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Space Debris Sensor studies impact of small objects in low orbit | NASA scientists are set to learn more about the damage caused to the International Space Station by microdebris in Earth's low orbit with the deployment of the Space Debris Sensor (SDS). The one-metre-square device will measure the speed and density of particles between 1mm and 10cm, as well as the effects of their impact. Should the SDS perform well, scientists could extend their field of study to areas where there is even more debris.
| http://www.astronomy.com/news/2017/12/space-junk-sensor | 2017-12-06 11:13:15.553000 | The International Space Station (ISS) is about to get a big upgrade to study very tiny bits of space junk floating in Earth orbit.
Called the Space Debris Sensor (SDS), the one-square-meter array has a series of microsensors to study what happens when it’s struck by objects the size of flecks of paint or other particles less than four inches (10 cm) in size.
It’s a first step in studying this virtually untrackable space debris population. As Science Magazine points out, there may be future missions at higher orbits, figuring out where the majority of small space junk and micrometeoroids reside and designing future spacecraft orbits based around that. It could also help figure out how best to shield a craft to avoid a fatal event if an errant screw strikes it at high speed. |
Worms bred in conditions simulating closed ecosystem on Mars | Biologists at the Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands have successfully bred two worms in simulated Martian soil as part of plant growth experiments. In a statement, the university said the worms break up the soil and produce bacteria by breaking down organic matter, stimulating the release of essential plant nutrients, and suggesting the creatures could help support a closed ecosystem on the Red Planet. A crowdfunding campaign to continue monitoring the worms has already reached 50% of its €10,000 ($11,700) goal.
| https://www.space.com/38960-worms-born-martian-soil-experiment.html?utm_source=sdc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20171204-sdc | 2017-12-06 11:01:36.060000 | An experiment that resulted in various flowering plants, especially in a Mars soil simulant. The pots were put in water to keep the soil containing the earthworms cool.
In what could be an important milestone for future farmers on Mars, two healthy baby worms were recently born in simulated Martian soil. The births took place in an experiment that is helping scientists understand how human settlers might one day grow crops on the Red Planet.
Wieger Wamelink, a biologist at Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands, is running plant growth experiments in a mixture of NASA-made Martian soil simulants — made from volcanic terrestrial rocks — and pig manure, to which he added live adult worms. University officials said in a statement that the infant worms are the first offspring of adult worms to be born in a Mars soil simulant.
Mars is not a naturally habitable environment for life as we know it, so if humans want to live there long term, Red Planet settlers will have to establish closed ecosystem models. (These are essentially large terrariums where factors like temperature and atmospheric moisture can be controlled.) According to the statement, those ecosystems will ideally utilize available waste materials, including human excrement and dead organic matter. That's where the worms come in.
Illustration of potential appearance of a closed agricultural ecosystem on Mars. (Image credit: Wageningen University and Research Centre)
Worms begin the breakdown of organic matter, which is continued by bacteria. That leads to the release into the soil of such vital plant nutrients as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, according to the statement from Wageningen University and Research.
The researchers also found that the holes that worms dig in the soil aerate the mixture and improve the soil's structure, making it easier for water to penetrate the soil and nourish plants.
The appearance of baby worms seems to indicate that at least in the short term, the worms are thriving in these closed ecosystems.
The goal of the experiment is to find out how well worms break down old waste to produce food for bacteria and plants in the mixture of soil simulant and pig slurry (or manure). Various flowering plants were allowed to germinate in several pots of this mix, and adult worms were then added.
Simulated "Martian gardens" allow NASA scientists to test which plants can be grown on Mars. This photo shows the results of a preliminary study on lettuce. From left to right: lettuce seeds grown in potting soil, the Martian simulant with added nutrients, and the simulant without nutrients. (Image credit: Dimitri Gerondidakis/NASA)
A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to continue experiments on these hardy worms. "Worms for Mars" has already raised more than half their funding goal of €10K, and with the public's help, Wageningen University and Research hopes to continue testing out different crops along with their crawling assistants.There is is the possibility that sharp edges in non-Earth soil could damage the guts of the critters, the researchers said in another statement.
When worms eat organic matter, they also eat the soil. Since there isn't much weathering of Martian terrain, sharp edges in its soil do not get worn down (the way they do on Earth) and may cause worms harm, according to the statement. The presence of heavy metals in Martian soil could also be a long-term problem for worms, which would require lengthier experiments to address properly, the researchers said.
Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter@salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. |
WMAP team that worked out age of the universe wins $3m prize | The team behind the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), which accurately dated the age of the universe (13.8 billion years old), its composition and the speed of its expansion, has been awarded this year's $3m Breakthrough Prize in fundamental physics. The award, founded by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, among others, is the largest individual cash prize in science. The WMAP team previously won the Shaw Prize for astronomy in 2010 and the Gruber Prize in cosmology in 2012.
| https://www.space.com/38971-wmap-team-breakthrough-prize-physics.html?utm_source=sdc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20171204-sdc | 2017-12-06 10:54:03.907000 | A team of researchers who helped shape our understanding of the origin, evolution and nature of the cosmos is now $3 million richer.
Those folks worked on NASA's WMAP space mission, which was awarded the 2018 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics today (Dec. 3) during a ceremony in Palo Alto, California.
From 2001 to 2009, WMAP mapped the cosmic microwave background (CMB) — the light left over from the Big Bang — with unprecedented precision. This work allowed scientists to nail down the age of the universe (about 13.8 billion years), its rate of accelerating expansion (roughly 70 kilometers per second per megaparsec) and its basic composition (about 5 percent "normal" matter, 24 percent dark matter and 71 percent dark energy). [Dark Matter and Dark Energy: The Mystery Explained (Infographic)]
Astronomers had gotten pieces of this overall picture before, from a variety of different observations. But WMAP — which is short for Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe — allowed them to put everything together, said mission principal investigator Chuck Bennett, who's based at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
"I think the big impact of WMAP was to go from a kind of collection of miscellaneous facts and approximate numbers to a single theory or model that says, 'Here's exactly what's going on. Here are the numbers,'" Bennett told Space.com. "And everything agrees with them — all the different, diverse measurements."
Fellow WMAP team member David Spergel, an astrophysicist at Princeton University, voiced similar sentiments.
"I see the legacy as establishing the standard model and making cosmology quantitative," Spergel told Space.com. "There have been improvements in the measurements since WMAP, but I think we provided a very solid base that the field is building on."
Those improvements were provided largely by the European Space Agency's Planck spacecraft, which mapped the CMB from 2009 to 2013. Planck's data have reinforced and refined, rather than challenged, the WMAP results.
"It's impressive that these independent experiments get the same answer — that feels good," Spergel said. "And we get consistent measurements from the ground."
Bennett, Spergel and three other WMAP leaders — Gary Hinshaw of the University of British Columbia and Norman Jarosik and Lyman Page Jr. of Princeton — will get the largest slices of the $3 million award, Breakthrough Prize representatives said. The rest will be split among the other 22 members of the mission's experiment team.
This is not the first time WMAP has been recognized for its contributions to physics and cosmology. The mission team also won the prestigious Shaw Prize for Astronomy in 2010 and the Gruber Prize in Cosmology in 2012.
The Breakthrough Prize in science and math was founded in 2012 by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, Sergey Brin, Anne Wojcicki and Yuri and Julia Milner. Every year, it awards $3 million prizes in the fields of Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences and Mathematics — the largest individual monetary awards in science. (For comparison: Each 2017 Nobel Prize was worth 9 million Swedish kronor, or about $1.1 million at current exchange rates.)
The WMAP researchers were therefore not the only people to be recognized at today's ceremony, which was hosted by Morgan Freeman and featured appearances by actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher and hip-hop artist Wiz Khalifa, among other celebrities. Also announced were five $3 million prizes in the Life Sciences field and one $3 million award in the Mathematics field, as well as several smaller purses in other categories. You can read about all the winners here: https://breakthroughprize.org/News/41
The total value of the newly announced awards tops $22 million, Breakthrough Prize representatives said.
"The idea that science is important, science is something that shapes our understanding of the universe that we live in, and that this is recognized — hopefully it motivates schoolkids and generates public interest in support of science," Bennett said.
Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. |
Tokio Marine chatbot to be used for recruitment purposes | Tokio Marine Life Insurance Singapore is using its chatbot technology to help insurance companies with their recruiting efforts. The company's chatbot, dubbed TOMI, is also helping answer questions for prospective applicants looking to start a career in financial advice. Interested parties can ask TOMI about necessary qualifications, training and the preferences of employers. It will also provide a quiz for applicants who aren't sure about a career in insurance. The chatbot is accessible via Facebook Messenger.
| http://fintechnews.sg/15097/insurtech/tokio-marine-insurance-chatbot-now-first-recruit-digitally-savvy-advisers/ | 2017-12-06 10:21:31.053000 | Tokio Marine Life Insurance Singapore, the only Japanese life insurer in Singapore, launched the recruitment function in the latest phase of its TOMI chatbot (short for Tokio Marine Insurance).
This makes TOMI the first chatbot in Singapore to support an insurer’s recruitment process, on top of being the first self-learning AI chatbot in Singapore that makes life insurance more accessible to the public.
Aimed at enhancing the insurer’s engagement with today’s digitally savvy generation in recruitment, TOMI now answers more than 300 questions on how to pursue a career as a financial adviser. It also provides information that is typically not accessible to the public, including required qualifications, the training involved and even hiring preferences. The chatbot continues to be accessible at all times through commonly-used social media platform Facebook Messenger.
“Advisers play an important role in supporting Singaporeans in managing their financial planning and insurance coverage. We are always looking for talented individuals who are keen to help people plan the necessary coverage for themselves and their loved ones,”
said James Tan, Chief Executive Officer of TMLS.
“TOMI will help us reach out to these potential talents more quickly and easily, through familiar communication channel Facebook Messenger, and encourage them to join us as advisers.”
To help users who are uncertain about a career in insurance, TMLS introduced a short interactive quiz on TOMI that briefly evaluates the user’s interests and personality. TOMI also now provides information on upcoming recruitment events, organised multiple times a year, to encourage interested individuals to personally engage with TMLS.
To access TOMI’s recruitment function, users may go to TOMI’s main menu and select the tab “Ask Career”. Alternatively, the function can also be accessed via the “Ask Career” section on the main menu of TOMI. |
Redrow Andrew Farley named commercial director for Lancashire | Andrew Farley has been appointed as commercial director for Lancashire at housebuilder Redrow. Farley, the former commercial director at Wainhomes, replaces Phil Heaps, who retired after 40 years at Redrow. He's tasked with "maintaining procurement availability, quality and cost levels, while building on and enhancing supplier and contractor relations".
| https://www.lancashirebusinessview.co.uk/redrow-homes-appoints-andrew-farley-100135/ | 2017-12-06 10:19:41.970000 | He replaces Phil Heaps, who is retiring from the role after 40 years with the company.
Andrew was formerly commercial director at Wainhomes (NW) Ltd, serving a total of 15 years with the company, and also had spells with PH Property Holdings and Crosby Homes.
He said: “My task at Redrow will be to maintain procurement availability, quality and cost levels, while building on and enhancing supplier and contractor relations, supported of course by the experienced commercial department at the Lancashire division.
"Phil has done an incredible job and it’s down to me now to build on that.” |
Insurtech SafetyNet launches offering for landlords | Wisconsin-based insurtech start-up SafetyNet has introduced a new offering aimed at landlords. The product, dubbed Renter SafetyNet, allows landlords to guard against tenants being unable to pay rent due to loss of income. Coverage starts from $5 for landlords with less than 40 units. Claims can cover rent payments lost over a period of up to three months.
| http://siliconprairienews.com/2017/12/madison-based-insurtech-startup-safetynet-launches-new-insurance-program/ | 2017-12-06 10:17:25.660000 | Renter SafetyNet, a new insurance program from CUNA Mutual Group’s innovation lab, was launched today in Wisconsin. In a shifting housing market where more people than ever are renting rather than buying, Renter SafetyNet is a first-of-its-kind program created specifically for landlords to come out of the Madison-based insurance tech startup, SafetyNet.
“PEW research put out that renters are at a 50 year all-time high. The rental market is growing, but on top of that, rental prices are increasing,” said Danielle Sesko, Director of Innovation and Product Development. “The average living wage for a two-bedroom apartment is actually over $21 an hour. That’s over three times the federal minimum wage. It’s significant, and it’s putting financial stress on the average hardworking American.”
That stress means that nearly half of all Americans are unprepared for a financial emergency. Almost eight out of 10 workers are living paycheck to paycheck, and about seven out of 10 admit they have below $1,000 in savings. 46% of people say they couldn’t come up with $400 to cover a surprise expense, including rent should they lose their job.
“An income loss can throw a family’s financial security into jeopardy, making it difficult to pay rent and keep a roof overhead, and this impacts landlords’ ability to bring in rental income,” said Dan Murray, vice president of product development at Renter SafetyNet. “A program like Renter SafetyNet not only helps landlords protect their income, but also keeps tenants in their homes.”
Renter SafetyNet works by providing landlords with a lump-sum payment to cover a tenant’s rent after a no-fault job loss like a layoff, illness or injury. Proved claims are mailed out within two to three business days and cover rent for one to three months.
Coverage for landlords owning less than 40 rental units starts at $5 a month. Sesko said that the majority of landlords own one or two rental property units and they rely month-to-month on the payments from their tenants.
“A lot of folks are using single units or duplexes as a way to supplement their income or a way to get cash flow in their retirement years,” said Sesko. “This helps protect those folks. We found that if a tenant were to default on their rent, both parties really suffer.”
SafetyNet launched their first product a year and a half ago that aimed to increase the financial security of individuals in emergencies like disability or unemployment. That product did well, so they developed Renders SafetyNet so assist on the other end of the financial equation.
“We’re looking at solutions in the market to help other groups of people,” said Sesko. “[SafetyNet products help] the landlord and protects their rental income, but also help people stay in their homes. It’s a win-win for both sides of the business.”
As millennials specifically continue to delay home ownership in exchange for more flexibility in their housing, that change brings a necessary shift in how insurers provide products and services to them.
“The entire rental landscape has been changing over the last ten years due to growing generations, millennials specifically,” said Sesko. “That changes the business models of the landlords who have been renting to other generations. […] Our goal is to run an insurance business that is lean, efficient, cost-effective. We’re trying to build simple and affordable solutions for the everyday hardworking American.”
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Christine McGuigan is the Managing Editor of Silicon Prairie News.
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Jupiter's moon, Europa, may have tectonic plates, say scientists | Scientists at Brown University in Rhode Island believe tectonic activity could be taking place on Jupiter's moon, Europa. Computer models suggest that differing salt levels, rather than temperature fluctuations, are behind the movement, prompting astrobiologists to question whether subduction – planetary plates moving beneath each other – could be capable of supplying essential nutrients to any potential living organisms in the waters below the plates.
| https://www.space.com/38976-jupiter-moon-europa-plate-tectonics.html?utm_source=sdc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20171205-sdc | 2017-12-06 09:57:37.473000 | The case for plate tectonics on Jupiter's ocean-harboring moon Europa keeps getting stronger.
Scientists had already spotted geological signs that plates within the moon's ice shell may be diving beneath one another toward the moon's buried ocean. Now, a new study suggests that such "subduction" is indeed possible on Europa and shows how the phenomenon might be happening.
The new results should intrigue astrobiologists and anyone else who hopes that Earth isn't the only inhabited world in the solar system. [Photos: Europa, Mysterious Icy Moon of Jupiter]
"If, indeed, there's life in that ocean, subduction offers a way to supply the nutrients it would need," study lead author Brandon Johnson, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences at Brown University in Rhode Island, said in a statement.
Such nutrients include oxidants, electron-stripping substances that are common on Europa's surface and that could help provide an energy source for life, the researchers said.
Here on Earth, subduction is driven primarily by temperature differences between relatively cool (and, therefore, dense) rocky plates and the superhot surrounding mantle. Thermal gradients can't be the prime mover on Europa, however: Ice plates would warm up as they dove, quickly equilibrating to the temperature of the ice below, study team members said.
But that doesn't mean subduction can't be happening on the Jovian moon, Johnson and his colleagues found. Their computer models suggest that Europan ice plates can indeed dive — if they're saltier than their surroundings.
"Adding salt to an ice slab would be like adding little weights to it, because salt is denser than ice," Johnson said in the same statement. "So, rather than temperature, we show that differences in the salt content of the ice could enable subduction to happen on Europa."
Such differences may indeed exist within the moon's ice shell, the researchers said. Upwelling from the underground ocean could deposit salt patchily on the surface, as could eruptions of cryovolcanoes, the scientists said.
The presence of plate tectonics on Europa could help us learn more about our own planet as well as the icy moon, Brown said.
"It's fascinating to think that we might have plate tectonics somewhere other than Earth," he said. "Thinking from the standpoint of comparative planetology, if we can now study plate tectonics in this very different place, it might be able to help us understand how plate tectonics got started on the Earth."
The new study has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.
Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. |
Bacteria from Earth survives in space and on returning astronauts | Scientists from Project Merccuri and the Human Microbiome Project have discovered the microbes on the International Space Station (ISS) are no different from those on Earth. Analysis of swabs taken from 15 locations on the ISS revealed a diverse, healthy microbe population, and study author David Coil said the space station was "probably no more or less gross than your living room".
| https://www.space.com/38980-space-station-bacteria-similar-human-homes-study.html?utm_source=sdc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20171205-sdc | 2017-12-06 09:50:25.200000 | The International Space Station is not as squeaky clean as you might think, a new study finds.
The microbes living on the International Space Station (ISS) may be similar to the bacteria found in homes on Earth, a new study shows.
A joint team of professional scientists and citizen scientists from Project MERCCURI (or Microbial Ecology Research Combining Citizen and University Researchers) and the Human Microbiome Project studied swabs taken by astronauts on the orbiting lab. The types of bacteria found in the orbiting laboratory closely resembled those found in homes on Earth, study team members said. [Bacteria in Space Grows in Strange Ways]
David Coil, study author and a microbiologist at the University of California (UC), Davis, said in a statement that humans are "completely surrounded by mostly harmless microbes on Earth, and we see a broadly similar microbial community on the ISS. So [the station] is probably no more or less gross than your living room."
The swabs were collected from 15 locations inside the space station. The station's microbiome (the population of microbes living there) would not have originated in space, but are directly from the astronauts' bodies and anything else sent to the space station from Earth, because the orbiting lab is completely enclosed, the researchers said in the statement.
The study also revealed that the space station's microbiome is very diverse, according to the statement, which indicates that the microbes are healthy.
Microbe swabs from the International Space Station, shown here after returning to Earth in February 2015. The swabs were collected by project MERCCURI (Microbial Ecology Research Combining Citizen and University Researchers). (Image credit: Carl Carruthers)
"The microbiome on the surfaces on the ISS looks very much like the surfaces of its inhabitants, which is not surprising, given that they are the primary source," Jenna Lang, lead author of the study and a former postdoctoral scholar at UC Davis, said. "We were also pleased to see … that the diversity was fairly high, indicating that it did not look like a 'sick' microbial community."
Project MERCCURI involves the work of researchers from UC Davis and other organizations like Science Cheerleader, a group of current and former NFL and NBA cheerleaders pursuing careers in science and technology.
Project MERCCURI team members at Cape Canaveral just before the microbe swabs launched in April 2014. (Image credit: David Coil)
The swabs collected from the space station were compared to data from previous, Earth-based studies, including the Wild Life of Our Homes citizen science project, which examined the microbial diversity found within homes. Researchers also compared the samples from space to surveys of human body sites from the Human Microbiome Project, according to the study.
"Studying the microbial diversity on the ISS is not only of relevance to space exploration but also serves as an important comparison to buildings on Earth, because the ISS has many novel features such as [a] limited influx of microbes," said study author Jonathan Eisen, a professor of medical microbiology and immunology at UC Davis.
The findings were published today (Dec. 5) in the open-access journal PeerJ.
Follow Samantha Mathewson @Sam_Ashley13. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. |
Researchers launch oil rig decommissioning simulator | Researchers at Robert Gordon University, located in Aberdeen, have developed the world's first oil rig decommissioning simulator. The project was funded by KCA Deutag in conjunction with Drilling Systems and the Oil & Gas Technology Centre and Baker Hughes. The simulator covers well-plugging and abandonment procedures, and will be used to train workers across the globe in the decommissioning field, as well as test theoretical new technologies. | https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/digital-oilfield/04122017/rgu-launches-world-first-decommissioning-simulator/ | 2017-12-06 09:44:56.597000 | Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University (RGU) has launched a state-of-the-art decommissioning simulator to service the growing sector.
The simulator and the associated software is a world-first and will be used to support decommissioning activities in the UK and other parts of the world.
RGU, in collaboration with funding partners The Oil & Gas Technology Centre, KCA Deutag and Drilling Systems, with technical support from Baker Hughes, a GE Company (BHGE), has established the simulator to focus on well-plugging and abandonment (P&A).
P&A is an area which is forecast to cost the UK more than £8 billion over the next decade, with around 2500 wells expected to be decommissioned across the UK, Danish, Dutch and Norwegian Continental Shelves.
The simulator can support both oil and gas operators and service companies with the planning and preparation for well P&A, in a similar way pilots get trained and tested on flight simulators.
The simulator is a truly unique capability for RGU and for the industry and it has the potential to significantly enhance the safety, improve the efficiency and reduce the cost associated with decommissioning oil and gas wells.
RGU’s partnership with The Oil & Gas Technology will also create new opportunities to develop and test technologies, accelerating new solutions in collaboration with the industry and technology providers.
Professor Paul de Leeuw, Director of RGU’s Oil and Gas Institute, believes the development of this unique decommissioning simulator will have numerous benefits for the industry.
He said: “By providing this facility at RGU to simulate well decommissioning, we will ultimately be able to enhance safety and reduce the cost of well P&A.
“Operators and drilling contractors will be able to use the simulator to develop the technical and non-technical skills and capabilities of their rig crews for decommissioning wells, while improving team performance.
“This has been a collaborative approach between RGU, The Oil & Gas Technology Centre, KCA Deutag, Drilling Systems and BHGE, all of whom we have worked extremely closely, which has ensured the smooth delivery of this truly innovative facility.”
Students will also benefit from training and development on the simulator.
Malcolm Banks, Well Construction Solution Centre Manager at the Oil & Gas Technology Centre said: “The Oil & Gas Technology Centre is delighted to be co-funding this exciting new facility that will help companies improve planning for the decommissioning of wells and accelerate technologies to drive efficiency and reduce costs in this growing area of the industry.
“The Centre is working in partnership with the industry and technology providers to develop new solutions that will revolutionise well construction, increase automation, improve integrity and transform plugging and abandonment.
“With 12 well-related projects and field trials ongoing, and many more in the pipeline, state-of-the-art facilities like this decommissioning simulator, are essential as we aim to unlock the full potential of the North Sea and anchor our supply chain in North East Scotland.”
Rune Lorentzen, KCA Deutag President of Offshore and RDS, said: “As a world leading drilling and engineering contractor we continually strive to enhance the skills not only of our own personnel, but those working across the industry. We are therefore delighted to be partnering with RGU as a centre of excellence to launch this innovative new training simulator.”
Clive Battisby, COO Drilling Systems, added: “Working once again with RGU, the new decommissioning simulator shows how our close collaborative partnership and expertise really works to create truly custom cutting edge real-time training simulations and systems.
“In this case using the physical tool data and CAD drawings taken from customer’s real-world downhole tools, has been added into the simulation to create a package of decommissioning tools to allow knowledge and skills to be learnt in a safe learning and very realistic environment.” |
Bitcoin's huge carbon footprint raises fears as its value rockets | The value of a bitcoin exceeded $12,000 this week, encouraging speculation that the use of futures will encourage digital currencies to be viewed as a mainstream asset class, as at least two US firms start trading in bitcoin futures this month. However, as Hannah Murphy in the Financial Times highlighted, the rise has hidden dramatic falls en route. Furthermore, a long-term concern about bitcoin is its huge power demands mean renewable energy sources on their own will not be able to supply the cryptocurrency network with sufficient power, meaning new power generation plants potentially using fossil fuels will be needed.
| https://grist.org/article/bitcoin-could-cost-us-our-clean-energy-future/?mc_cid=512858e56c&mc_eid=a37072368a | 2017-12-06 08:19:56.700000 | If you’re like me, you’ve probably been ignoring the bitcoin phenomenon for years — because it seemed too complex, far-fetched, or maybe even too libertarian. But if you have any interest in a future where the world moves beyond fossil fuels, you and I should both start paying attention now.
Last week, the value of a single bitcoin broke the $10,000 barrier for the first time. Over the weekend, the price nearly hit $12,000. At the beginning of this year, it was less than $1,000.
If you had bought $100 in bitcoin back in 2011, your investment would be worth nearly $4 million today. All over the internet there are stories of people who treated their friends to lunch a few years ago and, as a novelty, paid with bitcoin. Those same people are now realizing that if they’d just paid in cash and held onto their digital currency, they’d now have enough money to buy a house.
That sort of precipitous rise is stunning, of course, but bitcoin wasn’t intended to be an investment instrument. Its creators envisioned it as a replacement for money itself — a decentralized, secure, anonymous method for transferring value between people.
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But what they might not have accounted for is how much of an energy suck the computer network behind bitcoin could one day become. Simply put, bitcoin is slowing the effort to achieve a rapid transition away from fossil fuels. What’s more, this is just the beginning. Given its rapidly growing climate footprint, bitcoin is a malignant development, and it’s getting worse.
Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin provide a unique service: Financial transactions that don’t require governments to issue currency or banks to process payments. Writing in the Atlantic, Derek Thompson calls bitcoin an “ingenious and potentially transformative technology” that the entire economy could be built on — the currency equivalent of the internet. Some are even speculating that bitcoin could someday make the U.S. dollar obsolete.
But the rise of bitcoin is also happening at a specific moment in history: Humanity is decades behind schedule on counteracting climate change, and every action in this era should be evaluated on its net impact on the climate. Increasingly, bitcoin is failing the test.
Digital financial transactions come with a real-world price: The tremendous growth of cryptocurrencies has created an exponential demand for computing power. As bitcoin grows, the math problems computers must solve to make more bitcoin (a process called “mining”) get more and more difficult — a wrinkle designed to control the currency’s supply.
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Today, each bitcoin transaction requires the same amount of energy used to power nine homes in the U.S. for one day. And miners are constantly installing more and faster computers. Already, the aggregate computing power of the bitcoin network is nearly 100,000 times larger than the world’s 500 fastest supercomputers combined.
The total energy use of this web of hardware is huge — an estimated 31 terawatt-hours per year. More than 150 individual countries in the world consume less energy annually. And that power-hungry network is currently increasing its energy use every day by about 450 gigawatt-hours, roughly the same amount of electricity the entire country of Haiti uses in a year.
That sort of electricity use is pulling energy from grids all over the world, where it could be charging electric vehicles and powering homes, to bitcoin-mining farms. In Venezuela, where rampant hyperinflation and subsidized electricity has led to a boom in bitcoin mining, rogue operations are now occasionally causing blackouts across the country. The world’s largest bitcoin mines are in China, where they siphon energy from huge hydroelectric dams, some of the cheapest sources of carbon-free energy in the world. One enterprising Tesla owner even attempted to rig up a mining operation in his car, to make use of free electricity at a public charging station.
In just a few months from now, at bitcoin’s current growth rate, the electricity demanded by the cryptocurrency network will start to outstrip what’s available, requiring new energy-generating plants. And with the climate conscious racing to replace fossil fuel-base plants with renewable energy sources, new stress on the grid means more facilities using dirty technologies. By July 2019, the bitcoin network will require more electricity than the entire United States currently uses. By February 2020, it will use as much electricity as the entire world does today.
This is an unsustainable trajectory. It simply can’t continue.
There are already several efforts underway to reform how the bitcoin network processes transactions, with the hope that it’ll one day require less electricity to make new coins. But as with other technological advances like irrigation in agriculture and outdoor LED lighting, more efficient systems for mining bitcoin could have the effect of attracting thousands of new miners.
It’s certain that the increasing energy burden of bitcoin transactions will divert progress from electrifying the world and reducing global carbon emissions. In fact, I’d guess it probably already has. The only question at this point is: by how much? |
Worst-case predictions for global warming confirmed in new study | The worst-case projections for global warming appear likely to be correct, according to research by the Carnegie Institution in California. The study compared climate models to real-world observations of how the atmosphere is behaving and concluded that the simulations that were closest to such observations were the ones which predicted the greatest warming. According to the United Nations’ highest prediction for greenhouse-gas concentrates, this could see temperatures rise by almost 5 °C by 2100, 15% hotter than earlier predictions. The research also found that the odds of temperatures rising by over 4 degrees by 2100 rose from 62% to 93%.
| https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609620/global-warmings-worst-case-projections-look-increasingly-likely/ | 2017-12-06 00:00:00 | Climate models are sophisticated software simulations that assess how the climate reacts to various influences. For this study, the scientists collected more than a decade’s worth of satellite observations concerning the amount of sunlight reflected back into space by things like clouds, snow, and ice; how much infrared radiation is escaping from Earth; and the net balance between the amount of energy entering and leaving the atmosphere. Then the researchers compared that “top-of-atmosphere” data with the results of earlier climate models to determine which ones most accurately predicted what the satellites actually observed.
The simulations that turned out to most closely match real-world observations of how energy flows in and out of the climate system were the ones that predicted the most warming this century. In particular, the study found, the models projecting that clouds will allow in more radiation over time, possibly because of decreased coverage or reflectivity, “are the ones that simulate the recent past the best,” says Patrick Brown, a postdoctoral research scientist at the Carnegie Institution and lead author of the study. This cloud feedback phenomenon remains one of the greatest areas of uncertainty in climate modeling.
The UN’s seminal IPCC report relies on an assortment of models from various research institutions to estimate the broad ranges of warming likely to occur under four main emissions scenarios. In another key finding, the scientists found that the second-lowest scenario would be more likely to result in the warming previously predicted under the second-highest by 2100. In fact, the world will have to cut another 800 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions this century for the earlier warming estimates to hold. (By way of comparison, total greenhouse-gas emissions stood at about 49 gigatons last year.)
Various politicians, fossil-fuel interest groups, and commentators have seized on the uncertainty inherent in climate models as reasons to doubt the dangers of climate change, or to argue against strong policy and mitigation responses.
“This study undermines that logic,” Brown says. “There are problems with climate models, but the ones that are most accurate are the ones that produce the most warming in the future.”
In fact, the new paper is the latest in a growing series that project larger impacts than previously predicted or conclude that climate change is unfolding faster than once believed.
The goal of the research was to evaluate how well various climate models work, in hopes of “narrowing the range of model uncertainty and to assess whether the upper or low end of the range is more likely,” Brown wrote in an accompanying blog post.
Ken Caldeira, a climate researcher at Carnegie and coauthor of the paper, says the growing body of real-world evidence for climate change is helping to refine climate models while also guiding scientists toward those that increasingly appear more reliable for specific applications.
But an emerging challenge is that the climate is changing faster than the models are improving, as real-world events occur that the models didn’t predict. Notably, Arctic sea ice is melting more rapidly than the models can explain, suggesting that the simulations aren’t fully capturing certain processes.
“We’re increasingly shifting from a mode of predicting what’s going to happen to a mode of trying to explain what happened,” Caldeira says. |
Worst-case predictions for global warming confirmed in new study | The worst-case projections for global warming appear likely to be correct, according to research by the Carnegie Institution in California. The study compared climate models to real-world observations of how the atmosphere is behaving and concluded that the simulations that were closest to such observations were the ones which predicted the greatest warming. According to the United Nations’ highest prediction for greenhouse-gas concentrates, this could see temperatures rise by almost 5 °C by 2100, 15% hotter than earlier predictions. The research also found that the odds of temperatures rising by over 4 degrees by 2100 rose from 62% to 93%.
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Vietnam's changing gambling laws could spur new investment | The Vietnamese government's changing attitude towards gambling could bring billions in revenue to the country in the form of casinos. Eight casinos are currently licensed for operation in the country, with six of those currently operational. New casinos will be levied with a luxury tax of 10% for a 10 year period, a preferential rate for both investors and tourists. At present, Vietnamese gamblers contribute $800m to casinos in the Cambodia, Singapore and Macau, which could be redistributed in-country.
| https://www.vietnambreakingnews.com/2017/12/casinos-could-bring-us1-2-billion-to-vietnam/ | 2017-12-05 18:04:00.147000 | Top 1: Scrap Mechanic The game begins with you waking up next to a spaceship that's on fire for... |
Insurtech start-up Honcho has funding plans derailed by Brexit | UK insurtech start-up Honcho will carry out its fundraising via crowdfunding platform CrowdCube after funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB), due to assist its launch, were put on an indefinite hold as a result of Brexit. The £650,000 drop in funding will now be made up with investment paid for company shares, with Honcho already raising £300,000 on its CrowdCube page. Honcho provides a free mobile app for comparing car insurance prices, with insurance providers bidding for customers for a £1 fee. The business was due to be launched in Q1 2018, but as the funds from the EIB are on hold until Brexit is finalised, the company moved to crowdsourcing to meet its deadlines.
| http://www.computerweekly.com/news/450431211/UK-startup-turns-to-crowdfunding-after-EU-funding-put-on-hold-due-to-Brexit-uncertainty | 2017-12-05 17:48:47.097000 | 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
HSBC explores quantum computing for finance sector UK banking giant works with quantum computing specialist to explore the technology’s potential in the finance sector
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
DE-CIX switches on Internet Exchange in Finland Comms tech provider celebrates 10 years of partnership with Internet Exchange operator and home to leading carrier and datacentre neutral interconnection ecosystem
Europe’s cellular networks viable alternatives to broadband, LEO satellites Research finds that 5G download speeds of nearly 1Gbps were found in four out of the top five cities tested, and were equal to that of satellite and fixed networks
Tech salaries on the rise, says Aspire Tech salaries are still on the rise for many roles as firms continue to battle for talent
Generative AI boosts HPE Q2 earnings The hype around generative AI appears to be working – at least for HPE, according to the company’s second-quarter earnings
BT claims UK first with 5G-enabled, immersive, interactive simulation experience Leading UK telco launches connected spaces that offer fully immersive experiences by combining interactive 360-degree video content with extended reality technology
Lloyds Bank calls on tech companies to control social media ‘wild west’ Lloyds Banking Group is calling on tech giants to step forward in the fight against online fraud, which emanates in the social media ‘wild west’ |
Christa Carone leaves WPP to join Group Nine Media as president | Digital firm Group Nine Media will add Christa Carone, formerly the COO of WPP's Group SJR, as president, replacing Eric Ashman. Carone will manage teams across various disciplines, including marketing, sales and data insights. Carone was also formerly the managing director of WPP's venture Colloquial. Group Nine Media recently completed a $40m funding round for the expansion of video content across owned brands and for future acquisition financing.
| https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/310990/ | 2017-12-05 17:44:28.570000 | by Larissa Faw , December 1, 2017
Christa Carone is departing WPP to join Group Nine Media in the newly expanded role of president. COO Eric Ashman previously held the president title, but with different responsibilities and scope.
As president, Carone will oversee a variety of disciplines at the digital media company, including sales and marketing teams, as well as its data insights.
She will "allow us to be a better partner for brands and agencies alike," says CEO Ben Lerer.
Most recently, Carone was the COO of WPP’s Group SJR and managing director of Colloquial, the agency's joint venture with J. Walter Thompson. Prior to that, Carone served as the CMO for the Boston 2024 Partnership, the organization tasked with developing Boston’s bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
She also worked at Fidelity Investments and Xerox Corp.
Carone joins the company at an opportune time. Earlier this week, Group Nine Media announced it has raised $40 million in a new round of funding to help expand video content across its brands and to finance future acquisitions. |
Millennials buy holidays as home ownership becomes unrealistic | Millennials are paying more for holidays and saving less because of the perception that buying a house in the expensive property market is an unattainable goal, according to holiday company Contiki. The firm recorded a 10% increase in the average amount spent on holidays by those aged 18 to 35 in 2017, when compared to last year. Contiki offers holidays designed for social media sharing in order to cater to the millennial market. | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/millennials-take-expensive-holidays-as-theyll-never-afford-a-house-a3709191.html | 2017-12-05 17:30:19.093000 | M illennials are taking more expensive holidays because they believe saving enough money to buy a house is unrealistic, a travel expert has said.
Holiday firm Contiki reported a 10% increase in the average amount of money people aged 18 to 35 are spending on trips this year compared with 2016.
It found that young travellers are taking more adventurous and so-called bucket list trips, with increased year-on-year demand for destinations such as New Zealand (up 83%), South America (up 71%), Bali (up 56%) and Vietnam (up 50%).
With a typical first-time home buyer in the UK aged 30, Contiki sales and marketing director Donna Jeavons has noticed a trend in young people prioritising experiences including travel over getting on the property ladder.
Six things millennials should be giving up to buy a house
She said: "With housing being so expensive, many young people are opting to live in the moment and pursue other goals first, knowing that buying a house could be a little further down the line than it was for previous generations.
"Saving a bit here and there isn't really scratching the surface for millennials, so many are choosing to have the best holiday they can afford instead."
The average age of Contiki customers is 26 and earlier this year the firm introduced specially themed trips to Canada for "avid Instagrammers".
This was in response to research which showed that a section of the youth market is drawn to destinations from where they can upload popular social media posts.
Several other companies have also started selling products aimed at younger travellers.
U by Uniworld will be Europe's first river cruise brand exclusively for young people when it launches in April 2018 with craft beers, mixology classes, street art tours and vintage motor bike rides.
The firm's chief executive Ellen Bettridge said: "We are targeting an active traveller between the ages of 21 and 45, with everything from the decor, dining and cocktail service to the land activities thoughtfully curated to meet the needs of this audience."
Air France's new subsidiary airline aimed at young people, Joon, began operating from Paris on Friday.
It is "designed for our millennial customers" with features such as the ability to stream movies and television shows using smartphones and tablets, crew uniforms with a "chic sportswear look" and a partnership with travel site Airbnb Experiences.
Dominique Wood, an executive vice president at Air France, said: "With Joon, we have created a young and connected brand that will give the group a new impetus." |
PilotWorks raises $13m for kitchen-sharing start-up plan | PilotWorks is aiming to give prospective food-delivery entrepreneurs easier access to fully equipped commercial kitchens. Acre Venture Partners, the investment arm of Campbell Soup, led a $13m fund-raising series to launch PilotWorks as the WeWork of the food and hospitality industry, with plans to open shared kitchens through the US. | https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/05/campbells-soup-backs-pilotworks-a-wework-for-food-businesses.html | 2017-12-05 16:55:13.827000 | A start-up called Pilotworks wants to make it easier for food entrepreneurs to start a business, whether they seek to open a new restaurant, launch a catering empire, or formulate irresistible packaged snacks.
Acre Venture Partners, a fund backed solely by Campbell Soup , has led a $13 million investment in Pilotworks with Techstars and others, hoping it will become the WeWork of food and hospitality.
As Pilotworks CEO Nick Devane notes: "Food entrepreneurs need a lot more than a few desks and fast internet to start a business. We give them kitchens that are up to code, equipped with everything they need whether its dry storage or blast chillers. And we help them market and distribute what they make."
While co-working spaces for tech entrepreneurs abound thanks to WeWork, and other office leasing platforms, food makers previously had to strike up deals with restaurants, or navigate a fragmented industry to find available commissaries.
Devane considers Pilotworks a tech start-up as much as a food business, because it developed custom scheduling software and an online community for its members. These make it easy to book space and equipment at a Pilotworks kitchen, and to take advantage of industry mentors and workshops on-site.
Food start-ups aren't the only ones using the company's kitchens so far. Culinary schools have offered courses there, counting Pilotworks as a "pop-up" classroom.
The New York-based start-up intends to use its new funding for hiring, marketing and geographic expansion, Devane said. The company is expanding into Chicago and Dallas next.
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Kespry secures $33m for mining, construction industry drones | Kespry has raised $33m in series C funding for its industrial drones. California-based Kespry provides industries such as construction and mining with drones to inspect sites and capture and process images of them. Users can draw out an area for analysis on an iPad using their finger. The drone then works out a flight path, carries out the inspection and delivers results analysed with artificial intelligence and machine learning. Kespry will use the funding, led by G2VP, to invest in sales, marketing and research and development. Kespry has already raised $38m in earlier rounds.
| https://venturebeat.com/2017/12/05/industrial-drone-company-kespry-raises-31-million/ | 2017-12-05 16:21:51.883000 | Missed the GamesBeat Summit excitement? Don't worry! Tune in now to catch all of the live and virtual sessions here.
Industrial drone platform provider Kespry has raised $33 million in a series C round of funding led by G2VP, with participation from Cisco Investments, Shell Technology Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, DCM Ventures, Spectrum 28, ABB Ventures, and H. Barton Asset Management.
Founded out of Menlo Park in 2013, Kespry targets industries such as mining and construction with an automated system that uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to capture and process imagery of sites from the skies above. The system includes everything needed to complete the inspection, including the drone and an iPad, and the user can draw out an area for analysis with their finger. The Kespry drone then works out a flight path and does the rest, with on-board lidar sensors helping it avoid any obstacles it encounters. It also taps AI and machine learning to deliver analytics and insights based on its findings.
Up until now, Kespry had raised around $38 million in outside funding, and with its latest cash infusion it plans to invest in sales, marketing, and R&D. The company also said that it plans to expand into more industries, including the energy utility sector.
“With the exponential growth of the Kespry aerial intelligence platform, we’re participating in a generational shift of how industrial work gets done,” said Kespry CEO and chair George Mathew. “We’re incredibly pleased to have leading industrial-tech investors recognize Kespry’s contributions to the future of work. The digital transformation in insurance, mining, construction, and many other industries represents a massive market opportunity.”
Drone companies have been drawing in significant investment in recent times, with an estimated $454 million plowed into UAV startups in 2016 alone. Other companies operating in the space include PrecisionHawk, which has raised around $30 million in funding, and DroneDeploy, Measure, and Prenav, which have all reeled in VC cash recently.
The technology can do things like make it easier for insurance companies to assess roof damage after storms, as drone inspections are significantly quicker (and safer) than manual inspections.
“We’ve been committed to identifying and applying advanced digital technologies to the energy sector for decades, and our investment in Kespry epitomizes our focus,” added Daniel Jeavons, general manager for advanced analytics at Shell. “The use of industrial drones powered by AI and machine learning is a game-changer for the energy sector. It will make industrial work more efficient and safer, while empowering workers with powerful new digital tools and important, future-focused skills.”
Update: Dec 5, 6 a.m.: Amount raised was amended to $33 million. |
Half of UK firms unprepared for data protection regulations | Just half of companies in the UK are prepared for the EU's incoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and a similar proportion of IT workers said cybersecurity had been covered in training, according to a report. When GDPR, designed to strengthen data protections, comes into force, non-compliant organisations could face large fines. Meanwhile, 82% of employers said they struggled to fill cybersecurity roles, possibly hinting at a skills gap.
| https://www.cbronline.com/news/half-uk-business-confident-cybersecurity-skills-gdpr | 2017-12-05 16:17:19.663000 | Visit our privacy policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address. |
Warehouses are growing up, average build sizes double from 2001 | Real estate developers spent $2.6bn on warehouse construction in the US in September alone, more than three times the amount spent in the same period in 2012. The average size of a warehouse built in 2017 was 188,000 sq ft, more than twice the size in 2001, and ceiling heights are 21% higher, CBRE data shows. The cause for change is likely due to retailers and logistics companies looking to store products sold online, as e-commerce stock requires a larger footprint than brick-and-mortar counterparts' stock. | https://www.thestar.com/business/2017/12/01/warehouses-are-getting-bigger-amid-online-shopping-boost.html | 2017-12-05 16:07:52.437000 | NEW YORK—Those boxes piling up on your doorstep over the holidays don’t ship from Santa’s workshop. As Americans spend more money shopping online, real estate developers are sinking record amounts of money into new warehouse space, building bigger, taller structures to meet the needs of e-commerce — and the robots that help it along.
Builders spent $2.6 billion (U.S.) on U.S. warehouse construction in September, more than triple the figure in September 2012, according to the census. The size of the average warehouse completed this year was 188,000 square feet, according to a report published this week by CBRE Group Inc., more than double the size in 2001. Developers are also raising their roofs, with ceiling heights up 21 per cent over that period.
Warehouses are getting bigger for the same reason retailers and logistics firms are building more of them.
“It’s the notion of the endless aisle,” said Joe Dunlap, a managing director at CBRE, where he leads the supply chain advisory practice. A retailer that stocks 30,000 items in its stores might offer 10 times as many items for sale online. More stock requires larger footprints. Higher ceilings accommodate mezzanine levels, letting operators cram more shelves into a building.
Today’s industrial buildings require thicker concrete floors to support heavy machinery used to automate the warehouse process, Dunlap said.
While builders are pouring money into next-generation warehouses, venture capital firms are stoking competition in warehouse automation. Since Amazon.com Inc. acquired bot-maker Kiva Systems for $775 million in 2012, a new batch of robot makers has burst on the scene, including Geek+, which has raised $22 million. 6 River Systems Inc., a robotics company founded by former Kiva employees, scored a $15-million round, while RightHand, which makes a robo-arm, added $8 million to its war chest.
Meanwhile, warehouses are likely to keep getting bigger and more expensive.
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Landlords will pay more CGT on selling properties in an SPV | The UK budget has included a change to special purpose vehicle (SPV) regulations that will require landlords to pay more capital gains tax when selling a property, as a result of a freeze of their indexation allowance. Formerly, investment properties held in an SPV attracted a lower level of tax when they were sold. The move may dent the buy to let market further after the Prudential Regulation Authority brought out regulations in October that have complicated the financing of investment property purchases.
| https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/property/886476/autumn-budget-stamp-duty-tax-changes-buy-to-let-property-private-landlords-new-tax | 2017-12-05 16:01:37.280000 | What does the UK property market currently look like?
Whilst the new Stamp Duty relief scheme stole the headlines, quietly in the budget small print was the news that those who invest in property using a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will, as of next year, pay an increase in Capital Gains Tax when they sell the property, due to a freeze on indexation allowance. Prior to this latest move, using an SPV as a way of holding investment property meant that a lower amount of tax was payable when such a property was sold. It’s the latest in a line of changes that have increasingly meant that Buy To Let isn’t the straightforward investment that it used to be a few years ago. We’ve already seen changes in the way that rental income is taxed, which although being phased in over the next two years will mean an increased personal tax bill for Landlords in January who still own properties in their own name, rather than under an SPV. Buy To Let lending legislation has also changed, with new rules being introduced by the Prudential Regulation Authority in October, making it more complicated to obtain lending to finance the purchase of an investment property.
GETTY Those who invest in property using a SVP will pay more when they sell it
Now, with this latest change in tax meaning that landlords will not only pay more tax on their rental income, but also any profit that they make from an increase in the value of a property over the time they own it, it’s easy to understand why many investors might start to question the viability of their portfolios. The problem is, the demand for quality, privately rented housing remains strong in most areas of the UK, and therefore if more landlords choose to exit the market as a result of increased taxation, whilst this may assist some First Time Buyers to get on the property ladder – which it would appear is what the Government intended as an outcome when changes were announced in 2016 - it may also cause issues elsewhere in the property ecosystem due to a decrease in available rental properties. If we look at the headline figures, you can see where the issues may lie. According to the latest data available from the Department for Communities and Local Government, there are currently an estimated 23.5million residential dwellings in the UK. 14.7million are owned by their occupiers, either with or without a mortgage. Approximately 4.7million are rented privately from landlords, whilst circa 4million dwellings are provided by social housing.
GETTY Out of the 23.5million residential dwellings in the UK, 4.7million are rented privately
Due to the fact that, over the last few years, it’s become harder to get a residential purchase mortgage due partly to the stricter lending criteria introduced in 2014 as part of the Mortgage Market Review, as well as rising house prices together with fewer homes available on the market to buy all making it harder for would-be purchasers to buy, the demand for quality private rented housing in the UK has grown. For example, predictions from consultants PwC suggest that an additional 1.8million privately rented homes will be required by that in 2025, which would represent a significant increase in the current levels of lettings stock available. Yet with increased taxation and costs of ownership, Buy To Let is looking less and less attractive to some landlords who are now selling up their portfolios. Meaning that, ironically, there is less rental stock available in the market in some areas, which has led to upwards pressure on rents in many parts of the UK. In fact, in their latest Buy To Let index released this week, national letting agents Your Move suggest that rents have increased on average at 2.4% so far this year.
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Cities such as Norwich and Cambridge have seen 6% rises in rents over the past twelve months, with the average monthly rent in the UK now at £887. As Brian Murphy, Head of Lending for Mortgage Advice Bureau, who’s Best Buys for Buy To Let mortgages has been released today explains, “Whilst interest rates remain at historic lows, it’s easy to see the initial attraction of investing in property. Returns on straightforward savings are still very low, and historically, as an asset class property has performed exceptionally well, and rental demand continues in many parts of the UK. That said, Buy To Let has become more complex to navigate over the past few years, not just in terms of taxation but also increased regulation, for example with Right To Rent checks and increased health and safety measures. Whereas previously, investing in property may have been perceived as an easy way to make money, it now takes a lot of preparation and an ongoing commitment by investors to ensure that they stay on top of their paperwork and property management in order to ensure that their asset maintains it’s viability. |
How an independent panel could ration Medicare services | There is currently an opportunity in the US Senate to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) which currently holds the power to make arbitrary reductions from Medicare. At present any changes that the IPAB makes are mandatory unless legislation is passed by Congress with a two-thirds majority. IPAB itself is only triggered once Medicare spending reaches a certain spending threshold, at which point the President must appoint a 15-member commission to address the budget costs. This system is neither transparent nor a guarantee of consumer representation, with IPAB obliged to implement any cuts it proposes at a fast pace. Such a move would pose a risk to Medicare beneficiaries, exacerbating current issues with physicians and specialists unable to accept new patients. These cuts would endanger the half of Medicare beneficiaries who earn less than $23,500, and the seniors that depend on Medicare programs for assistance. There is strong bipartisan support for repeal of the IPAB, with one bill already passed in the house calling for immediate repeal and further legislation pending in the Senate. Indeed, one vote has already been passed to deny any funds to establishing the IPAB. Should the IPAB be called into action, it may represent the first time that Medicare has its care and services rationed.
| http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sd-utbg-medicare-services-advisory-panel-20171130-story.html | 2017-12-05 15:54:35.627000 | Dec. 7 marks the end of the 2017 Medicare open enrollment period. The goal of open enrollment is for Medicare beneficiaries to be able to choose the best possible plan for their needs. The U.S. Senate has its own opportunity to help promote greater choice for older adults in Medicare by joining the House in voting to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).
IPAB was included as a last-minute addition to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010. It would establish a 15-member commission all appointed by the president and vested with the responsibility to make arbitrary reductions in Medicare. These changes would be mandatory and would automatically become law unless Congress passed legislation by a two-thirds majority to make equivalent cuts.
IPAB’s inherent danger exists in both its composition and its mission. Appointees would not be subject to Senate confirmation and there would be no guarantee of consumer representation. Further, we don’t even know who these people will be — the president isn’t required to name members until Medicare spending reaches a certain threshold, triggering IPAB.
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The Independent Payment Advisory Board would not only make recommendations for cuts — it would also be required to implement these spending cuts rapidly, perhaps within a year. This could lead to payment cuts to providers and could exacerbate the current problem of physicians, particularly specialists, not accepting new Medicare patients.
Half of Medicare beneficiaries earn less than $23,500 a year, or just twice the poverty limit, according to Census figures. Any cuts to Medicare or program coverage limits would have a dire impact on these vulnerable seniors who are dependent on Medicare and other programs for assistance.
The work of IPAB would result in Congress abdicating its more than 50-year responsibility in setting Medicare policy. Passing this responsibility to a small group of unelected and unaccountable individuals is unfair and dangerous to the future of Medicare and those it serves.
The opportunity exists to repeal IPAB before it is ever convened. The Senate could join the House and pass a bipartisan bill, House Resolution 849, to repeal IPAB immediately. Or there is already bipartisan legislation pending in the Senate on IPAB repeal which could be considered. One of these bills is sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas; the other bill is sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon. Clearly, this issue transcends the partisanship often associated with the ACA.
A vote on IPAB repeal could happen this month in the Senate. A separate bipartisan vote was taken by Congress to prevent any funds to be spent to establish IPAB. It is time to take the ultimate step and repeal IPAB once and for all.
As advocates for older adults both in San Diego and nationally, we work to protect beneficiary access to the essential care and services provided by Medicare.
There are ways to improve the health care system and strengthen Medicare’s solvency at the same time — using more electronic health records, providing more innovations in delivery systems and treatments, and focusing more on outcomes. Some of the reforms in the ACA have already accomplished this. IPAB would set us back and possibly introduce rationing of care and services for the first time in Medicare’s history.
It’s a safe assumption that many older Americans who depend on Medicare have no idea about the cuts Medicare will be facing. It’s an even safer assumption that once IPAB-related cuts impact them, these seniors will be angry. After all, 89 percent of seniors want Congress and President Trump to “keep the promise and integrity of Medicare without cuts to the program,” according to a 2016 Morning Consult poll. The same poll found that only 9 percent of seniors think that “government officials should be able to make changes to Medicare without the approval of Congress.”
We call on California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, both dedicated supporters of Medicare and those it serves, to support IPAB repeal and keep the job of Medicare reform where it belongs — in Congress.
Blancato is executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs based in Washington D.C. and board chair of the American Society on Aging. Downey, past chair of the California Commission on Aging, is the president and CEO of Serving Seniors in San Diego. |
Germany adds 150 MW of solar in October | Germany's Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) added 148.9 MW of new photovoltaic facilities in October taking 2017's total to 1,460 MW, meaning it's likely to miss this government's 2.5 GW target. The new installations include 39.4 MW generated from 15 ground-mounted PV facilities and 109.4 MW from 6,141 smaller installations, largely being rooftop facilities. By the end of October, the accumulated PV power systems had risen to 42.7 GW. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/30/germany-adds-150-mw-of-solar-in-october/ | 2017-12-05 15:53:15.737000 | In October, Germany Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) registered new photovoltaic systems with a total capacity of 148.9 MW. Of this amount, 39.4 MW comes from 15 ground-mounted PV plants, of which some were awarded in tenders for large-scale solar and some are for installations of up to 750 kW. The remaining capacity, around 109.4 MW, is represented by 6,141 smaller projects mostly rooftop PV installations.
In the first 10 months of 2017, around 1,460 MW of new PV systems were registered in Germany. If this growth trend continues, the 2.5 GW corridor set as a target by the German government will once again fall short this year. However, the newly installed capacity in 2017 will probably be higher than the two previous years, when it reached around 1,500 MW annually each time. Meanwhile, the country’s cumulative installed PV power base has increased to 42.7 GW, as of the end of October 2017.
In the meantime, the EU Commission has given the green light for Germany’s new regulation for tenant’s solar power supply. Projects selected under this scheme, however, are recorded separately by the Bundesnetzagentur since the law was published at the end of July. In October, five new registrations were added. Since July, 24 PVsystems for the supply of tenants with a total output of 464.9 kilowatts have been registered with the Bonn-based authority.
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Solar subsidies will remain stable in December and will not increase in January. Depending on the size of the roof system, the FIT is 10.61 to 12.20 € cents/kWh. For solar power systems exceeding 100 kW, the FIT will be 8.44 € cent/kWh. For direct marketing, which is mandatory for all PV systems with a capacity of more than 100 KW, tariffs will range between 8.84 and 12.60 € cents/kWh, depending on the size of the plants. |
Argentina allows residential power sales to the grid | Argentina's Senate has granted approval of the Distributed Renewable Generation law, with the legislation due to come into effect in Q1 2018. The law allows small and middle-size solar and renewable energy power generator owners to sell spare electricity to the national grid. The legislation also mandates the use of renewable energy distributed generation facilities for all public building construction projects. Distribution companies will also be prevented from imposing charges, such as access fees, network maintenance, electrical backups or taxes, on distributed energy generation projects. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/01/argentina-grants-final-approval-for-new-distributed-generation-law/ | 2017-12-05 15:47:26.077000 | The Argentinean Senate has approved the law of Distributed Renewable Generation, with 65 votes for and none against, according to a statement provided to pv magazine by Marcelo Álvarez, from local renewable energy industry body, Cámara Argentina de Energías Renovables (CADER). The Senate vote was the final necessary step to the introduction of the law, following preliminary approval by the Chamber of Deputies in September.
Commenting, Álvarez said the government, and relevant authorities, need to rigorously regulate the new law, particularly with regard to how the guaranteed fiscal, financial and tariff incentives will be used.
The new provisions are expected to come into play in the first quarter of 2018, according to Alvarez. The wording of the law, approved by the Chamber of Deputies, resulted from the various bills on distributed generation, which were presented by all Argentinian political forces over the past years. The resulting, unified, text introduces a net metering scheme that that will enable owners of small and middle-sized solar and renewable energy power generators to sell excess electricity to the national grid.
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It further states that all construction projects on public buildings will include the use of distributed generation facilities from renewable sources, and that distribution companies cannot add any additional charges for network maintenance, access fees, electrical backups, or any other type of tax associated with the installation of distributed generation systems.
A special fund, FODIS, worth around 500 million pesos (US$28.7 million) will be created, to help homeowners and small and medium enterprises resolve the issue of financing. The law could also include a series of fiscal benefits for prosumers, which will come from an additional fund of 200 million pesos ($11.5 million). |
Prototype can show AR object behind and in front of real objects | Researchers from the University of Arizona's College of Optical Sciences have created a prototype for an augmented reality (AR) display that can accurately show depth, with AR objects able to be superimposed upon real-world objects and appear simultaneously to be behind and in front of other objects. The display, presently only made for one eye, uses lenses to modulate light to create the appearance that a virtual object is situated physically in reality. The prototype will eventually be made smaller and involve a depth sensor and be incorporated into headsets.
| https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609582/more-realistic-ar-display-places-digital-images-among-real-objects/ | 2017-12-05 15:34:47.603000 | That’s where researchers at the University of Arizona’s College of Optical Sciences think they can help. A prototype augmented-reality display they’ve come up with can show a virtual image that both blocks the real-world objects sitting behind it and can itself be blocked by other real-world objects placed in front of it.
Hong Hua, an optical sciences professor at the University of Arizona and coauthor of a recently published paper on the work, says the display—made initially for just one eye—is kind of like a telescope system. Lenses image a real-world view on a spatial light modulator (these are used to control beams of light in things like projectors), which is used to make a mask that, pixel by pixel, blocks out the portion of the real world that the virtual object will sit in front of. The modulated light and the virtual image then travel through the eyepiece and reach your eye.
Hua, it should be noted, is also a consultant for the mysterious augmented-reality startup Magic Leap and is listed as an inventor on some of the company’s patent applications and patents, including two patents granted in 2017 for a headset with a see-through display featuring mutual occlusion and opaqueness control that looks very similar to this work. She won’t say precisely what she does for Magic Leap, but she does say this academic research is unrelated. Still, given its importance for making AR seem realistic, it would make sense if the company were also pursuing the work (when asked about it, Magic Leap had no comment).
Hua says a big challenge to making this kind of dual occlusion work in AR is dealing with light—specifically, you have to be able to precisely control light from the real world in order to superimpose, say, a digital teapot onto a shelf so it appears to be in front of things like a can of compressed air as well as behind a can of spray paint (as Hua and graduate student Austin Wilson did with their prototype). Head-mounted displays available today can’t do that.
In order to make it eventually work in real time in an AR headset, Hua says, you’d need a depth sensor, which is becoming increasingly common on headsets such as HoloLens.
The hardware needed to make this kind of occlusion possible would also have to get a lot smaller. Right now it’s pretty bulky, she says, because she and Wilson were concentrating on making the system inexpensive rather than compact. They’re working on a new prototype now to make it wearable, Hua says, but it will still be helmet-size.
“To make it into the popular glasses form factor is probably going to take a while,” she says. |
Alibaba's AI biometrics system coming to Shanghai subway | Chinese conglomerate Alibaba Group is set to deploy its artificial intelligence (AI) technology for the first time in the country's transport sector. In a joint statement, Alibaba and the Shanghai Shentong Metro Group said users of the Shanghai Metro would be able to purchase tickets and access travel information using Alibaba's far-field voice and facial recognition technology. No launch dates were given, but the move forms part of China's ambitious plan to develop an AI industry worth $150bn.
| http://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/2123014/shanghai-subway-use-alibaba-voice-and-facial-recognition-systems-ai | 2017-12-05 15:29:15.677000 | A Shanghai Metro train. The system operates more than 4,000 trains on 17 lines and has 367 stations in its network. Photo: Zigor Aldama |
Inside the Resurgence of Home-Based Primary Care | The rates of health care visits performed in peoples’ homes have declined sharply in the last century but there are signs that it may be undergoing a revival. One such indicator is the Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI), an institute that hopes to revive the practice of home healthcare visits which has fallen from 40 percent of interactions in 1930 to less than 1 percent by 1980. There are significant advantages to performing medical visits at home, particularly amongst Medicare beneficiaries. Half of Medicare spending is taken up by only 5 percent of the Medicare population, whilst 1 percent of beneficiaries account for 23 percent of total costs. These patients often suffer from a range of chronic conditions and performing primary care at home both removes the stress of a hospital visit without shouldering the costs involved as well. In addition, primary care at home also supports preventative treatment plans. The HCCI has received a multimillion-dollar grant to offer home-based primary care training and its CEO, Dr. Thomas Cornwell, hopes the practice will eventually become a Medicare benefit, rather than a one-off treatment. Currently, the Independence at Home Demonstration from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is testing the use of primary care for seniors at home to evaluate the benefits for patients with multiple chronic conditions.
| https://homehealthcarenews.com/2017/11/inside-the-resurgence-of-home-based-primary-care/ | 2017-12-05 15:24:31.337000 | Dr. Thomas Cornwell has conducted more than 32,000 house calls over his time in the health care field. He began seeing patients at home more than 20 years ago, even developing x-rays in the driveways of his patients, where he visited them for primary care at home.
And to Cornwell, doing that many visits doesn’t strike him as unusual. It’s the way medicine, particularly primary care services, used to be done in America, he said during a discussion on in-home care at the Alzheimer’s Association Symposium in Illinois in November.
In 1930, 40% of health care was done at home. By 1960, that figure had dropped to 10%, and in 1980, it was less than 1% of care. While home health care reaches millions of patients per year, Cornwell is on a mission to drive savings, work in tangent with home health nurses and bring primary care options back to the home setting.
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Primary care spreading
Cornwell is the CEO of the Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI), a not-for-profit organization that aims to expand house call practices throughout the country, and founder of Northwestern Medicine HomeCare Physicians. A practicing physician for more than 30 years, Cornwell is currently working on home-based primary care training initiatives to develop house call practices at different institutional systems in the U.S.
With a multimillion dollar grant, home-based primary care trainings are taking place this year and in 2018 at eight Centers of Excellence (COEs) by COE faculty.
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The COEs include the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio; Medstar House Call Program in Washington, D.C.; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago; Truman Schnabel House Calls Program/University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia; University of Arizona Center on Aging within the College of Medicine in Tucson, Arizona; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Fayetteville, Arkansas; and University of California San Francisco.
“[There is] truly remarkable quality care in the home,” Cornwell said during the presentation, noting that some physicians have questioned how primary care can be conducted in the home.
Some have even told Cornwell he is “begging for a lawsuit” by performing health care in home settings. However, Cornwell notes that addressing the health care needs of just a certain population of Medicare patients, even treating them at home, can have a huge impact.
For example, just 5% of the Medicare population consumes about 50% of the total spending, he said. In addition, 1% of the Medicare population consume 23% of all Medicare costs—and these are patients typically with five or more chronic diseases, who also have some functional impairment. Providing primary care at home can likely reduce the exorbitant spending among this group by reducing hospitalizations and adding chronic care and preventive treatment.
Future benefit
Cornwell has his sights set far beyond training initiatives with institutions. He hopes that home-based primary care will become a Medicare benefit one day, rather than being conducted on a one-off basis through grants and demonstrations.
There is roughly one new Medicare benefit created about every decade—coincidentally, and home-based primary could be next, Cornwell said.
Indeed, there is hope for home-based primary care to become permanent. The Independence at Home Demonstration from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) works with medical practices to test primary care for seniors at home, and to evaluate whether Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions receive better care. So far, the demonstration, which originated in 2012, is a money-saver, according to reports from CMS.
The demonstration was extended beyond in its initial run, and a bill in Congress aims to make it permanent. The bill has yet to be voted on.
Written by Amy Baxter |
Uber loses bid to appeal driver case to UK Supreme Court | The UK arm of ride-hailing service Uber has been denied an application to fight a workers' rights case in the Supreme Court, rather than the Court of Appeals. Uber is appealing a 2016 decision by the Central London Employment Tribunal that drivers James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam were considered staff, and entitled to holiday and sick pay. Jason Moyer-Lee, general secretary of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain urged Uber to "stop wasting everyone's time and focus on providing minimum wage and holiday pay to the... drivers who have been deprived of their rights for years".
| https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/12/05/uber_denied_right_to_appeal_employment_rights_case_in_supreme_court/ | 2017-12-05 15:21:09.293000 | Uber’s request to leapfrog the Court of Appeals and go straight to the UK Supreme Court in its bid to appeal a decision on workers’ rights, has been knocked back.
The private taxi app biz had wanted to skip the Court of Appeals and have its case heard in front of the higher court, but its application has been denied.
It’s the latest set-back in the taxi hailing biz’s attempts to appeal a 2016 decision in which the Central London Employment Tribunal ruled that two drivers – James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam – were Uber staff and so entitled to holiday pay, paid rest breaks and the minimum wage.
The firm appealed the decision, but lost that case last month at the Employment Appeal Tribunal, after which it applied to have its appeal heard at the Supreme Court.
"Now that Uber has been denied permission to go straight to the Supreme Court, they should take this opportunity to work with their drivers instead of fighting them at every stage," Aslam said of the decisions.
"We've already beaten Uber twice and are prepared to do so again in the Court of Appeal."
Jason Moyer-Lee, general secretary of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, which is backing Farrar and Aslam's case, said the latest decision was "another blow to Uber's legal strategy behind denying workers their rights".
He added: "The IWGB would encourage Uber yet again to stop wasting everyone's time and simply focus on providing minimum wage and holiday pay to the thousands of drivers who have been deprived of their rights for years."
Uber’s employment practices have also come under scrutiny from MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, which wrote to the firm (PDF) at the end of last month asking for more information on driver and passenger safety.
Chair Rachel Reeves said that Uber had failed to give specifics on how many drivers were working more than 70 and 80 hours a week - the biz had said just that less than 6 per cent of drivers spend more than 60 hours logged into the app per week.
“It is strange that a data-driven business like Uber appears unable to answer our question on how many of its drivers are working more than 70 and 80 hours a week. We expect them to now respond with the missing figures,” Reeves said.
She also asked for information on when driver hour limits would be introduced in the UK, and what those limits would be, per day and per week, per driver. ® |
Mariah Carey, Motorhead among musicians ready to accept Monero | Dozens of musicians, including Mariah Carey, G-Eazy and Motorhead, are to accept the Monero cryptocurrency for merchandise. Monero's Project Coral Reef retail platform lets music fans buy items from more than 35 artists at discounted prices. In addition to being an alternative payment option, Project Coral Reef also seeks to raise awareness of Monero's secure and private system, which, unlike bitcoin, does not make transactions publicly available on the blockchain.
| https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8055119/moreno-cryptocurrency-g-eazy-mariah-carey-merch-sales | 2017-12-05 15:20:52.493000 | Will you be doing your holiday shopping with cryptocurrency? The open-source cryptocurrency Monero is banking on it.
On Tuesday (Dec. 5), Monero announced its new online shopping initiative called Project Coral Reef that allows music fans to purchase holiday gifts and merchandise from over 35 artists, including Mariah Carey, G-Eazy, Kaskade, Motorhead, Toby Keith, Fall Out Boy and more at discounted prices.
“As cryptocurrencies become more popular, it’s important that my fans have choices when it comes to how they buy my songs and merchandise,” said G-Eazy in a statement. “Given Monero is one of the safest, most secure and most private cryptocurrencies, it’s one of the best options for my fans this holiday season.”
As well as offering an alternate payment option, Project Coral Reef is a community-driven effort intended to raise awareness for Monero’s secure and private system that runs with a unique protocol and code-base and possesses with algorithmic differences relating to blockchain obfuscation. Monero points this in contrast to the more widely known BitCoin — which just passed $10,000 per coin — where transaction information is publicly available on the blockchain.
“Cryptocurrencies are fast becoming more popular to make purchases, but not all currencies are created equal and not all are as private and secure as people think. Project Coral Reef is a very important step towards the mainstream adoption of Monero,” said Riccardo “fluffypony” Spagni, lead maintainer of Monero, in a statement. “For the first time, consumers around the world can use Monero to securely and privately buy their favorite artists’ music and merchandise.”
The new initiative is launching in partnership with payment processor GloBee, music merchandising companies Global Merchandising Services and Manhead Merchandise, as well as the involved recording artists.
“Our focus is to create the best environment for fans to engage with their favorite artists’ merchandise and licensed products,” said Christopher Drinkwater, head of e-commerce for Global Merchandise, in a statement. “With the emergence of cryptocurrencies as an increasingly popular way for consumers to purchase goods, it makes sense that we partner with a trusted digital currency such as Monero to allow fans to transact with artists in a way in which they have never been able to before.”
“As someone on the front lines of the music merchandise business, I know how passionate fans are in supporting their favorite band or artist,” added Chris Cornell, founder and CEO of Manhead Merchandise. “I also know how much they value keeping their financial information private. Giving fans the option to use their Monero to purchase awesome gear at our artists’ stores this holiday season is a win-win for our artists, and our fans’ right to privacy.”
Find out more about Project Coral Reef here and see a list of all participating artists here. |
Indian bike-sharing company Mobycy raises $500,000 seed funding | Indian start-up Mobycy, owned by Bycyshare Technologies, has raised $500,000 in seed funding from a US angel investor. The company, launched by a former marketing chief of Mobikwik, Akash Gupta, offers internet of things-enabled bikes fitted with GPS sensors. The bikes cost INR1 ($0.015) an hour and customers use their Aadhaar identification number details to register for the service. Mobycy does not use docks or parking stations and is starting with 5,000 bikes. Mobycy bikes are available across Delhi's National Capital Region, and the funding will be used to enhance operations, the company said.
| https://www.vccircle.com/bicycle-sharing-startup-mobycy-raises-seed-funding/ | 2017-12-05 15:17:27.457000 | Bicycle sharing startup Mobycy raises seed funding
Credit: Thinkstock
Gurgaon-based Bycyshare Technologies Pvt. Ltd, which owns bicycle sharing startup Mobycy, has raised $500,000 (Rs 3.2 crore) in a seed round from a US-based angel investor, the company said.
The startup, which was launched earlier this year by the former vice president and marketing head of digital wallet firm Mobikwik, Akash Gupta, will use the capital to enhance operations, Mobycy said in a press statement.
“We are starting with 5,000 bikes and the plan is to expand to at least five or six cities within the first six months. We are also developing the technology and building the app. The fund will also be used for team building. We are a team of 10 now,” Gupta told VCCircle over the phone.
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Mobycy’s smart bikes are enabled with internet of things (IoT) locking devices and global positioning system (GPS)-based tracking sensors. They can be operated without docks or stations for parking.
The startup claims that a user will just have to fire up the Mobycy app to find a bike, unlock it with the QR code provided to him or her. Once the trip is completed, the bike has to be pared at a safe place. The only exceptions are gated community and private compounds.
Mobycy currently rents out bikes at Re 1 per hour. The monthly plan requires users to make a security deposit of Rs 999, which is refundable, besides Rs 99 for two-hour rides per day. Users will have to sign up using their Aadhaar details. Students, however, can enrol using their college photo identification card, and will have to pay Rs 499 as security deposit.
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The bicycles will initially be available across Delhi-NCR, including metro stations, markets and popular haunts such as North Campus and Cyber City.
Earlier this month, VCCircle had reported Gupta’s decision to quit Mobikwik to launch his own green-tech venture.
Gupta had started his career with IT major Infosys as a software engineer in September 2005. He also had stints in research firm Frost & Sullivan, Dell Technologies, and Airtel’s DTH division, where he rose through the ranks to become the national acquisition head, besides e-tailer Snapdeal. He joined Mobikwik as general manager, marketing, and got elevated as vice president and head of marketing.
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QR code payments coming to Hong Kong's taxi service | Hong Kong's e-payment operator Octopus has launched a QR code service aimed at transitioning the city's 40,000 taxi drivers away from cash. The smartphone service, which is also targeted at small sellers, removes the need for merchants to install card readers. So far the service has not proved widely popular. Taxi industry insiders said more data protection and incentives are needed to boost its uptake amongst drivers.
| http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2122337/hong-kong-e-payment-operator-octopus-launches-qr-code-service | 2017-12-05 15:10:26.683000 | But new method receives lukewarm response from taxi industry insiders, who say more incentives and data protection needed to get drivers on board |
Google launches DeepVariant AI to interpret genetic data | Google has turned its AI capabilities towards making sense of genetic information, launching its artificial intelligence tool, DeepVariant, to make sense of a person's genomic detail. The AI has been developed by two Google off-shoots, Google Brain and Verily, to process high-throughput sequencing readouts which previously have often only offered a limited view of a full genome. The use of AI in genomics may allow for the identification of genetic causes for diseases and precision drug and treatment plans, overcoming the previously hindrances of data scale and complexity. | https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609647/google-has-released-an-ai-tool-that-makes-sense-of-your-genome/ | 2017-12-05 15:08:05.903000 | DeepVariant helps turn high-throughput sequencing readouts into a picture of a full genome. It automatically identifies small insertion and deletion mutations and single-base-pair mutations in sequencing data.
High-throughput sequencing became widely available in the 2000s and has made genome sequencing more accessible. But the data produced using such systems has offered only a limited, error-prone snapshot of a full genome. It is typically challenging for scientists to distinguish small mutations from random errors generated during the sequencing process, especially in repetitive portions of a genome. These mutations may be directly relevant to diseases such as cancer.
A number of tools exist for interpreting these readouts, including GATK, VarDict, and FreeBayes. However, these software programs typically use simpler statistical and machine-learning approaches to identifying mutations by attempting to rule out read errors.
“One of the challenges is in difficult parts of the genome, where each of the [tools] has strengths and weaknesses,” says Brad Chapman, a research scientist at Harvard’s School of Public Health who tested an early version of DeepVariant. “These difficult regions are increasingly important for clinical sequencing, and it’s important to have multiple methods.”
DeepVariant was developed by researchers from the Google Brain team, a group that focuses on developing and applying AI techniques, and Verily, another Alphabet subsidiary that is focused on the life sciences.
The team collected millions of high-throughput reads and fully sequenced genomes from the Genome in a Bottle (GIAB) project, a public-private effort to promote genomic sequencing tools and techniques. They fed the data to a deep-learning system and painstakingly tweaked the parameters of the model until it learned to interpret sequenced data with a high level of accuracy.
Last year, DeepVariant won first place in the PrecisionFDA Truth Challenge, a contest run by the FDA to promote more accurate genetic sequencing.
“The success of DeepVariant is important because it demonstrates that in genomics, deep learning can be used to automatically train systems that perform better than complicated hand-engineered systems,” says Brendan Frey, CEO of Deep Genomics. |
Private rents may rise 5-6% across Ireland by 2019: Savills | One in four Dublin residents is renting their home, more than at any other time since quarterly records were instituted. The average rent in the area will rise by between 5% and 6% annually, and is expected to hit €2,000 by 2019, according estate agent Savills. Analysis of the Irish private rental market found that the number of renters has risen 4.6% in the past year, and 42% since Q2 2007. In 2000, just 10% of residents in the area were renting.
| https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/rents-in-dublin-to-rise-by-5-6-a-year-and-surpass-2-000-by-2019-1.3314199 | 2017-12-05 15:07:22.090000 | Surge into the rental market means the vacancy rate across Ireland is now just 1.31%, or 1.41% in Dublin. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
One in four people are now renting their home in Dublin, the highest figure since quarterly records began, with a new report predicting that the average rent in the capital will soar by 5-6 per cent a year to surpass €2,000 by 2019.
In a new analysis of Ireland's private rented market, John McCartney, economist with property agents Savills, finds that some 895,600 people are living in rented accommodation – up by 39,500, or 4.6 per cent, in the past 12 months, and by 42 per cent since the second quarter of 2007.
This represents 18.9 per cent of the population across the country, while in Dublin, the proportion of renters is at 24.3 per cent – these figures are the highest since quarterly records began.
They are also likely to be the highest since the home ownership boom began during the 1970s. Back in 2000, census figures show that the proportion of renters in Dublin was less than 10 per cent.
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"Property prices continue to advance faster than average earnings, creating an affordability challenge to home-ownership which is driving people into the rented sector," Mr McCartney said, adding that he expects the proportion of renters to continue to rise.
This surge into the rental market means that the vacancy rate across Ireland is now just 1.31 per cent, or 1.41 per cent in Dublin, and Savills expects rents to keep rising until the market reaches the “equilibrium” rate of 5.6 per cent.
“However this will not happen within the foreseeable future and so the outlook is for further rent inflation,” Mr McCartney says.
‘Chronic shortage’
Savills expects the vacancy rate to improve to 2.04 per cent by December 2019, which means that the “chronic shortage” will persist for the medium-term, as Mr McCartney says that at current new-build rates, “there is more chance of it [vacancy rate] falling than rising” and it “certainly won’t rise appreciably” over the next four-five years.
This tight supply means that rents will continue rising. Mr McCartney expects rents to rise by 5-6 per cent a year in Dublin until the end of 2019, and by 7.2 per cent across the country.
Latest figures from Daft.ie show that the average rent across Ireland is now €1,198 nationally, or €1,819 in Dublin’s city centre, which means that by end 2019, rents could have risen to €1,376 and €2,024, respectively.
However, rental inflation may be higher in certain properties, and a two-tier market is likely to develop with higher rents on properties exempt from rent controls.
The surge in rents means renters are increasingly moving to the commuter belts, just like those who sought to buy before them did.
“It may get to point where you can’t even rent in Dublin,” says Mr McCartney, adding that we are going to see people increasingly “commuting to rent” – but without the benefit of owning their own property.
Mr McCartney also sounds a warning note about the inflationary pressures rising rents will have on the economy, in terms of wage claims, as well as the “human cost”, of people being forced to commute long distances because they cannot afford to rent in big cities.
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Cash investors are also crowding out mortgage-financed landlords. The research shows about 61 per cent of privately-rented properties are owned outright by their landlords, up by almost 20 per cent since 2012. This means that just 39 per cent of rented properties have mortgages on them, down by 23,192 properties since 2012 – and 8,000 properties became mortgage-free in the last year alone.
For Mr McCartney, the flow is due to “small-time ordinary people” buying with cash and looking for a better yield on their money than that offered by deposits. |
Code.org gets funding from Gates Foundation for teacher training | Code.org, a non-profit that trains teachers on how to offer computer science lessons, has raised $12m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and PwC, among others. Code.org also hosts the Hour of Code programme, which will offer 122,000 events over the second week of December.
| https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/4/16733472/code-org-computer-science-stem-children-education-high-school | 2017-12-05 14:57:53.493000 | Code.org is getting $12 million in philanthropic funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other donors like auditor PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), as first reported by the Seattle Times. The organization also announced in a Medium post that it has reached ten million girls with student accounts on its platform.
The Code.org nonprofit trains teachers on how to teach computer science lessons to students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It also hosts Hour of Code activities for students to learn coding basics. This year’s Computer Science Education Week starts today and there are over 122,000 Hour of Code global events registered to happen throughout the week. |
Robots trained to predict future repercussions of their actions | A team of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have created a learning technology that gives robots the ability to predict the outcomes of their actions and therefore adjust accordingly. The tech, named 'visual foresight' can predict what cameras will see in the following seconds if they carry out a certain action. Sergey Levine, assistant professor for Electrical Engineering and Computer Science likens the ability to how humans interpret their own surroundings, explaining "this method can enable a robot to visualize how different behaviours will affect the world around it". | https://techxplore.com/news/2017-12-robots-future.html | 2017-12-05 14:57:52.717000 | University of California, Berkeley, researchers have developed a robotic learning technology that enables robots to imagine the future of their actions so they can figure out how to manipulate objects they have never encountered before. In the future, this technology could help self-driving cars anticipate future events on the road and produce more intelligent robotic assistants in homes, but the initial prototype focuses on learning simple manual skills entirely from autonomous play.
Using this technology, called visual foresight, the robots can predict what their cameras will see if they perform a particular sequence of movements. These robotic imaginations are still relatively simple for now - predictions made only several seconds into the future - but they are enough for the robot to figure out how to move objects around on a table without disturbing obstacles. Crucially, the robot can learn to perform these tasks without any help from humans or prior knowledge about physics, its environment or what the objects are. That's because the visual imagination is learned entirely from scratch from unattended and unsupervised exploration, where the robot plays with objects on a table. After this play phase, the robot builds a predictive model of the world, and can use this model to manipulate new objects that it has not seen before.
"In the same way that we can imagine how our actions will move the objects in our environment, this method can enable a robot to visualize how different behaviors will affect the world around it," said Sergey Levine, assistant professor in Berkeley's Department of Electrical Engineeing and Computer Sciences, whose lab developed the technology. "This can enable intelligent planning of highly flexible skills in complex real-world situations."
The research team will perform a demonstration of the visual foresight technology at the Neural Information Processing Systems conference in Long Beach, California, on December 5.
At the core of this system is a deep learning technology based on convolutional recurrent video prediction, or dynamic neural advection (DNA). DNA-based models predict how pixels in an image will move from one frame to the next based on the robot's actions. Recent improvements to this class of models, as well as greatly improved planning capabilities, have enabled robotic control based on video prediction to perform increasingly complex tasks, such as sliding toys around obstacles and repositioning multiple objects. UC Berkeley researchers have developed a robotic learning technology that enables robots to imagine the future of their actions so they can figure out how to manipulate objects they have never encountered before. In the future, this technology could help self-driving cars anticipate future events on the road and produce more intelligent robotic assistants in homes, but the initial prototype focuses on learning simple manual skills entirely from autonomous play. Credit: Roxanne Makasdjian and Stephen McNally, UC Berkeley
"In that past, robots have learned skills with a human supervisor helping and providing feedback. What makes this work exciting is that the robots can learn a range of visual object manipulation skills entirely on their own," said Chelsea Finn, a doctoral student in Levine's lab and inventor of the original DNA model.
With the new technology, a robot pushes objects on a table, then uses the learned prediction model to choose motions that will move an object to a desired location. Robot use the learned model from raw camera observations to teach themselves how to avoid obstacles and push objects around obstructions.
"Humans learn object manipulation skills without any teacher through millions of interactions with a variety of objects during their lifetime. We have shown that it possible to build a robotic system that also leverages large amounts of autonomously collected data to learn widely applicable manipulation skills, specifically object pushing skills," said Frederik Ebert, a graduate student in Levine's lab who worked on the project.
Since control through video prediction relies only on observations that can be collected autonomously by the robot, such as through camera images, the resulting method is general and broadly applicable. In contrast to conventional computer vision methods, which require humans to manually label thousands or even millions of images, building video prediction models only requires unannotated video, which can be collected by the robot entirely autonomously. Indeed, video prediction models have also been applied to datasets that represent everything from human activities to driving, with compelling results.
"Children can learn about their world by playing with toys, moving them around, grasping, and so forth. Our aim with this research is to enable a robot to do the same: to learn about how the world works through autonomous interaction," Levine said. "The capabilities of this robot are still limited, but its skills are learned entirely automatically, and allow it to predict complex physical interactions with objects that it has never seen before by building on previously observed patterns of interaction."
The Berkeley scientists are continuing to research control through video prediction, focusing on further improving video prediction and prediction-based control, as well as developing more sophisticated methods by which robots can collected more focused video data, for complex tasks such as picking and placing objects and manipulating soft and deformable objects such as cloth or rope, and assembly. |
Tortuga AgTech raises $2.4m for its indoor farming robotics | Denver-based start-up Tortuga AgTech has completed a $2.4m seed round to support the development of its farming robots. The firm is focusing on controlled-environment agriculture, targeting everything from hydroponics to greenhouses. Automated harvesting of row crops has been around for decades but speciality crops, such as nuts and fruits, require more advanced robotics.
| https://agfundernews.com/tortuga-agtech-seed-round-ag-robotics.html | 2017-12-05 14:50:27.763000 | Tortuga AgTech, a Denver-based robotics startup targeting controlled-environment fruit and vegetable growers has raised a $2.4 million Seed round.
Tortuga Agtech is developing robotic systems for harvesting fresh produce in controlled environments, from indoor hydroponics to greenhouses, starting with strawberries.
“Our products will enable advanced growing methods to compete with scale agriculture, which means growers will be able to grow better produce that’s also better for the planet,” says the company’s website.
The round was led by early-stage hardware VC Root Ventures and closed in September. Root Ventures is also an investor in Momentum Machines, San Francisco’s burger-making robot company, which raised $18.4 million in June.
Also participating in this round were Silicon Valley tech VCs Susa Ventures and Haystack, data-focused firm AME Cloud Ventures, AI and robotics VC Grit Labs, the Stanford-StartX Fund and SVG Partners, which runs the Salinas Valley-based Thrive Agtech Accelerator. AME Cloud is also an investor Zume Pizza, a pizza delivery company in the Bay Area with a robot for a chef, which raised $48 million in October.
Harvesting of row crops has been automated for decades, but harvesting of specialty crops, like nuts, fruits, and vegetables, remains an elusive skill for farm robotics startups. Not only do these crops vary greatly in size, height, and color, they can also be more delicate and require not just a light touch in picking, but immediate assessment and packing by size or quality.
Though high-tech indoor agriculture is ripe for robotics interventions because of the easier and more stable working conditions compared to the field, not many robotics startups have emerged servicing this kind of growing.
Spread is a Japanese indoor vertical farming company that will open an automated lettuce farm in early 2018 allowing for a 50% reduction in human labor, according to the company. Transplanting seedlings, managing the growth process, and harvesting will all be automated, according to the company’s website.
South San Francisco-based vertical farm Plenty’s CEO told Business Insider that the company uses tiny robots in its seeding process. Though the company is not yet commercially growing strawberries, CEO Matt Barnard told AgFunderNews this is in the works.
Most operating vertical farms today are growing only leafy greens and microgreens due to the short growing cycles and high yields. There are just a few growing strawberries such as Japan’s Ichigo Company.
Greenhouses, however, are gaining market share of strawberry cultivation worldwide. Though greenhouse-growing of strawberries in the US has not yet taken off, 24% of strawberries grown in the Netherlands, the worlds second-largest exporter of food (by value) grow in a greenhouse according to the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics.
Also working on harvesting strawberries, but in outdoor environments, are Agrobot and Harvest Croo. |
Amazon eliminating human jobs through robotic investments: MIT | By the end of 2017, robots could make up 20% of Amazon's workforce, according to MIT Technology Review. The company has added 55,000 machines to its books amid a period of rapid expansion. Despite human staff increases of 40%, data from Quartz also revealed the number of human employees, both at the company and related retailers, is set to shrink by a net figure of 24,000.
| https://www.technologyreview.com/the-download/609672/amazons-investment-in-robots-is-eliminating-human-jobs/ | 2017-12-05 14:40:15.123000 | From delivery drones to warehouse robots, Amazon has made no attempt to hide its ambitious goals for automation. Even as the company continues to hire thousands of new employees, increasing its employee numbers by about 40 percent over the last year, many jobs are also being filled by autonomous counterparts. An analysis published Monday by Quartz has found that the e-commerce giant’s large growth and hiring numbers do not mitigate the overall retail job losses that it helped cause. Because of Amazon’s investment in automation and robotic employees, the combined employment at Amazon and related retail companies will still decline by a net 24,000 jobs.
Back in 2012, Amazon acquired Kiva Systems, the warehouse robotics company, to help automate its order fulfillment operations. By 2015, when we paid a visit to an Amazon fulfillment center, human-robot symbiosis was floourishing as 2,000 orange robots worked alongside humans to keep shelves stocked. Then last year Amazon signed a deal with the U.K. to test delivery drones and made its first package delivery via drone.
Now, with 2017 drawing to a close, Amazon has added a dizzying 55,000 robots to its fleet, more than doubling its total number of robo-workers from 2016. Quartz’s estimates suggest that by the end of the year robots could make up 20 percent of the company’s workforce. As Amazon would no doubt point out, the company is indeed hiring at a blistering pace—and automation can have many large-scale benefits. But as we’ve argued before, the tricky part is making sure those benefits are evenly distributed. |
YouTube CEO addresses brand safety concerns | Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, has laid out what the company's plans to combat the "bad actors" using the site to post controversial or extremist material. In a blog post, she said the measures already taken had yielded positive results, with 70% of "violent, extremist content" taken down within eight hours of posting, and half removed within two hours, thanks to YouTube's sophisticated machine-learning algorithms. Wojcicki also pledged to "significantly" ramp up numbers of human moderators, apply stricter criteria when authorising channels and videos' eligibility for advertising.
| https://youtube.googleblog.com/2017/12/expanding-our-work-against-abuse-of-our.html | 2017-12-05 14:33:51.153000 | Since June we have removed over 150,000 videos for violent extremism.
Machine learning is helping our human reviewers remove nearly five times as many videos than they were previously.
Today, 98 percent of the videos we remove for violent extremism are flagged by our machine-learning algorithms.
Our advances in machine learning let us now take down nearly 70 percent of violent extremist content within eight hours of upload and nearly half of it in two hours and we continue to accelerate that speed.
Since we started using machine learning to flag violent and extremist content in June, the technology has reviewed and flagged content that would have taken 180,000 people working 40 hours a week to assess.
As the CEO of YouTube, I’ve seen how our open platform has been a force for creativity, learning and access to information. I’ve seen how activists have used it to advocate for social change, mobilize protests, and document war crimes. I’ve seen how it serves as both an entertainment destination and a video library for the world. I’ve seen how it has expanded economic opportunity, allowing small businesses to market and sell their goods across borders. And I’ve seen how it has helped enlighten my children, giving them a bigger, broader understanding of our world and the billions who inhabit it.But I’ve also seen up-close that there can be another, more troubling, side of YouTube’s openness. I’ve seen how some bad actors are exploiting our openness to mislead, manipulate, harass or even harm.In the last year, we took actions to protect our community against violent or extremist content, testing new systems to combat emerging and evolving threats. We tightened our policies on what content can appear on our platform, or earn revenue for creators. We increased our enforcement teams. And we invested in powerful new machine learning technology to scale the efforts of our human moderators to take down videos and comments that violate our policies.Now, we are applying the lessons we’ve learned from our work fighting violent extremism content over the last year in order to tackle other problematic content. Our goal is to stay one step ahead of bad actors, making it harder for policy-violating content to surface or remain on YouTube.Human reviewers remain essential to both removing content and training machine learning systems because human judgment is critical to making contextualized decisions on content. Since June, our trust and safety teams have manually reviewed nearly 2 million videos for violent extremist content, helping train our machine-learning technology to identify similar videos in the future. We are also taking aggressive action on comments, launching new comment moderation tools and in some cases shutting down comments altogether. In the last few weeks we’ve used machine learning to help human reviewers find and terminate hundreds of accounts and shut down hundreds of thousands of comments. Our teams also work closely with NCMEC, the IWF, and other child safety organizations around the world to report predatory behavior and accounts to the correct law enforcement agencies.We will continue the significant growth of our teams into next year, with the goal of bringing the total number of people across Google working to address content that might violate our policies to over 10,000 in 2018.At the same time, we are expanding the network of academics, industry groups and subject matter experts who we can learn from and support to help us better understand emerging issues.We will use our cutting-edge machine learning more widely to allow us to quickly and efficiently remove content that violates our guidelines. In June we deployed this technology to flag violent extremist content for human review and we’ve seen tremendous progress.Because we have seen these positive results, we have begun training machine-learning technology across other challenging content areas, including child safety and hate speech.We understand that people want a clearer view of how we’re tackling problematic content. Our Community Guidelines give users notice about what we do not allow on our platforms and we want to share more information about how these are enforced. That’s why in 2018 we will be creating a regular report where we will provide more aggregate data about the flags we receive and the actions we take to remove videos and comments that violate our content policies. We are looking into developing additional tools to help bring even more transparency around flagged content.We’re also taking actions to protect advertisers and creators from inappropriate content. We want advertisers to have peace of mind that their ads are running alongside content that reflects their brand’s values. Equally, we want to give creators confidence that their revenue won’t be hurt by the actions of bad actors.We believe this requires a new approach to advertising on YouTube, carefully considering which channels and videos are eligible for advertising. We are planning to apply stricter criteria, conduct more manual curation, while also significantly ramping up our team of ad reviewers to ensure ads are only running where they should. This will also help vetted creators see more stability around their revenue. It’s important we get this right for both advertisers and creators, and over the next few weeks, we’ll be speaking with both to hone this approach.We are taking these actions because it’s the right thing to do. Creators make incredible content that builds global fan bases. Fans come to YouTube to watch, share, and engage with this content. Advertisers, who want to reach those people, fund this creator economy. Each of these groups is essential to YouTube’s creative ecosystem—none can thrive on YouTube without the other—and all three deserve our best efforts.As challenges to our platform evolve and change, our enforcement methods must and will evolve to respond to them. But no matter what challenges emerge, our commitment to combat them will be sustained and unwavering. We will take the steps necessary to protect our community and ensure that YouTube continues to be a place where creators, advertisers, and viewers can thrive. |
Amazon Alexa soon to accept payments for skills via human voice | Owners of Amazon Echo devices will soon be able to pay for restaurants and tickets or make donations by asking virtual assistant Alexa. The announcement was made during the recent Alexa State of the Union at AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas, where developers of skills for Alexa planning to adopt one-time vocal payments included Teen Jeopardy! and History’s Ultimate History Quiz. At the same event, Amazon revealed it was bringing Alexa to Australia and New Zealand in early 2018, while a public beta for the Gadgets API aimed at developers of multi-person games would also launch next year.
| https://venturebeat.com/2017/11/29/amazon-alexa-skills-to-accept-payments/ | 2017-12-05 14:14:53.137000 | Join top executives in San Francisco on July 11-12, to hear how leaders are integrating and optimizing AI investments for success. Learn More
Developers and businesses making skills for Amazon’s Alexa will soon be able to accept Amazon Pay for purchases directly within voice apps from the Alexa Skills Store. The news was announced today during the Alexa State of the Union at AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas. Among other Alexa news shared today are plans to bring Alexa to Australia and New Zealand in early 2018 and to add $100 million to the Alexa Fund for international investment.
Initial skills categories to accept Amazon Pay include donations, restaurants, and event ticketing.
Skills with plans to adopt one-time payments for premium content include Teen Jeopardy!, Sports Jeopardy!, Match Game, Heads Up, and History’s Ultimate History Quiz. A developer preview was made available today, while other tools to enable transactions will be made more widely available early next year. Double Jeopardy! was one of the first skills to accept paid subscriptions. Millions have been doled out thus far to developers in the U.S., U.K., and Germany, and today the program was extended to developers in Australia, Japan, India, and Canada.
Other changes on the way in early 2018 include a public beta for the recently announced Gadgets API so developers can start making games that interact with the Echo Buttons for multi-person gameplay that go on sale next month.
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Alexa skills developers accepting payments will likely take advantage of the ability to understand unique voices, a feature that started bringing personalization to Alexa users this fall and extended the service to developers Tuesday.
Native payments for Alexa skills follows a series of recent efforts by Amazon to compensate makers of those skills. Starting last spring, Amazon began to pay developers based on the level of engagement a skill is able to produce.
Skills like flash briefings and streaming audio are still able to run advertisements, but ads are otherwise forbidden for Alexa developers. |
Target becomes latest retail giant to launch mobile wallet | US retailer Target has added a payment wallet to its app. Customers with Target's REDcard credit and debit cards can add them to the app, available for both Android and iOS, and make payments at the store's checkouts by scanning a QR code. Rival outlets Walmart and CVS also recently launched similar payment wallets. "Guests are going to love the convenience of having payment, Cartwheel offers, Weekly Ad coupons and GiftCards all in one place with Wallet", said Mike McNamara, Target's chief information and digital officer.
| https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/31412/target-launches-mobile-wallet | 2017-12-05 14:04:53.790000 | Following in the footsteps of Walmart and CVS, Target has become the latest American retail giant to launch its own mobile payments service.
The firm has added a wallet feature to it Android and iOS apps. Customers with Target-branded REDcard credit and debit cards can add them to the wallet and then pay at the checkout by scanning a QR code.
The app also integrates with Target's Cartwheel offers and Weekly Ad coupons, letting users redeem them with a scan of a barcode.
Mike McNamara, chief information and digital officer, Target, says: "Guests are going to love the convenience of having payment, Cartwheel offers, Weekly Ad coupons and GiftCards all in one place with Wallet."
Target was one of the driving forces behind MCX, a QR code-based mobile wallet joint venture with other retail giants such as Walmart, CVS and 7-Eleven that hoped to bypass credit cards, reducing fees.
MCX mothballed its CurrentC app last year but Walmart, CVS and now Target are still betting on the barcode technology, rather than the NFC favoured by Apple, Google and Samsung.
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R3 makes its Corda blockchain software available on AWS | R3 has made it's distributed ledger software Corda available on Amazon Web Services, offering the platform to business and finance firms to use or develop its apps, called CorDapps. Corda is a consortium of 70 banks that make use of distributed ledgers, based on blockchain, for financial services. Corda was previously hosted on Microsoft Azure.
| https://www.r3.com/blog/2017/12/05/r3s-corda-becomes-one-of-the-first-dlt-platforms-available-on-aws-marketplace/ | 2017-12-05 13:52:01.473000 | AWS customers can now build and deploy applications for finance and commerce on Corda
December 5, 2017 (New York/London/Singapore) – Enterprise software firm R3’s Corda has become one of the first distributed ledger technology (DLT) solutions available to users of Amazon Web Services (AWS), enabling AWS’s network of users to build and deploy applications for finance and commerce on R3’s Corda. Now available on AWS Marketplace, R3’s Corda allows AWS users to develop CorDapps, or deploy example CorDapps from R3 directly from AWS Marketplace. Corda is an enterprise-grade DLT solution that removes costly friction in business transactions by enabling institutions to transact directly using smart contracts, while ensuring high levels of privacy and security. Corda can be built on by third party providers who can then operate and earn revenue from DLT applications using the platform’s common code and protocols to ensure interoperability. The network of companies working with R3 to develop CorDapps has grown to over 60 from a wide variety of industries and regions across the globe. These companies join R3’s wider ecosystem of over 100 banks, financial institutions, regulators, trade associations, professional services firms and technology companies. R3 recently launched version 2.0 of Corda, adding functionality to the stable core application programming interface (API) achieved in version 1.0. This means CorDapp developers on AWS can build on Corda v2.0 safe in the knowledge that any future improvements and enhancements to the platform will not disrupt their work.
David E. Rutter, CEO of R3, comments: “Corda is a leading DLT platform for businesses and this announcement marks a significant milestone for enterprise-grade blockchain technology. Corda’s strength comes from its vibrant ecosystem of interoperable applications, and extending the pool of potential developers to the vast network of Amazon Web Services users will spark further innovation amongst businesses building innovative DLT apps for finance and commerce.”
Download the Corda AMI here and find out more about the AWS blockchain partner programme here.
About R3
R3 is an enterprise software firm working with a network of over 160 banks, financial institutions, regulators, trade associations, professional services firms and technology companies to develop on Corda, its distributed ledger platform designed specifically for businesses. R3’s global team of over 140 professionals in nine countries is supported by over 2,000 technology, financial, and legal experts drawn from its global member base. R3 is backed by investment of USD 107 million from over 40 firms Corda is the outcome of over two years of intense research and development by R3 and its members and meets the highest standards of the banking industry, yet is applicable to any commercial scenario. It records, manages and executes institutions’ financial agreements in perfect synchrony with their peers, creating a world of frictionless commerce. Learn more at r3.com.
Press contact:
R3:
Nick Warren/Nick Murray-Leslie
Chatsworth Communications
+44 (0)207 440 9780
[email protected]
Charley Cooper
R3
+1 929 329 1550
[email protected] |
Korea's online-only bank expands into insurance | South Korea's first online-only bank, K bank, has expanded into insurance by selling bancassurance products. The bank has released 20 savings and protection policies through a mobile app, including products from four domestic life insurance firms and four non-life insurers. The service offers customers round-the-clock consultations through phone calls, mobile messaging and email. K bank has enjoyed huge success since its launch earlier this year, holding approximately 500,000 accounts at the end of October.
| https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2017/12/488_240349.html | 2017-12-05 13:20:40.170000 | K bank, Kakao Bank strives to expand, stimulate banking industry
By Nam Hyun-woo
K bank, Korea's first online-only bank, started selling bancassurance products Monday, expanding its around-the-clock accessibility to another business.
The bank released 20 savings and protection type policies, called "mobilessurance," through a single mobile application.
Four domestic life insurers and four non-life insurers are selling their policies through K bank.
The life insurers are Hanwha Life, a K bank shareholder, IBK Insurance, BNP Paribas Cardif Life and Kyobo Lifeplanet Life. The non-life insurers are Hanwha General, Hyundai Marine, MG Non-life and KB Insurance. Lotte Insurance will also join them after wrapping up a product review.
According to K bank, it offers consumer 24/7 phone-consultation services, mobile messaging and e-mail. As well as consultations, a subscription is also available around the clock, the bank said.
Bancassurance is the latest expansion of the Korean internet-only banks' business domain and they are making efforts to grow their playing field to meet growing customer demand.
Since their launch this year, K bank and the other online-only bank, Kakao Bank, have enjoyed explosive popularity. At the end of October, Kakao Bank had 4 million accounts, while K bank had half a million.
Their emergence has created a ripple effect in the stagnant banking industry here. As online-only banks made aggressive sales pitches with their accessibility and fresh products, conventional banks hiked their deposit interest rates from between 1 percent and 2 percent to between 2 percent and 3 percent. They also lowered loan rates by an average of 0.05 percentage points.
To meet the growing demand, online-only banks are now preparing new products. Along with deposits and lending, they are preparing for loans for house rental deposits and mortgages.
Kakao Bank plans to roll out rental deposit loans early next year as its customer base is mostly young adults who tend to pay monthly rent or jeonse deposits. Jeonse refers to Korea's unique housing lease system, under which a tenant pays around 60 to 70 percent of the full price of the property to landlords for a certain period, generally two years without paying rent.
The next business online-only banks are eyeing is credit cards
According to sources, Kakao Bank has issued 1.5 million debit cards as of October, while K bank has issued 370,000. As their debit card business hits its stride, both banks are preparing for an entry into the credit card business, setting up special teams to get regulatory approval.
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Bayzat secures $5m for insurance and HR service | Insurance and HR solutions provider Bayzat has raised an extra $5m funding for its services in the Middle East and North Africa region. The Dubai-based company already provides life insurance to 18,000 through its site, but wants to further develop its HR software offering. The additional funding was led by venture capitalist firm Silicon Badia, alongside existing investors BECO Capital and Hamed Kanoo, and takes the total raised in the round to more than $8m.
| https://www.wamda.com/2017/12/silicon-badia-invests-5m-hr-tech-startup-bayzat | 2017-12-05 13:19:37.487000 | Bayzat, a provider of insurance and HR solutions in the MENA region, announced it has secured an additional $5 million in funding led by Silicon Badia, a VC firm based in the MENA region and in the US, alongside existing investors BECO Capital and Hamed Kanoo Co LLC.
This additional funding brings Bayzat’s total funding in this Series A-1 round to over $8 million after the company received its initial funding tranche earlier this year from strategic investors.
Bayzat was founded by entrepreneurs Talal Bayaa and Brian Habibi and is currently headquartered Dubai. It has so far 18,000 lives insured through their site.
According to Bayaa, CEO, the desire to allocate more resources towards developing his firm’s HR software is a decision borne of experience. “The Middle East’s technology market is undeveloped, particularly in the form of SaaS. Companies are restricted to paper-driven archaic processes because they are not aware of any alternatives. Inefficient procedures like manual employee record management and payroll are a drain on businesses and their employees, and yet it continues to flourish here; one of the most forward-thinking countries on the planet! It’s a pain point we see across the region that desperately needs resolving.”
“Bayzat’s dual strategy and core focus on building unique technology for this market is what attracted us to this business initially,” said Namek Zu'bi, managing partner, Silicon Badia when discussing their investment.
Since its launch in 2015, Bayzat has experienced exceptional year-on-year growth (over 350 percent increase in revenue). Supplemented by the region’s switch to mandatory insurance and the mounting need for technology solutions for both insurance and business processes, the startup has succeeded in capturing a portion of a $30 billion premium market in the MENA region.
With a firm foothold on the current insurance landscape, Bayzat has started bolstering its efforts to refining its burgeoning HR automation platform —Bayzat Benefits.
Since Bayzat Benefit’s induction, the platform has introduced a host of different tools and automation prospects to alleviate mundane company administrative work. These include OCR technology, which gives users the ability to extract important information (from passports of Emirates IDs) directly from scanned images, and enables professionals from all departments to upload sensitive data quickly directly onto Bayzat’s platform.
Bayzat’s latest addition, payroll, looks to streamline a pivotal area for finance and HR management. Employees uploaded onto Bayzat Benefits’ will have their salary and commission information stored and configured automatically, allowing finance and HR professionals to allocate more time to nurturing their other responsibilities. |
Video-streaming channels in US cut spending on original shows | Video-streaming platforms have started to scale back on original short-form content, creating an uneasy environment for producers. NBCUniversal recently shut down Seeso, its $3.99 a month comedy streaming service that offered both short and long-form content, alongside full episodes of series such as Saturday Night Live. In addition Full Screen closed its $4.99 a month streaming service. Spotify has reduced spending while Comcast's Watchable has pulled out of funding original content. This has created difficult market conditions for content producers, digital studios and publishers; however, Facebook remains a big spender, especially for long-form content.
| https://digiday.com/media/healthy-market-digital-video-series-thinned/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=daily&utm_content=171205 | 2017-12-05 12:30:05.060000 | The video bubble hasn’t burst quite yet, but it sure has deflated for video makers looking to sell short-form content to streaming platforms.
Over the past few months, several high-profile video streaming platforms have either shut down or scaled back their spending on original content. So far this fall, NBCUniversal closed the doors on Seeso, its $3.99-per-month comedy streaming service that offered everything from short- and long-form original series to full episodes of “Saturday Night Live.” Similarly, Fullscreen announced in November that it was shutting down its $4.99-per-month subscription streaming service, following Comcast, which put Watchable on life support, and Spotify pulling back on spending.
Meanwhile, Verizon’s Go90, another high-profile buyer of short- and mid-form video shows over the past few years, has cut spending as the company rethinks its original content strategy, according to multiple content partners. It’s all up in the air, as Verizon’s big Oath merger — during which Verizon’s top media executive, Marni Walden, left the company — has slowed the Go90 team. “The people over [at Go90] said that it’s all being worked out, but it takes time to integrate,” said one Go90 partner.
The tumult has created an uneasy environment for video producers, digital studios and publishers, all of which were able to make money from platforms willing to fund original content but now face a tenuous market where it’s not exactly clear who will buy digital video programming in 2018 and beyond. That’s a major problem for those banking on the scramble for digital video programming to make up for the dominance of Google and Facebook. In fact, the one player still cutting checks for content is a familiar face.
“The only company who is buying [short form] in bulk right now is Facebook,” said an executive at a digital studio that has content deals with Facebook and Go90.
“In terms of short-form content buyers, almost everyone we saw two years ago is gone from the market,” said Eric Korsh, president of Mashable Studios. “Red Bull, Comcast, Verizon and others are either going back to their roots or reimagining their role in short-form video — which currently amounts to the same thing.”
The platforms want to go longer
As one digital studio executive put it, a wide majority of the original digital video programming market today — at least in the U.S. — is covered by Facebook, YouTube Red and Go90. The remaining buyers are smaller and niche video players that might buy some shows here and there, he said, but if you’re looking to consistently sell what people have traditionally called “web series,” Facebook, YouTube Red and Go90 are it.
But all three of those platforms are also moving in the direction of longer-form content. In Facebook’s latest wave of funding for Watch, it’s pushing content partners to make their shows longer. YouTube is spending between $500,000 and $1 million — and in some cases even more — per episode on TV-quality original projects, sources have previously told Digiday. And in August, Verizon hired longtime CBS executive Chris Castallo as head of development for Go90, a move that points to Go90 potentially moving in the direction of acquiring longer-form shows, one Go90 partner said.
For many digital media companies, a decision by Go90 to venture into more TV-sized original fare would be a big blow. Verizon has spent a ton on the belief that there’s an audience for a streaming platform that offers well-produced programming from top digital talent. Audiences haven’t exactly agreed.
“We’re seeing a flight to quality and investments in longer-form storytelling from companies from Facebook and YouTube Red to Comedy Central, IFC, NBC and Turner,” said Marc Hustvedt, CEO of digital studio Above Average. “These and other buyers recognize the audience value of hit programming with strong characters that are given room to breathe and develop, which is frankly refreshing.”
The money is still in (streaming) TV
The market for short-form originals might be thinning, but that’s not the case for original video programming in general. Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Apple, Facebook and YouTube are all considered big buyers of content — it’s just that the content these companies want is more premium TV fare than what’s typically found on web video platforms.
Netflix plans to spend $8 billion on content in 2018. Amazon, meanwhile, reportedly spent close to $250 million just to buy the rights to “The Lord of the Rings” and plans to make a high-profile drama series from the deal, which would cost additional hundreds of millions of dollars over multiple seasons. Hulu is spending more on premium cable TV-quality shows, spurred on by its landmark Emmy-winning hit “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Apple, which is one of the newest buyers in this area, has a budget of $1 billion and two TV executives at the helm to fulfill its own content ambitions. And as mentioned earlier, Facebook and YouTube are increasingly looking for TV-quality projects with TV-level budgets.
“Those guys are not digital, really; they’re TV,” said one longtime TV and digital video producer. “When you talk to Netflix these days, they don’t give a shit that you can produce something cheaper than anybody else. They’re competing with ‘Game of Thrones’; they’re OK with spending $15 million per episode if they need to.”
While this can be an exciting opportunity for video producers to create breakthrough shows, the simple truth is that most digital media companies do not have the necessary background and skill sets required to package and produce TV shows. It’s something top publishers including BuzzFeed, Bleacher Report and Refinery29 are working toward, especially by creating studio and entertainment divisions focused on longer-form content.
“[TV] is what everyone is trying to get into,” said a second digital studio executive. “This cycle is less digital buyers and more TV buyers, and everyone is trying to swim toward that. But there’s a certain pedigree you need to have to go to [the streaming and TV] players that many digital shops do not have. That plays itself out in how someone talks about a project, how it’s packaged, what kind of stars are attached and how many scripts you have written. These seem like small things, but it takes time to build that muscle.”
The hope for a rebound
While there are fewer buyers of short-form video today, not everyone is convinced this will remain the case. Multiple sources said this is just a phase, and the market will pick back up eventually.
Verizon, for instance, remains ambitious about video. Maybe Go90 does not exist in its current form down the road, but Verizon is still expected to be a buyer of video. Facebook’s experiment with Watch could also work out, convincing the company to spend more on both short-form and long-form original programs beyond 2018.
“We are in an adjustment period about what works and what doesn’t. But premium, high-quality, short-form originals are certainly not going away,” said Peter Csathy, founder of media advisory firm Creatv Media, who pointed to niche OTT buyers such as Crypt TV and Vrv as companies that are still interested in commissioning such content. “And with greater competition in the OTT video world, suppliers of premium short-form content will play an increasingly critical role.”
Still, it’s a fraught time for many digital video makers. More buyers could enter the marketplace but could just as easily leave if their video efforts don’t pan out the way they haven’t for Seeso, Watchable and others.
“This is ultimately very healthy for the marketplace,” said Hustvedt. “When you’re in the business of supplying original programming to platforms, you would rather see fewer buyers that you know can support multiple seasons in success, rather than a gaggle of upstarts overpaying today but that might not be around next year.” |
Ad buyers look beyond YouTube because of brand safety concerns | Brand safety concerns about YouTube have led to increased spending on video outlets such as ESPN and Hulu, as well as Apple TV and Amazon Fire. Open exchange video CPMs have increased 5% to 8% year on year, according to agency executives, with agencies seeking non-political sites to avoid controversy. Research from Standard Media Index on 14 video networks and platforms, such as YouTube, Snapchat, Roku, Facebook, Viacom and Hulu, found that YouTube was the only platform where video ad spend declined year on year, in its case by 9%.
| https://digiday.com/marketing/flight-quality-takes-hold-end-year-video-ad-spending-pushing-prices/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_source=daily&utm_content=171205 | 2017-12-05 12:25:27.853000 | The end of the year is regularly a good time for those selling quality video. It’s even better this year, thanks to concerns about brand safety brought on by YouTube’s continued controversies and a desire by brands to stay away from political news.
According to ad buyers, that’s meant adding spending on outlets like Hulu and ESPN. Conversations with four media agencies executives show that not every client is halting advertising on YouTube and hard news sites, but in general, programmatic video CPMs at nonpolitical publishers and connected TV providers like Apple TV and Amazon Fire have been increasing, which could partially be ascribed to clients’ growing demand for brand-safe content, according to agency executives.
“I think video CPMs on Hulu have increased around 20 percent year over year, even more expensive than prime-time TV sometimes,” said a media head from a Chicago-based agency. “Generally speaking, open exchange video CPMs are up 5 to 8 percent year over year.”
The agency executive said two financial services clients have stopped programmatic ads from politics news on any site since around a year ago — and the two brands haven’t gone back to advertising on hard news sites today — while most clients that target millennials and younger audiences now feel comfortable with advertising on YouTube.
“We haven’t started to do a big shift into premium programmatic video yet, largely because that is typically a large holding-company level private marketplace deal tactic,” said this person. “For certain luxury clients like automotive, it may make sense to cherry-pick premium video inventory, but largely we don’t see the economy of scale in [PMPs].”
Brand-safety concerns have changed where ad buyers spent their video budgets this year. Standard Media Index surveyed 14 video networks and platforms — including YouTube, Snapchat, Roku, Facebook, Viacom and Hulu — and found that in terms of direct buys, YouTube — while the largest by video ad spend volume — is the only company where brands’ video ad spend declined, by 9 percent year over year, from when brand-safety discussions started in April to October. In comparison, during the same period, brands’ video ad spend on Roku, Snapchat and Hulu increased by 154 percent, 50 percent and 19 percent year over year, respectively.
Standard Media Index said the above numbers are based on media-buying invoices, and its survey pool represents approximately 70 percent of all U.S. ad agency spend. But the company doesn’t distribute dollar figures for its digital data because it doesn’t cover the complete digital market.
Rory O’Flaherty, vp of performance media for agency Huge, said every client’s brand-safety tolerance is different: Some brands take an audience-first approach so they are more lenient, while others don’t want to be adjacent to news content at all. But a bigger trend is more programmatic ad spend is going into video on demand or connected TV, which is relatively brand-safe and the actual creative is great, he said.
“Generally speaking, we haven’t seen much increase in programmatic video CPMs, but more ad demand definitely goes to certain publishers based on brand safety and high viewability,” said O’Flaherty. “But remember, if you pull ads from YouTube and news sites altogether, you are losing lots of benefits in reaching your audience.” |
Dubai's SellAnyHome.com claims it can sell a home in 30 minutes | Dubai start-up SellAnyHome.com is offering to sell residential property within 30 minutes of listing it. Sellers receive an approximate estimate followed by a visit from a consultant to value the property. The start-up is targeting only high-net-worth individuals and professional investors who are looking to add properties to their portfolios using an accelerated buying process. The start-up charges 1% commission to the buyer for each completed transaction. SellAnyHome.com likens itself to a stock exchange as it brings "real-time market coordination between buyers and sellers". It is aiming to raise $10m by early next year.
| https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/real-estate/Wanna-sell-your-house-in-30-minutes-in-Dubai | 2017-12-05 11:55:57.017000 | Wanna sell your house in 30 minutes in Dubai?
Omar Chihane aims to make SellAnyHome.com a stock exchange for properties.
dubai - SellAnyHome.com is an online marketplace for property buyers and sellers
by Deepthi Nair Published: Tue 5 Dec 2017, 6:27 PM Last updated: Tue 5 Dec 2017, 6:48 PM |
Delhi cricket match disrupted by excessive pollution | Sri Lankan cricket player Suranga Lakmal vomited during an international cricket Test match in Delhi because of heavy pollution. The incident followed play being stopped because of pollution on 3 December. Debates are continuing about whether Delhi, where pollution is 12 times over the safe limit, should be allowed to hold sporting events during the winter, when the problem is at its worst. As we highlighted, Delhi's poor air quality has led to flight cancellations and it was declared a public health emergency, comparable to smoking 50 cigarettes a day. About 2.5 million Indians die from pollution annually.
| https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/05/sri-lankan-bowler-suranga-lakmal-vomits-in-delhi-cricket-match-polluted-air | 2017-12-05 11:45:32.057000 | A Sri Lankan player vomited on the field and was escorted off the ground as heavily polluted air continued to plague an international cricket test match in Delhi.
The fast bowler Suranga Lakmal was seen doubled over and retching on Tuesday afternoon as levels of the most harmful pollutants hovered at about 300 micrograms per cubic metre in parts of the Indian capital – 12 times the World Health Organisation safe limit.
Lakmal was one of the players to be badly affected on Sunday when air pollution forced a break in play in the test between India and Sri Lanka, the first such interruption in international cricket history. He and another bowler, Lahiru Gamage, were forced to abandon bowling duties mid-over for a spell in the changing rooms where the coach, Nic Pothas, said Lakmal was “continuously vomiting”.
Lakmal was helped off the ground on Tuesday by a Sri Lankan team physiotherapist after his team-mates – mostly playing in pollution masks – rushed to his aid. Later the Indian pacer Mohammed Shami also vomited. Groundsmen scattered sawdust.
The scenes at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium have fuelled a debate in India over whether Delhi should be permitted to hold sporting events during winter when year-round pollution in the city reaches severe levels.
The Indian cricket board said on Monday that in future it would consider amending its schedules based on pollution forecasts.
“Scheduling of matches in Delhi during this time of the year will be considered,” said Amitabh Chaudhary, the acting secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
The acting president of the board, CK Khanna, had earlier dismissed concerns, saying: “If 20,000 people in the stands did not have problems and the Indian team did not face any issue ... the Sri Lankan team made a big fuss?”
Javier Ceppi, the director of the Fifa under-17 World Cup held in India in October, wrote on Twitter after Sunday’s incidents that Delhi could not host sporting events from Diwali until the end of February “at least”.
You can't host sport events in Delhi from Diwali till end of Feb, at least. It is a fact. We had to accommodate our whole schedule to avoid it and others should also think about athletes health first #DelhiSmog — Javier Ceppi (@JavierCeppi) December 3, 2017
The Indian Medical Association also condemned the decision to let the Delhi test go ahead. “You have fast bowlers, batsmen and fielders out there exposed to these very harmful pollutants over five days at a stretch. It takes a serious toll on your health in the long run,” said the association’s president, KK Aggarwal.
Indian players and the match umpires have almost all eschewed masks throughout the test and some fans accused the Sri Lankans of grandstanding, pointing out that India’s captain, Virat Kohli, posted a record double-century despite the conditions.
The atmosphere in Delhi is dense with carcinogenic chemicals fine enough to lodge deep in the lungs and breach the blood-brain barrier. Multiple studies have linked the pollution to higher rates of lung cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory conditions in the long-term, while immediate exposure can trigger asthma attacks and cause discomfort to the eyes and throat.
Indian environmental authorities said pollution levels last year exceeded those recorded during the 1952 great smog of London, considered one of Britain’s worst environmental disasters.
Contributors to the poor air in the city include road dust, open fires, vehicle exhaust fumes, industrial emissions and the burning of crop waste in neighbouring states, all of which worsen in winter when winds slow and air is trapped closer to the ground.
Delhi and surrounding states have implemented separate action plans that are unevenly enforced. A lasting solution would require national coordination while simultaneously tackling the myriad sources of poor air, a challenging task in a country with generally limited law enforcement. |
News Corp attempts to capitalise on YouTube brand safety issues | News Corp Australia’s creative services team has collaborated with ad agency Big Red to launch a campaign asking marketers if they know where their ads are being displayed. The move aims to capitalise on the uncertainty surrounding content placement on sites such as YouTube. News Corp executive general manager of network sales Lou Barrett said "advertisers should feel confident they get what they pay for" and said News Corp gave advertisers "a true and verified measure of audience engagement".
| http://www.adnews.com.au/campaigns/news-corp-boasts-brand-safety-following-more-youtube-scandals | 2017-12-05 11:38:50.607000 | ‘Do you know where your ads are’ – News Corp puts brand safety at the forefront of their latest campaign.
News Corp has launched a two-week national trade advertising campaign that asks marketers if they know where they ads are today, following more brand safety sagas.
Amid renewed controversy surrounding digital advertising safety for brands within tech-platforms, this campaign reinforces advertisers that News’ products offer brands trusted and transparent digital environments.
Executive general manager of network sales Lou Barrett said: “We are launching the next iteration of our brand safety campaign to proactively reassure our customers that it is our priority to protect and enhance their brands. We invest heavily in premium generated content, third party audience measurement and are continually working towards creating safe environments for our customers.
“Advertisers should feel confident that they get what they pay for and that they can genuinely trust News to deliver on that. We are committed to providing greater transparency to ensure our advertisers have a clear and accurate picture of where their budget is going and where their advertisements are being placed as well as receiving a true and verified measure of audience engagement.”
News Corp boasted its brand safety earlier this year with a similar campaign.
The campaign was created by Big Red and News Corp Australia’s creative services team and will appear in trade media nationwide. |
Chinese firms focus on automation not moving factories to Africa | Fewer than expected Chinese firms are trying to cut their wage bill by relocating their factories to Africa, a survey has found. Researchers at Peking University surveyed 640 Chinese businesses that had a total of about 16 million workers producing home appliances, clothes, shoes and other goods, and revealed only 6% were planning to respond to higher wages by moving factories abroad. Among 62 companies that have invested overseas, or plan to, only two named Africa as a preferred destination, with southeast Asia proving much more popular. The most common response to wage growth was relying more heavily on automation. | https://qz.com/1146018/china-in-africa-chinese-manufacturing-not-moving-to-africa-all-that-soon/ | 2017-12-05 11:31:26.667000 | The promise of Chinese manufacturing moving to Africa increasingly seems like a real possibility. Chinese car factories assemble in South Africa. Mainland footwear companies have expanded into Ethiopia. Chinese entrepreneurs have opened textile plants in Rwanda and other operations across the continent.
But it may be too soon to proclaim Africa the world’s next factory. According to a new study (pdf) by researchers at Peking University’s Center for New Structural Economics and the Supporting Economic Transformation program at the Overseas Development Institute in London, few Chinese manufacturing firms are relocating as a result of rising wages in China. And if they are relocating overseas, Southeast Asia, rather than Africa is their preferred destination.
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The survey, released this month, “suggests a need for realism on the potential for jobs transfer to low-income host countries,” according to the authors Jiajun Xu, Stephen Gelb, Jiewei Li and Zuoxiang Zhao.
The researchers surveyed 640 Chinese firms producing home appliances, garments, footwear, and toys, and employing about 16 million workers. Rising wage costs—wages grew between 9% to 11% between 2005 and 2014 at the factories—were the most cited challenge.
The most common response to rising wages, however, was not relocating to countries with cheaper labor but turning to automation. Almost a third of firms said upgrading technology was their first strategy and more than half said it was among their top three responses. Chinese manufacturers are expected to have the world’s largest number of installed industrial robots (p. 29), about 600,000, by 2018, according to the Industrial Robot Statistics.
Only 6% of firms said relocation of production was their most likely response, and only half of those said they would relocate to areas outside of China. Among 62 firms that had invested abroad or planned to, only two named Africa as a preferred destination. Southeast Asia was a far more likely destination.
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Others have also pointed out the obstacles to manufacturing moving from China to Africa. Indermit Gill, director of the Duke Center for International Development at Duke University, points out in a recent blog post for Brookings that the global share of manufacturing value in 2015 was still split evenly between high-income and developing countries, with China accounting for more than half of the contribution of developing countries. Between 1994 and 2015, China’s share continued to grow while Africa’s has barely budged.
Another commonly stated reason for manufacturing’s move to places with cheaper labor like Africa is China’s aging population. But China’s workforce is still sizable: in 2025 the population of Chinese between the ages of 15 and 64 will be a billion, and will still be almost that amount in 2050, Gill points out. “Don’t bet on China giving back manufacturing jobs any time soon,” he concludes. |
Japanese asset manager Sparx sets up $17.95m renewable fund | A unit of Tokyo-based asset manager Sparx has set up a JPY20bn ($17.95m) fund to invest in operational renewable energy projects throughout Japan. Initial investors in the Sparx Asset Trust & Management has launched the Renewable Energy Brown Field Fund include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing, Ricoh Leasing, Taiyo Life Insurance and Tochigi Bank. The fund will continue to accept capital contributions and aims to eventually raise JPY50bn. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/24/sparx-launches-18-million-renewables-fund-in-japan/ | 2017-12-05 11:28:53.580000 | Subsidiary Sparx Asset Trust & Management has launched the Renewable Energy Brown Field Fund as part of the group’s new investment strategy for renewable energy. Initial investors include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing, Ricoh Leasing, Taiyo Life Insurance and Tochigi Bank, according to an online statement. The fund will continue to accept capital contributions and aims to eventually raise JPY 50 billion.
Sparx, which is listed on the JASDAQ Securities Exchange, says the new fund will help to stabilize its long-term cash flows, as it will avoid risks associated with project development by solely investing in operational assets. Sparx plans to run the brownfield fund for a period of 20 years, but will only make new investments in operational projects until October 31, 2020.
Its Green Field Fund, which invests in solar, wind and biomass projects from the development phase, currently owns 344 MW of renewables capacity. Its portfolio in Japan was valued at roughly JPY 147.8 billion at the end of September. The fund owns 24 projects throughout the country, of which 21 are solar.
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The Sparx group recently posted a net profit of JPY 1.57 billion for the second quarter of the current Japanese fiscal year. In July, its Sparx Green Energy and Technology unit finished building a 12.8 MW solar array in Chiba prefecture, eastern Japan. |
American Eagle Outfitters uses Messenger bots to reach customers | US clothing brand American Eagle Outfitters said its Facebook Messenger chatbot helped achieve a 25% click-through rate between November 2016 and June 2017, according to Kristen D’Arcy, its vice-president of performance and digital marketing. She said the service received four million messages, while three-quarters of customers using the bot, which centred on the main brand and Aerie and offered help with issues such as branded content and fit and care, were first-time shoppers with the brand.
| http://www.chiefmarketer.com/bots-help-american-eagle-outfitter-engage-facebook-messenger/ | 2017-12-05 11:27:58.787000 | An interactive gift guide is the latest innovation in American Eagle Outfitters’ Facebook Messenger campaign to use bots to engage customers via social media.
American Eagle’s first bots, for the main brand and Aerie, were launched on Facebook Messenger on Black Friday last year. Between November 2016 and June 2017, four million messages were exchanged, and there was a 25 percent clickthrough rate from Messenger to American Eagle Outfitters’ website. Seventy-five percent of people using the bots were new to the brand.
“Messaging, specifically in social, is where our consumer is spending their time, says Kristen D’Arcy, vice president of performance and digital marketing, American Eagle Outfitters. “We’re always looking for the right way, at the right time, to connect with consumers to drive preference and loyalty for our brands. To utilize messaging for connection with a brand feels intimate—it’s a one-on-one conversation in a familiar medium.”
The casual clothing retailer operates more than 1,000 retail stores in North America and Asia, and ships to 81 countries via its website. The Aerie bot was promoted via email and social, as well as paid media on Facebook. Users could opt-in to subscription messaging from the bot.
The retailer worked with bot platform partner Pandorabots to create the bots, first identifying what customers were most interested in, and how they were engaging with the site. The bots for Messenger offered varied content, such as customer service, fit and care, branded content and shopping. American Eagle Outfitters used an API to integrate its product catalog into the bots so that customers could easily browse products within Messenger. Customers can also view product thumbnails and save items they are thinking about buying
“Our goal is to give consumers an experience online as close to personalized as our sales associates do in store everyday by looking at clues that help us recommend which style to explore, which items to buy, and what gifts might be perfect for a recipient,” says D’Arcy. “Our bot quizzes and gift guides help us try and replicate that experience online and personalize our suggestions accordingly.”
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ADB agrees to finance 20 MW solar facility in Afghanistan | The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to provide $44.7m of financing for a 20 MW grid-connected solar facility near Kabul in Afghanistan. Should the project be successful, the plant could be expanded to 40 MW. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water is to offer infrastructural support, technical evaluation, grid integration, and operation and maintenance of the project. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/27/adb-finances-20-mw-of-solar-in-afghanistan-with-44-7-million/ | 2017-12-05 11:27:36.220000 | The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to finance a large-scale PV power project in Afghanistan to the tune of US$44.7 million. The loan will be used to finance the construction of a 20 MW grid-connected solar facility in Naghlu, Surobi district, close to the country’s capital Kabul. The solar park, ADB said in a statement, will initially fill the demand-supply gap, and improve sustainability of the northeast grid covering Kabul, Nangarhar, and the Laghman provinces.
The project will also prepare the site and substation for another 10 MW of large-scale PV. The projects, in fact, may be expanded up to 40 MW, “if additional financing from other development partners or the private sector is realized.”
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water, and government-owned energy utility Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat will provide support for the project in the form of plant design, technical evaluation, grid integration, and operation and maintenance. The project, on the other hand, will provide power transformer and support facilities, upgrade the capacity of the existing substation, and operation and maintenance services for three years.
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“The new on-grid solar power generation project, which is the largest of its kind in Afghanistan, will not only provide access to a clean and reliable power supply, but also demonstrate the viability of future renewable energy investments through public-private partnerships,” said ADB’s Country Director for Afghanistan, Samuel Tumiwa.
In late March, Afghanistan’s High Economic Council approved a plan to deploy 100 MW of renewable energy generation capacity, which included 65 MW of hybrid solar. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water aims to install 500 MW of PV plants by 2020. The country’s renewable energy policy is targeting 4 GW to 5 GW of new renewable energy capacity by 2030. |
China's Chalco to raise $1.9bn by selling stakes in subsidiaries | State-owned Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco) is raising CNY12.6bn ($1.9bn) by selling stakes in four of its subsidiaries, as it seeks to reduce its debt-to-equity ratio. It is offloading 30.8% of Chalco Shandong, a 36.9% stake in Zhongzhou Aluminium, 25.7% in Baotou Aluminium and 81.1% in Chalco Mining. The move comes amid a push by the Chinese government to reduce corporate debt.
| https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Deals/China-s-Chalco-to-raise-about-1.90-billion-by-selling-stakes-in-4-units | 2017-12-05 11:19:35.373000 | HONG KONG (Nikkei Markets) -- Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco) said it entered agreements to raise a total 12.60 billion yuan ($1.90 billion) by selling stakes in four subsidiaries to investors including China Life Insurance, in a move aimed at reducing the Chinese state-owned aluminum producer's debt-equity ratio.
Chalco will sell 30.8% of Chalco Shandong for 1.79 billion yuan, a 36.9% stake in Zhongzhou Aluminum for 2.40 billion yuan, 25.67% in Baotou Aluminum for 2.64 billion yuan and 81.14% of Chalo Mining for 5.77 billion yuan, it informed the stock exchange late Monday. |
MBSB to fund 50 MW Malaysian solar plant | Malaysia Building Society Berhad (MBSB) will provide $60.4m to Solar Management to develop a 50 MW solar project in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. Solar Management (Seremban) will maintain and operate the facility after it is completed by November 2018. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/29/mbsb-to-finance-50-mw-in-malaysia/ | 2017-12-05 11:02:11.763000 | PV developer Solar Management (Seremban) will design, build and operate the array in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. It is scheduled for completion by the end of November 2018.
The deal marks the first time MBSB has provided financing for a solar project. Solar Management (Seremban) will mainly use the funds to pay for EPC services and the commissioning of the project.
“The Islamic financing facility consists of 19 million ringgit of Performance Guarantee-i under the Kafalah concept and 228 million ringgit of term financing with the sub limit of 137 million ringgit under the Tawarruq and Kafalah concept respectively,” MBSB said in an online statement.
Tee Cheng Hua, director of Solar Management (Seremban), praised the Malaysian government’s feed-in-tariff (FiT) scheme, the Net Energy Metering (NEM) mechanism and its support for the development of large-scale PV plants.
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Separately, Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported this week that China Machinery Engineering Corp. (CMEC) will supply PV equipment to Mattan Engineering, the EPC services provider that is working on the 50 MW array in Rembau. Under the terms of the 137 million ringgit contract, CMEC — a unit of China National Machinery Industry Corp. — will mainly provide PV modules and racks, Xinhua said.
MBSB’s financing package is the second Islamic financing facility to be announced for a PV project in Malaysia in recent weeks. In mid-November, Malaysian engineering firm Mudajaya revealed plans to raise up to 245 million ringgit by issuing sukuk Islamic bonds, to back the construction of a 49 MW solar array in the town of Sungai Siput, Kuala Kangsar, Perak. |
IMEEI to buy a 98.87% stake in two Chinese solar companies | IM No. 3 Power Co., part of infrastructure company Inner Mongolia Energy Engineering (IMEEI), is to buy a 98.87% stake in Wulate Qianqi Photovoltaics for $73.25m. The company will also buy a 100% equity stake in Alashan Youqi New Energy, which develops solar materials and energy storage materials. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/29/imeei-to-acquire-60-mw-solar-stake-in-china-for-73-million/ | 2017-12-05 11:00:07.183000 | As China has begun to close the technology gap, opportunities for Taiwanese manufacturers may lie closer to home, offering conditions that could perfectly suit the high efficiency technology.
IM No. 3 Power Co., a wholly owned unit of Hohhot-based energy infrastructure specialist IMEEI, will buy a 98.87% stake in Wulate Qianqi Photovoltaics from the 48th Research Institute for CNY 139.3 million.
It will also purchase a 100% equity stake in Alashan Youqi New Energy for CNY 24.3 million from the same company, which develops PV projects and produces energy storage materials, integrated circuits, LED products, magnetic materials and sensors. As part of the transaction, IM No. 3 Power will also settle the debts of the two acquisition targets, according to a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Solar developer Wulate Qianqi Photovoltaics owns a 50 MW solar project at an undisclosed location in China. The array was connected to the grid in late 2014. PV investor Alashan Youqi New Energy, meanwhile, owns a 10 MW solar installation at another unspecified location in China. It was connected to the grid in March 2015.
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IMEEI launched its PV investment business in 2015. By the end of May 2016, it filed for the rights to build 4.3 GW of solar capacity, according to a statement on its website. The group — which also develops solar thermal, wind and coal-fired power projects — recorded a net profit of CNY 243.6 million in the first half of 2017.
Its construction contracting business posted a gross profit of CNY 117.5 million, up 31.7% year on year. The company said its PV business helped to raise its gross profit margin considerably in the first six months of the year. It has not revealed how much operational solar capacity it owns. |
Major Starbucks opens in China to serve growing taste for coffee | Starbucks has opened its first Starbucks Reserve Roastery outside the US in Shanghai, which is also its largest store in the world. China is vital to the US coffee company, as it is its fastest-growing market and Starbucks is finding sales growth difficult to achieve elsewhere. Starbucks is planning to have 10,000 stores in China within a decade, with sales up 8% quarter on quarter. The opening was promoted with the help of Alibaba's e-commerce site, where Chinese customers were able to book tastings and buy coffee and other products.
| http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/05/news/starbucks-china-shanghai-biggest-store/index.html | 2017-12-05 10:59:53.673000 | Starbucks is going venti in China.
The Seattle-based coffee company opened a 30,000-square-foot store in Shanghai on Tuesday. It's the first Starbucks Reserve Roastery -- the company's new retail offering -- outside the U.S.
It's also the largest Starbucks in the world, spanning an area nearly twice as large as the next biggest, a Roastery in Seattle that opened three years ago.
Executive Chairman Howard Schultz said the store would blend the company's 46-year history in the coffee shop business with "China's rich, diverse culture."
China is a vital market for Starbucks (SBUX), according to John Gordon, a restaurant analyst at Pacific Management Consulting.
The company's latest quarterly earnings were pretty gloomy, showing disappointing sales growth in a tough retail environment.
The one bright spot was China, which stood out as Starbucks' fastest growing market. Sales there were up 8% compared with the same quarter last year.
The company is riding that wave and expanding aggressively in China, opening a new Starbucks store every 15 hours on average.
Related: China will get 2,000 more McDonald's restaurants in the next few years
Even though Chinese are traditionally tea guzzlers and less hooked on coffee than Americans, the country's growing ranks of upwardly mobile consumers still view Starbucks as an attractive, aspirational brand.
The company is playing to that perception with its new Shanghai shop.
"This is a show store," Gordon said. "The point is to be in a highly, highly visible, touristy [area] where there's foot traffic, offices and urban housing in order to promote the brand."
Related: Starbucks bets big on China
The store features massive copper casks for storing coffee beans, although the actual roasting will take place elsewhere on the premises. There is also a special emphasis on tea, with a dedicated bar offering items like nitrogen cold brew tea.
In a sign of the times, Starbucks partnered with Chinese tech giant Alibaba (BABA) to aggressively promote the Shanghai store opening online. Customers can book coffee tasting experiences on Alibaba's e-commerce site and also buy special Starbucks Reserve coffee and related products tied to the store's launch.
But the Shanghai roastery won't hold the title of largest Starbucks for too long. The company has already inked a deal for an enormous 43,000-square-foot Reserve Roastery in Chicago that's set to open in 2019. |
Surge in defective product recalls raises financial risk | A surge in defective products, resulting in recalls, has led to insured losses of over $2bn in the past five years. This now makes it the biggest liability loss, according to insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Speciality, which warned that defective products not only "pose a serious safety threat to the public, but can also cause significant financial damage to the companies responsible". The rise has much to do with the shift of manufacturing to Asia, which accounts for a disproportionate amount of recalls in Europe and the US due to less stringent quality controls.
| http://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/defective-product-recalls-an-increasing-financial-risk-for-companies | 2017-12-05 10:46:12.523000 | SINGAPORE - Defective productsor work-related incidents have caused insured losses in excess of US$2 billion over the past five years, making them the largest generator of liability losses, insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) said in a report released on Tuesday (Dec 5).
This means that defective products not only "pose a serious safety threat to the public, but can also cause significant financial damage to the companies responsible", AGCS said.
In particular, with manufacturing activity shifting to Asia, "Asia continues to account for a disproportionate number of recalls in the US and Europe, due to historically weaker quality controls in some countries", AGCS said.
In the US, Chinese manufactured products accounted for over three times as many recall cases as US-made products. Citing Samsung's recall of its Galaxy Note 7 phones and Takata's defective airbags, the report also noted that three out of the eight largest recalls costing more than a billion dollars in recent times originated in Asia, specifically Japan and South Korea.
Concurrently, a rise in recalls may be attributed to tougher regulation, more complex global supply chains, growing consumer awareness and materials being provided from fewer suppliers.
According to AGCS, the average cost of a significant recall stands at US$12 million, with "ripple effect" events costing up to billions. Based on its research, the car industry has been most impacted by product recalls, followed by the food and beverage sector.
In the case of Japanese manufacturer Takata, 60 to 70 million units across at least 19 manufacturers were being recalled globally, amounting to an estimated cost of US$25 billion, which led to Takata's bankruptcy this year. "Given the use of many common components, a single recall can impact a whole industry," AGCS said.
Additionally, the report also identified emerging recall triggers that will drive future risks and claims, largely stemming from new technologies. These include: cyber recalls from security vulnerabilities or hackers manipulating products, social media and recalls for ethical reasons.
Allianz suggests that pre-event preparation can have a huge impact on the size of a recall and the financial and reputational damage sustained. It added that specialised product recall insurance can help businesses recover faster by covering the costs of a recall, including business interruption.
Said head of global crisis management at AGCS, Christof Bentele: "There is now much more attention on how companies deal with defective or contaminated products, how responsive they are and how resilient their safety systems are. More than ever consumers are also part of the agenda and are driving company behaviour by making their choices subject to how companies deal with crises."
"A company that embraces crisis management, and makes it part of its DNA, is far less likely to suffer a major incidence," he added. |
WeWork India takes 170,000 sq ft in two deals across Mumbai | WeWork India has signed two separate deals totalling 170,000 sq ft across two suburbs of Mumbai. Of the deals, nearly 100,000 sq ft is based in the Blackstone Group's 247 Park in the Vikhroli suburb. The second deal is for a 70,000 sq ft office building in Andheri. Both leases will run for 20 years, with rental reset clauses every three years. This adds to the existing 330,000 sq ft of leased WeWork deals concluded earlier in the year.
| https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/property-/-cstruction/wework-india-inks-lease-deals-for-1-7-lakh-sq-ft-in-mumbai/articleshow/61909458.cms | 2017-12-05 10:43:00.793000 | Trump Faces Daunting Task in Classified Docs Case: Experts Donald Trump faces a formidable task defending against charges that he illegally kept top-secret documents upon leaving the White House in 2021, according to legal experts, who said neither the law nor the facts appear to be on his side.
FY23 Growth May Beat Current 7.2% Estimate: CEA India’s FY23 growth could be higher than the current estimate of 7.2% when the numbers for the fiscal are finalised in early 2026, chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said on Saturday. |
Lendlease to cover costs of replacing combustible cladding | Lendlease, or its insurer, will pay for the replacement of external cladding that failed building-code fire standards on Melbourne's Royal Hospital. It's one of 20 medical centres that Victoria state health officials say are clad in materials that pose a fire hazard and need retrofitting.
| http://www.afr.com/real-estate/lendlease-to-foot-bill-replace-cladding-on-melbournes-royal-womens-hospital-20171202-gzxj3k | 2017-12-05 10:43:00.793000 | Lendlease will cover the cost of replacing combustible cladding on Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital, in what Victoria's top health property official says will be the first of 20 hospitals that need to be rectified.
The contractor – or its insurers – will foot the bill for rectifying the 10 per cent of external cladding that does not comply with the building code and is the first of eight hospital buildings that the state government says has cladding that will be removed and replaced.
Twelve more hospitals are undergoing extensive tests to determine whether their cladding meets building code requirements.
Lendlease will replace cladding on Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital. Daniel Pockett
"There's a level of compliance where they actually didn't deliver the building in the way we asked for the building to be built, so therefore they accept that they have to rectify it," said Robert Fiske, the chief executive of the Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority.
Lendlease's liability for the work – a consequence of its acquisition of the hospital's original builder Baulderstone Hornibrook – has previously been reported. The disclosure on Friday of the list of up to 20 hospitals, however, makes it clear that the costs of non-compliant cladding is now hitting the wider construction industry. |
Europe's largest solar plant to be built in Spain | Spanish industrial group ACS is to construct Europe's largest solar facility in the Spanish region of Aragón. The 549 MW plant will include 12 substations and will cost €330m ($390m) to construct. Currently, Europe's largest solar facility is a 300 MW installation near Bordeaux in France.
| https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/30/spains-aragon-region-prepares-to-host-europes-largest-solar-plant/ | 2017-12-05 10:34:25.400000 | The government of the Spanish region of Aragón announced it will fast-track the development of a 549 MW PV project that Spain’s industrial conglomerate ACS hopes to build in an area located between the municipalities of Escatrón and Chiprana.
The Government Council has decided to classify the investment “of public interest for the region”, in order to halve the usual administrative procedures for the project’s authorization.
The €330 million plant will consist of 12 sub-stations. They will be owned by special purpose vehicles under the control of Cobras Concesiones SL, a unit of Cobra, which is itself the renewable energy arm of the group ACS. The company has already submitted approval requests to the relevant environmental authorities of the region for all the project’s units, the local government said.
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When completed, Cobra’s project will be Europe’s largest solar power plant. Currently, the Old Continent’s biggest solar park is a 300 MW solar plant located in Cestas, in France’s Bordeaux region.
The project was selected by Spain’s Ministry of Ministry of Energy, Tourism and the Digital Agenda in this year’s second renewable energy auction held in July, in which 3.9 GW of solar capacity was allocated. In the auction, the ACS group had the largest share of solar projects with around 1.55 GW of assigned capacity. The PV projects selected in the contest must start delivering power in 2020. |
Fortum to buy 35 MW of solar facilities in Russia | Finnish power utility Fortum has agreed to acquire 35 MW of solar plants in Russia. The deal includes three facilities; the Pleshanovskaya and Grachevskaya solar power plants each have a capacity of 10 MW, while the Bugulchanskaya solar plant has a capacity of 15 MW. Fortum plans to invest significant sums in Indian solar plants. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/30/fortum-to-buy-35-mw-of-solar-plants-in-russia/ | 2017-12-05 10:30:53.013000 | Finnish power utility Fortum has continued the expansion of its solar energy business by acquiring 35 MW of solar plants in Russia.
Fortum said the seller was Russian solar module maker and project developer Hevel Solar, without providing details on the financial terms of the deal.
Two of the plants, the Pleshanovskaya and Grachevskaya solar power plants (both with a capacity of 10 MW each), are located in the Orenburg region, while the third facility, the 15 MW Bugulchanskaya solar plant, was installed in the Republic of Bashkortostan.
All of the projects were commissioned between 2016 and 2017 and currently receive guaranteed capacity payments for a period of 15 years under the Russian Government's capacity supply agreement (CSA), after commissioning at an average CSA price corresponding to approximately €430/MWh, Fortum added.
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The Finnish power provider currently owns eight power plants in the Chelyabinsk and Tyumen regions, mainly comprising gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) capacity. To date, the company has built over 2 GW production capacity that receives guaranteed capacity payments, currently for a period of 10 years under the Russian Government's CSA scheme. In 2016, Fortum's Russian operations represented around a quarter of its sales and about a third of the comparable operating profit.
Fortum is targeting a GW-scale wind and solar portfolio. The company aims to invest between €200 million and €400 million in large-scale solar projects in India. In early April, Fortum completed its third solar park in India: a 70 MW PV plant located at the Bhadla solar park in Rajasthan, northwestern India. The company is also planning to build a solar park in Luunja Municipality, near Tartu in northeastern Estonia. |
UK government expected to break promise on worker representation | The UK government is expected to abandon promises to put workers on company boards. Instead, the UK Financial Reporting Council will give firms options on how to consult employees. The proposed changes to the City corporate code would require firms to disclose their gender and diversity balance, and to discuss dissent with shareholders in the event of a 20% vote against remuneration reports.
| https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/dec/05/corporate-code-overhaul-backtracks-may-pledge-workers-boards-financial-reporting-council | 2017-12-05 10:04:50.340000 | Companies would not be forced to appoint workers to their boards and instead be allowed to choose how they intend to heed the views of employees, according to proposals to overhaul boardroom rules.
The proposals, to be published on Tuesday, appear to confirm that Theresa May’s pledge to put workers on boards – made during her campaign last year to become Conservative party leader – has been abandoned.
Within three months she had started to water down the pledge, while in August the government offered three potential options to give employees a voice in the boardroom. The government said it would ask the Financial Reporting Council – the accountancy regulator that oversees the corporate governance code for all listed stock market companies – to consult on the three options.
A consultation published by the FRC includes all three options – to assign a non-executive director to represent employees, to create an employee advisory council or to nominate a director from the workforce. While it does not list other options, it means that the City corporate code will include a provision for employees’ voices to be heard in the boardroom.
The City corporate code will include a provision for employees’ voices to be heard in the boardroom. Photograph: Getty Images
The TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said it was “good that the code recognises the key role workers’ voices play within businesses”.
“The next step is for the corporate governance code to recognise the important role that unions play in the long-term success of companies,” she added.
The code operates across stock market listed companies and operates on a “comply or explain” basis so that companies which ignore its provisions must provide an explanation.
The consultation – open until February – also includes plans that would require firms to publish their gender balance, building upon recommendations in the review by Sir Philip Hampton and Dame Helen Alexander, who died in August, in to boardroom diversity.
The FRC is proposing that these figures include the first layer of management below the board – and their direct reports – and goes further than suggested by including all companies and not just the 350 biggest listings on the stock market.
It does not propose similar disclosure on ethnicity but asks for views on whether it should encourage the release of more information on this issue.
The FRC’s latest proposals would also mean that companies which have a 20% vote against their remuneration report would have to explain how they intend to discuss the dissent with shareholders.
Sir Win Bischoff, chair of the FRC, said: “At this crucial time and as the country approaches Brexit, a revised code will be essential to restoring trust in business, attracting investment and ensuring the long-term success of companies for ... wider society.” |
Masdar to build world's largest floating solar farm in Indonesia | Abu Dhabi-based clean energy group Masdar plans to build the world's largest floating solar farm with a unit of Indonesian state utility PT PLN. The 200 MW installation will cover 225 hectares of the 6,000-hectare Cirata Reservoir in West Java province, which already provides power for a 1 GW hydroelectric plant. Masdar will moor 700,000 floats to the bottom of the reservoir. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/29/masdar-to-build-200-mw-floating-pv-array-in-indonesia/ | 2017-12-05 09:01:25.887000 | Upon completion, the project will be the biggest floating PV installation in the world. It will cover 225 hectares of surface area on the Cirata Reservoir in West Java province. Masdar will moor 700,000 floats to the bottom of the 6,000-hectare reservoir, which already provides power for a 1 GW hydroelectric plant. It did not reveal additional details about the project, which will include an onshore high-voltage substation.
Masdar’s deal with PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali follows a memorandum of understanding they signed in July. The two sides aim to collaborate on energy projects on the islands of Java, Bali and Sumatra, according to an online statement.
“We believe this project development agreement is a milestone in the development of other floating PV solar power plants,” said Iwan Agung Firstantara, president director of PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali.
Masdar claimed that a key advantage of floating PV in tropical countries is that can provide energy in forested areas that would otherwise be unsuitable for solar development. It said an additional 60 reservoirs throughout Indonesia could be developed to host floating solar plants.
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Masdar has invested $2.7 billion in renewable energy projects throughout the world since 2006. Its bigger projects include the Hywind Scotland and London Array offshore wind farms, as well as a 200 MW solar plant in Jordan.
Last year, it won the rights to build the 800 MW third phase of the Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in collaboration with Fotowatio Renewable Ventures and Spain’s GranSolar. The consortium will build the project for $0.0299/kWh, among the world’s lowest winning bids for a solar power installation. |
NREL develops perovskite solar window with 11.3% efficiency | Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have presented a perovskite-based solar window that gets darker the sunnier it is and has a conversion efficiency of 11.3%. The window drives out methylamine molecules when it is exposed to sunlight, darkening the glass, and absorbs them as it cools back down. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/12/01/solar-powered-smart-window-technology-takes-a-big-leap-forward/ | 2017-12-05 08:59:07.703000 | Relying on perovskites and single-walled carbon nanotubes, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed a smart window, which converts sunlight into electricity while going from transparent to tinted in order to minimize heat coming into the structure.
The color change comes from molecules (methylamine), which are driven out of the window device when exposed to sunlight (less than 3% visible transmittance), and reversibly absorbed into the device, returning the absorber layer —composed of a metal halide perovskite-methylamine complex— to the transparent state (68% visible transmittance) as the device cools back down.
The prototypes tested showed a solar power conversion efficiency of 11.3%.
“There is a fundamental trade-off between a good window and a good solar cell. This technology bypasses that. We have a good solar cell when there’s lots of sunshine and we have a good window when there’s not,” said Lance Wheeler, the lead author of the paper, Switchable Photovoltaic Windows Enabled by Reversible Photothermal Complex Dissociation from Methylammonium Lead Iodide, published in Nature Communications.
Although, according to Wheeler, the new technology holds the potential to be integrated into vehicles, buildings and beyond, cycle stability, however, still needs improvement. In testing under 1-sun illumination, the 1-square-centimeter demonstration device cycled through repeated transparent-tinted cycles, but the performance declined over the course of 20 cycles due to restructuring of the switchable layer chemical issues, thus leading to degradation.
Meanwhile, the findings from University of Cambridge scientists, currently based at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, have shed more light on the little known molecular mechanisms between the electrodes and electrolyte that combine to determine how a dye-sensitized solar cell operates.
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“Most previous studies have modeled the molecular function of these working electrodes without considering the electrolyte ingredients,” said Jacqui Cole, research team lead. “Our work shows that these chemical ingredients can clearly influence the performance of solar cells, so we can now use this knowledge to tune the ions to increase photovoltaic efficiency.”
The research findings, published in Nanoscale, indicate how a thin-film electrode containing titanium dioxide, a naturally occurring compound found in paint, sunscreen and food coloring, can have a huge impact on solar cell efficiency.
“Prior research considered the working electrodes outside the device, so there has been no path to determine how the different device components interact,” Cole said. “Our work signifies a huge leap forward as it’s the world's first example of applying in situ neutron reflectometry to dye-sensitized solar cells.”
The cells recently broke a world record with a power conversion efficiency of 14.3% using a dye-sensitized electrode featuring two co-sensitized metal-free organic dyes. These dyes “promise cheaper, more environmentally friendly synthetic routes and greater molecular design flexibility than their metal-containing counterparts,” according to the paper.
“We just need a modest boost in performance to make these solar cells competitive,” Cole said, “since price-to-performance governs the economics of the solar cell industry. And manufacturing dye-sensitized solar cells is very cheap relative to other solar cell technologies.” |
Finland's Wärtsilä to build 75 MW solar PV plant in Nigeria | Finnish technology company Wärtsilä is to deploy 75 MW of solar power in Nigeria, after being awarded a contract by Pan Africa Solar Ltd to build the facility in the north of the country. Nigeria plans for renewable energy to account for 30% of power production by 2030. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/24/wartsila-to-deploy-75-mw-dc-of-pv-in-nigeria/ | 2017-12-05 08:48:34.777000 | Helsinki-based manufacturer for energy solutions, Wärtsilä signed a contract to build a 75 MW (AC) PV power plant in Nigeria with Pan Africa Solar Ltd.
The company said in a press release said that this will be its first grid-connected utility-scale PV project and Nigeria’s largest PV plant, when completed. The solar park will be built at an unspecified location in in Katsina State, in northern Nigeria.
“Our contract bid was successful because we were able to bring added value to the project in various areas, including local support and technical advisory services. Pan Africa Solar and Wärtsilä are currently finalising the EPC contract and in the meantime, this letter of Award is a major milestone,” said the president of Wärtsilä Energy Solutions, Javier Cavada.
Wärtsilä specified that the project is one of the 14 solar projects that were proposed by IPPs and were selected by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET), part of Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Power, in July 2016.
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At the time, NBET signed power purchase agreements for as much as 975 MW of solar. The first to be signed was for the above-mentioned Pan Africa Solar’s project. Other companies that signed PPAs with NBET include, among others, Nigeria Solar Capital Partners for a 135 MW solar farm in Ganjuwa, and AfriNigeria who will develop a 50 MW project in Nasarawa state.
In Nigeria, solar IPPs usually negotiate and execute a put and call option agreement (PCOA) with the Federal Ministry of Finance after executing a PPA. The PCOA agreement transfers the payment risk from the state-owned company Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) directly to the ministry. The Put Call Option Agreement (PCOA) is a guarantee mechanism recently adopted by the Nigerian government.
Nigeria aims to cover 30% of total energy capacity through renewables by 2030. |
Solar in developing nations jumped 54% in 2016: BNEF | A total of 34 GW of new solar power generating capacity came online in 2016 in 71 emerging market countries, an increase of 54%, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance's Climatescope report. China accounted for 27 GW, followed by India with 4.2 GW. technologies including photovoltaics in micro-grids, pay-as-you-go battery/lantern systems, water pumps, and mobile phone towers are driving take-up in emerging markets, BNEF said. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/28/solar-deployment-in-developing-countries-soars-by-54-yoy-finds-bnef/ | 2017-12-05 08:42:26.387000 | Despite a decrease in total new clean energy investment, new solar-powered generating capacity in non-OECD countries grew 54% YoY in 2016 and tripled over three years fueled by low-price equipment and innovative new applications.
According to the Bloomberg New Energy Finance's (BNEF's) Climatescope report, which assesses 71 countries in emerging markets on their progress made towards the clean energy transition, and reports on clean energy investment in those countries, the total solar PV capacity scaled up from 22 GW added in 2015, and a mere 3 GW in 2011, to 34 GW in 2016, which alone would meet the total annual electricity demands of 45 million homes in India, or of every home in Peru or Nigeria.
Figure 1: Solar new-build in Climatescope nations (gigawatts)
Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Taking on the mantle of leader among the developing nations, China accounted for 27 GW, followed by India with 4.2 GW. Meanwhile, Brazil, Chile, Jordan, Mexico Pakistan, and nine other nations saw installed photovoltaic capacity double or more.
“The massive drop in photovoltaic module prices we’ve seen over the last several years continues to reverberate through developing countries,” said Ethan Zindler, Head of Americas for BNEF. “It's creating opportunities ranging from multi-million dollar projects that serve the grid, to small-scale installations that enable farmers to boost their yields through better irrigation and to connect to the Internet.”
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In renewable capacity deployment, new applications such as photovoltaics in micro-grids, pay-as-you-go battery/lantern systems, water pumps, and even mobile phone towers are driving the deployment hike, with start-ups often taking the lead, securing financing from private sources, and forging partnerships with large corporations such as telecom providers. For instance, more than 1.5 million households in Africa now use solar home systems that were bought on a mobile-money enabled financing plan, up from just 600,000 at the end of 2015, finds BNEF.
Overall, solar accounted for 19% of all new generating capacity added in Climatescope countries last year, up from 10.6% in 2015, and 2% in 2011.
Total new clean energy investment in non-OECD countries fell by $40.2 billion to $111.4 billion in 2016, from $151.6 billion in 2015. While China accounted for three quarters of the decline, new clean energy investment in all other non-OECD countries also fell 25% from 2015 levels, the report finds.
Meanwhile, in terms of policy, 76% of the nations have established domestic CO2 containment goals, demonstrating the brisk pace at which developing countries are shifting to renewables. This was also indicated by the World Bank’s RISE (Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy) scorecard, which assessed the energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy policies of 111 countries earlier this year, and found that developing nations, such as Mexico, China, India and Brazil, are increasingly taking the lead in delivering supportive policies for clean energy adoption.
However, there is still room for improvement, as according to BNEF, only two thirds (67%) have introduced feed-in tariffs, or auctions to support clean energy projects, and just 18% have set domestic greenhouse gas emissions reduction policies. |
Burkina Faso turns on 33 MW solar PV plant | France’s Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union has financed Burkina Faso's largest PV plant. The 33 MW solar facility is located near the capital Ouagadougou and will supply 5% of the country’s total electricity consumption. It will sell power to local utility company Sonabel at $0.06 per kWh. | https://www.pv-magazine.com/2017/11/28/burkina-faso-commissions-33-mw-pv-plant/ | 2017-12-05 08:39:30.267000 | The president of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, and the French president Emmanuel Macron, have today officially commissioned what they call Westen Africa's largest PV plant.
According the country’s Minister of Energy, the PV 33 MW plant is located in the Zagtouli village near the capital Ouagadougou. The project was financed by France’s Development Agency (AFD) to the tune of €22.5 million and by the European Union with €25 million. The facility is supplying 5% – about 55 GWh per year – of the country’s total electricity consumption.
According to AFD, the plant will sell power to local utility Sonabel at 35 CFA (around $0.06) per kWh, while producing energy cost the energy provider an average of 133 CFA per kWh in 2016. It was built by Cegelec, a unit of French developer Vinci Energies, with 129,600 solar modules with an output of 26o W.
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Although Burkina Faso is a landlocked country with very limited access energy resources, it has an annual solar radiation of 19.8 MJ/ m2 per day and the direct sunshine is over 3,000 hours per year. The governmemt’s recent energy strategy is seeking to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and gradually shift the country’s production mix to clean energy and electricity imports at an affordable cost.
The World Bank approved a $80 million credit to Burkina Faso for the Electricity Sector Support Project (PASEL) in June of this year. The funds are being used to incorporate low-cost solar resources into Burkina Faso’s energy mix and improve its distribution network, the financial institution said at the time. Later in October, the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has announced that it will provide an undisclosed sum to co-finance Burkina Faso’s plans to electrify several rural areas in the period 2017-2021. |
David Attenborough warns of threat to oceans | Oceans face their greatest ever threat, according to naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who will use the final episode of his Blue Planet 2 series to warn that the future of life on earth is now dependent on humanity taking action against climate change, overfishing, noise and plastic pollution. The final episode of the series, which also highlights the dangers posed to the Great Barrier Reef by coral bleaching, will be devoted entirely to the threats faced by the oceans. The series passed a fact check ordered by BBC executives concerned that it would be accused of being too political.
| https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/05/oceans-under-greatest-threat-in-history-warns-sir-david-attenborough | 2017-12-05 08:38:39.190000 | The world’s oceans are under the greatest threat in history, according to Sir David Attenborough. The seas are a vital part of the global ecosystem, leaving the future of all life on Earth dependent on humanity’s actions, he says.
Attenborough will issue the warning in the final episode of the Blue Planet 2 series, which details the damage being wreaked in seas around the globe by climate change, plastic pollution, overfishing and even noise.
Previous BBC nature series presented by Attenborough have sometimes been criticised for treading too lightly around humanity’s damage to the planet. But the final episode of the latest series is entirely dedicated to the issue.
“For years we thought the oceans were so vast and the inhabitants so infinitely numerous that nothing we could do could have an effect upon them. But now we know that was wrong,” says Attenborough. “It is now clear our actions are having a significant impact on the world’s oceans. [They] are under threat now as never before in human history. Many people believe the oceans have reached a crisis point.”
Attenborough says: “Surely we have a responsibility to care for our blue planet. The future of humanity, and indeed all life on Earth, now depends on us.”
BBC executives were reportedly concerned about the series appearing to become politicised and ordered a fact-check, which it passed. The series producer, Mark Brownlow, said it was impossible to overlook the harm being caused in the oceans: “We just couldn’t ignore it – it wouldn’t be a truthful portrayal of the world’s oceans. We are not out there to campaign. We are just showing it as it is and it is quite shocking.”
A bleached section of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Photograph: BBC NHU
Brownlow said much of the footage shot of albatross chicks being killed by the plastic they mistake for food were too upsetting to broadcast. The programme also filmed on the Great Barrier Reef in 2016, witnessing the worst bleaching event in its history.
Climate change is causing ocean temperatures to rise, bleaching the corals vital as nurseries for ocean life, and waters are warming rapidly in Antarctica too. Jon Copley, from the University of Southampton and one of many scientists appearing in the final episode, says. “What shocks me about what all the data shows is how fast things are changing here [in Antarctica]. We’re headed into uncharted territory”
Carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning also dissolves in seawater, making it more acidic. Prof Chris Langdon, at the University of Miami, says it is “beyond question” that the problem is manmade. “The shells and the reefs really, truly are dissolving. The reefs could be gone by the end of the century.”
The noise from shipping, tourism, and fossil fuel exploration is also revealed as harming sea life. Steve Simpson, at the University of Exeter, who works on coral reefs in southeast Asia, says: “There is a whole language underwater that we are only just getting a handle on. They use sound to attract a mate, to scare away a predator. You hear pops and grunts and gurgles and snaps.” He shows the noise of motorboats distracting saddleback clownfishes from warning against a predator attack.
The Blue Planet 2 team found plastic everywhere they filmed, even in the most remote locations such as South Georgia island, an important breeding site for wandering albatrosses. There, Lucy Quinn from the British Antarctic Survey says many chicks are killed by plastic fed to them by their parents, including one young bird whose stomach was punctured by a plastic toothpick.
Overfishing, which remains prevalent around the world, is also addressed. “Every night thousands of miles of fishing lines laden with hooks are set – there is enough, it is said, to wrap twice around the world,” says Attenborough. But the programme also highlights some success stories, such as the revival of sperm whales off Sri Lanka and herring stocks off Norway after bans or restrictions were put in place.
Strict management of the herring fishery in Norway has saved it from collapse. Herring now draw in humpback whales and orca. Photograph: Audun Rikardsen
Attenborough also visits Trinidad, where the conservationist Len Peters has transformed the prospects of the giant leatherback turtles who come to the island to lay their eggs and whose numbers have fallen catastrophically in recent decades. “I grew up in a house where turtle meat was normal,” says Peters. But his work to end turtle hunting and encourage tourism has seen numbers rise from 30-40 to more than 500.
Quinn says the oceans are of vital importance for the whole world: “The oceans provide us with oxygen, they regulate temperature, they provide us with food and energy supplies. It is unthinkable to have a world without a healthy ocean.”
Daniel Pauly, who leads the Sea Around Us programme at the University of British Columbia in Canada, and was not involved in Blue Planet 2, endorsed its stark conclusion. He said vast, subsidised fishing fleets were scraping the bottom of the barrel and that ocean acidification could be terminal for many species.
Pauly also warned of the dangers of plastic attracting toxic chemicals and then being eaten: “They become poison pills.” Pauly said the question facing humanity now was simple: “Are we going to fight for the oceans or not?”
The final episode of Blue Planet 2 is at 8pm on BBC1 on 10 December in the UK. The full series will then be available online via the iPlayer, including in ultra HD and high dynamic range, the first time the BBC has provided such content. |
Google hiring thousands of moderators to counter YouTube abuse | Google will hire thousands of additional moderators next year following criticism that the company allowed offensive material, including hate speech and child abuse, to appear on its video-sharing website, YouTube. The move, which will take the company’s total moderating workforce to over 10,000, was announced by YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, who said that the company would also continue to develop machine-learning technology designed to automatically highlight content for removal. Last month, the New York Times reported that YouTube Kids was hosting violent and sexual material, sometimes featuring nursery rhymes and familiar characters. | https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/business/media/youtube-kids-paw-patrol.html | 2017-12-05 08:08:18.570000 | Mr. Ducard said that while YouTube Kids may highlight some content, like Halloween videos in October, “it isn’t a curated experience.” Instead, “parents are in the driver’s seat,” he said, pointing to the ability to block channels, set usage timers and disable search results.
Parents are also encouraged to report inappropriate videos, which someone at YouTube then manually reviews, he said. He noted that in the past 30 days, “less than .005 percent” of the millions of videos viewed in the app were removed for being inappropriate.
“We strive,” he added, “to make that fraction even lower.”
Holly Hart of Gray, Tenn., said she was recently reading while her 3-year-old daughter was in the room when she noticed that Disney Junior characters in the video her daughter was watching started “turning into monsters and trying to feed each other to alligators.” An image previewing a recommended video showed the characters in a provocative pose.
“It was an eye-opener for me,” said Ms. Hart, who had downloaded the app because it was being used at the local elementary school.
Not all of the inappropriate videos feature cartoons. Alisa Clark Wilcken of Vernal, Utah, said her 4-year-old son had recently seen a video of a family playing roughly with a young girl, including a scene in which her forehead is shaved, causing her to wail and appear to bleed. |
Google hiring thousands of moderators to counter YouTube abuse | Google will hire thousands of additional moderators next year following criticism that the company allowed offensive material, including hate speech and child abuse, to appear on its video-sharing website, YouTube. The move, which will take the company’s total moderating workforce to over 10,000, was announced by YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, who said that the company would also continue to develop machine-learning technology designed to automatically highlight content for removal. Last month, the New York Times reported that YouTube Kids was hosting violent and sexual material, sometimes featuring nursery rhymes and familiar characters. | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/dec/04/google-youtube-hire-moderators-child-abuse-videos | 2017-12-05 08:08:18.570000 | Google is hiring thousands of new moderators after facing widespread criticism for allowing child abuse videos and other violent and offensive content to flourish on YouTube.
YouTube’s owner announced on Monday that next year it would expand its total workforce to more than 10,000 people responsible for reviewing content that could violate its policies. The news from YouTube’s CEO, Susan Wojcicki, followed a steady stream of negative press surrounding the site’s role in spreading harassing videos, misinformation, hate speech and content that is harmful to children.
Wojcicki said that in addition to an increase in human moderators, YouTube is continuing to develop advanced machine-learning technology to automatically flag problematic content for removal. The company said its new efforts to protect children from dangerous and abusive content and block hate speech on the site were modeled after the company’s ongoing work to fight violent extremist content.
“Human reviewers remain essential to both removing content and training machine learning systems because human judgment is critical to making contextualized decisions on content,” the CEO wrote in a blogpost, saying that moderators have manually reviewed nearly 2m videos for violent extremist content since June, helping train machine-learning systems to identify similar footage in the future.
In recent weeks, YouTube has used machine learning technology to help human moderators find and shut down hundreds of accounts and hundreds of thousands of comments, according to Wojcicki.
YouTube faced heightened scrutiny last month in the wake of reports that it was allowing violent content to slip past the YouTube Kids filter, which is supposed to block any content that is not appropriate to young users. Some parents recently discovered that YouTube Kids was allowing children to see videos with familiar characters in violent or lewd scenarios, along with nursery rhymes mixed with disturbing imagery, according to the New York Times.
Other reports uncovered “verified” channels featuring child exploitation videos, including viral footage of screaming children being mock-tortured and webcams of young girls in revealing clothing.
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said human moderators ‘remain essential to removing content’. Photograph: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic for YouTube
YouTube has also repeatedly sparked outrage for its role in perpetuating misinformation and harassing videos in the wake of mass shootings and other national tragedies. The Guardian found that survivors and the relatives of victims of numerous shootings have been subject to a wide range of online abuse and threats, some tied to popular conspiracy theory ideas featured prominently on YouTube.
Some parents of people killed in high-profile shootings have spent countless hours trying to report abusive videos about their deceased children and have repeatedly called on Google to hire more moderators and to better enforce its policies. It’s unclear, however, how the expansion of moderators announced on Monday might affect this kind of content, since YouTube said it was focused on hate speech and child safety.
Although the recent scandals have illustrated the current limits of the algorithms in detecting and removing violating content, Wojcicki made clear that YouTube would continue to heavily rely on machine learning, a necessary factor given the scale of the problem.
YouTube said machine learning was helping its human moderators remove nearly five times as many videos as they were previously, and that 98% of videos removed for violent extremism are now flagged by algorithms. Wojcicki claimed that advances in the technology allowed the site to take down nearly 70% of violent extremist content within eight hours of it being uploaded.
The statement also said YouTube was reforming its advertising policies, saying it would apply stricter criteria, conduct more manual curation and expand its team of ad reviewers. Last month, a number of high-profile brands suspended YouTube and Google advertising after reports revealed that they were placed alongside videos filled with exploitative and sexually explicit comments about children.
In March, a number of corporations also pulled their YouTube ads after learning that they were linked to videos with hate speech and extremist content.
Contact the author: [email protected] |
US supreme court weighs gay rights and free speech in cake case | A US legal case is pitting first amendment rights to artistic freedom against anti-discrimination laws as the result of a refusal by a Colorado baker to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. Jack Phillips, backed by the Trump administration, argues that baking the cake would violate his religious beliefs. The case could have implications for photographers, florists and others who provide wedding services. Colorado is one of just 21 states which have statewide laws against anti-LGBT discrimination in public accommodations. A decision is expected in the case next June.
| https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/05/colorado-gay-wedding-cake-supreme-court | 2017-12-05 00:00:00 | The supreme court justice Anthony Kennedy voiced competing concerns on Tuesday about respecting the religious beliefs of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, and the gay couple’s dignity.
Kennedy, the author of all the court’s major gay-rights decisions, worried early in a riveting argument at the high court that a ruling in favor of baker Jack Phillips might allow shop owners to put up signs saying: “We do not bake cakes for gay weddings.”
Later, though, Kennedy said the Colorado civil rights commission seemed “neither tolerant nor respectful of Mr Phillips’ religious beliefs” when it found his refusal to bake a cake for the gay couple violated a state anti-discrimination law.
Phillips was in the courtroom on Tuesday, as were the couple he refused, Charlie Craig and David Mullins. They listened to an argument that otherwise seemed to put the conservative justices squarely with Phillips and the liberals on the side of the couple.
The case pits Phillips’ first amendment claims of artistic freedom against the anti-discrimination arguments of the Colorado commission and the two men. The argument was the first involving gay rights since the supreme court ruled in 2015 that states could not prevent same-sex couples from marrying.
The Trump administration is supporting Phillips in his argument that he cannot be forced to create a cake that violates his religious beliefs. It appears to be the first time the federal government has asked the justices to carve out an exception from an anti-discrimination law.
Protesters on both sides filled the sidewalk in front of the court.
“We got Jack’s back,” Phillips’ supporters said.
Backers of Craig and Mullins countered: “Love wins.”
Inside the packed courtroom, the liberal justices peppered Kristen Waggoner, Phillips’ lawyer, and Noel Francisco, the US solicitor general, with questions about how to accommodate Phillips without eviscerating laws that require businesses that are open to the public to serve all customers. The case could affect photographers and florists who have voiced objections similar to those of Phillips.
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan ticked off other categories of people who are involved in weddings to ask if they too might be able to refuse a same-sex couple. A graphic artist who designs menus and invitations? A jeweler? A hair stylist? A makeup artist?
Waggoner said the person who makes menus and invitations might be in the same position as Phillips, but not the others because what they do is “not speech”.
Kagan replied: “Some people might say that about cakes, you know?”
More generally, Stephen Breyer, in an exchange with Francisco, said his concern was that the court would have “no way of confining” a decision in favor of Phillips.
Kennedy’s comments in the first half of the 75-minute argument seemed firmly in line with the concerns for human dignity he expressed in his opinion in the 2015 gay marriage case and other gay-rights decisions over more than 20 years.
Kennedy expressed his doubts when Francisco tried to describe a narrow range of situations in which Phillips and similarly situated business owners might have a right to refuse service.
“The problem for you is so many examples do involve speech,” Kennedy said. “It basically means there is an ability to boycott.”
When Frederick Yarger, the Colorado solicitor general, and the American Civil Liberties Union’s David Cole stood up to defend the state commission ruling against Phillips, the conservative justices pounced.
Because same-sex marriage was not yet legal in Colorado in 2012, Samuel Alito noted that Craig and Mullins could not have obtained a marriage license where they lived or found a local official to marry them. Yet Phillips supposedly “committed a grave wrong” when he refused to make them a cake, Alito said. That struck him as unfair, he said.
Chief Justice John Roberts pressed Cole and Yarger on whether a Catholic legal services agency that provides help for free would have to take up a case involving a same-sex couple, despite the religious opposition to same-sex marriage. Yes, Cole said, “if they’ve provided the same services to couples who are straight”.
Neil Gorsuch, a Colorado native who joined the court in April, asked Cole whether a baker who made a cake shaped like a red cross to celebrate relief efforts would have to make the same cake for the Ku Klux Klan. Cole said no, because Colorado’s anti-discrimination law refers to race, sex and sexual orientation but does not protect KKK members.
Kennedy’s questions in this portion of the argument seemed to reflect the strong first amendment views in favor of free speech and religion that he has developed in nearly 30 years on the court.
Kennedy described comments made by one of the seven Colorado commissioners in the case as hostile to religion. “Did the commission ever disavow or disapprove” of those remarks? he asked. Not before today, Yarger said, disavowing them.
The exchange raised another possibility: that the court could return the case to the commission for reconsideration because its first decision was tainted by religious bias.
Colorado is among only 21 states with statewide laws barring discrimination against gays and lesbians in public accommodations.
The case will be decided by late June. |
Air pollution is ‘public health catastrophe’ for unborn babies | Air pollution significantly raises the risk of babies having a low birth weight, causing long-term risks of conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to research carried out in London. The implications for women in cities with even worse air pollution than the UK capital were described by the researchers as “something approaching a public health catastrophe”. Across the world, 90% of all children, or two billion individuals, experience air pollution which breaches World Health Organization guidelines.
| https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/05/air-pollution-harm-to-unborn-babies-may-be-global-health-catastrophe-warn-doctors | 2017-12-05 00:00:00 | Air pollution significantly increases the risk of low birth weight in babies, leading to lifelong damage to health, according to a large new study.
The research was conducted in London, UK, but its implications for many millions of women in cities around the world with far worse air pollution are “something approaching a public health catastrophe”, the doctors involved said.
Globally, two billion children – 90% of all children – are exposed to air pollution above World Health Organization guidelines. A Unicef study also published on Wednesday found that 17 million babies suffer air six times more toxic than the guidelines.
The team said that there are no reliable ways for women in cities to avoid chronic exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and called for urgent action from governments to cut pollution from vehicles and other sources.
“It is an unacceptable situation that there are factors a woman cannot control that adversely affect her unborn baby,” said Mireille Toledano, at Imperial College London, and who led the new research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
The study analysed all live births in Greater London over four years – over 540,000 in total – and determined the link between the air pollution experienced by the mother and low birth weight, defined as less than 2.5kg (5.5lbs). The scientists found a 15% increase in risk of low birth weight for every additional 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) of fine particle pollution.
The average exposure of pregnant women in London to fine particle pollution is 15µg/m3, well below UK legal limits but 5µg/m3 higher than the WHO guideline. Cutting pollution to that guideline would prevent 300-350 babies a year being born with low weight, the researchers estimated. “The UK legal limit is not safe and is not protecting our pregnant women and their babies,” said Toledano.
“We know that low birthweight is absolutely crucial,” she said. “It not only increases the risk of the baby dying in infancy, but it predicts lifelong risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease etc. You are setting in stone the whole trajectory of lifelong chronic illness.”
The new research shows the impact of air pollution on babies in London is significant, but affects a relatively small number – only about 2.5% of all full-term babies are born with low weight. However, many cities around the world – such as Delhi in India – suffer far higher levels of toxic air, raising concerns of huge impacts on unborn babies.
“Though the new results from the UK are concerning, a global perspective reveals something approaching a public health catastrophe,” said Sarah Stock and Tom Clemens, from the University of Edinburgh, in a BMJ editorial. “The pregnancy effects of extreme exposure environments like Delhi are unmeasured, and there is an urgent need to turn attention to such environments where large numbers are at considerable risk of harm.”
Stock told the Guardian that outdoor air pollution is already causing millions of early deaths every year among adults and children: “And that is not taking into account deaths in utero or resulting from exposure in pregnancy, because we just don’t have the data yet.”
Unicef executive director Anthony Lake said: “Not only do pollutants harm babies’ developing lungs – they can permanently damage their developing brains – and, thus, their futures. No society can afford to ignore air pollution.”
The new BMJ study is based on observations and so cannot prove a causal link between air pollution and low birth weight, but the correlation is very strong, said Toledano: “The power of our study is incredible due to the sheer numbers.” The study is the largest to date in the UK and the link is strengthened by a series of previous studies from other regions that replicate the findings.
There are some uncertainties in the estimates of air pollution exposure and the level of smoking among the pregnant women. But Toledano said: “Could it be that we are slightly off in how much the increased risk is? Yes. Is it going to completely disappear? No.”
She said there are a number of serious public health problems around the world, such as the lack of clean water that kills over 500,000 infants every year, but said toxic air was one of them: “There is no question this is an extremely important public health risk. We have to do something and we can’t just say it is down to the individual mother. Every baby deserves to be born safely.” |
Traffic fumes ‘wipe out’ benefits of walking for older people | Air pollution from traffic eradicates the benefits of walking for over-60s, according to research by Imperial College London and Duke University in the US. The study recommends that older people, and those with heart and lung problems, should avoid areas of heavy traffic and walk instead in green spaces. The fumes may also have a similar impact on younger people. The study analysed results from 119 people walking for two hours either on London’s Oxford Street or in Hyde Park; lung capacity increased and arterial stiffness reduced far more after exercising in the park than on Oxford Street.
| https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/05/traffic-fumes-in-city-streets-largely-wipe-out-exercise-benefits-for-over-60s | 2017-12-05 00:00:00 | The over-60s should stick to green spaces and parks when they go for a walk and avoid the city streets, according to a groundbreaking study that says air pollution from traffic fumes largely wipes out the health benefit from the exercise.
Walking is often recommended for older people, but the study from Imperial College London and Duke University in the USA suggests that the over-60s and those with lung and heart problems should steer clear of urban areas with heavy traffic. The negative effect may well be the same in younger people, say the authors, and it reinforces the urgency of reducing emissions in city streets.
The research compared walking for two hours in Oxford Street with strolling in Hyde Park, which registers some air pollution but far less than in the heart of the capital city’s shopping district.
The researchers recruited 119 people who were either healthy, had stable heart disease or stable COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) which damages the lungs. They were randomly allotted to walk either in the west end of Oxford Street which is restricted to taxis and buses emitting diesel fumes and which has frequently breached air quality limits set by the World Health Organisation, or a traffic-free area of Hyde Park. Some weeks later they did the other walk. The findings were published in the Lancet medical journal.
Noise and pollution levels were significantly higher on Oxford Street, including increased levels of black carbon, nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter. All the participants benefited from a stroll in the park, with lung capacity improving within the first hour, and a significant lasting increase for more than 24 hours in many cases. By comparison, a walk up and down Oxford Street led to only a small increase in lung capacity in participants – far lower than recorded in the park.
Blood flow also increased after exercise, with decreases in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate. Arteries became less stiff in those walking in Hyde Park, with a maximum change from baseline of more than 24% in healthy and COPD volunteers, and more than 19% in heart disease patients.
This effect was drastically reduced when walking along Oxford Street, however, with a maximum change in arterial stiffness of just 4.6% for healthy volunteers, 16% for those with COPD and 8.6% for heart disease.
These findings are important as walking is frequently recommended for older people. “For many people, such as the elderly or those with chronic disease, very often the only exercise they can do is to walk,” said Kian Fan Chung, professor of respiratory medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial and lead author of the study. “Our research suggests that we might advise older adults to walk in green spaces, away from built-up areas and pollution from traffic,” he added.
Chung said traffic pollution might also affect younger people doing their shopping in the heart of a city.
“I think it might well do. The only difference is that young people are much more resilient,” he said. A study in younger people should be done, he said.
Other scientists said the study was important evidence of the harms of air pollution, although they would not advise people to stop walking in the city streets, because the benefits for healthy people were reduced but not completely lost.
Ian Colbeck, professor of environmental science at Essex University, said the paper highlighted the risks to health by walking along polluted roads, for the over-60s with specific pre-existing medical conditions.
“We know from other research that for the vast majority of the population the benefits of any physical activity far outweigh any harm caused by air pollution except for the most extreme air pollution concentrations,” he said. “It’s important to that people continue to exercise. In the UK physical inactivity is the fourth largest cause of disease and mortality and contributes to around 37,000 premature deaths in England every year.”
Prof Stephen Holgate from Southampton University and special adviser to the Royal College of Physicians on air quality, said: “The observation that air pollution encountered on a high street in London removes any health protection produced by exercise outdoors is yet another demonstration that pollution is eroding the health of ordinary people. More than this, it would seem that pollution, in large part related to traffic emissions, has an immediate adverse effect on those with chronic diseases such as COPD and cardiovascular diseases.
“While medication for cardiovascular disease apparently protects against acute pollutant effects, is this the way we should be dealing with the problem? I would say no. This important study mandates action to radically reduce pollution at source to enable our cities and towns to be safe places to live in and move around.” |
Mayors signing ‘Chicago Climate Charter’ receive Obama's praise | Mayors from across the world met in Chicago this week to discuss environmental issues and to sign “The Chicago Climate Charter”, a non-binding pledge that their cities will continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. Former US president Barack Obama addressed the meeting, describing mayors, academics and business people as the "new face of American leadership on climate change" in the wake of Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Accord.
| https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/12/05/obama-trump-paris-agreement-chicago-climate-summit/923865001/ | 2017-12-05 00:00:00 | CHICAGO — Former president Barack Obama on Tuesday praised American mayors, business leaders, and academics as being the "new face of American leadership on climate change" now that President Trump has abandoned an international climate accord that Obama helped forge during his presidency.
The comments from Obama came at a gathering in Chicago of mayors and municipal officials from the U.S. and around globe to discuss climate change in light of Trump’s declaration earlier this year that he will withdraw the U.S. from the landmark Paris Agreement.
As part of the North American Climate Summit, the mayors signed a pledge dubbed the “Chicago Climate Charter” — a non-binding pact in which the cities agree to continue working toward the goal of reducing greenhouse emission as set out by the Paris accord.
"In this environment right now, it's easy sometimes to feel discouraged, and feel as if people are talking past each other," said Obama, who did not mention President Trump by name in his 14-minute address to the summit. "This is where the particular talents of mayors come in. Because first of all, you are used to dealing with folks who can sometimes be unreasonable. You are accustomed to having to deal with the realities in front of you and take action, not just talk about it."
Trump announced in June that he was withdrawing the U.S. from the climate accord. Under terms of the agreement — which was negotiated during Obama’s tenure in the White House — nations can’t officially give notice of their departure from the non-binding agreement until November 2019. Syria announced last month that it would join the accord, leaving the U.S. as the only country out of the agreement once it can formally withdraw — a fact that Obama called "difficult to defend."
Trump criticized the Paris Agreement, which sets the goal of holding global warming below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, as an example of a deal “that disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries.”
One part of the Paris Agreement that big cities won’t be able to duplicate: contributing billions of dollars that the U.S. (during the Obama administration) and other governments pledged to help developing countries transition to cleaner forms of energy.
The ex-president made the case to the friendly crowd that curbing carbon emissions and promoting economic growth are not mutually exclusive.
Obama noted that his administration pushed for new regulations limiting the amount of carbon pollution existing power plants could release in the air, promoted wind and solar energy and set new fuel economy standards for vehicles.
"We met resistance every step of the way," Obama said. "There were skeptics who said these actions would kill jobs and depress growth. Instead after we took these actions, we saw the U.S. economy grow consistently, we saw the longest streak of job creation in American history by far. It's a streak that continues, by the way."
Obama quipped about his economic record, "Thanks, Obama."
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, who signed the mayor's pact, said that Trump’s decision to back out of the accord has been damaging to the United States reputation worldwide and has the potential to hurt the American economy.
“Mayors like me around the country have no choice but to step up to the plate and send a message to people in our communities, around the country and around the globe that we are not going to give up our role in sustainability or fighting climate change,” Stanton said. “We understand that clean energy is our economic future, and we can’t build an economy by looking backwards.”
More:Forget Paris: U.S. mayors sign their own pact after Trump ditches climate accord
More:Chicago Climate Charter, explained: What cities say they'll do to reduce greenhouse gases
More:The U.S. is now the only country not part of Paris climate agreement after Syria signs on |
Sea level rise predictions may be too high: Greenland study | Sea-level rise predictions may be too high, according to international research which measured the meltwater runoff from ice in Greenland. Scientists found that less meltwater flows through the ice sheet, and to the ocean, than previously estimated as some is retained in porous ice. Greenland is losing an average of 260 billion tonnes of ice each year, which would lead to sea level rises of two inches by the end of the century. Additional research will now try to determine the amount of water retained within the ice.
| https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/05/climate/greenland-ice-melting.html?mtrref=undefined&gwh=09CB9D3F4A4DAB95F465327535E419FD&gwt=pay | 2017-12-05 00:00:00 | Feeder streams 300 FEET Darker ice Snow covering an old channel This river drains an area of about 24 square miles Collector lake Researcher’s camp Here the river is about 60 feet wide and up to 6 feet deep. Moulin Feeder streams 300 FEET Darker ice Snow sometimes covers old channels. This river drains an area of about 24 square miles Collector lake Researcher’s camp Here the river is about 60 feet wide and up to 6 feet deep. Moulin 300 feet wide This river drains an area of about 24 miles Collector lake About 60 feet wide and up to 6 feet deep. Moulin
On Greenland’s vast ice sheet, meltwater flows in rivulets as sunlight and warm air heat the surface ice.
Surface variations create thousands of low-lying areas where meltwater collects and eventually drains.
The rivulets drain into larger rivers that carve natural paths across the ice sheet.
Over years, impurities in the ice become concentrated, making it darker. Those areas absorb more sunlight, causing more melting.
Underneath the surface, the ice develops holes, like swiss cheese.
This river reached a large depression in the ice and formed a lake.
The lake fed another fast-moving river on the opposite side.
That river disappeared down a hole in the ice, called a moulin.
Sea level rise depends on how much water drains from the ice sheet into the ocean, and how fast.
New research suggests that more of the water may be trapped inside the ice sheet than previously thought.
On Greenland’s vast ice sheet, meltwater flows in rivulets as sunlight and warm air heat the surface ice.
Surface variations create thousands of low-lying areas where meltwater collects and drains.
The rivulets drain to larger rivers that carve natural paths across the ice sheet.
Over years, impurities in the ice become concentrated, making it darker. Those areas absorb more heat, and cause greater melting.
This river reached a depression in the ice and formed a lake, which fed another river on the opposite side.
That river disappeared down a hole in the ice, called a moulin.
Sea level rise depends on how much water drains from the ice sheet into the ocean. New research suggests there may be more water trapped in the ice than previously thought. |
EU, UK mull bitcoin secrecy curbs on laundering, tax-dodge fears | European governments including the UK are seeking to strengthen the regulation of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in an effort to prevent them being used for money laundering and tax evasion. The anonymity of the virtual currencies has made them popular with drug dealers and other criminals seeking to transfer funds for illegal activities without leaving a trace. Proposals have been drawn up for action to be taken across the European Union, requiring cryptocurrency exchanges to comply with existing regulations by carrying out due diligence on users and reporting suspicious transactions.
| https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/dec/04/bitcoin-uk-eu-plan-cryptocurrency-price-traders-anonymity | 2017-12-04 18:22:37.910000 | The UK and other EU governments are planning a crackdown on bitcoin amid growing concerns that the digital currency is being used for money laundering and tax evasion.
The Treasury plans to regulate bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to bring them in line with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financial legislation. Traders will be forced to disclose their identities, ending the anonymity that has made the currency attractive for drug dealing and other illegal activities.
Under the EU-wide plan, online platforms where bitcoins are traded will be required to carry out due diligence on customers and report suspicious transactions. The UK government is negotiating amendments to the anti-money-laundering directive to ensure firms’ activities are overseen by national authorities.
The Treasury said: “We are working to address concerns about the use of cryptocurrencies by negotiating to bring virtual currency exchange platforms and some wallet providers within anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regulation.”
Q&A What is bitcoin? Show Bitcoin is a 'cryptocurrency' – a decentralised tradeable digital asset. Invented in 2008, you store your bitcoins in a digital wallet, and transactions are stored in a public ledger known as the bitcoin blockchain, which prevents the digital currency being double-spent. Cryptocurrencies can be used to send transactions between two parties via the use of private and public keys. These transfers can be done with minimal processing cost, allowing users to avoid the fees charged by traditional financial institutions - as well as the oversight and regulation that entails. The lack of any central authority oversight is one of the attractions. This means it has attracted a range of backers, from libertarian monetarists who enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank, to drug dealers who like the fact that it is hard (but not impossible) to trace a bitcoin transaction back to a physical person. The exchange rate has been volatile, with some deeming it a risky investment. In January 2021 the UK's Financial Conduct Authority warned consumers they should be prepared to lose all their money if they invest in schemes promising high returns from digital currencies such as bitcoin. In practice it has been far more important for the dark economy than it has for most legitimate uses. In November 2021 it hit a record high of more than $68,000, as a growing number of investors backed it as an alternative to other assets during the Covid crisis. Bitcoin has been criticised for the vast energy reserves and associated carbon footprint of the system. New bitcoins are created by “mining” coins, which is done by using computers to carry out complex calculations. The more bitcoins that have been "mined", the longer it takes to mine new coin, and the more electricity is used in the process. Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback.
The rules are expected to come into effect in the next few months. The Treasury said digital currencies could be used to enable and facilitate cybercrime. It added: “There is little current evidence of them being used to launder money, though this risk is expected to grow.”
The bosses of Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan have criticised bitcoin as a vehicle to commit fraud and other crimes. But Sir Jon Cunliffe, a deputy governor of the Bank of England, last week said the digital currency was too small to pose a systemic threat to the global economy. He also cautioned that bitcoin investors needed “to do their homework”.
Bitcoin was trading at $11,566 on Monday. It hit a fresh record high of $11,800 on Sunday but fell to $10,554 on news of the regulatory crackdown.
The Labour MP John Mann, a member of the House of Commons Treasury select committee, suggested MPs would look into the regulation of virtual currencies.
He told the Daily Telegraph: “These new forms of exchange are expanding rapidly and we’ve got to make sure we don’t get left behind – that’s particularly important in terms of money laundering, terrorism or pure theft.
“It would be timely to have a proper look at what this means. It may be that we want speed up our use of these kinds of thing in this country, but that makes it all the more important that we don’t have a regulatory lag.”
Stephen Barclay, the economic secretary to the Treasury, set out the government’s plans in a written parliamentary answer in October. “The UK government is currently negotiating amendments to the anti-money-laundering directive that will bring virtual currency exchange platforms and custodian wallet providers into anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regulation, which will result in these firms’ activities being overseen by national competent authorities for these areas.
“The government supports the intention behind these amendments. We expect these negotiations to conclude at EU level in late 2017 or early 2018.” |
South Korea mulling new bitcoin tax, regulatory code | The government of South Korea is considering how best to tax users of bitcoin and regulate the market more effectively. Deputy Prime Minister Kim Dong-yeon said such a move was under active consideration, but would not be included in amendments to tax law in 2018. South Korea has minimal oversight of bitcoin users, and is likely to follow the lead of Japan, which lifted an 8% consumption tax on bitcoin earlier this year.
| https://cointelegraph.com/news/south-korea-is-investigating-methods-to-tax-bitcoin-users | 2017-12-04 17:47:50.003000 | Kim Dong-yeon, South Korea’s deputy prime minister and the minister of strategy and finance, revealed earlier this week that the government is investigating various methods to better regulate the local Bitcoin market and tax Bitcoin users accordingly.
While the South Korean government and its local financial authorities are actively discussing the possibility of enforcing a policy on Bitcoin taxation, at a press conference, Deputy Prime Minister Kim stated that the government does not intend to include any Bitcoin taxation policy in 2018’s amendment of the tax law.
South Korea likely to follow Japan’s taxation policy
Since the beginning of this year, the South Korean government has introduced light regulatory frameworks for Bitcoin businesses and investors that are structurally similar to that of the policies imposed by the Japanese government and the Japan Financial Service Agency (FSA).
Currently, cryptocurrency exchanges and trading platforms have the freedom to operate in both regions, with minimal government interference and oversight.
As a part of a major initiative to facilitate the growth of the Japanese cryptocurrency market, the Japanese government eliminated the eight percent consumption tax on Bitcoin in July, with the intent of sustaining the rapid growth rate of the Japanese Bitcoin industry and growing demand from the traditional finance sector.
It is likely that the South Korean government will implement a similar Bitcoin tax policy to that of the Japanese government, given that most of the regulatory frameworks provided by the South Korean financial authorities in 2017 focused on providing freedom and flexibility to businesses, like Japan.
Discussion on centralization of trading
Several agencies, Bitcoin communities, and government officials have expressed their concerns with the centralization of trading within South Korea. Bithumb, South Korea’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, the world’s second largest cryptocurrency trading platform behind Bitfinex, accounts for nearly 70 percent of South Korea’s Bitcoin trades.
South Korea’s Ministry of Strategy and Finance will explore potential methods of distributing cryptocurrency and Bitcoin trading volumes across a wider range of cryptocurrency trading platforms within the market.
Banks are testing Bitcoin
Additionally, some of the country’s largest and most influential financial institutions such as Shinhan, South Korea’s second-largest commercial bank, have already begun testing Bitcoin wallet and vault systems, with a long-term strategy to provide a safe and insured platform with which Bitcoin users can store funds.
Shinhan emphasized that a vault service for Bitcoin users, especially large-scale investment firms and institutional investors, is necessary, given that Bithumb was hacked twice this year.
However, it is also important to consider the structure of the Bitcoin network and its decentralized nature. Because the Bitcoin network exists on a peer-to-peer protocol, the safest way to store Bitcoin is on non-custodial wallet platforms, wherein the user obtains absolute control of private keys and funds.
Overall, it is highly optimistic that the South Korean government has started to acknowledge the rapid growth rate of Bitcoin and drafted several solutions to standardize the South Korean Bitcoin industry. |
US to Senate bill S.1241 to criminalise hidden ownership of cryptos | It could soon be a criminal offence in the US for citizens to conceal their ownership of cryptocurrencies. Under the terms of bill S.1241, currently being considered in the US Senate, the definitions of "financial account" and "financial institution" could be amended to include digital currencies and exchanges alongside traditional financial assets and markets. Senators backing the changes say they are necessary in order to modernise existing anti-money-laundering laws. Some industry experts warn the move could provoke a confrontation between bitcoin owners and the US government.
| https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-senate-moves-to-criminalize-non-disclosure-of-cryptocurrency-ownership | 2017-12-04 17:42:51.167000 | The US Senate Judiciary Committee is currently tackling bill S.1241 that aims to criminalize the intentional concealment of ownership or control of a financial account. The bill also would amend the definition of ‘financial account’ and ‘financial institution’ to include digital currencies and digital exchanges, respectively. According to ranking committee member Senator Dianne Feinstein, the proposed bill is needed to modernize existing AML laws.
Changing definitions
The bill would amend the definition of ‘financial institution,’ in Section 53412(a) of title 31, United States Code, to include:
“An issuer, redeemer, or cashier of prepaid access devices, digital currency, or any digital exchanger or tumbler of digital currency.”
If passed, the bill would likely have far-reaching effects for users of digital currencies both in the US and abroad.
Industry opinions
Several industry commentators have issued their opinions on the proposed law. Tone Vays claimed that he expects a confrontation between the Bitcoin team, including the holders and users, and the US government.
“It’s bad…I think it’s gonna end in a very confrontational way between Bitcoin—even Bitcoin holders and users—and the US Government.”
In his testimony during the hearing, John A. Cassara claimed that the issue of virtual currencies is interesting:
“Senator, I’m just glad I had my career when I did because I don’t know what I’d do trying to follow the money when it comes to digital currencies, it’s extremely, extremely challenging…I think if you look at the metrics, the metrics suggest today [that] digital currencies are a small fraction of the threat that we face. That’s not to say it’s gonna be the case in 5-10 years from now. We’re right at a crossroads, and it’s going to be very, very interesting to see what goes forward.”
Earlier reports also indicate that the White House is actively monitoring cryptocurrencies which could only mean more attempts to regulate the world’s first successful decentralized monetary system. With the growing involvement of Wall Street and the ever escalating media attention, it is not surprising that governments are stepping up their attempts to regulate digital currency. |
Buildup raises $7m for construction sector task management tools | California firm Buildup has raised $7m in series A funding from investors including Abstract Ventures and TLV Partners, bringing its total funding to $8.6m. The company has developed cloud-based software for the construction and property management industries that replaces paperwork with a digital alternative. The sector has slowly begun to adopt digitisation and investors are keen to back firms embracing the technology. Buildup's new funding followed rounds by BuildingConnected, EquipmentShare and Aproplan, which raised $22m, $20m and $6m respectively.
| https://venturebeat.com/2017/11/22/buildup-raises-7-million-to-bring-efficiency-to-the-construction-industry/ | 2017-12-04 17:01:43.093000 | Missed the GamesBeat Summit excitement? Don't worry! Tune in now to catch all of the live and virtual sessions here.
Buildup, a task management and collaboration platform aimed at the construction industry, has raised $7 million in a Series A round of funding from Tel Aviv-based TLV Partners, UpWest Labs, 01 Ventures, Abstract Ventures, and Check founders Guy Goldstein and Ahikam Kaufman.
Founded in 2013, Palo Alto-based Buildup targets contractors, developers, and property managers with cross-platform software for identifying and fixing tasks and issues related to a job. It includes features such as punch lists, automated task sequencing, quality control tools, subcontractor performance analysis, and more. Ultimately, it’s all about bringing handwritten lists and printed documents into a central cloud-based location.
Prior to now, Buildup had raised $1.6 million in seed funding, and with its latest cash influx the company said that it plans to expand its engineering, sales, and marketing teams.
Inefficient
The global construction market is reportedly worth around $10 trillion, but the industry isn’t renowned for its efficiency, with some reports suggesting that the sector is among the lowest in terms of productivity — partly due to its lack of digitization.
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“The construction industry lags behind other markets in the overall productivity of its workers,” noted TLV Partners managing partner Eitan Bek. “Buildup addresses the longest phase of a construction project: building. The management team has executed extremely well, with limited resources, and has managed to achieve significant customer adoption in a challenging market.”
And it’s against this backdrop that the tech industry has seen myriad construction-related launches and investments around the world.
Back in September, BuildingConnected raised $22 million to grow its bid procurement platform for building contractors, and “Airbnb for construction” startup EquipmentShare raised $20 million to grow its marketplace for selling and lending equipment.
Elsewhere, Emagispace raised $4.2 million for its modular building block technology, Belgian startup Aproplan raised around $6 million for its “Salesforce for construction” platform, and Zillow acquired New Home Feed to help builders market new properties. Notably, Netscape creator Jim Clark recently launched CommandScape, which is touted as a state-of-the-art building management system for premium properties.
Buildup said that it has worked with ENR-ranked top 50 companies such as Turner Construction, Whiting Turner, AvalonBay, and Greystar, among others.
“Our customers have used Buildup to make job sites more efficient and collaborative, while also gaining newfound insight into critical and timely data during the execution stage of construction projects, when most of their budget is spent,” added Buildup CEO and cofounder Oren Cohen. |
PwC study shows shift to online plan purchases | Professional services firm PwC has released a study that found that 43% of UK small businesses last purchased their business insurance online. Despite a strong interest in wanting to interact more with customers online, only 12% have cyber insurance and only 14% have liability cover. The research from 2,100 small businesses globally found that UK small businesses are more digitally aware than their worldwide counterparts, with 46% purchasing insurance online, as opposed to 24% globally. Of those which planned to switch insurance provider in the next two years, 68% wish to do so online. | https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/cyber-insurance-gap-as-small-businesses-become-more-digitally-savvy/1425739.article | 2017-12-04 16:46:56.663000 | According to PwC, nearly half of UK small businesses bought their most recent business insurance online and they are increasingly looking to interact with customers digitally, though just one in ten have cyber insurance
Almost half (43%) of small businesses bought their most recent insurance online. They also want to interact more with their customers online, but only one in ten (12%) has cyber insurance.
A new PwC survey of 2,100 small businesses from across the globe shows the insurance market for SMEs is likely to completely transform to match the digital transformation within the next decade.
The survey, which included 300 firms from the UK, also showed that small businesses in the UK are more digitally savvy than their peers across the world when it comes to interacting with their insurance providers online, with almost half (46%) saying they have purchased insurance online, versus 24% worldwide.
The survey made these conclusions:
43% of UK small businesses bought their most recent business insurance online
More than two thirds (68%) of UK small businesses who plan to switch insurance providers in the next two years say they want to do so online
Just one in 10 (12%) UK small businesses have cyber insurance and 14% do not have liability cover
60% of small companies under five years old say they want to purchase business insurance online - this drops to 44% of more established companies aged over ten years, who tend to have deeper relationships with brokers and agents
As well as this, over a third also say they would be willing to use sensor technologies in their businesses if it would bring down their insurance premiums.
UK insurance leader at PwC, Jim Bichard said:
“The UK insurance market has always been seen as one of the most mature, but our survey shows we can also be the most innovative. Taking a lead from the digital transformation seen in personal lines, UK insurers are now leading the way on how they interact online with small businesses.”
Despite this, he believes there is still much room for improvement, and outlined how insurers can achieve that:
“Using technology; insurers can also reinforce the value they bring through providing greater coverage for current & emerging risks.
“In order to make the most of this growth opportunity, insurers need to focus on understanding the varied and complicated ways the UK’s small businesses function, as well as investing in ways to deliver a full range of products that will meet their needs.”
PwC says the insurance industry needs to act now to meet these growing demands from small businesses. |
Smart Ag develops autonomous farming technology | Iowa-based agtech Smart Ag has unveiled its Autocart software for automating existing farming equipment. The software is still under development and uses navigation technology to chart the most efficient pathways for farming machinery. Autocart is intended to control some of the tasks done by tractors and combine harvesters. Extensive labour shortages are predicted in the farming industry and automation is expected to be necessary to augment the workforce.
| https://www.fooddive.com/news/all-grown-up-farming-looks-to-a-future-with-automatic-harvesting/511738/ | 2017-12-04 16:39:36.077000 | Dive Brief:
Agriculture technology firm Smart Ag has developed what it calls AutoCart software to automate existing ag equipment, which can help alleviate labor shortage issues farmers are facing, according to Food Manufacturing. The automatic grain cart system enables one person to do what typically requires two skilled operators.
Though still in the pilot stage, testing of a driverless John Deere tractor and grain cart began this fall at MBS Family Farms in Iowa. AutoCart uses navigation technology adapted from the aerospace industry. It allows the tractor pulling the grain cart to chart an efficient path to wherever the combine operator sends it. The cart is programmed only to go where the combine has already been, thus preventing it from going into an area that hasn't yet been harvested.
"It looks like the headless horseman when the tractor's out there without an operator in it," Mark Barglof, chief technology officer for Smart Ag, told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. "It takes a little bit to get used to, but once you do get used to it, you can see the future is really in front of you."
Dive Insight:
The combination of fewer new workers entering the workforce and a lack of skilled laborers could have a profound impact on the future of food companies and plant processes. Farmers face similar hurdles — harvesting processes for fruits and vegetables have become increasingly challenging due to agricultural labor shortage and lack of experienced machine operators on the farm.
Producers have said they struggle to find the labor they need to package meat and tend to livestock or pick strawberries, flowers, tomatoes and other crops. In some cases, produce is left to rot in the field, potentially hurting the nation's abundant food supply and risking the possibility of higher prices that consumers pay at the grocery store.
"For decades we've been limited on farms to about 1,000 acres per full-time equivalent [employee]. If we're going to break out of that and drive more efficiency, it's probably easier to automate than to train unskilled labor," Allen Lash, CEO of Family Farms Group, told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.
Companies will need to think outside the box to close labor gaps, and many are likely to turn to automation and new technology like the machine being tested by Smart Ag. Robots are already being used in retail warehouses to pick and sort products. Stores such as Walmart and Ahold Delhaize are deploying robots to support tasks like scanning shelves and counting stock.
It’s not much of a stretch to imagine robots and other automated technology penetrating food manufacturing facilities, processing plants and farms. According to Boston Consulting Group, today’s robots, food-related or otherwise, only automate about 10% of the tasks that machines can perform, though that number is expected to increase to about 25% in the next decade.
If this trend holds, and the automated ag equipment and technology pans out, this could solve the agricultural industry’s headaches over employment gaps, though it also could cause disruption for existing laborers and young workers looking to enter the sector.
But the owner of MBS Family Farms told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls publication that the technology is not about replacing any of its 20 workers. “I want to be clear that our excitement around this technology isn’t about replacing any one of those 20,” Mehmen said. “It’s about bringing more on... We see this as something that can help with that significantly."
Automated farming systems like this one could impact the whole food system. Despite having to cover R&D costs and expenses related to the new technology, food prices could actually go down because it costs less to get it to market. But if this does eventually happen, it could take some time before shoppers notice any meaningful impact on their wallet.
Still, don’t expect these kinds of advancements to take the farming community by storm anytime soon. Automation, technology and robots could be just a bit too progressive for many small mom-and-pop farms operating along the nation’s countryside. The price tag also turn off cash-strapped producers, many of whom have already seen their income sharply reduced due to a prolonged drop in corn, soybean and other commodity prices. |
EBRD offers funding for 45 MW Jordanian wind farm | UAE firm Shobak Wind Energy will receive $52m in debt financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for a 45 MW wind project in Jordan. The funding will be provided in two loans of $26m, split between the Europe Arab Bank and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector. The project, a $104m partnership between Alcazar Energy's Shobak Wind Energy and power developer Hecate Energy, is due to start by early 2018. EBRD has previously provided $1bn of funding for 350 MW of renewable energy projects. | https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/ebrd-providing-funds-for-45-mw-wind-park-in-jordan-593082/ | 2017-12-04 16:35:23.447000 | A 45-MW wind project in Jordan proposed by UAE-based Shobak Wind Energy PSC will get USD 52 million (EUR 43.7m) in debt financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The financing will consist of two USD-26-million A and B loans, one funded by the Europe Arab Bank (EAB). The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) has provided the remaining USD 26-million portion of the required funds.
Construction on the USD-104-million Shobak project is expected to start by the beginning of next year, Daniel Calderon, co-founder and CEO of Alcazar Energy said. The latter is the owner of Shobak Wind Energy, which is partnering in the scheme with US-based power developer Hecate Energy.
EBRD noted it has supported 350 MW of renewable energy projects in Jordan, investing more than USD 1 billion.
(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.840)
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Reuters uses AI to mine Twitter for stories | News agency Reuters is using artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically identify breaking news stories. The company's research and development team has created a system called Reuters Tracer, which uses Twitter to monitor news events as they happen. The system automatically selects the most relevant and writes a headline and summary, which are then sent around the company's global distribution channels. The software analyses around 12 million tweets a day, half of which come from accounts curated by Reuters journalists, and half of which are randomly sampled. The company claims the system has worked well in tests, generating accurate alerts quickly.
| https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609558/how-reuterss-revolutionary-ai-system-gathers-global-news/ | 2017-12-04 16:32:27.803000 | Nevertheless, news agencies such as the Associated Press have moved ahead with automated news writing services. These report standard announcements such as financial news and certain sports results by pasting the data into pre-written templates: “X reported profit of Y million in Q3, in results that beat Wall Street forecasts ... ”
So there is significant pressure on other news agencies to automate news production. And today, Reuters outlines how it has almost entirely automated the identification of breaking news stories. Xiaomo Liu and pals at Reuters Research and Development and Alibaba say the new system performs well. Indeed, it has the potential to revolutionize the news business. But it also raises concerns about how such a system could be gamed by malicious actors.
The new system is called Reuters Tracer. It uses Twitter as a kind of global sensor that records news events as they are happening. The system then uses various kinds of data mining and machine learning to pick out the most relevant events, determine their topic, rank their priority, and write a headline and a summary. The news is then distributed around the company’s global news wire.
The first step in the process is to siphon the Twitter data stream. Tracer examines about 12 million tweets a day, 2 percent of the total. Half of these are sampled at random; the other half come from a list of Twitter accounts curated by Reuters’s human journalists. They include the accounts of other news organizations, significant companies, influential individuals, and so on.
The next stage is to determine when a news event has occurred. Tracer does this by assuming that an event has occurred if several people start talking about it at once. So it uses a clustering algorithm to find these conversations.
Of course, these clusters include spam, advertisements, ordinary chat, and so on. Only some of them refer to newsworthy events.
So the next stage is to classify and prioritize the events. Tracer uses a number of algorithms to do this. The first identifies the topic of the conversation. It then compares this with a database of topics that the Reuters team has gathered from tweets produced by 31 official news accounts, such as @CNN, @BBCBreaking, and @nytimes as well as news aggregators like @BreakingNews.
At this stage, the algorithm also determines the location of the event using a database of cities and location-based keywords. |
Noodle raises $14m for expansion into online learning courses | Edtech firm Noodle Partners has raised $14m in a series A funding round to help it expand into the online programme manager (OPM) market. Online learning courses are a growing market, with 25% of postgraduates using them, with Noodle operating as both a creator and advertiser for OPMs. The firm offers a bespoke system that allows educational institutions to determine which aspects to keep in-house and which to outsource. The funding was led by edtech venture capital firm Owl Ventures and brought Noodle's total funding to about $18m. | https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-12-01-with-14m-fundraise-noodle-wants-colleges-to-pick-and-choose-how-they-build-online-programs | 2017-12-04 16:21:34.680000 | As more nonprofit colleges and universities bet their futures on online offerings, many are turning to for-profit companies to help create and advertise their new digital degree programs.
One of the newer players to step into that online program manager (OPM) space, Noodle Partners, got a boost this week: $14 million in Series A funding led by edtech venture capital firm Owl Ventures. The announcement comes about a year after the startup raised $4 million in a seed round from Osage Venture Partners and New Markets Venture Partners, bringing Noodle Partners’ total raised to about $18 million.
Backdrop to the raise is a growing market and demand for online courses. Nearly 12 percent of all undergraduate students, and about a quarter of graduate students, are enrolled in full time online degree programs, according to the 2017 The Changing Landscape of Online Education (CHLOE) report.
Meanwhile, research by Eduventures shows the number of online programs offered at 2- and 4-year higher-ed institutions more than doubled between 2011-2015. And the number of schools working with OPMs to help create and deliver those programs increased at an even higher rate, growing 133 percent over the same period.
It’s a market that John Katzman, CEO of Noodle Partners, knows well. Prior to founding Noodle Companies in 2010, the holding company for Noodle Partners and three other organizations, he started 2U, a provider of OPM services for colleges. There, he helped 2U raise nearly $100 million, and left shortly before the company went public.
Now, Katzman is raising funds again, this time as a direct competitor to his previous endeavor. But he says his plans for fundraising and revenue are different this time around. For one, “I don’t need to raise the way we did at 2U,” Katzman tells EdSurge.
That’s because the online program market he sees today is strikingly different from the one that 2U found its roots in. “A decade ago, the cost to build a program was very high, and there was substantial risk,” says Katzman.
In those days, he says schools often lacked the in-house expertise to create and sell an online program from scratch, and looked to OPMS to provide, among various services, technology support, recruiting and marketing, and instructional design. Other OPM providers, including 2U, still use that all-in-one model.
Noodle is far from being the only company helping colleges create online degree programs. According to The Atlantic, just five companies—2U, Academic Partnerships, Bisk, Pearson Embanet, and Wiley Education Services—control nearly half of the OPM market, which is estimated at around $1.1 billion.
A decade ago, the cost to build a program was very high, and there was substantial risk.
John Katzman
To vie for colleges and clients, Katzman offers a different, “pick and choose” approach with Noodle Partners. Unlike some OPM providers that sell an entire package of services, he believes in letting schools decide which features to outsource or build in-house. (Another OPM, Wiley Education Services, offers a similar model.)
The flexible option to purchase instructional design, marketing and student support services was one of the reasons why Tulane University chose Noodle Partners, even after having built some online programs in-house.
“We can elect to use those services or not, and that was attractive to be able to decide internally as we scale,” says Jamie Northrup, senior associate vice president of strategy at Tulane.
Still, Katzman doesn’t think colleges can take any shortcuts to creating their online programs. It’s “not a la carte,” he says. “All of the things I did at 2U have to be done. You need to fund the program and market it and recruit students, and you need instructional design and everything else. Our feeling is some universities have substantial capacity [to do some components in-house] rather than allowing an outside firm to do it.”
In addition to Tulane, Noodle Partners has signed on nearly a dozen universities like American and New York University.
As colleges bring more services in house, Katzman is betting that they will not want to pay for expensive all-in-one services. On average, OPM providers get a 60 percent revenue share for around a decade, according to the Eduventures report.
Noodle offers a flat fee-for-service option, without long-term revenue-sharing contracts, and claims those fees can be as little as 3 to 5 percent of student tuition dollars. Combined with the services offered by its partner vendors, however, Noodle’s fees more typically costs 30-35 percent of student tuition, Katzman says.
We can elect to use those services or not, and that was attractive to be able to decide internally as we scale.
Jamie Northup
Still, experts are skeptical that fee-based services will replace the revenue-sharing model that currently dominates the OPM deals in place today, Inside Higher Ed reports.
Noodle is similar to its competitors in some ways, too, and has its own revenue-sharing option. In those arrangements, the company uses it own funds to build and market the program in exchange for 60 percent revenue for about three years, before switching to the fee-based payment plan.
In the push to dominate the OPM race, Noodle Partners will face another challenge: client saturation. According to the CHLOE study, boosting student enrollment tops the list of reasons for colleges investing in online learning, “with other objectives, such as student completion gains and cost reduction, trailing far behind.” And as more OPMs offer colleges the ability to extend their footprint on a national and global scale, those reaches may overlap.
Of course, many online programs still attract local students. (Some have been criticized by faculty for cannibalizing in-person courses.) But to compete effectively, Katzman thinks online programs will have to integrate with specialized in-person offerings to win over prospective students.
“Differentiation will be the key online. It’s what kind of students do we serve and what are we teaching them, and where are we placing them?” he says. “As geography matters less, how you position your school will matter a lot.” |
Snapchat creates first sponsored bitmoji with McDonald's feature | Snapchat has created its first sponsored personalised emoji in the form of an augmented reality (AR) feature to promote McDonald's coffee. The so-called bitmoji was created by Chicago-based digital media agency We Are Unlimited, and shows a 3D character stealing a McCafe coffee cup. The feature took four weeks to design. While it's Snapchat's first sponsored bitmoji, the firm has previously worked with brands including Budweiser and Warner Brothers.
| http://www.adweek.com/digital/mcdonalds-sponsored-a-snapchat-bitmoji-that-steals-your-coffee-in-augmented-reality/#/ | 2017-12-04 16:09:57.493000 | When it comes to Snapchat users messing around with their bitmojis, McDonald’s is hoping they’re loving it.
McDonald and Snap have partnered for the platform’s first sponsored bitmoji. The augmented reality feature, which rolls out today, aims to promote its McCafe products and lets users have their 3D Bitmoji steal a coffee cup from them. In an almost elfish manner, the character mischievously runs around the cup before running off the screen—McCafe and all.
The feature was created with We Are Unlimited—a Chicago-based agency that runs McDonald’s social, digital, retail and data marketing in the U.S.—along |
No Brexit deal reached but 'progress made': Theresa May | No deal was reached during today's Brexit negotiations between Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker relating to the Irish border. Juncker said that "despite best efforts, it was not possible to reach a complete agreement today". In an amicable but short press conference, the pair said they would reconvene before the end of the week. Neither party was able to take questions from the press, as Juncker said that May had a commitment with Donald Tusk.
| http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/brexit-deal-between-eu-and-britain-not-possible-today-1.3314816 | 2017-12-04 16:07:17.270000 | Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he is “surprised and disappointed” the British government was unable to conclude a deal he believed had been agreed on Irish Border after Brexit.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he is "surprised and disappointed" the British government was unable to conclude a deal he believed had been agreed on Irish Border after Brexit.
At a press conference in Brussels with British prime minister Theresa May, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said there had been no agreement during talks on Monday.
It is understood the British prime minister met fierce resistance from the DUP, which is propping up her Conservative government, to proposals which would have ruled out a hard Border and aligned Northern Ireland’s regulations with the Republic.
British prime minister Theresa May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker told a press conference in Brussels this afternoon of failure to achieve a deal on Monday on key Brexit issues. Photograph: Virginia Mayo/AP Photo
Minister of State for European Affairs Helen McEntee, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney make a statement on Brexit negotiations on Monday evening at the Government Press Centre in Dublin. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
Ireland wants to move to next Phase of Brexit talks. Some progress today, and still time to conclude things before December 14th. — Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) December 4, 2017 https://t.co/5nlq7r9tBO pic.twitter.com/iFSY5Rst1C — DUP (@duponline) December 4, 2017 .@simoncoveney: I suspect the border will look much like what it looks today. We have lanuguage now that gives us the safeguards we need and reassurance that hard border will not re-emerge. — Fine Gael (@FineGael) December 4, 2017
After news of the proposed deal leaked on Monday, DUP leader Arlene Foster had said: "Northern Ireland must leave the EU on the same terms as the rest of the UK.
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"We will not accept any form of regulatory divergence which separates Northern Ireland economically or politically from the rest of the United Kingdom. "
Speaking in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said he been told that a deal had been struck. He said he had sought a written guarantee that there would be no hard Border on the island of Ireland which “has been to the absolute forefront of Ireland’s concerns” since the Brexit referendum last year.
Minister of State for European Affairs Helen McEntee, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney make a statement on Brexit negotiations on Monday evening at the Government Press Centre in Dublin. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
"We don't want an Irish Sea border any more than we want one between Newry and Dublin," he said. He said he had contacted Mr Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk and confirmed there was agreement over the text.
“I acknowledge that Theresa May is negotiating in good faith. My position is unequivocal. Ireland wants to proceed to phase two. We cannot agree unless there are firm guarantees on the lack of a hard Border in any circumstances. I still hope this matter can be concluded in the coming days.”
When asked by a reporter about the difference between the terms “regulatory convergence” and “regulatory alignment”, he said the two things “mean the same in our view. We are happy to accept either.”
‘Just one party’
Regarding the role of the DUP, he said listening to the DUP is important, but that they were just one party in Northern Ireland, “we need to have regard to all the parties”.
"That's always been our approach in this. The motivation of the Irish Government is to try to maintain the status quo in Ireland, allowing people to continue with their normal lives, cross the Border as they do now. We don't wont to pick a row with anyone, there's no hidden agenda here."
He said it was never the Irish Government’s role to ensure the DUP was onside. “We engaged in negotiations in good faith with EU and UK. We agreed a text this morning, we believe it stands, but we believe the prime minister needs more time.”
The Taoiseach refused to ascribe blame for the failure of a deal. “I don’t think pointing fingers would allow us to get where we want to get in this.” He refused to be drawn on what DUP leader Arlene Foster’s role was in the issue.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney added: "Negotiating teams have been in place for weeks now, the issues were also raised in Westminster, it's through that negotiating structure that we have worked up a draft that we were able to conclude this morning, agreed with the president of the Commission and Council." The "deal was done", he stressed.
“The Taoiseach and I are at one on this. We had a deal today in relation to a wording that in our view would provide reassurance over a hard Border in Ireland. We don’t want that.
“We need a credible way in which he could ensure that could be avoided.
“We want to ensure that wording remains intact. If we are going to move on to phase two we need to ensure there will be no hard Border in Ireland.”
Earlier, in Brussels, Mr Juncker said Ms May was a tough negotiator who had defended the UK’s point of view, and “despite best efforts it was not possible to reach a complete agreement today”.
“We stand ready to resume the negotiations”, he said, adding “I have to say we are narrowing our positions”.
“I’m still confident that we can reach sufficient progress before the European Council [meets] on 15th of December.”
Ms May said the sides have had a constructive meeting, and that “it is clear that we want to move forward together”. She said there would be further negotiation and consultation. “We will reconvene before the end of the week. We will conclude this positively.”
Mr Juncker concluded saying neither party would be taking questions.
Earlier, Mr Coveney had said he suspected the Border in the future will “look much like what it looks today” and will be “largely invisible”, with no barrier to trade.
“We have language now that gives us the safeguards we need and reassurance that a hard Border will not re-emerge,” he said.
The Tánaiste added the Irish Government was “in a much better place than we have been at any point in the Brexit negotiations”.
British prime minister Theresa May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker told a press conference in Brussels this afternoon of failure to achieve a deal on Monday on key Brexit issues. Photograph: Virginia Mayo/AP Photo
Sources suggested the compromise had involved the UK agreeing to maintain “regulatory alignment” in customs regulations and trade practices between the North and South of Ireland. Originally, Ireland had sought a commitment to “no divergence” in these areas.
News of the earlier deal, raising the prospect of starting Brexit trade negotiations in the coming weeks, lifted sterling earlier.
Irish Government sources had said the deal would guarantee “regulatory alignment” between Northern Ireland and the Republic in all Brexit eventualities.
A British government source suggested there was “a significant difference” between the phrase “continued regulatory alignment” and “no regulatory divergence” between the two parts of Ireland.
A draft of the agreement between Britain and the EU is reported to commit to “continued regulatory alignment” on the island of Ireland if Britain leaves the EU without a trade deal.
The phrase offers more flexibility, implying that regulations could be distinct but equivalent, rather than obliging Northern Ireland to retain EU regulations.
DUP
Reacting to reports that the UK has agreed there will be no regulatory divergence on the island of Ireland on the single market and customs union post-Brexit, DUP chief whip Jeffrey Donaldson MP said: "That is not our understanding of the UK government's position."
DUP MP Sammy Wilson told BBC Talkback the British government had made clear the UK will leave the EU in its entirety and is committed to no economic or territorial divergence.
“I am not going to let Irish Government leaks lead me down the road of speculation,” he said.
Mr Wilson said there are difficulties with what is being suggested, claiming it is “impossible to guarantee convergence as many powers rest with Stormont”.
He suggested the Irish Government was “trying to bounce” the British government into something they like. “They are doing their best to undermine the unionist position,” he added.
Former UUP leader Lord David Trimble told BBC Radio 4 the proposed Border deal was "a thoroughly bad idea". |
Qualys takes over NetWatcher to expand its security solutions | Cloud security provider Qualys, which is based in California, has purchased network security company NetWatcher in order to acquire its range of services, which includes vulnerability management, threat detection and intrusion alerts. Financial details have not been disclosed but Qualys plans to fully integrate Netwatcher over the next 12 months.
| http://www.zdnet.com/article/qualys-snaps-up-netwatcher-security-assets/#ftag=RSSbaffb68 | 2017-12-04 16:02:51.080000 | Video: Four reasons for moving to cloud computing
Qualys has announced plans to acquire NetWatcher assets to improve the firm's cloud security offerings.
Earlier this week, the Foster City, Calif.-based firm said that it has entered an asset purchase agreement with network security company NetWatcher to purchase specific technologies.
NetWatcher offers network security monitoring software which combines vulnerability management, intrusion detection, behavioral monitoring, security information and event management (SIEM), threat intelligence and monitoring in real-time.
Qualys hopes that this technology, which also picks up on weak password use, unsafe behavior and outdated software, will improve the firm's cloud platform and incident response.
The agreement will be made through a cash transaction. Further financial details have not been disclosed.
In a press release, Qualys said the NetWatcher service is expected to be fully integrated into the Qualys cloud platform within the next 12 months.
"Built on open source components, NetWatcher has created a comprehensive cybersecurity and threat intelligence service that helps businesses of all sizes effectively manage cyber threats, provide incident response, and manage compliance across on-premise, hybrid and cloud environments," said Philippe Courtot, Chairman and Qualys CEO. "Native integration of Netwatcher into the Qualys Cloud Platform allows us to deliver its capabilities at enterprise scale, helping us expand our reach into the real-time threat intelligence market and strengthen our relationships with managed security service providers, who will offer and deliver this service to their clients worldwide."
Under the terms of the agreement, NetWatcher's team will be incorporated into Qualys, and NetWatcher CEO Scott Suhy has been appointed Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Business Development for Qualys.
NetWatcher founder and CTO Kenneth Shelton will become Vice President of Engineering for the Qualys Real-time Threat Correlation platform.
See also: AWS aims to accelerate IoT adoption with new services, OS
Existing NetWatcher customers will still be able to use the service, and the acquisition is not expected to impact future Qualys financials.
This week, Accenture snapped up a minority stake in quantum computing startup 1QBit, which develops machine learning algorithms and software for quantum computing.
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Vineyard robots set for increased use in European wineries | A French vineyard has tested a robot called 'Ted' as the sector makes increasing use of technology to automate its processes. The experiment took place at Château Clerc Milon, one of the vineyards owned by Baron Philippe de Rothschild at Pauillac in the Bordeaux region. Ted is designed to help with soil cultivation and weeding, and was developed under a partnership with French tech firm Naïo Technologies. Other vineyards have also begun using robotics, including a "vine scout" which navigates autonomously and monitors the health of the vines. | http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/clerc-milon-trials-robot-vineyard-workers-380747/ | 2017-12-04 15:55:22.927000 | Robots may soon have a bigger role in some of the world's most prestigious vineyards, after successful trials in Bordeaux and Portugal this year, including at Château Clerc Milon, owned by Baron Philippe de Rothschild.
Château Clerc Milon, under the same ownership as Château Mouton Rothschild in Pauillac, has tested a prototype vineyard robot named ‘Ted’ to help with soil cultivation and weeding in its vines.
The news comes amid growing reports about rising levels of automation in many business sectors.
Clerc Milon’s trial with ‘Ted’ took place earlier this year via a partnership with French group Naïo Technologies.
Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s MD, Philippe Dhalluin, said, ‘We see robotics as an effective solution for the future.
‘As well as helping to make our vineyard work less arduous and respecting the soil, it will reduce our dependency on fossil energies and the harm caused by traditional agricultural machinery.’
Baron Philippe de Rothschild said that it has been pursuing organic and biodynamic methods more generally in its vineyards and has cut chemical treatments by 30% since 2008.
Dhalluin, who is also MD at Mouton, told Decanter.com that he doesn’t anticipate robots replacing humans in the vineyard, particularly when it comes to picking and selecting grapes.
‘When working in the vineyards, we are first and foremost concerned by the well-being of our workers.
‘TED will be able to relieve them of some of the repetitive tasks but a robot will never replace the human hand [which is] essential for a perfect, high quality harvest.’
Separately, Port producer Symington Family Estates has also recently trialled a vineyard robot named ‘vine scout’, which can monitor vine health and alert winemakers to any problems, such as water stress. It uses GPS tracking to function autonomously in the vines.
The three-year project for ‘vine scout’ began in 2016 and is part-funded by the European Union, as well as private institutions.
Both trials in Portugal and Bordeaux are the latest examples of automation in vineyard management.
Drones are already being used in some areas of Bordeaux to monitor vine health, such as at Château Pape Clement owned by Bernard Magrez.
And new technology, such as optical sorting machinery, is credited with helping to reduce the proportion of poor vintages. However, winemakers would also argue that this is backed by a cultural shift towards lower yields, reduced reliance on chemicals and greater precision. |
aWhere harnesses weather data for precision agriculture | US start-up aWhere combines historical data and current weather mapping to improve crop and soil management. The company pulls information from 1.5 million virtual weather stations to generate eight billion data points a day, before combining it with crop information to create precision farming plans. AWhere's chief revenue officer, Brian Soliday, commented: "Weather information is important, but it’s the agronomic insight that we provide that adds real value."
| http://www.precisionag.com/systems-management/data/weather-services-advance-precision-agriculture/ | 2017-12-04 15:47:20.610000 | Share
Some estimates suggest over half of growers’ activities are impacted by weather conditions, from field workability to fertility management to harvest timing. No wonder more companies are entering the weather data and analysis space, either with standalone products or by teaming up with other firms’ management and grower platforms.
The data and modeling here are challenging — one expert called weather data “unstructured and complex” — but here is a sampling of what companies are doing to help guide farmers’ and retailers’ weather-based decisions.
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Gathering The Data
All companies in this segment draw from large and varied sources of live, raw weather data that can include temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, wind speed, etc. Feeds can come from national — and increasingly, global — networks, public and private. Information is also tapped from radar, meteorological satellites, surface weather stations, rain gauge networks and forecast models.
No one data source can provide the depth of information needed for more intense agricultural use.
For instance, radar can show where rain is, but it measures moisture far above the ground. Those totals can differ quite a bit from what actually hits a field, points out Brad Colman, Weather Science Lead with Climate Corp. For its FieldView platform, the company combines the best data from radar networks (NOAA) with “as many rain gauges as we can get our hands on,” he says.
Climate Corp.’s rainfall data feeds come as an average precipitation measurement for a grid of roughly one-third of a square mile. “We then match those grids up to farmers’ fields. We receive our first estimate of precipitation 15 minutes after the hour; then, as more data is received, we update the readings with additional quality-controlled values,” he explains.
In fact, in 2017, Climate Corp. developed a novel method using “machine learning” to more intelligently incorporate rain gauge data into its model. This new method has improved previous issues by more than 45%.
Analyzing The Data
aWhere utilizes historical data as well as current conditions in its products. “We have a 10-year history across 1.5 million virtual weather stations worldwide. This allows us to analyze how weather happening today is different versus a long-term normal,” says Brian Soliday, Chief Revenue Officer.
To create those “virtual stations,” the company consumes weather information on a global scale and generates 8 billion data points per day, to basically create a weather-station’s-worth of data every 9 kilometers across the ag earth. “We use soil information and crop calendars as well, so we know where the crop is in its growth stage in a particular growing area,” says Soliday. “If something is happening in the environment (such as moisture stress), we know if it has a potential positive or negative effect on yield or production.”
Soliday sees a huge challenge going forward in the lack of perceived value of weather information, especially when data is so easily available for free via a multitude of sources.
“Weather information is important, but it’s the agronomic insight that we provide that adds real value,” he says. “It’s just a constant struggle for the end user to understand that value and what that means to them on a daily basis — that it helps them increase yields.”
Take a crop stress model, issued daily. Without it, growers look at rainfall and are encouraged that their fields got 15 inches of rain over a growing season, a normal range.
“That may be true, but if the precipitation this year was in three primary events, it wasn’t evenly distributed, and a lot of that ran off. That means the moisture in the soil column isn’t at the level it’s perceived to be,” says Soliday. “Plus the temperatures at night are higher, so the crops are experiencing evapotranspiration and respiration 24/7. This phenomena is not like what we would have seen in years past, where the night cooled down and crop moisture loss would be reduced.”
Joel Wipperfurth, Ag Technology Applications Lead with Winfield United, also sees the problem of charging for weather services, especially because there is a lot of publicly available data. Other service providers need to add contextual interpretations beyond radar and rainfall reports available on the free weather apps on consumers’ phones, he says.
Winfield United actually has weather stations at its 170 Answer Plots to gather data, to use real-time and historically. The company’s research team tracks the trials’ growing environments and generates data to try to predict products’ responses.
“We’re trying to add predictability to the places where the farmer invests,” he explains.
In the Answer Plots, he is now doubling the use rate of weather data that researchers are collecting, using it once to help explain how a hybrid performed and a second time to build a better crop model in the R7 Field Forecasting Tool.
Transferring Expertise
Both aWhere and Climate Corp. service agriculture exclusively, but other companies have entered the ag weather space from other industries.
Expert in the transportation and roadway management industies, Iteris has developed a unique weather and soil data analysis and forecast system specifically for agriculture that helps create a comprehensive, gridded database of atmospheric and soil conditions worldwide. It covers 1980 through 10 days into the future, says Jeff Keiser, Vice President, Strategic Sales and Marketing. The company delivers the information to agricultural companies and product manufacturers through its ClearAg Platform.
Historical data can be important in crop production, Keiser points out. For example, growers may want to compare ClearAg’s five-day forecast of weather and soil conditions to what has happened in the past in their field. Historical data from other sources may come from a station that may be dozens, to hundreds of miles away. That differenceis important, but it may not be clear if the data for both time periods are just presented in a table of numerical values, he says.
Agriculture is one of seven industries that Weather Decisions Technologies (WDT) serves. “Here our approach is to work with companies that are agronomic experts and provide them with the highest quality weather datasets for their platforms, dashboards, and analytics,” explains Richard Reed, Senior Account Executive, Agriculture.
Over the past two years, WDT has developed an answer to the common problem of rainfall on larger farms that have multiple fields spanning several miles. “The most accurate way to get actual precipitation data from the area is to install on-site precipitation gauges, but they can ultimately cost tens of thousands of dollars in equipment and communication costs,” points out Reed.
WDT’s new precipitation analysis system, called SkyWise MetStorm Precision Precipitation Analysis, produces ultra-high resolution (250m2) 1-hour grids of precipitation estimates. There’s no need for in-field equipment.
DTN is known for its vast ag, oil and gas, weather, and commodity trading networks — and has been in the “weather insight” business for 35 years, says Matt Walsh, Vice President Agribusiness. But the company has gone a step further in agriculture by teaming up with partners such as co-ops to offer weather information to retailers’ grower customers.
It has also created DTN Ag Weather Station, an information network that harnesses more than 5,500 weather stations located on users’ farms across North America to report highly local data in real time. “Users have the option of adding their own on-site weather station and aggregating information from their own field,” says Walsh.
The units’ sensors also measure soil moisture, soil temperature, solar radiation and leaf wetness. “This delivers tremendously detailed field-level forecasts and insights for specific areas and geographic regions,” he adds.
Perhaps the largest company doing ag weather these days is The Weather Co., an IBM Business.” As for sheer numbers, the firm’s data platform is one of the largest IoT platforms in the world processing 400 terabytes of data every day from a variety of worldwide sources, serving up billions of forecasts a day globally. “It houses all our APIs and weather data, such as forecasts, observations, alerts and notifications, historical weather data, weather imagery and lifestyle data,” says Chacko Jacob, Agriculture Leader.
The Weather Co. is able to integrate forecasts, soil data, seasonal analyses and current weather conditions into a localized platform that delivers critical analytics for field analysis and crop planting, he says.
More On Soil
Some companies are going below the surface to gather soil information influenced by weather. Iteris has adapted a Land Surface Model with agronomic crop specifications to help generate field surface and sub-surface soil data. This approach goes two meters deep and divides soils into eight unique layers that impact crop production during critical periods such as tillage, seeding, fertilization and at maturity for harvest.
One example of this model at work: potatoes. As a root crop, they take on the temperature of the surrounding soil at the depth they mature. To minimize crop damage and manage crop storage and quality, growers often send out staff with soil thermometers multiple times during the day, says Keiser. One ClearAg user found that the platform’s soil temperature data nearly mirrored the measurements workers made, without trips to the field. The good news is now that grower can plan and schedule harvest operations plus field agronomy staff spend time on more important tasks such as soil testing and evaluating varieties.
Keiser gives other examples where tailored weather information benefits growers. It’s likely that certain seed hybrids or varieties germinate best under warmer soil conditions, whereas others can be successfully planted earlier when the ground is still marginally cool but soil moisture is sufficient.
Then too, some foliar crop protection product formulations may perform best when crop leaves are dry but the relative humidity is on the high side, in order to encourage leaf or stem surface adhesion characteristics, he says.
“These questions tend to modify the paradigm of using weather data from assessing the impact of what happened to the crop due to past weather events to using forecast data to drive business decisions on the most important actions to take next,” says Keiser.
Harnessing Weather In The Future
Experts PrecisionAg® Professional contacted suggested a few technologies that will impact — or be impacted by — advances in weather data.
Hybrid selection. Using reliable weather data, growers will match certain fields or field zones to specific seed genetic characteristics and thereby further increase crop productivity through multi-hybrid planters, predicts Iteris’ Keiser.
New crop protection tools. A whole new class of crop products is beginning to emerge, generally referred to as ‘biologicals,’ he says. These products often are affected by aspects of soil temperature and moisture and have the potential to impact overall soil and plant health.
Robotics. Broader use of autonomous vehicles or robots will be possible thanks to good data on current environmental conditions of both the crop and the field as they vary during the course of the day and the growing season.
Drones. WDT’s Reed says that as technology advances, companies will use drones to collect near-surface weather data over large-scale areas, which will help improve both weather forecasts and operational decision-making.
Remote sensing. aWhere’s Soliday sees a lot more collaboration with remote sensing firms — that offer high resolution satellite imagery or small footprint UAVs — in the future. A weather service platform that indicates stress in a field could direct a remote sensing partner to check it out visually.
“We call that kind of targeting ‘tipping and cueing,’” says Soliday. Growers can see areas they need to focus on and avoid wasting money collecting pixels on areas that are doing well.
Winfield United’s Wipperfurth made an observation about the future of rainfall predictions. Current forecasts begin to break down at the 15-day mark, and meteorologists often look back at data from 15 or even 30 years ago to fill in the gaps. He’s heard there’s a move now to only go back 10 years, because of recent climate shifts. Conditions from just 10 years ago might actually be a more accurate prediction of what’s going to happen with rainfall after 15 days out, he says.
0 1 5 Weather Services Advance Precision Agriculture |
We don't agree to divergence between NI and the UK: Arlene Foster | The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will "not accept any form of regulatory divergence", either economic or political, between Northern Ireland and the UK after Brexit, Arlene Foster, the leader of the DUP, has said. Unionists are concerned any such divergence – known as "special status" – could create an unofficial border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The Conservative Party is reliant on the support of the DUP in a "confidence and supply" deal agreed between the parties after the general election earlier this year.
| http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/foster-we-won-t-agree-to-separating-ni-economically-or-politically-from-uk-1.3314974 | 2017-12-04 15:39:39.370000 | DUP leader Arlene Foster addresses the media on Brexit, saying that her party has made clear that "Northern Ireland must leave the European Union on the same terms as the rest of the United Kingdom." Video: Reuters
The Democratic Unionist Party has warned it will not countenance a Brexit deal which "separates Northern Ireland economically or politically from the rest of the United Kingdom".
On Monday, following reports the British government was close to agreeing a deal with the European Union that would allow for continuing regulatory alignment in customs and trade practices across the island of Ireland, DUP leader Arlene Foster said Northern Ireland must leave the EU on the same terms as the rest of the UK.
At a press conference at Stormont and in a subsequent statement to address the detail of the leaked text of draft documentation on a deal to allow movement to the next stage of Brexit talks, Ms Foster said British prime minister Theresa May's government, which her party is propping up through a confidence and supply agreement at Westminster, fully understands the DUP position.
Democratic Unionist Party’s Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson. File photograph: AFP/Leon Neal
"We will not accept any form of regulatory divergence which separates Northern Ireland economically or politically from the rest of the United Kingdom, " she said. "The economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom will not be compromised in any way.
READ MORE
“The prime minister has told the House of Commons that there will be no border in the Irish Sea. “The prime minister has been clear that the UK is leaving the European Union as a whole and the territorial and economic integrity of the United Kingdom will be protected.
‘Spoke to Ms May’
“We want to see a sensible Brexit where the Common Travel Area is continued, we meet our financial obligations, have a strictly time-limited implementation period and where the contribution of EU migrants to our economy is recognised in a practical manner.”
About 20 minutes after making her public statements, Ms Foster spoke to Ms May by telephone. DUP objections to a deal on regulatory alignment, plus final arrangements on EU citizens' rights and the role of the European Court of Justice in any post-Brexit transition period are all thought to have contributed to the subsequent announcement by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels that "it was not possible to reach a complete agreement today".
Mr Juncker and Ms May have agreed to hold further negotiations before the end of this week, with the latter saying she is “confident we will conclude this positively”.
Taoiseach Leo Vardakar has said he is “surprised and disappointed” the British government was not in a position to conclude what was agreed on the Border on Monday but would not be drawn on finger pointing or attributing blame.
‘No economic or territorial divergence’
DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson MP accused the Irish Government of being "a bunch of political chancers" and of "doing their best to undermine the unionist position".
He also suggested Mr Varadkar was trying to “pursue his own republican agenda”.
Mr Wilson said the British government had made clear the UK will leave the EU in its entirety and is committed to no economic or territorial divergence.
Former UUP leader Lord David Trimble described the Border proposals as “a thoroughly bad idea”, and present UUP leader Robin Swann said they would be “wholly unacceptable and would fundamentally alter the relationship between Northern Ireland and Great Britain”.
However, Green Party leader Steven Agnew said “the provision would avoid the need for a hard Border” and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the DUP “must move to act in Northern Ireland’s interest, not simply serve the their own interests”.
Sinn Féin Northern leader Michelle O’Neill wrote on Twitter: “After the day that’s been in it, nothing changes – we need to see special status for the North; that includes remaining in customs union and single market.”
Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson said special status for the North in the EU would provide the best protection for the Belfast Agreement and the rights of citizens. “We cannot have a situation where a minority are allowed to trample over the rights of the majority in the North who voted to remain in the EU,” she said. |
Bangladesh aims to lift energy security with LNG regas plant | Bangladesh's North-West Power Generation aims to construct a 3,600 MW combined cycle power plant for the regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG), to be located in the Patuakhali district. The company has already agreed to another 750 to 850 MW plant, located in Khulna. Bangladesh hopes to augment its generation capacity as part of an energy infrastructure upgrade, reducing the need to import energy from abroad. The Bangladeshi Power Division aims to increase capacity from its current 15,821 MW to 24,000 MW by 2021, with an eventual aim of 30,000 MW by 2030. | http://www.powermag.com/bangladesh-announces-lng-power-plants-as-part-of-generation-expansion/ | 2017-12-04 15:06:59.977000 | The state-owned North-West Power Generation Co. Ltd. (NWPGCL) in Bangladesh in early November announced plans to build a 3,600-MW regasification liquefied natural gas (LNG) combined cycle power plant in the Patuakhali district, on the heels of an earlier agreement to construct a similar 750-to-850-MW plant in Khulna.
The new plants are part of a concerted effort to increase generation capacity in a country that traditionally has relied on gas-fired power. Bangladesh’s ruling party, the Bangladesh Awami League (BAL), has said upgrading the country’s energy infrastructure is critical to increasing security and lessening the need to import power from neighboring countries. Officials are working with many countries, including Russia, on energy initiatives.
Analysts said the country had 15,821 MW of generation capacity as of November 2017, and the country’s Power Division has said capacity must be increased to 24,000 MW—a 52% jump—by 2021, according to its most recent Power Sector Master Plan. Analysts have said electricity demand in Bangladesh is likely to reach 30,000 MW by 2030. Senior government officials have said Bangladesh expects to import at least 25% of its electricity from India for the next few years.
Other large power generation projects underway in Bangladesh include the country’s first nuclear facility, a 2,400-MW plant at Rooppur, and a 1,320-MW coal-fired facility in Rampal, being built by India’s NTPC. The nuclear plant, expected to enter commercial operation in 2023, will utilize two VVER-1200 reactors (water-water energetic reactors), each producing the equivalent of 1,200 MW. It is being built by the Russian Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corp.
In addition to adding coal, nuclear, and natural gas-fired generation, the country’s government also has a goal to produce at least 10% of its power from renewable sources by 2020.
Khurshedul Alam, NWPGCL’s managing director, said his group has signed a memorandum of understanding with Germany’s Siemens AG to build the Patuakhali facility. He said the site was chosen because it has a port into which the LNG can be imported.
Alam told the Dhaka Tribune in late October that NWPGCL already had agreements in place “to import around 125 million cubic feet (MMcf) per day equivalent of regasified LNG at [the] Bangladesh-India border through an offshore LNG terminal from India’s West Bengal to the plant in Khulna.” He said Bangladesh has “opted to import LNG as the country is reeling from an acute gas crisis because the current reserves are depleting very fast.”
The two NWPGCL projects are in addition to a 500-to-600-MW regasification LNG combined cycle power plant being built in Matarbari, in Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Bangladesh. That project is a joint venture of Japan’s MITSUI and the Coal Power Generation Co. Bangladesh Ltd.
NWPGCL has three operating power plants in Bangladesh: a 360-MW dual-fuel facility in Bheramara that began operation in September 2017; a 225-MW natural gas-fired combined cycle plant in Sirajganj that began commercial operation with 150 MW of generation capacity in December 2012, and was upgraded to 225 MW in July 2014; and a natural gas-fired combined cycle plant in Khulna that began commercial operation with 150 MW of generation capacity in 2013, and was upgraded to 225 MW in June 2016.
State-owned Petrobangla, also known as Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corp., in mid-October signed an agreement for the use of an LNG regasification terminal with a consortium of local Hong Kong Shanghai Manjala Power Ltd., Malaysia’s Global LNG, and Petronas LNG Ltd. The terminal—a floating storage and fixed jetty based regasification unit (FSRU)—will be set up by the consortium at Kutubdia Island in Cox’s Bazar.
1. Floating terminals will supply LNG. Texas-based Excelerate Energy is building a floating storage regasification unit offshore Bangladesh, one of three units currently planned to increase the amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported by the country. Courtesy: Excelerate Energy
It is the third LNG floating terminal planned to supply Bangladesh through Petrobangla. The first, being built by Texas-based Excelerate Energy, is a 500 million cubic feet per day FSRU (Figure 1) that is expected to begin service in April 2018. A second terminal with similar capacity is being built by Summit Group, a Bangladesh company headquartered in Dhaka; it is expected to come online by year-end 2018. Each terminal will import LNG from Switzerland, Oman, and Qatar.
—Darrell Proctor is a POWER associate editor. |
Farming data analytics firm Uptake raises $117m | Uptake, an agriculture analytics firm, has raised $117m in a series D funding round. The company uses sensors to track the performance of a range of farming machinery and uses machine learning to determine optimal usage and if repairs are needed. The round was led by the UK's Baillie Gifford, with US investors also involved, and has brought the company's total fundraising to $264m, valuing it at $2.3bn.
| https://agfundernews.com/uptake-raises-117m-series-d-machinery-data.html | 2017-12-04 15:05:55.450000 | Uptake, a data analytics startups that uses sensor data to optimize machinery including farming equipment, has raised a $117 million Series D round.
Baillie Gifford, one of the UK’s largest independent investment management firms, led the round, which also included GreatPoint Ventures and Revolution Growth, a Washington, DC-based VC helped by AOL cofounder Steve Case.
This brings Uptake’s total fundraising to $264 million, $130 million of which was raised in two rounds earlier this year, and it is now valued at $2.3 billion. Uptake is cash flow positive, according to TechCrunch, but said in a statement that the new funds will allow it to speed up its growth.
The company was founded by two cofounders of flash deal site Groupon on the idea that most commercial equipment comes outfitted with some sensors, but little use has been made of the data they produce. Using these sensors, plus additional sensors from outside partners in some cases, Uptake tracks the performance and usage of combines, carts, trucks, and semis, to name a few, in order to gauge optimal use and also machine performance. The software is able to make recommendations to optimize machinery expenses by minimizing downtime among other things.
Uptake uses machine learning and predictive analytics to anticipate needed servicing and prevent problems, allowing growers to optimize the timing of repairs and order parts in advance. The company says that using predictive analytics can also help to avoid safety concerns like combine fires, which cause 40 to 50 serious injuries and $20 million in property losses each year in the US, according to a study by the University of Minnesota.
“Utilizing machine learning we can figure out the least amount of machine downtime so that growers get the crop out expediently. Utilizing the sensor data from the [Controller Area Network] CAN-BUS, we can perform data analytics on the onboard sensors to find the subtle precursors which cause combine fires,” wrote Tim Marquis, agriculture lead for Uptake in PrecisionAg.
The company claims that machine learning allows them to work in multiple industries in addition to agriculture including rail, energy, mining, aviation, and construction.
The company’s website says its platform can help growers “understand field conditions before dispatching equipment and crews,” and “maximize asset efficiency by improving routes, fuel consumption, and operator productivity.”
“It comes to recommendations. For example, we’ve worked with imagery data in the past to demonstrate our capabilities in combining agronomic datasets, like historic yield and planting data from a combine, weather, and imagery, to create predictive yield models and planting date estimation,” said a company spokesperson to AgFunderNews.
The company’s site says that its capabilities can serve growers, food processing plant managers, equipment growers, precision agriculture product managers, and equipment manufacturers.
Also working with machine data analytics for agriculture is Brazilian company Solinftec, which received funding from alternative and renewable Technologies growth equity platform TPG ART in July.
Solinftec has a suite of technologies including proprietary hardware, a telemetry communications network, and a software-as-a-service platform. The hardware, which includes a proprietary onboard computer for tractors and can integrate with any machine brand, gives operations information about the status of their machines and their progress based on their positioning and what activity they’re undertaking. |
Plans unveiled for £500m agritech facility in Cambridge | Plans for a one million sq ft site in Cambridge that will combine agriculture and technology to find solutions to global food insecurity have been submitted for approval by SmithsonHill. The Arc facility is expected to cost £500m ($670m) and is the result of a partnership between Russell Smith Farms and Hill Commercial Investment. The facility would act as an incubator for companies aiming to combine farming with science to develop agricultural technology. SmithsonHill is planning to open the facility in 2022, with construction due to start in 2019, subject to planning permission being granted.
| https://www.innovatorsmag.com/500m-agritech-park-plans-unveiled/ | 2017-12-04 14:53:31.403000 | A new £500 million AgriTech park designed to tackle global food security issues could be up and running in the UK by 2022.
The SmithsonHill-led project is seeking planning permission to construct the ‘world-leading’ facility, called Arc, in South Cambridgeshire.
“Between 2015 and 2016, the number of hungry people globally rose by 38 million. We are facing a global food production challenge and with the population estimated to rise by a further two billion by 2050, it is one that demands immediate attention. In order to overcome these issues, world-changing, innovative AgriTech spaces must be established where we can share ideas and learnings and where we can compete on a global scale with other countries,” said Emma Fletcher, Managing Director at SmithsonHill.
She continued: “Cambridge has firmly established itself as one of Europe’s leading destinations for technology and bioscience, but despite the regions strength in these sectors, the UK AgriTech industry has been woefully undersupplied until now. Our world-leading AgriTech park will fuse farming with science and technology, providing unmatched flexible space including laboratories, workshops, office accommodation and incubator units, as well as adjacent land critical for crop and technology trials. Our ultimate aim is to develop a unique environment in which businesses can thrive, and where we will develop and deliver ground-breaking innovations to assist crop production and yield, minimising both input and cost and reducing global food waste.”
SmithsonHill, a partnership initiative between Russell Smith Farms and Hill Commercial Investment, has submitted the proposals for the 1 million sqft site, which would employ 4000, with the local authorities. Construction is cited to begin in 2019, if it is given the go-ahead, with units available by 2022. |
Greensphere Capital seeks $500m for renewables in London IPO | Greensphere Capital plans to raise $500m in a London IPO for investment into sustainable infrastructure such as renewable energy sources. The company will offer up to 500 million shares for $1 each, and is aiming to list on the Premium Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange by 20 December. The move will be sponsored, brokered and placed by Numis Securities. Areas that Greensphere plans to expand its portfolio into include renewables, energy transmission, distribution and storage projects, sustainable agriculture and related areas.
| https://www.renewablesnow.com/news/greensphere-capital-plans-usd-500m-ipo-in-london-593103/ | 2017-12-04 14:39:34.870000 | Greensphere Capital Plc is aiming to raise as much as USD 500 million (EUR 422m) from an initial public offering (IPO) in London to invest in sustainable infrastructure, including renewables.
The company on Thursday announced the initial placing and offer for subscription of up to 500 million shares at USD 1 apiece. It wants to list on the Premium Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) by December 20. Numis Securities is the sponsor, broker and placing agent in the UK.
Greensphere is building a diversified portfolio of Sustainable Infrastructure Investments in energy transmission, distribution and storage, renewables, water, waste, sustainable agriculture and other sectors. Its focus will be on countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), but it may also invest up to 30% of its net asset value (NAV) in assets or businesses in non-OECD countries.
IPO DETAILS
The IPO will include a placing primarily targeted at institutional and professionally-advised private investors, and an offer for subscription available to UK investors. The deadline for receipt of application forms under the offer for subscription is December 14, while placing commitments under the initial placing are due on the next day. First admission of Greensphere stock and dealings are seen to start on December 20, 2017.
PORTFOLIO AND INVESTMENT POLICY
The company will be investing, directly and indirectly, in Sustainable Infrastructure Investments which mitigate against the risks of resource scarcity, input price and project life-cycle cost volatility, and climate stress.
Greensphere will actually maintain two investment portfolios -- a private one with unlisted Sustainable Infrastructure Investments and a listed one. The focus of both will be investments with “stable cashflow generation potential over the longer term, strong, creditworthy counterparties, and proven, experienced management teams and operators”, the company said.
The Listed Portfolio, managed by Ecofin, will contain liquid equity and equity-related securities of companies in the "Renewable Infrastructure Universe", listed or traded on one or more stock exchanges. The Listed Portfolio may be invested in limited partnerships (LPs), renewable infrastructure funds and closed-end funds which invest in income producing assets.
The "Renewable Infrastructure Universe" includes companies and businesses engaged in the production of renewable power, such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and biomass power plants, or the transmission, distribution and storage of energy. These would be companies based mainly in North America, Europe and Asia, but also in other geographies.
Greensphere said it will invest mainly in operational assets, but it may spend up to 30% of the NAV of the Private Portfolio on projects under construction or in development.
DIVIDENDS
In its first financial year, Greensphere will target a dividend of USD 0.03 per share. This is to grow to USD 0.05/share in the second financial year, and to USD 0.06/share after that. The company will target a total return, including distributed dividends and growth in the NAV per share, but excluding share price performance, of 10% to 12% per year on the issue price over the long term.
(USD 1 = EUR 0.84)
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US military group commits $100m to genetic extinction research | US military group Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) will invest $100m in genetic extinction technologies, according to emails made public through freedom of information regulations. Species such as malarial mosquitoes and invasive rodents could be eradicated by using the technology. The investment makes Darpa the world’s leading funder of “gene drive” research. Some experts fear the research could have unintended ecological consequences, while others have raised concerns about potential military applications. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity is debating the introduction of a moratorium on such research next year. | https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/dec/04/us-military-agency-invests-100m-in-genetic-extinction-technologies | 2017-12-04 14:29:06.473000 | A US military agency is investing $100m in genetic extinction technologies that could wipe out malarial mosquitoes, invasive rodents or other species, emails released under freedom of information rules show.
The documents suggest that the US’s secretive Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) has become the world’s largest funder of “gene drive” research and will raise tensions ahead of a UN expert committee meeting in Montreal beginning on Tuesday.
The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is debating whether to impose a moratorium on the gene research next year and several southern countries fear a possible military application.
UN diplomats confirmed that the new email release would worsen the “bad name” of gene drives in some circles. “Many countries [will] have concerns when this technology comes from Darpa, a US military science agency,” one said.
The use of genetic extinction technologies in bioweapons is the stuff of nightmares, but known research is focused entirely on pest control and eradication.
Cutting-edge gene editing tools such as Crispr-Cas9 work by using a synthetic ribonucleic acid (RNA) to cut into DNA strands and then insert, alter or remove targeted traits. These might, for example, distort the sex-ratio of mosquitoes to effectively wipe out malarial populations.
Some UN experts, though, worry about unintended consequences. One told the Guardian: “You may be able to remove viruses or the entire mosquito population, but that may also have downstream ecological effects on species that depend on them.”
“My main worry,” he added, “is that we do something irreversible to the environment, despite our good intentions, before we fully appreciate the way that this technology will work.”
Jim Thomas, a co-director of the ETC group which obtained the emails, said the US military influence they revealed would strengthen the case for a ban.
“The dual use nature of altering and eradicating entire populations is as much a threat to peace and food security as it is a threat to ecosystems,” he said. “Militarisation of gene drive funding may even contravene the Enmod convention against hostile uses of environmental modification technologies.”
Todd Kuiken, who has worked with the GBIRd programme, which receives $6.4m from Darpa, said that the US military’s centrality to gene tech funding meant that “researchers who depend on grants for their research may reorient their projects to fit the narrow aims of these military agencies”.
Between 2008 and 2014, the US government spent about $820m on synthetic biology. Since 2012, most of this has come from Darpa and other military agencies, Kuiken says.
In an email reporting a US military-organised conference in June, a US government biologist noted that Darpa’s biotechnology program manager Renee Wegrzynhad said “the safe genes projects account [was] for $65m, but then mentioned with all other support in the room, it was $100m”.
A Darpa spokesman said that the figure was “a liberal, notional estimate” that included researchers at the meeting funded by Darpa under related efforts.
“Darpa is not and should not be the only funder of gene-editing research but it is critical for the Department of Defense to defend its personnel and preserve military readiness,” he said.
Darpa believes that a steep fall in the costs of gene-editing toolkits has created a greater opportunity for hostile or rogue actors to experiment with the technology.
“This convergence of low cost and high availability means that applications for gene editing – both positive and negative – could arise from people or states operating outside of the traditional scientific community and international norms,” the official said. “It is incumbent on Darpa to perform this research and develop technologies that can protect against accidental and intentional misuse.”
Gene-drive research has been pioneered by an Imperial College London professor, Andrea Crisanti, who confirmed he has been hired by Darpa on a $2.5m contract to identify and disable such drives.
Fears that the research could be channeled towards bioweapons were “all fantasy”, he said. “There is no way this technology could be used for any military purpose. The general interest is in developing systems to contain the undesired effects of gene drives. We have never been asked to consider any application not for the good of eliminating plagues.”
Interest in the technology among US army bureaus has shot up since a secret report by the elite Jason group of military scientists last year “received considerable attention among various agencies of the US government”, according to an email by Gerald Joyce, who co-chaired a Jason study group in June.
A second Jason report was commissioned in 2017 assessing “potential threats this technology might pose in the hands of an adversary, technical obstacles that must be overcome to develop gene drive technology and employ it ‘in the wild’,” Joyce wrote.
The paper would not be publicly disclosed but “widely circulated within the US intelligence and broader national security community”, his email said. |
40% fall in footfall at branches leads to 680 staff cut at RBS | Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has becomes the latest UK bank to cut its branch network, announcing that it will lay off 680 staff with the closure of 259 branches. The bank claims the closures are due to a 40% drop in footfall at branches over the last three years. The latest round of cuts is in addition to previous closure programmes that resulted in the loss of more than 500 branches. Following the news, RBS was accused of "betraying local communities" by labour union, Unite.
| https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/31401/rbs-to-slash-a-quarter-of-branch-network-and-lay-off-680-staff | 2017-12-04 14:02:31.293000 | Royal Bank of Scotland has joined Lloyds Banking Group in doing its bit to ruin Christmas for front-line facing staff, announcing plans to kill off 259 branches and lay off 680 staff.
The closure of a quarter of the RBS branch network is a response to dwindling customer footfall. The bank says that the number of customers using branches has fallen by 40% over the past three years, while mobile transactions have increased by 73%.
RBS has told 1000 staff that their jobs are at risk but that it expects many to be redeployed resulting in a total job loss figure of 680.
An RBS spokesperson says the branches lined up for the axe will pull down their shutters in six months time, "in order to ensure our customers have time to consider the right banking options for them".
This latest announcement comes on top of previous RBS branch closure programmes which resulted in over 500 branches being lost.
The news from RBS comes just days after Lloyds Banking Group announced plans to close another 49 branches with the loss of 99 jobs.
Labour union Unite has accused RBS of betraying local communities.
Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer says: “The Royal Bank of Scotland has decided to decimate its bank branch network. Now serious questions need to be asked about whether these closures mark the end of branch network banking. This announcement will forever change the face of banking in this country." |
East of England Co-op to sell produce after 'best before' dates | The East of England Co-op, East Anglia’s largest independent retailer, will become the first business of its kind to sell food past its “best before” date in an attempt to cut waste. The tinned and dried produce will be sold for 10p. Fresh and perishable items will not be included in the initiative. The move follows a three-month trial carried out in 14 shops that found the 10p items typically sold within hours. The company hopes that the scheme will save a minimum of two tonnes of food waste per year.
| https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/04/retailer-to-sell-food-past-its-best-before-date-in-bid-to-cut-waste | 2017-12-04 13:52:50.277000 | A major retailer has become the first to start selling food that is past its “best before” date in a drive to reduce food waste.
From this week, the East of England Co-op – the biggest independent retailer in East Anglia – will sell tinned goods and dried food such as pasta, crisps and rice for a nominal 10p once they reach their best-before date. The offer will not apply to fresh and perishable foods, however, which carry a “use by” date indicating when a product is safe to eat.
The move by the retailer, which is independent of the Co-operative Group, follows a three-month trial in 14 stores that found that the 10p items generally sold within hours of being reduced.
Q&A What is the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates? Show ‘Best by’ or ‘best before’ date labels only refer to when food is at its best and tend to be used for quality control by retailers. For this reason it is perfectly safe to sell food at or after its ‘best before’ date. ‘Use by’ labels are more important as they indicate when a product is safe to eat, protecting consumers from potentially dangerous bacteria that could be in food after that date. Simplification of labelling is underway through new guidance from the Government’s waste advisory body Wrap, the Food Standards Agency and Defra, which advocates the use of only one date on a pack in order to reduce consumer confusion. ‘Display until’ labels have been phased out and food manufacturers are advised to select a ‘use by’ date only when there is a food safety reason – otherwise they should use a ‘best before’ date.
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Despite concerted efforts to reduce food waste through the entire supply chain, the government’s waste advisory body, Wrap, says £13bn-worth of edible food is thrown out in Britain every year.
Wrap is overseeing a major simplification of labelling with consumers often unaware of the difference between a use-by and a best-before date.
The East of England Co-op hopes to save at least two tonnes of food from being wasted annually with the initiative.
As part of the Co-op Guide to Dating campaign, shoppers will be told “Don’t be a binner, have it for dinner!” and “It’s not nice to get dumped”.
“We are committed to reducing waste in our business and the Co-op Guide to Dating is one of many initiatives we have instigated to make the East of England Co-op as efficient as possible, reducing our impact on the environment,” said Roger Grosvenor, the company’s joint chief executive and head of its retail division.
“During our trial we found our 10p items went within hours of being reduced, sometimes quicker,” said Grosvenor. “The vast majority of our customers understand they are fine to eat and appreciate the opportunity to make a significant saving on some of their favourite products. This is not a money-making exercise, but a sensible move to reduce food waste and keep edible food in the food chain. By selling perfectly edible food we can save 50,000-plus items every year which would otherwise have gone to waste.”
The Food Standards Agency advises that products past their best-before date are safe to eat but may not be at the optimum quality intended by the producer. The products will remain on sale for a month past their best-before date.
The East of England Co-op has also launched a new “reduced to clear” policy, offering bigger discounts earlier in the day on foods nearing their use-by dates.
The 10p discounted food cannot be donated to charities such as food banks as they do not accept items past their best-before dates. |
Univfy applies AI to personalise IVF treatments | California-based start-up Univfy is looking to personalise in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments by applying artificial intelligence and predictive technology to treatment decisions. Univfy's predictive analytics platform factors in variables such as age, body mass, semen analysis and clinical diagnosis to help improve both IVF success rates and cost transparency. Univfy operates by taking existing clinical data on a patient before integrating the success prediction model into a clinic's IVF fee schedule to produce more affordable pricing plans.
| http://www.digitaljournal.com/life/health/artificial-intelligence-to-aid-ivf-treatment-interview/article/508949 | 2017-12-04 13:47:28.207000 | Univfy analyzes many factors in a patient’s fertility profile, such as age, body mass index, ovarian reserve test results, semen analysis, and clinical diagnoses. This is in order to give personalized probability of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) success. A secondary aim is to bring more transparency to the success and cost of IVF.
Moreover, by using Univfy patients can learn about the costs of IVF treatment and their probability of success after one, two or three IVF cycles. The platform, therefore, also helps couples to make better financial decisions.
To discover more about this combination of artificial intelligence and predictive technology, we spoke with the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mylene Yao.
Digital Journal: Thanks for the interview. What are the established methods for couples seeking to have children?
Dr. Mylene Yao: First, about 85 percent of couples in their 20s conceive naturally over a year if they’re trying every month. You can increase your chance of conceiving by timing sex around and in the 36 hours after ovulation.
Women who have risk factors such as past sexually transmitted diseases, irregular periods, certain birth defects, or medical problems that can impact fertility (like thyroid disease) should consult a fertility specialist regardless of her age, to determine if her fertility may be compromised and whether a specific treatment would improve her chances of having a baby.
Men who have risk factors such as undescended testes and past infection that can impact sperm production (such as mumps orchitis) should also consult a fertility specialist or urologist/andrologist. Often, the doctor will order a semen analysis to determine if there is male risk factor.
If the fertility doctor confirms that there are risk factors and the couple’s chances of natural conception is low, then he/she would normally recommend one or more treatment options. The exact treatment will depend on the cause of subfertility (a term used in the U.K.) or infertility (a term used in U.S.). For most couples, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a highly effective medical treatment that significantly improves the chances of having a baby.
DJ: What alternative methods are there?
Yao: The treatment methods depend on the cause of infertility. Also, the age of the couple — especially the age of the woman — should be taken into account when deciding on the treatment method. As a woman ages, her ovarian reserve decreases, so if IVF is the most effective treatment for a women, you would not want to delay IVF treatment because the same treatment can give lower results if it is done later in life.
Some commonly used methods of fertility treatment (not necessarily “alternatives” as they are not applicable in every patient) are ovulation induction (if irregular ovulation is the only cause), intrauterine insemination (usually done as an alternative to IVF due to its lower cost), tubal surgery (if tubal factor were the only cause and the woman has good ovarian reserve), the use of donor sperm (if there is male factor infertility).
DJ: How does Univfy work?
Yao: Univfy is a predictive analytics platform that combines machine learning, artificial intelligence, and fintech to improve the patient’s experience. Most importantly, we help more women to succeed in having a baby from IVF by working with their doctors to help them afford several IVF cycles.
Many more patients can have a baby if they could afford to do more than one IVF treatment. Without the use of machine learning, much fewer patients actually qualify for refund warranty programs.
Univfy uses an IVF center’s own past data and outcomes to develop and validate a prediction model of IVF success. We then integrate the IVF success prediction model with the clinic’s IVF fee schedule to help fertility doctors offer special pricing programs that are designed to help more women afford several IVF cycles, if needed.
DJ: How does Unify help with the cost of IVF?
Yao: Univfy helps to connect the patient’s financial cost and her specific probability of having a successful treatment. Doctors using the Univfy platform report that the patient’s experience is dramatically improved by the level of transparency and accountability. Doctors want to provide transparency but in the past, without the Univfy PreIVF Report, it was technically not possible.
With the Univfy PreIVF Report, doctors can provide much more personalized counseling when supported by the Univfy PreIVF Report, which tells a patient her probability of having a baby from one, two, or three IVF treatments, the probability of not having a baby even after 3 tries, and the financial options that are available. Traditionally, medical counseling and financial counseling are conducted separately. However, patients who have to pay for IVF out-of-pocket need to understand their medical and financial risks and benefits in order to make an informed decision.
A pregnant woman David Roseborough / Creative Commons
DJ: How was the artificial intelligence developed?
Yao: The Univfy technology was originally developed by myself and Professor Wing H. Wong, at Stanford University as part of an academic research project. Univfy has licensed the technology and also developed new technology during its commercialization efforts, all under the Univfy global IP portfolio.
DJ: Which factors are assessed to help assess IVF success?
Yao: The Univfy PreIVF Report uses health data that are available from standard clinical evaluation by fertility doctors. Health data such as age, body mass index, ovarian reserve test results, clinical diagnosis, reproductive history, past use of fertility treatment and results, and semen analysis are used by the prediction model to compute the predicted probability of IVF success.
DJ: How have you assessed the predictive technology? Did you run trials?
Yao: Each prediction model that we provide to fertility doctors has been subjected to rigorous testing and validation, even much more than examples that we have published in top, peer-reviewed clinical research journals.
Since we are providing predictive technology to patients who have already been determined to have infertility and for whom doctors are already recommending IVF treatment. Univfy does not make the diagnosis or recommend the treatment), clinical trials are not applicable. Our goal is to help patients to be more informed about the IVF treatment that has been recommended to them and to be able to afford IVF, should they decide to take their doctor’s recommendations.
DJ: What has been the reception from the medical profession?
Yao: Fertility doctors are very happy with the Univfy PreIVF Report because the report has dramatically improved their patient’s experience. They feel that they can provide more personalized counseling and the level of transparency and accountability that their patients deserve.
DJ: How have patients reacted?
Yao: Patients very much appreciate having a very data-driven, validated report that is personalized to their own health data. We have heard very positive feedback from doctors using the Univfy PreIVF Report.
DJ: Which other areas are you working on?
Yao: Currently patients experience a huge financial barrier when seeking help from IVF treatment. We are working to expand our financial program to incur cost savings on medication and genetic testing so that more patients can access IVF and utilize genetic testing technology, which can be very beneficial for some patients. We’re hoping to develop a consumer loan program to help patients get their needed treatment sooner rather than later. |
Landlords, GetRentr build tool to monitor UK licensing changes | The National Landlord Association (NLA) has worked with proptech start-up GetRentr to create a tool that monitors changes and updates to landlord licensing schemes. NLA Licensing 365 notifies landlords of licensing changes in the postcodes on up to 16 properties and enables prospective buyers to view local regulations. GetRentr CEO Orla Shields said the app would also help in regulation compliance, could weed out rogue landlords and reach landlords who don't use agents.
| http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/landlords/new-platform-to-help-landlords-comply-with-licensing-schemes-launches.html | 2017-12-04 13:42:43.933000 | NLA Licensing 365 allows landlords to monitor local licensing schemes in all UK postcodes for up to 16 properties, with alerts sent to them directly if the licensing status in an area changes.
The platform will alert landlords when new licensing schemes are being consulted on or due to be introduced and, importantly, whether their properties will be affected.
Richard Lambert, CEO of the National Landlords Association, said: “The number of licensing schemes in England has increased from just over 10 in 2010 to 67 schemes now, with a further 10 currently in consultation, so NLA Licensing 365 has been created to make life easier for all landlords.
This tool will help ensure you never miss important information about potential new licensing schemes, and that you can be prepared to make your properties meet any new licence requirements.
It also allows you to view the licensing requirements for prospective properties, which is beneficial for those looking to expand their portfolios into new areas where they may not be familiar with the local regulations.”
Orla Shields, CEO and Co-Founder of GetRentr, said: “Our mission is to use data and technology to ensure good agents and landlords can easily comply with regulation, rogue landlords are exposed and no tenant has to live in unsafe, substandard accommodation again. Our partnership with the NLA ensures we reach private landlords who may not use agents.”
For more information about NLA Licensing 365, go to www.landlords.org.uk/nla-licensing-365 |
German fintech Deposit Solutions secures $20m | German financial technology company Deposit Solutions has secured new investment of $20m to support growth of its Open Banking platform. The funds came from venture capital firms led by existing shareholders e.Ventures and Greycroft. The Hamburg-based company bought Savedo, a marketplace for savings deposits, earlier this year to strengthen its business to consumer operation. The extra funding will allow Deposit Solutions to expand its services internationally as it seeks to make its platform the industry standard for the deposit market.
| http://tech.eu/brief/deposit-solutions-funding/ | 2017-12-04 13:40:01.913000 | Deposit Solutions, a German fintech company, has raised $20 million in a round led by e.Ventures and Greycroft, both existing shareholders.
The new funds will be used to grow the Hamburg-based company’s Open Banking platform for savings deposits for both B2B and B2C services, and to expand internationally. Its APIs allow banks to connect to the platform to build and offer deposit services. It has partnered with more than 50 banks.
“This investment round is a strong vote of confidence from our shareholders and allows us to further focus on our core mission, establishing Open Banking as the new industry standard for the deposit market,” said Dr Tim Sievers, CEO of Deposit Solutions.
The company acquired Berlin startup Savedo earlier this year to improve on the B2C side of its business, which has reached 85,000 retail customers to date.
“Deposit Solutions started to build its open banking infrastructure long before fintech even became a household name and has consistently pursued its vision of transforming the €10 trillion deposit market ever since,” added Andreas Haug, managing partner of e.Ventures, which was an existing investor and backed the company in previous rounds. |