Global Precision Guided Ammunition – Market and Technology Forecast to 2029 – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

Posted on by

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Precision Guided Ammunition - Market and Technology Forecast to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Precision Guided Ammunitions are expected to be high in demand as they reduce the extent of destruction of collateral damage and it is, therefore, possible to protect non-combatants during the war. The development of PGMs has to some extent mitigated the difficult moral decisions which militaries had to make during the second world war with respect to carpet bombing. During the gulf war, the casualties suffered by civilians and soldiers due to precision-guided munitions was much lower compared to the previous wars in which the United States was involved.

Over the years, the U.S. military has relied on PGMs to execute ground, air, and naval military operations. PGMs have become ubiquitous in U.S military operations; funding for these weapons has increased dramatically from FY1998. In FY2021, the Department of Defense (DOD) requested approximately USD 4.1 billion for more than 41,337 weapons in 15 programs. DOD projects requested for approximately USD 3.3 billion for 20,456 weapons in FY2022, USD 3.9 billion for 23,306 weapons in FY2023, USD 3.9 billion for 18,376 weapons in FY2024, and USD 3.6 billion for 16,325 weapons in FY2025.

The total Global market for Precision Guided Ammunitions is estimated at around USD 31-32 Billion in 2020 and the market is expected to grow to around USD 67-68 Billion by 2029. The CAGR of the market is accounted for at around 9%. Tactical Missiles are expected to account for around half of the market.

Report Scope

Reasons to Buy

Key Topics Covered

1 Introduction

1.1 Objective

1.2 Market Introduction

1.3 Market Scope

1.4 Methodology

1.5 Scenario-based Forecast

1.6 Who will benefit from this report?

1.6.1 Business Leaders & Business Developers

1.6.2 PGM Professionals

1.6.3 Policy Makers, Budget Planners and Decision Makers

1.6.4 Civil Government Leaders & Planners

1.6.5 Financial analysts, Investors, Consultants

1.7 Language

2 Executive Summary

2.1 Precision Guided Munitions (PGM) Market Trends and Insights

2.2 Top Five Major Findings

2.3 Major Conclusion

2.4 Important Tables and Graphs

3 Current Market Overview of the Global Precision Guided Munitions Market

3.1 Market Overview

3.1.1 Current Market Overview

3.1.2 Precision Weapons and National Security Decision Making

3.1.3 Precision Attack vs Light Infantry

3.2 Types of Precision Guided Munitions

3.2.1 Inertial Guided Weapons

3.2.2 Radio Controlled Weapons

3.2.3 Infrared Guided Electro-optical weapons

3.2.4 Laser Guided Weapons

3.2.5 Radar Guided Weapons

3.2.6 Satellite Guided Weapons

3.2.7 Moving Target Artillery Round (MTAR)

3.2.8 Cannon and Mortar launched guided projectiles

3.3 PGM Components

3.3.1 Seeker or Guidance Unit

3.3.2 Tracker or control Unit

4 Market Technologies

4.1 Precision Guidance Kit - Modernization (PGK-M)

4.2 Guided Small arms

4.3 Advanced Guidance Concepts

4.4 Chip Scale Atomic Clock

4.5 Precision Inertial Navigation System

4.6 Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordinance (EXACTO)

4.7 Shortwave Advanced Infrared

4.8 Loitering Munition

4.9 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile

4.10 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (Bunker Busters)

5 Market Trends

5.1 Introduction

5.2 JDAM

5.3 Small Diameter Bomb

5.4 Small Diameter Bomb 2

5.5 AGM-114 Hellfire

5.6 AGM-169 JAGM

5.7 JASSM

5.8 LRASM

5.9 AARGM

5.10 GMLRS

5.11 ATACMS

5.12 PrSM

5.13 Tomahawk

5.14 SM-6

5.15 NSM

5.16 M-982 Excalibur

5.17 Conclusion

5.18 EU Programs

5.18.1 Vulcano

5.18.2 SMArt 155

5.18.3 Katara

6 Market Dynamics

6.1 Drivers

6.1.1 Increased defense spending

6.1.2 Increased global conflicts

6.1.3 Human Rights

6.1.4 Rising asymmetric warfare

6.1.5 Military modernization

6.1.6 Technological Advancements

6.1.7 Indigenous Developments

6.2 Challenges

6.2.1 Integration Issues

6.2.2 High Lifecycle Cost

6.2.3 Training

6.2.4 Rise in electronic warfare

6.3 Restraints

6.3.1 Regulations

6.3.2 High Procurement Cost

7 PEST

7.1 Political

7.2 Economic

7.3 Social

7.4 Technological

8 Porter's Five Forces

8.1 Buyer's Bargaining Power

8.1.1 Buyer switching cost

Excerpt from:

Global Precision Guided Ammunition - Market and Technology Forecast to 2029 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Sheba to test less-than-one-second coronavirus detection technology – The Jerusalem Post

Posted on by

Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer is piloting a coronavirus-testing technology that is believed to be able to detect viruses in a fluid sample in less than a second.Newsight Imaging, a Ness Ziona-based start-up firm, on Tuesday told The Jerusalem Post it has received Sheba Medical Centers IRB Ethics (Helsinki) Committee approval to conduct a pilot program for rapid COVID-19 detection tests using its portable and cost-effective spectral device.Newsight is yet another outstanding example of how ARC@Sheba Medical Center and the Israeli start-up ecosystem are working in tandem to reinvent existing technology to battle the scourge of COVID-19, said ARC Innovation Center at Sheba chief Dr. Eyal Zimlichman.The device, which is about the size of a computer mouse, can identify and classify evidence of a virus in the body in less than a second, using a sample of fluid blood serum or saliva inserted into a disposable test cuvette, a release explained.In spectroscopy, a sample is tested with a broadband light source, Newsight CEO Eli Assoolin said. The light that returns from the sample is analyzed to determine its wavelength content.We collect the spectral signature after the light is absorbed in the sample, and then we can analyze the content of it, he said, noting that spectral-analysis technology has already been used to identify certain human diseases and abnormalities.Basically, on one side, you have the source of light, and on the other side, you have the sensor chip a sensitive and fast camera that can see different wavelengths. In the middle, you put the sample, Assoolin said.Sheba doctors in the Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department are already working with the company, and initial feasibility studies of the device have been successful.One study found that it can separate between alpha-coronaviruses (Alpha-CoV) and beta-coronaviruses (Beta-CoV) at almost 100% accuracy. Studies conducted on people infected with Dengue virus were also found to be extremely accurate.We proved that we can differentiate between people who are sick and those who are not, Assoolin said.Now, Sheba and Newsight are starting to test COVID-19.Newsight has been around for four years. Its machine-vision products are already integrated in dozens of different devices and solutions in the automotive, robotics and advanced industrial-manufacturing fields.Although hyperspectral cameras are widely used in hospitals, they have found a limited market due to their high cost, which generally ranges from $50,000 to well over $1 million. Newsights innovation is that it has taken this technology and implemented it in a single, cost-effective silicon chip that can be used at any point of care even peoples homes, Assoolin said.Moreover, the chip is artificial-intelligence ready, meaning, the data set generated by the chip can be used to train two models one that identifies infected people and one that identifies people without the virus. Then, Assoolin said, if you take an anonymous sample, the algorithm will determine which model is a better fit.Newsight and ARC@Sheba plan to establish a joint incubator company and then pursue approval by the US Food and Drug Association.We will get FDA approval and commercialize as fast as possible, Assoolin told the Post. But, he added, he imagines many on the market will be willing to test the solution even before that happens. The company has already sold a license to develop virus- and bacteria-detection devices based on its technology to an artificial-intelligence company in Hong Kong.We are really excited that we are doing something like this not just from a business standpoint, but because we feel we are doing something for humanity, Assoolin said.

See original here:

Sheba to test less-than-one-second coronavirus detection technology - The Jerusalem Post

Putting technology at the heart of customer experience in hospitality – Intelligent CIO ME

Posted on by

The hospitality industry needs to embrace new technology to improve the guest experience. Rohit Gupta, VP Europe Products and Resources at Cognizant, explains how the UK hospitality industry should embrace digital processes.

The guest experience has always been at the heart of the hospitality industry. As new technology becomes available, we are already seeing hotels across the world embrace innovation to further enhance and personalise that experience, for example, hotels in Singapore are trialling facial recognition for faster check-ins.

Traditionally, the UK industry has benefitted from workforce abundance, particularly from the EU, which makes up approximately one fifth of the total hospitality workforce. Consequently, it has been slow to adopt emerging technologies, due to management seeing little need to free up employee time. This means that jobs in the industry are often mundane and repetitive which is worrying considering research shows that one of the main reasons hospitality employees in the UK would decide to leave the industry is due to the lack of career prospects. Technology can better the working environment for employees by increasing transparency and reducing the time spent on banal tasks. This ultimately improves job satisfaction and, in turn, would boost employee retention rates, which currently stand at 15% below the national average.

Beyond this, COVID-19 has now added to the requirements of todays customer and employee experience, making safety and hygiene a bigger priority for businesses than ever before. As a result, the hospitality industry is turning to digital to provide the experience that customers not just want but need.

There is no time to waste hospitality businesses in the UK need to recognise that Digital Transformation is vital, especially in a post-COVID world.

Understanding guest behaviour to yield true value out of digital processes

A typical connected experience should empower guests with access and control. Using a mobile app, for example, guests can check-in and out, use a digital room key, control the room temperature, make a restaurant reservation, order room service, request extra towels and more all from their fingertips. Yet, despite the promise of apps providing ultimate convenience, guest adoption is proving a challenge. A primary reason may be that todays connected experiences are still largely one size fits all, lacking a personalised value proposition for guests. Each guest values different things: some a room upgrade, some a free gym, others a spa to relax in. The same traveller may have different preferences based on their reason for travel business, leisure etc. prompting different wants and needs.

The key lies in using smart technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), to unlock vast amounts of data to understand guest behaviour and drive automated decisions that ultimately deliver meaningful experiences. Some of the key technologies that the hotel industry should be considering include:

Take, for instance, common frustrations such as calling the front desk to report a problem with a room or requesting assistance and being put on hold, or worse, getting no response at all. Instead, an integrated AI-enabled messaging platform that uses asynchronous communication can engage immediately and interact with guests on a personal level. Because it is integrated with other systems, it can access the necessary information to resolve common requests. Automation can also drive operational efficiency, reduce costs and boost employee morale by reducing time spent on repetitive and mundane tasks. This frees up time for staff to focus on personalising and enhancing the guest experience and solving complex issues more effectively.

Recognising new priority areas to maintain growth

While adhering strictly to data privacy regulations and COVID rules, the UKs hospitality sector must continue to develop digital capabilities to meet the expectations of digital natives, gather data to find out what guests want, discover patterns within guest journeys and free up employee time from admin tasks to focus on ones that improve job satisfaction. Only then, can they boost the customer experience and deliver memorable stays for all guests.

Facebook Twitter LinkedInEmailWhatsApp

See original here:

Putting technology at the heart of customer experience in hospitality - Intelligent CIO ME

FSRA leveraging data, analytics and technology to improve regulatory effectiveness: Call for Members to Join New Technical Advisory Committee for Auto…

Posted on by

TORONTO, July 21, 2020 /CNW/ -The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA)is looking for members to join its new Technical Advisory Committee for Auto Insurance Data and Analytics Strategy (Advisory Committee). This special purpose committee will provide expert insight to FSRA as we seek to improve regulatory efficiency and effectiveness by using data, analytics and technology.

The new Advisory Committee will also provide expert advice and deliver on outcomes that will help to inform the development and implementation of FSRA's Auto Insurance Data and Analytics Strategy.

Expected Outcomes:

FSRA is seeking representation from a variety of stakeholders to form the Advisory Committee including, but not limited to, insurance companies and other financial services providers, data aggregators, regulatory reporting agencies, government agencies and regulators, academic and research institutions, and fintech companies, and public/consumer interest representatives.

For more information about the new Advisory Committee please visit: Terms of Reference for Technical Advisory Committee for Auto Insurance Data and Analytics Strategy

If you would like to participate on the Advisory Committees, please make a submission on or before Monday, August 10, 2020 to: [emailprotected].

Submission Requirements:FSRA will consider submissions that meets the following criteria:

FSRA is continuing to work with those we regulate to ensure financial safety, fairness and choice for consumers and members. Learn more @ fsrao.ca

SOURCE Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario

For further information: For Media Inquiries: Malon Edwards, Senior Communications Officer, Corporate Communications, Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario, C: 647-296-5479, Email: [emailprotected]

http://www.fsrao.ca

Read more from the original source:

FSRA leveraging data, analytics and technology to improve regulatory effectiveness: Call for Members to Join New Technical Advisory Committee for Auto...

Apple promises to become fully carbon-neutral by 2030 – The Guardian

Posted on by

Apple has pledged to become a carbon-neutral operation by 2030, a commitment that covers its entire supply chain and the lifecycle of all its products, including the electricity consumed in their use.

The company is aiming to achieve the goal by means including:

Low-carbon product design, using recycled materials where possible, and developing new techniques such as a carbon-free aluminium smelting process.

Use of renewable energy, including projects funded by and built for Apple directly, which in total provide 1GW of capacity to the companys corporate operations.

Carbon removal, through forest planting in Colombia, China, Kenya and the US.

The chief executive, Tim Cook, said: The innovations powering our environmental journey are not only good for the planet, theyve helped us make our products more energy-efficient and bring new sources of clean energy online around the world.

Climate action can be the foundation for a new era of innovative potential, job creation, and durable economic growth. With our commitment to carbon neutrality, we hope to be a ripple in the pond that creates a much larger change.

The majority of the progress, Apple says in its 2020 environmental progress report, will be made by cutting its carbon emissions directly. But the last 25% will come from carbon removal solutions such as forest planting and mangrove swamp restoration.

The company is investing some of a recently announced $100m (78.5m) fund for a racial equity and justice initiative on minority-owned businesses that can help clean up its supply chain. Systemic racism and climate change are not separate issues and they will not abide separate solutions, said Lisa Jackson, Apples environmental lead.

In January, Microsoft announced a plan to become carbon-negative removing more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it emits by 2030, and a goal of erasing all of its historical emissions by 2050.

In doing so, the company committed to deploying carbon capture and sequestration technology, a more hi-tech but untested approach than tree planting.

Link:

Apple promises to become fully carbon-neutral by 2030 - The Guardian

Hengtong Checks Flood Damage with Speed and Technology – PRNewswire

Posted on by

Devastated by the recent torrential rains, Jiangxi escalated the Emergency Response from Level IV all the way to the highest Level I within one week in early July, during which period its many transport and communication infrastructures were almost wrecked.

Receiving the urgent call for assistance on July 13, Hengtongraced against time and finished producing and delivering the supply in shortest order, which will hopefully help restore the communication system for the flood-devastated area.

Hengtong is shoring up the flood repair work in more ways.

With downpours unseen for decades, this year's seasonal rains, or the "Plum Rains" in the vernacular, are posing a critical danger of flood to the Yangtze River basin. The city of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, saw since July 18 its Yangtze River water level overtaking the historical highest registered in 1954.

No better is the case around the Taihu Lake, the third largest fresh water lake in China and the cradle of Hengtong. A significant reservoir for Yangtze, the water exceeded the security level and reached the the fourth highestin history as early as on July 17.The Water Resources Department of Jiangsu Provinceraised the Flood Alert to Red (the highest level)for the lake.

Born on the shore of Taihu, Hengtong is paying back to the "mother lake" in the smart form of an aqua-sensing system that keeps observation on the health of the water body.

A demonstration project for environment protection, this system is contributing to the local flood prevention and control work with a network of 9 stations observing usingbig-data-based analysis of the water's quality, level, speed and rate of flow, etc.

All statisticscan be checked ona mobile device, this system provides handy tools to rein in the deluge in a scientific and targeted manner, with the local counter-flood capacity thus lifted.

Whatare "Plum Rains"

Plum Rains, or Yellow Plum Rains, is the nickname given to the annual rainy season in South and East China. Mostly along the Yangtze River basin, it also extends down toTaiwan Province and up to Japan where it is called Bai-u. When its heyday hovers over the Yangtze River areafromJuneto July, the plums have rightly turned yellow and ripened, which gives theseason apleasant flavor.After the Plum Rains come the dog days of summer.

SOURCE Hengtong Group

htgd.com.cn

More here:

Hengtong Checks Flood Damage with Speed and Technology - PRNewswire

DOE Invests $118 Million in 21st Century Technologies for Carbon-Neutral Electricity and Hydrogen Produced from Coal – MyChesCo

Posted on by

WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $118 million in federal funding to support the Coal FIRST (Flexible, Innovative, Resilient, Small, Transformative) Initiative. Under this cost-shared research and development (R&D), DOE is awarding a total of $37 million to seven projects and releasing a new funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for $81 million.

Coal FIRST power plants will convert coal, biomass, and waste plastics to generate clean and affordable carbon-neutral electricity and hydrogen. Coal FIRST power plants will be capable of flexible operations to meet the needs of the grid; use innovative components that improve efficiency and reduce emissions; provide resilient energy to Americans; are small compared to todays conventional utility-scale coal-fired plants; and will transform how energy generation technologies are designed and manufactured.

Coal is one of our Nations most abundant natural resources and has been providing well-paying jobs and powering the U.S. for decades, said Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. Thats why, as the global energy mix evolves, were investing in the next generation of coal technologies that will lay the groundwork for clean, reliable 21st century coal-to-energy plants. The Trump Administration sees a bright future for the new, next stage of coal.

Coal FIRST energy plants will incorporate carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies and be able to generate carbon-neutral electricity or hydrogen. Hydrogen can enable the transition of the electricity, manufacturing, and transportation sectors toward a low-carbon footprint. These plants will be flexible to provide affordable electricity and hydrogen to keep the United States competitive globally.

Deploying new coal-to-energy plants requires a different way of thinking, and our Coal FIRST program is doing just that, said Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg. Through this innovative R&D initiative, were transitioning from the large coal plants of the past to smaller, flexible, and more efficient power plants that will meet the needs of a changing electric grid.

Under the first FOA, Critical Components for Coal FIRST Power Plants of the Future, DOE has selected seven projects to receive approximately $37 million in federal funding for cost-shared R&D. To view the full list of selected projects and their descriptions,click here.

Additionally, DOE is releasing a new FOA, Design Development and System Integration Design Studies for Coal FIRST Concepts. On a competitive basis, DOE intends to award $81 million in federal funding for cost-shared R&D projects. More details regarding the application for FOA 2180 are availablehere.

To learn more about the programs within the Office of Fossil Energy, visit theOffice of Fossil Energy website.More information about the National Energy Technology Laboratory is available on theNETL website.

Thanks for visiting! MyChesCo brings reliable information and resources to Chester County, Pennsylvania. Please consider supporting us in our efforts. Your generous donation will help us continue this work and keep it free of charge. Show your support today by clicking here and becoming a patron.

View post:

DOE Invests $118 Million in 21st Century Technologies for Carbon-Neutral Electricity and Hydrogen Produced from Coal - MyChesCo

Walmart Canada to Spend $3.5B on Technology and the Customer Experience – Retail Info Systems News

Posted on by

Walmart Canada plans to invest $3.5 billion over the next five years to simplify the online and in-store shopping experience, including the creation of 150 stores of the future.

In addition to re-invented smarter stores, the investment will lead to a faster e-commerce experience, two new distribution centers to speed up the flow of products, an enhanced omni-experience and modern digital tools to ensure associates can best serve customers. It will also create hundreds of Canadian construction jobs and forge new partnerships with Canadian technology companies, according to the retailer.

Millions of customers choose to shop with us in-store and online every day and thats a tremendous honor, said Horacio Barbeito, president and CEO, Walmart Canada. Todays significant investment will position us for future growth and make Walmart Canada even better for our associates and our customers. We are doubling down on our focus on the customer experience not just to keep up but to lead and to be the very best in Canada.

Part of the investment will go to creating modernized stores of the future. Walmart Canada, which operates more than 400 stores nationwide, will renovating more than 150 stores over the next three years over one-third of the store network. The new investments are in addition to more than $1 billion invested into remodeling and opening stores over the past five years, and will utilize digitization to create smarter stores. For example, renovated stores will boast expanded electronic shelf labels, shelf scanners to monitor product volumes, and robotics and computer vision cameras to minimize touches and maximize efficiency and accuracy.

Additionally, a new checkout experience will aim to reduce touchpoints. Walmart Canada is adding tap-to-pay, a new bigger self-checkout experience and Check Out With Me mobile payment technology to allow associates to checkout customers anywhere in the store.

In addition to the renovations, the retailer will expand Walmart Pickup to approximately 270 stores or 70% of locations by end of 2020. Its also investing in new technology to speed up the pickup experience, including advanced notification, and plans to improve fulfillment center operations to increase speed and traceability. Its piloting hybrid locations supercenters with micro fulfilment centers in their backroom to increase the speed of fulfilment for pickup and delivery.

Of the investment,$1.1 billionwill go to build two new distribution centers and renovate an existing distribution center, creating hundreds of construction jobs.

A next generation 550,000-square-foot distribution center inVaughan, ON, is slated to open in 2024. The facility will leverage next generation automation and technology working with Vanderlande. Another new 300,000-square-foot distribution center currently under construction in Surrey, BC, is slated to open in 2022. For this DC Walmart Canada is working with Witron on the sites distribution logistics technology. Additionally new automated systems are slated to go live in early 2021 in an existing Cornwall, ON, distribution center aimed at managing apparel, health and beauty, and other small general merchandise items. The systems will feature machine learning, Cobot Technology which can work in concert with associates to improve the accuracy and efficiency of operations.

The retail business is as dynamic as ever and this investment ensures were developing a supply chain that is the envy of the world, said John Bayliss, Senior Vice President, Logistics and Supply Chain, Walmart Canada. The better the supply chain, the quicker our customers can get the products they want. This investment will transform our supply chain and create hundreds of Canadian construction jobs along the way.

Walmart Canada also plans a slew of investment in new tech in the DC. New next generation warehouse management systems are omni capable in meeting the future needs of both physical stores and e-commerce. Its investing in telematics and internet of things sensors across over 2,200 trailers to give real-time information around the quality and freshness of its deliveries, and is launching artificial intelligence software in partnership with o9 to more accurately predict and better plan volume.

Walmart Canada is also scaling the blockchain transportation payments platform with Toronto based DLT Labs a blockchain solution for transportation payments system.

DLT Labs is proud to be Walmart Canadas technology partner in bringing the worlds largest blockchain solution into production for transportation management and payments,"said Loudon Owen, CEO, DLT Labs."This innovation has already virtually eliminated the challenge of invoice reconciliation that pervades the transportation industry, reducing discrepancies that could reach 70% of all invoices to well under 2% with our technology, delivering profound operational improvements and cost savings.

In addition, new machine learning training software will support improved training and safety on the front lines of Walmart'sDC and fleet operations with Axonify, a Waterloo based micro-frontline learning company.

We need to do everything we can to delight our customer every single time they choose to shop with us, whether its online or in the store, said Sam Wankowski, Chief Operations Officer, Walmart Canada. Were challenging ourselves to be better and be relentlessly focused on excellent omni-customer service and experience. This means better stores, quicker service and doing what Walmart does best focusing on customers, always at Walmarts everyday low prices.

Read the original here:

Walmart Canada to Spend $3.5B on Technology and the Customer Experience - Retail Info Systems News

TechCrunch talks virtual events and event technology – TechCrunch

Posted on by

As you may have heard, were taking our entire events lineup fully virtual in 2020. This is of course in response to COVID-19. Were working hard to make sure that, despite limitations, this years events will be some of the best weve ever produced. To make that happen, were partnering with virtual event masterminds like Bizzabo and Grip to bring our vision to life.

Now, were sure you have many questions on how it will all work. To answer your questions, well be hosting an Ask-Me-Anything series where we cover everything from what the attendee experience will look like, sponsorship opportunities, the technology stack that will be powering it all and more.

In this series, well interview the founders that built our event platforms as well as a few event experts who have had virtual event experience. Well ask them to share their POV on virtual events as well as how they will work for TechCrunch in the coming months.

Joey Hinson, the Director of Operations at TechCrunch, will take you through the platform that we assembled for Disrupt, Mobility and Space. In this AMA, youll have the chance to see the virtual venue, how virtual networking works and what the end to end experience will look like at our upcoming events. If youre thinking about attending, sponsoring or youre an event geek, this AMA is for you.

Register now!

Well interview Alon Alroy from Bizzabo, the registration platform behind TechCrunch events. We will discuss the future of virtual events and what Bizzabo has in store for the next chapter of event technology. Registered attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions via Slido.

Register now!

Tim Groot, the founder of virtual networking solution Grip, will dig into how TechCrunchs virtual networking platform, CrunchMatch will be brought to life, what networking looks like when taken fully virtual and how to integrate if youre a partner. Registered attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions via Slido.

Register now!

Read the original here:

TechCrunch talks virtual events and event technology - TechCrunch

School of Science and Technology classroom instruction will be online for the first four weeks – KIIITV.com

Posted on by

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas The School of Science and Technology has announced that classroom instruction will be online only for the first four weeks of the school year.

Starting Monday, September 21 students will be able to return to the classroom or continue remote learning.

The first day of school is scheduled Monday, August 24. The school will be using SCHOOLOGY instead of Google Classroom.

The school says, our administrators will continue serving our at-risk population with all their needs remotely with great care.

The school also announced the addition of a new campus for the 2020-2021 school year. The new campus will be located on Airline Dr.

For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.

More from 3News on KIIITV.com:

The rest is here:

School of Science and Technology classroom instruction will be online for the first four weeks - KIIITV.com

Software Motor Company (SMC) has Rebranded to Turntide Technologies as It Brings the Smart Motor System to Market to Solve for Energy Inefficiencies…

Posted on by

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Software Motor Company (SMC) has rebranded as Turntide Technologies, Inc., effective July 20, 2020. Turntide's Smart Motor System, a hyper-efficient motor controlled precisely by sensors and software that optimizes every watt, has the potential to reduce global electricity consumption by 25%.

Motors are inside every machine with moving parts, and they consume more than half the world's electricity. Electric motors are quietly one of the world's most significant contributors to climate change. Today's dominant architecture of electric motors is the AC induction motor, patented in 1888. While elegantly designed for the mechanical age, it lacks intelligence and wastes energy. Until Turntide's design breakthroughs, higher efficiency motor designs required permanent magnets, which are environmentally destructive to source and mine.

At the heart of the Turntide Smart Motor System is a switched reluctance motor (SRM), whose basic design has been applied for decades in zero-fault tolerant environments like nuclear power plants. Precise controls run the Smart Motor System at optimal speed at all times, requiring the least possible energy to deliver the precise amount of power that is needed. Turntide's motors are also sustainably produced. Unlike permanent magnet motors, Turntide's motors contain only commodity raw materials and no rare earth metals.

"Turntide seeks to impact climate change, at scale," said Ryan Morris, Turntide Chairman and CEO. "Turntide has a technology platform that offers every business the opportunity to lower its carbon footprint with the Smart Motor System."

Turntide has adopted the new name to better acknowledge its mission of eliminating energy waste from society, so every watt is worthwhile for humanity. Carbon emissions, notwithstanding a brief pause due to coronavirus shutdowns, are accelerating. Turning the tideon carbon emissions growth requires a massive improvement in energy efficiency to complement renewable generation.

Turntide's customers, including Five Guys, Sprouts, and commercial property manager JLL, are retrofitting their old motors with the Smart Motor System, thereby reducing their HVAC motor energy consumption by 64% on average.

About Turntide TechnologiesTurntide Technologies (formerly Software Motor Company) has developed the world's most efficient and intelligent electric motor system. The revolutionary Smart Motor System is based on proven switched reluctance technology, now managed with advanced cloud software and connected to precise controls via IoT. Turntide seeks to eliminate the 25% of global electricity consumption that is wasted by legacy motors, thus accelerating the world's transition from fossil fuels. Turntide is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., with offices in San Francisco; Arlington, Wash.; and Kennesaw, Ga. Turntide has installed Smart Motor Systems with dozens of customers, reducing their motor electricity consumption by an average of 64%, and is powering the systems of leading OEMs.

SOURCE Software Motor Company

http://www.softwaremotor.com

Go here to read the rest:

Software Motor Company (SMC) has Rebranded to Turntide Technologies as It Brings the Smart Motor System to Market to Solve for Energy Inefficiencies...

RCA and OPPO present live talk on humanising technology – Dezeen

Posted on by

The Royal College of Art and OPPO teamed up with Dezeen to host a panel discussion about how design students from the RCA are making technology more human.

The panel explored a recent design collaboration between OPPO and students from the RCA's Design Products MA programme, who worked together on an exhibition of projects that address how technology can be further integrated into everyday life.

Responding to the exhibition's theme of "Humanising Technology", students worked closely with the OPPO London Design Centre, the brand's design hub, to develop projects that allow technology to "flow seamlessly into one's life".

Moderated by Alon Meron, Design Products tutor at the RCA, the panel discussed the philosophy behind the theme of the exhibition, which the head of the OPPO London Design Centre Jintong Zhu explained is about "humanising technology, not making humans more technological".

[OPPO] believes technology should adapt to human life and not the other way around," Zhu explained during the talk. "It shouldnt scream for attention but be naturally integrated into products through design and create intuitive experiences for end users.

The panel also discussed the benefits of technology brands and the educational sector collaborating, which Meron puts down to students challenging the norm in corporate environments in order to push design forward.

As students it is almost your duty to ask the difficult questions and try to expose everything that is not sustainable or just plain wrong about the world we live in," Meron stated during the panel.

The panel also addressed the importance of sustainability in design and how the RCA took their yearly graduate show online in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Panellists included Paul Anderson, dean of the RCA's School of Design and Ashley Hall, professor of Design Innovation and head of postgraduate research at the RCA's School of Design.

Also on the panel was Zhu who is an RCA School of Design alumni, and Roberto Ruffoni, design research manager at the OPPO London Design Centre.

Matthieu Muller, a graduate of the Design Products postgraduate course this year, also joined the panel, as well as Anne-Marie Heck, who graduated from the programme in 2019 and took part in the first collaboration between the RCA and OPPO.

This is the second year that OPPO has collaborated with students from the Design Products masters programme.

The first collaboration saw the students' work exhibited in the Ventura Future exhibition during Milan design week 2019, which led to Heck being offered an internship at the OPPO London Design Centre.

Projects from this year collaboration include a clothes hanger by Eric Saldanha, that uses UV light to clean and kill any secondary bacteria left on garments.

Among other projects in the exhibition is Animate by Matthieu Muller, a set of electronic building blocks that allow children to create moving objects and figures and aims to introduce technology as a tool for self-expression.

Also in the show is Nect by Lilin Jiao, a conceptual project that imagines how groups of home appliances could form electronic networks that can be used to charge other devices like mobile phones.

The projects designed by the students are included in RCA2020, the Royal College of Art's graduate show which was brought online in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

You can view the full list of projects in the exhibition at the RCA's online show.

See the rest here:

RCA and OPPO present live talk on humanising technology - Dezeen

An American vessel arrived in Greece 3 thousands of Marines in NATO exercise – FREE NEWS

Posted on by

The American transport vessel Endurance Vehicles Carrier delivered 3,000 Marines, military vehicles and equipment to Greece to participate in the NATO exercise Atlantic Resolve 2020, the website reported kranosgr.com. The message was posted on Twitter by US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt.

The ship is on the roadstead of the port of Alexandroupolis in northern Greece.

This is one of the largest transports of the American armed forces, which participates in the NATO exercise Atlantic Resolve 2020, the publication writes.

The exercises will be held in Romania, and the equipment will be sent there by rail.

The transportation of troops and military equipment will begin on Thursday, July 23, in the presence of national defense Minister Nikos Panayotopoulos, US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt and chief of the General staff Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros, who will arrive in Alexandroupolis on Board a military plane, the newspaper reports.

Here is the original post:

An American vessel arrived in Greece 3 thousands of Marines in NATO exercise - FREE NEWS

Germany urged to return to the discussion of Russia’s accession to NATO – FREE NEWS

Posted on by

It is necessary to return to the discussion of Russias accession to NATO, which was seriously discussed in the 1990s, said Christian Schmidt, a member of the German Bundestag from the CDU/CSU faction.

I have held various political positions for 30 years. In my opinion, this was the mayor of [Moscow, Yuri] Luzhkov, if I am not mistaken, the previous Moscow mayor, he once did not even rule out Russias joining NATO. This was seriously discussed. Then the NATO-Russia Founding act was signed. This all needs to be discussed again, the German politician said.

Schmidt, during the VI youth forum Potsdam meetings, noted that the entire security architecture created since 1975 in Europe had been destroyed. We just took it and lost it. And it affects everyone. Now we need to discuss together how we can build a security architecture after Helsinki (Meeting on security and co-operation in Europe in Helsinki on August 1, 1975-see note). We still need mechanisms for disarmament, arms control, and the balance of armed forces. I think that such a discussion will benefit Europe, and Europe should play an important role in it, the politician added.

Christian Schmidt was the Minister of food and agriculture from 2014 to 2018 and led the Ministry of transport and digital infrastructure from 2017 to 2018.

Read more:

Germany urged to return to the discussion of Russia's accession to NATO - FREE NEWS

Georgian Foreign Minister held a meeting with NATO and EU Officials – The FINANCIAL

Posted on by

The Georgian Foreign Minister, David Zalkaliani met with the Deputy NATO Secretary General Mircea Geoan and EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. Discussing the irreversible process of Georgias integration with NATO, the Alliances support and Georgias successful steps on this path, the sides highlighted Georgias important role in ensuring regional and global security, including through its active engagement in projects aiming at enhancing Black Sea security and in the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.

Meeting of Davit Zalklaiani with the EU and NATO officials was held in Brussels on July 13-14, making it his first foreign visit amid the coronavirus pandemic. At the NATO Headquarters on Tuesday, Georgias top diplomat met with the Deputy Secretary-General of the Alliance for an exchange of views on cooperation between NATO and Georgia and on Georgias Euro-Atlantic integration and reform efforts, local media civil.ge reported.

The sides welcomed the steps taken by the Georgian Government towards strengthening democracy, including by adopting constitutional amendments, and electoral system reforms.

Special attention was focused on the difficult security situation in Georgias occupied territories, which was particularly exacerbated over the recent period due to the fact that occupation forces, even amid the pandemic, increased their illegal activities and provocations. The sides expressed their concern over the incident on 11 July when the occupation forces wounded and detained a citizen of Georgia. The NATO delegation reaffirmed its strong support for Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Georgian Governments fight against the pandemic was appraised as one of the most effective both in Europe and globally. During the meeting, David Zalkaliani introduced Victor Dolidze, Georgias new Ambassador to NATO, who presented his credentials to Mircea Geoan.

"Highly appreciate our partners commitment at NATO-Georgian Commission to continue supporting Georgias aspiration to NATO. Allies recognize the progress on reforms Georgia has made and condemn Russias occupation of, and continued pattern of illegal activities in, our regions," David Zalkaniani wrote on Twitter.

The Deputy Secretary General and the Georgian delegation expressed their readiness to continue active cooperation leading to Georgias membership of NATO, both by strengthening practical instruments and enhancing political support.

Earlier this month, The European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar and Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani discussed the security and humanitarian situation in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Minister Zalkaliani referred to increasing number of Russia-orchestrated provocations, the so-called borderisation process, closure of the occupation line and restrictions imposed on free movement amid the coronavirus pandemic, local news website agenda.ge wrote.

Also,The Chair of the EU Integration Committee, David Songulashvili held the online meeting with the First Vice-President of the European Parliament from the Fine Gael (Ireland) Party, Mairead McGuinness to discuss the political processes in the country and the economic challenges. D. Songulashvili stressed the ongoing democratic reforms in Georgia, including the adopted Constitutional Changes and the new Election Code, which were positively estimated by the parties. He informed Mme. McGuinness about the pandemic preventive measures by the Georgian Government. The parties touched upon the EUAA implementation by Georgia, the Committee activity and the future plans, and underlined even more intensive representation of Georgian business to the EU market.

European Parliament salutes the strengthening of EU-Georgia relations

See the article here:

Georgian Foreign Minister held a meeting with NATO and EU Officials - The FINANCIAL

Keeping the Americans In, the Russians Out and the Chinese in Check: Germany’s Future Strategy – RUSI Analysis

Posted on by

Thirty years into Germanys reunification, the most fundamental, if unspoken, question Berlins allies are asking is: are you ready to defend freedom? Globally challenged by powerful strongmen whose self-confidence has fed off democracies self-doubt about the future, the latter have betrayed a tendency to fatalism in their likeliness to prevail in the 2020s.

Looking ahead, Germanys future leaders need to deliver their new narrative to the public by showing how it responds to their international vision of the future. Addressing the evolving power and ideological struggle of the 2020s, Germanys future chancellor will need to provide, most crucially, a clear sense of direction as to which fundamental challenges are threatening the Western way of life. In fact, by adapting NATOs vision of 1949 keeping the Americans in, the Russians out and the Germans down Berlins new vision needs to be geared atkeeping the Americans in, the Russians out and the Chinese in check.

Such persuading of German and European publics may only succeed if framed by a realistic understanding of todays strategic landscape. For one, President Donald Trumps disregard for global leadership has opened up a power vacuum which others have exploited, at the expense of the West. Therefore, European allies need to make keeping the Americans intheir strategic priority.

In this new vision, the Wests economic and military power needs to be joint to safeguard the one core value that sets it apart from China and Russia: freedom. Clearly, neither Europe nor the US alone can successfully take on the strategic challenge posed by China, as it may outgrow them individually. But together they can. The fundamental strategic question is, therefore, whether the West wants to continue to economically feed the dragon.

As the total decoupling of economic exchanges is currently not intended (but a last resort), Europeans need to muster their immense economic power, as strength is the ultimate prerequisite for the establishment of a partnership of equals. Not least, Beijing depends on open global markets and access to technology much more than the West. Moreover, the EU needs to ensure that its weaker members can withstand the temptation to be lured into the marsh of Chinas realm. The lattersexploitationof Italy and Greeces moments of national weakness caused by the coronavirus pandemic made it conspicuously clear that President Xi Jinping understands all too well how to identify, and manipulate, the weakest links in the EU chain. Here, Berlin needs to display leadership that signals to the US that Western unity, as opposed to Trumps disregard for the European project, is the most effective way ofkeeping China at arms length.

Simultaneously, it is vital to recognise the reverberations triggered by the dynamic interplay between Chinas gargantuan economic growth and the scope of Russias military threats and blackmailing of Europe. Chinas continued rise has structurally affected the USs strategic outlook on Europe: the more China grows (and the less prudent it goes about finding its future place in the world), the more it absorbs US capabilities away from Europe. In turn, this dynamic has already somewhat altered the psychological balance of power in President Vladimir Putins favour. A war in East Asia, to take this argument to its extreme, would create a much-desired opportunity for Russias leader. In the event of such an opportunity, Putin would see a Europe that, in his view, would be freed for the first time in 70 years from the iron fist that the US has demonstrated. It is not at all inconceivable, therefore, that his ambitions would be much less rational than many of those who have welcomed rapprochement or simply believe Russia is materially too weak to fight would think.

It is precisely in this strategic context that the West needs to reinvent itself. Thus, listening to French President Emmanuel Macronsspeechon Europes nuclear deterrence in February 2020, it should be clear from the outset that his goal of a rapprochement with Russia is flawed. Russia understands perfectly well that the West needs it so that the US has its back safe to turn more comprehensively on China. And, while Russias increasingly strong Eurasian leanings might make it altogether impossible to decouple it from China, there can be no doubt that Putin would want a significant prize if he did.

Against this backdrop, Germanys next chancellor ought to offer a new vision of a future grand bargain for NATO. In contrast to the previous 15 years, such a vision needs to be predicated on the notion of power, understood as the defining element of international affairs. It must also be based on the related understanding that the current struggle over the future international order is, at its core, a ruthless power struggle, in which major challengers need to be economically weakened, militarily balanced and their suppression of liberty exposed. This must be achieved before they become sufficiently emboldened to employ non-diplomatic means of strategy in their strife for power.

In particular, as the USs strategic focus will unabatedly be centred on China, regardless of who will enter the White House on 20 January 2021, such a NATO bargain must start with fresh thinking about how the future of keeping the Americans inmay be ensured. Crucially, this would command all European states, guided by the UK, France, Germany and Poland, to do five things:

After all, convincingly demonstrating to China that the US can rely on Europe will ensure that keeping the Chinese at arms lengthworks. The US, in turn, will then be more likely to reassure the Europeans of the credibility of its extended nuclear deterrence.

The vital side effect of such a new German model for Western burden-sharing is that, should Putin not turn out to be the benign partner that Macron appears to imagine, it would nonetheless deter Russia effectively. Keeping the Russians in checkwould, thus, be a deliverable prospect. As a worst case, should the USs relationship with China dramatically deteriorate and the formers unilateralist instincts come to guide it, those European safety valves would properly protect Europes NATO members against Russian aggression.

To the USs strategic advantage as a global sea power, such a European contribution to NATOs provision of international stability would thereby help sustain the USs taken-for-granted reliance on friendly coasts connecting the Atlantic and safeguard itsinvestments in Europe, which amount to approximately $500 billion. In essence, propelled forward by Berlin, this could serve as Europes answer to James Mattiss matter-of-factadmissionmade in early 2017 that the US could not fight two major wars at the same time.

Ultimately, for the West to prevail in economic and military terms, European leaders including Germanys future leader need to rally their people, with passion and determination, to remind them of the unique value bonding them with the US: the defence of freedom.

Maximilian Terhalle(@M_Terhalle) is Senior Research Fellow at Kings College London and Adjunct Professor at Potsdam University. His most recent book,Strategy as Vocation, was published in May 2020. He is currently co-authoring a book on Germany and the future of Western security.

The views expressed in this Commentary are the author's, and do not represent those of RUSI or any other institution.

BANNER IMAGE:Courtesy ofniroworld / Adobe Stock.

Read the rest here:

Keeping the Americans In, the Russians Out and the Chinese in Check: Germany's Future Strategy - RUSI Analysis

Limits of a US-India military alliance amidst a growing challenge from China – Observer Research Foundation

Posted on by

object(WP_Post)#959 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(70145) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2020-07-20 14:51:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2020-07-20 09:21:00" ["post_content"]=> string(9088) "

In the wake of the ongoing military stand-off between India and China there is considerable debate about the possibility of deeper engagement between New Delhi and Washington. While a deeper strategic relationship is highly probable as result of Chinese military conduct to unilaterally shift the Line Actual Control (LaC), it could fall well short of the Americans fighting alongside Indian forces in a Sino-Indian war. Therefore, whatever optimists about the US-India strategic partnership may conclude, the Modi-led government would be well advised to temper its expectations about an alliance and prepare itself for the worst.

There are fundamentally two problems associated with a US-India alliance. Here the author is defining a military alliance to cover US military fighting alongside Indian forces in the event of a Sino-Indian boundary war. Firstly, the United States domestic governing architecture restricts the extent to which it can militarily support New Delhi if there were escalation between China and India, notwithstanding the Trump administrations offers of deeper defence cooperation and to mediate, which was politely declined by New Delhi and Beijing not just rejected, but even rebuked Washingtons offer. Irrespective of objective realities of American power, both in form of its economic strength and military force projection capabilities, Washington is likely to be fettered in its alignment with India. To be sure, the Modi government might not be wedded to the view that Washington will come to Indias aid militarily in the event of a wider Sino-Indian military conflagration.

Nevertheless, New Delhi must be served a reminder that it should not proceed on the expectation and assumption that American military support is automatic in the event of a wider Sino-Indian war. There are some key reasons to remain cautious about the degree of American military aid for New Delhi, despite a difficult military challenge for India to restore the status quo ante in Ladakh. Indeed, India may be compelled to resort to force to secure the restoration of the status quo ante irrespective of American support. A weakened Republican President Trump, let alone the US Congress with the House of Representatives under the control of the Democrats in the middle of an election year, will be hard pressed to extend significant assistance in the event India pursues an escalatory response to Chinese territorial seizures in Ladakh.

Secondly, another the key factor that will constrain the US are its social conditions and institutional realities. Its social conditions relate to its ambivalence about the continued exercise of military power, which renders the public support system too weak for sustained and protracted military campaigns. Even if a prospective Sino-Indian military conflict is not prolonged, it could be costly and risky which Americans might be resistant to incurring. The empirical and historical record through the course of American history over that last seventy years does suggests a lack of sustained resolve and motivation. The US defeat at the hands of Vietnam is the most glaring example of American limitations in the exercise of military power. In case of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 that involved the overthrow of Saddam Husseins regime and the US subsequent eight-year occupation of that country, even if some analysts and experts might declare it a victory, it was a pyrrhic one.

A final factor is the United States inability to successfully deliver on its interests. As a former Indian envoy to the United States, albeit about a different triangular relationship involving India, US and Pakistan observed not very long ago, The US has not been able to get Pakistan to deliver where its own interests are involved. The US has not been able to get Pakistan to deliver on the Taliban. The US has not been able to get Pakistan to deliver on the Haqqani network. Hence the most glaring recent example of American limitations in prosecuting a military campaign successfully is its defeat at the hands of Afghan Taliban with the explicit backing of the Pakistani state. Indeed, the near unconditional withdrawal or rather capitulation of Washington as part of an agreement reached between the Trump Administration and the Taliban in February 2020 should clearly settle and dash any segment of Indias strategic establishment hopes that Washington can actually come to the aid of India militarily in the event of an outbreak of military hostilities or hot war between China and India.

Thus, whatever the extent of the current US-India engagement, will at most come in the form of continued and increased intelligence assistance, provision of military supplies including during active hostilities with the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). Here too there are no guarantees and preserving diversity of military supplies must remain a priority for the Government of India. Yet American support will fall short of actively participating in hostilities. Historically, post-independence India has never had ironclad guarantees of military support. Take for instance the case of the 1971 Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Co-operation concluded between the Soviet Union and India, which never per se provided mutual military guarantees in the event of an attack against one of the two parties by a third party requiring each side party to the Treaty to deploy military forces to fight alongside the other. The closest that the Indo-Soviet Friendship Treaty came regarding the extension of military assistance was enshrined in article 9 of the Treaty, which stated: Each High Contracting Party undertakes to abstain from providing any assistance to any third party that engages in armed conflict with the other Party. In the event of either Party being subjected to and attach or a threat thereof, the High Contracting Parties shall immediately enter into mutual consultations in order to remove such threat and to take appropriate effective measures to ensure peace and the security of their countries. The Soviets after all did not deploy their forces for joint action with Indian forces, when the latter invaded East Pakistan in 1971, and nor did New Delhi do the same when the Soviets eight years later invaded Afghanistan.

Thus, the Indo-Soviet friendship did not provide any watertight guarantees or automaticity in military assistance as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Article 5 does, under which an military attack against one member state is deemed an attack against all member states. Since India enjoys no automatic or unconditional military guarantees from the US or any other country and if there are individuals within the Modi-led dispensation or outside who subscribe to the view that Washington will jump to Indias assistance, must be instantly disabused of such a possibility for the aforementioned reasons. If anything, New Delhis approach in the present crisis with China specifically and against Pakistan and China together should be one that unflinchingly follows the age old dictum: Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

Go here to see the original:

Limits of a US-India military alliance amidst a growing challenge from China - Observer Research Foundation

Which New York Liberty Players Opted Out Of The 2020 WNBA Season? – Jul 20, 2020 – Sports Are From Venus

Posted on by

Given the nature of the 2020 WNBA season in the midst of a pandemic and civil rights movement, a few basketball players on the New York Liberty are opting out of participating in the season.

Guard Asia Durr tested positive for COVID-19 in June and will not play this year. Durr was selected No. 2 overall in the 2019 draft.

Durr tweeted out a statement.

In a statement, General Manager Jonathan Kolb said, Asia worked extremely hard this offseason to put herself in position to take a major leap forward in her second WNBA season. While we are disappointed that we will need to wait a bit longer to see her emerge as one of the bright young players in the game, we fully recognize and support the difficult decision she had to make amidst unprecedented circumstances. Brooklyn will be ready for her in 2021.

In her first season, Durr averaged 9.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 18 games. Durrs season was cut short because of a hip injury.

No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft Megan Walker tested positive for COVID-19 but plans on returning when healthy. The Liberty released a statement.

Walker played for the UConn Huskies in college. Taken eight picks after super prospect Sabrina Ionescu, it would have been a lot of fun to see Walker play with Durr and Ionescu this season. With seven rookies on the Liberty, the team that is exploding with young talent is missing two very important players.

Australian guard Rebecca Allen has cited travel safety risks for why she wont join the Liberty this season.

In a statement, Allen said, This has absolutely been one of the toughest decisions, but after much thought and discussions, I have decided to opt-out of the 2020 season in Florida. The uncertainty of the COVID-19 crisis and the logistical health risks related to travel have led me to conclude that its best if I not play in the WNBA this year.

Allen has spent five seasons with the Liberty averaging 12.2 minutes per night, 4.6 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists.

While no longer playing for New York, former Liberty legend Tina Charles will not play for the Washington Mystics in what was supposed to be her first season with the team. Charles was granted a medical exemption for extrinsic asthma.

Mystics Head coach Mike Thibault said in a statement, While we are disappointed that Tina will not be with us this summer, we fully understand the reason for her medical exemption and look forward to having her with us next season. Again, the health of our players takes precedence. There hasnt been anything normal about playing this season, but we are prepared and excited to play with the group that is here in Florida. We are looking forward to starting our first game with Indiana on the 25th!

The seven-time All-Star has averaged 18.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists over 10 seasons, including six with the Liberty.

The Liberty will surely miss Durr, Walker, and Allen this season. Hopefully, everyone has a speedy recovery and stays safe.

The New York Liberty will face off against the Seattle Storm on Saturday, July 25 at 12 PM on ESPN to kickstart the 2020 WNBA season.

For more WNBA content from Sports Are From Venus,click here.

For more thoughts and opinions from Zachary Diamond, check out hisauthor pageorTwitter.

(photo credit: AP Images)

View post:

Which New York Liberty Players Opted Out Of The 2020 WNBA Season? - Jul 20, 2020 - Sports Are From Venus

Police trying to ID man suspected of throwing bricks during East Liberty protest – TribLIVE

Posted on by

You are solely responsible for your comments and by using TribLive.com you agree to ourTerms of Service.

We moderate comments. Our goal is to provide substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we provide a space where readers can share intelligent and informed commentary that enhances the quality of our news and information.

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Because of the volume of reader comments, we cannot review individual moderation decisions with readers.

We value thoughtful comments representing a range of views that make their point quickly and politely. We make an effort to protect discussions from repeated comments either by the same reader or different readers

We follow the same standards for taste as the daily newspaper. A few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, proselytizing and SHOUTING. Don't include URLs to Web sites.

We do not edit comments. They are either approved or deleted. We reserve the right to edit a comment that is quoted or excerpted in an article. In this case, we may fix spelling and punctuation.

We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, but we don't want comments to become bogged down with discussions of our policies and we will moderate accordingly.

We appreciate it when readers and people quoted in articles or blog posts point out errors of fact or emphasis and will investigate all assertions. But these suggestions should be sentvia e-mail. To avoid distracting other readers, we won't publish comments that suggest a correction. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article.

Go here to read the rest:

Police trying to ID man suspected of throwing bricks during East Liberty protest - TribLIVE

UIS Perspectives: Working together for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – The State Journal-Register

Posted on by

When it was written in 1776 " that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," it was surely the most amazingly written expression in the Declaration of Independence. Sadly, our countrys practice of that document, the Constitution, and the Amendments to follow did not necessarily reflect that message.

Over the past 244 years, we have witnessed these words being selectively applied to uniquely advantage one group over another, as much of our history has its connection to the creation and implementation of slavery. In short, slavery in America has been a system in which property law principles are applied to people, allowing individuals to own, buy, and sell other individuals as a form of property. Over the lifespan of Americas development, we have seen this system morph due to many brave, courageous, and servant leaders who fought against the intense overt oppression and subversive suppression. Decade after decade, these Davids of our time took on the Goliath of our nation racism.

Let me state clearly, I do not write this column to offend but, instead, to bridge gaps in understanding how we arrived at the need for healing today. I write it for the person who may think, as they see the violent acts of racism that are engrained in many of our institutions and systems, "why this is still happening" or believing "it does not exist anymore."

Whichever way one decides to interpret history (or this essay), it should be understood that America has always had to fight and protest for its rights to be reflected as through the doctrine. This has been the narrative for almost two and a half centuries. Therefore, when I see the protest, I do not see it as an offensive act or demonstration against Americas fabric. Instead, I see the protest as yet another outcry to the nation that many communities are tired of being broken and left out of the doctrine.

America's issues are vast and people want to see change, particularly our traditionally marginalized and underrepresented communities. I, myself, subscribe to that notion. As a Black male working at an institution of higher education, I have witnessed my students expressively say they feel they live in an America that does not love them.

Those words scream out to me a much louder message. To me, they place attention on what our Americas history has been and why we all need to stand up for the rights of those who are continuously scraped, cut, and gashed left to bleed. I firmly believe, in order to begin healing, we have to stop the bleeding. With that as the chorus in mind, we need to seek to apply the doctrine the way it was so eloquently written so that we can see reflected an America that pulls people from the margins into the larger picture thus allowing for real opportunity at Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

At UIS, we have decided to not turn a blind eye and to recommit ourselves to the alignment of the doctrine. The recent national events of racial injustice have reawakened the world and have been front and center for us. We are ensuring our students, staff, faculty, and administrators (myself included) are not ignoring the long history, practice, and ideology of systemic racism. Standing firm with the Black community and other marginalized groups who are deeply entrenched in the fight towards justice is our fight.

The plight is vast, but we are having the difficult conversation at UIS in the form of weekly virtual "Vibe-Check" sessions and "Breathe" listening tables that give students a chance to share their concerns. It has been a great way to begin the healing opening the hearts and minds of our campus community. Listening with vigor and empathy has allowed for our campus to be one that centers the experiences of those on the margins understanding that what matters most is finding out where the pain lies. This method has been vital to knowing what is needed to make the substantive change necessary for our UIS community and the greater Springfield community.

Listening to our campus community's experiences has prompted the launch of our comprehensive "How Do We Heal Pathway Forward" resource guide, which can be found at uis.edu/diversitycenter/. The guide is designed to be interactive/clickable/digestible for people to learn. It has video features, web links to learn how to be anti-racist, and web links to enhance civic involvement. But equally as important, it has the framework for our "Where We Can Go" Diversity Mini-Series. The July Diversity Mini-Series is now entering its third week with programs addressing the current civil unrest on issues of Race, Police Brutality, and Allyship.

We believe that exploring these topics and helping our students, staff, faculty, and administrators through our weekly discussion opportunities is helping us move forward together. We believe it is a part of the formula to help shape a community rooted in equity, justice, and inclusion you know, like the declaration that was so eloquently indoctrinated for our nation to follow.

Justin J. Rose is Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Read more:

UIS Perspectives: Working together for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - The State Journal-Register