Technology increasingly is part of teaching and learning, and a recent report from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt finds that educators are more confident in education technology. The survey also reveals the need for additional planning time to implement technology and more devices.
⋅ CNN
Democratic leaders will release their economic agenda today under the slogan "A Better Deal: Better Jobs, Better Wages, Better Future" with hopes that it will unify Democrats before midterm elections. The three-pronged approach will focus on providing more job training, boosting wages and decreasing expenses.
⋅ CNBC
Many colleges, including the University of Utah and the Georgia Institute of Technology, are opening innovation hubs to help students create their own businesses. Students involved in Georgia Tech's CREATE-X have created 81 startups, bringing in more than $2 million in follow-on investments over the past three years, officials say.
The International Monetary Fund has downgraded 2017 economic forecasts for the US and the UK and has predicted growth will pick up in the eurozone, China and Japan. The IMF forecasts global growth of 3.5%, the same as its estimate in April.
Whole Foods Market opened a new 40,000-square-foot two-story store in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City with a product selection tailored to the surrounding community. The retailer first announced plans for the store five years ago, and the store features Whole Foods' first kebab grill, Cuban-style sandwich and coffee offerings and products from about 20 local suppliers including Mama's One Sauce spicy marinades, Sylvia's spices and rubs, Harlem Pie Man's pies and Egunsi Foods' West African soups.
Research shows exercise, not smoking, eating nuts and limiting alcohol consumption can help increase levels of high-density lipoprotein, the good cholesterol important to heart health. Registered dietitian nutritionist Libby Mills recommends limiting processed foods, because trans and saturated fats can negatively affect cholesterol levels, and eating more foods high in fiber.
⋅ CNBC
Instagram is gaining ground among social media influencers who previously were avid users of Snapchat. Instagram Stories had 250 million daily active users in June, compared with 166 million for Snapchat.
⋅ ZDNet
Global sales of logistics and warehousing robotics will reach $22.4 billion by 2021, according to research firm Tractica. Amazon has proven that a fast-paced, customer-driven economy is profitable at scale, and now many retailers are looking toward automation to improve efficiency in their fulfillment and warehousing.
⋅ ZDNet
A team of researchers from IOActive discovered that the Ninebot by Segway miniPRO can be hacked remotely through Bluetooth and a modified version of Nordic UART. The researchers were able to reverse engineer the firmware update mechanism to monitor scooter locations, stop the vehicles and lock riders out.
⋅ Reuters
Lyme disease vaccine candidate VLA15 from Valneva has been granted fast-track designation by the FDA. Enrollment for an early-stage study of the vaccine has been completed by the company, which expects initial results from the Phase I trial and also plans to initiate a midstage study in the first quarter of next year.
Jeff Bewkes is preparing to exit his role at Time Warner if the company's merger with AT&T is approved. Bewkes -- who, during his 38-year career with the company, has fended off a hostile takeover and helped the company bounce back after it merged with AOL -- stands to walk away with as much as $95 million if the deal is approved by the White House.
Airports are being re-envisioned and redesigned to make them like little destination cities. Futuristic tech is all part of the plan, as evidenced by the soon-to-open Terminal 4 of Singapore's Changi Airport that's designed to ease the way for passengers with facial recognition software, automatic luggage tagging and bag checking.
Greg Peterson, IBM's manager of global energy and environment, said the company uses cognitive solutions and analytics to create smarter buildings that save money and energy. Self-adjusting building control systems will become more commonplace, he said.
When Southwest Airlines' Amber Hensley heard about 8-year-old Andrew Ross' struggle with cancer, the customer service representative swung into action to make his trip home from treatment something to remember. Hensley placed signs welcoming Andrew home throughout Houston's William P. Hobby Airport, arranged for him to meet his plane's pilot and crew and invited his friends and family to meet him at the gate when he arrived.
Making it personal is the key to satisfying travelers in a setting that's often just for one night, says James Gardiner, general manager of Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport. The hotel met the challenge recently by keeping staff and guests informed and comfortable during a major renovation, he said.