A new grant will help researchers at Rochester Institute of Technologys National Technical Institute for the Deaf learn more about one of the most challenging phases in stellar astrophysics, according to the National Science Foundation.

The nearly $300,000 project, which incorporates research opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing undergraduate students, will revolutionize how scientists understand a crucial phase of binary star evolution that rapidly shrinks the orbit of two stars to 0.1 percent of the distance from the Earth to the sun in only one year.This is the main method for forming tight binaries in the universe, such as binary black holes, neutron stars, white dwarfs, and many other classes of objects. But scientists have never seen it happen.

Jason Nordhaus, an RIT/NTID assistant professor of physics and the principal investigator on the grant, is beyond excited to lead the first-of-its-kind survey that will allow astrophysicists to create the first observational constraints on the outcomes of what is called the common envelope phase.

Through the project, titled Brief But Spectacular: New Windows into the Physics of Common Envelope Evolution, Nordhaus and his team will be conducting an observational survey of all galactic star clusters within 1 kiloparsec of Earth to hunt for close binary systems.To do that, they will use data from NASA and the European Space Agencys flagship space missions, TESS and Gaia, in addition to some of the largest telescopes on the planetthe Lowell Discovery Telescope in the northern hemisphere and the Magellan Telescopes in the southern hemisphere.

The common envelope phase is responsible for making the systems that will later merge and create gravitational waves, explains Nordhaus.Because only one star in our galaxy is experiencing this phase at any time, we have never directly seen it. However, close binaries in clusters act as a Rosetta stone, allowing us to map the conditions right before the common envelope phase to the conditions right after the phase is over.

As part of this three-year project, several deaf and hard-of-hearing RIT/NTID undergraduates will help conduct research at Boston University each summer. Philip Muirhead, co-PI on the project, is the director of graduate admissions for Boston Universitys astronomy department.Nordhaus and Muirhead will work together on best practices for supporting those students successfully in the summer. Also contributing to the project are Maria Drout, assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Toronto, and Jeffrey Cummings, associate research scientist at Johns Hopkins University.

This new venture that Dr. Nordhaus is taking on will lead to discoveries beyond our imagination, said Gerry Buckley, NTID president and RIT vice president and dean. This work also provides a tremendous opportunity for our young deaf and hard-of-hearing science students to work in a research setting and be a part of this remarkable project.

Continued here:

Groundbreaking study of binary star evolution is focus of new NSF grant | National Technical Institute for the Deaf | RIT - RIT News

Kevin Maxwell

By Kevin Maxwell

One of the economic byproducts of the COVID crisis is that many companies transitioned quickly to their employees working from home. Now nearly 4.5 months into the pandemic, a prolonged work-from-home effort will be the norm.

Companies with large employee counts are working to establish safe protocols for return efforts. The question of productivity and the need for office space is emerging.

Now that companies have settled into work from home, do they need to return to an office environment? And if they do, will they occupy the same footprint as before? Or will companies need more space to accommodate the new social distancing practices that experts say we will need? Where do cities fit into this question?

I have long been an advocate of more class A office space in Scottsdale. This will help us diversify our economy with high-wage employers. This begs the question: do our cities require office buildings with large workforces in the future?

Last week on the podcast, Deep Background with Noah Feldman, he provided insights into these questions. People are naturally social creatures. It is inherent for us to want to congregate and engage with others --- especially when we come off the prolonged isolation from the lockdown.

In Scottsdale, we know this all too well. As soon as some of our bars opened, people flocked to enjoy an evening out with friends. They did so with disregard for the recommended protocols that accompanied the opening of businesses.

As unfortunate as that was, it reminded us that cities and urban cores are resilient. Cities are not just government entities; they also provide an informal distributed network of support, protection and belonging.

As city budgets struggle with reduced tax revenue, they will need to reevaluate what it means to be a city. Cities may evolve from being government-centric top-down organizations to a flexible, more accommodating type of urbanism.

In short downtown Scottsdale may grow to be more of a hybrid mixed-use commercial model rather than what we have known in the past. Regardless the economic prosperity for downtown still looks very bright.

As Scottsdale deals with the COVID aftermath, there may be some opportunities to redefine our city. Until then the economic road may be disruptive and unpredictable, but Scottsdale has proven time and time again that it is capable of change.

In the future, perhaps Scottsdale can be defined as the Wests most Western and Resilient Town.

Editors Note: Kevin Maxwell is a candidate for Scottsdale City Council in the upcoming Aug. 4 primary election.

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Maxwell: What will Scottsdale's evolution be post COVID-19? - Your Valley

Several projects Im currently involved in have me thinking about cruise control. Although this technology has been around for a long time, it does not get much attention. However, it has been quietly evolving, changing its role in recent years and is likely to keep adapting.

Yunsu Park is the Director of Engineering for North American Council for Freight Efficiency.

In the beginning, cruise control had a simple job: maintain a set speed. It was a driver convenience to ease fatigue by removing the need to hold the throttle down for hours on end. Simple to understand and easy to operate, cruise control also had the added benefit of improving fuel consumption for many drivers in most situations. These days we often refer to this system as conventional or basic cruise control.

Cruise control got slightly more sophisticated when additional engine parameters became adjustable. These parameters allowed the driver (or perhaps the fleet) to adjust the speed band above and below the target speed before cruise control took any action to either accelerate or slow the truck. The result was slightly better fuel economy though perhaps at the cost of intuitiveness.

Things started getting more complicated when truck makers began incorporating more technology to make cruise control more fuel efficient going up and down hills. About 10 years ago, truck makers began offering cruise control that took into account what the road is doing.

These systems, called predictive cruise control (PCC), combined maps that were either stored from a previous trip or pre-programmed with the trucks location to adjust speed more efficiently for the terrain. With this change, cruise control became adept at handling more situations and solidified its role as a fuel-efficiency tool.

In the latest iterations, cruise control has become even more sophisticated, complete with names, more acronyms and more capability. Many new trucks now are equipped with adaptive cruise control (ACC), a system that can maintain a specified gap to the vehicle in front of it.

The most advanced systems are part of a suite of systems and sensors that detect and track the road and a number of objects in front of and around the truck at all times. While reduced driver fatigue and fuel economy still are benefits of cruise control, the technology is now part of a trucks active safety system. This is confirmed by the fact that several truck OEMs now include ACC and the associated safety systems as standard equipment on their vehicles.

All that is a good thing. Drivers (both the ones in the cab as well as the ones in front of and around the truck) are better off if there are fewer collisions. The evolution of cruise control shows how what started as a relatively simple technology that has been around for a long time can continue to get smarter and better.

And the evolution is likely not done yet.

The role of cruise control may continue to change as we start bringing electric trucks to the road. I had the privilege of participating in the Department of Energys 2020 Annual Merit Review for Vehicle Technologies. One of the projects I reviewed focused on ways to extend the range of an electric truck by modifying the way it is driven.

The logic makes sense. To extend the vehicles range, you can buy 30% more battery which increases cost, weight and charge times, or you can find ways to operate the truck more efficiently to get the same range. Cruise control wasnt specifically mentioned, but it would seem to be a good way to implement that change.

If that happens, it may mean that cruise control has changed its role once again from an important safety device to one critical in allowing a truck to do its job.

Amazing how things can evolve.

Yunsu Park is the Director of Engineering for North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and an independent consultant in the trucking industry. He has authored several Confidence Reports for NACFE in addition to the summary report for 2017 Run on Less.

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Cruise control continues to evolve with other trucking tech - Commercial Carrier Journal

When I think of a chalet, my mind goes straight back to the mid-1970s to a bold A-frame design, orange-toned timber, fleece rugs and cheese fondue. Not being a skier myself, the evolution of the chalet from rustic alpine lodge to chic weekend retreat had eluded me until I saw this 2019 project in Thredbo, from Sydneys Briony Fitzgerald Design.

A 2019 project in Thredbo, from Sydneys Briony Fitzgerald Design.Credit:Brigid Arnott

The brief was to create a cosy but elegant space (pictured) for an active and sociable family of five who ski in the winter and mountain-bike and hike during the summer.

The new building has a refined architectural precision, with large windows and an angular design softened by the interior scheme. We responded to the clean lines of the building a dual-level penthouse with handmade tiles, smokey oak veneer joinery, textiles and warm materials such as leather dining chairs and rich velvet upholstery, says Joanna Mitton, senior designer on the project.

The pice de rsistance is undoubtedly the massive, textured living room rug, which is just as much artwork as floor covering. Hand-knotted in Tibet, the rug is tousled and shaggy, like the outside landscape, says Briony Fitzgerald.

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The evolution of the chalet: from rustic lodge to chic retreat - Sydney Morning Herald

Second-wave feminism is often misconstrued as an American-centric movement, yet its ideals of emancipation spread far wider and deeper. This is particularly true of Yugoslavia, where the 1970s and 1980s saw many female activists and artists ignite a necessary dialogue on womens place within socialist society.

One of the first and most prominent figures of Yugoslavian feminism was artist Sanja Ivekovi, whose work pertains to the complexities of patriarchal consumerism, beauty ideals, and nationalism, and has relevance far beyond the Yugoslav context.

Ivekovi was born in Zagreb in 1949 and studied fine art at the citys academy, graduating in 1971. She went on to begin her career as an artist, joining the post-1968 generation of Yugoslav artists who benefitted from more artistic freedom than their more eastern neighbours, allowing a more feminist critical commentary to flourish although there will still limits.

For Ivekovi, the personal is political, and themes of gender roles and identity were at the forefront of much of her work. Yet feminism occupied an entirely different space within the Yugoslav context when compared with the west, particularly the US.

For some historians, what is known as the double burden, the role of having to be both the housewife and have a career, become a triple burden with the addition of being a socialist participant in the state. To make matters worse, under socialism, everyone was perceived as equal, regardless of whether they really were, hence movements like feminism were seen by the state as redundant.

And while Yugoslavia was progressive in terms of education, abortion, and divorce rights, misogyny still penetrated deeply in society. In some ways, the blindness to this oppression actually accentuated it.

Women were not sufficiently represented in politics and the state failed to accommodate basic needs. Author Slavenka Drakuli vividly illustrates this in her novel, How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed, as she remembers how period products such as tampons were not provided for, which is especially ironic for a socialist state. In the seventy years of its existence it couldnt fulfill the basic needs of half the population, she writes.

Moreover, while many feminists in the west saw products like make-up and high-heels as oppressive measures to fulfill patriarchal beauty standards, their shortage in Yugoslavia made them a means of expression.

When Ms Drakuli met with western European feminists in 1978, she recalls:we thought they were too radicalwhen they talked about wearing high-heeled shoes as a sign of womens subordination. I remember how we gossiped about their greasy hair, no bra, no make-up.

Interestingly, this highlights the shortcomings of western feminism at the time, that failed to account for the multiplicity of womens struggles. Many western feminists looked down on the socialist movement, yet this west-east misreading highlights its complexities and the failure of the west to concede that women can both appeal to conventional beauty standards and be unconventionally feminist.

Nevertheless, there were of course universalities. Consumerist mentalities were seeping into Yugoslavia too, where beauty standards were sold through the manufacturing of womens flaws.

Ivekovis, 1976 work instructions no.1 or instrukcije br. 1, deconstructed this phenomenon. In her short film, Ivekovi stares into the camera and methodically draws arrows on her face in black ink, evocative of pre-plastic surgery markings. In doing so, she mocks the how-to nature of advertisements, refuting make-ups ritualistic application. Here, the markings become a kind of war-paint against unrealistic beauty ideals where the face has been turned into an instruction manual, a thing to that must be bettered. At the end of the video, she rubs these markings in, making her face dirty and distorted, an ironic reflection of the markings of beauty expectations communicated against the iconography of women in advertising.

Here, the marketing of beauty products, that is only successful through point out flaws is reflected. Instead, the marketing and pressure itself becomes a flaw.

Ironically, the idea of adhering to these beauty standards, as sold by consumerism in Yugoslavia became a damned if you do, damned if you dont situation, and arguably still is globally.

In much of Ivekovis work, she places herself within the art, a powerful mechanism for commentary. As explained by art historian Jo Anne Isaak, critical distance can lead to a sense of complicity within patriarchal relations, rather than a refusal of. Instead, when the artist makes herself the subject, she explores the complexities of gender roles from an internal perspective, where she is not waving, but drowning. Rather than denouncing the models from the outside, she denounces the constructs from within.

After the fall of Yugoslavia, the wars of the 1990s steered women towards nation-building, where their role was subsumed within a broader nationalist narrative. Further moves towards more conservative governments instilled a guilt around the socialists progressive policies, and things like abortion rights were partially rolled back. Ironically, capitalisms full incorporation within the former Yugoslavia worked in reverse for many women.

Ultimately, whether socialism tried to erase the need for feminism, or capitalism tried to control and restrict it to consumerism and exploitation, both fell short of achieving womens emancipation. Despite ideologies saying that issues will melt away when they are fully achieved, this cannot happen if the ideologies never account for minorities in the first place.

In her later years, Ivekovis feminism has taken on a broader and more all-encompassing form, where these minorities go beyond the feminine. In an interview with MOMA, she expresses that feminism and its surrounding discourse, her art included, needs to move beyond dealing with just women. Instead, intersectionality is key. In my work, I have always wanted to deal with real problems in society, no matter whether they are about the position of women or the Roma people, marginalised workers and all the other others. I always try to critically reflect my own position, my role in the art system as well as what happens to me as a citizen, she explains.

I think that the strength of the artistic act is not only to reflect social reality but to actively participate in the creation of the collective and social imaginary. It is the role of the artist to find each time a new model to deal with the difficult issues, one which enables the viewer to reflect upon contemporary society and to rethink his or her place in it.

This approach is reflected in her 2002 collaborative work with the family planning group Womens House, Sunglasses. The work still deeply criticises advertising imagery, yet takes on an additional pertinence. Using Prada advertisements of sunglasses, images of models are appropriated with small pieces of text that recount a name and personal details of domestic abuse. In doing so, the original advertisement image takes on an entirely different role, where sunglasses are no longer a fashion accessory, but expose the societal disregard for gender violence, playing on what is seen and what is hidden.

It is artists like Ivekovi, whose work dissects the grit and depths of the patriarchy, that make the continuation of feminism possible, and one that moves with the times, both in the former Yugoslavia, and more broadly. As third-wave feminism highlights the western shortfalls of a white, middle-class movement, work that challenges the beauty norm for all its intersectional lacunas is paramount.

Top photo:Sanja Ivekovi in 2002, photographed by Franois Besch.

Unlike many news and information platforms,Emerging Europeis free to read, and always will be.There is no paywall here.We are independent,not affiliated with nor representing any political party or businessorganisation.We want the very best for emerging Europe, nothing more, nothing less. Your support will help us continue to spread the word about this amazing region.

You can contributehere. Thank you.

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Sanja Ivekovi and the evolution of Yugoslav feminism - Emerging Europe

Carlo Ancelotti has given a further indication that he is ready to revamp the Everton squad this summer by declaring that there will be an evolution of the club during the close season.

Ancelotti steadied the ship on his arrival on Merseyside during the winter and briefly raised hopes of European qualification. However, results and performances in recent weeks have exposed deeps flaws that remain in the squad.

The impact of Covid-19 and Financial Fair Play may limit just how much Ancelotti can spend in the transfer window, but the Italian insists that things will definitely change for the better.

It will be, for sure, an evolution of the club. Everton wants to make the next step, which is to improve.

We will finish in 11th or 12th this season, but for sure next season we have to go up, there is no other way.

We need better quality, better ambition, better motivation and more passion.

He also confirmed that he would meet with Marcel Brands and the clubs hierarchy to discuss transfer targets next week.

We decided to go to the end of the season and after that, as Ive said a lot of times, we have time to prepare for the new season. We are going to meet next week and make a plan for the future.

Ancelotti was also asked about the impact of Richarlison, who joined the club from Watford two years ago today and scored his 15th goal of the season in the win at Sheffield United earlier this week.

I think in the period Ive been here hes done really well. Of course hes young and has to improve, but he has all the qualities that we need. Hes one of our best players.

The next step is to have more control of the ball, sometimes he loses it too easily. Nothing has to change with his efficiency in the box. He is really good in the box, but he also has to be good outside the box.

Another player who stood out at Bramall Lane was Jarrad Branthwaite, who put in an assured performance in the centre of defence on what was the 18-year-olds first senior start for the club.

Ancelotti has been impressed with how the teenager has adapted to senior football since stepping up to work with the first team.

He has worked with us in the last months and improved a lot. We are really impressed with him, above all how he is able to manage the pressure that he has. His character is good.

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There will be an evolution at Everton this summer - Ancelotti sets out ambitions - Royal Blue Mersey

For the aviation industry to substantially reduce or eliminate its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, it will take a revolution in aircraft propulsion technology. However, near-term reductions in airliner emissions will likely take a more evolutionary approach that relies on augmenting existing technologies.

That is the conclusion reached by a group of aerospace technology experts brought together by FlightGlobal during the FIA Connect virtual Farnborough air show. The webinar was presented in association with Raytheon Technologies.

Reducing CO2 emissions will not be done witheither/or choices, saysFrank Preli,Pratt & Whitney vice-president for propulsion and materials.There are, says Preli, near-term options for improving emissions and these need to be pursued.

He notes that evolutionary changes to jet engines have reduced fuel burn 70% since the days of the Boeing 707. Longer term, he says, more revolutionary solutions involving new fuels including hydrogen and combustion cycles may prove effective, but they are inherently higher risk if they require a new way of integrating the powerplant with the aircraft or demand dedicated infrastructure, so will only come to fruition with more commitment from more parties.

MikeMekhiche,Rolls-Royces deputy director for electrics, agrees. He stresses: Its going to take both.

On the progression to sustainable flying, hydrocarbon fuels will remain predominant for the foreseeable future, so it is critical that Rolls-Royce and other industry leaders continue working to improve todays principal technology, saysMekhiche.

But, he notes, alternative fuels are already in testing, and a medium-term approach to the emissions issue is to increase the proportion of alternative fuels in the mix with standard jet fuel.

Lastly, he says, will come electrification - which will be the revolution.

Still, there could be another approach, says Gene Holloway, chief sustainability officer at supersonic business jet developer Aerion. His companys plan is to be carbon neutral: We see it as a counterbalancing.

Aerion intends to offset emissions from its aircraft by seeking reductions elsewhere, including through a focus on carbon capture and storage. Holloway points to Aerions recent tie-up with Carbon Engineering, a Canadian company developing a synthetic fuel derived from CO2 pulled out of the atmosphere.

CO2 removed from the atmosphere could either be turned into jet fuel or, notes Holloway, it could simply be stored, offsetting CO2 generated by combustion of standard hydrocarbon fuel. But ultimately, he says, Aerions 30- to 40-year strategic plan is to move away from hydrocarbons and to fly on 100% synthetic fuel.

Henrik Runnemalm, vice president of engine systems at GKN Aerospace Engine Systems, adds that the quandary faced by aerospace companies is to deliver solutions which are effective, safe, competitive and socially acceptable - all at once. We see that impact right now, we are affected heavily by whats happening around us. Thats an element we also have to bear with us as we come up with solutions.

Experts agree the industrys ultimate goal is to develop large, electric-powered commercial jets.

But getting there will require the sector pursue two tracks: developing small, all-electric aircraft, while also equipping turbine-powered airliners with additional electric systems.

Theres two parallel paths, says R-Rs Mekhiche. Theres the all-electric path and theres the hybrid path.

Developing small all-electric aircraft perhaps passenger-carrying vertical take-off and landing types, or small fixed-wing designs will de-risk and prepare electric technologies for broader application, he says.

Such aircraft will help establish a global model to sustain those products in the field and demonstrate value, Mekhiche adds.

Meanwhile, aerospace companies can increasingly equip big jets with additional electric systems the hybrid approach.

Such systems can include second power sources to supplement turbofans. Or, making a more-electric engine that then provides enough electric power to electrify secondary functions such as environmental control systems, Mekhiche says. Working these two in parallel is key.

P&W has studied similar improvements.What if I put a motor generator on each spool? says P&WsPreli. I can start to alter how I operate that engine, to either make it more efficient, or to give it better surge margin, or to reduce some of the complexity in the compressor.

Several of the experts believe smaller companies and start-ups will be prime drivers of next-generation technologies.

You have to have these very disruptive entrants to help upset the apple cart To get to the next stage, says Aerions Holloway.

For an old business, its really important to be open and collaborative with both academics and smaller companies coming [with] new ideas, adds GKNs Runnemalm.

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Eliminating the aviation industry's CO2 emissions: evolution or revolution? - Flightglobal

With Xbox finally showing off gameplay for Halo Infinite, the sixth mainline entry in the popular first-person shooter franchise, we figured it would be the perfect time to go back and chart the series' evolution. From 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved to 2020's Halo Infinite, the franchise has seen quite a few changes over the years.

In the video above, Persia details those changes over the course of Halo's six mainline entries, throwing in a few words for the franchise's notable spin-offs, Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach. Some of the changes have been narrative driven--Halo 2, for example, introduced a new playable character in the Arbiter. However, some changes were more gameplay-focused, like Halo 3's introduction of split screen co-op in the main campaign.

Halo hasn't merely changed on the campaign side either--it's multiplayer has seen numerous overhauls over the course of the franchise's history. Halo 3: ODST, for instance, introduced a brand-new horde mode called Firefight and dropped dual-wielding altogether. But there have been more transformative changes as well, the most notable of which has to be Forge mode. Not only did Forge mode open up the floor for the community to create its own maps, the addition led to the creation of game types that were so popular that developers Bungie and 343 Industries would go on to recognize them as permanent game modes, like Grifball.

If you're looking to catch up on Halo's story prior to the Holiday 2020 release of Halo Infinite, then your best bet is picking up Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The collection contains Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo Reach, and Halo 4. Other than Halo 5: Guardians, that's every game that Persia talks about in the video above.

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The Evolution Of Halo's Gameplay - GameSpot

One of the biggest challenges in the production of plant -based analogues for meat and fish is the increase of efficiency at lower costs without compromising in texture of the final product.

KROHNE offers a methodology to weigh and qualify soy or wheat or lupine etc. based slurries inline and in real time. Existing pilot or small scale operations based on step-by-step batch quantities will be upgraded to a continuous inline blending. This method eliminates process interrupts and unlocks potential to extrapolate production scales. In addition tightening of unwanted production tolerances by highest repeatability will be enabled under challenging conditions. Producers of PBMA/PBFA can benefit from these advantages despite of fibers, solids or air entrainment in the slurry, dough or other kind of mash that is the most costly ingredient to the final product.

Join this webinar and learn how measurement instrumentation can increase the efficiency in your plant and unlock incremental potential for automation in production processes.

Ryan Kromhout, Manager Global Industry Division Food & Beverage, KROHNE Group

Ryan brings a diverse set of process instrumentation and automation in terms of experience, working in demanding flow applications over hygienic valves through the physical layer for signal transmission and a uniform access to device intelligence.After his engagement with Emerson Process Management, Brooks Instrument, GEA Tuchenhagen GmbH and Turck, Ryan leads the Global Industry Division Food for the KROHNE Group.

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Evolution of plant-based food production from batch to inline - New Food Magazine - New Food

The global supply chain, as we know it today, is a manifestation of incremental technological improvements over centuries. The latest of such step changes have stemmed from the widespread adoption of trucking, containerization and computerization beginning in the 1960s. As a result, raw materials, work in progress (WIP), and finished goods could be shipped and delivered around the world at scale, effectively creating an improvement in the so-called holy trinity of supply chain along the dimensions of cost, quality and delivery.

China, with its entry into World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, supercharged the global supply chain by positioning itself as factory to the world with the countrys vast workforce and world-class infrastructure.

For many supply chain specialists who subscribe to the just in time (JIT) manufacturing methodology invented by the Japanese in the 1970s, the way to maximize the holy trinity triangle is through reduction of inventory and WIP. For industries with complex and long value chains, such as automotive and semiconductors, where there is a significant pressure to achieve cost advantage by sourcing materials and ferrying WIP across multiple geographies, unfettered interconnectivity is key to success. However, recent trade tensions between the US and China, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted that this supply chain model is increasingly untenable.

Two changing forces in Asia-Pacific

First, the Asia-Pacific middle class population, already exceeding 1 billion, is forecasted to comprise 66% of the worlds middle class population by 2030. The continued prosperity for this new consumer class will challenge the long-held concept that consumption typically takes place in the West and production relegated to the East. As a result, China, as the largest economy in the region, will continue to have a profound impact on how the global supply chain is restructured.

Second, the current worldwide wave of populism has prompted policy actions to reverse globalization efforts, such as enacting stiff tariffs, the fragmentation of trade blocs, and even the possibility of currency wars. In other words, the low-friction environment the world enjoyed with the movement of physical goods and raw materials across borders can no longer be taken for granted, and is subject to impulsive change.

Reality check for Asia-Pacific supply chain

The latest EY Capital Confidence Barometer report provides a glimpse into how proactive Asia-Pacific executives are in rethinking their supply chains relative to their global counterparts. From the survey, 67% of Asia-Pacific respondents are taking steps to change supply chains compared to 52% of global respondents. The Asia-Pacific cohort is actually ahead in most measures of recovery planning, where:

At first glance, the stance of Asia-Pacific business leaders in making changes to their supply chains appears to conflict with the attitudes of foreign businesses in China, specifically. A recent survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in China suggests 84% of survey respondents have no plan to relocate their manufacturing operations out of China, down from 92% in 2017 and 90% in 2018.

The story becomes clearer when probed beyond the initial numbers. For these multinational businesses, their attempt to diversify their supply chain operations actually began several years earlier, as trade tensions between the US and China were heating up. On the other hand, labour cost in China has been increasing steadily thanks to four decades of uninterrupted growth. In fact, China's continued efforts to move up the value chain, combined with a massive domestic consumer market, are the deciding factors for many firms to adopt the China + 1 approach to supply chain management.

The first global pandemic in more than 100 years, COVID-19 has spread throughout the world at an unprecedented speed. At the time of writing, 4.5 million cases have been confirmed and more than 300,000 people have died due to the virus.

As countries seek to recover, some of the more long-term economic, business, environmental, societal and technological challenges and opportunities are just beginning to become visible.

To help all stakeholders communities, governments, businesses and individuals understand the emerging risks and follow-on effects generated by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Marsh and McLennan and Zurich Insurance Group, has launched its COVID-19 Risks Outlook: A Preliminary Mapping and its Implications - a companion for decision-makers, building on the Forums annual Global Risks Report.

The report reveals that the economic impact of COVID-19 is dominating companies risks perceptions.

Companies are invited to join the Forums work to help manage the identified emerging risks of COVID-19 across industries to shape a better future. Read the full COVID-19 Risks Outlook: A Preliminary Mapping and its Implications report here, and our impact story with further information.

For products and tasks that are labour-intensive and add low value, businesses actively diversify their operations to other regional locations, such as Bangladesh, Cambodia and Pakistan with garment manufacturing, Vietnam with electronics, and increasingly Thailand and Indonesia with toys. To maintain productivity and profit margins, factories in China have to accelerate their adoption of digital transformation and automation, where production robots, 5G communication links for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, systems software with artificial intelligence, and digital capabilities will play a key role.

The announcement at the National Peoples Congress in late May, where the Chinese government made an additional commitment totaling $1.4 trillion to new technology infrastructure in the next five years, reinforces the notion that China is doubling down on technology to reach its long-term prosperity goal. Sensing the opportunity for an acceleration in tech transformation, neighbouring countries are actively vying for the demand of low-value production left by China. The state of Haryana, for instance, is actively looking to encourage businesses to relocate production to India. Major Korean manufacturers have long established their production of electronic goods in Vietnam. For specialized electronic components such as hard disk drives (HDD), Thailand is already home to more than 70% of all production worldwide.

The new 3Rs for supply chain

The unexpected disruption from the current pandemic, despite its negative consequences, provides an unprecedented opportunity for businesses to act now by assessing business impacts in the near, medium, and long term. In an environment where demand changes rapidly and immediacy is expected, the supply chain of the future must not only continue to focus on cost, quality and delivery, but will also need to be designed with responsiveness, reconfiguration and resilience in mind.

Responsiveness: Systems respond to inputs from the external environment. The supply chain system relies upon inputs such as customer order volume, commodity prices and freight rates to act. Therefore, businesses should appreciate the value of obtaining real-time updates on these inputs by upgrading from the archaic systems that often involve phone calls and fax machines.

Reconfiguration: Diversifying ones supply chain is not as simple as building additional plants in other jurisdictions. It involves revamping and redesigning functions in the system to be more plug-and-play. For example, in the event of future pandemics and extreme events such as the flood in Thailand, could certain business functions like procurement and finance continue their operations from other less, or least affected locations? What are the necessary changes to enable that?

Resilience: Think bigger and be prepared to build resilience from the ground up, starting with organization structure, business processes and performance metrics to future-proof for the next disruptive event. There is no one-size-fits-all for what this looks like, as every business is different.

The views reflected in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the global EY organization or its member firms.

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Why the evolution of supply chains is picking up speed in Asia-Pacific - World Economic Forum

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Here are this weeks latest slots releases!

RubyPlay has announced this week the launch of their brand new Egyptian Sun video slot. The game invites you to Journey to Egypt to discover its priceless antiquities and rich history. From Tutankhamun to Cleopatra, the Sphinx and more, youll get to see them all. Let the Egyptian Sun guide you to impressive treasures and rewards.Egyptian Sun slot has loads of features including the Repeat Riches feature where collecting 6+ yellow suns is your ticket to unlocking credit rewards and where each orange sun re-awards all the yellow suns, and any purple sun awards a surprise. Plus, if you happen to land any red sun it will re-award the credit values of ALL the suns combined!

Spearhead Studios releases two more engaging titles during its Super July campaign. Blackjack and Giant Panda will join Spearhead Studios portfolio and are set to bring entertainment to life in many jurisdictions. Blackjack is Spearhead Studios second table game, following the release of European Roulette in the Spring of 2020. This classic casino game was specifically built to be played of both desktop and mobile and offers an intuitive experience which card lovers will enjoy. Asian themed Giant Panda will appeal to players who are looking for a relaxing experience. The 5-reel slot is accompanied by a beautiful scenario and peaceful music, surrounding the player with zen vibes and transforming the gameplay into a true pleasure.

Celebrate the summer Hawaiian style with a chance to win some serious moolah in Kalamba Games latest slot title Maui Millions.Set on a beach in Hawaii this 53 slot offers an unparalleled range of features and mechanics to appeal to players of all styles and demographics. The game features Free spins, Cash Spins and an all-new Wheel Bonus feature. The Wheel Bonus is initiated when three or more Cash Orb symbols appear in any position and can award either a cash prize or can trigger one of the variants of the Cash Spins Bonus. Players can also hit three Bonus symbols to trigger Free Spins or shortcut straight to Free Spins or Cash Spins via the HyperBonus feature.

NetGame Entertainment, in keeping with its goal of 20 brand new titles by the end of the year, released Fruit Burst on July 16, 2020. Fruit Burst gives players the chance to squeeze more fun out of their playing experience.Fruit Burst is a modern fruit game with classic gameplay design. It comes with 5 reels and 5 paylines and is a 5X3 slot. With the high RTP at 96.50% and high volatility, players will have a strong chance at massive wins and a real roller-coaster of emotions.This slot features a fairly standard base game for fruit slot fans but is filled to bursting with rare symbols that are responsible for some of the games highest paying combinations.

Red Tiger has revamped one of the industrys most popular slots titles with the launch ofGonzos Quest MegaWays. The game, which is among NetEnts best ever performers, was the first video slot to use cascading symbols in place of a conventional reel. In a highly anticipated move, Red Tiger has now added a further layer of excitement with the celebrated MegaWays functionality, licensed by Big Time Gaming, which varies the ways to win on every spin. The action-packed title invites players to join a charming Spanish explorers quest for El Dorado, where intrepid adventurers could discover wins of up to 20,000x.

Pragmatic Play, a leading content provider to the gaming industry, has unveiled its latest release,Street Racer. The 45, 40 payline videoslot sees users enter the thrilling world of street racing, with five drivers battling for big prizes on the reels. If three Free Spins symbols hit at the same time, the progressive bonus game is triggered where players can choose one driver symbol to start their spins. Every time three Free Game symbols land during the bonus round, the player levels up, gaining more Free Spins and transforming the driver symbols on the reels to give them the opportunity to accelerate to 2,000x their stake.

Yggdrasil, the innovative online gaming solutions provider, has opened the doors on its latest thrilling hit,Vault of Fortune. This is the first game developed using Yggdrasils disruptive technology solution, GATI (Game Adaptation Tool & Interface), a completely new game development and distribution solution that is powering YG Franchise and the YG Masters programme. The 53, 20 pay lines title is set in a warehouse crammed with lost artefacts and riches, as players hunt through boxes full of valuable goods. Vault of Fortunefeatures cascading wins, with every winning symbol removed making spaces for more boxes to drop down, potentially leading to even more wins.

Playn GO have released their latest title into the market, the wildlife-themed slot Win-a-Beest. Win-a-Beest is a payways slot set in the plains of Africa and is a new spin on the classic Buffalo-style games enjoyed since the golden age of casino. The slot is played on a 2-4-4-4-2 diamond grid and focuses on the Wildebeest, an animal native to the continent. The Wildebeest serves as a super-symbol; its the most valuable icon in a game featuring a very strong paytable, and only needs two-of-a-kind to payout instead of three. The games features all revolve around this super-symbol with the first two, Beest Mode and Beest Mode spins, only featuring the Wildebeest, Wild and Scatter symbols on the reels, to provide more robust wins on the grid; while Stampeding Spins gives players more access to Beest Mode.

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Evolution Wins Live Casino Supplier of the Year Award for 11th Year Running at the EGR B2B Awards - European Gaming Industry News

Jul 24, 2020 12:03 AM ET iCrowd Newswire Jul 24, 2020

Latest released the research study onGlobal P2P Lending Market, offers a detailed overview of the factors influencing the global business scope.P2P LendingMarket research report shows the latest market insights, current situation analysis with upcoming trends and breakdown of the products and services. The report provides key statistics on the market status, size, share, growth factors of theP2P Lending Market. The study covers emerging players data, including: competitive landscape, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers.

Global P2P Lending Market is expected to Reach CAGR of 55.22% till 2027. The final report will add the analysis of the Impact of Covid-19 on P2P Lending Market

Top players in Global P2P Lending Market are:

LendingClub Corporation (United States), Funding Circle Limited (United Kingdom), Prosper Marketplace, Inc. (United States), Daric (United States), Social Finance, Inc. (United States), Zopa Limited (United Kingdom) , Avant, Inc. (United States), onDeck Capital, Inc. (United States), RateSetter (United Kingdom) , Kabbage, Inc. (United States)

Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/34384-global-p2p-lending-market

Keep yourself up-to-date with latest market trends and changing dynamics due to COVID Impact and Economic Slowdown globally. Maintain a competitive edge by sizing up with available business opportunity in P2P Lending Market various segments and emerging territory.

Brief Overview on P2P Lending

P2P lending is referred to peer-to-peer lending, is the process of giving money or lending money for a particular instance to businesses or individuals through online services. Prosper, SoFi, Funding Circle, Peerform, and Upstart is the popular website for P2P lending. The P2P lending services are more transparent and cheaper as compared to the traditional process. Growing demand from developing economies due to low market risk & operating cost and high transparency between lender and borrower in P2P lending system due to technical advancement is the major driver for the market. Additionally, the rising trend in investing and digital technologies and rising awareness of P2P lending across the globe is supplementing overall growth of the market. However, strict government regulation & risk of losing all money and lack of awareness regarding benefits associated with P2P lending is limiting the growth of the market. Moreover, burgeon number of startups globally may increase the usage of peer to peer lending platforms.

Recent Development in Global P2P Lending Market:

On September 2015, Prosper Marketplace had acquired BillGuard in approximately USD 30 million. Whereas, BillGuard was a startup in the crowdsourced security app for personal finance.

The Global P2P Lending Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below:

Study by Interest Rate (4.99 percent, 5.22 percent, 5.77 percent, 7.78 percent, 11.49 percent, 13.48 percent, 11.74 percent, Others), Business Model (Alternate Marketplace Lending, Traditional Lending), Loan Type (Personal Loans, Auto Loans, Business Loans, Mortgages and Refinances, Student Loans, Bad Debt Loans, Medical Loans), End User (Lenders, Borrowers)

Market Drivers

Market Trend

Market Challenges

Market Restraints:

Market Opportunities:

Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa

Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc.

Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/34384-global-p2p-lending-market

Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global P2P Lending Market:

Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Global P2P Lending market

Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary the basic information of the Global P2P Lending Market.

Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges of the Global P2P Lending

Chapter 4: Presenting the Global P2P Lending Market Factor Analysis Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis.

Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region 2013-2020

Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Global P2P Lending market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile

Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions.

Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source

Finally, Global P2P Lending Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies.

Data Sources & Methodology

The primary sources involve the industry experts from the Global P2P Lending Market including the management organizations, processing organizations, analytics service providers of the industrys value chain. All primary sources were interviewed to gather and authenticate qualitative & quantitative information and determine the future prospects.

In the extensive primary research process undertaken for this study, the primary sources Postal Surveys, telephone, Online & Face-to-Face Survey were considered to obtain and verify both qualitative and quantitative aspects of this research study. When it comes to secondary sources Companys Annual reports, press Releases, Websites, Investor Presentation, Conference Call transcripts, Webinar, Journals, Regulators, National Customs and Industry Associations were given primary weightage.

Get More Information: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/34384-global-p2p-lending-market

What benefits does AMA research study is going to provide?

Definitively, this report will give you an unmistakable perspective on every single reality of the market without a need to allude to some other research report or an information source. Our report will give all of you the realities about the past, present, and eventual fate of the concerned Market.

Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.

About Author:

Advance Market Analytics is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies revenues.

Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. We follow an extensive research methodology coupled with critical insights related industry factors and market forces to generate the best value for our clients. We Provides reliable primary and secondary data sources; our analysts and consultants derive informative and usable data suited for our clients business needs. The research study enables clients to meet varied market objectives a from global footprint expansion to supply chain optimization and from competitor profiling to M&As.

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P2P Lending Market Predicted to Witness Sustainable Evolution in Years to Come | LendingClub, Funding Circle, Prosper Marketplace - Reported Times

"PVEL's PQP supports technical due diligence and risk mitigation by helping buyers identify inverters and power electronics that meet their long-term expectations for energy yield, product life and functionality," commented Jenya Meydbray, CEO of PVEL.

Independent test lab, PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) has expanded its PV inverter reliability testing operations with a newly renovated South San Francisco laboratory to handle its PV Inverter Product Qualification Program (PQP) business and its PV Inverter Scorecard report that was first published in May, 2019.

"PVEL's PQP supports technical due diligence and risk mitigation by helping buyers identify inverters and power electronics that meet their long-term expectations for energy yield, product life and functionality," commented Jenya Meydbray, CEO of PVEL. "Our data drives granular energy yield and O&M models for solar projects of any scale, ultimately increasing investor confidence in an asset's economic performance."

PVEL said that previous inverter testing had been undertaken at its Berkeley, California headquarters but the new advanced inverter test centre had included equipment for plug-and-play evaluations of 600V, 1000V and 1500V products, spanning the entire spectrum of the market from a 320W microinverter to a 1500V string inverter.

"In the past 12 months, we have observed inverter failures accounting for nearly 80% of lost production in PV power plants before the interconnection point and a major portion of unscheduled maintenance costs," noted Joe Kastner, CEO of Radian Generation. "Understanding inverter quality and supply chain constraints are key to controlling and understanding these costs. Inverters are critical to the financial performance of solar power plants and PVEL's independent testing is a great tool for understanding inverter risk and informing procurement decisions."

System-level testing of ancillary equipment including rapid shutdown devices, optimizers and communications products are also to be carried out at the facility, according to PVEL.

Thomas Goetzl, vice president and general manager of Keysight Technologies' automotive and energy solutions, a leader in electronics laboratory testing equipment said, "PVEL deployed the most advanced power electronics testing and measurement technologies available for the upgraded lab. As one of the world's leading suppliers of electronics testing solutions, we can say that PVEL's revamped South San Francisco facility is among the most sophisticated inverter labs in the solar industry."

PVEL also expects to be able to conduct advanced evaluations of a product's ability to interface with the local utility grid in compliance with recent IEEE and California Rule 21 mandates.

The second edition of PVELs PV Inverter Scorecard report had been delayed, due in part to COVID-19 working restrictions, although the testing firm has not indicated when the second report will be published.

Tags: pvel, microinverters, string inverters, 1500vdc, pv inverters, pv power plants, california

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PV Evolution Labs expands operations to serve in-depth PV inverter reliability testing - PV-Tech

For 45 years, ARB 44 Accessories has innovated products for vehicle-based adventures over rough terrain. Now, for the first time in more than 26 years, ARB releases a new roof rack system.

ARBs very first product was a roof rack. And while the new ARB BASE Rack is just another platform-style roof rack, its one that thoroughly impresses.

ARB says that BASE stands for Build, Attach, Set, and Explore. Sure, that isnt a very exciting name, but it does make sense. Although Australian off-road companies arent known for their quality branding or marketing, they are luckily renowned for innovative and top-quality off-road products.

Why should you care about another platform roof rack hitting the market? Its a valid question, as there are a ton of options out there. Some of the top players in this space are Front Runner, Rhino-Rack, K-9, Yakima, and, of course, ARB. But the all-new ARB BASE Rack stands out from the crowd in a few key ways.

First, its thin profile and completely flat top surface offer a new take. The beam structure of the BASE Rack allows it to be extremely low-profile, aerodynamic, and strong.

The aluminum beams run across the vehicle and are fully welded together. This ensures optimal strength and the lowest weight possible. No welds or hardware protrude from the top of the rack, which maximizes the usable load surface and ensures loaded gear isnt damaged by the rack.

Each beam can hold about 50 pounds, but accessory mounts work to spread the load across multiple beams. As with most top-quality platform roof racks, the vehicle roof is likely to fail before the rack in most cases.

ARB will offer vehicle-specific mounts for the BASE Rack and is sure to have some universal fit-style mounts on offer soon. Vehicle-specific air dams for the BASE Rack ensure aerodynamic efficiency and low wind noise.

Another cool feature of the BASE Rack is the ability to internally route any cables. When mounting electrical accessories, like solar panels and lighting, all you need to do is remove one screw in the corner cap of the rack to access the interior of the beams. This provides the tidiest install possible.

The all-new ARB BASE Rack system has a ton of unique little features, but theside-rails dovetail-style attachment system truly stands out from the crowd. Instead of the traditional t-slot, the BASE Rack has slots on the edges of the rail, both top and bottom. This dovetail-style mounting point allows for easy mounting and unmounting of all accessories and infinite adjustability.

Most platform-style roof racks use a t-slot attachment system for mounting accessories. The big drawbacks to the t-slot system are that it tends to collect grit and grime and requires the attachment mounts to be slid into the t-slot from the ends.

The disadvantage of this is that, many times, you have to remove other mounts to add new mounts. The BASE Rack dovetail-style attachment points mitigate all these issues. Its easier to use, more configurable, and more versatile.

As with any good roof rack system, its the quality, convenient, and secure ways the rack can hold your bulky gear that is key. The BASE Rack not only works with a ton of rack accessories from market leaders like Thule and Yakima, but ARB has also developed a full line of quality mounts themselves.

Especially impressive areARBs slick, low-profile light bar mount which can mount in front of or below the rack and the Hi-Lift mount. The Hi-Lift mount is secure, rattle-free, lockable, and easy to use. There are also quality mounts on offer for traction boards, propane tanks, gas cans, and, of course, some high-quality universal tie-down points.

Another unique feature of the ARB BASE Rack is the ability to set up the brands platform rack with a variety of guard rail styles. On offer arefull rail, three-quarter rail, trade rail, and one-quarter rail offerings. These guard rails are easy to install and remove, allowing you to quickly configure your rack for the task ahead.

ARB will initially only offer two widths and five lengths for the BASE Rack. This should cover most applications but doesnt allow the flexibility and custom fitment that some modular platform racks offer. Initially, the vehicle-specific rack mounts and air dams will be offered only for top Australian vehicles. This means your vehicle might not be able to get the most out of this rack system just yet.

My only real concern with this rack and mount system is that Id think the clamp-style mounts could loosen up and come off when bouncing down rough roads, and especially when traveling over corrugations. That said, Australia is covered in highly corrugated dirt roads, and the brand tested this rack in that environment.

Shipping costs for this one-piece welded design rack also are sure to be more expensive than modular racks. While probably not a big deal, this will add a few dollars to the final price of these racks for many.

We reached out to ARB USA to get pricing and availability details. We found out that the BASE Racks will hit U.S. shores in late summer. But pricing is still a bit of a mystery. We were told that it would be in the middle of the road compared to competitors like Yakima, Rhino-Rack, and Front Runner.

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ARB BASE: The Next Evolution in Adventure Roof Racks Has Arrived - GearJunkie

Freddie Knight

Business Leader recently spoke to Freddy Knight the Innovation Director for one of the UKs leading cyber insurance providers, Optimum Speciality Risks (OSR) to discuss how his innovative company is disrupting the industry, and helping businesses prepare themselves against future risks.

Can you tell us about OSR?

OSR was founded in 2018 and rebranded and relaunched in 2019, following my arrival as Innovation Director to launch our SME product, Optimum Cyber Plus.

Optimum Cyber Plus is a unique insurance offering and was created to help make the premium cyber insurance and cybersecurity solutions bought by large, corporate organisations accessible to local insurance brokers and their SME clients.

Until its release in 2019, small business owners in the UK had to choose between two realities; Pay hefty premiums for comprehensive cyber insurance solutions that, in most cases, were totally out of proportion to the rest of their insurance/risk management spend, or pay a more reasonable premium for a budget solution which, in the majority of cases, were lacking in appropriate coverage, response services and risk management capabilities.

Our policies start at 75 and provide a combined, partner led insurance and risk management package worth in excess of 3,000.

All of our policyholders are provided access to a suite of complimentary risk management aides, including a one-hour consultation with one of the UKs leading GDPR consultancy practices, GDPR123; online employee awareness training modules covering cyber-crime, data protection and cyber security; a free vulnerability scan from KryptoKloud and two days free consultancy to resolve any issues highlighted; access to a Cyber Essentials Certification and Management from Berea (Cyber AMI); and ten licences for Firewall and Backup Solutions via Avast Business Pro Plus.

As a result, were you recently a finalist for a prestigious award?

Thats right, we were shortlisted for Cyber Newcomer of the Year at the Advisen Cyber Risk Awards 2020 in New York. There were some amazing businesses in our category and to have the work we are doing acknowledged, on a stage like that, made us all immensely proud.

What measures should businesses have in place to protect against cyber threats?

There are a million and one different approaches that an organisation can take to manage their cyber risk, but for SME businesses, putting the following measures/services in place will stand them in great stead; employee awareness training modules; quality antivirus solutions including offsite data back-ups; and a comprehensive cyber insurance program, including risk management support

Its important to remember, however, that cyber security is continuous and business owners shouldnt rest on their laurels if they have already implemented these suggestions. Threat actors only need to be successful once to cause disruption, whereas a businesss defences need to be successful every time.

What cyber security risks are most prevalent right now?

Whilst not a specific attack or threat, I think that businesses need to be aware of one factor more than any other when it comes to cyber security, and that is their resilience and ability to continue to operate following a cyber event.

Increasingly, from our own cyber insurance claims data, we have seen the mishandling of a cyber event become responsible for some substantial losses, so it is essential to ensure your organisation has access to a proper incident response service.

How are cyber-attacks becoming more sophisticated?

Phishing attempts are becoming more and more sophisticated by the day, and many experts see this trend continuing through 2020 and beyond. More businesses provide training on matters of cyber security now than ever before and the criminals know this. They are forever advancing their techniques in line with technology innovations like AI, machine learning and, I imagine in the not too distant future, quantum computing too.

How can you train staff to be aware of the threat of cyber security?

OSR policyholders automatically receive access to an online suite of training modules to educate their employees on subjects like email and password security, virus and malware protocols, phishing, social engineering and remote working. Combining an insurance policy with an employee training platform is just one way in which we are helping to change that cyber insurance narrative, from one of fear to one of education and understanding.

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Leading the evolution of the cyber insurance market for SMEs - Business Leader

With over 800 monsters in its hand, the Pokemon franchise has enough creatures for every fan to find a favorite. It doesn't matter if your preferences lean towards starters or legendary Pokemon; If you search long enough, you will find the monster that calls to you. Of course, plenty of fans have found themselves charmed by Eevee and all of its evolutions. There are still some types missing from the species, and fans always want to meet more. That is why one artist decided to imagine the perfect Fighting-type evolution for Eevee, and The Pokemon Company would be hard-pressed to outdo this creation.

The Reddit user PTickles posted their take on a Fighting-type evolution and shared it with fans the other day. The art, which can be found below, introduces the world to the tough Champeon. This clever name proves Pokemon is really missing out on a Fighting-type evolution, and fans demand they get one ASAP.

According to the artist, they decided it was time to imagine how these missing Eeveelutions might look in the canon. So far, Eevee has eight different types covered from fairy to water and psychic. That means there are plenty missing like a bug and even dragon, but this fighting Eevee looks ready to jump into the games.

The artist also gave some special stats for this Pokemon, so Champeon is even more ready to fit in than you thought. The creature is given the ability called Scrappy that helps them in battle, and PTicklees explains trainers can evolve Eevee into Champeon so long as the base Pokemon levels up while knowing the move Counter.

For now, such a Pokemon is nothing but a dream in the franchise as Eevee has yet to unlock such a type evolution. The eighth generation of Pokemon did not introduce any new Eeveelutions to the mix, but there is plenty of time for the brand to do so. And when the next bunch is brought to life, we're hoping the name Champeon sticks around.

What do you make of this fan-made evolution? Which evolution type do you want Pokemon to give Eevee next? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.

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This Pokemon Art Pictures the Perfect Fighting Evolution for Eevee - ComicBook.com

John Hendricks made connections in Southern California through his outgoing nature, a love of baseball and his job running the San Juan Hills Golf Club. He would inevitably talk about his son, an unassuming pitcher who was easy to overlook on Orange Countys crowded baseball scene.

Kyle wasnt the star at Capistrano Valley High School, a program that produced a second-round pick in 2007 (Mike Watt) and a first-round pick in 2009 (Tyler Matzek). Instead of sitting on the bench at a bigger school, Kyle wanted to play immediately, so he went to Dartmouth after the Angels drafted him in the 39th round in 2008.

Kyle was invited to the prestigious Cape Cod League after his sophomore season at Dartmouth, but only as a temporary player at first, a designation that essentially means a tryout while the team waits for bigger prospects involved with Team USA or the College World Series.

Kyle wasnt a throw-in at the 2012 trade deadline, but Christian...

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Inside the evolution that turned Kyle Hendricks into the Cubs ace - The Athletic

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--McAfee, the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company, today released its McAfee COVID-19 Threat Report: July 2020 examining cybercriminal activity related to COVID-19 and the evolution of cyber threats in Q1 2020. McAfee Labs saw an average of 375 new threats per minute and a surge of cybercriminals exploiting the pandemic through COVID-19 themed malicious apps, phishing campaigns, malware, and more. New PowerShell malware increased 688% over the course of the quarter while total malware grew 1,902% over the past four quarters. Disclosed incidents targeting the public sector, individuals, education and manufacturing increased; nearly 47% of all publicly disclosed security incidents took place in the United States.

Thus far, the dominant themes of the 2020 threat landscape have been cybercriminals quick adaptation to exploit the pandemic and the considerable impact cyberattacks have had, said Raj Samani, McAfee fellow and chief scientist. What began as a trickle of phishing campaigns and the occasional malicious app quickly turned into a deluge of malicious URLs and capable threat actors leveraging the worlds thirst for more information on COVID-19 as an entry mechanism into systems across the globe.

Each quarter, McAfee assesses the state of the cyber threat landscape based on in-depth research, investigative analysis, and threat data gathered by the McAfee Global Threat Intelligence cloud from over a billion sensors across multiple threat vectors around the world.

CAPABLE THREAT ACTORS EXPLOIT PANDEMIC

McAfee researchers found it is typical of COVID-19 campaigns to use pandemic-related subjects including testing, treatments, cures, and remote work topics to lure targets into clicking on a malicious link, download a file, or view a PDF. To track these campaigns, McAfee Advanced Programs Group (APG) has published a COVID-19 Threat Dashboard, which includes top threats leveraging the pandemic, most targeted verticals and countries, and most utilized threat types and volume over time. The dashboard is updated daily at 4pmET; more information can be found here: McAfee APG COVID-19 Threat Dashboard.

Cybersecurity cannot be solved by cookie cutter approaches, each organization is unique and has specific intelligence requirements and objectives, said Patrick Flynn, head of McAfee APG. The McAfee COVID-19 Threat Dashboard utilizes data to create true analyzed intelligence, which allows users to understand the total threat environment, informing them of potential threats before they are weaponized."

DATA BREACHES: THE NEW RANSOMWARE ATTACK

Over the course of the first quarter of 2020, McAfee Advanced Threat Research (ATR) observed malicious actors focus on sectors where availability and integrity are fundamental, for example manufacturing, law and construction firms.

No longer can we call these attacks just ransomware incidents. When actors have access to the network and steal the data prior to encrypting it, threatening to leak if you dont pay, that is a data breach, said Christiaan Beek, senior principal engineer and lead scientist. Using either weakly protected Remote Desktop Protocol or stolen credentials from the underground, we have observed malicious actors moving at lightspeed to learn the network of their victims and effectively steal and then encrypt their data.

New ransomware declined 12% in Q1; total ransomware increased 32% over the past four quarters.

Q1 2020 THREATS ACTIVITY

Malware overall. New malware samples slowed by 35%; total malware increased 27% over the past four quarters. New Mac OS malware samples increased by 51%.

Mobile malware. New mobile malware increased by 71%, with total malware growing nearly 12% over the past four quarters.

Regional Targets. Disclosed incidents targeting the Americas increased 60%, incidents targeting Asia-Pacific increased 27%, while Europe decreased 7%.

Security incidents. McAfee Labs counted 458 publicly disclosed security incidents, an increase of 41% from Q4. 50% of all publicly disclosed security incidents took place in North America, followed 9% in Europe. Nearly 47% of all publicly disclosed security incidents took place in the United States.

Vertical industry targets. Disclosed incidents targeting the public sector increased 73% individuals increased 59%, education increased 33%, and manufacturing increased 44%.

Attack vectors. Overall, malware led disclosed attack vectors, followed by account hijacking and targeted attacks.

Cryptomining. New coinmining malware increased 26%. Total coinmining malware samples increased nearly 97% over the past four quarters.

Fileless malware. New JavaScript malware declined nearly 38%, while total malware grew nearly 24% over the past four quarters. New PowerShell malware increased 689%; total malware grew 1,902% over the past four quarters.

IoT. New malware samples increased nearly 58%; total IoT malware grew 82% over the past four quarters.

Resources:

About McAfee

McAfee is the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company. Inspired by the power of working together, McAfee creates business and consumer solutions that make our world a safer place. http://www.mcafee.com

About McAfee Labs and Advanced Threat Research

McAfee Labs and McAfee Advanced Threat Research are a leading source for threat research, threat intelligence, and cybersecurity thought leadership. With data from over a billion sensors across key threats vectorsfile, web, message, and network McAfee Labs and McAfee Advanced Threat Research deliver real-time threat intelligence, critical analysis, and expert thinking to improve protection and reduce risks.

McAfee and the McAfee logo are trademarks of McAfee, LLC or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other marks and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

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McAfee Report Shows Threat Actor Evolution During Pandemic - Business Wire

As Wi-Fi has given rise to an array of bandwidth-hungry in-home applications, subscriber management has evolved from service providers offering new TV programming packages to building real relationships with users.

For many years, subscriber management systems were nothing more than billing systems geared toward private cable and internet service businesses. They had a ledger for each product offered including basic cable, HBO and high-speed internet and any customer care representative could easily manage the system.

Today, these systems have grown to become an essential part of service providers support function, and they no longer track just the basics of managing customers.

In the old days, I remember, a lot of cable operators used old-school products that worked for the basics of the broadband business. Their usefulness diminished significantly, however, when a real change in customer interactions emerged.

Fifteen years ago, independent cable companies outsourced their call centers, which also included subscriber management tools, or paid licensing fees and staffed the call centers internally. These tools were not very sophisticated back then they could schedule work orders and track payments.

Over the past decade, managing customer experience has changed dramatically, putting a lot of pressure on service providers to rethink how customers view this part of the business.

Having the right set of tools in your subscriber management arsenal is critical, says Josh Thackery, CEO of NorthStar TeleSolutions. The very nature of how we manage this relationship has been turned on its head, and operators are dealing with having to give their reps the right capabilities to support them properly.

Thackery saw this change occurring in recent years when most of his business was moving from digital TV to broadband-centric service issues.

The communication was very different, he says. In the past, it was about paying a bill, adding a premium channel, checking on a digital set-top box. Now it is monitoring 20 different devices on a Wi-Fi connection and being able to provide answers to a whole different set of questions.

Cable customers also interact very differently than broadband subscribers do with their service providers. They want immediate action. They use the product at different hours, often late into the evening. And many of them want to communicate through chat, text or email but not by phone.

The role of the service provider has evolved, too, and includes more of a network monitoring need with a strong set of sirens, alerts and messages to proactively guide the provider to potential issues.

Thackery was aware of this development when he toured one of his potential customers call centers. It was trying to run its broadband business without any tools, he says. I could see the problems and frustration the reps felt.

That is why NorthStar went to work to build the industrys first customized subscriber management solution designed specifically for the core needs of the MDU market. It is called MDU+. This solution was tailored to the call centers reps needs in handling a myriad of service issues, he says. We monitor devices and users, not unit addresses, and can track problems and experiences over time.

MDU+ has a lot of unique tools, such as a community portal to sign up and the ability to view a dashboard of performance metrics. MDU+ also includes customer relationship tools, workforce efficiency applications and billing mechanisms.

We see this as an interface that is modular for the needs of any service provider working in the MDU market, Thackery continues. It is the best way to manage and enhance the service experience for an operator.

And providers are jumping on board. We like it a lot, reported Dave Erkman of SpeedCast. It will give us the needed data points to be proactive with our users.

These new systems also come with revenue features, such as single-button upgrade features to go to a higher internet speed tier. In addition, the product is designed to support the proliferation of mobile devices in MDU residents homes, including smart-home features such as digital door locks and energy management tools.

MDU+ is one example of this evolution in management tools. There are other offerings on the market today, many of which were re-engineered from the single-family market. Some are excellent solutions and have been picked up by many reputable providers.

There is no question the market has changed dramatically from 15 years ago. Subscriber management is not about picking a programming package, but about building a real relationship with users that gives them confidence in service providers product and support teams.

The rest is here:

How Subscriber Management Systems Have Evolved Over The Years - Broadband Communities

Increasing Starting Hourly Wage to $15 on Aug. 2

Quarter-to-Date Sales Up Approximately 2.5% Compared to Last Year

Sales Up Approximately 15% Compared to Last Year Since Stores Re-opened for Customer Shopping

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) today announced updates related to employee pay evolution and Q2 FY21 quarter-to-date sales performance.

Employee Pay Evolution

The company is raising the starting hourly wage for all Domestic employees to $15 effective Aug. 2.

"Strong consumer demand, combined with shopping experiences that emphasize safety and convenience, has helped produce our sales results to date," Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said. "None of this would be possible without the effort and energy of our front-line employees working in stores, supply chain facilities and customers homes. Todays announcement on pay reflects an ongoing evolution and investment in how we compensate them for their critical work and is the result of clear and consistent feedback from field employees across the country. In the early days of the COVID-19 crisis, we made a number of temporary decisions, including providing appreciation pay to hourly field employees, and were now pleased to evolve to a more structural approach that significantly invests in paying and supporting them in ways that they have asked for and so clearly earned."

Since the early stages of the pandemic, all hourly retail associates and supply chain employees who were working received incremental hourly appreciation pay. The incremental appreciation pay started March 22 and ends Aug. 1.

On April 19, the company temporarily furloughed approximately 51,000 Domestic hourly store employees, including nearly all part-time employees. At that time, the company retained approximately 82% of its full-time store and field employees on its payroll, including the vast majority of In-Home Advisors and Geek Squad Agents. On June 15, the company began bringing employees back from furlough, and approximately half of the 51,000 Domestic hourly employees have returned from furlough so far. The company has extended health benefits at no cost through Sept. 5 to the remaining furloughed employees currently enrolled in a Best Buy health plan.

Beginning Aug. 2, the company is evolving its pay structure. Driven by extensive employee feedback, and to provide more predictability in pay, a 4% increase in hourly rate will replace short-term incentive compensation for hourly store employees below the leadership level. After the 4% hourly pay increase, employees who are not yet at $15 per hour will have their pay increased to the $15 per hour starting wage.

Q2 FY21 Sales Update1

At the beginning of Q2 FY21, the company started welcoming customers back into its stores by offering an in-store consultation service to customers, by appointment only. On June 15, Best Buy began allowing customers to shop without an appointment at more than 800 stores across the U.S. As of June 22, almost all of the companys stores were open for shopping. The company has also continued to offer contactless curbside pickup and in-store consultations for those who prefer to shop that way. Throughout this entire time period and across all the ways customers can shop, the company has continued to adhere to safety protocols that limit capacity, follow strict social distancing practices and use proper protective equipment.

The companys Q2 FY21 quarter-to-date sales through July 18 increased approximately 2.5% compared to the prior year, which included Domestic sales growth of approximately 2% and International sales growth of approximately 8%. The following provides additional information regarding estimated sales results for the companys Domestic business:

As a reminder, on March 21, the company withdrew all previously issued financial guidance for FY21. The company will provide additional business updates when it releases its Q2 FY21 results on Aug. 25.

Notes:

(1) All references to sales within this release are calculated based on the companys interim period data, which the company uses to monitor transactional revenue performance on a daily or weekly interval. The company believes interim sales data provides helpful insight during periods when the company may experience significant shifts in revenue trends as a result of COVID-19-related impacts. Sales growth percentages represent the year-over-year change compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year, which are based on absolute sales dollar changes and are not presented in accordance with the companys comparable sales definition. The sales percentages in this release are unaudited and subject to quarter-end revenue accounting adjustments. When the company prepares its financial statements for the fiscal quarter ending August 1, 2020, it may identify material adjustments that would have changed the amounts shown for the periods described in this release. Other companies may track interim period sales data using different methods and systems, and therefore the estimated data presented here may not be comparable to any data released by other companies.

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Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements:

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that reflect managements current views and estimates regarding future market conditions, company performance and financial results, operational investments, business prospects, new strategies, the competitive environment and other events. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "anticipate," "believe," "assume," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "foresee," "project," "guidance," "plan," "outlook," and other words and terms of similar meaning. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the potential results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements are the following: the duration and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on demand for our products and services, levels of consumer confidence and our supply chain; the effects and duration of steps we take in response to the pandemic, including the implementation of our interim and evolving operating model; actions governments, businesses and individuals take in response to the pandemic and their impact on economic activity and consumer spending; the pace of recovery when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides; general economic uncertainty in key global markets and a worsening of global economic conditions or low levels of economic growth; competition (including from multi-channel retailers, e-commerce business, technology service providers, traditional store-based retailers, vendors and mobile network carriers), our expansion strategies, our focus on services as a strategic priority, our reliance on key vendors and mobile network carriers, our ability to attract and retain qualified employees, changes in market compensation rates, risks arising from statutory, regulatory and legal developments, macroeconomic pressures in the markets in which we operate, failure to effectively manage our costs, our reliance on our information technology systems, our ability to prevent or effectively respond to a privacy or security breach, our ability to effectively manage strategic ventures, alliances or acquisitions, our dependence on cash flows and net earnings generated during the fourth fiscal quarter, susceptibility of our products to technological advancements, product life cycle preferences and changes in consumer preferences, economic or regulatory developments that might affect our ability to provide attractive promotional financing, interruptions and other supply chain issues, catastrophic events, health crises, pandemics, our ability to maintain positive brand perception and recognition, product safety and quality concerns, changes to labor or employment laws or regulations, our ability to effectively manage our real estate portfolio, constraints in the capital markets or our vendor credit terms, changes in our credit ratings, any material disruption in our relationship with or the services of third-party vendors, risks related to our exclusive brand products and risks associated with vendors that source products outside of the U.S., including trade restrictions or changes in the costs of imports (including existing or new tariffs or duties and changes in the amount of any such tariffs or duties) and risks arising from our international activities.

A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in the companys annual report and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including, but not limited to, Best Buys Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 23, 2020. Best Buy cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not complete, and any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Best Buy assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement that it may make.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200721005860/en/

Contacts

Investor Contact: Mollie O'Brienmollie.obrien@bestbuy.com

Media Contact: Keegan Shoutzkeegan.shoutz@bestbuy.com

Original post:

Best Buy Provides Updates on Evolution of Employee Pay and Sales Performance - Yahoo Finance