Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Can Zoom turn popularity into profit?

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Can Zoom turn popularity into profit?

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Zoom

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Zoom has become the app many are using to stay in touch with friends, family and work colleagues

When it comes to its growth rate, video conference company Zoom has lived up to its name.

Use of the firm’s software jumped 20-fold in the first three months of the year, as the coronavirus pandemic forced millions to work, learn and socialise remotely.

But it’s not clear the newfound ubiquity will help it be a money-maker.

Zoom has warned of increased costs, while the spotlight has also brought scrutiny of its security practices and ties to China.

The company’s share price has roughly tripled in value since January nevertheless, surging past $200 on Monday – a day before investors are to receive a quarterly update.

“They were on a very strong trajectory before… and happened to be in the right place at the right time as the whole world decided we needed to communicate well on video,” says Ryan Koontz, managing director at Rosenblatt Securities.

“They have this amazing brand… now they have to leverage that brand and figure out which markets they’re going to go after.”

How did Zoom start?

Founder Eric Yuan didn’t really intend to make Zoom a household name.

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Zoom has made Eric Yuan, whose visa application to the US was denied eight times, a billionaire

A Chinese-born software engineer, Mr Yuan started the company in 2011, after years rising through the ranks at WebEx, one of the first US video conference companies, which was purchased by Cisco in 2007 for $3.2bn.

At the time, he faced doubts from many investors, who did not see the need for another option in a market already dominated by big players such as Microsoft and Cisco.

But Mr Yuan – who has credited his interest in video conferencing to the long distances he had to travel to meet up with his now-wife in their youth – was frustrated at Cisco and believed there was demand for software that would work on mobile phones and be easier to use.

When the firm sold its first shares to the public last year, it was valued at $15.9bn. That shot to nearly $58bn on Monday.

“What Zoom has done is kind of democratised video conferencing for all kinds of businesses and made it very simple for everyone from yoga instructors through to board room executives to deploy video,” says Alex Smith, senior director at Canalys.

The firm’s bread and butter customers are corporate clients, who pay for subscriptions and enhanced features.

In the 12 months to 31 January, Zoom reported $622.7m in sales, up 88% from the prior year. It added more than 800 employees – roughly a third of its current staff. And unlike many newly listed start-ups, it turned a profit, earning $25.3m.

Reputational hit

When the lockdowns started, Zoom lifted the limits for the free version of its software in China and for educators in many countries, including the UK, helping to drive its popularity.

But the massive uptake also strained the firm, forcing it to invest to expand capacity to meet the needs of new users, many of whom are not paying customers.

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Its reputation also took a hit, as the new attention prompted hackers to hijack meetings and exposed a host of security flaws, revealing that the firm had sent user data to Facebook, had wrongly claimed the app had end-to-end encryption, and was allowing meeting hosts to track attendees.

It has also faced political scrutiny for its ties to China – where it has more than 700 staff, including most of its product development team – which have prompted warnings that it is not fit for government use.

In April, Mr Yuan, who is a US citizen, apologised for the security lapses and the firm started rolling out a number of changes intended to fix the problems. Zoom has also announced a number of new appointments familiar with Washington politics, including H R McMaster, a retired Army general and former national security adviser to Donald Trump.

Analysts said they expected the company would overcome these reputational blows.

“It’s had that mishap and the fact that its name is still very much used as verbatim with video technology still gives it a lot of momentum and opportunity to continue,” Mr Smith said.

Higher stakes

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mr Yuan called it a “painful” journey, disclosing that some companies such as Tesla had dropped it after the revelations.

He said he hoped to return the firm’s focus to business customers, but has also acknowledged elsewhere that the pandemic may have changed the company’s path.

Analysts say they expect Zoom to maintain its focus on business customers, since that’s how it makes money.

But the pandemic is likely to create more challenges for Zoom in that market too, as increased demand for remote work prompts competitors such as Microsoft and Cisco to pour resources into the field.

In the long run, analysts say they’re not sure how many companies will want to pay for a service like Zoom’s, which only offers video conferences.

“The stakes are higher and the competition’s getting tougher, so we’ll see,” says Mr Koontz.

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Asia’s Scientific Trailblazers: Miyoko Watanabe

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Asia’s Scientific Trailblazers: Miyoko Watanabe

Miyoko Watanabe
Deputy Executive Director
Japan Science and Technology Agency
Japan

AsianScientist (Jun. 2, 2020) – On many fronts, Japan is a veritable scientific powerhouse. Since the turn of the 21st century, Japanese researchers have regularly dominated science Nobel Prizes. Just last year, for instance, Akira Yoshino won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of the lithium-ion battery.

In light of this, increasing the visibility of women in science and creating more opportunities for female researchers have become two causes strongly championed by Watanabe. This comes as no surprise—after all, in 1979, she made history as Toshiba R&D Center’s first-ever female researcher. Rising through the ranks of scientific leadership in Japan, Watanabe is continuing to challenge the status quo as in her concurrent position as director of JST’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

In this interview with Asian Scientist Magazine, Watanabe takes a look back at her trailblazing career beginnings and reflects on how these experiences have shaped her outlook on science and life.

  • In 1979, you broke new ground as the first female researcher to be hired by Toshiba. Can you tell us more about your early experiences with Toshiba?

    • I was the first female researcher at Toshiba. My initial research involved the electrical characterization of compound semiconductors. Nothing was expected of me, except to be present. This gave me the freedom to do basic research in semiconductor physics. I wrote a lot of papers, published in top journals and was recognized as a good researcher.

    On the other hand, male researchers at the company did not have much freedom, since they were expected to do applied research. But they had access to factories, which we didn’t have, and were given more opportunities to learn about business.

  • As deputy executive director of the JST, what are your organization’s research priorities for the decade ahead? Why?

    • JST’s priorities are to promote research and development (R&D) and create knowledge with social value. As diversity plays a crucial role in realizing a sustainable future, I would like to promote research done by diverse individuals.

    Another aspect to consider is the objective of science. The value of science cannot be measured only by its contribution to economic prosperity. Science is a global public good that contributes to sustainable development and well-being.

  • What is the importance of cultivating gender diversity in research?

    • It is important to raise awareness on the value of gender diversity in research. Many researchers do not know this enough. For example, the economic value of patents by mixed-gender teams is 54 percent higher than those from male-only teams. The top 10 percent of interdisciplinary research papers also comes from mixed-gender teams. Kyushu University showed that female researchers had more published and cited papers than male researchers. By publicizing these results, more people will understand the merits of gender diversity.

    Watanabe (left) moderating a dialogue at the regional general meeting of the Science Council of Japan in 2018. Photo credit: Miyoko Watanabe.

  • Science in Japan continues to be dominated by male researchers. What is JST doing to encourage more young women to go into STEM careers?

    • We sometimes ask decision makers why they do not promote female researchers. Most of their answers are the same—they cannot find excellent female candidates. But this is simply because they don’t know many female researchers in the first place. This is why JST set up the Brilliant Female Researchers Award (Jun Ashida Award) last year. Collaborating with fashion designer Jun Ashida was a key point as this showed that science can be connected to fashion. Both fields seek novelty, after all.

    We also organize an annual symposium for junior high school girls and their parents and teachers. Many of them don’t know that it’s possible to become researchers and engineers. They think that science degrees are only for those who’d like to become doctors, pharmacists or teachers. This is why we show them female researchers, founders and businesspeople, so they know there are many career options if they pursue science.

  • How can scientific research be improved by effective science communication?

    • Many Japanese people are not aware of the wonderful female researchers we have. If we have effective science communication, female scientists will be more popular.

    The process of science has also changed. Previously, we performed R&D in closed systems, but now the public can also contribute to science and technology. Scientists therefore need to communicate more with citizens using new methods of science communication. Many people get information online, so citizen science has become popular. Big data can be collected through citizen science—and as we’ve seen, this is important especially in emergency situations like COVID-19.

  • What initiatives does JST have in place to support science communication outreach and training?

    • One initiative is the annual Science Agora, an open science fora where stakeholders get together and communicate science. Another initiative is the Science Window publication, an educational science magazine for teachers and students meant to foster scientific literacy. Approximately 39,000 public and private schools in Japan have complimentary subscriptions to this magazine. It is an important component of our efforts to support science communication and STEM education.

    Watanabe giving a lecture to high school girls at a regional gender symposium in 2019. Photo credit: Miyoko Watanabe.

  • What achievement in your career are you most proud of? Why?

    • Together with the Science Council of Japan, we introduced the concept of “Gender Equality 2.0 (GE 2.0)” at the Gender Summit 10 in May 2017. GE2.0 advocates that gender equality is not an isolated problem. It is related to other factors, including geography, ethics, culture, age and so on. This means that gender equality is not a problem exclusive to women and girls, but a problem for everyone. Therefore, we want to promote gender equality together with other people in society.

    Many countries have adopted quota systems and affirmative action to promote gender equality. However, these are not popular in Japan. We respect the autonomy of people even in promoting gender equality; this is the Japanese way.

  • What is the biggest lesson you have learned so far in your career?

    • Minorities play an important role in both materials science research and society. In semiconductors, my research showed that dopants are crucial for the electrical devices that are now ubiquitous in modern society. Similarly, minority people can contribute greatly to society, so I am proud to be a minority in the field. In fact, I have been always free and open to new challenges precisely because I have never been part of the majority.

    This article is from a monthly series called Asia’s Scientific Trailblazers. Click here to read other articles in the series.

    Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photo: Miyoko Watanabe.
    Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.



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    George Floyd protests rage for seventh night: Police, protesters clash in Chicago, Seattle; Las Vegas rally starts at Trump International

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    George Floyd protests rage for seventh night: Police, protesters clash in Chicago, Seattle; Las Vegas rally starts at Trump International

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    Friends and family of George Floyd express how they want him to be remembered.

    USA TODAY

    Protests nationwide continued for the seventh day in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis — including peaceful demonstrations in Phoenix and Fort Worth, Texas, among other places — but contentious moments in Los Angeles, Chicago and elsewhere.

    Floyd’s death, ruled a homicide on Monday by a county medical examiner and by an independent autopsy commissioned by Floyd’s family, has sparked outrage nationwide. A bystander’s video that showed now-fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin holding his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes has circulated widely since Floyd’s Memorial Day death. 

    Chavin has since been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, though Floyd’s family wants the former officer charged with first-degree murder. Family attorney Ben Crump on Monday again called for peace. 

    “Let’s remember to take a breath, America,” Crump said. “Let’s take a breath for George. Let’s take breath for peace. Let’s take a breath for justice. Let’s take a breath to heal our country.”

    George Floyd protests: How did we get here?

    Here’s a look at protests from around the nation:

    Phoenix: Officers kneel, crowd disperses minutes before curfew

    Cheers of “thank you” and “take a knee!” rang across the crowd in downtown Phoenix as at least three police officers knelt. Just before Phoenix’s 8 p.m. curfew, protesters had negotiated with police: If officers knelt, they said, then the roughly 100 protesters would disperse to their homes.  

    Police obliged. The crowd applauded.

    “Images like these reflect our willingness to listen and work toward solutions,” Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams tweeted.

    The gesture capped off an early night for Phoenix protests. The crowd was smaller than previous nights, but included at least 100 outside the Phoenix Police Department headquarters and about 100 advocating outside Fourth Avenue Jail for the release of protesters who had been arrested Sunday.

    – Arizona Republic

    Seattle: Police take a knee during protests, later clash with protesters

    A reporter with KIRO-TV in Washington tweeted two vastly different protest scenes Monday night. 

    The first tweet showed two officers taking a knee with protesters in a show of solidarity. The second, posted almost two hours later, showed a massive crowd of protesters on Capitol Hill clashing with police. Law enforcement officers at the scene used tear gas and spray chemical irritants. 

    The Seattle Times reported downtown businesses could be seeing boarding up windows in anticipation of protests potentially turning violent. 

    Police response: Police across US speak out against actions of Minneapolis police in George Floyd’s death

    Cincinnati: Crowds remain after curfew; protesters, reporter detained

    Curfew came and went and the crowds remained. Until they were detained. A SWAT vehicle drove behind a group of demonstrators, who had been marching through the city since 1 p.m., with an officer shouting through a megaphone: “You’re in violation of curfew.”

    At about 8:15 p.m., a group of officers with riot shields marched down the street and began making arrests. Some protesters ran. Others put their hands up.  

    By 10 p.m. local time, streets were largely empty. 

    Patrick Brennan, a Cincinnati Enquirer reporter, was briefly detained by police while covering protests. The Cincinnati Enquirer is part of the USA TODAY Network. Journalists are exempt from the city’s curfew. Brennan was released without being charged. 

    The police department later issued a statement on Twitter saying officers were trying to clear the street while rocks were thrown at them.

    Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said the incident was “a big mistake” in a statement posted on Twitter.

    – Sarah Brookbank, Hannah K. Sparling and Keith BieryGolick, Cincinnati Enquirer

    Louisville, Kentucky: Fire started at site of police shooting of David McAtee

    Protesters are back in the streets of Louisville on a tumultuous Monday that started with law enforcement officials killing West End “community pillar” David McAtee and continued with the firing of the city’s police chief, Steve Conrad.

    Near 11 p.m., a fire was started at Dino’s Food Mart, where McAtee was shot.

    About 100 protesters were at the scene prior to the fire. 

    The fire started before 10:45 p.m. and emergency response teams had swarmed the scene within 5 minutes. A large presence of police and National Guard members were at the site as 11 p.m. approached, with some protesters still in the area holding their ground as well.

    – Lucas Aulbach and Ben Tobin, Louisville Courier Journal

    Chicago: Police, rioters clash on Broadway; National Guard deployed

    Hundreds of Chicago police officers clashed with a small group of young men throwing rocks and pieces of brick on Broadway shortly after the 9 p.m curfew began.

    Glass bottles shattered on the pavement and cinders crunched underfoot as police officers advanced upon the group, quickly dispersing them with the threat of arrest. At least one young man was taken into custody. Another man, Medhi Akbar, said he was knocked over during the scuffle, showing reporters his bloody face.

    Protesters shattered several windows along Broadway as they retreated from police, who refrained from using any chemical dispersants.

    Access to Chicago’s downtown was largely shut down Sunday by authorities after looting and fires in the Loop area, pushing the unrest west and south. 

    Speaking to reporters Monday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot denied that the restrictions and police presence downtown were coming at the expense of other neighborhoods, and promised all areas would be protected equally. 

    Gov. J.B. Pritzker has deployed more than 600 members of the Illinois National Guard to Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

    – Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY

    Las Vegas: Protesters march peacefully from Trump International on the Strip

    Several hundred protesters marched from in front of the Trump International Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, along the still-shuttered casinos toward the courthouse in a Black Lives Matter rally.

    After a short speech a few hours later, a man leading the protest thanked everyone for coming and told everyone to go home. People dispersed. There were police lights flash in the distance, but not an officer in sight.

    Later, however, Las Vegas police engaged a crowd of people with pepper bullets at Fremont and Las Vegas Boulevard. One man was pepper-sprayed: “I can’t breathe,” he’s saying. “I can’t breathe.”

    – Ed Komenda, Reno Gazette Journal

    Fort Worth, Texas: SWAT officers pray with protesters after citywide curfew

    A fourth night of protests in Fort Worth ended peacefully, with police in riot gear kneeling with protesters to pray. The groups remained in dialogue throughout the night, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

    Hundreds of people lingered outside the Tarrant County courthouse after the 8 p.m. citywide curfew. Police cars began to pull up to the protesters 30 minutes after, announcing that the protesters were in violation of the curfew. Many protesters linked arms and refused to move, then knelt and encouraged the officers to do the same, according to the Star-Telegram.

    About 9:30 p.m., Police Chief Ed Kraus and officers in riot gear knelt along with protesters. Shortly after, per Kraus’s order, SWAT officers left and protesters then began leaving.

    “You just showed the nation how to do it,” Kraus shouted. The protest ended with no arrests.

    Kraus had, previously Monday, marched with the protesters, telling the Star-Telegram that organizers have been doing a good job keeping things calm, but outsiders “infiltrated” the protest with a different agenda. 

    – Elinor Aspegren, USA TODAY

    Memphis, Tennessee: Protesters march downtown ahead of curfew

    After five consecutive nights of Memphis residents taking to the streets to oppose police brutality, protesters began another march winding through the city’s downtown.

    A small group of demonstrators approached the justice center and a few began screaming at about two dozen officers in riot gear. A glass entryway separates the group from the officers. A larger group of protesters appeared to be moving off in an effort to deescalate the verbal confrontation. 

    Ahead of the city’s 10 p.m. curfew, some protesters said they were prepared to be arrested. 

    In one scene at Civic Center Plaza, a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper set down his nightstick at the request of the crowd — and apparent urging from a Memphis police officer. Protesters cheered in response before continuing to march.

    – Katherine Burgess, Samuel Hardiman, Desiree Stennett, Sarah Macaraeg and Max Garland, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.)

    Pittsburgh: Peaceful protest ends with tear gas, smoke for ‘bad actors’

    Violence and destruction marred a peaceful protest outside the Target in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood as people took to the streets for a third straight day to protest the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

    Hundreds of protesters marched in the streets of East Liberty for more than two hours, but after the official demonstration ended, destruction began.

    One protester struck the glass at Dollar Bank along Penn Avenue, while others tried to stop him. Protesters were warned to watch out for “bad actors” who might cause destruction.

    Pittsburgh public safety officials said that a splintered group of protesters began throwing items at police and break windows at the intersection of Centre Avenue and Negley Avenue. In response, police deployed tear gas and smoke to disperse the crowd.

    – Daveen Rae Kurutz and Chrissy Suttles, The Beaver County Times

    Los Angeles: Protesters hit Hollywood streets; demonstration ends with arrests

    About 300 Black Lives Matters protesters jammed the corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood under the gaze of Los Angeles police officers and National Guard troops. Splinter groups headed off down Hollywood Boulevard and other major streets as motorists honked in support. The protest ended with arrests.

    Surrounding merchants were busy boarding up their businesses in hopes of repelling looters.

    Later, more than thousand protesters marched through Hollywood in a demonstration that remained peaceful.

    The crowd included a few men in muscle cars airing their stereos and doing burnouts. One man dressed as Jesus Christ, holding a skateboard aloft along with a sign pointing to a passage in Corinthians.

    The crowd took over Sunset and Santa Monica boulevards. One woman was helping to direct cars that inadvertently got stuck among all the marchers. The demonstration ended with police herding protesters into smaller groups. One group of about 30 were lined up against a shuttered office building on Sunset Boulevard and put into plastic handcuffs, awaiting a trip to jail. 

    – Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY

    New York City: Looters break away from peaceful march, smash windows

    As a march with several thousand protesters worked its way toward midtown, a group of several hundred, mostly younger people, broke away and started running downtown.

    Upon reaching 15th Street, the group smashed the windows of a Verizon Store and looted it. Then the group ran to 14th street and looted a Foot Locker — a store that had been boarded up, but to no avail. Soon after, three police cruisers arrived and chased the group east on 14th Street toward Union Square Park.

    ‘We know people are angry and hurting’: 2 New York officers struck by vehicle during George Floyd protests in Buffalo

    In midtown along 5th Avenue, looters were attacking the Microsoft store at 53rd street. They had already ransacked the Coach store on 54th and 5th which was in the process of being boarded up.

    Tony Jaggernath, manager of construction crew, said he arrived at the Coach store at 8 p.m. to put up plywood to protect the first-story windows. But they never got a chance to finish. Soon, looters were upon them, ripping down the plywood and throwing stones through the windows and at Jaggernath.

    “They came by and ripped off the boards right as we were putting them up,” Jaggernath said.

    “We’re not against you, we’re just working here,” Jaggernath said he told the group.

    Just up the street, Madeline Cisneros of The Bronx stood behind a black police van, surrounded by eight police officers. Her hands were ziptied behind her back, and she looked scared. Her friend Morgan Maselli, 29, also of The Bronx, filmed the police officers as she yelled at them.

    “She didn’t do anything! Her backpack is filled with water and bandages! She’s here to help!” Maselli said. “Which of you is the arresting officer? Who’s in charge here? What is she being charged with?”

    The police ignored her.

    – Seth Harrison and Chris Maag, NorthJersey.com and LoHud.com

    Derek Chauvin: Minneapolis police at center of George Floyd’s death had a history of complaints

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    George Floyd protest live updates: Death ruled homicide; crowd tear-gassed near White House; Floyd’s brother pleads for peace

    Washington D.C.: Police use tear gas; Donald Trump talks from Rose Garden

    Law enforcement officers used shields and tear gas to clear the park near the White House of protesters as President Trump prepared to make his comments in the Rose Garden, across the street from the clash. 

    His address in the Rose Garden came as hundreds of protesters surrounded the White House grounds for the fourth day of protests in Washington, D.C.

    Law enforcement officers cleared Lafayette Park with tear gas, rubber bullets, shields and horses. Trump had yet to appear for his comments as the protesters, who at the time were peaceful, were being pushed back. 

    Trump began his comments by pledging to be a “law and order” president as officers continued to push protesters blocks away from where he was standing, using some form of projectiles. Trump announced his plan to “mobilize” federal resources to “stop the fighting and looting”. He said the goal was to “dominate the streets” 

    – Kevin Johnson, Bart Jansen and Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY

    Philadelphia: National Guard arrives; USA TODAY Network reporters detained

    Jeff Neiburg (reporter) and Jenna Miller (video strategist) were detained as they were covering events in Philadelphia for USA TODAY. They were released shortly after 9 p.m.

    They were picked up near city hall along with a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter for a curfew violation. They showed their credentials several times and said they were media. They were detained anyway for about 2 hours on a bus with others picked up for alleged curfew violations. About 9 p.m., police came to the bus and called their names. They will not be charged.

    Protests in Philadelphia resulted in several arrests after hundreds of protesters stormed I-676 and held up traffic before they were met by law enforcement agencies.

    The police appeared to use rubber bullets and sprayed protesters with what appeared to be tear gas to disperse the crowd from the highway.

    The Pennsylvania National Guard was deployed to Philadelphia on Monday after a weekend that saw more than 400 arrests and more than a dozen injured police officers.

    City officials installed a 6 p.m. curfew for the second night in a row.

    – Jeffrey Neiburg, The News Journal

    Asbury Park, New Jersey: Demonstrators pour into the streets 

    More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside a post office in Asbury Park, N.J., near the city’s police station, to denounce Floyd’s death. Activists spoke through a bullhorn on the steps of the post office, demanding change nationally and locally in response to police killings of black people. Demonstrators chanted “No Justice No Peace” and sang renditions of “Amazing Grace” and “Lean on Me.”

    Following the rally, demonstrators poured onto the streets of this seaside city about 50 miles south of New York City.

    – Andrew Goudsward, Asbury Park Press

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    Don Lemon Praises Jimmy Fallon for Being ‘Honest’ About Past Mistakes

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    Don Lemon Praises Jimmy Fallon for Being ‘Honest’ About Past Mistakes


    Don Lemon Praises Jimmy Fallon for Being ‘Honest’ and ‘Brave’ in Monologue Addressing Past Mistakes | Entertainment Tonight


































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    With children infected by coronavirus, Israel fears second wave

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    With children infected by coronavirus, Israel fears second wave

    Jun 2, 2020

    Thousands of students in the towns of Jerusalem, Hadera and Beersheba on June 1 were sent home to isolate after teachers in their schools were diagnosed with the coronavirus. Education Minister Yoav Galant said any school found with active cases of the virus must immediately close down.

    Israel’s health authorities are expressing concern in recent days over a surge in coronavirus infections all across the country, especially in schools and preschools. According to recent data, some 5,000 students, teachers and staff are now isolating at home. Thirteen students and teachers were diagnosed with coronavirus on June 1 alone, making the total number of 155 school and preschool children, and 39 teachers, to be diagnosed with the virus. All in all, the Education Ministry had shuttered seven preschools and six schools.

    Since the pandemic began, 285 people have died of the coronavirus in Israel. But the number of infected cases decreased significantly in May. On May 8, the Health Ministry reported there were fewer than 5,000 people sick with the virus and the number of Israelis recovering from COVID-19 continued to outpace the rate of new infections. Subsequently, the government started easing restrictions. On May 14, the office of the prime minister announced that most of the schools were expected to return to full operation on the week after. Beaches, swimming pools and some restaurants have also reopened recently, and bars will resume activity next week.

    Still, the recent spike in infections indicates that Israelis have dropped too quickly rules of social distancing and other hygiene restrictions. Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on May 31 that the number of new people diagnosed with the coronavirus had risen fivefold on the day before, stating, “[May 30] test results showed positive diagnoses have risen fivefold from 0.5% to 2.5% — 28 positive diagnoses out of 1,012 tests.’’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned subsequently that the coronavirus pandemic has not disappeared, and in the coming days he would reexamine another round of lockdowns.

    In another sign of authorities fearing a second coronavirus wave, the Ministry of Health decided to significantly increase the number of coronavirus tests, reopening four drive-through testing stations across the country.



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    Flex Mami Perfectly Shuts Down Follower Who Accused Her Of Staying Quiet Amid George Floyd Protests

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    Flex Mami Perfectly Shuts Down Follower Who Accused Her Of Staying Quiet Amid George Floyd Protests

    Television host and DJ Lillian Ahenkan (aka Flex Mami) has addressed criticism suggesting she hadn’t spoken up enough about the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of protests following George Floyd’s death in the US.

    The Ghanaian-Australian told her over 74,000 Instagram followers “I don’t just talk about race when it’s trendy” and that “if you ‘need’ me to post links so you’re aware of the problem, you are the problem”.



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    Riverdale actor Cole Sprouse arrested during Black Lives Matter protests in California : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

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    Riverdale actor Cole Sprouse arrested during Black Lives Matter protests in California : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

    The United States of America is facing protests around the country after the death of George Floyd. As #BlackLivesMatter protestors are being detained and arrested, celebrities have joined the protests all over the country and are even donating for the legal funds to help bail them out. During the protests in Santa Monica, California, Riverdale actor Cole Sprouse was arrested.

    “A group of peaceful protesters, myself included, were arrested yesterday in Santa Monica. So before the voracious horde of media sensationalism decides to somehow turn it about me, there’s a clear need to speak about the circumstances: Black Lives Matter. Peace, riots, looting, are an absolutely legitimate form of protest. the media is by nature only going to show the most sensational, which only proves a long standing racist agenda,” Cole Sprouse wrote on Instagram on Monday, June 1.

    “I was detained when standing in solidarity, as were many of the final vanguard within Santa Monica,” he revealed. “We were given the option to leave, and were informed that if we did not retreat, we would be arrested. When many did turn to leave, we found another line of police officers blocking our route, at which point, they started zip tying us. It needs to be stated that as a straight white man, and a public figure, the institutional consequences of my detainment are nothing in comparison to others within the movement.”

    He further said, “This is ABSOLUTELY not a narrative about me, and I hope the media doesn’t make it such. This is, and will be, a time about standing ground near others as a situation escalates, providing educated support, demonstrating and doing the right thing. This is precisely the time to contemplate what it means to stand as an ally. I hope others in my position do as well. I noticed that there are cameras that roll within the police cruisers during the entirety of our detainment, hope it helps.”

    “I’ll speak no more on the subject, as I’m (1) not well versed enough to do so, (2) not the subject of the movement, and (3) uninterested in drawing attention away from the leaders of the #BLM movement. I will be, again, posting the link in my story to a comprehensive document for donations and support,” he signed off.

    For unversed, the US is currently in headlines as citizens of the country are protesting against racial injustice after a man George Floyd was killed by a cop. The cop was arrested and has been charged with third-degree murder. Meanwhile, citizens of the country and in other parts of the world are supporting #BlackLivesMatter protests to speak up against police brutality and end violence and system racism.

     

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    A group of peaceful protesters, myself included, were arrested yesterday in Santa Monica. So before the voracious horde of media sensationalism decides to somehow turn it about me, there’s a clear need to speak about the circumstances: Black Lives Matter. Peace, riots, looting, are an absolutely legitimate form of protest. the media is by nature only going to show the most sensational, which only proves a long standing racist agenda. I was detained when standing in solidarity, as were many of the final vanguard within Santa Monica. We were given the option to leave, and were informed that if we did not retreat, we would be arrested. When many did turn to leave, we found another line of police officers blocking our route, at which point, they started zip tying us. It needs to be stated that as a straight white man, and a public figure, the institutional consequences of my detainment are nothing in comparison to others within the movement. This is ABSOLUTELY not a narrative about me, and I hope the media doesn’t make it such. This is, and will be, a time about standing ground near others as a situation escalates, providing educated support, demonstrating and doing the right thing. This is precisely the time to contemplate what it means to stand as an ally. I hope others in my position do as well. I noticed that there are cameras that roll within the police cruisers during the entirety of our detainment, hope it helps. I’ll speak no more on the subject, as I’m (1) not well versed enough to do so, (2) not the subject of the movement, and (3) uninterested in drawing attention away from the leaders of the #BLM movement. I will be, again, posting the link in my story to a comprehensive document for donations and support.

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    KGF will wait for theatres to open : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

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    KGF will wait for theatres to open : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

    There isn’t a chance in hell for Kannada superstar Yash’s KGF follow-up to release on the OTT platform. A source very close to the project dismisses any chances of a possible anxiety attack regarding the re-opening of theatres.

    “Like the first KGF film, the second one is a big-screen experience. In fact the sequel is much bigger in terms of the scale than the first film. Every component in the follow-up product is many sizes larger-than-life. Given the scale, neither the film’s hero Yash nor the director Prashanth are even considering a digital release. In fact, Yash clearly told a friend that his fans need not worry. The film will release in theatres first, no matter how long it takes. Even if it take months, for theatres to open Yash is in no hurry. He will wait to give his fans the big-screen experience,” says the source.

    In the meantime Yash is enjoying his quarantine time with his wife and two children, making sure to keep in shape for the big hand-to-hand combat with Sanjay Dutt that will be shot once the lockdown is over before the film is complete.

    Also Read: Yash’s character Rocky in KGF Chapter 1 was inspired by all 70’s movies featuring Amitabh Bachchan

    More Pages: K.G.F – Chapter 2 Box Office Collection

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    Nifty Pharma gains 2.5%, crosses 10K mark for the 1st time since Oct 2018

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    Nifty Pharma gains 2.5%, crosses 10K mark for the 1st time since Oct 2018



    Shares of pharmaceutical companies continued their northward journey on Tuesday with Nifty Pharma index crossing 10,000 mark after a gap of 19 months as Aurobindo Pharma, Biocon, Cipla and JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals hit their respective 52-week highs on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).


    Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Cadila Healthcare, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Aurobindo Pharma and Lupin were up in the range of 2 per cent to 5 per cent today.



    The Nifty Pharma index rallied 2.5 per cent during the day to hit a high of 10,047 points, its highest level since October 3, 2018. At 10:45 am, the pharma index was up 1.7 per cent, as compared to a 0.58 per cent rise in the Nifty 50 index. In the past two months, the Nifty Pharma index has zoomed 42 per cent, against a 20 per cent rise in the benchmark index.


    Shares of Aurobindo Pharma hit a 52-week high of Rs 758, up 4.4 per cent ahead of January-March quarter (Q4FY20) earnings on May 3, 2020. The company ranks second in the US generic injectables market in terms of units (eaches) share as of December 2019. It has a comprehensive injectables portfolio (122 filed and 49 pending ANDAs) and is best placed to capitalise on the growth opportunities led by drug shortages and increased demand.


    Additionally, resolution of Unit IV (largest injectables facility) gives confidence on growth as it paves way for future approvals. The pending ANDAs and future filings comprise a bigger share of complex opportunities viz. oncology, hormonal, liposomes, microspheres, depot injectables, peptides which will improve product mix and profitability, analysts at HDFC Securities said in a company update.


    Biocon hit a new high of Rs 396, up 3 per cent, gaining 12 per cent in the past two trading days after its partner Mylan received a favourable ruling from US Patent and Trademark Appeal Board (PTAB) on Sanofi’s four device patents for Lantus SoloSTAR.


    “The favourable ruling strengthens our resolve to provide high-quality, affordable Insulin Glargine to diabetic patients in the US and generate savings for their healthcare system. Our partner’s New Drug Application (NDA) for Semglee is under active review by the US FDA and this favourable ruling further clears the path for the anticipated launch of our Glargine in the U.S. in mid-CY20,” said Dr. Christiane Hamacher, CEO and Managing Director, Biocon Biologics.


    Lupin was up 2.6 per cent at Rs 872 today, after 6 per cent decline in the past four trading days. After three years of earnings decline, analysts at Motilal Oswal Securities expect Lupin’s earnings growth to improve over FY20-22E, based on robust ANDA pipeline (including limited competition products like g-Albuterol/g-Fostair) and sustained outperformance in the domestic formulation (DF) market.


    While valuations are rich, analysts at Emkay Global Financial Services believe that the stock of Lupin has near-term catalysts – gAlbuterol launch/levothyroxine ramp-up and possible plant clearances (Goa/Somerset/Pithampur can boost EPS by 8-10 per cent).



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    Bhumi Pednekar seeks to bring Bollywood together to celebrate World Environment Day : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

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    Bhumi Pednekar seeks to bring Bollywood together to celebrate World Environment Day : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

    Bhumi Pednekar is urging the entire nation to become climate conscious and is looking to bring together the who’s who of the film industry to spread awareness for nature conservation. The versatile actress, who is also a vocal climate activist, runs her own non-profit initiative called Climate Warrior that celebrates real-life heroes working towards climate change and also works as an advocacy platform to engage and rally the youth of the country towards this cause. On this World Environment Day, Bhumi is looking to bring more awareness on this burning issue.

    “Climate change, as a concept, is still not considered as a real issue today by a lot of people. There are such varied and grave climatic issues that are happening across the world which people are not even realising like increase of famines, forest fires, droughts, floods, melting ice caps, sea levels increasing, food and crop getting destroyed, heat waves across countries and continents, etc,” says Bhumi.

    Bhumi says she wants every citizen of the country to become a climate warrior and do their bit for the cause that is threatening our future generations.

    “Climate Warrior is an initiative that is very close to my heart. It aims to focus on awareness building and engaging with the youth across India so that we become more conscious of our climate and environment, to encourage passionate advocacy for its conservation and protection and makes us think towards making environment-friendly life choices,” she says.

    Bhumi adds, “For World Environment Day, Climate Warrior is starting a small campaign – One Wish For The Earth. At this time and in this current scenario, there are many issues that the world is facing as an impact of the climate crisis. What our campaign endeavours to do is get thought leaders from my industry to tell the world what is the ‘one wish they have for the earth’. I can’t wait to share their thoughts to make the Earth a better place. Let’s pledge for climate justice and let’s unite to save our planet.”

    ALSO READ: Bhumi Pednekar calls for celebrating India’s bio-diversity for nature conservation

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