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Microsoft develops ‘virtual commute’ for remote workers amid Covid-19

Pandemic-related burnout and difficulty separating work and personal life has become a surprisingly common concern among Microsoft’s corporate customers, according to Chief Marketing Officer Chris Capossela. “The thing we didn’t predict that we’ve learned is now at the top of customers’ mind is really the well-being of their employees,” he said.

Companies initially worried about employees having the right technology to work from home. “Now it’s getting to be much more about ‘hey how do I know if an employee is burned out, how do I know how they are doing — if they are working too hard?’ All of the things around the emotional well-being or the mental health of employees has risen to the top faster in a way that we didn’t really predict,” he added.

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U.N. aviation agency ICAO advises Pakistan to suspend issuance of new pilot licenses

“Pakistan should improve and strengthen its licensing system to ensure that it takes into account all necessary processes and procedures and prevents inconsistencies and malpractices before new licenses are issued and privileges of suspended licenses are re-established,” said ICAO, in a previously unreported letter to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) last week.

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A fifth of countries worldwide at risk from ecosystem collapse as biodiversity declines, reveals pioneering Swiss Re index

39 countries have ecosystems in a fragile state on more than a
third of their land – Malta, Israel, Cyprus, Bahrain and Kazakhstan
have the lowest Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (BES) ranking
• 55% of global GDP depends on high-functioning BES
• Major economies in Southeast Asia, Europe and the US exposed to
BES decline
Christian Mumenthaler, Swiss Re’s Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “There is a clear need to assess the state of ecosystems so that the global community can minimise further negative impact on economies across the world. This important piece of work provides a data-driven foundation for understanding the economic risks of deteriorating biodiversity and ecosystems. In turn, we can inform governmental decision-making to help improve ecosystem restoration and preservation. We can also support corporations and investors as they fortify themselves against environmental shocks. Armed with this information, we can also ensure the provision of stronger sustainable insurance services.“

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1/3rd of UK’s medium-sized businesses likely to purchase cyber insurance since COVID-19 outbreak:GlobalData

“Fraudsters have capitalized on employees working from home – with phishing scams, in particular, on the rise – preying on fears surrounding the pandemic such as using COVID-19-based hooks in phishing emails. Employees who are out of the office and away from colleagues are more at risk as they are less able to check the validity.”

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Tel Aviv to become first city with electric roads that charge public buses

“Energy is transferred from the electricity grid to the road infrastructure and manages communication with the approaching vehicles,” according to the company’s website.
The electric roads are part of a pilot program led by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality in collaboration with ElectReon, a company developing a system that can charge electric vehicles while they are moving, and Dan Bus Company. The project is being funded by a combination of government and private funds, according to a spokesperson for ElectReon, though a full budget has not been released.

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