Author Archives: Danzig

Here’s what happened to the stock market on Monday – CNBC

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Dow Jones Industrial Average rises 10 points

The Dow climbed 10.50 points, or 0.04%, to 26,085.80. The S&P 500 slid 0.94% to 3,155.22. The Nasdaq Compositefell 2.13% to 10,390.84. Stocks reversed course as a rally in major tech names which briefly pushedthe S&P 500 into positive territory for the year fizzled out.

Shares of Microsoft ended the day down 3.09% while Facebook, Netflix Alphabetand Apple also closed lower.Big Tech started rolling over after the S&P 500 briefly turned positive for 2020. "No sentient human could look at some of the super-cap tech stocks and say the latest move wasn't anything other than a momentum-driven melt-up rally," says one trader. Wall Street also lost its footing after California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered indoor operations for fitness centers, malls and places of worship, among others, to shut down amid rising Covid cases.

Pfizer and German biotech BioNTechSEwere granted fast track designation by the FDA for two of the companies' four vaccine candidates against the coronavirus. Pfizer and BioNTech said they expect to start the next phase of the vaccine trial later this month with 30,000 subjects.

JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup are among the companies set to report earnings on Tuesday.

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Here's what happened to the stock market on Monday - CNBC

The Biggest Problem With Investing in Teladoc – The Motley Fool

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As the COVID-19 pandemic keeps people home, the demand for virtual care services appears to be on the rise. And one company that's benefited from that is TeladocHealth(NYSE:TDOC). The New York-based healthcare company's been a hot investment this year, with its share price surging 160% so far in 2020 -- well above the near-flat returns the S&P 500has produced thus far.

While it's tempting to jump aboard the bandwagon, there's one big reason long-term investors should think twice before buying in, and it has nothing to do with valuation. It's the company's lack of moat.

Moat is something Warren Buffett fans are familiar with: It refers to a company's ability to hold a competitive advantage over its peers. The billionaire investor values companies that enjoy a large moat, because it means they'll be able to ward off competitors.

Image source: Getty Images.

In Teladoc's case, there's not much moat there -- and that could make competition a worry for investors in the years ahead, especially as telehealth and virtual care services grow in popularity. Connecting physicians to patients remotely can be as easy as using Skype or Zoom.

Teladoc's low-cost Everyday Care costs $75 for people without insurance to access a doctor and even less if an insurance provider picks up a portion of the tab. One of the company's main competitors, Amwell, offers urgent care visits for $79.And patients who want a yearly subscription can sign up with One Medical (NASDAQ:ONEM), which for $199 annually offers access to physicians via video and the ability to book in-person appointments at more than 85 locations across the country.

Every industry has competitors, but as telehealth and virtual care services become more popular amid the COVID-19 pandemic, even more could join in. Right now, Teladoc remains on the rise; on April 29, Teladoc reported year-over-year sales growth of 41%. There was also a 92% increase in visits, and memberships rose by 61%. High growth numbers like that could raise eyebrows and attract companies from other industries like the tech sector.

Tech giantAmazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced this month that some of its fulfillment centers would be getting healthcare centers as it partners with Crossover Health. It's a pilot program that will involve setting up 20 centers in five states, and more could be on the way if it's successful. With the company's technical resources and capabilities, enabling these offices to offer virtual care wouldn't be too much of a stretch. And while the service is currently only for Amazon employees, it's just the latest sign of big tech showing an interest in the industry.

Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)(NASDAQ:GOOGL), for example, has invested in One Medical, and its employees also use the company's services.

If a company lacks a moat, it'll likely need to compete on price. That should be a big concern for Teladoc investors, given that the company's been in the red every year. With more competition, its sales growth could taper off quickly, and the company may need to invest more in generating revenue. That means that not only would its top line slow down, but its expenses would accelerate, leading to a net negative impact on the bottom line that could put Teladoc even deeper in the red.

And without strong sales numbers, investors will be left looking at profits -- which could quickly make Teladoc an undesirable investment to hold.

A lack of moat is one reason to sell Teladoc, and the company's astronomical valuation is another. With no profits and shares trading at 25 times revenue, the company carries a hefty premium for investors who buy the stock today. Even though Teladoc is likely to continue growing at a good rate for the foreseeable future, long-term investors need to be aware of the risk of holding on to the healthcare stock for too long.

Things can change quickly in the world of tech, and five years from now the company may be battling for market share with tech giants like Alphabet and Amazon. Tougher times may be in store, and that's why I'd avoid investing in Teladoc today.

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The Biggest Problem With Investing in Teladoc - The Motley Fool

Big Tech is Poised to Pounce on Banking – Global Banking And Finance Review

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By Simon Axon, EMEA Financial Services Industry Consulting Director at Teradata.

COVID-19 has changed banking, possibly forever. But as banks wrestle with the pandemic and its after-effects they must also focus on a bigger imminent threat to their existence and its not from FinTechs.

Among the many impacts of the global pandemic has been a significant shift in the way consumers and businesses go about their banking. Mothballed branches and social distancing have accelerated the use of online and mobile banking driving what McKinsey has found to be a20% increase in digital engagementand a 50% decline in the use of cash.

Many may be surprised that these moves have not benefitted Fintechs, but, according todata from Finbold, downloads of fintech apps have actually fallen during the crisis with leading challenger banks Monzo and Revolut both seeing slides of around 20% in March. This confirms what I have suspected: the FinTech threat has always been a distraction from the real challengers to todays banks.

That threat comes from Big Tech; Google, Amazon, Apple, Baidu and Tencent among others. These huge and wealthy businesses are already deeply integrated into the lives of consumers and businesses. The top 20 tech firms are valued at almost $6 trillion, getting on for double that of the top 20 financial services firms at$3.3 trillion. They have the money, the ambition and the technology to completely change the face of banking in ways that fintech could not. They can do it almost overnight, and they are preparing to do so now.

The power and wealth of Big Tech is virtually unlimited. They can disrupt and dominate whole economies with digital platforms that touch every aspect of our lives. Data fuels their business models as they seek to understand and monetise every aspect of individuals behaviour. Collecting, acquiring, owning and processing data is the modus operandi of Big Tech. The list of industries up-ended by these behemoths grows daily; music, publishing, retail, gaming, film, communications already with transport, healthcare, education and even government now feeling their impact.

There is no doubt that banking and financial services are next on the list. Chinese technology firms are already deeply engaged in financial services. Social Media leader Tencent already derives28% of its revenues from payments. US firms are beginning to see the benefits and to provide their users with payment services. Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon are looking beyond on-site digital payments to take definitive steps into financial services. Apple has launched a credit card which can be opened within 30 seconds;Google is launching a current accountand Facebook is trying to develop its own digital currency.

The threat from big tech is not new, but it is rapidly sharpening, driven by both by investor demands and by the fallout of the COVID crisis.

Traditional banks room to maneuver is severely constrained by the increased risk and responsibilities deriving from their role in restarting economies post-COVID. Concerns about the risk attached to government-mandated business loans are widely voiced. Business risk stems not only from defaults, but the resource intensive, logistically challenging and expensive efforts to secure repayments. COVID-19 loans threatens to become aPR disasteras they erode trust and reputation of banks forced to chase small businesses for repayments they cannot afford.

Big Tech, by contrast has had a good COVID crisis. As millions have suffered lockdowns and been forced to work, shop, socialise and entertain themselves from home, not only have tech firms seen revenues rise, but they have cast themselves as consumer champions. The tech-lash which saw trust in tech erode towards the end of the last decade, seems to have evaporated.

There is a clear and present danger to banks and the shape, ownership and purpose of the Bank of the Future hangs in the balance. The combination of the growth in influence, spending power and ambition of Big Tech, with the dislocation of the economy caused by the coronavirus pandemic, creates a dangerous scenario for banks. The window of opportunity to transform and meet the evolving demands of customers has all but closed. Bold thinking and decisive execution are needed now if banks are to survive in positions where they can shape their own future.

The coming battle will be about data. Banks have it, Big Tech covets it. The side that is best able to protect, understand and utilise it as an asset will prevail. Data is both the prize and the key to success in this battle, and my next article will outline how banks can value and leverage the data advantages they have to win this war.

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As the Revolving Door Swings – The American Prospect

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In early 2019, I had the privilege of presenting my ideas on regulating tech platforms to several staff members on the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee. I told the staffers that I was worried about whether antitrust, which can address certain anti-competitive conduct by the platforms, could be counted on to police the misappropriation of data from third-party content providers, or the self-preferencing of their own brands or applications to their hundreds of millions of users. I recommended sector-specific regulation to address this conduct, as have other important voices, from Public Knowledge to the Stigler Center.

I also presented my ideas at the Federal Trade Commissions platform competition hearings in October 2018. Both there and at the Antitrust Subcommittee, I was called back for private briefings with staffers.

Nothing ever came of my ideas. I figured getting legislation passed would be a long shot, but I also thought my ideas were good and necessary, given the way the platforms exploit gaps in our consumer-oriented and price-fixated antitrust laws.

Flash forward to the summer of 2020. Through a LinkedIn email, I learned that a recent staffer on the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee was recruited by Amazons public-policy arm this month. I took to Twitter to express my dismay, and quickly learned that another staffer on the Senate Judiciary Committee was recruited by Facebooks competition policy arm in May 2020.

These two staffers are now working for the tech platforms, and presumably against my ideas, after having heard my ideas in a private setting.

It is important to note right here that I have no beef with these fine folks. Indeed, given the substantial time I invested twisting their arms in support of platform regulation, I have no reason to think they were acting in bad faith or that their actions (or lack thereof) were affected by these offers. My beef is with the process, and the way the platformsby offering jobs to government officials tasked with regulating the platformsare interfering with democracy.

To understand how, lets start with a clear-cut hypothetical: Would we ever allow a defendant to make a job offer to a member of the jury? If the juror believed that she could curry favor with the defendant by voting to acquit, the job offeror even the prospect of an offercould create a conflict. For the same reason, we wouldnt allow a defendant to threaten a juror, for fear that the threat could taint the outcome of a trial. (The same logic applies to a plaintiff.)

Lets try another thought experiment: Should a target of an ongoing antitrust investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or Department of Justices Antitrust Division (ATR) be permitted to hire away key staffers on the investigation team? Or should the target be permitted to fund a position at an academic center that recruits the staffer? These also seem problematic, as the prospect of an offer by the target could induce the staffer to modify his investigation or recommendations in favor of not pursuing an antitrust complaint.

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One final experiment: Would we permit the target of a congressional inquiry on monopoly (and monopsony) abuses by dominant platforms to hire away key staffers on congressional committees tasked with investigating the platforms? This is also problematic, as the prospect of a job offer could induce a staffer to refrain from recommending to her representative or senator that the platform should be subjected to new regulations.

The optimal policies here are complicated by the fact that policy staffers have developed specialized skills, about both the industry and antitrust generally as well as the lobbying process, that could be valuable to the platforms under investigation. Denying such mobility into the private sector with a complete ban on recruitment would deprive the staffer of reaping the fruits of his or her labor.

But theres a strong public-interest motive to deny this free exercise of movement from government to the corporate sector if it conflicts with proper corporate regulation. And that appears to be whats happening.

NOTWITHSTANDING ITS dull content, LinkedIn has a nifty tool that allows searches for people who currently work in one place and previously worked somewhere else. For example, type in Department of Justice Antitrust Division Amazon, and you get back 65-odd results. (Results may vary slightly based on who conducts the search and where the search is performed.) Click the all filters drop-down, and choose Amazon as the current company. The results are narrowed to eight employees. A similar search reveals 10 and 11 current employees at Google and Facebook, respectively. The table below reports the number of people currently employed at Amazon, Google, or Facebook based on these queries.

In several instances, the same worker can be represented multiple times in the tablefor example, if she worked at two (or more) government agencies before moving to the platform. It is possible that LinkedIn is generating matches that are close but not equal to the search terms. It bears noting that in many of these cases, the worker held a stint at a different employer before moving on to the platform. The table is meant to be illustrative and hopefully replicable.

When the keyword antitrust, or in the case of DOJ, the keywords antitrust division are removed from the initial query, the results are unsurprisingly larger. To restrict the results for DOJ and FTC, I impose a second filter for prior employer.

According to LinkedIn, 41 current Amazon employees previously worked at DOJ; 54 current Google employees previously worked at DOJ; and 48 current Facebook employees previously worked at DOJ. Without some benchmark or standard, it is hard to judge whether these numbers are intolerably high. But there is no doubt that the two recent episodes of poaching mentioned above are not outliers. Instead, they appear to be part of a larger pattern by the platforms of poaching government officials in the agencies and congressional committees that have jurisdiction over them.

That this stealthy form of influence peddling happens all over governmentread Jessie Eisingers The Chickenshit Club to learn about the corruption in financial servicesdoesnt mean it is not insidious here.

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The platforms are in the crosshairs of multiple investigations, including by DOJ, state attorneys general, and the House Judiciary Committee. Amazon, Facebook, and Google picking off staffers charged with overseeing them erodes public trust in these institutions, and potentially undermines the investigations, to the extent it influences the conduct of the staff.

Other costs of permitting such poaching are less obvious. For example, knowing that she could be courted by a platform with deep pockets might encourage a staffer to develop certain skills or seek out positions that maximize the chances of being courted. Shes taking the job in the hopes of getting scooped up to take another job, in other words. Poaching a government official is similar to a killer acquisition: Staffers are acquired precisely to undermine potential oversight.

The revolving door could also affect government procurement, to the detriment of smaller rivals and to the benefit of Big Tech. In November 2016, Amazon hired the former chief acquisition offer of the General Services Administration (GSA) in the Obama administration. During 2017, Amazon reportedly privately advised the GSA on the launch of a new digital portal for government purchasing of commercial items and office supplies. Some rivals complained that as written, the bid would favor Amazon. After maintaining that the project was on hold because of the pandemic, in June GSA abruptly announced that Amazon, alongside Overstock and Fisher Scientific, won the bid. All three winners have their own private labels, which could disadvantage independent sellers.

IN FAIRNESS, the House Subcommittee on Antitrust is holding a hearing on July 27 to examine the dominance of tech platforms, and it plans to issue recommendations soon. And Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has outlined several policy ideas, including breaking up Big Tech. But nothing today prevents Amazon or Google or Facebook from buying off entire antitrust agencies and congressional committees. I dont begrudge any individual staffer who jumps at the offer. The point is that if we allow such offers without any guardrails, some people will end up taking them. That it happens so frequently is an indicator that we must reform the poaching processbut how?

Theres a strong public-interest motive to deny this free exercise of movement from government to the corporate sector if it conflicts with proper corporate regulation.

Lets begin by paying government officials more, to narrow the income difference between keeping your government job and jumping ship. Additionally, we could offer government officials job security and suitable pensions, so making a career out of public service is not seen as an inferior alternative to the private sector. In The Chickenshit Club, Eisinger explains that SEC officials are reluctant to bring cases because of a challenging legal environment; the same can be said for antitrust. A more radical idea would be to offer bonuses to agency officials (or maybe just division heads) based on judgments or jury awards against a platform, as a means to incentivize them to bring riskier cases.

Sen. Warren has a policy piece on pointof course she doestitled End Washington Corruption, which calls for longer cooling off periods for former government officials. Current law mandates a period of one year before former senior government officials work on projects that they worked on in government. Warrens plan would restrict the ability of corporate lobbyists to enter government jobs for six years, and would ban companies from hiring former senior government officials for at least four years.

Whats not clear is whether the four-year ban pertains only to full-time hiresthat is, whether companies may hire former senior government officials indirectly (by the hour) via law firms or lobbying firms. If thats the case, then an agency head could still deliver huge benefits to former or would-be clients via nonenforcement (or other means) and then be rewarded via future payments as billable hours. And were right back to the underenforcement problem.

Every day that passes in which Congress fails to deliver protections for independent merchants and content creators is a victory for the platforms. Regardless of its potential gaps, Sen. Warrens anti-corruption plan is a good start. We might not get platform regulation until we address the revolving door in Washington.

The views expressed here are those of the author, and do not represent the views of his employers. Singer does not currently work for or against Amazon, Google, or Facebook in any pending litigation or consulting matter.

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As the Revolving Door Swings - The American Prospect

Cloudflare DNS goes down, taking a large piece of the internet with it – TechCrunch

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Many major websites and services were unreachable for a period Friday afternoon due to issues at Cloudflares 1.1.1.1 DNS service. The outage seems to have started at about 2:15 Pacific time and lasted for about 25 minutes before connections began to be restored.

Early reports suggested Google DNS may also have been affected, but this turned out not to be the case Google Cloud confirmed it had no outages yesterday.

Update: Cloudflare at 2:46 says the issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented. CEO Matthew Prince explains that it all came down to a bad router in Atlanta:

The company also issued a statement via email emphasizing that this was not an attack on the system.

This afternoon we saw an outage across some parts of our network. It was not as a result of an attack, the company said in a statement. It appears a router on our global backbone announced bad routes and caused some portions of the network to not be available. We believe we have addressed the root cause and monitoring systems for stability now. We will share more shortlywe have a team writing an update as we speak.

Discord, Feedly, Politico, Shopify and League of Legends were all affected, giving an idea of the breadth of the issue. Not only were websites down but also some status pages meant to provide warnings and track outages. In at least one case, even the status page for the status page was down.

A DNS, or Domain Name System, is an integral part of the web, connecting domains (like TechCrunch.com) to their IP addresses (such as 152.195.50.33). If the one you or a site use goes down, it doesnt matter whether a websites own servers are working or not users cant even reach them in the first place. Internet providers usually have their own, but theyre often bad, so alternatives like Googles have existed for many years, and Cloudflare launched its service in late 2018.

Cloudflare wrote in a tweet and an update to its own status page (which thankfully remained available) that it was investigating issues with Cloudflare Resolver and our edge network in certain locations. Customers using Cloudflare services in certain regions are impacted as requests might fail and/or errors may be displayed.

Despite much speculation as to the cause of the outage, there is no evidence that it was caused by a denial-of-service attack or any other form of malicious hackery.

(This story has been updated to reflect new information, such as the Google and Cloudflare statements.)

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Cloudflare DNS goes down, taking a large piece of the internet with it - TechCrunch

How Old Is Your Dog? New Equation Shows How to Calculate Its Age in Human Years – NBC New York

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Common wisdom has long held that each dog year is equivalent to seven human years. But a new equation developed to measure how a dog ages finds the family pup may be a lot older than we realize.

Researchers studying chemical changes to canine DNA found that dogs age very quickly during their first five years and much more slowly later on.

The findings, published recently in the journal Cell Systems, calculate that a 5-year-old dog would be pushing 60 in human years.

Puppies age super quickly, said Trey Ideker, the studys senior author and a professor of genetics at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. By the time a dog is a year old, at a molecular level, hes much more like a 30-year-old human. Retrospectively, we did know these things. It didnt make any sense that the equivalent to a 7-year-old human would be able to have puppies.

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How Old Is Your Dog? New Equation Shows How to Calculate Its Age in Human Years - NBC New York

3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense Market Analysis, Industry Growth, Competitive Analysis, Future Prospects and Forecast 2026| Stratasys, 3D…

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Los Angeles, United State: The global 3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense market is exhaustively studied in the report while largely concentrating on vital aspects including competitive landscape, market dynamics, costs and prices, sales growth, regional expansion, production, and consumption. The report offers Porters Five Forces, PESTEL, and other market analyses to provide a 360-degree research study on the global 3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense market. It discusses about important market strategies, future plans, market share growth, and product portfolios of leading companies operating in the global 3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense market. It also provides absolute dollar opportunity and qualitative and quantitative analyses to help readers clearly understand the global 3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense market.

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The authors of the report have covered almost all key players of the global 3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense market. The research study comes out as a brilliant compilation of several important studies on the competitive landscape of the global 3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense market. It shows how top players are maintaining their supremacy in the global 3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense market using powerful business tactics, price strategies, and other strategic moves. It digs deep into the nature and characteristics of the vendor landscape and includes accurate predictions of key changes in market competition.

Key Players Mentioned in the Global 3D Printing in Aerospace and Defense Market Research Report: Stratasys, 3D Systems, Arcam Group, Renishaw, ExOne, Optomec, SLM Solutions, EnvisionTEC, VoxelJet AG, Sciaky Inc, EOS e-Manufacturing Solutions, GE

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The researchers have shed light on important regional markets and their recent as well as future progress in terms of CAGR, revenue and volume growth, production, consumption, and other significant factors. The regional segmentation study offers players with great insights into the regional growth of the market, which could be used to build effective strategies to expand their geographical reach.

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QY Research established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc.

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Aerospace Fabrics size and Key Trends in terms of volume and value 2019-2020 – Jewish Life News

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Global Aerospace Fabrics market- Report defines the vital growth factors, opportunities and market segment of top players during the forecast period from 2019 to 2025. The report Aerospace Fabrics offers a complete market outlook and development rate during the past, present, and the forecast period, with concise study, Aerospace Fabrics market effectively defines the market value, volume, price trend, and development opportunities. The comprehensive, versatile and up-to-date information on Aerospace Fabrics market is provided in this report.

The latest research report on Aerospace Fabrics market encompasses a detailed compilation of this industry, and a creditable overview of its segmentation. In short, the study incorporates a generic overview of the Aerospace Fabrics market based on its current status and market size, in terms of volume and returns. The study also comprises a summary of important data considering the geographical terrain of the industry as well as the industry players that seem to have achieved a powerful status across the Aerospace Fabrics market.

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Segment by Type, the Aerospace Fabrics market is segmented intoAramid FibersCarbon FibersGlass FibersKevlar FibersNylon FiberOther

Segment by Application, the Aerospace Fabrics market is segmented intoEvacuation SlidesAirplane InteriorsUpholstery FabricsSpace Suit Costume & Pilot UniformsPilot ParachutesOther

Regional and Country-level AnalysisThe Aerospace Fabrics market is analysed and market size information is provided by regions (countries).The key regions covered in the Aerospace Fabrics market report are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. It also covers key regions (countries), viz, U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, etc.The report includes country-wise and region-wise market size for the period 2015-2026. It also includes market size and forecast by Type, and by Application segment in terms of sales and revenue for the period 2015-2026.Competitive Landscape and Aerospace Fabrics Market Share AnalysisAerospace Fabrics market competitive landscape provides details and data information by players. The report offers comprehensive analysis and accurate statistics on revenue by the player for the period 2015-2020. It also offers detailed analysis supported by reliable statistics on revenue (global and regional level) by players for the period 2015-2020. Details included are company description, major business, company total revenue and the sales, revenue generated in Aerospace Fabrics business, the date to enter into the Aerospace Fabrics market, Aerospace Fabrics product introduction, recent developments, etc.The major vendors covered:Porcher SportBGF IndustriesGelvenor TextilesSigmatexOriental MillsHighland IndustriesSafety Components

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Generation of this Global Aerospace Fabrics Industry is tested about applications, types, and regions with price analysis of players that are covered.

Revenue, sales are planned for this Aerospace Fabrics market, including with various essentials along yet another facet is assessed in this section for foremost regions.

In continuation using earnings, this section studies consumption, and global Aerospace Fabrics market. This area also sheds light on the variance between ingestion and distribution. Export and Aerospace Fabrics significance data are provided in this part.

In this section, key players have been studied depending on product portfolio, their Aerospace Fabrics market company profile, volume, price, price, and earnings.

Aerospace Fabrics market analysis aside from business, the information, and supply, contact information from manufacturers, consumers and providers can also be presented. Additionally, a feasibility study to asset and SWOT analysis for endeavors have been contained.

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Aerospace Fabrics size and Key Trends in terms of volume and value 2019-2020 - Jewish Life News

Composites in the Global Aerospace Market, 2014-2019 & 2020-2025 – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Composites in the Aerospace Market Report: Trends, Forecast and Competitive Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The future of the global aerospace composite materials market looks promising with opportunities in commercial aircraft, regional aircraft, general aviation, helicopter, and military aircraft markets.

The global aerospace composites materials market is expected to decline in 2020 due to global economic recession led by COVID-19. However, market will witness recovery in the year 2021 and it is expected to reach an estimated $3.3 billion by 2025 with a CAGR of 5% to 7% from 2020 to 2025. The major drivers for this market are growing demand for lightweight materials to increase fuel efficiency and growth of aircraft with high composites penetration such B787 and A350WXB.

An emerging trend, which has a direct impact on the dynamics of the industry, includes the recycling of advanced composites. Some of the aerospace composite materials companies profiled in this report include Hexcel, Cytec Solvay Group, Toray, Gurit, and Teijin.

The study includes a forecast of the growth opportunities for the composites in the global aerospace market by aircraft type, reinforcement type, manufacturing process, type of structure, component and region.

In this market, carbon fiber, glass fiber, and aramid fiber are used to fabricate various aircraft components. On the basis of comprehensive research, it is forecast that carbon fiber based composites will remain the largest market during the forecast period. Increasing penetration of carbon composites in commercial aircraft, such as B787 and A350XWB is expected to drive the demand for this segment over the forecast period from 2020 to 2025.

Within the aerospace composites market, commercial aircraft will remain the largest market by value and volume consumption followed by military aircraft.

By type of structure, primary structure will remain the largest market by value and volume due to higher composite consumption.

North America will remain the largest region during the forecast period due to a higher demand for newer aircraft and the ongoing replacement of an aging fleet.

Features of the report include:

This report answers following 11 key questions

Q. 1. How big are the opportunities for composites in the global aerospace market by aircraft type (commercial aircraft, regional aircraft, general aviation, helicopter, military aircraft, others), by reinforcement type (carbon composites, glass composites, aramid composites, others), manufacturing process (hand lay-up, AFP/ATL, RTM, injection molding, compression molding, others), type of structure (primary structure interior, engine, others), component (wing, fuselage, empennage, engine, interior, rotor blade, radome, landing gear, others), and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World)?

Q. 2. Which product segments will grow at a faster pace and why?

Q. 3. Which region will grow at a faster pace and why?

Q.4. What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the drivers, challenges, and business risks in this market?

Q.5. What are the business risks and competitive threats in this market?

Q.6. What are the emerging trends in this market and the reasons behind them?

Q.7. What are some of the changing demands of customers in the market?

Q.8. What are the new developments in the market and which companies are leading these developments?

Q.9. Who are the major players in this market? What strategic initiatives are being taken by key companies for business growth?

Q.10. What are some of the competing products in this market and how big of a threat do they pose for loss of market share by product substitution?

Q. 11. What M&A activity has occurred in the last have years and what has its impact been on the industry?"

Key Topics Covered

1. Executive Summary

2. Aerospace Market Analysis

2.1. Macro-Level Comparative Economic Analysis

2.2. Supply Chain

2.3. Global Aerospace Market Overview

2.4. Regional Analysis

2.5. Recent Trends in the Global Aerospace Market

2.6. Forecast for the Global Aerospace Market

3. Commercial Aerospace Market Analysis

3.1. Overview of the Commercial Aerospace Market

3.2. Commercial Aerospace Market Size

3.2.1. Narrow-Body Aircraft

3.2.2. Wide-Body Aircraft

3.3. Market Leaders and Market Share

3.4. Commercial Aerospace Market Trends

3.4.1. Narrow-Body Aircraft

3.4.2. Wide-Body Aircraft

3.5. Commercial Aerospace Market Forecast

4. Regional Aircraft Market Analysis

4.1. Overview of the Regional Aircraft Market

4.2. Regional Aircraft Market Size

4.3. Market Leaders and Market Shares

4.4. Regional Aircraft Market Trends

4.5. Regional Aircraft Market Forecast

5. General Aviation Market Analysis

5.1. Overview of the General Aviation Market

5.2. General Aviation Market Size

5.2.1. Piston Aircraft

5.2.2. Turboprop Aircraft

5.2.3. Business Jet Aircraft

5.3. General Aviation Market Trends

5.4. General Aviation Market Forecast

6. Helicopter Market Analysis

6.1. Overview of the Helicopter Market

6.2. Helicopter Market Size

6.3. Market Leaders

6.3.1. Civil Helicopter Market

6.3.2. Military Helicopter Market

6.4. Helicopter Market Trends

6.5. Helicopter Market Forecast

7. Military Aircraft Market Analysis

7.1. Overview of the Military Aircraft Market

7.2. Military Aircraft Market Size

7.3. Military Aircraft Market Trends

7.4. Military Aircraft Market Forecast

8. Manufacturing Process Analysis

8.1. Overview

8.1.1. Hand Lay-Up

8.1.2. ATP and AFP

8.1.3. Filament Winding

8.1.4. Injection Molding

8.1.5. Compression Molding

8.1.6. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM)

8.1.7. Roll Wrapping

8.2. Market Size by Manufacturing Process

8.3. Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing Process

8.4. General Aircraft Manufacturing Process

8.5. Helicopter Manufacturing Process

8.6. Military Aircraft Manufacturing Process

9. Evolution of Composite Applications in the Global Aerospace Market

9.1. Evolution of Composite Applications

10. Composite Applications in the Global Aerospace Market

10.1. Application of Composites in the Commercial Aircraft Market

10.2. Application of Composites in Regional Aircraft

10.3. Application of Composites in General Aviation

10.4. Application of Composites in Helicopters

10.5. Application of Composites in Defense

10.6. Application of Composites in Space

11. Composite Material Market Analysis

11.1. Overview of Composite Materials

11.2. Business Issues with Composite Materials

11.3. Buy and Fly Weight Analysis

11.4. Composite Shipments by Raw Material Type

11.5. Composite Shipments by Market Segment

11.5.1. Composite Materials in the Commercial Aerospace Market

11.5.2. Composite Materials in the Regional Aircraft Market

11.5.3. Composite Materials in the General Aviation Market

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Composites in the Global Aerospace Market, 2014-2019 & 2020-2025 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Tag: Aerospace Industry Report – Cole of Duty

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The global Aerospace market report is a full research that focuses on the overall consumption structure, development trends, sales models and sales of top countries in the global Aerospace market. The report focuses on well-known providers in the global Aerospace industry, market segments, competition, and the macro environment.

Market Overview

The global Aerospace market has been studied by a set of researchers for a defined forecast period of 2020 to 2026. This study has provided insights to the stakeholders in the market landscape. It includes an in-depth analysis of various aspects of the market. These aspects include an overview section, with market segmentation, regional analysis, and competitive outlook of the global Aerospace market for the forecast period. All these sections of the report have been analyzed in detail to arrive at accurate and credible conclusion of the future trajectory. This also includes an overview section that mentions the definition, classification, and primary applications of the product/service to provide larger context to the audience to this report.

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Market Dynamics

The report on the global Aerospace market includes a section that discusses various market dynamics that provide higher insight in the relationship and the impact of change these dynamics hold on the market functioning. These dynamics include the factors that are providing impetus to the market over the forthcoming years for growth and expansion. Alternatively, it also includes factors that are poised to challenge the market growth over the forecast period. These factors are expected to reveal certain hidden trends that aid in the better understanding of the market over the forecast period.

Market Segmentation

The global Aerospace market has been studied for a detailed segmentation that is based on different aspects to provide insight in the functioning of the segmental market. This segmentation has enabled the researchers to study the relationship and impact of the growth chart witnessed by these singular segments on the comprehensive market growth rate. It has also enabled various stakeholders in the global Aerospace market to gain insights and make accurate relevant decisions. A regional analysis of the market has been conducted that is studied for the segments of North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Research Methodology

The global Aerospace market has been analyzed using Porters Five Force Model to gain precise insight in the true potential of the market growth. Further, a SWOT analysis of the market has aided in the revealing of different opportunities for expansion that are inculcated in the market environment.

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Key Players

The global Aerospace market report has provided profiling of significant players that are impacting the trajectory of the market with their strategies for expansion and retaining of market share.

Some of the prominent players operating in the global Aerospace market are

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For more details, contact at: USA: +1 (661) 636 6162 | IND: +91 9325802062 email: [emailprotected]

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Tag: Aerospace Industry Report - Cole of Duty

Global Aerospace Engine Market with Competitive Analysis, Market Size and Shares Forecasts till 2026 – 3rd Watch News

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Aerospace Engine Market is systematic exploration that delivers key statistics on the market status of the development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status. The report has included strong players and analyses their limitations and strong points of the well-known players through SWOT analysis. This Report covers growing trends that are linked with major opportunities for the expansion of the Aerospace Engine industry.

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Honeywell International Inc.KlimovGE AviationHindustan Aeronautics LimitedRolls RoyceMTU Aero EnginesPratt & WhitneyUnited Technologies CorporationITPSafran Aircraft Engines

The Geographical Analysis Covers the Following Regions

The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease) Provide extra commentary on the newest scenario, an economic slowdown on the overall industry. In addition to this, the report also includes the development of the Aerospace Engine market in the major regions across the world.

Note: Upto 30% Discount: Get this reports in Discounted Price

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Global Aerospace Engine Market Segmentation: By Types

Turbine EnginesJet EnginesOthers

Global Aerospace Engine Market Segmentation: By Applications

Commercial AviationMilitary AviationOthers

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This research report represents a 360-degree overview of the competitive landscape of the Aerospace Engine Market. Furthermore, it offers enormous statistics relating to current trends, technological advancements, tools, and methodologies.

Global Aerospace Engine Market Research Report 2020

Chapter 1 About the Aerospace Engine Industry

Chapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape

Chapter 3 World Aerospace Engine Market share

Chapter 4 Supply Chain Analysis

Chapter 5 Company Profiles

Chapter 6 Globalization & Trade

Chapter 7 Distributors and Customers

Chapter 8 Import, Export, Consumption and Consumption Value by Major Countries

Chapter 9 World Aerospace Engine Market Forecast through 2026

Chapter 10 Key success factors and Market Overview

It concludes by throwing light on the recent developments that took place in the Aerospace Engine market and their influence on the future growth of this market.

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Global Aerospace Engine Market with Competitive Analysis, Market Size and Shares Forecasts till 2026 - 3rd Watch News

Maldives is Open to International Travellers – Outlook India

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Maldives has reopened its mesmerising beaches, clear waters and posh hotels to international tourists (yes, even for American travellers). However, for the first few weeks, only the private islands and live-aboard stays will be accessible to tourists. From August 1, 2020, they will be able to appreciate the island's picturesque guest houses and hotels too.

And this time, the island will be a tad cheaper than the exorbitantly priced vacation destination it was before. Earlier, tourists needed to book vacations no shorter than 14 days. They also had to apply for a tourist visa, which cost another $100.That's not all. They had to submit either a negative antigen test or a positive antibody test, a week before their arrival. And after arrival, they had to pay another $100 for tests. And they would be quarantined for a maximum of 12 hours.

Now travellers will not have to show a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival. And people who dont have symptoms will not be quarantined. Also,there are no new visa requirements or additional fees to be paid.

Government guidelines say that you can only visit the resort islands and you will need to book your stay in one registered establishment. The only exemption will be for transit arrangements.

Some of the establishments have already opened their doors to travellers, like the Lily Beach Resort and Spa, Velaa Private Island Maldives, Four Seasons Maldives Private Island at Voavah.

Read: Lighthouses Are The New Tourism Destination

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Maldives is Open to International Travellers - Outlook India

This summer in Sitka: All the magic, none of the crowds – Anchorage Daily News

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Presented by Travel Alaska

This year, travelers everywhere put their plans on hold, presenting Alaskans with a unique opportunity to get out and explore the states incredible destinations while supporting Alaska small businesses. Travel Alaska is encouraging residents to Show Up For Alaska by exploring new places and taking advantage of deals just for locals. Read on to learn about the adventures that await!

Wake up on a private island. Spend the afternoon surfing. Enjoy world-class cuisine. View 18th century art and artifacts. All in a single day -- and all in Alaska?

Sitkas a unique place, said Rich Kraft, who owns Cascade Creek Inn and Charters. With industries driven by fishing and the outdoors, education and the arts, he said, it has intelligence and diversity and outdoors and fine arts all in one.

Sitka is incredibly popular with Outside travelers, but its location off the road system means it remains a bucket list item for many Alaskans.

You talk to people and theyre like, Wow, Ive never been to Sitka and Ive always wanted to go, said Laurie Booyse, director of Visit Sitka. Well, whats stopping you? Were here!

This summers a poke in the nose, Kraft said. A hard poke.

Kraft and his family got into the visitor industry about five years ago, when they drove by a for-sale sign on a lodge a few miles outside downtown Sitka. Now charters and hospitality are the family business, with their grown children and daughters-in-law involved on the boats, in the kitchen, and around the inn and its 10 oceanfront rooms with views of Mount Edgecumbe.

Many of those rooms will be empty this summer. Sitka was anticipating about 300,000 visitors this year, according to Booyse. With the cruise ship season canceled and most other travelers putting their plans on hold, the streets that would usually be bustling are instead strangely quiet.

While the travel drop-off has been hard on local businesses, for the visitors who do come, its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have the place pretty much to themselves.

Youre definitely going to experience Sitka as though you were here living with us, Booyse said. Some of our best restaurants, you normally cant get a table. Youre actually able to eat like a local. Many of Sitkas eateries are open, either for takeout or for distanced dining, and spots that are impossible to get into during a normal visitor season have plenty of openings. Sitka has a strong food culture, with local ingredients in plentiful supply, vegan and organic options, a farmers market, and even food trucks.

If youre a foodie, youre definitely going to find something excellent for you to experience here, Booyse said.

The benefits of Sitkas slow summer arent limited to the food scene. At the animal sanctuary Fortress of the Bear, tours that are usually delivered over a microphone to groups of 50 have been replaced by private appointments -- long, leisurely visits with the Fortress eight resident black and brown bears, guided by an experienced naturalist.

Everyones getting a personal, private tour experience when they visit, said Bear Manager and Specialist Claire Turner. Having an opportunity to view those bears without being kind of part of a larger group can be really nice.

Even the locals are getting to check out some new experiences; Turner said she recently participated in a behind-the-scenes octopus encounter at the Sitka Sound Science Center that was just the coolest thing ever.

The community here is really doing everything they can to keep everything as safe as possible, Turner said, adding that Fortress of the Bear, the Science Center and the Alaska Raptor Center have been working together to ensure each facility has what it needs to keep guests healthy.

Alaskas scenic melting pot

Located in Southeast Alaska rainforest, Sitkas climate is temperate, lush -- and yes, wet. Wear layers and bring your Xtratufs if youve got them, Booyse advised.

The tradeoff? Its really, spectacularly beautiful.

Because we face the open ocean, we have a constant access to wildlife in a way thats really unique, Booyse said.

Kelp beds foster a large sea otter population; marine birds, crabs and fish flourish in Sitka Sound; and whales, sea lions and seals can all be spotted in and along the water. Old-growth timber still stands on the hillsides, and the dormant Mount Edgecumbe volcano is a scenic reminder of Sitkas location directly along the Ring of Fire.

I fell in love with Sitka instantly, said Turner, who came from the United Kingdom eight years ago for a summer research project and ended up staying. Its a really beautiful place to live. The scenery is beautiful, but the community is beautiful, too.

Even the fast food in Sitka comes with a side of spectacular.

You can go sit in McDonalds, thats on the water, and theres no other McDonalds in the world with a view like that, Kraft said referring to possibly the most scenic McDonalds anywhere, located on the edge of a boat harbor overlooking Mount Edgecumbe. Then youve got just the taste of old Sitka, you know, walking around the small streets and the harbors. Then you put your hiking shoes on, and weve got the best trails of anyplace weve seen.

His personal favorite is the Herring Cove Trail, which twists past waterfalls, meadows and a scenic lake.

I always say, if you were in Hawaii, and you spent $50 to go on this hike and you were butt to butt with people the whole way, when you got down youd still say Thats the best $50 Ive ever spent, Kraft said.

And theres more to Alaskas former capital than plentiful wildlife and sweeping vistas. Visitors to Sitka can experience Alaskas history from pre-contact days to the Russian colonial era to the territorial years to statehood.

Its a real melting pot of histories and cultures and experiences, Booyse said.

There are Russian buildings still standing, with art and icons dating to the 1700s, while the Sitka History Museum displays the document transferring Alaska from Russian to American control. And the areas original Tlingit culture is vibrant and thriving in the community. Sheldon Jackson Museum is offering its artist-in-residence program this summer, giving guests the opportunity to visit and talk to Alaska Native artists at work in the studio. And although the Sitka Music Festival and some other events have gone virtual this year, the communitys creative culture is still on display for visitors to experience.

People make things here, Booyse said. Everything from what you would expect, (like) the Tlingit carving and beadwork, (to) we have two people in town who are chocolatiers, we have two bakeries, we have people who make soap, we have people who make sea salt, we have people who make kelp pickles. If you can figure out a way to make something, people in Sitka are making it.

Sail on a yacht, sleep in a lighthouse

When it comes to accommodations, Sitka again has something for everyone -- hotels, bed and breakfasts, camping, cabins and lodges -- including some truly unique properties, like homes located on private islands and even a lighthouse.

Sitka Travel owner Christine McGraw, who manages about 60 local rental properties, said the vacation home rental market is up and coming in Sitka, with numerous options for visitors who want something remote, something right downtown, or something in between.

Definitely an island is a cool experience for a couple of days, she said. We also have the private charter yachts. We have Dove Island (Lodge), which is a high-end resort -- I have (clients) that will stay out there and come stay at Bart Island for five days after that.

McGraw, who is offering Alaska resident discounts, recommends booking multiple shorter stays at a couple of different properties to get a variety of experiences in a single trip.

Sitka just has it all, she said.

For more ways to experience Sitka like a local, check out VisitSitka.org.

Presented by Travel Alaska, encouraging you to Show Up for Alaska this summer! Whether its a quick trip to your favorite fishing spot or a new adventure in a corner of the state youve never explored, Alaskas small tourism businesses offer something for everyone -- and every budget. Browse summer travel opportunities and specials for Alaska residents at ShowUpForAlaska.com.

This story was produced by the creative services department of the Anchorage Daily News in collaboration with Travel Alaska. The ADN newsroom was not involved in its production.

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This summer in Sitka: All the magic, none of the crowds - Anchorage Daily News

COVID-19 free? Go on holiday to these countries – The CEO Magazine

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Tourists with a COVID-19 negative certificate issued up to 96 hours prior to the flight can now enter Dubai

By Ian Horswill

Posted on July 17, 2020

The thought of a holiday back in April and May seemed non-existent. Now there are luxury holiday destinations that beckon providing you can prove you do not carry the coronavirus.

Dubai

Tourists with a COVID-19 negative certificate issued up to 96 hours prior to the flight can enter Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. There are pristine beaches, amazing shopping experiences, luxurious resorts and the usual warm Arabian hospitality. Face masks are necessary in public spaces.

Aruba

Tourists with a COVID-19 negative certificate issued up to 72 hours prior to the flight can enter the idyllic Aruba, an island of the Netherlands in the southern Caribbean Sea. An online ED card is mandatory for all visitors to Aruba before boarding to fly to the island.

Aruba has a dry climate and an arid desert, with divi-divi trees, palm trees and cacti-strewn across the landscape. This climate has helped tourism as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm, sunny clear skies all year-round. January through to March is the peak season.

Salmon pink flamingos strut along Flamingo Beach on the Renaissance Hotels private island. The island is only a short boat ride away from the capital, Oranjestad, but youll need a day pass to access the island unless youre a paying guest.

Egypt

Almost 10,000 tourists visited Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada since the resumption of Egypts tourism at the beginning of July.

Egypts Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the two Red Sea cities had received 56 flights from Kiev, Zaporizhia, Lafif, and Kharkiv in Ukraine; Minsk in Belarus; Zurich in Switzerland; and from the Hungarian capital Budapest.

Also, Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada received three flights coming from Ukraine and Belarus with 587 tourists on board.

Egypt has also reopened Marsa Matrouh, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. Face masks are mandatory in public places in Egypt.

The Bahamas

The Bahamas, with its 700 islands sprinkled over 100,000 square miles of ocean, reopened its international borders on 1 July. It requires all arrivals present a negative COVID-19 test that is less than seven days old. Those without proof will have to pay for a test on arrival or quarantine for two weeks.

The Bahamas is one of the richest countries in the Americas (following the US and Canada), with an economy based on tourism and offshore finance. The best island in the Bahamas where you can spend your holiday really depends on the type of trip you are planning to do.

There are islands and cays which work great for families, others for couples, others for activities. New Providence is the most popular destination and Grand Bahama and the Out Islands are the best options.

Bermuda

Bermuda began welcoming back visitors on July 1, requiring arrivals to test negative for coronavirus at least 48 hours prior to their trip and again upon arrival in order to gain freedom of movement throughout their stay.

Bermuda, an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, consists of 181 islands, with the largest known as Main Island. Unlike other areas designated as subtropical, summers are quite mild, with temperatures not rising in most years above 86F (30C) during the hottest months of July and August.

French Polynesia

French Polynesia is open to international tourists and the first flight arrived in Tahiti from France on Wednesday, with a second from Los Angeles on Thursday. Before embarking on the flight, passengers had to prove they were COVID-19 negative 72 hours before departure and have to self-test for COVID-19 in four days.

An estimated 3,000 visitors are expected in French Polynesia by the end of this month, with a further 7,000 visitors expected in August coinciding with Frances summer holiday.

Saint Lucia

The sovereign island of Saint Lucia in the West Indies, on 9 July, introduced updated travel protocols requiring visitors to obtain a negative COVID-19 test within seven days of travel unless they are traveling from the governments designated travel bubble, which includes the following countries: Antigua, Barbuda, Aruba, Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Monsterrat, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos.

Upon arrival, all arriving passengers will be screened, with temperature checks at the airport. Any symptomatic passengers will be isolated and tested; they will be required to remain in isolation at their hotel or government-operated quarantine facility until their test results are obtained if positive, they will be transferred to a treatment facility until they receive two negative test results and are clinically stable.

Likely reopening to tourists: Bali, Indonesia, July 31; Hawaii, US, August 1.

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COVID-19 free? Go on holiday to these countries - The CEO Magazine

Introducing Vakkare: From Sound Healing to Blue Hole Diving, Vakkaru Maldives’ Unmatched New Hospitality Concept Will Take the Utmost Care of You -…

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(MENAFN - MENAFN) Baa Atoll, Republic of Maldives, 16 July 2020 - Proud to represent one of the world''s foremost luxury resorts, the team at Vakkaru Maldives have always done everything in their power to ensure guests enjoy a holiday experience to treasure forever. But with all of the challenges that have swept across the world this year - and the time that family and friends share together more precious than ever before - it was decided that Vakkaru Maldives should take its commitment to truly supporting guests'' wellbeing even further. Launching on 1 August to coincide with the resort''s reopening, Vakkare is a new standard in luxury hospitality, unmatched in the Maldives, that will place the concept of care at the core of all that Vakkaru Maldives offers. Comprising four pillars - We Kare, Self Kare, Let''s Kare and After Kare - Vakkare incorporates not just the resort''s practical responses to the challenge of operating a remote private-island resort in the age of Covid-19 but also considers the physical, social and emotional needs of guests who have sought out this peaceful retreat as a timeless sanctuary in which to rest, rejuvenate and refocus following the exhaustions of the last few months. A mantra that will guide the Vakkaru team through this new era, We Kare signifies the resort team''s dedication to sincerely investing in the wellbeing of its members and everyone who visits. It is a renewed commitment towards displaying empathy, surpassing guest expectations, and delivering happiness. It also means ensuring every possible step is taken so each new arrival can be completely confident their health and safety is fully protected. Vakkaru Maldives has always upheld the highest hygiene standards, but nonetheless various new measures have been introduced in response to the emergence of Covid-19. They include thorough medical checks for team members and health screenings for new arrivals, alongside enhanced sanitisation practices and the provision to guests of We Kare packs to include face masks and other personal items and keepsakes. While social distancing is now a consideration around the world, its implementation didn''t require a drastic change to the property''s infrastructure. With the protection of privacy a consideration from day one, villas, restaurant seating and the like have always allowed for exclusivity. A portfolio that will deliver uplifting encounters, indulgent moments and wonderful memories, Self Kare refers to the many restorative, wellness-minded experiences and services that will be available to every guest. Among them are a range of enhanced light- and no-touch spa treatments and rituals that will complement the resort''s most popular massages and facials. Those returning to Vakkaru will find a greater emphasis on visiting practitioners who specialise in meditation and yoga, alongside a range of transcendental sound therapies facilitated by the reverberations of crystal healing bowls. The ultimate new spa immersion is the resort''s signature Merana Healing Journey, a day-long ritual that incorporates yoga, sound healing and a rebalancing coconut shell massage. For those inspired to improve their physical fitness, Vakkaru''s personal trainer is on hand to tailor programmes and the range of outdoor exercises on offer will include tennis, beach volleyball and family-friendly mini triathlons. Nourishing dining experiences will be available throughout Vakkaru''s restaurants, with the Vakkare symbol in menus signifying refreshing, nutritionally balanced dishes that promote good health without ever compromising on taste or satisfaction. To learn more about healthy eating, guests can pick perfect produce themselves in the resort''s flourishing organic garden, before participating in a Self Kare cooking class. Alternatively, the resort''s team will take care of everything by facilitating pleasure-filled private-dining experiences that might take place within sight of the ocean on the beach or under the glow of starlight within the comfort of guests'' villa. During the day, private nature walks will wind through the forest of over 2,300 coconut trees that shades Vakkaru''s interior - should anyone request refreshment, the walk''s guide will be happy to pluck a coconut directly from a treetop. With the healing power of nature so fundamental to Self Kare, guests will also be encouraged to explore the majesty and truly rare beauty of the seascape that envelops the resort. Located in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve internationally recognised for the abundance of sea life drawn to its warm, crystalline waters, Vakkaru Maldives can arrange private, marine biologist-led excursions in search of graceful manta rays and aweinspiring whale sharks, alongside access to superlative diving and snorkelling sites. They include a remarkable blue hole, so close to Vakkaru''s beach that it can be reached in just a few minutes by kayak. That abundance of natural wonders contributed significantly to Vakkare''s third pillar: Let''s Kare. Keenly aware of their responsibilities to this vulnerable, vital ecosystem, the team at Vakkaru Maldives already follow stringent sustainability procedures and will increasingly look to facilitate opportunities for curious guests who wish to contribute to environmental and community-based endeavours, be they participating in coral-planting programmes, assisting local conservation efforts or supporting community work on local islands. Vakkare means not just taking care of team members, guests and the resort, but making a meaningful, positive difference to the broader region and beyond. Those tenets combined with the incredible beauty, exceptional villas and world-class facilities Vakkaru Maldives has always provided should mean every stay stands out as truly special. So that sense of good health and happiness is sustained long after their return home, Vakkare''s After Kare will be a wellness-centred loyalty programme providing guests with tips from visiting practitioners and the Vakkaru team, alongside a range of exclusive offers and special surprises. Combined, those four pillars are intended to support a guest experience that holds an unwavering, sincere sense of true hospitality at its heart. At a time when so many feel the need for a worry-free escape more than ever, each warmly welcomed visitor to Vakkaru Maldives can count on the team''s commitment to Vakkare. They will be certain to take the utmost care of absolutely everything. Getting There Vakkaru Maldives promises an intimate slice of paradise, designed to create timeless memories, effortlessly. Whether traveling as a couple or family, guests can book direct their long-awaited getaway with Escape Awaits Reopening Offer starting from US$900++ per room per night in the Beach Pool Villa. Available for stays between 1 August and 22 December 2020, this exceptionally generous offer includes a 40% discount on accommodation and an array of benefits including complimentary transfers for up to two adults and two children, daily breakfast, complimentary daily dinner as well as a 60-minute relaxing body massage at Merana Spa. For reservations and general information, please visit vakkarumaldives.com or contact . For real-time updates, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/vakkarumaldives, Instagram @vakkarumaldives and Twitter @vakkarumaldives

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Introducing Vakkare: From Sound Healing to Blue Hole Diving, Vakkaru Maldives' Unmatched New Hospitality Concept Will Take the Utmost Care of You -...

Cruise Ships Still Have Their Fans, Even After Coronavirus – Bangkok Post

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The pandemic has thrown a sizable iceberg at the cruise industry, but long-term customer demand won't crash

Landlubbers who wrote this industry off for dead just don't get it.

Cruise lines have navigated their share of hardships over the last several decades, but now they face what some see as a true existential threat from a mix of canceled business, heightened regulations, lawsuits and cleanup costs amid the pandemic.

Fortunately for them, it seems hard-core cruise goers can't wait to climb back aboard. Their loyalty should eventually resuscitate battered shares of major operators Carnival, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line -- as long as they can stay afloat financially in the meantime.

Research by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) shows the number of cruise passengers has grown each year for the past decade, with a cumulative 30% growth in passengers over the past five years. This growth has come even in the wake of recent disasters like the 2012 capsizing of the Costa Concordia, which killed 32 people, a 2013 engine room fire-turned-sewage flood and frequent instances of mass illness onboard.

While that streak will be broken in 2020, cruise goers are like Moby-Dick's Ishmael: drawn to the sea, no matter how it throws them. Analysts estimate about 30% are repeat customers. Carnival says the majority of its guests are, with many taking at least one cruise every year and some taking two or more. As with casino patrons, status in loyalty programs is a big draw, earning repeat cruisers anything from a lapel pin to a private dinner with their ship's captain.

The market has been expanding, too. UBS analyst Robin Farley notes that, while cruises are historically known to attract an older cohort, millennials are actually the fastest-growing segment of the market in absolute and percentage terms. Indeed, from high-end to budget, cat-themed to gothic, it seems there is now a cruise for literally anyone.

Clearly, the coronavirus has put the industry into a holding pattern without a definitive end and eroded some trust as well.

A Wall Street Journal investigation found cruise ship operators initially played a role in Covid-19's spread, sailing on despite passengers and crew showing symptoms of the disease. Regulations as a result of the disease's spread have since sidelined new voyages.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a no sail order for large cruise ships that will stand until at least late July. CLIA has issued a voluntary suspension of sailings from U.S. ports until September 15, and Carnival has now canceled all North American cruises through September 30.

When ships set sail again, the experience could look quite different. Packed bars, shows, pools and onboard buffets will have to wait until there is minimal risk of infectious disease.

Despite that, cruise loyalists are moving forward with plans for their next journey, even while ships remain docked. Carnival recently reported growing demand for cruises due to set sail next year, and not just from people trying to redeem the credits they got for canceled cruises earlier this year.

In a six-week stretch ending May 31, about two-thirds of Carnival's 2021 bookings were from people without those credits, the company said. Royal Caribbean recently said it was also seeing acceleration in 2021 bookings, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

Indeed, 85% of cruise travelers in a May survey by UBS said they are likely to cruise again, 62% said they will cruise just as often in the future and more than half said they expect to cruise again in the next 18 months. A June survey from Cruise Critic, a travel website, shows 32% of its readers are already looking to book their next cruise.

Cruise executives say they expect re-entry to be staged a few ships at a time rather than all at once. Analysts say an easy start will be shorter trips to private islands, which alleviate cross-border regulation risks and allow companies to control who comes and goes, all while enabling enhanced social distancing once onshore.

Carnival owns two private islands and Royal Caribbean recently made a major splash in the industry, investing $250 million to turn a Bahamian beach into a theme park featuring the tallest waterslide in North America and the largest wave pool in the Caribbean.

Regulatory and legal risks do muddy the waters. Tensions between cruise lines and the CDC have been mounting, according to people familiar with the matter. Meanwhile lawmakers are investigating the role of cruise operators in spreading the coronavirus, while plaintiff's attorneys are reportedly pursuing potential class-action class action claims over alleged consumer and shareholder fraud, as well as potential employment law violations.

Liquidity also becomes more of a concern the longer cruise ships are docked. But Carnival said it ended its fiscal second quarter with $7.6 billion in available liquidity, which at its average monthly burn rate would support operations for about a year without service.

Royal Caribbean said last month it has roughly $5.2 billion in total liquidity -- enough to get through what Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty describes as a "prolonged out-of-service period," plus some leftover cash to ready itself for service.

Shares of all three major cruise lines plunged by more than 80% from mid-January to mid-March. While they have recovered some of those losses, shares of all three major cruise corporations are down well over 50% from pre-Covid levels.

U.S. regulators have long been concerned about the cruise industry's issues managing health outbreaks on board. Now, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio says he is concerned Carnival in particular "is still trying to sell this cruise line fantasy," ignoring future threats to public health.

Call it what you will, but it is the industry's most loyal customers who are fantasizing about their next stroll on the lido deck.

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Cruise Ships Still Have Their Fans, Even After Coronavirus - Bangkok Post

Lab Mice Face Euthanasia As They Gather Due to the Halt of Non-COVID-19-Related Research – Science Times

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Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, institutions have been closing and ordering the halt of non-coronavirus research, claiming they were non-essential. Because of this, colonies of lab rats have been multiplying, leaving some scientists up to euthanizing them.

(Photo : Photo by Oxana Kuznetsova on Unsplash)Lab mice and rats are being euthanized as their population continue to rise amid the halt of non-COVID-19 research.

This has taken a toll on many researchers who claim it is never easy to end another being's life, whether animal or human.

Xiao-Tong Su, a postdoctoral fellow at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), shared how she apologizes to mice every time she euthanizes them. The researcher whose study on hypertension was put to hold says she thinks the mice have sacrificed a lot for science and human health.

As a pet owner herself, she said it was hard working in the lab as she became too attached to the animals she worked with. After working with rabbits, and being an owner of pet rabbits as well, she said she had to switch to working with mice early in her career.

Mouse and rat euthanasiais nothing new in the world of medical research. After the completion of an experiment, mice are basically rendered extraneous. They can no longer be used as a control, and are therefore humanely euthanized.

Many universities follow the reductionist policy, which means they use a few mice as much as possible. Whenever possible, a single mouse can be used for more than one study. Depending on their research, most researchers would only euthanize one animal per day.

Sayra Garcia, a second-year Ph.D. student at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, shares how the experience of euthanizing "never gets easier" with time.

Also Read: Neuron Found In Mice Could Have Implications For Effective Diet Drugs

When cases of the coronavirus started showing up at the beginning of March, institutions across the U.S. were suddenly forced to stop the majority of non-coronavirus-related research.

As laboratories were closed down and lab managers, researchers, and animal care technicians were ordered to stay at home, resources to support mouse colonies tapered off.

Due to this, directors at different institutions received orders from provosts to address the lab mouse population problem by reducing them. According to Eric Hutchinson, the director of research animal resources at Johns Hopkins, they had a high volume of euthanized lab mice in just one week. He shares how they somehow anticipated it to get both physically and emotionally overwhelming.

Euthanasiais usually performed by animal care technicians, who are also trained veterinarians. The procedure is done by injecting carbon dioxide, followed by surgically dislocating the neck to confirm death ultimately.

However, early during the pandemic, the technicians were scrambling to prepare for lab closures, which left the lab managers with the burden of performing the dreaded procedure.

In many labs, this meant that a single person was left responsible for euthanizing hundreds of mice. Most often, this was done in just one sitting.

One lab manager who wishes to remain anonymous shared how sometimes the mice would jump around the cage to try and escape. He shares how the worst part of the job is dislocating their neck surgically.

"They're already dead," he says, but protocols need to be followed. Having to grab their neck and tail, he says he really doesn't like doing it and having to do it 150 times definitely affected him.

Read Also: New Research Reveals Compound That Eliminates Chronic Pain in Mice; Promising Development for Medicine

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Lab Mice Face Euthanasia As They Gather Due to the Halt of Non-COVID-19-Related Research - Science Times

How Views Have Moved On Euthanasia And Cannabis | Scoop News – Scoop.co.nz

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Thursday, 16 July 2020, 12:05 pmPress Release: Auckland University of Technology

Professor Emeritus of Sociology Charles Crothers hascompiled the existing data on New Zealanders attitudes toeuthanasia and cannabis going back decades.

Theupcoming general election is unusual for including referendaon both issues. There is a long history of polling publicattitudes on them in New Zealand.

Survey(and other social research) Data Related to the ForthcomingReferenda on Euthanasia and Cannabis summarises thesurveys to date.

"These two moral issues stand out asthe key moral issues of the day," Professor EmeritusCrothers says.

"Euthanasia and cannabis have spurredconsiderable survey research activity, with some 30 pollsfocusing on the first, and 45 or so in the second, since theturn of the millennium.

"The two issues have beendissimilar in that views on euthanasia have been broadlyconstant over time whereas those on cannabis have shown morevolatility."

The research note is designed to beof use to journalists and other researchers. It can bedownloaded from The Policy Observatory website here.

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In prison for bizarre plot to kill parents, woman says her elderly mother wanted to die – WBIR.com

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Kimberly Hopkins pleaded guilty to zip-tying her mother's hands during a manicure and trying to put a plastic bag with helium over her head.

TELLICO VILLAGE, Tenn. A woman in prison after a bizarre plot to kill her parents told a parole board her mother wanted help to die.

Kimberly Hopkins said her elderly Tellico Village mother asked for her help to take her own life Father's Day weekend 2018. She said her mother had long suffered verbal and emotional abuse from her father and wanted to die that specific weekend to send a message.

"She had ordered some things to help her kill herself and so I agreed to do that. I regret that now, but I was just doing what she wanted me to do," Hopkins said.

Investigators said Jan Martin managed to break free and alert her husband, Jon.

On the scene, deputies found a pot roast in the fridge spiked with a sedative, a to-do list for death and a book on assisted suicide.

Prosecutors said the evidence found does not support Hopkins' story at the parole hearing. Assistant District Attorney Jed Bassett said Jan Martin denied asking her daughter for assistance killing herself.

Hopkins, he said, had been estranged from her parents for years.

"There was not any correspondence that she was talking about referencing an attempt to assist her mother in any suicide or euthanasia type situation," District Attorney General Russell Johnson said.

They say the murder plot was financially motivated: Hopkins wanted the money from her parent's estate after their death.

At the parole hearing, Hopkins objected.

"I would never have done anything that I did without my mothers permission," Hopkins said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I am telling the truth today. And she doesnt want me to tell the truth because it is embarrassing to her."

Johnson acknowledged Hopkins' father has a "controlling" personality and described the family as "dysfunctional." He said her mother is the opposite--caring and compassionate.

Prosecutors said the couple is split on what should happen to their adoptive daughter.

"The father literally wanted Mrs. Hopkins to receive a life sentence and spend the rest of her life in prison," Johnson said. "[The mother] did not want her daughter to go to prison, she wanted probation."

Hopkins agreed to a plea deal to serve at least 30% of a 15 year sentence. At her parole hearing, she said she deserved to serve the mandatory four and a half years.

Prosecutors said they ideally want her behind bars until her parents die.

"Theyre still at the same residence and theyre still pretty well-off. Her motivations are still there," Bassett said. "If she were to be let out on parole, theres a very high likelihood that she would try to do it again."

Her parents, both in their 80s, declined to be interviewed when contacted in November.

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In prison for bizarre plot to kill parents, woman says her elderly mother wanted to die - WBIR.com

Alaska does more COVID-19 tests with fewer positives than most other states. That doesn’t tell the whole story. – Anchorage Daily News

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We're making coronavirus coverage available without a subscription as a public service. But we depend on reader support to do this work. Please consider joining others in supporting local journalism in Alaska for just $3.23 a week.

Alaska conducts more COVID-19 tests per capita than almost any other state in the country, a fact Gov. Mike Dunleavy mentions often at community briefings.

Alaskas testing positivity rate the number of positive tests out of total tests performed has also remained far below the national average, even though its rising slightly as time goes on. The states death rate among people with coronavirus is the nations second lowest.

Yet the states new COVID-19 case counts in communities like Anchorage and Fairbanks are soaring right now. New cases, especially among younger people, prompted health officials to warn of significant community transmission around the state.

Do the testing numbers tell the whole story? Not entirely.

Comparing Alaska to other states is complicated by the states unique strategy to screen travelers and seafood workers that adds a large pool of healthy people less likely to test positive for the virus.

Alaskas unique geographic isolation and fragile health care resources also prompted state health officials to adopt an aggressive testing strategy early on.

The positivity numbers are promising indicators the state is generally doing enough testing, officials say.

But they dont account for the dramatic increases showing up in new daily cases.

We do believe that weve got increasing community spread, not just increasing testing, Dr. Anne Zink, the states chief medical officer, said this week.

By Friday, Alaska was the third most-tested state in the nation. Only New York and Louisiana test more people per capita.

According to a national data initiative run by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Alaska currently tests about a quarter of its total population or 21,167 tests for every 100,000 residents which is more tests per capita than all but those two states.

Widespread testing is crucial to gauge the spread of COVID-19 and to catch potentially contagious infected people with few if any symptoms, health officials say.

The current best guess is that about 40% of COVID-19 infections involve people without symptoms, said Dr. Jay Butler, Alaskas former chief medical officer who is now deputy director for infectious diseases at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That number may very well change as we learn more about this disease, Butler said in an interview from Anchorage, where he was working remotely for a week after helping head the national COVID-19 response. Also, theres a lot of very mild disease that occurs that may not be detected apart from very aggressive testing.

Alaskas testing is certainly aggressive when taken as a whole. But comparing our testing rates to that of other states is complicated.

Brennan Martin removes the cap of the vial for his COVID-19 test swab, taken at the testing site in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on July 17, 2020. (Emily Mesner / ADN)

For one, the state adopted an unusually broad testing policy almost from the start of the pandemic to identify cases early and minimize the odds that a surge would overwhelm hospitals with limited resources, officials say.

One-fifth of acute care hospital beds in Alaska are in hospitals off the road system, in difficult-to-reach parts of the state, according to the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association. Alaskas ratio of hospital beds to people is on the low end of the spectrum. It can also be a struggle just getting testing swabs to rural villages.

Alaska struggled initially but then took steps to ramp up testing capacity faster than many other states given our small population size. That sets our rates apart.

It does make it hard to compare our state with other states, Zink said during a science briefing Wednesday. But its also hard to compare our hospital capacity with other states.

Another factor that really makes Alaskas numbers hard to compare is the large number of relatively healthy people tested this summer due to screening mandates for travelers and seafood workers. That makes for a higher number of tests, but probably also more people with negative results because theyre not sick.

Under a state health mandate that went into effect in June, travelers into Alaska must either show proof of a negative test, get tested at the airport or agree to quarantine.

In five weeks, Alaska screened more than 78,000 people as part of airport testing, Zink said on social media earlier this week. More than 27,000 tested before traveling, nearly 27,000 were tested at an airport, more than 8,800 chose to quarantine and more than 16,000 were involved in a screened industry or a previous COVID-19 case.

There were a total of just 134 positive test results.

Seafood industry and other workers are also required to get tested multiple times during their time in Alaska. In March, state health officials estimated that industry would need between 140,000 and 160,000 tests this summer.

So far, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has distributed about 65,000 testing kits, said state pharmacist Coleman Cutchins. The industry used most of them, Cutchins said.

State testing data also lumps together Alaska residents tested out of state, nonresidents in Alaska, travelers and seafood workers getting tested when they arrive, according to Dr. Louisa Castrodale, the states infectious disease program manager. But the state isnt able to separate percent positive rates in residents and nonresidents, who may be skewing the numbers.

Those are tricky things to try and figure out, Castrodale said.

Coronavirus cases are spiking in Alaska, especially in Anchorage and Fairbanks, due to a combination of increased travel and group activities including churches, residential living facilities, workplaces, bars and social gatherings, state officials say.

Young people who officials say may be more likely to socialize and go to work, and less likely to mask up or social distance are driving the uptick: Most recent new cases have been people in their 20s and 30s.

A state update for the week reported more than a fifth of all the infections in Alaskans since the pandemic began were discovered last week, suggesting a large increase in transmission in the state.

Generally, the states worst indicators remain relatively low. Seventeen Alaskans have died with the virus.

A total of 96 residents have been hospitalized since March, giving the state a relatively good hospitalization rate. But early this week, physicians reported an increase in COVID-19 patients showing up at emergency rooms, a potential indicator for future hospitalizations. Nineteen people were hospitalized with the virus in Anchorage on Friday and another 13 patients were categorized as under investigation.

State officials say any gathering, especially indoor ones, poses an exposure risk. They urge people to keep their social circles small, wear face coverings and avoid large groups unless they can stay at least 6 feet apart ideally outside.

Despite the states soaring case counts, Alaskas positivity rate late this week was 1.78% over a seven-day average, the seventh lowest in the country.

Health authorities track testing positivity rate because its an important indicator of whether a community or state is doing enough testing to find coronavirus infections and stop the spread of the virus. The World Health Organization has said countries with broad testing should have a positivity rate that stays below 5% for 14 days.

A high positivity rate Fairbanks hit 14% this week can indicate that only the sickest people are getting tested and milder cases or asymptomatic cases are getting missed.

A lower positivity Alaskas overall rate this week was 1.85% and Anchorage was at 2.2% can indicate a community is including people with mild or no symptoms.

Karrington Hamilton swabs the inside of her nostril during a COVID-19 test at the testing site in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on July 17, 2020. (Emily Mesner / ADN)

Public health officials have said that more testing is a good thing, because it allows for a more complete picture of where and how the virus is spreading. But it doesnt tell the whole story.

Looking at percent positive can be useful, because it can tell you if youre testing enough of the population, said Tom Hennessy, director of Arctic Investigations, a local subset of the Centers for Disease and Control.

A positive rate of over 10% indicates that you may not be testing enough, he said, citing the World Health Organization.

It doesnt tell us if testing is getting to all the people who need it, or if there are populations that arent getting tested, he said.

That is why looking at an overall testing positivity rate is just a crude measure, he explained.

The state plans to add to the COVID-19 data dashboard a metric that breaks down the percentage of positive cases by region, according to Zink. The more specific the data, the easier it can be to spot trends.

This week, officials said, they noticed that Fairbanks percent positive rate had creeped up to 14%, even though the states 14-day average was just under 2%.

The high rate prompted state epidemiologist Joe McLaughlin and others to meet with Fairbanks leaders to discuss testing there to make sure that were doing a good enough job, he said.

Thats another story Alaskas numbers dont tell.

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Alaska does more COVID-19 tests with fewer positives than most other states. That doesn't tell the whole story. - Anchorage Daily News