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Democrats, Dont Take the Bait on Trumps Memory Test – The New York Times

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

Over the last week, the hottest issue in national politics has been President Trumps ability to repeat five words in order people, woman, man, camera, TV a performance on a dementia test that Mr. Trump has called amazing.

Democrats, especially the educational elite, have been having a grand old time making fun of Mr. Trump and have pointed out that he would have been better off not mentioning the fact that he took a screening test for dementia in the first place.

But is that true? Mr. Trump, in fact, may be winning the public relations cycle, however inadvertently.

In Portland, quasi-military units of the Department of Homeland Security, anonymous in their camouflage uniforms marked only with the word Police, have swept people into unmarked vans for being in the vicinity of demonstrations, beaten peaceful protesters, and shot people with potentially fatal impact munitions without provocation, fracturing one persons skull.

The deployment of federal agents with guns to crack down on demonstrators is not just a ham-handed publicity stunt that will likely result in needless civil rights violations and injuries. It is an attempt by the president to use a personal paramilitary force on the streets of Americas cities to do as he sees fit. After Portland, who knows where else Mr. Trump will use his private military.

In this context, anything that distracts attention from the presidents abuses of power in Portland is a good thing for him. And whether or not he can count backward from 100 by sevens is a brilliant diversion, even if Mr. Trump stumbled into it.

That we fall for this unintentional circus act is not an aberration. It is, instead, just the latest version of the competency trap that Democratic elites have fallen into repeatedly regarding Mr. Trump. Indeed, we have a history of underestimating Republican politicians because of their supposed or real incompetence. Ronald Reagan was the B-movie actor, derided as not smart enough to be president. We underestimated George W. Bush as a lightweight son of his accomplished father, a failure in business and comically prone to malapropisms.

We should know better. But with Mr. Trump, the bait is too enticing. Remember how there has never been anyone more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president? Remember the New Yorker cartoon after the election mocking an airplane passenger offering to fly the plane because those smug pilots have lost touch with regular passengers like us?

These were spectacular examples of the Democratic elite missing the point. As the onetime party of the workers has increasingly become the party of the well educated, many have come to assume that academic intelligence and policy expertise are crucial qualifications to rule. But the point of a democracy is not to select the smartest people. The point is to make elected officials accountable to the people. Voters choose the candidates who (they think) best represent them. For many people, that means the person who (they think) is most like them, best understands the challenges they face, sees the world most like them or shares their policy preferences.

If you want to vote for the person who you think is most competent based on intelligence, judgment and experience thats fine. But very few people actually believe that the presidency should be based on cognitive ability or rsum. Democrats vote for Democrats, Republicans vote for Republicans and both sides use the competency argument when it suits them.

Would I vote for an inexperienced candidate who went to an undistinguished college and supported abortion rights, criminal justice reform and free preschool over a former governor and cabinet official with a degree from an elite law school who opposed all of them? Of course I would.

Or, to put it another way, it can feel good to poke fun at Donald Trumps incoherence, narcissism and singular ability to embarrass himself. But he is also launching a deadly serious attack on our democratic values.

Lets not forget which one is more important.

James Kwak is a law professor at the University of Connecticut and the chair of the board of the Southern Center for Human Rights. His latest book is Take Back Our Party: Restoring the Democratic Legacy.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com.

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Trump Is Determined to Split the Country in Two – The Atlantic

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

The common thread in these twin confrontations is that they pit Republican officials who rely on support primarily from exurban, small-town, and rural voters against major metropolitan areas that favor Democrats. In the process, these RepublicansTrump in particularmay be hoping to rally their nonurban voter base by defining themselves explicitly in opposition to the cities. Trump is likely to underscore that message in his White House speech this afternoon on combating violent crime in American cities.

Quinta Jurecic and Benjamin Wittes: Nothing can justify the attack on Portland

In deploying federal forces, Trump appears to be trying to provoke clashes with protesters, which he can use to convince white suburban voters that hes the last line of defense between them and the chaos allegedly incubating in cities, Rahm Emanuel, the former Chicago mayor, told me. Referring to the street battle between construction workers and anti-war protesters in Manhattan in 1970, Emanuel said, Trump is trying to create his own hard-hat riot, and they are wearing [law-enforcement] helmets.

The political risk for Republicans in that strategy, many political observers told me, is not only that it could provoke more opposition from residents in the city centers, but that it could also accelerate the shift toward Democrats in the large, well-educated, and more and more diverse inner suburbs around the major cities. Over time, the larger denser suburbs have become like cities and throw in with the citiesthey dont identify as much with the less-populated areas, says Robert Lang, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institutions Metropolitan Policy Program and a co-author of the upcoming book Blue Metros, Red States.

The two conflicts between cities and Republican leaders represent the culmination of long-running trends. Tensions between GOP-controlled state governments and Democratic-led cities notably intensified after the 2010 midterm election, which delivered to Republicans unified control of the statehouse and governorship in about two dozen states. Since then, states have moved much more frequently than before to overturn city policies, such as those establishing paid sick leave, regulating gun sales, and imposing rent control.

These disputes generated national headlines when the Republican governor and state legislature in North Carolina approved legislation known as the bathroom bill in 2016, overturning a Charlotte city ordinance meant to guarantee equal rights for trans individuals. While Democratic states have occasionally overturned local actions, Briffault wrote in a 2018 analysis, the preponderance of preemptive actions and proposals have been advanced by Republican-dominated state governments.

From the start, the response to the coronavirus outbreak in many of the states with GOP governors has followed this pattern. In some northern states, including Ohio, Maryland, and Massachusetts, GOP governors moved quickly to lock down the economy. Elsewhere, that didnt happen: In Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Arizonaamong othersRepublican governors rejected pleas in March from big-city mayors to shut down the economy as the virus spread, and agreed only after Trump reluctantly acknowledged the need for closures.

Read the rest here:

Trump Is Determined to Split the Country in Two - The Atlantic

Whats Going On With Ghislaine Maxwell and Donald Trump? – Vanity Fair

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

Earlier this month, Ghislaine Maxwells arrest in New Hampshire immediately prompted speculation about which other high-profile figures could be implicated in connection to Jeffrey Epsteins sexual abuse. The socialite and longtime Epstein associate has denied charges of trafficking minors and perjury, but a federal judge denied her bail last week and she continues to be held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. As with Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew, Donald Trumps relationship with Epstein and Maxwell has shown up in various reports and photographs over the years. But rather than attempt to distance himself from Maxwell during a coronavirus briefing on Tuesday, Trump offered a limp embrace.

I dont know, he shrugged, after a reporter asked whether he thought Maxwell would reveal which powerful men were involved in Epsteins trafficking ring. I havent really been following it too much. I just wish her well, frankly.

Ive met her numerous times over the years, especially since I lived in Palm Beach, and I guess they lived in Palm Beach, but I wish her well, he continued. Whatever it is.

Even the ultraconservative Trump ally Chip Roy, the Republican congressman from Texas, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday morning, This is unacceptably obtuse for a woman accused of the most morally depraved of crimes.

And while the remarks were a rich sound bite for those whove been tracing out Maxwell and Epsteins associations in all their still-emerging detail, they were also a reminder of their history with Trump thats already known. The Palm Beach milieu that Trump mentioned was the occasion for his early relationship with Epstein: as the New York Times pointed out, he told reporters at the White House last July that he knew Epstein like everybody in Palm Beach knew him. The paper reported last year that Trump and Epstein hosted a party at Mar-a-Lago in 1992 with a guest list comprising the two of them and 28 girls. The Florida businessman George Houraney told the Times that he organized the event and told Trump, Look, Donald, I know Jeff really well, I cant have him going after younger girls. Houraney said Trump dismissed the warning.

It wasnt the only such interaction between the two men, whod overlapped in social and business circles for years. Last year, MSNBCs Morning Joe aired newly found footage of Trump and Epstein laughing together while watching dozens of NFL cheerleaders dance at a Mar-a-Lago party in 1992.

Ive known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. Hes a lot of fun to be with, Trump told New York magazine in 2002. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about itJeffrey enjoys his social life.

Last year, though, after Epstein was arrested, Trump told reporters, I had a falling-out with him. I havent spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you. The full nature and timing of any conflict still isnt clear, but Trump called Epsteins private Caribbean island an absolute cesspool in 2015 and told reporters to ask Andrew about it.

Photos of Trump with Epstein and Maxwell continue to circulate, especially in recent weeks since Maxwells arrest. Fox News cropped Trump out of one image of the three along with Melania following the arrest. Sure enough, Geraldo Rivera leapt to Trump and Maxwells defense on Wednesday morning:

After Trump pardoned Roger Stone earlier this month, there were also some murmurs that his statement of affection for Maxwell might be more than offhanded.

A Justice Department prosecutor told Politico, in the aftermath of the Stone pardon, it reeks of the president indicating to her that he might reward her if shell stay silent about whatever she knows about him.

An Oral History of the First Federal Execution Under Donald Trump – The Marshall Project

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

The federal government had executed just three men in the last half century until July, when it executed three in a single week. President Trump has long extolled the death penalty, and last month, Attorney General William Barr set dates for four men. We owe it to the victims of these horrific crimes, and to the families left behind, to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system, Barr said in a statement.

The first man on Barrs list was Daniel Lewis Lee, who was convicted of helping to kill William Mueller, Nancy Mueller, and Nancys 8-year-old daughter Sarah Powell, in 1996. According to prosecutors, the three were shot with a stun gun and then drowned during a robbery by members of a white supremacist group. Several of Nancy and Sarahs relatives opposed Lees execution, but wanted to attend. Feeling they could not travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they unsuccessfully sued to stop it. In the end, they did not witness Lees death, but William Muellers son, Scott Mueller, did attend.

Lees death was scheduled for 4 p.m., on Monday, July 13, but legal fights over the governments lethal injection plan continued into the night, and his time of death was 8:07 a.m., on Tuesday. According to the federal Bureau of Prisons, Lee spent four hours strapped to the gurney.

We tracked down a broad array of those connected to the event, to present a three-dimensional account of the first federal execution in 17 years.

Monica Veillette, niece and cousin of murder victims Nancy Mueller and Sarah Powell: When they announced the new execution date, we thought it was likely a mistake, that someone had not considered how many people would need to travel during a pandemic. Someone called from the Bureau of Prisons to set up our plane tickets and hotels; they handle everything from the minute you arrive.

I kept asking him about COVID precautions and he said hed get answers. He said that he and his wife were scared even to go buy pet food. I said, Imagine flying across the country and going into a prison. He apologized profusely for pushing us to make arrangements. He has a boss to answer to. I felt so sorry for him. And for everyone at the prison.

Earlene Peterson, mother and grandmother of Mueller and Powell: I have a heart condition and a lung condition. I havent been anywhere since the tenth of March, not to church, not to Wal-Mart. I went to my doctor and she had a fit, she said, You are not to go.

Monica Veillette: We have a very large family and Im sure some people supported the execution. I dont want to say how anyone else feels is wrong because grief is a horrible thing to live with.

Scott Mueller, the son of victim William Mueller: To be honest with you, Id rather not talk about it. I want to just keep my stuff to myself, if you dont mind. I feel justice was served. As far as Earlenes family, theyve dominated the whole thing for 25 years, and I wasnt heard of until execution time. I love them, they love me, and we just have a difference of opinion I guess. I wouldnt wish this experience on anyone.

Lee was tried alongside a man named Chevie Kehoe, whom the trial judge described as the ringleader of the murders and the one directly responsible for the eight-year-olds death. Kehoe received a life sentence. Lees lawyers have argued that Lee played a limited role in the crime and was unfairly sentenced using a psychological test that portrayed him as a psychopath.

Earlene Peterson: At the trial, Lee looked more guilty, with a neck tattoo and a missing eye, while Chevie Kehoe had a suit and tie. But you could tell Daniel was the follower, and Chevie was the leader.

Monica Veillette: We never hear about Chevie Kehoe, unless hes moved from one prison to another. We have closure. But with Daniel Lee its been a continuous compounding of our grief, to bear the burden that another human being is going to be killed in your name. We were bombarded with messages of support. People said, I bet you all are so happy. Dealing with all those well-meaning friends and loved ones was so hard. We sued to get the execution postponed because of the pandemic, and the government called our familys fears frivolous. It made me cry more than anything thus far, to be called frivolous by the people who had said they were doing this for us. It felt so cruel.

Scott Taylor, spokesperson, Bureau of Prisons (in an emailed statement): We are deeply concerned for the health and welfare of those inmates who are entrusted to our care, and for our staff, their families, and the communities we live and work in. It is our highest priority to continue to do everything we can to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our facilities.

Monica Veillette: The BOP staffer I spoke to had no answers, and said they wouldnt give us anything in writing about COVID precautions, because they said it could be discoverable in court.

As it became clear they werent going to stop the execution, we had to make an agonizing decision. We wanted to be present to say, This is not being done in Sarah and Nancys name, and to let that be the final moment in their story. But what if I went and I was asymptomatic and hugged my grandma, because who would not be able to hug their grandma in that situation, and then my grandma gets sick?

I was still thinking about going as late as Saturday night. When my flight left on Sunday, I knew there was no turning back, and I cried.

Earlene Peterson: My son was going to drive me from Arkansas. My family was having a cow, my church, my friends: No, no, no, you cant do it. So in the end I chose safety.

Ruth Friedman, attorney for Daniel Lee: His lawyers were not in Terre Haute. Im at a worrisome age with a worrisome underlying condition. On the one hand, it felt terrible. On the other, it was good that we could be at our desks to litigate. There were so many problems with this case, and we were getting information from the government in dribs and drabs, and then we were trying to get the courts to pay attention. I couldnt imagine what hours Id spend on a plane, much less driving from Washington, D.C., to Indiana.

Tim Evans, reporter, The Indianapolis Star: As a journalist, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but as a person I was nervous. Part of me thought I wouldnt mind if it didnt happen.

Terre Haute prisoner who declined to be named and is not on death row: We tend to start preparing about two weeks out. One of the guys Im friends with had to power-wash the death house, the entire outside of it. Other guys had to weed the area around it. The bigwigs were coming and they wanted it all to look pristine. Its like a show for them.

On Monday morning around 10:30 a.m., an administrator called a meeting about what he called the festivities. He told us to get our trays from the cafeteria, eat as fast as you can, get everything you want to take to read, your radio, blankets, and then we had to go to the old Unicor building or the chapel to be locked down. They were trying to block us from seeing the transport of the prisoner to the execution chamber but a lot of us saw it anyway. They made us dress in our greens, like it was fancy.

On Monday morning, federal judge Tanya Chutkan ordered that the government could not carry out the executions while federal death row prisoners continued to contest the lethal injection protocol. The Department of Justice immediately appealed above Chutkan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit., but it was already apparent that the Supreme Court would have the final say.

Abraham Bonowitz, anti-death-penalty activist, Death Penalty Action: The state police put up the sawhorse barrier things on the roads around the prison. They had official protest sites one for pro-death penalty protesters and one for anti-death penalty protesters. But you couldnt bring your phones there so we set up at the busiest intersection on US 41, and negotiated a place for our people to park at the nearby funeral home. For a while it was just waiting. By 9 p.m., everyone was just sitting with their phones, refreshing and refreshing the Supreme Court docket page.

Tim Evans, reporter: We went through security checks and they took our phones and we sat down and waited. Around 6 p.m. or so they told us it was going to be awhile, and we left for dinner, came back. Between 9 and 10 they told us it was going to be awhile again and they recommended that the local reporters go home and everyone else get a hotel.

Terre Haute prisoner: Nobody was trying to look outsideit was dark. Everybody was starting to get real pissed off, there was no reason we couldnt go back to our units. No email, phones. Everyone felt that with COVID we didnt need anymore to deal with.

Monica Veillette, family member of victims: I spent Monday night in the part of my living room with the best reception, with my phone plugged in, the ringer turned up high, afraid to walk away or eat or shower or go to the bathroom, scouring the news sites, the Supreme Court website, reading the briefings. I lit a candle.

A little before 11:30 p.m., EST, the D.C. appeals court kept the stay in place and set a schedule to hear further arguments on the lethal injection protocol. It appeared the execution would not go ahead.

Ruth Friedman, defense attorney: We knew it wasnt really over. But when the appeals court upholds unanimously shortly before midnight, that would seem to have meaning.

Tim Evans, reporter: When they told us to leave, one reporter slept in her car. I checked into a hotel, but I was pretty wound up and I tweeted and watched cooking shows. I texted my wife: Do you really think RBG and the other Supremes are up? Around 2 a.m. I decided to get under the covers.

Essays by people in prison and others who have experience with the criminal justice system

Shortly after 2 a.m.., the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to overturn Judge Chutkan's stay, declaring that her last-minute intervention...should be the extreme exception, not the norm. Lees lawyers continued to argue that Lees execution could not be carried out because a stay remained in place (and legal experts have since questioned whether it was lawful for the prison to proceed). The federal Department of Justice argued that the execution could proceed, and filed a motion to formally lift the stay.

Ruth Friedman, defense attorney: For four hours, we were trying to get information and also tell the prison there was a stay in place. Were calling the prison. We did speak to Lee at one point. He was by himself in his cell, hed given his belongings away so he had no books or anything. We called later and they said we couldnt talk to him, and I think its because it was starting.

Tim Evans, reporter: At 2:18 I got the text: Please make your way back to the Media Center we will be resuming the execution at approximately 4 a.m. I slammed a Diet Coke and drove over. It was really dark and there was a lot of dew on the ground, and a lot of big spotlights on the building where we were headed. There were armed guards with bulletproof vests. Inside, there were several viewing rooms, each with its own door and a small bathroom. It was dead silent, which was eerie for a bunch of journalists. We waited in the room for so long I started counting the concrete blocks in the wall. There were two windows covered with a curtain. Everyone was afraid to get up to go to the bathroom because at any moment the curtain could go up.

Earlene Peterson, family member of victims: I was praying all night in my war room, where I have my Bible and computer.

Terre Haute prisoner: We just wanted to go to bed. We got sack lunches, cold breakfasts. The officers were getting really aggravated because it just dragged on and on, but eventually a secretary brought a small television, so we could watch the news and some movies: Remember the Titans, Bruce Almighty. People tried their best to stay awake, because we didnt have beds and there were cockroaches all over the floor.

Scott Taylor, spokesman, Bureau of Prisons: Mr. Lee was restrained for approximately 4 hours, during which he had access to his spiritual advisor and was able to have moments of prayer.

Ruth Friedman, defense attorney: I didnt know they had started the execution until the media reported he was dead.

Tim Evans, reporter: After a while, from inside the witnessing room, you could hear the birds making the sounds they make just before the sun comes up. I drew little pictures of the room. Finally we heard a knock on the door and found out there was another last-minute appeal. We learned it was around 6:40, meaning wed been in there more than two hours. Around 7:45, the curtain started to go up.

Lee was laying with his feet toward our windows, on what looks like an exam table, and there were little arm wings that folded out and his arms were strapped there, with four or five straps on each arm, and he had an IV in the crook of his left elbow and the back of his right hand.

He kind of raised up and gave us a what-for look. My perception of the look was: who are you and why are you here to watch me die? Thats probably me projecting. It was a hard stare.

Its kinda bizarre when I think back on it, but everybody got up to look like it was a zoo and all of us started scribbling notes.

Adam Pinsker, reporter, WTIU: There were several men with him, only one wearing protective gear. They were wearing nice suits, and one of them asked Lee if he wanted to make a last statement.

The Bureau of Prisons would not provide text of Lees final statement, though pieces of it appeared in media coverage.

A detailed, up-to-date schedule of upcoming executions in the United States

Daniel Lewis Lee, according to reporter Adam Pinskers notes: Im not perfect, but Im not a murderer. I was halfway across the country when this happened. I think you know what my first and last meals were. Youre killing an innocent man.

Although much of the evidence around Lees precise role was circumstantial, the trial judge cited later testimony that Kehoe said Lee participated in the deaths of the adult victims but not the 8-year-old.

Tim Evans, reporter: And then he leaned his head back down onto the gurney. The marshal picked up a phone, didnt dial. The drugs started, and he didnt seem to be suffering. At one point he pulled his head up a little. His hand twitched. A couple times his lips fluttered. After the last time I saw his chest rise, he laid still for several minutes. I stepped back and said a little prayer to watch over his soul and to give me courage and clarity; I needed to take my eyes off of it for a minute and this was a good excuse to do that.

Pinsker: I think he breathed like five times. The men with him didnt move. One of them looked straight ahead. I kept focusing on his right hand, because it was closest to me. It lost color, it was pale in the last minutes of the execution, as white as a sheet of paper. It did seem like a long twenty minutes.

Evans: A guy from the prison pronounced him dead and the curtain started dropping again. I left, got my phone, and dictated a few sentences to my editor to add to the story. Lee didnt apologize at all and I wonder if that made it easier for me to detach. If hed been apologetic, would that have still been the case? Also, it was like this weird theme park thing. You had to wait to get in. You had this deplorable villain and justice was served. After all this waiting, the ride was over real quick and then they shuffled you out and brought the next group in the next day. Ive slept pretty well the last couple nights, but last night I was wandering around the house and, wondering, if I looked out that window, would I see him looking back at me like he did?

Statement by Attorney General William P. Barr: Today, Lee finally faced the justice he deserved. The American people have made the considered choice to permit capital punishment for the most egregious federal crimes, and justice was done today in implementing the sentence for Lees horrific offenses.

Evans: As we were leaving, we asked how long had Lee been in there. Because we had been in there for four hours. And they said hed been brought in before us and hed been strapped to the table that whole time. Hed been in that room that long. Which that seems pretty rough.

Ruth Friedman, defense attorney: We were shocked that he was executed. Our team was very tired, very angry, and sad. This was a person to us. He was portrayed as a psychopath, but we know he is not. We knew his kindness, his humor, his pain. We were not able to present in court his history, his traumas as a child, and there are things we now want to honor about his privacy, even though hes gone. But its like any loss; at first its hard to believe the person is gone.

Earlene Peterson, family member of victims: I sobbed. Im a mother, I lost my grandbaby and my daughter, so I know how his mother felt.

Scott Mueller, family member who witnessed the execution: It didnt give me any more closure than I had. Ill have closure when I see my dad in heaven.

Bureau of Prisons staff member who declined to be identified: I cant really tell you anything. Its one of those things thats engrained. But the way that everything transpired with it taking so long, is 100 percent because of the attorneys filing the things that they were filing at the last minute. This is a process, a system, and because of politics it got bogged down for 17 years, but until those sentences get changed to something else, this is whats supposed to happen. Thats as apolitical an opinion as you can get.

Priscilla Hutton, spiritual minister to a man on death row: The death row officers don't change very much, so they get to know these people, and when I talk to them, they are very uncomfortable with carrying these executions out.

Terre Haute prisoner: The staff was pissed too. Afterwards, the administrator apologized to everyone for the fiasco. We didnt get back to our halls till after 8 a.m. Wed had no sleep or shower. It was absolutely a mess. Some of the prisoners were for the executions, some against. Im on the fence honestly. He killed a child, and I have children. But at the same time I do believe in God and its not my place to judge him. But most of us didnt care and just wanted the executions to be over; it was like we were being punished.

Earlene Peterson, family member of victims: They say theyre doing it for us but theyre liars, lying through their teeth. They treated us as if we didnt exist. Im disappointed the president didnt contact me, since I am a loyal voter for him. I feel that Trump has done a good job, and Im hoping and praying he didnt use this politically. I dont want to believe that. I really feel in my heart the government let me down.

See more here:

An Oral History of the First Federal Execution Under Donald Trump - The Marshall Project

President Donald Trump says hell throw out first pitch before Red Sox-Yankees game on Aug. 15 – MassLive.com

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

President Donald Trump will throw out the first pitch before the Red Sox-Yankees game on Aug. 15 at Yankee Stadium, he told reporters at The White House on Thursday. The rivals are scheduled for a 7:07 p.m. first pitch on FOX that night.

Answering a question about the start of baseball season, Trump said Yankees president Randy Levine had invited him to throw out a first pitch later this summer. A Yankees official confirmed to NJ.coms Brendan Kuty that Trump had been invited.

Baseball, as an example, youre going to be at an empty stadium, Trump told reporters in Washington, D.C. Ive agreed... Randy Levine is a great friend of mine, from the Yankees. He asked me to throw out the first pitch. I think Im doing that on Aug. 15 at Yankee Stadium. I said, Hows the crowd going to be?' Its like, you dont have a crowd. There is no such thing.

Its going to be interesting, Mariano, Trump said, turning to former Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who was in attendance. Hes not used to that. Ive been to many games where he walks in and the place goes crazy. I think it would be just as good without the crowd. You were just born with it. Some people are born with it.

On Tuesday morning, Trump sent a tweet discouraging national anthem protests after multiple members of the Giants, including manager Gabe Kapler and outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, kneeled during the anthem before an exhibition game against the Athletics.

Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me! Trump tweeted.

Asked about the teams policy on anthem protests earlier this week, Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said he did not believe any players were planning on kneeling this season but vowed support for any type of demonstrations.

We havent told players you have to do anything, Roenicke said. Weve given them the rights, which is what this country is all about, and the freedom to do what they feel strongly about. We have said what we think and what we would like them to do, but we have also given them the opportunity to express themselves.

This organization is okay with it, he continued. If they want to take a knee, they can take a knee. I dont know that anybodys going to do that, but if they want to, we support them in whatever they want to do.

Donald Trump, Jr. campaigns in support of Utah 4th District candidate Burgess Owens – Daily Herald

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

Donald Trump Jr. campaigned Thursday in Sandy with Utahs 4th Congressional District candidate Burgess Owens and commemorated the upcoming Pioneer Day holiday.

Owens, a former NFL player originally from Tallahassee, FL, and founder of a nonprofit that assists incarcerated youths, won the Republican nomination for the seat during Utahs June 30 primary, defeating former Utah Rep. Kim Coleman, R-West Jordan, former talk radio host Jay JayMac McFarland and entrepreneur Trent Christensen.

This (Trump) family is going to go down in history as having such a big impact on our nation, Owens said as he introduced Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is Trump Jr.s girlfriend.

Trump Jr., the eldest child of President Donald Trump, met with Owens and a few dozen of Owens campaign volunteers at Colonial Flag in Sandy and thanked the volunteers for supporting the Republican candidate.

Burgess, I want to congratulate you on everything, Trump Jr. said. Its truly an amazing story, given what tomorrow is for the state of Utah and for the LDS (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) community. Who is more of a pioneer than this? I mean, this is truly a modern-day pioneer story; to leave the south to come out here.

Its awesome to see someone like you, Burgess, to step up, to go in and be fearless, Trump Jr. continued. To be a pioneer. To say what needs to be said, to do what needs to be done. To do that despite the resistance that youre going to get as a conservative, even in this state, from our friends in the media and others. Its truly awesome to watch that.

Trump Jr. said he saw Owens background as similar to my fathers in the sense that Owens has had a successful life and doesnt need this job.

You can only throw stones from the sideline for so long before you actually have to get in the game, he said. And we need more of you that are willing to get in the game, whose turn its not, where it isnt just the natural progression.

Two of Owens Republican primary opponents, Coleman and Christensen, attended Thursdays event in support of the candidate.

During a conference call with reporters on Thursday before the event in Sandy, Trump Jr. said he came to Utah ahead of Pioneer Day to highlight the Trumps commitment to preserve (the) American freedoms (and) values ... (of) members of the LDS community and recognize how the LDS faith has contributed to shape this nation through their pioneering spirit.

While in Washington, D.C. they may call people like my father and myself outsiders, here in the West, they actually call (us) pioneers, Trump Jr. said. Outsiders and pioneers are people who embody the innovative spirit, curiosity and optimism thats uniquely American.

Trump Jr. said Pioneer Day is a celebration of the brilliance, bravery and perseverance that makes up the LDS community, and the freedoms that allow every person to worship freely and embrace the American dream.

Protecting those freedoms is at stake (on) Election Day, he said, adding that former vice president and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was too busy embracing the radical socialist agenda and clearly more worried about undermining Americas fundamental freedoms and appeasing the far left, and ultimately not really (interested in) standing up for religious communities who embody the true American spirit.

Owens, who repeated Thursday that he is running to win back the United States House of Representatives from Democrats, will compete against incumbent U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, during the November general election.

Connor Richards covers government, the environment and south Utah County for the Daily Herald. He can be reached at crichards@heraldextra.com and 801-344-2599.

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What No One Will Tell You About Robots – OZY

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

Human fascination with robots has long been fused with fear. The first widespread use of the term came a century ago in a Czech play about robots manufactured to serve and work for people. The catch? The bots turn on their masters.

That plot has played out in fiction countless times since. Meanwhile, the real world has created ever more advanced versions of mechanical servants. Todays artificial intelligence (AI) is more sophisticated than anyone could have imagined decades ago, and its already influencing our lives in incredible ways even if the robot masses have not (yet) revolted. Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently said AI is more profound than fire or electricity in its impact on humanity.

But like fire, AI can burn us too. Todays Sunday magazine takes stock of where we are, where the technology is headed and the pitfalls that lie ahead with AI. There is much to celebrate, loads to fear and even more to question about a future in which machines join humans in striving for a better world.

Friends With Benefits. Imagine robots did all the cooking, cleaning and dog-walking around your house. They ferry you around town, care for a sick parent, teach kindergarten to your child, deliver packages, perform your favorite hit songs and have sex with you. Guess what? Many of those kinds of robots are already available, and will only get better at human-like tasks in the coming years.

What About My Job?We should not necessarily be thinking of AI and robotic technology as an adversary in the workplace. For manual labor, think wearable exoskeletons that can improve efficiency and reduce injury. For knowledge work, it can be a powerful assistant that helps us do our jobs better, one that reduces our own cognitive load and frees us to work on higher-order tasks and more interesting and creative things. Plus, some jobs that we dont think of being that creative today, like project manager, could get a major human makeover. The project managers of the future will have to make sophisticated decisions to get the best out of both humans and machines. Hear more on OZYs Future of X podcast.

Product Enhancement. Transhumanists cyborg is so pass explore the symbiosis of man and machine, going so far as to upgrade parts of their bodies. Think supercharged ears or a bionic arm to replace an amputated one. And then theres professional mad genius Elon Musk, who wants to fuse human brains with computers to create super-intelligent beings, and has dedicated his company Neuralink to the task. But at what point do we cease being human? Were a long way from drawing that line.

When Do I Get My Self-Driving Car?In many areas, AI has not yet lived up to the hype. Despite overly optimistic predictions, fully autonomous cars are still only in use in certain trial programs. It often can exacerbate racial bias. And the technology has not yet made a dent in complex fields such as accounting, law, engineering and health care. These disappointments are breeding the technologys many doubters. Read more on OZY.

COVID-Accelerated. Some AI trends are getting a boost amid the pandemic and economic turbulence. Fast food chain White Castle is hiring Flippy, a burger-flipping robot, later this year to reduce human contact with the food. AI is being pressed into service to identify the next pandemic. But the crisis has also exposed AIs limits: When our behavior went haywire in response to the virus, machine-learning systems for inventory management, streaming recommendations and other areas couldnt keep up.

Arms Race. By 2030, a third of the combat capacity of Russia is expected to be driven by AI including AI-guided missiles with the ability to change their target mid-flight. Israel has adopted a targeting network to aid the Israel Defense Forces in remotely patrolling the many contentious regions under their control. The U.S. is building a robotic submarine system that will detect underwater mines and other anti-submarine enemy action. But its China that appears to be one robotic step ahead, with its massive domestic surveillance program and military drones that can ferry passengers. Read more on OZY https://www.ozy.com/the-new-and-the-next/which-military-has-the-edge-in-the-a-i-arms-race/358014/

Global Gears.Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has received a prototype, developed by Boeing Australia, of a jet-powered drone to flank and protect its manned combat aircraft. Brazil and India have set up panels for their militaries to work with cutting-edge labs on developing AI. The U.K.s Ministry of Defence has launched its own AI lab, as has the South Korean army, which has also used a sentry robot in the demilitarized zone along the border with North Korea.

Quiz: Which country has touted its work on mini-robots that can slide under enemy tanks? The answer is at the bottom of this story.

Do Killer Robots Dream?There are corners of the internet that scream about bloodthirsty bots already enacting takeovers. But an increasing number of serious people are expressing concern about malicious AI. From the U.S. and other major militaries refusing to sign a treaty against fully autonomous weapons to the time Facebook had to shut down its chatbots because they created their own language, runaway robots should concern us all. Read more on OZY.

Sins of the Flesh. As with many technological advances, the sex industry is on it. Functional sex robots are hitting the market (if you can afford to pay up to $10,000), but experts are raising the alarm about moral questions, with reports that the bots can be programmed to reenact a rape scenario or resemble children. But would child sex dolls actually prevent pedophilia?

You Tell Us. Would you ever have sex with a robot? If not, why not? If so, whom would you design your robot to resemble? Take our Twitter poll.

L Is for the Way You Look at Me. These robotic relationships may well become about more than sex. Many experts believe that humans will fall in love with robot companions as they advance, in part because our brains are not equipped to parse those emotions. In fact, a growing number of people identify as digisexuals attracted to androids.

Algorithmic Soul Mate. AI is being put to use to make real-life connections as well. One service called AIMM promises to both find you a mate and then coach you through the courting process, with all sorts of questionable, at times sexist assumptions that remind us that AI is only as good as the people creating it. Read more on OZY.

Incredible Shrinking Surgeon.Robot-assisted surgery is becoming more widespread and affordable by the day. Eager for the next big leap? Watch out for Boston-based Vicarious Surgical, which recently won recognition from the Food and Drug Administration as a breakthrough device for using virtual reality and tiny robots to perform surgeries inside your body guided by the surgeon on the outside. Read more about robot-assisted surgery on OZY.

Diagnostic Test. Reports of the demise of the radiologist were greatly exaggerated, but AI is getting better at diagnosis. Google recently announced that its AI system often but not always matches or outperforms humans in diagnosing breast cancer. And machine diagnosis is another trend thats seeing a pandemic surge, as the need to swiftly identify coronavirus outbreaks is a matter of life and death.

Nursing Aide. Robots are already popping up at hospitals, performing tasks like delivering medication. And their capabilities are starting to get more complex, such as feeding patients who cannot feed themselves. Its just another example of how baby boomers not millennials are the target demographic for the next era of AI. Read more on OZY.

The Robot Is In.With chatbots getting more advanced, AI is increasingly becoming more involved in your mental health. Apps like Youper can engage with you on a human level with a friendly chat anytime, anywhere that can provide a critical mental lift. Read more on OZY.

Would you rather spill your guts to a bot or a real-life therapist? Tag us on Instagram and let us know.

Robot Prejudice.It may be easier than we thought for autonomous machines to develop one of humanitys less attractive features: prejudice. Why? New research using computational simulation models suggests that prejudice requires only limited intelligence and cognitive ability to develop and spread in populations of artificially intelligent machines. Are we consigned to a future of robot Archie Bunkers? What happens if the outsiders theyre biased against turn out to be us? Read more on OZY.

In Living Color. AI has a well-documented race problem: It struggles to recognize Black faces, among myriad other problems stemming from the fact that there are too few Black faces in the industry itself. Given the newfound enthusiasm for people investing in historically Black colleges and universities in the wake of racial justice protests, how about a woke Silicon Valley type offers up $50 million or so to seed AI research and development at Howard University to help offer balance.

All Rise for Chief Justice Robot!Judges are like umpires, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts declared at his 2005 confirmation hearings. But if being an appellate judge is really just a matter of calling balls and strikes, then isnt that a job that could be performed more thoroughly and precisely by a computer, and without political or personal bias, age or infirmity, or ugly confirmation battles? If justice is blind, does it still need to have eyes? Read more on OZY.

AI for the Defense. Overworked and underfunded public defenders in the U.S. have enormous caseloads, which makes competent legal representation difficult. But thanks to initiatives like the Tubman Project, AI is being deployed to help public defenders keep up by doing things like auto-filling forms and reviewing hours of police body-camera footage. How long before AI is also helping negotiate plea deals and more?

Electoral Disruption. Upstart political candidates are turning to AI tools to take on electoral machines and theyre winning. Companies on the left and right are using advanced tech to streamline fundraising and better scale targeted ads, or uncover granular details about how messaging campaigns can best influence voters based on their foundational beliefs. Can a bot make you change your vote? Read more on OZY.

Reining Them In. Part of the problem is that AI powers cant agree on the rules of the road. Last month, Chinese search giant Baidu left the Partnership on AI, an American-led consortium of tech companies, nonprofits, research groups and more, designed to develop ethical guidelines around AI. Baidu was the groups only Chinese member and its departure comes amid a worsening relationship with the U.S. For now, AI governance remains inconsistent across and even within countries: California, for example, has banned facial recognition technology for local law enforcement, while its commonplace in Florida.

Quiz Answer: Iran released images in October of miniature robots that can slide under enemy tanks.

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What No One Will Tell You About Robots - OZY

Baylor Genetics and the City of Houston Form COVID-19 Testing Partnership – PRNewswire

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

HOUSTON, July 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --In response to the global pandemic, Baylor Genetics, a pioneer in genetic testing and precision medicine, launched its official test for COVID-19 on June 16, 2020. To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Houston, Texas, Baylor Genetics has partnered with the Houston Health Department, City of Houston (COH), to provide quality, high-throughput testing for COVID-19.

"With this partnership, the City of Houston and Baylor Genetics are able to work together and help our city overcome this pandemic," said Kengo Takishima, President and Chief Executive Officer for Baylor Genetics. "By continuing to focus on innovation, we are able to serve our city by providing insight on this virus and help restore our local communities."

This partnership entails quick and efficient testing for COH, which will help the city monitor future outbreaks and provide valuable data for steps needed to prevent the spread in Houston communities.

"We are grateful to have Baylor Genetics as an additional laboratory resource," said Stephen L. Williams, Director of the Houston Health Department. "With nearly 200,000 people tested for COVID-19 at Houston Health Department-affiliated testing sites, it's important to plan ahead for adequate laboratory capacity as we continue working to slow the spread of this deadly virus."

While Baylor Genetics' main focus has been genetic testing of inherited disorders and cancer, the diagnostic company was quickly able to validate a test for COVID-19 in its high-complexity CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the methodology used by Baylor Genetics for its COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR test is the principle standard for detecting if an individual is infected with the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

"At Baylor Genetics, we are committed to improving healthcare globally and locally no matter if that involves testing for genetic disorders or testing for infectious diseases," said Christine Eng, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer at Baylor Genetics and Professor of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine. "With our state-of-the-art molecular processes, the launch of our COVID-19 test is poised to help thousands determine if they are infected with SARS-CoV-2. Our goal is to give patients in Houston fast and reliable results, so they can receive the treatment they need early on and flatten the spread of the infection in our community."

To learn more about Baylor Genetics' test for COVID-19, visit https://www.baylorgenetics.com/covid-19-testing.

AboutBaylor Genetics:Baylor Genetics is a joint venture of H.U. Group Holdings, Inc. and Baylor College of Medicine, including the #1 NIH-funded Department of Molecular and Human Genetics. Located in Houston's Texas Medical Center, Baylor Genetics serves clients in 50 states and 16 countries.

Learn more about Baylor Genetics atwww.baylorgenetics.com

Media Contact:Jamie LimEmail: [emailprotected]

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Triplet Therapeutics Appoints Alan Buckler, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer – Business Wire

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Triplet Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company leveraging insights from the human genetics of repeat expansion disorders (REDs), today announced the appointment of Alan Buckler, Ph.D., as its chief scientific officer. Dr. Buckler joins Triplet from Scholar Rock, where he served as chief scientific officer and helped drive two product candidates from discovery to the clinic.

We are delighted to welcome Alan to Triplet, said Nessan Bermingham, Ph.D., founder, president, and CEO of Triplet. His foundational understanding of the genetic basis for REDs and his extensive experience in R&D complements our existing management team, our deep understanding of a novel pathway in REDs, and the R&D strategy for our thRED Engine, from which our recently announced clinical candidate TTX-3360 was identified. We are rapidly advancing therapies that could be transformative for patients with REDs and expect to file an IND in the second half of 2021.

Dr. Buckler has over 25 years of leadership and research experience in drug discovery. Prior to Scholar Rock, he served as vice president, cell and protein sciences at Biogen, and spent nine years leading drug discovery programs at Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research. He has also held senior scientific leadership positions at Axys Pharmaceuticals (formerly Sequana Therapeutics), leaving as vice president, molecular genetics.

Dr. Buckler has a longstanding interest and commitment to understanding and treating REDs. Early in his career, he worked on Huntingtons disease a highly prevalent and severe RED with Jim Gusella, Ph.D., Bullard Professor of Neurogenetics at Harvard Medical School and a member of Triplets scientific advisory board, whose pioneering work helped establish the genetic cause of the disease and later identified genetic modifiers.

As a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. David Housman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dr. Buckler was part of the collaborative efforts that led to the discovery of both the Huntingtons disease and myotonic dystrophy genes as well as the underlying repeat expansions that cause these diseases. Dr. Buckler serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Hereditary Disease Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to funding innovative research into treatments for Huntingtons disease and other brain disorders.

Dr. Bucklers other areas of therapeutic expertise include neurologic and metabolic disorders, cancer, fibrosis, and inflammatory diseases. He was a member of the neurology faculty at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and also served as a research staff member at MIT and Boston University before joining the private sector. Dr. Buckler received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the Boston University School of Medicine. He completed his postdoctoral training at MIT.

Grounded in human genetics, Triplets approach is uniquely designed to target a fundamental driver of repeat expansion disorders, said Dr. Buckler. I am excited to join this first-class team as we work to advance innovative therapies for patients living with these devastating diseases.

About TTX-3360TTX-3360, an antisense oligonucleotide, is the first clinical candidate developed from Triplets proprietary thRED Engine and the first therapeutic candidate with the potential to modify the course of REDs by targeting the DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathway. A significant body of evidence supports the role of the DDR pathway as the primary driver of repeat expansion and subsequent disease onset and progression in many REDs, including Huntingtons disease (HD), myotonic dystrophy (DM1) and fragile X syndrome. Triplet is initially focusing development of TTX-3360 in HD and may also evaluate it in other central nervous system indications such as spinocerebellar ataxias, fragile X syndrome, and familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

About Triplet TherapeuticsTriplet Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing transformational treatments for patients with repeat expansion disorders (REDs) a group of more than 50 known genetic diseases including Huntingtons disease, myotonic dystrophy, spinocerebellar ataxias, fragile X syndrome, and familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) leveraging insights from patient genetics. Triplet designs and develops potential therapeutics for REDs using its proprietary thRED Engine, which enables the Company to develop a single oligonucleotide targeting the DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathway to potentially treat multiple REDs.

Triplet is backed by investments from Atlas Venture, MPM Capital and Pfizer Ventures, along with Invus, Partners Innovation Fund and Alexandria Venture Investments. Triplet is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, please visit http://www.triplettx.com.

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Triplet Therapeutics Appoints Alan Buckler, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer - Business Wire

The genetic basis of bats superpowers revealed – YubaNet

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

July 23, 2020 For the first time, the raw genetic material that codes for bats unique adaptations and superpowers such as the ability to fly, to use sound to move effortlessly in complete darkness, to survive and tolerate deadly diseases, to resist ageing and cancer has been fully revealed.

Bat1K (Bat1K.com), a global consortium of scientists dedicated to sequencing the genomes of every one of the 1421 living bat species, has generated and analyzed six highly accurate bat genomes that are ten times more complete than any bat genome published to date, in order to uncover bats unique traits.

Given these exquisite bat genomes, we can now better understand how bats tolerate viruses, slow down ageing, and have evolved flight and echolocation. These genomes are the tools needed to identify the genetic solutions evolved in bats that ultimately could be harnessed to alleviate human ageing and disease, Emma Teeling, University College Dublin, Co-Founding Director of Bat1K and Senior Author.

To generate these exquisite bat genomes, the team used the newest technologies of the DRESDEN-concept Genome Center, a shared technology resource in Dresden, to sequence the bats DNA, and generated new methods to assemble these pieces into the correct order and to identify the genes present.

Using the latest DNA sequencing technologies and new computing methods for such data, we have 96 to 99 percent of each bat genome in chromosome level reconstructions an unprecedented quality akin to for example the current human genome reference which is the result of over a decade of intensive finishing efforts. As such, these bat genomes provide a superb foundation for experimentation and evolutionary studies of bats fascinating abilities and physiological properties Eugene Myers, Director of Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, and the Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany, Senior Author.

Relationship to other mammals

The team compared these bat genomes against 42 other mammals to address the unresolved question of where bats are located within the mammalian tree of life. Using novel phylogenetic methods and comprehensive molecular data sets, the team found the strongest support for bats being most closely related to a group called Ferreuungulata that consists of carnivores (which includes dogs, cats and seals, among other species), pangolins, whales and ungulates (hooved mammals).

To uncover genomic changes that contribute to the unique adaptations found in bats, the team systematically searched for gene differences between bats and other mammals, identifying regions of the genome that have evolved differently in bats and the loss and gain of genes that may drive bats unique traits.

Our genome scans revealed changes in hearing genes that may contribute to echolocation, which bats use to hunt and navigate in complete darkness. Furthermore, we found expansions of anti-viral genes, unique selection on immune genes, and loss of genes involved in inflammation in bats. These changes may contribute to bats exceptional immunity and points to their tolerance of coronaviruses. Michael Hiller, Max Planck Research Group Leader, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, and the Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Senior Author.

Tolerance against viruses

The team also found evidence that bats ability to tolerate viruses is reflected in their genomes. The exquisite genomes revealed fossilised viruses, evidence of surviving past viral infections, and showed that bat genomes contained a higher diversity than other species providing a genomic record of historical tolerance to viral infection.

Given the quality of the bat genomes the team uniquely identified and experimentally validated several non-coding regulatory regions that may govern bats key evolutionary innovations.

Having such complete genomes allowed us to identify regulatory regions that control gene expression that are unique to bats. Importantly we were able to validate unique bat microRNAs in the lab to show their consequences for gene regulation. In the future we can use these genomes to understand how regulatory regions and epigenomics contributed to the extraordinary adaptations we see in bats, says Sonja Vernes, Co-Founding Director Bat 1K, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Senior Author.

This is just a beginning. The remaining ~1400 living bat species exhibit an incredible diversity in ecology, longevity, sensory perception and immunology, and numerous questions still remain regarding the genomic basis of these spectacular features. Bat1K will answer these questions as more and more exquisite bat genomes are sequenced, further uncovering the genetic basis of bats rare and wonderful superpowers.

SEE ORIGINAL STUDY: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2486-3

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The genetic basis of bats superpowers revealed - YubaNet

Fireflies help kindle new tests and treatments for COVID-19 – TMC News – Texas Medical Center News

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

Scientists at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) have employed an unlikely partner in their quest to develop treatments for COVID-19 disease: the common firefly.

Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, are insects in the Lampyridae family who use bioluminescence to attract potential mates and prey. Their conspicuous glow at twilight comes from an enzyme called luciferase, which can be isolated in the lab. Now, UTMB virologists are using the enzyme to develop faster and more accurate diagnostic tests for COVID-19 as well as to analyze potential therapies and gain a clearer understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself.

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We are very much interested in using basic research knowledge to develop systems to support translational work, for example, diagnosing disease, vaccine development, medical countermeasures and therapeutic drugsall those things that can be applied to the public health and human well-being, said Pei-Yong Shi, Ph.D., professor of human genetics in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at UTMB. He is leading the research by labeling viruses with glowing tags like luciferase to study them.

Prior to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, Shis team had been focused on flaviviruses, including West Nile virus, Zika and dengue. His lab developed the first infectious clones of the epidemic strain of both West Nile and Zika and have established new pathways for flavivirus vaccine and drug discovery.

But as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, Shis lab adapted by altering research techniques to address the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

First, researchers harnessed luciferase to develop faster diagnostic testing through innovative assaysinvestigative procedures that measure the activity or amount of a substance. The lab can now visually confirm the presence of antibodies that can block a SARS-CoV-2 infection earlier than through previous methods.

The great thing about luciferase, and the one that we specifically use which is nanoluciferase, is that its really bright, said Coleman Baker, a fourth-year graduate student in the department of microbiology and immunology at UTMB who works in the Shi lab. We found that these detection assays can be read earlier than most people thought. Most people would do these 24 to 48 hours after infection and we found that you can read them as early as 4 hours post-infection.

Not only does the enhanced brightness provided by luciferase decrease turnaround time for a diagnosis, but it also helps speed up the process of vaccine development.

For vaccine studies, you need to find out how much of a response somebody has to a potential vaccine, Baker said. So, instead of the traditional waywhich could take dayswe can get results in four hours after infection.

Shi said his team has been collaborating with leading pharmaceutical companies to help them evaluate their vaccine candidates, specifically by measuring the immune response in humans in clinical trials. His labs systembased on reporter viruses in which the luciferase enzyme is inserted into the virus genome to make it easy to followmeasures the concentration of neutralizing antibodies while also allowing for a much higher throughput. According to Xuping Xie, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at UTMB, this way of measuring the immune response is more accurate than traditional methods.

The sensitivity and the dynamics of the assay, because of the luciferase, can really allow us to discern any small changes that the conventional way would not, said Xie. Its much more sensitive, much more accurate, when you test antiviral compounds.

The compounds to which Xie is referring are potential therapies, including antiviral drugs already on the market for non-COVID-19 viral infections.

The researchers recently tested every antiviral drug approved by the FDA for human use to see if any were effective against SARS-CoV-2.

These assays allow us to very rapidly look at each in a very sensitive way very accurately, Shi said. Thats really allowed us to decide whether there is a potential so-called repurposing of these drugs for COVID-19 treatment, including remdesivir, chloroquine and others.

The virologists also have created a system for manipulating and studying SARS-CoV-2 itself, paving the way for a deeper understanding of what happens when the virus enters the human body.

Because of this system we created, we can study and understand the virus in ways that others cannot, Baker said. We have the ability to go in and make changes in the virus and see what those changes affect in the different cells that its infecting. So, not only have we developed these assays to look at drugsto look at antibody responsesbut we also are probing the virus itself and looking at how it interacts with the immune system.

Even more, the team is studying the virus genome to analyze how it has evolved and what that means for human healthincluding how it affects the body and how it transmits among different populationsusing techniques they developed for studying Zika and its connection to microcephaly, a neurological condition in which an infants head is significantly smaller than other infants of the same gender and age.

When we manipulate the viruses, it allows us to address a lot of important questions, such as how the virus is adapting and changing over time, Shi said. For example, SARS-CoV-2 now has been spreading in humans for six monthshas the virus changed? Do these changes affect viral transmission and disease severity? Scientists around the world have been chasing the virus to answer those exact questions.

Shi noted that his lab is sharing innovations with scientists worldwide to help advance public health efforts as quickly as possible.

He hopes his research will light the way.

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Fireflies help kindle new tests and treatments for COVID-19 - TMC News - Texas Medical Center News

Meet Dr Sarah Gilbert, one of the scientists leading the race to find a Covid-19 vaccine – The Indian Express

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

Written by Dipanita Nath, Edited by Explained Desk | Pune | Updated: July 25, 2020 4:42:06 pm Professor Sarah Gilbert, who is leading development of a coronavirus vaccine at Oxford University, in Oxford, April 24, 2020. (Mary Turner/The New York Times)

Earlier this week, there was positive news on the Oxford vaccine candidate, one of a clutch of frontrunner candidates to protect the world from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that had, until Friday (July 24) morning, infected nearly 15.5 million people and killed over 630,000 worldwide.

Leading its development is a British scientist who plays the oboe, cycles to work, and is the mother of triplets. Dr Sarah Gilbert was famous in the scientific community as a brilliant vaccinologist; with the success in early trials, she and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, the vaccine candidate her team is working on has been spotlighted as never before.

Gilbert and co-authors published the results of the early trials in the medical journal, The Lancet, on July 20, titled Safety and immunogenicity of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2: a preliminary report of a phase 1/2, single-blind, randomised controlled trial. They wrote: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 showed an acceptable safety profile, and homologous boosting increased antibody responses. Which means that the vaccine candidate had induced an immune response (which is what vaccines are supposed to do), and was safe for people.

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What is Dr Gilberts work in the field of vaccine development?

Dr Gilbert is one of the leading vaccinologists in the world. She is professor of vaccinology at Oxford Universitys Jenner Institute, a prestigious vaccine research centre, and one of the two founders of its spin-out company, Vaccitech, which develops immunotherapy products to treat and prevent infectious disease and cancer.

For more than 15 years, Dr Gilbert has been making and testing vaccines that trigger T cells a type of white blood cells to respond to antigens from malaria, influenza, and tuberculosis, among others.

Her work also includes developing vaccines for influenza and emerging diseases such as Lassa, Nipah, CCHF, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). MERS, which appeared in 2014, too, is caused by a coronavirus. A vaccine against MERS has been tested in clinical trials in the UK, and is now in trials in Saudi Arabia, where the virus is endemic, says Gilberts page on the Jenner Institute website.

The vaccine for MERS involved using the adenovirus (which causes common colds) from a chimpanzee embedded with the genetic material of the MERS virus. For the Covid-19 vaccine, the Oxford scientists used the adenovirus of a chimpanzee embedded with the genetic material from the spike protein, which the coronavirus uses to pierce the cell. In tests till now, bodies of participants have responded as if they were infected with the coronavirus.

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What is known about the acclaimed scientists life away from her work?

Dr Gilbert has not given many interviews since the publication of the results of the early phase trials. Earlier profiles of the scientist in the UK media have said that as a child in Northamptonshires Kettering High School for Girls, she was quiet, polite, and studious, getting a lot of As in studies.

Gilbert belongs to a family of musicians, and her mother, Hazel, was part of the towns operatic society. By the age of 17, however, Gilbert was sure that she wanted to be a medical researcher. After obtaining a degree in biology at the University of East Anglia and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Hull, Dr Gilbert worked at a number of biotechnology companies, among them Delta, where she learnt about making medicines.

Profiles on Prof Gilbert have noted that she became a vaccine specialist rather by accident. In 1994, when she entered Oxford University to join Professor Adrian Hills lab in a senior postdoc position, it was to work on human genetics. That highlighted the role of a particular type of immune response in protection against malaria, and so the next thing to move on to was to make a vaccine that would work through that type of immune response and thats how I got into vaccines, she told UKs The Telegraph newspaper in an interview.

By 2007, Dr Gilbert, who had become a reader at Oxford University three years previously, had won a project grant from the Wellcome Trust, and had begun work on an influenza vaccine. She has developed two vaccines for the disease so far, and has said that her ultimate aim is to be able to develop her team of scientists to be the leaders in vaccine research in the world.

Many people are fascinated with Dr Gilberts success in balancing the extra demands that women with a career in science face.

According to UNESCO, women make up less than 30 per cent of the worlds researchers. In science, technology, engineering and mathematics, women also publish less, are paid less for their research and do not progress as far as men in their careers.

On the website of the Nuffeld Department of Medicine (of which Jenner Institute, where she works, is a part), Dr Gilbert has been quoted as saying: Work life balance is very difficult, and impossible to manage unless you have good support. Because I had triplets in 1998, nursery fees would have cost more than my entire income as a post-doctoral scientist, so my partner has had to sacrifice his own career in order to look after our children.

She described how 18 weeks of paid maternity leave with three premature babies to care for and work to be completed, was tough: If there is a three-year grant and a woman wants a year-long maternity leave, it can disrupt the progress of the project. The situation becomes worse if more than one person is away simultaneously.

Dr Gilberts advice to women: One of the good things about being a scientist is that the hours are not fixed, so there is a fair amount of flexibility for working mothers. Having said that, there are also times when things (such as overseas conferences and important meetings) are fixed and you have to make sacrifices. It is exceptionally hard work. Its important to plan ahead, and make sure you have people who are willing to cover for you at home while you work. That might be your partner or relatives, or you may be able to buy in help.

Her own children seem to have survived unscathed, but none of them wants to be scientists, she said.

Dr Gilbert is cautiously hopeful. In an interview to the BBC, she said, Nobody can be absolutely sure that it is possible. Thats why we have to do trials. I think the prospects are very good but it is not completely certain.

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Meet Dr Sarah Gilbert, one of the scientists leading the race to find a Covid-19 vaccine - The Indian Express

Executive urged to act over axing of 235 aerospace jobs – Belfast Telegraph

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

The Stormont Executive has been asked to step in to assist workers at Co Down-based Collins Aerospace after the company announced 235 employees would not be returning to work at the end of their furlough period.

The news that around a quarter of the workforce were losing their jobs at the Kilkeel company could cost the local economy 10million a year.

Unite regional officer Kieran Ellison said the scale of the job losses would also mean uncertainty for many other workers and small businesses that depend on these employees for a livelihood.

"Unite is estimating that the Kilkeel job losses will cost the local economy 10million a year," Mr Ellison added said.

"While the likes of France and Germany have brought forward multibillion-pound strategies to safeguard jobs and skills in their aerospace sectors, the UK Government has made a patchwork of initiatives, whilst at the same time we are seeing a tsunami of job losses on its watch. Stormont also needs to step up in terms of support.

"As an immediate priority, we need to see the introduction of short-time working to enable continued employment, alongside a training programme to up-skill them for the future."

Collins Aerospace said it was continuing to experience difficulties due to Covid-19. It also forecast reduced business in future.

"This has forced us to take further actions to align with current and future business demands in an evolving environment," the company added.

"We have made the extremely difficult but necessary decision to commence a consultation process with the union and appointed staff representatives to discuss proposals to reduce headcount and make other operational changes in Kilkeel. This is a critical step to ensuring that Collins Aerospace emerges strong once this crisis is contained.

"The number of redundancies is subject to consultation, but the current proposals envisage 235 roles being made redundant."

Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard said the losses would come as a bitter blow to workers and their families.

"First and foremost, this is devastating for the workers, but it will also have a major impact on the local economy," he added.

"The company has exhausted a series of mitigation steps, including eliminating overtime, freezing recruitment and accessing the furlough job retention scheme.

"I have asked management to continue to proactively engage with workers at every stage of the process and offer retraining and up-skilling opportunities wherever possible for those workers affected."

SDLP MLA Sinead Bradley said the job losses at the company, which was the main sponsor of the Newcastle Festival of Flight last year, would be felt right across the local community.

"Employees have expressed their anxiety that they could be faced with unemployment by the end of October," she said.

"The retention of employment on this site is of critical importance to the economic prosperity of Kilkeel town and the surrounding areas.

"Immediate intervention from the Executive and Economy Minister Diane Dodds is needed.

"We can't afford to stand by and allow jobs critical to the local economy to disappear."

Approximately 1,100 jobs were lost in the aerospace sector in just one week in June when Bombardier in east Belfast and Portadown aeroplane seat manufacturer Thompson Aero announced redundancies.

Belfast Telegraph

Executive urged to act over axing of 235 aerospace jobs - Belfast Telegraph

Howmet Aerospace to Host Webcast and Announce Second Quarter 2020 Results – Yahoo Finance

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM) will announce its second quarter 2020 financial results on Thursday, August 6, 2020. The press release and presentation materials will be available at approximately 8:00 AM ET on August 6, 2020, via the "Investors" section of the Howmet Aerospace website. A link to the press release will also be available via the Howmet Aerospace Twitter handle @HowmetAerospace at https://twitter.com/HowmetAerospace.

The conference call and webcast will begin at 10:00 AM ET. Details of both follow.

Conference Call Information:

Day:

August 6, 2020

Time:

10:00 AM ET

Hosts:

John Plant, Executive Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer

Ken Giacobbe, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Call:

(833) 519-1352

+ 1 (918) 922-6504 (International)

Conference ID: 1243909

To avoid a delay in start time, please dial in beginning at 9:45 AM ET

Webcast:

Available on the "Investors/Events and Presentations" section of http://www.howmet.com (audio and slides).

Replay Information

A replay of the call will be available on the "Investors/Events and Presentations" section of http://www.howmet.com from August 6 at 1:10 PM ET until August 21 at 11:59 PM ET. Details follow.

About Howmet Aerospace

Howmet Aerospace, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading global provider of advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. The Companys primary businesses focus on jet engine components, aerospace fastening systems, and titanium structural parts necessary for mission-critical performance and efficiency in aerospace and defense applications, as well as forged wheels for commercial transportation. With nearly 1,300 granted and pending patents, the Companys differentiated technologies enable lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft to operate with a lower carbon footprint. In 2019, the businesses of Howmet Aerospace reported annual revenue of over $7 billion. For more information, visit http://www.howmet.com. Follow @howmet: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Dissemination of Company Information

Howmet Aerospace intends to make future announcements regarding Company developments and financial performance through its website at http://www.howmet.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200723005425/en/

Contacts

Investor Contact Paul T. Luther(412) 553-1950Paul.Luther@howmet.com

Media Contact Paul Erwin(412) 553-2666Paul.Erwin@howmet.com

Continue reading here:

Howmet Aerospace to Host Webcast and Announce Second Quarter 2020 Results - Yahoo Finance

Z-Wave Alliance Releases 2020 State Of The Ecosystem Report – Essential Install

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

The Z-Wave Alliance has announced the release of its second-annual Z-Wave State of the Ecosystem Report. The newly available report examines smart home and connected technology from both within and outside of the home and explores the smart home landscape as it exists today, current and future trends and new opportunities, with an emphasis on the role Z-Wave technology plays in the advancement of the industry.

With the number of connected IoT devices predicted to surpass 40 billion by 2025, including smart home safety sensors (i.e. water and motion) and smart security devices (i.e. door locks and smoke detectors ) and smart home energy equipment (i.e. smart thermostats and smart lighting), its not surprising that Z-Wave continues to see exponential growth in these categories. Water, all-in-one sensors, and smart doorbells all grew by greater than 500% from 2019 to 2020.

There is no shortage of possibilities for the internet of things, said Mitch Klein, executive director, Z-Wave Alliance. Smart Home has changed our way of life. In 2005, there were less than 10 Z-Wave devices on the market, and today there are over 3,300 certified products worldwide across an Alliance of hundreds of global member companies. As we look ahead, we see tremendous opportunity for Z-Wave to continue to advance the way we live.

The report is divided into sections which collectively provide data, figures and proof points impressing upon Z-Wave technology as the leading low-energy mesh network protocol for smart home devices. Contained within the report, readers will find research from analysts examining relevant industry verticals including MDU, insurance, aging-in-place, healthcare, real estate, and more.

Additionally, the report is brimming with thought-leadership contributions regarding open standards, interoperability, artificial intelligence and contextual awareness, and features a section where technology experts and industry press provide their insights into the future of the smart home through the rest of 2020 and beyond.

For nearly two decades, the Z-Wave Alliance has stewarded the advancement of the Z-Wave technology and served as an organization where manufacturers interested in integrating Z-Wave technology could come together to work on new methods of implementation, further certification and market the strengths and benefits of Z-Wave to consumers.

To access the full Z-Wave 2020 State of the Ecosystem Report, click here.

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Z-Wave Alliance Releases 2020 State Of The Ecosystem Report - Essential Install

Insights on the Consumer Automobile Entertainment Global Market – In-vehicle Infotainment System Market Estimated to Reach $78.9 Billion by 2025 -…

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Consumer Automobile Entertainment: Manufacturer vs. Third-party Connected Vehicle Infotainment Apps 2020 - 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This research evaluates software and app platforms including OS, middleware, HMI, smartphone app integration, and OEM SDKs. The report compares the strategic advantages between driver-centric and vehicle-centric infotainment systems. The report also evaluates key initiatives of auto OEMs, third-party app providers, and monetization strategies for automakers in the emerging in-vehicle infotainment ecosystem.

The connected car ecosystem is rapidly evolving as a result of the dominant industry trend to leverage software-defined cars to provide cloud-based services that are indirectly related to driving itself and more concerned with the overall vehicle occupant experience. This trend includes auto OEMs developing their own application platforms that integrate with third-party app development for in-vehicle infotainment systems.

Infotainment systems are emerging as diverse services including navigation system, premium audio, and video systems, in-vehicle advertising, commerce, and smart mobility services such as travel, hotel, flight and train, robo-taxi, ride-sharing/rental, health and education services, and content including video, music, and movies. Various suppliers within the automotive value chain, such as telematics providers and aftermarket service providers, are contributing to develop the SDC ecosystem. This ecosystem is the foundation for in-vehicle entertainment.

The in-vehicle infotainment system market is going to become a $78.9 billion opportunity by 2025. Building driver-centric infotainment systems instead of vehicle-centric ecosystems will be one of the key success factors through 2030. Infotainment services enable new revenue streams that are less dependent on automotive production cycles and provide consistent revenue with up to five times higher margins than the current post-sale services. Many automotive manufacturers have installed third-party infotainment systems, which is a trend that is anticipated to accelerate as vehicle sales decline, placing greater reliance on post-sale services.

Companies Mentioned

Select Report Findings:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary

2 Connected Vehicle Infotainment System: Rise of Software Platforms

2.1 Auto OEMs, OS Platform, Middle Ware and Other Third Party Platforms

2.1.1 OS Platform

2.1.2 Middleware Platform

2.1.3 HMI Platform

2.1.4 Apps Platform

2.1.5 Smartphone Apps Platform

2.1.6 OEM SDK Platform

2.2 Driver Centric Infotainment System

2.3 Vehicle Centric Telematics Solutions

2.4 OEM vs Third Party

2.5 On-Board vs. Cloud-Based

3 Automotive Infotainment Apps Platforms and Emerging Challenges

3.1 Auto OEM Initiatives

3.2 Third-Party Apps Providers

3.3 API Based Development Ecosystem

3.4 Monetize Connected Services

3.5 Address Cybersecurity Challenges

3.6 Buy or Build Decision for In-Vehicle Infotainment Systems

3.7 Adopt Integrated Strategy and Build Partnership

3.8 Prepare for the Age Software Defined Cars

4 Case studies

4.1 The Smartphone as Next-Gen Automotive Infotainment Concept

4.2 QNX and Freescale: Automotive Infotainment

4.3 Case Study for Ford Motor Company developed its next-generation SYNC 3

4.4 BOSCH CASE STUDY for GENIVI Adoption

4.5 Apple CarPlay: Ready for Connected Car Prime Time

5 Company Analysis

6 Market Outlook and Forecasts

6.1 Vehicle to Everything (V2X) Ecosystem and Rise of In-Vehicle Infotainment System Market

6.2 Connected In-Vehicle Infotainment System Market Forecasts 2020 - 2025

6.2.1 Global Market: OEM vs. Others and Types of Connectivity

6.2.2 Regional Market

6.2.2.1 North America Market: OEM vs. Others, Types of Connectivity, and Country

6.2.2.2 Europe Market: OEM vs. Others, Types of Connectivity, and Country

6.2.2.3 APAC Market: OEM vs. Others, Types of Connectivity, and Country

6.2.2.4 Latin America Market: OEM vs. Others, Types of Connectivity, and Country

6.2.2.5 Middle East & Africa (MEA) Market: OEM vs. Others, Types of Connectivity, and Country

6.2.3 Leading Country Market

6.2.3.1 USA Market: OEM vs. Others and Types of Connectivity

6.2.3.2 Germany Market: OEM vs. Others and Types of Connectivity

6.2.3.3 China Market: OEM vs. Others and Types of Connectivity

6.2.3.4 Japan Market: OEM vs. Others and Types of Connectivity

6.2.3.5 France Market: OEM vs. Others and Types of Connectivity

6.3 Connected In-Vehicle Infotainment Module Equipped Car Forecasts 2020 - 2025

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/s6o8gg

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Insights on the Consumer Automobile Entertainment Global Market - In-vehicle Infotainment System Market Estimated to Reach $78.9 Billion by 2025 -...

STL sets up end-to-end 5G Ecosystem with its strong portfolio of optical fibers and wireless technologies – PR Newswire India

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

PUNE, India, July 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- STL (NSE: STRTECH), an industry leading integrator of digital networks, today announced financial results for the first quarter ending June 30, 2020. The company recorded a strong cumulative order book of over Rs. 10,300 crore and revenues of Rs. 876 crore. While the revenues for the quarter were affected by lockdowns in various parts of the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company's performance showcased a balanced focus on employee well-being and supporting customers with resilience and adaptability. STL is proud of its role in upgrading and maintaining the digital lifeline connecting the world for its customers.

During this period, STL has further invested in building a one-of-a-kind end-to-end Digital networks ecosystem, including next-gen optical and wireless (5G) portfolio for all markets. Subsequently, global, marquee network creators are actively discussing large scale engagements with STL for 5G networks, FTTH rollouts, Data centers, and network modernisation.

Earlier this month, at STLescope 2020, STL announced Vision 2023 to investors and analysts. Over the next-3 year, STL plans to:

This comes with the backdrop of a credible performance - doubling of revenues in the last 3 years.

Industry at Inflection Point

As remote working becomes the new norm, the shift to digital is now permanent. Globally, internet traffic has increased significantly, and the demand for data connectivity continues to grow exponentially. The current digital infrastructure is not primed to manage this sudden spike in web traffic, so a completely new architecture is evolving - the Next-Gen Digital Network. These virtualised networks will be software-driven, disaggregated, converged, fibre rich, and close to the Edge.

Digital service providers and cloud companies globally have accelerated their plans to bring these digital networks to the market, while they continue to invest in modernising the current networks.

STL, with its unique value proposition - 25 years in optical connectivity, large-scale digital network integration, and virtualised wireless capabilities, is gaining global prominence as a leading integrator of digital networks.

Empowering Customers to realise their Vision

In the current times, as connectivity becomes an essential service like food, water and electricity, STL continues to support its customers relentlessly by delivering end-to-end solutions for their fixed and wireless networks:

Leading one-of-a-kind 5G Ecosystem

STL continues to strengthen the Make in India 5G ecosystem by investing in technology and assembling an ecosystem of partners in hardware manufacturing, cloud computing, and academia. The ecosystem will create the Next-Gen Digital Network by bringing together four specialised technological confluences - (i) wired and wireless; (ii) software and hardware; (iii) connectivity and compute; and (iv) open source - all at the edge of the network. This network will bring the scale and quality to bring affordable Internet to the world.

Q1FY21 Financial Highlights

Revenue: Rs. 876 crore

EBITDA: Rs. 131 crore

PAT: Rs. 6 crore

Order Book: Rs.10,312 crore

Exports at 51% of revenue

"Digital disruption is the new normal, and the world is embracing the changes that come with it. New ways of working, new business models and new opportunities are emerging. We are seeing the current telecom infrastructure evolving to a new digital network architecture - virtual, converged, disaggregated, and close to the Edge," said Dr. Anand Agarwal, Group CEO, STL. He added, "As our customers are swiftly advancing towards creating these new digital networks, we are uniquely positioned with our 5G Ecosystem and digital network integration capabilities, to deliver these next-gen digital networks for our customers globally."

To know more about the company's strategy and Q1FY21 results, please log in to Analyst Call today at 16.00 IST.

About Sterlite Technologies Ltd - STL

STL is an industry-leading integrator of digital networks.

We design and integrate these digital networks for our customers. With core capabilities in Optical Interconnect, Virtualised Access Solutions, Network Software and System Integration, we are the industry's leading end-to-end solutions provider for global digital networks. We partner with global telecom companies, cloud companies, citizen networks and large enterprises to deliver solutions for their fixed and wireless networks for current and future needs.

We believe in harnessing technology to create a world with next generation connected experiences that transform everyday living. With intense focus on end-to-end network solutions development, we conduct fundamental research in next-generation network applications at our Centre of Excellence. STL has a strong global presence with next-gen optical preform, fibre and cable manufacturing facilities in India, Italy, China and Brazil, along with two software-development center's across India and one data Centre design facility in the UK.

SOURCE Sterlite Technologies Ltd. (STL)

HUAWEI clocks 1.6 million developers for its HMS ecosystem as it reaches 700 million global users – Pocketnow

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

At its 19th China Internet Conference held on July 23 in China, HUAWEI shared some important figures regarding its Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) Ecosystem, the companys alternative to a Google services-free ecosystem. The Chinese electronics giant has revealed that it now has reached 1.6 million developers worldwide working with the HMS core, a number that is 76% higher compared to last year.

Additionally, the company also announced that the HMS ecosystem has now reached 700 million users worldwide, which amounts to a growth of 32% on an annual basis. Moreover, the company mentioned that over 81,000 innovative applications have integrated the HMS core open abilities since its inception.

Furthermore, the $1 billion HMS Ecosystem Incentive Program that HUAWEI announced back in September is also reaping good results. Initially created to boost app development, user growth and marketing, the Shining Star Program that oversees it has since provided support to 10,000 apps.

HUAWEI clocks 1.6 million developers for its HMS ecosystem as it reaches 700 million global users - Pocketnow

Xvoucher Launches a Global Tax Solution Designed for the Learning Ecosystem – Southernminn.com

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

MINNEAPOLIS, July 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Xvoucher, a division of Genuine Genius Technologies, LLC, is announcing the launch of their newest financial management solution: Global Tax Service. An innovative new service added to the Xvoucher platform.

When it comes to the sale, distribution, and consumption of learning and testing, all taxes are not created equally. The world of global taxation is complex. Dealing with taxing authorities internationally, staying informed of the changing laws, payment schedules, governmental requirements, and the currencies involved gets exponentially more complicated. As such, Xvoucher has rapidly established itself as a leader in tax management for credentialing and training programs that have a global footprint.

"Tax management and payment is a challenge for any global organization that sells training and credentialing. Xvoucher's new service ensures that their learning program is legally compliant, reducing their exposure and opening new markets." - Kevin Brice, CEO of Xvoucher

Xvoucher's innovative Global Tax Service manages your company's tax filing capabilities, allowing you to focus on other things--like growing your education business. Xvoucher's global partnership with Deloitte is at the forefront of managing our specialized tax management service. With a corporate presence in over 60 countries it is now possible to leverage Xvoucher's expertise as an added service to our existing Learning Marketplace capabilities.

Xvoucher understands how different training modalities like asynchronous training, e-learning, virtual Instructor-led, and even webinars are often taxed differently. Assuring compliance to current tax laws within all jurisdictions and having tax-compliant invoicing throughout a program's ecosystem brings you peace of mind.

For more information on Xvoucher's Global Tax Service, contact our team: sales@xvoucher.com.

Contact Name:Christine AveryPhone: 612-406-9480Email: cavery@xvoucher.comWebsite: http://www.Xvoucher.com

See the article here:

Xvoucher Launches a Global Tax Solution Designed for the Learning Ecosystem - Southernminn.com

Beram Kayal sounds ominous Rangers title warning as Celtic hero reckons there’s ‘no doubt’ about 10 In A Row – Daily Record

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Danzig

Confident Beram Kayal reckons Neil Lennon being in place to mastermind Celtic's title tilt means there's "no doubt" his former team will secure 10 In A Row this season.

The Israeli international was a key player under the Irishman and played a vital role in securing the first three league triumphs.

And Kayal believes the Irishman's managerial ability leaves rivals Rangers facing a tall order in stopping Celtic securing Scottish football immortality.

Speaking to the Herald, he said: I enjoyed my time. We started something there and I think they will finish it this season by completing 10 In A Row.

"I have been really pleased to see the boys continue to do so well.

It hasnt been easy for them to change manager from Ronny Deila to Brendan Rodgers and now the main man Lenny is back.

"Neil Lennon is a super guy, he is hungry, he wants to win. I have no doubt Celtic are going to do it."

Despite the 32-year-old believing a title success for the ages is coming for his former team, the combative midfielder has nothing but praise for new Rangers defender Leon Balogun.

Kayal is certain Steven Gerrard has landed a player capable of competing for regular game time as Nigerian international inked a deal at Ibrox on Friday.

He said: Obviously, Rangers have made progress in the last few years. I havent been surprised by that. That is what happens when you bring in a legend like Stevie G.

"They are building something very good there at Ibrox.

I know Connor Goldson. He was with Brighton when we were in the Championship. He is a great talent and I havent been surprised that he has done so well at Rangers in the last couple of seasons.

"But a team like Rangers needs more than three centre backs, they need four or five. Competition has to be high.

But if Leon proves himself he should feature in the first team there. He is aninternationalfootballer who has played at a very high level in his career. He will be pushing hard to be in the starting XI in the new season.

Beram Kayal sounds ominous Rangers title warning as Celtic hero reckons there's 'no doubt' about 10 In A Row - Daily Record

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