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Wild Wild Web
For Now, Cybercrime Has the Upper Hand in Its Duel with the Law
General store BCFC/iStock.com; cyber sky: Naddi/iStock.com.
General store BCFC/iStock.com; cyber sky: Naddi/iStock.com.
From shady trading posts to rough-and-ready roundups, from wanted posters to "bug bounties," the World Wide Web (and thus the whole world) has become vast untamed territory for those bent on cybercrime. But will there be a proverbial new sheriff in town? Only if law enforcement agencies rise to the challenge and if private companies harness the power of their legitimate markets to quell the illegitimate ones.
Black markets for computer-hacking tools, services, and by-products, including stolen credit card numbers, continue to grow, posing threats to businesses, governments, and individuals. The most prominent recent example was the capture of an estimated 40 million credit card numbers and 70 million user accounts in the December 2013 breach of retail giant Target. Within days, those data appeared — available for purchase — on black market websites.
Photo by Pichi Chuang/Reuters
The markets for cybercrime products and by-products have become so pervasive and accessible that the malicious hacking trade today can be, in certain respects and for some, more lucrative and easier to carry out than the illegal drug trade. Once the domain of lone hackers, cybercrime has become a burgeoning powerhouse of highly organized groups, often tied to drug cartels, mafias, terrorist cells, and even nation-states. It has matured into specialized markets, in which those who have gained the greatest access deal freely in the tools and spoils of the trade: exploit kits (software for creating, distributing, and managing attacks), botnets (remotely controlled computers used for sending spam or flooding websites), "as-a-service" offerings (hacking for hire), compromised hosts, and a continually flooded market for stolen credit card numbers and other personal credentials.
Consumers and businesses have fortified their data systems in response, but hackers have come back stronger. Increased arrests, meanwhile, spur increased media attention, which advertises the lucrative markets to those once unaware of the possibilities and reveals the tactics and techniques of law enforcement to those already in the markets, causing them to adapt. As more participants enter the market, and as current participants upgrade their methods of conducting business, the increasingly competitive and resilient hackers go after bigger targets and become harder to take down.
Everything from insulin pumps and pacemakers to cars, toasters, and refrigerators will offer malicious hackers networked points of entry.
As a result, the ability to attack is outpacing the ability to defend. Hyper-connectivity — particularly through the rise of the "Internet of Things" — will create even more opportunities for attack, as everything from insulin pumps and pacemakers to cars, toasters, and refrigerators will offer malicious hackers networked points of entry. Exploitation of social media networks and mobile devices will also grow. Crime will increasingly have a networked or cyber component.
Sketching the current and predicted landscape for cybercrime can lay the groundwork for exploring options to minimize the harmful influence of these markets. As part of ongoing studies on the future security environment, we examined these markets with support from Juniper Networks, a Silicon Valley manufacturer of networking equipment. Our findings could help private firms, public law enforcement agencies, and network security vendors gain a better understanding of the cybercriminal activity they aim to suppress. Without studying this activity and exploring the options to subdue it, very little is likely to change.
A unique aspect of operating in cyberspace is that it is simultaneously nowhere specific yet everywhere.
The black markets for cybercrime are a collection of activities that range from simple to extremely sophisticated and that operate all over the world, from New Jersey to Nigeria to China. There is no single location from which the markets emanate; a unique aspect of operating in cyberspace is that it is simultaneously nowhere specific yet everywhere. Goods and services are usually reliable. Implementation and trans-actions are quick and efficient. Cybercrime black markets are comparable to other underground markets for illicit goods, such as drugs, with the difference being that digital goods carry less risk and, for some, offer greater profit. Some organizations can make hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
The number of participants in cyber black markets is likely to rise, because it is easier to get involved than it was ten years ago. This is due to the proliferation of websites, forums, and chat channels where goods can be bought and sold. An increased number of YouTube videos and Google guides for "how to use exploit kit X" or "where to buy credit cards" also facilitates entry into the market, especially for buyers.
Figure 1 shows the proliferation of exploit kits over the past decade. Too numerous to name them all, the kits tend to go by feisty names such as Fiesta, Liberty, Lucky, Nuke, Siberia, Sploit, Tornado, Blackhole, Whitehole, Sweet Orange, and Cool. The price for kits varies based on whether they are purchased outright or rented. Do-it-yourself kits can cost as little as $15; high-end rentals can command $10,000 per month.
Originally, the major players in the cyber black market were former state employees of Eastern European countries who were well educated but found themselves searching for gainful employment after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. Since then, the entrepreneurial savvy of the players has soared with the entry of a whole new generation of "digital natives" who can do more things for themselves. (They do not have to, for example, hire anyone to reverse-engineer a program or create an exploit.)
In terms of quantity, the leaders in malware attacks today operate out of China, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. In terms of quality, the leader is Russia. There are Vietnamese groups that focus on e-commerce, while a majority of Russian, Romanian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and other Eastern European groups focus on attacking financial institutions. Chinese hackers are believed to focus on seizing intellectual property, as underscored in May by the U.S. Department of Justice's accusations against five members of the Chinese military who have allegedly stolen trade secrets from five American companies and the United Steelworkers.
Some groups have partnered across international lines. As one expert put it, "Groups that would traditionally never work together are working together." One Vietnamese group partnered with Nigerians on a fraud scheme involving stolen e-commerce accounts. A Colombian group set up money-laundering "villages" in China.
U.S.-based participants in the market are becoming more involved. In 2007, the majority of participants were from Russia, with the United States having only a small representation. By 2013, almost a fifth of the market was U.S.-based, ranked third behind Ukraine and Romania.
Although English is the universal language of commerce, it is not necessarily the universal language of this commerce. The web forums are generally in Russian or Ukrainian. There are reports of English-only, Mandarin-only, German-only, and Vietnamese-only sites, among others. At the same time, the victim-deception campaigns of "phishing," "spear-phishing," and other social engineering operations are typically conducted in English, because a majority of the targeted victims know that language.
A stolen Twitter account now costs more than a stolen credit card, because a Twitter account potentially has a greater yield.
The product slate keeps evolving with the technology. Malware for mobile devices has been growing, in part because attacking mobile devices now brings in money faster than attacking personal computers. A stolen Twitter account now costs more than a stolen credit card, because a Twitter account potentially has a greater yield, for two reasons: A Twitter account can be used to target friends and family through spear-phishing schemes, and many unsuspecting consumers use the same password for their social media accounts as they do for their online banking and e-commerce accounts. Twitter is also becoming a channel of choice for the everyday transactions of malicious hackers, who are increasingly using private Twitter accounts to make deals rather than using open online forums or chat rooms.
Whatever is new or novel for the traditional consumer — from mobile devices to cloud computing to social media platforms — offers new entries for attack and will thus elicit a counterpart exploit on the black market. The trend will accelerate, because more and more of the world will have a digital component: By 2020, the number of connected devices will outnumber that of connected people by a ratio of 6:1, compared with about 3:1 today, doubling the avenues of potential exploitation.
Law enforcement "takedowns" (or arrests) have had little effect on the size or composition of the black market. As one entity goes down, another takes its place, often within days. As the enduring entities implement countermeasures (such as stronger encryption, more vetting, and increased stealth), the market just hiccups, becoming somewhat less accessible and less open but mostly returning to normal. More of the market's transactions simply move to the "darknet" — that is, to anonymous private networks that use encryption and proxies to obfuscate who is communicating with whom. Illicit websites are also starting to accept only digital cryptocurrencies, with their anonymity, non-traceability, and other security advantages.
As one entity goes down, another takes its place, often within days.
The consequences of takedowns are transitory not only because of the market behaviors cited above but also because many countries condone hacker activity that is illegal in the United States. One Russian hacker was arrested, released on a technicality, given an apology, and now has ties to the government. China tends to turn a blind eye as well. On the other hand, Vietnam is very helpful to law enforcement groups, and Romania, Ukraine, and Poland have been selectively helpful.
Despite the transitory effects of cybercrime takedowns, they have recently been on the rise, for three reasons. First, law enforcement has gotten better over the past 10–15 years. Those entering the profession today have grown up comfortable with technology and computers, and training in the digital world has improved for law enforcers all over the world. Overseas partnerships and cross-pollination of ideas have also strengthened law enforcement — although perhaps more so at the federal level. Leadership in law enforcement, intelligence, and the U.S. Department of Defense has accorded cybercrime top priority and moved resources accordingly.
Second, suspects are going after bigger targets and thus are attracting more attention. Since around 2002, attacks have shifted from opportunistic one-offs (against whichever individuals may have been unsecure) to companies. Now that companies understand they are targets, they are more willing to work with law enforcement, and the public-private partnership has tightened.
Third, because almost every aspect of crime today involves a digital component, law enforcement has a multitude of opportunities to encounter crime in cyberspace and to learn from these encounters. (Figure 2 illustrates the biggest data breaches in history as a result of malicious hacking.)
However, as mentioned above, law enforcement could also become a victim of its own success. More arrests and takedowns lead to more media coverage, drawing more perpetrators into the black markets and compelling those already in the markets to grow smarter.
Today, malicious hackers appear to have the upper hand. The maturation of cybercrime markets threatens individuals, businesses, law enforcement agencies, national governments, and military services around the world. The deleterious effects on cybersecurity suggest the need for coordinated efforts across the private and public sectors, nationally and internationally, to suppress the black market activity.
In the private sector, computer security companies, device manufacturers, Internet service providers, and defense contractors should routinely collaborate on developing updated approaches to thwarting online attacks. Beyond the technical solutions (such as ever-thicker firewalls and ever-stricter access controls), there are intriguing possibilities for private firms to harness the power of their legitimate markets to fight illegitimate ones.
For example, more private firms could sponsor "bug bounty" programs or related contests, which offer financial rewards to anyone who finds or reports a bug, virus, or other vulnerability in a particular computer software product. Google's bounty program pays $3,000 to $5,000 for ordinary, easier-to-find bugs, with bounties in the range of $20,000 or even upward of $200,000 or more for exotic and exceptionally nefarious bugs, or those that affect a large market segment. The U.S. government could funnel money to security vendors to help with their bug bounty programs, or even create its own. As for computer hacking contests, one good example is the annual Pwn2Own competition, which began in 2007 and paid out $850,000 of prize money in 2014.
Commercial companies, defense contractors, and government agencies could offer better pay and incentives to lure talented hackers away from the illicit markets.
Commercial companies, defense contractors, and government agencies alike could also offer better pay and incentives to lure talented hackers away from the illicit markets and into legitimate business and government operations (especially those targeting the activities of other hackers). All of these strategies could work in tandem: The bug bounty programs and recurrent contests could serve as recruiting programs for permanent hires. With better pay and incentive packages, the savviest hackers would gravitate toward legitimate work, and the private firms and government agencies would reap the benefits while removing the dangers. Over time, this approach might even stop the arms race between security vendors and those trying to render their products obsolete.
Photo by Jason Redmond/Reuters
When hackers succeed in stealing customer data and placing the data on the open market, banks or other merchants could possibly buy back their customers' stolen information. This strategy would raise valid ethical questions about legitimate businesses participating in the black market for the implicit purpose of paying "ransom" for data "hostages." But if the information is already stolen, this strategy might be a viable way to protect it. On the other hand, this strategy could backfire by alerting the attackers to what merchants believe is most important, or most vulnerable, thereby bidding up the price for this particular kind of stolen data and enticing the thieves to seize even more.
Law enforcement agencies could pursue several strategies, some of which would benefit from advice from computer security firms. For instance, law enforcement agencies could explore the costs and benefits of establishing fake credit card shops, fake forums, fake websites, or other cyber sting operations to boost the number and quality of arrests, while simultaneously tarnishing the reputation and confidence of the black markets. These agencies could also explore the ramifications of hacking back — or including an offensive component within law enforcement — to deny, degrade, or disrupt black market business operations. The lessons learned from infiltrating, disrupting, and combating the black markets for illegal drugs and illegal arms could also be applied to the black markets for cybercrime.
Law enforcement agencies could explore the costs and benefits of establishing fake credit card shops, fake forums, fake websites, or other cyber sting operations.
Law enforcement and other government agencies could perhaps use the black market to their advantage in their own offensive operations: By using black market cyber goods, such as exploit kits and encryption tools, a government officer would appear online as just another criminal, would not stand out, and would reduce the risk of being "fingerprinted." Public opinion could collapse, however, if word got out that the U.S. government were involved in the black market. Therefore, this tactic might be allowed for only highly sensitive operations or extremely targeted attacks.
Law enforcement agencies will also need to determine whether it is more effective to pursue the small number of top-tier cybercriminals or the large number of lower-tier participants. Worldwide, law enforcement agencies will need to work together to prosecute and extradite the most wanted criminals, coordinating their arrests and indictments.
From a regulatory standpoint, both private companies and law enforcement agencies should inform legislators about the costs and benefits of implementing various potential mandates: for encryption on point-of-sale terminals (cash registers and online shopping carts), for safer storage of passwords and user credentials, for worldwide adoption of credit cards with embedded computer chips and personal identification numbers, and for regular checks of websites to prevent common vulnerabilities. All such mandates would be intended to put a dent in the black market or to force major changes in how it operates.
The urgency of these strategies will grow over time. In their absence, not only will very little likely change to deter the criminals, but the victims will stand to lose more and more.


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A couple of weeks ago, the official NFL Fantasy Football app landed in the Android Market, much to the delight of football fans across the nation. Today, ESPN has released its official Fantasy Football app, allowing you to manage your team on-the-go. The app offers full team management for multiple teams and leagues, lets you add, drop, and trade players; real-time stats and scoring, push notifications for injuries, substitutions, and scoring updates; as well as fantasy news and access to your team's message board.
Mobile advertiser Millennial Media has released its monthly "Mobile Mix" report detailing the state of the mobile industry from its eyes. Things are looking good for Android, while still remaining basically the same overall:
We already know virtually every detail about the upcoming Droid Bionic, and now Phone Arena has snagged a photo of a VZW internal document that basically verifies the last of the rumors: release date and price. We've been hearing rumors of a September 8th date for some time now, and one look at the image shows that pretty much hits the nail on the head. The phone will come in at a minimum advertised price of $299 with a two-year contract, which has quickly become the standard pricing for all of Big Red's 4G LTE phones.
An unexpected update started rolling out to the ASUS Transformer earlier today that brings the build number up to 188.8.131.52. Even more unexpectedly, this update reportedly includes Netflix support without requiring root. Of course, the official Netflix app in the Market doesn't yet support the Transformer, but you can grab the latest version here.
There is also a firmware update available for the dock, bringing the version up to EP101-0213.
We've seen the Sony S1 tablet randomly show up over the last several months, showing off everything from its unique form factor to custom interface. Some formerly missing details have now surfaced that suggest we could see this tablet hit the market sometime within the first two weeks of September, which falls right in line with previous rumors that pre-orders would begin in the UK on September 1st.
The S1's official retail name has also came to light today, and it will be known simply as "Tablet S." Unlike previous reports suggested, the tablet will ship with Android 3.1 intact (not Android 3.2) with an expected upgrade to ICS when it becomes available.
As promised yesterday, the Swype team have released an update to the beta version of their keyboard that brings all of the same features as the recent NS4G-exclusive version, including gestures, personal dictionary, and a new feature called Swype Connect.
Swype Connect is a lightweight background service that collects Swype-specific data and ensures the integrity and validity of the installation, while reporting usage details and device information back to Swype's servers.
If you're the corporate type and have had some issues with Android's default Exchange compatibility, then you've probably looked for a good alternative. Among the contenders is an app by NitroDesk called "Exchange By Touchdown," which allows for secure, encrypted Exchange synchronization.
Big Red just finished lighting up 15 new cities with 4G LTE five days ago and it has already lined up the next set of lucky areas to get a blazing fast wireless makeover.
Set to unleash on September 15th, the following citied can expect to get a major speed boost:
- Fargo, ND
- Moorhead, MN
- Rockford, IL
- Moline, IL
- Rock Island, IL
- Bloomington/Normal, IL
- Champaign/Urbana, IL
- Springfield, IL
- Mansfield, OH
- Canton, OH
- Lima, OH
- Iowa City, IA
- Davenport, IA
- Bettendorf, IA
- Blacksburg, VA
- Las Cruces, NM
- El Paso, TX
- Wichita Falls, TX
- Austin, TX
- Shreveport, LA
More areas may follow, so we'll be sure to let you know before the hammer drops.
Although the Gingerbread update for the Droid 2 Global was supposed to begin in mid-June, we've yet to see an official release hit the air. Every time another device gets Gingerbread, I can hear the D2G owners across the nation asking when it will be their turn, and it looks like we can finally answer that question: now.
While it may not be the official build, there is a definitely a leaked version floating around RootzWiki courtesy of aceoyame, that's looks to be a somewhat final build.
As part of a back-to-school promotion, remote access software LogMeIn Ignition has received a temporary 50% cut off its normally $30 price tag, making it a very affordable $15. LogMeIn Ignition allows you to access your Mac or PC from anywhere using your smartphone or tablet and remote control it just as if you were sitting in front of it, quickly and easily providing access to all of your files and programs.

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HTC OneX 10 Price Specs and Details
HTC has launched the new HTC mobile today, and it comes with a large 4000 mAH battery. The new HTC One X10 is the successor of the HTC One X9 that was launched last year in May. HTC is using a new design for the new phone that is even unique in comparison to the recent HTC One X9.
Let’s get into details and see what the new HTC phone has to offer to HTC fans.
For starters, it comes with a premium metallic design which HTC claims can withstand low height falls. Moreover, it is made of toughened metal which protects the phone from any wear and tear.
HTC has said that it has been subjected to hundreds of hours of heat testing and even has undergone several scratch tests with different metals to make sure that it is highly durable.
Colors and Fingerprint Scanner
As shown in pictures, it comes with the matte black finish and arctic silver colors. Unlike the HTC 10, it comes with a fingerprint scanner at the back with a self-learning algorithm that makes it faster and more accurate over a period.
Also, HTC has integrated the quick camera launch function in the fingerprint reader.
There is a 5.5 Inch display with 1920*1080 pixels resolution that offers 401 PPi. Also, it has a 2.5D curved glass on top of the display for a more pleasing look. Additionally, it comes with Corning Gorilla Glass coating to prevent scratches.
Let’s talk about the performance of the new HTC device. It comes with the MediaTek Helio P10 processor which is not a big upgrade in comparison to the Helio X10 found in the last years HTC One X9.
Besides, it comes with same 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage expandable up to 2 TB using the micro SD card slot.
For photography, it comes with an incredible 16 Megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture and 26 mm lens.
The camera comes with a PRO mode where you get an option to save the settings you are shooting to use as required. Also, it can shoot RAW photos.
The camera lacks 4K video recording feature which was present on the HTC One X9.
The front camera is better and now comes with 8 Megapixel lens that comes with larger pixel size and f/2.2 aperture and 23 mm focal length.
Also, it comes with some handy features like auto selfie on smile and voice command for clicking selfies.
HTC is boasting of a 2-day battery life with the new One X10 that comes with 4000 mAH Battery capacity. It is significantly more than most HTC phones and even the One X9.
Additionally, it offers fast charging support and a super stamina mode to increase the battery life.
The new HTC phone comes with Android OS and HTC Sense. HTC has not made it clear whether it will ship with the Android Nougat out of the box or will get an OTA update.
Moreover, it comes with 4G LTE as well as VOLTE support and even has Bluetooth 4.2 and WIFI support.
The pure metallic, 4000 mAH mobile is not the lightest thing, it weighs 175 grams and has a thickness of 8.23 mm.
HTC phones usually come with impressive sound technologies and the new offering is no different. It comes with HTC Boom Sound profile for the headphones but lacks the boom sound speakers found on the predecessor.
Availability and Pricing
It costs $335 or Rs. 22,500 which is not too high considering HTC standards. So far, it is available in Russia and is likely to launch in other markets including India in the coming days.
HTC had mild success with their flagship HTC 10 in 2016. Not much has clicked for HTC for quite a long time. They recently launched HTC Bolt that too without much thought for buyers, as it ships with a dated Snapdragon 810 processor and absurdly priced close to the HTC 10.
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People are waiting for the release of the iPhone 7
The Latest Version of the iPhone by Apple INC was released a few months back in this year. The last version to be let through in the market in iPhone 5C with comes in different colors in place of the normal ritualistic colors of Black or gray, etc. According to the market analysis, even this trick of producing iPhone with different coloring backgrounds also did not help. To add to that it has added another failed version of of iPhone to the list of the recent failures by Apple. The last version that was heavily hailed by the people was iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. However, since then, the three next versions of iPhone, I.e. iPhone 5, iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C has failed miserably.
Many people were expecting a lot from that there will be a better show by Apple but they were highly disappointed with the performance. The next model to enter the market is iPhone 6 and there is a lot of expectation of the people from the set. The main reason is the fact that Apple INC announced that iPhone 6 will be bigger in size, better in quality and at the same time cheaper in price. Nevertheless, according to the leaked information there is nothing like this on the chart. The price if iPhone 6 with a screen of 4.8 inches is expected to be $500 to $600. If this is the price, then one can easily say that none of this is for the middle class people.
To add to this, when Apple’s iPhones are not doing great business, Apple has announced another version of iPhone to be launched. According to the rumors, the seventh version of iPhone will be launched around the late 2014 or the early 2015. The device will be coming with a screen size of 4.6 inches approximately and the expected price is very well to be around $550 to $650. This means that the price will be going high by another $50, which makes it extremely difficult for the middle class people to afford it. This is one of the main reasons, why the sale of iPhone is not as what it was during the time of iPhone 4. The price was considerably low and the market did not have such stiff competition. With the present condition of the market, one has to think again when deciding to invest such a huge price in an iPhone. Thus, the gadget gurus think that Apple’s iPhone 7will be up for a stiff fight in this market of mobiles.


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Several crypto firms on Thursday issued statements intended to distance themselves from crypto-enabled bank Silvergate, which saw its shares tumble on Thursday after the company delayed its annual report and announced it would report further losses.
Coinbase, Paxos, Galaxy Digital, Gemini, BitStamp, Crypto.com and Circle each released statements saying they had severed ties with a once crucial partner linking them to the traditional banking system. MicroStrategy also responded to concerns about its Silvergate loan in the event the bank faces insolvency.
This estrangement from the crypto industry adds another business challenge for Silvergate, which announced late Wednesday that it will not meet the March 16 extension to file its annual report and questions its ability to continue trading in the over the next 12 months.
Shares of the company fell 56% in Thursday afternoon trading.
“Coinbase has de minimis corporate exposure at Silvergate,” the company said. Coinbase added that “out of an abundance of caution” it is no longer accepting or initiating payments to or from Silvergate.
New York-based crypto trust and stablecoin issuer Paxos has also announcement he was cutting ties with Silvergate. Paxos said it had halted transfers from its Silvergate account and had no material exposure to the bank. “We leverage a diverse network of banking partners,” Paxos said.
UK-headquartered Galaxy Digital, Bitstamp and Crypto.com also said in statements shared with Yahoo Finance that they were suspending banking with Silvergate “out of an abundance of caution” and that none of the companies were suffering any harm. material losses.
“If you choose to deposit funds into this account, you do so at your own risk,” Bitstamp added.
Gemini said he has “zero client funds and zero GUSD (stablecoin) with Silvergate” and he has stopped processing transactions through Silvergate.
“We have relationships with several banking partners. We are sensitive to the concerns around Silvergate and are in the process of untying some services with them and updating customers,” said stablecoin issuer, Circle. “Otherwise, all Circle services, including USDC, are operating normally,” Circle added.
MicroStrategy, the largest bitcoin holding company said its bitcoin loan with Silvergate, which is not due until Q1 2025, “would not accelerate” if Silvergate went bankrupt.
The Government of El Salvador’s Chivo portfolio also counts Silvergate as a key financial partner.
In a filing with the SEC on Wednesday, Silvergate said recent changes have altered the timing and results of its annual report. Citing both financial and regulatory challenges, the company said it was assessing how these changes could affect its “ability to continue as a going concern for the twelve months following the publication of these financial statements.”
Silvergate said it also sold additional debt securities to repay interest on about $4.3 billion in loans taken from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. He also cited ongoing regulatory investigations, private litigation and ongoing investigations by lawmakers as potential risks to the company going forward.
According to data analytics firm S3 Partners, an estimated 82% of Silvergate’s total float is sold short, making it the most shorted US stock by amount of float sold short. Silvergate shares have lost more than around 95% of their value over the past year.
Elsewhere, crypto exchange Kraken said it would limit transactions with Signature (SBNY), another US bank that caters to crypto businesses, as Bloomberg first reported on Wednesday. The move was attributed to Signature’s previous decision in early December to scale back its business with crypto-related businesses.
“Kraken maintains a number of different funding methods to ensure customers can still deposit and withdraw from their account. Consumers still have access to a range of payment methods through our other partners. Customers can contact the customer engagement team to determine what options are available to them,” a Kraken spokesperson said in a statement.
Click here for the latest crypto news, updates, values, prices and more regarding Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, DeFi and NFT
Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance


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Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot also recently expressed confidence in the Xbox One. "We see lots of improvement in the preorders that are coming on [Xbox One]," said Guillemot. "So no, we are not worried at all. We think it will be a big seller as well."
The reason for the shift in public reception to the Xbox One may have to do with Microsoft's reversal on its originally announced policies regarding always-on connectivity and used game restrictions - policies that proved unpopular with many potential buyers. At E3, Sony took Microsoft head-on during its E3 2013 Media Briefing, announcing that the PS4 would support the lending and selling of used games and not require an online connection, two factors that likely helped lead IGN readers to declare that Sony was "winning E3" by 81% of the votes compared to Microsoft's 12% and Nintendo's 7%.So far, the actual numbers for both Sony and Microsoft are very promising. Preorders for both consoles have already shattered sales records, with Amazon claiming that day-one preorders for PS4 and Xbox One were "nearly two times that of all video game sales on Black Friday last year."
Just this week, Sony reported that it sold over 1 million units in the first 24 hours of the PS4's launch in North America, putting it well on its way to reaching that 5 million goal worldwide. PlayStation 4 launched in North America on November 15th and will be released in Europe, Australia and New Zealand on November 29th. The console will launch in Japan in 2014.
How well will the Xbox One do? We'll find out soon enough. The Xbox One launches globally this Friday, November 22nd.
More Must-See Xbox One Launch Content:
Chuck Osborn is IGN's Managing Editor. He likes superheroes and plays Dungeon Raid on his iPhone waaaay too much. Follow his demented ravings on Twitter @ChuckOnGames.
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Members of an internet celebrity model group "Glamma Beijing" walk across a street.
Four famous amateur model grandmothers took off their masks during a saunter down the streets of Beijing on Thursday to demonstrate life returning to normal as the COVID-19 pandemic eases.
Glamma Beijing, a group of four women who met during a modelling training course after retiring 20 years ago, became an internet sensation in China last year.
A 15-second video of them walking in Sanlitun, one of Beijing's busiest shopping districts, wearing traditional qipao dresses and over-sized dangling fringe earrings, was viewed more than 50 million times in a day, according to local media.
Since then, Lin Wei, Wang Xinghuo, Sun Yang and Wang Nianwen, all aged over 60, have enjoyed dressing up and performing in videos on short-video platform Douyin for likes.
"Your life is grey if you are always afraid of ageing and death," said Lin Wei, 64, explaining her philosophy on growing older and enthusiasm for donning stylish clothes and makeup.
"You are old, you have wrinkles, you don't have too much energy, or your figure becomes baggy. But this is something you can't go against, so you need to face it with positivity."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the group had to stay indoors, they reverted to creating videos about their lifestyle.
They now have more than a million followers on Douyin.
On Thursday, the stylish grannies, as they call themselves in Mandarin, turned heads as they walked in figure-hugging qipaos down a street like a catwalk, in Beijing's central business district of Guomao.
"Beauty is in all ages," said Liu Jing, a passer-by. "You can be young and stylish, or feminine. And you can also be elegant just like these grannies."
Jason Wu did what few designers dare during New York fashion Week: He put on a live show Sunday with a tiny audience present in the middle of a pandemic.
Christian Siriano, who turned his atelier into a mask-making machine, took to his Connecticut backyard Thursday for a cozy fashion show complete with picnic baskets for his small in-person crowd, masks on the faces of his models and a dip in his pool for pregnant muse Coco Rocha.
Jawaher Al Suwaidi, a designer, gives us an insight into how the creative process and the Emirati culture has shaped her work. It is vital to note that culture, and to whatever one feels belonging to becomes an influence on various spheres.
GCC countries extended their greetings to the Saudi leadership on the occasion. Major landmarks and many official and private entities decorated their headquarters with Saudi flags and malls announced special events and activities for the occasion.
Their search engine is precise and makes it super easy to find what you're looking for. You can find information on their skills, and capabilities and look for what you would prefer in your nanny/maid all with a few clicks.
Adding thin slices of steak to a taco makes a tasty and quick home-cooked weeknight meal.


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“The multi-award-winning C-Series combines cutting-edge powertrain technology with a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery, a smooth suspension, and sophisticated software smarts.
Powerfully personal and utterly exceptional, the Savic Motorcycles C-Series is the future on two wheels.”
Over 30 people from Vic branch had a showroom and workshop tour of Savic Motorcycles, Australia’s premier manufacturer of electric motorcycles. We learnt about their journey from founder Dennis Savic and saw how their motorcycles are made.
Many thanks to Dennis Savic and his team for hosting us, and to Richard Laxton for organising the event!
At this months monthly meeting at Baulkham Hills Sports Club, we'll be having a presentation from jouralist Neerav Bhatt providing a review of the newly refreshed Polestar 2.
Neerav has been an independent journalist for almost 20 years. His current focus is convincing Australians to Electrify Everything starting with personal transport and their homes (his has been solar powered, all electric and gas free since 2020).
Other items on the agenda include:
A few of us will do dinner from around 6pm if you're interested in eating beforehand.
This event will also be held via Zoom. Please register here to join.


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In the UK, there are few signs that the continued growth in the financial technology sector is about to slow down. In the first half of 2018, research from KPMG revealed that British fintech companies attracted more than $16bn of investment, despite Brexit concerns.
With total global investment in fintech in the first six months of 2018 exceeding the amount for the whole of 2017, the use and development of technology is changing all aspects of finance. From day-to-day banking to consumer loans business, fintech is disrupting traditional financial services.
Fintech: What Is It?
“Fintech is changing the finance sector just like the Internet changed the written press and the music industries.” This is how Kantox CEO Philippe Gelis describes the rise of fintech. The financial crash of 2008 has been cited as one of the reasons that fintech firms have been able to make inroads into the sector. With less trust in banks and new regulations, fintech has flourished.
Today, people want to be able to easily access services online or using their mobile device. There’s a growing need for value-added services too: help with manging spend, instant access to credit or pre-qualification for loans. Fintech is how technology is being used to deliver financial services and products to consumers.
Fintech in the Loans Business
It used to be that consumers and businesses turned to traditional banks for loans. Fintech is shaking up the loans business by powering more accessible and more diverse online lending platforms. Such platforms now account for a greater share of the personal loan market. According to research by Experian, 36% of all personal loans taken out in August 2017 (compared to 21% in August 2015).
One factor that gives fintech an edge in the loans business is the speed at which the applications are processed. This is particularly important for SMEs looking for business funding. Trend data for 2018 found the average completion time for a UK business bridging loan from a high street bank is 45 days. Fintech lenders, however, can provide businesses with the cash they need, instantly.
For those with less-than-ideal credit histories, fintech lenders have made it easier to obtain finance. Where traditional lenders may be more risk averse to higher risk borrowers, products such as short-term loans, pay day loans, P2P lending and bad credit loans help people to access funding they may otherwise be turned down for.


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APAC 5G Leaders’ CxO Summit – 5G and Beyond
Following the first launch of scale commercial 5G networks early in 2019, commercial deployments have gained momentum with key pioneering countries around the world rolling out commercial 5G services in the last twelve months. Japan is one of these pioneering countries with its mobile operators, NTT DOCOMO, KDDI and SoftBank all deploying commercial 5G services on the 25th, 26th and 27th of March 2020, respectively. With the fourth greenfield mobile operator, Rakuten Mobile, expected to commercially launch 5G services this month based on its unique approach to network deployment, 5G is expected to play a key role in accelerating the digital transformation of consumer and enterprise sectors across verticals and the wider economy in Japan.
The GSMA with the support of MIC Japan is holding the 2nd APAC 5G Leaders’ CxO Virtual Summit, Tokyo Japan on 7 – 8 October 2020. Working together to advance the mobile industry, the GSMA APAC 5G Forum would like to invite 5G industry leaders for a focused discussion on the policy, industry and commercial opportunities and challenges of leading MNOs post 5G commercial deployment.
The summit will bring together VIP guests from government and industry to consider topics of immediate relevance related to post launch 5G commercial services covering:
- Japan’s 5G journey 6 months on
- Policy enablers for realising the full potential of 5G
- Technology enablers for 5G
- Post launch 5G Strategies and digital transformation
- Accelerating the growth of 5G ecosystem
Leading 5G MNOs and policy makers will attend this summit and contribute to the discussion and resolution of challenges of 5G market leaders and policy makers.


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Senior government officials from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Pakistan have agreed to launch a new global organization to strengthen cooperation and innovation in the growth of the ‘digital economy.’
The new organization will be called the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO). It will work to cement cooperation in the digital economy sector within the participating nations.
Abdullah Al-Swaha, the Saudi minister of communication and information technology, spoke about the need for collective measures to fortify the countries’ digital economy.
“We are joining hands together toward a commitment to drive consensus on digital cooperation to make sure that we seize an opportunity for our youth, our women and our entrepreneurs with the ambition to grow our combined digital economy to $1 trillion in the next three to five years,” he said.
He further added that “Our future prosperity will depend on the digital economy, but it can only reach its full potential if we can make governments work together collectively with businesses and entrepreneurs so they can survive and thrive, expand their depth into current markets and open doors for everyone into new ones.”
He also said that one of the prime lessons in the year 2020 was realizing the digital economy’s lucrative nature. He said that economies are as strong as their digital economies.
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) November 27, 2020
The new global body was announced in a digital launch event yesterday.
The event was attended by various well-known individuals in the field, such as International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Houlin Zhao and President of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende.
Zhao insisted that a collective effort was the way for the digital economy and thus, a ‘holistic’ vision to facilitate and catalyze digital economies. At the same time, Brende too stressed the need for government intervention in encouraging the digital economy.
Read more: Digital payments flourish in Pakistan.
“I think the GCC countries and governments have been extremely successful in doing so; they set up a lot of funds. They injected a lot of funds into startups and helped them really grow and led to the different success stories that we hear about today,” he said.
The event also featured a group of leading private sector startup founders from the region who discussed their role in driving digital transformation. They shared opinions on potential opportunities in crowdsourcing ideas and innovations between governments and the public and challenges regarding regulations, workforce skills, global competition, infrastructure, and funding.
Panelists also highlighted the necessity of working together, whether between the different institutions within each country or between governments globally, to overcome hurdles and begin to envision a more resilient shared future.
Importance of the digital economy
The digital economy is developing swiftly worldwide. According to Digital Birmingham, the digital economy has been the leading driver of innovation, competitiveness, and growth in the past decade.
Innovations such as cloud computing, mobile web services, smart grids, and social networking on social media are changing the business landscape. They will benefit any nation that hitches a ride on the digital innovation train.
These trends enable more than just technological innovation. They spur innovation in business models, business networking, knowledge transfer, and international market access.
In Pakistan, revenues in the eCommerce market reached around US$3,904m in 2020, as per Statista. Revenues showed an annual growth rate (CAGR 2020-2025) of 13.1%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$7,236m by 2025.
The market’s largest segment is Fashion, with a projected market volume of US$2,748m in 2020. User penetration will be 21.6% in 2020 and is expected to hit 26.9% by 2025. The average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to amount to US$81.94.
Furthermore, in 2018, the percentage of consumers who made at least one purchase online in the previous 12 months grew to 93% of internet users in the U.S., 97% in the UK, and 92% in China.
GVS News Desk


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Above the famous Oasis restaurant on Lake Travis, Oasis, Texas Brewing is the Austin area's most scenic brewery thanks to the stunning views of the lake from the tasting room. It took the place of the short-lived lakefront location of Uncle Billy's in 2014 and quickly made clear to local beer lovers that Oasis, Texas Brewing not only looked good but tasted good as well with Spencer Tielkemeier at the helm of the beer program. The brewery's London Homesick Ale earned a gold medal that year at the Great American Beer Festival.
The win, however, caught the attention of Colorado's New Belgium Brewing, which had noticed that another beer of Oasis' was named the Slow Ride Pale Ale — incidentally, the very name that New Belgium wanted to call one of its new brews and claimed to have the right to over Oasis. A court battle ensued, but ultimately Oasis, Texas Brewing was able to keep the name Slow Ride in Texas, its distribution footprint. Now, the team behind Oasis has big plans to expand, adding 20,000 barrels of additional capacity and newer production equipment.
Plus, a new can labeler will allow Oasis to release more of its beers into cans beyond its mainstays like the London Homesick Ale. By the end of 2016, Oasis, Texas Brewing will have more smaller-batch options like the Buff Sisters Belgian Pale Ale.
Oasis, Texas Brewing is opened from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursdays, noon to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 10 p.m. Sundays. The brewery has a full food menu to order from in addition to beer.


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July 28, 2022
Confidence in the economy drops to a new low
Consumer Compass: Q2 2022
Confidence in the economy is now as low as it was during the Covid-19 pandemic, but is not as much of a problem as it was during the Great Recession
Results from our Q2 Consumer Compass reveal that the cost of living crisis has had a profound impact on the economy – more so than any other crisis in the past 15 years – including Covid-19.
Here are the key findings from our latest study:
Confidence is at a record low
- The cost of living crisis is having a major impact on consumer confidence – we are seeing record lows for consumers’ confidence (buying attitudes and spending plans) in their personal financial situation and their levels of disposable income
- Overall consumer confidence is now lower than it was at any point during the Covid-19 pandemic, or during the aftermath of the Great Recession in 2008
- The drop in confidence is significant across all regions, age groups and social groups
Crisis in disposable income
- Confidence in the economy is now as low as it was during the Covid-19 pandemic but is not as much of a problem as it was during the Great Recession
- More consumers say their job situation is worse this quarter than last, but the labour market is staying relatively resilient with this level of satisfaction not any lower than historical averages
- Inflation’s effect is clearly most felt in consumer’s wallets and is therefore going to have a direct impact on the levels of spending we see in different consumer sectors
The impact on spending appears to be widespread
- Only 12% of consumers say they are ‘insulated’ from the current economic environment – everyone else is either cautious, squeezed or suffering. As a result of this, consumer spending is becoming depressed across all sectors
- Sectors which were heavily impacted during the pandemic are eating out and entertainment outside of the home – they are at risk of sliding into crisis once again, as consumers deem these activities as ‘not necessary’ and therefore reduce the frequency of these to optimise spending
- However, even sectors resilient to Covid, such as takeaway/delivery and DIY, are suffering declines in spending. 52% say they are spending less on Eating in during Q2 2022 – a 15% increase since last year
Spending on grocery and holidays see no change
- The impact of inflation is high but it has not yet converted to a significant reduction in spending across the grocery and holiday sectors
- The high levels of consumer spending on holidays during the first half of this year look set to slow down in Q3 as the inflation impact worsens
Importantly, grocery is the sector with the highest inflation impact (88%) but has not seen any change in aggregate spending.
This is because it is a polarised sector: some people are biting the bullet and spending more (30% of consumers), others are spending less (33%), while the rest say they are spending the same amount (36%) on grocery shopping as they were last year. Value brands are also proving useful: half of consumers (49%) say they have switched to cheaper brands for at least some of their grocery shopping, while one in four (27%) have actively changed supermarkets to save money
As a result, market data available from Kantar Worldpanel (20/03 vs. 12/06), shows German discount supermarkets, Aldi & Lidl, have gained 0.9% market share in Q2 2022
Looking forward to the autumn
- Moving into the second half of the year, recreational sectors (such as days out and entertainment out of home) and eating out appear to be most at risk, with 50% of consumers anticipating spending to keep declining in those areas
- Younger consumers – Gen Z’s and Millennials – also have relatively less affected spending habits than older audiences. This is unlikely to continue through to the autumn as they continue to be impacted by the rise in cost of living across sectors
It’s impossible to ignore the ripple effect of the cost of living crisis on the economy. It is having a profound impact on consumers’ confidence, making them feel uneasy and unsure about the future. These low confidence levels will act as a weight on growth as consumers are more and more hesitant to spend money.
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State-owned Israel Aerospace Industries on Tuesday said it has partnered with Germany's OHB System for a European Space Agency moon mission, which includes developing a lunar lander. Mexican Senator Armando Rios Piter told CNN that he plans to introduce a bill this week that would stop Mexican purchases of American corn. Amazon.com Inc is exploring alternatives to locating part of its new headquarters in New York enalapril in case the plan should fail due to local opposition, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters on Friday. Reuters blogger Felix Salmon takes to kids toys to explain one of the most vexing problems facing Washington the fiscal cliff. (December 12, 2012) Enalapril 2mg cheapest.
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You can expect the newest version of Apple TV to be heavily focused on gaming according to a new article by The New York Times.
The anonymous insiders told the Times that the new Apple TV will contain hardware that is capable of displaying high quality graphics. They also noted that the product will start at $150, just over twice as much as the current $70 model.
The new device will also be synced with a remote that doubles as a controller. Users will be able to access the App Store through Apple TV to purchase and download games.
Anonymous sources “with knowledge of the product” have stated that Apple TV will also have support Bluetooth as well as other third party devices. The controller is also said to have physical buttons, motion sensors, and a touch-pad interface.
9to5Mac says that, “For gaming purposes, the remote control will have the built-in motion sensors introduced in the iPhone, so that it can be used as a steering wheel for car racing titles and similar games.”
Apple has yet to confirm these rumors.


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Abusive social media users who persistently spread racial hatred online could be given "internet Asbos" blocking them from sites such as Twitter and Facebook under proposals to tackle rising levels of anti-Semitism.
A group of MPs called on the Crown Prosecution Service to examine whether prevention orders similar to those which can be used to restrict sex offenders' online access could be applied to hate crimes. They could be imposed to bar "determined" perpetrators from social media, the All Party Parliamentary Inquiry Into anti-Semitism suggests.
A leading detective says people who commit serious cyber crime often start out with thefts in online games like World Of Warcraft.Read the full story ›
Dick Costolo vows a personal crusade to tackle Twitter trolls as he admits he is "frankly ashamed" by how the company has dealt with abuse.Read the full story ›
Ross Ulbricht was convicted of running an online drugs empire which netted $213m in just three years.Read the full story ›
New Army unit which will use psychology and social media to help Britain "fight in the information age" is being set up, the MoD announced.Read the full story ›
Thousands of Virgin Media customers will lose their email address and emails after part of the broadband company was sold to TalkTalk.Read the full story ›
The Information Commissioner's Office said in a statement that it required the search engine to sign a "formal undertaking" that it would make the changes by June 30 and take further steps in the next two years.
Social networking site Facebook has reported revenue growth of 49% in the last three months of 2014.
The site made $3.85 billion in the final quarter of last year, compared to $2.59 billion over the same period in 2013.
The site has attributed the growth to the strength of mobile advertising.
An Ofcom report says mistakes mean people relying on live subtitles had an 'inferior' experience to other viewers.Read the full story ›
It all started in 1976 with the Apple-1 and led to Apple recording the biggest ever profit by a public company.Read the full story ›


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Monday, 20 January 2020
A DONATION day will be held at the Watlington Club to support a homelessness charity.
Residents are being encouraged to back the Watlington Gives initiative on Tuesday, December 17, by providing food to support Homeless Oxfordshire.
This should include pasta, rice, lentils, macaroni, jams and marmalade, squash and fruit juice, tomato sauce and mayonnaise, sugar, tinned goods and packets of biscuits.
Donations can be made between 3pm and 7.30pm.
09 December 2019
POLL: Have your say


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Blood-Free Diamonds: How Important They Are?07 January 2018
Diamonds are rooted deeply in our culture. Many people buy them, wear them, use them as their main accessory, complete their dresses with them and singers name their songs after them. But have you ever thought where those shiny little objects come from and how they are obtained? Although most people have a common notion about how do we extract valuable materials, diamonds are an exception. They can be “bloody”. Yes, there is a term called “blood diamonds” and the name says it all. Also known as conflict diamonds, hot diamonds, and war diamonds, blood diamonds are mined in war zones and sold to fund civil wars. This violence for diamonds mostly takes place in central and West African countries. In order to force the locals into working in their mines, warlords in the region use extreme violence. In the instance of civil war of Sierra Leone, a group known as the Revolutionary United Front threatened the people in the region and they did not stop until they took the mines. In Sierra Leone, 20,000 people were harmed and millions escaped from the country and according to National Geographic News, blood diamonds are responsible for almost 4 million deaths. The diamond problem of the region wasn't really announced to the public until Leonard DiCaprio’s movie; Blood Diamond in 2006. Instead of using this public awareness as an opportunity to prevent people to suffer, the diamond industry responded to the movie with successful PR campaigns.
In most of the cases, government officials bribed to let diamonds to pass to other countries or they get smuggled across borders into illegitimate trading channels. In fact, in 2003, a regulation called “Kimberly Process Certification Scheme” was established to prevent illegitimate diamonds from entering the market and to ensure that these diamonds are not funding civil wars. It was envisioned by diamond industry and instated by the United Nations and the diamond industries now claim that 99.8% of diamonds are “blood free”. But unfortunately, in 2006, the United Nations documented reports showing that nearly $23 million worth of blood diamonds are illegally smuggled from various countries like Ivory Coasts. Moreover, Ian Smillie was one of the founders of the Kimberly Process but after saying the resolution was so ineffective, he resigned.
Even so, the diamond trade is not all corrupted and evil. When diamonds are blood free and exported legally, they really help the economic development of underdeveloped nations. Moreover, despite being a failure, Kimberly Process prevented a good deal of violence in the region, related to blood diamonds. So what can be done? What can we do as customers for our parts? There are now ways to know where diamonds came from. There are even different labels for blood diamonds and blood-free diamonds. Also, you can try synthetic diamonds. Blood diamond smugglers obviously hate synthetic diamonds and good ones are chemically indistinguishable. After all the facts that listed above, we should be absolutely sure that we are not buying anything that can support violence. Whether or not you buy them, the diamond industry continues to grow year by year. This industry also provides underdeveloped economies with jobs and this is the bright side. What we should do as customers is to be sure that we are buying blood-free diamonds.


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Businesses suffer as Omicron prompts surge in cancellations
A fifth of businesses reported increased cancellations over the past month due to the surge in the Omicron variant, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Businesses not permanently stopped trading were asked if they experienced a change in the number of cancellations from customers in the past month.
Two thirds (64%) of businesses in the ‘other service activities’ industry, which includes hairdressers and other beauty treatments, reported more cancellations than normal.
Nearly half (44%) of businesses in the accommodation and food service activities industry reported an increase in cancellations. At sub-industry level, the accommodation sub-industry had 67% reporting they had experienced an increase in cancellations in the past month, compared with 41% in the food and beverage service activities sub-industry.
Dr Jackie Mulligan, expert on the Government’s High Streets Task Force and founder of Shoplocalonline.org, said: “The number of cancellations caused by the Omicron variant had a devastating impact on high street businesses, from small local retailers to pubs and restaurants. People opted to stay in rather than go out and businesses around the country felt the full force of this.
“During the festive period, on which so many small businesses rely, the Omicron variant turned some high streets into ghost towns. We’re now facing a perfect storm of soaring energy prices and inflation, and rising interest rates, while businesses are also having have to cope with supply chain issues, rising raw material costs and the usual January lull.”
Jo Ferreday, director of events company Sheer Edge, said: “The Omicron variant trashed the hospitality and event industry. Over the past month, we have seen football matches postponed across the UK, resulting in our clients having to reschedule their hospitality plans.
“In Ireland, the Leopardstown Christmas Festival sadly had to take place behind closed doors at the last minute, resulting in us having to refund our clients. A clear roadmap and communication strategy are key to our survival but both are worryingly absent.”
The ONS also found that an estimated 3% of the UK workforce was off work in late December due to sick leave, not working because of coronavirus symptoms, self-isolation or quarantine. This is the highest the figure has been since comparable estimates began in June 2020.
The ‘other service activities’ industry reported the highest absence levels of 7%.The accommodation and food service activities industry also reported high absence levels (6%).
Approximately 57% of the workforce were estimated to be working from a designated workspace (that is, not from home) in late December 2021. This estimate is down from 60% reported in early December 2021 and is also the lowest proportion reported since the response option was introduced in early October 2021.


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Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday April 6, 2020 that steps are being taken to ensure that Floridians can file for unemployment benefits after the Department of Economic Opportunity had major issues supporting the volume of users. More than 2,000 non-essential government employees who are not currently working in their usual roles have also been identified to be redirected to help the DOE handle calls regarding unemployment claims, the governor said. These employees will be trained to take calls from individuals looking to file for unemployment benefits. Gov. DeSantis also announced 250 additional people will begin work Monday at 7:30 a.m. while an additional 500 people are being trained to begin work on Tuesday April 7th.
While Gov. DeSantis improvements help make it easier for Floridians to file for unemployment benefits this solution may not be the answer for everyone. For the people that are currently unemployed or have received fewer hours due to COVID-19, being without credit or any financial help it may be hard to find the money for everyday essentials.
So where can you get fast cash now?
Payday lenders, title lenders and pawnshops all market their services to borrowers who lack other options for fast cash. Of the three, Pawnshop loans can appeal to consumers who can’t qualify for a conventional loan. They may cost less than the penalty for being late with a credit card payment or a reconnect fee for utilities.
Pawn Shops, which are state and federally regulated has been deemed as an essential business under Gov. Ron DeSantis current “Safer at Home Order” executive order shutting down nonessential businesses in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.
If you have any unwanted or broken gold jewelry, luxury watches, firearms, or well-kept commercial brand tools. We are open and help to assist customers who are struggling financially during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.


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This story was written by Joseph Tartakoff.
Alibaba.com, which has upped its marketing spending significantly, reported a 33 percent drop in quarterly profits Thursday. Revenue at the Chinese e-commerce giant jumped nearly 24 percent. Some of the drop in net income was attributable to one-time charges, but the company said it was also related to its “previously announced continuing investments in customers, people and technology to position the company for future growth.” Those efforts include a big expansion in the United States, where Alibaba is spending $30 million to advertise its international site.
The company has said it is also committed to spending between $200 million and $300 million on acquisitions—and during the company’s earnings call CEO David Wei said, “We are relatively close to mak(ing) some announcements in the coming months,” according to Bloomberg News. There’s speculation that Alibaba.com may want to make a mobile or payment technology related acquisition. Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) owns a 44 percent stake in the Alibaba Group, which controls Alibaba.com.
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Freeholder Deputy Director Patricia Walsh and food bank supporters gathered at the Food Bank Network of Somerset County on Friday, May 31 to kick off the 25th annual Curbing Hunger Month food drive.
“Although Somerset County is known for being affluent, the reality is that food insecurity for residents continues to be prevalent in our area,” Walsh said. “Astoundingly, the Food Bank Network serves 24,000 residents each year.
“Since its inception, Curbing Hunger Inc. has collected and distributed more than 2.6 million pounds of food statewide, valued at over $4.1 million,” she said. “Our generous county residents have been instrumental in the success of the program.”
During the summer months, food supplies are traditionally low when school lunch programs close and there are no holiday food drives. Curbing Hunger is held in June to help alleviate this annual shortage.
Donations from Curbing Hunger will help boost food supplies at the Food Bank Network, at the Franklin Food Bank and other local food pantries that serve Somerset County residents.
The most-needed items are Parmalat milk, canned meat and fish, “meals-in-a-can” such as pasta, stews and meaty soups, canned tomato sauce, canned fruits, and peanut butter and jelly in plastic jars. Perishables and food in glass containers cannot be accepted. For ideas about healthy foods to donate, go to http://bit.ly/DonateHealthy.
To donate, residents should look for orange plastic bags tied to the handle of county recycling bin. Or, use any plastic grocery bag and write the word “food” on it. Bagged food donations should be placed at the curb on regularly scheduled recycling collection days from June 3 through 28.
For those who miss pick-up dates in June, curbside donations are collected year-round. Use any plastic grocery bag to place canned food at the curb on any of your recycling collection days throughout the year. For the recycling schedule, visit http://bit.ly/RecycleSched2019.
“There is an easy online donation option for selecting and purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables to donate,” said Curbing Hunger Inc. board president Chuck Knill. Visit CurbingHunger2019.org and the produce will be delivered directly to the local food bank by Amp Your Good, which is hosting the online drive.
In 1995, Curbing Hunger began as a pilot program in Somerset County and since then has expanded to several other counties in New Jersey.
The Curbing Hunger campaign is a joint effort of the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Somerset County recycling center, county and municipal public works departments, the Food Bank Network of Somerset County and Curbing Hunger Inc.


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Call of Duty 2022 release date, Modern Warfare 2 rumors, developer, and setting
Even before the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard, rumors about 2022’s installment had already begun circulating. That’s right, it’s never too early to begin thinking about Call of Duty 2022, and if the rumors are true, it seems like an intriguing addition to the blockbuster series. Though we don’t have any official information to report, we’ve rounded up everything we know about Call of Duty 2022, such as its release window, rumors, modes, and how Warzone integration could work.
When is the Call of Duty 2022 release date?
Before getting into the leaks and rumors about 2022’s Call of Duty, let’s dive into its possible release window. Like clockwork each year, a new entry in the series launches in the fall, typically in November — though several installments have also come out towards the end of October.
Given the history of the series, fall 2022 is when we can expect the next installment.
Is Call of Duty 2022 a new Modern Warfare?
The most notable rumor comes from insider Tom Henderson who revealed on Twitter that Call of Duty 2022 will be a sequel to Modern Warfare. Henderson has accurately leaked Call of Duty information before, such as news of Warzone’s sophisticated anti-cheat system, which Activision announced alongside the reveal of Vanguard.
It’s unclear how closely related Call of Duty 2022 will be to Modern Warfare, but you can probably expect to see many familiar faces make their return in the new game. It’s possible the new entry will be called Modern Warfare 2, despite there already being a game of the same name in the series. We’ve seen how much weight a name can carry, so it makes sense Activision will reuse the “Modern Warfare” title again and again.
What’s fascinating is that Henderson said Call of Duty 2022 is codenamed “Project Cortez,” and as Video Games Chronicle reports, the game’s story will cover a war against the Columbian drug cartel.
A leaked list of games for Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service includes an entry for a “Project Cortez,” with Activision listed as publisher, along with a familiar developer.
Who is the Call of Duty 2022 developer?
According to the aforementioned GeForce Now leak, Project Cortez is being worked on by Infinity Ward, which adds up with the developer cycle rotation. Call of Duty games are led by three main developers: Infinity Ward, Treyarch, and Sledgehammer (with several Activision support studios assisting with each).
Considering Infinity Ward led the charge for 2019’s Modern Warfare, the team should be ready to go for 2022’s installment. Though, it’s worth noting that 2020’s Call of Duty was initially supposed to be developed by Sledgehammer, but things were rotated around due to issues behind the scenes.
What are the Call of Duty 2022 game modes?
At this point, it’s safe to say the next Call of Duty game will feature a multiplayer mode of some kind, along with a campaign. If it is indeed a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare, we’ll likely see returning characters and a continuation of that story.
Aside from that, a long-rumored third mode called “DMZ” has been in development since 2018. According to leaker RalphsValve on Twitter, DMZ is said to be an open-world mode with “procedurally generated” occurrences, missions, AI, and different weather effects. It’s unclear if this will be a multiplayer offering or something else entirely, but it seems like it will be one of the main pillars of the game.
Tom Henderson also corroborated this leak, though he questions how it will turn out, based on the current QA issues plaguing Activision.
Given that Warzone is already a competitive, open-world mode, DMZ will have to differentiate itself in a major way so as to not cannibalize the popular battle royale game.
What are the Call of Duty 2022 multiplayer maps?
Assuming Call of Duty 2022 is a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare, it’s likely we’ll see the return of some classic maps. Much like the way Modern Warfare reintroduced old Call of Duty 4 maps, the next installment will probably bring back fan-favorites from Modern Warfare 2.
As relayed by ModernWarzone on Twitter, we could see Favela, Terminal, High Rise, and Quarry make a return in Call of Duty 2022. Of course, none of this has been confirmed, but it certainly makes sense.
How will Modern Warfare 2 impact Warzone?
If Call of Duty 2022 is Modern Warfare 2, there are a lot of concerns about how it will work with Warzone. Seemingly, each new mainline entry going forward will be integrated into the battle royale, just like Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War, and Vanguard.
Since Warzone has converted to a World War II setting following the Vanguard integration, it will be interesting to see how it changes back to a modern theme in 2022. Given the foundation of Warzone is based on Modern Warfare, it would be fitting to see things revert back to their original state, but we’re curious to see how that will impact weapons, perks, mechanics, and overall story.
Warzone has been known to double up on weapons from multiple games, which can be confusing, and overwhelming, especially to a new player. It’s also likely we’ll see a new map that goes back to a modern setting in 2022, though we’ll have to wait on the details.
It’s clear based on the reception to Vanguard and the 2021 integration, that fans are eager to return back to a modern setting, which will likely take place around the launch of Call of Duty 2022. This will no doubt bring some players back, but the integration will need to be handled much more carefully than last time, as it was overrun with a number of bugs that pushed a lot of gamers away.
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Thu, Nov 09, 2023
Airtel Payments Bank on Thursday posted a multifold jump in net profit to Rs 7.7 crore in the September quarter mainly on account of uptick in saving accounts.
Wed, Sep 28, 2022
Airtel Payments Bank has started rolling out 1.5 lakh micro ATMS in a phased manner across tier 2 cities and semi-urban regions to facilitate cash withdrawal for its customers, the company said on Wednesday.
Tue, Apr 26, 2022
Customers can dissolve an FD before the maturity date through the Airtel Thanks app, and no penalty or processing fee will be charged on premature withdrawals, IndusInd Bank noted.
Thu, Apr 21, 2022
Brokerage company CLSA has given a buy opinion on Bharti Airtel and has given a target of Rs 915 to investors for buying here. Investors can get returns of up to 23 percent by investing money here. In the opinion of the brokerage company, money can be invested in this stock and strong profits can be made.
Sat, Mar 05, 2022
The concept of Payments Banks was introduced by the RBI in 2015. The idea behind this concept was to give banking license to fintech companies and provide banking services to the underserved population of India. Here is all you need to know about a Payments Bank.
Sun, Dec 26, 2021
This represents about 61 per cent year-on-year growth in transaction volume per quarter, underlining the bank's digital-first model and distribution of over 5,00,000 banking points that give it the ability to scale up rapidly
Tue, Aug 31, 2021
Kotak Mahindra Bank will sell 20 crore shares in Airtel Payments Bank Ltd amounting to 8.57 per cent stake to Bharti Enterprises for around Rs 294 crore.
Thu, Jan 21, 2021
It's a good news for you if you use Airtel Payments Bank!
Wed, Jan 20, 2021
Online payment fraud: To protect Airtel customers from the growing incidents of online payment fraud, Airtel Payments Bank today launched ‘Airtel Safe Pay’ – India’s safest mode for making digital payments.
Mon, Apr 06, 2020
To offer health insurance plans to provide cover and give financial protection against COVID-19 pandemic, Airtel Payments Bank has joined hands with Bharti AXA General Insurance.
Thu, Nov 21, 2019
Airtel Payments Bank is offering a special benefit of Rs 50 cashback on FASTag purchase made via the app. This cashback is additional on NHAI's 2.5 per cent cashback offer.
Tue, Sep 17, 2019
Customers will be also eligible for cashback - if they decide to receive government subsidies in their Bharosa Account or if they make cash deposits in it, said the company, adding that the Bharosa has been designed on the basis of extensive market research.
Fri, Mar 09, 2018
Violation of KYC norms: The Reserve Bank has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 crore on Airtel Payments Bank for violating operating guidelines and Know Your Customer (KYC) norms. The fine was imposed after RBI scrutinised the bank's documents relating to opening of accounts without any specific or clear
Fri, Jan 05, 2018
Heating up the war for subscribers in the telecom space, Airtel and Vodafone have released cashback offers on bundled handsets.
Fri, Dec 22, 2017
Arora, who has been working with the telecom firm in senior leadership roles since 2006, was appointed MD and CEO of Airtel Payments Bank on June 1, 2016.
Wed, Dec 20, 2017
Airtel has deposited an interim penalty of Rs 2.5 crore with the Aadhaar-issuing body UIDAI after an action against the telecom operator for allegedly opening payments bank accounts of its mobile subscribers without their 'informed consent', according to sources.
Tue, Dec 19, 2017
Aadhaar linked e-KYC issue spells more trouble for the telecom giant as customers have allegedly received LPG subsidies into their Airtel Payments bank account.
Mon, Dec 18, 2017
Shares of Bharti Airtel tumbled on Monday after the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) ordered a temporary suspension of the telecom giant’s Aadhaar linked e-KYC services.
Airtel’s shares opened 2.75% or 14.25 points down at Rs 504.70 per share.
Sun, Dec 17, 2017
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has temporarily suspended telecom major Bharti Airtel and Airtel Payments Bank`s "Aadhaar linked e-KYC" services for alleged misuse of the facility.
Fri, Dec 01, 2017
Airtel has said that re-verification for mobile phones and the opening of Airtel Payment Bank Accounts are separate transactions and not linked.
Wed, Nov 22, 2017
Airtel Payments Bank will now get access to over 10 crore Hike users who will then be able to use its payments banking facilities.
Tue, May 23, 2017
Paytm Payments bank launched today will have zero balance accounts with no minimum charge. The accounts will offer 4% interest rates on deposits. Zeebiz tells you how it works.
Paytm Payments Bank that will begin operations today will offer 4% interests on deposits. All deposits will be held in government bonds however the company said it was equipped to offer loans as well unlike other payments banks.
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Players will guide Lautrec through Paris and solve logic puzzles and riddles. The game promises "3D solutions" like viewing objects from various angles, making us wonder how it will deal with the ability to turn the 3D off. Lautrec and Sophie will also encounter "rival professors" getting in the way of their quest. Yes, the press release actually says that.
Doctor Lautrec will be coming this summer, beating many 3DS titles to the punch. Professor what now? Never heard of him. Why do you ask?
No one is going to say how much of a ripoff this is of the Professor Layton series?
Eh, what's that?


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OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report – August 2017
New technologies find niches
in urban transportation in China
As transportation in China’s main cities continues to be a logistical challenge, innovative business models
have availed themselves of a longstanding traditional Chinese vehicle – the bicycle. While other start-up
industries may find market conditions in the country challenging, smart bike sharing start-ups are expanding
rapidly and raising vast amounts of dollars in funding.
The concept is simple: prospective users download an app to their smartphones enabling them to locate and
unlock a nearby bike. This is one step beyond the already established concept of city bikes, where bicycles
are restricted to pick-up and drop-off at pre-designated docking stations. The low cost of this new smart bike
service – as little as 15 cents for 30 minutes use – adds further to its immense popularity. Furthermore, the
fact that the bicycles are equipped with solar panel-operated technology allows the companies to gain
valuable insights into the habits and preferences of their customers, which can be used further in terms of
Two of the largest companies offering smart bike sharing in China, Mobike and Ofo, currently claim over
100 million registered users each and operate in over 100 cities with a total fleet of more than 12 million
bikes. Company representatives believe there is still plenty of room for growth, adding that they should be
able to provide more than 100 million rides every day. This potential for expansion has also attracted
investors to the arena. Recent reports indicate that Mobike and Ofo have managed to raise some $1.3 billion
in additional funding to further expand their operations.
The mindset of younger generations may also contribute to the growth of the smart bike sharing model –
particularly given that the inclination of this population group is to delay investing in an automobile. In
addition, considering the characteristics of the potential customer of the smart bike concept – students and
young professionals, people keen on convenience, individuals eager to claim possession of new
technologies, and those mindful of the environment and not burdened by overhead costs – demand for the
service could see an increase.
But whether or not this would be at the expense of other fuel-based means of transportation is questionable
– especially given that the increased use of bikes poses its own set of problems. For example, issues related
to wilful damage and bikes left in inconvenient locations hindering the flow of urban traffic, rather than
alleviating congestion, have raised concerns in other countries and cities looking to emulate the concept.
Furthermore, considering weather conditions – which may not always be conducive to riding a bike – and the
limitations on the number of persons that can be transported, means that it has some very clear limitations
compared to the automobile.
Thus, despite the optimism of participants in this new market niche, the impact of the new trend on apparent
demand for transportation fuels remains very limited. Analysts predict that the use of shared bikes in China’s
big cities may replace between 10,000–30,000 tb/d of gasoline this year, in addition to the advancement of
other alternative fuelled and hybrid automobiles, which are expected to start to marginally impact product
demand from a short-term perspective. It should be noted that automobile sales in China remain steady and
healthy in all classes of conventional passenger cars, according to the China Association of Automobile
Manufacturers, with new energy vehicles making up just over 1% of total passenger car sales.
While the revival of the bicycle in China’s metropolises, particularly through new sharing models, has had no
visible impact on apparent gasoline demand, the success and potential of this new concept and technology,
coupled with a variety of other alternative fuel sources that are being developed to reduce the heavily smog-
burdened cities, may yet play a part in shaping the future of urban transportation alternatives.


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IDC Ranks Mobile Phone Manufacturers’ Recycling Efforts – Mobile Industry Faces a Long Road to “Green”
FRAMINGHAM, MA – September 2, 2010 – Given the ubiquity of mobile phones around the globe, it is critical for the manufacturers of these devices to demonstrate their corporate responsibility by working toward greener phones that simplify safe and proper disposal and even reuse of the billions of mobile phones in the market. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), mobile phone recycling is amazingly low today, with rates of 10% considered good.
To better understand where the mobile industry stands on sustainability, IDC used five criteria (packaging, materials, energy, end-of-life program, and overall sustainability efforts) and 20 sub-criteria to create a green ranking of 10 key mobile device manufacturers. The top 5 mobile device manufacturers in terms of their sustainability policies and practices are (in alphabetical order): Apple, LG, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson.
* – Apple recycles in 95% of the countries where its products are sold, including the United States, India, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Korea, and Australia. Apple has been a leader in influencing its supply chain and has taken strong steps as a key advocate for others to develop green technologies. This goes up to the executive level, where Steve Jobs is very active in the company's green efforts.LG
* – LG has made strides in its power management, including the development of a solar charger, and seeks to continue to deploy such solutions throughout its entire line of products. LG has reduced the standby power within its mobile chargers, and handsets have a charger reminder that beeps when the handset is fully charged.Nokia
* – Nokia is particularly strong in the area of materials where between 65% and 80% of any Nokia device can be recycled and the rest, primarily plastics, can be used to fuel the recycling process. The company has also gone the furthest in its use of recycled materials.Samsung
* – Samsung scored well in its reduction of hazardous materials; for example, all new model phones were free of BFRs by January 1, 2009, and free of PVCs by July 1, 2009. Samsung has set dates of December 31, 2012, for making mobile phones free of phthalates, beryllium, brominated compounds, and antimony trioxide.Sony Ericsson
* – Sony Ericsson has optimized packaging to be more environmentally friendly by including recycling mailers and developing lighter boxes saving 80% on CO2 emissions from transport versus the standard box. Sony Ericsson completely replaced paper manuals with electronic manuals and saved 350 tons of paper on 1 million phones, equaling 13,000 trees and 7,500 cubic meters of water.
"IDC used a variety of primary and secondary sources to obtain information on mobile device manufacturers' packaging, materials, energy, end-of-life programs, and overall sustainability efforts to develop the green ranking methodology," said Stephen Drake, program vice president for Mobility & Telecom for IDC. "IDC spoke with the vendors directly, physically inspected the packaging, devices, and accessories of mobile phone manufacturers, and leveraged published corporate responsibility reports and other corporate and product environmental reports as available. IDC also reviewed other third-party rating and watchdog sites such as ENERGY STAR and Greenpeace."
The IDC study, Worldwide Mobile Device Manufacturer 2009 Vendor Profiles: A Green Analysis – An Evaluation of 10 Key OEMs' Mobile Device Sustainability Efforts (IDC #223277), analyzes the sustainability efforts of 10 key mobile device manufacturers. It ranks these manufacturers across 20 key criteria including device manufacturers' packaging, materials, energy, end-of-life programs, and overall sustainability efforts. The study is also part of IDC's Mobile Green: Strategies for Mobile Phone Sustainability report series, which investigates the mobile phone sustainability ecosystem and provides a competitive analysis of mobile phone manufacturers as well as mobile operators' green efforts.
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. For more than 46 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com [http://www.idc.com].
All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.


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Google has been working for years to make Android available for dirt cheap smartphones. But in spite of the company’s efforts with the Android One and Android Go programs, there’s still a market for feature phones with low price tags and a limited set of “smart” functions.
So Google’s latest move is to try to get apps onto feature phones.
The company has invested $22 million in KaiOS, an operating system designed for low-cost phones. As part of the deal, Google and KaiOS will work together to bring Google Assistant, Maps, Search, and YouTube to the operating system.
Some of the apps and services will likely have to be reworked to run on phones which may not have touchscreens or some of the other features you’d expect from a modern smartphone.
KaiOS says its hardware partners include TCL, Micromax, and HMD (it’s the operating system that powers the Nokia 8110 4G). The company also works with wireless carriers including AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Jio, and Reliance. TechCrunch reports that over 40 million phones running KaiOS have shipped so far.
It’s unclear at this point when Google’s apps will be available for KaiOS and if existing users will be able to receive them via a software update or if they’ll only ship preloaded on new phones.


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Artikel Atlantisch Perspectief
Comments on transatlantic trade. An interview with Dr Christian Ehler
In an interview in the previous issue of Atlantisch Perspectief, Marietje Schaake (European Parliament) and Ben Beachy (American consumer advocacy group Public Citizen) debated the pros and cons of TTIP. In this Interview Dr Christian Ehler, a German member of the European Parliament and chairman of the Delegation for Relations with the United States, comments on some of the previous statements and other issues regarding TTIP.
2013, Geert, Asselbergs, Interview, TTIP, Trans, Atlantic, Trade, Investment, Partnership, US, USA, Handel, Overeenkomst, Ben, Beachy, Marietje, Schaake, Christian, Ehler, VS, Verenigde, Staten, Europe, Europa, United, States, Market, Free, European, Union
Foto: Flickr/Mehr Demokratie/CC BY 2.0


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The European Banking Authority (EBA) has published its biennial Opinion on risks of money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) affecting the EU’s financial sector.
The Opinion specifically contemplates the exposure of credit providers to trade-based money laundering (TBML), otherwise it identifies and provides a list of the ML/TF risks that are applicable to the entire financial system, for instance the use of innovative financial services, while others affect specific sectors, such as de-risking.
The list also includes ML/TF risks that emerge from wider developments such as the coronavirus pandemic that has an impact on both firms’ ant-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) compliance and competent authorities’ supervision. The Opinion sets out recommendations to the competent authorities that supervise and regulate financial sectors at a national level.
Old and new risks
Some of the risks identified in the Opinion, such as those associated with virtual currencies and innovative financial services, had already been identified in the previous two Opinions on ML/TF risks and continue to be very relevant today.
Others are included in the Opinion for the first time, such as differences in the treatment by competent authorities of financial institutions’ involvement in facilitating or handling tax-related crimes.
De-risking and pandemic impacts
The EBA observes a continuing trend of de-risking, which has implications from a ML/TF, consumer protection and financial stability point of view.
The authority also says the coronavirus pandemic illustrates how new ML/TF risks can emerge unexpectedly and impact firms’ ability to ensure adequate AML/CFT compliance.
In contemplating risks associated with credit providers, the Opinion says that commercial providers are more exposed to TBML risks than consumer credit providers while the risk in this sector is also increased when credit intermediaries are used by credit providers to distribute their products and services.
Over- or under-invoicing in order to create inflated payments and triangulated trade operations that might be aimed at disguising the true destination of funds through the interposition of false beneficiaries were also considered risks associated with this sector by some of the competent authorities that the EBA consulted with in the process of forming its Opinion.
To complement its Opinion, the EBA has developed an interactive tool, which provides universal access to all ML/TF risks covered in the Opinion.
The EBA’s interactive tool on ML/TF risks covered in the Opinion can be found here.
The EBA’s Opinion on the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing affecting the European Union’s financial sector can be found here.
Categories: Trade Based Financial crimes News