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Since the start of the Covid pandemic, online sales have boomed. And it’s not just online alcohol sales that spiked in lockdown; health-conscious consumers were keen for fresh produce delivered to their door, causing meat deliveries and veg boxes to soar in popularity.
Data gathered by The Food Foundation from more than 100 veg box schemes found sales rocketed by 111% during the six weeks from the end of February to mid-April. But while larger schemes like Abel & Cole and Riverford Organic Farms reported steep rises, smaller box schemes were particularly in-demand, with sales growing by 134%.
The group estimated that 3.5 million veg boxes were likely to have been delivered over the period, and with 82% of box schemes having a waiting list as of April, demand was clearly outstripping supply.
Ben White-Hamilton, founder of Harvest Bundle, a digital marketplace that brings shoppers high-quality produce from farms around the UK, is a big believer in farms and farm shops taking advantage of their online opportunities.
“People don’t live near farms anymore, they live in cities. Farmers’ markets have worked well for centuries, but with people leading lives that are incredibly busy it’s often hard to make time to visit them,” he told specialityfoodmagazine.com. “What e-commerce allows is modern technology applied to an almost forgotten historic tradition of buying direct.”
This, combined with the trend of more people wanting to support local businesses “has formed a potent mix and sped up the whole process of people shopping for food directly from the businesses who they want to support,” White-Hamilton said.
Rosie Jack, the manager at Bowhouse, which connects small growers and producers in Scotland with shoppers, argued that not every farmer needs – or wants – to have a digital presence: “While many farmers are happy to engage on social media, others communicate this in different ways. There’s really no substitute for face-to-face conversations at markets and on the farm.”


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IT’S less than a week to go until Red Nose Day.
So time is running out to bid for cash from our monster £50,000 Comic Relief giveaway.
It gives the chance for community groups across the area to get some cash to help those most in need.
The deadline for entries is March 16, the day after the big fundraising day.
Grants of between £500 and £1,000 are available.
The charity’s slogan this year is ‘Do something funny for money’ so tell us what you are up to.
There are a variety of different events going on across the area.
Staff at Sainsbury’s in Farlington have roped in a dinosaur from the BBC series Walking with Dinosaurs to help them do a Harlem Shake dance.
It will take place at the store next Tuesday.
Customers are being invited to come to the store and donate cash to have their picture taken with the dinosaur – who will be decked out in red – from 3.30pm.
At 4pm staff and customers will take part in a mass Harlem Shake to raise money for Comic Relief.
To apply for a grant please visit at hantscf.org.uk/grants/available-grants/red-nose-day-community-cash.aspx.
We want to know what you are doing to raise money for Comic Relief.
Please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org to tell us all about your plans.

domain: news


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The Enumclaw Regional Healthcare Foundation is partnering with Macy’s to invite customers to participate in Macy’s sixth annual Shop for a Cause charity event Aug. 27.
Customers can purchase tickets now through Enumclaw Regional Healthcare Foundation members or at the office.
Macy’s Shop for a Cause is a one-day-only shopping event created to support local charities’ fundraising efforts. The event has helped raise more than $38 million for charities across the country since 2006.
More than 81,000 nonprofits have partnered with the online shopping mall GoodShop.com and Yahoo-powered search engine GoodSearch.com to enable their supporters to generate donations by shopping online or searching the Internet.
New York, NY, July, 2009 — As a result of the declining economy, individuals are looking for innovative and free ways to help their favorite charities, knowing that because of a national drop in donations, these causes need help more than ever!
May 26, 2009, Harvard Business Blog — This weekend the main sections of the New York Times and the Daily News contained big ads for Hummer, T-Mobile, AT&T, Macy's, Bloomingdales, and a host of electronics and furniture retailers. The home page of the Huffington Post right now is running an ad for Delta Airlines. On CNN.com it's Netflix. ABCNews.com — Choice Hotels. Oprah.com — Crystal Light beverages. No ads on any of these pages for Darfur, ending AIDS, or curing breast cancer — indeed no ads for any 501 (c) 3. This is not an anomalous day. Gigantic consumer brands advertise. Gigantic causes don't.


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The Bangladesh High Court issued a stay this week on implementation of the Bangladesh Accord for Building and Fire Safety 2018, a renewed agreement between European fashion brands and trade unions in the country’s garment industry, saying it was signed without the approval of the government.
Justices Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Mohammad Ullah issued the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League challenging the legality of the implementation of the Accord 2018 agreement, according to The Daily Star newspaper in Bangladesh.
The stay is in effect until May 15, 2018. The court gave the Bangladesh Accord Foundation, the Labor Ministry and the chief inspector at the Department of Inspection for factories and establishments four weeks to respond to the ruling.
This new Accord, the second after the initial program took shape in May 2013, was signed on June 21 this year and is scheduled to go into effect in May 2018 (which is with the original Accord expires) and be in place for three years. Bangladesh’s garment factory owners have objected to the new agreement, and the government is supporting the owners.
The agreement has so far been signed by Kmart Australia, Target Australia, Primark, H&M, Inditex, C&A, Otto, KiK, Aldi South, Aldi North, Lidl, Tchibo, LC Waikiki and Helly Hansen. Another eight brands have committed to signing it.
[Read more about problems in Bangladesh: Bangladesh Textile Factory Fire Claims Six Lives]
Global unions IndustriALL and UNI recently called on fashion brands to sign the second Accord, saying extension of the Accord is the “only credible way” to prevent life-threatening hazards in garment factories in Bangladesh. The original accord came about following the tragic Rana Plaza fire that killed more than 1,100 people in April 2013.
Meanwhile, in a new white paper released Wednesday and sent to the European Commission, the Clean Clothes Campaign, the International Trade Union Confederation, the European Trade Union Confederation, IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union is said to provide clear evidence that, despite signing a “Sustainability Compact” with the European Union four years ago, the government of Bangladesh remains in violation of this compact, failing to make vital reforms required to ensure its garment industry complies with core international labor standards.
The white paper focuses on four key areas that have remained a major focus of concern for the EU, the ILO, unions and labor rights groups, and other stakeholders in the international community following the catastrophic collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh, including labor law reform, freedom of association in the Export Processing Zones, improving union registration and the curtailing of anti-union discrimination.
“Despite promises made, it is still extremely difficult for workers in Bangladesh to exercise their fundamental labor rights,” Jenny Holdcroft, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, said. “The continued failure of the Bangladeshi government to take the necessary action to protect workers’ rights is ample reason for the EU to launch the much-needed trade investigation.”


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As competitors and partners are increasingly pushing for the production of memory chips such as DDR5, South Korean company SK Hynix could not remain silent for a long time about its initiatives in this area. She begins serial production of DDR5 this year, and in the future she expects to conquer the line of DDR5-8400.
SK Hynix on the pages of the corporate website proudly recalled that back in November 2018, it developed a 16 Gb DDR5 chip, and it was later certified by the JEDEC committee. In a recent publication, the company spoke about the advantages and some characteristics of DDR5 memory, which it will start mass production in the current year.
When designing, SK Hynix pledged the achievement of DDR5-4800 mode, at least, but the standard itself will allow the company to create memory up to and including DDR5-8400. A significant increase in bandwidth will not be the only advantage of DDR5 memory. The number of memory banks will be increased from 16 to 32 pieces. Up to sixteen read-write operations will be performed in one transmission instead of the previous eight. The Same Bank Refresh function will allow the system to maintain access to other memory banks at the moment when one of them updates the contents. Finally, an error correction function will be implemented directly at the crystal level, as well as a noise suppression function.
The rated voltage will be reduced from 1.2 V to 1.1 V, which is expected to reduce specific energy consumption by up to 20% in terms of bandwidth compared to DDR4. SK Hynix will begin production of 16 Gb DDR5 chips using 10-nm class lithographic technology. Over time, she will offer monolithic 24 Gb DDR5 crystals. According to IDC forecasts, already in 2021, 22% of the demand will come from DDR5 memory, and in a year the figure will increase to 43%.


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Want to know what the next big thing in technology will be? Our in-house experts and world-class partners have their ears to the ground to keep you up to date.
Whether it’s information on emerging technology, sharing highlights from events, our expert team has curated content on what’s trending in the tech world. So you can spend time learning and not searching for what’s relevant to you.
Chad Gordon, Commercial Manager – Payroll Solutions at MC Systems noted that the ‘pros’ far outweigh the ‘cons’.
“I am a big believer that our emerging #DigitalCaribbean must be created by us to the world, not fed to us by the world,” says Jamaican Tech Guru, Ingrid Riley.
Individual persons will experience shorter waiting times, and they will no longer need to visit multiple agencies to perform a single transaction.
“You can install automated parenting software, so that if your child is accessing age inappropriate sites, it will send you an alert,” says IT Infrastructure Manager, Collin Burgess.
Salomie Lyle-Scott, Senior Project Manager at MC Systems, the technology company, said that smart cities would ease traffic congestion.
Last year, the government of Jamaica committed to establishing the country’s first “smart city.”
Dwayne Russell, general manager, MC Systems, urge MSMEs to embrace digital transformation to become more competitive.
“Net neutrality promotes technology innovations that are often generated by small businesses.”
Kathryn Chin See, Business Development and Research Analyst at MC Systems, explains what a digital footprint is: “Think of your digital footprint as a trail of patty crumbs, or dirty footprints across your mother’s freshly mopped terrazzo floors. Your digital footprint is a data trace of where we have been and what we’ve done in the digital space. It encompasses the websites you’ve visited, your social media activities, your email composition and distribution.”
Digital identity theft is on the rise and occurs in every industry with an online presence. An infamous case of identity theft affected social media giant, Facebook following the revelation that hackers accessed data of some 30 million users late last year. Local experts in technology say that securing one’s digital identity is imperative.


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The front glass for a device purporting to be one of the first Nokia Windows Phone 8 devices has leaked to a Chinese website, giving us an indication of how Nokia’s design language will shift in the near future. With rounded corners, an extremely thin bezel and space for a 4.3-inch display, the device seen above could be a high-end Windows Phone device with a resolution of 1280×720 or a more modest selection with a legacy 800×480 display.
The front piece also has the new Windows 8 logo painted on, an indication that this leak is relatively recent. Nokia’s designs in the Windows Phone space have been unique and attractive in an industry of black (and more recently, white) rectangles.
In a recent interview with a Finnish magazine, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said that the first Windows Phone 8 devices will arrive in the “relatively near term,” reinforcing expectations that they will be announced in early September, perhaps at Nokia world on September 5th. He reinforced his company’s dedication to Windows Phone: “In today’s war … (between) Android, Apple and Windows, we are very clear, we are fighting that with the Windows phone.”
Whether Nokia has a chance against the new iPhone and flagship Android phones from Samsung, HTC and others remains to be seen, but we’re glad they’re putting up a good fight.


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In a recent interview with Reuters, Asus’ Chief Financial Officer, David Chang spoke about possible talks happening inside the company to buy HTC. He informed that the issue had been discussed internally.
[quote_center author=””]Our chairman has chatted about the topic internally. Still, the chances of an actual takeover are not big as Asustek is a company that has depended on organic growth[/quote_center]
It had been three years before the Taiwanese smart phone manufacturer was able to post profits. Year-on-year revenue for Q4 2014 increased by 12 percent to NT$47.9 billion ($1.5 billion), which was 14 percent better than what HTC managed in Q3 2014. Going by the numbers, the timing is perfect for a takeover. The latest flagship, the One M9 is also not living up to expectations forcing HTC to come out with the One M9+ in some markets. The net worth of the company is somewhere around the $2B mark.
Asus, on the other hand, has been selling its Zenfone series like hot cakes. Combining superior hardware with good features at a rock solid price point has taken emerging markets like India by a storm. The company has also started selling its phone in US and Canada as well.
As David said, there are very remote chances of an acquisition, but if it happens, when it happens, it will surely be the most interesting acquisition ever.


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CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. - Payless is giving away a million and a half dollars worth of shoes this Christmas, to kids across the country and beyond.
The Charlotte County's Boys and Girls Club was one of a thousand organizations chosen to participate.
Thursday, fifth graders got brand new shoes.
The 'Payless gives shoes 4 kids' program, is serving kids in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and 11 Latin American countries.
Each child gets a 20 dollar voucher to spend.
This is the first year Charlotte County's Boys and Girls Club has participated.


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‘ShopeePay’ commits to drive digital payment adoption in Thailand
Following its rebrand earlier this year, today, ShopeePay announces its commitments for the second half of 2021, to drive digital payment adoption in Thailand and to better the lives of people through technology
The 3rd outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital services, including digital payments, as Thai consumers do more online shopping and seek a safer way to make payments when shopping in-store. According to the research from the Kasikorn Research Center, more than 53.9 percent of Thai consumers have an increased usage of digital payment during this period. On average, Thai consumers transferred money and paid for goods and services via mobile banking and mobile wallet around 19 times per week.
In addition, Kasikorn Research Center foresees the volume of mobile wallet transactions will grow by 15.8 - 18.0% in 2021, higher than in 2020 at 8.7 percent, and the value of mobile wallet transactions will grow by 15.5-17.7 percent, which reflects accelerating growth from 9.9 percent in 2020.
Moreover, the increasing number of users is not only from a new generation of tech-savvy consumers. Users above 50 years of age are also increasingly adopting ShopeePay, which is testament to its ease of use, given users in this group typically find it harder to adapt to digital payments. This shows Thais’ shopping and payments habits are moving towards digital. ShopeePay will continue to build an integrated ecosystem to bring a convenient and rewarding payment experience for all users.
Supawit Hongamornsin, Director of ShopeePay (Thailand) Co., Ltd. said that “Digital payments are a vital part of the growing digital economy. ShopeePay want to ensure greater inclusion for Thai consumers and promote a cashless society by constantly strengthening our integrated ecosystem. As the adoption of digital payments continues to grow, we aim to build a sustainable long-term ecosystem and strengthen our offerings for users, helping them integrate digital payments into their daily life.''
ShopeePay is committed to continue creating value for both users and merchants and operate in accordance with the Thai government policy to drive the digital economy forward.
1. Build a long-term sustainable ecosystem and greater inclusion
- E-commerce will accelerate the adoption of digital payments and promote a robust digital economy. With e-commerce being one of the top use cases for mobile wallets, ShopeePay will drive the adoption of digital payments through the Shopee ecosystem by reaching more users and strengthening our mobile wallet offerings.
- Bringing consumers a seamless, convenient and secure digital payment experience, along with attractive benefits including discounts, Shopee Coins Cashback and Free Shipping vouchers. We will also continue to roll out new features, such as 'ShopeePay Vouchers', through which users can enjoy discounts by purchasing vouchers on Shopee and scanning them at several top merchants across the country.
2. Widen our merchant network to provide frictionless commerce both online and offline
- ShopeePay aims to enable businesses to build long-term growth by offering a more seamless and cost-effective method of receiving payments.
- Partner merchants can leverage Shopee’s extensive online user base to generate more offline traffic. This includes new types of service providers such as bills, insurance, and many other offline merchants nationwide.
- ShopeePay strives to provide the best experience for users and works closely with merchants to offer exclusive deals and greater value on their payments. Users can also enjoy a seamless ShopeePay across a range of different industries of offline and online merchants including in Retail, Bank, Gas station, F&B and more.
3. Operate in accordance with the Thai government policy to drive the digital economy forward
- The Thai government is advocating for a cashless society through various initiatives such as Mobile Wallet application which is one of the important tools to drive the cashless society policy together with the increased preference for contactless payments which means that businesses have to become more innovative with their new payment mechanisms. As a leading mobile wallet, ShopeePay will operate in accordance with the government to support merchants and businesses to efficiently move towards a cashless society.
“ShopeePay continues to provide a convenient and efficient digital payments experience for Thai users through a seamless, secure and rewarding experience, with exclusive privileges from various business partners and merchants. We are committed to improving people's quality of lives through technology while supporting the sustainable growth of the digital society.” Supawit concluded.
TeamViewer expands its footprint in Thailand to help Thai organizations in digital transformation16 July 2022
Innovative space start-ups team up to create a software-defined space to ground capability14 July 2022
From digital to continuous transformation15 July 2022
Keep Di – the world’s first Insurance Bureau Service launched on blockchain21 July 2022


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VILLAGE OF GOOD HOPE — The Village Board of Good Hope passed an ordinance on Monday, March 10, allowing video gambling machines within the village, and it will deliberate on cannabis-related businesses in the village in future meetings.
Board members centered the discussion around the BP Gas Station on 245 E Vine St, which approached the board about adding video gambling machines to their store in order to generate further revenue.
The request for video gaming from the store’s owners was originally delivered in April of 2019, nearly a year from the ordinance’s passing. Since then, Village President John Connor said the business has been working not only with the village board, but with the appropriate licensing authorities at the Illinois State Gaming Board.
Although Ordinance No. 728 passed unanimously, one concern from Village Treasurer Judith Julien was that children could be exposed to the video gambling machines. She said that she’d felt reassured that the machines would be out of sight when the idea was originally proposed, but said it seems that’s been changed.
“I hope they put a wall up if they’re going to do it, because I don’t think it’s right,” Julien said. “The kids walking in to get candy are going to see it and be thinking about it.”
President Connor said that the building posed size constraints when talking about a wall, but added that it’s already in the gas station’s best interest to keep minors away from the machines. He said that such violations of their license could earn them major fines, and the loss of their license on the first penalty.
Next month, the board will begin discussing an ordinance to bar the opening of cannabis related businesses and dispensaries in village limits. Currently, as is the case with all businesses, the Village Board would need to be approached by a prospective owner and awarded a license to operate said business.
In the current draft of Ordinance No. 729 (which is not yet passed) the following adult-use cannabis establishments are prohibited from operating in The Village of Good Hope: craft growers, cultivation centers, dispensing organizations, infuser organizations, processing organizations, and transporting organizations.
Although the ordinance’s title suggests it would prohibit the use of cannabis and cannabis products in the village, Connor said that it complies with the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, Public Act 101-0027 and the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act. In short, the village cannot stop its residents from lawfully purchasing the product in a town with a licensed dispensary, bringing it home as the law allows, and using it within their private residence. The ordinance’s justification in paragraph three says that these restrictions on cannabis businesses and other-such establishments are for the health, safety, and welfare of its residents, as well as to avoid unnecessary expenses on local law enforcement and regulatory operations.


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MERCURE Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters NOW OPERATING
With the Sunshine Coast earmarked as one of Australia’s major growth hotspots, and the region braces for the population to climb from 350,000 to 500,000 by 2031, Accor are wasting no time jostling for prime position. Accor, together with hotel owners, Stay Centro GC, announce the Best Western Plus Lake Kawana Waters has been rebranded to Mercure Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters, under a franchise agreement.
Built in 2015, Mercure Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters is located in Lake Kawana, a masterplan development by Stockland, worth an estimated $5 billion to the local economy. Set on the waterfront, the hotel offers 81 spacious suites spanning four floors, with a full restaurant and bar, two separate yet adjoining function rooms (that can be combined), and ample car parking. The hotel is just one hour from Brisbane Airport, and 20 minutes from Sunshine Coast Airport.
Simon McGrath, Accor Pacific’s Chief Operating Officer, says the Mercure is a strategic and welcome addition to the network with the Sunshine Coast region on the precipice of a significant tourism boom, with major infrastructure works underway set to elevate the destination.
“The Sunshine Coast has experienced significant tourism increases into the region as of late, with a total of 3.8 million visitors spending $2.4 billion (FY 2018). Domestic visitation grew by 1.8% whilst international visitation to the region outpaced Queensland’s overall average, recording a growth rate of 8.5%.
“Such positive visitation growth figures are buoyed by significant tourism investment and major infrastructure projects which will elevate the destination, including construction of a multi-million-dollar redevelopment of Maroochydore CBD, expansion of the Sunshine Coast International Airport to bring it up to a global standard, in addition to another runway which will increase air capacity.
“The delivery of a major international submarine broadband cable mid-2020 is set to position the Sunshine Coast as a leading ‘smart city’ stimulating business even more, in addition to significant investment into the University of the Sunshine Coast as well as a major upgrade to the region’s largest shopping precinct, Sunshine Coast Plaza.
“The destination’s already strong business events market is set for even greater growth opportunities (up 5.5% FY 2018), with the recent completion of the $10 million Sunshine Coast Convention Centre, as part of the Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort,” concluded McGrath.
Michael Carr, Stay Centro GC’s CEO, said, “We are delighted to partner with Accor on this new venture at such an exciting time for the destination, and look forward to welcoming both corporate and leisure guests to the Sunshine Coast with the Mercure brands internationally renowned authentic, locally inspired service.”
Guests of Mercure Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters will be able access privileges via Accor’s award-winning loyalty programme - ALL, Accor Live Limitless - a daily lifestyle companion that integrates rewards, services and experiences bringing value to everyday life inventing a completely new aspirational way to live limitless. The programme is free to join and can be used across more than 5,000 hotels, resorts and residences across 110 countries.
Mercure Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters is ideally located one hour from Brisbane Airport, 40 minutes from Noosa Heads, 20 minutes from Sunshine Coast Airport and 10 minutes from Caloundra. The hotel is adjacent to both Sunshine Coast Public University Hospital and Sunshine Coast Private University Hospital, which currently offer 621 beds with plans to increase to 909 beds by 2021.
Mercure Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters joins a network of over 50 Mercure hotels across Australia and New Zealand and over 810 worldwide.
With Mercure, Accor offers hotels that are all different and locally inspired.
Mercure is the only midscale hotel brand that combines the strength of an international network with a strong quality commitment and the warm experience of locally inspired hotels. Mercure hotels are managed by enthusiastic hoteliers and welcome business and leisure travellers across the world. Mercure has over 810 hotels in 64 countries. They are ideally located in city centers, by the sea or in the mountains.
Accor is a world-leading augmented hospitality group offering unique experiences in more than 5000 hotels and residences across 110 destinations. The Group has been acquiring hospitality expertise for more than 50 years, resulting in an unrivaled portfolio of 39 hotel brands, from luxury to economy, supported by one of the most attractive loyalty programs in the world.
ALL, Accor Live Limitless is a daily lifestyle companion that integrates rewards, services and experiences bringing value to everyday life inventing a completely new aspirational way to live limitless.
Accor is deeply committed to sustainable value creation and plays an active role in giving back to planet and community via its Planet 21 – Acting Here program and the Accor Solidarity endowment fund, which gives disadvantaged groups access to employment through professional training.
Accor SA is publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACRFY) in the United States. For more information visit accor.com. Or become a fan and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.


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(Reuters) – R&B star Beyonce’s latest self-titled album surpassed 1 million copies sold worldwide in six days on Wednesday and set a record for iTunes, Apple Inc. and Columbia Records said.
“Beyonce,” the fifth solo studio album from the singer, unexpectedly released in the early hours of December 13 without any prior fanfare, contains 14 new songs and 17 videos, and swiftly topped the iTunes album charts across the world.
The album also debuted at the top of the weekly Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, with 617,000 copies sold in the United States by the week ending December 15, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.
The deluxe digital album, exclusively available on iTunes, can only be purchased as a complete set of songs and videos, and retails for $15.99 at the U.S. store. A physical version will be made available for sale in time for the festive holiday period this month.
The surprise release of the album caps a year in which Beyonce, 32, made a carefully choreographed return to music after taking time out to give birth to her first child, daughter Blue Ivy with rapper husband Jay Z. Both Blue Ivy and Jay Z feature as collaborators on the new album, and appear in accompanying music videos.
Releasing an album without any prior fanfare or publicity is rare, especially for one of the top players in the current music industry. But Beyonce’s success does not necessarily mean other artists will be able to copy her stealth release strategy.
The singer has numerous factors in her favor, including a loyal online fanbase of more than 53 million Facebook fans, 13 million Twitter followers and 8 million Instagram fans, and a year performing in the spotlight that has created buzz for an album release.
Beyonce’s album has outperformed some of this year’s other most-anticipated new releases, selling more copies than new albums from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Britney Spears.
Currently, the year’s top-selling album is Justin Timberlake’s first part of “The 20/20 Experience,” which was released in March with 968,000 copies sold in its opening week, and has topped 2.3 million sales in the U.S. to date.
Nielsen SoundScan compiles sales in the week ending Sunday, meaning that Beyonce’s new album only showed three days of sales in the Billboard chart.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Mary Milliken and David Gregorio)


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The experimental fashion world and the rest of the world don't always see eye to eye, which has resulted in some pretty strange pieces of clothing going under the collective internet microscope. (See: A dress made out of jeans, half jeans, and butt slash jeans.) And the latest head-scratcher style statement: A... sheer sweater.
One might ask, how can a sweater — presumably made with yarn-like material — be made sheer? As first discovered by BuzzFeed, Calvin Klein figured out a way to combine textiles, textures, and temperatures all in one garment. The key is to keep part of the sweater in its original form, which leads to this honestly pretty... innovative look: A sheer torso panel with two sweater sleeves.
Another angle, for the curious:
If you're planning on picking one of these babies up for yourself, alas, there are two barriers to purchase. One: It costs €1810 (over $2000). And two: It's sold out on retailer Ssense anyway. Maybe just DIY a more attainable version, à la Kylie Jenner?
Update 9/13 8:55 p.m. EST: The internet has rightly pointed out that this sweater, as well as others, were first debuted during the brand's Fall/Winter 2017/2018 presentation from earlier this year:
Ladies weren't left out of the sheer sweater moment:
But at least on, the women's sweater — listed as a "Sheer Fine-Gauge Sweater" and retailing for $1,150 — is shown with a modesty cover underneath:
Curiously? Unlike its Ssense counterpart, it's still for sale.
Follow Lilian on Twitter.


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A new package released by the most upmarket hotel in south-western Sydney, the 4.5-star Rydges Campbelltown, allows guests to experience its sophisticated new OTIS Bar and Grill which features a hip craft brewery and some of the States’ finest wagyu beef.
The deal, which includes a discount of 46 per cent, offers a night’s accommodation at Rydges Campbelltown, two drinks on arrival at the stylish new OTIS Bar and Terrace, free wi-fi and parking, a two-course dinner of fine cuisine at the hotel’s OTIS Grill restaurant including a tasting paddle of four of OTIS’ award-winning craft beers, full buffet breakfast, access to the neighbouring Aquafit fitness centre and a late checkout of 1pm.
The discount package is available from December 13, 2015, to January 31, 2016, and is priced from $279 per room. The deal is available weekends or weekdays, subject to availability, and blackout dates apply.
To book, visit www.rydges.com/campbelltown.
Tailored for leisure and business guests alike, the 116-room Rydges Campbelltown unveiled the swish new OTIS Bar and Grill this month after a major $700,000 transformation of the ground-floor entertainment area of the deluxe hotel.
Emerging from the refurbishment, which included hip new furniture, lights, wallpaper and curtains, are the new- OTIS Bar and Terrace – which boasts a striking, 360-bottle wine wall, an eye-catching art piece hovering over the bar and an inviting outdoor terrace for relaxing, alfresco drinks with friends – OTIS Grill – a 70-guest, fine-dining restaurant specialising in premium wagyu beef – and OTIS Brewing Company where head brewer, Allan Barclay, has 10 unique beers on tap.
The signature dish at OTIS Grill, overseen by executive chef Mathew Ovington, is premium Schottlanders wagyu beef from the NSW South Coast. The new restaurant’s fresh shucked oysters and scallops are also winning rave reviews. OTIS will also continue the hotel’s traditional and award-winning High Teas daily from noon to 2pm. OTIS Bar and Grill is open seven days a week. Visit www.otisbar.com.au.
“We invite Sydneysiders and especially locals from the Macarthur region to savour the sophisticated sanctuary we have crafted for people to relax in stylish ambience, feast on gourmet grill dishes and enjoy our chic cocktails, earthy brews and also live acoustic music on Friday and Saturday nights,” said Rydges General Manager Brett Barlow.


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September data show that inflation continues to erode earnings
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its numbers for inflation in September today:
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4 percent in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.6 percent in August…Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment.
That year-on-year number — 3.7% — is interesting, but what matters is the monthly number; 0.4%. That is moving in the right direction again after spiking in August. The money supply on the M2 measure continues to drift down from its peak in April 2022, albeit at a slower rate, so I still expect inflation to trend down.
It is important to note that a falling rate of inflation does not mean that prices are falling, only that they are rising less quickly than they were. That monthly rate of 0.4% is still more than double the rate needed to hit the Federal Reserve’s target of 2% annually and is consistent with an annual rate of nearly 5%.
Another BLS release today illustrates why this inflation is a problem. Data for real earnings — that is, adjusted for inflation — showed that:
Real average hourly earnings for all employees decreased 0.2 percent from August to September, seasonally adjusted…This result stems from an increase of 0.2 percent in average hourly earnings combined with an increase of 0.4 percent in the Consumer Price Index…
So an increase in earnings of 0.2% was more than offset by that increase in prices of 0.4%. This explains why, when Democrats try to tell Americans that they’ve never had it so good, Americans aren’t buying.


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Changes to rooftop solar tariffs in New South Wales could see the state become a leader in the uptake of residential battery storage, as 160,000 solar households prepare to lose the premium tariff for their solar output.
A new graph from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has revealed there are around 160,000 households in NSW that are currently receiving a premium tariff of 60c/kWh for their solar output (plus a retailer bonus), and these tariffs will finish in January 2017.By then, the solar systems they installed will have paid for themselves. The question for these household then becomes, what to do with the surplus electricity produced by the arrays, particularly given that tariffs are only voluntary, or around 6c/Wh or 8c/kWh at best?
Battery storage may be an answer. The graph from Simon Brooker, executive director of corporate and project finance for the Clean Energy Finance Corp, suggests that the returns could be quite good, and that battery storage added to rooftop solar systems will still be competitive and even beat grid-based tariffs.
Even these assumptions could be seen to be conservative, given that battery storage prices are likely to fall well below $1,300/kWh – particularly by the end of next year.
“We are not talking 40c/kWh or 50c/kWh. We are talking much more interesting numbers,” Brooker noted.
UBS analyst David Leitch told the conference that there was huge potential for cost reductions in battery storage, given that battery cells and storage systems were being sold in China for under $200/kWh, yet were being sold for nearly 10 times the price in Australia. That meant there were huge potential for falls along the value chain.
Morgan Stanley analyst Rob Koh said the key for battery storage take-up would also be on the structure of tariffs set by utilities, including time of use tariffs, the level of fixed and locked in payments, and newly mooted capacity payments.
© 2015 Solar Choice Pty Ltd


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Nintendo plans to release games digitally on 3DS and Wii U; no Wii U price or date at E3 2012
Just a day after revealing its largest financial losses ever, Nintendo has revealed its plans to sell games over a digital retail network. According to CEO Satoru Iwata, the company will continue to sell games the traditional way, but will begin to have digital retail versions of major releases alongside the normal retail versions.
In other words, you'll soon be able to buy the Big N's big games directly from their respective systems the same day they release in retail stores, all without ever having to leave your house. Nice.
This service will be available for both the 3DS and the Wii U. For the 3DS, Iwata revealed the upcoming New Super Mario Bros. 2 would be available in both forms, saying: "In principle, starting from this software, the company will offer the software titles that Nintendo itself publishes in both packaged and digital download formats so that our consumers can choose the way to purchase them."
He went on to say that the digital network will be available for the Wii U at launch. Unfortunately, he failed to specify when the service would begin, or, for that matter, whether or not the service would be available worldwide on day one.
It was also revealed that, aside from buying from the systems directly, people will be able to buy digital downloads at retail stores and online. It's currently believed that these will be in the form of coded cards, not unlike Xbox LIVE Gold registration cards. What's interesting is that, while Nintendo will set the prices for the games in its digital library, retailers will be able to set their own prices for their digital downloads. This means the retailers could, potentially, discount Nintendo's prices.
In other Nintendo-related news, the company revealed some details on which details about Wii U will and won't be revealed at E3 this June. It was confirmed that the final format of the console will be shown, as well as the software line-up. Details that won't be revealed are the launch date and the price for each region. Those will be revealed after E3.
But getting back to the subject of digital retail, do you readers think it is the right step for Nintendo to make? Do you think the company has a better chance to bounce back from its financial rut this way? Feel free to share your thought and/or speculate on the matter in the comment box below.
A writer, journalist, and aspiring storyteller, Peter Grimm has been gaming since the days of the Nintendo 64, and reporting on the goings-on in the World of Gaming since late 2011. His base of writing operations is located within the void between Here and There, or so he would have you think.
[Other Gaming News +]
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Manchester, NH is a thriving city in the heart of New England. With a population of over 110,000 people, it is the largest city in the state of New Hampshire. The city’s economy is diverse and includes a range of industries, from healthcare to technology. One of the most promising sectors in Manchester’s economy is commercial real estate.
Commercial real estate in Manchester, NH is experiencing a period of growth and expansion. The city’s downtown area is particularly attractive to investors and businesses, thanks to its historic architecture, cultural amenities, and central location. In recent years, the city has seen an increase in the number of new commercial developments, including office buildings, retail spaces, and mixed-use developments.
One of the most significant commercial real estate developments in Manchester is the $50 million redevelopment of the former Osram Sylvania site on South Willow Street. The project, known as “The Ledges,” includes the construction of a new hotel, retail space, and a 200-unit apartment complex. The development is expected to create hundreds of new jobs and boost the local economy.
Another significant commercial real estate project in Manchester is the redevelopment of the former Rex Theatre on Amherst Street. The project, known as “The Rex,” includes the construction of a new mixed-use development that will feature retail space, office space, and luxury apartments. The development is expected to bring new businesses to the area and provide a boost to the city’s downtown economy.
Manchester’s downtown area is also home to a number of historic buildings that have been repurposed for commercial use. For example, the former Amoskeag Bank building on Elm Street is now home to a variety of businesses, including a restaurant and a coworking space. Similarly, the former YMCA building on Mechanic Street has been renovated and repurposed as a mixed-use development that includes office space, retail space, and luxury apartments.
Overall, commercial real estate in Manchester, NH is experiencing a period of growth and expansion. The city’s diverse economy, central location, and attractive downtown area make it an appealing destination for investors and businesses. With a range of new developments and repurposed historic buildings, Manchester is poised for continued growth and success in the commercial real estate sector.


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A rating of supermarket prices by an independent nonprofit research group lists Gemco as the least expensive and Mayfair as the most expensive markets.
In its most recent survey of prices at stores in eight grocery chains in San Diego County, the California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG) determined that basket of groceries that cost $100 at Gemco would cost $125.97 at Mayfair. Thirty-three stores were included in the survey.
CalPIRG volunteers ranked the stores, from least to most expensive, as follows: Gemco, Ralphs, Food Basket, Vons, Big Bear, Safeway, Alpha Beta, Mayfair. They bought 121 items of meat, produce, dairy products, grain, staples, processed foods and other items of both store and national brands, and they bought the same items at each store.
Carmen Gonzalez of CalPIRG said the purpose of the survey is to encourage shoppers to patronize stores offering low prices. She said people can be misled by advertising campaigns citing the results of "self-designed" surveys done by the stores.


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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Youngstown is working hard to promote local food and a farm-to-table approach to healthy eating.
On Wednesday, the federal government recognized those efforts by selecting the city for the new “Local Foods, Local Places” initiative. Youngstown is one of 26 communities picked from 316 applicants by a team of federal agencies.
As part of Wednesday’s announcement, representatives toured the Kitchen Incubator on Elm Street, which is just one part of a grand plan to develop a “green business district” on the north side.
The Youngstown Kitchen Incubator is still a work in progress. It has been open for about a year and is filled with used equipment getting a second life, including a 40-gallon kettle from the Austintown Local School District.
“You can rent time here which is much, much cheaper than setting up your own commercial kitchen. So you can work in a licensed facility and sell your food,” Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. Land Reuse Director Liberty Merrill said. “Certainly the goal is to use local foods to drive the economy here. That’s a lot of what the partnerships here, with all of the organizations have been about, creating jobs in the local food system.”
A lot of things are happening to build an economy around local food.
“Local food is great because food really brings people together. It’s really about sharing food with people, about your family and all those things. It’s really something that everybody can support,” Merrill said.
She said dollars that get spent on food go back into the community.
People can do everything at the Kitchen Incubator, from baking cookies and making soups to growing greens and herbs. It offers an answer to the challenge of growing a local food system, which is the processing of commodities.
“Help small entrepreneurs access the facilities at scale so they’re able to meet that increasing market demand,” USDA Deputy Secretary for Rural Development Doug O’Brien said.
O’Brien said this helped set Youngstown’s application apart. It brings together local food partners and the region’s agricultural assets.
“That will help them build on the great foundation and the vision of the local community and grow that vision to get better outcomes for the community,” O’Brien said.
And that vision already is in the works. In January, the Elm Street Café will open next to the Kitchen Incubator.
And in late spring, the Lake-to-River Food Cooperative will open across the street. Both will sell food made and grown in Youngstown.
“We don’t have anything in the local neighborhood and a lot of these people have to ride a bus and transfer buses to do their shopping. And now they can just walk to the store,” Jim Converse of Common Wealth Regional Development said. “It will be a neighbor-oriented grocery store but also will carry a lot of organic and naturally-grown products for people that don’t want to have to drive to Cleveland or Pittsburgh to find those things.”
The Lake-to-River Food Cooperative grocery store will sell items produced at the Kitchen Incubator, such as jams, jellies, sauces, soups and salads grown locally, as well as convenience items so people don’t have to go to a chain store like CVS.
Converse also is the manager of the Youngstown Farmers Market.
He hopes to connect more to the Youngstown State University campus and students.
“Help them kind of relearn what good local food is or learn for the first time in many cases. They’re a fast food generation and they’re going to be fat and die before their parents do probably in some cases,” Converse said.
He said the effort takses a positive approach to being healthy and eating healthy, noting there is a lot of growth downtown with restaurants, but he wants to bring that growth to other neighborhoods like the north side.
It is efforts like these that got Washington’s attention and will propel this movement into the future.
“Well it is putting feet on all the rhetoric about local food,” Converse said.
“This is about, how does the federal government work with local communities to help them achieve their dreams in a very simple, straightforward manner,” Appalachian Regional Commission Federal co-chair Earl Gohl said.
The “Local Foods, Local Places” grant has two parts. The first is technical support with access to experts and information. There will be a workshop and a planning report issued.
The Appalachian Regional Commission will provide $20,000 to help make those goals reality. But the award is more about expertise and assistance and less about money.
The timeline is all up to the local groups involved in the process.


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This week we have plenty of interesting stories and useful cyber security insights from you. We cover some of the latest crimes – and their outcomes. We consider how security can be made more sustainable. And we look at some of the issues around culture and insider threats.
Keep safe out there.
The personal data of around 100 million Indian MobiKwik users has been put at risk and some is up for sale on the Dark Web. The seller wants 1.2 bitcoin for the personal data of over 3 million people.
Other hackers are using a fake Clubhouse app to distribute malicious Android malware. The spoof of the popular invite-only audio chat app is being used to spread BlackRock malware.
Proving that good things come to those who wait, the co-founder of the Infraud Organisation sentenced to 10 years by a US court.
Developing more sustainable business practices is important for all industries and cyber security is no exception. We have some more thoughts on sustainability in IT and data security
Getting the best candidates in your cyber team is a challenge. Not everyone you are interviewing will know what to expect. So when you are interviewing security awareness candidates, ask: What do you think this job is?
Insider threats are to be found everywhere. And the legal sector is one area that is particularly prone to insider threats. What are the issues in your industry that create security tensions. Why not let us know by getting in touch with me.
UK education charity Harris Federation has suffered a ransomware attack that shut down its email and telephone systems. NCSC has reported a spurt in ransomware attacks targeting educational institutions in the UK this year with cyber criminals threatening to release sensitive data if a ransom is not paid. Take care – and test your back-ups.
We have rather less sympathy for the online FX broker FBS who leaked 16B customer records via an unsecured server. (What is it about Elastic Search servers that means we are constantly reporting stories about organisations that fail to secure them?)
Ubiquiti: We hear that network device manufacturer Ubiquiti have downplayed a massive data breach. A whistle-blower claims that this was to preserve its reputation. Whatever the truth of this claim, we feel that honesty is always going to be the best policy, as early notification protects consumers as well as mollifying regulators. And the truth has a habit of getting out eventually.
UK economy: A £300 million cyber investment in the UK is promised by Viasat who have announced the opening of its state-of-the-art Network Operations Centre and Cyber Security Operations Centre in Aldershot, UK.
Researchers at IT security firm ESET have discovered that cyber criminals have made a fake new android application of the popular invite-only audio chat app Clubhouse and are using it to spread the BlackRock malware to millions of Android device users.
As of now, the Clubhouse mobile application is only available on Apple's iOS operating system. However, cyber criminals have designed a fake Android version that contains malware and can be used for stealing credentials.
In a blog post, the security firm said that the fake Android version of the Clubhouse application was identified by security researcher Lukas Stefanko on a website that has the look and feel of the genuine Clubhouse website. The fake Android application contains a malware trojan named “BlackRock” that can perform a number of malicious activities.
Once deployed, BlackRock can steal credentials for hundreds of online services, including several popular ones. These include well-known financial and shopping apps, cryptocurrency exchanges, social media and messaging platforms like Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Outlook, eBay, Coinbase, Plus500, Cash App, BBVA, and Lloyds Bank.
“The trojan – nicknamed “BlackRock” by ThreatFabric and detected by ESET as Android/TrojanDropper.Agent.HLR – can steal victims’ login data for no fewer than 458 online services,” ESET said.
According to Stefanko, the fake website, which is used by hackers to distribute the fake Clubhouse app, mimics the Clubhouse website and once any user clicks on the ‘Get it on Google Play' link, the app will be automatically downloaded onto the user’s device, whereas in case of a legitimate website, users will always be redirected to the Google Play Store, rather than directly downloading an Android Package Kit.
“Even before tapping the button, there are signs that something is amiss, such as the connection not being secure (HTTP instead of HTTPS) or that the site uses the “.mobi” top-level domain (TLD), rather than “.com” used by the legitimate app. Another red flag should be that even though Clubhouse is indeed planning to launch the Android version of its app soon, the platform is at present still available only for iPhones,” ESET said.
Once the BlackRock Trojan is installed, it tries to steal credentials using an overlay attack. Whenever a user launches the fake app after downloading it, the malware asks the user to log in to online services, and captures the user's credentials when they are entered. Furthermore, SMS-based two-factor authentication will also not help the user as BlackRock has the ability to intercept text messages as well.
Commenting on the discovery of the fake Clubhouse app, Sam Bakken, Senior Product Marketing Manager at OneSpan, said that “it's important for consumers to default to only downloading mobile apps from official app stores, but even then there's risk. If you're excited about the availability of a new app, chances are you are not alone. Criminals are very good at taking advantage of our anticipation, it's a human vulnerability ripe for exploit.”
“If you're excited about Clubhouse (and others) and surprised by its sudden availability, be careful not to let your guard down. I personally try to avoid clicking any "Get it on Google Play" or "Download on the App Store" links and instead, opt searching for those stores directly. This incident highlights the need for three things.
“First, it's time for all financial services apps to integrate biometric authentication. The overlay attacks that steal static usernames and passwords are only becoming easier for criminals to execute. Biometric authentication gives users a way to protect themselves.
“Second, this mobile banking Trojan has SMS-grabbing capabilities and at this point, I view authentication codes sent via SMS as security threat. Third, time and time again we see evidence that attackers are working hard to cheat mobile banking users.
“Banks can take additional steps to protect their users against overlay attacks and other mobile vulnerabilities and exploits with app shielding, an advanced mobile app security that travels with the banking app to protect the institution and their users against mobile banking threats similar to this one,” he added.
Originally Aired: Tuesday 30th March 2021, 16:00 (BST)
This episode is now available to view on-demand.
Gaynor Rich - Global Director Cyber Security Strategy, Unilever
Gary Sorrentino - Global Deputy CIO, Zoom
Jitender Arora - Chief Information Security Officer, Deloitte
Sudeep Venkatesh - Chief Product Officer, Egress
2020 accelerated the digital transformation of business and that has put a strain on cyber security teams, expanding the attack surface. Now it’s about being able to adapt. For instance as we move forward, we will probably move permanently to a hybrid home/office environment that is constantly changing. So we will need to flex with that.
One important tool is messaging. We need to be able to explain complex issues is a way that people find easy to digest. You need to hit people at the right time with the right messages.
And you will only do this by working closely with the different functions and understanding exactly what they need – because different functions will have different needs.
In addition IT and security need to be better integrated into the wider organisation so that it is accepted that the responsibility for security is shared across the organisation.
People have to make decisions about security every day which means we need people who have been educated to do this. First of all we need to break down the mystique so that people understand that security isn’t just something for specialists. That means we need communication and this needs to connect with people at a human level – we need tell people things they can share with friends. Behaving securely shouldn’t be something special. People shouldn’t have to think differently about it at work. Security should be natural for everyone.
Another requirement is for security to be run on a blame-free basis. And this is about security teams having an open door. Because you don’t want people to hide things away. If you have a regular cadence of communication, so people know where to find information, if you give people acknowledgements when they come forward to report security worries, you can be far more proactive about defence.
You have to communicate in a way that is appropriate to both the business culture and the country culture. And having local champions will help her. A tailored approach so that a similar message is communicated but in a way that’s appropriate for local conditions. That’s true for home working as well. You need to take account of the physical and procedural circumstances of people working from home and understand the additional pressures they may be under.
Working from home we tend to be more informal. And so we forget the normal security behavioural norms. Would people take a photograph of a screen in an office with other people? Probably not. But they might at home. And at home they might text people rather than use email that goes through a corporate security system. So people need to appreciate the extra risks this can create, and understand why they need to revert to the norms of office behaviour when it comes to security.
At home people may well have many devices connected to the internet – phones, TVs, games consoles, even thermostats and cameras. Perhaps the only properly secured device is their work laptop. So that device needs to be secured in the understanding that it may be operating on an insecure network, rather than a secure office network.
At home people may be less wary too. Professionally devised scams may be more effective in an environment where people are more relaxed. But we can’t expect people to be suspicious all the time at home; we can expect them to adopt a CISO’s zero trust mentality. All we can do is give them the most important information delivered in as simple a way as possible.
We can’t assume that that worked in the past will work today. People will use their own devices to access company information. They will work from home more often and perhaps without telling us. They will use software that is potentially secure. We need to appreciate this and instead of trying to force people back into old ways of working we need to respond to the way people want to work. After all, if they are at home, they are going to be hard to check up on.
Ultimately we all need to remember that the past is gone and it isn’t coming back. People now have two work personas: in the office and working from home. We need to create professional guardrails that protect people wherever they are working. If we accept change and if we are open minded about how people should be protected then we have a chance of succeeding.
Two leading operatives of the Infraud Organisation cyber crime group- one Russian and the other Macedonian- have been sentenced in the U.S. for their roles in various cyber crimes such as identity theft, the use of malware, and the use and sale of compromised credit card data.
In a press release, the Department of Justice said last week that the two members of the infamous Infraud Organisation were sentenced by the District of Nevada to 10 years and five years in prison respectively. Prior to its takedown, Infraud Organisation was a well-organised international cyber crime ring that boasted nearly eleven thousand registered members and routinely targeted financial institutions, businesses, and individuals for financial gain.
The cyber crime group was best known for engaging in the mass acquisition and sale of fraud-related goods and services, including stolen identities, compromised credit card data, computer malware, and other contraband since 2010.
According to the Department of Justice, Sergey Medvedev, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison, was the co-founder of Infraud along with Syvatoslav Bondarenko of Ukraine and played an active part in the organisation since November 2010 until it was taken down by law enforcement in February 2018.
Medvedev actively participated in the Infraud online forum facilitating illegal transactions among Infraud members. He also worked as Infraud’s administrator, handling day-to-day management, deciding membership, and meting out discipline to those who violated the enterprise’s rules.
Marko Leopard, who was sentenced to five years in prison, joined Infraud Organisation in June 2011, offering his services as an “abuse immunity” web hoster to Infraud members who wished to create websites to sell contraband.
Leopard catered to websites offering illegal goods and services, ignoring any abuse reports from internet users. He hosted a number of sites for Infraud members in this fashion, providing the infrastructure that allowed his co-conspirators to profit off of their criminal activities.
DoJ added that the Infraud Organisation operated for more than seven years under the slogan “In Fraud We Trust,” and its members and associates operated worldwide. The organisation was responsible for the sale and/or purchase of more than 4 million compromised credit and debit card numbers amounting to a loss of more than $568 million.
In February 2018, a U.S. court indicted as many as 36 cyber criminals, including Medvedev and Leopard, after it took down the cyber crime ring. The indicted members hailed from the United States, the UK, Russia, Pakistan, Australia, France, Italy, Kosovo, Serbia, Egypt, Moldova, Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, Ukraine, Canada, and Macedonia. In June last year, Medvedev pleaded guilty before the U.S. District Court of Nevada for running Infraud Organisation.
“Dismantling a cybercrime organization like Infraud requires aggressive pursuit of not only those who steal, sell, and use personal data, but also those who provide the infrastructure that allows cybercrime organizations to operate,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
“Today’s sentences should serve as a warning to any web host who willingly looks the other way for a quick buck — and that the United States will hold these bad actors accountable, even when they operate behind a computer screen halfway across the world.”
“While criminal operators lurk in the deepest corners of the internet, they ultimately do not escape the reach of law enforcement. We will continue to aggressively investigate, disrupt, and dismantle hidden illegal networks that pose a threat in cyberspace.
HSI and our partners are at the forefront of combating cyber financial crimes and illicit activities spread by online criminals looking for financial gain,” said Francisco Burrola of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas.
Air Date: Thursday 8th April 2021, 16:00 (BST)
Andrew Aken - Zero Trust Lead Technical Architect, Twitter
John Rouffas - Chief Information Security Officer, Pharos Security
Rob Hornbuckle - Chief Information Security Officer, Allegiant Air
Jason Soroko - CTO of PKI Sectigo
Air Date: Tuesday 13th April 2021, 16:00 (BST)
Jordan M. Schroeder - Deputy MD & Managing CISO, HEFESTIS
Robin Lennon Bylenga - Human Factors Analysis Classification System
Jean Carlos - Group Head of Information Security, Nomad Foods
Richard Cassidy - Senior Director – Security Strategy, Exabeam
Air Date: Thursday 15th April 2021, 10:00 (BST)
Emily Taylor - CEO of OXIL & Editor for the Journal of Cyber Policy
Karl Knowles - Global Head of Cyber | CISO, HFW
James Packer - Head of Information Security, EF Education First
Mike Campfield - VP, GM International Operations and Global Security Programs, ExtraHop
Air Date: Tuesday 20th April 2021, 16:00 (BST)
Mishu Rahman - Director of Cyber Security, BNP Paribas
Reena Shah - Director, Cyber Security Strategy, Culture & Process Optimization, London Stock Exchange Group
Reinhard Hochrieser - VP, Global Product Management, Jumio
Ardie Kleijn - Chief Information Security Officer, Transavia
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Retail Week’s new report, Beyond the Hype: How AI in UK retail has moved to the mainstream, shares key ways retailers are generating ROI from AI. Here are three examples of businesses making the tech pay
A major new report for Retail Week, Beyond the Hype, produced in partnership with Braze, explores how artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from the margins for retailers and is now generating real ROI and solving some of the industry’s biggest headaches.
Exploring the strategies of 18 global retailers, with exclusive insights from industry experts, the report takes a deep dive into how AI technologies are transforming the industry and how retailers should be leveraging them to best effect.
Ocado Group: AI-driven supply chain
Ocado Group, made up of tech company Ocado Solutions and grocer Ocado Retail, has embedded AI throughout its value chain to both improve operational efficiencies and customer engagement across the board.
For customers, AI is integrated seamlessly into purchase journeys, primarily via personalisation. Favourite items and previously purchased items appear first in searches and reminders are sent out for items purchased most often, such as milk and other staple groceries.
AI’s functionality enables Ocado to boost customer experience and loyalty, making it seamless and easy to repurchase.
Behind the scenes, AI-enabled forecasting helps the company reduce stock waste levels. The retailer claims these are as low as 50% below industry norms, with predictions of future stock levels resulting in higher availability and lower substitutions for customers.
These are both plus points for Ocado shoppers, who also benefit from a wider breadth and diversity of products available than its multichannel rivals could offer, owing to its streamlined supply chain without a store network.
The group has also committed extensive investment into AI-driven robotic picking solutions and autonomous deliveries, further bolstering its supply chain.
Access more information on Ocado’s AI strategy by downloading the report here
Charlotte Tilbury: AI-bolstered customer experiences
Beauty retailer Charlotte Tilbury announced the launch of a mobile app, harnessing the power of AI and deep learning to boost customer engagement, in June 2023.
Delivering personalised beauty solutions, educational and inspirational resources, and incentives for new and existing customers, the app offers several AI-driven tools to enhance and streamline online shopping.
The tech is aimed to help customers choose products that traditionally they would first test in store before committing to a purchase: skincare, foundation and concealer.
Customers answer just three questions and upload a selfie to make use of the brand’s Pro Skin Analysis tool, which then offers a personalised skincare routine and expert advice in under 60 seconds. Its Pro Shade Match tool uses an “expert skin algorithm” alongside AI to make shade matching easier and more accurate when ordering online.
Beauty-tech engagement isn’t new to Charlotte Tilbury customers, making this a natural next move for the brand.
Its virtual store, launched in 2020, gained a new feature in April 2022 when a 3D volumetric avatar of Tilbury was added to guide customers through the store. The brand claimed this made it the “first beauty brand to harness mixed-reality technology” and supplemented several other engagement features to keep customers engaged on the site for longer.
Shein: AI-powered product development
Fashion pureplay Shein is investing in social listening and, with 30.5 million followers on Instagram and 8.4 million on Tiktok at the time of writing in October 2023, its customers would expect nothing less.
To ensure on-trend styles can be brought to market quickly, the brand uses an AI engine to pick up changes in demand and interest, allowing its supply chain to react in real time.
For the etailer, an iterative process, harnessing relevant, accurate data alongside the insight of humans is essential. AI is used to analyse data, including web searches and social mentions, which is fed back to the brand’s designers to drive product development.
Through employing a test-and-reorder model, the retailer orders small batches of items per style to see how they perform before committing to designs, allowing for a vaster range of on-trend styles to be made available for customers without creating excessive inventory waste.
According to Shein, this bolstering of data means the retailer’s unsold inventory level is now less than 10% compared with an industry average of between 25% and 40%.
Want more insights into the AI strategies of leading retailers?
Download your free copy of Beyond the Hype: How AI in UK retail has moved to the mainstream today.
You will also discover:
- Why AI is here to stay – analysing AI’s current and future impact on retail
- How to seize the opportunity – how retailers from The Very Group to Charlotte Tilbury are seeing real ROI
- Identifying the challenges – how to strategise to avoid the pitfalls
- Maintaining balance – how to get AI implementation right for your workforce


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Maruti Suzuki Alto has achieved more than 38 lakh sales in just under two decades and 54% of the total are first-time buyers
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has today announced in a statement that the entry-level Alto hatchback has crossed the 38 lakh sales milestone. Over the years, the Alto has been a consistent performer for the largest carmaker in the country and has long stayed as the most sold model every month in the Indian automotive industry.
The Alto has been the best-selling car for a decade and a half and nearly 54% of the total buyers are first-timers according to the company. The hatchback’s easy manoeuvring nature through tight spaces and traffics along with high fuel economy in an affordable price range have made the Alto a favourite among customers for consecutive years.
The hatchback gained mandatory safety features like driver-side airbag, speed alert, seatbelt reminder and others ahead of the deadline earlier this year across the range. It holds the honour for being the first BSVI compliant entry-level car in the country as well with claimed fuel economy of just over 22 kmpl. It is also the only car in its segment to provide co-driver airbag as an option.
Some of the other notable safety features are Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution System (EBD) and reversing sensor. The Alto complies with the latest crash and pedestrian safety standards and to offer extensive buying choice to the customers, the CNG fuel version is also available. Following its debut in 2000, the Alto achieved 10 lakh sales milestone by 2008.
Within the next four years, the sales volume doubled to 20 lakh units courtesy of the Alto K10’s launch in 2010. With the anniversary edition of Alto 800 in 2013, Maruti Suzuki introduced a new K10 the following year before the former received a handy update. In 2016, the Alto range reached 30 lakh sales and is still going strong till date.
Currently, the Maruti Suzuki Alto is priced between Rs. 2.99 lakh and Rs. 4.19 lakh (ex-showroom) while the Alto K10 carries a price range of Rs. 3.72 lakh to Rs. 4.51 lakh (ex-showroom). Both the versions are offered with petrol and CNG fuel options but the AMT transmission is only available with the K10.


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Harcourt to Publish Interactive Textbooks Using CRQ Technology
Posted on May 2, 2001Harcourt College Publishers is offering new textbooks that use :CRQ (``See Our Cue'') technology, print-to-Web technology from Dallas-based Digital:Convergence Corporation. Harcourt's interactive college textbooks will be available to students for fall 2001.
"The :CRQ technology from Digital Convergence allows us to offer students and college faculty a unique and compelling marriage between the content in our printed products and related material anywhere on the World Wide Web,'' said Ted Buchholz, president of Harcourt College Publishers. ``College students benefit from strong, structured learning tools, and conventional textbooks have filled this need for many years. Our new, Web-enhanced textbooks will offer students another tool to improve their learning experiences.''
:CRQ technology takes students and teachers directly to key resources without requiring them to click and search their way through multiple webpages or key in long URLs.
Print cues, which look like product codes, can be inserted into most print material and are read through the :CRQ software with a :CueCat reader. The hand-held :CueCat device reads the cues, which instantly links a user's browser to a related webpage. Students and teachers can pick up a :CueCat device for free at RadioShack stores nationwide. :CueCat readers are also available online at CRQ.com with payment of $9.95 in shipping costs.


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On PlayStation 4, the photo mode is about to enter "dead stranded", and the update is planned for the end of March.
Death Strand will be updated at the end of this month to include Photo Mode, which has been announced for the PC version.
The feature news comes from a tweet from Hideo Kojima.
Good news for today!
DEATH STRANDING PC version Photo mode will also be on PS4 ver. Medium to achieve. As many of you have requested! We are now undergoing a final check and are trying to check it in an update at the end of this month. Photo mode on the go and on the go 👍😍 pic.twitter.com/Dspi2DpVpS
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_ZH) March 24, 2020
The Walkman requires photo mode as part of the PC version released on June 2.
Using this mode, you will be able to pause, change the angle and aperture, mess up the exposure, use filters, use color correction, and more.


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When Build-A-Bear announced "Pay Your Age Day," no one could contain their excitement.
In fact, the excitement was so strong that local authorities had to intervene as long lines became a safety concern.
Only a few hours after stores opened, there were lines that zigzagged around malls across America.
But that's not all, at some locations, some claim violent fights broke out as families were told they were not enough bears for everyone.
@buildabear @emma1885 angry and fuming, we are working parents, my wife is having to drive 100 miles after work to get to a store to take up the offer, and now we have a 2 year old in meltdown she's not getting a bear, perhaps your MD wants to consul her @BBCWatchdog #buildabear— Dave A (@geekonaleashuk) July 12, 2018
As the situation started to get out of control, Build-A-Bear stores closed down and the company issued this statement below:
**Urgent Alert:— Build-A-Bear Workshop (@buildabear) July 12, 2018
Per local authorities, we cannot accept additional Guests at our locations due to crowd safety concerns. We have closed lines in our stores. We understand some Guests are disappointed and we will reach out directly as soon as possible. https://t.co/aSFfPCcfsG pic.twitter.com/WZJ53tOAEH
Gemma Butler, a marketing director for Chartered Institute of Marketing, criticized the Bulid-A-Bear sale, saying, "This was an ill thought-out and unprofessional promotional execution, one that not only risks their own brand reputation, but has the potential to bring the wider marketing sector into disrepute."
She added, "If their goal was to highlight demand, Build-A-Bear ought to have considered the consequences of thousands of children going home tonight disappointed and in tears."
Now, only a day after the Build-A-Bear fiasco, Chuck E. Cheese's announced that they're offering a "Pay Your Age" sale.
The restaurant company's official Facebook page announced that on Friday, July 13, you can pay your child's age for 30 minutes of All You Can Play.
The post reads: "Didn't get to Build A Bear? Come in on 7/13, pay your child's age, and they will get 30 minutes of All You Can Play. Offer available Friday, 7/13 only in participating U.S. locations where Chuck E.'s Play Pass is available. (Maximum $9 for 30 minutes)."
It's undeniable that Build-A-Bear's promotion was successful, but it was also a disaster in terms of safety.
Will the same thing happen at Chuck E. Cheese's locations? Only time will tell...


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NEW DELHI – Indian-Japanese carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. said Thursday it will resume operations at its violence-wracked car plant in Manesar in northern India on Tuesday, after the local state government vowed to deploy a rapid-action force to quell any further rioting.
Maruti Suzuki shut down the plant after it was wracked by worker violence on July 18 that led to the death of a plant manager and injured 100 others.
The government of the state of Haryana met with top Maruti Suzuki management earlier this week and promised to deploy the rapid-action force to ensure the safety of workers and managers at the plant, the Hindustan Times said Tuesday.
The Manesar plant, Suzuki’s principal manufacturing base in India, has an annual production capacity of 600,000 vehicles.
Maruti Suzuki, a subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corp., is the leading car manufacturer in India, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the nation’s auto market.
Established in 1983, the company posted sales of 347 billion rupees ($6.2 billion) in the past business year to March 31.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.


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Kathmandu, Nov 29 . Renault’s authorized distributor in Nepal, Advanced Automobiles Pvt. Ltd., (Subsidiary of Vishal Group) is celebrating the milestone of bringing in Renault’s 2500th customer.
Mr. Thomas Dubruel, Vice President of Renault India handed over the car keys to the customers. The ceremony was held at Renault’s Naxal showroom. Renault’s cars models include Duster, KWID and Captur.
On this occasion Mr. Dubruel expressed his confidence that Renault will further strengthen it’s position and market share in the market. He mentioned that Renault will continue to offer technologically superior products and innovative designs at affordable prices to Nepalese customers.
Ever since the multinational French automobile company Renault set its foot in Nepal in 2016, the company has seen a huge progress for itself and become one of the top three car brands in Nepalese automobile market. It is also the fastest growing car brand and has been able to reach this major milestone in the record time. It is recognized as one of the leading car brands in Nepal.


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Lagos Fashion Week Woven Threads IV: Standing the Test of Time is all
set to kickstart from the 21st-23rd April 2023.
This season, the Lagos Fashion Week Woven Threads exhibition aims to celebrate the ingenuity and resilience of African fashion designers while emphasizing the importance of sustainability and waste reduction in the industry.
Curated by Yegwa Ukpo and Phillip Fagbeyiro of Newtype, The Lagos fashion week Woven Threads IV will feature a hybrid showcase of physical and digital expressions that highlights African design principles and their intrinsic circularity.
will showcase designers
emphasizing the importance of responsible practices in building their brands.
Participating designers include Nkwo, TJWHO, Emmy Kasbit, Kadiju, Abiola
Olusola, Eki Kere, Pepperrow, Cute-saint, Cynthia Abila, FIA, Pettre Taylor, Lilabare, Kilentar, and Diakwu Cloth.
On Thursday, 20th April, there will be a Fashion Business Series Stakeholders’ roundtable discussion on “Stop Waste Colonialism” – a campaign led by The OR Foundation. The discussion will feature Industry leaders who will discuss waste colonialism and its impact on our African
environment and communities.
The Lagos fashion week woven threads exhibition will have installations, digital presentations, workshops showcasing weaving, and looming techniques by Macrame, Diakwu Cloth, and Mitimeth, and the fourth edition of SwapShop hosted by ZeeZee of ZeClutter.
Key themes for the exhibition are waste, circularity, preserved traditional design practices, artisans, community, closed loop systems, and product life cycles.
Digital presentations will feature KikoRomeo, Katush, Heru Shezi (Green Access 2022, South Africa), and Olisa Kenya (Green Access 2022, Kenya).
Accessories will be presented by Maliko (shoes), Shem paronelli (shoes), KKERELE (shoes), and Shekudo (shoes and bags).
Workshops will be hosted by Chibuzor Emodi of Macramé and Mitimeth. Woven Threads IV physical installation is open to the public from Saturday 22nd April and will run till 23rd April 2023 at 32D Thompson
Woven Threads IV is an initiative of Style House Files and Lagos Fashion
Week. For more information on Woven Threads x Lagos Fashion Week, visit their


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BRAZIL - Brazil is now the world's largest supplier of poultry meat to South Africa, with sales to the country totalling 132.8 million USD.
In 2015, the African country imported $365.7 million of this protein, of which $132.8 million were purchased in the Brazilian market (36.3 per cent).
According to the Secretariat of Agribusiness International Relations (SRI) of the Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA), Brazil's participation was lower in 2014, with 31.5 per cent, a total of US $374.6 million.
Brazil achieved the largest exporter position even with the increase in import tariffs of whole chicken from 27 per cent to 82 per cent, and on cuts from 5 per cent to 12 per cent, applied by the South African government from 2013 due to anti-dumping measures.
Brazil has had an agricultural official in South Africa since 2010.
"The presence of a Brazilian expert in the country intensifies opening of negotiations for new markets and contributes to the study of strategic information, essential for the promotion of exports," said MAPA's secretary of International Agribusiness Relations, Tatiana Palermo.ThePoultrySite News Desk
Top image via Shutterstock


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Analysts expect Apple to sell up to 6 million iPhones this weekend or more, if inventories last. The gold model of the new iPhone 5s has been especially popular: It quickly sold out on Apple’s online store, which now lists October for availability, while the 5s in silver and grey finishes are listed as available to ship within 7 to 10 business days.
Then there’s this: Police detained three people after a fight erupted outside an Apple Store in Pasadena, Calif., where dozens had camped out overnight for the new iPhones, the Associated Press reported. According to officials, one of the men may have been among several homeless men at the location who were hired to buy iPhones for other customers.
In New York, there may not have been fisticuffs but the lines of Apple faithful were equally long. On Friday morning, Apple sold out iPhone 5s models with the gold and silver casings at its 5th Avenue store in Gotham less than an hour after going on sale at 8 a.m., according to Barclays Capital analyst Ben Reitzes.
“We believe real demand could actually support over 7 million if Apple had enough supply,” Reitzes wrote in an investor note.
Apple’s iOS 7, which the company has called the biggest overhaul since the iPhone’s intro in 2007, is also getting “better than expected reviews,” Reitzes added, while and the fingerprint-reader technology in the iPhone 5s also “seems to mean more to consumers than the investment community.”
On Friday morning, Apple CEO Tim Cook swung by a store in Palo Alto, Calif., to chat up customers:
Visited Retail Stores in Palo Alto today. Seeing so many happy customers reminds us of why we do what we do.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 20, 2013
Apple lost $34 billion in market cap value over two days following the announcement of the new iPhones, as investors were expecting cheaper phones for emerging markets like China and possibly a new product line like a TV. Apple shares closed at $467.71 on Sept. 11, the day after the announcement, down 7.6% from the opening price the day prior. On Friday, the stock was down 1.1% for the day, closing at $466.98 per share.
In the U.S., the new iPhones are available through Apple Stores, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless outlets, as well as select Best Buy, RadioShack, Target and Walmart stores.
AT&T — while it didn’t cite the new iPhones specifically — said Friday it expects third quarter smartphone upgrades to be higher year over year, growing its smartphone base by more than 1 million in the period.
The iPhone 5s comes in gold, silver and what Apple calls “space gray,” for list prices of $199 for the 16-gigabyte model, $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64 GB, with a two-year wireless contract. The iPhone 5c comes in blue, green, pink, yellow and white, priced at $99 for the 16 GB model and $199 for 32 GB, also with a two-year plan.


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How many deliveries can you make in an hour? How about a day? Three days?
For many workers in the food delivery industry, these types of challenges are part of the job, with some companies offering bonuses for completing the tasks offered.
But a court case in Japan has raised questions about a system that can incentivize workers to do more and go faster after a fatal accident in the Japanese capital.
In April last year, a bike courier working for Uber Eats allegedly collided with a 78-year-old man, killing him. At the time of the crash, the courier was in the middle of a “quest” – Uber Eats’ term for its delivery challenge system.
The 28-year-old told the court: “I thought I would keep going until I reached the point where I could receive an award.” Japanese media reported.
Against the watch
According to a 2021 report on Uber Eats in Japan, couriers working for the delivery service can earn a bonus of around 3,500 yen (€27) for making 30 deliveries, and up to 17,000 yen (€131) for make 90 deliveries in four days.
Missing the target means no bonus.
“If you get paid extra based on the number of deliveries you make within a limited time frame, the risk of an accident increases because the delivery person naturally rushes to make as many deliveries as possible,” attorney Hironori said. Niwa in Japan. Asahi Shimbun newspaper.
“It is undeniable that the Uber Eats system caused the accident, and I think this case raises alarm bells about a system that prioritizes profit over safety,” Niwa added.
‘Accept every command’
Niels van Doorn, an assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam and principal investigator of a platform labor survey project, told Euronews Next that quests and similar incentive programs can be a way for companies to make their self-employed riders work longer.
“They offer gamified incentives like quests to keep their riders – who are freelancers and technically able to log in and out at any time, while being free to decline orders – logged into the app for as long as possible and have them accept every order that comes their way,” van Doorn said via email.
The financial incentives on offer can make delivery for work platforms like Uber Eats a high-stakes game where a big payout is far from certain, van Doorn said.
“When you’re on a quest, you’re there to earn it: you’re less likely to examine the payout/distance ratio and you’ll just accept the incoming command because completing it brings you closer to your goal,” he said. declared.
Meanwhile, as individual orders you accept may have lower payouts, you may be able to pay the bonus out of your own pocket – at least in part.”
Are quests optional?
Being “in to win” can have other consequences.
In 2020, volunteers Uber Eats Union in Japan interviewed workers deliver for the company accidents that occurred while they were logged into the app.
Of 32 accident reports received between January and March of that year, 74% of them occurred while couriers were making deliveries to customers.
A change in survey methodology meant that not all contributors were asked about quests, but of the 15 who were, 73% said they were on a quest when their accident happened.
Uber Eats did not respond to an upcoming Euronews request for comment, but in response to similar stories in other countries, the company has already highlighted the fact that participation in quests is completely optional for couriers.
But for van Doorn, the proposed choice is not right.
“While runners are technically free to choose when to log in and go on a quest, the bills they have to pay and the food they and their families need to eat and stay alive are all the urgent necessities present that will inform such freedom of choice,” he said.
“When you present a person in need of cash with the opportunity to ostensibly do more, then that person will be inclined to take it – especially when presented as a game-like proposition” .


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Honda Accord Named North American Car Of The Year
The Marysville-made Honda Accord has been named 2018 North American Car of the Year.
The Accord has been around for decades, but it’s the latest generation that really caught the attention of journalists at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The show announced its major awards on Monday.
The 2018 Accord has a sleeker body and the Accord’s first turbocharged engine.
For the more practical drivers, it boasts the latest safety features, and the largest trunk in a class including the Chevy Malibu, Ford Fusion, and Toyota Camry.
This marks the third straight year that Honda leaves the North American auto show with a major award. In 2016, the Honda Civic was named 2016 Car of the Year.
Last year the Honda Ridgeline was named North American Truck of the Year.
At the Monday awards ceremony, the Lincoln Navigator won Truck of the Year, and the Volvo XC60 was named Utility Vehicle of the Year.


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September 16, 2009 WASHINGTON (AP) — NASA's weakened return-to-the-moon program got a lift Tuesday on Capitol Hill. The head of a special expert panel conceded to Congress that the moon program could work if given enough money. That would mean another $3 billion a year for the program proposed by President George W.
September 15, 2009 PITTSBURGH (AP) — President Barack Obama told the AFL-CIO Tuesday his administration has "stopped our economic free fall" and is determined to seal a recovery while revitalizing America's middle class. Shoring up a key part of his political base, Obama told the labor federation's convention that the administration is a fierce supporter of workers' rights and defender of unions.
Despite a recession, manufacturing capacity for solar panels will rise at a rate of 45 percent each year, from 875 megawatts in 2008 to 3,880 megawatts in 2012, according to GTM Research's recently published report "PV Manufacturing in the United States: Market Outlook, Incentives and Supply Chain Opportunities (http://www.
September 15, 2009 KEEWATIN, Minn. (AP) -- Union officials at an idled northern Minnesota taconite plant say they've been told by U.S. Steel that production will start again soon. Steelworkers 2660 President Jack Thronson says he received a call Monday from Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel saying the company will bring workers back.
September 15, 2009 RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Federal safety officials have rejected a series of urgent recommendations that investigators offered after an explosion at a Slim Jim factory in North Carolina killed three people. Documents obtained by The Associated Press show that staff members of the U.
September 15, 2009 BEIJING (AP) -- China tried Tuesday to allay fears of a trade war with Washington over tire tariffs, saying it will press a World Trade Organization case against new U.S. duties but wants to avoid harming relations. "U.S. and Chinese trade and economic relations are the most important bilateral relations.
September 15, 2009 BRUSSELS (AP) — Intel Corp. is claiming in court documents that European Union regulators made serious mistakes in levying a record euro1.06 billion ($1.45 billion) fine for monopoly abuse last May. In a legal plea published in the European Union's Official Journal, the U.
September 15, 2009 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Officials from companies based in Oklahoma and Georgia plan on Tuesday to discuss an agreement under which all-electric, street-legal, low-speed vehicles will be assembled and sold in Oklahoma. The agreement between AMP Control Inc. of Piedmont and Wheego Electric Cars Inc.
September 15, 2009 WASHINGTON (AP) — Going before groups of autoworkers and union members, President Barack Obama is trying Tuesday to assure blue-collar audiences that the economy is coming back — and that his administration deserves credit for saving some of their jobs. Obama is scheduled to meet with workers at the General Motors Lordstown assembly plant near Youngstown, Ohio, where GM recently was able to start a second production line because of demand prompted by the federal Cash for Clunkers program.
September 14, 2009 NEW YORK (AP) — Drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. says it will eliminate thousands of jobs and reorganize into five business units in an effort to slash costs and speed up development of potential new drugs. The Indianapolis company says it will reduce its work force to 35,000 by the end of 2011.
September 14, 2009 PITTSBURGH (AP) -- John Sweeney, stepping down after 14 years at the helm of the AFL-CIO, urged union leaders Sunday to keep up the fight to reform health care and overhaul labor laws so workers can form unions more easily. "We're on the cusp of the greatest advance in labor law reform in 70 years, but we're taking heavy fire from the corporate captains of deceit," Sweeney told about 1,000 union members at the federation's convention.
September 14, 2009 BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union said Monday that the recession in the euro-zone and EU will likely have ended in the third quarter with the resumption of modest economic growth. In an update to its May forecast, the EU cast doubt on strength of the upswing, saying it won't change its prediction for the euro-zone and EU economies to shrink by 4 percent this year.
September 14, 2009 BEIJING (AP) — Beijing filed a World Trade Organization complaint Monday over new U.S. tariffs on Chinese tires, stepping up pressure on Washington in the latest in a series of trade disputes. The conflict is a potential irritant as Washington and Beijing prepare for a summit of the Group of 20 leading economies in Pittsburgh on Sept.
September 14, 2009 MINOT, N.D. (AP) — Jordan Kay is proving that no job is out of reach. Kay, a welder training in Minot, was in kindergarten when he was paralyzed in a car accident. His dream to become a welder in a mechanics shop might have been dashed but for the help and ingenuity of instructors at North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton.
September 14, 2009 EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Pratt & Whitney says it's finished formal negotiations with the Machinists union but hasn't made a decision on the future of more than 1,000 employees in Connecticut. In a statement released Sunday, the jet engine maker says it's evaluating the union's proposal and an offer from the state.
September 11, 2009 FRANKFURT (AP) — German carmaker Volkswagen AG said Friday it wants to spend euro4 billion ($5.8 billion) in China between now and 2011 on new products and plant expansions to keep up with rising demand there. The company plans to make investments, including increasing capacity, at its Nanjing and Chengdu plants, where it hopes to produce two new models starting in 2012.
September 11, 2009 CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Workers at a South Carolina Boeing Co. plant have voted against continued representation by a union as the company considers the site for a second assembly line for its new 787 wide-body jetliner. Workers at the North Charleston plant, which makes fuselage sections for the 787, voted 199-68 Thursday against continued representation by the International Association of Machinists.
September 11, 2009 WILSON, N.Y. (AP) — Pfeiffer Foods says it will close its western New York salad dressing plant this fall, putting more than 150 people out of work. Officials at Pfeiffer, a division of Columbus, Ohio-based T. Marzetti Co., confirmed Thursday that the company's plant in Wilson will close in November.
September 11, 2009 SHANGHAI (AP) — China's recovery gained momentum in August as stimulus spending helped boost industrial output, investment and retail sales in the world's third-largest economy, offsetting a slump in exports. The National Statistics Bureau reported that industrial production rose 12.
September 11, 2009 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Auto dealers and business leaders on Thursday appealed a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency that allowed California to establish the nation's first greenhouse gas standards for cars and trucks, setting the stage for a potential attempt to block the global warming rules.