerce companies also had a heavy presence among applicants. Lemonade isn't allowing every to offer its coverage immediately. The firm says it will assess third-parties' target market. It also is restricted, at present, to the seven states it is licensed to sell insurance in. | https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2017/11/20/471784.htm | 2017-11-21 10:49:48.187000 | Digital insurer Lemonade reports that more than 400 businesses applied to sell its insurance within the first 24 hours after it offered to make its sales platform widely available.
On October 12, Lemonade announced it launched a public API (application programming interface), allowing anyone to offer its renters and home insurance policies through their apps or websites.
Within the first day, Lemonade said more than 400 businesses applied for early access. Writing on the company blog, CEO and Co-Founder Daniel Schreiber provided a breakdown of those applying:
43% real estate and property management firms
28% financial services
21% e-commerce
8% home security and IoT
The company told Insurance Journal that it is rolling out the API program slowly, using an automated system to distinguish among applicants. It is using various criteria to determine which businesses to work with including the target markets of the businesses applying, whether they are in the seven states where Lemonade currently sells insurance and whether offering renters and home insurance is compatible with their focus.
“Our natural first step is to look towards real estate partners and financial services, but the beauty of the API is that it will grow as Lemonade expands its product line as well, expanding its relevancy for other businesses,” the company said in an email reply to an inquiry.
Lemonade currently offer renters, condo and home insurance in New York, California, New Jersey and Nevada; renters and condo insurance in Texas and Rhode Island; and renters insurance in Illinois. It plans to enter additional states in the coming year. |
British banks will lose 'passporting rights': says Barnier | After leaving the EU, British banks will lose the "passport" set out in the single market directive, and with it the right to offer their services to an EEA market of 500 million consumers and 22 million businesses, according to Michel Barnier, European Chief Negotiator for Brexit. Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Barnier said that no industry would be given special treatment. "Brexit means Brexit, everywhere" he said to the audience at the Centre for European Reform. Over 5,400 British firms rely on these rights to bring in an annual revenue of £9bn ($12bn).
| http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-passporting-rights-banks-financial-services-michel-barnier-speech-talks-david-davis-a8064836.html | 2017-11-21 10:48:05.367000 | Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the
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British banks will lose “passporting rights” to do business in the European Union after Brexit, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator has said.
Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Michel Barnier said that “Brexit means Brexit” – and that there could be no opt-ins to parts of the single market for certain industries.
“On financial services, UK voices suggest that Brexit does not mean Brexit. Brexit means Brexit, everywhere,” Mr Barnier said in a major speech to a think-tank.
“The legal consequence of Brexit is that the UK financial service providers lose their EU passport. This passport allows them to offer their services to a market of 500 million consumers and 22 million businesses.”
The pronouncement is bad news for the City, where over 5,400 British firms rely on passporting rights to bring in £9bn in revenue every year to Britain. The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) has said the loss of passporting would be “disruptive, costly and time-consuming”.
It also comes the same day as the EU announces where it will relocating the European Banking Authority, an EU agency currently based in London, after Brexit.
The chief negotiator said the EU might judge some UK rules as “equivalent” to EU passporting rights, but ruled out the City of London having access to EU financial markets under the same passporting deal as now.
Brexit trade talks to be pushed back by another four months, says Manfred Weber
Mr Barnier told the audience at the Centre for European Reform: “Those who claim that the UK should pick parts of the single market must stop this contradiction. The single market is a package, with four indivisible freedoms, common rules, institutions, and enforcement structures.
“The UK knows these rules very well, like the back of its hand. It has contributed to defining them over the last 44 years with a certain degree of influence. We took note of the UK decision to end free movement of people, and this means clearly that the UK will lose the benefits of the single market.
Michel Barnier speaking at the Centre for European Reform in Brussels (CER)
“This is a legal reality; the EU does not want to punish, it simply draws the logical consequence of the UK’s decision to take back control.”
As well as ruling out a carve-out for the financial sector, Mr Barnier appeared to suggest there could be no special deal for the UK’s car manufacturers to stay in the single market, as proposed by industry bodies.
In the same speech, the senior EU official also expressed disappointment at what he suggested as a fixation in some British circles on “no deal” being a viable option for the UK.
“We have a shared history and this started long before the last 44 years. This is why the no deal is not our scenario, even though we will be ready for it,” he said.
“I regret that this ‘no deal’ option comes up so often in the UK public debate. Only those who want to ignore the current benefits of EU membership can say that no deal would be a positive result.”
Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 / 8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA
Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said the decision was a “major blow” to the Government’s Brexit plans.
“Loss of this access risks blowing a hole in the budget at a time when our public services are already seriously underfunded,” he said.
“All of this could be avoided if the Government chose to stay in the single market.
“Instead, ministers seem intent on killing the golden goose by choosing an extreme form of Brexit that will seriously damage the financial sector.” |
Britain loses seat on International Court of Justice | This week Britain withdrew its candidate, Christopher Greenwood, from the running for a seat on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Indian judge Dalveer Bhandari. The move is thought to be a "blow to British international prestige", and marks the first time Britain is not represented since the ICJ's inception in 1946. Greenwood secured only 68 votes to Bhandari's 121 in the General Assembly. However, in the Security Council the British candidate won nine votes to Bhandari's five. Reasons for Greenwood's withdrawal range from his assistance to Blair in the Iraq war, to recent tensions around Brexit.
| https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/nov/20/no-british-judge-on-world-court-for-first-time-in-its-71-year-history | 2017-11-21 10:04:07.047000 | The UK will not have a judge on the bench of the international court of justice for the first time in its 71-year history after the British candidate withdrew following an acrimonious competition.
Minutes after an 11th round of voting was scheduled to begin in New York on Monday, a letter was released by the UK mission to the UN announcing that Sir Christopher Greenwood would accept defeat and allow the rival Indian candidate, Dalveer Bhandari, to fill the final vacancy on the ICJ.
The decision to bow to mounting opposition within the UN general assembly is a humiliating blow to British international prestige and an acceptance of a diminished status in international affairs.
Quick Guide What is the international court of justice? Show The international court of justice is the United Nations’ principal tribunal for dealing with legal disputes and border disagreements between nations. Known as the "world court", its is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague. The loss of Sir Christopher Greenwood from the ICJ bench is not only a blow to the UK’s standing in the diplomatic and legal worlds, but may have an impact on its deliberations because judges have the right to hear cases involving their own countries. “Losing our ICJ judge is an extraordinary, sad illustration [of] how we [the UK] are shrivelling on the world stage,” the former head of the government’s legal service, Sir Paul Jenkins, has said. Photograph: Fred Ernst/AP Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback.
That the runoff for the last place on what is known as the world court was between Britain and India, a nation likely to feature as a more significant trading partner post-Brexit, may have been a contributory element in the final calculations.
There have been calls in Indian media for the country to leave the Commonwealth if the UK exploited its position as one of the five permanent members of the security council to defend its weakened position.
The ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms by the UN general assembly and the UN security council.
Four other judges, from Brazil, France, Lebanon and Somalia, had already been elected to the ICJ in the earlier rounds.
In the last round of voting at the UN a week ago, Greenwood secured only 68 votes in the general assembly against Bhandari’s 121 votes. The British candidate, however, had nine votes in the UN security council against the Indian’s five. A majority in both the general assembly and security council was required to win a place on the ICJ bench.
The race for the last place involved weeks of diplomatic lobbying and, in the end, the UK was partially the victim of residual international resentment in the UN general assembly of the dominance and privileges of the permanent five members of the security council – the US, Britain, France, China and Russia.
Other factors also torpedoed UK efforts. Greenwood, a highly experienced and capable lawyer, was tainted in some eyes because of his advice to the Blair government in the run-up to the Iraq invasion in 2003.
He was instructed by the then attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, to examine the arguments over the legality of using force against Saddam Hussein and concluded that use of force was justified.
This is the second time the UK has been humiliated at the UN in recent months, amid signs that some EU nations no longer feel the need to automatically support an isolationist former partner.
The outcome was seen as a significant moment in the history of the court. Dr Damian Gonzalez Salzburg, of Sheffield University’s centre for International and European Law, said: “It will be the first time in UN history where less than five judges from the most powerful regional group will sit at the ICJ. This may indicate the will of non-Western States to challenge Western privileges enshrined in customary rules for ICJ elections”.
Another factor may have been continuing resentment of the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, and his undiplomatic put-downs of other countries.
In a separate vote at the UN general assembly last June, the UK was defeated 94-15 when a Mauritian-backed resolution questioning the disputed legal status of the UK’s hold over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean was referred to the ICJ.
The world court, which is based at The Hague, hears disputes over sovereignty and international borders from all over the globe. Greenwood had served one nine-year term as a judge there.
The letter from Matthew Rycroft, the UK’s permanent representative at the UN, said: “The current deadlock is unlikely to be broken by further rounds of voting.
Dalveer Bhandari. Photograph: Hindustan Times/Getty Images
“We have therefore consulted our candidate, Sir Christopher Greenwood, who has confirmed that his candidature for re-election to the international court of justice should be withdrawn.
“In taking this step, we have borne in mind the close relationship that the United Kingdom and India have always enjoyed and will continue to enjoy, and the fact that both candidates fulfil the requirements for election and have already served the court diligently with impartiality and independence.”
The letter added that had voting been stalemated again, there is a mechanism for resolving disputes – a joint conference between the UN security council and general assembly - but it acknowledged that “some thought needs to be given to this procedure before the next ICJ election in order that it might be used when it is clearly needed”.
Rycroft added: “The UK has concluded that it is wrong to continue to take up the valuable time of the security council and the UN general assembly with further rounds of elections.
“The UK congratulates the successful candidates, including Judge Bhandari of India. We are naturally disappointed, but it was a competitive field with six strong candidates.
“If the UK could not win in this runoff, then we are pleased that it is a close friend like India that has done so instead. We will continue to cooperate closely with India, here in the United Nations and globally.” |
Japan, India seen close to signing moon exploration pact | The Indian Space Research Organisation and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency are said to be close to agreeing a joint mission to the moon, the first of many potential collaborations in the future. The two countries are also discussing the possibility of using their space technology for weather monitoring and gathering data for climate-change studies. Japan and India have both previously carried out successful moon missions, and analysts have dismissed suggestions the joint venture is aimed negatively at China.
| https://sputniknews.com/science/201711201059264836-india-japan-joint-moon-mission/ | 2017-11-21 09:50:07.137000 | New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are working on a joint lunar mission, which will be the third for both countries. According to ISRO Chief AS Kiran Kumar, the two space agencies have enhanced collaboration in the recent years.
"We are looking at a possible joint lunar mission which is still in a very preliminary stage. We are working on the details at the moment. The relationship between India and Japan in terms of the space agencies has had a visible change. We are working together for possible future cooperative missions," ISRO chairman AS Kiran Kumar said during the 24th Session of Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) held in the Indian city of Bangalore.
The president of JAXA, Naoki Okumura, also expressed optimism. |
Theresa May wins approval from ministers on £40bn Brexit offer | The prime minister, Theresa May, has won the backing of senior members of her cabinet to raise her offer to settle the Brexit "divorce bill" to about £40bn ($53bn). She has sought approval from colleagues to almost double the original offering in order to try to move on to formalising a trade deal with the EU. Rumours of the increased offer have worsened the already fraught relationships among contingents of the Conservative party.
| http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-divorce-bill-cost-theresa-may-trade-talks-news-a8066356.html | 2017-11-21 08:21:04.523000 | Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the
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Theresa May has cleared the way for Britain to pay the EU a hefty Brexit ‘divorce bill’ of some £40bn in a bid to break the deadlock in withdrawal negotiations.
The Independent understands Ms May won the backing of key cabinet figures to almost double the amount being offered by the UK to settle its financial obligations in Brussels.
But the Prime Minister agreed with her ministers that the extra money must be conditional on securing an acceptable transition deal and a good free trade agreement.
Recommended Britain loses two major EU agencies to France and Netherlands
The move marks a key development in the UK’s approach and opens the way for EU leaders to approve in December the start of talks on a trade deal that would be critical to Britain’s post-Brexit prosperity.
With the clock ticking until the UK drops out of the EU in March 2019, Ms May has been under intense pressure to ensure Brussels agrees to allow trade talks to begin at the summit of the European Council on 14 and 15 December.
But while the EU has been demanding more money as its price, Ms May knows Brexit-backing members of her Cabinet, like Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, and some hard-line Tory backbenchers will not forgive handing Brussels a huge pay-off.
A proposal agreed at Monday’s Brexit cabinet sub-committee meeting, to be fleshed out this week, will see a “something for something” approach, with a bigger divorce bill accepted in return for concrete movement on trade and transition.
Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 / 8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA
Ms May will not make an open offer yet or set out a clear figure when she does. Instead it is likely to see her give more detail to EU leaders on how the UK believes the final bill for the UK’s liabilities should be calculated – amounting to a further £20bn.
This comes on top of indications given in her speech in Florence in September that would see the UK pay an initial £20bn.
There were also reports that the UK Government could still allow the European Court of Justice a role in protecting the rights of three million EU citizens.
A Downing Street source underlined the importance of the EU agreeing to allow trade and transition talks at the same time as the offer from the UK being made.
Hammond signals Britain to increase Brexit 'divorce bill' offer to Brussels: "We want to make progress in the discussions"
He said: “It remains our position that nothing's agreed until everything's agreed in negotiations with the EU.
“As the Prime Minister said this morning, the UK and the EU should step forward together.”
Ms May is set to meet European Council President Donald Tusk on Friday and will be able to discuss the development on the divorce bill as well as the future of the Irish border and EU citizens right – the three key issues on which progress is needed.
Ms May had emphasised the need to synchronise moves forward with Brussels during a trip to Birmingham with two cabinet ministers taking a more cautious approach to Brexit, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Greg Clark.
David Davis blames Germany and France for Brexit talks deadlock: "They are the most powerful players on the European continent"
She said: “What I want to see is developing that deep and special partnership with the EU for the future and I want to see us moving together because as I’ve always said, a deal that’s good for the UK will be good for the European Union.”
Mr Hammond underlined the urgent need to secure a post-Brexit implementation period in the next few months, acknowledging it was a “wasting asset” that would have less value the later it was agreed.
The Chancellor said it would be “much less useful” in a year's time as businesses would have started making alternative arrangements and government agencies would have begun putting in place contingency plans ahead of the expected Brexit date on 29 March 2019.
But Conservative ex-minister Robert Halfon said the public would go “bananas” if the UK offered £40 to £50bn at a time of constraints on public spending.
Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg urged the Government not to fall into a “trap” on the divorce bill, and argued the UK should use the EU’s need to fill holes in its budget as leverage. |
UK start-up Bio-bean to power London buses with coffee-based fuel | UK start-up Bio-bean, in a partnership with Shell and Argent Energy, has created a coffee-based biofuel to power London buses in a pilot project. Bio-bean collects coffee grounds from restaurants, cafes and factories and takes them to its recycling facility, where the coffee is dried and coffee oil extracted, which is blended with other fuels to create B20 clean biofuel. This can then be used in buses without the need for engine modifications. "There is huge potential for this project to expand in the US, which drinks the most coffee on the planet, 400 million cups per day," said the company. | http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/20/technology/coffee-fuel-bus-london-bio-bean/index.html?mc_cid=f5baeb2230&mc_eid=a37072368a | 2017-11-21 08:05:35 | There's a new buzz powering public buses in London.
British startup bio-bean has partnered with Shell (RDSB) and Argent Energy to create a coffee-based biofuel that will be used in London's diesel buses.
The company has produced 6,000 liters of coffee oil for the pilot project with London's transportation authority -- enough to help power the equivalent of one city bus for a year.
"It's a great example of what can be done when we start to reimagine waste as an untapped resource," bio-bean founder Arthur Kay said in a statement.
The startup collects used coffee grounds from cafes, restaurants and factories, and transports them to its recycling facility. There, the grounds are dried before coffee oil is extracted.
The coffee oil is then blended with other fuels to create B20 biofuel, which can be used in diesel buses without modification.
"Spent coffee grounds are highly calorific and contain valuable compounds, making them an ideal feedstock from which to produce clean fuels," the company says on its website.
Bio-bean estimates that Britain produces 500,000 tonnes of coffee grounds a year, most of which are discarded in landfills where they can emit harmful greenhouse gases.
The company also sells "coffee logs," which are used in fireplaces and stoves as an alternative to wooden logs.
Related: Tiffany's opens first-ever cafe
Bio-bean said there is "no formal agreement" to continue using its coffee oil in London, but it hopes to quickly find new markets and applications.
"There is huge potential for this project to expand in the U.S., which drinks the most coffee on the planet, 400 million cups of per day," the company said in a written statement. |
Silver and zinc among 44 elements that could be in short supply | A periodic table created by the American Chemical Society has revealed that 44 elements will be in short supply in the coming decades, with helium, gallium, silver and zinc being under "serious threat in the next 100 years". Hafnium, which is also endangered, is needed for computer chips and in the control rods of nuclear reactors. Gallium, which strongly resists oxidisation, is used in optical mirrors, ultraviolet lamps and LCD displays for televisions and computers. | https://kottke.org/17/11/the-periodic-table-of-endangered-elements?mc_cid=f5baeb2230&mc_eid=a37072368a | 2017-11-21 07:51:11.180000 | Until recently, humanity has treated the Earth as an infinite resource. As the Earth's population has exploded over the past century however, we've learned in many different ways that that's untrue. We've overfished the ocean, pumped too much carbon into the atmosphere and oceans, driven thousands of species into extinction, and terraformed much of the planet's land. This periodic table produced by the American Chemical Society shows that there are also 44 chemical elements that will face supply limitations in the coming decades. Among those under a "serious threat in the next 100 years" are silver, helium, zinc, and gallium. Robert Silverberg wrote about The Death of Gallium back in 2008:
Gallium's atomic number is 31. It's a blue-white metal first discovered in 1831, and has certain unusual properties, like a very low melting point and an unwillingness to oxidize, that make it useful as a coating for optical mirrors, a liquid seal in strongly heated apparatus, and a substitute for mercury in ultraviolet lamps. It's also quite important in making the liquid-crystal displays used in flat-screen television sets and computer monitors.
As it happens, we are building a lot of flat-screen TV sets and computer monitors these days. Gallium is thought to make up 0.0015 percent of the Earth's crust and there are no concentrated supplies of it. We get it by extracting it from zinc or aluminum ore or by smelting the dust of furnace flues. Dr. Reller says that by 2017 or so there'll be none left to use. Indium, another endangered element-number 49 in the periodic table-is similar to gallium in many ways, has many of the same uses (plus some others-it's a gasoline additive, for example, and a component of the control rods used in nuclear reactors) and is being consumed much faster than we are finding it. Dr. Reller gives it about another decade. Hafnium, element 72, is in only slightly better shape. There aren't any hafnium mines around; it lurks hidden in minute quantities in minerals that contain zirconium, from which it is extracted by a complicated process that would take me three or four pages to explain. We use a lot of it in computer chips and, like indium, in the control rods of nuclear reactors, but the problem is that we don't have a lot of it. Dr. Reller thinks it'll be gone somewhere around 2017. Even zinc, commonplace old zinc that is alloyed with copper to make brass, and which the United States used for ordinary one-cent coins when copper was in short supply in World War II, has a Reller extinction date of 2037. (How does a novel called The Death of Brass grab you?)
Zinc was never rare. We mine millions of tons a year of it. But the supply is finite and the demand is infinite, and that's bad news. Even copper, as I noted above, is deemed to be at risk. We humans move to and fro upon the earth, gobbling up everything in sight, and some things aren't replaceable. |
Société Générale asks Front National to close accounts | Société Générale, France’s second-largest bank, has requested that the far-right political party Front National (FN) closes its accounts with the institution. The bank told Marine Le Pen’s party that it wanted to bring the 30-year “banking relationship” to a close, but gave no reason for the request. Officials from the FN are challenging the decision. An anonymous representative stated that the party had no debts with the bank and that the move was “a political challenge”.
| https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/21/french-bank-closes-far-right-front-national-accounts-marine-le-pen?CMP=share_btn_tw | 2017-11-21 00:00:00 | France’s second largest bank has asked the Front National to close all its accounts and take its business elsewhere. The bank, Société Générale, told the far-right party, led by Marine Le Pen, that it wished to end its 30-year “banking relationship”. It gave no specific reason for the decision.
FN officials said they were fighting the move and claimed that the party was being persecuted. The party headquarters in Nanterre, outside Paris, and local FN federations, have all been targeted, the news website Mediapart and France Inter radio reported on Tuesday.
According to an internal party communication leaked to Mediapart, the bank is seeking to close all current and savings accounts held by the party.
An FN spokesman, David Rachline, told Sud Radio on Tuesday morning: “It’s a real scandal. We will resist and fight to overcome this persecution.”
SocGen has refused to comment on the row, citing client confidentiality. The bank stated: “We can only say that as part of the relationship we have with all our customers, whether it be for the opening or closing of an account, we follow the current regulations and requirements required of a banking establishment to the letter.”
On Tuesday FN officials denied that the decision had been made because the party accounts were in the red. “If that was the case why hasn’t Société Générale closed the UMP - Les Républicains’ accounts when they owe the considerable sum of €50m?” said Wallerand de Saint Just, the FN treasurer. “The Front National’s situation is perfectly healthy and there’s no reason for any banker to use that as an excuse to so brutally throw out a long-standing customer that has always behaved according to the banking rules.”
The FN was reported to have been asked to close its SocGen accounts several months ago, but it had challenged the decision with the banking mediator without success. On Monday the party had asked its federations to send monthly contributions by cheque because it had encountered difficulties with direct debits.
An anonymous FN official told Mediapart the party had no debts with SocGen and said the decision was “a political challenge”.
Louis Aliot, the FN vice-president and Le Pen’s partner, also said the party had no direct financial problems. “A certain number of financial institutions have difficulty with democracy and pluralism,” Aliot told BFMTV. “I’ve noticed that Société Générale is very generous with Les Républicains, especially when it comes to renegotiating their debts, when they own €50m, which is not our case. The French need to know that democracy is in the hands of the banks and those with money.”
During France’s presidential campaign Le Pen claimed that French banks were refusing to lend money to finance her leadership bid, which cost about €12.5m. This sum will be reimbursed out of state coffers but only after the party’s accounts have been inspected and approved.
FN federations took a second hit after failing to do as well as expected in the legislative elections in June, which were reported to have cost a further €15m.
The FN had appeared to be struggling to raise campaign funds in January after Le Pen was asked to repay a €9m loan from a Russian-based bank that had been dissolved. Le Pen met the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, at the Kremlin in March, two months before the presidential vote.
Le Pen has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday on the theme “French democracy threatened by financial oligarchs”. |
UK's pollution-fighting agency bought 2.5 million disposable cups | The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs -- which is seeking to tackle plastic pollution -- has purchased more 2.5 million disposable cups for its cafes and restaurants over the past five years. The figure, equivalent to almost 1,400 per day, was revealed by the Liberal Democrat Party. The party also revealed the House of Commons used nearly 4 million disposable cups within the past five years. It's is calling for a 5p (7¢) charge on such vessels, three billion of which are discarded in the UK each year, with fewer than one in 400 recycled.
| https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/21/uk-environment-department-using-1400-disposable-coffee-cups-a-day | 2017-11-21 00:00:00 | More than 2.5m disposable cups have been purchased by the UK’s environment department for use in its restaurants and cafes over the past five years – equivalent to nearly 1,400 a day.
The Liberal Democrats’ environment spokesman, Tim Farron, said the revelation, obtained through a freedom of information request, showed Michael Gove “needs to get his own house in order” in light of his public pledges to tackle the growing scourge of plastic pollution.
The Lib Dems revealed that 516,000 disposable cups had been purchased by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) catering contractors in the last year alone, under two separate outsourced contracts for use in catering outlets across its sites. The figure was 589,700 in 2016 and 785,100 the previous year.
The catering contractors did not previously provide any reusable cups, but purchased 200 reusable cups on 31 October 2017.
Separate figures uncovered by the Lib Dems have revealed the House of Commons itself is also failing to get to grips with disposable cup waste, using almost 4m disposable cups in the past five years.
They reveal that 657,000 disposable cups have been purchased by the Commons’ catering service in the last year alone – equivalent to 1,000 per MP – but down from 918,700 in 2013. In addition, 500 reusable or so-called “keep cups” were purchased in 2013, but only four of these have been sold in the last three years.
An estimated 3bn paper cups are thrown away in the UK every year, but it was revealed last year that less than one in 400 is recycled, meaning that millions end up in landfill. The plastic lining in cups means they cannot be recycled in normal depots and have to be put in special bins and sent to one of three dedicated recycling mills.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for the introduction of a 5p charge on disposable coffee cups in the budget, following the success of the plastic carrier bag charge which has reduced usage in England by 85% since it was introduced in October 2015.
The chancellor, Philip Hammond, is expected to announce in Wednesday’s budget a “call for evidence” on how taxes or other charges on single-use plastics such as takeaway cartons and packaging could reduce the impact of discarded waste on marine and bird life. Under Defra’s litter strategy launched in April, a working group has been set up drawing together industry and retailers to develop further practical steps to tackle plastic waste.
“It’s astounding that the department which is supposed to be protecting our environment is responsible for such a colossal amount of waste” said Farron. “Millions of plastic cups have been thrown away by the government, some of which will now be polluting our seas, rivers and countryside. Michael Gove needs to get his own house in order. A coffee cup charge should be introduced in the budget to tackle waste and encourage the use of reusable cups, including in the civil service and parliament.”
A spokesperson for Defra said: “We are committed to reducing unnecessary waste within the department and these figures show the number of disposable cups used has fallen by more than half since 2013. We are working with our suppliers to see what more can be done to further cut their use and promote recycling.”
A House of Commons spokeswoman added that they were “committed to reducing the amount of waste across the parliamentary estate including plastic and [to] operate a mixed recycling scheme to ensure as much as possible of our waste is recycled.” |
Harvard’s affirmative action rules trigger investigation | Harvard University is under investigation by the US Justice Department in relation to the role of race in its admissions policies. The department has resolved that the school is “out of compliance” with federal law. Last year, the country’s Supreme Court determined that race could be included as a factor in university admission decisions. The interest in Harvard’s policies dates to a 2015 federal complaint that saw the university accused of discrimination against Asian-Americans. The case could potentially become the first key legal challenge to affirmative action policies under the Trump administration.
| http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/21/politics/harvard-affirmative-action-justice-department/index.html?sr=twCNN112117harvard-affirmative-action-justice-department0949AMStory | 2017-11-21 00:00:00 | Story highlights The Justice Department's interest in Harvard's policies stems from a 2015 federal complaint It has concluded the school is "out of compliance" with federal law
Washington CNN —
The Justice Department is actively investigating Harvard University’s use of race in its admissions policies and has concluded the school is “out of compliance” with federal law, according to documents obtained by CNN.
The Justice Department’s battle with Harvard potentially sets the stage for the first major legal test of affirmative action policies under the Trump administration. Last year, the US Supreme Court ruled that race can be one among many factors universities use in making admission decisions.
Two letters from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division indicate that Harvard has challenged the department’s authority to investigate, and further state that if the school fails to provide documents to the department by December 1, the agency may file a lawsuit against the school.
“As we have repeatedly made clear to the Department of Justice, the university will certainly comply with its obligations under Title VI. In the process, we have an obligation to protect the confidentiality of student and applicant files and other highly sensitive records, and we have been seeking to engage the Department of Justice in the best means of doing so,” Anna Cowenhoven, Harvard’s associate dean of communications, said in a statement to CNN.
Harvard DOJ investigation
Additional correspondence obtained by CNN shows that the Justice Department formally notified Harvard it was under investigation on September 20 and since that time, lawyers for the agency and the school have been trading letters over the scope of the department’s document requests, despite what Harvard noted were “its concerns about the highly unusual nature of this investigation.”
The Justice Department’s interest in Harvard’s policies stems from a 2015 federal complaint that accuses the school of discriminating against Asian-Americans in admissions. When The New York Times reported in August that the Justice Department was looking for lawyers to work on “possible litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions,” the department said that the posting was related to an ongoing case rolled over from the Obama administration.
“The posting sought volunteers to investigate one administrative complaint filed by a coalition of 64 Asian-American associations in May 2015 that the prior administration left unresolved,” Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said in a statement at the time.
“The complaint alleges racial discrimination against Asian-Americans in a university’s admissions policy and practices. This Department of Justice has not received or issued any directive, memorandum, initiative, or policy related to university admissions in general. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting all Americans from all forms of illegal race-based discrimination,” she had said.
But these more recent letters from the Justice Department, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, mark the first confirmation that the school is currently under investigation.
Supporters of affirmative action in college admissions say that it levels the playing field in higher education by welcoming traditionally excluded groups like minority students, whereas its critics say the practice favors one group over another based on race instead of academic achievement.
“The Department of Justice takes seriously any potential violation of an individual’s civil and constitutional rights, but we will not comment at this time,” Justice Department spokesperson Devin O’Malley told CNN in a statement.
Yet former Justice Department officials told CNN the Harvard case marks a sign of what’s to come.
“The Justice Department clearly appears to be on the hunt for a case to bring a significant challenge to affirmative action,” said Vanita Gupta, former head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division under President Barack Obama who now leads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Gupta noted several factors making the Harvard case somewhat unusual for the Justice Department’s intervention, including the fact that private attorneys are already aggressively litigating the case and the Department of Education dismissed a complaint against the school back in 2015.
“The Justice Department is going out of its way to scoop this case up and get involved,” Gupta said. |
Xiaomi commits $1bn to Indian internet and smartphone start-ups | China's Xiaomi is planning to invest $1bn in Indian start-ups and create an ecosystem of mobile apps for use on its smartphones, taking on its main rival, Huawei. It is also looking to set up more factories around the country. "We as a company are 100% committed to 'Make in India'. This is something we started thinking in the beginning of this year, that can we extend the same programme to other categories [of products] also," said Manu Jain, the vice-president and managing director of Xiaomi India. Xiaomi has already bought stakes in six major Indian internet companies. | https://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/xiaomi-india-start-ups | 2017-11-20 18:09:48.527000 | As it continues to assert its place in the mobile marketplace, Xiaomi is now turning to India to build a strong app ecosystem.
With China now accounting for almost half of the global smartphone marketshare, companies such as Xiaomi are trying to assert dominance in the hotly contested market.
While one of the fastest-growing brands year on year, Xiaomi is now seeking to build its own app ecosystem to take on the might of its biggest rival, Huawei.
According to Livemint, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said that in order to do this, it will turn to the next-nearest smartphone market giant, India, with a planned investment of $1bn in start-ups in the country. This investment would cover 100 Indian start-ups over the course of five years.
Xiaomi has already begun by buying stakes in six major internet companies, including Hungama and KrazyBee, both directly and through its sister company, Shunwei Capital.
The Xiaomi business model
Lei said that the plan will be to replicate what it has done in China, where it has invested $4bn in 300 different companies.
“We will have all types of services and products and integrate them. That is the Xiaomi business model,” Lei said.
“We focus on a few key things and everything else, we let our partners provide. We’ve reached just a huge scale in seven years because of this partnership/affiliation model.”
The focus for Xiaomi’s funding will be on companies that could provide smartphone apps to keep people glued to their phones, such as entertainment content.
Should everything go as planned, Xiaomi would become one of the biggest investors in the Indian internet market. However, it said that it will only be involved in minority stakes, rather than outright takeovers.
While the company’s phones remain highly popular in China and India, its sales are increasing gradually elsewhere, most recently seen in Russia, where it is now the fifth-largest smartphone provider.
A Xiaomi sign. Image: testing/Shutterstock |
NASA develops shape-retaining alloy wheels for Mars rovers | NASA has developed a metal alloy tyre that can hold its shape in rough terrain better than existing wheels. The space agency has been experimenting with steel mesh tyres for vehicles such as the Mars rover, whose wheels have been seriously damaged on its current mission. The latest test involved using nickel titanium, an alloy with much better "shape memory" than other metals. The results showed the tyre was highly resilient, returning to its original shape after rolling over sharp rocks and obstacles.
| https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/11/20/nasa_nickel_titanium_spring_tires/ | 2017-11-20 17:23:08.267000 | NASA has developed chainmail tires with a memory and thinks they'll do the trick for future rovers.
As readers of The Register's coverage of the Curiosity Rover may recall, the vehicle has experienced considerable wheel damage that has led to changes to its route in 2014 and a 2017 software update to preserve the wheels and provide better grip.
Throw in the fact that it's not yet possible to send a spare wheel to Mars and have it fitted, and NASA has a clear need for more robust tires.
Enter a technology called “spring tires” that use a tubular structure of steel mesh – think tire-shaped chainmail - to cushion rovers as they roll. Spring tires have many fine qualities as the mesh forms a pattern that provides good grip on many surfaces. Mesh is also light by nature and can survive some damage. But spring tires don't deform well: if one rolls over a sharp rock, it can acquire a dent - or “plastic deformation” as NASA boffins put it.
As it happens, some metals can endure plastic deformation and return to their original shape. An accidental meeting between two NASA boffins – one working on wheels, the other a material scientist – led to a discussion in which the two discussed that Nickel Titanium has exceptional “shape memory”.
The alloy was quickly pressed into service for test tires. The result, as the video below shows, is a tire that can roll right over razor-sharp rocks without ill-effects.
Youtube Video
NASA has not outlined an immediate plan to use Nickel Titanium spring tires, but the agency is chuffed enough to have released its videos of the tech and to cheekily suggest it may have re-invented the wheel. ® |
Tencent moves beyond gaming to focus on monetising content | Chinese internet giant Tencent has reported a 61% increase in Q3 revenues as it continues to focus on monetising content. The firm, Asia's most valuable, posted Q3 revenues of CNY65.2bn ($9.8bn) after moving beyond gaming in a bid to grow its advertising income. The company's online gaming revenues also rose 48% to CNY26.8bn, largely driven by its key title Honour of Kings. Meanwhile, fee-based subscribers to Tencent Video, the company's streaming service, passed 43 million, which it claims is the largest video subscriber base in China.
| http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/11/20/tencents-focus-entertainment-and-gaming-drives-61-surge-q3-revenues | 2017-11-20 17:16:49.610000 | Gaming and entertainment continue to line Tencent’s pocket, with the internet giant posting third-quarter revenues of RMB65.2 billion (US$9.83 billion) a 61% increase year-on-year.
Tencent's third quarter revenues surged off the back of strong gaming and video revenues
Tencent, which is valued at $472 and is Asia’s most valuable company, has continued to focus on digital content to drive growth for the company as it moves beyond gaming to focus on monetising its content to grow advertising revenues.
Tencent’s online gaming revenues grew 48% to RMB26.8bn largely driven by the continued success of Honour of Kings, as well as new titles such as a Chinese version of Contra Return. Smartphone games continued to dominate, increasing 84% to represent RMB18.2bn in revenue while PC games grew 27% to RMB14.6bn.
Tencent Video's fee-based subscriptions passed 43 million, which Tencent claims is the largest video streaming services subscriber base in China. Meanwhile, live streaming broadcasts and subscription video on-demand helped boost revenue from social networks, including Weixin and WeChat, which increased 56% to RMB15.3bn.
Monthly active users (MAU) for WeChat and Weixin reached 980 million, up 15.8% year-on-year, and higher advertising revenues from Weixin Moments and Weixin Official Accounts helped social and others advertising revenue surge 63% to RMB6.9bn.
Tencent’s online advertising business grew 48% to RMB4.1bn driven by increased revenues from Tencent Video, however the year-on-year growth was offset by the high base from last year’s Olympic Games.
Ma Huateng, chairman and CEO of Tencent, said, “During the third quarter of 2017, we recorded strong business and revenue growth across multiple business lines including games, digital content, online advertising and payment related services. In particular, our video platform gained audience and revenue market share, we believe it has become China’s top online video platform in terms of mobile daily active users and subscriptions.
“We believe this success reflects our increasing investment in self-commissioned video content, our improved selection of licensed video content, and our scheduling and audience management initiatives. We believe our multi-faceted digital content businesses are synergistic with each other, and allow us to deliver unique content to our users.” |
Historic England urges conversion of old mills to homes, offices | The heritage protection authority for England has launched a campaign to save historic textile mills by converting them into homes and offices. A study by the University of Salford found that nearly half of the 971 mills built in Greater Manchester have been destroyed since the 1980s, and hundreds more are empty and unused. Historic England says the remaining buildings could provide 25,000 new homes if they were converted. It cited polling figures that show public opposition to their demolition and support for redevelopment.
| https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/nov/20/historic-england-launches-campaign-save-former-textile-mills | 2017-11-20 17:00:55.460000 | Historic England has launched a campaign to save the country’s historic textile mills after finding that nearly half of Greater Manchester’s once-bustling factories had been demolished.
About 45% of the region’s 971 mills have been destroyed since the 1980s, a study by the University of Salford found, while hundreds more stand empty and neglected.
Historic England condemned the destruction of the buildings and called for the surviving mills to be restored and turned into housing, offices or public amenities.
The heritage body said it had identified space for 25,000 new homes among the more than 500 former mills still standing in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Catherine Dewar, Historic England’s planning director in the north-west, said: “With their ability to accommodate wonderful homes, workplaces and cultural spaces, our historic mill buildings deserve a future and should not be destroyed.
“They helped make us who we are in the north of England and have a profound impact on the physical and cultural landscape.”
While Greater Manchester’s skyline has changed beyond recognition in the past century, the destruction of mills has had the biggest impact on Salford, where 66% of its 47 factories have been torn down.
Holmes Mill in Clitheroe, Lancashire, has been converted into a brewery, restaurant, hotel and leisure venue. Photograph: The Historic England Archive/PA
In Rochdale, once one of the world’s most productive cotton spinning towns, 96 textile mills have been demolished in the past 30 years, according to the University of Salford study. In the town’s 102 surviving mills, experts identified nearly 205,000 square metres of vacant or underused space that was ripe for redevelopment.
Historic England said there was overwhelming public support for saving the country’s once-booming powerhouses instead of leaving them to fall into ruin.
A YouGov survey of more than 2,000 adults found that 85% were against their demolition, with 70% saying they should be seen as a potential solution to Britain’s housing crisis.
The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “It’s a real shame that half of Greater Manchester’s historic mills have been lost. These buildings are an important part of our industrial legacy – the original northern powerhouse.
“But equally they are an important part of our future, whether that’s creating new jobs for local people by investing in the industries of the future, providing much-needed affordable housing, or transforming these unique spaces into cultural destinations. I fully support Historic England’s plea to ensure our remaining mills have a key place in the developing fabric of our region.”
Pendle Village Mill in Lancashire has been converted into a shopping emporium. Photograph: The Historic England Archive/PA
The heritage agency said it wanted to galvanise mill owners and developers to fulfil the potential of the historic buildings, citing successful conversions such as the Cotton Works in Bolton – a former cotton spinning mill dating back to 1926 that is now home to 276 apartments.
In a bid to kickstart the renovation of the north’s mills, Historic England has announced a £252,000 grant to carry out vital repairs on the Grade II-listed Leigh Spinners mill in Leigh, Lancashire. The building is considered one of the last great textile mills to be built in the UK and is one of the largest and most complete mills remaining in Greater Manchester.
Dewar said: “Mills have so much to offer in terms of space, character and identity. By shining a light on successful regeneration projects, we hope to inspire others to recognise the potential of our former industrial buildings and start a conversation about their future.” |
AIB invests €30m in cross-border payments company TransferMate | Allied Irish Banks (AIB) has invested €30m ($35m) in cross-border payments platform TransferMate in a deal that gives the latter firm an estimated valuation of between €250m and €300m. The two firms will also form a strategic partnership to offer Irish businesses international payments and receivables capabilities ahead of Brexit. TransferMate CEO Terry Clune said the funds would allow the company to expand its head office and technology functions in Ireland, as well as support its commercial teams around the world.
| https://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/aib-transfermate | 2017-11-20 16:57:50.657000 | AIB makes a strategic bet on the digital future as Brexit storm clouds gather.
AIB has invested €30m in cross-border B2B payments player TransferMate, in a move aimed at reducing international payments costs for business customers.
TransferMate was founded in 2010 and has since developed a wide regulatory footprint.
‘This partnership is a great example of how a leading bank and a fintech company can work together to improve their customers’ experiences’
– COLIN HUNT
Informed sources say that the deal values TransferMate at between €250m and €300m.
So far, more than $10bn has been sent to more than 100 countries over the TransferMate platform.
TransferMate and AIB have also agreed to a strategic partnership focused on providing Irish businesses with international payments and receivables capabilities.
Preparing for business post-Brexit
“Cross-border B2B payments can be complex, time-consuming and expensive for businesses,” explained TransferMate CEO Terry Clune.
“At TransferMate, we aim to provide the most convenient and cost-effective way for businesses to move money around the globe. B2B payments represent 98pc of the $138trn of currencies traded annually cross-border.
“TransferMate has built a unique technology platform, and we are delighted to welcome AIB as an investor and partner.”
Clune said the investment will enable TransferMate to invest in its commercial teams across the US, Canada, Australia and Europe, and grow its head-office, commercial and technology functions in Ireland.
“This partnership is a great example of how a leading bank and a fintech company can work together to improve their customers’ experiences,” Clune added.
Co-founder and CFO of TransferMate, Sinead Fitzmaurice, added: “Our partnership with AIB aims to combine the bank’s forward-looking digital strategy with our technology and global reach to bring business customers of the bank a truly convenient and cost-effective solution when sending or collecting funds globally.”
TransferMate has broad regulatory approval in major markets. Post-Brexit, it will become the only EU payment institution regulated throughout the EU and United States.
“This €30m investment demonstrates our commitment to deploying our capital and expertise in support of leading enterprises such as TransferMate,” explained AIB’s managing director of wholesale, institutional and corporate banking, Colin Hunt.
“The investment is in line with AIB’s strategic priority to increase the pace of innovation to serve changing customer needs by working with both dedicated internal teams and with external partners and start-ups. We will work with TransferMate and other digitally innovative partners to continue to ensure AIB business customers have access to the some of the best digital banking capabilities in the world.”
AIB branch in Galway. Image: Martin Good/Shutterstock |
Mobile crypto-wallet users at risk from screen capture software | Users of mobile cryptocurrency wallets could be at risk of data theft after a bug was discovered in Android operating systems. Hackers can use the MediaProjection service to capture screen and audio content from the phone, potentially revealing login details. Activating the function generates a pop-up, but this can be disguised by so-called "tapjacking". Google has offered a patch to fix the problem on its Oreo (8.0) operating system, but all previous systems remain at risk. | https://cointelegraph.com/news/major-risk-for-mobile-android-wallet-users | 2017-11-20 16:52:17.847000 | Mobile Android cryptocurrency wallet users are at risk for hacking because of a new vulnerability that allows the MediaProjection service to capture the user’s screen and audio content. More than three-quarters of all Android users are at risk, as the bug affects the Lollipop, Marshmallow and Nougat platforms.
Google has accidentally created the risk, since the release of Lollipop 5.0. Prior to this release, the MediaProjection functionality was only available to system-level applications and through release keys. All new systems since have been vulnerable to this type of data attack.
Popup coverup
Apparently, when a hacker seeks to start recording screen information, a popup will appear, informing the user. However, hackers are able to cover that popup with a second popup in a process called ‘tapjacking.’ According to experts on the topic:
"Furthermore, the SystemUI pop-up is the only access control mechanism available that prevents the abuse of the MediaProjection service. An attacker could trivially bypass this mechanism by using tapjacking this pop-up using publicly known methods to grant their applications the ability to capture the user’s screen.”
Google has offered a patch in the Oreo (8.0) version, but all previous versions are at risk. Cryptocurrency users who access private wallets on mobile devices could very easily have their wallets hacked via this system and are encouraged to upgrade to the latest system for protection. |
Havas reports improvement in Q3 organic revenue growth | Global communications firm Havas Group has reported a modest rise in Q3 organic revenue growth. The 0.1% growth is a full percentage point over the -0.9% reported in Q2, but over the first three quarters of this year Havas has stayed in negative territory at -0.3%. Meanwhile, the company saw a recovery in the North American market, reporting an increase in organic growth to 2.9% in Q3, up from -1.7% in Q2. Overall, Havas' consolidated group revenue for the first nine months of the year remained flat at €1.6bn ($1.9bn).
| https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/310345/havas-reports-slight-improvement-in-q3-results.html | 2017-11-20 16:38:09.213000 | by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, November 16, 2017
Havas reported modest improvement in organic revenue growth in the third quarter to 0.1%, a full percentage point over Q2’s -0.9%. For the first nine months the firm remains in negative territory at -0.3%.
But company CEO Yannick Bollore said he was particularly pleased with what he termed "the recovery in North America" where organic growth rose to 2.9% in Q3 from -1.7% in the second quarter.
The company attributed the improvement to a turnaround at Boston-based Arnold and improved results at Havas New York, particularly in the healthcare business.
“US agencies also benefitted from the effects of recent account wins and increased spending on the part of certain clients,” the company stated in an earnings release. During the third quarter Havas Media was appointed as Sanofi’s U.S. media agency partner for its Rx business and as strategic media planning partner for the Consumer Healthcare business.
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Consolidated third quarter revenue for the French holding company in Q3 was down around 2% to 525 million euros (about $618 million at today’s exchange rate). The company cited exchange rate fluctuations as a key reason for the decline.
For the first nine months of the year, consolidated group revenue was essentially flat at 1.6 billion euro ($1.9 billion).
Commenting further on the results Bollore stated, “Despite an ever more challenging sector environment, we remain positive over the mid-term because we believe firmly in the positive effects of our strategy and in our client-centric organization.” |