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We are thrilled to announce our panel of judges for the first World Catering Technology Awards, celebrating the brilliance and innovation within the catering industry. The World Catering Technology Awards aims to honour companies and individuals who have successfully integrated innovative technology into catering practices to provide exceptional service and elevate the industry standard.
After careful consideration and review of numerous highly qualified professionals, we are proud to introduce our esteemed judging panel:
Peter Petroulas, as the inventor, founder and CEO of WizButler, has been spearheading a technological revolution, redefining the way restaurants can be more responsive to customer personalisation requirements, while at the same time adding online greater revenue opportunities and cost reductions for the restaurant owner through completely autonomous restaurant systems, such that WizButler and its patented technology stands as the pinnacle of restaurant booking, ordering and POS systems.
Peter’s journey to becoming a hospitality tech visionary started with a strong academic foundation, CEO and C suite appointments in aviation, travel and restaurants. Peter’s journey also included creating, owning, and operating his own drink, dine and entertainment precinct called ‘GPO Grand’ in Sydney’s CBD. GPO Grand comprised 15 completely different venues, including fine dining restaurants, casual dining restaurants, cafes, bars, functions and cabaret shows as a testament to his versatility.
The catering industry is in the midst of an exciting technological transformation. Major leaps forward are happening everywhere we look, from the streamlining of the customer experience to accurately tracking food waste and quantifying sustainability initiatives.
Whether it’s front-of-house innovations enabling hospitality teams to enhance their customer service or back-of-house tech providing chefs with more information, insights and support, the industry is changing fast, and catering businesses are leading the way.
Innovation in hospitality tech is happening at such a rate it can even prove challenging for owners and operators to pinpoint the very best of the best in a crowded and competitive market.
Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) is delighted to be partnering with FoodBev to launch the World Catering Technology Awards and shine a light on the suppliers blazing a trail in the industry and providing a quality product that enables catering and hospitality businesses to elevate their day-to-day operations.
The award categories reflect several of the most exciting and important trends in the hospitality sector, with accolades available for AI innovation, takeaway packaging innovation, best waste/stock technology, best sustainability initiative and much more.
Hospitality will also be a people business, and these technological innovations make sure that catering teams are doing what they do best: producing great food and providing an outstanding level of service.
Entering the World Catering Technology Awards isn’t just about being recognised, it reflects the commitment to excellence, innovation and customer experience that we see throughout the industry and always well represented at HRC.
I’m delighted to be a judge for the inaugural edition of the awards and can’t wait to check out the entries and the innovative approaches by tech suppliers in the UK and around the world!
Rafaela is the news reporter at FoodBev Media, a platform dedicated to the dissemination of food and beverage industry news.
The catering industry is a vital part of the food and beverage sector, covering a range of services from technologies to specialised culinary experiences. It focuses on delivering not just food but memorable experiences, adapting to changing trends and preferences. Technology has become integral, streamlining operations and enhancing customer experiences. I look forward to being the judge of the World Catering Technology Awards!
With over two decades of experience, Chris is a seasoned hospitality technologist specialising in leading go-to-market strategies for startups. His extensive expertise encompasses various aspects of hospitality technology, including e-commerce, IoT and digital marketing.
Presently, he is dedicated to assisting hospitality brands in harnessing the power of AI to enhance guest experiences. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is an enthusiastic outdoorsman and sports lover, actively involved in coaching lacrosse and skiing. Chris and his family reside in North Yarmouth, Maine.
After decades working in hospitality, I believe that catering businesses are some of the most complex and challenging to run effectively. The juxtaposition of food production within a service environment means that the disciplines and technologies required are very wide-ranging.
The areas where catering technology is trending now include driving increased automation, personalisation, speed and sustainability. The harvesting of data, and the insight that comes from it, is also a key factor. I think that what comes next is more of the same plus the increasing use of AI in a wide range of areas from menu adoption to stock and waste management. The service norm for most businesses will be automated / technology-led with staff freed up to be more creative and interactive with customers – who will pay a premium for the privilege. There will be increasing differentiation through novel experiences, with either standalone catering or its inclusion in new, unusual host environments.
For most of my career I have been a provider of – or customer for – technology innovation. I’ve learnt a few lessons about how to make it work in our sector. A successful technological solution has to:
Above all, it has to be scalable – and if there is one thing that the catering sector has, it’s lots of outlets! As a judge, I will be looking for new catering technology that meets these criteria.
The judges will have the critical task of evaluating entries from the global selection of innovation across the catering industry, from innovative POS/payment systems to state-of-the-art delivery robotics, the very best in the technology within the catering industry. The panel has been carefully chosen for their breadth and depth of experience, knowledge, and insights into the relationship between technology and catering. We are extremely thankful for our panel’s commitment and contribution.
As the judging process gets underway in just under a month, make sure to keep an eye out for updates as we announce the results. The competition is sure to be intense with the high calibre of industry experts on our panel. Let the anticipation build as we count down to the big event.
FoodBev Media awards schemes have been running for more than 20 years and are now recognised as the most credible and respected awards schemes to influence the international food and beverage industry.
For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com or email [email protected].
Stay tuned and get excited for the World Catering Technology Awards 2024, entries close on 23 February 2024.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024


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Man Cave Daily (eyeroll) has an interview with with Marvel Star Wars editor Jordan D. White, who promises that they will be revealing… something. The question is in relation to the old ’80s Marvel stuff, but the answer to me seems much bigger than that:
Actually–let me take that back–there IS a big thing we have not announced yet that will be revealing stuff in comics first. It’s a big part of a character’s backstory that is important to them but that has not been shown before. We’re going to have the chance to reveal it in comics first. I can’t say what or where yet…but I will eventually.
I know our (okay, MY) first instinct is always Episode VII, but if he’s even mentioning it now, my guess is Rebels. Maybe something we’ll learn about at New York Comic Con?
Marvel’s first Star Wars comics will hit the shelves in January.

domain: news


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Dunkin’ of Jackson celebrates National Donut Day
JACKSON, Tenn. — Dunkin’ Donuts of Jackson is offering a special deal for National Donut Day.
Dunkin’ says each guest will receive a free donut with a purchase of a drink.
Dunkin says they will also be offering the Celebration Donut in addition to classics such as the Boston Kreme, Glazed and more.
National Donut Day will be on Friday, June 5.


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Martin Broughton, the chairman of British Airways, has called on Britain's aviation industry to stop "kowtowing" to the USA's ridiculous and inconsistent aviation "security" procedures. Broughton points out that carriers flying to the US from Britain are forced to subject their passengers to inconvenient and expensive checks that internal US flights often omit. Meanwhile, Colin Matthews, the head of BAA, has called for scrapping all security procedures and starting over with "a clean sheet of paper."
He suggested the practice of forcing passengers on US-bound flights to take off their shoes and to have their laptops checked separately in security lines should be dropped, during a conference of UK airport operators in London.
UK should not put up with US airport security - BA chairman
There was no need to "kowtow to the Americans every time they wanted something done", said Broughton. "America does not do internally a lot of the things they demand that we do. We shouldn't stand for that. We should say 'we'll only do things which we consider to be essential and that you Americans also consider essential'."
(Image: Airport security. Get ready to de-shoe, a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike (2.0) image from redjar's photostream)
I first started writing about the remarkable Joi Ito in 2002, and over the decade and a half since, I’ve marvelled at his polymath abilities — running international Creative Commons, starting and investing in remarkable tech businesses, getting Timothy Leary’s ashes shot into space, backing Mondo 2000, using a sprawling Warcraft raiding guild to experiment with leadership and team structures, and now, running MIT’s storied Media Lab — and I’ve watched with excitement as he’s distilled his seemingly impossible-to-characterize approach to life in a set of 9 compact principles, which he and Jeff Howe have turned into Whiplash, a voraciously readable, extremely exciting, and eminently sensible book.
In Does The Online Card Payment Landscape Unwittingly Facilitate Fraud?, a new paper in IEEE Security & Privacy, researchers from the University of Newcastle demonstrate a technique for guessing secruity details for credit-card numbers in six seconds — attackers spread their guesses out across many websites at once, so no website gets enough bad guesses […]
Michael Geist writes, “The global music industry has spent two decades lobbying for restrictive DMCA-style restrictions on digital locks. These so-called “anti-circumvention rules” have been actively opposed by many groups, but the copyright lobby claims that they are needed to comply with the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Internet treaties. Now the head of the RIAA […]
Unlike traditional lighters, the SaberLight features an electronic plasma beam that’s both rechargeable and butane-free. This sleek lighter is even approved by TSA, so you’ll never be stuck buying lighters you’ll just have to throw away partially used. For some people, like me, this is a pretty big game-changer. The SaberLight’s beam is actually both hotter and cleaner […]
Holiday shopping is in full swing, and the Striiv Touch is one of the best gift ideas I’ve landed on. Its simple design works for females and males, and its wide range of features makes it suitable for even the non-fitness enthusiasts in your life.Unlike traditional fitness trackers, the Striiv Touch also acts as a smartwatch. It […]
The Pocket Tripod PRO had massive Kickstarter success in 2013, raising almost $85,000 in a single month. But this isn’t just another case of pre-release product hype. This ingenious little device folds out from a credit-card-shaped plastic slab into a sturdy stand with a surprisingly wide range of motion. In portrait orientation, your phone slides […]


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Bundle up. It’s time to pick the grapes for ice wine in Upstate New York.
As temperatures dipped into the single-digits in recent days, wineries from the Finger Lakes to the Thousands Islands and beyond sent brave employees into their vineyards to harvest frozen-on-the-vine grapes. These will be turned into the sweet, luscious and boldly flavored traditional version of ice wine.
“It was actually a good good day -- very cold in the morning and we got everything off the vines by sun-up,” said Andrea O’Neill, president of Casa Larga Vineyards in Fairport just outside Rochester. Casa Larga harvested vidal blanc grapes for its 2019 ice wine on Friday. “It’s cold but worth it.”
The air temperature was in the low teens, O’Neill said, but the windchill was down around zero. The cold allowed the winery to leave the press house doors open, ensuring the grapes stayed frozen through the process. “That’s just about the perfect conditions for us," she said.
Further north, Coyote Moon Vineyards in Clayton in the Thousand Islands wine region waited until Saturday’s forecast of 4-degree weather to send its pickers into the vineyards. They found a “perfect day” to harvest Frontenac grapes, a variety that thrives in deep cold, for ice wine.
"In this instance ‘perfect day’ equates to ‘ridiculously cold,’ " the winery’s ice wine harvest notice reported. “But that’s the way it must be for a true ice wine.”
Pressing grapes that have been allowed to freeze on the vine means there’s less water in them, concentrating the sugars and acids and creating more intense flavor and aroma. The resulting wines often have powerful flavors like plum, raisin and honey.
But that traditional, or some would say authentic, method increases the risks: In some years, variable weather conditions in certain vineyards make for low yields (quantities) or produce grapes that don’t have the right characteristics for quality ice wine.
That happened this year at Hunt Country Vineyards on Keuka Lake, New York state’s (and possibly America’s) oldest ice wine maker. Hunt Country isn’t harvesting for ice wine this year because its winemakers didn’t think this year’s grapes were suitable.
“It’s a gamble every season, and this year was such a wet year that the grapes aren’t in the optimal condition we prefer for our ice wine,” said Hunt Country spokesman Matt Kelly. Hunt Country is known for its attention to quality ice wine -- and it still has some of its award-winning 2016 vintage in stock.
Casa Larga found drier conditions this year, but the yield for 2019 will likely be smaller than some years, O’Neill said. The winery also chose to harvest vidal blanc this year because it is the hardiest of its ice wine grapes.
The risks and variability have led some Upstate New York wineries in recent years to turn to what’s known as “iced wine.” In this method, the grapes are picked after the traditional fall harvest, when they’ve had a little time to age but before they freeze. This method, used by such wineries as Atwater Vineyards and Lamoreaux Landing on Seneca Lake, offers more consistency in production.
NY ICE WINE & CULINARY FESTIVAL
Each year, Cara Larga Vineyards celebrates traditional ice with the annual New York Ice Wine & Culinary Festival.
This year’s festival is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 at Casa Larga, 2287 Turk Hill Road in Fairport. Tickets are $65 in advance and $75. Get info and buy tickets.
Only traditional ice wine makers are invited. This year’s list includes Casa Larga Vineyards, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards and Hunt Country Vineyards in the Finger Lakes; Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and Schulze Vineyards & Winery in the Niagara region, along with Black Button Distilling of Rochester.
Casa Larga calls its hardy ice wine harvesters the “Warriors of Winter.” They will be on hand for the fest, along with horse-drawn wagon rides, ice wine samples, food and entertainment.
Here’s a look via Facebook at the ice wine harvest at Coyote Moon Vineyards in Clayton:
The ice wine harvest late last week at Boundary Break in Lodi on Seneca Lake, via Instagram:
Don Cazentre writes about craft beer, wine, spirits and beverages for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at firstname.lastname@example.org, or follow him at NYup.com, onTwitterorFacebook.


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Across the country, healthcare workers were facing a big problem … the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) including gowns, face shields, and face masks due to the onslaught from the Coronavirus. COLFS was no exception. In the first few days of April, COLFS had less than 300 masks available for our staff and patients. So, the call went out!
Dr. George Delgado, our medical director, identified a pattern for a face mask that would be acceptable for our needs and a request was sent out to our friends and supports looking for help from anyone who was gifted with the ability to sew and would be willing to make and donate face masks. By the end of the day, over sixty people respond wanting to help and the pattern was provided to them. As I write this, I am still getting emails from people who would like to help … three weeks later!
Well, the face masks have been coming in … thru the mail, hand delivered to our offices, left out for pickup on front steps and at churches. We are getting masks with patriotic themes, cartoon themes,
flowers, and even donut patterns on them. Some people have even been able to donate medical face masks from what they had on hand in their own inventory or were waiting for their own supplies to replenish and have since made generous donations. I heard from one generous volunteer, who sewed close to 200 face masks, that she stood in line for three hours to get into a fabric store to purchase materials to make the masks! Some volunteers also made masks for other organizations and shared some with COLFS once they heard of the need.
We are so thankful for your generosity and willingness to help! Our heartfelt thanks to all those who helped us in this endeavor! Blessings!


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- Danielle Wightman-Stone |
Klarna has announced that all alternative payment options including allowing shoppers to pay up to 30 days after delivery of goods and in three instalments will now be available in-store as well as online.
The announcement follows Klarna’s 2018 figures which highlighted in-store as a significant area of growth for 2019, as the majority of retail transactions in the UK still take place in-store, so Klarna is moving into physical retail to support the needs of its multi-channel clients.
Klarna’s solutions, including offering consumer finance in 6-36 month payment plans for higher-ticket items, will work with any connected smartphone. Customers can pay via their phone at the till by either scanning a QR code on the retailers’ screen or being sent an SMS or email with a payment link.
Consumers will then be able to fill out their information and select a payment method, with Klarna making a real-time approval decision, to offer a seamless payments process for merchants and consumers who choose the high street over online shopping.
Luke Griffiths, general manager at Klarna UK, said in a statement: “Shoppers today want more control over their buying experience. Our mission is to make payments as seamless and stress-free as possible. We’re now bringing more payment flexibility to the in-store environment, so shoppers can move smoothly through the purchase journey, whether they choose to shop online or on the high street.”
Klarna works with 130,000 merchants, including Asos, Topshop, H&M and JD Sports in the UK.


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GABORONE – The expansion of the global synthetic diamond market poses a threat to the economy of Botswana which depends on the mining and sale of the natural mineral, a former government official has warned.
Addressing a gala dinner of the Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants in Gaborone on Monday, former Minerals, Water and Energy minister David Magang said the fact that top diamond miner De Beers was preparing to join the flourishing synthetic diamond market meant there would soon be limited market options for the Botswana diamond.
“Indications are that De Beers is about to enter the synthetics market too to peg its claim on the flourishing market. Clearly, synthetics represent one of the greatest threats to Botswana’s economic well-being for the ramifications are that even if our mines were to continue to be operational for the next 100 years, no one would buy our diamonds if synthetics became fashionable,” Magang said.
Magang said many natural diamond producers were gradually shifting to synthetic diamonds, which were fast becoming “fashionable” and earning dealers up to $9-billion a year. Further, he said the rising capital and expenditure costs of operating natural diamond mines meant that with time, there would be a decrease in diamond revenue for Botswana.
He said while it was generally agreed that Botswana’s diamond mines would remain productive at least until 2050, there had been a 40% drop in diamond prices, a closure of mines and the loss of over 1 000 jobs in the industry over the past three years.
Despite concerted government efforts to diversify the economy from total dependence on diamond sales, the mineral still generated more than 70% of the Botswana’s gross domestic product (GDP).


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WPP is unifying its data efforts into a new global data company that is designed to help clients get more out of their first-party data, with an eye towards ethics.
Dubbed Choreograph, it brings together specialist data units of GroupM and Wunderman Thompson into a single company that’s accessible to all WPP clients and companies. This comes as the ad world grapples with a privacy crackdown from the likes of Google and Apple that will impact the way they can collect and apply consumer data.
The new organization will look to help clients realize the value of their first-party data, consult on and implement their data and technology strategies, and advise on privacy-first approaches, all while being respectful of privacy and with consumer permission.
“We are at an inflection point in the industry, where brands have an imperative to leverage their own first-party data to make advertising more relevant, effective and personal while fully respecting consumer privacy. We must also use data to gain insights, shape our creative work and measure results—and this requires a holistic approach that this integrated offering brings by enabling data to flow across client, agency, and media owners,” Mark Read, CEO of WPP said in a statement.
Choreograph will operate as part of GroupM, with Kirk McDonald, GroupM North America CEO, leading the new company. He will oversee a team of more than 700 technologists, product developers and data scientists who work with agency-embedded data and platform technology experts across WPP.
While much of Choreography’s capabilities were available to WPP clients previously, they were done through separate groups that weren’t necessarily working in unison to service clients needs.
“The reality is our clients need a simpler solution,” McDonald says.


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The pound;1.1bn ice cream market is driven by a high level of new product development with ice cream versions of popular confectionery featuring very heavily in the retail sector. Masterfoods now has ice creams based on its own Mars, Snickers, Maltesers, Galaxy and Bounty, while Fredericks Dairies and Richmond Ice Cream have licensing agreements with Cadbury and Nestlé respectively.
Richmond Ice Cream is the UK’s largest volume manufacturer of ice cream. It is the main supplier of own label ice cream to the multiples, but also has a large branded business through licensing agreements with Nestlé and Ribena’s brand owner GlaxoSmithKline.
Richmond is kicking off the 2006 season with a combination of new products and promotions designed to create maximum excitement and drive sales in the wholesale sector.
“This year we have two new initiatives to help us boost sales,” says Martin Williams, field sales manager for Richmond’s wholesale division. “There is the Magnificent 7, an exciting collection of new products and proven best sellers, and our Nestlé confectionery Huge Value promotion which has proved a storming success in the multiples.”
The new products in the Magnificent 7 are a Smarties cone which builds on the success of the Smarties Pop Up – the best selling kids’ ice cream in, and an After Eight stick.
The other products in the Magnificent 7 are: the Fab lolly; Mr Men Milkies and Fruities; Ribena Ice, which will have new packaging for 2006; Rolo bar, and Rowntrees Fruit Pastille lolly.
Richmond’s pound;1 Huge Value promotional campaign launched last October helped Nestlé achieve its highest ever share of the individual ice cream sector – after just three months its share jumped from 1.4% to 8%.
The campaign features Rolo and After Eight ice cream sticks and cones, Smarties cones and Rolo, Yorkie and Toffee Crisp bars. There are 4x100ml cones, 3x100ml sticks and 4x60ml bars in the pound;1 flash-marked packs.
Building on this success, Richmond is launching a similar pound;2 Huge Value promotion with twice as many products in each pack.
Richmond says its Treats value range is another popular choice with wholesalers. For 2006 the Festival range has a new toffee limited edition while other products include Refresher Lollies, Strawberry Splits, 5-Ice and Berrypop.
Richmond tub products available in the sector include Napoli five litre tubs of scooping ice cream available in seven flavours and De Roma two and four litre tubs.
“I believe the combination of the Magnificent 7, the Huge Value Nestlé promotion, Treats value and quality and the tub products will help operators in the wholesale sector enjoy a successful selling season,” adds Williams.
A new sales force and refreshed POS will be backing Masterfoods’ ice cream range this year, which also features a new product in the Starburst range.
To help independent retailers maximise ice cream sales, the new team will be calling on 23,000 independent stores over a 12-week period.
In addition there will be new POS, with a new parasol icon communicating all the brands in Masterfoods’ ice cream portfolio. Mars branded freezers with free ice cream are also on offer.
The new launch in the impulse sector is Starburst lemon and lime, and is aimed at the adult refreshment market.
The ice cream range will also be backed with a pound;3.6m package including a targeted regional campaign and national sampling.
Andrea Taylor, Masterfoods trade relations manager, comments: “We are offering increased support for independent retailers with a dynamic field sales team ready to help with category expertise and enhanced POS to help maximise ice cream sales. With a combination of our new Starburst product, increased commitment to our leading brands and a close partnership with the impulse trade we are looking forward to a successful 2006.”
Fredericks Dairies, the UK’s number two branded ice cream manufacturer, has strengthened its Cadbury and Del Monte portfolio in the impulse sector with four new products, and says the range will benefit from a targeted trade and consumer PR campaign throughout 2006.
A new Cadbury Flake 99 Mint cone, exclusive to the impulse sector, will join the Cadbury Flake 99 cone range, and there will be a new Cadbury Crunchie Blast stick with popping candy encased in the Cadbury Dairy Milk coating.
Fredericks Del Monte Strawberry Fruit Double has achieved sales of pound;1.3m in its first year and, says the company, will continue to meet consumer demand for a healthy ice refreshment, which is a currently undeveloped area at the quality end of the sector. The premium quality strawberry product (49% fruit) and an impulse version of the high fruit content kid’s product, Fruitini (RSP: 80p), will join the well established Del Monte ices range, which achieved total sales of pound;6.3m last year.
Frank Frederick, Fredericks Dairies managing director says: “The launch of the new impulse range extensions demonstrates our commitment to providing new and innovative flavours to appeal to the consumer and maximise profit opportunities for retailers. We are excited by the success of both the Cadbury and Del Monte ranges and are confident that the range will inject excitement into the freezer and bring new consumers to the category to drive incremental sales. The recent additions display our commitment, enthusiasm and drive for innovation.”
The one leading manufacturer which does not have confectionery brands to call on is Unilever Ice Cream Frozen Food, but it too is introducing a raft of activity in 2006 with innovation on Wall’s Cornetto and the Wall’s Kids range, and it will focus its out of home activity on its Magnum brand.
The new products will be supported with a pound;6.5m support package, which includes new TV advertising campaigns for Wall’s Cornetto and Wall’s Soft Scoop.
Wall’s Cornetto Caramel is new for summer 2006 and will be available in a six-pack in-home and impulse wrap out of home. The Cornetto range will be supported with new TV, radio and cinema advertising breaking in May.
Wall’s will also be introducing a kids nutrition promise across all its multi-packs. The promise will help to educate parents on the nutritional contents of the range.
Mini Calippo Strawberry Tropical is new to the Wall’s Kids range and is available in six-pack and out of home single formats.
Additions to the Wall’s Kids out of home range include Spongebob Squarepants and the introduction of Ice Jet – a novelty lolly with an innovative water shooter for a lolly stick.
Anuj Lal, Wall’s business director at Unilever ICF says: “The Wall’s range appeals to a broad range of consumers. The new innovations to the Kids range will continue to inject fun and excitement into the ice cream market and drive sales.
“The launch of the Wall’s kids nutrition promise represents a significant move for us as it allows us to communicate directly to mums showing them that Wall’s cares about what their kids eat. This, combined with the massive pound;6.5m marketing spend, will enable us to cement our leading market position and drive increased category growth.”


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WestJet today has been named North America’s Best Low-Cost Airline at Skytrax’s World Airline Awards for 2018.
“We’re proud to be named the Best Low-Cost Airline in North America as voted on by 20 million global travellers,” said Ed Sims, WestJet president and CEO. “More than 13,000 WestJetters and their dedication and commitment to providing exceptional service are the true winners of this award. We look forward to providing our guests with more products, services and destinations, along with our caring guest experience as we transition to a global airline.”
Globally, WestJet also ranked sixth in the Best Low-Cost Airlines category for 2018.
The annual World Airline Awards began in 1999 when Skytrax launched its first global, annual airline customer satisfaction survey. For 2017-18, the independent, impartial and global awards were voted on by over 20 million customers.
WestJet’s growing fleet currently operates more than 700 flights daily, reaching 106 cities in 22 countries across Canada, the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico and Europe.
A complete list of the award-winning airlines can be found here: https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-best-low-cost-airlines-2018/
Together with WestJet’s regional airline, WestJet Encore, we offer scheduled service to more than 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe and to more than 175 destinations in over 20 countries through our airline partnerships. WestJet Vacations offers affordable, flexible vacations to more than 60 destinations and the choice of more than 800 hotels, resorts, condos and villas. Members of the WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of flights and vacations packages to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods, and have access to Member Exclusive fares offering deals to WestJet destinations throughout our network and those of our partner airlines.
Source: WestJet, an Alberta Partnership


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MS Margaritaville Paradise (fka Grand Classica) is ready for her maiden voyage.
The Margaritaville at Sea (Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line) cruise ship's onboard christening ceremony was held on Thursday, May 12. The festivities were followed by a special sail-away party on the pool deck.
The vessel arrived at the Port of West Palm Beach (Florida) for the first time on Tuesday, following major renovations on Grand Bahama Island (Freeport) and the rebrand of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.
Margaritaville Paradise will offer a 2-night/3-day voyage to Grand Bahama Island. She embodies the Jimmy Buffet brand Margaritaville.
The vessel includes 658 staterooms, 8 dining venues, 5 bars and lounges, and 10 passenger decks.
The first cruise with passengers is on Saturday, May 14, at 11:00 a.m.
In December 2021 it was announced that Margaritaville Resorts & Hotels (Florida-based hospitality group) had signed a partnership deal with Bahamas Paradise to start the new cruise brand "Margaritaville at Sea". The new travel brand was scheduled for inauguration on May 13, 2022.
- The Margaritaville cruise line is expected to add more ships to its future fleet, with Margaritaville Paradise being the first one.
- The long-term ship charter was signed by John Cohlan (Margaritaville's CEO) and Oneil Khosa (Bahamas Paradise's CEO, who will also serve as Margaritaville Cruise Line's CEO).
- Margaritaville Paradise will continue her regular 2-night cruise schedule from Palm Beach to Freeport. The shipowner remains the same (Paradise Cruise Line Operator Ltd).


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- Related Games:
- Overkill's The Walking Dead
Some fans of Overkill’s The Walking Dead were worried that the game’s console release was canceled by publisher 505 Games. The publisher has confirmed that Overkill’s The Walking Dead console release has been postponed and is still in development.
Rumors began circulating earlier this week following a Reddit post stating the game was canceled. Users who had pre-ordered the game on the PlayStation Store were allegedly receiving messages stating the game had been canceled. 505 Games, publishers of Overkill’s The Walking Dead, tweeted today that the game was not canceled on consoles.
“We just wanted to clear the position on the Overkill’s The Walking Dead on console and confirm that the game has not been canceled, purely postponed whilst development is on-going. We will share further news as soon as possible.”
Overkill’s The Walking Dead console port to Xbox One and PS4 was delayed to February 2019 ahead of the game’s PC release in November. The game launched on time for PC, but has been mired by technical issues since launch. The console release has now been pushed back further but 505 Games has not specified when it will come.
The game fell well short of sales targets, failing so heavily that Starbreeze — publishers of the PC version — were forced to restructure. Starbreeze’s CEO resigned at the time, and things were not looking good for Overkill’s The Walking Dead. Developers on the game knew it wasn’t ready and expected it to “tank.”
Overkill’s The Walking Dead was forced to change engines several years into production, leading to the PC version being developed in around 18 months. The delayed console release is likely because of this engine change, as is its current predicament.
Whether 505 Games, Starbreeze and Overkill are able to turn the game around and get it out is anybody’s guess. Hopefully, they’ll get it out on consoles for fans sometime soon.


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Greaves Electric, maker of Ampere e-scooters, opens new EV plant in Tamil Nadu
Greaves Cotton's e-mobility wing Greaves Electric Mobility has opened its largest production facility at Ranipet in Tamil Nadu today. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated the facility, located in the industrial centre of Tamil Nadu, along with the state's Minister for Industries Thangam Thenarasu.
Spread in 35 acre, the plant is part of the company's ₹700-crore investment plan to increase its market share in the domestic EV space.
"Through Greaves Electric Mobility, we are solving real-world mobility challenges of common Indians. Therefore, not surprisingly our e-mobility business has seen over 48 prer cent growth from H1 FY21 to H1 FY22," Nagesh Basavanhalli, MD and Group CEO, Greaves Cotton was quoted by news agency PTI.
Built at a cost of ₹700 crore, the electric two-wheeler manufacturing facility aims to produce 1.20 lakh units every year. The facility will see 70 per cent of its workforce to be women.
Also check these Bikes
Greaves Electric Mobility, which manufacturer electric scooters under the brand Ampere, sold 7,500 units last month. Earlier in August, Ampere achieved the landmark one lakh EV customer base in over 400 towns across the country. Greaves Electric Mobility also has a robust retail and after-sales network with over 7,000 touchpoints.
The company recently launched a new electric scooter called Magnus EX at ₹68,999. The new electric scooter comes with a long range and a host of new and improved features.
"Interestingly, 40 per cent of our sales is through referrals, indicating a strong word-of-mouth patronage of the brand. This is the strength of our brand that is allowing us to aim big in the e-mobility space as we go about creating technically sound and comfortable-to-ride electric 2Ws at a scale that puts us in the forefront of the Indian EV revolution," Basavanhalli said.
He also said that "this EV mega site will help us meet the rising needs of discerning customers and fleet purchasers in the last-mile mobility market as we expand our capacities to produce a million EVs a year in future."
"Tamil Nadu has now become the destination of choice for EV manufacturers. With a host of companies across the EV supply chain located here and in the process of setting up their operations, the state has emerged as the EV capital of India," said Pooja Kulkarni, MD and CEO, Guidance Tamil Nadu, the state’s nodal agency for investment promotion single window facilitation.


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Phishing in the Cloud restricts paperless adoptionPublished on 08 Nov 2011
Customers fear losing control as cloud data breaches and phishing scam reports continue to hit the headlines
It’s no secret that fraudsters are ‘cashing in’ on today’s explosive electronic migration. As more customer data and documents are moved to the “Cloud”, the security requirements and risks are becoming more onerous. Increasingly, customer data is being exposed online, as cost and environmental concerns drive paperless adoption. The result is a shift in risks from the corporation to the consumer.”We can’t stop fraud, but we can address the burning issues by recommending solutions that offer both customer convenience and peace of mind,” explains Michael Wright, CEO, Striata.
Today, billing companies are investing heavily in hopes of drawing consumers into the electronic revolution, but ongoing reports of phishing scams and data breaches are making consumers nervous about going ‘paperless’. “Consumers feel that by converting to eBilling, they are ultimately losing control over their bill or statement and fear that their online accounts could be hacked, changed or even deleted, leaving them with no record of usage or bill pay activity,” says Wright.
Many customers login monthly to download a copy of their statement, to ensure that they have control over their own information. In addition, this reduces the angst of moving providers and the risk of losing access to years of personal information.
When considering security and risk, ‘Push’ eDocument delivery is the best option
Delivering an encrypted copy of each statement directly to the customer’s email inbox completely eliminates the need for the customer to login online. This is because authentication is an offline process, with no sensitive data passing over the internet. Customers can print or save (in an encrypted format) a complete history of their relationship with their bank or biller, rather than consolidating all history and activity in one place. This dilutes the threat of criminals looking to hack eBilling portals.
Wright points out that with additional security features, such as including an authentication section at the top of emails, digital signatures and email personalization, the customer’s fears of phishing are alleviated. It is not possible for a phisher to have the detailed, personalized information included in the email, nor the secure attachment. Because customers can also decrypt, view and save documents offline, security threats of malware and spyware are also reduced.
Furthermore, payments can be made directly from within the encrypted document, without the need to enter sensitive payment information onto an untrusted website.
Secure document delivery creates secure links
Billers provide self serve portals for customers to view document history and make payments. Securing access to this data is a constant balancing act between strong security and ease of use. Hackers see the mountains of data as honeypots of information for phishing and fraud.
While delivering email bills to customers eliminates the need to pay at the biller site, it still offers them the option to do so – the difference being that it does so from a protected, secure link instead of from within an unprotected email.
Trusted links within the email bill provide an extra layer of security to prompt customers to view their billing history, manage an account, or respond to marketing promotions, thus driving qualified authenticated traffic to biller website self-service portals.
The convenience of email bill presentment directly from within the inbox, ensures a greater level of comfort for customers in dealing with the biller electronically, thus making it an easier transition when pulling them to an online self-service portal.
“By eliminating security concerns with the protections associated with secure electronic document delivery, combined with the convenience of email bill presentment and payment, customers are encouraged to take advantage of the time saving self-service options available online,” concludes Wright.


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Kobe Bryant Video-Tirade To Be Released Later This Week
The Bryant-Laker saga just took another twist … Apparently, a video of Bryant knocking GM Mitch Kupchak and Andrew Bynum will be soon be available for fans to purchase … Will this force the Lakers to speed up their plans to trade Bryant? … Click here for this story ….
Rich Hammond, a writer with the Whittier Daily News, reports that a compromising video of Kobe Bryant bad-mouthing the Lakers will be available for purchase later this week:
Alert the paparazzi. If Kobe Bryant’s trade-me, trade-me-not public drama didn’t already resemble something out of the Paris Hilton playbook, there’s now a scandalous video tape of Bryant on the market.
The latest twist in the saga is a 24-second, profanity-peppered clip in which Bryant reportedly reiterates his desire to be traded and derides Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and center Andrew Bynum.
Want to see it? Well, get ready to hand over two dollars to some guys on the Internet.
The video, apparently captured by a group of friends who happened upon Bryant outside a Newport Beach shopping center, represents the latest evolution of celebrity exploitation and Bryant fascination.
In the clip, reportedly culled from a 15-minute conversation in late May or early June and shortly after Bryant publicly expressed his frustration with the Lakers and his trade demand, Bryant speaks freely on camera and mocks the Lakers’ decision not to trade Bynum for a player such as Jason Kidd.
Videos of starlets in all sorts of compromising positions have become prevalent on the Internet in recent years, but sports figures seem to have been immune to this type of pay-per-view sensationalism.
The Bryant video already has attracted widespread attention, even though only a brief snippet of it is available online. Its creators have chosen to remain anonymous but have dubbed themselves "The Kobe Video Guys" and promise to make the video public after they have pre-sold 500,000 copies online.
Why that number? They claim a Lakers fan, seeking to keep the video private, has offered them $100,000 for its rights, so they want to ensure they will make at least that much money by making it public.
"I personally think we’re going to make more money this way," a purported spokesman for the group told The New York Times. "I think people want to see it."
According to the spokesman, the video will be available to its purchasers by the end of the week, even though the video is not yet available for purchase on the Web site established by the videographers.
The video’s creators have been shopping it to news organizations to no avail. In it, Bryant seemingly deepens the rift between himself and the Lakers. It’s 24 seconds of controversy for two dollars.
Click here to read and subscribe to Oly Sandor’s NBA Blog.
Come back to HoopsVibe.com The Blog for more on this story as it develops through the day.
Want more coverage on Kobe Bryant’s second trade demand? Check out:
-Kobe Bryant Trade On Hold According To Los Angeles Laker


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Yes Virginia, there are still some unique benefits to owning one of Microsoft’s Lumia Windows Phone devices and today that perk is the new Gestures Beta released by Microsoft Mobile yesterday.
Although this app does not bring anything to Lumia’s that some other platforms have not already seen, even some past Nokia Lumia’s, it does package them in one app that I suspect will one day be incorporated into the overall Windows Phone experience.
The four gestures that are available after you install this app and reboot your phone, which you will be prompted to do the first time you access the app, are:
- Place the phone screen down on any surface to silence an incoming call
- Raise the phone to your ear to answer a call
- Place the phone screen up on any surface during a call and switch to speaker mode
- Place the phone screen down on any surface during a call to mute the microphone
The app settings are not difficult to manage as it is a single page when you open it up and all you need to do is uncheck the gestures you would prefer not to use. They are all selected by default after the install and reboot.
So which one of these gestures do you think will be the most useful?
Download the Gestures Beta (Windows Phone 8/8.1)


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While Splunk started out as an on-prem company, they see the cloud as the future, and while customers aren’t being forced to move to the new cloud, it does become Splunk’s primary security offering.
Today, Splunk is announcing its new Splunk Security Cloud, a data-centric modern security operations platform that delivers enterprise-grade advanced security analytics, automated security operations, and threat intelligence through an open ecosystem.
“Historic Splunk was on prem, and even the newer products like Phantom and UBA were on-prem products,” said Eric Schou, Head of Security Marketing at Splunk. “Splunk Security cloud is where we are going, however.”
While not all customers are ready for the cloud today, enough were to push Splunk into making this move.
“This has been driven by our customers,” Schou said. “We have a large install base on-prem, and even many customers who have cloud as a strategy still want Splunk on-prem. The on-prem products aren’t going anywhere. But other customers have told us that they want to see this cloud transition happen.”
Schou said that Splunk expects to see the move to Splunk Security Cloud be gradual.
“We don’t see this as being like a light switch,” he stated. “This will happen over time. It’s tough to put down a number indicating the pace of adoption, but from what we are seeing, it has been more aggressive than we thought.”
Splunk Enterprise Security, the core SIEM product, is already in the cloud, as is Phantom, the pioneering SOAR company and product that Splunk acquired in 2018, although in the cloud it has been rebranded as Splunk SOAR.
“It’s part of a simplification of our branding,” Schou noted. “Phantom is a significant brand, but there are many customers who have no idea what Phantom is. The Phantom brand lasted three years after acquisition, which is pretty good.”
Schou also indicated that it can be deceptive to look on the shifting of on-prem products to the cloud as a simple migration process, because that’s generally not what’s happening.
“Not everything has to be a one for one product transfer,” he said. “Features can come in separately from the on-prem products. Our ability to add features in the cloud is easier than on-prem.”
Accordingly, the components of the Splunk Security Cloud focuses on these specific capabilities, rather than on-prem products in the cloud. They are emphasizing:
- Advanced Security Analytics, which includes machine learning-powered analytics to detect and deliver key insights into multi-cloud environments.
- Automated Security Operations which drives faster time to detection, investigation and response, so that alerts that used to take 30 minutes, now can take as little as 30 seconds.
- Threat Intelligence that automatically collects, prioritizes and integrates all sources of intelligence, driving faster detections.
- An Open Ecosystem that helps correlate data across all security tools, regardless of the vendor, for increased visibility and apply prescriptive detections and guidance to detect threats faster.
“We will be adding new features, including behavioral analytics, which are entirely new,” Schou noted.
“As part of this release, we are also launching Security Analytics for AWS,” he added. “The feedback the industry – not just us – has been for years that this capability in AWS is needed to be brought to more people, who don’t have the deep staff to do it themselves. That’s what this AWS product is designed to do.”
Schou said that Splunk Security Cloud will make it easier in some ways for partners to add value and make sales.
“The Splunk Cloud is designed to make our security easier for the customer to understand and consume,” he noted. “That will also make it easier for partners to position this, for some customers who thought they might not be interested in this at all. It will also open some doors on Go-to-Market and features.”


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The International Business Council (IBC), an affiliate of Greater Rochester Enterprise, is hosting today's 2013 IBC Trade Conference & Expo at RIT.
Leah George, Manager Director of International Trade for Greater Rochester Enterprise, says it's the only conference of its kind in the region, offering business leaders access to experts on building effective distribution channels, emerging markets, EX-IM Bank financing, foreign trade zones, export compliance reform, and more.
George says there is a wealth of information available locally from long-time exporting companies in Rochester. "Kodak's been trading since World War I. Kodak might not be what it used to be, but they're still here, there's Xerox and Bausch and Lomb. They have decades of knowledge on how to export, how to import, EX-IM Bank financing, some international employment issues you'll run into."
The Rochester region is in the top 25 major metro exporting markets in the U.S. The area's top trading partners are Canada, China, Mexico, Germany and the United Kingdom.


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Lifestyle products and services company Urban Outfitters has reported record net sales of $1.13bn for the third quarter of 2021, increasing 14.6% from the same period in 2019.
Driven by various factors such as strong double-digit growth in digital channel sales, the company’s comparable retail segment net sales for the three months ended 31 October 2021 grew by 14%.
Comparable retail segment net sales at the Free People Group, Anthropologie Group and Urban Outfitters increased by 55%, 9% and 7%, respectively.
Net sales for the total retail segment increased 16% while wholesale segment sales dropped by 15% during the quarter.
Urban Outfitters generated $89m in net income for the three months and a record Q3 earnings per diluted share of $0.89.
The company’s net sales for the nine months ended 31 October 2021 rose 14.3% compared to the nine months period two years ago.
Comparable retail segment net sales for this period increased 16%, but wholesale segment net sales dropped 23%.
The company posted $270m in net income and record earnings per diluted share of $2.71 during the nine months period.
Urban Outfitters CEO Richard Hayne said: “I’m pleased to announce our teams produced record Q3 sales and earnings. We are excited that November ‘comp’ sales to date for all brands have accelerated from their Q3 rate.”
The company owns a portfolio of brands, including Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People, FP Movement, and Terrain.
Other brands operated by the company are Nuuly Rent, Nuuly Thrift and Menus & Venues brands.
As of 31 October 2021, the company has 260 Urban Outfitters stores, 242 Anthropologie Group stores, 170 Free People Group stores, two stores owned by Urban Outfitters franchisee and one store owned by Anthropologie Group franchisee.


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International Fraud Awareness Week may have ended yesterday (Sunday), but the threat that online transactional convenience poses to commerce should be kept top of mind, alarming figures reveal.
According to American consumer credit reporting agency, TransUnion, its latest quarterly analysis of global online fraud trends have found that since the start of the Covid pandemic, fraudsters in South Africa have been increasing their digital schemes against businesses.
“In addition, TransUnion’s recent Global Consumer Pulse Study found that 37% of South African consumers have recently been targeted by Covid-19-related digital fraud.”
A statement released on behalf of Standard Bank this morning said: “The financial services sector remains a top targeted industry in Africa when it comes to cybercriminal activity and such cyber threats – not surprising when one considers the digital-first approach this sector continues to take, driven by the needs and expectations of its customers.
“The rise in digital fraud, especially during the pandemic, is a concern that consumers need to ensure they are armed to deal with.”
Research into cybercrime has found that the top Covid-19-related digital scams were:
- Fake insurance
- Third-party seller scams
- OTP vishing
- Smishing and sim swop
Data released by Russian cybersecurity software provider, Kaspersky, further shows that more than two-thirds of local respondents say that either they or their loved ones have been the target of criminals via social networks since the outbreak of the virus.
“Around two in five consumers (41%) reported that they are personally aware of a Covid-19-related digital fraud attempt targeting them in the last three months, with 7% having fallen victim.”
To guard against online scammers, e-shoppers are advised to watch out for the following tell-tale signs:
- What you are offered or promised sounds too good to be true
- The offer takes you by surprise, or the prize relates to a competition you didn’t enter
- You’re given limited time to confirm your details or win the prize, catching you off guard
- You receive the information via a free email address (like Hotmail, Aim, Yahoo or Gmail)
- You are promised large sums of money for very little or no effort on your part
- You’re asked to provide money upfront, for whatever reason, to receive the money or prize
- You’re asked to confirm personal or account details via a hyperlink, icon or attachment in an email or over the phone


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Greg Steube Brings Out Small Business Credit Protection Act in the House
Freshman U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., wants credit bureaus to move quickly when they know small businesses have had their data breached.
On Tuesday, Steube brought out the “Small Business Credit Protection Act” which will change the Small Business Act “to direct credit bureaus to inform small businesses, within 30 days, if their non-public personal data has been breached, and prohibit credit bureaus from charging small businesses for a credit report within 180 days of a breach.”
Steube weighed in on why he had introduced the bill.
“For many years, data breaches have plagued consumers across America. Congress has attempted to protect consumers from these events, but unfortunately nothing has been done to protect our small businesses,” said Steube. “It’s important that we look out for these small businesses that are the backbone of our local economies.
“Not only will this bill provide small businesses with a notification if their data has been breached, but it will also make sure that they have access to a free credit report for 180 following the breach,” Steube added. “It’s important that our small businesses not only have the knowledge they are at risk, but also the tools they need to monitor their credit report following the event.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn., is the only cosponsor of the bill so far. Steube’s bill was sent to the U.S. House Small Business Committee on Tuesday.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a similar bill back in November and reintroduced it in January. The proposal is before the U.S. Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee which Rubio chairs. Rubio has reeled in four cosponsors including U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., and U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.
“The federal government must uphold the trust Americans need to fully participate in our economy. By ensuring that small businesses receive the protections they need in cases of a security breach, the Small Business Credit Protection Act will do just that,” Rubio said when he first unveiled the proposal back in January. “I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this bill so that we can continue to protect America’s small businesses – the cornerstone of our economy.”
“Credit bureaus need to be held responsible for their gross negligence and data mismanagement,” said Kennedy who sits on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee. “We’ve already taken important steps to protect consumers, but small businesses’ credit data were also compromised, and they deserve protection as well. It’s been just over a year since the Equifax breach, but consumers and mom and pop small businesses are counting on us to keep the pedal to the floor and guard their data privacy.”


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Indian Customs officials on Friday seized 7 kg of gold concealed in the petrol tank of BMW mini Cooper car imported from Dubai, in Kochi.
The gold bars were concealed in the tank of the car in the form of 13 crude chains. The car was imported to Kochi through carnet de passage from Dubai.
Carnet de passage is a document that allows a person to cross international borders with a vehicle avoiding paying customs charges. It is basically a promise that the person will take the vehicle out of the country when he or she leave the country.
“The BMW reached Cochin Port two days ago from Dubai and the gold was detected during the clearance procedure. The car was imported as a touring vehicle with a temporary permit for six months. We cannot divulge the details of the car owner at present as it will affect the investigation,” Times of India quoted a customs officer as saying.
According to The New Indian Express, the consignment was meant to a man based in Kasargode. His identity is yet to be confirmed.
The officials said this is first time in recent times that gold was smuggled into the state through cargo shipment.
Officials of the Customs Department had recently tightened the noose around the gold smugglers in the wake of sharp rise in gold smuggling into the state through various international airports in the state.


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The new Chicago Public Library (CPL) website will feel more like Amazon.com than the current website, allowing patrons to create book lists, write reviews, and share content with friends.
The library has contracted with the Toronto-based tech company BiblioCommons to develop and run the website. The BiblioCommons platform allows patrons not only to have a more interactive experience with other CPL users by way of comments and reviews, but also with the patrons of other library systems that also use BiblioCommons, such as in New York, Boston, and Seattle. The project is funded for the next three years by the Chicago Public Library Foundation, according to CPL Commissioner Brian Bannon.
“I have a strong bias that libraries are good at lots of things, but development, in terms of coding and engineering at the level that is required to keep pace…is changing,” Bannon tells American Libraries. “I don’t think our industry is really set up to keep pace and to stay ahead of pace.”
Bannon says the BiblioCommons platform sits atop CPL’s integrated library system to provide a “really great customer experience around our content.” The new website, which was launched in beta mode in November with a full launch expected in early 2014, allows CPL’s 1.1 million monthly users to review content, and create lists and share them with friends and colleagues. It also includes a calendar feature that connects patrons with author talks and other events at the library. The new website will also feature streaming media, such as movies, television shows, and music, as well as thousands of downloadable magazines.
Bannon says that, much like the Amazon experience, when patrons review a book or create a list on the new CPL site they are sharing them with the entire BiblioCommons community. “Part of what makes Amazon such a robust system is that they have this global network of people who are constantly reviewing and engaging their products. So as a customer on Amazon I benefit from people engaging online about the success they’re having with the product.”
That creates the opportunity for niche areas of interest to flourish, he says. “So these niche areas where you maybe have three, four, five, 10 people in Chicago who are really interested—you multiply that by a couple of cities and all of a sudden you have this nice group of people who are all interested in the same area.”
Beth Jefferson, co-founder of BiblioCommons, says that the company serves more than 4 million unique users viewing roughly 110 million pages a month and not just in the US. She says BiblioCommons also serves patrons in New Zealand, Vancouver, Australia, and elsewhere. The CPL project required a substantial reworking of the system’s technological architecture, she says, calling it “the next generation of library websites.”
BiblioCommons began researching patrons’ use of the CPL website in March, only to find that the vast majority of it was not utilized, even by regular online patrons.
“We found that patrons click on very few things [on the website] other than My Account and the search box,” Jefferson says, noting that many were unaware of ebooks and online music available through the library’s existing website. “That means the library has all these resources and if you sit down one-on-one with people, there are all these things that they never heard of.”
The new website can be found at chipublib.org.


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Blog: What’s in a name?
Leonie Barrie | 17 February 2006
I suppose the first question is why? Why would anyone want to make – let alone wear – a ‘Binladin’ branded clothing range? Well I guess that’s just my personal opinion, but it’s comforting to see that the EU courts agree. Up till now, that is. An appeal against a decision by the EU’s Office of Harmonisation for the Internal Market (OHIM) not to register the trade name in 2004 is now being challenged by Falcon Sporting Goods, the company connected to Yeslam Binladin, the half-brother of terrorist Osama Bin Laden.
The OHIM considers the trade name to be “contrary to public policy and accepted principles of morality.” It wasn’t even swayed by arguments that it has already accepted names such as Castro, Mao and Danda (short for Idi Amin Dada). Even though Yeslam Binladin deliberately spells his name differently from his half-brother there’s no doubt he’s capitalising on the family connection. We’ll have to wait for a couple of months before the European court passes its final judgment on this case, but the idea of Binladin-branded vehicles, leathergoods, sportswear and audiovisual equipment is one that would take some getting used to.
Continuing our look at what lies ahead for the apparel industry and its supply chain in 2017, the panel of industry experts consulted by just-style last week tackled likely shifts in the sourcing land...
This week our focus turns to first thoughts from a panel of industry experts consulted by just-style on the challenges and opportunities likely to face the apparel supply chain in 2017, with prospects...
Welcome back after the holiday break, and from the team here at just-style I’d like to wish all our readers a happy and prosperous New Year....
Apparel sourcing is a complex process built on a mix of location, logistics, lead-time, price, compliance, risk and reliability. And it's in a constant state of flux as retailers, brands and manufactu...
- Outlook 2017 – What next for apparel sourcing?
- $1.7bn package to boost Pakistan clothing exports
- Mexico riots hit apparel retailers and shipments
- Outlook 2017 – What else is the industry watching?
- Is China about to burst its apparel trade bubble?
- MAS Holdings planning second industrial park
- M&S quality focus finally lifts clothing sales
- Sri Lanka on track to regain EU GSP+ benefits
- JC Penney latest retailer to shutter stores?
- Aéropostale to reopen 500 stores across the US
- Global apparel markets: product developments and innovations, October 2016
- Anti-odour clothing: fresh fashion for an active lifestyle
- Global market review of lingerie – forecasts to 2022
- Outdoor performance apparel 2016: A broader perspective
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar


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On May 12, 2021, Canada declared plastics toxic. According to Environmental Defence, a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization, something that is toxic has “long-term harmful effect on the environment; danger to the environment on which life depends; or danger to human life or health.”
But what does the toxic label now mean for the future of plastics in Canada? Well, it “paves the way for a proposed ban on some single-use items.” However, nothing can actually happen unless plastic falls under Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). If plastic falls under CEPA’s schedule 1, the government has to act and can ban six single-use plastic items, including straws and six-pack rings. It can also create incentives for companies to use recycled plastic, and force plastic producers to pay for recycling. Right now, “about 3.3 million tonnes of plastic is discarded in Canada each year, and less than 10% — about 305,000 tonnes — is recycled.” According to a 2019 study commissioned by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the rest is either incinerated or ends up in landfills or rivers, lakes and oceans. As a result, the plastics “harm the environment, choking seabirds, cetaceans and other wildlife.”
When it comes to the less than 10% that is recycled, Environmental Defence writes that this mode of recycling was “originally created by the plastics industry as a way to greenwash its activities. Back in 1974, an industry insider admitted that recycling was never going to be economically viable — and that continues to be true today.” Plastics industry groups are fighting against the May 12 decision, arguing for “better recycling access and stronger technology around mechanical and chemical, or advanced, recycling.”
“By making plastics completely recyclable and transforming waste into new plastic items and other products, we can help Canada realize its goal of zero plastic waste,” said Elena Mantagaris, vice president of CIAC’s plastics division.” Yet, even if recycling really was advanced enough to result in zero plastic waste, there would still be little demand for it from plastics manufacturing companies.
The ban of single-use plastic items in Canada may be something other countries around the world can observe, implement, and/or improve upon.
So what is the solution? One answer could be to “produce less plastic overall and to commit to reusing the plastic we do use over and over again.” With a growing global incentive for a zero-waste world, Canada, which generates most waste per capita globally, is a good place to see if proposing a ban on some single-use plastic items can have positive, long-lasting impact.
If the proposed ban goes through, the rest of the world will be able to analyze its impact: Will it make Canada less wasteful? Will the fear-mongering tactics by the plastics industries, such as claims that other toxic items will take the place of plastics, be proven right or wrong? Finally, what effects will it have on the economy? The ban of single-use plastic items in Canada may be something other countries around the world can observe, implement, and/or improve upon.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com — In the Featured Image: A plastic cup on the ground. Featured Photo Credit: Ivan Radic.


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You are here
Warren Buffett's electric cars are here
THE car market continues to see a surge in electric power, as a new dealer flips the switch here on BYD, the Shenzhen-based manufacturer backed by legendary investor Warren Buffett.
Vantage Automotive Limited will start selling the BYD e6 on July 19 for S$133,888 including Certificate of Entitlement.
The price puts the five-seat, five-door crossover car firmly at the affordable end of the electric vehicle (EV) market. It is about a third the price of a Tesla, and undercuts rival EVs from Hyundai, Kia and Nissan.
Low pricing is one factor that Vantage hopes will help BYD crack the market here, according to Christopher Chin, the company's managing director. The car is being sold by E-Auto, a new division of Vantage, which itself is a unit of Sime Darby.
Mr Chin told The Business Times that the e6's low running costs are another reason to consider the car. The bill for charging the BYD's battery is about S$30, which is enough for around 400km of range. Because it has relatively few moving parts, it is also cheaper to maintain than a comparable petrol or diesel car.
Over 10 years, an owner could save up to S$30,000 by switching to electric power, he reckons.
If the e6 looks vaguely familiar, that might be because there are already more than 100 of them on the road. HDT Taxi owns a fleet of BYDs, as part of its business plan to offer zero-emissions cab rides here.
Mr Chin said HDT will continue to have direct access to BYD for its cabs, but Vantage will be the exclusive dealer responsible for all retail and fleet sales in Singapore.
Mr Chin stressed that Vantage has been careful to differentiate its cars from those operated by HDT. "Taxis are taxis. There are some things we've added to really make it feel like a passenger car," he said. These include upscale features like customisable colours, softer upholstery, a powered tailgate and a touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation.
Mr Chin hopes E-Auto will eventually sell around 30 BYDs a month. That's a similar volume to what Vantage achieved with Ford (another brand it handles), until last year's stringent Vehicular Emissions Scheme added pollution surcharges that made its products uncompetitively expensive.
But, like their batteries, the business of selling EVs could be a matter of staying power. It won't be until the middle of 2020 that BYD will have a standalone showroom, which is also when a second model joins the line-up here in the form of another crossover car.
Vantage and BYD first got in touch with each other only three months ago, and for now the e6 has to share space with the former's used car division on the first floor of its Alexandra Road building.
Yet, Mr Chin said it is better to have things in place before the EV market takes off, instead of trying to catch up after they find widespread adoption. "Once the infrastructure is right and charging points are available, everybody is just going to come forth with electric cars," he said of rival dealerships.
At least one early believer in EVs has profited from similar thinking. After investing US$232m in BYD in September 2008, Mr Buffett has seen his stake more than triple in value. Vantage Automotive is hoping its own tie-up with BYD will pay off just as handsomely.


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TNT recently launched a new Twitter page wherein it also features All Elite Wrestling and this Twitter page can be seen at @AEWonTNT. They have also launched a new Instagram account which can be seen at @aewontnt.
The Twitter account recently posted a teaser that a big announcement will be coming soon, which is most likely the details of their weekly AEW TV Show that will be airing on TNT later this year. The show is expected to air every Wednesday nights starting on October 2nd.
There is also a post that shows a promotional video featuring The Young Bucks as they are telling the fans to watch out for the big announcement. You can check out the posts below:


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Marvel and Comixology announced a few weeks ago that they were giving away 700 first issue comic books. The demand to download them completely overwhelmed the Comixology servers and the vast majority of customers were unable to download even a single digital edition. The two companies have ironed out all of the quirks and have re-introduced the free promotional campaign.
Starting April 8th to April 9th, the signups will open to access 700 first issue digital comic books. You have to sign-up in advance and they will grant your account access for a staggered release. When you receive your invitation code you will be able to redeem it on April 11th, when the free comic program will officially open.
Marvel is hoping to hook people on the first issues of every major franchise during the next week. You can access your comics via Comixology’s Windows 8, Android, iOS, and web based service. Anything you download will be synced in the cloud and accessed on many different devices.
Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times.


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10 Must-See Electric Cars at this Year's International Auto Show
Gas prices may be plunging right now, but that hasn't stopped the carmakers at the 2015 North American International Auto Show from competing to show off their new hybrid and all-electric cars. The auto show expects more than one million people to come to Detroit, Michigan to see the 45 new vehicles on display from Jan. 12-25.
Steve Lagreca / Shutterstock.com
And many of those new vehicles are hybrid and electric. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors, doesn't feel threatened by the competition, according to CBS, because the trend is toward electric. Musk said, "the price of gasoline at any one time is irrelevant." Electric vehicles are the future.
Levi Tillemann, author of The Great Race: The Global Quest for the Car of the Future, said yesterday on Marketplace, "It's almost inevitable that the car of the future is going to be electric, and it's going to drive itself." As more and more states follow California's lead in mandating that a certain percentage of their vehicles are electric, electric vehicles will really take off. And "One of the benefits of electric vehicles is that electricity can be made out of any energy source," so, as we transition more and more to renewables, electric vehicles will come from cleaner energy sources.
Here's a list of 10 top electric cars from the Detroit Auto Show:
1. Volkswagen e-Golf
Volkswagen's new electric car goes up to 83 miles for less than $3 with zero-tailpipe emissions. And it's making waves in the auto industry: it won the 2015 Motor Trend Car of the Year.
2. Honda FCV
The FCV is a fuel cell electric vehicle. This zero-emission hydrogen powered car has a 300+ mile range and can recharge in under five minutes. It's expected to launch in the U.S. following a projected March 2016 introduction in Japan.
3. Tesla S
The Tesla S has had some production delays and runs just over $70,000, but Musk is confident the price will go down once it's mass-produced. Tesla has only sold 30,000 Model S cars this year, but Musk hopes to sell 500,000 annually of this all-electric sedan by 2020. Tesla announced in September that it's planning to build a giant “gigafactory” outside of Reno, Nevada to manufacture the batteries that power the cars. Tesla is planning to release the Model III in 2017, which will offer a more affordable $35,000 price tag.
4. Smart Electric Car
With a convertible option, this tiny car has an impressive government MPGe rating (miles per gallon gasoline equivalent) of 122 miles in the city and 93 on the highway.
5. BMW i8
The car was first introduced as a plug-in hybrid sports car. Now the 2015 model is electric with a range of 15-23 miles and a MPGe rating of 76. Deliveries to U.S. customers began in August 2014.
6. Chevy Bolt
General Motors wants to build on the success of its Chevy Volt hybrid with this new all-electric car. The carmker estimates it will go 200 miles on a single charge and cost $30,000. The Bolt is still a concept car, but it's debuting a 2016 update to the Volt hybrid.
7. GAC Group's Witstar
Chinese auto maker GAC Group's Witstar is a concept car that will be autonomous (able to drive itself) and electric. The makers say it will have a Chevy-Volt like setup with a total electric range of 62 miles or more.
8. Audi A3 e-tron
The 2015 Audi A3 E-tron plug-in hybrid can travel up to 31 miles on electricity alone or cover 550 miles with gas.
9. Mercedes-Benz F015
This carmaker known for its luxury sports cars is going electric. It's prototpye, dubbed Luxury in Motion, is electric and autonomous. Since the car drives itself, it has a "variable seating system with four rotating lounge chairs that allow a face-to-face seat configuration." Mercedes is also showcasing its C350 plug-in hybrid, which is expected to go on sale in March this year.
10. Volvo XC-90 hybrid plug-in
The Swedish automaker offers an SUV hybrid with a MPGe of 59. Volvo says it will go up to 25 miles on electric and can charge in two and a half to six hours.
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By Oliver Milman
The climate crisis is set to be a significant factor in a U.S. presidential election for the first time, with new polling showing a clear majority of American voters want decisive action to deal with the threats posed by global heating.
Do you support or oppose each of the following policies as part of the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic?
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
America's largest national forest, Tongass National Forest in Alaska, will be opened up to logging and road construction after the Trump administration finalizes its plans to open up the forest on Friday, according to The New York Times.
Aerial view of the Tongass National Forest. Alan Wu / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
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By Ruby Russell and Ajit Niranjan
Hamstrung by coronavirus lockdowns, frustrated school strikers have spent months staging digital protests against world leaders failing to act urgently on climate change.
Pandemic Stalls Protests
Last November, the head of the UN Environment Program was among the public and scientific figures to warn that 2020 offered a last chance to cut emissions. Then, few could have suspected this deadline would coincide with an unprecedented public health emergency.

The pandemic has dealt climate activism a blow. Niedeggen says that as a movement demanding that the world act on scientific advice, the school strikers took lockdown restrictions extremely seriously, halted public protests immediately and took their activism online.

On April 24, Fridays for Future organized a "digital strike," with Niedeggen hosting a that racked up close to a quarter of a million views. "We were not physically standing together, but we were all fighting together," she says.

Activists also gathered thousands of placards from across Germany to lay out in front of the German Bundestag around the central slogan: "Fight every crisis."

Opportunity for a New Normal
Last September's Global Climate Strike drew young and old protestors around the world, with organizers estimating a global turnout of 7.6 million, including an estimated 270,000 people in Berlin. Activists have adjusted this year's event to account for social distancing and different levels of coronavirus restrictions in cities taking part.

They say COVID-19 also presents opportunities.

"The pandemic shows that we can change our normal daily life, and we are very able to adjust to a situation of crisis," she says. The key question is how economies get back on their feet: "We have the possibility to build a new normal, to build a renewable world order, and an environmentally just, climate-just normal for everybody."

In July, Jeng was among 20 female Fridays for Future activists from the Global South to sign an open letter to G20 finance ministers warning that their decisions in "exclusive backrooms" over stimulus packages and corporate bailouts would "lock in development pathways for decades."

"The system is not broken, it was built to be unjust. We don't need recovery, we need a reboot," the letter reads, stressing that "black people, indigenous peoples and people of color," have been disproportionately hit by the economic, climate and coronavirus crises.

Policy 'Not Quite There Yet'
Figures on stimulus spending do not suggest their words had much impact. The ministers were criticized for failing to relieve the debt of poorer countries, and according to Energy Policy Tracker, G20 countries by August had pledged $169 billion (142 billion euros) to fossil fuels since the beginning of the pandemic.

Katrin Uba, associate professor of political science at Uppsala University in Sweden, is researching Fridays for Future. She says that despite the movement raising awareness and gaining access to policymakers, real policy change "is not there yet."

Still, she stresses that social movements go through waves of mobilization as public attention on their core issues ebbs and flows. And perhaps one of Fridays for Future's biggest achievements is birthing a politically active generation that will keep the fight up long after corona becomes a memory.

"We know clearly from our research that many of the people who came to the streets hadn't done any protesting before in their lives," she told DW. "And we also know that if you do one protest, you are likely to do more."

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This week marks the official start of fall, but longer nights and colder days can make it harder to spend time outdoors. Luckily, there are several inspiring environmental films that can be streamed at home.
1. Kiss the Ground
Streaming On: Netflix

Premiere Date: Sept. 22

Between wildfires devastating the U.S. West Coast and storms battering the Gulf, the impacts of the climate crisis can feel overwhelming right now. Kiss the Ground offers an alternative to all of the bad news by focusing on solutions.

The film, directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell and narrated by Woody Harrelson, explains how we can heal the Earth through "regenerative agriculture," farming practices that draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and into soil as a way to restore soil health, which in turn boosts ecosystems and food supplies.

"Kiss the Ground shows how feasible it is to make these changes at a grassroots level immediately and make a truly substantive impact with low cost and easy to implement solutions," Executive Producer RJ Jain said in an email. "This is why I got involved."

2. Public Trust: The Fight for America's Public Lands
Streaming On: YouTube

Premiere Date: Sept. 25

This award-winning documentary tells the stories of Indigenous activists, journalists, whistleblowers and historians working to protect America's public lands. The film focuses on three political struggles: the shrinking of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, the mining of Boundary Waters Wilderness in Minnesota and the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to fossil fuel exploration.

Public Trust was directed by David Garrett Byars and produced by Jeremy Rubingh. Patagonia Films, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and actor Robert Redford are executive producers. It will be released on YouTube in time for National Public Lands Day.

"Our country is fortunate to have millions of acres of public lands, including National Parks, Monuments, Wildlife Refuges and Wilderness set aside for future generations," Redford said. "Sadly, these lands that belong to you and me are under unprecedented threats from the greed of big corporations, eager to weaken restrictions in the pursuit of profits. Many of our current politicians are also to blame. Public Trust tells the story of citizens who are fighting back. It's a much-needed wake-up call for all of us who want to preserve our unique and wild cultural heritage."

It will be released on YouTube at 2 p.m. EDT Friday in time for National Public Lands Day.

3. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
Streaming On: Netflix

Premiere Date: Oct. 4

Beloved nature broadcaster David Attenborough has spent his career introducing viewers to the wonders of our planet. In recent years, his footage of albatrosses swallowing plastic in Blue Planet II has been credited with helping to ramp up the global fight against plastic pollution. Now, in this World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-produced documentary, he reflects on the defining moments of his career and the devastating changes he has witnessed.

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, which was also produced by Silverback Films and directed by Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes and Keith Scholey, features an intimate conversation between Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin as the broadcaster reflects on his life and a career that took him to every continent on Earth. In addition to streaming on Netflix, the movie will be available in select theaters starting Sept. 28.

"For decades, David has brought the natural world to the homes of audiences worldwide, but there has never been a more significant moment for him to share his own story and reflections," WWF executive producer Colin Butfield said in a statement. "This film coincides with a monumental year for environmental action as world leaders make critical decisions on nature and climate. It sends a powerful message from the most inspiring and celebrated naturalist of our time."

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The future of computer crime in
Computer crime investigations in the united states: leveraging knowledge from the past to address the future american computer crime investigative task forces can . Crime is defined as an activity involving a person using a computer device for the purpose of accessing, taking, vandalizing, destroying or manipulating data without the permission of the owner of the data and/or system. The future of computer crime and law enforcement by lynn e button command college class xvi peace officer standards and t ning (post) sacramento, california. The future of computer crime and law enforcement [lynn e button] on amazoncom free shipping on qualifying offers. I believe the future of crime is computer oriented, said westrick our office handles an unbelievable amount of computer crime, everything from child pornography to identity theft there is a new scam every day.
17 hours ago future forward party leader thanathorn juangroongruangkit and two other executive members met police to hear the charge of violating the computer crime act on monday the party leader, acting . Future crime is an essential read for law enforcers, corporations and the community alike goodman takes us behind the computer screen to a dark world where crime . Five future breakthroughs in forensic technology computers when i started policing, the pc was unheard of known prints from criminals used to be rolled in ink and stored on paper and the . The future of crime: 8 cyber-crimes to expect in next 20 years published may 14, it’s time for people to stop thinking of cyber-crime as something that only happens on a computer with the .
The future of computer crime in america the proliferation of home computers, and of home computers equipped with modems, has brought about a major transformation in the way american society. The future of cybercrime 'it security experts will have to contend with more diverse threats than ever before' a constant battle of cat and mouse between vendors, their customers and the attackers, the sheer rate of change in the security industry means that predicting the future is difficult. Topics index computer crime computer crime sponsored by: daily chart: ransomware attacks were on the rise, even before the latest episode 2 open future: affirmative action should be based . Computer and internet crimes run the gamut from identity theft to computer fraud and computer hacking states and the federal government have laws that criminalize various types of behavior involving computers, computer systems, and the internet, and each has its own requirements and potential penalties. The world is becoming increasingly open, and that has implications both bright and dangerous marc goodman paints a portrait of a grave future, in which technology's rapid development could allow crime to take a turn for the worse.
The future of crime-fighting or the future of racial profiling: inside the effects of predictive policing could people be locked up just because a computer model says that they are likely to . For information on us enforcement of computer crimes, see the computer crime and intellectual property section of the reports also envisioned a future cyber . Burgess forensics is a leading provider of computer forensics, expert witness and data recovery services pioneers in the industry, providing quality services since 1984, burgess has extracted digital data from tens of thousands of clients' computers and media, whether owned or seized by court order, through four decades. Predicting the future of cyber crime isn’t all about evolution though, there has to be some revolution in there as a practical quantum computer will become a . The future of digital crimes and digital terrorism in the united states, a number of law enforcement agencies, including the secret service, the federal bureau of investigation (fbi), and the department of homeland security among others have taken on roles to fight computer crimes and terrorism.
Computer crime is defined as, “criminal activity directly related to the use of computers, specifically illegal trespass into the computer system or database of another, manipulation or theft of stored or on-line data, or sabotage of equipment and data”. For example, when the fbi receives a complaint indicating that a business has experienced some type of intrusion involving its computer network, the possible crimes committed are indeterminate. Preparing for the future: criminal justice in 2040 by nancy m ritter about the author nancy m ritter is a writer/editor at the national institute of justice. Over the past 10 years, crime has been moving away from stealing physical goods, towards obtaining information first the means of robbery changed to keep up with an age where people carry identity information in the form of credit cards and atm cards instead of cash however, these are just the . The future of crime analysis they are also responsible for handling computer programs, such as databases, statistical analysis software and geographic .
The future of computer crime in
Five future breakthroughs in forensic technology sketching is replaced by computer-aided drawing, and administration is now done by the keyboard another facet of crime fighting is the . 'crime wave' is an understatement when you consider the costs that businesses are suffering as a result of cyber crime 'epidemic' is more like it ibm corp's chairman, ceo and president, ginni . Malware could be embedded on the chips to exfiltrate information from computers and result in the theft of personally identifiable information (pii) that could then be used in future cyber crimes.
- Computer crimes are the wave of the future, even if they're mostly just new ways to commit old crimes (whether it's identity theft, embezzlement, or something else .
- The evolution of cybercrime from past to the present the penalty for the crime was showing how the computer system had been hacked by the hacker .
- Cybercrime, cybersecurity and the future of the internet the challenge this has given rise to the industrialization of a type of crime where the commodity—personal information—moves far too quickly for conventional law enforcement methods to keep pace.


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Hong Kong fashion labels make New York Fashion Week debut
Three Hong Kong fashion labels have made their New York Fashion Week debuts.
The labels – Anveglosa, Heaven Please+ and 112 Mountainyam – showcased their Fall/Winter 2019 Collection at the Fashion Hong Kong runway show, with the participation of more than 100 buyers including Loren Nadres, director of economic development at New York City’s Mayor’s Office.
Fashionistas and celebrities also attended the event, including Hong Kong’s Daisy Toi, actresses Francesca Curran and Nicole Kang, and Miss America Nia Franklin.
A rooftop networking reception at the Arlo Soho hotel were held on the same day in order to connect Hong Kong designers with fashion industry representatives.
Facilitating business exchange
Fashion Hong Kong is a series of international promotional events organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to promote Hong Kong fashion designers and labels in the global fashion arena.
Since 2015, Fashion Hong Kong has actively participated in international fashion weeks and renowned events – in cities such as New York, London, Copenhagen, Tokyo and Shanghai – to showcase Hong Kong’s unique and diversified designs.
The Fashion Hong Kong Showroom is running from February 1 to March 31 at FTL Moda, one of the major professional showrooms located on New York’s fashion strip Seventh Avenue.
Ten other Hong Kong fashion brands – Big Horn And Ejj Jewellery, Andrew Kayla, Artini, Berayah, Blank Concept, Favebykennyli, Jade In Style, Jewcells, and Nobeing – feature in the showroom.
To optimise exposure for the Hong Kong fashion brands during their time in New York, Fashion Hong Kong will take part in Coterie – the premier global event and trade platform for contemporary fashion brands in New York – for the first time. Participating brands, including Anveglosa, House Of V and Methodology, will showcase their collections in Coterie from February 25-27 to help them connect with international buyers.


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The Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation ING did a study last year that predicted that the mass adoption of cheap, high-speed 3D printing could decrease global trade by as much as 25%.
The reason given was that it would cut down production time and reduce the needs for imports.
However, a Harvard Business Review article in 2015 suggested that 3D printing works best in areas where customization is key, for applications such as printing hearing aids and dental implants.
In one of Wolfgang Lehmacher’s World Economic Forum articles, co-written with Martin Schwemmer of Supply Chain Services SCS, they argue that 3D-printing based production will bring factories closer to customers and products faster to the markets.
Nevertheless, it still has its restrictions.


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NULASTIN, the hair care brand known for its Elastaplex technology, announced that Felipe Jimenez, PhD, has joined the company as chief science officer. Jimenez, who has a long professional history in the personal care industry, will lead R&D and product innovation at the company.
According to a press release from the company, as one of the world leaders in Elastin Discovery Science, Felipe, holds over 30 patents on elastin regeneration. Beyond that, he has published 12 peer-reviewed, original research journal articles.
Formerly of Benchmark Cosmetic Laboratories (a KDC/One company) and Guthy-Renker, Jimenez has experience building out technology pipelines and intellectual property portfolios for the development of high-value medical and personal care products. He has led product development projects from concept to launch, while also managing profitable regulatory affairs, R&D, and licensing operations.
According to NULASTIN, Jimenez has spearheaded the novel technology used by the brand that supports the body’s ability to anchor the hair follicle “bulb” to the scalp via the elastin root system, promoting natural hair growth with less shedding.
“This is a dream come true having Felipe as part of the NULASTIN family, rounding out our C-Suite with another Hispanic industry innovator at the helm” said Leah Garcia, founder and CEO. “As a science-backed company rooted in elastin replenishment, this partnership is pure perfection.”
“I’ve been a long-time colleague of Leah’s and have admired her speciality elastin focus at NULASTIN. I look forward to bringing additional ideas and advancements to the table as we continue to build out a line of revolutionary products. This is just the beginning, as we combine forces to enter new markets and technologies,” says Jimenez.