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Oh, my. Who knew that Coca-Cola has an Institute of Happiness in Madrid, where the beverage apparently scores high among Spaniards for making them so happy. (So much for that fabulous jambon and Tempranillo, huh?)
Amid the controversy in Bhutan that the ministers travel too much and rack up big plane ticket bills, here’s news of where the Prime Minister has been lately. Since Bhutan’s got a growing obesity problem, I wonder what he thinks about supporting the purveyor of one of the main culprits? According to this story, he seems to be happy with Coke’s “social responsibility.”
Thanks to Ralph for sending this from the FT.
Bhutan and Coke join hands for happiness
By Victor Mallet in Madrid
Published: October 22 2010 18:52 | Last updated: October 22 2010 18:52
The pursuit of gross national happiness as a measure of progress has been given a fillip by the world’s economic crisis, according to the prime minister of Bhutan, the landlocked Himalayan kingdom that launched the idea in the 1970s.
“Globally, the interest is growing, especially as a consequence of the economic downturn,” Jigme Thinley told the Financial Times, citing Japan and the US as nations where the concept was making headway.
He was in Spain to address the first Happiness Congress organised by the hitherto obscure Coca-Cola Institute of Happiness in Madrid. Mr Thinley told a packed theatre that humanity was heading for self-destruction in “a downward spiral of de-civilisation”.
“I’m so sorry I have to sound so serious talking about happiness,” said Mr Thinley. “But happiness is a very serious business.”
Various governments and prominent economists, including Richard Layard, of the London School of Economics, have sought to promote non-traditional measures of progress in recent years, arguing that the use of gross domestic product favours pointless consumerism over social well-being and environmental sustainability.
Two years ago, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France asked Joseph Stiglitz, Amartya Sen and Jean-Paul Fitoussi to set up what became the Commission on the measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress. It produced a report last year with 12 recommendations for improving the way progress was assessed.
Mr Thinley was asked if it was perverse to promote an alternative vision of society at an event organised by a gigantic consumer goods company.
He replied that Coca-Cola was not founded on altruism, but the world’s biggest soft drinks group was showing “social responsibility” by supporting the debate.
Coca-Cola in Spain acknowledges that the Institute of Happiness was established three years ago as a marketing tool after a consumer survey found Coke to be the brand most closely associated by Spaniards with happiness.
However, company executives point out that the proceeds of the two-day conference – addressed by doctors, philosophers and Edurne Pasaban, the record-breaking mountaineer – will go to a children’s charity.
Mr Thinley, a Buddhist, gave a keynote speech on “happiness in difficult times”, saying the economic crisis had made people more contemplative and humble, while showing that many of the supposed financial achievements of recent years had been illusory.
“Our economic models are greatly, deeply flawed,” he said. “They are not sustainable.”
Bhutan has been a constitutional monarchy since elections in 2007 and 2008. But critics say it remains a paternalistic state and the authorities are accused of persecuting ethnic Nepalese and forcing thousands to flee.
Mr Thinley rejected the suggestion that Bhutan was a mountain version of authoritarian Singapore.
“When we say happiness, it has got nothing to do with the government telling people to be happy or telling them how to be happy,” he told the Financial Times.
“It’s not distributing happiness or conditioning the minds of the people, it’s simply facilitating that pursuit,” he added.


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Washington D.C. The Commerce Department reported Friday that consumer spending dropped by 0.3% in September, the biggest setback since June 2004. It followed two months in which spending was flat and left activity for the quarter falling by the biggest amount in 28 years.
The weakness in consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of total economic activity, dragged the overall economy down in the third quarter.
The gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic health, also fell by 0.3% in the third quarter, the strongest signal yet that the country has fallen into a recession.
In a separate report, the Labor Department on Friday said the wages and benefits of U.S. workers rose by a moderate 0.7% in the third quarter, the same increase as in the previous two quarters. The report provided more evidence that the weak economy is keeping a lid on wage pressures.

domain: news


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Famed lubricant manufacturer WD-40 is featured in this weekend's Barron's, which examines the company's growing use of its distribution channels to push a broadening range of products.
Traditionally, the company's stock paid a high dividend, Barron's pointed out, but has been cut by 20 percent as the company pays down debt to cover acquisitions.
Currently, WD-40 sales account for about half of revenue, the report said. The company's grab of more household product brands is seen by some as a burden on the firm's operations, Barron's noted, though WD-40 has cleaned up sales of recently acquired Lava Brands, for example.
Shares of WD-40 WDFC, +1.33% ended Friday down 7 cents to $22.53.


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There are no Dow stocks hitting 52 week highs. There are no Dow stock 52 week lows.
Premarket today, the Dow was indicated to open down -103 points.
Tuesday the Dow was down -473.66 (-1.36%) at 34,269.16.
Year-to-date the Dow is up +11.97%.
There were 2 Dow stocks up Tuesday.
The Dow stock winners Tuesday were Salesforce (CRM) 215.56 (+0.78%) and Nike (NKE) 137.12 (+0.53%).
The Dow stock losers Tuesday were led by Travelers (TRV) 156.69 (-3.08%), Home Depot (HD) 330.66 (-3.07%), American Express (AXP) 154.43 and Chevron (CVX) 106.70 (-2.62%).
Inflation accelerated at its fastest pace since 2008 last month with the Consumer Price Index spiking 4.2% from a year ago, compared to estimates for a 3.6% increase. The monthly gain was 0.8%, versus an expected 0.2%.
European stocks are mostly higher and Asian markets ended mostly higher.
The national average price of gasoline is up 2.3 cents at $3.008 per gallon.
Disney (DIS) reports earnings on 5/13/2021 after the market close.
Home Depot (HD) reports earnings on 5/18/2021 before the market open.
Walmart (WMT) reports earnings on 5/18/2021 before the market open.
Cisco (CSCO) reports earnings on 5/19/2021 after the market close.
Today’s Featured Dow Stock
Disney (DIS) 181.67 (-1.43%) is up +0.02% in 2021.
8:30 AM ET CPI
10:30 AM ET EIA Petroleum Status Report
10:45 AM ET Atlanta Fed Business Inflation Expectations
1:00 PM ET 10-Yr Note Auction
2:00 PM ET Treasury Statement


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REI said it plans to eliminate 61 full-time jobs, mostly at its Kent, WA headquarters and Sumner, WA distribution center, due to a “significant business slowdown in the final months of 2008 and continued projected weakness in 2009.”
REI reported sales rose 6.9% to $1.4 billion in 2008. The co-op's direct sales channel, which includes online and catalog sales, grew by 14.2% while comp store sales increased by 0.3% in 2008.
The co-op's operating income for 2008 decreased 31.0% to $73.6 million from $106.5 million in the prior year due to the “challenging economic climate.” Net income tumbled 65.0% to $14.5 million for 2008, compared to $41.4 million in 2007.
“REI posted positive results for the year because of [a] strong performance prior to the fourth quarter,” said Sally Jewell, REI's president and CEO. “November and December were very challenging months and our business plan for 2009 is generally flat to last year. While we are financially strong and free of the debt that has challenged so many businesses, we must plan accordingly to this drop in customer demand. This unfortunately means that we must reduce expenses and staffing to align with projected lower sales and workload demands.”
REI said the elimination of the full-time jobs represents less than 2.0% of its full-time workforce. The positions are primarily located in its Kent, WA-based headquarters, and the Sumner, WA distribution center. In addition, a number of part-time, hourly positions were eliminated on a store-by-store basis in about half of the company's 105 retail stores and in the Sumner distribution center.
REI also is deferring pay raises for headquarters and management staff, letting job openings go unfilled except for those considered “critical,” and delaying or eliminating some projects and programs. Laid-off employees are expected to get severance pay, help finding other jobs, and two years of access to the retailer's employee assistance program.
In an e-mail to employees, Jewell said, “We are projecting essentially no growth in 2009, yet our expenses as a company continue to grow.” She indicated that the company's Board of Directors “has faith in the long-term strength of REI” and had agreed to allow the company to operate in 2009 with a reduced level of profitability “during this tough economy.”
REI said that based on the co-ops 2008 sales, $72.7 million in patronage refunds
will be distributed to 3.7 million active co-op members.


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Filed under: Laptopsrumored for quite a while now, will only last for a limited time -- OLPC News has it on good authority the promo will go for two weeks, and the machines will ship to your door in time for Christmas -- but it's never to early or late to donate toward the project in general. $200 will build and ship a laptop to one of those millions of kids who totally needed to be playing Doom yesterday.
Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
A successful [software] tool is one that was used to do something undreamed of by its author. -- S. C. Johnson


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Congressional actions to legalize hemp signifies the Idaho Legislature and Gov. Brad Little will have great cause to face the nation’s cannabis coverage this winter. And it could not have come at a better time: Idaho currently finds itself surrounded on either side by lawful bud in 1 form or another. Utah has enacted medical marijuana laws. Residents of this Oregon city of Ontario simply voted to permit recreational marijuana, meaning each city on Idaho’s western border is only a heartbeat away from boatloads of authorized marijuana.
For this writing, President Trump is expected to sign the $867 billion farm bill which includes agriculture subsidies along with the national government’s food stamp plan. Also within the bill are provisions end the mistaken addition of hemp using the misguided and harmful War on drugs. The national laws make a regulatory framework for most countries that permit hemp farming, which is legal in all but nine states.
Idaho is the sole hemp-prohibiting western country. Therefore, if Idaho farmers wish to gain from the new national legislation, Idaho lawmakers will need to upgrade its own no-tolerance coverage for THC, the substance in cannabis which receives a individual high. Hemp has minuscule quantities, which makes it useless from the illegal drug trade, but helpful for a whole lot of different programs, such as food and fabrics.
Idaho’s drug laws are so strict a set of truck drivers had been arrested in Boise for hauling hemp out of an authorized hemp farm in Colorado into a lawful farm in Oregon. Based on news reports, the two guys are law-abiding men and women, in their 20s, who face felonies that carry mandatory prison time under Idaho’s drug trafficking statute.
Idaho could readily integrate the farm bill provisions into legislation, which might be valuable to Idaho’s ag business. Legislators may try again to legalize any merchandise comprising cannabidiol (CBD) oil. The CBD course was tried twice, with no success. Lawmakers may also look at wider choices, such as decriminalization for marijuana possession or allowing medical marijuana.
The purpose is, using a national ag policy which enables hemp, a fresh Idaho governor and a fresh state Legislature, this is the best time to have a deep dialogue about, and also to do it on, our nation’s cannabis policy. We should be asking: what’s the outcome we seek, and what exactly do our existing drug legislation get us? Why should bark growing continue to get prohibited? Can we really wish to detain, prosecute and jail truck drivers, in this circumstance, for hauling a benign hemp plant from Point A to Point B? Can we actually want grandmother to face jail time for using marijuana as a portion of her arthritis therapy? Is it truly necessary for the well-being of the nation to criminalize a mother’s buy of CBD oil to take care of her kid’s intractable epilepsy?
There is a side benefit of elected officials asking tough questions: ” It might spare additional truck drivers innocently hauling hemp throughout the country from confronting tough time behind bars in Idaho. Further, authorities could devote their time catching thieves, rapists, and murderers. Court system resources might be discharged to convict such offenders. And taxpayers may be spared the cost of incarcerating individuals that are simply engaged in peaceful, voluntary and fair pursuits.
New Poll Gets Public Support for FSA regulation on CBD
A recent YouGov poll issued by The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry or The ACI has shown overwhelming support regarding the UK’s Food and Standard Agency (FSA) guidance on cannabidiol regulation.
The ACI collaborated with YouGov to commission a poll that demonstrated strong public acceptance of the CBD regulation set forth by the FSA. The survey provided insight into the UK’s usage and awareness of CBD, revealing that 71% of the participants know about CBD, while 16% have bought a CBD product.
ACI Pharmacy Lead Dr. Andy Yates stated the YouGov poll revealed the public are aware of the current CBD regulation and are willing to support future developments by the FSA regarding new measures in the sale and use of the product.
The UK’s CBD regulation
The FSA conducted a review of various CBD products and discovered possible adverse effects on the health of a person consuming the said substance. It ordered businesses to disclose more information about their CBD products and what they contain. CBD businesses only have until March 31, 2021, to comply with the directive.
Advice on CBD safety for vulnerable groups was also given by the FSA, which includes pregnant women. These individuals are warned against taking CBD products. It also strongly suggested a daily limit of 70mg of CBD for healthy adults.
Asked about their level of support, the participants responded positively to the FSA’s decision. An overwhelming 74% of them welcome guidance, while only 8% are opposed to it.
There were 2065 respondents weighted to signify British adults 18 years and above.
However, CBD consumer confidence is a different story. Only 29% of participants are confident that cannabidiol products in the market are tested and labeled correctly. In comparison, 45% said they don’t wholly trust CBD products to have the right information and testing.
Legal & sustainable CBD
The Global CBD Summit is set to take place on March 16-17 in London, where The ACI will stand as a diamond sponsor.
The ACI Founder Steve Moore will be tackling about the association’s vision to make CBD legal and sustainable, which highlights consumer safety as a priority in his upcoming keynote address.
The ACI Regulatory Lead Dr. Parveen Bhatarah will then run a roundtable discussion that will talk about the association’s activities to make the vision a reality.
Dr. Bhatarah stated the regulatory clarity provided by The ACI’s recent statement would be the basis for a trustworthy and legal CBD sector in the UK. She mentioned the public’s positive reception of the FSA guidance denotes the need for leadership as the demand for CBD keeps rising.
CBD has been designated as a “novel food” since January 2019. It previously followed the EU guideline on Novel Food Regulations wherein food items without consumption history before May 1997 will be subjected to auditing before they can be marketed.
The Center for Medical Cannabis (CMC) trialed thirty CBD oil products in the UK. The tests revealed that more than one-third have only less than half of the claimed CBD content. One CBD oil did not have any cannabidiol at all.
CBD Sellers Say New CBD Law Protects Consumers
Cannabidiol (CBD) sellers from Long Island believe that the new state law signed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will defend consumers from dangerous products by aiding them in making informed choices and purchases.
Users laud CBD for being a therapeutic reliever for anxiety or pain without the psychoactive effect that its cousin marijuana causes.
The legislation passed last December require hemp businesses to test their products and label them appropriately. It also created a state-permitting process for hemp growers, processors, retailers and companies that are planning to sell hemp extracts and other hemp-related products like CBD.
CBD oil and cream are found by users to help in promoting sleep, aside from its alleged pain-relieving properties. However, there is little scientific research to back the claims made by consumers.
The new CBD state law
The newly signed measure allows the Department of Agriculture and Markets management over hemp cultivation, while the Department of Health has direct supervision over hemp extracts. The law will take effect on March 9, after 90 days following the signing of the bill last December 9.
The new legislation does not affect licensed hemp growers immediately. It also does not alter the state policy that prohibits the infusion of cannabidiol to food and beverages, according to a Department of Agriculture spokesperson.
Shop owner Jessica Naissant who sells locally manufactured CBD products like oils, soaps, lotions, and candles fully supports the new law. She believes that CBD is only a micro-dose of cannabis, which means that it does not cause a high that is a widely known effect of marijuana. She further stated that consumers need to know that the CBD products they buy are safe and from credible sources.
Naissant has the company’s products like topicals and oils independently verified by a third-party laboratory. Her shop only stocks CBD products that come with a certificate of analysis, which shows how much CBD is incorporated into the product.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given caution to buyers in September about CBD products that were falsely labeled and contained more or less of what the product claims to have. It was after the agency found out through tests conducted on several products sold in the market today.
Concerns from the market players
Despite the law, some market players worry that the cost of securing permits and tests will block small businesses from successfully entering the industry.
Cuomo’s office stated that the cost of securing state permits is not yet decided. In a statement made by the governor, the state is planning to hold a hemp summit to discuss priorities and policies regarding the CBD industry, which will likely happen in January.
CBD manufacturing company owner and CEO Craig Zaffe said that the law would benefit both sellers and consumers. Zaffe is also the owner of an online CBD retailer, CBDoilsofLongIsland.com. He stated that there are numerous cannabidiol products in the market, but many of them are falsely labeled. Some have misrepresented CBD levels.
Zaffe remarked that credible companies that take the time and effort to produce legitimate products that don’t cut corners are on the losing end of the current market condition. Consumers are also in danger of buying harmful CBD products because of no standard vets for product quality.
ACD Health and Wellness, Zaffe’s company, enlists Colorado-based Botanacor CBD testing laboratory for its products and commissions Oregon farms as its hemp source. Its customers can access lab reports upon request.
Zaffe believes that succeeding in the industry means caring for the people and being ahead of regulations.
Former NBA Player Pushes for Lawful CBD Use in the League
Al Harrington, a former NBA player, attended the Las Vegas MJBizCon, the biggest convention for US cannabis trade, expressed his firm belief that cannabis is a healthy medical option for professional athletes.
Advocates like Harrington have been pushing for leagues to allow cannabis use. As a response, Major League Baseball has recently announced that it will stop testing in the minor leagues for marijuana use.
Harrington’s CBD advocacy
Harrington is the founder of Viola, a cannabis company championing for the use of cannabis to alleviate pain, among other alleged therapeutic benefits. He stated that a player’s day-to-day pain management problems could be answered by cannabis.
He also added that the use of natural options is nowhere near dangerous compared to prescribed pain relievers and opioids after surgery, which are addictive.
Recreational marijuana is now lawful in 11 states, including D.C., and medical marijuana is allowed in 33 states. Harrington, a pro-marijuana advocate, trusts the less psychoactive cannabidiol or CBD will be easier to accept by the NBA.
Harrington along with co-founders Sanford Kunkel, ex-physician of the Indiana Pacers and Joe Abunassar, NBA trainer, established Harrington Wellness. The brand features hemp-derived CBD that has less than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the compound responsible for the high in marijuana.
Harrington believes that 90% of NBA players support cannabis and would be the backing they need to reach their goals. He relayed how cannabis helped him walk pain-free after undergoing 13 surgeries during his 16-year career. After retiring in 2014, he considered coaching but ultimately felt that founding a cannabis company was his calling.
An open secret
Michele Roberts, National Basketball Players Association executive director, sees a policy change in the league following the upcoming presidential elections. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has also relayed the willingness of the league to reevaluate the ban after reviewing medical marijuana. The NBPA Anti-Drug Program currently bans CBD and other marijuana-related products.
Antonio Harvey, a former NBA player, reaffirms that players don’t use cannabis because of its addicting property. He said athletes typically use it to cope with pain from playing the sport. Harvey now has his cannabis company, Terra Mater Cannabis.
Harrington was introduced to CBD back in 2012 and later used THC, for which he was open about smoking weed up to his final career year. He even had a cannabis greenhouse in Denver.
Isaiah Thomas, a Wizards guard, stated that players using cannabis isn’t a secret even if he does not use it himself. He said that other players talk about using it all the time. Even GSW Coach Steve Kerr also claimed to have smoked marijuana two times for extreme back pain.
Harvey has already secured 17 endorsement commitments from other retired athletes for his edible THC-dosed product, Legend.
Harrington has been in talks with NBPA regarding a possible team-up with his cannabidiol brand. Roberts is aware of the trend and sees the league be more amenable to CBD, which does not violate federal laws.
Roberts stated that the league and NBPA are on the same page regarding the amendment of current rules on cannabis. There is no aversion, Roberts adds, but the need to eliminate the possibility of jeopardizing the players.
Then secretary-general Jeff Sessions rescinded a policy discouraging prosecutors from interfering in states where marijuana was legal. The impending threat from the Justice Department has shelved the talks in the league regarding the removal of the cannabis ban. Roberts pointed out that the decision to stop testing for marijuana might progress, but it will not be anytime soon.
Medical professionals acknowledge CBD as a pain management option other than opioids. The most recent fatal opioid overdose incident happened earlier this year when Tyler Skaggs, 27-year-old Los Angeles pitcher, died from oxycodone and fentanyl. CBD, on the other hand, is not addictive.
Peter Grinspoon, Harvard Medical School faculty associate and Doctor for Cannabis Regulation board member, stated how CBD should be allowed for athletes since it is a safe alternative than the “junk” the players typically use.
However, CBD is yet to be officially recognized by the FDA as a treatment for many health conditions.
Harrington still believes that the partnerships he builds with outspoken players from the four major leagues can change the sport and lives of the athletes.
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The 2023 farm bill should gradually scale up federal funding for organic agriculture research and extension to $100 million a year, said the National Organic Coalition on Tuesday. The alliance of farm, environment and consumer groups also said the USDA should dedicate $75 million a year to developing seeds and animal breeds that are adapted to regional climates and soils.
For the first time, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in Minnesota, the top turkey-producing state in the nation, said agricultural officials over the weekend. Some 14.6 million birds in domestic flocks have died of HPAI or in culling of infected herds to reduce the spread of the viral disease this year.
The United States will launch a "coalition for productivity growth" to promote the use of high-tech tools such as gene editing and precision agriculture to build a more sustainable food system, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday. The coalition would stand in contrast to the EU's Farm to Fork Strategy of greatly reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides and putting 25 percent of European farmland into organic production.
Americans bought a record $56.5 billion of organic food last year, an increase of nearly 13 percent from 2019, as shoppers flooded grocery stores due to stay-at-home orders during the pandemic, said a survey released on Tuesday by the Organic Trade Association. Certified organic food accounted …
It's not well known, but organic farmers – like their conventional farming neighbors – depend on plastic to grow a lot of produce. "It's spread over the ground as a form of mulch to suppress weeds, conserve water and aid plant growth," reports Lisa Elaine Held in FERN's latest story, produced in collaboration with NPR's The Salt.
Farmworkers face the greatest risk of adverse health effects from exposure to pesticides, says a report released today by the nonprofit Organic Center, which studies the environmental and health effects of organic food and farming.
Americans purchased a record $45.2 billion worth of organic food last year - half of it in fruit, vegetables, dairy and eggs - as organics took a still-larger share of U.S. spending on food, said a survey commissioned by the Organic Trade Association. Sales of organic food more than doubled in the past decade and now account for 5.5 percent of grocery sales.
As the National Organic Standards Board opened its semi-annual meeting this week, the USDA announced two appointments to the group’s 15-member board.
Two months after an advisory board voted to deny organic certification to aeroponic agriculture, the USDA said aeroponic crops remain eligible for the organic seal. "USDA will consider this [advisory] recommendation; aeroponics remains allowed during this review," said the Agricultural Marketing Service in a bulletin to organic growers.
Eleven months into the Trump administration, the Agriculture Department decided it lacks statutory authority to implement the livestock welfare rules that is wrote for organic farmers, and will announce today that it is killing the regulation. Groups representing conventional agriculture cheered the decision, which was disclosed at the end of last week, while the organic industry and its allies in Congress said USDA disregarded public sentiment and "could damage a marketplace that is giving American farmers a profitable alternative."
With demand for organic food outrunning U.S. production, state agriculture departments frequently have too little money and limited expertise to help the sector grow, says a report by the Berkeley Food Institute. It recommends states dedicate more money and personnel "to keep up with the growing organic market" and include organic agriculture in "state pride" programs that trumpet local products.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa, a Republican representing Northern California's first district, joined a bipartisan effort to increase funding for the USDA Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI). The bill, originally sponsored by Reps. Chellie Pingree of Maine, Dan Newhouse of Washington, and Jimmy Panetta of California, seeks to renew OREI and increase its funding to $50 million per year.
The booming U.S. demand for organic food is fueling a rapid expansion at the ground level, with more farms turning organic and growers devoting more land to feedstuffs for organic cattle and poultry, says Mercaris, which monitors the sustainable agriculture sector. "We look forward to seeing imports edge downward in coming years" as domestic corn and soybean production increases.
Research by Northeastern University indicates soil on organic farms contains more of a key component for sequestering carbon than soils on other farms, said the Organic Trade Association. The trade group said the study, which compared samples of soil from across the country, "provides a significant proof point that organic agricultural practices build healthy soils and can be part of the solution in the fight on global warming."
The tech-investment firm SoftBank Vision Fund says it will spend $200 million to help the indoor farming startup Plenty expand around the globe. Currently the company has two farms, one in San Francisco and another in Laramie, Wyoming, but it wants to scale up, tapping into population centers around the world.
At a hearing to gather ideas for the 2018 farm bill, Senate Agriculture chairman Pat Roberts hinted at an overhaul of organic agriculture regulations, citing “uncertainty and dysfunction” at the National Organic Standards Board, which advises the USDA on what should be allowed in organic production.
Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree, with firsthand experience as an organic farmer, says the Trump administration’s proposals to cut USDA funding for organic agriculture programs “seem especially foolish and shortsighted” and that the integrity of the USDA “certified organic” seal must be protected.
Funding would more than double, to $50 million a year, for research to boost organic agricultural production under a bill proposed by three members of the U.S. House of Representatives.


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Xiaomi on Friday announced its Mi Box 4K streaming device for Rs 3,499 with direct access to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The device runs on Android 9 and is powered by a 2Ghz quad core processor, Mali 450 GPU, 2GB of DDR3 RAM and 8GB of eMMC storage. Xiaomi said that the device supports 4K resolution and HDR10 video along with support for Dolby audio. The device would have multiple connectivity options including USB 2.0 and HDMI 2.0 ports along with Bluetooth 4.2 and a digital out port for connecting to external speakers.
Xiaomi Mi Box 4K Features Data Saver
Raghu Reddy, chief business officer for Xiaomi India said that the Mi Box 4K is preloaded with several “favourite” apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and YouTube.
“The Mi Box 4K works with any kind of TV that you might have [as] it works with HD TVs or a full HD TV or a 4K TV,” Reddy said in the virtual launch event of Xiaomi on Friday. “With Netflix and Prime Video offering more and more titles on 4K, we believe going forward a lot of content would be on 4K. With the Mi Box 4K, your content consumption is future proof.”
The device has Chromecast built-in that enables users to cast or mirror any device including smartphone or a tablet onto the TV. The Mi Box 4K also has Google Assistant built-in and that enables users to search and discover content using their voice.
Reddy said that Mi Box 4K would be the first Android streaming device to support Data Saver feature that enables users to watch three times more video for the same amount of data as single video. Further, Reddy said that the device sends frequent notifications to users over their data consumption while also enabling users to cast local content onto TV without using WiFi. Xiaomi noted that the Data Saver feature would be enabled through an OTA update.
Xiaomi Targets Fire TV with Mi Box 4K
The company said that the device powered by Android supports over 5000 apps on the Play Store. Xiaomi in its virtual launch event compared the Mi Box 4K with the Fire TV with the company highlighting the processor, connectivity options and support for more apps.
The company said that the Mi Box 4K returned a single core Geekbench score of 640 with the multi core score being 1752. Meanwhile, the Fire TV with a 1.3 Ghz quad core processor and support up to 1080P resolution returned Geekbench scores of 430 on single core and 1100 on multi core. Similarly, the Fire TV 4K with 1.7 Ghz quad core processor returned Geekbench scores of 691 on single core and 1910 on multi core. However, Xiaomi highlighted that the Fire TV has support for “limited apps” and does not support Chromecast.
The Mi Box 4K is priced at Rs 3,499 while the Fire TV is available for Rs 3,999. Further, the higher specced Fire TV 4K that supports HDR10+ video is priced at Rs 5,999.
Xiaomi said that the company is also introducing multiple offers for the early buyers of Mi Box 4K with deals from its content partners including DocuBay, EPIC On, Hoichoi, Shemaroo. As of press time on Friday, Xiaomi hasn’t specified the nature of these content offers.
The Mi Box 4K is said to be available from 12 PM on May 11 with Xiaomi selling the device on multiple platforms including Mi.com, Flipkart, Mi Home and Mi Studio. The company said that the Mi Box 4K would “soon” be available with various offline retailers.
Xiaomi Introduces Mi True Wireless Earphones 2
Additionally, Xiaomi also introduced Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 that is said to be “artfully tuned for India.” The company said that its second generation Mi True Wireless Earphones delivers “immersive high definition audio” with support for Low Latency High Definition Audio Codec (LHDC).
The device is said to offer “uncompromised call clarity” by suppressing “90% environmental noise.” The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 is said to deliver up to 14 hours of battery life with multiple additional charges in the case. The device on a single charge is said to offer up to 4 hours of listening time.
Xiaomi said that the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 would be available for a price of Rs 4499. However, the company is offering the device at a special price for Rs 3999 for those users who purchase the device between May 12 and May 17. Xiaomi said that the device would be available on Mi.com and Mi Home Amazon.


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Inflation may be descending elsewhere in the economy, but airfare (much like our flight puns in this story) is still flying high with no sign of landing any time soon.
Driving the news: Flight ticket prices are up 27.4% from last year, according to a Financial Times analysis of 600 of the world’s most popular routes.
- In contrast, the Consumer Price Index showed prices across the economy increasing 4.3% year-over-year in March.
Why it’s happening: People really want to travel, and they’re willing to pay big bucks for the privilege. Airlines, as you’d expect, are happy to oblige.
- Part of the increase in prices is a factor of airlines passing on higher costs of fuel and labour to customers, but much of it is supply and demand in action.
- That’s showing up on airlines’ balance sheet: American Airlines reported record revenue in the first quarter of the year and Air Canada upgraded its forecast ahead of its earnings report this week.
Yes, but: Airlines may be charging more, but there are still questions as to whether they’re prepared for the busy summer travel season
- There are still lingering shortages of pilots, air traffic controllers, and other critical workers across the sector.
- “Unless [the airlines] reduce their schedule, I do not foresee us having enough pilots for the summer,” an Air Line Pilots Association union leader told The Globe & Mail.
Bottom line: Travellers may tolerate higher prices, but another summer of airport chaos, lost luggage, and sitting on the tarmac for hours could finally dent Canadians’ post-pandemic wanderlust.


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Zebec Protocol, a platform on the Solana blockchains that allows users to send and receive payments, has raised $28 million between public and private sales to launch its ZBC token.
The core Zebec payroll product allows workers to be paid by the second in USDC and other stablecoins.
The $21 million private sale investors included Circle, Coinbase, Solana Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Alameda Research. The $7 million public sale in partnership with Republic was priced at the same $0.021 price per token as the public sale.
“A public sale is not a capital-generating event,” Zebec founder Sam Thapaliya told CoinDesk in an interview, explaining the equal pricing. “Public sales should not be a way for private investors to have these unrealized gains. Rather, it should be more of a community-generating event. Crypto is all about being able to give access to the public, the same access that private investors are able to get.”
The ZBC tokens were released instantly to buyers and available to trade on various exchanges. ZBC will serve as a governance token for the Zebec decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Zebec also plans to introduce staking rewards for holders and incentives for developers building on the platform. Holders who stake ZBC will soon be able to list the tokens on a Solana-based Zebec debit card.
“[The token sale] allows us to give some form of governance to the community. It means, all of a sudden, you have hundreds of people who are actually going to be able to have a say in how the protocol performs. It means now you have people with vested interest,” Thapaliya said.
CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


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The study found a split between news-affiliated channels and independent personalitiesRead more...
Demonstrating the versatility of the PayNearMe platform, the company launches four new initiatives
PayNearMe, the cash payment solution that allows users to make online transactions with cash, is announcing a bundle of new initiatives today, and what they all point to is the versatility of PayNearMe’s platform, which seems to be brimming with endless possibilities.
Among the new initiatives is a service that allows users to purchase transportation tickets online and pay in cash for their ticket. PayNearMe has partnered with Greyhound Lines to allow users to book their travel online, print out a slip with a barcode, which they present at their nearby 7-Eleven, complete the transaction in cash, and receive a ticket printed directly on their receipt. Or, alternatively, transportation companies can distribute PayNearMe-powered cards that customers can pick up directly in the 7-Eleven. Customers can then call the number on the card to speak with a customer service representative, read their card number to the agent, and book their trip.
In addition to its new transportation ticketing service, PayNearMe is also debuting a new bill pay service that lets users pay their utility bills in cash (see the image above). Some 10% of utility bills are paid in cash or money orders, and some $338 billion in bill payments is done in cash or money orders each year. PayNearMe has teamed up with InfoSend, a billing aggregator that represents over 200 municipal utilities organizations, to launch the service, which will allow customers to pay with cash by embedding a barcode into each printed bill. Customers can then take their bills directly to their friendly neighborhood 7-Eleven, pay with cash, and the biller is notified in real-time that the funds have been received
Along with that, PayNearMe is also launching a new money transfer service that will allow users to initiate a money transfer using their mobile phone and complete the transaction in cash at a nearby 7-Eleven. PayNearMe has partnered with Ria Financial, the third largest money transfer service after Western Union and Moneygram, to launch the service, which can send money to 134 countries. Currently, Ria partners with local bodegas to allow customers to send money by paying at the cash register, but by partnering with PayNearMe, Ria automatically has a nationwide footprint among over 5,000 participating 7-Elevens.
And finally, PayNearMe is also launching a new value remittance service that will allow users to add minutes to friends and relatives’ mobile phones anywhere in the world. PayNearMe CEO Danny Shader explained to me: “If you’re one of the major mobile operators, you have no problem getting your scratch off card on the shelf at 7-Eleven, but if you’re a smaller operator, you have no chance of getting distribution.” PayNearMe has teamed up with Sochitel, a provider of value remittances and a distribution partner for MTN, the largest operator in Africa and the Middle East, to allow customers to pay in cash at a 7-Eleven to top-up another’s overseas mobile phone account.
So clearly, given these four new announcements that have all rolled out on Tuesday morning, PayNearMe is quite the busy little bee these days. Of course, having interviewed Danny Shader earlier this year, he definitely strikes me as the type of guy who thrives on this kind of chaotic workload. But why all of the hullaballoo all at once? “This is a platform that can be used in many, many different ways,” he told me. “We have a lot more stuff coming.”
Like, perhaps, live events, which Shader said he’s very interested in exploring.
In essence—the possibilities are infinite given the fact that the platform is taking everything that is currently available to credit card owners (think about that—that’s a lot) and making it available to cash payers. The cash economy currently stands at $1.2 trillion, with some one-quarter of the U.S. population having no access to credit cards or bank accounts.
And the service is growing. While Shader likes to keep the number of users PayNearMe sees to himself, he did inform me that dollars moving through the PayNearMe system were 50% higher in April than they were in March, and the number grows as the company adds new payees (partners) to the system.
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PayNearMe combines a modified cash load network with an application technology platform so that consumers without credit or debit cards—or those who prefer to pay with cash—can conduct a wide range of remote transactions. By doing so, PayNearMe enables companies in a diverse set of industries to turn millions of American households into new paying customers. Consumers can use PayNearMe to pay for ecommerce purchases, telephone orders, loan repayments, money transfers, load funds into e-wallets and more at retail locations throughout the U.S., starting with 6,000 7-Eleven stores.


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Sirius XM is once again demonstrating that satellite radio takes content to the next level. The company announced today that they will be broadcasting a live interview between Gayle King and Lady Gaga on June 7th from 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET on Sirius XM's Oprah Radio. Rumor has it that Lady Gaga will also make an appearance on the Howard Stern Show that morning.
The unique thing about this interview is that it will happen in front of an intimate studio audience of listeners, fans and Little Monsters at Sirius XM's New York City studios. The interview, on Oprah Radio, can be heard on XM channel 111 and Sirius channel 204 with Sirius Premier (formerly known as "The Best of XM"). Listeners nation wide can call Gayle and Gaga at 888-4-GAYLE-K (888-442-9535) or post questions online. The Gayle-Gaga interview will also replay on Oprah Radio on June 7 at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm, June 8 at 10:00 am, 3:00 pm and 10:00 pm, June 9 at 8:00 am, 11:00 am and 5:00 pm, June 10 at 9:00 am, 2:00 pm and 9:00 pm, June 11 at 5:00 am and June 12 at 2:00 pm (all times ET).
"Lady Gaga is a one-of-a-kind artist. The way she loves people, and the way the people love her—I've never seen anything like it,” said Gayle King. “As she continues to break records and boundaries in the music world and beyond, I am thrilled to spend an uncensored, unscripted hour with her and millions of her fans across the country live on SiriusXM.”
When her latest compilation, Born This Way, was released, Amazon sold the album for just $0.99 in an effort to give consumers exposure to their CloudDrive service. The event crashed Amazon's servers due to high demand. This past April Sirius XM ran a promotion that let a lucky subscriber meet pop icon Gaga.
"Lady Gaga's individual and inimitable voice, style and savvy have earned her an unparalleled bond with millions of fans worldwide," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM. "Only on SiriusXM will you find the special pairing of two distinct voices such as Gaga and Gayle. This one of a kind conversation is not to be missed."
Lady Gaga's album Born This Way has sold over 1.1 million copies to date, and marks Lady Gaga's first No. 1 album. She is the fifth female artist to sell over a million albums in a debut week. Lady Gags also has the most followers on Twitter. Perhaps Sirius XM can get some exposure out of this.
Position - Long Sirius XM Radio


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Reporting sales for August, Hero Motocorp said it was on track for the launch of its 125 cc scooters. The company said "Hero MotoCorp will soon launch two new 125cc scooters to provide more excitement during the upcoming festive season. With the peak festive season coming in the months of October and November this year, the Company expects to maintain the trajectory with healthy double-digit growth in the coming months."
The first scooter, the Hero Destini, is nothing but the Hero Duet 125 showcased at this year's Auto Expo, will challenge the Honda Activa 125 and the Suzuki Access when launched.
Designed and developed at Hero’s Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, the Hero Destini's power comes from a single cylinder, air-cooled, 124.6 cc engine developing 8.7 bhp at 6,750 rpm and 10.2 Nm of torque at 5,000 rpm. It is coupled to a Variomatic Drive transmission.
As reported earlier, Hero has included i3S start-stop system on the scooter to improve fuel efficiency; the first time Hero introduces this technology in a scooter. The Activa 125 rival is shod with 90/100-10 section tubeless tires and gets 130 mm drum brakes at the front and rear.
Hero will not offer a disc brake, even as an option, on the Destini 125. The 111.5 kg scooter gets a telescopic fork up front and a single coil spring hydraulic type suspension at the rear. Other features on the Destini 125 include a LED taillamp, external fuel lid, under-seat storage light and a mobile charging point.
Also read: 2018 Hero Xtreme 200R launched at INR 89,900 ex-showroom New Delhi
The Hero Destini 125 will be positioned as a family scooter, whereas the Hero Maestro Edge 125, the other scooter, will be pitched primarily to the male audience.


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Muzicall, Europe’s leading provider of Ringback Tone (RBT) services, has announced a new strategic partnership with India's IMImobile, the global technology partner for operators, media providers and enterprises.
Muzicall and IMImobile will join forces to foster new Ringback Tone business opportunities and accelerate the growth of RBT consumer services throughout European market .
The partnership will draw upon the two companies expertise to provide a fully managed service to mobile operators through a mix of innovative technology and marketing. The aim will be to maximize consumer adoption as well as facilitate improved discovery through new channels such as enabling off-deck sales of Ringback Tones.
IMImobile will draw from its extensive experience in delivering RBT technology in Asia-Pacific and Africa where Ringback Tones are highly popular. Muzicall will use its best practice framework developed through its Centre of Excellence for Ringback Tone marketing which has a proven track record of significantly increasing RBT consumer adoption rates for leading mobile operators in Europe .
“We look forward to partnering with Muzicall to repeat the success in Europe that RBT services have had across the rest of the world. With the right focus, IMImobile believes RBT services can be a valuable revenue generator for European operators as a standalone service or as part of a complete music lifestyle solution encompassing full-track music, social networking and personalisation content,” said Vishwanth Alluri. CEO and Chairman of IMImobile.


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US: Pepsi Bottling Ventures expands
Pepsi Bottling Ventures said yesterday (6 January) that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire the independent franchise bottlers, Nagel Beverage Company and Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company.
Both bottlers' territory includes 18 southern Idaho counties. A fee for the deal has not been disclosed.
The move is an example of consolidation in the soft drinks bottling sector, as bottlers for even top firms such as PepsiCo attempt to improve efficiency to cope with rising costs and weakening demand in the US.
Environmental concerns have climbed steadily up the agenda for soft drinks producers in recent years. However, Annette Farr writes, progress has been faster in the UK than in the US....
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PepsiCo has confirmed a change of senior VP for sports marketing at its Gatorade division....
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Food and beverage giant PepsiCo has been approved as a member of Ceres' corporate network....
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PepsiCo is to expand its SoBe Lifewater range with the addition of two flavours for the US market....
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State Question 812 would legalize cannabis for adults over 18 as well as decriminalize cannabis, requiring the state Department of Corrections to release people serving time for various cannabis crimes. 7 billion on marijuana for medical and non-medical. If you’re bullish on marijuana in the long-term, you must be a Leaf Expert bull as well. Such products, which include everything from branded boxes and labels to warning stickers and compliance tabs, are often used to produce counterfeit vape cartridges for the unlicensed marijuana market. And those past-year weed consumers, according to Dr.Running over the computers on your network, the clientless Auditor pinpoints all usage of USB, FireWire, PCMCIA, PCI, internal storage and WiFi connections in exportable reports. Displaying complex current and historical information comprehensively, Auditor reports can be manipulated to provide administrators the knowledge they need to create enforced companywide preventative policies. Related CVS ignores DEA, says it’s already selling CBD products Everybody involved with CBD—from weed and hemp growers to entrepreneurs, regulators, and patients—is struggling to handle this new product responsibly and legally. This is the first time that home cultivation for medical weed patients has received support from the New Hampshire Senate. Great for: Stress, Depression, Pain, Lack of Appetite, Insomnia Leaf Expert ( leaf.expert )’s distillates are handcrafted through a solvent-free distillation process using only top-shelf quality concentrates and marijuana-derived terpenes. As the Mercury points out, Marino is on record saying that he supports weed, but only if it’s in pill form—in other words, only if the sole source for cannabis (resource) in America is the pharmaceutical industry. For their particular bodies, cannabis is wonderful.
Having the capacity to run on up to 60,000 computers, Auditor searches for information according to Microsoft Active Directory, IP Range and Computer Name. Auditor offers the following:


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It’s been a solemn news week for those waiting to find out when Disneyland Resort will reopen. The State of California is planning on waiting for conditions to reach Tier 4 before theme parks can reopen. However, an Orange County health official believes Disneyland won’t be able to open until next summer under this criteria.
New information pertaining to the expectation for California’s theme parks was given by Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the state Health and Human Services Agency. All theme parks are going to be required to implement an advanced ticket sale system with a limited park capacity of 25 percent.
According to Ghaly, the state’s public health officials are concerned about tourists staying at hotels and eating at restaurants near theme parks, which can spread the virus.
Orange County health officer Dr. Clayton Chau said he doesn’t expect OC to reach the Yellow Tier anytime soon.
Personally I think we can look forward to a yellow tier by next summer.
– Dr. Clayton Cha
The President of Disneyland Resort, also issued the following statement earlier today.
It’ll take some time before we see the gates reopen for California’s theme parks. We’ll keep our fans updated when more information becomes available regarding the future of Disneyland Resort.
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Also As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Adidas Mulling Reebok Sale Overseas Group Launching Bid To Buy Reebok Reebok Rolls Out New Delta Logo Reebok Taps Venables Bell For Global Creative Reebok Drops DDB Amid Creative Review Adidas May Replace Reebok In NHL Could Adidas Replace Reebok On NHL Jerseys? Reebok Launching "Fitness In Motion" Campaign Adidas Restructures Reebok Management Reebok Seeks To Blend Shopping, Fitness
Your search for "Reebok" returned 3,302 results
SBD Article Published October 21, 2014
...stors from Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi looking to buy Reebok from adidas could put adidas Chair & CEO Herbert... ...ecide whether to cash in on a nascent recovery at Reebok or double down on a more pronounced rebound.2B would be "fair for Reebok, but questioned if Adidas would take it, in part... " The source said that the bidders "approve of Reebok’s strategy to return to its fitness roots and wan...
SBD Article Published October 20, 2014
...ong Kong and Abu Dhabi "is launching a bid to buy Reebok" from adidas in a move that, "if successful, woul... ...Adidas directors imminently, offering to buy its Reebok business" for about US$2.2B. They are "expected to argue that Reebok would have a brighter future if it were managed i... " adidas bought Reebok in '06 for $3. ...ital CEO Jho Low is "the architect of the bid for Reebok.
SBD Article Published March 04, 2014
Reebok is "scuttling the logo that once graced hundreds... " Zmuda noted while sales at Reebok "have been sluggish in recent years, the brand is... In Boston, Chris Reidy noted Reebok in October "opened a FitHubs store" in Braintree,... ...uled exercise classes" and is "the latest step in Reebok’s effort to return to its personal fitness roots...
SBD Article Published February 20, 2014
Reebok has selected Venables Bell & Partners, S.F., "as... ...& Partners, S.F., and Mother, N.Y.. adidas-owned Reebok has "dropped its measured media spending consider... 5M on U.S. "measured media on Reebok," and decreased spending to $39.1M. Sales at Reebok "rose 5% during the most recent quarter" (ADAGE.
SBD Article Published February 12, 2014
Creative agency DDB, N.Y., is "splitting with Reebok amid a review" of the Reebok's global creative business, according to Andrew M... " Annual global media spending on Reebok is estimated at $50M.
SBD Article Published February 03, 2014
...ng a move to lower the team-sports profile of its Reebok unit," according to sources cited by Kosman & Bro... ...recently asked the NHL for permission to replace Reebok as its official uniform supplier with its brand. ...ers, Islanders and Devils was Adidas brand -- not Reebok." Reebok’s exclusive contract with the NHL expires after t...
SBD Article Published January 08, 2014
Reebok has the rights "to make NHL jerseys," but parent... ...g putting its own name" on the jerseys instead of Reebok, according to Elliotte Friedman of the CBC. As part of the transition from Reebok to adidas, there could be an "extension of the cu... ...entille wrote the move would be "interesting," as Reebok Hockey has a "handful of high-profile athlete end...
SBD Article Published January 02, 2014
Reebok will be "launching a new marketing strategy for s... " The athletes include Reebok CrossFit Games specialists Garret Fisher and Lind... ...bstacle course racer Hunter McIntyre "wearing the Reebok Running collection," while yoga instructor Tara S... tiles is "in the Reebok Yoga collection. ...or Vanessa Vassallo practices "dance steps in the Reebok Dance collection.
SBD Article Published October 22, 2013
...didas Group yesterday announced it is uniting the Reebok and adidas brands under one management team in No... He also will assume global responsibility for Reebok-CCM Hockey. ...the home of the adidas brand in the U.S. and the Reebok brand will continue to be based in Canton, Mass. In Boston, Taryn Luna reports Reebok North America President ULI BECKER yesterday left...
SBD Article Published October 07, 2013
Reebok's new FitHub store in the Boston suburb of Braint... ...heduled exercise classes -- is the latest step in Reebok’s effort to return to its personal fitness roots... " Reebok CMO Matt O'Toole said, "The stores are the perfec... " Reebok and its FitHub stores "hope to attract a broad ra... ...e CrossFit phenomena and the business behind it." Reebok in '10 signed a 10-year deal with CrossFit Inc.
SBD Article Published October 02, 2013
Reebok is "turning to sponsorship deals with prominent f... Reebok is "winning converts among hardcore sports enthus... " In addition to its CrossFit partnership, Reebok has linked with fitness group Les Mills and the S... " Reebok's effort "already appears to be paying off," as w... ...ofit last month, analysts were quick to note that Reebok was, for once, not cited as a problem.
SBD Article Published July 26, 2013
Reebok on Thursday announced the launch of the "Reebok Checklight skullcap, billed as a first-of-its-kin... " Reebok said that the cap helps "determine impact severit... " The Reebok Checklight is "being sold at reebok.


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Sonic Mania Plus, which aims to bring additional content to the already awesome Sonic Mania, is scheduled to release on July 17, SEGA announced today.
The latest Sonic game is releasing on the Nintendo Switch, and will retail for $29.99.
Your source for the most up-to-date Nintendo news covering the Nintendo Switch.
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Philippines: Latest beverage news & analysis
After months of speculation, a buyer for Scotch whisky producer Whyte & Mackay finally emerged today (9 May). Philippines-based Emperador Inc has agreed to acquire the business from Diageo-controlled United Spirits for GBP430m (US$729m). Here, just-drinks offers a more detailed look at Emperador:
The final death count of Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the Philippines last week, is still a long way from being known. The relief effort is well underway, however, and drinks companies are among those that have moved to support those affected by the disaster.
San Miguel Corp's announcement this week that it plans to raise US$1.6bn to finance its diversification into heavy industries could signal that the firm is on its way out of the beer business.
Kirin Holdings is making its presence felt at San Miguel Brewery, as the Philippines-based brewer announces expansion plans.
Heineken International has signed a joint venture agreement with Philippines-based Asia Brewery as it looks to drive premiumisation in the region.
San Miguel Brewery has won consent from the Philippines government to move into soft drinks as it looks to capture growing demand in the category.
San Miguel Brewery is looking to expand into soft drinks as it says the category is growing faster than the Philippines' alcohol segment.
Tito's Handmade Vodka has launched in the Philippines after owner Fifth Generation secured a distribution deal.
San Miguel Corp has seen a single-digit lift in year-to-date sales from both its brewing operations and its combined spirits and soft drinks unit.
San Miguel Corp has been offered as much as US$6bn for the majority share in its namesake brewing unit, the company's president has said in an interview.
Philippines' San Miguel Brewery (SMB) Inc has signed a deal with Spain's Mahou-San Miguel in a bid to expand the global footprint of the lager brand.
Emperador Inc is set to acquire Scotch whisky producer Whyte & Mackay from Diageo-controlled United Spirits for GBP430m (US$729m).
Brandy producer Emperador Inc has revealed it is in talks with Diageo-controlled United Spirits over acquiring Whyte & Mackay.
San Miguel Brewery has blamed high duty rates for dragging down its full-year volumes, while profits also slipped.
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DHAKA: Bangladesh is working on tapping into the global halal market and increasing exports to Gulf countries, the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation said on Tuesday following the government’s inaugural policy on halal certification.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Religious Affairs approved last month a halal certification policy, which serves as a formal guideline and incentive for companies to align with international halal standards, paving the way for the South Asian nation to harness the potential of the global halal market, which is worth over $2 trillion.
“This halal certification is very important for us since we are a Muslim country and 92 percent of our consumers are Muslim … Now, we will be able to explore the export potential of our halal goods,” Abu Saleh Patwary, deputy director of the halal certification department at the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation, told Arab News on Tuesday.
The BIF is a body under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which has worked on halal certification matters since 2007 and is now in charge of issuing halal certificates in Bangladesh.
“Saudi Arabia and the UAE can be the major destination for our halal goods … We will be aiming to increase exports to Muslim countries, especially in the Gulf region,” he said.
“If we can grab 2 to 3 percent of global halal markets, it will boost our economy a lot … Now, a new horizon of halal goods has opened up for our local entrepreneurs.”
The policy comes at a time when Bangladeshi businesses are also exploring new opportunities with Gulf nations, such as Saudi Arabia, which a delegation comprising the country’s top business leaders visited earlier in October.
Jahangir Alam, director at the Dhaka School of Economics, said halal certification was imperative to enter the Middle Eastern market.
“Most Muslim countries want halal certification to import consumer goods. It’s particularly hard to sell goods in Middle Eastern countries without halal certification. For this reason, we need the halal certification very much,” Alam told Arab News, adding that it will help boost the presence of Bangladeshi products internationally.
The process to obtain those certifications should be “easy and hassle-free,” Alam added, to ensure that Bangladeshis can reap the benefits of such a policy.
“The introduction of halal certification will boost sales of goods both locally and globally. Eventually, it will increase the earnings of our foreign currency. It’s a great initiative.”


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Cyber Threats to Businesses: Redefining the Cyber Security Landscape in Financial Institutions
“Going Digital is what defines the Organizations amid Uncertainties that COVID -19 pandemic has brought, but what defines them, even more, is the potential with which they combat these cyber threats.”
Came the COVID-19 pandemic, and it made almost all the businesses across various sectors suffer. Be it any industry, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way businesses work.
Organizations across the industries have adopted digital practices; which has brought challenges in terms of cyber threats resulting in a need to redefine the cyber security landscape for the organizations.
Digitization and Financial Institutions:
The financial institutions also couldn’t escape the consequences and repercussions of the uncertainties that COVID-19 created; which is compelling the way they do business.
COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in digitization, giving rise to a Digital Revolution, penetrating the business practices with all new digitalization.
Financial institutions such as banks and NBFC’s are customer-centric institutions and the way they work.
The talks for going digital in the way the financial institutions work have been there for a long. But recently, due to the sudden COVID-19 pandemic, it has become more critical than ever before.
Other factors such as the rapidly changing behavior and preferences amongst millennials and the rising urban population are also penetrating financial institutions to adapt to digital practices.
According to a recent report from VMware, cybersecurity risks in financial institutions have increased by 238 percent amidst the COVID-19 crisis in the first quarter of the year 2020.
This figure shows the financial institutions’ vulnerability as soon as they adopt digital practices, making them even more susceptible.
However, to overcome such vulnerability, gaining customers’ confidence is one of the crucial steps the banks need to take to transform how financial institutions adopt digital services.
Making the Financial Institutions Going Digital:
Enhancing Customer Satisfaction:
Since financial institutions such as banks and NBFC’s are customer-centric institutions; the customers are habitual of visiting branches and getting the work done for most of the services.
No matter how much investments the financial institutions make into other areas; they are still vulnerable due to customers’ perceptions of digital practices.
Educating the customers, the know-how of the digital services in the banking domain, such as online transaction strategy, is to gain their confidence and enhance customer satisfaction.
Increasing Operational Resilience:
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the worldwide lockdown that made the operational efficiency of the financial institutions suffer; some instead came to a halt. Banks, however, were forced to continue their operations from the branches owing to their customer-centric model.
The social distancing norms didn’t make the banks adopt the “work from home” model; instead, it forced them to build resilience in the operational capabilities they offer. The focus of investments in financial institutions increased from building and infrastructure to investing in cyber security tools.
Increasing the Turnaround Time:
Customers always have had the waiting time and the delayed services issues with visiting the branches to seek banking services.
Implementing a digital transaction strategy will increase the turnaround time by enhancing the online penetration in banking services. And it will also gain the customer’s satisfaction.
Overcoming Cyber Threats:
The benefits that online transactions and web strategy bring to the operations in the banking system also brings with the kit a plethora of cybersecurity risks; where a large chunk of data suffers a risk to get exposed to cyber threats owing to rising cybercrimes, data hacking, phishing emails, among others.
Awareness Among Cyber Crimes:
COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the digital disruption in the operations of the banks. And hence the banks must continue to work with this model amidst social distancing norms, and regional and local lockdowns, going forward.
However, to overcome the increasing cybercrimes and cyber security threats, the organizations need to build resilience in the Information Technology (IT) architecture to ensure continued access to business applications from anywhere to employees, vendors, and partners.
Therefore, rapid digital transformation along with cybercrime awareness helps in overcoming cyber security threats.
Enhancing Data Management:
Banks and financial institutions have always dealt with a large chunk of data. And therefore, it becomes more important to analyze and manage this data well.
However, the cyber security issues have resulted in the rising number of cyber threats issues of late. To combat such rising scenarios, the Banks’ IT architecture leads to an all-new paradigm shift by integrating its applications with the mobile, Software as a Service (SaaS), among others.
Enabling Remote Access:
In a few instances, digital transactions and payments have enabled remote working models. If not entirely enabling the banks and financial institutions to perform operations via remote places.
Moreover, it has further enabled server-based computing and digital workspaces that have exposed the entire online transaction ecosystem to an entirely new cyber security scenario making the cyber risks more prevalent.
Hence, reviewing the remote connectivity solutions that focus on high-security end-to-end data encryption by deploying an advanced and robust authentication improves the cyber security of the digital transaction services.
Conclusion – Cyber Threats:
Digital is the future, and digital practices such as online transactions and payments will be the new normal.
This digital ecosystem is rising abruptly these days, making financial institutions prioritize and invest in cyber defense services to create a risk resilient environment.
Such an environment will enable the banks to address the current cybersecurity risks; redefine the cyber security landscape in financial institutions. And also prepare themselves for future cyber threats.


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Since last November’s presidential election, the Republican Party has renewed its commitment to wooing Latinos, women and 18-to-39-year-old voters. This decision sprung from a belated realization that losing these voting blocs would threaten the GOP’s very existence. The desire to woo, however, must be accompanied by a 180-degree shift in the party’s branding strategy. A case study and application of marketing principles gleaned from an unlikely source — the British Burberry luxury fashion line — could set the GOP on the right path.
Until recently, the 156-year-old label was perceived as old, stodgy and passé — much like the Republican Party today. When Angela Ahrendts joined Burberry as its CEO in 2006, she quickly set about the task of making the brand globally relevant again. Ahrendts recognized, however, that Burberry’s greatest impediment to achieving this goal was its lack of familiarity with the target growth market: luxury consumers of the future, known as “millennials.”
Ahrendts realized that connecting with these 18-to-39-year-old consumers required a complete rebranding of the venerable line. This idea was met with significant resistance and controversy; she was, after all, targeting a generation that had little knowledge of the company and its rich history. Furthermore, she risked losing Burberry’s existing customer base.
Nonetheless, Ahrendts stayed the course and directed her marketing team to rebrand the company by modernizing its image. Every aspect of the brand was redesigned to appeal to the millennial consumer through generationally relevant music, movies and images. Its sales force utilized iPads in showrooms, familiarizing consumers with the company and its premier offering — the original Burberry trench coat — through a culturally relevant medium. Burberry also revamped its website, integrating the latest digital technology. Most important, Burberry changed its hiring practices, and today, a majority of its employees are younger than 30. Burberry’s rationale was simple: In order to understand its target consumers, it had to hire those who understood their mentality. These changes resulted in a successful rebranding of Burberry’s image, and a more than doubling of company revenue in six short years, from $1.2 billion in 2006 to $3 billion in 2012.
The similarities between Burberry — once the brand of old, white men — and the GOP — still the party of old, white men — are too obvious to state. Both share a similar mission and face the same challenges in a competitive marketplace. One has already figured out how to win hearts and minds, while the other has just begun asking the right questions.
President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party mastered Burberry’s branding playbook long ago. Republicans took longer to realize that “politics as usual” no longer worked and that nothing short of a complete image overhaul can save the GOP. Consequently, the party now stands at a crossroads, similar to the one Burberry faced in 2006. It can either rebrand itself to attract targeted voters, or stay the course and relinquish its waning power to Democrats. For the sake of our nation, I hope the GOP chooses the former and embraces the only “fashion advice” that can possibly save the party.
Denise Gitsham directed President George W. Bush’s Hispanic outreach efforts on the 2000 presidential campaign. She is a founder and principal of 7 Second Strategies, a public and government relations firm in San Diego.
This op-ed originally appeared on Politico.com on Friday, February 1, 2013.


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Whitbread has poached a top banker to become its head barista as it picked Lloyds' head of retail, Alison Brittain, to succeed Andy Harrison as chief executive of the Costa Coffee to Premier Inns group.
China's top economic planning agency approved plans for private investors to build and operate over a thousand projects in the country as it tries to stem the slowdown in the economy.
Households' confidence in their spending power took a step backwards in April in the run-up to the general election, a report has found.
In the continuing battle between European and American tech companies, score one for Europe. In a move that could put pressure on its rivals to follow suit, Amazon will start paying taxes in a number of European countries where it has large operations, ...
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is highly unlikely to take major steps to shut off the grey or black market on its online platforms without an effective reason to do so, according to an industry expert.


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New privacy features available in Google’s forthcoming Android M software update will give users of Android mobile phones and tablets more control over how their personal data is used.
Yet while Android M will finally give users the same privacy protections against rogue apps that Apple’s iOS has had for three years, Google has admitted that earlier attempts to improve these controls had failed.
M, which is expected to be released in or soon after July 2015, will allow users to pick and choose which data and services apps have access to on a case-by-case basis, when the app requests it.
Until now, the norm for Android apps has been that users either accept all the app’s permission requests at the moment of install or simply don’t install the app. The requests range from access to the internet, the microphone, camera or storage to monitoring call states or location.
‘App ops’ - built, but hidden from view
However, in 2013 Google added the ability to deny apps access to certain data and services within its Android 4.3 “Jelly Bean” operating system.
The feature, dubbed “App ops”, was hidden within Android and only accessible using third-party tools, but laid the basis for per-app permissions and was praised as a big step forward for user privacy by Electronic Frontier Foundation.
“App ops was launched somewhat out of context; we really needed to solve the whole story, not just launch App ops without moving apps from install time to run time permission requests,” said Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer, head of Android and Chrome OS development.
App ops was short lived, seemingly only seeing the light of day due to developer in-fighting, before being removed in the Android 4.4.2 update some weeks later.
“Applications on Android, starting in 2008, were not built with the notion that certain functionality could be turned off behind their backs – that was just never the assumption for developers because that was not how the APIs were designed.”
The worry was that denying an application access to a location or microphone without telling it would cause it to break or crash. Despite this, modified versions of Android, such as Cyanogen OS, found ways of making the individual permission system similar to App ops work. Google took over two years to work out a scheme.
‘Getting things aligned took a while’
“There are a lot of players involved, from Google to developers and consumers – getting it all into alignment took a while to get right,” Lockheimer said. “We’re starting in M, because every time we have a major release we can change these things, and we were able to modify and create new application programming interfaces (API) to handle it.”
Developers do not have to use the new run-time permissions system, unless they want to use the new Android M developer tools and any further improvements going forward. Google thinks that the changes made in the capabilities in Android M will be a big enough incentive to drag all developers over to the new APIs, and therefore the permissions system.
The new permissions system also applies to Google’s own apps, which means users could block Google from knowing their location, prevent access to their address book or personal information.
“The way Android works is that there is no advantage we can give to Google’s applications, everyone operates on a level playing field,” said Lockheimer. “Android is an operating system, which Google is a third-party developer to – the Gmail app, for instance, is an app, and as such is subject to the exact same rules.”
One of the problems with permissions requests is that users do not understand what they are being asked for and invariably just end up saying yes to any dialogue box that pops up.
Contextual decisions make people think more about privacy
“Doing permissions in context helps prevent the ‘yes’ muscle memory,” explained Lockheimer. “It helps to break down the decisions on the access that apps are asking for, such as the microphone when the user has tried to send a voice message.”
Google has also ramped up its screening of apps. Each app submitted to the Play Store is run on a virtualisation screening system, while people review some of them for things like hate speech. It’s not quite to the same degree as Apple’s app store review policy, but helps keep users safe, said Lockheimer.
The Silicon Valley firm is currently being investigated by the European Commission into its alleged abuse of its smartphone market share and the incentives it offers to bundle apps and services on Android.
Any moves to help protect user privacy, however unrelated to app bundling, will be seen as a positive step, even if it is seen as several years late by many.


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Sheetz for the Kidz, an employee-driven charity supporting underprivileged children, raised more than $1.8 million for children in need in 2020. Sheetz is a family-owned and -operated restaurant and convenience chain across the Mid-Atlantic.
“This past year, the need to help children in our communities was greater than it ever has been, and our incredible customers really stepped up in a major way to meet this need,” said Travis Sheetz, president and COO. “Their donations allowed Sheetz for the Kidz to be able to make this past holiday season a brighter one for nearly 10,000 children and families in need in the communities we serve.”
During the months of July and December, Sheetz customers had the opportunity to support kids in their local communities through donation boxes near the register and also through adding donations to their purchase at the point of sale. With 100 percent of all donations directly supporting local children, Sheetz for the Kidz provides children in need the opportunity to celebrate the holidays with gifts such as new toys, clothes and other basic needs. Each of Sheetz’s 615 stores supported more than 16 children from their local communities.
There are many other ways customers can support Sheetz for the Kidz throughout the year:
- Purchasing a Sheetz for the Kidz water, with 25 cents from each bottle directly supporting the charity;
- Shop on AmazonSmile and select “Sheetz for the Kidz” as the charity of your choice. Amazon will donate 0.5 percent of your purchases to the charity;
- Donate loyalty points; and
- Donate online at sheetz.com/ftk.
Sheetz is headquartered in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Sheetz for the Kidz is a non-profit organization, designated as a 501(c) (3) charity, independent of the Sheetz Corp. The organization was created in 1992 by local store employees wanting to help local children. The mission of the charity is to provide support, hope, joy and happiness to children in need within the communities in which Sheetz operates. To date, the charity has impacted more than 129,000 children living in the communities Sheetz serves.


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Will Anheuser-Busch move trigger a change in Oklahoma alcohol laws?
Reversing a decades-old business strategy, the maker of Budweiser has decided to reintroduce some of its core strong beers into the Oklahoma market.
Anheuser-Busch recently posted prices for a variety of its core strong beers with Oklahoma's ABLE Commission for sale in the state beginning Nov. 1. Strong beers are those having an alcohol-by-weight of greater than 3.2 percent, according to ABLE.
The products, including Budweiser, Budweiser Black Crown and Bud Light Lime Lime-A-Rita, would be available at liquor stores or bars licensed to sell strong beer.
The move is being eyed with interest in Oklahoma's beer community. Some view it as simply a feeling-out process by the beer-making giant. Anheuser-Busch already controls several strong-beer brands, like Beck's, Stella Artois and Widmer, that are distributed in the state.
Others suggest the addition of core Anheuser-Busch beers like Budweiser could cause a domino effect that would lead to changes in state alcohol laws.
“What this means is that potentially some players with very deep pockets would now have a vested interest in the strong-beer market in Oklahoma,” said Greg Powell, manager of TapWerks Ale House in Bricktown. “People with deep pockets are generally the ones who get laws changed.”
Anheuser-Busch offered a simple explanation for its decision. Regional Vice President Keith Diggs said in a statement that “select additional Anheuser-Busch products with greater than 3.2 percent ABW” will be made available in Oklahoma “in response to consumer demand.”
- Related to this story
- Article: High-point Budweiser products posted for Oklahoma
The sale of strong beer from America's mega-brewers essentially ended in Oklahoma in 1977. That year, the country's largest brewers — including Anheuser-Busch, Coors, Miller and Schlitz — elected to pull their strong beer out of the state.
The brewers battled with the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which ruled that Oklahoma law required the beer makers to sell their strong beer to any and all wholesalers in the state. That decision was later upheld by the courts. The breweries objected, citing a lack of quality control over their beer once it went into the wholesalers' possession.
Oklahoma law enables brewer-controlled distribution of 3.2 percent beer; essentially the beer can be monitored by the brewer from the kettle to the convenience store cooler.
The 1977 move to pull strong beer was met with lawsuits, a lengthy court fight and eventually a state question that would have allowed brewers to control the distribution of their strong beer. The question — backed in newspaper advertisements by Mickey Mantle — was defeated by voters in November 1978.
Hoping for change?
Anheuser-Busch's current reversal for some of its core beers will likely draw interest from other mega-brewers, and from those in Oklahoma interested in changing the state's alcohol laws, said John Maisch, outgoing general counsel for the ABLE Commission.
“It's going to be an interesting six months or so,” said Maisch, who will leave his position at the end of the month. “I think that modernization of Oklahoma liquor laws is at the forefront of a lot of people's minds in the industry and out of the industry.”
He said Anheuser-Busch is likely weighing the issue of quality versus quantity to gain access to the state's liquor stores.
“There's no doubt (Anheuser-Busch) wanted access to the 650-plus liquor stores,” Maisch said. “Quantity-wise, it had to be attractive to them.”
Role of craft beer
Wes Alexander, director of sales and marketing for Tulsa craft brewer Marshall Brewing Co., said the move is a direct response to the growing success of craft beer.
“When a mega-multinational company makes a calculated move to gain market share in an otherwise flyover state, it signals a change in the culture of beer,” Alexander said. “While American light lager is still the king of the grocery and convenience store, that is not the case in restaurants, bars and liquor stores.”
Powell said he doesn't see the addition of the core strong beers from Anheuser-Busch having a big impact at TapWerks. He said restrictions on sale prices, specials and marketing of strong beer actually make 3.2 percent beer a more attractive option in some cases.
Powell said the move could crack the door for some of the country's popular craft brewers.
At a glance
for Nov. 1
The following Anheuser-Busch products were posted with the Oklahoma ABLE Commission for sale starting Nov. 1:


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Business email compromise (BEC) attacks are targeted towards businesses and CEOs. Here's how to prevent email fraud for your business and employees.
For as long as businesses have used email in their financial processes, criminals have tried to exploit it. Email scams are nothing new, but the threats they pose to companies are constantly growing and evolving as attackers’ methods grow more and more sophisticated.
So-called ‘CEO Fraud,’ for example, poses huge threats to companies large and small. Also known as business email compromise (BEC) or “man-in-the-middle” attacks, these schemes involve using hacked or spoofed email accounts as part of their financial social engineering efforts: Criminals use compromised addresses, phished credentials, or look-alike accounts to trick key business stakeholders into completing fraudulent transactions.
BEC may sound like a low-tech kind of cybercrime, but that’s partly why it’s so hard to fight (and so common across industries). Companies can be slow to realize they’ve been defrauded through BEC, and reticent to report it once they do.
But in recent years, more and more companies are realizing (and admitting) they’ve been impacted. According to FBI data, there was a 100% increase in identified global exposed losses due to BEC and other email account compromise (EAC) scams between May 2018 and July 2019. Over the three-year period leading up to July 2019, companies lost at least $26B to such attacks.
Facing a Cross-Industry Problem
No two BEC scams are exactly alike, and both small businesses and big companies can be targets. Manufacturing and construction firms are most commonly affected, in terms of industry, but organizations across all sectors are regularly infiltrated by attacks.
In 2019, for example:
- A Chinese venture capital firm lost $1M–intended for an Israeli startup it was investing in–to scammers who used lookalike emails to communicate with parties on both sides of the transaction (effectively taking control of the conversation).
- After their CFO plugged his Microsoft credentials into a phishing URL, Unatrac Holding Limited (UK-based export sales office for the construction equipment company Caterpillar) fell prey to a fake-invoicing scheme – issuing 15 fund transfers totaling nearly $11M in losses.
- Scott County Schools in Kentucky lost $3.7M in a vendor-payment scheme that included forged documents attached to emails. Criminals stole $1.75M from St. Ambrose Catholic Parish in Ohio using similar tactics just weeks later (tricking Church leaders into thinking that the construction firm it was working with had changed its bank account).
Even some of the world’s most sophisticated tech companies have been had by BEC criminals. An elaborate scheme involving “a fake company, fake emails and fake invoices,” for example, fleeced Google and Facebook out of $100M between 2013 and 2015.
The threats of ‘CEO Fraud’ also extend further than just the financial losses.
BEC scams succeed because they target specific individuals in the business, and use what they get from those targets to extract more–more sensitive information (or more emails about it), more system or account credentials, and so on. The communications may lead to a single transaction, or drag out the conversations to manipulate people into offering up more compromising information. C-level executives are hardly the only leaders targeted, either; HR professionals, IT staff, payroll teams, and anyone in the finance department may have information BEC scammers want to obtain.
Depending on what that information is, BEC attacks can lead to further data breaches and/or the exposure of customers’ personal or financial details. This can be especially damaging for companies in regulated markets like finance and healthcare, as they are subject to steep fines (and the potential for major reputational damage) in the event of such security incidents.
Best Practices to Avoid Business Email Compromise Attacks
Staying ahead of email-security incidents starts with training, and continues with technology.
Companies must ensure that all leaders and managers who access sensitive data or authorize transactions are trained on both basic email-security best practices, like not clicking unknown links, as well as BEC-specific strategies–such as close-reading the ‘from’ and ‘reply-to’ addresses on any emails related to things like pay requests or log-in information. (A full 60% of BEC attacks do not involve a link.)
Slowdowns for authorization should be part of every companies’ processes, as well. Since long trails of emails may precede the sending of account details or wire instructions in BEC scams, requiring multiple parties to review transactions prior to their actual completion is essential to prevention.
IT systems that monitor for common BEC keywords (like “important” and “urgent”) can help by firewalling problematic emails or flagging certain ones for multi-party review.
Requiring multi-factor authentication for logging into email and other web-based systems can limit the potential for account takeovers, as well, but it isn’t a foolproof hedge against credential theft (which is rising, according to Verizon). Experts advise IT leaders to test internal teams with simulated email scams regularly to learn which staff members are most prone to falling for a scam (and thus most in need of extra training).
Since BEC scams are getting more sophisticated all the time, simulating new ones may take some creativity. Security trainers are wise to emphasize the rising risks relating to big events, for example: As with the defrauded Chinese VC firm, hackers are increasingly using real information about investment deals or M&A activity to compromise those future events–sometimes even attaching documents to their emails that simulate real confidentiality agreements or contracts.
Staying Prepared for the Future
Email scams are, unfortunately, here to stay. In fact, CEO fraud and other EAC efforts will likely become vehicles for even more complex attacks in the years to come–as emerging trends like deepfake audio and real time payments combine to create new threats.
As those threats emerge, innovators will create tech-driven countermeasures to combat them. Already, companies offer artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools aimed at the BEC problem; startups are also exploring how new approaches to data science can assist with prevention and detection.
Even as the technology advances, however, there’s no substitute for careful scrutiny. A strong culture of diligence when it comes to email security is a company’s best protection against CEO fraud and the impact it can have on your company’s success.


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The Rise of Crypto Bots
The use of crypto bots has gained traction in the financial industry due to their ability to execute trades at lightning speed and make decisions based on predefined rules. This automation helps traders take advantage of market fluctuations and execute trades without emotions interfering. However, with the rise of crypto bots, questions have arisen about their legality and ethical implications.
As the use of crypto bots continues to proliferate, it is essential for regulators to create a clear legal framework for their use. While these automated systems offer many benefits to traders, they also pose significant risks to market integrity and investor protection. By striking a balance between innovation and regulation, the cryptocurrency market can thrive while ensuring fair and transparent trading practices.
The Legal Landscape
As of 2024, the legality of using crypto bots varies from country to country. Some jurisdictions have embraced automated trading systems and have put in place regulations to govern their use. However, other countries have banned or restricted the use of crypto bots due to the risks they pose to market stability and investor protection.
Are Crypto Bots Manipulating the Market?
With the increasing popularity of crypto bots, there have been concerns about market manipulation and price distortion. Some critics argue that large institutions and traders could use these automated systems to manipulate prices and create artificial demand. This manipulation could potentially harm retail investors and undermine the trust in the cryptocurrency market.
One of the main concerns surrounding crypto bots is the lack of regulatory oversight in the cryptocurrency market. Unlike traditional financial markets, the cryptocurrency space is largely unregulated, making it a breeding ground for fraudulent activities and market manipulation. This lack of oversight has raised red flags for regulators, who fear that the use of crypto bots could lead to unfair advantages and pose risks to market integrity.
Are Crypto Bots Legal in 2024?
In recent years, the use of cryptocurrency trading bots has become increasingly popular in the financial markets. These automated systems are designed to execute trades on behalf of investors based on pre-set parameters and algorithms. However, the legality of using crypto bots has been a topic of much debate and scrutiny. So, are crypto bots legal in 2024?